Audi increases upfront expenditure for electric mobility; €12B by 2024

Audi AG plans an outlay of approximately €37 billion for research and development expenditure and investment in property, plant and equipment over the next five years (2020 to 2024).

The current planning reflects a significant improvement in investment and cost discipline, as well as the strong prioritization of investments in electric mobility. The manufacturer is planning an upfront expenditure of €12 billion solely for electric mobility—more than ever before.

The Audi Transformation Plan (ATP), launched two years ago, is freeing up the necessary funds. Since the start of the program, the ATP has already contributed €4 billion to earnings. Furthermore, measures taken in the context of Audi.Zukunft are to free up approximately €6 billion for future investments by 2029.

With our Consistently Audi strategy, we are accelerating our roadmap towards electrification. Our investment planning takes this into account. At around €12 billion, we will spend more than ever before on electric mobility by 2024.

—Alexander Seitz, Board of Management Member for Finance, China and Legal Affairs at Audi AG

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By 2025, the Audi Group intends to have more than 30 electrified models in its product range, 20 of which will be fully electric. Audi intends to achieve about 40% of its worldwide unit sales with all-electric and hybridized automobiles by then.

In order to achieve the rapid scaling of electric mobility, Audi is working with Porsche to develop the premium electrification architecture (PPE) for large electric cars; the Modular E Drive System (MEB) is being developed together with Volkswagen. The cross-brand architectures will enable high Group synergies to be utilized in the future.

In order to finance the high investment required to realign the business model, the company launched the Audi Transformation Plan (ATP). This earnings-improvement program is to free up a total of €15 billion for future investments by 2022. The ATP has already contributed more than €4 billion to operating profit since it was launched.

With the ATP, we have significantly improved our spending discipline and our focus on investment. The course has been set for Audi to return to an operating return on sales within the strategic target corridor of 9 to 11 percent in the medium term.

—Alexander Seitz

Measures have already been identified for 80% of the program.

Audi.Zukunft, a fundamental agreement reached on 26 November between the company’s management and the employee representatives, will also make a crucial contribution towards ensuring Audi’s long-term competitiveness. The agreement includes the market-oriented optimization of strategic production capacities at the two German plants and socially responsible workforce adjustments.

The agreement strengthens new job profiles in apprenticeships and further training and extends the employment guarantee until the end of 2029. At the same time, the Works Council and the company’s management have agreed to cut up to 9,500 jobs until 2025.

The reductions will take place along the demographic curve—in particular through employee turnover and a new, attractive early-retirement program. An equivalent percentage staff reduction will take place in management.

Nonetheless, Audi will continue to recruit in the coming years. The company plans to create up to 2,000 new expert positions in areas such as electric mobility and digitalization. Those appointments will be made on the principle of internal before external candidates.

The measures agreed upon within the framework of Audi.Zukunft are expected to have a cumulative positive impact on earnings of approximately €6 billion by 2029, which is to be available for investments in the future.

Kia Niro EV Will Get 236 Miles of Range

This time, the Korean automaker unveiled two new battery options, a U.S.-exclusive 64-kWh battery for a 236-mile range and a 39.2-kWh battery pack with a 150-mile range for other markets. These numbers translate to a 7.8-second zero-to-62-mph time and up to an 80 percent charge in under an hour using a 100kW fast charger.

Last January, Kia also present the EV in concept form as the Las Vegas Consumer ElectronicsShow without providing power numbers. As has been customary with Kia, different presentations have unveiled new specs, with CES showcasing its concept and the following International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju, Korea, showcasing its production version.

On the driver assistance side, the Niro EV will feature Level 2 autonomy, which is defined as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as having one driver assistance feature which can allow for “both steering and acceleration/ deceleration using information about the driving environment”. This translates to adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist, where the driver is expected to assume control of the wheel.

Look for the Niro EV to debut in Europe at the Paris Motor Show in October before going on sale in Korea before the end of the year, followed by expansion to other markets.

BYD Sold The Most Cars With Plugs In 2015

We have been talking a lot since the beginning of the year about which company sold the most electric cars in 2015. For the purposes of this story, “electric” is defined as any car with a plug, whether it is a plug-in hybrid like the Chevy Volt or a battery electric car like the Tesla Model S.

According to Green Car Reports, BMW sold “about 30,000” of its i3 and i8 cars. Chevrolet sold approximately 20,000 Volts and Spark EVs. Ford sold a similar number of Fusion PHEV, C Max PHEV and Focus Electric cars. Nissan sold 17,269 LEAF automobiles in the US, but it also markets that car and the electric e-NV200 van in many nations around the world. Green Car Reports total sales at around 50,000 worldwide.

That leaves Tesla with 50,557 cars delivered in all markets in 2015. So that means Tesla is the plug-in champ, right? Actually, no. Tesla’s performance is extraordinary, for sure. But the global plug-in sales leader is a company most Americans have never heard of — BYD.

The Chinese company made the world’s first production plug-in hybrid, the F3DM, in December 2008, which went on sale two years before the Chevrolet Volt. The F3DM was crude compared to the Chevrolet offering, but it started the company on the road to producing more and better electric vehicles. Along the way, it got into the electric bus business, and is now one of the world’s largest manufacturers of both urban and intercity electrified buses. Its forward progress even convinced Warren Buffett to invest in the company.

BYD makes battery electric vehicles, including the E6 hatchback which is used for taxi service in several cities. Uber is using them as well in Chicago.  It also makes a variety of plug-in hybrids, including the newer Qin compact sedan and Tang compact SUV. According to the company, it delivered 31,898 Qins and 18,375 Tangs, along with 7,029 of the older E6s, during 2015. Add in a few T3 small commercial vans, some E5 battery electric compact sedans, and 2,888 compact Denza hatchbacks built as part of its joint venture with Daimler and the total comes out to be 61,722 BYD vehicles with plugs sold last year.

Just to be clear, all of those are highway capable cars. The numbers do not include any low speed neighborhood electric vehicles, although BYD produces lots of those as well. The US is celebrating a record year for new car sales, with almost 17.5 million sold. The Chinese market eclipsed that total by more than 3 million vehicles. Cadillac and Buick will both import Chinese made cars this year. The future of the car industry is taking shape now in the Orient.

China Exempts All EVs And Hybrids From 10% Sales Tax

With the goal of putting 500,000 “new energy” vehicles on its roads by the end of 2015, and 5 million on roads by 2020, China’s efforts to go green at ambitious to say the least. With just over 17,000 EVs and hybrids sold in 2013, the semi-communist country has a long, long way to go to meet that goal, though a new round of tax incentives could help tremendously.

Yesterday the Chinese government announced that all electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles would be exempt from that 10% national sales tax beginning on September 17th and running through 2017. Most importantly, this includes both domestic and imported green cars, which could help China become the biggest market for green cars over the next decade.

The central government is currently building a portfolio of eligible vehicles, and the Tesla Model S will almost certainly be at the top of that list. This latest national tax incentive joins a growing list of local incentives from cities like Beijing, which are offering tax credits and free license plates (valued at $15,000 or more in some cases) to buyers of green cars.

There’s still the matter of the lack of charging infrastructure though, and while there are plans to lay down massive public charging networks all across China, as America learned, those networks require years to take hold on in the public consciousness.

With these generous subsidies compelling more Chinese consumers to look at green cars though, perhaps China really is on its way to becoming the world’s biggest market for electric cars.

Source: Gas 2.

Ford launches electric vehicle charging network for employees; hoping to increase number of all-electric trips

Ford Motor Company is installing a new workplace plug-in vehicle charging network at nearly every Ford facility in the US and Canada. Ford will install charging stations at more than 50 company offices, product development campuses and manufacturing facilities. Installation will begin later this year and roll out throughout 2014.

Ford employees will be able to charge the all-electric Focus Electric, as well as Ford’s two plug-in hybrids—the Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi—at the charge stations. The service will initially be free to employees for the first four hours. Ford estimates it will cost the company about $0.50 fully to charge a vehicle.

Ford already has more than 1,700 charging stations at Ford dealerships and company facilities in North America. The new workplace chargers will add approximately 200 more.

Ford’s workplace EV chargers are different from competitor programs in that they will be networked together. As a result, the company will be able to gather additional information on electrified vehicle use, such as the number of hours vehicles are charging and the amount of CO₂ reduced.

We’re getting data from the vehicles already. The data is telling us on average that the Energi products [Ford’s plug-in hybrids] are charging about six times per week. With that schedule of 6 times per week, that’s about 3 out of 4 daily trips on all electric.

Our hypothesis is...one of the reasons we are deploying these new stations...is that we likely will be able to get that fourth trip on all electric with workplace charging. The hope is that during the week, drivers can drive on electricity alone, and then if they go longer distances on the weekend, they can use the plug-in hybrid mode.

—Mike Tinskey, Ford director of electrification infrastructure

Throughout the US and Canada, the number of charge stations—both public and residential—is growing rapidly. In 2009, there were 3,000 known public charge stations. Today, there are more than 20,000.

Based on data from Ford’s MyFord Mobile app, Ford customers drive approximately 1 million miles on electricity alone every 10 days. In total, Ford customers now have logged 30 million all-electric miles driving the full range of plug-in vehicles, saving more than 1.2 million kilograms of CO₂.

Ford posted its best yet retail US sales results for Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles in August (600 and 621 units, respectively). That contributed to Ford’s best August electrified vehicle sales (including conventional hybrids and the Focus Electric) ever, with 8,292 vehicles sold, up 288% over the same period a year ago.

August also marked the 11^th consecutive month Ford achieved electrified vehicle sales records. Nearly two-thirds of new Ford electrified vehicle sales are coming from buyers trading in other car brands.

Under Ford’s internal purchase plan for employees, about 200 Ford workers have purchased Energi plug-in cars, Tinskey said, with the current rate at about 15 per month. “Our thoughts are that with the announcement of the charging stations and deployment, that will go up even faster,” he added.

Source: Green Car Congress

Only Chinese Automaker At Detroit Show Displaying PHEV, Hybrid, EV

Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd., (GAC) isn’t currently selling its vehicles in the U.S. market according to reports, but that fact didn’t stop the brand from attending the 2013 Detroit Auto Show this week.

As the only automaker representing China, GAC was on hand to show three of its alternative fuels vehicles.
 

 

The NEV E-JET is an extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) concept car that the company says gets 100 kilometers (62 miles) in all-electric mode from its 13-kilowatt-hour (kwh) lithium-ion (li-ion) battery powering a 95-kilowatt permanent magnet motor. The E-JET uses a 1.0-liter gasoline engine and a 30-kw generator as the range-extender to charge the battery, which GAC says extends the total drive range to more than 600 km (373 miles).

That pure EV-mode range seems ambitious in light of all-electric mileage available from current model E-REVs like the Chevy Volt, which Chevy says is good for approximately 38 all-electric miles. If the car can achieve it, odds are good the battery has a much smaller buffer of unused capacity engineered in. And beyond that, lofty performance figures are anticipated when manufacturers exhibit concept cars.

Although the E-JET’s swoopy exterior lines make it look quick top speed is said to be a fairly sedate 160 kilometers per hour (roughly 99 mph), and 0 to 50 kph (31 mph) takes 4.5 seconds.
 

 

A vehicle GAC says will soon go on sale in China is the all-wheel-drive Hybrid Trumpchi.

Built on the sedan platform of the gas engine Trumpchi, this car will be the first of it’s kind to be sold in China according to a release by GAC. The hybrid version differs from the non-hybrid car primarily by use of an integrated starter/generator between the engine and the transmission at the front axle, an electrical motor driving the rear axle, and a li-ion battery pack mounted in the rear of the car.

This configuration says the Chinese automaker, gives the hybrid Trumpchi all the functions of a hybrid, like electric drive, an auto stop/start engine, regenerative braking, engine assist, etc. Additionally, the vehicle can automatically switch between two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive mode. GAC says the hybrid version of the Trumpchi has produced fuel economy 30 percent better than the gasoline variant.
 

 

Finally, there’s the company’s all-electric powertrain vehicle called the GS5 SUV.

A 35-kwh li-ion battery pack powers a motor the company says produces up to 225 Newton-meters of torque (165 pound-feet) and roughly 200 horsepower. The company estimates the GS5 should deliver a driving range of 100 miles at a speed of 60 mph.

Source: GM-Volt.com

Quick Charge Instruction Video

Nothing beats a "how-to" movie:

General Electric CEO says electric vehicles will reach 'tipping point'

True belief or wishful thinking?

That's the question some may ask about General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt and his statement that electric vehicles will become more than a just niche market in the U.S.

Immelt, speaking at a Detroit automotive conference on Tuesday, said GE will continue to invest in battery-electric vehicle technology with the belief that lower costs and improved performance will allow EVs to reach "a tipping point," Reuters reported. Immelt stressed the fact that GE's decision was based on his belief in what will be a substantial market, adding that "novelties don't work."

Last year, electric-drive vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in and Nissan Leaf battery-electric accounted for less than one in 500 new cars sold. By comparison, hybrids account for about one in 50 new cars sold.

GE was an early supporter of electric-drive vehicles, agreeing in November 2010 to order 12,000 Volts and work with its fleet customers to purchase 10,000 more electric-drive vehicles by 2015. GE said at the time that electric-drive vehicle adoption could create $500 million in revenue for the company during the ensuing three years.


Source: Autoblog Green

Citroen Numero 9 - VIDEO

Citroen Numero 9:


Vidéo Citroën Numéro 9 by rtl-fr

Pics Aplenty: Citroën to roll out sexy Numero 9 plug-in concept

PRESS RELEASE

Marketed alongside Citroën's main range, the DS line explores new automotive territory. Based on more radical choices, it opens new perspectives in premium vehicle design. Inspired by ninety years of history and automotive excellence, the DS line illustrates the best of Citroën expertise in terms of creativity and technology. Two years after its launch, the DS line – comprising the Citroën DS3, DS4 and DS5 – has already notched up more than 200,000 sales.

Pursuing its career, the DS will be launched this year in China. To mark the event, Citroën has designed a new concept car, Numéro 9, to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. This concept heralds the future of the DS line and signals the styling cues of the next three models in the line: a C-segment premium sedan, an SUV and a D-segment executive saloon.

Concept car Numéro 9 sublimates the DNA of models in the DS line. It expresses radical choices in design with immediately recognisable styling that is both inspired and emotional. Sophistication is allied with a high-quality finish for original driving sensations and features that are truly useful every day. Its charismatic body styling revisits the shooting brake, while the new front end is designed for plug-in full-hybrid technology. This concept car boasts remarkable levels of performance (50 km range, 295 bhp, boost function, 39 g/km of CO2). High standards, bold design, creativity and the best of technology.

Honda EV-STER Concept at the Geneva Auto Show

Honda's EV-STER electric sports car concept is no stranger to the auto show stands, having debuted at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show.

The car has now made its European debut at Geneva, accessible to all rather than placed high on a turntable - so we've got some more live shots for you.

Though the EV-STER isn't intended as a replacement for Honda's much-missed S2000 sports car, it's hard not to draw comparisons. It's a small, relatively light weight, rear-drive roadster with sharp styling.

That's where the similarities end however. Rather than a revvy, inline-four combustion engine, the EV-STER gets an electric motor. Performance is a little more modest too - 5 seconds to reach 37 miles per hour, and a top speed of 100 mph.

Range on the Japanese test cycle is 100 miles from the 10 kilowatt-hour battery pack, though you could expect much less if the car was ever tested by EPA standards - probably as little as 50-60 miles.

The interior is suitably high-tech - not only does the driver get a rather conspicuous, lime green seat, but direction is controlled by an aircraft-like twin-lever steering system.

There are still no plans for production, but the concept shows that Honda hasn't forgotten about sports cars just yet - and the company is still clearly thinking about full-electric vehicles, as well as its wide hybrid range.


Source: Green Car Reports

The Dropping Price Of The EV Battery

The special batteries used to power electric vehicles (EV) are expensive. However, there is good news for future EV consumers, EV builders, and EV enthusiasts. U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu in a recent speech predicted that the price of EV batteries could drop dramatically by 2015.

Technology is a funny thing. As the cost of goods and fuel increases the price of modern gadgets decreases. HD TVs used to cost thousands and now cost hundreds. Cell phones were once a luxury of the wealthy and now everyone has them and you can even get one for free. According to Dr. Chu, EV batteries will follow a similar trend, and less expensive EV batteries means cheaper EV prices.

“Overall, the Department of Energy is partnering with industry to reduce the manufacturing cost of advanced batteries. While a typical battery for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a 40-mile electric range cost $12,000 in 2008, we’re on track to demonstrate technology by 2015 that would reduce the cost to $3,600. And last year, we set a goal of demonstrating technology by 2020 that would further reduce the cost to $1,500 – an accomplishment that could help spur the mass-market adoption of electric vehicles.”, said Dr. Chu in a speech to The Detroit Economic Club.

The trend of the dropping price of modern technology has, obviously, lead to more people buying and adopting the tech into their everyday lives – and fast. HD TVs went from the minority to the majority, ownership doubling from 2007 to 2008 alone. Cell phones have penetrated the American market by as much as 96% and are becoming the norm in developing nations worldwide; while 76% of Americans own a personal computer.

The fast adoption of these products has lead to some minor infrastructural issues such as the construction of more cell towers and the running of cables to provide internet service. Yet nothing really compares to what needs to be done from an infrastructure stand point to accommodate EVs on a grand scale. Some American cities are working to accommodate EVs in the near future but most are not. However if Dr. Chu’s predictions of cheaper EV batteries does come to pass, and the trend of dropping prices in technologies continues to lead to the fast adoption of that technology, plus gas prices continue to climb, it would seem likely that ownership of EVs will increase. This means more of a strain on regional power grids and a need for public charging stations to become a common sight in America.

Source: Gas2.0

Renault Twizy electrifies Colette

PRESS RELEASE

The Colette store in Paris is exhibiting Renault Twizy in a window display from December 5 to 10, 2011
In a world premiere, Colette customers can check out and reserve the most original of electric vehicles

The full-electric Renault Twizy is a true automotive art work and also a concentrate of innovation. The vehicle's tubular chassis and plastic body make it an authentic UDO, or "Unidentified Driving Object", worthy of the best science fiction films.

Yet Renault Twizy is a reality today. And what better ambassador than Colette, with its well-known penchant for "playful minimalism", for this revolution in design and zero-emission mobility?

Renault Twizy, the electric avant-garde

It looks like a toy and drives like a toy – but it isn't a toy. Twizy, developed by Renault Sport Technologies, is an amazing vehicle that combines the best of the car and the bicycle. It has all the agility and ease of a two-wheeler but boasts the safety, comfort and practicality of a four-wheeler. 100% electric and so 0% polluting, Twizy is the ideal solution for short urban trips.

With the acceleration of a 125 cc scooter, Twizy is a little racer with a velvet touch. It is completely silent and can be parked anywhere, even perpendicular to the sidewalk. Safety-wise it is equipped as standard with a driver's airbag, four-point seatbelts in the front and three-point belts in the back.

In open and semi-closed version alike, Twizy keeps you in touch with the outside world. And desperate searches for gas stations are over, as Twizy can be charged on a regular socket at home, in your parking space and in parking lots. It takes just three and a half hours for a full charge, bringing you 115 km range, more than enough for urban use.

Colette, the leading concept store

colette first opened its doors in March 1997 situated along 213 rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. Aimed at reinventing the concept of retail, the seven-hundred square-meter establishment, adopted the tag line "styledesignartfood" to the business.

Having since been internationally recognized as a fashion mecca which successfully redefines a unique blend of modernity and innovation with a twist, essentially, colette is a world of its own spotlighting 2 ultra-creative windows and in-store merchandising displays which alternate weekly, inspiring and educating clientele from all walks of life.

Spanning three levels, customers are invited to encounter the colette experience, that of which comprises a never ending assortment of high-tech chrome arts and luxe jewelry, a specialist music/dvd library, a rare and exclusive book and magazine collection, a second-to-none beauty counter, an art gallery, a superbly chic mix of fashion labels, and a downstairs water bar (for those who like to dine in between shopping stints!).

The e-shop www.colette.fr presents everyday our new products, with our crush selection in the news section. Find all our news, events, and special projects and also our blog section. Follow virtually the everyday life of our store, this is the target of www.colette.fr

The colette concept reflects is a mix of new or hard-to-find products from around the world, all of which cater to an ever evolving mix of genres and tastes alike. Customers consider colette as a visionary meeting point, an house which accommodates new labels, exclusives, limited-edition products and high-quality brands, from both the past and present. Always the same, Never the same. This is what defines colette.

Better Place Shows Off Europe's First Battery Switch Station

Better Place battery-swap demonstrationGallery

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Better Place has moved a bit further down the road in its quest to corner the electric vehicle market. In Denmark, the company has just unveiled Europe's first Battery Switch Station, which will serve as the cornerstone of Better Place's biggest real-world test to date.

The grand event was held at a new Better Place facility in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen. The vehicle used to demonstrate the station's functionality was the Renault Fluence Z.E. -- which isn't terribly surprising, given Renault's close partnership with Better Place and its founder/frontman, Shai Agassi.

Over the next nine months, additional Better Place Battery Switch Stations will be built across the country in partnership with numerous municipalities and DONG Energy. In total, Better Place aims to construct 20 such facilities in building a nationwide charging infrastructure.

The Battery Switch Stations are almost fully automated, and motorists can stay buckled up for the entire process. Drivers swipe their membership card at the entrance, and according to the company's press release, "The rest of the process is automated, similar to going through a car wash, so the driver never has to leave the car. In just a few minutes, a robotic arm removes the depleted battery and replaces it with a full one and the driver is back on the road."

Our take

Of the many electric vehicle manufacturers vying for a piece of the consumer market, Better Place may face the toughest road ahead. While some drivers like the idea of swappable batteries, most prefer to recharge. In fact, according to a recent survey from Accenture, 62% of consumers would rather recharge, compared to the 38% who'd like to trade dead batteries for fresh ones.

Granted, 38% isn't a terrible figure -- truth be told, it's higher than we'd have thought -- and granted, the EV charging battle may not be all-or-nothing. In fact, there may be room on Planet Earth for both sorts of electric vehicles.

But Better Place still faces a huge hurdle, and that's the massive infrastructure developments that the swappable-battery model requires.

Many current EVs can charge from a standard wall plug, and in the future, even that may not be necessary if inductive charging becomes the norm. (Given the diminishing importance of wires and cables in our daily lives, we're betting/hoping that it will.)

Better Place, however, requires real estate, buildings, and large-scale charging stations. And if someone comes along with a smarter, more clever battery system, who's to say that Better Place will be able to retrofit its stations to accommodate the new standard? It seems like a lot of work for an intermediate step toward an all-electric future.

Source: All Cars Electric

Fisker Karma production finally gets underway

Start-up electric-vehicle maker Fisker Automotive confirms Job One today of its Karma sports sedan at Valmet Automotive in Finland, saying the plan is to ramp up slowly to avoid any hiccups on the $100,000 EV.

“The cars coming down the line, as from today, are full-production specification and build, but at the moment are very limited in quantity as we ensure full quality,” says Roger Ormisher, a spokesman for the Irvine, CA-based auto maker.

Ormisher provides no additional details but says in an email to Ward’s the initial units are bound for Fisker’s retail network in the U.S. and Europe as demonstrator models. The Karma will start arriving in the driveways of buyers who put down deposits in June and July, and all of those orders are expected to be filled by October.

An extended-range EV, the 4-passenger Karma features a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and pair of 150-kW electric motors displacing a combined equivalent 403 hp. The battery pack will propel the car about 50 miles (80 km) before a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0L gasoline engine takes over for another 250 miles (402 km) of range.

A lightweight chassis and body panels using optimized aluminum material helps the Karma sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in as little as 5.9 seconds when using the electric and internal-combustion engine power modes in combination. Top speed is 125 mph (201 km/h).

The Karma joins the Chevy Volt EREV, Nissan Leaf EV, Tesla Roadster EV and Mitsubishi i-MiEV as the first roadworthy entries in the budding global segment.

Contract vehicle-maker Valmet will build the Karma, but a second, more-affordable plug-in EV currently code-named “Nina” will be produced at an assembly plant in Wilmington, DE, that Fisker recently bought from General Motors.

Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker expects to build up 100,000 EVs annually once the Delaware plants hits full production by 2014.

Source: Ward's Auto

Pike Research Forecasts Future EV Sales - Looks Like a Slow Start

Pike projections of cumulative light duty plug-in electric vehicle sales, 10 largest MSAs by population, 2011-2017. Click to enlarge.

Pike Research has earlier forecasted the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market at the national level in the US, globally, and within world regions and key countries. The company has now constructed a model for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales at the US state level, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level and for selected utility company territories.

Overall, Pike expects sales of PEVs to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43% between 2011 and 2017, reaching a nationwide total of 358,959 vehicles by 2017. Pike forecasts that, “unsurpisingly” California, New York and Florida will likely lead the way in PEV sales in the early years of the decade, with 366,099, 146,242 and 101,530 cumulative vehicle sales between 2011 and 2017, respectively. By 2017, PEVs will represent a 5.4%, 3.7% and 2.8% of the total new vehicle sales in these state (2.4% is the national average).

Within the top 10 largest MSAs in the US, New York City and Los Angeles are projected to lead with 116,718 and 96,175 PEVs by 2017. Pike concludes that the combination of a large population area, early rollout schedules from vehicle manufacturers, and positive attitudes toward PEVs for these MSAs will result in strong growth rates of 41% and 35% CAGR, respectively, between 2011 and 2017.

Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta and Washington DC are not expected to show strong sales of PEVs; all are forecast to have fewer than 28,000 PEVs in their markets by 2017. California dominates the top 10 MSAs when ranked by PEV sales, with all six of the top California MSAs in the top 10.

Pike Research forecasts that the top 5 (MSAs) for cumulative electric vehicle purchases between 2011 and 2017 will be:

• New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
• San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
• San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
• Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI

Relative to population, the firm anticipates that PEV penetration rates will be the highest in several smaller MSAs including Raleigh-Cary, NC; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA; and Sacramento-Arden Arcade-Roseville, CA.

Pike Research expects that the electric utilities with the largest number of electric vehicles will be:

• Southern California Edison (California)
• Pacific Gas & Electric (California)
• Consolidated Edison (New York)
• Exelon (Illinois, Pennsylvania)

To generate the more detailed forecasts, Pike utilized a variety of data to evaluate the development of demand and sales: population and demographics; plug-in electric vehicle attitudes; and manufacturer vehicle rollout schedule.

Source: Green Car Congress

Ford Unveils 2012 Focus All-Electric Vehicle

The Ford Focus Electric. Click to enlarge.

Ford Motor Company officially unveiled the Focus Electric—the company’s first all-electric passenger car.

The five-door electric hatchback leverages Ford’s global C-car platform shared by the gasoline and diesel-powered Focus models. Both Focus gasoline and electric variants to be sold in North America will be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., with production powered in part by one of the largest solar energy generator systems in the state. For European markets, a decision on where the Focus Electric will be built is currently being finalized.

The Focus Electric will launch in late 2011 and is designed to “offer enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans” (e.g., up to about 100 miles). (Nissan’s LEAF has a EPA range of 73 miles.) Ford says the Focus battery-electric vehicle will offer a mile-per-gallon equivalent better than Chevrolet Volt (93 mpge all-electric, 60 mpge combined,) and competitive with other battery electric vehicles (e.g., Nissan LEAF with EPA rating of 99 mpge).

Focus Electric will be powered by an advanced lithium-ion battery system engineered by Ford in cooperation with supplier LG Chem. The battery system utilizes heated and cooled liquid to help maximize battery life and fuel-free driving range.

Focus Electric uses an advanced active liquid cooling and heating thermal management system to precondition and regulate the temperature in the battery system. The active liquid system heats or chills a coolant before pumping it through the battery cooling system. This loop regulates temperature throughout the system against external conditions.

On hot days, chilled liquid absorbs heat from the batteries, dispersing it through a radiator before pumping it through the chiller again. On cold days, heated liquid warms the batteries, gradually bringing the system’s temperature to a level that allows it to efficiently accept charge energy and provide enough discharge power for expected vehicle performance.

A full recharge is expected to take three to four hours at home with a 240V charge station.

Focus Electric introduces new features and technologies—including a unique version of the MyFord Touch driver connect system especially for electric vehicles, a new value charging feature powered by Microsoft and a smartphone app called MyFord Mobile that helps plug-in owners control their vehicles remotely.

The execution of MyFord Touch driver connect technology for the Focus Electric offers an innovative presentation of vehicle information, such as battery state of charge, distance to charge point, the corresponding range budget and expected range margin. The system’s MyView feature allows drivers to access even more vehicle data including the electrical demands of vehicle accessories such as air conditioning, which can impact driving range.

Similar to the growing leafy vine of first-generation SmartGauge with EcoGuide represents fuel efficiency in the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the cluster display in Focus Electric uses blue butterflies to represent the surplus range beyond one’s charge point destination—the more butterflies there are, the greater the range.

Ford says the designers were inspired by the “butterfly effect”, a phenomenon in which a small change, such as choosing to drive an electric vehicle, can have an enormous impact. To reinforce the message, at the end of each trip a display screen provides distance driven, miles gained through regenerative braking, energy consumed and a comparative gasoline savings achieved by driving electric.

The cluster is also integrated with the MyFord Touch map-based Navigation System using the vehicle’s center stack 8-inch touch screen. After the driver adds destinations, including their next charge point, into the Navigation System, the vehicle will coach drivers on how to achieve the desired range—or if travel plans need to be adjusted. The on-board Navigation System provides an EcoRoute option based on characteristics of efficient EV driving.

The new Focus Electric also offers a value charging feature, powered by Microsoft, to help owners in the US charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates, lowering the cost of ownership.

Enjoy the pics:

Source: Green Car Congress

Tesla Model S Alpha Prototype Up and Running According to Employee

Tesla Model S EV Sedan










Has Tesla Motors completed its first Model S prototype?

A Tesla manufacturing team employee, commenting on Engadget, appeared to confirm a test of the much-anticipated all-electric sedan, Tesla’s first mass-market model, though Tesla has not formally announced anything.

“I just got to see the 1st Alpha proto run…. And, boy, did that thing run! The production vehicle will be as sexy as the red/silver rollers in all the photos. So awesome….” Brian Z. Jones wrote Add a Comment. His Facebook profile identifies him as a production control manager at Tesla.

According to some investor slides released last month, Tesla planned to finish its first prototype of its hotly anticipated 2012 Model S all-electric sedan by the end of December. The company has announced an aggressive production plan for the car, and will be assembling vehicles from start-to-end for the first time at its newly acquired $42 million Fremont factory. Many regard the Model S as a major testing ground for the company and the foundation for future revenues after its hot IPO last year.

Per Jones’s comment, it looks like Tesla might have hit the December 2010 goal of getting a prototype up and running. Take it with a grain of salt, though. Outside of the excitement factor, one prototype is probably not that big of a deal, considering automakers like GM typically build dozens before going into full production. And carmakers must crash 20 or more cars in safety ratings tests, Tesla has many more prototypes to make.

It’s also unclear what kind of prototype, exactly, Tesla has built, since there are various stages of advancement possible. An alpha prototype could mean the company built a running Model S using prototype parts that resemble what Tesla intends to produce, according to John Voelcker, editor at Green Car Reports, one of VentureBeat’s editorial partners. Tesla already has one running prototype it has showcased in the past, which Voelcker rode in briefly in 2009.

Commenters on the original Engadget post were discussing the battery swap technology that will be incorporated in the Model S, which an exiting Tesla engineering chief Michael Donoughe told Edmunds in 2009 would enable a five-minute battery swap. While startup Better Place has been one of the biggest and most visible proponents of battery-swapping technology — in which a fully charged electric car battery is swapped out with a depleted one — the design wouldn’t be exclusive for use with Better Place’s battery swapping infrastructure.

Here’s the full text of what Jones said:

“Working as part of the Model S mfg team, I can tell you it is a single unit. Don’t take the #s below as gospel, I’m being purposely vague – I’m sure you understand. ;^)

Cells → modules → packs. X# of [Panasonic] cells become a module, Y# of modules become a pack. Packs are bolted to the underside of the body with 30-something bolts.

I wouldn’t give a direct correlation of a battery-swap to an engine swap. Compared to an engine, the battery-pack is quite large & unwieldy. Most of the people doing engine swaps at home are swapping V8s, which generally go in from above, with a hoist. So you’re only lifting the weight of the engine (300-700lbs). (Here, we’re completely ignoring the fact that ppl who spend Mercedes-money on a car are not the type of ppl who do engine swaps in their driveway… :^) ).

If you wanted to swap a battery pack at home, 1st, you’d need to be able to receive something that weighs over 1000lbs., and has a footprint of something like 6ft x 8ft – not realistic in most ppl’s homes. Then you’d need to support both the battery pack & the body – separately, of course, since you’re removing it – the body weighing in at over 2000lbs (thanks to lots of Aluminum). Then you have to roll one or the other away – now, using three times the footprint of the vehicle. Then do it all again, in reverse.

You really need a vehicle lift to remove the pack. It will be interesting to see the possible infrastructure develop around swappable packs. If you want to mirror the ICE infrastructure, then this is the way to go. But, I think we need to evolve from that allegory. I’m not going to postulate on what that could be – I work in process & internal logistics planning, not power-train engineering – but I joined Tesla to be part of this exciting future.

I just got to see the 1st Alpha proto run…. And, boy, did that thing run! The production vehicle will be as sexy as the red/silver rollers in all the photos. So awesome….

-bZj”

Source: Venture Beat

More Information From GM Regarding the Chevrolet Sail Electric Vehicle

Chevrolet Sail Electric Concept Vehicle

Enlarge Photo

Whilst the U.S. and Europe get the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and 2012 Opel and Vauxhall Ampera, it seems all the full battery-electric vehicles are going to the Far East, and they're keeping fairly quiet about it.

A few months back we revealed GM's plans to test an electric version of the Chevrolet Cruze sedan in South Korea. The prototype uses a 31-kilowatt-hour battery pack and offers a range of up to 100 miles, competitive with the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Performance is competitive too, with an 8.2 second 0-60mph time, and a top speed of around 100mph.

Now, Shanghai GM has revealed the Sail electric concept vehicle. Developed by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automorive Center (PATAC), the Sail EV is based on a regular gasoline car of the same name that went on sale at the beginning of 2010. In terms of size, the Sail sits below the Cruze, but above the Spark.

Powered by a 64 kilowatt motor producing maximum torque of 162 lb/ft, the Sail should offer more than adequate performance for the "ordinary Chinese families" the car is targeted at. Maximum speed is less than the Cruze EV at 80 miles per hour, and range is a little less too at around 93 miles. In congested Chinese cities though, this should be more than enough. Some energy can be reclaimed though regenerative braking and an Intelligent Charging Assisting System maximizes the energy conversion ratio.

The Sail shouts louder about its electric powertrain than the Cruze did, with unique wheel designs, a streamlined body and some fancy graphics, which GM said has been "inspired by leaves", though presumably not those of a Nissan variety...

GM has said before that they're going to start producing electric cars in small numbers "for testing purposes". What the Sail and Cruze EVs tell us is that GM is serious about the electric car. GM branches all around the world are able to develop high technology products which will surely be of benefit to the company as a whole, as technical expertise from local partners such as PATAC is eventually shared worldwide.

Might this one day lead to a new GM EV1? We can only hope.



Source: AllCarsElectric

California Air Resources Board Approves Think City as Type II ZEV

The California Air Resources Board has approved the THINK City as a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV). The approval paves the way for THINK to sell the all-electric THINK City in California, 12 other states and the District of Columbia that have adopted California’s ZEV requirements.

The THINK City has a range of 100 miles, which meets CARB’s Type II ZEV Tier requirements, and uses an advanced lithium-ion battery developed by Ener1.

CARB certification is critical for fleet sales, not just in California, but in the other CARB states as well. These states make up more than 35 percent of the automobile market in the US and represent a significant share of the fleet market.

—THINK spokesperson Brendan Prebo

THINK will begin delivering vehicles to fleet customers soon. THINK plans to roll out retail distribution in select cities in the second half of 2011. The retail distribution timeline coincides with the company’s plans to expand production at its Elkhart, Ind. manufacturing facility. The company also builds the THINK City in Finland for sale in Europe, where the car has been highway-certified since 1999.

Source: Green Car Congress