Under Mayor de Blasio, City Vehicles Rack Up Miles
New York City employees are driving more on the job, an increase that critics say contradicts environmental and safety goals of Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Volvo XC40 SUV, Nissan Leaf rally car, VW’s 80 electric cars, EV sales in 2018: Today’s Car News
Today, a surprise Mongol Rally entrant, VW's growing electrification plans, the new 2019 Volvo XC40 small crossover utility vehicle, and your views on electric-car sales. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Among the 2018 Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Bolt EV, and the Tesla Model 3, which electric car will sell best globally over the next year? We... 2019 Volvo XC40 small SUV to become brand’s first electric car
Two years ago, the Volvo XC90 large SUV launched to widespread acclaim and awards as the Sino-Swedish brand's first all-new vehicle in six years. It was followed by the S90 sedan and V90 wagon in 2017, and The 2018 Volvo XC60 mid-size crossover utility is now starting to filter into dealers, to be followed by its corresponding S60 sedan and V60... VW Group makes 300 models globally, will electrify them all by 2030
Along with the gleaming concept cars and new production models unveiled at last week's Frankfurt auto show, auto-company executives also make news. Often a company's CEO or product chief will announce directions for the future, whether they're hints about upcoming vehicles or new powertrain plans. Matthias Müller, chairman of the VW Group... VW Group makes 300 models globally, will electrify them all by 2030
Along with the gleaming concept cars and new production models unveiled at last week's Frankfurt auto show, auto-company executives also make news. Often a company's CEO or product chief will announce directions for the future, whether they're hints about upcoming vehicles or new powertrain plans. Matthias Müller, chairman of the VW Group... Scots couple complete grueling Mongol Rally in electric car
The Mongol Rally is no small undertaking for any driver, in any type of vehicle. The 10,000-mile rally takes drivers from Europe to Siberia, via Mongolia, with no support vehicles or backup cars. On July 16, 2017, a Scottish couple arrived at the starting line at the Goodwood race course in England with a peculiar choice of car for the trek: a... Energy Dept grid report downplayed renewables, stressed coal, fossil fuels
The Trump administration hasn't been coy about trying to champion traditional fossil fuels while downplaying the importance and falling costs of renewable energy. Earlier this year, Department of Energy secretary Rick Perry, previously governor of fossil-fuel producer Texas, called for a 60-day review of the United States' energy grid. The stated... Which electric car will sell best in 2018? Take our Twitter poll
OK, now the 2018 Nissan Leaf has made its debut, and we know the prices, specifications, and standard and optional features of the updated electric car with a projected 150 miles of range. Deliveries of the 2018 Leaf will start early next year, but meanwhile the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV has been on sale throughout the U.S. since the end of July and... Rare-earth metals, Mercedes electric plans, oil-company angst, Tesla news, rumor: Today’s Car News
Today, we've got a Tesla rumor and a Supercharger expansion, news from Mercedes on electric SUVs, oil company Shell slamming the idea of future bans on cars with engines, and a primer on rare-earth metals. All this and more on Green Car Reports. There will be three types of cruise-control system on the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car; we sort them... Tesla expands Supercharger fast-charging sites into cities for Model 3 owners
With the mass-production Model 3 in mind, Tesla has begun to expand its Supercharger fast-charging stations into urban areas. Earlier this month, Tesla opened its first two Supercharger stations in Chicago, Illinois, and Boston, Massachusetts. The Chicago site features 10 charging stalls, while the Boston location is equipped with eight stalls... Mercedes to invest $1 billion to build electric SUVs, batteries in Alabama: report
Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, is expected to announce that it will invest up to $1 billion to build electric SUVs and batteries in and around its Alabama assembly plant. The plans, first reported reported Thursday in The Wall Street Journal (paywalled), represent a major expansion of electric-car manufacturing in the U.S. So far... Shell bashes bans on gasoline cars, proposes carbon pricing instead
The prospect of bans on gasoline and diesel new-car sales have become a much greater threat not only to automakers but to oil companies as well, now that China has said it is studying such a move. The world's largest car market has not announced any timetables for such a ban, which will likely be implemented to give domestic automakers the maximum... Tesla is designing its own computer chip for self-driving cars: report
Early last year, with promises of self-driving cars in owners' hands well before any competitor, development of the Tesla Autopilot system for the maker's electric cars was proceeding nicely. Then, in May 2016, a dedicated Tesla owner was killed in a Florida crash when his Tesla Model S, operating on Autopilot, hit a tractor-trailer rig broadside... Rare-earth metals in magnets for electric-car motors: what you need to know
It's not surprising that the powertrains of electric cars differ quite a bit from traditional internal-combustion engines. Although they have fewer moving parts, the rare-earth magnets that help power electric cars can be quite complex to fabricate. So, what is there to know about rare-earth magnets—and how do automakers choose which kind of... The 2018 Nissan Leaf has three types of cruise control: how they differ
When the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car arrives at dealerships early next year, it will offer fresh styling inside and out, more power, a 150-mile range, and an array of standard or optional active-safety features. It will come in Nissan's standard three trim levels—base S, mid-level SV, and top-of-the-line SL—with option packages at... Sunswift Violet ready to compete in World Solar Challenge
Sunswift Violet, a sleek four-seat sedan designed and built by engineering students at UNSW, left Sydney on Wednesday on a 4,300 km drive to Darwin, where it will compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
It is the sixth-generation solar car created by the UNSW Solar Racing Team Sunswift (EV News had the opportunity to test Sunswift eVe back in 2014), built for practicality, speed and endurance, combining cutting-edge technology with modern comfort.
Sunswift Violet will be battling 47 teams from 21 nations in the 3,021 km race from Darwin to Adelaide, which begins on Sunday 8 October 2017.
“Violet looks like a family sedan, but uses as much power as a four-slice toaster,” said Sunswift team leader Simba Kuestler. “She’s got entertainment and air-conditioning systems, including navigation, reverse camera parking sensors, and there’s even wi-fi aboard. And she’s got plenty of front and rear boot space.”
It has a top speed of 130 km/h and a range of 800 km running just on its rooftop solar panels. It also sports modular lithium-ion batteries which store power from the sun; running just on its batteries, it has a range of 400 km. The vehicle relies on around 7kW of horsepower at 110km/h, and two 1.5kW motors that run at 98% efficiency.
With a twill carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, Sunswift Violet weighs less than 400kg. And because good aerodynamics are vital in the quest for energy efficiency – the more slippery the car, the better – Sunswift Violet has a drag coefficient below 0.2, better than the best wind-cheating cars on the market.
While undergoing race testing at the Sydney Motorsport speedway in Eastern Creek late last week, the car experienced a mishap: a bolt on the left-hand front suspension fractured during intense speed braking tests, causing the car to drop onto the roadway and skid for some 30 metres. There were four students aboard at the time, but no-one was hurt.
Mark Hoffman, UNSW’s Dean of Engineering, said challenges like these were a learning opportunity: “The car is operating at the cutting-edge of what’s possible, and the students are putting it through strenuous testing ahead of a race where they will face intense conditions, so it’s no surprise they will face setbacks,” he said. “That’s what an engineering degree should be about, learning about demanding, real-world challenges.”
Despite the setback, the team of undergraduate students worked late nights and over the weekend to repair the damage and reinforce all the dynamic systems of the car, in order meet their original schedule.
The Sunswift team holds the world land-speed record for an electric vehicle, recognised in 2014 by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, when their previous vehicle – Sunswift eVe – travelled at an average 100 km/h over a distance of 500 km on a single charge. This broke a record that had stood for 26 years, and was recognised with a world record trophy.
Teams competing in this year’s Bridgestone World Solar Challenge come from Belgium, Canada, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Australia.
Building Bolt EV, electric cars with 100 miles or more, Mercedes EQC, Porsche Mission E: Today’s Car News
Today, we've updated our list of electric cars on sale this year with more than 100 miles of range, nodded to Norway as its drivers reserve a future electric Mercedes, honed in on the very fast charging in the Porsche Mission E, and flagged the catch in a rumored new EV policy from China. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Norway has long... Building Bolt EV, electric cars with 100 miles or more, Mercedes EQC, Porsche Mission E: Today’s Car News
Today, we've updated our list of electric cars on sale this year with more than 100 miles of range, nodded to Norway as its drivers reserve a future electric Mercedes, honed in on the very fast charging in the Porsche Mission E, and flagged the catch in a rumored new EV policy from China. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Norway has long... Porsche Mission E electric sport sedan: 200-mile recharge in 15 minutes
While there have been lots of concept cars and production announcements, the first serious German competitor to the Tesla Model S and Model X won't arrive for at least another year. And what could prove the most potent of them all—the production version of the stunning Porsche Mission E concept car revealed two years ago—won't go into... Porsche Mission E electric sport sedan: 200-mile recharge in 15 minutes
While there have been lots of concept cars and production announcements, the first serious German competitor to the Tesla Model S and Model X won't arrive for at least another year. And what could prove the most potent of them all—the production version of the stunning Porsche Mission E concept car revealed two years ago—won't go into...