First Canadian Nissan LEAFs Sold Out within two hours

Over the weekend, Nissan Canada opened the reservation process for the Nissan LEAF, with all Model Year 11 inventory reserved by Canadian consumers within two hours. At noon on Saturday, August 27th, those registered at www.nissan.ca/leaf and living within the vicinity of one of the 27 Nissan LEAF certified dealers, were invited to reserve a Nissan LEAF, bringing them one step closer to having the all-electric car plugged into their home garage.

"Response from Canadians since we first revealed the Nissan LEAF in 2009 has been astounding so we're not surprised that our first inventory of 40 model year '11 cars were snapped up so quickly," said Judy Wheeler, Director of Marketing, Nissan Canada, Inc. "We expect this momentum to continue when we reopen reservations for model year '12 cars in the coming month, so keep your eyes open for more and more Nissan LEAFs driving around Canadians cities soon."

Delivery to the first wave of consumers will begin in September and continue into the fall. Nissan is carefully managing the purchase process from the first step, when consumers sign up on www.nissan.ca/leaf, until the customer drives the Nissan LEAF home and plugs it into a personal charging dock. Through Model Year 12, Nissan expects to release around 600 Nissan Leaf on the Canadian market through several waves of reservations into next year.

Reservations for Model Year 12 Nissan LEAFs will open in the coming months.

Citroën launches its first diesel hybrid, the Citroën DS5 [video]

The final production version of the new Citroën DS5 will star at the Frankfurt motor show next month, and will usher in the HYbrid4 technology the French firm shares with sister marque Peugeot.

The five-door hatchback is the third model in Citroën's 'premium' DS line, following on from the DS3 and the recently launched DS4.

DS5 is the first Citroën model to feature HYbrid4 diesel hybrid technology, providing enhanced performance and class leading environmental credentials. The advanced HYbrid4 system delivers 200bhp; four-wheel drive capability; emission-free electric power for the city; and an acceleration boost function for the open road - with total CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.

The DS5 is Citroën’s first car to feature a full-hybrid drivetrain combining a two-litre HDi diesel engine with electric power. HYbrid4 technology offers 200bhp, four-wheel drive, electric power and will come with an automatic six-speed gearbox with optimised shift function and a stop/start system.

Co2 emissions are as low as 99g/km depending on which performance setting is used. Like other cars featuring HYbrid4, the DS5 will offer a choice of: 'auto', which automatically switches between the diesel engine and the electric motor to optimise fuel consumption; 'zero emission vehicle', for driving with the 27kW (37bhp) electric motor alone, at speeds of up to 37mph; ‘four wheel drive’, where the front wheels are powered by the diesel engine and the rears by the electric motor and ‘Sport’, which improves the engine response by maximising the use of the electric unit and the diesel.

The car's cockpit, which Citroën says is 'aviation-inspired' is fitted with premium materials including club leather and brushed aluminium.

Technology such as intelligent traction control, a new-generation lane departure warning system; an automatic high-beam function that activates and deactivates depending on light conditions and surrounding traffic and a reverse parking camera is included.

Siemens and Volvo Form Electric-Car Venture

German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG said Wednesday it has agreed with Sweden's Volvo Car Corp. on a strategic cooperation agreement on electric cars.

The focus will be on the joint development of electrical-drive technology, power electronics and charging technology as well as the integration of those systems into Volvo C 30 Electric cars, Munich-based Siemens said in a statement.

It added that the first vehicles will be on the test tracks at the end of this year.

Beginning in late 2012, Volvo will be delivering a test series of up to 200 vehicles to Siemens, which will then be tested as part of an internal Siemens test fleet, the German company said.

Volvo Car Corp. was last year acquired by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. from Ford Motor Co.

For Siemens, the partnership is another step toward a greener image. Siemens touts itself as a pioneer in electric vehicles, and developed electric trams as early as the end of the 19th century.

Cooperations between companies are increasingly common in the development of environmentally friendly vehicles as a means to share the high entry costs and risks. General Motors Co. and LG Electronics Inc. also recently announced their partnership in the development of electric vehicles.

Peugeot 2020 HX1 MPV Concept to Debut @ Frankfurt Motor Show

The French car manufacturer Peugeot will officially present an MPV Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, under the HX1 name and as a 2020 model year.

According to the automaker, the HX1 will be a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid and will come with the most advanced version of Peugeot’s all-wheel drive, while it will take its power from a 2.2 liter HDi unit, delivering 204 BHP and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission sending power to the front wheels, while the 95 BHP electric motor, fed by a lithium-ion battery pack will drive the rear wheels.

The new Peugeot Concept has an amazing fuel economy, burning only 88.2 mpg and emitting just 83g/km, while the 5008 model, with the 1.6 HDi 112 BHP unit, has a combined fuel consumption of 55.4 mpg and 134g/km of CO2 emissions.

French designers haven’t been too inspired while creating this concept and the grille has been seen on the SR1 and HR1 show models, but what catches the eye best are the doors, which open in a scissor style, upwards and outwards, for an easy access to the interior.

Further details about the 2020 HX1 MPV Concept will be revealed at the Peugeot stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Old Top Gear EV1 Electric [video]

Old Top Gear from 1997 Quentin Willson roadtests the EV1 Electric

This clip was extracted from the episode that was first broadcast on the 24th April 1997

Toyota set new EV Lap Record @ Nürburgring [video]

Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has set a new lap record for an electric vehicle (EV) at the legendary 20.8km Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany.

The TMG EV P001, with 100% electric powertrain and Jochen Krumbach at the wheel, set a new lap record of 7mins 47.794secs to beat the previous lap record, which stood at 9mins 1.338secs, by a very substantial margin.

Using two electric motors, the TMG electric powertrain has a top speed of 260km/h which combined with 800Nm of torque to achieve impressive speeds on the extremely challenging Nordschleife track, which includes significant elevation changes and lengthy flat-out sections.

TMG's target prior to the 29 August record run was to become the first electric vehicle break the eight-minute barrier and this was achieved comfortably on a day when the notoriously changeable Nürburgring weather stayed fine, although track temperatures were relatively low.

Such performance shows TMG's electric powertrain is ideal to power any future single-make electric motorsport series and TMG will begin commercial sales of this technology in 2012. TMG continues to advance its electric vehicle capability for motorsport applications with in-house development of the electric powertrain and ongoing investigations into alternative chassis solutions.

Pascal Vasselon, TMG's Technical Director, said: "The goals for this project were twofold: obviously we wanted to set a new EV lap record and I am very pleased we could achieve that so comprehensively. On the other hand, we also wanted to learn more about the operation of our electric powertrain in extreme circumstances; in motorsport there is no more extreme circuit than the Nürburgring. On the record lap the TMG EV P001 performed better than in testing due to the improvement we already could make based on that experience. We have enhanced our electric powertrain development thanks to the information our engineers have gained and our future EV products will benefit from this project."

Rob Leupen, TMG's Director Business Operations, said: "This is a very impressive achievement which really shows the huge potential for electric powertrains to deliver fast, exciting action on the race track. There's no doubt that electric motorsport can be every bit as thrilling as traditional racing and it was an amazing sensation to watch the TMG electric vehicle fly past on the Nordschleife, with only the sound of wind rushing past and tyres squealing. To achieve a new lap record at the first attempt, and by such a huge margin, is a great achievement and I am very proud to see TMG's name in the record books. But this is not the end of the story for TMG and I hope we will see our electric powertrains in action on the track again soon."

The new lap record was completed on road-legal tyres, using the complete Nordschleife track. It was verified by independent lap timing.

TMG extends its thanks to its partners in this achievement: Aguti created and implemented the livery concept while rational motion integrated the electric powertrain, traction battery and control strategies. EVO Electric motor technology delivered the power. The TMG EV P001 is based on a Radical chassis as modified by TMG for e-WOLF.

FIA call for Expressions of Interest for 2013 Electric Racing Series

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is the governing body for world motor sport
and the federation of the world's leading motoring organisations. It is a non‐profit making
association and brings together 228 national motoring and sporting organisations from 132
countries on five continents. Its member clubs represent millions of motorists and their
families.

In the context of an increasing environmental pressure on human activities, motorsport
occupies a particular position of responsibility and has a long tradition of pioneering
technological progress. The FIA holds a unique position to offer a perfect showcase for the
development and the promotion of innovative solutions to ensure that mobility remains
environmentally friendly.

One of the federation's main objectives is to work on the creation of a new high profile
championship, designed to be the flagship of the FIA's sustainable strategy: the FIA Formula
E Championship ("Championship").

The FIA has set itself the target to launch this Championship in 2013. As such the federation
calls for expressions of interest to identify a candidate interested in acting as the official and
exclusive agent of the FIA for the organisation and promotion of the Championship under
the Key Parameters defined in Appendix A, with a view to concluding a three year contract
(2013, 2014 and 2015).

The selection process is open to all candidates capable of conducting such a role for the
organisation and the promotion of this Championship.

NASCAR Champions on their Volts [video]

Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and four-time champ Jeff Gordon are both proud owners of Chevrolet Volts.

They talk about what they like about their newest cars and how other people respond when they see them driving the extended-range electric vehicle.

VW to invest in renewable energy sources

Europe's biggest automaker, Volkswagen, plans to invest almost one billion euros ($A1.37 billion) in renewable energies over the coming years, a media report says.

VW will invest in an offshore wind park and is in talks with four companies with the goal of choosing a partner by the end of the year, the Financial Times Deutschland said, citing a source close to the matter.

The wind park is expected to have a generating capacity of 200 megawatts, about one fifth the capacity of an average Germany nuclear power plant, the report said, or about as much as 275,000 German households consume in a year.

Investing in wind, solar and hydroelectric electricity production will help VW meet CO2 emission limits that it has set for itself by around 2020, the newspaper said.

VW is of course also developing electric cars, along with all other major global auto manufacturers.

Audi EV Urban Concept car: the first photo

Audi has only teased us so far with sketches of its new city car duo, the Urban Concept and its open-top sister, the Urban Spider Concept. Now it's lifted the lid and issued these first photos of its 2011 Frankfurt motor show debutants.

They're tiny electric runabouts, with two seats and an electric powertrain. Kind of gives us an idea of what a sub-Audi A1 city car could be in future.

Tellingly, though, parent company Volkswagen is set to show a single-seat electric project at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, as we reported this week.

Stretching to 3200mm long, 1700mm wide and just 1200mm tall. These cars are a showcase for Audi's lightweight knowhow, and they make use of carbonfibre reinforced plastic for a sub-500kg kerbweight, although the exact mass has not yet been disclosed.

A pair of electric motors is driven by lithium ion batteries and Audi claims a 40-mile range for their city car pair.

The Audi Urban Concepts will be revealed in full at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show on 13 September.

BMW face shortage of skilled EV engineers [video]

BMW are vying to find enough wunderkinder to make their electric vehicles.

An aging workforce and declining enrollment in technical studies caused the shortfall of available engineers in their home country to rise to an all-time high of about 77,000 last month, according to the VDI German engineering association.

BMW aims to hire 800 people at its factory in Leipzig, as part of an expansion for the production of the i3 electric city car and the i8 hybrid super car.

"Until about two years ago, we had hardly heard of companies in the region struggling to find skilled staff," Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung said.

The shortage may threaten the competitiveness of BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG as they expand with electric vehicles. A third of Germany's large companies now consider the skilled-worker shortage as a business risk.

Fully Charged | Volvo V60 PHEV | Episode 28

A test drive in the diesel Volvo V60 plug in hybrid electric car

GM and LG to Jointly Develop Electric Vehicles

General Motors and LG Group will jointly design and engineer future electric vehicles, expanding a relationship built on LG’s work as the battery cell supplier for the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera extended-range EVs.

The definitive agreement signed Wednesday will help GM expand the number and types of electric vehicles it makes and sells by using LG’s proven expertise in batteries and other systems. For LG, the arrangement represents a widening of its portfolio as an automotive solution provider.

“Many solutions for tomorrow’s transportation needs may be available more quickly by building on our partnership strategy,” said GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky. ”Consumers benefit by getting the latest fuel-saving technology faster if we work with the best suppliers and we save time and money in the development process.”

The success of the extended-range propulsion system in the Volt and Ampera led to exploring other collaborations in the electrification of the automobile. Teams of LG and GM engineers will work on key components, as well as vehicle structures and architectures. Vehicles resulting from the partnership will be sold in many countries.

The GM-LG relationship that began with LG delivering the cells for the battery pack of the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera expanded last year with work on a demonstration fleet of Chevrolet Cruze electric vehicles. These vehicles were used as official vehicles of the G20 summit in Seoul are now in the phase of market-testing to learn more about capabilities and requirements.

“This is a strategic development for LG and we fully support GM’s goal to lead the industry in the electrification of the automobile,” said Juno Cho, president and chief operating officer of LG Corp.

Accelerating the pace of roadworthy technology is more important than ever with the announcement of a number of more stringent emission and fuel consumption regulations around the world, including the recent agreement calling for a U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) of 54.5 mpg (23.2km/l) by the end of the 2025 model year. Electric vehicles, which have no tailpipe emissions and require no gasoline, are expected to play a major role in reaching the CAFE goal.

Timing of the launch of the first vehicles resulting from the partnership will be announced closer to market readiness. The agreement does not involve an exchange of equity between the companies.

GM and LG have been running a Chevy Cruz EV demo fleet in Korea for at least the last year!

World's Fastest Electric Superbike Bonneville 2011 [video]

Run 6 of 6 for Lightning Motorcycles @ Bonneville en-route to becoming the fastest electric bike in the world in its class. This was a "video run" as the camera was right in front of the riders face. There was some side wind (notice the bike is leaning) but the camera was angled a bit so it looks worse than it was.

The previous run was faster at 218.6 mph and is the first electric motorcycle to go over 200 mph. Check out the black and orange markers on the sides of the track. They are 1/4 mile apart.

By the way, only $0.18 worth of electricity was used on this run.

Bosch to build pilot line for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries

Robert Bosch GmbH is to build a pilot production line in Eisenach in order to research into materials and production processes for future generations of lithium-ion cells. It is planned that the line will produce the first samples for trial purposes from 2012, and will then be extended until it reaches an annual production volume of more than 200,000 cells by 2015. Subsequent preparations for series production are planned for marine applications.

Bosch will be joined in this pilot project by BASF on the materials side and by ThyssenKrupp System Engineering as a specialist for process plant engineering. It is hoped this will drive forward the development of a European supplier network for materials and production machinery.

Bosch will gradually increase the size of the project team to roughly 80 associates. They will work to develop materials for anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes, and also examine their interactions. The knowledge they gain will flow directly into new manufacturing processes.

This focus on the application of the technology needed for the next cell generation to the non-automotive area is an effective complement to the activities that are pooled in Bosch's joint venture with Samsung SDI, SB LiMotive.

Audi A8 hybrid to start series production in 2012

The power of a six-cylinder model, the fuel consumption of a four-cylinder version: Audi will be starting series production of the A8 hybrid in 2012. Its gasoline engine – a 2.0 TFSI – and an electric motor develop peak output of 180 kW (245 hp) and 480 Nm (345.03 lb-ft) of torque. Average fuel consumption is below 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.75 US mpg). The sedan can travel at speeds of up to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) on electric power alone, and cover around three kilometers (1.86 miles) with zero local emissions at a constant speed of 60 km/h (37.28 mph).

The Audi flagship model is designed as a highly efficient parallel hybrid. The 2.0 TFSI, which has been modified in some areas, generates an output of 155 kW (211 hp) and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of torque, which is available between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm. The combustion engine works together with a disc-shaped electric motor which develops 40 kW (54 hp) and 210 Nm (154.89 lb-ft).

The permanent magnet synchronous motor is mounted in the space usually occupied by the torque converter in front of the modified eight-speed tiptronic. A multi-plate clutch that operates in an oil bath connects or disconnects the electric motor and the TFSI engine. The clutch operates ultra-precisely and gently in all situations. The highly comfortable and fast-shifting hybrid transmission guides the torque to the front wheels; with its wide gear spread it contributes to the efficiency of the Audi A8 hybrid.

The short-term system output of 180 kW (245 hp) and the system torque of 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft) ensure highly agile performance. The Audi A8 hybrid reaches 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 7.7 seconds from a standing start and has a top speed of 235 km/h (146.02 mph). Its fuel consumption in the EU cycle is less than 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.75 US mpg), and CO2 emissions are below 148 grams per km (238.18 g/mile). Please note that all figures are provisional.

The Audi A8 hybrid can drive at up to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) purely on electric power and has a range of up to three kilometers (1.86 miles) at a constant 60 km/h (37.28 mph). This gives the driver the choice of three modes: The EV characteristic map gives priority to the electric drive, while the D mode efficiently controls both the engine and the electric motor. The S mode and the tiptronic gate are designed for a sporty driving style. The hybrid sedan has five operating states: with the TFSI engine alone, with electric drive only or in hybrid mode; recuperation and boosting are also possible. Two displays show the driver all operating modes in detail.

The lithium-ion battery, which weighs 36.7 kilograms (80.91 lb), is located in a crash-proof area in the trunk. It provides 1.3 kWh of nominal energy and up to 40 kW of power. Two different methods are used to air-cool the battery, depending on need: with air blown from the passenger compartment by a fan and via a separate cooling circuit coupled to the automatic air conditioning system. The battery is thus kept within the temperature window required for it to perform to its full potential over a wide range. The electric motor and the compact power electronics which serve as a controller between the electric motor and the battery are water-cooled.

In visual terms, the Audi A8 hybrid is distinguished by subtle details. The ten spokes of its alloy wheels – which have a diameter of 18 inches as standard and 19 inches as an option – are reminiscent of turbine blades. The body features hybrid badges, and Arctic Silver is available as an exclusive paint finish. The metallic paint finish, three-zone automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and the BOSE sound system come standard.

Thanks to the brand’s ultra-lightweight construction expertise, the Audi A8 hybrid will be one of the lightest sedans in its category. Its ASF (Audi Space Frame) body is made entirely of aluminum, while the B-pillars are of hot-shaped, ultra-high-strength steel. Weighing just 231 kilograms (509.27 lb), it is roughly 40 percent lighter than a comparable steel construction.

TRANSLOGIC: AC Propulsion's Electric Car Technologies [video]

The Translogic web TV series take Tom Gage CEO of AC Propulsion for a drive to talk about how ACP are driving the commercialization of electric vehicles worldwide.

Disassembling a Toyota RAV4 EV battery pack [video]

We recently found a Youtube based TV series called ElectricThrust that focuses on EVs.

The RAV4 EV is an all-electric version of the popular RAV4 SUV produced by Toyota. With only 800 left on the road today, they were quickly dying off; That is, until Toyota teamed up with Tesla to mass produce these vehicles by 2012.

Clint, along with battery guru Derek Barger from Click High Tech Systems LLC, Broke into this EV to find out why it is starting to lose its "pep" With over 130,000 miles tacked onto it's battery pack the Rav4 is still running considerably well!

The most recent 'episode' was uploaded 8 months ago and their URL is dead so this series may be DOA but we will keep you posted on any new episodes.

VW to unveil Single-Seat Electric Car

Volkswagen is poised to unveil a single-seat, ultra-frugal, zero-emission electric car. The German carmaker also plans to offer a “full-service package” for customers of its electric cars by selling them power from renewable sources, Jürgen Leohold, head of research, told the Financial Times.

VW’s one-seat concept or experimental car will showcase the carmaker’s ambition to build vehicles that generate no carbon dioxide, even on a “well-to-wheel” calculation that takes into account the carbon dioxide generated by power plants.

“It’s a new kind of mobility – a new vehicle concept,” Mr Leohold said. “Also, it’s physics. If you limit a car to one person, you can make it smaller, less weight, you need less energy to transport the person, and then obviously … it can be better on CO2 and fuel efficiency”.

Mr Leohold said that the single-seater concept car, to be unveiled within weeks, was designed for limited purposes, such as commuting, and that most drivers would want a larger vehicle for longer trips.

He declined to reveal the car’s range, top speed or other details ahead of its unveiling.

VW’s research head said that the one-seater would be “even better” than the XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle, a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid capable of 313 miles per gallon which the company unveiled in January.

Mr Leohold said that the car’s CO2 count “depends on what kind of electricity you put in the battery”, but if powered from renewable sources it would be “zero”.

Single-passenger vehicles are a rarity in the car industry apart from niche products such as the Segway scooter – which is prohibited from roads in many countries – or the ill-fated Sinclair C5, a British-designed electric tricycle launched in 1985 that flopped because of safety and other concerns.

Graphene battery could triple Electric Vehicle range

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have created a graphene and tin nanoscale composite material for high-capacity energy storage in renewable lithium ion batteries. By encapsulating tin between sheets of graphene, the researchers constructed a new, lightweight “sandwich” structure that should bolster battery performance.

“For an electric vehicle, you need a lightweight battery that can be charged quickly and holds its charge capacity after repeated cycling,” says Yuegang Zhang, a staff scientist with Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry, in the Inorganic Nanostructures Facility, who led this research. “Here, we’ve shown the rational design of a nanoscale architecture, which doesn’t need an additive or binder to operate, to improve battery performance.”

Graphene is a single-atom-thick, “chicken-wire” lattice of carbon atoms with stellar electronic and mechanical properties, far beyond silicon and other traditional semiconductor materials. Previous work on graphene by Zhang and his colleagues has emphasized electronic device applications.

In this study, the team assembled alternating layers of graphene and tin to create a nanoscale composite. To create the composite material, a thin film of tin is deposited onto graphene. Next, another sheet of graphene is transferred on top of the tin film. This process is repeated to create a composite material, which is then heated to 300˚ Celsius (572˚ Fahrenheit) in a hydrogen and argon environment. During this heat treatment, the tin film transforms into a series of pillars, increasing the height of the tin layer.

“The formation of these tin nanopillars from a thin film is very particular to this system, and we find the distance between the top and bottom graphene layers also changes to accommodate the height change of the tin layer,” says Liwen Ji, a post-doctoral researcher at the Foundry. Ji is the lead author and Zhang the corresponding author of a paper reporting the research in the journal Energy and Environmental Science.

The change in height between the graphene layers in these new nanocomposites helps during electrochemical cycling of the battery, as the volume change of tin improves the electrode’s performance. In addition, this accommodating behavior means the battery can be charged quickly and repeatedly without degrading — crucial for rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles.

“We have a large battery program here at Berkeley Lab, where we are capable of making highly cyclable cells. Through our interactions in the Carbon Cycle 2.0 program, the Materials Science Division researchers benefit from quality battery facilities and personnel, along with our insights in what it takes to make a better electrode,” says co-author Battaglia, program manager in the Advanced Energy Technology department of Berkeley Lab’s Environmental and Energy Technologies Division. “In return, we have an outlet for getting these requirements out to scientists developing the next generation of materials.”

“With a graphene battery the same amount of weight and volume as a current one, you could drive 300 miles instead of 100,” said Yuegang Zhang, a principal investigator at the lab. “In that case, you’ll like to buy an electrical car.”

Toyota unveil EV racing prototype

Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has revealed further details of its plan to make Nürburgring history on 29 August by setting a new electric vehicle (EV) lap record on the demanding 20.832km Nordschleife.

TMG's high-performance electric powertrain will power the car as it aims to significantly improve on the current lap EV record of 9min 1.338secs. Based on unofficial testing and depending on weather conditions, TMG expects to hit lap-record pace immediately, with additional days scheduled as back-up.

The TMG electric powertrain uses two electric motors to deliver peak power of 280kW and a top speed of 260km/h with zero emissions. That makes it ideal to power any future single-make electric motorsport series and TMG will begin commercial sales of its electric powertrain technology in 2012.

Total weight of the two-seater sports car is just 970kg, including the lithium-ceramic battery which allows for nimble handling around the demanding Nordschleife, essential for setting a competitive lap record.

TMG General Manager Electric & Electronics Ludwig Zeller said: "We want to demonstrate the high level of performance which can now be reached with an electric powertrain, not only in motorsport terms but as part of TMG's existing development work on road car EV technology. There is no more evocative place to illustrate this performance than on the Nordschleife. Our target is to beat the existing record by more than just a few seconds because that will demonstrate just how far our technology has developed since TMG began working on KERS systems in 2007. Many people are still dreaming of an electric future for motorsport; at TMG we believe this is much closer than some think and we intend to show what can be achieved with a high-performance electric powertrain."

TMG today revealed the first images of its electric vehicle, with a modern, dynamic livery from Aguti which captures a sense of electrifying speed. These images can be seen by clicking here.

TMG is also proud to announce its partners in this lap record attempt, all of whom enjoy visible branding on the electric vehicle. Aguti created and implemented the livery concept while rational motion integrated the electric powertrain, traction battery and control strategies. EVO Electric motor technology delivers the power and Yokohama is the tyre supplier.

Official timers will be present to authenticate the lap record while video and a photography crew will record a milestone achievement in EV development. These materials will be made available to all media immediately after any successful record attempts.

Remy Powered Lightning Motorcycle Breaks 200mph @ Bonneville

Using a Remy propulsion electric motor, Lightning Motorcycles, LLC. blasts through the land speed record for production electric bikes by 30mph to be crowned the first electric bike in the world to exceed 200mph. In an August 14 SCTA*-sanctioned run at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, Lightning -- the 2010 land speed record holder -- achieved 206.079 mph, topping its 2010 speed of 176mph.

Lightning retains its claim as the fastest electric bike in the world in its class and will eternally own the achievement of being the first electric motorcycle to break 200mph in its class. The bike was ridden by Paul Thede, principal of Race Tech and the developer of the Lightning suspension system.

This record speed win coincides with the signing of a long term supply agreement in which Remy International, Inc. will provide Lightning Motorcycles with the Remy HVH250™ electric propulsion motor for use in Lightning Motorcycles' commercial electric motorcycles and its professional racing Lightning Superbikes.

Lightning Motorcycles is a California-based motorcycle engineering firm using competition to spur innovation. In addition to its commercial bikes now sold in North America, Asia and Europe, Lightning is already manufacturing their winning Superbikes with a Remy HVH250 motor for sale.

"Lightning Motorcycles has the drive and talent to keep pushing the electric bike land speed record higher with the Remy HVH250 electric motor. We are very proud to be a part of Lightning's amazing record at Bonneville," said Remy Electric Motors, LLC VP and General Manager Kevin Quinn. "The Remy HVH250 motor is the best on the market. Our team works hard to give our customers the competitive power advantage they need; it is dazzling to see it in triumphant action like this," added Quinn.

"Switching to a Remy electric motor made a powerful difference in our design and performance. Coupled with our experienced team, we knew we had a record-breaking bike on the Salt Flats. Remy has been a tremendous partner in our efforts. We look forward to working with them and their motor on both our racing and commercial bikes," said Lightning Motorcycle CEO Richard Hatfield.
The compact size and light weight of the Remy HVH250 electric motor is a perfect match for the Lightning Superbike.

The Remy HVH250 provides the superior power density and performance required by Lightning Motorcycles while fitting into the limited space of this small but powerful application. Efficiency and range are also gained through the reduced weight of the lighter Remy electric motor, which decreases overall application weight with no sacrifice in power or durability.

Cadillac announce ELR Extended Range Electric Vehicle [video]

Cadillac has officially announced plans to build a production version of the Converj concept.

Development of the ELR is just underway, so details on performance, price and timing will be announced later.

The Cadillac ELR will feature an electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the battery’s energy is low, the ELR seamlessly switches to extended-range mode to enable driving for hundreds of additional miles.

“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”

Cadillac selected the name ELR to indicate the car’s electric propulsion technology, in keeping with the brand’s 3-letter international model naming convention.

The Converj Concept sparked the idea of combining the desirability of a grand touring coupe with electrification, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.

“There’s no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac, an aggressive, forward-leaning profile and proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2,” Welburn said.

Cadillac will reveal another new concept car on Thursday, Aug. 18, at a special event prior to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Cadillac also recently announced it will add two new vehicles to its product lineup in 2012, the XTS large luxury sedan and an all-new luxury compact sedan codenamed ATS.

Plug-in Prius gets 128mpg range

The production version of the new Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show on 15 September.

The first plug-in version of the Prius uses Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system, combining an electric motor for short distances and low speeds with a small petrol engine to provide flexibility and range.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid features a more compact lithium-ion battery which is claimed to help achieve fuel efficiency of 128.4mpg. The new technology also reduces CO2 emissions to 49g/km –almost half that of the standard Prius.

Toyota says the new model has, “extended EV driving range for shorter journeys in towns and cities, while the efficient hybrid petrol engine gives the car uncompromised long range capability and the very low fuel consumption of the standard Prius.”

This new plug-in model will become the flagship model in the Prius range. It joins a host of other efficient Toyota vehicles including the Auris hybrid, the new seven-seat Prius+ and the new Yaris hybrid.

The first plug-in version of the Prius will go on sale in Autumn 2012 and will cost around £30,000. The Prius Plug-in qualifies for the Government’s incentive payment of £5000 for plug-in electric vehicles, so the on-the-road price will be closer to £25,000.

Li-Ion Battery Market Set for Boom Courtesy of Electric Vehicles

Driven by plunging prices and accelerating demand from the electric and hybrid automobile market, lithium-ion will emerge as the world’s leading rechargeable battery technology and achieve 350 percent revenue growth from 2010 to 2020, according to a new IHS iSuppli Rechargeable Batteries Special Report from information and analysis provider IHS.

Global lithium-ion battery revenue is expected to expand to $53.7 billion in 2020, up from $11.8 billion in 2010, as presented in the figure below. Revenue will rise to $31.4 billion in 2015, allowing lithium-ion to surpass the current dominant rechargeable battery technology, lead acid.

While lithium-ion will find wide usage in mobile electronics products such as cellphones and notebook PCs, usage in cars will fuel the bulk of sales growth.

“Lithium-ion at present is much more expensive than alternative technologies, costing two to three times as much as sodium-sulfur, lead-acid and nickel-metal-hydride rechargeable batteries,” said Satoru Oyama, principal analyst of Japan electronics research for IHS. “However, lithium-ion pricing will decline much more rapidly than the other technologies, coming close to cost parity in 2015, and then becoming the least expensive type of rechargeable battery in 2020. Combined with the inherent advantages of the technology, the increasingly competitive cost of lithium-ion will cause car makers to employ it as their battery technology of choice in future electric and hybrid vehicles.”


Lithium: Just What the Ddoctor Ordered for Automotive

Lithium-ion delivers several enhancements compared to other rechargeable battery technologies.

These advantages include more flexible form factors and lighter weight. Furthermore, lithium-ion devices have no memory effect, meaning they maintain their full capacity even after a partial recharge. Finally, lithium-ion batteries are considered to be more environmentally safe than other technologies.

These features make lithium-ion particularly attractive for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Because of this, the automotive segment will be the leading market for lithium-ion batteries by 2015, surpassing the current top application, notebook PCs.


Lithium’s Elements of Success in Electric and Hybrid Cars

The dominant battery technology used in hybrid cars now is nickel-metal-hydride. More than 1 million hybrids with nickel-metal-hydride batteries were shipped in 2010, led by the Toyota Prius.

However, shipments of nickel-metal-hydride batteries to the hybrid market will not grow in the future as the use of lithium-ion begins to take off.

While automotive will be the dominant market for lithium-ion batteries, notebook PCs and cellphones will remain major markets for the technology, accounting for $12.3 billion in revenue in 2010, up from $7.8 billion in 2010.

Other major uses for lithium-ion batteries include use in solar power systems, smart electricity grids and electric tools.

BMW i3 EV caught being filmed for a commercial [video]

Youtuber jprothe saw the BMW i3 Electric Vehicle being filmed today on Wacker Drive in Chicago.

The i3 is built around a new chassis concept called LifeDrive, which divides the vehicle into sections for Life, the passenger compartment, and Drive, the powertrain and battery. For the i3, the bottom half of the car is the Drive section, and is made mostly of lightweight aluminum; the Life passenger compartment sits on top and is built from carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). Employing these lightweight materials keeps the i3's weight down to just 2750 pounds. The Nissan Leaf, for comparison, tips the scales at 3366 pounds.

Buckeye Bullet 3 to Attempt 400 MPH Electric Vehicle Speed Record

Last year Ohio State’s streamlined Buckeye Bullet supercar made headlines as it shattered the world speed record for an electric vehicle by clocking in a blistering 291 miles per hour. The team is back this year with plans for their next-generation racer, which they expect will be able to hit speeds in excess of 400 mph.

The Buckeye Bullet 3 is being built from the ground up on an entirely new platform that includes an optimized aerodynamic shape, two custom-made electric motors by Venturi, and a set of prismatic A123 batteries.

In order to improve upon the performance of the Buckeye Bullet 2.5, the team is harnessing the Ohio Supercomputer Center to develop their next-gen land speed racer. Through a series of aerodynamic simulations they have come up with a completely new platform for the Buckeye Bullet 3 that will reduce drag by 5%, place the driver in front of the tires to conserve volume, and improve the vehicle’s overall handling and balance.

The team is also developing wind deflectors to be installed beneath the vehicle to improve stability and further minimize drag. According to the project’s chief engineer Cary Bork, “What sets the new design apart from the previous Buckeye Bullet vehicles is that at these higher speeds it is possible to produce shock waves under the vehicle. Such shock waves under the vehicle negatively affect the vehicle drag and can produce lift. Lift is undesirable in this application. Minimizing or eliminating these shock waves is critical to ensuring the safety and stability of the vehicle.”

Design work on the project is expected to be completed by the end of this summer, and the vehicle will be constructed over the course of the coming academic year.

Buckeye Bullet

UQM Receive $3M DOE Grant to Develop Non-rare-earth EV motors

UQM will develop a unique motor design to use non-rare-earth magnets

--Non-rare-earth magnets may lower overall motor cost while providing better efficiency than other alternative motor technologies

--UQM is a leading developer and manufacturer of electric motors and generators for electric and hybrid electric vehicles

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $3 million to UQM Technologies, Inc. for the development of non-rare-earth magnet electric motors for use in electric and hybrid electric vehicles. UQM will cost-share 25 percent of the $4 million effort under the development program.

"We are pleased that the DOE has again selected our company to assist in advancing the state-of-the-art in motor and generator technology for electric and hybrid electric vehicles," said Eric Ridenour, UQM Technologies' President and Chief Executive Officer. "This DOE grant will help us apply our extensive experience with the design and engineering of electric motors to the exploration of non-rare-earth magnet motor technology. Our objective is to identify and evaluate magnet materials and technology that can deliver the performance our customers expect, broaden our product portfolio, potentially lower magnet cost and limit our exposure to price and supply concerns associated with rare earth magnets."

Under the award, the engineering team at UQM will work collaboratively with Ames Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop and apply these new magnet materials in a high performance permanent magnet motor.

"The goal of this new technology that we are developing will be motor designs that apply to a full range of vehicle electrification, from mild hybrid to heavy hybrid to full electric vehicles," said Jon Lutz, UQM Technologies' Vice President of Engineering. "We believe that our unique motor concepts coupled with our extensive experience in motor design will allow us to achieve the objectives of this program."

UQM PowerPhase(R) electric propulsion systems have been selected to power the Saab 9-3 ePower, Audi A-1 etron and Rolls-Royce 102EX Electric Phantom pre-production test fleet vehicles. UQM is also powering Proterra's electric composite transit buses, as well as Electric Vehicles International's all-electric medium-duty truck and walk-in van. The company has a new facility with 40,000 units of annual production capacity for its PowerPhase electric propulsion systems.

Nanosys Receives $11 Million Funding From U.S. Department of Energy

Nanostart-holding Nanosys, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded it funds to refine and bring to scale its SiNANOde™ materials for the automotive market. These innovations will enable Electric Vehicles (EVs) to travel 300 miles on a single charge.

In addition to the primary DOE award of USD 4.8 million, approximately USD 6 million will be spent, through sub-awards and matches by the DOE and Nanosys, in the development and commercialization of advanced material technologies and manufacturing in the United States.

"We are honored the DOE has selected Nanosys for this grant," said Jason Hartlove, president and CEO of Nanosys. "The future of a clean energy economy depends on increased adoption of electric and hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. Until such vehicles are able to achieve substantial operating range on a single charge with the economics of combustion vehicles, acceptance will be limited to early adopters. The commercialization of architected material solutions like SiNANOde™ provide the breakthroughs needed to progress on the path to achieving those goals."

The grant is a part of the DOE's larger mission to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies through targeted programs aimed at increasing vehicle efficiency.

DOE's comprehensive approach is aimed at creating new innovations throughout the vehicle, including high capacity electric vehicle batteries and components that should significantly exceed existing state-of-the-art technologies in terms of performance and/or cost.

The agency has set a target for bringing the cost of lithium-ion batteries down to USD 250/kWh and increasing capacity to 300 miles per charge for the next generation of EVs. In recent tests, Nanosys' SiNANOde™ anode material has doubled capacity while providing breakthrough charge/discharge cycle life improvements. Nanosys will use the DOE funds to accelerate development through purchases of additional equipment and the hiring of additional staff.

"The Department of Energy is investing in new advanced technologies that will significantly improve vehicle fuel economy, save consumers money, and create skilled jobs for Americans," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu in a DOE press release. "Investments in the next generation of autos will strengthen our economy and lead to a more fuel-efficient, clean energy future."

In addition to EVs, Nanosys is currently working with domestic and international battery manufacturers to improve lithium-ion battery capacity using SiNANOde™ in batteries for laptops and tablets, smart phones and other electronic devices

DOE Awards $175 Million in Vehicle Efficiency Development Grants

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the DOE is providing more than $175 million to 40 projects across 15 states over the next three to five years to accelerate the development of energy-efficient-vehicle technologies.

The projects will pursue innovations in fuels and lubricants, lighter weight materials, longer-lasting and cheaper electric vehicle batteries and components, and more efficient engine technologies, according to a DOE announcement.

Among the grant recipients, United States Automotive Materials Partnership will validate crash models for carbon-fiber composites that would enable the use of lightweight composites in primary-structural automotive crash and energy management applications.

Penn State University will develop a high energy density lithium-sulfur cell technology that significantly reduces battery size, and improves performance and life.

MIT will investigate the use of new lubricant formulations that target differing lubrication requirements of the major engine subsystems.

A complete list of the 40 grant recipients is available at the link below.

DOE Funded Projects

Johnson Controls says it will build another EV battery factory

Johnson Controls Inc. will build a second factory to build lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicles, the company announced Thursday.

A location for the factory has not been announced, the company said in a statement.

“Once a location is identified and the facility constructed, it would add nearly 300 additional jobs when at full capacity,” the company said.

Plans for a new factory were announced as company executives welcomed President Barack Obama to its Meadowbrook factory in Holland, Mich.

Obama said administration policies aimed at reducing oil imports are part of an effort to invest both in research and new technology.

“That’s why we’re investing in clean energy,” he said, according to a transcript provided by the White House. “That’s why I brought together the world’s largest auto companies who agreed, for the first time, to nearly double the distance their cars can go on a gallon of gas. That’s going to save consumers thousands of dollars at the pump.”

For more on Obama's appearance, click here.

The Michigan factory that Obama toured will be the first in the country to produce complete lithium-ion battery cells and systems for hybrid and electric vehicles, producing battery systems for automakers such as Ford’s Transit Connect plug-in electric delivery vans.

Johnson Controls and U.S. stimulus package each invested $299.2 million in the Michigan factory, while the state of Michigan provided $168 million in incentives

The Michigan plant will employ 320 people at full capacity, the company said.

“These projects are great examples of public-private partnerships that use innovation and technology to produce products that reduce fuel consumption and create jobs,” said Steve Roell, company chairman and chief executive, in a statement.

Across the Midwest, Johnson Controls Inc. is adding 700 jobs and retaining another 400 through its investment in advanced lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, Roell said.

"Through innovation and investment in technology and people, Johnson Controls is a leader in the energy storage industry,” he said. “We are investing more than $460 million in our advanced battery business for manufacturing and technical facilities here in Michigan and the U.S. These investments will lead to over 700 new jobs, retention of another 400 and approximately 1,000 construction jobs," Roell said.

In addition to the new factory and the one now opening, the company also recently opened its expanded battery technology and test center in Glendale, which created 60 jobs.

Finally, in June the company announced it would invest $138.5 million at its battery factory in Toledo, to convert it and expand it to produce advanced lead acid batteries that deploy start-stop technology. This technology enables vehicle engines to turn off at intersections, turning back on when the gas pedal is pushed.

A new greenhouse gas and fuel economy program announced last week by the Obama administration will give credits to companies that deploy the start-stop technology, for which Johnson Controls has a leading market share.

The Toledo investment will retain 400 jobs and create 50 jobs, Johnson Controls said.

The investments are part of a plan by Johnson Controls to secure a leadership role in advanced batteries as the automotive industry moves to electrify the vehicle powertrain. The Glendale firm is the world's largest maker of lead-acid batteries, producing them for automakers and for retailers like Sears and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

GM Does Deal With A123 – Will Launch 1st Pure Battery-EV in 2014

General Motors has inked a deal with U.S. battery supplier A123 – a deal that well-placed sources say confirms the maker’s plans to put at least one battery-electric vehicle into production by 2014.

The maker has a separate deal with LG Chem to produce lithium-ion batteries for its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. The Korean maker beat out A123 for that contract and is now in the process of setting up a new factory to produce Volt batteries near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Production of the Volt is now ramping up and, along with the similar Opel Ampera, GM hopes to produce as many as 60,000 plug-ins next year.

The new alliance will focus on an entirely different range of vehicles, GM spokesman Kevin Kelly hinted. “It is not for the Volt or the next-generation Volt. This is for a different application, but we can’t get into what this is for or the timing.”

While Kelly declined to comment, GM sources noted that the maker now hopes to expand into a broad range of “electrified” vehicles, from conventional hybrids to plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs. The A123 batteries will be utilized for the latter group.
Precisely what is in store is unclear, though there could be battery-electric models sold through “multiple brands,” according to sources. The first of the BEVs is expected to reach market by 2014.

While a variety of different platforms, large and small, have been under study, it appears the first battery-electric models will be in the small car class and similar to the low-volume demonstration fleets GM has launched in two of the world’s fastest-growing automotive markets. In India, the maker has electrified its compact Chevrolet Beat, while in China it has opted to go with the similarly-sized Sail. In Korea GM have a test fleet of GM Daewoo based Chevrolet Cruze EVs and GM Daewoo Lacetti Premieres.

China, in particular, has been pressing the auto industry to adopt battery power as a way to reduce dependence upon imported oil. It is likely to be one of several initial markets for the new GM battery cars.

GM may also go up-market, suggested another source. Its Cadillac brand has been considering several ways to use battery propulsion, though a plan to develop a luxury version of the Volt was rejected by CEO Dan Akerson who is, however, a corporate cheerleader for alternative propulsion.

The decision to go with A123 – which was the first runner-up in the bidding to supply batteries to Volt – reflects the fact that lithium-ion technology is evolving fast. There are about 14 different “families” of lithium chemistry, each with distinctly different properties. Some hold more energy, others store less but permit power to be drawn down more quickly, so some formulations are good for conventional hybrids, while others work better for battery-electric applications.

The latest version of the A123 nanophosphate chemistry appears particularly well-suited to pure battery-electric vehicles, several GM sources explained. It has a higher energy density – a measure of how much power can be stored in a given mass. And more of the potential capacity of the battery can be used.

With the batteries in the Volt, only about 60% of the total 16 kilowatt-hours of capacity are actually used, day-to-day. With the A123 pack that might top 70% or higher – which means fewer batteries are needed. And with lithium batteries running well north of $500 a kWH, that translates into significant savings.

Perhaps equally important, the A123 packaging is more flexible than LG Chem’s, which makes it easier to squeeze a lot of batteries into the nooks and crannies of a small car, rather than the large, T-shaped pack used in the Volt.

With the planned 2014 launch of its first pure batter car GM will enter into an increasingly crowded market. Nissan launched the first mass market battery car, the Leaf, late last year, shortly after followed by Ford’s Transit Connect Electric. Ford will begin a phased roll-out of its Focus Electric later in 2011, with Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda and Nissan’s Infiniti among the many major other brands getting into BEV production. Meanwhile, start-up Tesla is one of many automotive wannabes also entering the fray, its Model S sedan due to market next year.

Both LG Chem and A123 are vying to supply those carmakers – as are a variety of other battery producers. The batteries for the GM BEVs will be produced at a plant in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit, where A123 already employs 775 people, a workforce expected to rapidly grow as a result of the new contract.

The Audi urban concept - a completely new kind of concept car

The Audi urban concept is a 1+1-seat, ultra-light car for congested urban spaces. The technical study, which will be shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA) 2011, does not fit under any of the conventional categories - the Audi urban concept combines elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car into one radical new concept.

University of Michigan and Ford researchers see plentiful lithium for EVs

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Ford Motor Co. have assessed the global availability of lithium and compared it to the potential demand from large-scale global use of electric vehicles. The research findings, published in the current issue of the Journal of Industrial Ecology, conclude that sufficient resources of lithium exist for the next 90 years to supply a large-scale global fleet of electric vehicles through at least 2100.

The researchers compiled data on 103 deposits containing lithium, with an emphasis on 32 deposits that have a lithium resource of more than 100,000 metric tons each. Lithium is a key ingredient in the development of certain types of batteries, and is a key element of batteries used in hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

The data collected included deposit location, geologic type, dimensions and content of lithium, as well as the current status of production. Using the definition of a lithium "resource" as a deposit from which production is currently or potentially feasible economically, the researchers estimated a global lithium resource of about 39 million tons.

The second part of the study examined lithium demand for the same 90-year period (2010-2100). Demand was estimated under the assumption of two different growth scenarios for electric vehicles and other current battery and non-battery applications.

Areas studied related to demand were lubricating grease, frits and glass, air conditioning and portable batteries, as well as batteries for hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles. The total demand for lithium was estimated to be in the range of 12-20 million tons, depending on assumptions regarding economic growth and recycling rates.

"Even with a rapid and widespread adoption of electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, lithium resources are sufficient to support demand until at least the end of this century," the researchers conclude in the paper.

The study's main authors were Paul Gruber and Pablo Medina. They conducted the research as part of a graduate student research project before graduating in 2010 from the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment. The research partner was Ford Motor Co., the global automobile manufacturer based in Dearborn, Mich.

"We believe our assessment is a timely and comprehensive study that settles the question of whether the global resources are sufficient for electric vehicles using lithium-ion technology," said Gruber.

Other co-authors were U-M professors Gregory Keoleian of SNRE and Stephen Kesler, a professor emeritus of geological sciences, and two researchers from Ford: Mark Everson, the technical leader of the Manufacturing and Purchasing Strategy research group, and Timothy Wallington, technical leader of the Sustainability Science research group at Ford's Research and Innovation Center.

Nissan delivers first Leaf in France

Nissan West Europe brings electric mobility to France with delivery of the country's first 100% electric Nissan LEAF.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerbaud took delivery of their white Nissan LEAF at NISSAN COURIANT in Aix-en-Provence on August 2nd. This groundbreaking moment represents France's first delivery of the 2011 European and World Car of the Year. This early delivery is also a demonstration of the company's effort to recover from the natural disaster of March 11th in Japan and the readiness of Nissan's EV dealer network in France.

Carine Gerbaud will mainly use her Nissan LEAF for daily commuting to her workplace. As she drives 80km per day on average, the Nissan LEAF's homologated range of 175km with a full charge is sufficient to cover her needs. Philippe Gerbaud said that their decision to buy an electric vehicle was not only to "preserve the environment" but also driven by the particularly low running costs the Nissan LEAF offers: less than 2€ per 100 km in France compared with about €7 for a similarly-equipped diesel family car.

"We've been spending 400€ per month at the petrol station. From now, we should only pay 60€ per month in electricity. The extra cost of the vehicle will be recovered in one year after which the monthly fuel saving can be used as a contribution towards the monthly finance repayments" explains Mr. Gerbaud.

The price of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF is €30,990 in France, after incentives and including the batteries which benefits from a five-year/100,000 km warranty. The French government's incentive for electric vehicles amounts to 5,000 euros. In order to make electric motoring even more accessible to individual customers in France, the Nissan LEAF is also available through a private finance scheme

Eric Couriant from Nissan Couriant in Aix-en-Provence applied to become a certified EV dealer because he believes "Nissan is making history by bringing sustainable mobility to the mass market and we wanted to be part of it". "Most customers testing the Nissan LEAF are very positively surprised by the performance, the comfort, the roominess and the range of the Nissan LEAF." Mr. Couriant added.

Nissan Couriant in Aix-en-Provence is one of the 14 certified EV dealers (along with Chambourcy, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Marseille, Maurepas, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, Nîmes, Paris 12ème , Perpignan, Strasbourg, Toulouse) to sell the Nissan LEAF in France. This list is expected to grow rapidly in the near future.

Deliveries of Nissan LEAF have already begun in the UK, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland and Portugal. Order books have also opened in Switzerland, Spain, Belgium and Norway with customers in those markets expected to start receiving their cars shortly.

Ford Focus Electric Will Hit 19 Markets in Spring of 2012

Ford today clarified launch plans for its forthcoming Focus Electric, saying that the despite reports to the contrary the car has not in fact been pushed back and will see a limited release in New York and California as scheduled, by the end of this year.

“Ford remains on schedule to deliver the initial Focus Electrics by the end of the year. As previously communicated to dealers, the first few months of Focus Electric production will be concentrated on delivering vehicles to California and New York. Our dealers in those areas will be the first to have their retail orders scheduled and receive the Focus Electric. We will be rolling out to the remainder of the initial Focus Electric markets starting with production ramp up in Spring 2012.”

Nissan LEAF battery technology Explained [video]

Nissan Corporate Vice-President Simon Sproule gives a detailed explanation about the Nissan LEAF battery technology.

Toyota shooting for Nurburgring EV Lap record on August 29

Toyota has reportedly announced it will attempt to smash the existing electric vehicle lap record at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife on August 29.

The current electric vehicle lap record at the 'Ring stands at 9 minutes and 1.338 seconds, a time that Toyota says it has already beaten during informal testing. On August 29, Toyota will hit the track with a battery-powered two-seater that soars to a claimed top speed of 162 miles per hours, rips from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and is loosely based on the radical Alpha-1 SRF, a vehicle developed by Toyota Motorsport GmbH for German firm e-Wolf.

Rob Leupen, Toyota Motorsport's director of business operations, told the Charging Point, "We are extremely confident we can break the record by some distance, which is an indication of how electric vehicle performance is continuously improving." Only time we tell if Toyota's attempt to tame the 'Ring blows a hole through the existing record, which is held by the spectalur Peugeot EX1.

Source: The Charging Point

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid to make Monterey Le Mans Series debut

Porsche’s 911 GT3 R Hybrid will make a return to North American racing as Porsche Motorsport announced today the entry of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 in the ModSpace American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón. The six-hour race on September 17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the eighth round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

“The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid represents one of the best examples ever of technology transfer between race track and showroom,” said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. “It brought an entirely new level of relevance to our platform during its North American debut at Petit Le Mans last year; certainly it stands to do the same during its maiden appearance on the West Coast. Porsche is using its involvement in the ALMS to demonstrate that high performance and fuel efficiency are not mutually exclusive achievements. The benefits of this revolutionary development program will no doubt lead to numerous advancements that will be applied to future Porsche road cars. We are proud that our position as the Global Leader of Green Racing enables such technologies to be put to the ultimate endurance test and actively developed in front of our fans.”

Two Porsche works pilots Romain Dumas (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) will share the cockpit of the orange and white racer from Weissach. Dumas already has driven the world’s most innovative GT vehicle last year at Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans. Lietz piloted the 911 Hybrid at the 24-hour races on the Nuerburgring in 2010 and 2011 as well as at various other long-distance races.

“I’m so looking forward to demonstrating the capabilities of this very special car at race speed to the spectators in California,” said Dumas, a two-time ALMS champion in LMP2 for Porsche. “Many Porsche fans live on the west coast of America, and some of them have already discovered the advantages of the hybrid system at the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. I’m very excited because Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most challenging race tracks on earth. Its layout with a series of up and downhill passages should actually suit our 911 GT3 R Hybrid.”

The outing of Porsche’s hybrid racer at the 24 Hours of Nuerburgring last month was more than heartening. The innovative race car achieved the same quick lap times as its top rivals yet used considerably less fuel. Just two broken transmission flanges and a collision thwarted a potential podium spot.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - with two 75-kilowatt electric motors on the front axle supplementing the 465 hp four-liter, six-cylinder power unit at the rear - particularly embodies the philosophy of “Porsche Intelligent Performance”: The electric energy is generated during braking and stored in an electric flywheel. During acceleration, this energy is automatically delivered to the front wheels supporting the combustion engine. This leads to a reduction in fuel consumption and increases the cruising range on the circuit.

Moreover, drivers can manually use the stored energy with a boost-paddle on the steering wheel for overtaking. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid has undergone further development since 2010; compared to its predecessor, its weight was reduced from 1,350 kilograms (2,970 pounds) to 1,300 kilograms (2,860 pounds).

This weekend, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The fifth round of the 2011 ALMS championship is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6 with ESPN2 airing the race starting at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 7. Live video coverage on race day will be available at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com.

Toyota and Tesla to Build RAV4 EV in Ontario Canada

Toyota and Tesla Motors confirmed today that their jointly-developed RAV4 electric vehicle will be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Woodstock, Ontario beginning in 2012.

“The Tesla-Toyota joint development team has agreed that building the vehicle at the Woodstock plant on the same line as the gasoline-powered RAV4, will streamline and simplify the production process and guarantee the highest level of quality control,” said Ray Tanguay, TMMC Chairman, who hosted Canadian officials at the plant today and thanked them for their support. “This is a great example of Toyota’s determination to collaborate with companies with leading edge technology.”

As previously announced, Toyota will pay Tesla approximately $100 million to supply the electric powertrain, which includes the battery, motor, gear box and power electronics for the RAV4 EV. Tesla will build the electric powertrains at its production facility in Palo Alto, California and then ship them to TMMC for final assembly into the vehicle.

The RAV4 EV will be sold at U.S. Toyota dealers through Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS). Details including pricing, volume and regional distribution will be determined and announced at a later time.

In July of last year, Tesla and Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing, America (TEMA) collaborated to convert 32 conventional gas-engine RAV4 compact SUVs into fully functional RAV4 EV prototypes.

Opel/Vauxhall to receive 10,000 Amperas from GM next year

General Motors Co. will make 10,000 of its Ampera plug-in hybrid cars available for sale in Europe next year, said GM Europe President Nick Reilly.

The Ampera is a sister model to the Chevrolet Volt and is built alongside the Volt in Hamtramck near Detroit.

Opel will receive 6,000 of the cars from GM's allotment of 60,000 for 2012. The remaining 4,000 cars will be sold by GM's Vauxhall brand in the UK.

The Ampera shares the Volt's technology but has styling changes such as Opel's bold-looking grille. Opel also lists Bose speakers and touchscreen monitors as examples of premium content in the Ampera.

Volt in Europe

GM will launch the Ampera and Volt in Europe in November. GM plans to sell up to 2,000 units of the Volt annually in the region.

Opel will sell the Ampera for 42,900 euros when it goes on sale in November in Europe, more than the $39,995 (28,125 euros) price of a Volt in the United States.

At the Paris auto show last year, Nick Reilly said the Ampera will be aimed at the business fleet market and local government agencies, areas where Opel is strong. The Volt, he said, would be targeted at retail customers in Europe.

GM has already started selling the Volt in the U.S.

The Ampera will be powered by electricity at all times. For the first 40km to 80 km (25 to 50 miles), power for the drivetrain comes from electricity stored in the 16-kilowatt hour lithium ion battery pack and the car has zero emissions. For longer trips a gasoline-fueled engine/generator sustains the battery charge and extends the driving range to 500km (300 miles).

Transit Connect Electric Vans enter Oxford to London Eco Rally

Two Transit Connect Electric vans have successfully completed a 75-mile route from Oxford to London in a convoy of electric, hybrid and low-emission vehicles, as part of the 2011 Bridgestone Eco Rally.

The rally took place on Sunday 31st July, this year starting from Broad Street, Oxford and finishing in the UK's largest sustainable transport exhibition at The Mall in London.

The convoy comprised more than 30 of the latest low and zero emission vehicles including cars, motorbikes, vans, trucks and taxis.

Graham Hoare, executive director powertrain engineering, Ford of Europe, said: "Ford is developing a portfolio of electric vehicles that offer customers affordable, environmentally friendly technologies in vehicles they want and value. The Bridgestone Eco-Rally is a great opportunity to showcase the first of these vehicles to go on sale, the Transit Connect Electric."

The Transit Connect Electric, developed in conjunction with Ford's electric vehicles partner, Azure Dynamics, is the first of five electrified Ford models to be made available in Europe. It is a pure electric-powered version of the award-winning Transit Connect light commercial vehicle. It has a proprietary Force Drive™ battery electric drivetrain powered by an advanced battery pack from Johnson Controls, carrying a range of up to 80 miles with a payload of up to 500kg.

Ford has committed to introduce five full-electric and hybrid models in Europe by 2013 as part of its global electrification strategy. These include the Transit Connect Electric this year, the next generation Ford Focus Electric in 2012, followed by hybrid and plug-in hybrid derivatives of the all-new C-MAX and another hybrid-electric model in 2013.

No electric motors in F1 pits, Ecclestone says

From 2014 the Formula 1 race cars have to move in the pit lane just using the KERS electric motor. But Bernie Ecclestone, a self admitted climate change denier, believes it is too dangerous.

According to the regulations submitted to the FIA, the energy accumulated on the braking, shall actuate the motor during the movement of the pit lane.

"To go on the electric motor on pit lane would be dangerous, because people who are there will not hear the machine – says Bernie. – Also, the absence of sound affect the interest of viewers. Now, as soon as the GP3 race starts, where the sound of the engine is almost inaudible, the stands begin to thin out. Electric motors have no place in Formula 1. "

Porsche Hybrids Then And Now [video]

When you think of Porsche, you think of power, performance...and hybrid technology? Perhaps not, but from the Semper Vivus to the Panamera S Hybrid, Porsche has actually been in the hybrid game longer than any other major car manufacturer -- over 100 years to be exact.

Mini E UK trials reveal ease of EV use

Almost all of the 138 participants who took part in the Mini E trials, said they’d consider buying an electric car.

These are the findings, which were published today by Mini after a yearlong field test in which 62 members of the public and 76 pool users were given Mini E's and the results collated. The findings have also highlighted that the average cost per mile came in at under 2p, the equivalent of £60 per six months charge on average.

Four out of five people said that 80 per cent of their trips could be covered by the Mini E, rising to 90 per cent of trips with the addition of rear seats and a bigger boot.

Over the one-year period, over 250,000 miles were recorded on UK roads, with the average distance driven coming in at just under 30 miles per day. Interestingly, virtually all the car’s recharging took place at home at an average of 2.9 times per week.

The results also found that a full charge enabled the Mini E to travel a distance of 90 miles, although cold weather affected its range, according to 84 per cent of owners.

Driver enjoyment was a big factor noted by the results, too. With its 201bhp power figure, all participants agreed that “electric vehicles are fun to drive,” thanks in part to the car’s fast pick-up and quick accelaration”.

Finally, the findings have revealed that only one week was needed by people to adapt to the peculiarities of driving an EV, including charging, regenerative braking and near silence during driving.

The test results will be used to help develop the all-new BMW i3 - an electric city car due in 2013 – as well as the 2011 BMW ActiveE, a four-seater based on the current 1-series.