Chevy Volt and Bolt Start the Year With So-So Sales

Chevrolet’s two plug-in cars with the similar names – the Volt and Bolt – got off to tepid sales starts this year, with the Bolt doing comparatively better.

General Motors reported 1,177 Bolt EVs sold in January, a mild 1.3-percent increase over last year’s 1,162, whereas the Volt EREV saw 713 deliveries, a 55.7-percent decline over January 2017’s 1,611.

The Bolt’s number, while up, also comes against the fact that it is now nationally available, and a year ago at this time it was not, but still early in its schedule of rolling out to the nation. Sales of the 238-mile range electric car had started in Oregon and California in December 2016, and so, its availability was less. A 1.3-percent year-over-year increase therefore is not a super-sized uptick.

By contrast, the Volt, which was nationally available a year ago is purely down. It also finished 2017 a bit behind the Bolt with 20,349 sales to the Bolt’s 23,297. The Bolt was the second-best selling plug-in car in the U.S. behind an estimated 26,500 deliveries of the Tesla Model S. The Volt placed fifth behind the Tesla Model S, Bolt, Tesla Model X, and Prius Prime.

What lies ahead this year for the two cars saleswise is an open question.

Their slow starts in a historically slow sales month are not necessarily any real indicator, but a lower-priced all-new Nissan Leaf, potentially Tesla’s Model 3 which is still supposed to increase production to fill a big backlog, and other cars will also vie for mindshare.

Green car analyst Alan Baum is not projecting more than 25,000 for either one, but as is always true, no one actually knows the future.

HybridCars.com

Nissan Sets Replacement Cost Of 24 kWh LEAF Battery At $5,499

When electric cars first appeared on the scene circa 2010, lots of people asked, “How much does it cost to replace the battery?” Now Nissan has given a definitive answer to that question. If you own a 2011 to 2015 Nissan LEAF, replacing the battery will cost you exactly $5,499, plus installation, which the company estimates will take about 3 hours.  Owners of 2011 and 2012 cars must also add $225 for a special adapter kit to retrofit the new battery to their cars.

Hey, that’s not too bad, is it? After all, take your Belchfire 5000 to your local dealer and ask them how much it will cost to replace the internal combustion engine if if throws a rod and pukes oil all over itself. You would be lucky to get a new engine for a paltry $5,500.

There are a couple of stipulations you should be aware of. First, you must own the car that is having the battery replaced. Second, if you have a loan outstanding on the car, you will need to get the lender’s approval for the swap. Three, the original battery goes back to Nissan for recycling or use in a grid storage system. You can’t keep it and use it as a coffee table in your living room. Nissan assigns the old battery a value of $1,000.

You can finance the purchase of the new battery through Nissan if you wish. The company says to figure on a monthly payment of around $100. Once the new battery is paid for, you own it. It is not a lease or a rental arrangement. The replacement battery will have the benefit of all the latest improvements, including cooling upgrades. The new battery is what Nissan calls its “lizard battery.” meaning it is not as susceptible to early degradation if used in a hot climate.

The warranty on the new battery is the same as it is in a brand new LEAF — 8 years/100,000 miles against defects and 5 years/60,000 miles against capacity loss. “These replacement batteries are the same battery found in 2015 LEAF vehicles, which are also on sale now at Nissan dealers. As a replacement, this battery is expected to provide similar range and charging characteristics as the battery offered since the launch of the LEAF in 2010,” Nissan says.

Source: Nissan  Hat Tip: Leif Hansen

Hyundai-Kia: eight electric cars by 2022, dedicated EV platform

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric - frame from video road test

It's long been said in the auto industry that Hyundai-Kia is the only competitor that truly scares industry colossus Toyota.

Thirty years ago, the Korean company was a bit player, producing designs adapted from obsolete Mitsubishi technology.

Today it's a major global player, reacting fast to market swings—and its goal is to be second only to Toyota itself in global production of green cars by 2020.

One more example of Hyundai's adaptation to changing market conditions came today in an announcement Thursday that it would place electric cars at the center of its future product strategy.

As part of that shift, it will expand its portfolio of battery-electric vehicles to newly independent luxury brand Genesis, which will get a long-range electric car to compete directly with Tesla as well as several future German electric models.

The new Hyundai electric car will be a luxury sedan to arrive in 2021, according to a Reuters report early Thursday that expanded on the Hyundai release.

2017 Kia Soul EV

The future Genesis competitor for the Tesla Model S may be the company's first "long range" electric vehicle (meaning 200 to 300 miles on a charge), but it won't be the last.

Before that, an all-electric Hyundai Kona subcompact crossover utility vehicle will launch next year, perhaps with a range of 125 to 200 miles.

The combined Hyundai and Kia brands have added three further models to their green-car lineup (hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electrics, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles), for a total of 31 separate vehicle versions by 2020.

In 2014, when Hyundai announced its plan to become the world's second-largest maker of green cars by 2020, just two of 22 planned models were to be pure battery-electrics.

Now, fully eight of the expanded roster of 31 cars will be all-electric, with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Kia Soul EV already in production jointed by the battery-powered Kona and an all-electric Kia Niro that may replace the Soul EV.

While Hyundai also released images of its future hydrogen-powered large crossover vehicle, which will be formally unveiled next year, only two of the planned 31 vehicles will use fuel cells.

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric (European spec), 2016 Geneva Motor Show

The company also confirmed earlier reports that it would create its first dedicated electric-car platform, a strategy so far only followed by General Motors (with its Bolt EV and future derivatives), Tesla, and arguably Nissan for its Leaf.

Some coverage of Hyundai's announcement has presented it as a strategic shift, but it can be more accurately viewed as an evolution and expansion of the company's green-car plans.

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric, launched over the last 12 months in several markets around the world, has proven more popular than expected, Hyundai says, leading to short supplies in several countries.

With 124 miles of EPA-rated range, the electric Ioniq combines a conventional and intuitive interior design with a high-tailed hatchback body that doesn't particularly read as either "green" or "electric."

That may be a winning combination, and Hyundai's use of its underpinnings for a conventional hybrid (the highest volume model by far) and a plug-in hybrid variant as well should provide economies of scale.

Hyundai is historically strong in value for money even as new generations of its cars and crossovers go from strength to strength, and the Ioniq may be viewed as a cost-effective alternative for buyers who dislike the latest Prius design.

April EV Sales Results - More Range Equals More Sales

The numbers are in and they show EV sales were up sharply in April, thanks in large part to two electric cars that boast longer range — the BMW i3 and the Renualt Zoe. The i3 now comes with a 33 kWh battery, which is 50% larger than it debuted with a few years ago. Range is now listed at 114 miles as compared to 82 miles for the original. Buyers have responded. Twice as many i3 sedan found new homes in April of this year as did a year ago.

In France, the Renault Zoe, which is a close cousin to the Nissan LEAF, also has a new battery with longer range. Except in base trim, the car now sports a 41 kWh battery and an estimated range of 186 miles in the European testing cycle. That has propelled the Zoe to the top of the sales charts in France and made it a strong seller in many other European countries.

The proof that battery technology is evolving at a rapid pace is that both the new BMW battery and the new Renault battery (sourced from LG Chem) fit in the same space as the smaller batteries the cars came with initially.

BMW is ecstatic about the surge in i3 and i8 sales. “We are therefore well on course to delivering more than 100,000 electrified vehicles for the first time in 2017,” says Harald Kreuger, chairman of the board at BMW. Sales of electrified cars accounted for 3% of BMW’s global business in April.

Sharp eyed readers will notice the chart shown above does not mention Tesla. That is because Tesla does not report sales monthly as the rest of the industry does, nor does it break out sales information by country. Instead it reports global sales on a quarterly basis. For the first quarter of 2017, it said it delivered 25,000 cars — 13,540 Model S sedans and 11,550 Model X SUVs, making it one of the global leaders in electric car sales.

Source and chart credit: CleanTechnica via EV Obsession

Modified Nissan LEAF Will Compete In 10,000 Mile Long Mongol Rally

If you were planning to drive from the UK to Mongolia on rudimentary road, would you choose a Nissan LEAF for the journey? That’s what Plug In Adventures has decided to do. They have modified a stock Nissan LEAF with the 30 kWh battery to take on the journey. They call their car an AT-EV, which stands for All Terrain Electric Vehicle. Part of their mission is to introduce people who may never have seen an electric car to the idea of fossil fuel free motoring as they go. They will also chart where charging facilities can be found along the way to help other electric car drivers in the future.

The modifications to their Nissan LEAF are really quite modest. The rear seat has been removed. The stock wheels and tires have been swapped for Speedline SL2 Marmora wheels and Maxsport RB3 narrow tires for better performance on unpaved roads. Steel plates have been welded to the underside of the suspension wishbones to protect them from damage from rocks and other road hazards. A 6 millimeter thick sump guard has been installed beneath the motor for the same reason.

An external roof rack has been added for extra storage with a Lazer Triple-R 16 LED light bar has been mounted to it to help light up the road when the journey transitions to darkened roadways far from civilization. Reinforced braided stainless steel brake lines have also been substitute for the stock items. A fire extinguisher and medical kit were added to the trunk area.

“The Mongol Rally is our most challenging electric vehicle drive to date, but it’s one we’ve been planning for a number of years,” said Chris Ramsey, founder of Plug In Adventures. “Not only will we face a dwindling number of EV chargers the farther east we go, the terrain also becomes more difficult to navigate.

“Using a Nissan LEAF for this was an obvious decision. I’m familiar with the car; it’s always been reliable and dependable for me, and it has the largest network of rapid charging options in Europe. As it will also accept a 240v Commando connection even in the remote areas when my fast-charge options are gone, I can still charge the battery and keep moving.

“This journey is about the travel experience, though – not reaching the destination in a fast time. I can’t wait to get out on the road and introduce more people to the advantages of electric vehicles, whatever country they’re from.”

Cleantechnica Editor in Chief Zachary Shahan has been using a Nissan LEAF as his daily driver for over a year and reports the car is indeed dependable and reliable — just the thing, in other words, for a 10,000 mile adventure on roads that vary from poor to non-existent.

Source: CleanTechnica  Photo credits: Plug In Adventures

The Best Electric Cars Under $40,000 You Can Buy Now

Thinking about an electric car? Not sure which one is best for you? The editors of Kelly Blue Book have picked the five best electric cars that sell for under $40,000 and ranked them according to a number of criteria including range, comfort, and performance. Here they are, starting at the bottom of the list and working upward to the top.

#5 — Nissan LEAF

In many ways, the Nissan LEAF started the electric car movement. It first went on sale in America in 2011 and has remained the same in appearance since then. Its styling may be its weakest points, with a slightly goofy front end and an oddly styled rear that few people find attractive. But inside, it is roomy and has plenty of cargo space. The LEAF is the best selling electric car of all time with over 250,000 now on the road worldwide. Gas2 readers who drive a LEAF have nothing but good things to say about their cars. Here are its specs:

Starting Price: $31,545
Range per full charge: 107 miles
Charging time at 240V: About 6 hours
Power: 107 horsepower, 187 lb-ft of torque
0-60 miles per hour: About 10 seconds
Battery: 30-kWh lithium-ion
EPA fuel economy equivalent: 112 MPGe (city/highway combined)

The LEAF is available in three trim levels — S, SV, and SL. The top of the line SL comes with plenty of tech features to keep the driver connected and entertained. It also uses a heat pump to heat the interior — an important feature in cold climates. The S uses an old fashioned ribbon heater that consumers a lot of battery power. KBB says, “If you drive less than 100 miles a day and want an electric vehicle at a mainstream price, the Nissan LEAF is about as mainstream as it gets for battery powered cars.

#4 — Kia Soul EV

The Kia Soul is a phenomenon. The cute little box on wheels is extremely popular with people of all ages, who see it as a fun and fresh alternative to other cars on the market. The innovative happy hamster ad campaign that introduced the Kia Soul to America helped establish it as a favorite for anyone who wants to enjoy driving while getting from Point A to Point B. Among electric cars, which tend to be mostly boring sedans, the Kia Soul EV is definitely the Plan B alternative. Here are its vital statistics:

Starting Price: $33,145
Range per full charge: 93 miles
Charging time at 240V: 4.8 hours
Power: 109 horsepower, 210 lb-ft of torque
0-60 miles per hour: About 11.2 seconds
Battery: 27-kWh lithium-ion polymer
EPA fuel economy equivalent: 105 MPGe (city/highway combined)

Range is the weak point for the Kia Soul EV. Even thought the average American drives less than 30 miles a day, 93 miles of range is at the low end for electric cars in 2017. But if that doesn’t put you off, the Soul EV could be just the EV you need. KBB says, “The 2017 Kia Soul is a compelling choice for anybody searching for a nifty looking, fun driving and feature filled affordable compact car. It looks like nothing else on the road, can’t help but put out a fun vibe, and is quite practical thanks to a roomy interior.”

#3 — Volkswagen e-Golf

The Volkswagen Golf, which started its life in the US as the Rabbit, is  now in its fifth generation. That means the company has had over 30 years to smooth and hone the Golf into a world class small sedan. The e-Golf gets the advantage of all that attention to detail. It is smartly styled with the kind of ride and handling German engineers are famous for. For 2017, the e-Golf has a larger battery that gives it significantly more range. The e-Golf is sold only in California and the other US states that adhere to the emissions regulations promulgated by the California Air Resources Board.

Starting price: Prices in the US are yet to be announced by expected to start at around $30,000
Range per full charge: 125 miles
Charge time at 240V: 5.3 hours
Power: 134 horsepower, 214 lb-ft of torque
0-60 miles per hour: About 9.6 seconds
Battery: 35.8-kWh lithium-ion
EPA fuel economy equivalent: 119 MPGe (city/highway combined)

The Volkswagen e-Golf may be the best handling electric sedan since it shares all its underpinings like chassis, springs, shocks, and brakes with the regular Golf. If a car that is entertaining to drive is high on your priority list, the e-Golf may just be the car for you. DC fast charging is available on certain models, which means drivers can get an 80% charge in about an hour when connected to a Level 3 charger.

The e-Golf has an available Forward Collision Warning/Autonomous Emergency Braking system that includes pedestrian detection. The available Driver Assistance Package now includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot/rear-traffic/lane-departure alerts, parking assist, and automatic high-beams.

#2 — Hyundai Ioniq Electric

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 door hatchback sedan can be had in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric form. That gives Hyundai the flexibility to adjust production to meet the demands of customers at a time when changes in the market are happening quickly. The Ioniq has the advantage of being one of the newest electric cars. The LEAF, the Soul, and the Golf are now all seasoned veterans whose basic architecture is nearly a decade or more old. Here are the numbers:

Starting price: $30,335
Range per full charge: 124 miles
Charge time at 240V: 4.4 hours
Power: 118 horsepower, 215 lb-ft of torque
0-60 miles per hour: About 10 seconds
Battery: 28-kWh lithium-ion polymer
EPA fuel economy equivalent: 136 MPGe (city/highway combined)

Notice that the Ioniq has about the same range as the e-Golf with a slightly smaller battery. Hyundai is pricing all three versions of the Ioniq aggressively in order to build market share. Less battery in a lighter, slipperier package helps keep the price of the Ioniq Electric low. It is also the leader in terms of interior volume, thanks to its 5 door hatchback design. KBB says, “With a reasonable base price and a laundry list of standard and available features, the sporty-ish Ioniq feels like a premium compact car.” Who says you have to sacrifice comfort and convenience to drive an electric car?

#1 — Chevy Bolt

The all new Chevy Bolt is getting a warm reception from the motoring press. Its biggest feature is its range — 238 miles. That is almost double the range of the e-Golf or Ioniq Electric. Like the Hyundai offering, it is a five door hatchback design. Call it an SUV, a crossover, or a cute ute, it is more in keeping with what American shoppers are clamoring for than any of the other cars in this group.

People who have driven the Bolt rave about its performance and comfort but are less complimentary about its somewhat cramped interior, especially with 5 passengers on board. Here are the specs on the Bolt:

Starting price: $37,495
Range per full charge: 238 miles
Charge time at 240V: 9.3 hours
Power: 200 horsepower, 266 lb-ft of torque
0-60 miles per hour: About 6.5 seconds
Battery: 60-kWh lithium-ion
EPA fuel economy equivalent: 119 MPGe (city/highway combined)

KBB says, “Simply put, the new Chevy Bolt EV is the most compelling pure electric vehicle produced to date. With its 238-mile EPA range, an impressive feature set, solid driving dynamics and an affordable price point, it really can take the place of a conventional alternative for many buyers.”

The Wrap Up

All five of the cars in this Best Electric Cars Under $40,000 group have pluses and minuses. The Soul EV is the most fun. The e-Golf has the best handling. The Ioniq Electric has the largest interior.  The Bolt has the longest range, but its starting price is also about $7,000 more than the others in the group. The LEAF is tried and true, although you should be aware that a completely redesigned car is rumor for 2018.

Which is best for you? Every driver has unique wants and needs. The important thing if you are considering an electric car is to go drive one. Better yet, drive them all. You can read specs all day long but they can’t tell how a car will make you feel. Electric cars have come a long way since the LEAF went on sale 6 years ago. You owe it to yourself to find out why the vast majority of electric car drivers are glad they dumped the pump and decided to do their motoring using electrons instead of molecules.

Source: Kelly Blue Book

US Electric Car Drivers Have Logged Over 11 Billion Miles

Since the electric car era began in 2010 with the introduction of the Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF, US electric car drivers have logged 11 billion miles according to Plugless, a website that promotes wireless charging. It also claims US EV drivers have accumulated more than 1 million hours of wireless charging. The Volt and LEAF are responsible for the majority of those miles but the Tesla Model S is catching up fast. Together, the three cars account for 76% of those miles.

Plugless estimates the Chevy Volt is responsible for about 3 billion miles, the Nissan LEAF just under 3 billion miles, and the Tesla Model S about 2.2 billion miles.

“While the Volt and LEAF total cumulative miles are essentially a dead heat, why is the Tesla Model S, with its longer range (which seems to account for a larger monthly e-miles driven) lagging? It’s just a matter of time. Volt and LEAF sales began a few years ahead of the Model S and this chart shows the Model S tracking at roughly the same curve just two years later,” says Plugless.

With the Model S and Model X now each selling strongly,  Tesla is poised take the lead soon. It gained 3% in share of total US e-miles between January of 2016 and 2017, while Nissan and GM’s share each shrank by 3%. Its surge toward the front of the pack is due to two primary factors. First, each Tesla owner drives more e-miles because Teslas have a long enough range to be “everything cars.” Second, the addition of Model X e-miles is rapidly adding e-miles to the Tesla fleet and will help accelerate that growth.

At at time when auto executives like Ford’s Mark Fields are whining constantly that no one wants to buy an electric car, the figures indicate that actually quite a few Americans do want to and are racking up electric miles at an exponentially expanding rate.

Source: Electric Cars Report  Graphs by Plugless

EV Purchase Incentives Are Under Fire In Many US States

With the early introduction of affordable, long-range EVs like the Chevy Bolt (with 238 miles of range) and the Tesla Model 3 (slated to move into production in July with 200+ miles of range), 2017 is expected to see banner sales of electric vehicles.

However, the transition to EVs also represents a drastic change from long-established global business models that have grown accustomed to generating billions of dollars of profit each year from the legacy automobile industry and the fossil fuels they consume.

While the fossil fuel industry has resisted EVs over the years, the war is only beginning. As the Tesla Model 3 production ramp up hits its stride and the Early Adopters give way to the Early Majority in the EV adoption curve, Big Oil will start to feel the pain as gasoline consumption drops and erodes demand of an already unstable commodity.

With these changes on the horizon, 2017 is shaping up to be a big year for Big Oil in the fight against EVs, and it is taking the fight to the states. Increased fees levied on EVs is not just about Big Oil pushing back on the new guy on the block — many states have built taxes to fund road construction and repair into the price of gas and are looking for new mechanisms for recouping these costs.

Is a new annual fee on EVs the best way to pay for roads? How about a tax on tires, which has a more linear relationship with actual road wear incurred by the vehicle? These new taxation models are colliding with and being combined with the untimely elimination of state EV purchase incentives for a come-along effect on EV sales.

Georgia, for instance, went from having a $5,000 EV incentive to now having an extra $200 fee on EVs to help recoup taxes lost from EV drivers not having to stop at the pump.

Hiroko Tabuchi noted in a recent New York Times piece just how broad the attack on EV credits is:

Today, the economic incentives that have helped electric vehicles gain a toehold in America are under attack, state by state. In some states, there is a move to repeal tax credits for battery-powered vehicles or to let them expire. And in at least nine states, including liberal-leaning ones like Illinois and conservative-leaning ones like Indiana, lawmakers have introduced bills that would levy new fees on those who own electric cars.

…

In Colorado, a bill that would end income tax credits for owners of electric and alternative-fuel vehicles is working its way through the legislature. In Utah, lawmakers voted this month against extending the state’s tax credit for electric cars.

The measure in Colorado has been backed publicly by Americans for Prosperity, an advocacy group founded by the conservative billionaire brothers David H. and Charles G. Koch, whose wealth is founded on their petrochemicals empire.

While the elimination of purchase incentives is happening for a variety of reasons under dozens of guises across the nation, it is clear that Big Oil is scared, and for good reason. EVs are poised for liftoff on the new technology adoption curve that we have seen with so many disruptive technologies in the past.

The change will not go down in the history books as a peaceful transition, but with billions on the line, the petrochemical industry is gearing up for war and the fight is going to get ugly.

But all is not lost. EV purchase incentives still exist in 16 states, with new local incentives coming online to support the cornerstone federal tax credit almost every day. Get involved. No matter what country you live in, whether you’re in a Red or Blue region, whether the power comes from coal or solar, or whether you can even afford a car or not, get involved.

The push towards the electrification of personal transportation is a key stepping stone in the journey toward a low-carbon and even a zero-emission society, and it’s going to take decades. The faster the transition, the higher the chance we as a species have of averting the extreme effects of climate change on our planet and on the people of the world.