Self-driving, laser-equipped Audi A2 EV Concept [video]

With the A2 concept technology study, Audi is offering a peek at electric driving in the megacities of the future. The purely electric powered A2 concept is a classic space concept: a premium vehicle for metropolitan areas featuring generous amounts of space and composed road manners.

The technology study is packed full with attractive, intelligent technologies. An innovative body technology – a further development of Audi's ultra-lightweight construction – limits its weight to just 1,150 kilograms (2,535.32 lb). Audi connect technologies provide an Internet connection; the steering and brakes are purely electric (by-wire) systems.

Exterior design

The Audi A2 concept demonstrates the complete skill set of the Audi designers in a compact space. It is just 3,804 millimeters (149.76 in) long, 1,693 millimeters (66.65 in) wide and 1,494 millimeters (58.82 in) high; even so, it makes it makes and elegant, powerful and sporty impression on the road. As is typical for Audi, its clean appearance concentrates fully on the essentials.

The opaque glass roof of the show car finished in flat Electric White becomes transparent at the push of a button. When an electric voltage is applied, small particles integrated into the glass align so that the light can pass through the glazing unhindered. When the glass roof is darkened, however, it blocks the infrared component of the sunlight almost completely, effectively shadowing the interior. This is a further contribution to efficient temperature management in the purely electric powered Audi A2 concept.

As with every Audi, the front of the technology study is dominated by the single-frame grill, in this case, in a special version tailored to electrical operation. The upper two-thirds are designed as a closed, folding surface, behind which are the charging socket and the cooling water connection. The four Audi rings are intensively sculpted; the engine hood is permanently bolted to the body.

Mounted in the lower section of the single-frame grille, which acts as an air inlet, are highly efficient cooling elements made of graphite foam. The lightweight mineral is an excellent conductor of heat from the water to the ambient air. Eight blocks with six graphite elements each are located in the central air inlet.

Another highlight of the A2 concept are the matrix beam LED headlights. An entire bundle of small light-emitting diodes arranged one above the other produce the low beam and high beam light. Microreflectors enable the precise positioning of the light. The LEDs can be switched on and off independently to illuminate the road perfectly in any situation. Numerous mini-LEDs set in the lower section of the headlight like a pearl necklace produce the daytime running light.

The side view of the technology study is also typical Audi, with brawny wheel wells, a low greenhouse and an early-sloping roof line that ends in a long rear spoiler. Sharp lines frame tautly arched sheet metal surfaces. The dynamic line above the sills rises distinctly; the tornado line below the windows runs slightly upward. Just below the tornado line is a characteristic feature of the Audi A2 concept – the Audi dynamic light: a band of light that connects the headlights with the tail lights.

Light-emitting diodes and light guides produce the Audi dynamic light. When in standby-mode, the several centimeter-wide band appears black. When the owner of the Audi A2 concept approaches, it lights up blue in welcome and focuses on the door handles, which are inset into the band and extend when the driver swipes a hand over them.

The dynamic light shines bright orange when the A2 concept is driving. It pulses on the corresponding side when indicating a turn, and when braking, a red pulse of light runs along the flank as a warning for other road users.

The tail lights also use matrix beam technology. They are adaptive: The system uses a sensor to detect how good visibility is and adjusts the brightness accordingly.

Five laser diodes produce the rear fog light. When visibility is good, their light is invisible. In the fog or rain, however, it strikes the water particles in the air and becomes clearly visible as a floating triangle.

Interior

The interior also reflects the philosophy behind the Audi A2 concept. It is light, clean, open, and spacious with intuitive controls. The dashboard is split into two sections, with the semi-circular left section enclosing the driver's area. The Audi dynamic light runs along the edges in two separate arcs from the doors to the cockpit. It welcomes the passengers in a manner similar to the light band on the exterior.

The architecture of the interior takes advantage of the possibilities afforded by the electric drive system. There is no center tunnel; the console between the front seats can be lowered to allow free passage through the vehicle. Heating and cooling air flows indirectly and draft-free through a perforated surface beneath the windshield.

The steering wheel of the Audi A2 concept is flattened at the top and bottom, with a single spoke connecting the ring to the impact absorber. The two large horns pointing inward have touch-sensitive surfaces used to control key functions, with only the turn signals and windshield wipers still controlled via the traditional steering column stalks.

If both touchpads are touched at the same time, the A2 concept switches into a semi-autonomous driving mode. This convenience feature is a welcome relief in slow-moving traffic, for example. The driver maintains full control of the vehicle at all times, exactly like with today's ACC stop & go system on which the new technology is based.

An open, shell-like section serves as the steering column and extends horizontally into the cockpit. On the far end is a seven-inch display flanked by two secondary displays with the speedometer and the power meter.

When the driver pushes the button to activate the electric drive, an animated band of light encircles the driver and passenger, and two touchpads fold up to the right of the steering wheel. The small touchsurface on the left is for shifting gears (shift-by-wire); the larger one on the right is reserved for the air conditioning and media functions.

The retractable console between the seats includes an additional touchpad for entering letters and numbers and for secondary functions – a further development of today's MMI touch. A docking station for the iPhone rounds out the control concept.

The show car has all of the Audi connect technologies on board. The Bluetooth online car phone connects it to the Internet via a UTMS module, a WLAN hotspot lets the passengers surf and e-mail from their mobile devices. The fast data connection delivers specially prepared news and information to the vehicle. The services currently offered by Audi are available for navigation: the map with images from Google Earth, Audi traffic information online, Google POI search via voice control and Google Street View.

Cutouts in the backrests of the four individual seats in the Audi A2 concept give them a sporty look and make them incredibly light. They have an aluminum chassis and the developers used a polymer blow-molding process for the shells. Three struts connect the seats with the floor for more foot room in the back, and there are storage bins beneath the fold-up seat cushions.

A console with storage bins is located between the rear seats. Folding these seats forward reveals a fixture for the fork of a special city bicycle. The luggage compartment of the Audi A2 concept has a sandwich floor. A fold-up frame with two solid, high-load nets covers the lower load level.

The colors and materials in the interior support the impression of lightness and functionality. The large areas from the door top shoulders to the floor are covered in a tough material with a neoprene surface feel. A ribbed material made from recycled polyester covers the central floor area. Aluminum elements accentuate the cockpit.

Technology

The Audi A2 concept is a purely electric vehicle. The lithium-ion battery mounted in the sandwich floor stores 31 kWh of energy, 24 kWh of which are usable. The electric motor is transversely mounted in the front of the vehicle. It delivers 85 kW (116 hp) of peak power (60 kW continuous) and 270 Nm (199.14 lb-ft) of torque (160 Nm (118.01 lb-ft continuous) to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission.

The Audi technology study has a range of 200 km (124.27 miles) in the European driving cycle. It takes roughly 1.5 hours to fully recharge the battery with 400 volt three-phase current and approximately four hours with 230 volt household current. The Audi A2 concept is also designed for the new contactless charging technology (Audi Wireless Charging).

The show car weighs less than 1,150 kilograms (2,535.32 lb). This is due primarily to its body, which features the most advanced state of Audi's ultra-lightweight construction. The A2 concept marks the first time that the ASF has been combined with hybrid multimaterial construction, in which very different materials are combined with one another. In this case, the superstructure is made largely of aluminum components and is complemented by add-on parts of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

The Audi A2 concept is an agile vehicle. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 9.3 seconds; top speed is limited to 150 km/h (93.21 mph) in the interest of range. A McPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam axle in the back provide for agile handling. The steering and brake systems are purely electric (steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire), requiring no mechanical or hydraulic connection to the steering wheel or the pedals, respectively.

The 18-inch wheels are fabricated using cladding technology. The alloy base wheel and the cladding are manufactured separately and bonded together, greatly reducing the amount of material used. The new hybrid technology, which Audi already uses in some production models, saves roughly two kilograms (4.41 lb) per wheel. The wheels of the A2 concept combine the blade look of the e-tron family with Audi's classic spoke design.

The equipment, data and prices specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.

2011 Frankfurt : Renault Twizy [video]

The Renault Twizy comes two forms: the Twizy 45, a 5 hp version with top speed limited at 45 kph for those who don't yet have their license or have lost their license; and the "regular" model with 17 hp for a top speed of 80 kph.

Opel RAK e could sell for $10,000 [video]

Opel today formally introduced the RAK e experimental vehicle – an all-new battery-powered electric vehicle that can travel 100 kilometers (61 miles) for one euro ($1.36), weighs a third of a modern small car and can reach 120 km/h (75 mph) in less than 13 seconds.

"We want to develop electric vehicles that everyone can afford," said Karl-Friedrich Stracke, Opel CEO, at the world premiere in Frankfurt. "The RAK e experimental vehicle aims to deliver pricing that even younger customers can afford. The RAK e has cool looks and production-potential."

Opel's RAK e electric tandem two-seater "is a very serious concept," says General Motors Europe boss Nick Reilly, adding that the company is investigating production feasibility and believes the car could go on sale for around $10,000.

The lightweight concept of the RAK e is based on a steel space-frame structure beneath a skin of conventional synthetic material. This allows a high level of safety as well as affordable pricing. Opel deliberately avoided the use of expensive composite materials in its lightweight-design philosophy, in order to make electric mobility affordable for as many people as possible.

The name "RAK e" recalls the pioneering spirit inspired by Fritz von Opel and his revolutionary rocket-powered car in the last century. In 1928 RAK 2 catapulted the grandson of company-founder Adam Opel to a top speed of 228 km/h (142 mph). The "e" not only stands for electric, but also takes up again the idea of ground-breaking experimental vehicles.

"The RAK e is inspired by our wealth of experience in the area of electro-mobility, above all by the Ampera"; explains Mark Adams, vice president Design. "This progressive concept is creating a new class of electric vehicle; this is what future mobility with 'my first e-Opel' could look like. We are eager to see the reaction of visitors to the show."

The potential of the experimental vehicle is reflected in its design. The bodywork is made of fully recyclable synthetic material; the tandem two-seat passenger compartment is reminiscent of glider. The large cockpit canopy creates a feeling of spaciousness and all-around visibility. The front seat, steering column and armrests automatically tip forward to enable easy-entry; remote control via smart phone enhances the optical effect of this action. The pedals and the steering wheel adjust to the size of the driver.

The two-seater features visible chassis components, such as the wheel-integrated front disk brakes and the motorbike-derived rear swing-arm. The rear wheels enhance agility with a tread width of only 600 mm.

Around three meters long and 119 cm (46.9 inches) high, the aerodynamic RAK e offers zero-emission driving. After charging the battery for three hours, the experimental vehicle can travel up to 100 km (61 miles). Due to the combination of low weight, minimal frontal area, low rolling resistance, and highly efficient electric propulsion. The cockpit features displays showing battery state-of-charge or the nearest charging station, infotainment equipment, and heating and cooling

Weighing only 380 kg (838 lbs.) the RAK e is about one third the weight of a modern small car. Peak power output is 36.5 kW/49 hp; 10.5 kW/14 hp is continuously available. The useable battery capacity of 5 kWh enables a range of 100 km (61 miles), which corresponds to fuel consumption of just 0.6 liters (0.16 gallons) of gasoline. Over an annual 10,000 km (6,214 miles) the RAK e's energy consumption would be 525 kWh. This could be supplied by a five square-meter, 500-Watt solar panel mounted on the roof of the garage.

The Rimac Concept_One world debuts @ Frankfurt Motor Show [video]

Rimac Automobili has unveiled the world's first electric supercar - the Concept_One.

The Concept_One is a supercar with a new propulsion concept. With a curb weight of 1650 kg, and 1088 HP, the Concept_One can reach 100 km/h from a standstill in 2.8 seconds and continue to accelerate to the limit of 305 km/h. 92kWh of energy in the Battery Modules delivers enough juice"for up to 600 km of range.

Rimac Automobili developed a unique powertrain which is divided into four sub-systems, each consisting of one motor, inverter and reduction gearbox. Each of those systems drives one wheel, working completely independent one from the other. It's called All Wheel Torque Vectoring and it allows a new approach to vehicle dynamics. Mate Rimac, the CEO of Rimac Automobili says: "I believe that the electric motor is a much better machine compared to the ICE, in almost all aspects, especially for a sports car."

The carbon-fibre body is designed by Adriano Mudri: „Exploring the labyrinth of creativity, it was obvious at an early stage that the design had to be simple and clear with a lot of sporty elegance to easily catch up with its competitors in this power & exclusivity class."

The interior is designed by a team of former Pininfarina employees, led by Mr. Goran Popović. After the Rimac Automobili engineering team finished the development and prototyping of the interior parts, the leather-specialist Vilner stepped-in. The result is a high-tech-supercar interior which can be both appealing and pleasant to interact with, at the same time. Special attention has been paid to the infotainment system and gadgets like head-up-displays and soft-close doors which had to match the propulsion technology in its advancement.

Rimac Automobili is a young company which develops and produces high performance electric vehicles, drive trains and battery system. This all began when the founder of Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac, converted his old BMW to a race EV. He explored the technology by improving every part and began to team-up with experts from different fields in order to develop the next generation supercar.

The old BMW is now officially homologated as a "Rimac Automobili e-M3"and is used as a test mule for battery technologies, battery management, propulsion systems and latest in-house developments. Describing their beginnings Mate Rimac points out: "Our first car evolved in a short period of time into a project that didn't give a final result - instead it was a start, the start of the world's first electric hyper car – the Concept _One".

A group of 20 multi-talented engineers and designers settled in Croatia near Zagreb and are making something new and revolutionary. The production of the first model, the Concept_One, is limited to 88 units, starting with deliveries in 2013.

Bosch and Daimler Sign EV Motor JV, Production starts 2012

Robert Bosch GmbH and Daimler AG have concluded negotiations and signed an agreement for the establishment of a 50:50 joint venture. The aim of the joint venture is to develop and manufacture electric motors. The contract is subject to approval by the responsible antitrust authorities. The new company will operate under the name EM-motive GmbH. It will be headquartered in Hildesheim, where a manufacturing site will also be located. The joint venture’s development site will be located in the Stuttgart area, where both parent companies are headquartered. Some 100 associates will begin working for the joint venture in the fourth quarter of 2011. EM-motive GmbH will be headed by two executives of equal status from each of the parent companies.

The cooperation between Bosch and Daimler in the area of e-mobility aims to pool expertise and utilize synergies to speed up the development of high-quality traction machines for electric vehicles with batteries, fuel cells or range extenders.

Wolf-Henning Scheider, member of the Bosch board of management responsible for the Chassis Systems Control, Electrical Drives, and Starter Motors divisions, said: “This joint venture is an investment into the future of Europe’s automotive industry. It will enable us to expand our portfolio of electric motors for all our customers in an ideal manner. I strongly believe that our common products will shape the future e-mobility market, and that we will quickly reach a high level of market penetration.”

From 2012, the joint venture’s traction machines will be featured in vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands. The new generation of the smart fortwo electric drive, which is set to be launched in the spring of 2012, will be the first vehicle to be equipped with EM-motive technologies.

A clear strength of the joint venture's electric motors is their modularity. It will enable Bosch to offer its customers a broad range of motors that are suited to vehicles of different classes, including a range of purely electric vehicles. The motors can be adapted to different performance requirements, and can be fitted in many types of vehicle, including cars, vans, and delivery vehicles.

A special characteristic of the joint venture is that Bosch will be able to sell EM-motive products to third party customers. As a result, Bosch will remain a trusted partner to carmakers in the future. The joint venture will create economies of scale, which will help keep costs down. This will in turn be beneficial to all customers. By 2020, the joint venture expects to produce more than one million electric motors.

Both parent companies will contribute their engineering expertise to develop and manufacture electric traction motors. Carmaker Daimler brings 20 years of experience in the area of e-mobility into the joint venture, particularly in the areas of fuel cell and battery technology. The company has comprehensive expertise with regard to the development and manufacture of electric vehicles.

Brabus will present high-performance 4WD Full Electric [video]

Mercedes tuner Brabus is bringing a few cars to the Frankfurt motor show, but instead of fire-breathing, gas-drinking supercars, they're electric.

The company that brought us the 738-hp Brabus SL600 and the 788-hp Brabus S600 R is turning its considerable tuning powers to low-emission luxury cars--for now.

Brabus Zero Emission, the alternative-drive side of the Brabus business, will have two prototypes on display at the Frankfurt show. The first is a version of the European Mercedes E220 diesel called Technology Project Hybrid. It uses two electric motors at the wheel hubs to keep fuel economy up.

The second is an all-electric version of the sedan with four wheel-hub motors and 2,360 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

The Technology Project Hybrid from Brabus has a direct-injection, 2.2-liter common-rail diesel engine with two supplemental hub motors from English manufacturer Protean Electric. Those motors produce 67 hp each in normal mode and 107 hp each when the sport button is pressed. Torque from the two hubs is rated at an astonishing 1,180 lb-ft, according to Brabus.

During electric cruising, the Mercedes is powered by an 18.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The company says that in eco mode the car can travel 75 miles with zero emissions. In sport mode, the vehicle can still go 50 miles. When both the engine and the electric motors are used, the car can go from 0 to 60 mph in just more than seven seconds. Drivers can also opt to cruise in standard diesel mode.

The system can recharge when coasting or braking, up to 140 kilowatts. For home charging, Brabus partnered with German energy provider RWE to create a 380-volt unit that can fill up the battery in 30 minutes, the company says. On a 220-volt outlet, it takes about 5.6 hours.

The extra weight of the car dictated an upgrade to the suspension. Brabus added a height-adjustable sport setup with variable dampers developed with Bilstein.

For the finishing touch, Brabus adds unique body panels, LED daytime running lights, sill plates and a new instrument cluster the displays all of the hybrid-related information.

The second car from the company will be a 320 kW (429-hp), 3,200 Nm all-electric vehicle based on the E-class sedan. It will come with a range of 217 miles, according to the company. The Brabus High Performance 4WD Full Electric will have four motors at the wheels making 80 kW and 800 Nm of torque each.

The fully electric E-class will be a heavyweight at 2,200 kg but will benefit from electric motors that provide 100 percent of torque at zero rpm. The sprint to 60 mph will take less than seven seconds, according to the company. But because of the wheel-hub motors' maximum speed of 2,000 rpm, top speed will be 137 mph.

There are benefits to putting motors at each of the wheels. Besides eliminating significant drivetrain loss, the all-wheel-drive system can disperse torque even more efficiently with the electric motors during slippery conditions and maximize brake regeneration.

Charging will take 1.5 hours with the 380-volt charger and about five hours with the 220-volt unit.

The cars are prototypes, so no prices have been announced yet. The company does say, however, that both could be put in to low-volume production in the future.

Source: Brabus

Nissan Leaf sales to start in Sweden

Nissan LEAF has finally arrived in Stockholm. In the coming week, the award-winning vehicle is available for test drives for everyone in Medborgarplatsen in the centre of Stockholm. The Nissan LEAF tour is just a teaser of what is to come - start of sales is planned to be kicked off before the year end 2011.

The Nissan LEAF has recently been awarded with five stars in EuroNcap, making it one of the safest cars in Europe. Nissan LEAF as also been honored with the title Car of the year in both the global and European competition.

LEAF is a sleek four door hatchback, powered by a compact electric motor propelling the front wheel drive. The AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90 kW.

The car has a range between charges of 175 km as tested over the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) making it an attractive and practical alternative for many urban drivers. Recharging from empty to 100% can be done in eight hours with a normal charger and in about 30 minutes from empty to 80% using a quick charger in optimal conditions.

At 329 990 SEK (incl. VAT and the newly announced "supergreen" incentive), the European and World Car of the Year will cost about the same as a regular compact family hatchback, but with considerably lower running costs. The price includes the battery (which carries a five-year/100,000 km warranty), a five-year subscription to the unique telematic service, and EV specific roadside assistance. Running costs in Sweden are estimated at less than 16 SEK per 100 km. The price of Nissan LEAF without incentive is 369 900 SEK.

Nissan LEAF comes fully equipped with air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear-view parking camera, a quick charge socket and innovative smart-phone connectivity that will allow users to heat or cool the interior of the car remotely via a mobile phone allowing for better range management.

The car also comes equipped with the following items for the Nordic climate:

• heated front seats
• heated rear seats
• heated mirrors
• heated steering wheel
• battery heating system

"Nissan LEAF appeals on many levels; it's a zero-emission electric car with ultra-low running costs but it is also a practical, family-size car and fun to drive. That's a powerful combination, and Nissan LEAF is already attracting significant interest from prospective customers," says Guillaume Cartier, Managing Director, Nissan Nordic Europe. "We were pleased to hear that the Swedish government has announced to support zero emission mobility."
Interested customers should head to the Nissan website - http://www.nissan.dk/ - where they can find more details about the ground-breaking car and sign-in to become handraisers.

Deliveries of Nissan LEAF have already begun in the UK, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Portugal and France. Order books have also opened in Switzerland, Spain and Belgium with customers in those markets expected to start receiving their cars shortly. Norway and Denmark have announced sales will start in autumn. The first deliveries in Sweden are expected to start at the first quarter of 2012.