Category: Battery Electric Car

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Mercedes Developing Electric Vehicle Platform

Mercedes-Benz is in the early stages of developing a new platform to underpin a range of electric vehicles.

The platform, tentatively called Ecoluxe, is part of an ambitious €2 billion project that Mercedes executives are allegedly about to approve. The guidelines call for a platform that is light in order to offset the bulk of the battery pack and modular so that it can underpin both long and short wheelbase vehicles. Mercedes is currently planning on building four body styles on the Ecoluxe platform, though additional variants could be added later in the production run.

German magazine Auto Bild reports that all cars built on the Ecoluxe platform will feature rear-wheel drive and an innovative four-wheel steering system. The first model, which has not been given a name yet, will pack the equivalent of 544 horsepower in standard S form or 603 hp in GT tune. A high-capacity battery pack located under the passenger compartment will give the car a maximum driving range of at least 450 km.

The first model underpinned by the Ecoluxe platform is scheduled to hit the market in either 2019 or 2020

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BMW say Auto Industry Switch to Electric Cars Not Far In Future

BMW gives the signal of change in the auto industry saying that the moment to move to electric cars is not that far in future.

The evolution of electricity storage technologies will ensure the appearance of more efficient batteries and the launch of electric cars with ranges comparable to that of fossil fuel cars. BMW officials think that moment will soon be upon us.

One of the core people in BMW’s organization chart, Ian Robertson, said that electric cars that run on hydrogen fuel cells may be the solution for the future of the automotive industry. But this is very unlikely to happen because the technologies that will enable more efficient energy storage in “normal” batteries will evolve and will radically transform ranges and load times of conventional electric cars.

“We’ve said we’ll continue to invest in hydrogen and that will result in a small number of production test vehicles being made to prove the technology works. The real issues lie not around what we can do, though, but whether the infrastructure can be built up to supply hydrogen in the marketplace cost-effectively.” said Robertson arguing that the current lithium-ion batteries will slowly be replaced by more efficient technology.

“Advances in lithium ion technology are set to be followed by a switch to lithium air and then solid-state batteries. These advances over the next 10 years could see charging time and range worries disappear,” Robertson thinks.

Solid-State Batteries are one of the solutions proposed by technology companies. This battery is based on solid electrolytes instead of liquid electrolyte from today’s batteries. This technique allows using conventional electrodes and they are changed with some Lithium Metal. In this configuration, a battery can store two to three times more energy and provides short charge times, thus improving the level of safety: the battery does not contain the flammable liquid presently found on any battery on the market today.

With regards to the pace of adopting electric cars, BMW official believe that it will be accelerated by the manufacturers which, at one time, will redirect investments from classical combustion engines toward the electrical ones.

“At some point in the future the technologies will switch over. When the crossover comes and the focus becomes electricity, the rate of learning will accelerate even faster. Relatively, that time is not far away” concludes Ian Robertson.

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Renault previews new EV motor

Renault has previewed a new EV motor that it says will enter production in 2015. The synchronous electric motor offers 65 kW of power and 220 Nm (162 lb-ft) of peak torque, and features an integrated Chameleon charger.

Renault designed the new motor with integration, miniaturization and simplification in mind. It uses smaller and fully integrated modules, assembled closely together to minimize the need for power supply cables. The junction box, power electronics and Chameleon charger are all contained within a single Power Electronic Controller. Overall, the size of the motor has been reduced by 10%, while retaining the same level of performance. The motor is now air-cooled, although the Power Electronic Controller still has a liquid cooling system.

The designers improved the efficiency of the charging management process, reducing the consumption of energy and improving charging times.

“The future of mobility calls for the same command of electric motor technology as it does of internal combustion engines,” said Rémi Bastien, Renault’s Director of Innovation Engineering. “We are consequently active on every front, from internal combustion engines to electric motors and alternative energies.”

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Electric Car Sales Booming in The Netherlands

Of all cars sold in the first three quarters of 2014 in the Netherlands, 4.3% were electric or hybrid cars. In the last quarter of 2013, the number was even higher: 15%. The main reason for these very high EV sales in the Netherlands is fiscal measures, says Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, who published the figures.

The number of electric and hybrid cars sold in the last quarter of 2013 was 14,842. The best-selling car was the Mitsubishi Outlander, with 8,039 sales. Most EV’s and hybrids sold in the Netherlands are made in Japan: the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf are also popular.

The Netherlands wants to have 200,000 EV’s and hybrids on the road by 2020. Currently it has 70,000, almost 1% of the total.

Source: Energy Post

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Fully Charged – KIA Soul EV Test Drive [VIDEO]

Robert Llewellyn takes a 560 km (350 mile) test drive in the all new Kia Soul EV.

Kia Motors is using a 360-V lithium-ion battery pack of “class-leading” energy density (200 W·h/kg) in the 2015 Soul EV to give it range of about 200 km (125 mi) on the European Driving Cycle, and “real-world” range of 80-100 mi (129-161 km) in the U.S. The cells and the battery are the same in all regions.

Kia says high-performance anode and gel electrolyte additive materials were developed. The new electrolyte additive allows for better range by more effectively dealing with low and high temperatures. A “special” ceramic separator with improved thermal resistance properties is used.

The cell casings are of polymer pouch type (as opposed to metal), and the battery pack is air-cooled. Standard equipment on the Soul EV includes receptacles for SAE J1772 Level 1 and Level 2 ac charging, as well as CHAdeMO dc fast charging (480 V).

The battery in the 2015 Kia Soul EV is the result of a three-year development program with lithium-ion cell maker SK Innovation. The 192 cells are packaged into eight modules and deliver a total battery capacity of 27 kW·h. The cell cathode is of nickel-rich NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) chemistry, with the raw materials for that and other components optimized for energy density, durability, and safety.

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Tesla Model S Beats Porsche in Owner-Satisfaction Survey

Tesla drivers were more likely than Porsche owners -- or anyone else -- to say they’d buy their cars again in this year’s edition of the closely watched Consumer Reports buyer survey.

Tesla’s Model S luxury electric sedan topped the U.S. survey a second year in a row, scoring 98 out of a possible 100, after posting a 99 last year. This year’s No. 2 brand, Porsche, scored an average of 87 out of 100 across its model lines. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla, co-founded and led by billionaire Elon Musk, said last month that it expects to sell 50,000 Model S cars next year.

“Not only is the Tesla roomy, comfortable, and a lot of fun to drive, but it also has low operating costs,” Consumer Reports said.

The survey will bolster the 11-year-old carmaker’s image as the leader in the business of making high-end electric cars. Tesla plan to expand sales of the Model S and develop the long-awaited Model X SUV, which is expected in the third quarter of 2015. Tesla stock has gained 52 percent this year.

Sports Cars

The next three most satisfying vehicles in the Consumer Reports Survey, after the Model S, were sports cars: General Motors Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, with a 95 percent satisfaction rating, and Porsche Cayman and Boxster, which tied for third with 91 percent of buyers saying they’d purchase them again.

The survey covered 350,000 vehicles from one to three years old and took into account “attributes such as styling, comfort, features, cargo space, fuel economy, maintenance and repair costs, overall value, and driving dynamics,” Consumer Reports said.

Hybrid, electric and diesel-powered cars outscored gas engines throughout the survey, with the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius leading the compact-car category and Honda Accord Hybrid and Ford's Fusion Energi atop the list of mid-sized sedans.

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Germany to Boost Incentives in Push for 1 Million Electric Cars

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany will need to provide more incentives to meet a goal of having 1 million electric cars on the country’s roads by 2020.

“There’s a lot to do,” Merkel said today during a press conference in Berlin. “We see that further subsidies are necessary. We must speak with the German states about that.”

Merkel is far behind in her push for 1 million electric autos in part because her government has balked at incentives like those offered in France, where consumers receive as much as 6,300 euros ($7,840) to help cover the higher cost of low-emission vehicles. Germany, which has about 24,000 electric autos on its roads, is considering offering a tax break for zero-emission vehicles sold as company cars.

“We’re far from our goal to establish Germany as a leading market for electro-mobility,” said Matthias Wissmann, president of German auto-industry lobby VDA. “The government needs to act” on plans such as the corporate tax reduction.

The chancellor is trying to reduce emissions by pushing the country’s auto industry to build more electric cars after French, Japanese and American carmakers got off to an early lead. German auto manufacturers will offer 17 electric models by the end of 2014, and another 12 will go on sale next year, according to the VDA.

Charging Stations

Merkel’s cabinet announced plans in September to offer electric-car buyers special privileges, backing a bill that would enable municipalities to offer drivers of battery-powered cars, fuel cell vehicles and some plug-in hybrids free parking and the right to use bus lanes.

The country has 4,800 charging stations, said Henning Kagermann, a former chief executive officer of software maker SAP who is heading the government’s electric-car effort. Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Germany will add 400 stations at rest stops along the autobahn network to make it possible to travel across the country with electric vehicles.

“We need a super-charger infrastructure where you can charge 80 percent of the battery in 15 minutes,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. “The government can help to establish standards for plugs to make the charging stations accessible for vehicles of all brands. We’re still very much in the wild electro-west.”

BMW i3

Zero emission vehicles from German automakers include Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s i3 city car as well as electric versions of Daimler AG’s Smart two-seater and Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Volkswagen AG sells the Up! and Golf with electric motors. The offerings follow the entry into the market of Tesla Motors Inc.’s S Model, Nissan Motor Co.’s Leaf and General Motors Co.’s Volt.

Germany was a transport pioneer when it opened Europe’s first car-only highway in 1921 in Berlin. Its free-wheeling autobahn, which often doesn’t have a speed limit, has spurred a motoring culture, helping BMW, Mercedes and and VW’s Audi and Porsche brands to dominate the market for high-end cars.

The government announced plans today for a conference next summer in Berlin to discuss how the country can make further progress in electro-mobility.

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Stohl Racing reveal Peugeot 207 S2000 AWD Electric Rally Car

Stohl Racing surprised at the Motor Show in Essen. The Austrians transplant two electric motors in a Peugeot 207 S2000 and have been approved for use in special stage rallying.

The Peugeot S2000 built by Manfred Stohl is all-wheel-drive via 2x electric motors with a maximum output of 400 kW (544 hp), more impressive is the torque of a whopping 880 Nm which, typical of electric motors, comes on immediately. Zero to 100 km/h takes only 3.0 seconds despite a weight of 1,500 kg.

A highlight is the installation of the battery, which is located between the driver and passenger. This is installed in a special cage construction, but can be changed in service in just five minutes. This is made possible through a specially designed trailer mounted lift.

The range of the electric-S2000 as usual depends on the driving style. Stohl Racing has calculated approx 30 kilometers range with a subsequent return to the Service to change the battery. The rally-e Stohl Mk1 will premiere in the state rally championship soon.

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World Record holders Sunswift launch Pozible to fund refit of car for road registration

UNSW’s solar racing team Sunswift has launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise money to rebuild their car for Australian road registration.

The eVe vehicle, which recently smashed a 26-year-old world record for the fastest electric car over 500 km, is seen as a symbol for a new era of sustainable driving. It is covered in zero-emission solar panels and uses a battery storage system that can be charged with the solar cells or by plugging the car into a power outlet.

The world record proved the car is technically capable of covering the maximum distance a normal road user might want to drive in a single day.

The next step in the Sunswift journey is to put eVe within reach of the average driver by converting it from concept car to road-registered coupe.

The team of 60 undergraduate students behind Sunswift is aiming to raise $30,000 – about one-third of the amount they need – using the crowd-funding site Pozible. They plan to source the remaining money and components via sponsors and in-kind contributions from industry partners.

If successful, it will mark the first time a university solar car team has built a vehicle to the stringent standards of the Australian Design Rules – the national motoring standards that govern vehicle safety, anti-theft and emissions.

“Full registration is no humble feat with essentially the whole car needing to be deconstructed and rebuilt,” says project director and engineering student Hayden Smith.

“The car requires front, rear and side impact protection, headlights, windscreen wipers, new raised suspension and new wheels in addition to updated electrical components.

“The interior will also be redesigned to meet safety regulations and offer a level of comfort that would be expected from a commercial car.”

Coinciding with its latest fundraising push, the team has set an ambitious goal of achieving road registration as early as March 2015.

“Having solar cars conquer the roads would mark a huge leap in the race to develop more sustainable transport alternatives, showcasing their potential to be commercialised in the near future,” Sunswift’s chief business officer and student Rob Ireland says.

"However, we can't change the world by ourselves so we're asking for help to make it happen."

Supporters who contribute to the crowd-funding campaign will be offered rewards including 3D printed models of the car, solar cell mantlepiece trophies and one-time advertising space during PR events. The campaign begins on Monday 1 December.

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Electric vehicles account for almost 10% of Californian new-car sales

Hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicle now account for almost 10 percent (9.6%) of all new car sales in California.

Electric vehicles, which registered nearly zero in state-wide new car-sales as recently as three years ago, are now taking a noticeable market share, according to the latest quarterly report released by the California New Car Dealers Association.

CNCDA said 23,648 registrations of various plug-in hybrid models in California from January through September this year accounted for 1.7 percent of all new-vehicle purchases. Registrations of all-electric vehicles, like Nissan’s Leaf, accounted for 20,516 new vehicle sales, or 1.5 percent, during that time.

The combined total of 44,164 for the first nine months of 2014 already tops California’s electric vehicle sales for all of last year. In 2013, combined sales of plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles in California topped 42,000, up 500 percent from 2011.

Sales of new, standard hybrid vehicles, another segment where California leads the nation, totalled 89,486 through September this year. That represents 6.4 percent all new cars sold state-wide in the January-September period.