GoPro: Monster Tajima - Pikes Peak 2013 EV Class Winner [VIDEO]

Finally the GoPro video of the Pikes Peak EV class winning run is uploaded.

Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima returned to the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with his E-Runner Special electric car. Tajima was back and more determined than ever, not only to break his personal record (9:51.278 in 2011) but to make a statement that the electric car is a force to reckon with.

In the video we get to see for the first time the wet-to-damp road condition on which Tajima set his new personal record of 9:46.530, winning the Electric class and placing 5th overall.

When asked about beating the new gasoline record, Tajima responded: “We are able to do that very soon, it depends on the battery. With a high quality and high density battery, I can beat that record for sure.”

It's now clear why, given a dry road, Tajima is so confident.

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Tesla Model S Performance Vs Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro) 6.0 V8 [VIDEO]

Another street race from the guys at Drag Times this time running the Tesla Model S Performance against a Pontiac GTO, better know in Australia as a Holden Monaro.

Disclaimer: EV News does not endorse nor condone racing on public roads, this video is featured for information value only.

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Worldwide debut of the all-new BMW i3 [VIDEO]

The new all-electric BMW i3 is a landmark in BMW's mission to provide a completely sustainable, electric vehicle that still stays true to the Ultimate Driving Machine moniker. The BMW i3 is the first product of the new BMW i sub-brand, and is a truly purpose built electric car. It's a new era for electro mobility at BMW.

The vehicle concept behind the BMW i3 was designed from the outset to incorporate an all-electric drive system. This has numerous advantages over "conversion" vehicles, in which the original combustion engine is swapped for an electric motor. The engineers can design whatever works best, in terms of construction, dimensions and configuration of the electric drive system's components. The car's development is dictated by the characteristics designed into the car by the development team and not by the constraints imposed by a pre-existing vehicle design. For example, the space in a conversion vehicle set aside for the fuel tank or exhaust system cannot be used. In the BMW i3 there is no need for this kind of compromise.

This leads to the LifeDrive architecture concept, which was purpose-built specifically for the BMW i3. It is comprised of two modules; the Life Module, and the Drive Module. Think of the Life Module as the passenger cabin, or greenhouse. It is the first-ever mass produced Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) passenger cell in the automotive business, and is a big factor in the cars efficiency. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic is equally as strong as steel, while being 50% lighter, and 30% lighter than aluminum. The result is an electric car that weighs about 2,700 lbs (preliminary US figures).

Due to the lightweight, high tensile strength of CFRP, the passenger cell has added protection, and the battery has less work to do, which allows for the use of a smaller, lighter battery that saves even more weight, reduces charging time and increases range. The light weight design of the Life Module also lowers the BMW i3's center of gravity, making it a more engaging and dynamic car to drive.

The Drive Module, which is constructed out of 100% aluminum, consists of the 22-kWh, 450 lb. lithium-ion battery, electric drive train, MacPherson strut and 5-link rear suspension system and structural and crash components. The battery mounted in the rear, close to the drive wheels, gives impressive performance characteristics while also providing better traction.

Another benefit of the LifeDrive architecture concept is that there is no space-consuming transmission tunnel running through the center of the car, like in most internal combustion powered cars, because of the separate Drive Module. This gives the BMW i3 the interior space of the BMW 3 Series, while only having the footprint of the much smaller BMW 1 Series.

Even the vehicle's key is sustainably manufactured. The source material of the new bio-polymer key is based on castor oil pressed from castor seeds. The owner's manual is also made from renewable resources.

The interior is made using high quality renewable sources and recycled materials. The BMW i3 has the Next Premium interior, which blends sustainable resources with a premium feel for the same interior quality as the BMW 5 Series Sedan. 25% of the plastics in the interior and 25% of the thermoplastic parts on the exterior are made from either recycled materials or renewable sources.

According to studies carried out as part of BMW's Project i, involving more than 1,000 participants and conducted over some 12.5 million miles, it was revealed that the average daily distance covered was around 30 miles. The BMW i3 will be able to travel 80 to 100 miles on a single charge. This can be increased by up to approximately 12% in ECO PRO mode and by the same amount again in ECO PRO+ mode. It is able to recharge in only 3 hours with the use of a 220V Level 2, 32-amp J1772 charger. The SAE DC Combo Fast Charging, which charges the BMW i3 up to 80% in 20 minutes, and 100% in 30, can be had as an option.

In order to reduce range anxiety, a rear-mounted 650cc, 34 hp, two-cylinder, gasoline-powered Range Extender generator is available, which roughly doubles the vehicle's range. When the battery gets to a certain level, the Range Extender starts and maintains the battery's current state of charge. The Range Extender never directly drives the vehicle's wheels. The Range Extender adds roughly 330 lbs. to the vehicle curb weight and has a fuel capacity of 2.4 gallons.

Since 1999 according to the DOE, average gasoline prices in America have increased from approximately $1.136 to $3.618, or about a 218%. In the same time, the pricing of electricity has increased from 6.6 cents to 9.9 cents, a change of only 50%, making electricity a far more attractive commodity from a pricing standpoint.

BMW i3 Quick-Reference Highlights.
- Pricing (before federal or local incentives) starts at $41,350; $45,200 for Range Extender model. Destination & Handling Fee not included.
- On Sale: Q2 of 2014 in the USA.
- BMW's 360 Electric electro mobility services.
- BMW i Remote app, which connects with the car.
- BMW Navigation is standard.
- BMW Intelligent Emergency Call ('eCall"), Anti theft alarm and Rear Parking Distance Control are standard.

Driving.
- 170-hp, 184 lb-ft hybrid-synchronous electric motor with max. revs of 11,400 rpm.
- 80-100 mile real-world EV range.
- 22-kWh lithium-ion battery, which weighs 450 lbs.
- 650cc gasoline powered Range Extender optional; holds charge, doesn't power wheels.
- 0-30mph in 3.5 seconds, 0-60mph in approximately 7.0 seconds (preliminary).
- Top speed of 93 mph, electronically limited to preserve efficiency.
- BMW's signature, near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution.
- Ultra-tight turning radius (32.3 ft), which is ideal for city driving.
- Macpherson strut front and 5-link rear suspension set up.
- Single Pedal Driving Concept with Brake Energy Regeneration, which feeds power back into battery.
- 3 drive modes: Comfort, ECO PRO and ECO PRO+.
- 3 hour 220 V @32 amps charging time.
- Optional SAE DC Combo Fast Charging allows for 80% charge in 20mins; 100% in 30 mins.

Chassis and Body. - Purpose built construction. World's first mass-produced CFRP-constructed electric vehicle.
- Built on innovative LifeDrive architecture composed of two parts: Life Module and Drive Module.
- Life Module is essentially the cabin, constructed from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).
- Drive Module is where all of the powertrain components are housed.
- Drive Module is made from 100% aluminum.
- Magnesium cross-member for instrument panel saves 20% weight vs. steel.
- BMW 1 Series external footprint with BMW 3 Series interior space.
- Adaptive Full LED headlights and LED taillights (standard in US market).
- Weighs in at roughly 2,700 lbs.(1224 kg)
- No space-consuming transmission tunnel dividing car's interior.
- Pillar-less design with rear coach doors allow for easy entry and exit to rear seats.
- Driver-oriented super-ergonomic controls.
- Three vehicle Worlds (trim levels): Mega (standard in US), Giga, and Tera.
- Standard 19-inch light alloy wheels with unique 155/70 all-season tires. 20-inch light alloy wheels optional.
- No transmission tunnel and low console allows for Slide-through Experience, which benefits urban driving by the ability to exit from the passenger side.

Sustainability.
- Made with sustainable, renewable materials.
+ Instrument panel surround and door trim use fibers from Kenaf plant.
+ Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof panel is made partially with recycled CFRP from manufacturing process of other components
+ 25% of plastic used in interior comprised of recycled materials.
- Dashboard wood trim crafted from responsibly-forested eucalyptus.
- CFRP components are sustainably produced in Moses Lake, WA, USA, where the factory uses hydroelectric power.
- The Leipzig, Germany assembly plant uses wind-generated electricity.
- Olive-leaf extract is used to tan interior leather surfaces.

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Toyota Nissan Honda & Mitsubishi co-operate to promote plug-in cars

Four of Japan's leading carmakers, including Toyota, today announced a plan to expand sales of next-generation green vehicles by co-operating on the development of electric charging stations.

Toyota, along with Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi, said there is a critical need to develop an infrastructure in Japan for vehicles that can be charged from a power point, such as plug-in hybrids and electric cars.

The carmakers said they will work with the Japanese Government to more than double the number of charging outlets to at least 4,000 quick chargers and 8,000 regular chargers.

They said an expanded charging network would maximise the electric-only driving performance and combined fuel economy of plug-in hybrids.

It would also enable motorists to extend the driving range of electric vehicles, which do not produce any tailpipe emissions.

Normal chargers would be installed in commercial facilities such as large shopping malls or highway service areas where motorists typically stopped for long periods.

Quick chargers would be installed for shorter-duration stops such as highway parking areas, convenience stores and fuel stations.

The carmakers will temporarily bear part of the installation and maintenance costs that are not covered by government subsidies of 100.5 billion yen ($1.1 billion) announced for 2013-14.

Their co-operation is based on an understanding that the charging infrastructure has public value and enhancing it should be done quickly during the limited period the subsidies are available.

The collaboration extends to car owners being able to use the same credit card for payment at all charging stations.

The Japanese government would like to see sales of these next-generation cars accounting for 15-20 per cent of new-car sales in 2020.

The four carmakers are committed to developing a more user-friendly charging infrastructure and to contributing to a society making maximum use of electric-powered vehicles.

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Engadget Test Drive the Spark EV [VIDEO]

Engadget got to test drive the The Spark EV, GM's first pure electric car since the company scrapped the EV1 program in 2002.

Performance is quite impressive for an EV this size: it sprints to 60 mph (100 km/h) in just 7.6 seconds with a top speed of 90 mph (144 km/h). The 21kWh nano-phosphate Li-ion battery pack is liquid cooled / heated and is located in the floor. It offers a range of up to 82 miles and takes less than seven hours to fully charge using a level 2 (240V) charging station. Better yet, with a DC fast-charging option coming to the Spark EV later this year, you'll be able to charge the battery to 80% capacity in just 20 minutes.

Chevy's managed to keep the weight down to 2967 lbs (1346 kg), which is pretty svelte for a pure electric car. This, combined a low center of gravity and a close to 50/50 weight distribution makes the Spark EV nimble and fun to drive.

Source: Engadget

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Electric cars enjoyed one of the best months of sales to-date

Sales of electric cars are really starting to gain traction. Just in the month of June of this year, almost 9,000 plug-in electric vehicles have been sold in the U.S. This adds to more than 110,000 plug-in electric vehicles that have been sold in that country in the last two and a half years, the Electrification Coalition reports.

Tesla has been one of the biggest winners of the growing tide of electric cars, and managed to capture 8.4 percent of the luxury market in the first six months of 2013. Sales of Tesla cars have beaten virtually all of their competitors, including the Mercedes-Benz S-class, the Audi A8, and the BMW 7 series. Those are impressive statistics indeed, and not something we could have predicted even just a couple years ago.

The Nissan Leaf has also had a great deal of success, capturing 3.3 percent of the subcompact market. The Electrification Coalition has also pointed out that electric cars have not only the awards from various automotive publications, but have also enjoyed some of the highest customer-satisfaction ratings of any passenger cars. In addition, the Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt continue to receive high marks from major consumer-ratings publications.

Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales tripled from about 17,000 in 2011 to about 52,000 in 2012. During the first six months of 2013, Americans bought over 40,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEV), more than twice as many sold during the same period in 2012.

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BMW i3 'pre-teaser' leaked - World Premiere to be live streamed [VIDEO]

A short 'pre-teaser' video of the BMW i3 has popped up ahead of Monday's launch. BMW are playing social media to the max on this one.

At 14.30 Central European Time on Monday, 29 July 2013, these greetings will ring out from megacities in the USA, Europe and Asia to mark the unveiling of the BMW i3 to a global audience. The spectacular premiere for this revolutionary vehicle takes place exactly two years after the BMW i3 Concept was presented in Frankfurt on 29 July 2011 prior to the International Motor Show (IAA).

The simultaneous launch in three continents highlights the global approach embodied by the BMW i3 towards resolving urban mobility issues worldwide. This approach is rooted in the holistic idea of a purpose-built vehicle concept boasting a unique design, sustainability throughout the value chain and complementary mobility services. As such, the BMW i3 redefines urban mobility for the present and future, setting benchmarks for sustainability, design, hallmark BMW dynamics and exemplary efficiency. It is the world’s first premium electric vehicle designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system. It is also a world first by virtue of bringing together visionary design, pioneering technology and an innovative vehicle concept that includes a passenger cell made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).

In each of the three metropolises, BMW Group board members will present the BMW i3 in a live transmission, explaining the development history and technology of this innovative model and showing what form a global solution to the challenges of personal mobility could take.

The unveiling will be streamed live on the internet:

14.15 – approx. 16.00 pm CEST: Live broadcast including a speech by Dr. Norbert Reithofer and the unveiling event of the BMW i3

16.35 – 17.25 pm CEST: Best of the BMW i3 World Premiere

TV footage, videos and pictures from the event and the live stream can be found at:
http://www.live.bmwgroup.com.

The live stream will also be available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h746QIGIMOc.

The BMW i3 is the result of an integrated development approach aimed at cutting fuel consumption and emissions in urban traffic. The vehicle concept and drive system were developed entirely in-house by the BMW Group. The 125 kW/170 hp electric motor of the BMW i3 enables locally emission-free driving to a range of between 130 and 160 kilometres (approx. 80 to 100 miles). When it came to the selection of materials and the production processes, exceptionally high standards were likewise achieved in terms of sustainability and conserving resources. The BMW i3 will be presented to the public at large at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt/Main (12 – 22 September 2013).

Source: Facebook BMW i3 Group

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Toyota Hybrid Racing outlines plans for 2013 season

Toyota Racing can confirm its plans for the remainder of the FIA World Endurance Championship season.

The team will split its efforts between the ongoing 2013 WEC season and the development of its 2014 car in order to make best use of the available resources.

As a consequence, the #8 of Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin, which is the lead TS030 HYBRID in the championship, will compete in Sao Paulo (1 September) and Austin (22 September).

Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre will focus on 2014 development with testing and simulation sessions while Kazuki Nakajima will continue the defence of his Super Formula title whilst also racing in Super GT.

A decision regarding the team’s line-up at the remaining WEC rounds will be announced in due course.

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Melbourne Gets First Free CHAdeMO Fast Charger

Melbourne is set to become a key testing ground for electric vehicles within Australia with the launch of an electric vehicle hub that includes Victoria’s first fast-charging stations and an electric car for public hire.

The project brings together the Victorian Government, Moreland City Council, ChargePoint, GoGet, Toyota, the local community and businesses to share information, promote discussion and foster development of the electric vehicle industry.

Inaugurating the new hub, Minister for Public Transport and Roads Terry Mulder said Friday, “The Coalition Government recognizes the long-term benefits that EVs will provide for our transport system and the environment."

The EV hub located at Moreland City Council offices includes two standard EV chargers, one dedicated to the car share EV; one EV fast charger; and a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid electric car, supplied through GoGet car-sharing scheme, for staff use and public hire.

In addition, Moreland City Council has installed a standard charging station in Fawkner to supplement its public EV charging infrastructure.

The Victorian government has invested nearly A$50,000 in the creation of Moreland City Council’s new electric vehicle hub as part of its A$5 million Electric Vehicle Trial project.

To encourage the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles, all of Moreland City Council’s EV charge stations, including the fast-charger that takes just 30 minutes instead of overnight, will be available for the public free of charge for at least 12 months.

“Moreland City Council is providing the necessary infrastructure to encourage Victorians to use electric vehicles and make it accessible and convenient, which will encourage more people to choose this sustainable transport option," Mulder said.

In 2012 Mitsubishi, Nissan, Holden introduced their electric vehicles into Victoria; in the near future Renault, Ford, Toyota, BMW and Porsche all have plans to sell their electric vehicles into the state.

“This facility is another milestone in Victoria’s evolving EV charging network and an important step towards the State’s sustainable transport future,” Mulder said.

“This project is a great example of how the Electric Vehicle Trial is providing the foundations of an emerging marketplace for electric vehicles in Victoria and Australia,” the minister said.

Moreland residents will be provided with discounts and incentives to join GoGet and experience the EV. Moreland City Council will take out a business membership to GoGet so council staff can use the car when it’s available for hire.

Moreland Mayor Cr Oscar Yildiz said the hub will be actively promoted for public use, to encourage council staff, local residents and businesses to test the benefits of using an electric car. “The pilot project is a perfect opportunity to test the viability and popularity of these facilities in the Coburg area, with a view to this service becoming an ongoing offering,” Yildiz said.

The Electric Vehicle Trial will run until mid-2014, to gather a better understanding of the timelines, processes and barriers electric vehicle technology faces across Victoria.

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Acura NSX Prototype to Lap Mid-Ohio Prior to Honda Indy 200

Acura today released an image of a prototype NSX supercar, announcing that the running prototype will take to the racetrack just prior to the Honda Indy 200 IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The NSX prototype with custom graphics will lap the road course in advance of the race on August 4, 2013. The race will be broadcast live by NBC Sports Network starting at 3 p.m. EDT.

Global development of the NSX, slated for launch in 2015, is being led by engineers at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. in Raymond, Ohio. Additionally, it was announced in May that the next-generation Acura supercar will be produced at the newly established Performance Manufacturing Center in nearby Marysville, Ohio.

The prototype model maintains the styling and proportions of the NSX Concept that debuted at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, while packaging the production vehicle's mid-mounted V-6 engine mated to Acura's innovative new three-motor Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) system.

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BMW i Ventures invests in UK EV charging firm Chargemaster

BMW i Ventures has announced a strategic investment into Chargemaster Plc, the UK’s leading provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In addition to this investment, Chargemaster and BMW i have entered into a wide ranging cooperation agreement whereby Chargemaster will provide a range of E-mobility services. Both parties will carry out joint electric vehicle (EV) marketing activities and will work together to promote the advancement of EVs and E-mobility services.

Thorsten Mattig, Managing Director BMW i Ventures: “We see Chargemaster playing an important role in preparing the way for E-mobility. This investment and wide ranging cooperation agreement will accelerate our activities as well as boost the synergies with some of our already existing services and investments, such as ParkatmyHouse, where Chargemaster equipment has already been installed.”

The five year cooperation agreement between Chargemaster and BMW i aims to ensure that suitable charging infrastructure is in place for the anticipated proliferation of EVs, with both parties working to establish ChargeNow, the public charging network for BMW i owners across the UK. Chargemaster will also provide charging equipment and sites for the BMW i car sharing service DriveNow.

Both parties are working together on making EV charging as accessible to consumers as possible. This includes working with another BMW i partner, ParkatmyHouse.com (PAMH), to roll out further charging points within the PAMH estate of over 30,000 private parking locations. This cooperation extends Chargemaster’s existing work with PAMH where Chargemaster has already been equipping London PAMH driveways with charging points.

BMW i and Chargemaster will be looking to bring new innovative charging technologies to the market. Under the Agreement, the two parties will be carrying out joint EV marketing activities to promote the practical advancement of electric cars and E-mobility services.

Commenting on the BMW i Ventures investment and cooperation agreement David Martell, Chief Executive Offer of Chargemaster said: “We are delighted to welcome BMW i as investor in Chargemaster. In addition, our selection as a partner to cooperate in the provision of charging programmes to assist the rollout of E-mobility services is an endorsement of Chargemaster’s premier position in the market. We look forward to working with BMW i in this exciting and fast-growing space as we expand our operations in Europe.”

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Mercedes-Benz unveil Hub Motor Powered Vision Golf Cart

During this year's Open Championship, Mercedes-Benz presented the "Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart". Hundreds of golf as well as automobile fans took part in an international competition by submitting their ideas for a golf cart of the future. This invaluable input provided the basis for a visionary golf cart design study created by the Mercedes-Benz design department. As well as reflecting the innovative and forward-thinking ideas and wishes of golf players, the study includes the characteristics and technologies of a Mercedes-Benz.

"The Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart has a refined, simplified yet functional shape that fits well into our 'Sensual-Purity' design philosophy. The flow shapes create a 'sculpture on wheels' impression", says Gorden Wagener, Vice President Design Daimler AG. "I was very inspired by the idea of designing a golf cart, giving it a new shape and new sorts of meaning. Why not treating a golf cart like a car, and making it a 'Golf Car'".

Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz called upon golf and automobile fans from around the world to submit their ideas for a Mercedes-Benz golf cart of the future. So began the search to find the best, most unusual, most innovative and most promising concepts. A jury chaired by Gorden Wagener then selected the best entries from among all the submissions. The winners received an exclusive invitation as VIP guests to the Open Championship.

Building on the basis provided by these ideas and concepts, and due consideration to the Mercedes-Benz design strategy, the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center in Carlsbad, California, developed the Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart. The cart combines the aspects of Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the functionality of a golf cart. The diamond grille, for instance, was incorporated to give the cart a modern face that is unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz.

The idea of the competition was enthusiastically taken up by golfers from all over the world like Japan, South Africa and Germany, as well as North- and South America. The most frequently mentioned ideas and requirements were then incorporated into the design study that has now been presented.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart and its innovative features The Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart is electric driven, powered by a battery that is kept continuously charged by a solar module integrated into the roof. Manual charging, as for a conventional golf cart, is also possible. The vehicle is controlled in innovative and intuitive fashion via a joystick mounted on the centre console, so making it possible for either passenger to drive the golf cart.

"It has the latest in modern technology. Using touch screen monitors, virtually all aspects of the cart can be controlled without extra buttons. Simplicity is the key. Intuition and pure form can maybe best describe the cart", says Margarete Wies, Head of the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center in Carlsbad, California.

The centre console also incorporates a multimedia panel that includes a rotatable docking station for an iPad or iPhone and a USB interface. Various functions that are available in the golf cart can be controlled from here, for example vehicle functions such as loudspeakers or the air-conditioning system, the head-up display, the music system or communication with the clubhouse and other golf carts.

If so required the head-up display integrated into the windscreen can also be used, when the golf cart is stationary, to show the course layout, the current status of the game or weather information. The digital speedometer is placed beneath the windscreen. One wish that came up time and time again, irrespective of country or language, was the possibility of being able to use a telephone. The cart thus also features Bluetooth, so allowing telephone calls to be made via the loudspeaker system while on the move.

An important issue is connectivity. Due to the iPad/iPhone connection to the cart it is possible to communicate directly with the golf club, for example to order drinks or food for the halfway catering. Current weather data and rain radars are available at any time. Working people have the possibility to write e-mails. In addition, users can share the digital score card or even photos from the golf game directly on social media channels.

The so-called "fore button" can be used to quickly warn other players of a misplaced shot. Pressing this button sends a warning to all other golf carts within the danger zone so that they, too, can issue a warning signal.

The interior takes its cues from the design of a Mercedes-Benz car. The elegant and ergonomically shaped seats, for example, are heated as well as ventilated and can be adjusted electronically using the Mercedes-typical controls on the side of the seat. The AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, first introduced in 2011 in the new SLK Roadster, is also envisaged as a feature of the Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart. AIRSCARF, as its name suggests, wraps the neck and shoulder area in warm air, so making it possible to drive the vehicle open, even in cooler weather. There is also an integrated air-conditioning system, so ensuring a pleasant ambience even on a very hot or cold day.

The optional lightweight doors are another special feature. A click-in function allows these to be very simply fitted if the weather is not so good, so providing protection against wind and rain. A retractable lightning rod is included for added safety in case storm clouds start to gather. In bright conditions the windscreen can be darkened at the touch of a button, while it also features windscreen wipers with rain sensors, thus ensuring that they activate as soon as it starts to rain. In addition, the space behind the seats is ideal for stowing umbrellas.

One very commonly expressed request from the international entrants to the competition was, quite simply, to have plenty of stowage space. The Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart therefore includes a whole range of stowage facilities. As well as the trunk compartment underneath the stowage area for the two golf bags, there are two dashboard compartments. The centre console is also specially designed to accommodate golf balls and scorecards and have a sun glasses storage. There is a small fridge fitted beneath the centre console, while cup holders between the seats will keep drinks hot or cold. An illuminated vanity mirror was another request, from female participants in particular, and is located at eye-height for the drivers.

In addition to its use on the golf course, the golf cart is also able to run on normal roads. The designers have, for example, also included all the vital features such as indicators, headlamps and tail lights. Thanks to the LED headlamps, play can also continue when the light starts to fail, as they include a floodlight function.

Although the Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart is only a design study so far, there are no doubt many players who would like to see the cart become reality, bringing its fresh ideas and thus more fun, more innovation and more comfort to moving around on the golf course.

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Renault-Nissan Sells its 100,000th Plug-In Electric Car

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold its 100,000th zero-emission car.

Electric cars from Renault and Nissan have driven approximately 841 million zero-emission kilometers — enough to circle the earth more than 20,000 times. Together, they represent 53 million liters of oil saved and 124 million kg of CO2 that have not been emitted.

“The age of the mainstream zero-emission vehicle is here,” said Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “We expect demand to keep growing as the charging infrastructure develops – and we remain 100% committed to zero-emission technology for the long term.”

Renault-Nissan has sold more zero-emission cars than all other major automakers combined.

The very first EV from the Alliance is a Nissan LEAF owned by engineer Olivier Chalouhi in California’s Silicon Valley. He bought the LEAF when it debuted in December 2010.

The 100,000th customer was American graduate student Allison Howard, who became an owner of Nissan LEAF earlier this month and drives the car to Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

“It just drives perfectly. It’s so cool. I love it!” said Howard.

“The fact that it’s all electric and I don’t have to spend money on gas as a college student, that’s great,” she added.

Nissan LEAF best-selling EV ever

More than 71,000 people worldwide have bought Nissan LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. LEAF makes up more than half of all global sales of pure electric cars.

Nissan LEAF won the 2011 World Car of the Year, European Car of the Year 2011 and Car of the Year Japan 2011-2012 awards.

More than 80% of LEAF buyers globally exchange cars from other automakers, making the LEAF one of the industry’s most innovative “conquest vehicles.” The majority of customers say the LEAF, which consumes no petroleum whatsoever, has replaced their conventional car for daily use.

The top markets for Nissan LEAF are the United States with about 30,000 units, Japan with 28,000 units and Europe with 12,000 units.

In the United States, the LEAF is among the top 10 vehicles sold in San Francisco, Seattle and Honolulu.

In Norway, the LEAF is one of the top 10 vehicles sold. The car is Nissan’s best-selling model in Norway, where more than 4,600 people have bought LEAFs since 2011. EVs in Norway are exempt from value added tax (VAT) and road tolls, and they have access to bus lanes and free parking.

Renault – Europe’s leader with full range of electric vehicles

Renault has sold about 30,000 electric vehicles since its first model, Kangoo Z.E., went on sale in late 2011. Kangoo Z.E. was voted International Van of the Year 2012.

Renault leads the electric vehicle market in Europe with a 61% share, including Twizy. Renault’s top markets in Europe are France, Germany and Italy.

In addition to the Kangoo Z.E., Renault also offers Fluence Z.E. sedan; the two-seat commuter vehicle Twizy; and the subcompact ZOE, launched earlier this year.

Twizy is Renault’s best-selling model with about 11,000 units sold since it went on sale in early 2012.

Renault ZOE has a range of 210 km (NEDC). The car retails from 13,700 euros in France after the government’s 7,000-euro incentive, excluding the battery. Renault began selling the ZOE in March throughout Europe and has sold about 5,000 units.

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Formula Sun Grand Prix | TRANSLOGIC 134 [VIDEO]

Translogic head back to the Circuit of the Americas race track in Austin, Texas to check out Formula Sun.

The Formula Sun Grand Prix solar car race attracts college teams from across the globe to compete and promote clean energy.

Some of these teams will, no doubt, be shaking down their vehicles in preparation for the World Solar Challenge race across Australia in October.

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BMW i3 Pricing Announced.

BMW today announced pricing for the ground-breaking BMW i3 electric vehicle. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (without Destination & Handling) in the US will be $41,350, before any federal or state incentives. The Destination & Handling fee in the US is currently $925.

"The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure," said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW. "With this leading-edge vehicle and attractive price, we will provide customers with a compelling offer for electromobility."

The BMW i3's 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque hybrid-synchronous electric motor, developed and produced by BMW, is electrified by a 22-kWh lithium-ion battery, good for 80-100 miles of emission-free driving. Designed from the ground up to be an electric car, the BMW i3 uses the Industry's first mass produced carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell mounted on an aluminum chassis.

The BMW i3 will offer interior space comparable to the legendary BMW 3 Series on a shorter overall body. Its 32.3-foot turning circle and a relatively long wheelbase make it agile and engaging to drive, yet ideally suited to driving in dense urban areas.

Quick and convenient charging is possible either with the home charging station supplied by BMW i or at any public charging station that uses a Level 2 SAE J1772 charging system. DC fast charging, using the SAE DC Combo-Fast Charger, will be available as an option. From a public fast-charging station, it will provide an 80 percent charge from a fully depleted battery in just 20 minutes.

BMW i's commitment to sustainable urban mobility encompasses the i3 production facilities, where hydro-electric, wind and solar power are used to power the CFRP production facilities in Moses Lake, Washington and the Leipzig, Germany assembly line. Sustainable materials are also used for the BMW i3 interior upholstery and trim.

The BMW i3 will make its world debut at three simultaneous events in New York, London and Beijing on Monday, July 29. It will arrive in US showrooms in the second quarter of 2014.

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Next Mitsubishi Evo to be 500 hp hybrid Nissan GT-R rival

The next-gen Mitsubishi Evo will allegedly feature a hybrid setup good enough for about 500 bhp (373 kW).

The standard Lancer will be globally launched sometime next year, while a plug-in hybrid model is already in the works. In addition, Autocar says Mitsubishi executives are also analyzing the prospects of a high-performance gasoline-electric variant with technology derived from the MiEV Evolution II Pikes Peak.

Although it's in an early development stage, the new Evo is expected to offer better all-wheel drive performance than its predecessor, as well lower CO2 emissions and the possibility of running on electric power. If green-lighted for production, the car's styling could be influenced from the 2008 Concept-RA.

Before a new Evo is out, Mitsubishi is planning a Lancer PHEV with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine working together with two 80 bhp (60 kW) electric motors. The setup should enable the car to return at least 150 mpg UK (125 mpg US or 1.8 liters / 100 km) with CO2 emissions of 50 g/km and a 40-mile (64 km) electric range.

Source: autocar.co.uk

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Chevrolet Spark EV first drive from Consumer Reports [VIDEO]

Marking GM's return to building full-electric cars, the Chevrolet Spark EV improves upon its slow and noisy gasoline-powered version. Performance is quick but recharge times are slow.

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Electric car U.S. sales reach 40,000 in first half of 2013

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz highlighted the continued growth of electric vehicle sales – doubling in the first 6 months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012

Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales tripled from about 17,000 in 2011 to about 52,000 in 2012. During the first six months of 2013, Americans bought over 40,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEV), more than twice as many sold during the same period in 2012.

The latest numbers also show how the early years of the PEV market have seen much faster growth than the early years of the hybrid vehicle market. Thirty months after the first hybrid was introduced, monthly sales figures were under 3,000.

By comparison, PEVs – which were first introduced in December 2010 – report nearly 9,000 cars sold in the last month. At the same time, thanks to technology improvements and growing domestic manufacturing capacity, the cost of a battery has come down by nearly 50 percent in the last four years, and is expected to drop to $10,000 by 2015.

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Formula-E, Electric Racing for the Future - /SHAKEDOWN [VIDEO]

When IndyCar's Andretti Autosport announced itself as a team entry in the new FIA Formula E Championship launching in 2014, it's time for Leo Parente and ShakeDown to bring you up to speed on this global open-wheel racing series that will run on full-electric power.

10 races, 10 teams, 2 drivers per team, 4 cars - because rather than change tires or swap batteries, the 2 mandatory pitstops in each 1-hour race will see drivers swapping cars to keep racing [the other car recharges between stops]. Then, there is the RC car sound vs 'real engines'!

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How the Tesla Model S is Made -- Behind The Scenes [VIDEO]

Short video showing inside Tesla's 5 million-square-foot NUMMI plant in Fremont, California.

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Tesla forces GM CEO to consider electric threat

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson has reportedly assigned a team to study the threat posed to the automaker from Tesla, the electric sports sedan maker.

GM’s vice chairman, Steve Girsky disclosed the study in an interview with Bloomberg. “He thinks Tesla could be a big disrupter if we’re not careful,” Bloomberg quoted Girsky as saying.

But the greater threat to GM may be its own corporate culture, notes Forbes contributor Micheline Maynard.

After all, GM “once nurtured, and then killed, a $1 billion program to develop an electric car called the EV1,” Maynard writes. “The issue isn’t what Tesla threatens to do to GM. It’s why GM isn’t a place where such innovations can take place and more importantly, take root,” she added.

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Andretti to run FIA Formula E championship in 2014

Andretti Autosport announced Wednesday it has signed on as the third team to compete in the FIA Formula E championship, which will feature electric cars racing in 10 cities around the world beginning in 2014.

Michael Andretti's two-car operation will join China Racing and British-based Drayson Racing as organizations already committed to a field that will have 10 two-car teams competing in each e-Prix.

"We're in the business of racing and we've been looking for opportunities to diversify, and when we were contacted about this we felt it was something we needed to look into," Andretti told The Associated Press. "The more we looked into it, the more interested we got. We like the relevancy of the series because one of the problems auto racing is starting to face — and is going to face more of in the future — is relevancy.

"I think relevancy is going to be addressed with the electric cars. It's a good way to hook our younger audience into racing, and I'm excited to be involved and be involved at the ground floor."

Andretti plans to run one car for the championship, while his second entry could be a "star car" that uses well-known drivers such as IndyCar reigning champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti or James Hinchcliffe based on their availability.

The races will be held September 2014 to June 2015 for a "winter season" on street courses that run through the heart of major cities around the world. Alejandro Agag, CEO of series promoter FEH, said there will be stops in Miami and Los Angeles on the 10-race schedule, making it important to have Andretti involved in the series debut.

"Andretti is a great name in motorsport, and when we launched the championship, we said we wanted to have a geographically diversified grid and for us, the U.S and China are our two key markets in the world," Agag told the AP. "In the U.S., we really need a strong team to lead the way and we think there is no better name than that for America that Andretti. And globally because it's very American, but at the same time it's a world-known name.

"Everybody knows Andretti everywhere, so for us it was really a priority to speak with Andretti and invite them into the championship."

Andretti Autosport currently fields four IndyCar entries, and cars in Indy Lights, the Pro Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. The team has won four IndyCar championships, to Lights titles, one USF2000 championship and its drivers have won two Indianapolis 500s.

Michael Andretti raced more than 20 years in CART and Formula One, winning 42 CART races, which ranks third in American open-wheel history. His father, Mario Andretti, ranks second with 52 victories.

In Formula E, teams will have two drivers and four series-provided single-seater electric cars in the first season. Renault has signed on as the car manufacturer, but Agag said series officials expect three to five manufacturers in the second season based on current conversations. Michelin is the tire supplier.

"A lot of the sponsors are saying we are looking for something that is going to tick the box on sustainability, and we're finding many big corporations are saying they need to go toward sustainability in sponsorship," Agag said of interest in the series.

The car batteries will last up to 25 minutes at a time, so drivers will have to switch cars during the race while their batteries recharge. The driver will enter the pits, then get out of the car and run 100 meters to get into the freshly charged car.

The cars will be based in England with teams arriving at the venues in advance of the race to prepare the cars for competition.

In an effort to keep costs down — Agag said the operating budget for a season is $3.5 million, money Andretti is seeking to cover through sponsorship — very little development will be allowed on the cars.

"They don't want to have a whole lot of development in the actual car, they want the development to go into the electric technology," Andretti said. "They are really going to control that side of it with the rules that you can't do a lot to the cars."

The final calendar for the debut season will be presented to the FIA in September for approval and also has planned stops in London, Rome, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Putrajaya, Bangkok and Berlin. Agag said the races will be around major city landmarks, and the events will be stand-alone and not held in conjunction with any other series.

"The main point is to be fully sustainable with zero emissions, so if you bring in combustion cars you are destroying that message," Agag said.

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SIX Porsche 918 Hybrid Spyder On the Road in Monaco [VIDEO]

While cruising around Monaco, Youtuber Marchettino stumbled upon a convoy of several Porsche 918 Spyders!

Technical specification - 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder

Engine: 4.6-litre V8, 600bhp @ 8600rpm, 390lb ft @ 6600rpm. Engine redline @ 9150rpm

Hybrid module: lithium-ion batteries, electric motors, 154bhp

Total power: 875bhp

Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch, all-wheel drive (electric motor drives fronts, motor and engine drive rears)

0-62mph: 2.8sec

0-124mph: 7.9sec

0-186mph: 23.0sec

Top speed: 211mph

MPG (combined): 85.6mpg

CO2: 79g/km

Electric-only driving range/top speed: 18 miles/93mph

Battery charge time: four hours (25mins with optional Porsche Speed Charging Station)

Weight: 1675kg (unladen), Weissach package cuts 35kg from kerbweight

Price: €781,155 (£661,000), without Weissach package / €853,155 (£720,400) with Weissach package

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Porsche 918 Hybrid Spyder - Flybys @ Goodwood [VIDEO]

Porsche brought a prototype 918 Spyder to the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking part in the Michelin Supercar Run on the world famous hillclimb course.

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Radical sets EV Lap Record at Sydney Motorsport Park [VIDEO]

Ex-Australian Touring Car driver and multiple Australian Motorsport Champion John Bowe took to Sydney Motorsport Park to set an EV (Electric Vehicle) lap record in the ELMOFO (Electro Motive Force) Radical SR8.

Bowe set a 1:37.5 lap which stands as the EV lap record at the 3.9km circuit. For reference the time is approx one second shy of the 1992 Group A touring car lap record of 1:36.21 set by John Bowe driving a Ford Sierra RS500, although several corners have been re-profiled since then.

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New all-solid sulfur-based battery outperforms lithium-ion technology

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have designed and tested an all-solid lithium-sulfur battery with approximately four times the energy density of conventional lithium-ion technologies that power today’s electronics.

A new all-solid lithium-sulfur battery developed by an Oak Ridge National Laboratory team led by Chengdu Liang has the potential to reduce cost, increase performance and improve safety compared with existing designs.

The ORNL battery design, which uses abundant low-cost elemental sulfur, also addresses flammability concerns experienced by other chemistries.

“Our approach is a complete change from the current battery concept of two electrodes joined by a liquid electrolyte, which has been used over the last 150 to 200 years,” said Chengdu Liang, lead author on the ORNL study published this week in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Scientists have been excited about the potential of lithium-sulfur batteries for decades, but long-lasting, large-scale versions for commercial applications have proven elusive. Researchers were stuck with a catch-22 created by the battery’s use of liquid electrolytes: On one hand, the liquid helped conduct ions through the battery by allowing lithium polysulfide compounds to dissolve. The downside, however, was that the same dissolution process caused the battery to prematurely break down.

The ORNL team overcame these barriers by first synthesizing a never-before-seen class of sulfur-rich materials that conduct ions as well as the lithium metal oxides conventionally used in the battery’s cathode. Liang’s team then combined the new sulfur-rich cathode and a lithium anode with a solid electrolyte material, also developed at ORNL, to create an energy-dense, all-solid battery.

“This game-changing shift from liquid to solid electrolytes eliminates the problem of sulfur dissolution and enables us to deliver on the promise of lithium-sulfur batteries,” Liang said. “Our battery design has real potential to reduce cost, increase energy density and improve safety compared with existing lithium-ion technologies.”

The new ionically-conductive cathode enabled the ORNL battery to maintain a capacity of 1200 milliamp-hours (mAh) per gram after 300 charge-discharge cycles at 60 degrees Celsius. For comparison, a traditional lithium-ion battery cathode has an average capacity between 140-170 mAh/g. Because lithium-sulfur batteries deliver about half the voltage of lithium-ion versions, this eight-fold increase in capacity demonstrated in the ORNL battery cathode translates into four times the gravimetric energy density of lithium-ion technologies, explained Liang.

The team’s all-solid design also increases battery safety by eliminating flammable liquid electrolytes that can react with lithium metal. Chief among the ORNL battery’s other advantages is its use of elemental sulfur, a plentiful industrial byproduct of petroleum processing.

“Sulfur is practically free,” Liang said. “Not only does sulfur store much more energy than the transition metal compounds used in lithium-ion battery cathodes, but a lithium-sulfur device could help recycle a waste product into a useful technology.”

Although the team’s new battery is still in the demonstration stage, Liang and his colleagues hope to see their research move quickly from the laboratory into commercial applications. A patent on the team’s design is pending.

“This project represents a synergy between basic science and applied research,” Liang said. “We used fundamental research to understand a scientific phenomenon, identified the problem and then created the right material to solve that problem, which led to the success of a device with real-world applications.”

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Volkswagen XL1 achieves 'only' 160 MPG not 314 MPG [VIDEO]

Volkswagen made big claims about the efficiency of their purpose-built XL1 diesel-hybrid. They claimed the car was good for 314 mpg, which equates to 0.9 l/100km in the Metric system. However, at a recent test drive event organized by VW, a handful of journalists were given the chance to drive the mid-engined XL1.

The Automobile Magazine representative at the event averaged "only" around 160 mpg or 1.47 l/100km, which is still a hugely impressive figure but not the EU-certified314 mpg originally promised.

It's not all bad news. Autocar were also at the event and report that on an early test drive, which including crossing a mountain range, the most economical drivers achieved a real 188 mpg and conclude there’s surely potential for 200 mpg on a long motorway run.

The upshot is that the plug-in hybrid XL1 is probably still the most economical and most aerodynamically efficient production car of all time.

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Lightning Motorcycles solar powered electric bike @ Pikes Peak 2013 [VIDEO]

Lightning Motorcycles solar powered electric bike climbed to the top of the 14,115 foot Pikes Peak Hill climb just a fraction of a second over 10 minutes, clocking in at 10:00.694.

Dunne's time outperformed the second place petrol powered bike by more than 20 seconds, marking the first time in history that an electric vehicle outperformed all combustion powered challengers during a major motorsports event.

The Li-Ion battery on board the bike was charged during the event by a roof top mounted portable solar PV array mounted on the teams tow vehicle.

Lightning Motorcycles

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ELMOFO Electric Radical SR8 aims for new lap record

Following a 12 month build process the Electric Radical SR8 built by Newcastle based ELMOFO will be doing laps at Sydney Motorsport Park (Eastern Creek) tomorrow (14th July) at 9:50am piloted by multiple time Australian Motorsport Champion John Bowe.

The past week has been spent ironing out some minor bugs identified during last weeks test session. The car has been back on the dyno and can now boast an ideal torque/power curve and a new top speed setting.

John Bowe will be out to set an Electric track record for Eastern Creek, but the Electro Motive Force Racing Teams objective is to better some other existing lap records. EV News has been invited to witness the record attempt so will post updates on Twitter as the records tumble.

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600 kw Wheel Motor powered EV to make public debut @ MotorEx

Evans Electric will unveil their 600 kw (800 hp) in-wheel motor powered electric car next week at MotorEx.

The All-Wheel-Drive sedan will be on the AEVA stand at Meguiar's MotorEx, the largest motoring enthusiast event of its kind in Australia.

Located at Sydney Olympic Park, MotorEx is open from 5pm Friday July 19th through to 6pm Sunday July 21st

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Driving Toyota's 600-horsepower TMG EV P002 Pikes Peak EV [VIDEO]

The day following Pikes Peak, Toyota invited Engadget's Tim Stevens to Pikes Peak International Raceway, a 1-mile oval track that's located just south of Colorado Springs, to test drive their 600 horsepower TMG EV P002 Pikes Peak Special.

The video does includes an interview with 13 time Pikes Peak record holder Rod Millen but the Stevens test drive itself is a fairly point-less exercise as he doesn't once mention the word 'regen' and the video editors in their wisdom layered generic rock music over the entire test drive.

Source: Engadget

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Introducing the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV [VIDEO]

Introducing the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV. It's a pure electric vehicle that packs 400 foot pounds of torque, more than a Ferrari 458 Italia.

A car powered by electricity that moves like electricity.

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BMW i8 Hybrid Prototype testing on the Nürburgring [VIDEO]

BMW i8 Prototype spotted on the Nürburgring Nordschleife including distinct 3 cylinder sound track.

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Renault report compares life cycle footprint of EV versus ICE cars

Renault has recently made public the findings of an internal study to measure the life cycle impacts of its Fluence ZE electric car compared with equivalent conventional models. Renault found that the electric car had a much bigger impact on emissions during its production phase than the petrol or diesel versions but that the initial deficit was more than overturned over a typical 10-year, 93,000-mile lifetime even using electricity at the current grid configuration. The public release of the report is timely, coming as it does shortly before tomorrow's (July 11) LowCVP 'Beyond the Tailpipe' Conference in London.

Aware that the company would appear to have a commercial interest in finding emissions benefits from EVs it asked for the results and conclusions to be vetted by independent experts in life cycle analysis, and revised its report accordingly through several cycles of correction. It has also recently published the “Critical Review” alongside its own findings.

It may be no shock that Renault’s report gives its own EV a good report but the independent reviewers report suggests that the improvement over diesel and petrol equivalents could even be bigger than Renault suggests. The review cites heavy metal and hydrocarbon pollution from liquid-fuelled cars as areas where Renault might have delved deeper, and notes that ordinary cars create more brake dust, for example, than EVs with regenerative brakes – a factor not considered in the study.

Renault’s 120-page report assesses the impacts of long chains of industrial processes and real-world car usage against a set of six core criteria: global warming potential, depletion of resources, sources of energy, photochemical ozone production, acidification and eutrophication, the final category referring to the output of chemicals likely to harm aquatic ecosystems.

Source: Renault

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New Record Efficiency for Dye Solar Cells

Announced today in the prestigious scientific journal, Nature, is a paper by a team led by the ‘Father of DSC’ Professor Michael Graetzel describing a new deposition process to create the light harvesting pigment for solid-state dye solar cells. Cells fabricated using this technique and incorporating Dyesol’s key DSC input materials and specially formulated 18NR-T Titania Paste have established a new world record efficiency of 15% for a solid-state Dye Solar Cell (DSC).

“The recent breakthroughs in solid-state Dye Solar Cell technology are truly astonishing. This is the dawn of a new age in efficient and affordable renewable energy”, said Dyesol Executive Chairman, Richard Caldwell.

“The EPFL and Professor Graetzel choose Dyesol as their materials supplier for achieving best results and, most importantly, for commercialisation projects, reproducible results. These are the same benefits that we will deliver to our major project partners as Dyesol has ongoing access to this improved technology and the arguments for large scale industrialisation are now very compelling.”

Professor Graetzel responded: ”Our research work on solid-state dye sensitised solar cells is now achieving efficiencies exceeding 15% and our cells have been externally validated with a world record of 14.1%. At these efficiencies the technology is extremely competitive with conventional solar cells particularly when you consider dye sensitised solar cells do not need perfect sunlight conditions to effectively produce energy. In the task of scale up from small laboratory sized cells to industrial scale, we are particularly encouraged by the program from Dyesol to allow commercial deployment of this game changing technology in the shortest possible timeframe.”

This independently certified efficiency result eclipses all previous certified public records and is now the official world-record for Dye Solar Cell technology performance. The DSC world record efficiency result of 14.1% catapults the energy output of DSC devices to the next level. It is relatively cheap and provides competitive efficiency. One of the many advantages DSC technology offers over traditional silicon solar panels is the consistent energy output in low-light, dawn, dusk, cloudy, indoor/artificial, and shaded or indirect-light conditions. This means that the cumulative seasonal energy output from DSC over the course of a cloudy autumn, dreary winter, and whole year is much greater.

The two-step deposition process highlighted in EPFL’s report published in Nature is, importantly, reproducible – a crucial factor for commercialisation of any technology requiring large scale quantities of product to satisfy a mass-market.

This important technology breakthrough follows two other recent announcements from Australian clean-tech and award-winning solar technology innovator, Dyesol Ltd (ASX: DYE). Dyesol is working closely with EPFL and advancing commercialisation of the mesoscopic technology called Dye Solar Cells by embedding the revolutionary technology onto manufacturing partners' building products, such as steel roofing and glass building façade to meet the growing demand for building integrated photovoltaic products which turn the building envelope into an active power generator for building occupants and the grid.

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CNET Top 5 Electric Cars of 2013 [VIDEO]

CNET list of the “Top 5 Electric Cars” Summer 2013 edition.

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BMW reveal in-depth details on i3 EV ahead of launch

Due for it's full reveal on July 29, BMW today revealed in-depth details of it's lightweight, battery-powered i3 city car.

The BMW i3 is designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system. Like the car’s unique vehicle architecture – based around the LifeDrive structure and its carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell – the electric motor, power electronics and high-voltage lithium-ion battery have been developed and manufactured independently by the BMW Group under its BMW eDrive programme.

The use of lightweight CFRP for the passenger cell cancels out the extra weight contributed by the lithium-ion battery, while the low, central positioning of the battery pack enhances the car’s agility thanks to perfectly balanced 50 : 50 weight distribution. Additionally, the electric motor mounted in close proximity to the driven rear axle offers unique performance characteristics for this type of drive system as well as providing unbeatable traction.

The electric motor generates output of 125 kW/170 hp and peak torque of 250 Newton metres (184 lb-ft), which is on tap from the word go. The motor weighs just 50 kilograms and boasts power density and responsiveness unprecedented in the world of electric mobility. The specific construction of the hybrid synchronous electric motor, developed exclusively for the BMW i3, maintains a linear flow of power into the higher reaches of the rev range. The BMW i3 sprints from 0 to 60 km/h (37 mph) in a mere 3.7 seconds and 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.2 seconds.

The single-pedal control concept in the BMW i3 – configured by the BMW Group’s drive system development engineers – also contributes to the engaging driving experience. Recuperation mode is activated the moment the driver takes his foot off the accelerator. The electric motor switches from drive to generator mode, feeding power into the lithium-ion battery. At the same time, it generates a precisely controllable braking effect. This recuperation is speed-sensitive, which means the car “coasts” with maximum efficiency at high speeds and generates a strong braking effect at low speeds.

The lithium-ion battery enables the BMW i3 to achieve a range of 130 to 160 kilometres (81 – 99 miles) in everyday driving. This rises by around 20 kilometres (12 miles) in ECO PRO mode and by the same distance again in ECO PRO+ mode. If desired, the BMW i3 is also available with a range-extender engine, which maintains the charge of the lithium-ion battery at a constant level while on the move as soon as it dips below a specified value. This role is performed by a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine developing 25 kW/34 hp and mounted immediately adjacent to the electric motor above the rear axle. The range extender increases the car’s maximum range in day-to-day driving to around 300 kilometres (approx. 180 miles).

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Tesla to Join NASDAQ 100

Tesla Motors will join the Nasdaq-100 Index next week, filling the spot vacated by Oracle which is moving to the New York Stock Exchange.

The electric-car maker will be added to the gauge, which tracks the biggest companies on the Nasdaq, before the start of trading on July 15, Nasdaq OMX Group said in a statement yesterday. Oracle, which last month said it will join the NYSE, is the biggest company to jump between the competing exchanges.

Shares of Tesla, the carmaker headed by billionaire Elon Musk, have more than tripled this year as the popularity of its new Model S sedan helped the company turn its first quarterly profit. Gaining entry to benchmarks tracked by investors is attractive to public companies because it provides a guaranteed shareholder base.

“It’s a coming of age, recognition that a company has market cap and liquidity,” said Sandy Mehta, chief executive officer of Value Investment Principals Ltd. in Hong Kong. “Once the stock joins the index, you will have some buying.”

Tesla rose 2.4 percent to $124.58 at 9:36 a.m. New York time after climbing as much as 2.8 percent to $125, an intraday record. Yesterday before the announcement, the shares increased to a record close of $121.61.

General Motors rejoined the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index last month after a four-year absence prompted by its 2009 bankruptcy.

Exchange-traded funds and other products linked to the Nasdaq-100 managed about $49.4 billion at the end of last year, according to data compiled by Nasdaq.

Model S

Tesla, based in Palo Alto, California, has forecast Model S sales will reach 21,000 units this year, with deliveries to Europe and Asia beginning in the second half. The Model S, which starts at $69,900 in the U.S., is Tesla’s second vehicle after the $109,000 Roadster.

Oracle’s defection means Nasdaq will lose its fourth-biggest U.S. company, which has been listed on the nation’s second-largest exchange since its 1986 initial public offering.

For Nasdaq, Oracle’s loss is a contrast to recent additions. Texas Instruments joined from the NYSE in 2011. Last year, Facebook chose Nasdaq for its IPO and Kraft Foods defected from the NYSE.

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GKN Driveline powers Monster Tajima to EV win @ Pikes Peak 2013

GKN EVO eDrive Systems’ eMotor powered Team APEV to victory in the electric division of the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Despite the wet weather conditions Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima completed the course in 9.46.530 minutes, setting a new electric record in the Monster sport eRunner.

GKN Driveline partnered three of the seven racing teams in the electric division of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb - a long-standing tradition in Colorado Springs. Covering a distance of 12.42 miles, the course begins at 9,390 feet and finishes at the 14,110 foot summit.

The 2013 eRunner features GKN EVO axial flux motor technology which offers outstanding power and torque density. Michael Lamperth, Chief Technical Officer of GKN EVO eDrive Systems, supported the team during the week long preparations in Colorado.

“It has been a privilege to work with the team here and to see our motor technology be part of the success of Tajima in these extremely hard conditions. The very high power density of our motor technology is instrumental for the development of high performance electric and hybrid powertrains for racing but also for wider applications.”

Second place went to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, driven by Hiroshi Masuoka. The GKN Driveline Multiplate Limited Slip Differential (LSD) fitted in the front and rear axle of the EV-4AWD gave better control on the bends and prevented the vehicle from slipping on the wet track.

For the second year GKN partnered last year’s winner Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG), supplying two eMotors, one to power each rear wheel. This year the TMG EV P002, driven by Rod Millen, achieved fourth place in the electric class.

John McLuskie, Product & Business Development Director, GKN Driveline, said: “We are delighted that GKN technology is heavily featured again in this year’s event. GKN Driveline’s eDrive solutions are centred on continuous improvement of vehicles’ efficiency, performance and dynamics, providing optimised solutions for all electric driveline systems.”

In 2011 GKN Driveline entered into a partnership with EVO Electric, a UK based pioneer in advanced electric drive solutions. This new venture – GKN EVO eDrive Systems – enables GKN Driveline to manufacture and sell electric motors and integrated eDrive systems, based on EVO’s axial flux motor technology, for use in hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

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Oak Ridge Lab to develop dynamic wireless EV charging

South Carolina’s leading automotive research center and premier technology and aviation business park have partnered to study next-generation vehicle technology.

The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and the S.C. Technology Aviation Center (SCTAC) have contracted with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to support a three-year program to develop and test wireless charging systems for electrical vehicles.

The research is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wireless Power Transfer Charging (WPTC) of an electric vehicle does not require the use of cables or plugs and could substantially increase convenience — and possibly the number of opportunities — to charge an electric vehicle throughout the daily drive.

For instance, when wireless charging is applied in quasi-dynamic (stop-and-go) or dynamic (vehicle-in-motion) modes, the technology could lead to extended range and downsized batteries for electric vehicles. Such innovations are likely to greatly speed development of electric-powered passenger vehicles by addressing the current technology’s two biggest challenges: range and cost.

CU-ICAR research professor Joachim Taiber, who will lead the project for Clemson, said batteries in next-generation electric-powered vehicles can be made smaller and lighter, greatly increasing the efficiency of power transfer.

“This partnership can advance wireless-charging technology and spark growth in the marketplace because consumers will worry less about range-related issues,” Taiber said.

As part of the project, CU-ICAR and SCTAC researchers will validate the Oak Ridge-developed technology, optimize system design and develop the required communication networks for the wireless charging system.

Testing of the technology will take place at SCTAC and on the Oak Ridge main campus. SCTAC will be a unique, cutting-edge technology demonstration facility and airpark, which currently is home to 85 diverse companies with an international presence in advanced manufacturing, trade, technology and avionics.

“This joint initiative marks the next step in the progression of our strategic partnership with CU-ICAR and multiple private stakeholders in the development of a world-class test track infrastructure to support the rapidly emerging clean transportation ecosystem,” said Jody Bryson, SCTAC president and chief executive officer.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory charging system will be co-developed and manufactured by Wytheville, Va.-based Evatran. Other project partners include General Motors, Toyota, Duke Energy and Cisco. The value of the subcontract for Clemson University is $1.52 million.

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Renault-Nissan CEO sees 100,000 electric vehicles sold end-June

French carmaker Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan will have sold a total of 100,000 electric vehicles so far by the end of June, Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of both companies, said on Saturday.

But Ghosn, speaking at a conference in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence, also said he did not expect any strong recovery in the troubled European auto sector in the medium term.

"I am preparing Renault to several years of market stability, at best," he said.

Squeezed household budgets and rising unemployment have discouraged consumers in France and other European countries from purchases of big-ticket items, and the car market is nearing a two-decade low after five years of contraction.

Ghosn, who has ploughed a bigger share of his companies' cash into electric car technology than any other mass-market carmaker, said the alliance's investment in hybrid and electric vehicles "is not a bet, it is a certainty."

Renault launched electric car Zoe earlier this year in France, where it has sold more than 3,000 units so far, and began marketing it in other European markets on June 6.

"The Zoe is selling well. Obviously we are always impatient to see higher volumes but we have already sold more than 6,000 units in Europe," Ghosn told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.

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BMW i3 Spied Ahead Of Reveal This Month

Our spies captured the BMW i3 testing without most of its camouflage, prior to a full reveal scheduled for July 29.

The two prototypes were spotted somewhere in Southern Germany while undergoing some last-minute testing. Closely mirroring the concept's looks, the production version will certainly be an interesting appearance on public roads once it hits the market later this year.

The EV is expected to come with a rear-mounted electric motor producing 170 bhp (127 kW) and 184 lb-ft (249 Nm). It should provide a range between 88 miles (130 km) and 99 miles (160 km). The range-extending model is said to make use of a two-cylinder, 0.65-liter motorcycle engine acting as a generator. In this configuration range should be of around 186 miles (300 km).

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