Greens announce plan for five years free rego for electric cars

Malcolm Turnbull will fund a $24m scholarship program for students studying science and engineering.

Marc Talloen visits Windy Hill wind farm to recharge his Tesla S85. Photo: Brigitte Daley

ELECTRIC cars would be given free registration for five years under a $14 million plan announced by Greens Leader Richard Di Natale.

However, he was unable to say how many cars that would cover or if the $14 million was for the full five years.

"I'll need to get back to you on the total numbers of vehicles," he told the Sunday Mail when queried while announcing the policy in Adelaide.

"I'd need to get back to you on the time frame."

He said the $14 million figure came from the Parliamentary Budget Office, and his colleague, South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, predicted it would put an extra 2500 electric cars on SA roads.

The free registration plan, which would also cover compulsory third-party insurance, would require agreement from state governments that administer car registration schemes.

Marc Talloen visits Windy Hill wind farm to recharge his Tesla S85. Photo: Brigitte DaleySource:News Corp Australia

The Greens policy also calls for massive investment in charging stations in places such as carparks, which they say is pivotal to boosting sales.

They said this would also ensure a large portion of government vehicle fleets were electric.

Dr Di Natale said the environmentally friendly cars had the potential to create jobs in the component industry and might lead to electric cars being manufactured in Australia — all such cars now are imports.

"Five years' free rego for car owners would drive economies of scale," he said.

"It will mean a shift to a low-pollution, low-carbon future. People with solar panels on their roof can charge their car overnight and have free fuel. This is a jobs-rich opportunity."

The policy would not apply to hybrid vehicles. In 2015, of the 1,155,408 new vehicles sold in Australia, 1108 were electric, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries' VFacts report says.

SA Greens Senator Robert Simms had a Bill before parliament to encourage electric-car manufacturing in SA by broadening eligibility for Canberra's Automotive Transformation Scheme.

The Greens also supported the push for a huge solar thermal plant at Port Augusta.

Source: Greens announce plan for five years free rego for electric cars

The SOLO, a single passenger electric three-wheeler, is slated for July launch

Looking for a smaller, less costly EV as a supplemental vehicle? The Electra Meccanica SOLO could be well worth considering.

Vancouver-based Electra Meccanica is taking aim at the small EV market with its forthcoming SOLO, a three-wheeled single passenger all-electric vehicle, which is expected to go into full production in July of 2016. This little electric vehicle isn't intended to replace the family car, as it doesn't have the large carrying capacity or long range of a gas car, but is instead expected to be an economical and zero (tailpipe) emissions vehicle that could be a green and clean commuter option.

The folks behind the SOLO aren't new to the auto industry, as one of the founders, Henry Reisner, has been building custom vehicles since the 1950s under the Intermeccanica banner, and the other, Jerry Kroll, has run a high tech electric racing vehicle development company (as well as being a veteran race car driver), but this new entry into the EV market is quite different from the focus of the full-sized electric car industry. It's small, it's light, and it promises to be both fast and affordable. In an interview last year, Kroll referred to the car as "the Volkswagen Beetle for the 21st century," and likened driving it to "wearing Robert Downey Jr.'s Ironman suit."

© Electra Meccanica

"Approximately 90% of travel is done single passenger. Why should you have to pay for the gas and expense of transporting a 3,000+lb vehicle with only one person in the car? SOLO is designed to get you to and from work and around town as needed at minimal expense." - Electra Meccanica

The SOLO is expected to retail for about $19,888 CAD (~ $15,359 USD), which, while not exactly cheap, is significantly less than many other full-electric models (although it also has a significantly smaller hauling capacity as well), and Electra Meccanica has already taken quite a few individual refundable deposits for pre-orders of the initial model (in addition to the claimed 20,500 commercial orders), which is expected to go into full production this summer. With an estimated driving range of 125 miles between charges, this little EV could meet a very real need, which is the single passenger commuter vehicle (but would also be an excellent choice for a courier or delivery vehicle).

According to the company's website, the SOLO will be 'fueled' by a 8.64 kW/h lithium-ion battery, which will drive a rear electric motor that is said to deliver up to 82hp and push the vehicle to a top speed of 120 kmh (~75mph), with an acceleration capability of going from 0-100 kmh (0-62 mph) in about 8 seconds. The car weighs in at about 450 kg (992 lb) and looks to be small enough to fit into parking spots that most vehicles (other than motorcycles) could not fit into. It has only a single seat, but is said to be able to fit "several bags of groceries" in its rear cargo area.

Although many people are somewhat skeptical of any vehicle with only 3 wheels, the SOLO is the result of decades of experience in designing and building performance cars, and its creators are confident of its stability on the road:

"Because our engineering team's specialty is building world-class sports cars, we focused on applying what we've learned over the last 50 years to the Solo. The batteries are slung low along the frame of the car so as to create an extremely low center of gravity, providing excellent handling." - Henry Reisner, Chief Engineer

The SOLO is expected to take a full charge on its battery in about 3 hours (on a 220V connection), so it seems like it would be possible to drive it all the way to the full end of its range each day, as long as you've got access to a charging outlet and a couple of hours before your return trip.

Find out more at Electra Meccanica.

Source: The SOLO, a single passenger electric three-wheeler, is slated for July launch

Hyundai plans electric car under Genesis luxury brand

BUSAN, South Korea -- Hyundai Motor plans to launch a luxury all-electric vehicle under its Genesis marque to expand the lineup of its new premium brand, Senior Vice President Manfred Fitzgerald said.

"We will definitely go as Genesis brand down the road of alternative propulsions and it is very, very obvious that EV is definitely on the map," Fitzgerald told reporters on the sidelines of an auto show in Busan, without elaborating on details such as a launch date or when such a vehicle would come to the U.S.

"I think full electric cars will be the future in the auto industry," said the former Lamborghini director who recently joined Hyundai and leads strategy for Genesis, which broke out as a standalone luxury brand in November.

Hyundai has already confirmed plans for Genesis to sell plug-in hybrids.

Genesis is a departure for Hyundai Motor, which had earned its reputation as a value brand, and is seen aiming at tapping growing demand for premium cars with higher prices to boost flagging profits.

But the brand faces a challenge of carving out its own identity and differentiating itself from its group brands -- Hyundai and Kia Motors -- as well as German competitors, analysts say.

"The main goal is to have a strong differentiation within brands. No design overlap," said Luc Donckerwolke, senior vice president at Hyundai Design Center.

Genesis is a key initiative for Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman and heir apparent Chung Eui-sun, who is being groomed to succeed his father and chairman Chung Mong-koo.

"He is involved in all decisions," Fitzgerald said.

Hyundai Motor plans to add a diesel version of its Genesis G80 large sedan in the first half of next year, the company said in a statement.

The gasoline-powered G80, unveiled at the auto show, is the second model under the Genesis brand after G90 and will be introduced in South Korea next month.

An electric vehicle would diversify the propulsion systems for the new brand, something Fitzgerald said was important to success in the luxury market.

Source: Hyundai plans electric car under Genesis luxury brand

Hyundai Motor plans luxury electric car under Genesis brand: executive

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Source: Hyundai Motor plans luxury electric car under Genesis brand: executive

M&M expands electric vehicle range with eVerito

Amidst rising pressure on diesel vehicles, utility vehicle major M&M today expanded its zero emission electric vehicle range with the launch of eVerito, its first electric sedan.

Claiming to run at a cost of Rs 1.15 a kilometer, the vehicle has been priced at Rs 9.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh (ex showroom, Delhi). The price is after the applicable state and central government subsidies on electric vehicles. 

The car, which would be available in three variants, can be charged in 1.45 hours after which it can run up to 110 kms with a top speed of 86 kilometer an hour.

"eVerito is the first electric sedan in our portfolio. With issues like environmental degradation, pollution related challenges, climate change and energy security there has never been a better time to switch to electric vehicles," M&M President and Chief (Automotive) Pravin Shah told reporters here. 

The electric vehicle segment is poised for growth and the company would be introducing more models in the electric vehicle segment, he added. The company said it will add more products across different segments to cater to various customer demands.

To bring more electric vehicles is part of the company's overall global product strategy, he added.

"One more product would be introduced soon in the e-vehicle portfolio," Shah said.

"Going forward we have laid out a clear roadmap for the electrification of our range if vehicles to reduce emissions and build an ecosystem for electric mobility in India," he said.

The company already sells e2O electric vehicle in the country. However, it has been not been able to bring volumes. Shah said the company is not happy with the volumes of e2O but it will continue to make efforts in electric segment. 

eVerito would be first available in Delhi followed by introduction in other cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Pune, Jaipur and Nagpur. However, prices will differ in each city depending on the prevailing state subsidy on electric vehicle. There is no plan to export the electric sedan. 

The single speed transmission vehicle can be charged  at home as well as quick charged in one hour and 45 minutes through fast charging technology.

M&M mainly operates in the utility vehicle space with bulk of its sales coming from diesel variants. Diesel, seen as a more polluting fuel compared to petrol, has been under attack from various quarters.

The Supreme Court in December last year banned sales of diesel cars with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc in the national capital region. M&M was able to bypass it in January by introducing a 1,990cc diesel engine for its vehicles. 

Source: M&M expands electric vehicle range with eVerito

Hyundai Motor to launch 200-mile electric vehicle in 2018

Hyundai Motor  said it plans to launch an electric vehicle with a driving range of more than 320 kilometres (about 200 miles) per charge in 2018, aiming to better compete with other electric car makers such as Tesla Motors Inc.

That is nearly double the 191 kilometre (119 miles) per charge that will be offered by an electric version of Hyundai's IONIQ sedan, which is set to hit the market later this year.

Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motors plan to more than double the number of their environmentally-friendly models to 28 in 2020, the automaker said in a statement. The goal is up from its previous plan of 26 vehicles.

Source: Hyundai Motor to launch 200-mile electric vehicle in 2018

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.

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 gasoli ne 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.

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.

(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.

I t 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.

This article first appeared at GreenCarReports.

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