Nissan Leafs to be tested as N.Y. taxis

Nissan Leaf electric vehicles will be tested for use as taxicabs in New York City for about six months from July, a Nissan official said Tuesday.

The feasibility study using six Leafs comes as the automaker was recently chosen to supply the city with 13,000 next-generation taxis starting next year to replace existing cabs under a 10-year contract.

"If (the test) is successful, then obviously there is a possibility that a small part of the mix of the fleet of New York taxis could become EVs," Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer told reporters in Yokohama.

Nissan is to provide NV200 minivans with 2-liter gasoline engines to the Big Apple for use as taxis starting in October 2013. The vehicle features sliding doors and a sunroof and is more fuel-efficient than the existing taxis, according to the automaker.

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Close Look at the 2012 Toyota Yaris Hybrid Design [VIDEO]

The new Yaris Hybrid is Europe's first full hybrid supermini hatchback. Flagship of the Yaris range, it's a compelling proposition in the region's highest volume market segment and will open up the benefits of full hybrid technology to a wider customer base than ever before.

Yaris is Toyota's best-selling core model in Europe, with more than 2.5 million units sold since the first generation model was introduced in 1999, 368,000 of them in the UK. With its latest development it becomes the only car in the B-segment to offer the option of three types of powertrain: petrol, diesel and full hybrid.

The new model combines the ingenious packaging and urban agility of Yaris with the smooth, refined driving quality and efficiency of Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive to mark a major step forward in the company's European strategy for the introduction of full hybrids across its model range.

With high fuel efficiency, low environmental impact, strong acceleration, great manoeuvrability and EV capability, it is ideally suited for urban driving.

Toyota has comprehensively revised its full hybrid powertrain so that it can be installed in Yaris without diminishing the system's quality and performance, or reducing the size of the passenger accommodation and loadspace. The downsized hybrid system combines a substantially re-engineered 1.5-litre petrol engine with a lighter, more compact electric motor, transaxle, inverter and battery pack. It offers a best-in-class balance of performance, fuel economy and CO2 emissions: official combined cycle fuel consumption is 80.7mpg (76.3 for T Spirit); CO2 output is a segment-best 79g/km (85g/km for the T Spirit, still well below the UK's 100g/km VED threshold); and the ability to operate in all-electric EV mode allows for frequent running with zero NOx, particulate or CO2 tailpipe emissions.

These qualities further strengthen Yaris as an ideal choice for urban motoring, particularly as fuel prices continue to nudge record high levels. Toyota's internal test data show that Yaris Hybrid can cover a high proportion of urban journey times and distances with its petrol engine switched off, which means more money saved at the pumps.

Toyota does not consider Yaris Hybrid to be a niche model, expecting it to claim 20 per cent of annual European Yaris sales. It represents a strong alternative for urban motorists who want a new driving and ownership experience.

Yaris Hybrid combines the tangible benefits of advanced technology, low emissions and low cost of ownership with particularly relaxed and quiet driving style. Its Hybrid Synergy Drive proves that driving pleasure does not have to be sacrificed for environmental responsibility and low running costs. At the same time, it shares the same high residual values as Toyota's other hybrid models.

Toyota was the first manufacturer to produce a volume hybrid model in Europe, with Auris Hybrid, built by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK. The arrival of Yaris Hybrid, manufactured by Toyota Motor Manufacturing France, further extends its industry lead in Europe and reinforces the company's commitment to local, advanced technology manufacturing in the region.

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Nissan Launched "LEAF to Home" V2H EV Power Supply System

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will launch the "LEAF to Home" power supply system, which can supply electricity from batteries onboard in Nissan LEAF electric vehicles (EV) to homes when used with the "EV Power Station" unit developed by Nichicon Corporation. "LEAF to Home" is an industry first backup power supply system that can transmit the electricity stored in the large-capacity batteries of Nissan LEAFs to a residential home. Nissan will showcase this system at its Japanese dealership showrooms beginning in June to help promote efficient electricity management and demonstrate the features built into electric vehicles.

Nichicon, an innovator in power supply systems, will provide the technology to move the electricity from vehicle to home through its EV Power Station units. This power transfer system enables electricity stored in high-capacity lithium-ion batteries onboard a Nissan LEAF to be sent to an ordinary home by connecting the car to the home's electricity distribution panel with a connector linked to the LEAF's quick charging port. The EV Power Station system is similar in size to an external air-conditioning unit, can be installed outdoors, and conforms to the CHAdeMO protocol for EV quick chargers.

CHAdeMO is an abbreviation of "Charge de Move" ("charge for moving") and is the trade name for a quick-charging method used to charge the batteries of electric vehicles. The Nichicon system's connector complies with the JEVS G 105 standard defined by the Japan Automotive Research Institute (JARI). This system can run on various operating modes and has a timer function which can be controlled with a liquid crystal display (LCD) touch panel. Electricity is stored or supplied automatically in accordance with a household's electricity capacity and consumption.

The EV Power Station can fully charge a LEAF in as little as four hours, which is approximately half the time required when a normal charger is used. All current Nissan LEAF owners in Japan will be able to use the system, depending on their home's installation requirements. With Japanese government subsidies taken into account, the EV Power Station is estimated to cost 330,000 yen with the consumption tax and installation charge (300,000 yen excluding tax).

This system helps to balance the electrical supply system, and can even lower a consumer's electricity bill. The LEAF to Home system will help encourage Nissan LEAF owners to charge their cars with electricity generated during the night, when demand is low, or sourced from solar panels. This assist in balancing energy needs by supplying electricity to the grid during daytime, when demand is highest. It can also be used as back-up power source in case of power outages and/or shortages.

The lithium-ion batteries can store up to 24kWh of electricity, which is sufficient to supply an average Japanese household for about two days. This system underscores an additional attribute of EVs: vehicles which can be used as a storage battery whether they are moving or stationary.

Nissan and Nichicon will continue to work together to create new value in EVs as part of the way forward toward the realization of a zero-emission society.

EV Power Station: Specifications
When charging the LEAF
Input voltage:	Single-phase, AC 200V (±15%), 50 Hz/60 Hz (±5%)
Input current range:	AC 0-36A
Output voltage range:	DC 50-500V (CHAdeMO Protocol)
Peak power output:	6kW
Conversion efficiency:	90% or more (at rated output)
Power factor:	99% or more (at rated output)
When supplying power to households (V2H)
Input voltage range:	DC 150V-450V
Input current range:	DC 0-30A (Limited by cable specifications) Single-phase three-wire system (AC 100V x two-phase)
Output voltage:	AC100V (±6%), 50Hz / 60Hz AC 200V (±6%), 50Hz / 60Hz (Max.±2%)
Output current range:	AC 0 - 30A
Peak power output:	6kW (Single-phased, AC 100V·3kW x two-phase)
Conversion efficiency:	90% or more (at rated output)
External dimensions:	650 mm (W) x 350 mm (D) x 781 mm (H) (excluding projecting parts)
Mass:	Approx. 60 kg

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NADA Guide predicts year-old Leaf will retain 95% of value

The NADA Official Used Car Guide has added average trade-in values for 1-year-old Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf sedans to its used-vehicle value listings. Both cars plug in.

In its June edition, the NADA Guide will project the average trade-in value for a typically equipped 2011 Leaf SV electric car at $23,975 -- 95 percent of its sticker price of $25,280, after the $7,500 federal tax credit available to buyers who purchase the vehicle new.

The projected trade-in value of the 2011 Volt, which runs on electricity and gasoline, was said to be $29,325, or 90 percent of its $32,780 sticker price for June, after the $7,500 federal tax credit.

For comparison, a typically equipped 2011 Honda Civic Hybrid has a projected trade-in value of 76 percent of its sticker price, and a 2011 Toyota Prius has a projected trade-in value of 88 percent of its sticker price.

Maynard Brown, an NADA Guide analyst, says the company treats the tax credit similar to a rebate because buyers of used Volts and Leafs are aware of the discount and are not willing to pay more for those vehicles than the new-car buyer paid.

"It behaves more like traditional cash incentive versus a finance incentive that you don't see," Brown says.

In the near term, Brown predicts that the values of the Leaf and Volt will remain stable because of low supply and high gasoline prices.

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Inside Tesla! Stamping the Model S [VIDEO]

A brief look behind the scenes of Model S production as Tesla count down the days to their first customer deliveries in the United States.

STAMPING

Tesla is one of the few companies in the world producing a steel-reinforced aluminum car. Aluminum reduces the overall weight of Model S to help maximize efficiency and range.

The Model S actually starts as a huge aluminum coil that weighs up to 9 tons. This coil is unfurled and fed into our Blanking Line that cuts the aluminum into large rectangles aptly called “blanks.”

Tesla's Press Line stamps the aluminum blanks into 3D parts using huge molds called “dies.” The large black and yellow dies weigh up to 40 tons and are design-specific to stamp each aluminum piece of Model S.

The hydraulic Press Line shown here enables Tesla to produce large panels of the car, like doors and hoods, in-house, rather than outsourcing this production. Our Press Line is the largest of its kind in North America and is capable of producing one part every six seconds.

State-of-the-art Kuka robots move aluminum blanks into the press, and then, using over one thousand tons of force, the blank is formed, trimmed and pierced. It’s very impressive to watch as flat aluminum blanks go in one side and shaped, paint-ready panels come out the other.

The video doesn’t do justice to the size and scale of the presses, but it does show how automation helps move parts through the process one step at a time.

Next Tuesday we’ll show how these newly pressed parts are assembled together. Suddenly parts that alone resemble doors, fenders, and body panels are joined together and become recognizable as Model S! It is the first step in the process where the car actually begins to take shape and it’s amazing to watch robots align and connect major sections of the car!

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Fisker revenues top $100M as Karma deliveries pick up

Fisker Automotive today published its first business update by announcing that revenues had exceeded $100 million in the first four months of 2012.

The company, which began deliveries of the Fisker Karma luxury four-door electric sedan in December 2011, also revealed that it has delivered 1000 vehicles to customers in the US and Europe. By comparison it took Tesla 18 months to deliver it's first 1000 Roadsters.

Tom LaSorda, Chief Executive Officer of Fisker Automotive, said: “We are encouraged by solid demand for the Karma, our unique extended-range luxury model. Pending completion of investment sourcing, we are poised to press ahead with further market expansion and development of our higher volume model, the Fisker Atlantic.”

In the first few months of 2012, Fisker has continued to raise private equity investment to fund its expansion plans, securing $174 million of additional private financing since the start of the year. The latest funding has lifted the overall financing beyond $1 billion since the start of the company in 2007.

Fisker has also become the first manufacturer to launch vehicles under the Federal Government’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program.

Henrik Fisker, Executive Chairman of the company, said: “There is great confidence from the investment community, our customers and the media in what we have achieved in bringing such a beautiful and innovative car to the marketplace in record time.

“Treading a new path in any industry is never easy, but we have set out to re-define and re-shape the way the world thinks about cars, and I am proud of what the Fisker team has achieved so far.”

He was commenting amid positive feedback from customers and dealers about the quality and performance of Fisker’s flagship model, the Karma – the world’s first luxury four-door electric vehicle.

Strong customer demand for the Karma has continued internationally. In the Netherlands, considered one of the most competitive markets for premium vehicles, the Karma ranked second in volume to the Porsche Panamera in the segment for four-door luxury sedans (of all powertrain types) in the January-April, 2012 period.

Success in such markets is expected to continue with further expansion into new territories, including the Middle East. Earlier this month, Fisker signed an exclusive agreement with the Al-Futtaim Group, one of the Middle East’s most experienced automotive distributors, to build Fisker’s sales presence in fast-growing markets for performance and luxury cars. Al-Futtaim and its network of experienced retailers will allow Fisker to reach customers in the U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Egypt.

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Toyota Prius c: Hybrid Synergy Drive Explained [VIDEO]

Scientist Bill Nye expounds on all the techno-wizardry found in the Toyota Prius c.

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Toyota Prius Now World’s Third Best-Selling Car

Toyota’s Prius, a niche oddity when it went on sale 15 years ago, jumped to the world’s third best-selling car line in the first quarter as U.S. demand and incentives in Japan turned the hybrid into a mainstream hit.

Prius sales more than doubled as Toyota extended the name to a four-model “family” of vehicles at the same time that rebates and tax breaks in Japan are saving buyers the equivalent of $2,500 or more. In the quarter, sales soared to 247,230, trailing only Toyota’s Corolla, at 300,800, and Ford’s 277,000 Focus sales.

The Prius surge propelled the Toyota City, Japan-based company back into the global sales lead for the first three months of the year. The hybrid line also gives the Toyota brand three of the top 10 models in the U.S. so far this year, including its midsize Camry.

“It proves Prius wasn’t a fluke, that there’s a long-term market for hybrids,” said Eric Noble, president of the Car Lab, an automotive consultancy in Orange, California.

Aqua has become the car of the moment in Japan, helping more than triple Prius family sales in the country to 175,080 in the first quarter, from 52,507 last year. While funds for the rebates may run out in July if the government doesn’t extend them, the tax reductions continue through 2015.

Since the start of Prius sales in Japan in 1997, Toyota has sold 4 million hybrid-electric vehicles worldwide, including 1.5 million in the U.S., the company said May 22.

In the U.S., typically Toyota’s top market for Prius, sales jumped 42 percent in the first quarter, and 56 percent through April to a record 86,027. U.S. sales of the model since its 2000 introduction, including the new variations, total 1.18 million vehicle. Global sales increased 125 percent.

Prius sets a standard of success for alternatively powered cars, including Nissan’s all-electric Leaf and GM’s Chevrolet Volt, which has a gas-burning generator on board to extend the range of the electric-drive car.

The top-selling vehicle line in the U.S. for the past 30 years has been Ford’s F-Series pickup truck, which includes F- 150, F-250 and other models. Toyota’s Camry has been the top- selling car in the U.S. for 10 years.

While the current rate suggests U.S. drivers may want to buy 250,000 or more Prius models in 2012, the region may not get more than its planned 220,000 units.

“I’ve ordered additional production,” Bob Carter, Toyota’s group vice president of U.S. sales, said in a May 7 interview. “I’m confident we’ll get additional production, but globally we’re seeing high demand, particularly in Japan.”

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Born Electric Tour. BMW i-Series World Promo Tour [VIDEO]

BMW will be showcasing both the i3 and i8 in a world tour kicking off in Rome from 21st to the 23rd of June 2012. BMW invites anyone in the area to experience BMW i with the BMW i3 Concept and the BMW i8 Concept vehicles of the first electric cars from BMW.

Find out more about our mobility services, all new sustainable materials, latest technological developments, lifestyle trends and what premium mobility of tomorrow is all about.

Tour schedule:

Rome, June 2012

Dusseldorf, September 2012

Tokyo, October 2012

New York, November 2012

London, January 2013

Paris, March 2013

Shanghai, June 2013

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Renault Trucks first 26 tonne hybrid enters UK service

Renault Trucks UK Ltd has handed over the keys to its first 26t hybrid to enter service in the UK to Norbert Dentressangle. The vehicle, a 26t rigid Renault Premium Distribution Hybrys, will operate from Norbert Dentressangle’s depot in Aylesford, Kent. It will be making deliveries into London, often at night and in the early morning, where the benefits of the diesel-electric hybrid technology in terms of low noise, reduced emissions and improved fuel consumption will really come into its own. Renault Trucks believes this is the first UK registered 26t hybrid to go into service in the UK on a ‘distribution’ operation.

Renault Trucks’ hybrid technology is particularly suited to this type of distribution operation in urban environments. In addition to an appreciable saving in fuel consumption, which can be as high as 20% with optimum use, it also significantly cuts noise levels for those living in the vicinity, to no more than 74 dB, again when in all-electric mode. This being the equivalent of two people talking in low voices.

The new Renault Premium Hybrys Tech going into service with Norbert Dentressangle UK is a 26t 6x2 310hp vehicle with a 8.4m box body with tail lift.

It will be supported in service by two specially accredited ‘Clean Tech’ dealers in Renault Trucks’ UK network. MV Trucks at Maidstone and Renault Trucks Essex in Grays. Staff at both dealerships have been fully trained to service and maintain the vehicle and have invested in special bays, tooling and equipment to meet Renault Trucks’ Clean Tech standards for alternative energy vehicles.

Renault Premium Distribution Hybrys: How It Works

Renault Trucks has been perfecting its hybrid technology over the last few years & continues to develop its solutions to meet the growing needs of operators for quieter, more fuel efficient & less polluting vehicles.

The Renault Premium Distribution Hybrys is already in operation in a number of companies, including SITA and the Greater Lyon Authority for refuse collection and building site supply, plus Colas and Coca-Cola for distribution operations. Norbert Dentressangle has also been operating two Renault Trucks’ hybrids in Lyon & Paris for the last ten months. Demonstrating the wide breadth of operations this technology is suitable for.

Parallel hybrid technology

This type of diesel-electric hybrid is known as ‘parallel’ hybrid technology, combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. They supply power to the wheels according to different distribution scenarios: either with both in parallel, or separately.

The principle of this technology developed by Renault Trucks is very straightforward: the vehicle's kinetic energy is recovered during braking or deceleration phases and converted into electricity. This is stored in the traction batteries which therefore operate perfectly independently and do not need to be recharged.

An engine shut down function enables the internal combustion engine to be automatically switched off when the vehicle is at a standstill. When the vehicle is started up again, the energy stored in the batteries is used to power the electric motor. At a speed of up to 20 km/hour, the diesel engine starts up and takes over. It is then only used in the phases during which it consumes the least, i.e. apart from the start-up phase.

The electrical energy is also used to power the safety and comfort functions which are usually connected to the internal combustion engine, such as the power steering or the cooling system for the electrical equipment.

All of this results in the vehicle's overall consumption and CO2 emissions being reduced by up to 20%.

Apart from reducing emissions, hybrid technology generates very little noise pollution - no more than 74 dB when operating in all-electric mode.

Under these conditions, hybrid technology proves to be perfectly adapted to early morning or even night-time urban applications, which are constantly alternating between phases of acceleration and deceleration.

Renault Trucks Clean Tech vehicles

To meet the environmental challenge road transport now has to face and its customers' growing demand for vehicles that pollute less, particularly in built-up areas, Renault Trucks has been developing alternative technologies to diesel for several years. These include electricity*, hybrid solutions and also compressed natural gas* (CNG). Vehicles using these three types of energy are covered by the Clean Tech label and are mainly designed for applications in urban environments. (*Not currently available in the UK.)

Concerned by the need to provide a quality of maintenance identical to that offered for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, Renault Trucks has developed a specific accreditation, ‘Clean Tech’ which is awarded to qualifying repairers in its network. This is because with these new technologies it is necessary to develop specific skills and install the appropriate tools required for servicing this type of vehicle.

In the UK dealer network, MV Trucks at Maidstone and Renault Trucks Essex at Grays have made investments in the region of £10,000 in the necessary tooling and equipment to enable them to meet the Clean Tech standard, which includes a designated bay to handle this vehicle, due to the additional electrical requirements.

Additionally, both dealerships have invested in the training of their workshop and customer service staff to ensure that the Norbert Dentressangle hybrid is properly supported in operation.

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Daimler’s car2go on course for more than 100,000 customers

Daimler’s car2go subsidiary remains in the fast lane: In just six months, both the number of customers using the service and the number of rental transactions worldwide have doubled. The market leader in the area of flexible short-term vehicle rentals is thus continuing its rapid growth unabated. In fact, car2go is the fastest-growing carsharing company in the world. The system is now in place in 12 cities throughout Europe and North America; more than 100,000 customers have registered as members, and vehicles have been rented more than two million times.

On average, a car2go vehicle is rented every eight seconds. The smart fortwo two-seater models used in the car2go system have proved to be ideal for urban mobility applications ever since the system was first launched in the Southern German city of Ulm in March 2009. The vehicles, which are manufactured in variants specifically designed for car2go, have since clocked up roughly 20 million kilometers. In most of the cities where the program is available, car2go is now being successfully operated in a joint venture with Europe’s leading car rental company, Europcar.

“car2go is an incredible success story, and it will continue to rapidly expand its business operations in the future,” says Klaus Entenmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Financial Services, who is responsible for car2go at the Daimler Group. “We’ll be operating in around 20 cities by the end of the year, and the number of customers we serve will certainly once again rise sharply.”

car2go GmbH Managing Director Robert Henrich says, “Two million car2go rentals not only make us happy; they also show just how enthusiastic our 100,000 customers are about the system. As a pioneer and the only international company to offer such a flexible short-term rental service, we also now have a wealth of experience, in large part due to our ongoing dialogue with our customers. This is enabling us to expand rapidly all over the world and to further improve our service in line with customer feedback.”

More than 4,000 smart fortwo vehicles are currently operating in the 12 car2go cities, including 625 battery-electric smart fortwo electric drive models, which are being used in Amsterdam, San Diego, and Ulm. The regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning of the cars makes the system extremely reliable and leads to great customer satisfaction.

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Toyota Prius V Launched in Australia [VIDEO]

TOYOTA Australia has added a fourth member to its petrol-electric hybrid range in the form of the seven-seat Prius V, priced at a sharp $35,990 plus on-road costs.

The largest member of Toyota’s expanding Prius hybrid family will therefore become Australia’s second-cheapest people-mover after the similarly sized Kia Rondo.

Australia’s first Toyota to be fitted with a lithium-ion battery. The new 56-cell battery’s unique, vertically double-stacked structure means it can be located inside the centre console allowing more space for seating in the rear of the vehicle as well as centralising weight distribution – the new battery is 7kg lighter than that found in the Prius.

Sales of the Prius hatch – which received a facelift in March – have rebounded this year, up 29.8 per cent to the end of April after recording a 47 per cent drop in 2011, while the Prius C got off to a strong start by recording 405 deliveries in its first full month on sale. Toyota Australia expects Prius V to contribute about 100 sales a month.

Toyota has confirmed that it will not introduce a plug-in version of its Prius hybrid until at least 2014.

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Solar plane ends first leg of intercontinental bid

The Swiss sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse landed safely in Madrid early Friday at the end of the first leg of its attempt at an intercontinental flight without using a drop of fuel.

Pilot Andre Borschberg successfully had launched the plane from an airfield in Payerne in western Switzerland at around 8:30am (0630 GMT) Thursday, bound for Rabat via Madrid, after a two-hour delay due to foggy conditions.

If successful the 2,500-kilometre (1,550-mile) journey will be the longest to date for the craft after an inaugural flight to Paris and Brussels last year.

Borschberg landed the plane in the Spanish capital in the early hours of Friday and emerged smiling from the cockpit.

"The flight went very well and thanks to the team of meteorologists, everything went according to the plan: it was extraordinary" he said upon arrival for what is expected to be a three-day technical stopover.

"It was incredible to fly alongside the barrier of clouds during most of the flight and not need to hesitate to fly above them. This confirms our confidence in the capacity of solar energy even further," he added.

The high-tech aircraft, which has the wingspan of a large airliner but weighs no more than a saloon car, is fitted with 12,000 solar cells feeding four electric engines. The trip is intended as a rehearsal in the run-up to the plane's round-the-world flight planned for 2014.

The aircraft made history in July 2010 as the first manned plane to fly around the clock on the sun's energy.

It holds the record for the longest flight by a manned solar-powered aeroplane after staying aloft for 26 hours, 10 minutes and 19 seconds above Switzerland, also setting a record for altitude by flying at 9,235 metres (30,298 feet).

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Nissan LEAF, Wind, Waves and Whisky | Fully Charged [VIDEO]

Robert Llewellyn visits a wind farm in Scotland to speak to EVA Scotland Chairman Adrien Loening. There are 50 wind turbines here, generating almost 500MW of energy, making it nearly half the size of a nuclear power station. 33% of the energy Scotland uses is renewable, surpassing 2011's target of 30%.

He then speaks with Andrew MacDonald from Islay Energy Trust to find out about tidal turbines. It is predicted that just 10 turbines will produce enough energy for the whole island of Islay.

Finally Robert Llewellyn meets with the MD of Bruichladdich Distillery Mark Reynier, to discuss organic Whisky which is produced in a self-sustaining matter.

Fully Charged is an online show hosted by Robert Llewellyn (Red Dwarf, Scrapheap Challenge, Carpool), sponsored by British Gas: Looking After Your World. During this series, Robert will discuss why we need to change how we think about energy consumption now. He will be taking a look at the newest electric cars available on the market [Volvo, Ford, Peugeot, Renault & Nissan] and also different forms of renewable energy [Wind and Solar].

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Nissan to Produce 100% Electric Van in Spain [VIDEO]

Today Nissan announced that a 100% electric compact van, the e-NV200, will go into production at its Barcelona plant in the 2013 Financial Year.

The new model will be based on the existing award-winning NV200 currently produced at the plant and will be an important and innovative addition to Nissan's global range of light commercial vehicles (LCV's).

e-NV200 will become Nissan's second all-electric vehicle (EV) following the launch of the multi-award winning Nissan LEAF in 2010, underlining Nissan's long-term commitment to zero emission mobility.

The new model, which represents €100 million investment by Nissan in Spain, is expected to create around 700 new jobs at the plant and throughout its local supplier base.

As the sole producer of e-NV200, Barcelona will supply world markets highlighting the growing competitiveness of Nissan's Spanish industrial operations. Last week a new medium duty truck was allocated to Nissan's Avila Plant in central Spain.

e-NV200 will provide both businesses and families with functional and roomy interior space and will retain the host of innovative and practical features of the current NV200 line up combined with the most advanced powertrain components of the Nissan LEAF.

This will deliver a driving range similar to the Nissan LEAF on a single charge and similar performance, together with best in class running and maintenance costs.

Andy Palmer, Nissan Executive Vice President, said: "e-NV200 represents a genuine breakthrough in commercial vehicles and further underlines Nissan's leadership within the electric vehicle segment.

"The new model will offer all the spaciousness, versatility and practicality of a traditionally powered compact van, but with zero CO2 emission at the point of use and also provide an outstanding driving experience that is unique to EV's.

"Crucially, it will also offer class-leading running and maintenance costs, which makes it an exceptionally attractive proposition to both businesses and families."

e-NV200 will also make a significant contribution to Nissan's aim of becoming the world's largest LCV manufacturer by 2016 as a key pillar of the Nissan Power 88 mid-term plan.

Last year Nissan achieved an historic milestone of selling more than one million LCV's worldwide in a single year.

Andy Palmer added: "e-NV200 represents a bold and innovative addition to our commercial vehicle range, which is already one of the broadest of any manufacturer.

"I would like to thank the Spanish and Catalonian Government for their continued support of Nissan in Spain, and congratulate the Barcelona workforce for earning the right to produce what will be an extremely important model for Nissan globally."

The current NV200 line up has already sold around 100,000 units. Its popularity led it to be chosen as the next generation New York City ‘Taxi of Tomorrow' following a rigorous selection process. Currently, intensive evaluations of prototype NV200-based electric vehicles are being carried out in Europe. Trials will continue in coming months in order to provide real-world feedback from the most demanding usage. Feedback will help Nissan to fulfill exact customer requirements ahead of the start of production expected in FY13.

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Nissan brings 30 min Charging to EV owners in France and Holland

Today Nissan has unveiled its first electric vehicle Quick Chargers in France and the Netherlands. The Quick Chargers are the first of 400 free units, which have been manufactured and donated across Europe by Nissan, allowing any compliant electric vehicle to be recharged to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes.

In the Netherlands, the charger forms the first part of a 40 unit network, which will mean the majority of Dutch motorists will be within 30km of a Quick Charger, anywhere in the country. The first Nissan unit is being installed on a commercial office estate, which is close to a strategic motorway junction in the central town of Amersfoort. Nissan has donated 400 of its new Quick Chargers across Europe, to create networks which will enable Nissan LEAF and other ChadeMo compliant electric vehicle customers to travel further.

The first French Quick Charger has been installed at a Cora supermarket, in the town of Haguenau, which will be the first of the six charger network for the Alsace region. Alsace has been selected due to its strong commitment to electric vehicles, with an additional €5000 from the regional government on top of the €5000 ecological bonus from the French government. In total France will install 40 Quick Chargers across the country, with details of other locations to be revealed in the coming months.

Oliver Paturet, General Manager of Zero Emission Strategy for Nissan Europe is delighted to see the first chargers installed, commenting: "The installation of these first ChadeMo compliant Quick Chargers is an important moment for zero emission mobility in Europe. With the 400 chargers we have donated and the thousands our partners will install over the coming years, electric vehicle ownership will be opened up to a larger number of people in Europe. We are helping to develop more networks, like the one in the Netherlands, which means customers will never be too far away from a Quick Charger unit." He continued: "In the coming months we will reveal our plans for inter-country, national and regional quick charging networks."

The installation of the Quick Chargers is taking place during Nissan's digital and social engagement campaign ‘The Big Turn On', which is aiming to collect 1 million ‘turn ons' or pledges to 100% electric driving, with the total passing 834,000 on day 50. The campaign is aimed at highlighting the many benefits of electric vehicles and debunking the myths that surround them. The Nissan Quick Chargers help to answer the concerns that some motorists have around vehicle driving range, which is easily and quickly extended with these devices.

The Nissan Quick Charger is a Direct Current design that conforms to the ChadeMo charging standard. It has been designed and engineered by Nissan to be smaller and cheaper than existing units and is TÜV and CE approved to assist widespread installation. This charger can be made compatible with Renault's AC 43kW fast charging system, and both systems will be offered together for future network expansion.

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Nissan LEAF - a world without petrol - Sydney [VIDEO]

The Nissan LEAF launch in Sydney last week included 'a world without petrol' campaign featuring petrol bowsers artistically modified to show how they might be used.

View and vote for your favorite bowser at www.zeropetrol.com.au

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Tesla to start deliveries of Model S electric cars next month

Tesla Motors Inc. said it will begin delivering its first mass production electric car, the Model S to customers starting June 22, about a month ahead of the expected schedule.

The Palo Alto-based company says it has more than 10,000 orders for the battery-powered car but that not all will be delivered this year.

The announcement of early deliveries by the company co-founded by tech industrialist and chief executive Elon Musk came on the same day that SpaceX, another Musk company, became the first private business to launch a spacecraft to the International Space Station. The mission is the first test of NASA’s plans to outsource space missions to privately funded companies.

Source: Tesla Blog

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Audi A1 e-tron Lake Constance Electric Car Rally [VIDEO]

The Audi A1 e-tron shows the strengths of the e-tron concept by finishing on the podium at the new Lake Constance Electric Car Rally.

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Toyota Hybrids: 4 Million Sold

Toyota's global sales of hybrid vehicles have passed the four-million mark, according to company figures released today.

The milestone, which includes Lexus hybrids, was achieved in late April with the latest million being sold in just 14 months. Global demand for Toyota's hybrid vehicles is accelerating rapidly with more than 425,000 sold in the first four months of 2012 - more than two-thirds of last year's total.

So far this year, hybrid vehicles have accounted for 15 per cent of Toyota's global vehicles sales. This puts Toyota on track to sell more than one million hybrid vehicles in a year for the first time in its history.

The announcement of the latest milestone closely follows the introduction of the Prius v and Prius c to Australia, along with launches of an upgraded Prius and the second-generation Camry Hybrid. The total includes more than 2.6 million Prius and 270,000 Camry Hybrid, while the two newest hybrids - Prius v and Prius c - have already reached the combined total of approximately 250,000.

After releasing its first hybrid vehicles in Japan in 1997, Toyota took almost 10 years to post the first one million sales. The second million was sold in two years and three months, and the third million in just 18 months. The third million milestone was reached in February last year.

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Ford Focus Electric Stars in Yahoo!’s ‘Plugged In,’ [VIDEO]

Yahoo! and Ford are releasing today a teaser video previewing “Plugged In,” a weekly online reality competition show coinciding with the launch of the all-new 2012 Focus Electric and airing exclusively on Yahoo! Screen, the company’s video destination.

Plugged In features two-person teams competing against each other in a series of challenges. The series begins May 28 with actor David Arquette guiding contestants through challenges at some of his favorite Los Angeles locales. Subsequent episodes will feature different celebrities taking contestants and viewers on an intimate tour of their respective hometowns, discovering hidden cultural gems and “best of” locations in their city.

The winning teams in each city will move on to participate in the finale event in Los Angeles, where they will compete with teams from other regions for the chance to win a Ford Focus Electric. The series will crown a winning team in a finale episode on Aug. 6.

“Ford is launching the Focus Electric only on Yahoo!, once again recognizing the power and reach of the Web as we continue to rely more on the power of digital media,” says Matt VanDyke, director, U.S. Marketing Communications for Ford. “The electric vehicle market will grow over time, so we electrified our popular small-car platform rather than creating a one-off vehicle, and now we can use a targeted online campaign instead of a big-budget advertisement.”

Focus Electric plays a prominent role in the competition as the car’s SYNC® with MyFord Touch® system will be used by each team to receive video, text and audio clues. The car’s navigation capabilities will help teams get from point to point, while hands-free calling will be used when the contest requires teams to make calls.

With 61 million unique visitors per month* who come to Yahoo! to watch video and 21 of the top original online video programs, Yahoo! sets the bar for best-in-class original video programming.

With its recently launched video destination, Yahoo! Screen, the development of women’s and comedy slates, and collaborations with world-class storytellers, creative partners and original voices, Yahoo! continues to build on its leadership position in video and to provide consumers and advertisers with the best premium content online.

“With at least eight out of 10 Internet users now watching online video, this is the perfect time for Yahoo! and Ford to launch Plugged In,” said Erin McPherson, vice president and head of video at Yahoo!. “We know from our insights and data that our audience is passionate about celebrity-related content and travel content, and we combined those insights with Ford’s brand goals for a truly engaging program.”

“I am excited to be a part of Plugged In on Yahoo! and take viewers to some of my favorite spots in Los Angeles,” said David Arquette.

“I am excited to be an ambassador for one of the best cities in the world, and my hometown, New York City,” said Adrian Grenier. “There are so many amazing things going on here. People are engaged and you can feel the creativity all around you. There is never a false moment. People live fully and well and are starting to really embrace clean healthy living. There is a real sense of belonging and community.”

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Zipcar launches pilot scheme with Vauxhall Ampera

Car sharing network Zipcar has signed a deal with Vauxhall to run a pilot scheme that sees the electric Ampera join its fleet of self-service, pay as you go vehicles for the next six months.

Zipcar members will be able to reserve the Ampera online or using their smart phones, just as they would any other of the 1,700 cars across London. However, unlike other vehicles in the Zipcar fleet, the Amperas will be extremely easy to spot thanks to their full-body wrap liveries of spots and country meadows.

Mark Walker, general manager of Zipcar UK, believes the pilot scheme marks a step-change in the evolution of electric vehicles. He said: "Thanks to the Ampera's unique technology, on any given day, Zipcar members can be doing multiple short trips using only the stored electric battery power or longer trips powered by electricity generated by the on board range extender. For the first time in an electric vehicle, members need not worry about range or recharging.

"To make this pilot possible – specifically the provision of dedicated charging points – we will be partnering with five London Boroughs: Camden, Croydon, Islington, Wandsworth and Westminster.

"For a number of years, we have worked closely with these Boroughs to develop the uptake of car sharing in London and their continued commitment to advancing the concept of car sharing is crucial for making London an even better place to live and work."

Commenting on the pilot scheme, Stewart Gibbs, Vauxhall's new business fleet sales manager, said: "With the Ampera, Vauxhall has brought to market the first electric vehicle that can go anywhere anytime. It's a vehicle designed to lower emissions and boost fuel economy, and partnering with an innovative company like Zipcar who is committed to helping the environment, is a partnership we're delighted to be involved with.''

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Boris Said to pilot electric-powered BMW M3 at 2012 Pikes Peak [VIDEO]

The annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb will commence on Sunday July 8th and we can now reveal a special competitor will be among the entrants. An electrically powered BMW M3 is set to be entered by EV West and they have acquired the services of NASCAR veteren Boris Said to pilot the vehicle.

Aside from his experience in the NASCAR series, Said has also competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona, Sebring, Bathurst, 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the Daytona 500, Baja 1000 and Circuit de Spa. However, 2012 will be the first time he has ever competed at Pikes Peak.

Said will be against Pikes Peak record-holder and last year's winner Nobuhiro Tajima who has already announced he will pilot an eletrically powered rival at the event. Reports have stated the specially prepared 1995 BMW M3 will have as much as 700 horsepower available to thrust its wheels up the hill. The video above previews the model ahead of the event.

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Chevy Volt owner says he last filled up 4,000 miles ago [VIDEO]

Meet Noble. He's the latest Chevrolet Volt owner to be featured in GM commercials now airing on TV. He calls the Volt the best vehicle he’s ever driven and says the last time he filled up his Volt was 4,000 miles ago! (that's an impressive 6,400 km)

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Monster Tajima Pikes Peak Electric Racer Revealed [VIDEO]

The reigning Pikes Peak Hill Climb champion for the past 6 years, Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, will switch from a gasoline-powered vehicle to a new prototype EV race car to break his own course record.

Team APEV (Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles) revealed the electric race they plan to enter in the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb taking place on July 8th.

The EVs powertrain will be AWD with front and rear in-board axial flux electric motors driving each pair of wheels via a differential.

The current EV record stands at 12:20:084 set last year by the a Yokohama supported rear-wheel drive, open-wheel EV powered by an AC Propulsion power train with approx 270hp.

Although the entire 12.4-mile 156 turn Pikes Peak course is all tarmac for the 2012 event, it will still be quite an achievement for an EV to break the current sub 10 minute outright course record and it will need to show a more impressive turn of speed than demonstrated in the video.

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Fine tuning makes wireless charging efficient

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new way to fine-tune wireless power transfer (WPT) receivers, making the systems more efficient and functional. Wireless charging is hot design trend for mobile phone and other such wireless device charging and also for electric vehicle charging.

A new prototype developed at NC State addresses the problem of tuning receiver and transmitter by automatically - and precisely - re-tuning the receivers in WPT systems. The researchers focused on receivers because methods already exist that allow researchers to use electronics to precisely tune the transmitters.

"We're optimistic that this technology moves us one step closer to realizing functional WPT systems that can be used in real-world circumstances," says Dr. Srdjan Lukic, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper on the research.

WPT systems work by transmitting magnetic waves on a specific frequency from a transmitter to a receiver. These magnetic waves interact with a coil in the receiver to induce an electric current. If the coil is tuned so that its resonant frequency matches the frequency of the magnetic waves, the current it produces is amplified. However, if the receiver and the transmitter are out of tune, the system becomes inefficient and doesn't transfer a significant amount of power. The receiver coil still picks up a trace amount of current, but it is not amplified.

This is a problem because many factors can affect the tuning of a receiver or transmitter, such as temperature or proximity to other magnetic objects. In other words, a hot summer day could wreak havoc on the tuning of a receiver.

Lukic and NC State Ph.D. student Zeljko Pantic developed an electronic prototype that incorporates additional circuitry into the receiver that does two things: it injects small amounts of reactive power into the receiver coil as needed to maintain its original resonant frequency; and, if the transmitter's tuning changes, the prototype can read the trace amount of current being transmitted and adjust the receiver's tuning accordingly.

"Because we are using electronics to inject reactive power into the receiver coil, we can be extremely precise when tuning the receiver," Lukic says. "This degree of fine-tuning maximizes the efficiency of the WPT system.

"The next step is to try incorporating this work into technology that can be used to wirelessly charge electric vehicles."

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Utah State University working on in-road wireless charging [VIDEO]

Utah State University electrical engineers have made a technical breakthrough that could solve this power-storage pitfall — not by improving batteries, but by recharging them wirelessly, according to Jeff Muhs, director of USU’s Energy Dynamics Laboratory (EDL) in North Logan.

EDL researchers have built prototype equipment that allows electricity to hop over a 10-inch span with 90 percent efficiency.

“This demonstration is an extraordinary and historic step in providing technologies to electric-vehicle owners who will be able to pull their cars into garages at home and charge without having to plug in with cords,” Muhs said. “This is just the beginning.”

The demonstrated efficiency compares favorably with the amount of electricity leaking out of the existing grid or lost from wall outlets, said Hunter Wu, a young EDL engineer leading the project.

“There are many challenges. We’re making breakthroughs on energy conversion,” said Wu during a recent demonstration. “Here we are going from direct current to high-frequency alternating energy, which creates the high-frequency magnetic fields to transfer power.”

Wu, who was born in China and grew up New Zealand, came to the lab last year from the University of Auckland, where he was a scientific prodigy. Studying under a bioengineer who developed groundbreaking technology to wirelessly power heart implants, he earned a doctorate in electrical engineering at 19.

His team, which includes engineers Ky Sealy and Aaron Gilchrist, can move five kilowatts of electricity noiselessly from one interface across an air gap to a receiving pad, which powers a bank of light bulbs.

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Mitsubishi reveal I-MiEV Evolution Pikes Peak racer

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will enter two all-electric vehicles (EVs) in the Electric Class of the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. MMC will be aiming for victory in the Electric Class with the i-MiEV Evolution, a specially-prepared competition version based on the i all-electric vehicle. MMC is also entering a regular production i in the event.

Enter the i-MiEV Evolution

The i-MiEV Evolution uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the production i and has been developed in cooperation with several partner companies including Meidensha Corporation and GS Yuasa Corporation. The i-MiEV Evolution has been developed to showcase MMC's advanced EV control and EV component technologies. MMC will use the technical knowhow garnered through the i-MiEVEvolution's development and usage for the development of future EV models with superior durability and reliability.

All-pro Team

Driving the i-MiEV Evolution in the Pikes Peak event and also serving as team manager will be Mr. Hiroshi Masuoka - the first Japanese driver to post consecutive overall victories in the Dakar Rally. The Mitsubishi i will be piloted by Ms. Beccy Gordon, a winner in the Score International Off-Road Racing Series.

i-MiEV Evolution

Developed for the Pikes Peak event, the i-MiEV Evolution basically uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the production i-MiEV fitted to a specially-designed racing-specific body which uses a tube-frame chassis and a carbon fibre cowl among other features designed to reduce weight and improve aerodynamic performance. Comprising a single motor driving the front and two motors driving the rear wheels, the car's four-wheel-drive system provides superior motive performance and handling.

L x W x H (mm) 4341 x 1900 x 1339
Occupants 1
Drivetrain 4-wheel drive
Motors Number 3 (1 front, 2 rear)
Max. output (kW) 240 (80 kW x 3)
Drive battery Rated capacity (kWh) 35
Chassis Specially-designed tube frame
Cowl Carbon fibre
Tyres 245/40R18

Mitsubishi i

For the Pikes Peak event the production Mitsubishi i has been modified using a more aerodynamic front bumper and fitted with roll bars and other safety equipment.

The Mitsubishi i went on sale on the west coast of the United States (in the states of California, Washington and Oregon) and in Hawaii in November 2011 with plans to expand sales to the whole of the country by June 2012. The i also went on sale in Canada as the i-MiEV in December 2011, marking its full-scale launch targeting corporate and individual customers in the North American market.

L x W x H (mm) 3675 (+280) x 1585 (+110) x 1615 (+5)
Occupants 4
Drivetrain Rear wheel drive
Motors Number 1
Max. output (kW/rpm) 49 (+2) / 3,000 - 6,000
Drive battery Rated capacity (kWh) 16
Tyres F: 145/65/R15
R: 175/60 (+5)/R15

Driver Profiles

Hiroshi Masuoka (Product Strategy Office, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation)

Hiroshi Masuoka began his Dakar Rally campaign in 1987 and became the first Japanese driver to post consecutive overall victories in the event when he won in 2002 and 2003. Currently Masuoka works at Mitsubishi Motors where his many duties include vehicle development, the training of company test drivers and the running of test drive sessions and other events both in Japan and overseas. Masuoka had the following to say before the event: "Given the tough driving conditions that Pikes Peak is known for, I'm really keen to show people the world over those electric vehicles are capable of gutsy motive performance and excellent handling in addition to their superior environmental performance."

Beccy Gordon

Beccy Gordon is an American off-road racer. She grew up in a family in which her father, brother and sister have all been successful racing drivers, as is her husband today. Gordon herself is an experienced driver having raced in a wide spectrum of motor sports and she is also a motorsport spokesperson. Gordon commented before the event: "I'm really happy to be able to drive the Mitsubishi i in the Pikes Peak race and am looking forward to giving it my best in an electric car, the type of vehicle that is set to become a major player in motor sports in future."

Partner Companies (20 in all, listed in alphabetical order)

Advics Co., Ltd.
Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd.
Dunlop Goodyear Tires Ltd.
Endless Advance Co., Ltd.
Enkei Corporation
GKN Driveline Japan Ltd.
GS Yuasa Corporation
Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
HKS Co., Ltd.
Meidensha Corporation
Mikuni Corp.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Mitsubishi Motor Dealers Association
NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
NipponYusen Kabushiki Kaisha
NTN Corporation
Showa Corporation
Toray Industries, Inc.
Tsuchiya Co., Ltd.

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Demand for EVs in Hawaii ends state rebate program earlier than expected

A Hawaii electric vehicle rebate program has run out of money after doling out about $2 million since January 2011.

The state extended the program twice, adding $500,000 in an effort to stimulate demand for electric vehicles as a way for Hawaii to work toward reducing the state's oil consumption. Hawaii seeks to become 70 percent energy independent by 2030.

But high consumer demand led to depleting the fund earlier than expected, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday. Funds ran out earlier this month after the state issued more than 450 rebates. Officials had hoped to keep the program going until November. The program provided motorists $4,500 toward the purchase of new electric vehicles and up to $500 for chargers.

"The public demand has exceeded expectations, and we are happy to report Hawaii consumers are adopting EVs (electric vehicles) much more readily than the national average," said Mark Glick, energy program administrator for the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism's Energy Office.

Hawaii also awarded $2.6 million in federal stimulus grants toward more than 230 public charging stations statewide.

There were 422 highway-capable electric vehicles sold in Hawaii last year. There were 361 Nissan Leafs sold, which were introduced in Hawaii last year. Mitsubishi sold 31 of its all-electric vehicles. There were 30 plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volts sold.

Electric vehicle drivers on the islands don't have to pay for parking when they park in a metered spot, and they may drive in carpool lanes on freeways.

Federal tax incentives of up to $7,500 are still available.

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Ford to start shipping Focus Electric to dealers

Ford will start shipping its first electric passenger car to dealers this weekend.

About 350 Focus Electric cars will be sent to 67 dealers in California, New Jersey and New York over the next couple weeks. Manufacturing executives signed off on the decision on Friday.

Each dealer will get about six cars, one of which will be a demonstration model, the people said.

Ford declined to comment to Reuters on the news. The people asked not to be named because the plans are confidential.

"We are still on track to begin shipping the Focus Electric this spring," Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said.

The Focus EV will compete in the burgeoning electric vehicle market against Nissan's Leaf and General Motors Chevrolet Volt.

In April, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said he would not consider it a failure if Ford sold fewer than 5,000 Focus EVs in its first year.

In the first four months of 2012, GM sold 5,377 Chevrolet Volts, while Nissan sold 2,103 of its Leaf electric cars. Both vehicles were launched in late 2010.

Ford expects hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric cars will represent up to 25 percent of its sales by 2020, with hybrids accounting for the majority.

Because it is difficult to forecast what consumers will prefer in the future Ford have modified its Focus platform to build electric and gas-powered versions on the same assembly line.

Ford's move differs from by both GM and Nissan, which build different platforms for the Volt and Leaf.

Electrifying the platform allows Ford to maintain "reasonable margins" on its EVs, which tend to be costly because of the price of the battery, Mulally has said.

The battery used in an all-electric vehicle, such as the Focus EV, can cost between $12,000 and $15,000. That would represent around a third of the Focus Electric's overall price of around $39,000.

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Ford C-Max Hybrid - Driving Scenes [VIDEO]

Ford dealers are now taking orders for the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, which will be more affordable than Toyota Prius v while achieving better fuel economy

Class-exclusive technologies include hands-free liftgate, active park assist for easier parallel parking and next-generation SmartGauge® with EcoGuide to help customers increase their fuel economy

C-MAX will launch this fall as part of Ford's power of choice strategy to deliver leading fuel economy across its lineup while tripling electrified vehicle production capacity by 2013

DEARBORN, Mich., May 17, 2012 -- Ford dealers are starting to place orders for America's most affordable and fuel-efficient hybrid utility vehicle -- the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid -- with innovative technologies such as a hands-free liftgate, spaciousness for five passengers and cargo as well as the fun-to-drive character shared with well-handling cars including Ford Focus.

The C-MAX is a compact hybrid utility vehicle and the company's first dedicated line of hybrids. The 2013 C-MAX Hybrid will be available this fall with a base price of $25,995 -- approximately $500 lower than the Toyota Prius v's base price.

The C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid will follow later this year with better electric-mode fuel economy and overall driving range than the Prius plug-in hybrid.

"C-MAX Hybrid offers better fuel economy, performance, technology and functionality than Prius v -- and C-MAX Hybrid customers will pay less at the dealership and at the pump," said Ken Czubay, vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "Ford is delivering the power of choice for leading fuel economy across its lineup -- from EcoBoost to electrified vehicles -- because customers increasingly want to save money at the pump, even as gas prices rise over time."

The C-MAX Hybrid blends fuel economy with performance, with projected best-in-class horsepower and torque along with Ford's third-generation powersplit technology that allows for higher speed while in electric mode than Toyota Prius v.

C-MAX Hybrid benefits from 20 years of research and innovation behind the software and hardware technology driving it, with many of Ford's almost 500 hybrid vehicle-related patents contained within.

That means that along with SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, drivers get class-exclusive features like hands-free liftgate (offering hands-free cargo access with a simple kicking motion), SmartGauge® with EcoGuide, regenerative braking and an advanced lithium-ion (li-ion) battery pack that is being used for the first time in a Ford hybrid.

C-MAX Hybrid -- being built on Ford's global C-segment platform -- also benefits from a proven design and nameplate with more than 156,000 units of the gasoline version sold in Europe since its 2010 launch.

Room to move C-MAX Hybrid is a compact hybrid utility vehicle jam-packed with features and room for five people and cargo.

The vehicle has a high roofline (63.9 inches) offering ample interior space and flexibility. C-MAX Hybrid offers 99.7 cubic feet of passenger space compared with 97 cubic feet in Prius v. The spacious C-MAX Hybrid also provides greater headroom in both front and rear seats than Prius v (41/39.4 inches vs. 39.6/38.6 inches).

For cargo, C-MAX Hybrid has 60/40 split-fold rear seats that easily fold flat with 54.3 cubic feet of space behind the first row and 24.5 cubic feet behind the second row.

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World’s First Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Power Plant Opens [VIDEO]

Last week, Enel Green Power inaugurated its solar-geothermal plant at Stillwater, Nevada. It is the world’s first plant of this kind.

The Stillwater facility combines 26 MW of photovoltaic solar generating capacity with 33 MW of baseload geothermal power, demonstrating how a single power plant can deliver renewable peak and baseload power. Currently, utilities often use renewable energy sources like solar power during hours of peak consumer demand, and combine it with a "baseload" coal or natural gas plant to ensure a steady power supply. The facility provides 59 megawatts (MW) of combined capacity to power more than 50,000 local homes.

The project was built on the existing Stillwater geothermal plant, which opened in the area on 2009. The original facility had a generation capacity of 33 MW of geothermal power. To provide the solar energy, Enel Green Power North America (EGP) installed more than 89,000 polycrystalline photovoltaic panels on a 240-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Stillwater geothermal plant, which opened in 2009.

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Citroen reveal DS5 Hybrid4 Eliseo [VIDEO]

Citroën has revealed the third model in its DS line the 2013 DS5.

The DS5 is the first Citroën model to feature HYbrid4 diesel hybrid technology. The HYbrid4 system delivers 200bhp; four-wheel drive capability; emission-free electric power for the city; and an acceleration boost function for the open road - with total CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.

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Fisker Atlantic Specs Leaked: 300 HP, 0-60 MPH in 6.5 Seconds

Fisker revealed a new car called the Atlantic at the New York auto show earlier this year. The Fisker Atlantic is meant to be a more affordable extended range electric vehicle. Until now, however, Fisker had revealed very few details on the new car, but fortunately documents leaked online give us a better idea of what’s under the hood.

As in the Karma, the Atlantic will be driven by electric motors, with a lithium-ion battery recharged by an on-board gasoline engine. The Karma uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter General Motors engine, but Fisker announced last fall it had signed a deal to use turbocharged four-cylinder BMW engines. Now we know how powerful they will be: according to these leaked documents, the BMW turbo engines will provide 300 hp in the Atlantic.

The leak also tells us that Fisker expects the Atlantic to hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Fisker will price the Atlantic from $50,000 to $60,000, and lists among its competitive vehicles the Audi S4 and A6, BMW 3 and 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz C- and E-Class, and Jaguar XF. We were previously told the Atlantic would be about the size of an Audi A5, and that it would be priced on par with the BMW 3 Series. Still, the predicted price range is only about half the entry price of a Fisker Karma, which starts at $103,000 after a $1000 destination charge.

Source: Inside EVs

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FedEx Express adding more electric vehicles to fleet

FedEx Express, a unit of FedEx Corp, has made significant progress towards its goal to make its vehicle fleet 20 percent more fuel efficient by 2020, announcing today that the FedEx Express vehicle fleet is now 16.6 percent more fuel efficient through FY2011 than it was in 2005. Twenty percent of the FedEx Express diesel vehicle pickup and delivery fleet has already been converted to more efficient and cleaner emission models that comply with 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency diesel emission standards.

“Although we are less than halfway to the end date we set for ourselves, we have achieved 80 percent of our vehicle fuel efficiency goal as of the conclusion of fiscal year 2011, compared to our original baseline set in 2005,” said Mitch Jackson, staff vice president of environmental affairs and sustainability, FedEx Corp. “As a result, we are reevaluating our 2020 goal to potentially raise the standard we originally set out to achieve.”

“Thanks to this team effort, we have converted 20 percent of our pickup and delivery fleet to cleaner and more fuel efficient models,” said Dennis Beal, vice president of global vehicles, FedEx Express. “By pursuing the most promising avenues of advanced technologies, enlisting multiple experienced manufacturers and optimizing our vehicle operations, FedEx is reducing fuel use and emissions faster than expected.”

The company’s significant progress is the result of a number of initiatives:

Upcoming addition of 87 all-electric trucks to its green fleet bringing the all-electric vehicle count to 130.

Acceleration of its efforts in fuel conservation through the purchase of vehicles with right-sized engines like the Sprinter vans manufactured by Mercedes-Benz. By the end of FY13, FedEx will have more than 11,000 such vehicles in service, more than 35 percent of its U.S. pick-up and delivery fleet. Each Sprinter-type van is about 70 to 100 percent more fuel-efficient than the original truck it replaces.

Addition of 114 Reach composite-body trucks manufactured from advanced materials by Utilimaster on an Isuzu Motors chassis with an appropriately-sized engine. The lower weight design, along with the engine, is expected to save up to 35 percent in fuel over most conventional walk-in vans.

Testing of FedEx Ground hybrid hydraulic parcel delivery vehicles that can reduce fuel usage by 40 percent.

Testing of six standard delivery vehicles retrofitted with all-electric drivetrains from various suppliers, including AMP, Smith Electric and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation.

The electric truck initiative is aimed not only at improving FedEx fleet efficiency, but also in accelerating the development of all-electric trucks that could compete favorably with traditional vehicles for all users. “While we naturally want to improve performance and reduce costs for FedEx, we also want to see all-electric trucks become more affordable and reliable for everyone from your local pizza parlor to other small businesses that deliver,” said Jackson. “This is a strategy for reducing reliance on petroleum-based fuels in a much faster, more inclusive and impactful way.”

FedEx chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith is co-chair of the organization Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE). He has long been focused on the use of domestic fuel sources, including electricity, to power urban vehicles in the United States.

The new FedEx all-electric (EV) vehicles are being deployed in the next few months in numerous locations which include California (the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and the Central Valley); suburban Washington, D.C. (Rockville, M.D.); New York City and several locations in Texas. In Chicago, FedEx is testing electric trucks from several manufacturers head-to-head in daily service to accelerate the development of the vehicles and the EV industry.

Additional all-electric trucks are being prepared for deployment in Asia and Europe, where FedEx Express currently operates all-electric trucks in London and Paris.

Fleet users present an added advantage for all-electric technology, since electric trucks can operate during the day and charge overnight when utilities have spare capacity. FedEx Express is currently working with General Electric and Columbia University on a project in New York City to optimize charging facilities for all-electric trucks.

“Electric drivelines have a tremendous potential, and we are seeing the benefits of integrating them into our fleet, but the technology is still in the early phase of the development cycle,” added Beal. “That’s why we are aggressively working with several truck manufacturers to fast-forward their products’ performance curve and affordability.”

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Nissan to Test NV200-based EVs With AEON Retail Company in Japan

Nissan has begun tests of an electric vehicle (EV) based on the compact commercial vehicle NV200. AEON Retail will use the EV test cars as delivery vehicles within the Tokyo metropolitan area for their innovative, new online business. The vehicles will be monitored for one month to evaluate their potential for daily business use.

Nissan has been carrying out similar tests of a NV200-based EV since last summer in Japan and in Europe. The NV200-based EV test vehicle is based on the e-NV200 concept model that was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (Detroit) in the U.S. in January 2012. Feedback from this real-world testing will be considered as Nissan develops production models that will be marketed in the future.

"Zero emission vehicles will play an increasingly important role in shaping the environment of our cities and towns," said Nissan Motor Company's Corporate Vice President Hideto Murakami, head of the Global Light Commercial Vehicle Business Unit. "Electric vehicles will help to raise the quality of our urban environment and their economical running costs should also make them very attractive to businesses.

The evaluation results we will get from the AEON Retail testing will assist us in the development of compact EV commercial vehicles. Based on input, the future production version of the e-NV200 will allow us to leverage our investment in electric vehicle technologies, contribute to expanding our EV business globally, and move toward a more sustainable society."

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Chevrolet Volt Saves Supertanker of Gasoline

Chevrolet Volt owners collectively have saved a supertanker of gasoline since the electric car with extended range went on sale, compiling 40 million miles on electricity and avoiding the use of more than 2.1 million gallons of gasoline.

“With each click of the odometer, Chevrolet Volt owners are measuring their contribution to reducing America's dependence on foreign oil and to preserving the environment,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet Volt marketing director. “Volt owners are also saving at the fuel pump with more than $8 million in combined savings.”

Chevrolet recently introduced a rolling ticker on its website that showcases real-time daily driving statistics for Volt owners based on OnStar data. Results in total number of miles driven, electric miles driven and gallons of gas saved are viewable. As of today:

40 Million Total Electric Miles (EV) driven equivalent to:

16,373 trips across the United States (2,443 miles from New York to Los Angeles)

1,606 trips around the Earth (24,901 miles each)

167 trips to the Moon (238,657 miles each)

2,130,000 Gallons of Gas Saved equivalent to:

50,714 barrels of gas saved (42 gallons of gas per barrel)

$8,000,000 saved at the gas pump (based on $3.80/gallon of gas)

387 U.S. semi-truck tankers of gas saved (5,500 gallons of gas each)

One supertanker of gas saved (2 million gallons of gas)

“Our Volt owners are driving the vehicle exactly as the car was designed,” Landy said. “Sixty percent of the time our owners are driving electric, but the extended range is providing additional miles when they need it. This shows that you don’t have to change your daily driving habits to drive the Volt.”

The Volt has a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas and tailpipe-emissions free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank. Typically Volt owners drive an average of 900 miles between fill ups at the gas station.

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GE working on the Battery Powered Home [VIDEO]

GE's joint showcase with Nissan at the SAE 2012 World Congress in Detroit displayed technology that can reverse the flow from your electric car's batteries to power your home in a blackout.

The technology to support a home that is fully integrated into the smart grid -- from the ecomagination-certified WattStation home EV charger, to the Nucleus Home Energy Manager to fully connected appliances -- isn't just in a trade show booth. It's ready and working today.

Using an electric cars battery for 'vehicle to grid' (V2G) power may make EV owners an income of $4000 a year. That is a sum far greater than the $225 that Nissan, for instance, thinks will be the average annual cost of the electricity needed to power one of its Leafs.

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Audi e-bike Urban Trials Action PLUS iPhone App [VIDEO]

Trial-Biker Julien Dupont gives the Audi e-bike some Urban Trials action.

The Audi e-bike Wörthersee's ultra-light carbon-fiber frame weighs only 1,600 grams (3.53 lb). It makes use of bionic principles derived from nature. Material reinforcements are needed only at the points where loads actually occur. The swinging arm for the rear wheel is also made of CFRP. All in all, the Audi e-bike Wörthersee represents the full extent of the brand's expertise in ultra-lightweight design.

The rear wheel is driven by a chain. The electric motor is a permanent magnet synchronous machine; it is located at the lowest point on the frame and drives the bottom bracket shaft directly. Maximum torque at the rear wheel is in the region of 250 Nm (184.39 lb-ft). Peak output from the electric motor is 2.3 kW -- a new top value on the e-bike scene. The complete bicycle weighs only 21 kg (46.30 lb), equivalent to a power-weight ratio of 9 kg (19.84 lb) per kilowatt, or 7 kg (15.43 lb) per horsepower -- another record-breaking value.

The lithium-ion battery is housed in the frame; it weighs about 5 kg (11.02 lb) and operates at a voltage of 48 V. Its capacity is 530 Wh and it can be fully recharged from a 230 V supply in two and a half hours. As an alternative it can be easily detached from the bike and replaced by a recharged battery.

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Holden Charging Towards Volt Launch

General Motors Holden and ChargePoint unveiled the first electric vehicle charging station for Volt drivers in Port Melbourne outside Holden’s AUSTRALIAN headquarters today.

The Volt charging station is powered by Origin’s government-certified 100 per cent GreenPower and will be available to Holden Volt drivers in one of Melbourne’s fast-growing business and industrial precincts.

The Holden Volt can recharge in less than four hours using the dedicated level two, 3.3kW charging station.

To support the Volt launch, ChargePoint has also installed six more green energy charging stations in Holden’s engineering and design headquarters and at its Proving Ground in Lang Lang for Holden employees driving Volt evaluation vehicles and working on the program.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Industry and Innovation, the Hon Greg Combet AM MP was the first member of the public to plug into the petrol pump of the future with one of Holden’s first Volt vehicles.

Joining the Minister for the unveiling was Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, ChargePoint CEO James Brown and Holden’s Executive Director Engineering Greg Tyus.

Mr Tyus, whose engineering team is responsible for preparing the Volt for Australia, said Volt would change the way Australians think about sustainable transport and Holden.

"Volt can travel a distance of up to 80 kilometres on pure electric driving – more than enough for most drivers to commute each day without visiting a petrol station.

“You can drive emission free and recharge at home from a standard power outlet in less than six hours for around $2.50,” he said.

“If you need to drive further in one trip the Volt’s back-up generator, a 1.4 petrol engine, will kick in seamlessly to recharge the battery and take you more than 600 kilometres. With this sort of range, suddenly Volt becomes an extremely attractive electric vehicle and possibly your only car.

“Our engineering team is doing the final validation work around the launch of Volt in Australia. We’re really excited to have our first cars on the road and we’re looking forward to announcing more details to customers soon,” Mr Tyus said.

Speaking at the launch, ChargePoint CEO James Brown said there would be a growing need for infrastructure in Australia to support new EVs coming to market.

“In the coming years more and more of the world’s most respected car manufacturers will head down the EV path and ChargePoint will be there to ensure use of the best possible technology to support the charging requirements of these vehicles,” he said.

Origin Executive General Manager Corporate Affairs, Phil Craig, also welcomed the opening of the new piece of EV infrastructure. “Origin is seeking to support this new technology with electric vehicle charging equipment and services, delivering a simple and effective one-stop solution to consumers,” Mr Craig said.

“Together with Holden, Origin hopes to encourage the take up of more electric vehicles in Australia.”

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Porsche reveal Hybrid 918 Spyder Production Prototype

The Porsche 918 Spyder is on the road: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has taken the driving trials of the super sports car of the future a step further with completion of the initial prototypes.

The 918 Spyder will go into production at the end of September 2013 as planned, with the first customers receiving their vehicles before 2013 is out. "What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance," said Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development of Porsche AG.

The prototypes, their camouflage harking back to historical Porsche 917 racing cars, signal the final touches to the 918 Spyder. The focus is on the interplay between the highly sophisticated individual drive components. The combination of combustion engine and two independent electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the drive line, acting on the rear wheels – poses completely new demands on the development of the operating strategies.

"They are therefore a critical component in this vehicle into which we have put all of our expertise and capacity for innovation," said Wolfgang Hatz. These operating strategies and the development of the software to go with them are one of Porsche's core competences. Both of them have a major influence on the extreme driving fun to be had with the 918 Spyder and they make possible a unique combination of minimal fuel consumption and maximum performance. The initial results of the driving trials are in line with the high expectations placed on the 918 Spyder.

The super sports car is designed as a plug-in hybrid vehicle combining a high-performance combustion engine with cutting-edge electric motors for extraordinary performance: on the one hand, the dynamics of a racing machine boasting more than 770 hp, on the other hand, fuel consumption in the region of three litres per 100 kilometres. Moreover, Porsche is breaking yet more new ground with the technology demonstrator with spectacular solutions such as the full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting "top pipes" exhaust system. In the process, the 918 Spyder is offering a glimpse of what Porsche Intelligent Performance may be capable of in future.

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