Category: Battery Electric Car

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BMW and Tesla executives meet to discuss electric cars

Executives from German carmaker BMW and U.S.-based Tesla Motors Inc met this week in a move which could lead to the creation of charging stations usable for different types of electric cars. Both carmakers are seeking ways to raise the popularity of battery-powered vehicles.

"Both companies are strongly committed to the success of electro-mobility and discussed how to further strengthen the development of electro-mobility on an international level," a BMW spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

BMW said the meeting had taken place on Wednesday but declined to comment in detail about the nature of the talks, or about which BMW executives had met with Tesla.

In a conference call on Thursday, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said there had been talks with BMW about how to promote the use of electric vehicles and how to make better use of Tesla's network of charging stations.

Carmakers including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche have committed to adopting a common SAE combo standard for fast-charging connectors.

Fast-charging stations allow electric vehicle owners to recharge batteries up to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes.

Today, the Chevrolet Spark and the BMW i3 for example can use the same battery recharging stations.

Tesla has, however, developed its own network of high-speed charging stations including along key autobahn routes in Germany in an effort to make electric cars viable for long-distance commuting.

Tesla's charger system can be fitted with an adapter that allows its cars, including the Tesla Model S, to be recharged on both the SAE chargers and its own system.

SHARING PATENTS

Tesla also said on Thursday that it would allow others to make use of its intellectual property in the hope of speeding up development of electric cars by all manufacturers.

Musk said this included all of Tesla's patents, including several hundred current ones and several thousand in the future.

German premium auto makers have been keen to collaborate with Tesla.

In January, Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said the German maker of Mercedes-Benz cars was open to deepening its partnership with the U.S. firm.

Daimler holds a 4.3 percent stake in Tesla, which is already supplying it with electric motors and batteries for its Smart Fortwo electric vehicle (EV) and the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class EV.

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Aero Comparo! Tesla Model S vs Volt, Prius, Leaf, Mercedes [VIDEO]

Car and Driver gathered five slippery cars to study their drag and lift properties at a wind tunnel to determine which brand did the best job optimizing its car’s aero performance.

The overall winner was the Tesla Model S by virtue of its larger 25.2-square-foot face and lower 0.24 drag coefficient, which yield the same 6.2-square-foot drag area as the Prius. Low drag is a tougher challenge with a larger frontal area, hence the Tesla’s overall win.

Source: Car & Driver

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Petrol stations will die out as drivers plug EVs into Solar Panels at home

Petrol stations could vanish in the near future as drivers start charging their cars at home, a scientist has forecast.

Keith Barnham, emeritus Professor of Physics at Imperial College, said he and his colleagues were already producing solar panels, which were three times as efficient as current models.

“A typical (solar panel) system will generate enough electricity for typical mileage in a year.

“Free fuel for life from your rooftop. Even the most fervent opponents of electric cars like Jeremy Clarkson couldn’t argue with that.

“We need to spread the word that we have got the technology already, we just need to use it.”

A good example is EV News contributor Dr Phoebe Thornley who charges her Nissan Leaf with a 3kw roof top solar system. In Australia a 3kw PV system generates enough energy to power a Leaf for 15,000km annually which is precisely the average annual distance travelled by private motorists.

Source: Telegraph

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Nissan Leaf sets a new record, almost double GM Volt sales in May

May was the best-ever month for Nissan LEAF in the US with 3,117 sales confirming it's position as best selling plug-in car by a significant margin over the second placed Chevy Volt with 1,684 sold in the same month.

While Chevy Volt sales showed a year-on-year increase from May 2013 of about 5%, Nissan Leaf sales increased 45.8% over the same period last year.

In May, LEAF also passed 50,000 total U.S. sales since launch, further establishing it as the leader among electric vehicles.

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Mitsubishi enter two MiEV Evolution III racecars for 2014 Pikes Peak

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will enter two MiEV Evolution III all-electric racecars in the 2014 edition of the world-famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Pikes Peak, June 23 to June 29) in Colorado, United States. MMC will use two MiEV Evolution III all-electric racecars, which combine the best of MMC's electric vehicle and four-wheel drive control technologies. MMC has competed twice before in the Electric Division in 2012 and 2013, and now with the MiEV Evolution III, hopes to take its first victory, this time in the new Electric Modified Division.

The MiEV Evolution III racecar is an improved and evolved version of last year's MiEV Evolution II. Main components including high-capacity battery, high-output electric motor and electric powered 4WD consisting of four electric motors have been retained with improvements made to give better motive and cornering performance. To reduce weight in the pipe-frame chassis the design has rationalized and some structural materials have been replaced.

Total motor output of four motors has been boosted from 400 kW to 450 kW and to ensure all the extra power is put down on the road surface the tires have been uprated in size from 260/650-18 to 330/680-18. Accordingly downforce has been increased with a new carbon cowl design and with wind-tunnel optimization of the spoiler and other detail shapes. Evolutionary development of the S-AWC integrated vehicle dynamics control system has improved traction control performance and has reduced wheel slip by controlling vehicle attitude more precisely when near the limit of adhesion. These improvements allow the driver to extract the full potential of the racecar's awesome handling with confidence and reassurance.

The race team will feature the same drivers as last year. One MiEV Evolution III will be driven by two-time Dakar Rally overall champion Hiroshi Masuoka, who piloted the MiEV Evolution II to second place honors in the Electric Division last year and also act as team captain. The second MiEV Evolution III will be piloted by Greg Tracy, six-time Pikes Peak motorcycle champion whom last year drove a MiEV Evolution II to third place in the Electric Division, his first time challenging the race on four wheels.

The team technical director and chief mechanics are mainly all engineers in MMC's Development Engineering Office. Responsible for the maintenance of the racecars during the hill climb event, they will also be gathering data and knowhow which will be fed back into the advance development of MMC EV technologies, its S-AWC (Super All-Wheel Control) integrated vehicle dynamics control system and into the company's "e-EVOLUTION" - a fusion of electric motor drive and the S-AWC system.

  • MiEV Evolution III Specifications
Length x Width x Height (mm)
4,870 x 1,900 x 1,390
Drivetrain
4WD using 4 motors
Motors
(Made by Meidensha)
 
Configuration
4 (2 front, 2 rear)
Maximum output (kW)
450(112.5 kWx4 motors)
Battery (Made by LEJ)
Maximum capacity (kWh)
50
Chassis
Steel pipe frame
Cowl
Carbon
Suspension
Front
Double wishbone
Rear
Double wishbone
Brakes
(Made by ENDLESS)
Front
φ 380 mm disc with 6-pot calipers
Rear
φ 330 mm disc with 4-pot calipers
Tires (Made by Dunlop)
330 / 680-18
Wheels(Made by Enkei)
13J-18
Control system(Made by dSPACE)
Production i-MiEV ECU with MicroAutoBox*1
*1: Programmable general-purpose ECU
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Tesla announce Model S pricing for Australia

Tesla Motors has has rolled out Australian pricing for its Model S which starts at $96,208 plus on-road costs for the Model S 60 and tops out at $133,257 for the high-performance P85.

The base model can be had for about $107,000 driveaway in Melbourne or Sydney, while the range-topper is about $140,000.

This reflects the growing affordability of electric cars, as this pricing is about half that of the Tesla Roadster which pioneered the brand Down Under in 2011 at $222,995 driveaway for the base model and $260,535 for the Sport.

Australian orders for the American-made plug-in Model S are now being taken on Tesla’s website, two years after the model went on sale in the United States.

Tesla, which expects to sell 35,000 of the five-door liftback Model S sedans globally this year, is planning to re-establish a retail showroom in Sydney, along with sales representation in Melbourne and a dedicated service facility.

Expected to land in Australia by August, the three-model range will offer three levels of performance, depending on battery size and electronic tweaks.

The base Model S 60 boasts 225kW of power from its 60kWh lithium-ion battery pack, driving the large sedan from zero to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds – about the same as a V6 Holden Commodore – and to a top speed of 190km/h. Official driving range on a full battery charge is said to be 390km.

Stepping up to the mid-range $111,807 Model S 85 adds more battery oomph (85kWh) for more power (270kW), faster acceleration (5.6 sec to 100km/h) and greater range (502km).

The $119,900 flagship P85 – P stands for performance – has the same 85kWh battery and 502km range as the 85 but adds an enhanced electric drivetrain for faster acceleration.

Tesla says the P85 can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds – a split second faster than the 4.4-litre V8 BMW M5. And it is about $100,000 cheaper, too, at least in base format that is well short of the M5’s feature level.

If the Tesla buyer ticks all the boxes for optional extras, including a performance suspension and 21-inch wheels package, ‘tech’ package (a bundle of electricals that includes sat-nav, keyless entry, memory seats and power tailgate, among others), and other extras, the price can top $170,00, plus on-roads.

In standard form, the Model S is available in one exterior colour – flat black – with 19-inch alloy wheels, cloth seats and piano black interior trim.

Metallic paint in a variety of colours costs between $900 and $1800, while leather is also $1800. A glass panoramic roof is a $3100.

The standard on-board charger comes with a 40-amp single-phase wall connector. For an extra $1800, a buyer can have twin chargers fitted to reduce charging time.

As well, Tesla promises to establish a network of “Tesla Superchargers” that it claims can replenish the batteries by more than half in a little as 20 minutes. The facility will be free to Model S 85 and P85 owners, but requires a $2700 tweak for 60 buyers.

Because “green” cars get luxury car tax breaks in Australia, but the flagship P85 still attracts $13,357 in tax.

The Tesla website provides driveaway pricing that varies by state and territory, with the Australian Capital Territory the cheapest and Western Australia the dearest. For example, the driveaway price for the base Model S 60 in the ACT is $103,095, while in WA it is $109,363.

Tesla Model S pricing:*

Model S 60 $96,208
Model S 85 $111,807
Model S P85 $133,257

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Google launches an all-electric self driving ‘pod’ car [VIDEO]

We have seen battery powered 'pod' type driver-less cars before with the ULTRra PRT at Heathrow airport and the recently announced 100 vehicle trial on public streets around Milton Keynes. These vehicles can only navigate on purpose built guideways as opposed to merging with general traffic. Google has demonstrated a driver-less pod type electric vehicle based on their self-driving technology.

The two-seater prototype vehicle is Google’s reimagination of what the modern automobile should look and feel like if you took the human out of the transportation equation and designed something solely to chauffeur passengers from point A to B.

“The project is about changing the world for people who are not well-served by transportation today,” Google co-founder Sergey Brin said at the inaugural Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. “There’s not great public transportation in many public places in the United States.”

The car — which was conceived and designed by Google, unlike the ones it previously modified — lacks many of the trappings of a normal car, and that includes the three essentials: A steering wheel, an accelerator and a brake pedal.

Google wants to get these cars on the streets ASAP. The company plans to start testing them in Mountain View, Calif., later this summer. They hopes to build at least 100 prototypes over the next two years, and get them into the hands of volunteer drivers — or nondrivers, as it were — as soon as the system is evaluated to be safe.

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Australia Post takes delivery of first Renault electric vans

In an Australian-first, Renault's 100 percent electric-powered delivery vans will shortly join Australia Post's fleet in Melbourne and Sydney.

The Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. (Zero Emission) electric van, currently not sold in Australia, is widely used across Europe and the United Kingdom and will be used exclusively by Australia Post from mid-2014 for a 12 month proof-of-concept.

Australia Post Head of Environmental Sustainability, Andrew Sellick said using the Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. for day-to-day parcel and letter deliveries is another exciting step in Australia Post's sustainability journey and an important step in assessing the real-world use of electric commercial vehicles.

"The Kangoo Maxi Z.E. assessment is part of a broader strategy to explore alternative fuels at Australia Post, including using biofuel and hybrid vehicles in our current fleet.

"The electric vans will be powered by accredited GreenPower from renewable energy sources to ensure we are maximising the potential to reduce our environmental impact.

"The Kangoo proof-of-concept will give us a clearer picture of the benefits of using electric powered delivery vans. Through this assessment we expect to see at least a 50 percent reduction in energy costs and a 100 percent reduction in carbon emissions to comparable combustible-engine vehicles in our fleet.

"While at this stage we are working with Renault to prove this concept, if the vans perform well across the range of metrics we'll be measuring them on, the future potential is very exciting. We hope this initiative will ultimately help drive the commercialisation and acceptance of electric vehicles in this country."

Renault Australia's Managing Director, Justin Hocevar said "we are excited to broaden our existing relationship with Australia Post in rolling out the Kangoo Z.E. in Australia. Through our partnership with Australia Post, we are able to comprehensively investigate the business case for introducing the fully electric Kangoo Z.E. van in Australia in the future."

Some of the alternative fuel initiatives implemented across Australia Post's network have included the rollout of:

  • 740 electric bikes that have replaced motorbikes at various locations
  • 100 hybrid vehicles introduced to the fleet to replace existing six cylinder vehicles, reducing emissions by over 30 percent
  • 25 hybrid trucks introduced into StarTrack's fleet of vehicles, improving fuel efficiency by 20 percent improvement on average
  • implementing 5 percent of bio-diesel to StarTrack's fuel supply in 2012 - an initiative which has saved approximately 820 tonnes of carbon

    Australia Post's Port Melbourne Business Hub will receive 2 Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. vans mid-year, with the remaining 2 vans that are part of the 12 month assessment delivered to StarTrack House in Sydney by year-end. Charging stations at each location will be powered by accredited GreenPower sources.

    The charging station at Australia Post's Port Melbourne Business Hub is funded by the Victorian Government Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure.

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    Solar House Uses EV to Realize 75% Energy Self-sufficiency

    Sekisui Chemical have launched the "Grand Two U V to Heim," a wooden smart house that links an electric vehicle (Nissan Leaf) and a solar power generation system with an output capacity of 10kW in the aim of realizing practical energy self-sufficiency.

    By appropriately controlling a solar power generation system and the rechargeable battery of an EV, the system is able to provide up to 75% of the amount of electricity consumed by the entire house throughout the year.

    Conventional "V2H" systems, which provide electricity from an EV to a house, have various limitations. For example, when electricity is supplied from an EV to a house, it is necessary to temporarily cut off electricity from the power grid. To solve this issue, the Grand Two U V to Heim comes with a grid connection system that also controls an EV and a solar power generation system.