Posts Tagged ‘battery cars’
“A very difficult objective,” admits Environment Minister.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.07, 2017
Even before the latest proposal, Paris was considering a ban on diesel vehicles.
France could become one of the first countries to ban the sale of vehicles running on fossil fuels, the country’s Environment Minister this week proposing a complete transition to zero-emissions vehicles.
But it won’t happen quickly, Nicolas Hulot’s plan expected to take until 2040 to roll out. And the minister admitted the “revolution” he is proposing would create some serious challenges for the auto industry. It does help that both French-based automakers have already made major commitments to shift to electric propulsion.
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A number of countries are focusing on alternative powertrain technologies, ranging from hybrids to pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, as well as hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. That includes China, the world’s largest automotive market. But none have yet gone as far as to actively consider plans to eliminate gas and diesel vehicle sales entirely.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, car news, countries barring gas vehicles, countries going to electric vehicles, electric vehicle sales, ev sales, france electric vehicles, france ev, france going all electric, nissan news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, psa news, renault news, thedetroitbureau, volvo news
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Corridors will cover 25,000 miles, 55 routes in 35 states.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.04, 2016
The new project should make it much easier for owners to find places to charge up on the road.
With the upcoming launch of longer-range, more affordable electric vehicles the auto industry is taking several critical steps towards making alternative power mainstream, but range anxiety isn’t yet a thing of the past.
Now, the federal government is taking steps to address the other big problem: a lack of places to charge electric vehicles. The plan announced by the Obama Administration will include 55 different interstates, covering 25,000 miles of highway in 35 states. Add in efforts to boost the availability of natural gas and other alternative fuels and the network grows to 85,000 miles of roadway.
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“Alternative fuels and electric vehicles will play an integral part in the future of America’s transportation system,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We have a duty to help drivers identify routes that will help them refuel and recharge those vehicles and designating these corridors on our highways is a first step.”
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Tags: EVs, alt-fuel corridor, alternative-fuel network, auto news, battery cars, battery charger, car news, chevrolet news, electric vehicle charger, ev charger, fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen station, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
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Could ultracapacitor system obsolete battery technology?
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.01, 2016
The Fisker EMotion could be in production by some time later next year.
If at first you don’t succeed…if you’re Henrik Fisker, it seems, you try and try again.
Best known for the sleek and iconic Aston Martin DB9, Henrik Fisker has attempted to launch two car companies since going out on his own a decade ago, including the ill-fated Fisker Automotive, the Danish designer is about get back into the business with a new pure battery-electric vehicle that could go beyond just being a Tesla-fighter. If the newly released images and specs prove accurate, the Fisker Emotion could rewrite the rules for the zero-emissions segment.
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Beyond the car’s sleek design, the real breakthrough appears to be an alternative to the lithium-ion batteries used in most of today’s battery-based vehicles. Instead, the Emotion will use an ultracapacitor to store enough energy, the start-up claims, to run a “theoretical” 400 miles per charge.
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Tags: Tesla Model S, auto news, battery cars, car news, fisker automotive, fisker emotion, fisker inc, fisker karma, fisker nanotech, fisker news, graphene, karma revero, mercedes battery plant, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla model 3, thedetroitbureau, ultracapacitor
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Other battery models may now go to mainstream BMW brand.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.17, 2016
The i8 Spyder concept will likely undergo significant changes before the Roadster debuts in 2018.
BMW will launch two more models for its cutting-edge i brand over the next five years, starting with a 2018 roadster based on the next-generation i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. A version of the iNext concept vehicle will follow three years later.
That falls well short of the broad, electrified product line-up the maker had hinted was in the works only a few years ago, however. There are no signs of the i4 and i5 models that some sources once reported were in the works.
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Is BMW just keeping them under tight wraps? Have they been abandoned? Or has the maker simply shifted strategy, preferring to put more of its battery-based models – including pure electric and plug-in hybrids – into the mainstream BMW brand, rather than into the niche i marque?
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Tags: BMW iNext, auto news, battery cars, bmw battery, bmw electric, bmw i, bmw i3, bmw i8, bmw i8 roadster, bmw news, bmw vision next 100, car news, harald krueger, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Chinese-owned battery-carmaker signs up Korean battery supplier.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.04, 2016
The Faraday Future FF Zero1 concept made its debut at CES Las Vegas last January.
Faraday Future, the mysterious, Chinese-owned automotive start-up, has taken a critical step closer to getting something on the road.
Based in the old Nissan headquarters in suburban Los Angeles, Faraday has signed up the Korean-owned LG Chem to provide the lithium-ion batteries that will power its planned line-up of electric vehicles. LG Chem is the same battery supplier used for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Chevy Bolt battery-electric vehicle.
Electrifying!
“LG Chem worked closely with Faraday Future to develop a tailored cell chemistry to optimize the range and safety of our mass production battery hardware,” said Tom Wessner, Faraday Future’s vice president of global supply chain.
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, car news, chevrolet bolt, electric vehicles, ev, faraday ff zero1, faraday future, faraday lg chem, ff zero1, lg chem, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Government hopes to boost lagging demand with new incentives.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.20, 2016
The shape of things to come? A prototype of Porsche's Mission E battery-electric vehicle.
It may be the home of the Autobahn, with its largely unlimited speeds, but in little more than a decade, German motorists will have to manage both those highways and local roads driving zero-emission vehicles, according to a senior government official. All new vehicles registered after that date will need run on batteries or hydrogen.
While a number of countries, including the U.S., are taking steps to increase the use of battery and other alternative powertrain technologies, Germany is laying out plans for an aggressive shift away from gasoline and diesel, said Deputy Economy Minister Rainer Baake, speaking at climate forum sponsored by the Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin.
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“Fact is there’s been no reduction at all in CO2 emissions by transport since 1990,” said Baake. “We don’t have any answers to cut truck emissions right now but we do have answers for cars.”
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Tags: auto news, battery cars, bmw electric, car news, electric vehicle, germany battery car, germany zero emission vehicle, mercedes electric, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-in hybrid, thedetroitbureau, vw electric, zero emission vehicle
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Nissan Leaf loses momentum despite increased range.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jun.02, 2016
The second-gen Chevy Volt got a new, roomier design, better performance and longer EV-mode range.
After seemingly coming unplugged, the newly redesigned Chevrolet Volt has charged into the U.S. sales lead among plug-based vehicles, overtaking long-time rival Nissan Leaf.
That’s based on the likelihood that at least 10% of the demand for the Tesla Model S has come from abroad through the end of May, a strong likelihood considering the long-range electric sedan now is being marketed in a number of countries, including China and the European Union.
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Even factoring out those overseas sales, and with a number of manufacturers not yet breaking out May battery-car numbers, there’s good reason for EV advocates to celebrate. After taking a tumble last year in the wake of a sharp downturn in gas prices, sales of plug-based vehicles have been recharged in recent month.
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Tags: Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Model S, auto news, battery cars, car news, electric cars, electric vehicles, ford fusion energi, nissan leaf, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-in hybrid, plug-ins, tesla model 3, tesla model x, thedetroitbureau
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Some models nearly meet goals set for 2025.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.25, 2016
The new Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid already meets the fuel economy target for 2021.
Low fuel prices have been driving a surge in demand for big pickups and SUVs. That’s a seeming recipe for poor fuel economy, but a new report reveals that the auto industry is not only managing to meet federal fuel economy standards but, in many cases, handily exceeding the current mandate.
A total of 56% of the newest models in dealer showrooms match or exceed today’s federal target, according to the survey by the Consumer Federation of America. And a number of vehicles already come close to meeting the tough, 54.5 mile-per-gallon target that’s not supposed to take effect until 2025.
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“Fuel efficiency increasingly comes standard with new cars, trucks, and SUVs” said Jack Gillis, Director of Public Affairs for the CFA and author of The Car Book. “Even if you’re in the market for a large pickup or SUV, you’d have to go out of your way to find a true gas guzzler.”
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Tags: Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius, auto mileage, auto news, battery cars, car news, consumer federation, electric vehicles, fuel economy, most fuel efficient cars, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, tesla model 3, thedetroitbureau
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Apple and Chinese start-up Future Mobility go poaching.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.20, 2016
Several key members of the BMW i team, including the head of i8 development, have bolted.
It still refuses to acknowledge any plans to develop a car of its own, but consumer electronics giant Apple has reportedly been poaching a number of auto industry veterans for what is believed to be known internally as Project Titan – and that now includes a senior Tesla executive.
Chris Porritt, a one-time Aston Martin designer, had been more recently working at Tesla, helping in the development of its two current products, the Models S and X, as well as the upcoming Model 3 battery-electric sedan. According reports in several Silicon Valley publications, Porritt will now serve at Apple as Special Projects Group PD Administrator.
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Porritt, however, isn’t the only battery-car executive jumping ship. German automaker BMW has reportedly lost a number of key members from the team that developed it i3 and i8 electric vehicles. The group, which includes Carsten Breitfeld, leader of the team behind the i8 plug-in sports car, will now work on EV development for the Chinese-funded start-up Future Mobility Corp.
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Tags: apple car, apple news, auto job poaching, auto news, battery cars, bmw i, bmw news, car news, electric vehicles, faraday future, faraday future news, future mobility, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Rising fuel economy likely a much bigger factor, says Navigant.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Mar.29, 2016
There'll be more battery-cars on the road in the years ahead, but not enough to bring oil prices crashing down, says Navigant.
Oil prices have tumbled sharply over the last year, and a variety of factors have led to the slide, including a weakening Chinese economy, as well as a reduction in demand among American motorists.
But battery-cars have had an almost negligible impact, and likely won’t have much of an impact going forward, despite some claims they’ve brought the oil market crashing to its knees. Far more credit goes to the rapid improvement in overall automotive fuel economy, suggests a new study by Navigant Research.
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Such claims are “sensationalist,” says a report by the technology research firm, which adds that a much more substantial factor likely to hold down oil prices is “not a particularly sexy conversation topic.” But the reality is that fleet-wide fuel economy is expected to increase 22% over the next decade, says Navigant, reducing demand by millions of barrels of oil a day.
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Tags: EVs, Navigant Research, auto news, battery cars, car news, electric vehicles, oil future, oil prices, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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