Charged with Electric Vehicle News and Views
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
Consumer Reports had their Tesla Model S updated with new Titanium under-body shields that add protection for the battery pack after several road debris-caused fires.
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
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.
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.
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 | ||
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
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.
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:
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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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.
The BMW Group celebrates the meeting of the time-honoured and the contemporary at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 with a very special concept: the MINI Superleggera™ Vision. This exclusive interpretation of an open-top two-seater was created by MINI and Touring Superleggera, the tradition-steeped design and coach building house based in Milan.
The MINI Superleggera™ Vision is on the one hand a classic roadster, a compact and agile two-seater, expressing the most minimalist and emotional style of motoring; and on the other hand its electric drivetrain gives the car distinctly modern driving dynamics. In collaboration with MINI, Touring Superleggera™ has designed and built an elaborately crafted, unique model which blends the tradition of classic coachwork construction with the MINI's authentic British styling to create timeless aesthetic appeal.
Modern Britishness meets Italian flair: the iconic design of MINI meets elegant, athletic beauty - interpreted in contemporary style.
Classic Italian body construction and hand-shaped metal sheeting give the MINI SuperleggeraTM Vision a unique emotional appeal. Both on the inside and outside, the form is reduced to the maximum extent so as to achieve a clear focus on the distinctive driving experience.
The interior reflects traditional coachwork construction in terms of materials and styling, combined with the icons of MINI interior design.
High-end materials such as leather, aluminium and black chrome highlight the clear aesthetics of the interior.
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design on the concept: "Touring Superleggera and MINI have much in common: both companies attach great importance to their history and this is something which defines their outward appearance to this day. What is more, they both emphasise iconic design and distinctive solutions. These elements are merged in the MINI SuperleggeraTM Vision to create an elegant automobile which interprets a British roadster under the influence of Italian style and hand craftsmanship."
British design with an Italian accent - the exterior design.
"The MINI SuperleggeraTM Vision elegantly perpetuates what the Classic Mini started 55 years ago: reduction to the essentials. Its energetic, minimalistic design embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile. At the same time it creates unique emotional beauty in combining the past and future of the automotive industry, i.e. traditional coachwork craftsmanship and modern design styling. It was a pleasure for me to design a concept like this." says Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design.
The perfectly balanced proportions indicate at first glance what the electrically powered MINI Superleggera™ Vision has to offer in terms of a driving experience: the stretched bonnet, long wheelbase and cool, short overhangs convey pure driving fun. As in every MINI, the wheels are set widely on the body, promising a high degree of agility. The passenger cell is slightly set back, further underscoring the car's dynamic impression. The overall effect of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision is sporty, elegant and dynamic.
The front of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision features the traditional MINI design icons: two circular headlights and a hexagonal grille define the unmistakable front section, providing a contemporary interpretation of features which have become firmly established over decades. There are also striking classic sports car elements such as a wide track and distinctively curved wheel arches that give the front a dynamic presence. The classic MINI bonnet stripes are three-dimensionally embossed and run on into high-quality polished aluminum accents. The inlaid bonnet harks back to classic British roadsters of bygone days.
Meanwhile the horizontal rib look of the radiator grille adds a classic sporty touch. The fact that it is closed is a discreet indication of the car's electric motor. The two fog lights echo the circular contours of the headlamps, providing a smaller interpretation of them in the radiator grille. The air inlets are also circular, giving the front section a distinctive touch. A flat front splitter made of carbon fibre closes off the front to the road, thereby underscoring the car's sporty statement down to the last detail.
Classic coachwork construction in a cutting-edge interpretation.
The striking element of the side view is the characteristic "Touring" line. It embodies both the high art of coachwork building and classic aesthetics. Surrounded by tight, seamless surfaces, it traces a precise, vibrant movement from the front wheels through to the rear. This reflects the great craftsmanship and longstanding experience of Touring Superleggera in area of body construction: ever since it was founded the company has stood for fine, light sports car bodies. To this day, Touring Superleggera™ shapes large aluminium sheets by hand using the most performing frame structures. The hand-crafted style of construction gives the MINI Superleggera Vision an aesthetic form which would be virtually impossible to achieve by machine manufacture.
"MINI and Touring both believe that proportions are the key factor of beauty, and share the same values of essentiality and innovation" says Louis de Fabribeckers, Head of design of Touring Superleggera. "In this car all unnecessary equipment or decoration is sacrificed, as performance is gained through lightness and efficiency of the bodywork and interior. The Italian touch is in the proportions and the typical waistline."
There are very few gaps in the body since it is constructed from large sheets of metal. The result is a closed look that conveys high-quality elegance. The specially developed exterior paint finish Como Blue, almost liquid in effect, stands for both classic and modern style. It particularly underlines the refined Italian touch of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision. The elaborate rims and the elegant exterior mirrors in long-hole look complete with a mirror base in polished aluminium add exclusive accentuations at the side. Echoing the front section, the discreet CFRP sills underscore the sporty character of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision.
Meanwhile the striking fin defines the look of the rear, adding a touch of extravagance. It gives the MINI Superleggera™ Vision a particular longitudinal dynamics while at the same time embodying the unconventional air of both MINI and Touring Superleggera. Like the "Touring" line at the side, it is modeled with enormous precision. The highlight of the flat, wide rear is the unusual lights: designed in the form of a Union Jack divided in two, they combine functionality and symbolism in a way never seen before. In this way they express the British roots of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision while at the same time emphasising the modern LED technology as already used in the new MINI. A chrome bar demarcates the rear lights at the centre of the rear, making this area a classic British jewellery icon. The CFRP diffuser rounds off the rear to the road in sporty style.
Echoing the exterior - the interior design.
The exterior and interior design of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision merge seamlessly. Only a surrounding shoulder line in polished aluminium visually separates the exterior and interior from each other. The border creates an encircling, sporty gesture that consistently perpetuates the clear elegance and generous surfaces of the exterior.
In its styling and in the look and feel of its materials, the interior design celebrates the tradition and the essence of classic coachwork construction. It reflects how the automobile was created: the essential features are quoted - the untreated aluminium sheeting and the tube-shaped structural elements - and they are made visible in the interior by means of a high-quality interpretation. This is most striking in the dashboard. The latter is created from a single aluminium sheet and has been left in the state the automobile body would look like without a paint finish. The generously sized unpainted surfaces and the clearly visible hand craftsmanship of the dashboard go together to reflect the skilled artistry of the coachbuilders. The doors and the sporty 3-spoke steering wheel likewise reveal the traditional method of construction. The structural elements in the doors form a Union Jack, discreetly indicating the British origins of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision.
The Center Instrument in the middle of the instrument panel draws on MINI design styling and has been extended for the MINI Superleggera™ Vision to include a touch-sensitive control element and two circular instruments with metal surrounds on the right. In addition to the analog clock on the far right, the second framed instrument activates the camera which is integrated between the driver and front passenger seat. It has the function of capturing those particularly worthwhile moments on the road.
Classic and modern to equal degrees - colour and material design.
The classic materials aluminium and leather in a virtually untreated state define the reduced aesthetics of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision in the interior. Below the shoulder covered in brown leather in the classical color Sabbia, the materials are kept to the essentials. The structural elements in the doors and centre console are finished in high-quality black chrome, exclusively set apart from the aluminium surfaces and the raw, matt textured paint finish in the footwell area. This deliberately contrasting mixture of structured surfaces and high-end materials gives the MINI Superleggera™ Vision an exceptional charm. The sporty bucket seats are reminiscent of bygone MINI motor racing achievements and are covered in high-quality black leather. True to the MINI Motto "Hide & Reveal", accentuations in Misty Magenta provide a touch of Italian flair in tongue-in-cheek MINI style in concealed spots such as the two hot air outlets under the instrument panel and inside the door openings in the structural elements of the doors.
Coachbuilding in 2014.
Since 1926, Touring Superleggera is forerunner of advanced automotive design and custom coachbuilding. The company is one of the rare firms offering the whole in-house productive cycle from the first sketch, all the way through surface engineering and structural analysis, style models and prototypes, to turn-key, low-volume production of special bodywork.
"We are delighted that MINI wanted to stimulate an independent initiative and particularly Italian design for the first time", says Piero Mancardi, CEO of Touring Superleggera. He continues: "This project also shows MINIs attention to preserving and nurturing the skills of craftsmanship incorporated in modern coach building."
The MINI Superleggera™ Vision epitomizes the potential of "Carrozzeria" in today's automobile industry: blending creativity and flexibility with rigor and respect of high standards. The result is a car of classic beauty that is also state of the art.
