Charged with Electric Vehicle News and Views
The German automaker plans to double its work force at the Washington State plant and invest $200 million in the factory, which runs on hydropower. 
Ford will raffle a one-of-a-kind Mustang GT convertible, to benefit multiple sclerosis research; Subaru anticipates 20 percent sales growth by 2020. MotorTorque has tested the BMW i3, the premium brand's first foray into electric vehicles.
This model, the pricier range extender version, promises a range of 180 miles - eighty miles more than the pure electric version.
Adding to its green credentials is how this car has been built. It's an entirely new frame platform made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic, which helps keep weight down and also makes it strong, meaning you don't need the B-pillar.
There's lots of neat touches here like satnav which shows you charging points in a hundred mile radius, and there's the option to switch to petrol mode and conserve the electric range.
You'll only find two seats in the back and the boot is okay at 300 litres but doesn't offer the same practicality as a conventional family hatchback.
Nissan's next-generation Leaf electric vehicle will have a new battery that more than doubles its range. And Infiniti’s delayed electric car will debut with the improved battery by early 2017.
Nissan executives shed more light on the automaker’s next EVs, saying better range is key to higher sales. Nissan launched the Leaf in December 2010 and has already improved its performance. But engineers are working on a big jump with a revamped battery by 2017.
A new battery chemistry will debut by then for use by Infiniti and Nissan, said Andy Palmer, executive vice president in charge of Nissan’s zero emissions and Infiniti businesses.
“The battery chemistry is all about range and energy density. That’s where you see the technology moving very, very fast,” he said in an interview last month at the Beijing auto show. “This really is the game-changing technology.”
Longer range
Palmer declined to offer a target range. But the battery must deliver up to 300 kilometers, or 186 miles, for EVs to present an everyday alternative to the hydrogen fuel cell cars that rivals are developing, he said.
During an interview at the LA Auto Show, Pierre Loing, vice president of product and advanced planning and strategy at Nissan, hinted that his company may offer multi-pack size option that might increase range to 400 km.
Nissan have been working in a lithium nickel manganese cobalt battery chemistry since 2009 that was expected to enter production by 2015.
Nissan has not announced timing for the next-generation Leaf. But Palmer said the car is on a normal product cadence, from a full global launch dating to 2013: “I think if you thought about a normal model cycle from 2013, that would be more realistic.”
That would put the next Leaf’s arrival just after Nissan’s Power 88 business plan, which ends March 31, 2017, he added.
The Infiniti EV, however, will go on sale “close enough to be counted” as part of Power 88 and should arrive before the luxury brand gets its long-awaited top-shelf halo car, Palmer said.
“I think the EV will come earlier,” Palmer said, citing tightening government emissions rules, particularly in China. “To some extent, EV is now becoming practically a requirement.”
Better batteries
The Infiniti EV will get the company’s next-generation battery chemistry and feature wireless inductive charging, he said.
Infiniti had delayed the EV to wait for better battery technology. The debut was initially slated for 2014.
The Infiniti EV may have a greater range than the Leaf because its sedan packaging can accommodate a bigger battery.
BMW's i3 is already on the market and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is poised for its own launch but what of a rival for the Tesla Model S?
We recently reported on BMW considering a large battery powered sedan to compete head on with Tesla's Model S. The guys at Auto Projecoes envisage a "family" i8, with four doors and longer wheelbase as a fitting Model S rival.
Source: Auto Projeções
Jason Cammisa of Road & Track brings us the first real world performance numbers of the new BMW i8. One interesting figure that stands out is the 0 to 60 mph which was recorded at 3.8 seconds. You can also read our BMW i8 test drive here.
BMW i8 uses a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a turbocharged three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine and BMW eDrive technology in the form of an electric drive system.
In the rear of the BMW i8, the B38 three-cylinder engine makes 231 hp and delivers its power solely to the rear wheels. At the front, an electric motor is installed, which is powered by a lithium-ion battery in the middle of the vehicle. The system performance drives up to 362 horsepower.
With the all-electric BMW i3 already on the market and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car poised for its own launch, the BMW Group portfolio boasts the world’s first premium automobiles purpose-designed for zero-emission mobility.
The international media launch of the BMW i8 in Los Angeles will include the presentation of a solar carport concept developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA for the use of renewable energy. It combines high-grade technology for generating electricity from solar power with an innovative design that perfectly complements the BMW i models.
In its choice of materials, design and colour, the DesignworksUSA carport concept takes its cue from the characteristic styling of the BMW i models to form a harmonious counterpart. The holistic sustainability concept is underlined by the materials used in the construction of the carport and by its solar modules. In addition to the carbon elements on the side of the carport, the principal material used is bamboo in the form of struts. Thanks to its rapid growth, bamboo is considered a particularly sustainable raw material. For the generation of electricity, high-grade glass-on-glass solar modules are used. These are translucent and very durable, as well as generating a high energy yield. For the panels used in Europe, the manufacturer offers a 30-year guarantee.
The solar carport not only guarantees the supply of green power but furthermore allows for energy self-sufficiency, so that customers remain independent of electricity prices. In conjunction with the BMW i Wallbox Pro, the car can be specifically charged with solar electricity from the carport. The Wallbox also indicates the amount of solar energy that goes into the car and provides an analysis of recent charging processes which shows the respective proportions of solar and grid power. If the solar panels provide energy beyond the requirements of the vehicle, this surplus solar power can be put to domestic use.
Generating private electricity with the aid of solar collectors and feeding this CO2-free energy via the BMW i Wallbox into the vehicle’s high-voltage battery further optimises of the life cycle assessment of the BMW i models. Regularly hooking up the high-voltage battery to the Wallbox connected to the solar carport enables a high degree of CO2-neutral usage of the BMW i8. With a fully charged high-voltage battery, the plug-in hybrid sports car has a range of around 37 kilometres (22 miles) in all-electric mode.
During development of the solar carport concept by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, the spotlight was firmly on the harmonious interplay between vehicle design and architecture. The glass-on-glass solar modules of the carport are supported by exclusively designed bamboo and carbon elements that authentically reflect the hallmark lines and surface sculpting of the BMW i automobiles. “With the solar carport concept we opted for a holistic approach: not only is the vehicle itself sustainable, but so is its energy supply,” explains Tom Allemann, who is responsible for the carport design at BMW Group DesignworksUSA. “This is therefore an entirely new generation of carports that allows energy to be produced in a simple and transparent way. It renders the overarching theme of lightweight design both visible and palpable.” The BMW Group subsidiary headquartered in California runs an international design studio network in Europe, Asia and America. As an impulse-generator in the fields of design and innovation, the company works for the BMW Group brands as well as for numerous other high-profile international clients spanning a range of industrial sectors.
