How Did G.M. Create Tesla’s Dream Car First?
The Bolt EV by General Motors is a lower-priced electric car than the Tesla, and has similar features.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV first drive: 240 miles in an electric car
We drove a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car 240 miles on a single charge last week. And that was the lowest range achieved among four journalists driving four Bolt EVs along the California coast. One driver covered essentially the same trip with fully 32 miles remaining, according to the car’s display. DON'T MISS: 2017 Chevy Bolt EV... Bolt EV electric range, innovative transmission, VW diesel buyback tactics: Today’s Car News
A startling 238 miles, a few concessions in the Big Easy, and men not wanting to appear feminine. All this and more on Green Car Reports. BREAKING: We've driven the 2017 Chevy Bolt EV, and our first drive report on getting 240 miles is now live. Read it! The big news today was the EPA-rated range for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car: an... New Orleans: Big Easy to make life easier for electric car owners?
New Orleans has a hot-and-cold relationship with environmentally friendly technology. Last week, however, the two were definitely on good terms as the city council voted unanimously to make life easier for current and future electric car owners. Crescent City crises Given the New Orleans' tenuous location--sandwiched between Lake Pontchartrain and... Why VW diesel buyback pays owners to keep their cars for two more years
If all goes according to plan, more than 450,000 owners of Volkswagen and Audi sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks with 2.0-liter TDI diesel vehicles from the 2009 through 2015 model years will start to receive buyback offers from VW late this year. Many owners have already indicated that they plan to take the buyout, some as soon as possible. But it... Men may avoid green products because they seem feminine: hypothesis
Those tasked with selling electric cars and other products friendly to the environment must confront multiple obstacles as they try to win over often-skeptical consumers. That's something that comes with the territory when marketing new technologies or practices. But could public reticence to adopt green products be influenced by more than just... 2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric car: 238-mile EPA range rating, 119 MPGe combined
There will be a lot riding on the tall, square shoulders of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV when it reaches the first Chevy dealers late this year. It will be the first mass-priced electric car with a range of 200 miles or more, and it will go on sale a year before the much-vaunted Tesla Model 3. Now Chevrolet has released the EPA estimated range... Tesla battery secrets, electric-car prices, 2017 BMW i3 REx range: Today’s Car News
Electric car prices need to fall (but how much?), Tesla upgrades both its battery architecture and its Autopilot software, and how about that ice driving? All this and more on Green Car Reports. Sure, you know Nissan and Tesla, but which European maker just delivered its 100,00th electric car last Friday? Today, the sticker prices of electric cars... Why new Tesla 100D battery may be crucial for the Tesla Model 3
Last month, when Tesla Motors announced new, even larger battery packs for its Model S sedan and Model X crossover utility vehicle, reaction was less than ecstatic. While even faster, even longer-range electric cars are nice and all, commentators said, shouldn't Tesla be sticking to its knitting? Specifically, shouldn't it be focusing every last... 2017 BMW i3 REx: 97-mile electric range, lower efficiency for range-extended model
The 2017 BMW i3 is the most significant update to the groundbreaking electric car since it went on sale in the U.S. back in May 2014. Changes are headlined by a larger, 33-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that increases range from 81 miles to 114 miles in the all-electric model. However, until now, BMW had yet to release range estimates for... Green cars at the Paris Motor Show: updated preview
Fall is approaching, which means it's time for the auto-show season to get underway once again. Press days for the 2016 Paris Motor Show begin at the end of this month, and we already know several notable green production and concept cars will make their debuts in the French capital. The show's organizers say no fewer than 24 electric cars will... How low do prices for 200-mile electric cars have to go for success? Poll results
One of the challenges of making and selling electric cars is that their batteries are still expensive. And despite some makers' absorbing losses on the earliest cars, that means they sell for prices higher than those of similarly sized vehicles with combustion engines. Sure, owners will save money on running costs—but most shoppers will... Renault delivered its 100,000th electric car on Friday, in Norway
French automaker Renault hasn't sold nearly as many electric cars as its alliance partner Nissan. But Renault has steadily increased its electric-car sales volumes, particularly in Europe, with its main focus on the subcompact Zoe hatchback. That allowed the company to pass a notable milestone recently. DON'T MISS: Nissan and Renault together now... Electric cars can be ‘contagious,’ DoE says (solar panels too), but why?
The word "contagious" is often used to describe diseases, but not all contagions are necessarily bad. Studies have found that solar panels can be "contagious," for example. In other words, a homeowner is more likely to install solar panels on their house if their neighbor has done so. CHECK OUT: Electric Cars Vs. Solar Panels: Which One's The... 1965 VW Beetle Black Current III sets new EV world record [VIDEO]
A 1965 model Volkswagen beetle is now the quickest Electric Car in the world. UK based Current Racing set a 1/4 mile time of 8.282s @ 159 mph at Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire, England.
The new for 2016 powertrain in Black Current III now runs 3x 9" brushed DC motors, a 2 speed gearbox and a Ford 9" diff. Power is supplied by 864x Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCo4) Battery cells via 2x 440 volt Zilla controllers.
Source: Current Racing
BYD Electric Bus enters service at Sydney Airport [VIDEO]
Sydney Airport has unveiled Australia’s first electric airport bus, as part of a $5 million investment in environmentally friendly ground transport technology.
The Electric Blu bus is the first of a fleet of six electric buses to be operational by the end of this year, replacing the airport’s existing diesel bus fleet servicing the shuttle route between the T2/T3 terminal precinct and the Blu Emu Car Park.
“We’re proud to be the first Australian airport to introduce electric buses to our Parking and Ground Transport operations, which will reduce our carbon footprint and enhance the passenger experience,” Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kerrie Mather said.
“These state-of-the-art electric buses can make up to 100 transfer journeys on a single charge, providing a clean and sustainable transport option for the two million travellers, visitors and airport workers who use the Blu Emu shuttle service every year.”
The fleet of Blu Emu electric buses will deliver carbon emission reductions of approximately 160 tonnes per year and improve local air quality through zero tailpipe emissions. The fleet will also lower external noise levels, reduce waste fluids to zero and decrease the amount of toxic material generated during servicing.
Electric Blu is a ‘Toro’ model electric bus, created by Carbridge in a joint venture with the world’s leading global electric bus manufacturer BYD.
“Carbridge is delighted to deliver to Sydney Airport this country’s first electric airport bus and in partnership with BYD we are excited to be at the forefront of electric bus manufacturing in Australia,” Carbridge Chief Executive Officer Luke Todd said.
The Electric Blu bus has a carrying capacity of 70 passengers, features purpose-designed luggage storage racks and has a range of 400km on a single charge. Sydney Airport has invested in charging stations and other ancillary equipment to support the deployment of the new electric bus fleet.
The airport is also currently trialling electric cars as part of its ground transport fleet and investigating solar-powered charging stations to further decrease carbon emissions, while research and development is underway for recycling and reuse of batteries and other components.
Inside the Rimac Concept_One [VIDEO]
The Million Dollar Rimac Concept One attended Monterey Car Week & PebbleBeach Concours d'Elegance in California for the first time this year.
While in the USA Rimac Automobili founder and CEO Mate Rimac gave Youtuber "alexsmolik" a full run-down on the technology in his electric hypercar, including a brief demo of torque vectoring and 0-100 km/h in 2.6 seconds.
Samsung SDI to build $358M car battery plant in Hungary by 2018
South Korea's Samsung SDI plans to invest about 400 billion won ($358 million) to build a plant to make electric vehicle batteries in Hungary, joining the race to build capacity and tap European demand.
Samsung SDI, whose customers include BMW, said on Tuesday that the proposed factory near Budapest would start production in the second half of 2018 and it would be able to produce batteries used for 50,000 pure electric vehicles (EVs) annually.
The plant will "help us save logistics costs and quickly cope with demand from customers, as European companies have manufacturing bases around Hungary," Samsung SDI, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.
The company currently produces batteries for BMW's i3 in South Korea. Samsung SDI last year started production at its factory in China, the world's biggest EV market, but subsidy regulations have hampered its sales.
Cross-town rival LG Chem plans to build an EV battery plant in Poland to meet rising demand from European automakers, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters in April.
Tesla Announce P100D Model S the World’s Quickest Production Car
Tesla have announced the Model S P100D with Ludicrous mode claiming it as the third fastest accelerating production car ever produced, with a 0-60 mph time of 2.5* seconds. The only remaining production road cars a Tesla Model S can't beat are the LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder.
However, both were limited run, million dollar vehicles and cannot be bought new. While those cars are small two seaters with very little luggage space, the pure electric, all-wheel drive Model S P100D has four doors, seats up to 5 adults plus 2 children and has exceptional cargo capacity.
The 100 kWh battery also increases range substantially to an estimated 315 miles on the EPA cycle and 613 km on the EU cycle, making it the first to go beyond 300 miles and the longest range production electric vehicle by far.
The larger battery pack is also available on the Model X, making the world’s quickest SUV even faster. Model X P100D with Ludicrous mode accelerates to 60 mph in 2.9* seconds and travels up to 289 miles EPA estimated and 542 km EU on a single charge. Model X is also a pure electric SUV and can seat up to seven adults.
Model S and Model X are engineered to be the safest cars on the road and to have the highest ratings from NHTSA. Both have access to the Tesla Supercharger network for the freedom to travel long distance for free. And every Tesla will improve over time with free over the air upgrades.
Tesla customers who have ordered a P90D Ludicrous, but not taken delivery, can upgrade to the 100 kWh pack for $10,000. Existing P90D Ludicrous owners can also upgrade to a 100 kWh pack, but for $20,000, as their used 90 kWh pack will have to be recycled.
While the P100D Ludicrous is obviously an expensive vehicle, Tesla want to emphasize that every sale helps pay for the smaller and much more affordable Tesla Model 3 that is in development. Without customers willing to buy the expensive Model S and X, Tesla says they would be unable to fund the smaller, more affordable Model 3 development.
Early adapters form an orderly queue here... Tesla
Mercedes-Maybach 6 to run 4x Motor SLS E-Cell powertrain?
Daimler has unveiled the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 – an electric-powered behemoth it says represents the ultimate in luxury.
At the Maybach’s heart is its electric powertrain. Power being the operative word here, with a 738hp output from four permanent magnet synchronous electric motors, each powering a separate wheel. This spec sounds exactly the same as the most powerful production AMG model of all time, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive.
With a combined maximum torque of 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) the permanently active torque vectoring allows for selective distribution of forces for each individual wheel. The intelligent distribution of drive torque greatly benefits driving dynamics, handling, driving safety and ride comfort.
Each individual wheel can be electrically driven and electrically braked, depending on the driving conditions, thus enables optimum use of the adhesion potential between the tyres and the road surface in all driving conditions, thereby extending the critical limits of the vehicle's driving dynamics.
For its size, Maybach 6's 80kWh battery capacity is smaller than the largest pack available in a Tesla Model S (90kWh), but is enough for around 500 kilometres range according to the NEDC (over 200 miles according to EPA)
Quick charging is on the cards, with a DC Combined Charging System plug allowing an impressive charging capacity of up to 350 kW. In just five minutes enough power can be charged to achieve an additional range of around 100 kilometres. Provisions for wireless charging are also included.
