Electric Stream Flow: Designing the BMW i3
BMW undoubtedly knew that it would have to start from scratch with the design of its electric i3 platform; putting batteries and motors onto a gasoline platform would not have been enough.
World’s First Road Embedded Wireless Electric Vehicle Network Opens
Two cordless rechargeable Hyundai battery electric buses have been put in service this week in a pilot program in Gumi, South Korea.
The Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV), developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is an electric vehicle that can be charged while stationary or driving, thus removing the need to stop at a charging station. Likewise, an OLEV tram does not require pantographs to feed power from electric wires strung above the tram route.
Two OLEV buses will run an inner city route between Gumi Train Station and In-dong district, for a total of 24 km roundtrip. The bus will receive 20 kHz and 100 kW (136 horsepower) electricity at an 85% maximum power transmission efficiency rate while maintaining a 17cm air gap between the underbody of the vehicle and the road surface.
OLEV is a groundbreaking technology that accelerates the development of purely electric vehicles as a viable option for future transportation systems, be they personal vehicles or public transit. This is accomplished by solving technological issues that limit the commercialization of electric vehicles such as price, weight, volume, driving distance, and lack of charging infrastructure.
OLEV receives power wirelessly through the application of the "Shaped Magnetic Field in Resonance (SMFIR)" technology. SMFIR is a new technology introduced by KAIST that enables electric vehicles to transfer electricity wirelessly from the road surface while moving.
Power comes from the electrical cables buried under the surface of the road, creating magnetic fields. There is a receiving device installed on the underbody of the OLEV that converts these fields into electricity. The length of power strips installed under the road is generally 5%-15% of the entire road, requiring only a few sections of the road to be rebuilt with the embedded cables.
OLEV has a small battery (one-third of the size of the battery equipped with a regular electric car). The vehicle complies with the international electromagnetic fields (EMF) standards of 62.5 mG, within the margin of safety level necessary for human health.
The road has a smart function as well, to distinguish OLEV buses from regular cars—the segment technology is employed to control the power supply by switching on the power strip when OLEV buses pass along, but switching it off for other vehicles, thereby preventing EMF exposure and standby power consumption. As of today, the SMFIR technology supplies 60 kHz and 180 kW of power remotely to transport vehicles at a stable, constant rate.
After the successful operation of the two OLEV buses by the end of this year, Gumi City plans to provide ten more such buses by 2015.
Tesla working on an all-wheel drive Model S
The Tesla Model S has quickly become one of the most desirable electric vehicles to ever be produced and a new report is indicating the company is developing an all-wheel variant.
Details are limited, but The Verge is reporting the all-wheel drive model could be launched as early as next year in an "ultra-premium" trim level. The car will apparently be based on the P85 variant and be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds or less. After the initial roll-out, the all-wheel drive system could become optional on less expensive models.
Tesla declined to comment on the report, but the company has already announced plans to offer an optional all-wheel drive system on the Model X crossover. The system uses an electric motor at each axle for improved grip and acceleration.
Why All-wheel-drive? Well quite simply, luxury buyers in the key northeast US and northern European markets expect it. And you can thank Audi for that. But it’s not just Audi, every other luxury brand offers all-wheel-drive on their core sedans.
Toyota launches Corolla hybrid models in Japan
Toyota have released a hybrid versions of its flagship Corolla model in Japan on Tuesday now that the cutting-edge vehicles are becoming the main battleground of the Japanese car market.
Until now, the automaker has offered hybrid versions of its more expensive cars, in addition to hybrid-only models. But now a mass-market model is part of the lineup.
hybrid versions of the Corolla Axio sedan and Corolla Fielder station wagon were released in Japan. In addition, there will be a special Corolla Fielder Hybrid G Aerotourer·WxB grade. Monthly sales target for Japan are 1,000 units of the Corolla Axio hybrid and 1,500 units of the Corolla Fielder hybrid.
Both models are powered by a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine that develops 74 HP (54 kW) and 111 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque. It is backed up by an electric motor that has a maximum output of 61 HP (45 kW) and 169 Nm (124 lb-ft) of torque. This enables the model to have a combined output of 100 HP (73 kW) and a fuel economy rating of 3.0 L/100km (77.6 mpg US / 93.2 mpg UK) in the JC08 test cycle.
The NiMH hybrid battery is placed under the rear seat for more efficient use of interior space. Rear seat knee space is 640 mm, achieving comfort on par with gasoline-engine vehicles. Luggage space is also comparable to gasoline-engine vehicles, with the Corolla Axio possessing 461 liters and the Corolla Fielder possessing 407 liters when carrying five passengers and 872 liters when carrying two passengers.
Suspension and shock absorber settings were adjusted to accommodate the increased weight and lower center of gravity of the hybrid system. The use of additional sound insulation material and noise-reducing windshield glass further enhances cabin quietness.
Two drive modes come standard: the Eco-Drive Mode that gives highest priority to fuel economy and the EV Drive Mode for using only the electric motor.
Starting price for the Axio Hybrid is ¥1,925,000 (US$19,589); starting price for the Fielder Hybrid is ¥2,085,000 (US$21,217).
GM Cuts Chevy Volt Price by $5,000 to Compete with Leaf – Prius
General Motors cut the starting price of the plug-in hybrid sedan by $5,000 to compete against the less-expensive and better-selling Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf.
The 2014 Volt, arriving in U.S. dealerships later this month, will start at $34,995, the Detroit-based automaker said today in an e-mailed statement. The price cut comes, in part, to make sure the Volt shows up in online shopping searches along with the Prius and Leaf, which start, respectively, at $25,010 and $29,650, including destination fees, GM said.
“GM is getting with the times,” Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst with Edmunds.com, a website that tracks auto pricing, said in an e-mail. “Consumers want electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles at prices competitive with other vehicles without the advanced technology.”
The model, which is eligible for a $7,500 U.S. tax credit, was introduced in 2010. Volt is GM’s flagship car for its efforts to have about 500,000 vehicles on the road by 2017 with some form of electrification. The car can travel 38 miles (61 kilometers) on battery power before a gasoline engine engages.
“We have made great strides in reducing costs as we gain experience with electric vehicles and their components,” Don Johnson, Chevrolet U.S. sales vice president, said in the statement
Volt Sales
While Volt sales rose 9.2 percent through July, deliveries slipped 3.3 percent last month. That followed a 53 percent gain in June when the average cost of incentives per Volt was $6,195, according to Edmunds, citing the most recent month with available data.
Leaf sales accelerated this year after Nissan in January added an S version of the Leaf that’s cheaper than the SV and SL models. Unlike the Volt, the Leaf has no extended range engine. Leaf sales more than tripled to 11,703 through July from 3,543 during the same period a year earlier, outselling Volt in the U.S. by 60 vehicles.
Toyota’s Prius is the most frequently traded-in vehicle for a Volt, GM said in the statement.
U.S. sales of the Prius were little changed through July with 143,508 deliveries. Those results include sales of a plug-in version of the Prius, which saw deliveries slip 8.3 percent, according to researcher Autodata Corp. The plug-in Prius starts at $32,810. Toyota also sells a subcompact Prius c that sells for $19,890.
Consumer Reports
The Volt, chosen as 2011’s North American Car of the Year, succeeded in satisfying its customers, with 92 percent of survey respondents telling Consumer Reports they would buy one again.
Wheelies: The Power of Pickups Edition
Ford adds a third shift at its Kansas City plant to keep up with demand for F-Series pickups, and Consumer Reports tops its best sedans list with the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
Ten Bucks a Litre – Dick Smith Documentary cherry picks the facts [VIDEO]
A recently aired Australian documentary by local eccentric millionaire Dick Smith about alternatives to fossil fuels has stirred quite a hornets nest of feedback, both positive and negative.
While on the whole the Doco was fairly interesting and we here at EV News noted Dick's enthusiasm for electric cars, the facts seem to have been seriously cherry picked.
The EV segment starts @47 mins with Dick enthusing about an EV powered only by renewables and which has Vehicle to Grid Technology (V2G) that can held smooth the intermittency of renewables.
The cherry picking starts @50 mins when to close the segment Dick holds up a flask containing 1 litre of fuel stating that it weighs 700 grams and will take an average car approx 10km. The bad news for EV's, we are told, is that the equivalent battery would weigh 25x as much! End of argument apparently and the story moves onto bio-fuels.
What Dick failed to mention was that the equivalent of the 1 litre of fuel stored in an EV battery can propel an electric car 10x as far (100 km)... surely a worthy trade-off in energy efficiency Dick?
Of course, battery power may not be a solution for his Helicopter any time soon although Dick was so impressed with EVs he is now the proud owner of a solar powered Nissan Leaf
Acura NSX Hybrid Prototype Laps Mid-Ohio Race Circuit [VIDEO]
It's not finished. But it is complete. The Acura NSX concept has moved to prototype and added an essential piece, a driver. The prototype NSX supercar took to the racetrack just prior to the Honda Indy 200 IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Utilizing a unique 2 Electric Motor DriveUnit with a bilateral torque adjustable control system, the new hybrid all-wheel-drive system can instantly generate negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering, which Honda anticipates will deliver handling performance unmatched by previous AWD systems.
In addition to the handling benefits of the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system, a powerful next-generation VTEC V-6 engine with direct-injection, works in concert with a dual clutch transmission and a third electric traction motor integrated within the transmission housing, to create supercar acceleration while offering outstanding efficiency.
This Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system will make the NSX the ultimate expression of, "the synergy between man and machine," added Ito. "The NSX will make the driver one with the car to enhance dynamic driving abilities without getting in the way."
Honda (UK) has opened a pre-order bank for the hotly anticipated supercar. For a deposit of £5,000 potential owners can be among the first in the UK to get behind the wheel of the brand new NSX when it hits showrooms in 2015.
Navigating the Greenway: 1,200 Miles Journey in an Electric Bicycle-Car
Mark Stewart wanted a bicycle he could use during cold Massachusetts winters. He has ended up riding his Elf bicycle-car from North Carolina to Cambridge, Mass., this summer.
Tesla Model S P85 vs 2008 Mitsubishi Evo GSR – Standing Start [VIDEO]
More Tesla Model S street racing from the guys at Drag Times. This time they're racing the Model S Performance against a 2008 Mitsubishi Evo is running 25 psi boots with a full turbo back exhaust, tune, intake and upgraded clutch.
This race is from a standing start with the Evo using a 5,500 rpm Launch control to build turbo boost while stationary.
