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Chris Harris drives the McLaren P1 Hybrid on Road and Track [VIDEO]

Chris Harris drives the new $1.2 million McLaren P1 at the Yas Marina Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi UAE. Before taking to the track at night, Chris Harris chats with Chris Goodwin, the Chief Test Driver for McLaren Automotive to discuss the technology of McLaren's latest offering, perhaps the definition of the modern day hypercar.

Fair warning, the McLaren Chris Harris drives in this video is the XP7, the pre-production prototype for P1. The car has had a long life over the past 15 months, driving around the world and clocking over 40,000 hard miles.

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Saleen Adds AC Propulsion to Design Team for New Electric Sports Car

Saleen Automotive has announced that the Company has added legendary electric car developers, AC Propulsion, to its design team for the new Saleen Electric vehicle. AC Propulsion will provide the technology and implementation of the powertrain and battery for the project.

AC Propulsion is well-known for providing its proprietary technology to the Tesla Roadster, which was developed by Tesla Motors to mass-produce AC Propulsion's tzero concept car. AC Propulsion also provided drivetrains and support for the BMW all-electric Mini E. The Company specializes in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles. The company produces electric vehicle drive systems featuring high performance, high efficiency induction motors and integrated high power battery charging.

"We are assembling a team and vehicle that combines the finest technology and design available," stated Steve Saleen, CEO, Saleen Automotive. "AC Propulsion is a proven leader and seminal thinker in electric car creation and we believe will greatly assist us in introducing a revolutionary vehicle to the market. I believe we have secured the very best partner possible for our powertrain and battery."

"AC Propulsion is excited to partner with automotive legend Steve Saleen for his new electric vehicle project," stated Paul Carosa, President, AC Propulsion. "Mr. Saleen is on the verge of creating a vehicle unlike any on the market today, a tremendous new entry in the fast growing electric car market that lives up to the Saleen name and reputation. We'll do our part to make it even better."

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Self-propelled electric tank tread All-terrain vehicle [VIDEO]

Meet the MTT-136, a self-contained battery powered electric tank track. Developed by Canadian Inventor Yvon Martel, the tank track has different attachments and can be used for towing, pushing and grading on virtually any terrain.

The specs claimed in the video are battery dependant, with recharging time varying from 15 minutes to eight hours and range is a similarly variable 45 to 210 kms. The device as shown in the video weighs 280 lbs (127 kg)

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Toyota begins testing wireless recharging [VIDEO]

Recharging a Toyota plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle could in future be as simple as parking the car. Toyota has announced verification testing is to begin later this month of a new wireless battery charging system it has developed for vehicles that use an electric powertrain.

The new technology allows a vehicle to be charged simply by parking it in alignment with a coil set into the surface of the ground. This makes the process simpler and easier, dispensing with cables and connectors.

The Toyota charging system transmits electricity using magnetic resonance created by changes in magnetic field intensity between a transmitting coil in the ground and a receiving coil in the car. It is designed so that it can reduce any loss in power transmission efficiency caused by misalignment or height differences between the coils.

The system is being developed with a future market launch in mind. Measures have been taken to minimise any electromagnetic interference with nearby equipment, and the transmitting coil in the ground has been madde robust enough to withstand vehicles driving over it.

To help the driver align the car correctly, Toyota has developed a function for its Intelligent Parking Assist system that shows the position of the transmitting coil in a parking space.

The test programme involves three plug-in hybrid used by homes in Aichi prefecture in Japan. It will assess user satisfaction, the system’s ease of use, misalignment rates and charging behaviour, such as how often charging takes place and timer-based charging it used.

Toyota will use the test results to develop the technology further, with the ultimate aim of bringing the system to market. Toyota believes its commercialisation will help promote the use of electrified vehicles and mobility options that are smarter, easier to use and kinder to the environment.

Wireless Battery Charging System key specifications
Charging methodMagnetic resonance
Frequency85kHz
Input voltageAC 200V
Charging power2kW
Charging timeApprox. 90 minutes
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ABB to supply fast chargers for Daimler/BYD’s DENZA EV

ABB has announced it will enter into a partnership with Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co to supply direct-current fast chargers over the next six years.

The announcement said the agreement will result in the world's largest fast-charging network for electric vehicles.

According to the two companies, the wall-mounted chargers will have a number of innovations designed for user convenience and safety including a mobile app that allows cloud-based remote monitoring and control of charging sessions.

First deliveries are expected by the middle of the year. The chargers will be sold through BYD-Daimler's Denza dealerships along with the vehicle.

The first Denza dealership will open in Beijing and more dealerships will be built up simultaneously in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Established in 2010 between BYD Co, a leader in China's electric vehicle industry, and German automotive icon Daimler AG, BYD-Daimler was the first joint venture in China specializing in developing and producing new-energy vehicles.

The joint venture's Denza brand launched last year will have its world premiere at Beijing auto show in April. It is slated to go on sale later this year, according to an earlier announcement.

Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO of ABB Group, said at a news conference in Stockholm that he is confident about the deal with BYD-Daimler.

"We are honored to be a partner in this venture with BYD-Daimler to move urban transportation forward in a more sustainable way. By combining car and fast charger sales, Denza is taking a bold step to address a key obstacle for potential electric car buyers," said Spiesshofer.

"ABB's electric vehicle charging solutions have been expanding rapidly worldwide as the underlying technology combines our key strengths in power electronics, software, service and power distribution."

The fully electric Denza is designed for journeys of more than 250 km and will be among the first long-range electric vehicles on the Chinese market.

Market research shows that consumers value long drive ranges but at the same time expect short charging times.

Denza will offer its customers the convenience of charging their cars in a short time at home, at the workplace or at compatible public places, according to BYD-Daimler.

"The Denza represents a significant step in sustainable transportation for the Chinese automotive market. It was vital that we have the right partner to support this innovative concept," said Arno Roehringer, COO of BYD-Daimler.

"ABB is the ideal technology partner for us as they have proven themselves with electric vehicle chargers in China as well as globally and - equally important - the service to install it," he added.

The Chinese government adopted a GBT standard for direct-current fast charging to encourage technical innovation and stimulate market acceptance of electric vehicles.

Analysts said that urban charging infrastructure is key to widespread acceptance of electric vehicles by consumers.

The GBT standard will give Chinese consumers the option of charging their vehicles at home or in public, with DC fast charging expected to be rolled out in the near future.

Experts say China's electric vehicle market could quickly gain momentum due to technology, market innovations, the GBT national fast-charging standard and favorable incentives.

ABB has worked on pilot projects with local automakers and utilities in China since 2010. In 2013 it began to build up a local electric vehicle organization to support growth including R&D, manufacturing, logistics and services.

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Volkswagen launch e-Golf in Germany with 190 km range

The Golf is the most successful European car of all time. In launching the new e-Golf, Volkswagen is now bringing the bestseller onto the market as a full production electric vehicle as well. The especially agile and efficient compact car supplements the highly economic fleet of 3 Euro vehicles and boasts an extensive range of standard features. The e-Golf can be immediately recognised by its signature LED headlights and is available from €34,900.

In launching the e-Golf, Volkswagen is bringing its second electric vehicle onto the market inside six months. The agile and efficient e-Golf impresses with best-in-class qualities from the off, leading the way with low power consumption of 12.7 kWh/100 km. In addition to the environmental aspect, the practically silent and thus gliding e-Golf is also very inexpensive to run, as power costs are just €3.28 per 100 kilometres. Thanks to a particularly innovative overall technological system, improved aerodynamics (cw=0,281) and perfected rolling resistance, the new, all-electric Volkswagen is over 15 per cent more energy-efficient than the best steel-built direct competitor. Joining the e-up! and eco-up!, the e-Golf thus extends the Volkswagen brand's fleet of highly efficient 3 Euro vehicles.

The e-Golf is 'Das e-Auto' - it has the same handling, comfortable ride and generous amount of space that has seen the Golf so appreciated for decades by over 30 million car buyers. The e-Golf is in addition fitted with a very good range of standard features, including four doors, the high-end 'Discover Pro' radio/navigation system, heated windscreen, automatic climate control, parking heater and ventilation, leather steering wheel, aerodynamically optimised 'Astana' alloy wheels and, being used for the first time by Volkswagen, full LED headlights. Another especially economic and likewise standard feature are the LED daytime running lights, which by virtue of their signature C-shaped format immediately identify the e-Golf as a Volkswagen electric vehicle.

The electric engine delivers 85 kW / 115 PS and from a standing start develops maximum torque of 270 Nm. This deployment of power produces a superb driving performance: the e-Golf reaches a speed of 60 km/h within 4.2 seconds and after just 10.4 seconds the Volkswagen is up to 100 km/h. A fascinating factor here is the pull-away performance, which is extremely comfortable and totally free of any delay. Depending on the nature of the route, driving style and load, the range is between 130 and 190 kilometres. The new e-Golf is available in Germany now. Prices start from €34,900 (including the 8-year / 160,000-kilometre battery guarantee).

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World’s First Large-Scale Power Storage System Made From Reused EV Batteries

Japanese Firm Sumitomo Corporation has developed and installed the world’s first large-scale power storage system which utilizes used batteries collected from electric vehicles. This commercial scale storage system, built on Yume-shima Island, Osaka, will begin operating in February 2014.

Over the next three years, the system will measure the smoothing effect of energy output fluctuation from the nearby “Hikari-no-mori,” solar farm, and will aim to establish a large-scale power storage technology by safely and effectively utilizing the huge quantities of discarded used EV batteries which will become available in the future. This project has been selected as a model project for "Verification of the battery storage control to promote renewable energy" for the fiscal year 2013 by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan.

Nissan and Sumitomo Corporation created the joint venture company, “4R Energy Corporation”, in September 2010, to address the secondary use of EV lithium-ion batteries. The used EV batteries that will be recycled into this large-scale storage system have been recovered and have gone through thorough inspection and maintenance at 4R, to confirm safety and performance. This prototype system (600kW/400kWh) consists of sixteen used EV batteries.

Battery Business Development Department General Manager, Norihiko Nonaka said “We are pleased to be a part of such an important verification project that can both utilize used EV batteries, and provide a large-scale power storage facility, which are important issues that need to be addressed for the future of renewable energy.”

Sumitomo will seek new business opportunities which can make use of the highly economical storage system, as well as work on developing new applications for used EV batteries. The company aims to actively promote this approach, which can both contribute to expanding the use of EV and encourage the use of renewable energy. Sumitomo is committed to the movement toward lowering the carbon footprint of a sustainable society.

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Mitsubishi Develops EV Motor Drive with Built-in Silicon Carbide Inverter

Mitsubishi Electric today announced it has developed a prototype electric vehicle (EV) motor drive system with a built-in silicon-carbide inverter. The EV motor drive system, the smallest of its kind, will enable manufacturers to develop EVs offering more passenger space and greater energy efficiency.

Mitsubishi Electric plans to commercialize its new EV motor system after finalizing technologies for motor/inverter cooling, further downsizing and additional efficiency.

Features

1)Downsized motor drive system with integrated all silicon-carbide inverter
-Achieves further system downsizing (14.1L, 60kW) with smaller motor resulting from improved thermal resistance between motor drive system and cooling system.
-Equal to existing EV motors in power and volume, enabling replacement.
2)Improved motor cooling performance
-Integrates cooling system for motor and inverter thanks to cylindrical shape of power module accommodating parallel cooling ducts for motor and inverter.
-Ensures stable cooling with even a low-power pump.

Global demand for EVs and hybrid EVs (HEVs) has been growing in recent years, reflecting increasingly strict regulations for fuel efficiency and growing public interest in saving energy resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. As EVs and HEVs require relatively large spaces to accommodate their robust battery systems, there is a strong need to reduce the size and weight of motor systems and other equipment to ensure sufficient passenger space.

Patents
Pending patents for the technology announced in this news release number 94 in Japan and 29 abroad.