Category: Electric Car News

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Four time World Solar Challenge winners unveil – Nuna 7

The team that won the World Solar Challenge four times consecutively between 2001 and 2007 have unveiled their latest solar racer.

The Nuna7 solar-powered vehicle – which features pioneering pore-filling technology – will take part in the competition in Australia in October, representing the fourth time that the Nuon Solar Team from the Technical University in Delft and Sikkens paint experts from the company's Automotive and Aerospace Coatings business have worked together.

This year, however, will be the first time that the Nuna has used the new composite pinhole filler Aerowave 2501, which has already been used on commercial aircraft.

"When the carbon fiber shell of the Nuna is manufactured, the process creates pinholes that must be filled with putty and then sanded, often multiple times," explained John Grevers, AkzoNobel's Technical Coordinator for Benelux and Sikkens project leader for the Nuna.

"Our water-based pinhole filler replaces much of the putty and doesn't require sanding, because it can be easily wiped away. Which means it also adds less weight to the car than traditional fillers."

As well as the new pinhole filler, the Nuna 7 also features an aerodynamically advanced Sikkens coatings system designed to reduce wind drag and cut down on preparation time. Products used include Colorbuild Plus, Autocryl Plus LV, and Autoclear LV Superior.

"AkzoNobel is helping us a lot in terms of making sure that we have the best possible aerodynamics thanks to the finish they provide," said Leslie Nooteboom, the Delft team's Public Relations manager. "We feel that the company is playing a very important role in our chances of winning the race in Australia."

Added Grevers: "It has been a valuable experience for us to develop coatings that not only provide advanced aerodynamics, but can also perform well under the extreme temperatures of solar car racing. And it’s always good to work with students because they bring a fresh vision."

The team hopes to go one better than 2011, when the Nuna 6 finished second in the 11th World Solar Challenge. The biennial event – which aims to promote research on solar-powered cars – attracts teams from across the globe. The 2013 race will be staged from October 6 to 13.

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Toyota Sells Three Millionth Prius

Toyota Prius has passed a significant milestone with the sale of the three-millionth car. The total includes more than 1.3 million deliveries in North America, a similar number in Japan, 260,000 in Europe and almost 80,000 in the rest of the world.

Australians have bought more than 18,300 Prius since its launch in this country in October 2001. Prius was first launched in Japan late in 1997 and is now sold in 60 countries and regions. The second generation followed in 2003 and the third generation in 2009.

Annual sales exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 2004 and cumulative sales reached one million in 2008, with the two millionth being sold in September 2010. Since then, Toyota has expanded Prius into a family of vehicles. Including the Prius c city car and Prius v seven-seater, cumulative global sales of the Prius family have now reached 3.8 million.

Total global sales of all Toyota and Lexus hybrids exceed 5.3 million units.

In 2012, the company sold more than one million hybrid vehicles in a calendar year for the first time. From the first to third generation, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) reduced the cost of the hybrid system by two-thirds and improved fuel efficiency. In addition, TMC applied for 1,261 patents relating to the third-generation Prius, achieving progress worthy of the Prius name (derived from a Latin word meaning "to go before").

Since the development of the first-generation Prius, TMC has positioned hybrid technology as a core technology required for the development of various types of environment-friendly vehicles. TMC has also placed emphasis on the development and production of core components such as motors, inverters, batteries and electronic control units, giving rise to substantial investment. TMC will continue to conduct R&D and invest in facilities for the development of hybrid and other cutting-edge technologies and achieve sustainable growth by deploying these technologies across the globe.

In the fiscal year ending March 2014, TMC expects to spend 790 billion yen (A$8.6 billion)* - a year on year increase of 11 per cent - on environmental technology development, as well as on strengthening new platform and major component development. In the same period, TMC also plans to make consolidated capital expenditure investments of 910 billion yen (up seven per cent year on year).

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Michelin TV: Drayson Racing Set New FIA World Electric Land Speed Record [VIDEO]

Drayson Racing set a new World Electric Land Speed Record of 204.185mph this evening with the support of Michelin tyres.

Former science minister, businessman and racing driver Lord Drayson was behind the wheel of the Drayson B12 69/EV electric Le-Mans Prototype

In near perfect conditions, the Oxford-based sustainable motorsport company smashed the previous 175mph record, which had stood for nearly forty years, by 29.2mph.

As the new world record holder, Lord Drayson commented: "I'm delighted we've beaten the record tonight and can show the world EVs can be fast and reliable.Drayson Racing is a laboratory for EV technology, testing it to the most extreme level, as we've seen today."

"It is not the outright speed of 203mph that is most impressive about this record, but the engineering challenge of accelerating a 1000kg electric vehicle on a short runway over a measured mile.However I've got a great team and world-class partners, such as Michelin."

"This is a true celebration of Britain's leading position within the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and I'm delighted to be at the forefront of this electric revolution. We hope to set more records tomorrow. "

Drayson Racing is a research and development business, pioneering the development of sustainable technologies in the challenging environment of motorsport. With the electric land speed record it intends to showcase what is possible with an electric drive train and underscore Britain's leadership position in the EV industry.

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Monster Tajima wins EV class with fifth overall @ Pikes Peak

"Monster" Tajima has broken the 10 minute barrier with an electric vehicle at Pikes Peak beating the 2011 outright course record set by Nobuhiro Tajima himself at 9:51.278 behind the wheel of a 900 hp Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special.

The new EV record now stands at 9:46.530 beating the 10:15.380 set by Fumio Nutahara for Toyota Motorsport in 2012 and was just a whisker shy of 2012 outright winner Romain Dumas who set 9:46.18 in a Porsche GT3 RS.

Unfortunatley the outright record has now been put significantly further out of reach by nine time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb setting a time of 8:13.878 in a 900 hp 900 kg Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak Special.

  • 1st.: Nobuhiro Tajima 9:46.530 OVERALL: 5th!
  • 2nd.: Hiroshi Masuoka 10:21.866 OVERALL: 13th!
  • 3rd.: Greg Tracy 10:23.649 OVERALL: 14th!
  • 4th.: Rod Millen 10:24.301 OVERALL: 16th!

    Source: Pikes Peak Timing

    • Posted on

    Monster Tajima wins EV class with fifth overall @ Pikes Peak

    "Monster" Tajima has broken the 10 minute barrier with an electric vehicle at Pikes Peak beating the 2011 outright course record set by Nobuhiro Tajima himself at 9:51.278 behind the wheel of a 900 hp Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special.

    The new EV record now stands at 9:46.530 beating the 10:15.380 set by Fumio Nutahara for Toyota Motorsport in 2012 and was just a whisker shy of 2012 outright winner Romain Dumas who set 9:46.18 in a Porsche GT3 RS.

    Unfortunatley the outright record has now been put significantly further out of reach by nine time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb setting a time of 8:13.878 in a 900 hp 900 kg Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak Special.

  • 1st.: Nobuhiro Tajima 9:46.530 OVERALL: 5th!
  • 2nd.: Hiroshi Masuoka 10:21.866 OVERALL: 13th!
  • 3rd.: Greg Tracy 10:23.649 OVERALL: 14th!
  • 4th.: Rod Millen 10:24.301 OVERALL: 16th!

    Source: Pikes Peak Timing

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    Tesla Model S 85 kWh Performance vs 60 kWh [VIDEO]

    Drag Times have put together a video showing the Model S 60 vs the 85 Performance digital dashes side by side from 0-114 MPH. Both runs were done on the same road but at different times.

    The Model S 60 was amazing consistent running 3 consecutive 0-60 MPH runs in just 5.1 seconds with 1/4 mile in 13.7 @ 102.8 MPH.

    The Model S Performance did 0-60 MPH in just 3.9 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 12.3 @ 111.7.

    Source: Drag Times

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    Rod Millen During The First Test Days of the TMG EV P002 @ Pikes Peak [VIDEO]

    The Toyota TMG EV P002 and driver Rod Millen, the former Pikes Peak overall record holder, have made substantial gains on last season's record-setting performance and are prepared to defend its Electric Class record in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) on June 30 following a successful test program and continued upgrades to the vehicle.