Category: Hybrid

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Electric Car Sales Booming in The Netherlands

Of all cars sold in the first three quarters of 2014 in the Netherlands, 4.3% were electric or hybrid cars. In the last quarter of 2013, the number was even higher: 15%. The main reason for these very high EV sales in the Netherlands is fiscal measures, says Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, who published the figures.

The number of electric and hybrid cars sold in the last quarter of 2013 was 14,842. The best-selling car was the Mitsubishi Outlander, with 8,039 sales. Most EV’s and hybrids sold in the Netherlands are made in Japan: the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf are also popular.

The Netherlands wants to have 200,000 EV’s and hybrids on the road by 2020. Currently it has 70,000, almost 1% of the total.

Source: Energy Post

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BMW i8 vs BMW M1 track battle [VIDEO]

The new BMW i8 is a futuristic stunner, with a hi-tech duo of an electric motor and petrol engine from the MINI Cooper. Jump back more than three decades and the last mid-engined car to wear a BMW badge was the M1 - which turned just as many heads when it debuted in 1978.

To find out how thirty years of evolution has changed the BMW supercar, Auto Express took along a classic M1 to meet the new i8 at the test track. The BMW i8 features a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol from the MINI Cooper driving the rear wheels, while an electric motor drives the front. Under the engine cover of the M1 is something altogether much more traditional: a 3.5-litre six-cylinder unit putting out 277bhp and 330Nm of torque. This compares to 357bhp and 570Nm in the i8.

On the track, the two cars feel very different. The M1 wasn't pushed too hard due to its age and value - mint examples fetch around £400,000 - but it performed brilliantly around the track. The gearbox has lovely action, the steering is perfectly weighted and the chassis feels perfectly matched to the power on tap.

Jump into the i8 and it feels very futuristic. There's instant power on tap due to the combination of the electric motor and the engine in Sport mode, with a great soundtrack in the cabin - it's even reminiscent of the sound of the M1. There's plenty of grip, too, and the performance is great. It's rather special and doesn't feel like any other BMW.

Both the i8 and M1 are true BMWs at heart. It's not often that BMW breaks the mould and builds a mid-engined car, but when they do, they know how to make their mark.

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BMW Plans to Roll Out Plug-in Versions for Its Top Cars

BMW plans to offer plug-in hybrid versions of all its main models, including the best-selling 3-Series sedan, as the world’s largest maker of luxury vehicles reacts to tighter emissions regulations.

Carmakers are adding electric motors to improve fuel efficiency and make their vehicles viable in cities like London, which has set up a low-emission zone to improve air quality. Plug-in hybrids have batteries that can be recharged from electrical outlets and can drive emission-free for longer distances than conventional hybrids.

BMW is presenting a prototype of a plug-in hybrid 3-Series today in Miramas, France, the company said in a statement. The car combines a four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor and can drive about 35 kilometers (22 miles) on battery power.

The German carmaker also plans to roll out a plug-in hybrid version of its X5 sport-utility vehicle and other “core-brand” models, according to the statement. Electric versions from the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands are also “a possibility,” said Manfred Poschenrieder, a spokesman for the Munich-based company.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) created the ‘’i’’ sub-brand for showcasing its clean-car technology and safeguarding its image as a maker of sporty vehicles. The first cars from the BMW i unit were the i3 battery-powered city car and the i8 plug-in hybrid super car. The company didn’t specify a timeframe for rolling out plug-in hybrid versions of its models.

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Volvo hybrid bus with Siemens fast-charging system starts service in Hamburg

Officially launched at the International IAA Commercial Vehicles show, the Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses equipped with a Siemens fast charging systems has taken its maiden tour in Hamburg, where it will be deployed from December on the 109 service.

“Battery technology is becoming increasingly attractive for use in buses. The electric hybrid bus is an important further step for us on the way to procuring 100% electric buses. Hochbahn sees itself as industry's partner in gathering important experience in everyday service,” said Ulrike Riedel, vice president for operation and human resources at public transport operator Hamburger Hochbahn.

The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid has an electric hybrid powertrain that combines a four-cylinder diesel 240 hp (177 kW) with an electric motor of 150 kW. The latter receives energy from a lithium ion battery of 19 kWh total storage capacity, this allows travel in electric mode a distance of 7 km between charges.

The lithium-ion battery is charged via two charging rails on the roof. Fast charging stations have been set up next to the route with a contact arm fastened to a mast. If the bus is with range of the contact system, the drive operates the parking brake and charging will start automatically. Charging is performed fully automatically and ends as soon as the charging is fully completed. The process also can be cut short by releasing the parking brake.

The fast charging stations in Hamburg are the latest development from Siemens for high-performance charging systems for electric buses. On the buses, it is only necessary to mount contact rails and a WiFi communication box. That saves space, weight, and costs on each bus. Communication between the bus and the charging station is established by WiFi. In this way, the bus is identified and the requirements of the battery management system are transmitted to the charging station. To make contact, the contact arm is lowered onto the charging contacts on the bus. The bus is electrically grounded before current starts to flow. The flow of current between the vehicle and the charging station is controlled continuously and matched to the individual charge state and battery type. The charging operation is completed in no more than six minutes.

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BMW reveal 500 kW eDrive plug-in hybrid system

Following the success of the BMW i3 electric car, and the i8 hybrid supercar, BMW has developed an even more powerful petrol-electric drivetrain that could underpin prestige and performance models in the future.

The new system is part of an increasing investment into hybrid electric powertrains, starting with the upcoming 3-Series ActiveHybrid. This one in particular will sit at the top of the range. Expect it to appear in the firm's large saloons and M-powered SUVs in the next few years.

Dubbed Power eDrive, the new system forms part of a extended range of modular hybrid drivetrains being developed in a performance-based EfficientDynamics engineering program at BMW's research and development centre in Munich and envisaged for launch on a limited number of BMW Group production models in what it describes as "up-market segments" before the end of the decade.

The new hybrid system aims to provide the sort of smooth yet urgent step-off performance qualities delivered by a contemporary battery powered electric drive systems like that offered in the Tesla Model S, albeit with an overall range described as being over 600km thanks to a range extender function, including a 100km range on electric power alone.

Revealed in a 5-series GT bodied prototype, the most powerful of BMW's new modular hybrid drivetrains uses the company's new 170 kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine in combination with two electric motors – a 150 kW version of the i3's synchronous unit mounted up front in the space usually taken up by the torque converter in the car's eight-speed automatic gearbox and an even more powerful 200 kW unit set within the rear axle assembly.

All up, it is claimed to boast a combined system output of 500 kW along with a torque loading that, BMW engineers suggest, reaches beyond 1000 Nm – figures that easily top the 338 kW and 720 Nm of the existing 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine used by the 11-year-old Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The principle behind BMW's Power eDrive system is a maximization of electric motor performance.

"The electric motors provide approximately two-thirds of the combined output, with the combustion engine accounting for the remaining third," says Franz Drescher-Kaden, a BMW concept engineer responsible for the new petrol-electric hybrid set-up.

Energy for the electric motors is provided by a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery mounted both longitudinally in the rear of the 5-series GT's centre tunnel and horizontally underneath the rear seat in a space ahead of the rear axle. It can be charged both via plug-in means and on the run using the combustion engine in a steady state mode. The fuel tank has been reduced in size from a standard 70-litres to 30-litres.

As well as acting as a generator to produce electricity, the Power eDrive hybrid system's petrol engine can also provide a performance boost with direct drive to the front wheels during kick down, in which all three power sources are used for propulsion.

Drive is nominally channeled to the rear wheels via the rear electric motor, whose reserves are sent through a multi-speed gearbox like the front motor in an i8. The introduction of the front electric motor, which operates via the eight-speed automatic in which it is housed, provides all-electric four-wheel drive. This is further enhanced by the combustion engine, which also delivers its power to the front wheels.

BMW has not revealed a weight figure for its new hybrid system. However, it does concede the addition of two electric motors as well as the lithium ion battery pack and ancillary electronic management system adds handsomely to the kerb weight. Despite this, the German car maker says the straight line performance of its 5-series GT Power eDrive prototype exceeds that of the 330 kW twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 powered 550i GT, which tips the scales at 2070 kg.

Power eDrive is being developed as a scalable system with power outputs ranging from 190kW to over 500 kW, according to BMW, which says the plug-in hybrid technology will be "a natural choice for use in up-market vehicle segments".

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Electric vehicles account for almost 10% of Californian new-car sales

Hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicle now account for almost 10 percent (9.6%) of all new car sales in California.

Electric vehicles, which registered nearly zero in state-wide new car-sales as recently as three years ago, are now taking a noticeable market share, according to the latest quarterly report released by the California New Car Dealers Association.

CNCDA said 23,648 registrations of various plug-in hybrid models in California from January through September this year accounted for 1.7 percent of all new-vehicle purchases. Registrations of all-electric vehicles, like Nissan’s Leaf, accounted for 20,516 new vehicle sales, or 1.5 percent, during that time.

The combined total of 44,164 for the first nine months of 2014 already tops California’s electric vehicle sales for all of last year. In 2013, combined sales of plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles in California topped 42,000, up 500 percent from 2011.

Sales of new, standard hybrid vehicles, another segment where California leads the nation, totalled 89,486 through September this year. That represents 6.4 percent all new cars sold state-wide in the January-September period.

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First Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid drive off the assembly line in Ingolstadt

Production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron: Assembly – On the engine and component assembly line, the electric motor and transmission are fitted to the engine.

Approximately 50 cars every day, with the same timing and on the same assembly line as the other models: Audi is now ramping up production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron*. The premium manufacturer is producing its first plug-in hybrid model at the brand's main plant in Ingolstadt.

"We started series production of the Audi A3 Sportback e‑tron in the summer," said Dr. Hubert Waltl, Board of Management Member for Production at AUDI AG. "Most of the assembly work is integrated into the A3 line; no separate manufacturing is necessary. That demonstrates the flexibility and efficiency of our production planners and employees."

With the Audi A3 Sportback e‑tron, Audi is launching the mobility of the future. The compact five‑door combines a 1.4 TFSI combustion engine with a 75 kW electric motor, resulting in a total system output of 150 kW (204 horsepower). Despite the sporty driving performance, fuel consumption in the NEDC is just 1.5 liters per 100 kilometers (35 grams of CO2 per kilometer). The A3 Sportback e‑tron can travel up to 50 kilometers in purely electric mode and up to 890 kilometers more with the gasoline engine.

"We first of all ramped up production of the A3 Sportback e‑tron to about 30 cars a day in September," explained Board of Management member for Production Waltl. "Our peak is approximately 50 units each day now. In any case, we are keeping additional capacity available."

Peter Kössler, head of the Ingolstadt plant, stated: "Working with high‑voltage systems in series production was a new challenge for us, but we mastered it well. At all stages of assembly, we achieve maximum levels of safety for our employees and quality for our customers."

Safety is given top priority during the entire assembly process. All the employees who come into contact with the A3 Sportback e‑tron have received technical safety instructions for the new technology; some employee who are directly involved are qualified as specialist electricians for automotive technology.

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SUBARU VIZIV GT Vision Wheel-Motor powered series hybrid concept [VIDEO]

Subaru has revealed the digital-only Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo, which will find its way into the Gran Turismo 6 on the PlayStation 3 video game system . It takes up the mantle from the Viziv Concept that debuted at the Tokyo motor show last year.

The virtual Viziv GT is powered (virtually) by a 2-liter boxer four featuring both direct injection and turbocharging to the tune of 591 imaginary horsepower.

The Viziv GT has all wheel drive with little lights over each fender that light up when the axle is receiving torque vectoring courtesy of three electric motors, one up front and two in the rear. Subaru compares it to their iconic "Symmetrical AWD" in an attempt to link it to their road-going cars, but this is a hybrid system unlike anything the company has previously worked on.

“By independently controlling each of the motor outputs, turning ability while cornering is drastically improved, while the torque vectoring lamps built into the fenders visualize its movement, Thus, as with any other Subaru, the car is made controllable for anyone driving the car, regardless of its extremely high performance levels.”

Maybe it's where the company is headed? Mitsubishi is already going down that road. Perhaps this is a sneak peek at a hybridized, CUV-like future for the iconic WRX and STI. Or it could just be a digital flight of fancy, which of course it is.

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Next-Generation Chevrolet Volt Features All-New Voltec Powertrain

When the next-generation Chevrolet Volt debuts at the North American International Auto Show in January, it will feature an all-new Voltec extended range electric vehicle (EREV) propulsion system substantially developed from Volt owners including data collected on their driving behaviors.

The Voltec system includes the battery, drive unit, range-extending engine and power electronics. The new system will be more efficient and offer greater EV range and fuel economy compared to the current generation.

"Our Volt owners truly love the EV driving experience, with more than 80 percent of all trips being completed without using any gasoline. We've used their real-world experiences to define the next generation Chevrolet Volt," said Alan Batey, head of global Chevrolet. "By putting our Volt owners at the center of what we do and leveraging our electrification engineering leadership, we've been able to raise the bar and will exceed their expectations with the new Volt."

Enhanced Battery System Capability

General Motors' industry-leading battery technology has been improved for the next-generation Volt. Revised cell chemistry, developed in conjunction with LG Chem, increases storage capacity by 20 percent on a volume basis when compared to the original cell, while the number of cells decreases from 288 to 192. The cells are positioned lower in the pack for improved (lower) center of gravity and the overall mass of the pack has decreased by almost 30 pounds (13 kg).

Approximately 20 million battery cells have been produced for the more than 69,000 Chevrolet Volts on the road today with industry-leading quality levels of less than two problems per million cells produced.

The battery system continues to use the Volt's industry-leading active thermal control system that maintains electric range over the Volt's life.

"The current generation Volt's battery has proven to provide our owners exceptional performance when it comes to quality and reliability," said Larry Nitz, executive director of GM Powertrain's electrification engineering team.

Based on a GM study of more than 300 model year 2011 and 2012 Volts in service in California for more than 30 months, many owners are exceeding the EPA-rated label of 35 miles of EV range per full charge, with about 15 percent surpassing 40 miles of range. Current generation Volt owners have accumulated more than 600 million EV miles.

"It would have been simple for us to tweak our existing battery to provide nominally increased range, but that's not what our customers want," said Nitz. "So our team created a new battery system that will exceed the performance expectations of most of our owners."

EV range estimates will be revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

GM will manufacture the Volt battery pack at its battery assembly plant in Brownstown, Mich.

Drive Unit Focused On Improved Efficiency

Like the battery system, the next-generation Volt's drive unit was reengineered with a focus on increased efficiency and performance, improved packaging and reduced noise and vibration characteristics. The two-motor drive unit operates approximately 5 to 12 percent more efficiently and weighs 100 pounds (45 kg) less than the current system.

The Traction Power Inverter Module, which manages power flow between the battery and the electric drive motors, has been directly built into the drive unit to reduce mass, size and build complexity while further improving efficiency.

The boost in performance comes from both motors operating together in more driving scenarios, in both EV and extended-range operation. The ability to use both motors helps deliver more than 20 percent improvement in electric acceleration. GM engineers designed the Voltec electric motors to use significantly less rare earth materials. One motor uses no rare earth-type magnets at all.

The new drive unit will be manufactured at GM's Powertrain plant in Warren, Mich.

New 1.5L Range Extender

Energy for extended-range operation comes from an all-new, high-efficiency 1.5L 4-cylinder engine. The engine features a direct injection fuel system, high-compression ratio of 12.5:1, cooled exhaust gas recirculation and a variable displacement oil pump. The Voltec range extender runs on regular unleaded fuel.

"Using the 1.5L engine as the range extender assures owners they can go anywhere, anytime without having to worry about whether they have enough power to go through the Rocky Mountains or on a spontaneous weekend getaway," Nitz said. "It's all about keeping the promise that the Volt is a no-compromise electric vehicle."

The 1.5L engine will be manufactured at GM's Toluca, Mexico engine plant for the first year of production, then shift to the Flint, Mich. engine plant.