Webber set to qualify without KERS for Chinese Grand Prix

Red Bull faces a race against time to give Mark Webber KERS capability in time for the Chinese Grand Prix qualifying session, after the Australian suffered more problems in final free practice at Shanghai this morning.

Webber managed just one flying lap in the final hour's practice after an electrical problem in the RB7's wiring loom meant that he was unable to activate his KERS on track.

The issues come after the 34-year-old was unable to use KERS through the Malaysian Grand Prix last weekend.

"There was an electrical issue, a wiring loom issue actually that caused some concern with the KERS," team principal Christian Horner confirmed to the BBC, who conceded that it was touch and go whether Webber would be able to use the system in qualifying.

"We are doing our best to try and make sure that it is in working order on Mark's car. It's going to be very, very tough though. It looks like a few issues, so it's probable that we won't be running KERS on Mark's car in qualifying but we should be okay for the race."

Horner added that Sebastian Vettel, whose KERS is working correctly, was happy with his running during the morning session after the world champion set the pace in all three practice sessions.

"Sebastian seemed very happy with the balance of his car this morning," said Horner. "Mark, on the one flying lap that he had, was a lot happier today than yesterday, so hopefully we should be in good shape."

LG Chem Look to Dominate EV Battery Market

LG Corp. doesn't do things small. The company is the world's largest maker of LED monitors and the second-biggest manufacturer of liquid-crystal display (LCD) televisions. It also is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones and front-loading washing machines sold in the U.S. Now, the 64-year-old South Korean conglomerate is taking aim at the top spot of the fragmented electric-vehicle battery market, where the competition includes fellow South Korean conglomerate Samsung, Japan's Panasonic and relative start-ups like A123 Systems and the automakers themselves.

The company’s LG Chem division last week opened what it said is the world's largest electric-vehicle battery-making plant in Ochang, South Korea. The factory will produce enough lithium-ion batteries for 100,000 electric-drive vehicles, according to Bloomberg News. LG Chem, which makes batteries for a number of electric-drive vehicles including General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid-electric (PHEV), is looking to boost annual revenue from EV batteries to 4 trillion won ($3.67 billion) by 2015, when the company expects to have 25 percent of the worldwide EV-battery market. With another South Korean plant and a U.S. factory scheduled to open by the end of next year, LG Chem will be able to produce enough batteries for 350,000 vehicles by 2013, according to Bloomberg.

"They’re definitely the mover and the shaker right now in the lithium-ion battery market," said John Gartner, senior analyst at Pike Research. "They have strong relationships with GM, Ford and Hyundai, and their technology is viewed as being very stable, safe, and reliable, so it’s not out of the questions that they could reach that goal."

LG's strategy may be a sound one, given electric-drive vehicle projections. Last year, Pike estimated that global sales of PHEVs and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) will surge to more than 1 million units in 2015 from less than 250,000 this year. That said, consolidation isn't guaranteed in an EV-battery market where technology continues to rapidly evolve. For instance, last month, the U.S. Energy Department and an automaker group that includes GM, Ford and Chrysler awarded lithium-ion battery-maker A123 Systems a contract worth $8 million to further develop so-called nanophosphate systems that will produce lighter, cheaper and more powerful batteries for plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. "It’s a little premature for anyone to be beating their chest unless they have a real corner on the technology," said Philip Gott, managing director at IHS Automotive. "Even GM's hedging its bets."

Additionally, the global lithium-ion battery market will always be bifurcated because automakers such as Toyota and Nissan are almost guaranteed to stay with fellow Japanese companies like Panasonic and GS Yuasa when it comes to battery supply, said both Gartner and Gott. Finally, some automakers are looking to make electric-drive powertrain components themselves in order to gain better cost and operations controls as production of alternative-fueled vehicles expands. Daimler AG and Evonik in 2008 formed a battery-making joint venture that starting next year will supply lithium-ion batteries for Daimler’s Smart Fortwo ED BEV.

Still, LG appears to have the resources and agreements with automakers to take the lead. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2010, LG Chem’s net income rose 34 percent from a year earlier to 1.76 trillion won ($1.62 billion) as revenue increased 26 percent to 14.5 trillion won ($13.3 billion). The company was tapped by GM early in 2009 to make battries for the Volt and later that year said it would invest $300 million in a Michigan lithium-ion battery plant that would be opened by 2012. LG Chem also agreed to start a battery-making joint venture with South Korean automaker Hyundai in 2009. And Ford chose LG Chem unit Compact Power to make battery packs for the 2011 Ford Focus Electric.

Regardless of who takes what market share, LG Chem’s investments are likely to help push down the costs of EV batteries and shorten the amount of time it will take for electric-drive vehicles to become cost-competitive with their internal combustion engine counterparts. IHS’s Gott estimated that battery costs could drop by as much as 50 percent by the end of the decade while internal combustion engine costs rise as automakers stretch for better fuel efficiency to meet progressively more stringent federal greenhouse-gas emissions requirements. Pike’s Gartner was even more optimistic, estimating that lithium-ion battery costs will fall by as much as 10 percent a year. “LG will contribute to that, as will other companies that are starting to build to scale,” said Gartner.

Hertz and Mitsubishi sign Car Share and Rental deal for Electric i-MiEV in UK

The Hertz Corporation has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK to add the pure-electric vehicle (EV) i-MiEV city car to the fleets of Hertz and car sharing club Connect by Hertz in the UK. The rollout starts today, with two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs now available for Connect by Hertz members to zip around London. Hertz plans to add further i-MiEVs to its fleets throughout the year across the UK, as well as offering vehicles for corporate and university pool fleets.

Customers will be able to charge their vehicles at Hertz charging stations located across the capital as well as at Heathrow and London City Airport. In addition, customers will have access to the Source London public charging points which are being rolled out across the city by 2013, as part of the Mayor's plans for London to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe.

Michel Taride, President, Hertz International, commented: "Our partnership with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK to provide i-MiEV cars to our Connect by Hertz members and Hertz customers in the UK is a vital part of our global Electric Vehicle and sustainability initiatives. We are excited that from today, our customers can experience the joy of 100% electric driving with the i-MiEVs, which offer surprising power and a smooth, quiet ride."

Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, Lance Bradley added: "We are delighted to partner with Hertz and to be able to offer the i-MiEV to their customers. The i-MiEV is a very important vehicle for us, making a statement to the global car industry -- being the first mass-produced, zero emission full electric vehicle ever. It has a vastly reduced effect on our environment, yet demands absolutely no compromise in terms of safety, comfort, convenience or fun. It is a vehicle for the future, available right now -- built for the modern city commuter, in a stylish, super-modern, high-tech and exciting package."

Engineered to be the perfect car for the urban environment, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV can park in tight spaces and breeze through traffic while comfortably accommodating four adults. It has a range of over 90 miles and can be charged up to 80% via a quick charging unit in as little as 30 minutes or fully charged overnight via a standard 3 pin domestic plug socket. In the UK, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first mass-produced fully electric vehicle to market and has been involved in official government trials since mid-December 2009. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is also the world's first ever pure-EV to have received the Euro NCAP 4-star Rating.

Hertz's electric vehicle initiative with Mitsubishi Motors in the UK further demonstrates the rental provider's commitment to providing customers with a variety of zero-emission mobility solutions. The partnership forms part of the European development of Hertz's Global Electric Vehicle Program, launched in December 2010, with the Mitsubishi pure-EV i-MiEV complementing both Hertz's existing Green Collection and the Connect by Hertz car sharing fleet.

During the next several months, Hertz Global EV will leverage the company's rental and car sharing locations as bases for vehicles and charging stations, and tap into its technology -- including sophisticated fleet management tools and the consumer-facing NeverLost GPS system -- to help form an EV grid.

As the world's largest general-use car-rental brand, Hertz is uniquely positioned to introduce multiple groups of consumers -- urban drivers, university students, travelers and corporations -- to all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. As part of this strategy, Hertz is forming partnerships with manufacturers, charging station providers, municipalities, NGOs, corporations and other stakeholders.

All the cars in Hertz's Green Collection in Europe can be reserved by make and model, and offer a CO2 output level of less than 140g/km, making them more environmentally friendly than most other cars. The conventional cars in the Collection also achieve 45-65mpg, depending upon vehicle size, so they are more fuel-efficient too. Together, that means customers can enjoy their journey even more, safe in the knowledge that they are saving along the way.

Volvo Releases More Details for 2012 Volvo C30 Electric [video]

With the introduction of the 2012 Volvo C30 Electric to take place later this year in Europe, Volvo has announced some of the finer details for the all-electric, zero-emission hatchback. Volvo estimates that within 10 to 15 years, electric cars will account for up to 10 percent of new vehicles in the European Union, but even though its is launching a fleet of 250 test vehicles, it has yet to announce any timeline for mass production, but it did say that it expects an all-electric driving range of 93 miles with a top speed of 80 miles per hour.

Volvo uses a water-cooled electric motor mounted under the hood that produces 111 horsepower and 162 lb-ft which gets its electricity from a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged in as little as six hours depending on the power source. The battery pack is mounted under the passenger compartment where the conventional C30’s fuel tank goes adding a hefty 616 pounds to the EV’s curb weight, and that added weight hampers the car’s performance. Even though EVs are known for their instant torque, the Volvo C30 Electric isn’t likely to be too thrilling off the line with Volvo claiming acceleration from zero to 70 kilometers per hour (roughly 44 mph) in 6.5 seconds.

Cold-weather driving has proven to be one of the ways most EVs are being tripped in terms of their expected range, so Volvo developed the C30 Electric with a climate control system in attempts to combat this problem. Instead of using the batteries to power a heating source in wintry weather, the C30 Electric uses a heater that is powered by bio-ethanol and in this instance the C30 Electric would create some emissions. Before the “Volvo lied” crowd gets too rowdy, there is also a heating element that is battery powered, but, if used, it would reduce the overall driving range. The fuel tank measures just 3.8 gallons and can be refueled from the same hole used for the fuel tank on the non-electric C30.

“The driver can program and control the climate unit to suit the trip. Ethanol is the default mode that is used when the battery capacity is needed for driving as far as possible,” said Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Cars' Special Vehicles. “However, on shorter distances electricity can be used to power the climate system”
To maximize the driving range, Volvo engineered the C30 Electric down to the fine details such as weight-saving wheels and aerodynamic improvements which are some of the components that give this car a unique exterior styling. The biggest visual change to the C30 Electric are the exclusive, lightweight wheels that help shave 24 pounds from the C30’s curb weight and the new grille that houses the electrical connection, but the underside of the car is also slightly different as well with added panels for improved aerodynamics. All C30 Electric feature the sportier R-Design body kit, and the initial run of cars will feature a Cosmic White color with a light Ornioco Blue accents around the lower edges of the car and on the mirrors.

In true Volvo style, the automaker has designed the EV components to be as safe as possible especially with the batteries, combustible fuel and Volvo’s reputation for safety. The main differences on the C30 Electric are a retuned stability control system for the added vehicle weight and aluminum rear brake discs that further reduce weight and last longer since the brakes are used less with the regeneration system. Volvo even had a crash-tested C30 Electric prototype on display earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Volvo C30 Electric will initially launch in Europe in the second half of this year, but China and the United States will likely get the cars during the 2012 calendar year.

"We have received very positive signals from the market so far. Fleet customers such as authorities and companies will lease most of the initial 250 cars,” said Stegland. “The cars will go to Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, U.S.A. and China. If demand continues to remain high, we will increase our production."

Volvo is among a handful of automakers introducing a mainstream EV going up against the likes of the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and even the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera. Like some of its current EV rivals, certain functions of the C30 Electric (such as the HVAC system) can be preprogrammed to come on at a certain time or remotely operated using a computer or smartphone.

Green Overdrive: Tesla Takes a Cue from Apple Stores [video]

The exec formerly in charge of Apple’s famously successful in-store experience, is paving a new path for electric vehicle company Tesla Motors.

In this week’s episode of Green Overdrive show, Tesla’s VP of Worldwide Sales and Experience, George Blankenship, shows Katie around Tesla’s first experiential store on Santana Row in San Jose, Calif.

Nissan lithium ion battery plant in Portugal on track for 2012 production

Japanese automaker Nissan is in the process of constructing an advanced lithium-ion battery plant in Cacia, Portugal in alliance with European automaker Renault that is on track to start production late next year.

Nissan spokesperson Mia Nielsen told NewNet that Nissan’s longstanding plan for its electric vehicle roll-out has always been to produce its own lithium ion batteries. The upcoming plant is expected to provide batteries for the Leaf, although Nielson said Nissan has not yet fully settled on which electric vehicles it will support.

She said, ‘We expect to start production at the end of 2012, which will produce lithium ion batteries for Renault and Nissan. We haven’t specified which cars they will go into, but will be producing a whole range of EV cars in the future.

‘From the start we’ve always wanted to manufacture the batteries and own that part of the business. We wanted this to be part of our business so we have more control over quality and supply.’

The lithium ion battery plant, which was built alongside Renault’s existing gearbox plant north of Lisbon, involved a €156m investment and is expected to create 200 jobs.

The Cacia plant will be one of three facilities in Europe supplying batteries to electric vehicles produced by the Nissan-Renault alliance. Nissan started producing lithium ion batteries through a joint venture with Japanese manufacturer NEC in advance of launching the Leaf family electric car late last year.

Last April, Nissan began construction of a battery plant in the UK, which is expected to start operations in early 2012 with an annual capacity of 60,000 units. Renault also has a battery plant in Flins, France that is expected to have a total production capacity of 100,000 units a year.

Nissan has a long history of producing lithium ion batteries, having started developing them in 1992. It was also one of the first mainstream automakers such as Ford to produce electric vehicles back in 1943.

‘Oil was much cheaper back then and the batteries were very heavy. The range meant they didn’t go very far,’ said Nielson.

‘We have had a breakthrough in the technology allowing Nissan’s lithium ion battery to be put into mass production. We’ve had the size of the battery reduced and made more compact and also made it more powerful half the size of the previous generation.’

The flat lithium ion batteries Nissan will produce will fit in the floor a normal sized car such as the five-seater Nissan Leaf. For Nissan, producing its own flat batteries is an advantage as some lithium ion versions are cylindrical.

Nielson said that Nissan is targeting both fleet and private customers with its electric vehicles, and is already leasing vehicles through a deal with Leaseplan.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be a global leader in zero-emission mobility and to have the capacity to produce 500,000 electric vehicles together with batteries by 2015. In 2008, Portugal became the first country in Europe to partner with the Alliance for zero-emission mobility. The country is building an extensive network of charging stations and expects to have installed 1,350 charging units across the country later this year.

Renault announces first UK order for electric kangoo van

Six months ahead of the vehicle’s UK launch, Renault is celebrating the first of what it believes will be many deals for its electric Kangoo Van Z.E. (Zero Emission). Its first order, for six vans, has been placed by longstanding customer JCDecaux, Europe’s largest ‘out-of-home’ advertising company.

Set to arrive in showrooms this October, priced from £16,990 excluding VAT, the Kangoo Van Z.E. is already attracting significant interest from public and private organisations alike, seeking to promote the ‘greener’ side of their operations.

In the UK, JCDecaux’s presence covers all major cities, including London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, making the Kangoo Van Z.E. the perfect choice for its fleet requirements as the infrastructure for charging the vehicles already exists.

The Kangoo Van Z.E. features the same dimensions, equipment and look of the internal combustion-engined versions, together with identical load capacity (ranging from 3 to 4.6m³ depending on model), payload (650kg), load length and high levels of comfort.

Darren Payne, director of fleet and commercial vehicle operations at Renault UK, said: “The fact that a company of JCDecaux’s size and reputation is investing in six Kangoo Van Z.E.s, is a fantastic third-party endorsement of our commitment to zero-emission vehicles.

“Renault will be the first manufacturer to offer a complete range of electric vehicles and this is a historic moment for us in the UK. I’ll look forward to handing over their Kangoo Van Z.E.s later in the year, and am certain they will not just prove their early adopter decision right, but also exceed expectations.”

Mark Cooper, group operations director from JCDecaux, said: “Here at JCDecaux, we have always been industry innovators and have done everything possible to reduce our carbon footprint, and believe that in the major cities where we operate, the transfer of our fleet from fossil fuels to electric is a major step forward in aiding this process even further.

“Some of our staff spend a large proportion of their working day in vans, so it’s vital that we provide the most pleasant working environment for them, especially in heavily congested urban areas. Those fortunate to have sampled the Kangoo Van Z.E. have rated its performance and lack of noise very highly. They were also struck by how easy-to-drive and comfortable it is.”