Does an Electric car make sense in Zimbabwe?

Probably just from the title quite a handful of you are screaming and yelling NOO! Hold up people let me explain.

Now before I get to the part where it makes sense or not, I just want to give a petrol head's view of things, seeing I'm legitimately a lover of the scent of fuel and rumbling and wheezing engine noises.

So the general thinking is electric cars are uneventful. Uneventful being we have no noise, no gears to shift and they are brutally slow. And with the very early iterations of these cars they also weren't too easy, on the eyes so fair enough.

Aaand also the organs you had to donate to own one further ruined the idea of actually considering getting one

But the BIGGEST worry of electric cars has been how they took up to 12 hours to fully charge only to last at most about 150Km before they cried for another 12 hrs of your life…and power of course.

They just didn't make sense at all even with the incentive that you save a couple extra bucks on carbon tax, unless you only needed it for carrying groceries from your nearest supermarket.

Taking the story home. An electric car buzzing its way on Zimbabwean streets. Does it make sense? YES!…and no.

Yes because

It would totally make sense now, well thanks to Elon Musk and Tesla, because an electric full sized sedan the size of your Mercedes Benz S-Class can now humiliate the most elite supercar in a sprint to the next traffic light.

It can take you from Harare to Bulawayo on a single charge and even do so whilst doing over DOUBLE the speed of the legal limit in Zimbabwe (If roadblocks allow of course!).

It's electric so the space that used to be occupied by the engine and gearbox is now dedicated to an extra boot and extra leg room.

It costs as much as your average Mercedes Benz E-Class (for the bigger Tesla Model S) or as much as your average Toyota Corolla (for the more compact Tesla Model 3)

And fuel you may ask. So for the easiest comparison we take 1 liter of petrol costing about $1.35. The equivalent juice for an electric car is one unit of ZESA which is measured in KWh costing about 9.86 cents.

Oh and if you were wondering, the biggest power bank in a Tesla is a 100KWh unit so just $9.86 to brim the tank and again this takes you from Harare to Bulawayo with some change to get you to Matopos.

Its an electric car and hence the stuff that gets it going is a motor and a battery. Far much less parts than a conventional car and so maintenance costs will be much less.

No because

Filling it up will set you back about an hour (on a Tesla Charging station) or about 5 hours from the socket in your garage. Quite a long recess if you happen to want to take a road trip to the falls.

Also as I mentioned earlier on, The Model S costs as much as your average Mercedes Benz E-Class which, being more realistic, is still something for the elite. Well at least until the Model 3 is open to the public, but even then the US $35k price tag in the US means a total landed cost of $70k, which is still moderately elite.

Would I buy one?

YES! I wouldn't mind getting myself one of these. It totally makes sense in Zimbabwe right now especially if you want a "fuel saver". Come to think of it, an electric car is a true game changer; the performance of the most elite supercars, the range of an average sedan and your fuel costs almost much as bottled water.

It will not make sense NOT to own one. And it would make even less sense NOT to own one in Zimbabwe.

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Source: Does an Electric car make sense in Zimbabwe?

Australia Building Electric Highway Even Though Nobody There Owns An Electric Car

Australia's Queensland Cabinet announced it would be constructing one of the longest electric highways in the world this week. The expanse of roadway already exists on the country's eastern seaboard, but the $3 million plan intends to add an 18-station network between Gold Coast and Cairns City. While EV owners might not want to hazard into the outback just yet, coastal drivers will have some peace of mind traveling between Australia's major towns.

The fast-charging network plans to provide free power for at least a year in what the environment minister, Steven Miles, explained was a bid to increase the number of electric cars on Queensland roads. 

"This project is ambitious, but we want as many people as possible on board the electric vehicle revolution, as part of our transition to a low emissions future," Miles said during the project's announcement.

Australia intends to finish its "electric highway" within six months and compared it to the scale of California'a own "west coast green highway." Although, there are some massive differences between the U.S. and the Land Down Under in terms of EV ownership. Australians have largely shunned electric vehicles. It's estimated that total EV sales for the country, between 2010 and 2017 haven't yet surpassed 5,000 units, despite the growing popularity of non-plug-in hybrids. Meanwhile, the State of California accounted for almost 250,000 plug-in deliveries between 2011 and the tail-end of 2016.

Granted, California does possess a higher overall population and an enviable charging network. But even less populous U.S. states, like Florida, surpass Australian EV sales by a margin of over 4-to-1. And there is worse news, Aussie plug-in sales have suffered a 90 percent drop after Nissan and Mitsubishi pulled the Outlander P-HEV and Nissan Leaf off of the market last year.

"The most recent Queensland Household Energy Survey showed that 50% of Queenslanders will consider an electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid or regenerative braking hybrid, when purchasing a new car in the next two years and that majority said improvements to public fast-charging infrastructure would further tempt them into purchasing an EV," Miles stated. "The future truly is electric."

It, assuredly, could be. But, with so few PEV options within the Australian marketplace, it's difficult to imagine consumers actually succumbing to the implied temptation right away. With Japan's heaviest hitters off the table, consumers are left with the Mercedes-Benz C350e and Tesla Model S as the country's most popular options. But neither offer the affordability of Chevrolet's Bolt, which isn't expected to make it Australia anytime soon.

However, this hasn't stopped the plan from receiving praise from the government or automakers hoping to sell EVs — like Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi.

Behyad Jafari, chair of Australia's Electric Vehicle Council said the Queensland Government was to be commended for its national leadership and supporting the electric vehicle industry. "I encourage all governments across Australia to follow suit, particularly as this support will help to provide motorists with increased choice of cars that are cheaper and healthier to operate."

[Image: Bluedeviation/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)]

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Source: Australia Building Electric Highway Even Though Nobody There Owns An Electric Car

My next car is electrified, says Shell CEO

It's not every day that you hear a a titan of industry say, "Next time, I'm buying Brand X." But as the automotive industry hurdles toward an electric future, the man who runs Royal Dutch Shell - aka Shell Oil - says the next car he buys will have electric power.

Chief Executive Officer Ben Van Beurden is switching from a diesel car to a plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz S500e in September, a Shell spokesman said.

Now, it's not like he's buying a Nissan Leaf. The S500e gets 24 mpg city, 30 highway - a 2.5-ton, 436-combined-horsepower Benz that can do 0-to-60 in 5.2 seconds. However, a Shell spokesman says Chief Financial Officer Jessica Uhl already drives a BMW i3.

Nor is it like Van Beurden is promising to quit drilling for oil, and he didn't mention what else is in his garage, but it's a sign of the dramatic shift ahead of us. Oil companies have made no secret that they think manmade global warming is real and that a move away from fossil fuel and toward clean energy is a given. Industry executives even advised President Trump not to leave the Paris climate accord, to no avail. As the inevitability of this shift - along with slumping oil prices - became evident, Shell two years ago bought BG Group, betting $53 billion that demand for natural gas will rise as the world shifts to cleaner-burning fuels. That deal made it the planet's second-largest energy company.

"The whole move to electrify the economy, electrify mobility in places like northwest Europe, in the U.S., even in China, is a good thing," Van Beurden said on Bloomberg TV Tuesday. "We need to be at a much higher degree of electric vehicle penetration — or hydrogen vehicles or gas vehicles — if we want to stay within the 2-degrees Celsius outcome."

Economists used to think we'd reach peak supply - the world would deplete its oil resources. Now they think we'll hit peak demand - the point at which oil consumption starts a steep downhill slide and companies like Shell don't both er to drill for the remaining reserves. Van Beurden offered a guess when that would happen.

"If policies and innovation really work well, I can see liquids peaking in demand in the early 2030s and maybe oil will peak a little bit earlier if there's a lot of biofuels coming into the mix as well," Van Beurden said.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that a third of the world's cars will be plug-in by 2040 (coincidentally, the date when it looks like new internal-combustion cars will be banned in parts of Europe). That many EVs will cut global oil consumption by about eight million barrels a day, Bloomberg says - or around the total daily oil output of the United States.

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Source: My next car is electrified, says Shell CEO

Op-Ed: GM Electric Vehicles: It’s the Mis-Targeting, Silly

Chevrolet Bolt EV coming off the line at GM's Orion Assembly Facility in Michigan

The extended summer shutdown at GM's Orion plant, where the Bolt BEV and the Sonic ICE-subcompact are made, has been spun in all directions. But it doesn't look good. Sonic is a modest-volume car, so had Bolt demand gone through the roof we might have seen a shortening of that shutdown, not an extension.

To be fair, in EV terms the Bolt's sales start hasn't been too bad. A year or two earlier the numbers   might have been considered stellar (see full US sales of all models here).

The Bolt's 6 first full months – 7.6k domestic sales and at least 1.4k overseas sales during the weaker front half of the year (plus 600 sales in its first few days at the end of December), delivered while only part of the US is open for sales – is better than the Tesla Model X start in late 2015 and early 2016. Sales aside, particularly impressive is the lack of any major product problems.

Bolt EVs outside Capital Chevrolet in San Jose/George B

But it's 2017 now, and this is how the Bolt is judged:

– The Bolt's 100+ inventory days are definitely worse than planned for this point in time.

– Head to head, the Bolt is currently outsold in the US by the Prius Prime PHEV, launched a month earlier with fairly minimal range, only 4 seats, and a parent brand (Prius) in freefall. This, despite most of the Prime's production swallowed by domestic Japanese demand.

– The Bolt is being even more badly outsold by its veteran sibling the Volt, and nearly matched by the aging Gen 1 Leaf (that's in the US; abroad the Leaf outsells the Bolt by orders of magnitude).

The Bolt was seen by the hopeful (yours truly included) as a potential game-changer. Its range-to-price combination blows everything else out of the water, and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Instead, we have mediocre sales, and GM squandering nearly a year's head start on Tesla's Model 3. Not many people thought that in mid-2017 the Bolt would only be #5 on the US year-to-date scorecard, despite directing almost all production volume domestically. What's going on?

Through the first half of 2017 plug-in sales in the US, the Chevy Volt has outsold the Bolt EV 10,932 to 7,592

The Main Fail: Target the Wrong Segment, or no Segment at all

By far the biggest reason for the Bolt's woes, is the exact same reason the Volt has never fulfilled its huge potential. Twice in a row, GM has developed a flagship mass-market EV without targeting any major segment or constituency of the US auto market.

What segment did the Chevy Volt target? Its sporty design with 4 seats, looking bigger on the outside than its cramped interior, suggests either aging macho Boomers, or edgy twenty-somethings. But the former are not the best candidates for jumping first into the EV deep end, and the latter didn't have the $$ to buy a Volt. This is not the Tech side's fault. The Tech side doesn't decide, "Let's make a midsize SUV!", or "Let's make a 4-seater!". It's upper management, via product management and Marketing, who instruct them.

The 2nd Generation Chevrolet Volt added a 5th "seat" in 2016

The 4 seats and minimal space decisions, essentially gave up on more family-friendly segments. The environmentalist segment, small but hardcore, was also not courted too much for fear of losing conservatives, who are perceived as dominant among Big Three clientele. The Volt did get some greenies, some tech fans, lots of large fleet deals, and a bit of this and that – but the original design instructions doomed it to second-tier volumes.

With the Volt, one could argue that the CEO at the time was EV-skeptic and didn't try too hard. That's not the case with Mary Barra, who got personally behind the Bolt (and the Gen 2 Volt), and should probably be credited in part for its speedy development. But system-wide ineptitude and cluelessness about EVs cannot be cured overnight by one woman at the top with a magic wand.

What segment does the Bolt target? Its 5-seat passenger compartment is roomy. But the car pretty much ends at the back seat. Yesterday I passed by a Cmax Energi, thinking, "Ok, here's another compact-crossover EV, maybe I've been too hard on Bolt?!" The Cmax definitely looked smaller than the cars around it, but reasonable. I looked up the dimensions: the Cmax is a full 10" longer than the Bolt, and also a bit taller and wider.

Inside the Chevy Bolt EV (InsideEVs/George B)

Yes, the Bolt is very efficient with its space. This what matters is how the car is perceived by potential consumers. For Europe where they value space-efficient cars, the Bolt nicely targets a major segment. Per the US size definitions, the Bolt is a subcompact.

Back of the Chevy Bolt EV

What proportion of US auto sales are subcompact, YTD in 2017?

Bolt, Sonic and Spark combine for ~4% of GM sales (and arguably, that's generous b/c most Bolt buyers got it despite the size)

Yaris and Prius C combine for ~3% of Toyota/Lexus sales

Fiesta accounts for ~2% of Ford/Lincoln sales

Fiat 500 (with/without e) account for <1.5% of FCA sales

I may have forgotten an esoteric model here or there, but you get the idea

And the current trend as everyone knows, surely the folks at GM, is towards bigger and bigger. How can you mount a revolutionary assault on the auto market, when you target the lowest and most rapidly shrinking 2-3%? Moreover, most of these cars cost <$20k, so while the Bolt's tech is demonstrably worth its price, people who regularly buy subcompacts don't pay that kind of money.

Going up just one size class would make a world of difference for the Bolt. There are 2 compact passenger cars in the top 10 best-selling models, and 6 compact SUVs in the top 20. The SUVs in particular can fetch prices in the Bolt's ballpark (after the Fed incentive). Make the Bolt one foot longer keeping everything else the same, and it becomes a legit compact-crossover, very close in size to the Ford Escape. 157k Escapes were sold in the US in the first half, nearly as many as all subcompacts put together.

If the Bolt's EPA range was 201 miles, one could at least understand making it so small in order to stay above that psychological bar. But GM engineering surely knew a while ago that they were clearing 200 miles with lots to spare. Adding a foot to the Bolt at the back couldn't have cost much more than ~5% of range, and couldn't have increased its price substantially.

Chevrolet Volt – needs more room?

Of course, all this means that the Gen 2 Volt, as well, is still too small, because despite looking like a Japanese compact-sedan wannabe, the Volt's overall interior/trunk space is much smaller, about half the Bolt's. That's 3 of 3 in EV targeting fails.

Why do GM keep repeating the same rookie error? My best guess is that the people in charge of targeting still don't really believe they can sell EVs to "ordinary people". The mis-targeting is then compounded by GM's notoriously EV-apathetic (and often even clueless or hostile) dealer network, and by weak and inflexible advertising and pricing policies.

Nissan has had a far more challenging product to sell in the Leaf, and went through actual product-quality crises that GM has yet to encounter with its EVs (again, thanks to GM's crack Engineering teams). But while continually improving the Leaf's technical specs, realizing that every little bit matters, Nissan has also continually re-invented and revised the Leaf's marketing and pricing approach, never leaving it "to sell itself". Even now, when people were ready to write off the Gen 1 as dead, Nissan has gone all-out on the deals, even "poaching" many potential Bolt sales (including our own family, I must admit).

The next generation LEAF debuts this September (InsideEVs/Darren T)

Beyond all that, Nissan has embraced the Leaf as a flagship brand. They see no contradiction between still making nearly all their money off of ICE cars, many of them gas-guzzling monsters – and developing a flagship EV as the arrow towards the company's future, including unabashedly courting the tree-hugger constituency. By contrast, GM seems afraid of its own shadow when marketing EVs, and unsure about EVs' role in its future.

The good news are, the Bolt is only a few months old, it's a great car, and if GM shows the needed flexibility, its EV sales can rapidly grow. Here's what they should do, IMHO:

Export the Bolt (and the Volt) more aggressively. The Bolt is a ridiculously better match to Old World markets than to the US. Even Canadians seem to appreciate it more than Americans. So don't be afraid to divert more and more Bolt production towards export. In particular, Korea where it was actually developed, will feel a special affinity towards the Bolt, and drivers there should be embraced.

As soon as the Bolt is available in all US states, they should start offering deeper discounts and in particular more attractive lease deals to push domestic volume.

Even more crucially, Mary Barra referred to the Bolt as a "platform car" for future extensions. They totally dropped the ball on doing that with the Volt. With the Bolt, this should start right now. A 200-mile Bolt-like SUV/crossover that falls firmly in the compact class is top priority. That's what the Bolt should have been from the start, but it is certainly not too late.

Source: Op-Ed: GM Electric Vehicles: It's the Mis-Targeting, Silly

Opinion: The myth of a clean electric car

Full speed ahead for electric cars - it seems there has never been a better time to finally do away with combustion-engine technology. But DW's Henrik Böhme feels the solution lies elsewhere.

They really are the bad guys, those carmakers! Ever since Germany's flagship industry was confronted with accusations of colluding in a cartel, a lot of malice has been directed toward manufacturers in Wolfsburg, Stuttgart and Munich. Understandable, given that there is not much faith left in Germany's car industry since VW's emissions-cheating dieselgate scandal erupted.

Read more: Diesel emissions kill. What is the car industry going to do about it?

The companies themselves are keeping a low profile. That is also understandable as investigations by competition authorities have only just started and the suspects remain innocent until proven guilty. In addition, every misplaced word uttered in public may eventually cost the firms millions. The only ones left speaking will most likely be the lawyers.

A Dieselgate chronology The disaster unfolds

About two weeks after Volkswagen admitted behind closed doors to US environmental regulators that it had installed cheating software in some 11 million of its diesel vehicles worldwide, the Environmental Protection Agency shared that information with the public. It was Sept. 18, 2015. Over the next year, the crisis would gain momentum - and take a few unexpected turns.

A Dieselgate chronology The boss must go

Volkswagen's CEO, Martin Winterkorn, had little choice but to step down several days after news of the scandal broke. On Sept. 23, he tendered his resignation. But he kept his other posts within the Volkswagen Group. To this day, he still maintains he never knew anything about the cheating.

A Dieselgate chronology A not-so-new face

Winterkorn's successor was Matthias Müller. Until taking the reins at VW, Müller had been the chairman at Porsche, a VW subsidiary. Like his predecessor, Müller insisted he knew nothing of the deception. It is now his responsibility to clean up shop at Europe's largest car maker. That wasn't always easy.

A Dieselgate chronology A raid at headquarters

Regulators in the US weren't the only ones investigating VW. Authorities in Lower Saxony, the German state in which VW is based, were also scrutinizing the company. On Oct. 8, state prosecutors raided VW HQ and several other locations.

A Dieselgate chronology A powerful enemy

On Jan. 4 of this year, the US government filed a lawsuit against VW, accusing it of fraud and violations of American climate protection regulations.

A Dieselgate chronology Suddenly, things have to go quickly

Even before Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority gave the green light, VW began recalling "Amarok" models for repairs. As early as Jan. 27, the company was aiming to provide a software update for the truck's digital motor and exhaust control. Owners of other affected models, such as the Passat or Golf, had to wait.

A Dieselgate chronology Quit or forced out?

On March 9, the head of VW in the US, Michael Horn, resigned. In the initial days and weeks after the scandal broke, he was the one many people in the US turned to for information. He issued an official apology on behalf of the automaker, asking for the public's forgiveness.

A Dieselgate chronology A judge with a lot of patience

It's not every day that a district judge from the US is as well known in Germany as Charles Breyer, from San Francisco. The highest-ranking judge in northern California, Breyer was responsible for negotiating with VW. On April 21, the car company came to an agreement with US authorities, though many of the details remained unclear.

A Dieselgate chronology Devastating interim results

On June 28, it became clear that VW would have to pay as much as $14.7 billion (13.3 billion euros), alluding to a settlement. Affected cars would be retrofitted with better, non-deceptive hardware and software, or else VW would buy them back completely from customers. Whether VW will be forced to offer consumers in other countries a similar deal is unclear.

Author: Dirk Kaufmann / cjc

Naturally, the self-proclaimed opponents of cars - and combustion engines in particular - are having a field day. Their mutual enemy, the fossil-fuel polluters, are finally about to bite the dust. So be it.

But somehow there are parallels to be drawn with the troubled Energiewende, or transition to clean energy in Germany. That has so far been a bottomless pit of money, state-commissioned and highly subsidized.

Nonetheless, many German solar energy companies are going bust right now. And nobody wants to have a windmill in their back garden either. Public resistance to new power lines is mounting.

Talking about combustion engines, you're faced with the same sort of questions that people ask about the energy transition.  Where will we get enough electricity from when all conventional power plants have been taken off the grid?

Read more: Court to decide on the future of diesel cars in Germany

E-car? No solution either!

As far as cars are concerned - what sort of vehicles are we supposed to use when combustion engines are banned? E-cars to the rescue as many are quick to suggest? There is a real snag. No one really knows whether this is a feasible solution at all. The ecological footprint of e-cars is disastrous.

DW business editor Henrik Böhme

You can drive a typical Mercedes E-class for eight years before you do as much damage to the environment as a Tesla. One of the reasons for this is the super-heavy batteries used in electric vehicles.

Millions upon millions of e-cars also means millions upon millions of such batteries. Raw materials such as lithium and cobalt are in high demand. But where does cobalt come from? Well, at least to an overwhelming extent it come from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a nation rocked by civil war and large-scale corruption. It's mainly child laborers who have to dig out the ore. But without cobalt from the DRC you can forget about any fantasies about e-cars.

Read more: BMW third-largest electric car manufacturer

Poisons and dangerous particles are a side effect of the production of batteries, let alone the tons of carbon dioxide produced. And in the end, millions of batteries have to be disposed of and then hopefully recycled. Otherwise it is toxic waste.

Electrify the highways!

So, maybe the electric car represents nothing more than a stopgap measure . And maybe the fuel cell will eventually emerge as the big winner. Many "maybes" here, but no one can really know right now. Not a car guru, not a head of research at a carmaker.

We will probably have to tackle the transportation issue from a different angle. What about more streetcars and e-buses in city centers? Why not electrify our highways to hook up trucks and coaches to overhead lines. It wouldn't exactly be a new invention.

But a look at how amateurishly Germany has gone about its energy transition tells me there's little hope we will succeed in a thorough overhaul of the transport sector. And definitely not as long as those bad guys from the auto mafia are in the hot seat.

Would you like to add your comments? You can do so below. The thread stays open for 24 hours after publication.

Source: Opinion: The myth of a clean electric car

2 Honda Electric Vehicles To Debut In 2018

11 hours ago by Anthony Karr

New Accord coming by the end of the year.

In June, Honda held a press meeting in Tokyo, Japan, where President and CEO Takahiro Hachigo outlined the company's future plans during his speech. Among many new announcements, Takahiro confirmed the brand will strengthen the development of electric vehicles and will work on autonomous technologies ready for highway use in 2020.

Starting with the EVs, Hachigo revealed we will see a production all-electric vehicle from the manufacturer during an auto show this fall. It is currently under development alongside a China-exclusive model scheduled to go on sale in 2018. The development process for the EVs is carried out by the newly-formed Electric Vehicle Development Division, part of Honda's R&D department. Also in 2018, Honda will introduce an all-electric scooter.

Autonomous technologies will also have a major role in the automaker's future and the first system to arrive for production vehicles will be a highway autonomous autopilot. Scheduled to be introduced in 2020, it will be able to perform lane-changing function, which enables the vehicle to "drive in multiple lanes without any command from the driver." Also, the advanced system will free the driver from the need to monitor their surroundings while the vehicle is experiencing traffic congestion.

Once the technology is ready, Honda will continue to improve it and adapt it for use on regular public roads. The Japanese company expects to reach Level 4 automated driving by around 2025.

Meanwhile, Honda is also developing the next generation design language, which will be previewed at an auto show this fall. Before the end of the year we will also get to see the next-generation Accord, which will undergo a full model change with a "further advanced design and driving experience." Last but not least, Honda says it is developing technologies which will provide "driving experience that performs at the will of the driver."

Tags: honda, honda electric car, honda ev

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Source: 2 Honda Electric Vehicles To Debut In 2018

Toyota is reportedly working on an electric car that can be charged in moments

Thomson Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp is working on an electric car powered by a new type of battery that significantly increases driving range and reduces charging time, aiming to begin sales in 2022, the Chunichi Shimbun daily reported on Tuesday.

Toyota's new electric car, to be built on an all-new platform, will use all-solid-state batteries, allowing it to be recharged in just a few minutes, the newspaper said, without citing sources.

By contrast, current electric vehicles (EVs), which use lithium-ion batteries, need 20-30 minutes to recharge even with fast chargers and typically have a range of just 300-400 kilometres (185-250 miles).

Toyota has decided to sell the new model in Japan as early as 2022, the paper said.

Toyota spokeswoman Kayo Doi said the company would not comment on specific product plans but added that it aimed to commercialise all-solid-state batteries by the early 2020s.

Japan's biggest automaker is looking to close the gap with EV leaders such as Nissan Motor Co and Tesla Inc as battery-powered cars gain traction around the globe as a viable emission-free alternative to conventional cars.

Whether Toyota will be able to leapfrog its rivals remains to be seen, however, as mass production requires a far more stringent level of quality control and reliability.

"There's a pretty long distance between the lab bench and manufacturing," said CLSA auto analyst Christopher Richter. "2022 is ages away, and a lot can change in the meantime." How quickly the new EVs will catch on would also depend largely on battery costs.

Having long touted hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and plug-in hybrids as the most sensible technology to make cars greener, Toyota last year said it wanted to add long-range EVs to its line-up, and set up a new in-house unit, headed by President Akio Toyoda, to develop and market EVs.

Toyota is reportedly planning to begin mass-producing EVs in China, the world's biggest auto market, as early as in 2019, although that model would be based on the existing C-HR sport utility vehicle and use lithium-ion batteries.

Other automakers such as BMW are also working on developing all-solid-state batteries, eyeing mass production in the next 10 years.

Solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes rather than liquid ones, making them safer than lithium-ion batteries currently on the market.

Read the original article on Reuters. Copyright 2017. Follow Reuters on Twitter.

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Source: Toyota is reportedly working on an electric car that can be charged in moments

Toyota set to sell long-range, fast-charging electric cars in 2022

Toyota is reportedly planning to begin mass-producing EVs in China, the world's biggest auto market, as early as in 2019, although that model would be based on the existing C-HR sport utility vehicle and use lithium-ion batteries, which power most EVs today.

TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp aims to begin selling in 2022 an electric car powered by a new type of battery that significantly increases driving range and reduces recharging time, the Chunichi Shimbun daily reported on Tuesday.

Current electric vehicles (EVs) typically have a range of just 300-400 kilometres (185-250 miles) and need 20-30 minutes to recharge even using fast chargers. By using all-solid-state batteries, which can store more energy and can recharge more quickly than lithium ion batteries, Japan's top automaker would be removing the two key shortcomings associated with EVs today.

The EV, to be built on an all-new platform, would be able to recharge in just a few minutes, Chunichi Shimbun said, without citing sources. Toyota has decided to sell the new model in Japan as early as in 2022, the paper said.

A Toyota spokeswoman said the company could not immediately comment on the report.

Toyota, which had long touted hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and plug-in h ybrids as the most viable low-emission alternative to conventional cars, said last year it wanted to add long-range EVs to its lineup as battery-powered cars gain traction around the globe.

Toyota is reportedly planning to begin mass-producing EVs in China, the world's biggest auto market, as early as in 2019, although that model would be based on the existing C-HR sport utility vehicle and use lithium-ion batteries, which power most EVs today.

Other automakers such as BMW <BMWG.DE> are also working on developing all-solid-state batteries, eyeing mass production in the next 10 years.

Solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes rather than liquid ones, making them safer than lithium-ion batteries currently on the market. - Reuters

Source: Toyota set to sell long-range, fast-charging electric cars in 2022

How do electric cars produce maximum torque instantly?

Most electric cars aren't normally associated with performance, but they are able to achieve something gasoline-powered cars can't: peak torque at zero rpm.

It's thrown around often, and many will comment on how quick an electric car feels around town thanks to maximum torque delivered instantly. If in doubt, just take a ride in a Tesla Model S and ask the driver to drop the hammer.

But how does an electric car achieve this? Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is back to make sense of the gadgetry going on. Foremost, it's important to realize there isn't an engine under the hood of an electric car. Instead, there is a motor, generator, and a battery pack to supply power. As the electric current travels through the motor within a magnetic field, it generates a force. The more current applied, the more the motor will spin.

A generator is doing a similar thing, but its spinning motion is occurring in the opposite direction simultaneously with the motor. This creates what's called "back electromotive force" or "back EMF." The faster the motor spins, the more back EMF is created. Thus, there is an equilibrium at zero rpm and all of the power created becomes instant torque. The higher the revs, the more back EMF and the instantaneous torque effect diminishes.

It's this effect that gives a rather mundane, let's say, for example, Chevrolet Bolt EV the power to scoot away pretty quickly from a stoplight. It's not jaw-dropping amounts of torque, but the maximum output on tap from zero rpm does create a more entertaining drive. Grab all of the knowledge surrounding electric motors in the video above.

Source: How do electric cars produce maximum torque instantly?

Fargo event showcases Tesla electric car models

FARGO—Tesla car owners from around the state drove out to meet the crowds and show off their wheels in Fargo.

The "Meet Tesla" event showcased the different models on the market.

Families got to see the latest in electric car technology and even take one out for a joy ride.

Tesla owners say this event is just a first step in getting people to realize the benefits of owning an electric vehicle.

"It's one of those things where we're at a paradigm shift in automobiles right now that again, when you have the opportunity to drive an electric car and feel that torque, and to not stop at a gas station when the wind chill is thirty below - you fall in love with it and realize electric cars are the future," said Bill Brooks, Tesla Owner.

Four cars were shown at the event.

All of them featured the new autopilot technology, and their winged car doors.

Source: Fargo event showcases Tesla electric car models

Vasselon: 2020 LMP1 Regs to Feature “Fastest” Electric Cars of Era

Photo: Toyota

The proposed 2020 LMP1 regulations will likely produce the "fastest" electric cars of its time, according to Toyota Gazoo Racing technical director Pascal Vasselon.

Toyota has thrown its weight behind the FIA and ACO's plans to further the electrification of the World Endurance Championship, which will see a 1 km "electric stretch" and fast-charging for LMP1 hybrids introduced into each round.

The Japanese manufacturer, which along with Porsche and Peugeot played a role in shaping the new set of regulations, supports the step forward in technology, as long as overall budgets can be stabilized or potentially reduced.

"We need a given level of technology which we find in the 2020 regulations and we are happy with that," Vasselon said.

"We want to save as much costs as possible, so we tried to have a difficult balancing act to think and develop the technology level but reduce costs in all areas where we can still race to a good level and showcase the technology we want to showcase. 

"It will be interesting because we will showcase probably the fastest electric cars of the moment."

While championships such as Formula E utilize an all-electric car, top speeds are limited due to the longevity required to complete an entire sprint race on full electric power.

The WEC's plan would be different, with only a 1 km stretch of zero-emission driving, which would start from pit-out following each pit stop. Plans are also in place to finish the races on full electric power, although the parameters have yet to be defined. 

Vasselon said we should see "competitive" speeds, likely equivalent to LMP2 cars, on the electric stretch.

"At the moment we are using the motors for a couple of seconds, but here we are talking about 20-plus seconds," he said.

"It's an interesting challenge and our people from the hybrid division are quite happy to look at it.

"For them, it will trigger a lot of development which are all relevant."

While details have yet to be fully defined, Vasselon indicated that the first-generation plug-in charging systems would likely be common between all manufacturers but the hybrid technology in each car remaining unique.

"We will all use our different systems to cover the 1 km of the zero-emission sector, as fast as possible, with the best possible compromise for the rest of the stint," he said.

Vasselon said the fast-charging plug-in system would not necessarily lead to longer pit stops.

"We are talking about seconds," he said. "We will have to define the safety procedures but we are talking about charging in a couple of seconds, not a couple of minutes.

"We are talking five or six seconds of connection, so a really fast charge.

"I would think for safety we'd do fuel and then fast-charging, but we will have a group of expert people who will work on that to define it, but the fast-charging will be fast."

While there's uncertainty over the future of Porsche in LMP1, Vasselon said further strides in technology made in the championship will help position Toyota for a long-term future in the class.

Toyota is currently committed to the WEC through the end of the present cycle of regulations, which ends in 2019.

"Obviously Le Mans has existed for a very long time without fast-charging, but at the moment, considering where the hybrid system goes in the automotive industry, it is very relevant to have developed this kind of regulation," Vasselon said.

"It's globally relevant and it proposes challenges to the hybrid guys which interests them at the moment. We are quite positive with these regulations.

"We at Toyota always say that it is essential for us that the WEC continues to showcase all relevant technology. If we empty WEC from technology, then for us it would become too expensive."

Source: Vasselon: 2020 LMP1 Regs to Feature "Fastest" Electric Cars of Era

Apple Said to Be Working on Electric Car Batteries

© TheStreet Apple Said to Be Working on Electric Vehicle Batteries

Apple is reportedly working to produce electric car batteries with China's largest battery manufacturer, China's Yicai Global reports.

"The Cupertino-based tech titan is working with Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd., a battery manufacturer in China's Fujian province, on a scheme based on a confidentiality agreement. The parties are working together in the field of batteries," according to the report.

Last year, Apple began working on an autonomous driving platform which CEO Tim Cook referred to as "a core technology" for the company. But, has since slowed its efforts on working on the vehicles.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now.

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Source: Apple Said to Be Working on Electric Car Batteries

Why electric cars are everywhere except right here, right now

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by Businessweek | July 20, 2017

It might seem like there's more news about electric cars lately than actual electric cars on the road.

Tesla took a step toward becoming a mass-producer this month when the US$35,000 Model 3 sedan started rolling off a California assembly line. Volvo said it will begin phasing out cars that run just on fossil fuels in two years. France plans to eliminate gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles entirely by 2040.

Automakers are pouring billions into an uncharted electric future because the cars are getting cheaper more quickly than expected, and because governments worldwide want concrete action against climate change. But these ambitious plans present a jarring contrast to what's actually happening today in showrooms.

In the U.S., for instance, low gasoline prices have super-charged sales of pickups and sports utility vehicles.

1. How many electric cars do people buy today?

Battery-powered and plug-in cars may have been around since the 1800s, but from a sales sense, they're still in their infancy.

Chinese consumers bought about 289,000 last year, more purchases than any other market, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Europeans purchased 215,000 and U.S. consumers bought 150,000.

That's compared with 92 million internal-combustion vehicles sold globally in 2016, and 17.6 million in the U.S. alone.

2. What about tomorrow?

Battery-powered cars and gas-electric plug-in hybrids are poised to grow so fast that, by 2040, they'll make up more than half of vehicles sold globally, according to BNEF forecasts.

3. What major market is likely to reach a tipping point first?

China. And for different reasons than in other markets. The Chinese are grappling with pollution and worried about climate change. But the nation's leaders want to move away from gasoline for a different reason: heavy dependence on oil imports is seen as a key strategic vulnerability. To protect itself, China is eyeing quotas that by 2025 could mean that as much as a fifth of new vehicles will be battery-only or plug-in, according to University of California, Davis researchers.

4. Why is Volvo getting rid of gasoline-only cars?

It's partly about carbon but also about diesel. European automakers and their regulators have long relied on diesel to combat air pollution, but that strategy has been undercut by Volkswagen's cheating scandal.

New European rules for 2020 will cut allowable carbon dioxide emissions by a third, a bigger drop than diesel alone can provide. European shoppers can now select from 52 vehicles with fully or partly electric motors; this number will grow to 95 by 2021, BNEF says.

5. Does this mean goodbye gasoline?

No, just less gas, at least for the near future.

Toyota sold 1.4 million gas-electric hybrids in 2017, and expects to continue doing so for many years. In the long run, according to the Japanese giant, fuel-cell cars powered by hydrogen will be the big winners.

But even as carmakers are pouring large sums into research and development of electric vehicles and batteries, they're also working to get more out of the internal-combustion engine. Toyota just introduced a four-cylinder Camry engine that converts 41 percent of the energy in gasoline into usable power. That's double the thermal efficiency from twenty years ago.

6. How does Tesla fit in?

Elon Musk plans to be building 20,000 of his cheaper Model 3 sedans a month by December, below predictions the CEO made last year.

With traditional automakers sinking ever larger sums into electric car and battery research, Musk may not have the post-petroleum spotlight mostly to himself for long. But he's still widely credited as the visionary whose first electric cars captured the public imagination like no others.

7. How much do electric cars cost?

Because of the batteries they require, electric cars will be more expensive to build than their gasoline counterparts for about a decade, BNEF says. For now, manufacturers must essentially give them away to meet the California emissions requirement.

GM was said to anticipate losing as much as US$9,000 on every Chevrolet Bolt that leaves a showroom before sales began. Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne griped three years ago that he hoped nobody bought the Fiat 500e electric car, "because every time I sell one, it costs me US$14,000."

8. Why aren't electric cars more popular?

Long recharging times mean the most convenient way to replenish a battery is to plug in overnight. This is an option mostly for people who can afford to purchase their own recharging equipment and install it in a private, lockable garage.

In the U.S., low gasoline prices make it difficult for electric cars to compete. California regulators reported in January that more than three-quarters of survey respondents had yet to seriously consider a plug-in electric car.

9. What needs to change to get to an electric-car future?

Battery costs are the single most important factor, according to BNEF. Lithium-ion batteries, plus the necessary packaging equipment, will drop to $73 per kilowatt hour by 2030, from $273 currently, BNEF says.

A shortage of both in-home and public recharging stations remains a massive, unsolved challenge, the research group says. Public awareness and enthusiasm for EVs needs to grow, and this in turn will encourage governments to maintain public subsidies as EV technology matures.

Source: Why electric cars are everywhere except right here, right now

Five things to know about the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

AutoComplete: Mercedes unveils its first-ever pickup, the X-Class

1:33 July 18, 2017

Plus: The SCG003 is now US street-legal, and the fate of self-driving cars could be decided Wednesday.

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Source: Five things to know about the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

Q&A: Mahindra’s Goenka On U.S. Jobs, India Electric Cars, IPOs & Dividends

Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group may be buttering up the Trump administration with plans announced Monday to invest $1 billion in the United States over the next five years, though it doesn't need U.S. capital markets for expansion.

The investment will double Mahindra's U.S. workforce to 5,000 people. But Chairman Anand Mahindra, in New York Monday to meet reporters, told Barron's there are no present plans to list the operating company in the United States because India's financial markets are thriving and have "grown so quickly you can access the capital markets right there. It is just easier to do."

The parent enterprise, based in Mumbai, operates in more than 100 countries. Only a handful of its more than 150 businesses are publicly traded. Chairman Mahindra likens them to a banyan tree: some roots will rot, while others can outgrow the parent. Flagship Mahindra & Mahindra (500520.IN) is one of the world's largest tractor manufacturers, but trails be hind Maruti Suzuki India (532500.IN) and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) in auto sales. M&M shares are up 23% this year. On the other hand, Tech Mahindra (532755.IN), the information technology services business, has fallen victim to protectionism in the United States, an important end market for India's tech workforce using H1-B visas. Tech Mahindra shares are down 15% this year.

If the U.S. government makes immigration rules too restrictive, jobs could leave head to Canada or other countries, Mahindra & Mahindra managing director and CEO Pawan Goenka told Barron's Monday.

In a wide-ranging interview, Goenka, who spent 14 years as a research engineer at General Motors (GM) in Detroit and has been at Mahindra for near 24 years, pointed to the massive growth opportunity in Indian automobiles, and the challenges posed by controlling emissions and sourcing fuel. India's car fleet could double to 6 million within the next seven years. And with the Indian government promoting electric cars, Mahindra could benefit as the dominant electric car maker. Here is more from our interview.

Barrons: How do you measure financial health in the sprawling Mahindra empire?

Goenka : Under the M&M Limited umbrella, two of the largest companies are Mahindra Finance and Tech Mahindra. The investment Mahindra has made in those subsidiaries, compared to the market cap today, it will be a factor 10 or more. That is how we have added value. We keep listing companies as the time is right. One, Mahindra Logistics will be listed probably before the end of this calendar year. It is in the freight logistics business – mostly the movement of automotive and tractor parts. We also get out of businesses where we find we are not doing well. We have a very strong balance sheet. Our debt to equity ratio is below 0.1 and therefore our ability to raise funds if we need to invest or do equity raising is quite high. And we generate enough cash that we don't need to borrow.

Q: Could you boost the dividend? Return more money to shareholders? A: The question does get asked. We look at the face value of the share, not the market value. The face value is 5 rupees, and we give 12 rupees – so we pay a 240% dividend. That is quite okay. We can give a little more. We have a formula of how much of profit is given out dividend. We keep it about 30%, plus/minus 2% to 4% in a given year. Thirty percent is a fairly good number in India.

Q: Mahindra is opening a maiden plant in Detroit. Tell us more. A: Mahindra has seven businesses in the United States. The oldest is the tractor business, and the largest is Tech Mahindra. The auto business in Detroit started off with engineering services, a technical center for global development. We have 170 engineers working there, local hires including 5 or 10 Indians. That's less than you would see at Ford (F) or General Motors and no H1-B visas.

Q: So what will you manufacture in the United States first? A: We are launching an off-road utility vehicle. They are used for hunting, farm work, and some of the vehicles are fairly refined. It is being designed now in Detroit, branded Mahindra. It is a rough plan, and is some time away.

Q: How do you sell a foreign brand to Americans with cabins in the woods? A: Mahindra, through its tractor business, has a reasonably well-known brand among farmers and people who work in the backwoods. We have 540 dealers. It is not a household name, but not an unknown names. Our business, going back many years, was International Harvester, the predecessor of Navistar International (NAV).

Q: What will India's car usage be down the road? A: India is a 3 million-car market today. In six to seven years, we should double that.

Q: More cars mean more consumption of imported oil. What about emissions and oil importation? A: Two things: the auto industry contributes about 6% to 7% of India's GDP. Emissions are a negative that come with the auto industry anywhere in the world. We are targeting a contribution of more tha n 10% of GDP by 2026 as an industry. European emission norms will come to India by 2020, less than three years from now, making vehicles much cleaner than they are now. And, the emission problem is concentrated in big cities. India is a vast country and more and more vehicles are being purchased in non-metro areas. So if you take a combination of cleaner vehicles, rural penetration, and the economic positives of employment and investment … I don't think one should be concerned about the auto industry growing at a pace of 10% to 20% per year.

Q: Why would an American automaker, General Motors, leave the Indian market as it gets easier to do business? A: GM's announcement happened before the new goods-and services tax was implemented. India is a very strange automotive market. The top three companies have 72 percent market share: Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Mahindra. That leaves 28% for 12 players. That is not enough for everybody to make money in a 3 million-car market . Many of the smaller players in India are likely losing money. I don't know if that means others exit in the future, likes GM.

Q: The Indian government vowed recently that by 2030, it to limit sales to electric vehicles. Is that extreme? A: (Laughs) From where we are, it is a far cry. But it is a good [goal]. Even if you have 10 to 20% of the electric vehicles, it will have a huge impact on the environment. A huge impact on oil imports. For Mahindra, we are the only electric four-wheeler manufacturer in India. We like it.

Q: Looking to India: the new goods and services tax (GST) is a massive economic change. What are your thoughts? A: It is the biggest indirect tax reform in India's history since independence, and it was 10 years in the making. I personally and Mahindra are pleased that it happened. In most cases, it reduces the taxes on products, and less so but also on services. Automotive prices have come down by 7 or 8%.

Q: How? A: India had m any different kinds of indirect taxes - state, federal, city -- that added up to as much as 55% on automobiles. If I am selling a vehicle out of the factory gate at $100, the customer would pay $155.

Q: So the new tax scheme is good for you. Is it bad for the tax collector? A: It is not. India is infamous for tax leakage and unorganized businesses, which finds creative ways of not paying taxes. With GST, it becomes extremely difficult not to pay taxes. Therefore the tax base goes up rapidly. The government has been extra cautious so there is no loss of taxes at the state and federal level. Secondly, there is a general belief that with GST, economic activity -- GDP in India -- may go up as much as 1 to 1.5 percentage points, which is huge. If that happens, that gets us into a virtual cycle of growth for the tax base. The perhaps bigger benefit: India is a single market for the first time since independence from Britain in 1947.There were a lot of restrictions on the movemen t of goods from one state to another, and every state had the right to tax. We had 29 prices in 29 states. Now we have one price.

Q: What is the biggest challenge in the businesses you oversee in the next 12 months? A: The GST is a very major change and we are a few weeks into it. These days have been surprisingly smooth. One would have expected, on a tight timeline, all kinds of business interruption. The consumer is very unlikely to be affected because in most cases, car prices are coming down. What is affected is the supply chain – starting with the raw material to getting the final good to the customer. If anything in the chain is broken, if for some reason, one supplier is not able to transact business because he is not ready for GST, then everything breaks. Small businesses that are not as computer savvy, documentation savvy – these people found ways to not pay taxes.

Q: Have you been surprised by the resurgence in Detroit? A: I am very happy that I am bringing back jobs to the U.S., having worked there for 14 years. I remember 5-7 years ago, it was a ghost town. It is much better. I can make out from the pitch of the voice of my friends, things are much better.

Subscribers can read Barron's September 2016 profile of Chairman Anand Mahindra, including more on the history of the company founded by his grandfather. See Anand Mahindra Makes His Mark in India and Abroad.

Source: Q&A: Mahindra's Goenka On U.S. Jobs, India Electric Cars, IPOs & Dividends

Clare Wenner: No need to go electric to slash motor emissions

YOU could be forgiven for thinking that electric cars are a magic bullet for addressing everything from air quality right through to climate change.

Last month, the Government announced that an Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill will be introduced to encourage the use of electric vehicles, with the aim that 'almost every car and van will be zero-emission by 2050'.

It follows a £100m scheme launched in London last year to encourage greater use of electric vehicles. And just this week, electric car maker Tesla launched its new Model 3 to a huge amount of hype.

So does this spell the end of the internal combustion engine on Yorkshire roads?

The reality is that, while demand for electric vehicles is steadily rising, albeit from a very low base, claims that they will represent the majority of transport vehicles in the next 10 years are likely to be over-optimistic.

Latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that just 4,444 electric vehicles were registered in June versus 129,169 petrol vehicles. In short, it doesn't look like the majority of Brits will be giving up their petrol-powered vehicles anytime soon, particularly when you consider that the average life of a car is 14 years. And even if they did, there are infrastructure issues and concerns that the National Grid would currently struggle to support the mass scale use of electric vehicles.

There is no doubt that electric vehicles have a key role to play in decarbonising transport, and it's important that the Government, car manufacturers and organisations such as the Renewable Energy Association continue to fund and support this important technology.

However, we need to keep a sense of perspective here and we shouldn't expect to see them become the mainstream vehicle of choice in the near future. It'll take time.

Unfortunately, however, time is something the Government doesn't have when it comes to cleaning up our air. Around 40 million people in the UK are living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution, and WHO figures released earlier this year revealed people in Britain are more likely to die from dirty air than those living in some other comparable countries.

Leeds has been found to be one of the worst cities in the UK for air pollution levels, with recent research by environmental campaign group Global Action Plan revealing that air pollution costs Leeds more than obesity.

According to the Government's own advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, at present the transport sector represents a quarter of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions, higher than any other sector. Clearly the Government is right to focus on decarbonising transport. But if electric vehicles aren't the answer in the short term, what is?

Frustratingly, the answer is staring the Government in the face and has been for some time.

With petrol registrations on the up and only expected to rise further in light of the current negative headlines connected to diesel, cleaning up petrol has to be a priority. So it's disappointing that the Government appears to be hesitating on introducing E10, which contains five per cent less fossil fuel than current petrol.

Already available and popular across Europe, North America and Australasia, E10, which contains 10 per cent of the renewable transport fuel bioethanol, would be 
the emissions equivalent of removing 700,000 vehicles from UK roads. To put that in perspective, that volume of vehicles is equivalent to a traffic jam stretching from London to Moscow.

Furthermore, it requires no consumer behavioural change and, since 2016, it has been the optimal reference fuel for all new cars, meaning any car made since then actually runs best with E10 in it. Indeed, by 2020, 99 per cent of cars on the road will be warrantied to run on E10 according to the SMMT.

Not only does E10 have unquestionable environmental benefits, but it would also deliver huge economic benefits, particularly in the Yorkshire and Humber region where Vivergo Fuels, the UK's biggest bioethanol producer, is based. Vivergo, which represents a £350m investment into the region, has already created over 3,000 jobs directly and indirectly in the UK, contributing £600m to the UK economy.

There's no doubt that E10 represents one of the quickest, easiest and most cost-effective ways of decarbonising transport and tackling air pollution, as well as an effective means of delivering much needed certainty to the bioethanol industry, farmers and industry.

However, the Government has failed to act for several years and is procrastinating on a number 
of important policies.

Such time wasting is unfathomable and the UK is now in real danger of missing legally binding targets relating to renewable transport fuels and air quality, which could prove costly.

The new Minister in charge of transport and the environment at the Department for Transport, Jesse Norman, has a real chance now to make an immediate difference to both combatting climate change and air pollution.

The solutions are there. But is the political will to implement them?

Clare Wenner is Head of Renewable Transport Fuels at the Renewable Energy Association.

Source: Clare Wenner: No need to go electric to slash motor emissions

Volkswagen, JAC Launch New Electric Car Joint Venture In China

11 hours ago by Eric Loveday

Volkswagen I.D. Crozz Concept

Volkswagen is pushing forward with its electrification efforts by signing a 50% joint venture agreement with the Chinese automaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC).

The joint venture has a 25-year agreement. The main focus is to develop and launch electric vehicles in the Chinese market.

JAC IEV6S – 0-50 km/h (31 mph) acceleration in 3.9s

An additional factory will be constructed in China for this purpose.

As Green Car Congress states:

"The joint venture also includes the development and production of components for new energy vehicles (NEV), the development of vehicle connectivity and automotive data services."

According to Volkswagen, "the new partnership is a further milestone in our electric offensive in China. Just as we have played a key role in shaping mobility together with our partners in China over the past 30 years or more, we want to play our part in shaping the mobility of the future: electric, fully networked and in line with the needs of our customers."

Quoting Matthias Müller, CEO of the Volkswagen Group:

"With the new joint venture, the Volkswagen Group is also consistently pursuing the ambitious targets of its program for the future "TOGETHER – Strategy 2025" in China and is reinforcing its global endeavors for sustainable mobility. In the People's Republic, the Group's electric offensive is to be rapidly implemented together with the three Chinese partners—FAW, SAIC and JAC."

The JV has laid out a goal too:

To deliver 400,000 electric vehicles to the Chinese market in 2020 and 1.5 million electric vehicles in 2025.

The first jointly developed electric car should launch in 2018.

Tags: china, jac, volkswagen, vw

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Source: Volkswagen, JAC Launch New Electric Car Joint Venture In China

Old Hummer Plant To Become New SF Motors Electric Car Factory

Sokon SF Motors headquarters in Santa Clara, CA (Image Credit: SF Motors)

AM General Plant used to manufacture Hummers and other SUVs will now transition to an electric car factory.

In a recent press release, SF Motors' acquisition of AM General's assembly plant in South Bend, Indiana was confirmed by both parties. The deal will save 430 American automotive jobs. John Zhang, CEO of SF Motors, shared:

 "This transaction represents a unique opportunity to grow our intelligent electric vehicle business through the addition of an existing production facility and a skilled workforce. We are excited to work closely with our new Indiana-based team to produce SF Motors' next-generation electric vehicle in South Bend, Indiana, and we look forward to becoming a part of the local community and a strong contributor to Indiana's economic growth."

SF Motors also has an Engineering R&D Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Image Credit: SF Motors)

Though General Motors sold the Hummer from the 1998-2010, after purchasing the brand, it was largely unsuccessful. It served as the epitome of gas-guzzling enormity, and received horrible reviews. When GM filed bankruptcy in 2009, Hummer was one of the first brands to be eliminated.

SF Motors hopes to revamp the factory for a much better purpose. SF's parent company, Chinese Chongqing Sokon Industry Group, secured an acquisition of the plant for $110 million. The deal will close during the fourth quarter of 2017, after AM General finishes out its remaining contract. AM General President and Chief Executive Officer, Andy Hove, said:

"We are confident that SF Motors is the right long-term owner to support the CAP (commercial assembly plant), as well as the South Bend community and the State of Indiana. This transaction puts the CAP on solid ground to keep the assembly lines running, providing our tremendously talented and dedicated employees new opportunities as part of SF Motors and its plans to produce next generation electric vehicles. South Bend has been AM General's home for nearly 30 years, and following the sale of the CAP, we will maintain our deep ties to the region as we continue to operate our military business, which is profitable, strong and growing."

The MAP (military assembly plant) will not be affected by the deal. The UAW is happy to see the potential for a number of jobs saved, and prospects of long-term work. Don Brody, UAW Local 5 chairman, told the South Bend Tribune (via Popular Mechanics):

"We didn't expect it, but we knew the company was having a hard time locking in long-term work here. I think it will be a good thing in the long run."

There are very few details related to exactly what SF Motors' plans are. The company just aims to make next-generation electric vehicles. On board as a consultant we find Tesla co-founder, Martin Eberhard. According to Electrek, SF has also hired several former Tesla engineers.

SF Motors plans to invest about $30 million to overhaul the factory. SF will honor the UAW's three-year contract, however it will take a minimum of two years to ready the plant for electric vehicle production.

Sources: SF Motors, Popular Mechanics via Electrek

Source: Old Hummer Plant To Become New SF Motors Electric Car Factory

Scots couple to take on Mongol rally in electric car

It has been described as the greatest motoring adventure on the planet, stretching 10,000 miles across the mountains, deserts and steppe of Europe and Asia each year.

The Mongol Rally all but intends for drivers get lost and break down in some of the most challenging terrain imaginable for cars to negotiate.

But one Scot is taking the challenge to a new level this year as he seeks to become the first person to complete the mammoth event in a fully electric car.

Chris Ramsey from Aberdeenshire, along with wife Julie, will enter their Nissan Leaf in the endurance epic this weekend. The couple will set off from Goodwood Race Course on Sunday heading for Ulan-Ude in Siberia, via Mongolia, with around 340 other petrol and diesel cars.

And Ramsey is hoping to silence a few doubters about the merits of alternatives to petrol power just a week after Swedish giant Volvo signalled an end to the combustion engine, saying all its new cars would have a petrol component by the end of the decade.

"This is a really exciting challenge," Mr Ramsey said.

"I'm hoping it will dispel many of the myths about electric vehicles and their efficiency. I'm passionate about raising awareness of electric vehicles and the important role they are playing now, and will do in the future, in reducing our carbon emissions."

The Mongol Rally, now in its 13th year, is particularly challenging, as there is no back-up, no support – and no set route.

Chris is a passionate advocate of electric vehicles (EVs) and is no stranger to the challenges ahead. He already has several rallies already under his belt including John O'Groats to Land's End, London to Monte Carlo and Scotland's North Coast 500, all completed in an EV.

His car can be charged up at any electricity socket and the couple will be stocked up with enough adaptors and cables to ensure they can power at most places they stop.

Mr Ramsey founded Plug In Adventures six years ago with the aim of combining his passion for adventure and electric vehicles. It comprises a group of EV enthusiasts based in Scotland who seek to get the public involved in different ways, championing all things EV-related.

In November, his passion for promoting electric vehicles was recognised by industry leading authority GreenFleet, and he was awarded GreenFleet EV Champion 2016.

There is no set route for the Mongol Rally and no limitations, so Chris and Julie plan to do some voluntary work while driving through countries including Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

The couple are also hoping to raise funds for WWF Scotland.

Sam Gardner, acting director of the green charity, said: "We're delighted to be working with Chris as he undertakes this world first.

"EVs are the way forward and we're calling on the Scottish Government to clean up the transport sector by phasing out the sale of new fossil fuel cars by 2030 to reduce emissions, clean up air pollution and improve the nation's health.

"We wish Chris and Julie the best of luck and thank them for choosing to raise funds for us so we can continue our work in Scotland."

The Mongol Rally is organised by a group called the Adventurists who are supporting Mr Ramsey's efforts to complete the rally in an electric car for the first time to show their commitment to sustainability and the environment.

The rules state that participants must drive a small, sub-1.0-litre engine car as it will make the event more of a challenge with a greater chance of a breakdown, meaning drivers can interact with locals along the way.

The drive is unsupported with no on the road back-up – participants are expected to get themselves out of trouble.

Dutch banking giant ING predicted last week that all new cars sold in Europe will be electric within less than two decades, driven by a ­combination of government support, falling battery costs and economies of scale, after Volvo announced all its new models will be "electrified" by 2019.

Source: Scots couple to take on Mongol rally in electric car

2017 Hyundai Ioniq electric car is long on features, short on range

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2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Vehicle (Photo: Hyundai)

How big a limitation is a battery range of 124 miles in an electric car? Not crippling, but meaningful, I learned in a week driving Hyundai's ★★★ 2017 Ioniq compact electric car.

The Ioniq Electric is one of three new alternate fuel Hyundais that share the same hatchback body. There's also a conventional hybrid. A plug-in hybrid goes on sale late this year.

The three are Hyundai's bid to boost its image for producing high-tech, environmentally friendly vehicles. Hyundai's built hybrids before, but the Ioniq is the first with a unique body style. There's no mistaking it for anything else in Hyundai's lineup.

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The Ioniq electric's range would have made it a leader a year ago, but the Chevrolet Bolt changed the game when it hit the road with a 238-mile range late last year. Electric vehicles that hadn't even gone on sale yet suddenly seemed a wee bit antiquated, including the Ioniq.

The Ioniq Electric competes with electric vehicles (EVs) like the BMW i3, Chevrolet Bolt, Fiat 500e, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Nissan Leaf. It will also compete with the Tesla 3 and 2017 VW e-Golf when they go on sale.

Behind the Wheel

2018 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Limited

Front-wheel-drive, five-passenger compact electric car

Price as tested: $36,000 (excluding destination charge)

Rating: ★★★ (Out of four stars)

Reasons to buy: Electric power, features, price

Shortcomings: Range, rear visibility, fit & finish

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Vehicle  (Photo: Hyundai)

How much?

Prices for the Ioniq electric start at $29,500. It has an EPA-rated range of 124 miles on a charge, and takes about four and a quarter hours to recharge from a 220- or 240-volt outlet. The hybrid, which has smaller batteries and a gasoline engine, starts at $22,200.

I tested a well-equipped Ioniq electric that stickered at $36,000. It included several features EVs often omit, including a power sunroof, adaptive cruise control and memory for the driver's settings. Those goodies add weight or draw electricity. That reduces range, and many automakers have — wrongly, I think — decided EV buyers will trade comfort and convenience for a few extra miles between charges. My test car also had leather upholstery, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, blind spot alert; automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, wireless phone charging, navigation, voice recognition and a touch screen.

The Ioniq's price is competitive with other EVs in terms of features and driving experience. A Chevy Bolt with similar features would sticker for $40,905, and the Bolt doesn't offer blind spot alert, sunroof or memory at any price.

Competitive base prices (excluding destination charges)

(Front-wheel-drive models)

Hyundai Ioniq Electric Limited: $32,500

BMW i3 EV 60 Ah: $42,400

Chevrolet Bolt Premier: $40,905

Fiat 500e: $32,995

Mitsubishi i-MiEv: $2,995

Nissan Leaf SL: 36,790

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf: Not available

Source: Autotrader

Range matters

The kicker, of course is that the EPA rates the Bolt at 238 miles on a charge, nearly double the Ioniq. That's a huge benefit, and it's much of the difference between the Bolt's trophy as 2017 North American Car of the Year and the Ioniq's rating of a good, but not great three stars.

I used the Ioniq for all my driving for a week. I've got a short commute, and the Ioniq handled my regular driving with ease, but I couldn't manage the 140-mile round trip to my brother's house for his birthday. Fortunately, my niece wanted to see the Detroit Zoo's new sloth enclosure, a mile from my house, so there was no damage to family harmony. Well, no more than on any birthday.

Anybody who owns an EV or plug-in hybrid should get a 220v charger. They reduce charging time drastically, allowing you to drive on electricity more frequently and with less downtime.

The Bolt is the BEV range king, and that makes it the car to beat, despite the Ioniq's better menu of features.

Tesla's upcoming 3 aims to roughly match the Bolt's range and cost, but there are no independent tests of it yet.

Competitive EPA fuel economy ratings

(Front-wheel-drive models)

Hyundai Ioniq Electric Limited: 19 mpg city/28 highway/22 combined. Regular gasoline.

BMW i3 EV 60 Ah: 129/106/118. Range 81 miles.

Chevrolet Bolt Premier: 128/110/119. Range 238 miles.

Fiat 500e: 121/103/112. Range 84 miles

Mitsubishi i-MiEv: 126/99/112. Range 59 miles

Nissan Leaf SL: 124/101/112. Range 107 miles

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf: 126/111/119. Range 125 miles

Source: www.fueleconomy.gov

Riding and driving

My Ioniq's interior was attractive but restrained, with grey leather upholstery, a rubbery soft-touch material on the dash and doors and simple controls. A unique feature lets you conserve electricity by directing climate control only to the driver seat when the car has no passengers.

The passenger compartment is the roomiest in its class. The front seat has plenty of  room and storage cubbies. The rear seat is not generous, but no worse than many conventional compacts.

The cargo area is also best in class. The liftover height to load objects is high because of the big battery pack under its floor.

The Ioniq performs well. The electric motor produces an unimpressive 118 hp, but its 215 pound-feet of torque translates to deceptively strong, smooth acceleration. The steering is predictable and steady but doesn't deliver much feedback.

Paddles on the steering wheel allow the driver to set different levels of regenerative braking to extend range and slow the car when you lift off the accelerator pedal. The three settings are very different, but none of them provide enough regen for the max-efficiency "one-pedal driving" the Chevy Bolt offers.

Specifications as tested

Engine: Electric motor

Power: 118 hp; 2215 lb-ft of torque

Transmission: 1-speed automatic

Wheelbase: 106.3 inches

Length: 176.0 inches

Width: 71.7 inches

Height: 51.7 inches

Curb Weight: 3,164 lbs.

Where assembled: Ulsan, Korea

The downside

Several of my test car's features could use refinement. There was a large, uneven gap in the trim around a small parcel shelf at the base of the center console. It was an obvious and surprising oversight in a high-profile new car like the Ioniq.

Rear visibility is hampered by a narrow rear window and the car's Appel CarPlay shifted my iPhone out of iPod mode several times, switching from my music library to Beats 1 on Apple Radio, a service I never use.

The climate control system automatically resets to "eco" setting when you start the Ioniq. That reduces the air conditioner's electric draw, but cooling suffered on hot, muggy days. I ended up using the normal setting most of the time.

The verdict

The Ioniq follows Hyundai's tried and true formula of offering a lot of features for its price. Its availability with popular features like a sun roof should force other automakers to improve their electric cars.

The 124-mile range probably isn't quite enough for most drivers to make the Ioniq their only car, but it will fill a lot of people's needs a lot of the time.

A few easy tweaks to improve steering feel and response, and closer attention to interior fit and finish will make the Ioniq electric an even better choice.

Key features on vehicle tested

Standard equipment: Antilock brakes, stability control; front side air bags; curtain air bags; driver knee air bag; 16-in alloy wheels; power mirrors, locks and doors; memory for driver settings; power driver seat; leather upholstery; push button start; automatic climate control; auto dimming rear view mirror; HD radio; SiriusXM trial membership; Apple CarPlay; Android Auto; Bluetooth compatible; voice recognition; tire repair kit.

Options: Power sunroof; automatic emergency braking; adaptive cruise control; lane departure alert; HID headlights with dynamic bending light function; navigation; 8-in. touch screen; Infinity audio; eight speakers; wireless device charging; LED interior lights.

Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan.

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Source: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq electric car is long on features, short on range