Research focused on the electric vehicle industry forecasts in China from 2011 to 2020

Electric Vehicle Industry in China, 2011-2020 is a new market research publication announced by Reportstack. As a kind of new energy automobiles, electric vehicles refer to automobiles in which power-driven motors completely or partly serve as the power system.

In response to the increasingly prominent carbon emission and environmental pollution, the world's major automobile producers speed up their plans to promote technology R&D and industrialization with the national strategy of developing new energy automobiles. Energy conservation and new energy automobiles become the development orientation of the international automobile industry.

In the next 10 years, it will be an important strategic opportunity period for the transformation and upgrading of the global automobile industry.

Compared with the traditional automobile industry chain, electric vehicles break the industry chain persistently consists of suppliers, automobile plants, sales and after-sales s ervices. There are more suppliers in the upstream electric vehicle industry chain, which includes suppliers of battery, motor and other electrical accessories.

Meanwhile, the monopoly position of automobile plants is challenged in the automobile industry chain, and some automobile design companies and battery suppliers, with the opportunities of the electric vehicles upgrade to new automobile plants.

In addition, automobile services in the downstream industry chain have the new energy services, involving the participation of the constructors of charging facilities, charging stations and charging piles.

Accordingly, the arrival of electric vehicles brings great changes to components of the traditional automobile industry chain. With the emerging new participators, the traditional automobile industry chain is no longer appropriate for the electric vehicle industry.

To access full report with TOC, please visit ​Electric Vehicle Industry in China, 2011-2020.

Presently, China's production and sales size ranks the first in the world, which is expected to increase in the coming period. In Jul. 2012, the State Council of PRC issued The Planning for the Development of the Energy-Saving and New Energy Automobile Industry (2012-2020), which pointed out that the development orientation of new energy automobiles was the industrialization of battery electric vehicles.In 2015, the global sales volume of electric vehicles exceeded 549,000 with an increase of 72.64% YOY. Chinese electric vehicle market has a good performance under the support of policies.

In 2015, the production volume of electric vehicles reached 340,000 with an increase of 330% YOY in China. Up to the end of 2015, the reserve of electric vehicles reached 583,200 in China with an increase of 386% YOY.In China, most industry insiders think that combined with the facts in Chinese market, the development of hybrid technology is the latest and most reliable new energy solutions compared with battery electric vehicles. Industry insiders hold that from a technical perspective, plug-in hybrid vehicles for passengers are more suitable for Chinese market.

In terms of technology, hybrid automobiles share many advantages with electric vehicles and avoid some development bottlenecks of battery electric vehicles. Hybrid automobiles are good at saving energy, reducing emission and declining the cost.

In 2013, there were no Chinese automobile manufacturers whose sales volume of electric vehicles exceeded 5,000. In 2014, there emerged five automobile manufacturers including Kandi, BYD, ZOTYE, BAIC Motor and Yutong.

The annual sales volume of Kandi and BYD surpassed 10,000, and that of ZOTYE was close to 10,000. In 2015, seven Chinese automobile manufacturers ranked Top 20 sales volume of global electric vehicles.

According to the ranking order, they are respectively BYD, Kandi, ZOTYE, BAIC Motor, Chery, Roeve of SAIC and JAC Motors. In 2015, their annual sales volume of Electric Vehicles surpassed 10,000.

The annual sales volume of BYD exceeded 50,000, and that of Kandi and ZOTYE was over 20,000.

On the whole, China's electric vehicle industry will be fast-growing in 2016-2020. In a long period, China's demand for automobiles will continue to grow, which makes the energy shortage and environmental pollution more prominent.

Thus, to speed up the development of electric vehicles is an inevitable choice for China to relieve pressure on energy and environment.

This report Includes the information about:- Support Policies Concerning Electric Vehicle Industry Released by Chinese Government- Production Status of Electric Vehicles in China- Market Demand for Electric Vehicles in China- Driving Factors of Electric Vehicles in China- Major Electric Vehicle Manufacturers in China- Prediction on Electric Vehicle Industry in China

Who can Download This Report:- Automobile Manufacturers- Related Enterprises of Electric Vehicle Industry Chain-Investors and Research Institutes Concerned about Electric Vehicle Industry

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Source: Research focused on the electric vehicle industry forecasts in China from 2011 to 2020

Ferrari reveals why it will never make an SUV or Electric car

Flavio Manzoni is the man in charge for designing new cars by Ferrari. The GTC4 Lusso, F12 berlinetta, FXX K, California T, and La Ferrari are all results of his ideas and creativity. Recently he was asked if the company is considering to make an SUV like it's competitors Porsche and Bentley.

Manzoni laughed at the question and said it was a new one for him (obvious sarcasm) but then he replied very bluntly that an SUV cannot be a Ferrari. He explained that are other companies were going down the SUV path because of marketing aspects and surveys that go in its favor.

"For Ferrari, we are not followers. We make sports cars. If we are fighting every day to lower the center of gravity, to position the engine as far down, and as balanced, as possible, and improve the performance, why do we have to make an SUV?" he claimed.

Once it was clear that Ferrari has no plans for creating an SUV, the topic of electric cars was brought up. Manzoni's gave a very elaborate response to this in terms of music/art:

"I would like to be a pianist, but I'm not. I have two pianos. One is a digital piano that is perfect, it reproduces sound at the best level – the sound of a grand piano for a concert. It's beautiful. And I have also a Steinway. Guess which one I use normally?"

"It's simple because it's another kind of pleasure – on a real piano there are the harmonics… the waves produced by the strings. I play to feel these waves and they can touch the strings of the soul and a digital piano cannot do that. So for me it's the same at Ferrari. Ferrari's ideas are the Steinway, not the digital piano."

Source: Ferrari reveals why it will never make an SUV or Electric car

Hyundai Electric Vehicle Will Raise Low-End Bar to 250 Miles

The electric version of the Hyundai Ioniq series debuted at the New York International Auto Show on March 23, 2016. | Bryan Thomas/Getty Images

The first Hyundai electric vehicle has yet to hit the U.S. market, but the automaker has revealed plans to set a new standard for the lower end of the segment. Like Tesla and General Motors, the Korean manufacturer has plans on launching a 200-mile EV by 2018. That will only be the first step. According to a new report, an electric model capable of 250 miles of range will follow two years later.

Byung Ki Ahn, Hyundai's director of green vehicles, told Autoblog about his company's plans to push the range envelope to unprecedented levels in the affordable class. While Tesla blew past 250 miles years ago and Audi has expressed confidence in its ability to make it to 300 miles, lower-end car makers have been content to stop at 200.

The full Hyundai lineup will hit the U.S. market in 2016. | Source: Hyundai

Considering the longest-range model remains the 107-mile Nissan Leaf, the mark of 200 miles is enough of a benchmark for most automakers. The Chevy Bolt EV due in 2016 will get there first. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the Model 3 (at least 215 miles) will join the club in 2017. Nissan and Ford are expected to follow with their own models sometime in the following year or two.

In the case of each of those manufacturers, we have seen their first offerings in the segment. While the Tesla Model S has established its reputation worldwide, the volume-selling Nissan Leaf has achieved its own loyal following. Ford Focus Electric and Chevy Spark EV have made the acquaintance of consumers as compliance cars. But an all-electric Hyundai has yet to appear.

The Sonata plug-in hybrid can cover 27 miles on electric power. | Source: Hyundai

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata PHEV is the brand's first model to run on battery power alone. Among all plug-in hybrids on the U.S. market, this model's 59 miles per gallon combined economy (99 miles per gallon in electric mode) is bested only by the BMW i3 REX and Chevrolet Volt. In that respect, Hyundai has proven its ability to compete with the best in plug-in efficiency.

Of course, Hyundai subsidiary Kia has shown its mettle with the Kia Soul EV that has been around on the U.S. market for a few years. Due to limited availability and relatively little promotion, we never saw this model take off in America, but the Korean motor group proved it has the capacity to produce a highly efficient (120 miles per gallon city) and long-range EV (93 miles) at a competitive price point.

Nonetheless, the real test comes when the Ioniq series begins arriving in different world markets this summer. Hyundai laid down the gauntlet by saying the hybrid model would top Toyota Prius in efficiency. After Prius Prime set a new standard for plug-in hybrids, we wonder if Hyundai plans to make that model's elite economy numbers (120 miles per gallon equivalent) its next target. Either way, much is riding on the Ioniq's three-pronged debut.

Kia Soul EV can cover 93 miles on a full charge. | Source: Kia

As Hyundai officials made clear at the U.S. debut of the Ioniq, this car must be a success to bode well for future electric products from the brand. Consumers are already comfortable/happy with the Prius if they want a standard hybrid or plug-in; they are likewise happy with the Nissan Leaf if they want an EV with about 110 miles of range, as the Ioniq will feature.

In order to have an edge over the competition, Hyundai must deliver on that fun-to-drive element consumers once complained Prius did not have. (New models have enjoyed a better reception.) Stylistically, the automaker did excellent work in trying to remove the dorky EV stigma from the Ioniq line. These cars don't scream "it's electric!" and that is exactly how the designers planned it. Having a lower price than the competition wouldn't hurt.

There is still no clear recipe for the success of a plug-in vehicle in America; some quality cars failed because the automaker saw limited profit potential and kept them as compliance vehicles, others simply failed because the drive or range was not good enough for the cost. Before a Hyundai electric vehicle shoots for 200 miles followed by 250 miles in the lower end of the segment, its first effort will have to make a great impression on consumers.

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Source: Hyundai Electric Vehicle Will Raise Low-End Bar to 250 Miles

2017 Ford Fusion Energi electric range rises to 22 miles

The all-electric range of every type of plug-in car has risen since their introduction in 2011, and will continue to increase with further boosts in battery energy density.

This means that not only electric cars will get longer ranges, but so will plug-in hybrids.

The latest maker to join the parade of increased electric-range announcements is Ford, for the 2017 model of its Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan.

DON'T MISS: 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid, Energi: Software Tweaks For Drivability Improvements

Typical of Ford's lowkey approach to cars with plugs, the press release on the 2017 Ford Fusion Energi buried the all-electric range boost in the sixth paragraph.

The plug-in hybrid Fusion's total electric range is 22 miles, with 21 miles of that delivered continuously on the EPA's test cycles.

That compares to last year's 20 and 19 miles, respectively. The full stats for the two cars can be compared on the EPA's FuelEconomy.gov website.

Rather than highlight the electric range, Ford's headline touted the car's combined gasoline and electric range, which has risen to 610 miles from last year's 550 miles.

(We don't personally know anyone who can drive more than 600 miles without stopping, but clearly visiting the gas station less often is a good thing.)

To Ford's credit, however, its publicity highlights the results of a Harris Poll that shows the car-buying public to be woefully uninformed about the potential range of plug-in hybrid cars.

WATCH THIS: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid preview video

A March poll of more than 1,000 adults showed that the distance attributed to the longest-range plug-in hybrid model on sale was a mere 261 miles.

That's less than half the 2017 Fusion Energi's combined range, and in fact lower than the range of some Tesla all-electric luxury cars.

It's also lower than the 420 miles of the 2017 Chevrolet Volt, which offers 53 miles of all-electric range and a further 367 miles on gasoline.

Along with more electric and total range, the 2017 Fusion Energi's energy efficiency ratings rise as well.

It is now rated at 42 mpg combined when operating as a hybrid, once battery energy has been depleted, and 97 MPGe when running entirely on electricity.

Those compare to ratings of 38 mpg combined and 88 MPGe for the 2016 model.

CHECK OUT: Ford Cuts Gas Mileage On 6 Models: What You Need To Know

(Miles Per Gallon Equivalent, or MPGe, measures the distance a car can travel electrically on the same amount of energy as that in 1 gallon of gasoline.)

When it was launched, the 2014 Ford Fusion Energi was originally rated at 43 mpg combined and 100 MPGe.

But Ford was forced by the EPA to reduce those ratings in June 2014, along with the figures for five other models, after it discovered errors in its testing procedures.

Ford attributes the 2017 ratings increases to changes in the car's powertrain control software and regenerative braking algorithms.

It said nothing about changes to the Panasonic lithium-ion battery cells used in the Energi's 7.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack, so we presume the cells remain the same.

It also says the new software gives the Fusion Energi and its conventional Fusion Hybrid sibling what it calls "a more refined and engaging drive experience" that's more natural to the majority of drivers.

The 2017 Ford Fusion Energi competes with plug-in hybrid versions of the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, and the Chevrolet Volt, a smaller car that's a five-door hatchback.

Its main competition, however, may be the upcoming 2017 Toyota Prius Prime, which will offer 22 miles of electric range and is also a five-door hatchback.

The 2017 Fusion Energi will go on sale later this year; the 2017 Volt is already on sale; and the Prius Prime will arrive late this summer.

The plug-in Fusion Energi starts at $33,995, with the Platinum Energi having the highest price in the lineup, at $41,995. Both prices include a mandatory $875 delivery fee.

_______________________________________

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Source: 2017 Ford Fusion Energi electric range rises to 22 miles

Teslas Are Greener, But Are Still Cars

Air Quality

Published on May 29th, 2016 | by Michael Barnard

May 29th, 2016 by Michael Barnard 

Teslas are much more benign environmentally than gasoline or diesel cars, but they are still typically single-occupant automobiles. Given the continued dominance of automobiles as the primary form of transportation in most countries, even in train-mad Europe as the chart shows, it's critical to reduce the impact of them.

The best information currently available about the relative climate change merits of electric vs gas cars is from a two-year study by the Union of Concerned Scientists of the USA. This US-map representation shows the miles per gallon that a gas car would have to achieve to be as good as an electric car in terms of CO2 emissions.

Note the "achieve." This isn't the notoriously misleading EPA rating, but the actual achieved mileage. There are some places you could do better with a Prius than with a Tesla, but there are no places you can do better with a plain gas or diesel car in the USA.

Below is the US average chart from the UCS calculator. Battery electric cars are a lot better than gas cars and substantially better on average than hybrids. And as the grid decarbonizes, with coal dropping off rapidly and wind and solar coming online rapidly, the advantages of electric cars are just improving.

"But wait," you say, "I asked about Teslas, not rinky dink Nissan Leafs and Mitsubishi i-MIEVs!" Okay, let's look at a Tesla. In fact, let's go hog wild and look at a Tesla Model S P90D with Ludicrous mode. And let's do it in Los Angeles, car culture central with all of its freeways.

That's right, a tricked-out Tesla has a third the CO2e emissions of an average gas car in LA.

"Wait a minute," you say to yourself, "that's just the fuel comparison. What about building the things in the first place, huh, huh, huh?!" After all, there's got to be something wrong. Well, no, the above is a full lifecycle CO2e emissions count from manufacturing through scrapping.

Yes, Teslas take a bit more to build, but the difference in emissions after building dwarf the increased CO2 load of driving. Put another way, if you were choosing between a BMW 5 Series and a Tesla Model S to buy, mount on a pedestal, admire, and never drive, the BMW would win. But if you actually are going to, you know, drive your car, the Tesla is off the charts better.

"Fine, fine," you say, "but what about the batteries. They must be toxic, right? And turn into toxic landfill?" Wrong again.

First, it's necessary to understand the contents of our [Tesla] ESS. The cells in our battery are composed mainly of lithium metal oxides. They are manufactured in Japan, a country with very strict environmental laws. Emissions and effluents are strictly controlled and monitored. The cells meet the requirements set forth by the Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment 2002/95/EC (commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS). In other words, they do not contain any of the following:

Lead

Mercury

Cadmium

Hexavalent chromium (chromium xxx or Cr6+)

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)

Above and beyond RoHS, our lithium ion cells contain no heavy metals, nor any toxic materials. In fact, our cells and ESS, by law, could be disposed of by putting them in a landfill. However, we have no intention of landfilling our ESS.

What is Tesla doing with them now? Recycling them with high-efficiency processes, actually.

Umicore's factory plants are able to recycle our batteries into completely reusable materials and substantially reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing Lithium-ion batteries.

The Umicore battery recycling technology is able to save at least 70 percent on CO2 emissions at the recovery and refining of these valuable metals. It does this by creating "products" and "byproducts," rather than following a mechanical separation process.

Secondary uses are already foreseen for used battery packs from Tesla due to the rapid charge, high capacity, and battery management features.

After 10-15 years when the battery in an electric car is reaching the end of its life and the owner moves on to pastures new, it doesn't necessarily spell the end for the battery itself, even if the car is heading for the junk yard. 80 percent charge might mean reduced range in your car, but that's still a lot of energy storage with plenty of potential.

Re-using old batteries for other purposes is something General Motors and the ABB Group is exploring. Old Chevy Volt batteries could be put to use as stationary storage, either in the home or at a more commercial level.

Meanwhile, what about the environmental byproducts of internal combustion cars?

That means that driving a Tesla for 8 years the same way you would a normal car avoids the following emissions, especially if the electricity comes from cleaner sources of electricity such as renewables, hydro, or nuclear power:

Just over 90,000 pounds of greenhouse gases

About 300 lbs of nitrous oxide, a key contributor to smog and an annual killer of humans

Just over 600 pounds of hydrocarbons — soot — a key contributor to air pollution and particulate matter problems exacerbating respiratory problems

And about 4,600 pounds of carbon monoxide, which is basically just a killer in any concentrations.

What are the health impacts of this comparable level of pollution?

Motor vehicle emissions contribute to air pollution and are a major ingredient in the creation of smog in some large cities. A 2013 study by MIT indicates that 53,000 early deaths occur per year in the United States alone because of vehicle emissions. According to another study from the same university, traffic fumes alone cause the death of 5000 people every year just in the United Kingdom.

So, yes, Teslas are a lot less harmful to the environment than internal combustion cars. But that doesn't mean that they are benign, it just means that they are a much better choice. Not owning a car at all and living in dense downtown cores, walking, and taking transit is an even better choice, but not a choice most people have or make.

  Get CleanTechnica's 1st (completely free) electric car report → "Electric Cars: What Early Adopters & First Followers Want." Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter. 

Tags: Elon Musk, EV pollution, Pollution, Tesla Motors, Tesla pollution, The Union of Concerned Scientists

About the Author

Michael Barnard For the past several years Michael has been analyzing and publishing reports and articles on decarbonization technologies, business models and policies. His pieces on electrical generation transformation and electrification of transportation have been published in CleanTechnica, Newsweek, Slate, Forbes, Huffington Post, Quartz, RenewEconomy, RenewablesInternational and Gizmag, as well as included in textbooks. Third-party articles on his analyses and interviews with Mike have been published in dozens of news sites globally and have reached #1 on Reddit Science. Much of his work originates on Quora.com, where Mike has been a Top Writer annually since 2012. He also has published a climate-fiction novel, Guangzhou Future Tense.

Source: Teslas Are Greener, But Are Still Cars

Volkswagen Challenges GM, Tesla And Nissan With New Electric Cars 2016-2019

The world's second-largest automaker has the largest number of model variants among its brands, with a plug, for sale today. That's among the automakers with a meaningful U.S. presence, and models available somewhere in the world. I count nine from the Volkswagen Group (OTCPK:VLKAY) available to order in dealerships today:

Volkswagen eUp

Volkswagen eGolf

Volkswagen Golf GTE

Volkswagen Passat GTE

Volkswagen Passat GTE Sportwagen

Audi A3 eTron

Audi Q7 eTron

Porsche Cayenne PHEV

Porsche Panamera PHEV

Not all of these are sold in the U.S., of course. Only four are in the U.S. today (VW eGolf, Audi A3 eTron, and the two Porsche models).

Volkswagen has confirmed four more specific plug-in vehicles on the roadmap, to be delivered globally between now and the end of 2019:

Porsche Mission E

Audi A6 eTron (China-only)

Audi eTron Quattro (preliminary name)

Volkswagen Tiguan GTE (China-first)

Surely there will be more than just those four. For example, there will likely be a new Volkswagen Jetta, Audi A8, and four other Volkswagen SUVs with PHEV versions by that time. Volkswagen is talking about 20 new cars with a plug by 2020. Many of us can guess what most of those models will be.

By 2019, the Volkswagen Group's electric car developments will have forked into two paths (to be clear, development on some or most of these begun before 2015):

Cars that are made in gasoline, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric variants.

Cars that are all-electric from the ground up, perhaps with an addition of a range-extending gasoline generator in some cases, a la the BMW (OTCPK:BAMXY) i3.

The current Volkswagen eGolf and Golf GTE are the foremost examples in that former category. As part of a mid-cycle refresh of the current VW Golf this upcoming November 2016 (week 45), the eGolf will get a range boost of approximately 50% thanks to a higher-density battery. This will bring the range up to approximately 120 miles.

Considering that the Chevrolet Bolt (NYSE:GM) will be hitting U.S. dealerships around the same time - fourth quarter of 2016 - with a range of at least 200 miles, that begs the question: At what price discount does Volkswagen have to sell the eGolf after that point?

The Chevrolet Bolt will sell for $37,500 (or less). If the Bolt has 220 miles of range, and the eGolf 120 miles, all other things equal, what's the required discount to get people to buy the 120-mile range eGolf? Is it $10,000? More? Less?

Of course, the Chevrolet Bolt won't be the only challenge to the new VW eGolf. The Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY) LEAF 2.0 is also expected to arrive by the middle of 2017, only six months after the Bolt and eGolf 2.0. We know nothing about the LEAF 2.0's specs, but the concept car Nissan unveiled in October 2015 had a 60 kWh battery - same as the Bolt. If true, that would likewise imply a range of closer to 220 miles.

Eventually, there will also be a Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model 3, with similar range. And a Jaguar. And a Honda (NYSE:HMC). And a Hyundai. And a Ford (NYSE:F). And a Volvo (OTCPK:VOLVY). And a… well, you get the point - almost every automaker will be making EVs with ranges from 200 to 300 miles by 2019, and we will see many of them already in 2018.

As you can see here, the Volkswagen eGolf will be handily out-gunned by both GM and Nissan within the next year, at a bare minimum. And that leads us to the second point, which is Volkswagen's all-new electric-only platform.

Similar in concept to all sorts of other automakers including GM, Tesla and Faraday Future, the new Volkswagen all-electric platform looks like the "skateboard" GM pioneered well over a decade ago - and Tesla famously executed upon with the Model S. It would be available in a variety of form factors, from small compact/economy cars that can be parked in the tightest of spaces, all the way up to full-size minivans.

In fact, it was this minivan version that Volkswagen showed at CES in Las Vegas in January - the "Budd-E." It had a 101 kWh battery and could go an average of 233 miles on the U.S. EPA cycle.

This fall, Volkswagen will show another concept in this series, probably something in the size-class of a Golf. If so, it would be taller to account for a thicker floor filled with batteries, and would get its own distinct design language in order to distinguish itself from the regular VW models such as the Golf. One might guess that battery sizes in that model could range anywhere from 50 kWh to 100 kWh.

Ultimately, by the end of 2019 or 2020 at the latest, one of the models in that series would replace the VW eGolf. Why? Because it could fit a much larger battery, with much longer range. It would not make any sense to keep the current eGolf idea at that point.

Between the large minivan and the Golf-equivalent pure EV, you could imagine every other body style and size. Sedans, hatchbacks, crossovers, 4x2, 4x4, four doors, two doors - you name it. Volkswagen will make at least some of them, soon enough.

The timing of most of those new-platform VW EVs point to calendar year 2019. I imagine we will see these cars well in advance of that manufacturing date. We have already seen the first concept car, and we will see at least one more later this year. The final designs should start showing by 2018, and mass production would begin sometime in 2019.

Volkswagen is torn between wanting to project a (misguided?) green image at the moment - and as always staying away from showing its cards to the competition, too far in advance. That's why we are seeing such a long list of vague and not-so-vague indications about Volkswagen's plans, some of whom are confusing and almost contradictory. Which of these are smokescreens, and which are not?

What is clear is that the VW Group has the engineering expertise to make whatever kind of electric car it wants. The question is what it will choose to make, and whether those choices will be based on actual belief about consumer demand, or whether they will be based more on political pressure.

My prediction is that the VW Group model that will have the surest impact the soonest, is Audi's initial effort for a pure EV, which was shown in September 2015 to be the eTron Quattro Concept. It is slated for production in 2018 in a factory in Brussels, Belgium. It is a car that was largely defined by the U.S. Audi team, although of course most of the core engineering is being done at Audi's German headquarters.

It's got a battery that's over 90 kWh - similar to Tesla - and should therefore have a similar range of almost 300 miles. On paper, it's a crossover-SUV, but in reality it's more of a "tall station wagon." As such, it doesn't compete with the Tesla Model X as much, but more with the Tesla Model S. It has doors that open reliably every time.

The contrast with Toyota (NYSE:TM) is also very interesting in this regard. While Toyota has said that it continues to research batteries for long-range EVs, for now it has placed its eggs in the hydrogen fuel cell basket for the time being. It believes that hybrids will carry the day until 2025-2030, at which point its long-term plan is for a massive sales ramp of hydrogen fuel cell cars between 2025 and 2050.

Toyota makes more cars than Volkswagen, and is vastly more profitable than Volkswagen too. Will Volkswagen's huge offensive into electric cars alter this equation? If so, for better or for worse? So far, electric cars have proven to be a money pit. Will the next three years be the moment when this changes?

The comparison with General Motors is another one. Volkswagen leads the plug-in market in most of Europe, but in the U.S. GM has more sales under its belt. The Chevrolet Volt has consistently been the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S., and it's being joined by the Cadillac CT6 PHEV in the next year, shortly after the Chevrolet Bolt EV.

It's pretty clear that GM will take huge EV market share (if not PHEV) away from VW in 2017 and possibly also in 2018, but we know less (read: almost nothing) about GM's plug-in plans beyond the Chevy Bolt EV - than we know about Volkswagen's plans for 2018-2020. With Toyota sticking to hydrogen fuel cell cars though, both VW and GM are going down a different path than their more profitable competitor.

Ford is moving even more cautiously here. It has an EV in the market today, and two PHEVs, and while they have been selling in modest quantities, it is they are not going to gain market share against other EVs and PHEVs in the next two years. To the contrary, they are likely to lose big against GM and VW.

The competitive tale between the world's three largest automakers - Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors - has just begun.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a short position in TSLA over the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: At the time of submitting this article for publication, the author had no positions in the companies mentioned. However, positions can change at any time. Volkswagen hosted the author at its annual press conference with management. The author regularly attends press conferences, new vehicle launches, factory visits and equivalent, hosted by most major automakers.

Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

Source: Volkswagen Challenges GM, Tesla And Nissan With New Electric Cars 2016-2019

Electric-car startup Faraday Future is already in expansion mode

Bryan Logan/Business InsiderA scale model of the Faraday Future FFZero1 concept race car at LeEco's San Jose headquarters. See Also An electric-car company with mysterious funding is moving forward on its factory These cars earned zero-star crash-test ratings — and they're still on sale A mysterious trading halt in China is raising concerns about Faraday Future's billionaire backer

Faraday Future, the electric-car startup that made its public debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year has had a few firsts since opening for business two years ago.

The California-based company made a deal to build its first assembly plant in Nevada.

Unveiled a "car of concepts," as it was called, that took everyone by surprise.

Obtained its first of more than 100 patents.

Teased an image of what may be its first production vehicle.

The startup, now known as "FF" for short, is already eyeing another location for a second manufacturing facility, all before the company reveals a real-life version of its forthcoming vehicle.

Officials in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Vallejo announced last week that FF is looking at a place called Mare Island, a defunct naval facility, to beits second home.

The Vallejo Times-Herald reported that 157 acres of land are up for grabs at Mare Island and FF wants it. A "light industrial facility for manufacturing electric vehicles" is in the plans, as well as an "experience center" where customers can test drive and pick up their future vehicles.

If the city of Vallejo agrees to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with FF and a deal is ultimately reached, it would be the first new auto assembly plant built in California in many decades.

Tesla, FF's nearest potential rival, builds its vehicles about 60 miles to the south.

AP Photo/Eric RisbergIn this photo taken Oct. 2, 2014, the sun begins to go down behind the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, Calif.

FF's quick expansion is unprecedented for a startup automaker. The company employs nearly 800 people in the US, has three offices in California and one in North Las Vegas, and has a $1 billion factory about to get under way in Nevada while the company is shopping for a second plant.

But no one outside of FF's deepest inner circles has seen the company's cars yet.

Faraday FutureA teaser image of what may be Faraday Future's forthcoming production vehicle.

An FF representative told Business Insider in March that it was deep into the development of its electric-vehicle technology. And at the company's ceremonial groundbreaking in April, Nick Sampson, FF's SVP of research, development and engineering said, "before the end of this year, we'll have full prototypes that represent our production cars."

Specific timelines for when FF will start building its future cars remain fluid. The Nevada assembly plant may reach capacity "within two to three years," the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted, depending on when the plant gets built.

NOW WATCH: Why this Instagram star withdrew $1.2 million in cash — then deposited it the next day Loading video...
Source: Electric-car startup Faraday Future is already in expansion mode

Electric Lakeland: a Twizy adventure in the Lake District

The grey-fleeced ewe sunning itself on the grass didn't give me a second glance. I'd been hoping for at least a bleat of recognition – the electric car I'd borrowed was branded with a cartoon version of the Lake District's Herdwick sheep. But while its charm was lost on the woolly natives, it worked a treat on the human ones. Every time I slowed to pass a group of walkers or cyclists, their smiles and waves gave me a sense of comradeship I could never have earned as a motor-car user in a national park renowned for its traffic problem.

I'd collected my car-in-sheep's-clothing at the Quiet Site, a green-minded camp- and glampsite overlooking Ullswater. One of a new "flock" of 10 battery-powered hire cars at campsites and attractions across the northern Lakes, the Renault Twizy resembles a space buggy crossed with a golf cart (pale grey, with sheep's head painted on the bonnet).

After mastering its push-button technology, I set off towards Keswick on quiet lanes. As I headed up past Little Mell Fell, then down into Matterdale, my gaze was torn between the mountain backdrop, dominated by the tent-shaped outline of Blencathra, and the electronic screen above the steering wheel. A battery symbol with an arrow pointing out of it shows the power you're draining by putting your foot on the "gas". Go downhill, however, and the arrow changes direction as the battery recharges, offering a great excuse for a few seconds' freewheeling, savouring the sound of birdsong and bleating instead of roaring motor.

The Twizy managed to climb Honister Pass, at the price of a drained battery. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA

Eight local businesses have leased these two-seater sheepmobiles as part of an initiative called See More, whose aim is not only to reduce carbon emissions but also to make the Lake District more accessible to car-free travellers: the Quiet Site, for example, picks up campers from Penrith station.

But there's a catch. A Twizy can do 40 miles on a full charge, if you go sensibly. Driving fast or uphill drains the battery faster than a thirsty fell walker can knock back a water bottle. I'd been planning to tackle Honister Pass, but by the time I reached Keswick, having put my foot down to the maximum speed of 52mph on the busy A66, I'd used half my juice.

The helpful folk at the Quiet Site had foreseen this and advised a refuelling stop at Castlerigg Hall, a smart camping park overlooking Derwentwater. All the "flock" hosts recharge vehicles from other sites for free. (It costs about 80p to power up a Twizy, which uses a standard three-pin socket, so there's nothing to stop you asking other venues to plug you in while you have a drink or meal.) But it takes about 3½ hours to charge, so even after lingering over coffee and cake in the campsite's excellent cafe, I still had time for a one-hour tramp to the top of Walla Crag and back, for a ravishing view over Derwentwater and sparkling Bassenthwaite beyond.

I set off along the Borrowdale road having been warned to watch the meter. This was the first time a Twizy had attempted Honister, the campsite staff told me (most hirers trundle along the valley bottom for a pub lunch and back). By the time I reached the pass, I noted smugly that the battery was 90% full. I was brimming, too, from the sheer fun of getting to grips with this dinky vehicle, whose dimensions and unobtrusive quietness (you have to beep at roadside walkers or they won't hear you coming) were so well-suited to the narrow, leafy roads. Calculating that it would cost me less than a fifth of what it costs to fuel my own filthy car, I fantasised about getting one for the school run.

Then I hit the one-in-four gradient and flattened the accelerator. The car slowed markedly as it climbed two miles of vertiginous zigzags, devouring the battery at an alarming rate. Then, the weather took a turn that was dramatic even by Lake District standards: the blue sky turned slate grey and hailstones the size of sugar cubes started falling. By the time I arrived at Honister Slate Mine, they were pinging through the gap in the flip-up car door and gathering round my feet. It was a dramatic way to discover quite how outdoorsy the Twizy experience is. Unheated, with zip-off plastic windows, the car puts you at one with the elements, good or bad.

A view over Buttermere in the north-west Lakes. Photograph: Alamy

One of a growing list of Twizy-friendly businesses happy to offer its sockets to members of the fleecy fleet, Honister is also Cumbria's adrenaline hotspot, with its rock-face via ferrata and wire-rope bridge strung across a 600-metre gorge. I declined both of these tempting ways to pass a couple of hours' charging time. Instead, as blue skies returned, I made a cheat's ascent of Haystacks, Alfred Wainwright's favourite fell. Honister is so high that I was already halfway to the summit, with its views over Buttermere, Crummock Water and a hit parade of famous mountains. Happily I'd stashed my walking boots and OS maps in the Twizy's tiny luggage compartment.

Later, as I looped down towards Buttermere village and cruised along the curvaceous Newlands Pass back to Keswick, I reflected that one of the best things about taking out a Twizy is all the things you can do while you're charging it. You might need to plan your route carefully, but you'll meet more people, see more scenery and develop a more mindful approach to eating up miles in a landscape that's not cut out to be a thoroughfare. It's slow travel, in the best sense of the word.

• Twizy hire costs £10 an hour, £30 a half day (four hours) or £45 a day (eight hours). For hire points, charge points and itinerary suggestions see co-wheels.org.uk/twizyflock

Source: Electric Lakeland: a Twizy adventure in the Lake District

Electric Sales Predicted To Surpass Gas Sales Within A Decade

10 hours ago by Steven Loveday

Chevy Bolt EV

Experts are predicting that electric car sales will surpass gas car sales within the next 10 years.

This may seem pretty unbelievable since 2015 numbers from the Energy Information Association show that only 7% of all U.S. vehicle sales were alternative fuel (electric, hybrid, etc.)

Nissan IDS Concept foreshadowing next generation LEAF for 2017

Argonne National Laboratory is predicting that by 2030, non-hybrid gas cars will make up only 23% of the total market. The report (full report in PDF form here) says that 58% of the light vehicle market will be electric.

Tech Insider points out:

"That flip-flop would mean Americans would use 2.4 million fewer barrels of oil per day, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year."

Tesla's Model 3 and GM's Chevy Bolt EV are perfect examples of the direction the market is heading. Both vehicles have reported ranges of over 200 miles and will be priced from the mid to upper 30k range. Finally, electric cars for the masses.

Ten years may seem soon in the grand scheme of things, but just think of the amount of progress that has been made in the last few years and it is accelerating quickly!

Source: Tech Insider

Tags: car sales, electric car sales, electric sales

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Source: Electric Sales Predicted To Surpass Gas Sales Within A Decade

Mercedes-Benz To Launch 4 Electric Cars By 2020

2 hours ago by Eric Loveday

Mercedes-Benz Vision Tokyo

Mercedes-Benz "Concept IAA" (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile): Digital Transformer

Just a few days ago, Germany officially approved a huge incentive plan for electric cars. That prompted Mercedes-Benz to announce that it's moving forward plans to develop four new electric cars.

As Autocar reports:

"The plans have been orchestrated by Mercedes-Benz's outgoing R&D boss, Thomas Weber, and call for four new electric models to join the Mercedes line-up by the end of 2020."

Among those four vehicles will be two electric SUVs and a pair of electric sedans. Autocar adds:

"Each is set to share the basic elements of a more conventionally powered sibling, including so-called hard points such the windscreen and roof structure. However, there will be unique design touches to make them instantly recognisable as zero emissions vehicles, according to insiders privy to the proposals for the four models."

The goal for Mercedes-Benz will be to take direct aim at Tesla Motors (isn't it always?), who has been eating Mercedes high-end lunch of late.

Few details are known as to what we should expect from Mercedes in the electric vehicle space, but Autocar speculates that the "saloons will be based around the C-Class and S-Class and the SUVs will share common links with the GLA and GLC."

What we do know is that range for each of the vehicles will be above the minimum set forth by Weber. That minimum is 250 miles of real-world range.

So, in conclusion, we'll see four electric Mercedes in two distinct body formats with range of 250-plus miles by 2020.

Source: Autocar

Tags: mercedes, mercedes-benz

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Source: Mercedes-Benz To Launch 4 Electric Cars By 2020

PSA Announces 450 km (270 mile)* Electric Vehicle To Arrive In 2019, Plus 6 Other EVs

PSA Peugeot Citroën Group has announced plans to launch a massive new plug-in offensive to build both all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in France.

Our first look at PSA's first serious effort to get into the plug-in business

The French company recently presented its "Push to Pass" strategy and announced that its electric Common Modular Platform (e-CMP) will be developed with the help of Dongfeng Motors.  Today they put some details behind that strategy.

The e-CMP platform promises long range all-electric cars, with its first offering hitting the market by 2019, and four by 2021, while the EMP2 platform will offer new plug-in hybrids.

"The all-electric e-CMP format…will allow the two parties to offer a new generation of spacious, multi-purpose electric vehicles with a driving range of up to 450 km (270 miles) and ultra-fast charging solutions providing up to 12 km (7.5 miles) of driving per minute of charging."

Again, we will stress that this 450 km/270 mile number is a Euro-based/NEDC number, and will in no way translate into real world range realities, as indicated by the slide (below) that clearly shows a 50 kWh battery is in play.  Still, we'd estimate mileage at right around 200 miles/320 km…still solidly in the "sweet spot" for next generation EV offerings.

PSA cutaway of its new all-electric platform

In addition to the 4 all-electric vehicles in the works, 3 more are to be plug-in hybrids (PSA video on PHEV tech below):

PSA Group takes on energy transition challenge by investing in plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains in France

From 2019 onwards, its (EMP2 – Efficient Modular Platform's) innovative design will enable the deployment of the first plug-in hybrid petrol models equipped with the best of hybrid technology:

• SUVs and CUVs with high-performance electric four-wheel drive• a 60 km/37 miles driving range in all-electric mode• a large interior that does not compromise on passenger comfort or boot space• leading-edge fuel efficiency in urban driving conditions (40% efficiency gains versus internal combustion models)

Here again, we see that a 13 kWh battery is being employed, so a real world range (depending on the platform usage) is likely around 40-45 km (25-28 miles).

Yesterday, PSA released some specific details on the first PHEV offering – the 3008 plug-in hybrid (details here).

Interesting to note with future plug-in hybrid offerings, PSA states that two charging levels will be available – "the plug-in hybrid models will come with a four-hour charging system as well as an optional feature for recharging the battery more quickly, in less than two hours"

Gilles Le Borgne (Executive Vice-President, Research & Development) said: "These next-generation hybrid and electric technologies will complement our range of internal combustion engines, thereby enabling PSA Group to offer its customers a diversified line-up of technologies that meet all of their mobility needs. This innovative strategy clearly demonstrates the Group's commitment to global, sustainable solutions that will allow us to take on the energy transition challenge."

The electric power-train components for the new plug-ins are to be produced at the company's Trémery/Metz centre of excellence, while gear systems will be manufactured at the Valenciennes plant.

In-house production of electric power-trains suggests that PSA's recent plans to introduce several new plug-in hybrids and all-electric models is indeed a serious one.

PSA Group CEO (and another ex-Carlos Ghosn wing-man at Nissan, Carlos Tavares

"As part of the energy transition process and in line with the technological offensive spelled out in its Push to Pass strategic plan, PSA Group is firmly focused on diversifying its technological offering with plug-in hybrid petrol engines and next-generation electric powertrains, which will be used in particular to equip e-CMP, its future electric platform developed in partnership with Dongfeng Motors.

At the same time, the Group will continue to develop next-generation internal combustion engines, both petrol and diesel.

For strategic reasons, PSA Group has decided to manufacture the main electric powertrain components in France, signalling its determination to develop high-tech operations in profitable niche markets. The electric powertrain will be produced at the Trémery/Metz centre of excellence, while the gear systems will be manufactured at the Valenciennes plant.

PSA Group has also decided to fit its plug-in hybrid petrol vehicles with engines produced at the Française de Mécanique facility in Douvrin, France.

Gilles Le Borgne, added:

"We will be launching an unprecedented technological offensive as part of the Push to Pass plan, to provide our customers with an attractive offering of sustainable mobility solutions and maintain our lead in terms of pollutant emissions reduction, with seven plug-in hybrids and four other new electric vehicles scheduled for launch by 2021, in addition to our flagship engine models."

Hat tip to Adrian!

Source: PSA Announces 450 km (270 mile)* Electric Vehicle To Arrive In 2019, Plus 6 Other EVs

Peugeot and Citroen Promise 450 km (280 Miles) Electric Vehicle in 2019

A- A+

The PSA Group (made up of the three French brands of Peugeot, Citroen, and DS) has been trying to find its place in the automotive industry for the past few years.

After a long period in which Citroen, in particular, was synonym with innovation, the marque that gave us the fabulous original DS and other gems found itself increasingly irrelevant on the market. Its cars did not offer anything distinctive to the clients, so sales started to decline. At one point, it attempted a move towards the premium segment, but that proved to be a wrong decision as well, so now it's back at doing perky French cars that offer a lot of features for the money.

To cater for the more pretentious customers, Citroen created the stand-alone DS brand, much like Hyundai did with Genesis last year. However, it wasn't met with that much success so its activity now relies mostly on the Chinese market. As for Peugeot, it followed a somewhat similar route, with the new 308 and 208 models looking very promi sing. Not to mention the recently announced 3008, which fortunately has absolutely nothing to do with the current model bearing that name.

Yesterday, though, the PSA Groupe gave us another idea of where its brands are going by introducing a new platform dedicated exclusively to electric vehicles. This new architecture that's based on the Common Modular Platform was developed together with Dongfeng Motors and is now called the Electric Common Modular Platform, or e-CMP.

According to the PSA Group, it will be able to offer up to 450 km (280 miles) of electric range coupled with ultra-fast charging solutions that can provide the vehicle with 12 km (7.5 miles) per one minute of charging. The group says that four models will be introduced to the market by 2021, with the first coming as soon as 2019. The e-CMP can support various types of vehicles including city cars, core sedans and even compact SUVs or crossovers

As we've previously reported, the PSA Group also plans t o release seven plug-in hybrid models that will use the EMP2 architecture. The PHEVs will be introduced during the same time frame as the EVs and will include larger vehicles such as SUVs and CUVs. The French manufacturer estimates that the vehicles will have a maximum electric range of 60 km (38 miles) and a charging time as short as two hours for a complete cycle.

Source: Peugeot and Citroen Promise 450 km (280 Miles) Electric Vehicle in 2019

Apple doubles-down on electric car tech say insiders

Apple is quietly vacuuming up electric car charging expertise, in what insiders speculate could lead to an EV network for the much-rumored Apple Car. The Cupertino firm has made a number of new hires in the field, while simultaneously extending feelers to existing firms with experience of running the sort of charger infrastructure electric cars require in order to tip into the mainstream.

"The talks, which have not been reported, do not concern charging for electric cars of Apple employees, a service the company already provides," a source told Reuters.

Instead, the focus is the underlying technology around recharging, arguably a less "sexy" area than the Apple Car itself, but no less vital for the company to get right if, indeed, such a project is on the cards.

Among the new hires is talent formerly working on electric charging projects at BMW and Google, as well as experts in wireless charging systems. The latter are a source of interest for a number of established automakers - BMW and Mercedes-Benz announced they'd collaborate on such technology back in 2014 - but so far wireless charging for production vehicles has failed to materialize.

Nonetheless, some experts argue that wireless charging will be instrumental in reducing one of the perceived headache points of owning an electric car: having to plug it in.

It's that sort of streamlining of the car ownership experience that many expect Apple to bring its distinctive brand of ease-of-use and convenience to, though there's plenty of challenges yet in developing the sort of comprehensive infrastructure a mass-market car would require.

Currently, the best-known example is probably Tesla's Supercharger network, offered free of charge to drivers of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV. The Model 3, Tesla's upcoming $35k car, will also get complimentary Supercharger access, CEO Elon Musk confirmed at the EV's unveiling, simultaneously promising to expand the network to over 7,000 chargers by the vehicle's release at the end of 2017.

As it stands, Tesla has over 3,700 Superchargers spread across 628 stations.

The Model S and Model X - and the Model 3 to come - all use a proprietary connector, whereas the rest of the EV industry has settled on more common standards. There are several charger station providers, operated by ChargePoint and others, many of which have reportedly been approached by Apple recently.

Those companies are described as "wary of sharing too much" with Apple, however, given that it could well one day be a significant competitor.

Speculation that is working on an electric car of some sort surged in early 2015, with reports of a "Project Titan" occupying a team more than 1,000 members strong, and focused on EV drivetrains, semi-autonomous and autonomous driving, and connect car technology.

For its part, Apple has been tight-lipped, only publicly discussing its infotainment system CarPlay when asked about its intentions in automotive.

SOURCE Reuters

Source: Apple doubles-down on electric car tech say insiders

German power firms to partner carmakers in electric future -RWE

May 25 German utilities are likely to partner with automakers to tap into a 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) government incentive scheme for electric cars, an RWE executive said.

Driven by fear that energy will be dominated by the likes of Google and Apple, both of which have made forays into the sector, power firms are focusing on vehicle-to-grid communication as a possible source of revenue.

"We assume there will be partnerships between utilities and carmakers in the near future," Thomas Birr, head of strategy at RWE, Germany's second-biggest utility, told Reuters.

This could involve integrating electric cars into the grid and using their power to satisfy peak demand or to store surplus energy, a market expected to grow to $7.5 billion by 2020.

Earlier this month Nissan said it was launching a trial this year with Italy's Enel to allow electric car owners in Britain to sell electricity back to the National Grid and potentially make money in the process.

While there has been little uptake for electric cars in Germany so far, a government support programme announced last month raised hopes that demand will improve and drive the need for infrastructure, including charging stations.

RWE, which is in the process of pooling its renewable, grid and service units into an entity separate from its loss-making power plant business, has already installed more than 3,100 such stations, more than half of Germany's roughly 5,800.

But rather than just focusing on building more, RWE is looking at how it can earn money by integrating the rising number of electric vehicles into the power grid, which already needs to cope with a major surplus in renewable energy output.

"What you don't want is the power grid to collapse if there happen to be three electric cars charging in the same street at the same time," Birr said.

Utilities say that selling power alone will not be enough to keep them going in the future and are banking instead on their expertise in managing power grids at a time when Germany's energy supply becomes more decentralised. ($1 = 0.8949 euros) (Editing by Alexander Smith)

Source: German power firms to partner carmakers in electric future -RWE

Electric car maker Tesla—innovation or exploitation?

A recent article in the San José Mercury News described a complex process of global capitalist exploitation that took a Slovenian citizen, Gregor Lesnik, from his homeland to Tesla's Fremont, Calif., assembly plant and then to a hospital and back to Slovenia.

Lesnik is one of thousands of immigrants from impoverished Eastern European countries, many from Slovenia and Croatia (formerly part of Yugoslavia), who come to the U.S. in hopes of earning enough to live in their homeland. The Mercury News article exposed how Tesla contracted with Eisenmann, a German manufacturer of industrial systems, which in term used Vuzem, another subcontractor, to supply cheap foreign labor to expand Tesla's Fremont factory.

Gregor Lesnik, after fall from Tesla factory roof | Photo: Danijel Travancic

Vuzem stands accused of violating numerous visa and labor laws in an effort to get foreign workers into the U.S., where they earn as little as $5 an hour. Lesnik nearly died on the job when he fell three stories from the roof of the Tesla factory. He is now seeking damages in spite of Tesla and Vuzem's refusal to pay and attempts to intimidate him into dropping the suit.

These efforts went as far as having someone pose as a nurse and request that Lesnik follow them onto a plane back to Slovenia. While Mr. Lesnik's story is shocking, he is just one of many thousands of immigrants who face similar circumstances.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors

Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, has a reputation of using brilliant innovation to secure the rapid success of his electric car company. Yet the Mercury News exposé shows that Musk relies on exploitation of the working class to drive the success of his company, which at this early stage of its development is anything but assured. While much of the blame in this case rests with Tesla, the company could not have done it on its own. It is but a part of an expanding global supply chain that seeks to exploit cheap foreign labor.

This story starts on the far side of the globe. Following restoration of capitalism, including dissolution of Yugoslavia at the hands of German and the U.S. imperialism, much of Eastern Europe suffers from low per capita income and high unemployment. Prior to the fall of Yugoslavia, its citizens enjoyed free health care, education and high living standards. The destruction of Yugoslavia destroyed these rights provided by the socialist government to its people. In a mad dash to plunder the resources and economy of these nations, the West plunged their economies into disarray as massive inflation led to starvation and a shortage of basic medical supplies.

Prior to the U.S./NATO attack, Yugoslavia had many productive factories, including an auto industry. Now, residents of the region like Gregor Lesnik are forced to travel to the U.S. to work in the same industry.

Deliberate complexity enables abuse

Tesla contracted with Eisenmann, which in turn contracted the work out to Vuzem. If this sounds complicated, that's because it is supposed to be. With the hiring and payment of a labor force passing through multiple hands, finding and punishing the individuals responsible becomes that much more difficult. Multiple companies around the world must be investigated and charged rather than just one. Tesla can claim innocence and blame Eisenmann, which in turn can blame Vuzem, and so on.

Vuzem is notorious for abusing visa and labor laws in a way to allow its underpaid workforce to enter the U.S. and work "legally." Vuzem has its workers apply for B1 visas, which only allow individuals to work in the U.S. if they are engaged in "highly skilled labor" in short supply. While supervising a team of auto workers on an assembly line might qualify, working on the line would not.

This did not stop Vuzem from coaching their contract workers to claim they were engaged in highly skilled labor on their applications, only to work unskilled or semi-skilled construction and assembly line jobs. This ensured Vuzem could pay these workers far less than U.S. workers, even well under the minimum wage.

Poor regulation by design

This particular aspect of the visa process is hardly regulated by the U.S. and violations are common. This is, of course, again by design. The U.S. government, controlled by corporate interests, would be loath to do anything that might raise labor costs for their corporate sponsors. Finally, the imported workers typically remain silent over these abuses for fear of losing what little pay they are getting and being deported. It is vital to see how the U.S. military, banks, CEOs, and government bureaucrats all work together in a system designed to maximize the exploitation of the working class, both foreign and domestic.

This flow of desperate labor from nations devastated by U.S. imperialism to the U.S. is a common story. It could have just as easily been told about Mexico or Honduras. By employing foreign labor, the capitalist class further divides the working class against itself. We can see this in the mass appeal of Donald Trump's racist rhetoric that pits the white working class against the brown.

It is not enough to fight for the rights of workers in a single industry or even nation. If the U.S. working class had opposed and stopped the NATO invasion of Yugoslavia, the workers in that region would not have been forced to flee in order to survive. That would be to the benefit of all workers.

It is imperative that anyone involved in the struggle for workers' rights understand the need for internationalism. We must echo Marx's proclamation: "Workers of the world unite."

Source: Electric car maker Tesla—innovation or exploitation?

This country has hit a major milestone for electric cars—here's how

Other than lower emissions, less air and noise pollution and reduced reliance on non-renewable energy sources, electric car users enjoy a quieter and smoother drive and say the engines are more reliable than petroleum-powered internal combustion equivalents.

Another benefit is electric vehicles can be charged from home if one has a suitable inlet and are economical to run in countries where electricity is cheap.

However, electric cars are expensive to run compared with similar small or medium-sized gas vehicles and there is a limited choice of brands and styles available. Prices for mass-market EVs such as the Ford Focus Electric and 2016 edition of the Nissan Leaf start at around $29,0000 in the U.S., according to the car companies' websites.

By comparison, the starting price for a new, conventionally-fueled Ford Focus is around $17,225 and a Nissan Versa Sedan sells from $11,990.

"Generous subsidies and tax breaks are playing a role in supporting demand, but overall adoption rates are constrained by factors such as relatively low real-world driving ranges (i.e. issues with battery storage and density), limited model availability and, most importantly, high costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. The latter has been amplified by the collapse in the crude oil price in 2015," Charlie Thomas, head of strategy at Jupiter, a U.K. boutique asset management firm, said in a report last week.

Europe's most popular electric cars by year-to-date sales:

Nissan Leaf: 6,168

Renault Zoe: 5,578

Tesla Model S: 3,378

Volkswagen e-Gold: 2,228

BMW i3: 1,567

Source: European Alternative Fuels Observatory

Source: This country has hit a major milestone for electric cars—here's how

Pininfarina Could Offer Electric Sports Car

Posted on 05.23.2016 17:00 by Robert Moore

It was just last December that we announced the official acquisition of Pininfarina by Tech Mahindra Limited and Mahindra & Mahindra. Only a few months later, Pininfarina showed up at the Geneva Auto Show with the 2016 Pininfarina H2 Speed, and more recently, Mahindra Racing and Pinin farina announced some Formula E concept designs. As you can see, the Mahindra group has been working pretty quickly to take advantage of having Pininfarina under its wing, and now, it looks like Pininfarina is on a mission to develop an all-electric sports car.

As of the time of this writing, details are rather scant, but sources are indicating that something big is in the works. Considering the fact that Mahindra is already well involved in Formula E, and Pininfarina is such an amazing design house, the car is sure to bring the best of both worlds – design and e-power – to the table. Mahindra boss, Pravin Shah, said, "Design plays a critical part in designing vehicles in such a way that they are robust yet pollute the least while giving you the thrill that people want in vehicles."

So far, we're looking toward the H2 Speed concept as a potential starting point for this future electric sports car. That car didn't exactly have all the flare that Pininfarina designs normally have, but we expect the all-electric sports car to be more in line with the brand's previous designs. For now, little is known, but with news like this coming forward now it would be a crime if more information didn't come to light in the near future. Who knows, maybe Pininfarina will be able to turn a profit in the next five years now that it is under n ew ownership.

Continue reading for the full story.

Why it matters

Given the fact that the H2 Speed concept is already in existence, it probably wouldn't take much get the car more production and road ready. Sure the H2 was a hydrogen-powered race car, but surely the brand should be able to take what it already has and make room for a slightly larger passenger cabin and a battery pack to make an all-electric variant. On the flip side of things, now that Pininfarina is now one with Mahindra and Tech Mahindra, we could see some pretty interesting sports car designs in the near future. I'm willing to bet that it won't take long for us to see the first conceptual representation of this upcoming electric sports car. We could see something that is almost production ready as soon as late 2017 if the brand is willing to p ut in the wrench time.

2016 Pininfarina H2 Speed

Read our full review on the 2016 Pininfarina H2 Speed here.

Source: Pininfarina Could Offer Electric Sports Car

Is Apple's Next Product An Electric Car?

The makers of products such as the iPhone 6S, iPad Pro, MacBook and Apple TV and Apple CarPlay, have been rumoured to be producing a full-fledged road-going automobile, but Apple itself has yet to confirm anything.

However, judging by the numerous rumours and reports, this is what we know so far:

- An initial version of the Apple car will not be self-driving, with officials reportedly confirming that autonomous technology will come later down the line. 

- The oft-leaked electric vehicle – supposedly developed under the codename "Project Titan" – is now tipped for either a 2019 or 2020 launch.

- Apple is developing the new car in Berlin, alongside a team of 15-20 "progressive thinkers" – according to German media.

- Apple is reportedly increasing its car operation technology (CarPlay, so far), with sources suggesting early prototypes of its car will be all-electric, autonomous and resemble a minivan aesthetic.

- Apple has reportedly recently appointed British car designer who worked at Aston Martin until he left in 2013 to become the vice-president of vehicle engineering at Tesla Motors, Chris Porritt.

- Judging by Apple's current high-price-tag products, Jefferies and Co have estimated the rumoured Apple Car to cost around £36,000.

- Apple is said to have hundreds of employees working on creating an electric vehicle at an unknown location near its Cupertino headquarters, in California, USA.

- Apple has been said to have spoken with officials regarding vehicle regulations suggesting an Apple Car is more likely than not.

- There is rumoured possibility of Apple teaming up with an already established carmaker, following Tim Cook's recent visit to BMW (any plans to team up with BMW have, again, been said to have fallen through).

- Back in December 2015, Apple bought three automotive-related domains (apple.car, apple.cars and apple.auto), which could well be related to Apple's CarPlay technology, or not…

As we said, it's all very speculative, but Apple's interest in a car dates back to before even the iPhone came out, so there must be something in it, right? 

So, in short, the answer to our opening question is we don't know, but rumours rarely come out of nowhere and for this to be the biggest talk at the moment surrounding Apple and their future plans – it could all well be true.

Source: Is Apple's Next Product An Electric Car?

This Is Australia's First Electric Car

After two years of research and development in Melbourne and Armidale, the first electric car to be fully designed and built in Australia is about to kick-start local manufacturing in Victoria. The Tomcar LV1, designed for the mining industry, is the first EV from a company with a background in off-road recreational carts and buggies, and is the most Australian vehicle to be assembled in the country for a long time.

Tomcar has been building 2- and 4-seater petrol and diesel buggies and ATVs since 2011 with the help of automotive manufacturer MTM, which has also produced components for General Motors and Ford vehicles. The LV-1 is the company's first electric vehicle, and the group enlisted the help of Armidale-based Energetique — which built the EVME electric car in 2008 — to supply an electric drivetrain.

The "world's toughest EV" uses a 100kW/300Nm electric motor, with 12-20kWh battery packs available, and a variety of battery and motor variants suiting different use cases. Being built tough and producing zero emissions during operation, the Tomcar LV-1 makes sense for the closed, deep tunnels of Australia's many mines. Where the Holden Cruze contains 4 per cent local components, according to Tomcar, the LV-1 is built from around 60 per cent Australian parts and will be hand-built like the company's other vehicles at its Melbourne factory.

Tomcar's off-road vehicles have "the centre of gravity of a Porsche" and can tip on a 45-degree angle without rolling — useful for navigating the inclines of underground tunnels and aboveground roads generally travelled by much larger vehicles. Being electric, the cars can be recharged from a central location within mine corridors, cutting down on the amount of fuel required to be brought in.

Tomcar's CEO David Brim says the ongoing project is a ray of light for Australia's struggling local automotive manufacturing industry: "We have been working with Energetique on this project for over a year, keeping it secret while creating the world's toughest EV – to be built right here in Australia. The entire vehicle is being developed here, including the unique proprietary software and our incredible powertrain system design."

Production of the LV-1 will start in November this year, with deliveries planned in early 2017. [Tomcar]

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Source: This Is Australia's First Electric Car