The Electric Life series takes a look at Audi's new e-tron electric vehicle technology now hitting American roads with Audi's "e-Pilots." These are people who have each been given an Audi A3 e-tron to live with for several months. Each film takes an up-close look at their first-hand experiences having an Audi plug-in vehicle to use every day.
In the first film they visit e-Pilot Ti Chan as she waves goodbye to the gas station when electricians install a home charger in her garage.
Check in regularly for more about living the Electric Life!
Take up of grants for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars rose by nearly 20 per cent in the first half of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011. Overall, 134 more claims were registered according to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) the cross-departmental body which oversees the plug-in grant programme.
Figures reported by Greenwise Business show that as of June 30 2012 a total of 814 claims were made through the Government’s £5000 electric car grant in the first six months of 2012 compared to 892 claims received during the whole of 2011. The claims represent a rise of 134 on the 680 claims made under the Plug-in Car Grant in the first half of 2011.
The latest OLEV statistics show that a further 99 claims were made under the Government’s £8000 Plug-in Van Grant, which was launched at the beginning of 2012. This means a total of 1805 claims have been to date for both cars and vans through the Plug-in Grant, 913 of those in the first half of 2012 compared to 892 claims in the whole of 2011.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said the figures were "broadly in line" with Government expectations and that a greater choice of low emission vehicle models should help sustain the growth going forward.
"The UK is at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution and I am confident that sales will increase further with the introduction of new plug-in vehicles to the market over the coming year," he said.
Jaguar announced in May 2011 they had joined forces with Formula One racing group Williams to produce a British-made commercial model of their hybrid C-X75 Supercar.
Recently Car and Driver got more detail on the C-X75 development to-date and report on significant changes from the Concept that was revealed at the 2010 Paris auto show.
Unsurprisingly, gone are the micro gas-turbines to be replaced by a lightweight 1.6 litre supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder engine believed to produce at least 500 hp and rev to 10,000 rpm. Audio.
Compared with the Porsche 918 and the hybridized Ferrari F70/Enzo replacement, The Jaguar takes a smaller-engined, subtly different approach to being a “supercar with an environmental edge.” The C-X75 will go on sale in early 2014 for an estimated $1.4 million, with a maximum of 200 cars to be produced.
The Australian TTXGP Electric Motorcycle racing season continues at Queensland Raceway with only two contenders for the title, Danny Ripperton of Ripperton R1 Electric Superbike and Jason Morris from team Catavolt.
Round two of the championship sees Catavolt sporting a new a123 battery pack. With only one round to go, who will be best placed to take the championship? Get on the grid for some awesome electric motorcycle racing.
BMW have released official information about their upcoming electric scooter, dubbed the C evolution. Based on last year's E-Scooter concept, this new electric two-wheeler was unveiled just ahead of BMW's internal combustion C 600 Sport and C 650 GT maxi scooters, which will hit U.S. showrooms this fall. An official launch date for the C evolution has not been released, but BMW indicates it could come to the U.S. as early as 2014.
With 11 kW continuous output (homologation according to ECE R85 to determine motor outputs) and 35 kW peak output, the “C evolution” has a powerful motor and provides a high level of riding fun. The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h. The scooter supremely handles motorway riding and overtaking – even with a passenger. It is also capable of effortless hill starts on steep slopes with a pillion passenger. In terms of acceleration from 0 to 60 km/h, it comfortably holds its own against current maxi scooters a capacity of 600 cc or more.
Compared to conventional combustion engines, the electric drive of the “C evolution” also offers significant advantages at low speeds in particular. Thanks to elaborate power electronics settings, the alternator offers the rider an instant, spontaneous response. There are no delays in torque build-up at all as are typical in combustion engines due to the clutch engaging and disengaging.
High range of up to 100 kilometres due to large battery capacity.
At 8 kWh, the storage capacity of the battery is extremely generous and ensures a range of up to 100 kilometres. This means that realistic zero-emissions riding in the big city and in urban environments is no problem at all. As in other areas, BMW Motorrad has been able to draw on synergy effects with BMW automobiles here. For example, the “C evolution” uses the same lithium-ion storage modules as are installed in the BMW i3. Here, developers paid particular attention to the quality and service life of the storage modules so as to ensure that the range is preserved even after many years of service life and in very cold weather.
One of the main technological challenges was optimum cooling of the high-voltage battery. On the one hand it was necessary to avoid excessively low temperatures due to the fact that the interior resistance of the cells is heavily increased as a result, thereby reducing power. On the other hand, the temperatures must not be too high since this would impair the lifetime of the cells.
While in electrically powered cars a cooling agent is normally used to cool the battery, air cooling is used in the “C evolution” in order to save space and weight. The heat of the high-voltage battery is dissipated by means of an aerodynamically optimised cooling air shaft at the centre of the battery casing through which there is a constant flow of air. To ensure optimum heat dissipation, the battery base has longitudinally arranged cooling ribs.
However, the battery casing in die-cast aluminium not only holds the cells with their special architecture but also the entire electronics unit for monitoring the cells. It also acts as a load-bearing chassis element.
The power electronics for the electric drive is installed behind the battery casing. This not only takes care of controlling the alternator within a range of 100 to 150 volts but also responds to rider commands, for example by detecting the position of the throttle grip. The system also processes information from the brake system and decides whether energy should be recuperated and how much recuperation torque is to be applied to the rear wheel if required.
Electric drive via drivetrain swing arm with tooth belt and planetary gear.
The “C evolution” is powered via a drivetrain swing arm. The alternator is positioned behind the battery casing and integrated in the swing arm. Due to the proximity of the alternator output shaft and the swing arm axle, the moment of inertia around the swing arm centre of rotation is minimised. This also provides optimum suspension/damper settings and a sensitive response.
The secondary drive is via a tooth belt from the alternator to the rear belt pulley on the output shaft. From here, power is transferred to the rear wheel via a planetary gear. The total gear reduction is 1:8.4, while the maximum rotational speed of the alternator is 10,000 rpm.
The alternator and power electronics are liquid-cooled.
Intelligent recuperation in coasting mode and when braking.
BMW Motorrad has conducted lengthy road tests to develop a form of recuperation which is unique in single-track vehicles and very transparent for the rider. The “C evolution” is ridden in exactly the same way as a scooter with combustion engine. The rider does not have to actively initiate energy recuperation since the vehicle does this automatically whenever possible.
For example, energy recuperation commences when the throttle grip is closed and – as in a combustion engine – the generator function of the alternator creates drag torque which depends on the degree of recuperation. The drag torque generated by the alternator is like the familiar “engine brake” that takes effect when removing the accelerator with a combustion engine.
Recuperation is also carried out during braking, converting kinetic energy to electrical energy so as to charge the battery. Here, a system of sensors is used to tap into the brake pressure on the front and rear wheel brake. When the power electronics detects that the rider is braking, the alternator builds up drag torque, thereby supporting the brake manoeuvre and recuperating energy. By regaining energy during coasting or braking, the range of the two-wheeler can be extended by 10 to 20 per cent, depending on riding style.
Short charge times and charging technology based on the car model.
The battery is charged via the integrated charging device, either at a regular household socket or a charging station. When the battery is completely flat, charging time ideally lasts less than three hours.
The car-type charging socket – currently the only one of its kind in an electrically powered two-wheel vehicle – is located behind a cover in the footwell at front left. The charge cable required is housed in a storage compartment on the right-hand side of the footwell. It is fitted with a mains plug to fit the respective national system.
The fact that the charge socket is the identical to the car standard has the advantage that the “C evolution” can be charged at charge stations throughout the USA with integrated charge cable and standardised plug, for example. This technology is not currently offered by any other electrically powered two-wheeler. Charge cables with the relevant specifications will be offered in later serial production models so that they can be charged at stations in Europe.
Hybrid chassis with agile handling due to low centre of gravity.
Unlike existing maxi scooters with combustion engine, the “C evolution” does not have a main frame in the usual sense. The aim of chassis development for the “C evolution” was to combine the best possible directional stability at high motorway speeds with agile handling in urban traffic. Engineers also set out to make full use of the advantages provided by an extremely low centre of gravity – due to the low position of the battery. For this reason, chassis design is based on a torsionally stiff hybrid composite structure made up of a load-bearing, torsionally rigid battery case made of cast light alloy with integrated mounting for the single-sided drivetrain swing arm. Bolted onto this are the steering head support and the rear frame in steel tubing. In urban traffic in particular, the riding experience is characterised by extremely light handling and excellent slow-running properties. The weight of the vehicle is at a level comparable to maxi scooters with a combustion engine.
Wheel control as well as suspension and damping is taken care of at the front by an upside-down fork with a generous fixed fork tube diameter of 40 mm. The rear wheel suspension consists of a single-sided drivetrain swing arm. At the rear, suspension and damping are performed by a spring strut placed on the left-hand side, directly controlled and adjustable at the spring mount. The spring travel is 115 millimetres at front and rear, thereby offering a high degree of comfort.
Lightweight tyres to reduce rolling resistance.
At the front, the “C evolution” rolls on a 5-spoke light alloy die-cast wheel, size 3.5 x 15 inches, while the size of the rear wheel is 4.5 x 15 inches.
In order to reduce rolling friction and thus make the most efficient use of the electrical energy stored, the “C evolution” has lightweight tyres. These are special Metzeler Feelgreen tyres with optimised rolling resistance in the sizes 120/70 R15 at front and 160/60 R15 at rear. The tyres were developed with two clear aims in mind: environmental compatibility and high efficiency based on minimising rolling resistance, at the same time providing a higher mileage. Rolling resistance was reduced by 25 per cent as compared to the Metzeler Feelfree tyres. At the same time, the Metzeler Feelgreen tyres are very light, with reduced hysteresis response and a new tread with specially created tread grooves for optimised rolling resistance.
Powerful braking system with ABS.
At the front, a twin disc brake system with 270-millimetre diameter and
2-piston floating calipers ensures powerful, safe deceleration. At the rear there is a single disc system also with a diameter of 270 millimetres and 2-piston floating caliper. In order to achieve a stable pressure point and optimum controllability, all brake lines are steel-wrapped.
A high level of active safety is ensured by the BMW Motorrad ABS. Weighing just 700 grams and extremely small in size, the Bosch 9M dual channel ABS allows separate regulation of the two brake cycles for front and rear brakes. However, the ABS software has also been adapted so as to control the recuperation process in line with the specific requirements of the “C evolution”. As in the BMW Motorrad maxi scooters C 600 Sport and C 650 GT, the hold brake is activated automatically when the side stand is folded out.
Qualcomm and Delta Motorsport today announced they have signed an agreement to integrate the Qualcomm Halo™ Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) system into its Delta E-4 Coupé electric vehicles, which are intended for deployment in Qualcomm’s London WEVC trial.
The London WEVC trial is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2012 and is expected to be supported by a cross section of stakeholders, including government departments and agencies, as well as commercial and private sector enterprises. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the commercial viability of the wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs), to develop a further understanding of issues relating to the integration of WEVC technology into EVs, to build knowledge associated with the deployment of WEVC into a megacity, and to gain user feedback on the use of WEVC-enabled electric vehicles.
“Delta Motorsport has developed an advanced passenger EV that is a good platform to demonstrate our Qualcomm Halo Wireless EV Charging in pre-commercial deployments,” said Anthony Thomson, vice president of business development and marketing at Qualcomm Europe Inc. “Delta brings high-performance automotive engineering design to the London WEVC trial and the Delta E-4 Coupé displays technology at the cutting edge of EV innovation.”
“Wireless EV Charging is the next technology step for the Delta E-4 Coupé, while the integration of Qualcomm Halo EV charging technology into the Delta E-4 Coupé and rigorous user testing in the London trial will help us better understand future EV engineering challenges,” said Nick Carpenter, technical director at Delta Motorsport.
The electric motor of the BMW i3 Concept is designed primarily for operation in an urban environment, developing 125 kW/170 hp, with peak torque of 250 Nm (184 lb-ft).
Typically of an electric motor, maximum torque is developed from standstill, in contrast to an internal combustion engine where torque increases with engine rpm.
The French government, dealing with the imminent closure of a Peugeot car plant, presented an aid plan for the flagging auto industry on Wednesday.
The new offering will increase cash incentives for buyers of fully electric cars to 7,000 euros ($8,500) from 5,000 euros at present.
Subsidies on hybrid cars, made in France by Peugeot but also by Toyota, will double to 4,000 euros.
The French government's aid package will also free up 150 million euros in state-backed loans to auto industry sub-contractors, hit hard by the slowdown, and oblige the government to make a quarter of its car purchases electric or hybrids.
Arnaud Montebourg, Hollande's "Minister for Industrial Renewal", will be under the spotlight as he outlines the auto plan the same day Peugeot posted a big first-half loss and workers protested at the Aulnay plant closure in 2014, the first car plant to shut in France for 20 years.
The subsidy rises, due to take effect at the end of the year, are aimed at boosting sales of Renault's French-made "Zoe" electric car and Peugeot's diesel-electric hybrids.
Despite high fuel prices and Diesel new car sales reaching 70% market share, environmentally friendly cars has barely taken off in France, despite existing incentives electric and hybrid vehicles make up only 0.2 percent and 0.8 percent respectively of new car registrations in the first quarter.
Toyota produces its hybrid Yaris in France, but the subsidies also benefit Japan's Mitsubishi, which makes Peugeot and Citroen's small electric cars.
BMW will sell cars over the Web for the first time as the world’s largest maker of luxury vehicles seeks an inexpensive way to reach more buyers with its electric models.
A direct online sales platform for BMW’s new I sub-brand will be unique in an industry where, outside of small-scale experiments, competitors leave Internet orders for cars to dealers. BMW’s range of strategies for the models, including a roaming sales force backing a limited showroom network, reflects the challenge carmakers face as low-emission vehicles trickle into dealerships to sluggish demand after years of development.
“There is considerable risk in BMW’s approach of promoting the I brand so prominently,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Science in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. “There is the image risk, if they don’t succeed as quickly as expected, and then there’s the main risk of costs, which can only be countered with high deliveries.”
BMW is opening the I models’ first showroom today in London, although only prototype cars and informational materials will be displayed at first because the vehicles themselves won’t go on sale before next year. BMW is spending about $3 billion developing the i3 battery-powered city car and i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, according to an estimate by Frost & Sullivan. Industry sales of electric cars last year, at 43,000 vehicles, were only 57 percent of the 75,000 deliveries predicted by Sarwant Singh, a London-based automotive partner at the consulting company.
Starting Prices
The four-seat i3, scheduled to reach the market in late 2013, will be priced at about 40,000 euros ($48,500), Bratzel estimated. That compares with a 23,850-euro starting price in Germany for the 1-Series, the cheapest BMW-brand car. The i8, targeted for sale in 2014, will cost more than 100,000 euros, according to Ian Robertson, BMW’s sales chief.
Details of how I-model buyers, the website and dealerships will interact are “still in the planning process,” and will be communicated later, Linda Croissant, a spokeswoman at Munich- based BMW, said by phone yesterday. Sales will be focused on the world’s major urban areas, she said.
The online sales option is aimed at a generation of drivers used to making daily purchases over the Internet, and will be an extension of the car configuration that most automakers offer customers to view models with desired options such as interior colors, seat materials and roof styles.
Test Drives
The Internet platform may take a while to catch on because “many customers will still want to go somewhere to look at and drive the vehicle before buying,” said Ian Fletcher, an auto analyst in London at research company IHS Global Insight.
“With new technologies, there may be even greater skepticism about buying a car over the Internet as in many cases you’ll have to win the confidence of customers that it works and there is support for them,” Fletcher said in an e-mail.
The setup may help BMW reduce expenses: Internet sales require less than half the cost of distributing through a dealership, according to Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer of the Center Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. That allows online car prices to be 5 percent to 7 percent less than showroom tags.
Still, BMW sees standard dealerships as “the backbone of what we are doing in the interface with the customer” for the I models, Robertson said in June at a press presentation at the sub-brand’s Park Lane showroom in London.
Dealer Criteria
Outlets will be restricted to dealers with high BMW-brand sales volume who have floor space as well as capacity to work with I models’ powering technology and carbon-fiber body material, Robertson said. The carmaker has chosen 45 of its approximately 200 dealers in Germany to sell the i3 and i8, a ratio that will probably be similar elsewhere, he said.
Dealers will be designated as agents for the I models, which provides an “advantage” by keeping the vehicles on the carmaker’s books, the association of BMW distributors in Germany said in an e-mail.
Carbon Fiber
BMW Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer started Project I at the end of 2007 as tighter emissions regulations threatened the viability of sporty sedans. BMW chose to create all-new vehicles that use expensive carbon fiber for a lighter body to make up for the weight of the battery system.
The approach contrasts with a decision by Daimler AG (DAI)’s Mercedes-Benz Cars division to convert existing models, such as the van-like B-Class or two-seat Smart, to electric power.
To make its electric vehicles more attractive, Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler’s Smart brand offers to lease the battery separately from the car. The automaker has a target of selling more than 10,000 of the models next year, with a starting price of 18,910 euros plus monthly battery rental at 65 euros.
The I models’ new technology poses risks for BMW, “but they have no choice if they want to keep their premium and image as an innovation leader,” Ellinghorst said.
The i3 and i8 will probably be among BMW’s lowest-selling models through 2024, alongside the existing Z4 roadster, according to IHS estimates. In 2014, the first full year of production, BMW will probably deliver 31,380 i3s, compared with 564,760 of the best-selling 3-Series model and 18,101 Z4s, a study by the research company shows.
BMW’s stance is that the models should produce earnings from the start, sales chief Robertson said.
“We clearly, as a company, go into any product launch with the view of making profit, which is no different with the I brand,” Robertson said. “This is a car line just as every other car line, and we intend to make profit from Day 1.”
DENSO Corporation has developed a vehicle-to-home (V2H) power supply system for electric vehicles (EV), which is designed to work in coordination with DENSO' s home energy management system (HEMS).
"DENSO and Toyota is working together to develop a V2H power supply system that uses alternating current, and has been conducting demonstration tests using plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) to ensure the system can efficiently use energy," said Hikaru Sugi, senior executive director of DENSO' s Engineering Research and Development Center and President and CEO of DENSO International America, Inc. "With our newly developed system, we will now perform demonstration tests on a V2H power supply system that can be also used for EV."
The V2H system can quickly charge an EV with direct current from the HEMS storage battery, and can supply the electricity in the EV back to the household. In addition, the system can efficiently distribute electricity, including power generated by residential photovoltaic systems (solar panels), to the EV and to the home through the coordination of the HEMS.
The two main features of the new system are as follows:
1. Quick recharging function using a HEMS storage battery
Because an EV is battery-powered, the battery needs to be quickly charged for the car to be practical and functional, particularly when the battery level is low. However, a quick charger uses a substantial amount of power, resulting in an increase in the consumer' s electricity contract/bill and it is difficult to install for household use.
DENSO' s new system can quickly supply the electricity that is stored in the HEMS storage battery to the EV when charging at home, which doesn't require a dedicated charging device. Within just 15 minutes of charge using the DENSO system, the EV can travel up to about 20 km (12.43 miles)
2. Eco-V2H function
The HEMS can estimate the daily EV travel distance and household power consumption to best manage the charging and discharging of the electricity of EV and HEMS battery unit. Also, to achieve local production of energy for local consumer consumption, the energy surplus produced by the photovoltaic system can be stored in the EV or the HEMS storage battery as opposed to being sold to the local electric power company(1). During the electricity peak time, surplus electricity stored in the HEMS storage battery is supplied back to the house to enable electricity peak shift. These functions require technology to combine electricity supplied back to the home from the EV and commercial power(2)(3). Moreover, in emergencies such as natural disasters, electricity stored in the EV can be used at home in the same way as the PHV.
The new system was developed in line with the trend toward the standardization of V2H power supply systems. In this demonstration project, DENSO plans to use EV developed by Toyota Motor Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
Looking ahead at the next generation of energy and social systems, in 2013 DENSO plans to start demonstration tests in Toyota City to find a way to optimally use home energy using an EV or PHV as the key element, and to develop and commercialize an efficient energy management system to help realize a low-carbon society.
(1) It is mandatory for electric power companies in Japan to buy renewable energy such as solar power, generated by households
(2) Using a combination of electricity supplied back to the home from the EV battery and commercial electricity means grid connection, which feeds the output from dispersed power sources, such as photovoltaic systems and storage batteries, into the commercial power grid. To maintain the quality of electricity, grid connection requires technology to synchronize the frequencies and phases between different types of electricity.
(3) Commercial power: Electricity, also known as grid power, purchased by households from electric power companies.
(4) EDMS: Energy Data Management System: Collect and analyze data on energy use to support the achievement of effective energy use for the entire society.
University of Michigan Solar Car Team won the 2012 American Solar Challenge with their car Quantum for a fourth consecutive time.
The University of Michigan Solar Car Team, with its car Quantum, crosses the finish line at 2:30pm on July 21, 2012 at the American Solar Car Challenge in St Paul, Minn.. The team won its fourth consecutive national championship with this event (and 7th overall), and broke the national record, winning by 10 hours and 18 minutes over its nearest competitor. Image credit: Ethan Lardner, U-M Solar Car Team
The eight-day, biennial 1,650-mile competition for solar-powered vehicles started July 14 in Rochester, N.Y., and ended July 21 in St. Paul, Minn. The U-M car crossed the finish line at about 2:30 p.m. CDT for a final time of 44 hours, 36 minutes and 21 seconds—10 hours and 18 minutes ahead of second-place Iowa State University, breaking the national record set by U-M in 2008 with its car Continuum.
This is the seventh North American title for the U-M team, which won the inaugural event in 1990 with its first car, the Sunrunner.It is exciting and a relief," said crew chief and recent electrical engineering grad Ryan Mazur. "We have proven that Quantum is a great car and made all our alumni proud."
The racers encountered some bad weather conditions on the route, including intense rain on the second and last day of racing. U-M took advantage of the weather on day two, acquiring a two-hour lead as other teams hampered by the rain were forced to drive slower to preserve their energy.
Their lead continued to increase throughout the race. However, a bad storm on the last day of racing forced U-M to pull over a few times to adjust the vehicle in the rain, once for "irregular rotation of the vehicle."
"We've tested the car extensively in the rain, and each of our drivers has practiced in the rain, so that really gave us an advantage," said mechanical engineering student and 2012 lead strategist A.J. Trublowksi. "While our overall strategy stayed mostly the same, we definitely had to make some adjustments to adverse weather conditions."
Racing in bad weather is always a challenge. According to 2011 race manager Rachel Kramer, the teams' strategy units will usually take the lead on speed and tactics, but safety is always a concern.
"You need a lot of experience and talented people in bad weather, and a lot of communication between the driver and the rest of the team," she said."Ultimately, it's up to the driver—it's their call when safety is an issue."
Compared with previous routes, the 2012 path cut through more cities and towns, allowing for more encounters with fans, but also increasing the difficulty for the teams.
"This was a very interesting and difficult route," Mazur said. "The varying places we were driving made things a challenge from a navigation standpoint. We had to deal with heavy traffic and dangerous drivers on busy roads often."
Quantum, U-M's lightest-ever vehicle, finished third in the World Solar Challenge in Australia last fall. It weighs a full 200 pounds less than its most recent predecessor, and it is 30 percent more aerodynamic.
The U-M Solar Car Team has finished third in the World Solar Challenge five times, most recently in 2011. With more than 100 students from schools and colleges across the university, U-M Solar Car is one of the largest student organizations on campus.
"The atmosphere on solar car is unlike anything I have ever experienced before," said race manager Jordan Feight, an atmospheric and oceanic space sciences student. "The dedication and commitment to push beyond what was previously possible is simply amazing. There has been no class that has come to close to paralleling the knowledge I have picked up being on the solar car team."
Major sponsors of the U-M Solar Car team include IMRA America, Michigan Engineering, Ford and General Motors.
Qualcomm and Renault, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning their cooperation on the WEVC London trial and preliminary studies of the integration of Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology into some Renault vehicles. Renault will also join the London trial steering committee.
Qualcomm announced in November 2011 a Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) trial in London to commence in 2012 that is supported by a cross section of stakeholders from government departments and agencies, to commercial and private sector enterprises. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the commercial viability of wireless EV charging and gain user feedback on the use of WEVC enabled vehicles.
“We are very excited to be working with Renault, a global leader in Electric Vehicles and an innovator in the growing low carbon vehicle market,” said Anthony Thomson, VP, Business Development and Marketing at Qualcomm. “Renault’s participation in the WEVC London trial and Qualcomm’s drive to make charging of electric vehicles simple and effortless means that EV drivers will have access to technology that makes EV charging easy.”
“Our participation in the WEVC London trial with Qualcomm complements Renault’s European research & development project involving 10 partners to demonstrate wireless inductive charging of electric vehicles in a public environment with a high level of performance and safety," said Jacques Hebrard, VP Energy and Environment Advanced Projects Director at Renault. "The deployment of wireless inductive charging requires inter-operability between cars and ground systems within common European and, hopefully, worldwide standards”
With gasoline prices declining, sales of hybrid and electric cars have remained surprisingly resilient. In fact, sales of dedicated hybrid and alternative-energy vehicles surged more than 164 percent in June, according to Kelley Blue Book's Blue Book Market Report for July 2012
With fuel prices expected to continue their descent up until the US Presidential election, hybrid and electric vehicle sales could slow; however, today it appears as though the sales decline will be relatively mild.
"The Toyota Prius was the most significant driver of segment gains, with sales surging more than 300 percent from June of last year. The Prius has been in high demand since the introduction of the subcompact Prius c and wagon-esque Prius v. Sales numbers for the Prius also look especially strong due to the inventory shortages that plagued Toyota at this time last year." Says Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst of automotive insights for Kelley Blue Book.
German car parts supplier Continental AG and South Korea's SK Innovation Co Ltd plan to invest several hundred million euros in a joint venture developing lithium-ion battery technology for electric cars, an executive said.
Robert Lee, the joint venture's chief executive, said the first contract from an automotive client was expected by the end of this year, or by the first quarter of 2013 at the latest.
"We expect to generate our first revenue in 2015 and reach break-even about two years later," Lee told reporters in Frankfurt after the signing ceremony.
Continental currently forecasts pure battery-driven cars will make up 1 to 2 percent of global new car demand by 2020, with another 8 to 9 percent being hybrids.
The cooperation deal, which was initially agreed in January, is the second link-up between a major German parts supplier and a Korean company strong in electro-chemistry and battery cells.
Continental's arch-rival Bosch had formed a 50-50 joint venture in September 2008 with Samsung SDI called SB LiMotive, in which the two companies planned to have invested 500 million dollars by 2013.
Bosch is reviewing its involvement in the electric battery joint venture, however, and could decide to act more as a supplier than a partner. Press reports have said the JV could be dissolved following a disagreement over strategy.
Lee said SK Innovation and Continental had spent a lot of time planning how to structure and operate the deal and both would pour all their activities in this field into their joint venture, split 51 to 49 percent, with the Koreans holding the majority.
"We have ensured that both companies are fully committed for a very long time. The contract makes it very challenging for both parties to exit the joint venture," Lee said.
All the Chevrolet Volts on the road have just cumulatively reached the symbolic milestone of 100 million miles driven. Of those miles the median is 79.9% driven in electric-only mode, and the rest used the gasoline range extender engine.
Based on GM’s official production numbers, 35,000 Volt/Amperas have been manufactured since November 2010, with approximately 25,000 of them in hands of customers and another 10,000 either in transit toward various dealerships around the world or on dealers’ lots.
All Voltec cars – whether they are called Volt or Ampera – are built in in Michigan at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. General Motor’s Chevrolet division publishes the cumulative miles covered by its Volts around the world on the Volt’s official Web page.
If you want more stats on the Volt, VoltStats.net is a great source of info. It shows that many Volt owners drive more than 90% of their miles in 100% electric mode.
Toyota Tsusho Corp. has launched a project in Singapore to test a single-seat electric vehicle manufactured by a Toyota group company for Southeast Asia.
The Singapore subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho said Thursday it will conduct a joint study with the National University of Singapore and use its campus as a testing ground for the tiny vehicle made by Toyota Auto Body Co.
Toyota Tsusho has shipped 10 of the electric vehicles to Singapore for the study.
The vehicle, known as COMS, is categorized as a motorcycle in Japan and is already being used on public roads. It has not been approved for use on Singapore streets, so its use will be confined to the university campus.
Designed for city driving, the vehicle can travel about 50 km on a single battery charge. The COMS list price starts at ¥668,000 USD$8,500)for a basic model.
Using an EV converted Long-EZ airplane Chip Yates has achieved a speed of 202.6-MPH during a second test flight on July 19, 2012 at Inyokern Airport in California.
Purchased by Flight of the Century (FOTC) in April, 2012 as an R&D plane for development of the company's patented mid-air recharging technology, the highly modified Rutan Long-EZ (now "Long-ESA" for Electric Speed & Altitude) underwent a complete restoration and conversion from gasoline power to all-electric power in just two months at FOTC headquarters.
The unprecedented test program then moved to FOTC's Inyokern Airport facility, with a first taxi test July 14th, first runway test July 16th, first flight July 18th, and world record flight July 19th.
FOTC is engaged in a cooperative relationship with the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, who deployed high speed telemetry, radar and tracking cameras to capture Yates' historic flight adjacent to their restricted airspace. After the flight, officials from China Lake visited the FOTC hangar at Inyokern Airport to corroborate the flight data, which will presented at Oshkosh.
Military and special operations interest in FOTC's unique high speed, long/infinite range electric manned and UAV technology is piqued because radar has difficulty locking onto the composite structure and infrared cameras struggle to find any measurable heat signature from the all-electric powerplant to track with.
"Our ability to fly long and fast without detection has definitely raised some eyebrows", said FOTC CEO and test pilot Chip Yates. "I want to see our high-performance electric powertrain and mid-air recharging systems used to advance the cause of electric airplanes in general, and in the short term, the military applications are really interesting".
FOTC engineers have abbreviated and expedited the initial taxi/flight test program in order to quickly generate data, video and knowledge to share with some 550,000 attendees at the 2012 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh event, which runs July 23-29, 2012 (airventure.org) and where the record-setting Long-ESA will be on central display along with Chip's Guinness World Record holding electric superbike in the Innovations Hangar-South.
Following Oshkosh, the company intends to equip the Long-ESA with a custom designed lithium-ion series of battery packs and a front-mounted recharging probe to test mid-air tethering and battery jettison & rebalance technologies. The company expects a top speed of 230-250 MPH with the full-size battery pack in place in September. Attempts at world records for altitude will follow.
Honda hasn't been shy about rolling out alternative fuel vehicles, including natural gas, hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid cars.
But now the automaker is jumping into the electric game with a familiar name. AOL Translogic show drive the 2013 Honda Fit EV, a car that seeks to pair the "fun to drive" characteristics of the original with an emissions-free powertrain.
The new Ford C-MAX Energi is expected to achieve more than 20 miles of electric-only range – nearly double the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid – and a 550-mile overall range to become the first hybrid vehicle ever that can be driven from Sacramento to San Diego on a single tank of gas and make the average American commute without gasoline.
With a maximum electric-only speed projected to top that of Prius plug-in, C-MAX Energi drivers might be able to reach wherever they’re going a little faster, too.
Topping it off, C-MAX Energi delivers fuel economy that is the equivalent of 95 miles per gallon (MPGe) combined city/highway.
John Davis, chief nameplate engineer for Ford’s compact cars and utility vehicles, said it’s all designed to improve the driving experience: from making the 550-mile trek down Highway 99 from Sacramento to San Diego to the daily 20-mile one-way trip to work – the distance some reports suggest the average American commutes.
“We are proud C-MAX Energi is the first plug-in hybrid that can deliver a 550-mile overall range and more than 20 miles of electric range as it gives customers great flexibility to commute to work, then take off for a road trip while passing many gas stations along the way,” says Davis. “C-MAX Energi is a great symbol for the leading fuel economy we’re delivering across our lineup to give customers the power of choice to save money at the pump.”
C-MAX Energi is part of Ford’s first dedicated line of hybrid vehicles in North America and will soon be available for order at Ford’s certified electric-vehicle dealerships. C-MAX Energi operates just like a traditional hybrid with two key differences – owners must plug in the vehicle using its charge port and C-MAX Energi has a larger battery pack.
Power of choice
Already available for order is C-MAX Hybrid – expected to be America’s most affordable hybrid utility vehicle with a base price of $25,995, including destination and delivery – with a cost that is $1,300 lower than Toyota Prius v.
C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi figure prominently in Ford’s rollout of five electrified vehicles this year. Ford’s other electrified vehicles include:
Focus Electric: Production began late 2011; America’s most fuel-efficient compact with 110 MPGe city; charge time of four hours with the available 240-volt charging station – nearly half the time as Nissan Leaf
C-MAX Hybrid: Coming this fall; projected 47 mpg city, 3 mpg better than Toyota Prius v
All-new Fusion Hybrid: Coming this fall; projected 47 mpg expected to beat Toyota Camry Hybrid by 5 mpg highway
Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: Will begin production by the end of this year; aiming to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world with more than 100 MPGe
“Ford’s electrified vehicles offer a great combination of efficiency, performance, technology and affordability that we believe will help spur adoption of these advanced vehicles,” says Kevin Layden, director, Ford Electrification Programs and Engineering. “C-MAX Energi not only offers leading efficiency, it has 50 more horsepower than the Prius plug-in hybrid along with class-exclusive technologies such as our hands-free liftgate and active park assist for easier parallel parking.”
Audi has given the German Olympic team an A1 e-tron for the London Olympics.
As partner of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the National Paralympic Committee Germany (DBS) Audi presented the Olympic squad with an Audi A1 e-tron in the German colors.
It is an electric car with a range extender. The A1 e-tron reaches a maximum speed of 130 km/h thanks to its power of 75 kW (102 hp). If the battery power is exhausted a compact combustion engine, the range extender, recharges the battery as required and in doing so increases the range to up to 250 kilometers.
The A1 is used as an exhibition car and reinforces the shuttle service between the German House and the MS Deutschland cruise ship, which Audi equips with a total of 60 vehicles. The Ingolstadt based automobile manufacturer recently extended its partnership with the DOSB and DBS to the end of 2016.
The Rimac Concept_One electric hyper car will make its debut at this year’s Salon Privé, the UK’s most prestigious Supercar Event and Chubb Insurance Concours d'Elégance – held on the 5th to 7th September at London’s Syon Park.
Only 88 examples of the sensational Rimac Concept_One will be produced and each will cost $1 million. The team behind the Rimac Concept_One includes designers who used to work for the fabled Italian styling house Pininfarina and top Bulgarian leatherworkers from Vilner, among others.
This unique new electric hyper car has the capability of producing the astronomical equivalent of 1,088 bhp due to its 92-kWh battery, which powers four sets of electric motors, placed at each wheel. All four systems can operate independently and accelerate and decelerate hundreds of times per second. Rimac labels this as All-Wheel Torque Vectoring (AWTV).
The Concept_One’s performance is shattering with 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. It also has the ability to reach a top speed of 190 mph and a range of 373 miles. The kerb weight is 1850 kg.
24-year-old Croatian Rimac Automobili CEO, Mate Rimac, said: ‘We started with a blank sheet of paper. The idea was to create an exceptional supercar with a new propulsion concept. What we have here is a fully-fledged hypercar that is as powerful as a Bugatti, as stylish as a Ferrari, and as luxurious as a Mercedes, all while managing to forsake even the tiniest sip of gasoline.’
David Bagley, Sales Director of Salon Privé said: ‘We are extremely pleased that the Rimac Concept_One will be making its UK debut at Salon Privé this year. This EV supercar is a true representation of innovation in the electric sector, and Salon Privé provides the ideal showcase for the car to be exposed to the UK market for the first time.’
The car will be available for viewing for the first time in the UK at Salon Privé in September. Now in its seventh consecutive year, Salon Privé is firmly established as the UK's most prestigious Supercar Event & Concours d'Elégance as well as a calendar highlight amongst enthusiasts, collectors and buyers of modern and classic super cars.
A recent breakthrough in electric vehicle (EV) motor technology from Japan-based SIM-Drive extends the driving range 100 percent further than today's mass-produced EV vehicles, mostly due to regenerate braking gains from the direct drive in-wheel motors but also in part due to science-powered material innovations and collaboration from DuPont.
"Innovations that help reduce dependence on fossil fuels play a critical role in the future of the automotive industry," said DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha (DKK) President Minoru Amoh. "The power is both in the technology and the collaborative business model used to develop the prototype."
DuPont is one of 34 companies to work with SIM-Drive, Kawasaki City, Japan, on the prototype SIM-WIL next generation EV vehicle that features nearly 50 new technologies. It was unveiled in March.
SIM-Drive credits a unique "in-wheel" motor system and extensive use of lightweight materials for the significant increase in kilometers per charge. Combined with low rolling resistance tires and super low aero drag body results in electrical power consumption during JC-08 tests of only 158 wh/mi (99 Wh/km) (SIM-LEI) compared to an already relatively frugal (compared to any ICE powered vehicle) Nissan LEAF which recorded 340 wh/mi (212 Wh/km) in EPA tests.
SIM-WIL also delivers a maximum speed of 180 km/h (110 mph) and achieved 351km (210 Miles) range with a 35 kWh battery installed. In acceleration performance tests the car recorded 5.4 sec 0 to 100km.
"Especially in electric vehicle (EV) applications, these high temperature, chemically resistant products and electrical insulation materials contribute to increased EV system reliability and performance under severe conditions such as wide ranging temperatures and high voltage," said Tomoyuki Shinkai, operating officer, vehicle development co-ordination division general manager, SIM-Drive Corp.
DuPont high-performance plastics such as DuPont(TM) Zytel(R) HTN PPA in the in-wheel motor and DuPont(TM) Kapton(R) polyimide film in indicator lighting helped SIM-DRIVE keep weight lower than EVs on the road today. DuPont(TM) Zytel(R) HTN used in key in-wheel motor bobbins are stronger, lighter and more cost effective than the PPS it replaces. Kapton(R), known for use in high-reliability applications from Mars Rover to mobile devices, replaces the need for a circuit board, shaving 80 percent of the weight from the lighting component.
"This project shows how light weight, high-performance materials such as Zytel(R) HTN PPA can take extremes, allowing designers to bring innovation to electric and hybrid electric vehicles without adding weight associated with metal," said James Hay, regional director, DuPont Performance Polymers, Asia Pacific.
"Clearly collaboration plays a powerful role in helping showcase new and innovative ideas and in the last few years, DuPont has stepped up to the challenge with innovation centers networked around the world to connect materials-science innovation to market needs, especially in vehicle electrification, lightweighting and renewable materials," said Hay.
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