Tesla, Apple Merger Deal ‘Unlikely’ Says Elon Musk [VIDEO]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that his company has met with Apple but added that it is "very unlikely" that Tesla would be bought by the company.

“We had conversations with Apple,” Musk said in an interview with BloombergTelevision. “I can’t comment on whether those revolved around any kind of acquisition.”

When asked if the electric automaker is for sale, Musk answered, “I think that’s very unlikely because we need to stay super focused on achieving a compelling – creating a compelling mass market electric car. And I’d be very concerned in any kind of acquisition scenario, whoever it is, that’d be become distracted from that task which has always been the driving goal of Tesla.”

Last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Tesla met with Apple’s top deal maker Adrian Pernica leading to speculations of a possible Apple acquisition of the electric car company that has been going from strength to strength. The report also caused Tesla shares to soar as much as 11 percent to an all-time high of $215.21 on Thursday. The shares closed at $209.97, up 8.4 percent.

Yamaha Select Zytek Powertrain for MOTIV.e city car

New Zytek high-efficiency electric powertrain selected for Yamaha’s innovative MOTIV.e city car concept.

Yamaha’s new MOTIV.e city car concept, shown at the Tokyo motorshow, will be powered by an advanced electric drive from Zytek that employs a range of new design approaches to minimise the cost, weight and size of the system while maximising the performance and range. By supplying a number of core high voltage components as an optimised system, Zytek is also minimising the time required for vehicle development.

MOTIV.e comes from the partnership between Yamaha and Gordon Murray Design, using Murray’s revolutionary iStream® manufacturing technology to deliver a highly efficient yet fun-to-drive electric vehicle at an affordable price. Zytek’s sales and marketing director, Steve Tremble says that taking a fresh approach to the powertrain is central to achieving these goals.

“Yamaha wanted the vehicle to reflect the company’s reputation for outstanding engines,” he adds. “Interpreting this in an electric vehicle has driven excellence in performance and driveability, but also in weight reduction and efficiency to build on the potential of iStream to deliver an agile drivers’ car as well as maximising the range.”

Zytek supplies the electric motor, paired with a reduction gearbox from Vocis, and the electronic vehicle control module (EVCM) which provides the interface between the powertrain and the rest of the vehicle. The low cost power electronics is manufactured in high volumes by Zytek’s technical partner Continental. In keeping with the light weight and high efficiency targets for the MOTIV.e, the 25kW motor revs to 15,000rpm, much higher than comparable units, and drives through a single-speed reduction gearbox to give the required wheel speed. Increasing motor speed allows the electric engine to be smaller, lighter and more cost-effective than previous-generation units.

“The motor weighs just 13kg, the gearbox just 11kg,” explains Zytek’s engineering program manager, Neil Cheeseman. “These are components that you can pick up with one hand.”

Cheeseman believes the power electronics also set new standards for weight and packaging. The inverter, for example, weighs just 7.5kg “By making everything in house, Continental has eliminated many of the compromises that stem from using bought-in components,” he said. “Their substantial investment in power electronics has delivered a scalable, power-dense and cost-effective product range that is already proven on everything from small city cars to hybrid commercial vehicles.”

The Zytek EVCM is unique, being built on an electronics platform that duals as a development tool and a cost-effective production unit complying with all relevant automotive standards. Zytek says that unlike other dual-purpose systems that are suitable for production, their unit is cost-competitive with bespoke production technologies. It is also thought to be the only EVCM that takes a big further step in powertrain control integration by including thermal management within the decision-making algorithms.

“This is a new generation of EVCM that integrates torque arbitration, temperature control and voltage management to allow better decision making,” Cheeseman explains. “It optimises the driver’s torque request based on a broad range of parameters including battery charge and temperature and the grip available at the tyres to support control. By integrating these decisions, we can provide more with less to improve both the driving experience and the range while reducing the size, weight and cost of the power electronics and battery pack.”

Electric Nissan e-NV200 van on sale in May

The new e-NV200 is based on Nissan's existing NV200 van but, it features the electric drive system from the Leaf.

Nissan will initially offer the e-NV200 in van and five-seat people carrier variants. Using the Leaf's electric motor and battery pack will grant it around 107bhp and 207lb ft, and the range has previously been claimed to be equivalent to the Leaf's - around 80 miles in real-world conditions.

The e-NV200 is targeted primarily at businesses. Official pricing is yet to be confirmed but Nissan had said the initially higher price would be offset by a "reduction in operating costs", compared to a standard diesel van. Currently, the diesel NV200 is priced upwards of £13,585.

Kickstarter: An Unpretentious Guide to Electric Vehicles [VIDEO]

Here's a unique way to promote Electric Vehicles!

Los Angeles based Ayumi Kim works for a certain well-know California based electric vehicle manufacturer and initially got the idea to start this project as a way of sharing some of the left-field questions about electric vehicles she gets asked on a daily basis.

Ayumi, along with illustrator friend Sarah, have written a humorous FAQ that answers such real-world concerns as ""Can you plug a chainsaw into the cigarette lighter?" or "What happens if I hit a wombat with this car?"

Most of the booklet IS kid friendly, it being a coloring book and all, but there may be one or two questions that are PG.

The girls are looking to raise the modest sum of $3,500 to cover printing costs so if you're looking for a way to promote the cause and help them publish "educational materials to promote sustainability and green thinking" a pledge of US$15 will secure a copy.

Source: Kickstarter

DENSO to Test Wireless Charging System

Global automotive supplier DENSO Corporation will begin a ten-month field test of its wireless battery charging system in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The field test is intended to identify any potential operational issues and also look at ways to enhance the convenience of wireless charging. The field test will begin on Feb. 24 and end in December 2014.

How it works:

When there are two coils apart, electric current can flow through one coil by applying electricity to the other coil. The wireless charging system uses this mechanism to wirelessly transmit power from a power transmission pad on the ground to a power-receiving pad equipped on a vehicle.

For the test, DENSO has equipped a Yamato Transport delivery truck with a power receiver that will wirelessly receive the energy from a power transmission pad located on the pavement of a 7-Eleven convenience store parking lot. The electricity charged in the truck’s battery is then used to power the refrigeration system while the engine is stopped during pickups and deliveries. Not only will the system improve convenience, but it will also help reduce emissions of refrigeration trucks since the battery will continue to power the refrigeration system even when the engine is off.

DENSO has been developing the wireless charging system with the goal to commercialize by 2020. DENSO is working to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the system while also looking to enhance convenience.

In Japan, Toyota City is designated as an experimental city for next-generation energy sources and social systems, a program which has been promoted by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since April 2010.

Tesla Q4 earnings $46 Million with 6,892 Model S vehicles sold

Tesla today announced that is has earned $46 million in the 2013 4th quarter, and sold 6,892 vehicles. In total, Tesla has sold 22,477 vehicles and has in roughly 2.5 billion in non-GAAP sales. $TSLA stock quickly jumped to a record high of $217 with the announcement that a new assembly line will be arriving. The company plans to have the new assembly line pump out 1,000 vehicles per week by 3rd quarter.

Tesla sales in China have really taken off, and CEO Elon Musk mentioned the company is having trouble meeting demand, with orders being pushed to spring.

Meanwhile, the CEO says demand for Model X reserverations is still high.

Source: Tesla Motors

Saleen Adds AC Propulsion to Design Team for New Electric Sports Car

Saleen Automotive has announced that the Company has added legendary electric car developers, AC Propulsion, to its design team for the new Saleen Electric vehicle. AC Propulsion will provide the technology and implementation of the powertrain and battery for the project.

AC Propulsion is well-known for providing its proprietary technology to the Tesla Roadster, which was developed by Tesla Motors to mass-produce AC Propulsion's tzero concept car. AC Propulsion also provided drivetrains and support for the BMW all-electric Mini E. The Company specializes in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles. The company produces electric vehicle drive systems featuring high performance, high efficiency induction motors and integrated high power battery charging.

"We are assembling a team and vehicle that combines the finest technology and design available," stated Steve Saleen, CEO, Saleen Automotive. "AC Propulsion is a proven leader and seminal thinker in electric car creation and we believe will greatly assist us in introducing a revolutionary vehicle to the market. I believe we have secured the very best partner possible for our powertrain and battery."

"AC Propulsion is excited to partner with automotive legend Steve Saleen for his new electric vehicle project," stated Paul Carosa, President, AC Propulsion. "Mr. Saleen is on the verge of creating a vehicle unlike any on the market today, a tremendous new entry in the fast growing electric car market that lives up to the Saleen name and reputation. We'll do our part to make it even better."

Self-propelled electric tank tread All-terrain vehicle [VIDEO]

Meet the MTT-136, a self-contained battery powered electric tank track. Developed by Canadian Inventor Yvon Martel, the tank track has different attachments and can be used for towing, pushing and grading on virtually any terrain.

The specs claimed in the video are battery dependant, with recharging time varying from 15 minutes to eight hours and range is a similarly variable 45 to 210 kms. The device as shown in the video weighs 280 lbs (127 kg)