Battery Electric Car – Page 696

August 7, 2013

Tesla working on an all-wheel drive Model S

The Tesla Model S has quickly become one of the most desirable electric vehicles to ever be produced and a new report is indicating the company is developing an all-wheel variant.

Details are limited, but The Verge is reporting the all-wheel drive model could be launched as early as next year in an "ultra-premium" trim level. The car will apparently be based on the P85 variant and be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds or less. After the initial roll-out, the all-wheel drive system could become optional on less expensive models.

Tesla declined to comment on the report, but the company has already announced plans to offer an optional all-wheel drive system on the Model X crossover. The system uses an electric motor at each axle for improved grip and acceleration.

Why All-wheel-drive? Well quite simply, luxury buyers in the key northeast US and northern European markets expect it. And you can thank Audi for that. But it’s not just Audi, every other luxury brand offers all-wheel-drive on their core sedans.

August 5, 2013

Ten Bucks a Litre – Dick Smith Documentary cherry picks the facts [VIDEO]

A recently aired Australian documentary by local eccentric millionaire Dick Smith about alternatives to fossil fuels has stirred quite a hornets nest of feedback, both positive and negative.

While on the whole the Doco was fairly interesting and we here at EV News noted Dick's enthusiasm for electric cars, the facts seem to have been seriously cherry picked.

The EV segment starts @47 mins with Dick enthusing about an EV powered only by renewables and which has Vehicle to Grid Technology (V2G) that can held smooth the intermittency of renewables.

The cherry picking starts @50 mins when to close the segment Dick holds up a flask containing 1 litre of fuel stating that it weighs 700 grams and will take an average car approx 10km. The bad news for EV's, we are told, is that the equivalent battery would weigh 25x as much! End of argument apparently and the story moves onto bio-fuels.

What Dick failed to mention was that the equivalent of the 1 litre of fuel stored in an EV battery can propel an electric car 10x as far (100 km)... surely a worthy trade-off in energy efficiency Dick?

Of course, battery power may not be a solution for his Helicopter any time soon although Dick was so impressed with EVs he is now the proud owner of a solar powered Nissan Leaf

August 3, 2013

Tesla Model S P85 vs 2008 Mitsubishi Evo GSR – Standing Start [VIDEO]

More Tesla Model S street racing from the guys at Drag Times. This time they're racing the Model S Performance against a 2008 Mitsubishi Evo is running 25 psi boots with a full turbo back exhaust, tune, intake and upgraded clutch.

This race is from a standing start with the Evo using a 5,500 rpm Launch control to build turbo boost while stationary.

August 3, 2013

Tesla Model S P85 vs 2008 Mitsubishi Evo GSR – Rolling start [VIDEO]

This race is from a 20 MPH rolling start.

August 3, 2013

A week with the Mitsubishi iMiEV Plug-In Electric Car

Mitsubishi Australia were generous enough to recently loan EV News an iMiEV for a week.

On sale in Australia since 2010, the Mitsubishi iMiEV is based on a Japanese Kei class Mitsubishi I that was first released in 2006.

The iMiEV has the same sized lithium ion battery (16 kWh) as the Holden Volt but because it is a much smaller car and doesn't cart around a full sized 1.4 Lt petrol engine range extender the iMiEV weighs only 1,080 kg Vs 1,715 kg for the Volt. Where the Volt routinely achieves 70 - 80 km from a full charge in EV mode the book spec for the iMiEV is 155 km which is approximately twice the distance for the same battery capacity.

For a 5 door hatchback with only 47 kw (63 hp) and 180 Nm (133 lb/ft) from it's BLDC permanent magnet electric motor mated to a 7.065:1 single speed reduction gearbox, acceleration, while not startling off the line, is very impressive above 50 km/h right up to the cars top speed of 130 km/h. The combination of small road foot print and brilliant mid-speed acceleration brings a whole new dimension to 'gap-shooting' in heavy urban traffic.

The iMiEV's dash board instruments aren't as flash as a Volt with a basic set of segmented LCD meters instead of the all-singing all-dancing colour graphics of the Volt, but the relevant information like State Of Charge (SoC), energy consumption and predicted range are all present.

During our week long test drive we didn't quite get a handle on the algorithm behind the iMiEVs range meter. Driving the iMiEV on surface roads at speeds below 60 km/h with the 'gear' selector in the 'B' maximum brake regeneration position, it was possible to not only travel many kilometers without the indicated range changing at all, but we even managed to leave one morning with a full change indicating 106 km range and travelled to our destination 24 km away having used 2 bars on the battery meter (12.5%) with predicted range having gone UP to 113km by the time we arrived?

While low speed urban driving is definitely the iMiEV's forte, high speed motorways are not. We all know that aerodynamic drag increases in proportion to the square of speed ie doubled speed results in four times as much drag. Unfortunately, despite the blunt nose and steeply raked windscreen the iMiEV's coefficient of drag is no better than a large family sedan @ 0.33 Cd. We even double checked by multiplying the frontal cross sectional area to get the CdA figure but the result was still about equal.

Aside from the fact it doesn't have a cruise control which is unusual for a modern car, the range meter plummets when driven for sustained periods above 100 km/h. This serves as a graphic illustration of the extra loads ALL cars face at higher speeds. It only becomes much more noticeable in the iMiEV because a/ The battery capacity is equivalent to having a 1.5 litre fuel tank (petrol contains 10 kWh per litre) b/ ICE cars are so inefficient at low speeds compared to the iMiEV the difference between high and low speed fuel consumption of an ICE car isn't as noticeable as with the iMiEV.

Like Charging an iPhone

Here in Australia 240 VAC is the standard voltage that all appliances run off so the iMiEV can be fully changed in 8 hours using a standard 10 amp supply (although the iMiEV lead has a 15A plug). In the week we had the car we never used much more than ½ the battery on any given day of running errands so plugging it in for a 4 hour re-charge didn't seem much different to plugging in the iPhone / iPad on a daily basis.

The iMiEV has 2 charge sockets, one on either side of the car, with 240v on the drivers (right) side and a large CHAdeMO charger socket under the left hand side filler flap.

In order to test how practical fast charging is we took a drive to the the NRMA DC Fast Charger installed across the road from their North Strathfield head office. Arriving with 55% charge remaining the battery quickly accepted the 359 volts / 125 amps on offer and was topped up to 80% in 11 minutes flat. While the NRMA fast charger is located near a popular restaurant/cafe precinct, and is free of charge to use, 10 minutes isn't even enough time for a coffee although a full 20 min charge might allow enough time for a stroll to get a cappuccino.

With an introduction price of A$65,000, which was reduced to A$48,880 in 2011, the Mitsubishi iMiEV hasn't exactly been selling like hot cakes with only 227 cars delivered locally. Yet 33,000 have been sold worldwide including Peugeot and Citroen versions with Japan, France and Norway being the top selling countries.

Mitsubishi Australia are now selling the last of their 70 remaining iMiEVs and have no plans to order more unless there is customer demand. Dealers have reduced the new price to A$24,990 with rumours doing the rounds that an ex-demo with 10k on the clock can be had for as little as A$20k.

Sure it is a first generation EV in a market where the technology is evolving rapidly, but with local fuel prices currently above 2008 levels and oil prices having just passed A$120, anything electrically powered is looking better by the day.

I certainly wasn't keen to return the iMiEV, which cost approx $2.00 a day to charge, to resume pumping the usual $80 worth of fuel per week. Anyone with a roof-top PV solar system should be giving an iMiEV serious consideration as they can dramatically shorten the payback period of the PV system by eliminating fuel costs instead of utility bills and effectively power the iMiEV free of charge for the next 10-20 years. The EV grin as you drive past $1.70/Lt fuel billboards is almost priceless.

August 3, 2013

A week with the Mitsubishi iMiEV Plug-In Electric Car

Mitsubishi Australia were generous enough to recently loan EV News an iMiEV for a week.

On sale in Australia since 2010, the Mitsubishi iMiEV is based on a Japanese Kei class Mitsubishi I that was first released in 2006.

Like Charging an iPhone

The iMiEV has 2 charge sockets, one on either side of the car, with 240v on the drivers (right) side and a large CHAdeMO charger socket under the left hand side filler flap.

August 3, 2013

Evans Electric Unveils AWD In-Wheel Motor powered electric car

Australia based start-up company Evans Electric have unveiled an All Wheel Drive In-Wheel Motor powered Lancer Evo 3 during Meguiar's MotorEx at Sydney Olympic Park

The 4 door sedan with World Rally Championship pedigree features a direct drive, disc type electric motor in each of it's 19” wheels. Each Axial Flux 3 phase AC Induction wheel motor has a nominal output of 75 kw and 625 Nm of torque with a peak output of 150 kw and 1,250 Nm giving the vehicle a total peak output of 600 kw (800 hp) and 5,000 Nm.

While the torque figure could at first glance appear fantastic, standard automotive industry practice only quotes torque at the flywheel not at the wheels. As an example the Tesla Model S Performance has a quoted peak motor torque of 600 Nm. With a single speed reduction gear ratio of 9.73:1 that equates to a total of 5,838 Nm (minus gearing losses) at the wheels. The Evans Electric motors are direct drive, so the rotor turns at the same speed as the wheel. Instead of mechanical reduction gearing, they are electrically geared using an 8 pole stator winding configuration.

Direct drive wheel motors eliminate mechanical transmission losses allowing up to 85% of a vehicle's kinetic energy to be recoverable during braking. Maximising brake regeneration lowers a vehicles over-all energy consumption potentially leading to more range per kWh of battery capacity or the use of a smaller battery pack for similar range. As the battery is the single most expensive component in an EV this could lead to lower cost electric cars.

The Evans Electric in-wheel motors enable non-contact electromagnetic braking, replacing hydraulic friction brake systems which are 99% redundant in current generation electric/hybrid vehicles. Using only the wheel motors, the car can brake at greater than 1G.

Evans Electric hold a patent for a vehicle drive system using wheel motors for propulsion and braking, the most impressive feature of which is that safety and vehicle dynamics features such as ABS, stability control, traction control, brake steer, active brake bias, torque vectoring, intelligent cruise control, emergency brake assist and collision avoidance all become customisable and upgradable software functions.

When these systems are combined with wheel motors they allow a new level of performance based active yaw control that unlike most current stability control systems (which only activate in an emergency situation) are active at all times, dynamically fine tuning understeer and oversteer to enhance cornering speed and safety.

After an extensive period of wheel motor validation testing and power electronics development the company has met with several automotive Tier 1 suppliers to discuss collaboration &/or licensing to move the project from proof of concept to commercial product development.

Final preparations are under way with track testing expected to commence by the time the Bathurst 1000 rolls around in October.

August 3, 2013

Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E race car to debut in Frankfurt

Spark Racing Technology has announced plans to introduce their Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E race car at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 10th.

Set to become one the most prominent race cars in the series, the SRT_01E has a Dallara-designed monocoque chassis that is constructed out of carbon fiber and aluminum. The model also features aerodynamic styling and bespoke Michelin tires that are specifically designed to last the entire race.

While the McLaren-sourced electric powertrain can produce up to 270 bhp (200 kW), it will be limited to 180 bhp (133 kW) during races. However, drivers can use a 'Push-to-Pass' system which temporary allows the car to harness its full potential. This should enable the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in approximately three seconds and hit an FIA-limited top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph).

August 1, 2013

Panasonic to make more lithium-ion batteries to meet robust US automotive demand

Panasonic will increase domestic production of lithium-ion battery used for automobiles to meet robust demand in the United States, company officials said on Thursday.

The electronics maker will resume operation of idled lines at the Suminoe Plant in Osaka Prefecture, which produces batteries for U.S. automaker Tesla Motors Inc., as early as next January, while another factory in Kaizuka City in the prefecture, which the company has suspended its operation since March, will reopen by the end of next fiscal year, Panasonic spokesperson Megumi Kitagawa said to Xinhua.

She also said that the company will add some manufacturing lines at the Kasai plant in Hyogo Prefecture, which produces batteries for domestic automakers, by the end of the current fiscal year through next March.

In June Panasonic announced that shipments of its automotive-grade lithium-ion battery cells for Tesla Motors’ premium, all-electric Model S sedan surpassed 100 million units.

July 30, 2013

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.

Tajima set a new personal record of 9:46.530, winning the Electric class and placing 5th overall.

July 30, 2013

Tesla Model S Performance Vs Pontiac GTO 6.0 V8 [VIDEO]

Another street race from the guys at Drag Times this time against a Pontiac GTO, better know in Australia as a Holden Commodore.

July 30, 2013

Tesla Model S Performance Vs Pontiac GTO 6.0 V8 [VIDEO]

Another street race from the guys at Drag Times this time against a Pontiac GTO, better know in Australia as a Holden Commodore.

July 29, 2013

Worldwide debut of the all-new BMW i3.

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.

July 29, 2013

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.

July 27, 2013

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 60mph in just 7.6 seconds with a top speed of 90mph. 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 2967lbs, 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

July 27, 2013

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.

July 26, 2013

BMW i3 ‘pre-teaser’ [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.

Source: Facebook BMW i3 Group

July 25, 2013

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.

July 23, 2013

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.