The Age of Electric Cars Is Dawning Ahead of Schedule
Battery prices are dropping faster than expected. Analysts are moving up projections of when an electric vehicle won’t need government incentives to be cheaper than a gasoline model.
Polestar points to “a disturbing lack of transparency” about EV carbon footprint
Polestar on Thursday said it would publish full details on the "climate impact" of its electric cars. The move "sets new standards for other car makers to follow," Polestar declared in a press release. Based on what Green Car Reports has seen released to consumers, that would indeed make it one of the first few automakers of any kind to do so... Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, GMC Hummer EV Crab mode, F-150 Electric plans: The Week in Reverse
Which EV charging network revamped its pricing? Which model did Volkswagen call “the driving force” behind its pivot to electric cars? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending September 18, 2020. The Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape will soon have a more direct... VW’s electric sales targets, Volvo’s particulate smarts, cleaning up the air with more EVs: Today’s Car News
![Smog obscures George Washington Bridge, 1973 [From EPA Documerica series]](https://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/smog-obscures-george-washington-bridge-1973-from-epa-documerica-series_100594067_t.gif)
Volkswagen is targeting 500,000 EVs per year by the middle of the decade, globally—and that’s just counting its ID.4 crossover. Several new Volvo models give you the fine particulate levels in your vehicle cabin. And a report projects that going electric sooner will save lives, lungs, and a whole lot of money. This and more, here at... Faster US transition to EVs will save 6,300 lives and $185 billion by 2050, study projects
![Tesla electric cars at Supercharger fast-charging site, TK [photo: Jay Lucas]](https://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/tesla-electric-cars-at-supercharger-fast-charging-site-tk-photo-jay-lucas_100648832_t.gif)
For all the challenges Americans have faced in 2020, from the dangers of pollution during a lung-related pandemic to the smoky haze of forest fires in the West, this might prove to be the year in which a wider swath of the population became more aware about the dangers of air pollution And from that awareness, as a report released by the American... Volkswagen aims to sell 500,000 ID.4 electric crossovers annually by 2025
The ID.4 electric crossover isn’t just the first of Volkswagen’s dedicated mass-production EVs to be available in the U.S., or the first electric SUV from VW. Although Volkswagen had given some early indications that the ID.3, which won’t be offered in the U.S., would be the volume model of the MEB lineup, a recent presentation... Volvo claims first system to assess PM2.5 air quality inside vehicle cabin
Shelter-in-place orders during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic briefly created the best air quality in decades, but forest fires on the West Coast of the United States have taken things in a drastically different direction. That makes Volvo's announcement of in-car air-quality monitoring this past week depressingly timely. Volvo's... Electric Ford F-150 video, Kia EV design, GM electric air taxis: Today’s Car News
The electric F-150 will be “a workhorse, not a showhorse.” GM is thinking about flying air taxis powered by its batteries. And Kia is teasing the first of many EVs on the way. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Ford has revealed a few more details about the fully electric version of the F-Series truck that will arrive in 2022... Kia electric vehicle due in 2021 will lead new design direction for the brand
Kia's first dedicated model—codenamed "CV"—will chart a new design direction for the brand's other models. The first Kia electric car not based on an existing internal-combustion model, the CV is expected to boast a 300-mile range and 20-minute fast charging. In a press release Wednesday, Kia elaborated that this model will be the... GM interested in electric air taxi market
General Motors is exploring the use of its Ultium modular battery system in electric air taxis, Reuters reported Tuesday. The report, based on information from two people familiar with the matter, follows GM CEO Mary Barra's brief reference to air taxis at a conference Monday. "The strength and flexibility of our Ultium battery system opens... Ford F-150 Electric details added, as production ramps up for gasoline and hybrid versions.
As part of an announcement confirming the start of production for a new-generation 2021 F-150 pickup Thursday, Ford released a few new pieces of information about the upcoming fully electric version due in 2022. The model, the automaker said, will have more horsepower and torque than any F-150 available today, and it will have the lowest lifetime... GM Ultium Drive, Electrify America pricing, Audi fuel-cell stack: Today’s Car News
General Motors is giving its set of EV components a new name. Electrify America has rebooted its pricing. And Audi has a fuel-cell stack but no fuel-cell vehicle. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Earlier this year, GM applied the Ultium name to the battery and propulsion systems for its upcoming generation of electric vehicles. Today, in... Ballard reveals hydrogen fuel-cell tech developed with Audi
As other automakers back away from hydrogen fuel cells, Audi appears to still be in the game. Ballard Power Systems, a manufacturer of fuel cells for commercial applications, announced Monday a new fuel-cell stack developed in concert with Audi. The FCgen HPS stack is designed for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles, according to Ballard. The... Electrify America reboots pricing, bills EV charging by the kwh where it’s allowed
In many states, up until now, the Electrify America network has been an outlier. In states where electric vehicle drivers are accustomed to being billed by the kilowatt-hour—for the energy they put into the vehicle—EA has been billing based on the duration of their charging session. As of today, September 16, the company is changing... Will GM’s Ultium Drive be the small-block V-8 for generation of EVs?
The ubiquitous General Motors 350 small-block V-8, which went into a generation of vehicles, made GM strong. For decades it was offered in a wide range of output levels and tunes and to this day is made by the company as a crate engine for hobbyists. GM announced Tuesday, in a move harking back to its treatment of core engine and transmission... Will GM’s Ultium Drive be the small-block V-8 for a generation of EVs?
The ubiquitous General Motors 350 small-block V-8, which went into a generation of vehicles, made GM strong. For decades it was offered in a wide range of output levels and to this day is made by the company as a crate engine for hobbyists. GM announced Tuesday, in a move harking back to its treatment of core engine and transmission components in... Hummer EV Crab mode, Hyundai Tucson plug-in hybrid, 800V surge: Today’s Car News
The Hyundai Tucson steps up its feature set and adds hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. Delphi says it’s planning to supply a lot of upcoming EVs with 800V tech. Kenworth rolls out its electric trucks. And the GMC Hummer EV’s Crab mode goes sideways. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, revealed Monday... Supplier confirms broad shift to 800V systems for luxury EVs by 2025
Supplier Delphi Technologies announced last week that it will supply 800-volt inverters for an unnamed automaker's future luxury electric cars. Delphi now claims that it will be supplying inverters for three out of the top four global premium automakers in the world, indicating a broad shift toward 800Vsystems for high-end EVs. The latest supply... Kenworth electric trucks go on sale, with range up to 200 miles
Kenworth announced Friday that it is launching medium-duty electric delivery trucks. Two variants—the K270E (Class 6) and K370E (Class 7)—are currently available to order in the United States and Canada. Battery packs of 141 kilowatt-hours and 282 kwh are available, with estimated ranges of 100 miles and 200 miles, respectively. DC... Scania launches fully electric truck with 250 km range
Scania now launches its first fully electric truck. With a range of up to 250 km, the Scania electric truck can operate during the whole day and still return safely to its home depot for overnight charging. If there is a need for an extended range, the driver can fast charge the truck over a break or during natural stops in operation.
The truck is available with the option of either five, for a total of 165 kWh, or nine batteries totalling 300 kWh installed capacity. With five batteries the range is 130 km. The range is, of course, dependent on the weight, body type and topography.
With the combustion engine removed, space for batteries has been freed. Additional batteries are mounted on the chassis frame. The new electric motor delivers a continuous power of 230 kW or approximately 310 hp. The motor has two gears to provide high power over a wider speed span, thereby improving comfort.
One of the major benefits with an electric motor compared with combustion engine is its high controllability. In practice, the customer will experience this through faster acceleration and response from the powertrain.
Other components needed for fully electric propulsion, such as battery management units, battery cooling components, electrohydraulic steering system, electric air compressor and inverter are also mounted along the chassis frame.
Scania’s battery electric truck comes equipped with a CCS charging connector to charge from the electric grid. With 130 kW DC charging, the five battery packs will be charged in less than 55 minutes and the nine batteries in less than 100 minutes. The truck can also be charged through regenerative braking.
Scania’s new truck is equipped for a fully electric power take off. Instead of connecting auxiliaries to the interface that is usually located on the gearbox or engine, it is instead connected to an electrical connection box, called a DC box mounted on the chassis. This gives a DC link of up to 60 kW PTO for body auxiliaries such as refrigeration systems and hooklifts.The Scania electric truck is available with the L- and P-series cab, both of which are designed for urban operations. The low-floor L-series cab, particularly, is purpose-designed for congested city conditions with unrivalled visibility.
“Sustainable emission-free transport is an increasing requirement for transport companies,” says Anders Lampinen, Director, New Technologies. “Acquiring an electric truck is not just an investment in the customer’s fleet, but also in its brand and market. The electric truck enables the customer to stay ahead of the competition, learn about infrastructural challenges and start adapting for the future.”
