Last year Koenigsegg displayed a new 4-seater electrical car concept, this year the Quant is back, but this time at the stand of NLV Solar, the company that will further develop the electric car.

The NLV Quant has a full carbon chassis, carbon body and four electric motors producing 147 kW each. Through the use of lightweight carbon fibre, the car weighs just 1 680 kg’s and despite the heavy batteries, manages to accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in a phenomenal 2.8 seconds. The four engines are placed one-per-wheel, with a torque vectoring system between them to aid with stability and agility.

The exterior of the car is covered in a thin film of pyrite, converting sunlight into energy, to supply power to the operating electronics and the battery. According to NLV Solar, the concept can be readied for production and brought to life within the next 12 months.

With 588 kW on tap and a top speed of 377 km/h, the Quant is certainly one of the most exciting concepts at Geneva this year.

 

Joule, the electric vehicle from South African company Optimal Energy, is on display at the 80th International Motor Show in Geneva in a form tantalisingly close to the planned production version.

Designed by South African-born Keith Helfet – well known for his design of the iconic Jaguar XJ220 – Joule has been developed from a static display model and engineering prototype into a pre-production prototype by Zagato’s Total Design Centre, and Joule deservedly forms the centrepiece of a stand at Geneva shared by Optimal Energy and the iconic Milanese design house.

The Optimal Energy-Zagato-Helfet team has made a number of changes to Joule and the car shown in Geneva is somewhat different, especially at the rear, from the version first unveiled in Paris two years ago. This car was hand-built in Port Elizabeth by Hi-Tech Automotive, which is responsible for building a marketing and test fleet of approximately 100 vehicles. These will double as research and development units, some of which will be on South African roads by the start of the Soccer World Cup in June.

Joule’s mantra is Born Electric. A key strength and differentiator of Optimal Energy is freedom from many of the constraints that affect traditional car companies. As virtually the only automotive manufacturer focused exclusively on electric cars for the mass market, everything Optimal Energy does is directed towards achieving that goal. Not only has this fresh approach led to the creation of a new kind of car, but it will ultimately also lead to a new way of buying a car and a new kind of customer ownership experience.

Full-scale production of Joule will begin at the end of 2012, with cars in showrooms by mid-2013. Key design goals for the finished product include a range of 230 kilometres based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) or 300 km using the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS); integration with existing charging infrastructure; a genuine freeway cruising capability; seating for five; a 4-star NCAP safety rating and a retail price of €24 300, or roughly R260 000 at today’s exchange rate.

Optimal Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EDAG, a German automotive full service supplier, to industrialise the Joule. EDAG has built an outstanding reputation working with many well known carmakers over the past 40 years, and in partnering with EDAG, Optimal Energy is ensuring that the best of German automotive engineering will be integrated into the series production Joule.

Optimal Energy has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Energy Innovation Group (EIG), a South Korean lithium battery cell supplier, to explore the potential of setting up a manufacturing facility in South Africa, for the non-exclusive supply of cells to Optimal Energy. The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC), as potential investor, is party to this Memorandum. The IDC is currently an investor in Optimal Energy.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of South Africa has just announced its 2010 – 2013 Industrial Policy Action Plan, in which the commercialisation of South Africa’s electric car is specifically addressed. This includes the provision of appropriate support to encourage local manufacture of EV’s and related components, infrastructure roll-out for such EV’s, creation of testing facilities, provision of demand stimulation mechanisms and public education on the use and benefits of alternative energy source vehicles.

These are major steps towards reaching Optimal Energy’s vision of establishing and leading the electric vehicle industry in South Africa and expanding globally.

Via Optimal Energy. Images via @HannesO_CARmag

The Vauxhall Ampera will be unveiled along with Vauxhall Meriva compact MPV at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

The Ampera, which is scheduled for production late next year, is a five-door, four-seater with same design DNA as the latest Astra and Insignia. The Ampera uses extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology, or E-REV. This means the Ampera will use electricity as its primary power source, supplemented by a small engine to generate electricity for its motors when electric power runs low. This helps the Ampera overcome the ‘range anxiety’ issues associated with pure electric cars.

Details about the Ampera, such as a proposed range, top speed or charging cycle, have not been disclosed but expect these and other questions to be answered at Geneva in March.

An all-electric version of the new Jaguar XJ has been created in reaction to the emergence of zero-carbon zones in cities across the globe.

A senior insider told UK’s Autocar, that Jaguar Land Rover envisages some of the world’s most important cities gradually introducing zero-emissions and zero-pollution zones. All vehicles unable to run purely on batteries would be banned from the area. According to the insiders, only a self-charging electric car could have sufficient zero-emissions range to be practical transport in such scenarios. Although some conventional hybrids do have the ability to run purely on battery power, their electric-only range is limited to few miles.

It’s thought that the electric XJ will be powered by a 145 kW, 400 N.m electric motor, fuelled by a lithium-ion battery pack. The batteries will be topped up by a 35 kW, 1,2-litre, three-cylinder generator designed by Lotus, specifically for self-charging electric vehicles. This drivetrain is claimed to offer a range of 960 kilometers, plus combined fuel economy of 5.0 l/100km, sub-120g/km of CO2 and a top speed of 179 km/h.

Jaguar sources also say the handling and performance of the electric XJ is likely to surprise people “because of the bulk that’s removed from car when you strip out the conventional drivetrain”. If, as many expect, future Range Rover models are based on the same floor and crash structure as the new X351-series XJ, the same technology could be applied to the company’s SUVs. Jaguar and Lotus are now developing the technology with financial help from the British government’s Technology Strategy Board. Lord Drayson, the Minister of Science, told stated last year that electric cars would play a “huge part in the future of motoring in this country”.

Adapted from AutoCar

According to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Tesla Motors is planning to raise as much as US$100 Million in capital through the aide of public investors. While the entire auto industry is facing difficult times, Tesla hopes that they will be able to supplement the $465 Million loan from the federal government and claim a lasting stake in the new car market by increasing the public’s awareness about their intent to mass produce electric vehicles for a wide range of consumers.

The California based manufacturer is currently offering a lineup of only two cars, with the $100 000 Tesla Roadster leading the charge and the $60 000 Model S sedan following closely behind. By opening themselves up to public investors with an IPO, the electric car manufacturer is adding another element of uncertainty to their plans in an already unstable new car market. However, Telsa co-founder and CEO, Elon Musk, is no stranger to taking chances.

For example, when he decided to head in a different direction than the competition at Fisker Automotive by opening up a network of owned and operated freestanding dealerships, which gave him more control over the sales and service of his new products. Despite the expansion costs, moving from their California outlets to a host of major US cities and beyond, hasn’t taken a toll on the electric car builder so far.

However, new has recently surfaced that Tesla Motors plans to cease production of their flagship Roadster until 2013. This means the 2012 four door Model S will be left as the sole product to get the automaker through their period of public investment. It is believed that the decision was made due to the fact that Lotus are preparing for the next generation Elise, the vehicle upon which the Tesla Roadster is based, leaving the American manufacturer with a bit of downtime before they come back with an all new Roadster for 2013.

Adapted from TopSpeed

GM will be selling the Chevrolet Volt later this year for a price tag in the low US$30 000’s, and turn a profit on each car, according to chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre, Jr. The large lithium-ion battery packs contribute greatly to the car being a rather expensive one to produce, and had made the starting price a point of concern.

In 2007 vice-chairman Bob Lutz had thrown out a goal of under US$30 000, and that number was later adjusted to reflect a concern of higher production costs. Since that time however, Congress has passed legislation that will give initial Volt buyers a US$7 500 tax credit, and media speculation has thrown out figures as high as US$40k.

Whitacre settled these concerns in a recent interview, as well as the rumor that the first generation will be sold at a loss. “We’re not in business to lose money,…We did enough of that already.” said Whitacre. The Volt “is going to sell in the low 30’s,” he added. “We’ll get a margin on that.”

 

Adapted from egmCarTech

Green is everywhere this year at the Detroit Auto Show. A sea of hybrids and electric vehicles has flooded the show floor — and every single manufacturer is responsible. This overflow of fuel-efficient automobiles promises big things for the future of mobility. To illustrate the trend, 7 out of our top 10 are either fully electric or hybrid powered vehicles. Here they are the in alphabetical order:

Audi e-tron

Audi executives claim that the “e-tron” name, which will soon designate the brand’s electric vehicles, will become as widely recognized as “quattro” in just a few years. In the meantime, they showcased a second e-tron prototype in the form of a TT-sized two-seater with a pair of 150 kW lithium-ion batteries. The available range is 250 kilometres in optimum conditions. The chassis is made of aluminum, just like the body panels, except for the doors, hood and trunk lid (carbon fibre). With 0-100 km/h times of under 6 seconds, this mean green machine obviously idolizes the R8 supercar.
Will it go into production? Audi say it’ll reach the production lines in 2012, although expect a more “civilized” variant. Read more…

BMW ActiveE

Disguised as a stylish 1-Series coupe, the ActiveE concept uses an electric drive system delivering 125 kilowatt and 249 N.m of torque as soon as you dip the throttle. The car sprints from 0 to 60 km/h in 4.5 seconds and from 0 to 100 in less than 9 seconds. Only three hours are needed for a full charge of the lithium-ion battery, which provides a range of up to 160 kilometres (in gentle driving, of course).
Will it go into production? Later this year, select BMW customers will take delivery of pre-production models for evaluation purposes. By 2015, a first production electric car will hit the market.

BYD e6

The electric crossover van from BYD is not new. Actually, the model made its debut at this very same event a year ago, flashing its exclusive lithium-ion iron phosphate battery.
Will it go into production? Market release is scheduled for late 2010, an ambitious goal for a company that also aspires to become the leading car maker in China within the next 5 years and across the globe within the next 15! Representatives explained that early availability would be limited to a few hundred units. I guess they believe in the old Tibetan proverb which goes something like this: “Slow oxen, patient land”!

Cadillac XTS

Cadillac signals its intention to kill two birds (DTS and STS sedans) with one stone (XTS). This new plug-in hybrid concept using a 3,6-litre, direct-injected V6 makes a bold statement with the brand’s latest design cues and marks a radical departure from your grandfather’s Fleetwood. Of course, a production model based on the XTS would likely do without the fancy 20-inch wheels.
Will it go into production? Yes! Announced as a 2012 model, it will share many similarities with the XTS shown in Detroit. Watch the video…

Chrysler Delta

The Chrysler Delta is nothing more than a marketing ploy to gauge US consumer interest in a large hatchback. In fact, you may want to call it a rebadged Lancia Delta. At least the company didn’t stamp an “Imperial” logo on the trunk of a Maserati Quattroporte! Viva Italia!
Will it go into production? Forget it.

Ford Focus

The next-generation Focus has been designed and engineered in Germany as a true “global” car. Under the bonnet is a 2,0-litre, 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine combining advanced direct injection with turbocharging, not to mention a 6-speed, twin-clutch PowerShift transmission. An electric variant is also being developed. What an evolution from the old Tempo!
Will it go into production? Yes. The car will arrive in showrooms in early 2011. Read more…

GMC Granite

GM’s first counter-strike to Toyota’s Scion might not wear a golden bowtie after all. The GMC Granite concept is shorter than the Chevrolet HHR and reportedly rides on a variant of the Cruze’s platform. The side doors swing in opposite directions to provide generous access to the cabin. Young folks should love it!
Will it go into production? GM stays mum for now. Better keep your fingers crossed! Watch the video…

Honda CR-Z

The CR-Z is the first affordable AND roomy hybrid two-seater for the city. It’s also a fun and sporty alternative to the iconic smart fortwo. Fuel economy is a bit lower, though, with a Jazz-derived 1,5-litre engine mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology. A 6-speed manual gearbox and a CVT will be available.
Will it go into production? The CR-Z has already been announced for mid-2010! Read more…

Toyota FT-CH

Here’s what a scaled-down Prius might look like. Such an addition to the Toyota lineup would fall under the “Hybrids-Purely Hybrids” category. The manufacturer claims that hybrid car buyers look to stand out and make a statement with their rides, hence the need for a stand-out car. Penned by Toyota’s French design studio, the FT-CH is both shorter and wider than a Yaris. As for power, the engine bay remains empty… for now.
Will it go into production? Toyota executives say no, but should we believe them? Read more..

Volkswagen NCC

Volkswagen is quickly becoming a master in the fine art of mouth-watering car design. With the NCC (“New Compact Coupe”), the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer gives a small preview of the future Jetta and points to the possible addition of a two-door model. In keeping with the theme of this year’s NAIAS, the NCC relies on a thrifty hybrid powertrain which combines a tiny but spirited 4-cylinder (both supercharged and turbocharged) with a battery-fed electric motor. Total output is rated at 130 kW, enough to reach 100 km/h in just a tad over 8 seconds.
Will it go into production? Let’s hope so. Read more…

Adapted from Auto123

Audi has unveiled yet another version of its e-tron electric über coupé at the Detroit Motor Show. But unlike past events purely showcasing the car, Audi has revealed a production date. 2012 is when they say their Tesla rival will enter production.

The new e-tron functions much like designs on-show at Frankfurt and Los Angeles. For example, the latest e-tron retains the two electric motors delivering a combined 150kW and the 45 kWh li-ion battery pack that Audi claimed will be good for a “realistic” 240 km range. Drive will be sent to all four wheels, with a 60:40 split in favour of the rear. The car’s top speed will be electronically limited to 200 km/h. Apart from the obvious styling changes made to e-tron’s front-end between the various models, the latest car is a whopping 250 kg lighter than before and just over 203 mm shorter than its petrol-powered R8 brother. The improved packaging and diet will see the e-tron hit 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and cover a 60 – 120 km/h sprint in just over five seconds.

Audi has also confirmed that ‘e-tron’ will become a sub-brand eventually filled with a range of alternative models. Ford now though, Audi is keeping quiet about details of what these ‘alteranative models’ could be, as well as the potential price of its 2012 e-tron.

 

Who says SUV’s have to be gas-guzzlers? Bavarian Porsche tuners, RUF, have turned their hand to the Cayenne to produce an all electric model, known as the Stormster.

The zero-emissions SUV becomes the firm’s second electric model, following their battery powered, 911-based ‘Greenster’ concept, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009.

Both cars share a 266 kW electric motor, but where the lightweight Greenster can reach 100 km/h in 5 seconds, the Stormster’s huge 2 670 kg kerb-weight means the sprint time is double that.

Equally affected is the car’s top speed, which is a very un-RUF 148 km/h .

Performance isn’t the main focus of the Stormster though, and as an electric car the big SUV boasts some impressive figures.

Thanks to its innovative ‘Li-Tec’ battery pack with ceramic storage, the car can be fully charged from a high-output 400V power supply in one hour and will go 200 km before needing to be topped up.

Reports suggest that the electric SUV will be produced in small numbers, available either with the standard Cayenne body or RUF’s more aggressive ‘Stormster grün’ kit, complete with bright green paint and a raft of styling updates.

Given it’s green credentials, the Stormster was fittingly unveiled at the European Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

 

Adapted from AutoExpress

Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corporation (BAIC), has shown off its first self developed electric car, joining other Chinese rivals expecting a demand for clean energy cars.

BAIC is a partner of Daimler and was an unsuccessful bidder for General Motors’s Opel brand. The electric vehicle known as BE701 is able to travel a distance of 200 km when fully charged with a maximum speed is 160 km/h.

There is no timetable when mass production of the BE701 will begin, but details of a clean energy vehicle development and manufacturing factory has been set up and is set to cost around 2.28 billion yuan (approx. R2.2 million). Funding comes from the government as well as “other sources”.

The factory will be based in Beijing and will be set up to manufacture 50 000 electric cars and 100 000 hybrid models. By 2015 BAIC aim to have annual sales of 15 billion yuan which will account for between five and ten per cent of their total sales.

Other Chinese manufacturers like Chery Automobile and BYD are also investing in the green car. Chery revealed its first electric vehicle in Febuary called the S19, it is able to travel up to 150 km when completely charged and has a top speed of 120 km/h.

BYD Auto has revealed its plug-in hybrid car known as F3DM, they also have the E6, which is an electric crossover they hope to export to the USA and that has a range of 400 km per charge.

Beijing has plans to subsidise the purchase of clean vehicles for public transport in 13 cities to assist the industry with the development of green technology. This will help promote electric vehicles to the public transport operators, taxi and postal services.

The subsidies are based on the difference in price between electric vehicles and regular fuel burning vehicles, with subsidies up to 600 000 yuan on a fuel cell powered large commercial bus.

Adapted from CarAdvice

Dana Holding Corporation has developed a Long® heat exchanger designed to extend battery life in hybrid and electric vehicles. The technology, the first of its kind, recently debuted on Tesla Motors’ 2010 all-electric Roadster Sport.

Lithium-ion battery life is dependent on maintaining optimum operating temperature. Dana’s unique heat-exchange technology cools the Roadster’s battery by transferring heat generated within the battery to the vehicle’s climate-control system. In addition, a temperature sensor mount provides continuous feedback to the climate-control system. This interface helps to maintain the battery’s ideal temperature during operation, thus helping to extend battery life.

“Dana is committed to providing our best-in-class engineering and manufacturing expertise to electric-vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla Motors,” Dana President and CEO Jim Sweetnam said. “Our advanced battery technology solutions will help drive our growth in this exciting market segment.”

Dana engineers constructed the heat exchanger using a patented aluminum brazing process, ensuring cleanliness of both the climate control and battery coolant fluids. The use of high-strength aluminum alloys provides greater material strength and contributes to weight savings. Additionally, the chiller’s compact design also provides significant space savings – critical for helping engineers accommodate the Roadster’s 6,800-cell battery pack.

“Advanced manufacturing capabilities such as our unique brazing process, combined with our research commitment to the hybrid and electric segment, position Dana as a valued contributor to hybrid-vehicle battery technology,” said Ted Zielinski, director of engineering, Dana Thermal Products Group.

Dana developed and is manufacturing the heat exchanger at its advanced engineering center in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Source: Dana Holding Corporation

The Land Glider concept car Nissan is bringing to the Tokyo Auto Show could one day appear in showrooms wearing an Infiniti badge.

Company insiders say the electric two-seater, which leans into turns like a motorcycle, “is under serious study” and “is intended to look five to 10 years into the future at emerging market trends.” That’s a slightly longer timeline than Volkswagen is considering with the equally wild 1.3 L/100km L1 diesel-electric concept unveiled at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Land Glider, like the L1, redefines “car” and embraces a less-is-more design ethos to maximize efficiency. It isn’t so much a car as an enclosed motorcycle with four wheels. Perhaps that makes it an enclosed all-terrain vehicle that leans. In any event, Nissan says the Land Glider could be marketed to city dwellers as an urban runabout that provides the mobility of a two-wheeler but with greater safety and comfort.

“We want to position this car to be competitive against these alternatives,” says designer Ryusuke Hayashi.

Should the Land Glider see production, expect at least one change to the design.

Nissan’s goal was an efficient car that meets the needs of urban commuters. Company CEO, Carlos Ghosn, has made it clear he believes cars with cords are the future, so an electric drivetrain was almost certainly a foregone conclusion. The company says 50 percent of the world’s population will live in cities “in the near future,” so the designers “latched onto motorcycles as a credible base to begin the design process.”

Hayashi apparently wasn’t so concerned with such grandiose thinking when he pitched the idea in 2007, and originally wanted a car that would be easy to park.

The Land Glider should be able to squeeze into the tiniest of spots — it is just 1092 mm wide and 3098 mm long. Like the Volkswagen L1, the passenger sits behind the driver. But rear-impact safety concerns may mean a production model that’s a single-seater.

Aside from its tiny dimensions, the most striking thing about the concept is, it leans up to 17 percent in turns. Nissan says that gives the super-narrow car added stability at speed. Nissan hasn’t offered many details about the drivetrain beyond saying it features a pair of electric motors driving the rear wheels and a lithium-ion battery under the floor. The concept also uses fly-by-wire steering.

Safety will be a big concern with such a small car, which is one reason Volkswagen gave the L1 a carbon-fibre safety cell similar to those used in race cars. Nissan says the Land Glider uses “a car-robotics–style crash-avoidance system” that detects and avoids cars much like schooling fish avoid hitting each other and other objects.

The Japanese automaker has hinted the Land Glider, or a car based on it, could see production.

“This leaning machine gives a clear direction to how a future small car from Nissan could look in congested cities, a clue of what Nissan means by new era of mobility,” the company said.

 

Adapted from Wired

In a new article on Tesla’s blog, Diarmuid OConnell, Tesla’s Vice President of Business Development, is “clearing the air” on the company’s Department of Energy (DoE) loan. The electric-vehicle company received a total of US$465 million in low-interest loans from the DoE – US$365 million of which it will use for the production and assembly for the Model S sedan.

Besides that, OConnell said that Tesla will use the money to build a “powertrain manufacturing facility in Northern California, which will build advanced EV powertrain components for other automakers”.

“We hope that technology will enable other manufacturers to get affordable EVs on the market much faster than developing the technology themselves,” OConnell wrote. “The facility will employ about 650 workers. We already sell EV components to Daimler, which will soon begin marketing an electric version of its popular and affordable Smart car.”

However, the most interesting thing OConnell wrote in his post was that the Tesla Model S platform will spawn other Tesla models.

“The Model S platform will also be used for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets and other industrial or civic uses,” OConnell wrote.

Tesla Motors is also planning a mass-market electric-vehicle for less than US$30 000.

 

Adapted from  egmCarTech

These are the first official renderings of the all-electric E-Wolf E2 supercar, slated to go on sale in 2011 – and battery-powered cars don’t get any more potent than this.

The two-seater E2 is the brainchild of German firm E-Wolf, and looks to be styled on a combination of Ferrari Enzo headlights and bonnet, with Lamborghini Reventon front air-intakes – thanks to its origami-style surfacing. Performance is not quite as closely matched to the two Italian exotics though – zero to 100 km/h in less than five seconds and a top speed of 228 km/h.

A lithium-ion battery pack powers four electric motors, one in each wheel, with a combined power output of 391 kW and over 1 000 N.m of torque. The target kerbweight is a featherlight 900kg, giving the E2 a similar power to weight ratio as some of the top performing supercars.

Useable range on a full charge is claimed to be in the region of 296 km, although that sounds a little optimistic at this stage. What’s more, with a high-voltage power outlet the cells can be fully topped-up in just half an hour.

So far the E2 only exists in computer-generated form, but its designers promise the car will be able to reach a top speed of 250 km/h. Hopefully the production version will stay true to the concept’s lines.