Posts Tagged ‘battery cars’
Chevrolet Bolt expected to deliver 200-mile range at $30,000 price tag.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jan.11, 2015
The nose of the current Chevrolet Volt, the first mass-market plug-in hybrid. It was redesigned for 2016. A pure electric Chevy Bolt could follow in 2017.
First came the Chevrolet Volt, now comes the Chevy Bolt. Even as General Motors gets ready to officially unveil an all-new version of its plug-in hybrid, various sources suggest the Detroit maker also will debut a concept version of a battery-electric vehicle at this week’s North American International Auto Show.
Significantly, the Chevrolet Bolt is expected to deliver as much as 200 miles range per charge. That would more than double what most of the current crop of electric vehicles can handle – and would be in line with what Tesla is thought to be targeting for the Model III, the mainstream EV it plans to launch in a couple years.
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And, at an estimated $30,000, GM would likely undercut the smaller Tesla model while coming in only slightly higher than some competing vehicles delivering half Bolt’s range, such as the Nissan Leaf, the Ford Focus Electric, and the current Chevrolet Spark, which can travel just 82 miles per charge.
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Tags: 2015 detroit auto show, 2015 naias, Chevrolet Volt, Chevy Spark, EVs, auto news, battery cars, car news, chevrolet bolt, chevrolet detroit auto show, chevrolet news, chevy bolt, electric vehicles, gm news, mary barra, nissan leaf, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-in hybrid, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles | 4 Comments »
“No single technology will dominate,” says new study.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Dec.23, 2014
Even Cadillac may opt for an alternate approach when it launches its Gen-4 CTS-V.
With gas prices down to less than $2.00 at a growing number of pumps around the country, a growing number of American motorists have been flocking back to showrooms for pickups, SUVs and muscle cars. Yet, despite that sudden surge, the days of the classic V-8 and V-6 may be coming to an end.
In fact, a new study suggests that less than half of the vehicles that will be sold around the world by 2017 will be powered by conventional gasoline engines. Alternative fuels, electrified vehicles and more advanced internal combustion systems will make up the majority of the global mix, according to a new report from Navigant Research.
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And the pace of that transition will only accelerate in the years ahead. Even in the U.S., tough new fuel economy standards set to go into effect by 2025 will force major changes under the hood, industry insiders concur.
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Tags: Ford Ecoboost, Navigant Research, alternative power, auto news, battery cars, cadillac cts-v, car news, electrification, ford f-150, gasoline power, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, turbocharging
Posted in Automobiles | 3 Comments »
CEO Barra to offer up some details of next Chevy Volt project.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.28, 2014
GM CEO Mary Barra will meet with Detroit's business leaders and outline plans for Michigan.
(This story has been updated with additional comments by GM CEO Mary Barra.)
While GM isn’t expected to reveal its next-generation Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid until next January, the automaker’s CEO Mary Barra said today.
Among other things, the maker plans to invest $300 million in its home state of Michigan by year-end, a chunk of that cash going to set up the Warren Transmission Plant to produce the next-gen Volt’s plug-in drivetrain. Virtually all key powertrain components, from Volt’s batteries to its gasoline “range-extender” engine, will be built in Michigan going forward.
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“Our investments in the Chevy Volt and Michigan signify our commitment to lead the industry in technology and innovation,” CEO Barra told the Detroit Economic Club.
The remake of the Chevrolet Volt is scheduled to debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, marking the first major update to the so-called extended-range electric vehicle since it went on sale late in 2009.
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Tags: 2016 chevrolet volt, 2016 chevy volt, Chevrolet Volt, Chevy Volt, auto news, barra economic club, battery cars, car news, chevrolet news, gm ceo, gm news, mary barra, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-in hybrids, thedetroitbureau
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Over a year late, the maker promises to launch production before year-end.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.27, 2014
An obvious digital rendering shows the revised rear of the Detroit Electric SP:01 sports car's "final design."
Better late than never? That’s apparently the philosophy at Detroit Electric, the ambitious, if struggling, battery-carmaker that has been promising to put the world’s fastest electric sports car into production.
First teased at a splashy Motown event in the spring of 2013 – with a concept vehicle unveiled at last year’s Shanghai Motor Show, Detroit Electric has missed all of its original targets. But despite the legions of skeptics, it has today released an image of what it is billing “the final exterior design” of its pure battery electric sports-car, the SP:01.
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Apparently, quite a bit has changed since Detroit Electric first announced plans to revive a brand name that has been gone since the Great Depression.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, battery sports cars, car news, detroit electric, detroit electric sp01, electric sports cars, electric vehicles, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, sp01, tesla, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles | 1 Comment »
Maker plans to have a line-up full of S-III-X.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.16, 2014
Tesla hopes to charge up a more mainstream audience when it launches the new Model III by 2017.
California battery-car start-up Tesla Motors has shown it can take on established premium-luxury brands with its Model S sedan, but the real test will come when it launches an all-new mainstream electric vehicle it’s planning to call the Model 3, or Model III, depending on which tweet you read.
CEO and founder Elon Musk has long made clear his plans to go down-market, the new sedan expected to come somewhere around $35,000 – or between one-half and one-third of the price of the bigger Model S, depending on equipment and range. That would position the new offering as a direct competitor to the likes of – appropriately enough, the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans.
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The Model 3 actually would be Tesla’s fourth model, following the original Roadster, the Model S and the upcoming Model X sport-utility vehicle set to debut next year. But it would be, by Tesla’s count, bring the debut of the brand’s third-generation battery technology.
And it would allow the maker to come close to its original plans for a somewhat inside joke. The smaller model was originally scheduled to be called the Model E – until, that is, Tesla was reminded by rival Ford Motor Co. that the Michigan maker owned that trademark.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, car news, electric vehicles, elon musk, mainstream tesla, midsize tesla, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, small tesla, tesla model 3, tesla model iii, tesla news, tesla s iii x, tesla s3x, tesla sex, thedetroitbureau
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Tuner will emphasize both exterior tweaks and performance enhancements.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.15, 2014
A preliminary sketch of a Saleen-tuned Model S.
Able to turn a 0 to 60 launch in little more than 4 seconds, the Tesla Model S has changed many folks image of battery cars as little more than electrified stone ponies.
But just how much additional performance might an owner squeeze out of that lithium-ion pack? That’s apparently something that raised a flag at Saleen, the tuner house that has amped up plenty of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, such as the Ford Mustang, while also producing its own supercar, the S7.
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Steve Saleen himself is leading the charge, and he plans to have a tuned version of the Tesla Model S ready before the end of the summer.
Some preliminary sketches give a hint of what he’s got in store. The modified battery car will include changes to both its exterior, as well as what’s hidden under the hood, according to Saleen.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, car news, high performance electric vehicles, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, performance battery cars, saleen model s, saleen news, saleen tesla, saleen tesla model s, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles | 1 Comment »
Developing cheap, long-range battery nearly as tough as going to Mars, says Tesla founder.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.18, 2014
Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a recent TV appearance.
It’s a risky – some would say foolhardy – strategy, but by opening up the company’s patents to its competitors, Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk said he is hoping to stimulate completion in the battery-car market.
In a pair of television interviews, the South African-born entrepreneur also noted that he is looking to develop a cheap, long-range battery that will make it possible to produce a “compelling, mass-market” electric vehicle. But Musk, who also runs the SpaceX rocket company, admitted that goal is nearly as tough as sending a man to Mars.
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The list of companies that have tried and failed to break into the automotive market is long, Musk said during an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, adding that stimulating competition by giving away your patents, while unorthodox, is one way to encourage more competition – and investments — in battery-cars.
“If we succeed, it will help kick-start electric vehicle sales,” he said, noting that Tesla’s sales are expected to grow by almost 60% this year to 35,000 Model S sedans, compared with about 22,000 in 2013.
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Tags: SpaceX, Tesla Model S, affordable battery cars, auto news, battery cars, car news, electric vehicles, elon musk, musk tesla, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla model e, tesla model x, tesla news, tesla opens patents, tesla patent, thedetroitbureau
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Adjusted earnings stay in the black.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on May.07, 2014
A model Tesla dealership.
It beat its own optimistic sales forecast, but battery-electric automaker Tesla Motors nonetheless dropped $50 million, or 40 cents per share, into the red for the first quarter of 2014.
But after excluding special one-time items, the Silicon Valley-based start-up managed to eke out a $17 million adjusted income, or 12 cents a share. That handily exceeded the consensus industry analyst forecast of 6 cents per share.
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Tesla had a significant quarter, the maker coping with concerns about the safety of its battery packs – ultimately heading off a federal investigation by announcing plans to add a new, titanium safety cage underneath its Model S – while preparing for its much-anticipated product launch in the booming Chinese market.
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Tags: Tesla Model S, auto news, battery cars, car news, electric vehicles, elon musk, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla earnings, tesla net, tesla news, tesla profit, tesla q1 14 earnings, tesla q1 14 profit, thedetroitbureau
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One in nine now top 30 MPG, according to new study.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.29, 2014
The Nissan Altima is one of a growing list of vehicles delivering better than 23 mpg - often more than 30 miles per gallon.
Despite the resurgence of full-size pickups, SUVs and muscle cars, American car buyers are getting better fuel economy than ever before, over half of the vehicles sold this year delivering over 23 mpg, according to a new study, with one in nine topping 30 mpg.
Even some traditional gas guzzlers are now yielding mileage once considered a stretch for small cars, industry and government data reveals, though automakers still face a stretch achieving the 54.5 mpg target facing them in 2025, observers warn.
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“This has been remarkable,” said Mark Cooper, research director for the Consumer Federation of America, which has been tracking fuel economy trends for over a decade. After years of relatively stagnant mileage, the increased federal fuel economy rules passed in 2005 have been paying off, he said, calling it a “great example” of how industry can respond to mandates backed by public support.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, car news, cfa fuel economy study, cfa mileage, consumer federation of america, fuel economy, fuel economy increase, hybrid mileage, lightweighting, mileage, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, record fuel economy, record mileage, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles | 4 Comments »
One in five battery-car owners has income topping $175,000.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.22, 2014
The high cost of the Tesla Model S has raised the average income for all EV buyers.
Motorists who purchase battery-electric vehicles tend to be younger and more affluent than drivers who buy more conventional hybrid vehicles, according to a new study.
That’s in line with other studies that have found the Tesla Model S has become one of the most popular products among motorists in the nation’s wealthiest zip codes.
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“At first glance, one would imagine that consumers purchasing either a hybrid or electric vehicle would be nearly identical; both are environmentally conscious, are of similar ages and have higher income levels,” said Melinda Zabritski, senior director for Experian Automotive. But the data tracking firm found surprising differences.
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Tags: Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Model S, auto news, battery cars, battery-electric vehicles, car news, electric cars, extended-range electric vehicles, nissan leaf, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-based vehicle, plug-in cars, plug-in hybrids, plug-ins, thedetroitbureau
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