Fiat releases details on Ducato Electric van
Shortly after Fiat Professional announced a battery-electric version of the Ducato van, technical details have now also been revealed. The body of the e-van will come in several variants.
Weiterlesen 
Fiat to offer electric Ducato starting in 2020
The commercial vehicle manufacturer Fiat Professional announced its first fully electric model: A battery-electric version of the Ducato van will be launched next year. Pre-orders are expected to start before the end of this year.
Weiterlesen
FCA considers buying goodwill from Tesla
In order to meet the incoming EU emissions regulations, the U.S. manufacturer Fiat Chrysler is reportedly paying hundreds of millions of euros to Tesla, so that they can technically be calculated as “their” BEVs.
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Fiat concept Centoventi offers outlook on electric Panda
With the all-electric Concept Centoventi in Geneva, Fiat previews the next generation of their Panda model. With a unique modular battery set-up, the range can be extended from 100 km to up to 500 km, and FCA also promised a new take on electrifying the Fiat 500.
Weiterlesen
FCA is investing billions in factory electrification
Fiat Chrysler has released an investment plan, which details a sum of more than five billion euros to be invested in their Italian production facilities by 2021. The plan is to make them fit for electric car making.
Weiterlesen
Lime to kick-off electric car sharing service in Seattle
Light electric vehicle sharing company Lime is looking at the heavier end of the market, media reports suggest. The U.S. start-up wants to add small electric cars to their rental line-up of pedelecs and electric scooters and a pilot project is planned already.
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FCA calls for electric models across all brands
The era of Sergio Marchionne is nearing its end, but before the head of Fiat-Chrysler quits his job next year, he wants to ready all brands for an electrified future. His 5-year plan calls for a move away from diesel and into electric and hybrid models.
Weiterlesen
Fiat-Chrysler to ditch diesel by 2022
Fiat Chrysler wants to phase out all diesel models over the next four years, according to a report by the Financial Times. This includes all passenger cars made by FCA labels Fiat, Chrysler, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Jeep.
WeiterlesenVW, Seat, LaFerrari, Tesla, Mahindra, Fiat.
VW considers second EV platform: According to Automotive News, a purpose-designed electric vehicle platform for top-of-the-line cars is getting more concrete. VW worries whether or not larger models like the E-Phaeton are feasible using the MEB platform – a worry that electrive.com readers are already familiar with, as we already talked about it in our report about the new e-Golf.
autonews.com
New Seat Marbella with electric drivetrain? The Spanish apparently want to breath some new life into their old model for next year, bringing it back as a mini SUV using the VW up! as a base. Thanks to the MEB platform, an all-electric version with a range of 200 km is feasible. Interesting: The Marbella is only available for leasing.
carscoops.com, drivespark.com
LaFerrari Spider to arrive in 2017: Sergio Marchionne as an ace up its sleeve for everyone for whom the hybrid sports car is not already exclusive enough. A technically identical topless version of the 700 kW hybrid will hit the road next year – for “a mere” 3.5m euros, plus tax.
autocar.co.uk
Tesla kicks of new referral round: Until July 15th, Tesla owners who successfully refer a new client can again make 1,000 dollars. Plus, other prizes await, such as custom 21-inch Arachnid wheels at 5 qualifying referrals. And every sale wins the referrer an entry into a drawing for a Tesla Model X P90D with Ludicrous.
electrek.co, insideevs.com
Mahindra brings new EV: With the e-Verito, the Indian manufacturer has electrified its second model. The small limousine will be available in India starting tomorrow. It features a 72 Volt, 30 kW electric motor and is said to run for up to 100 km on one charge.
indianautosblog.com, cardekho.com
Fiat recall: The carmaker recalled 16,549 Fiat 500e in the U.S. due a possible software problem. In some cases, operating conditions could be “misread,” causing propulsion to be shut down. A software update at the car dealer is said to fix the issue.
thecarconnection.com
Audi, Prius Prime, Temsa, Tesla, Fiat, Chevrolet.
Audi to build EVs in Belgium? The Audi plant in Brussels might be transformed into a global competence centre for electric mobility, reports Automobil Produktion quoting company insiders. This would become possible because the production of the A1 is to move from Brussels to Spanish Martorell.
automobil-produktion.de (in German)
What is the Prius Prime? No one knows yet, but Toyota has trademarked that name and speculations are already running high. Is it a new Prius model to come or a new name for the plug-in variant or maybe just a designator of a new trim? Only Toyota knows.
greencarreports.com, kaizen-factor.com
Turkish electric bus: Temsa from Turkey has presented an all-electric bus at the UTIP in Milan. The MD 9 ElectriCITY has a 160-kWh battery pack which last for about 150 kilometres on one charge.
temsaglobal.com
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Bye-bye Tesla, says its Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja as he is to resign from his post at the end of this year. While he described his time at the electric carmaker as an “adrenaline rush” he is now ready to pursue “other life goals,” he said.
hybridcars.com
Electric Fiat recall: Again, Fiat has to ask the 500e to return to the garage. This time, 3,975 of the cute electric cars are affected as their cruise control software needs an urgent update. The current one might misread torque levels causing the motor to shift into neutral rather unexpectedly.
hybridcars.com, edmunds.com, chrysler.com
Chevy Volt sparked: At a Californian dealership, four Chevrolet Volts burned, with two of the Volts being fully consumed by the fire. While the cause has yet to be confirmed by officials, arson is being suspected.
insideevs.com
BMW, Fiat, Toyota, REM 2030, Chevrolet, Lexus.
Will the BMW i5 be a hybrid? According to the German Auto Bild, the third member of the i-brand family will most likely be a plug-in hybrid combining a 218 hp petrol engine and two electric motors with 110 kW and 200 kW and allowing for an all-electric distance of 125 km.
bmwblog.com
Fiat 500e call-back: 5,660 Fiat 500e from the model years 2013 to 2015 have been recalled, due to “incompatible software” between the vehicle’s control unit and battery pack control module. The car could shut down completely when power is low, instead of limiting power to the drivetrain to “limp home.”
electriccarsreport.com, transportevolved.com, insideevs.com
Toyota displays Mirai: The carmaker will open its first showroom for the fuel-cell vehicle in Tokyo on Friday, where the car can also be test driven. Moreover, Toyota will use the location to show videos and other media to present the advantages of fuel-cell technology.
electriccarsreport.com, greencarcongress.com
EV of the future: The Fraunhofer innovation cluster REM 2030 is currently showing an electric vehicle demonstrator at the Hanover Trade Fair, featuring the cluster´s newly developed components. These are a permanent magnet synchronous motor with single-tooth winding, a manual gearbox, a Li-ion battery, and a methanol fuel-cell as a range extender.
isi.fraunhofer.de
Canada gets sparked: Chevrolet announced that it will offer the 2016 model of its Spark EV to retail customers in Canada. For the past two years, the electric car had only been available to fleets in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Pricing has not been announced yet.
hybridcars.com, electriccarsreport.com, insideevs.com
Lexus ES facelift: Three years after its launch, an updated ES version is said to be unveiled at the Auto Shanghai next week. The changes are cosmetic only, “conveying a more dynamic experience.” A hybrid variant powered by a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle hybrid with a 200 hp output will still be available.
indianautosblog.com
Berlin, Maastricht, Florida, New Zealand, Fiat 500e, Nissan.
E-Bus Berlin is a new project in Germany’s capital. Four electric buses will serve on route 204 and will be charged via three Primove inductive charging stations. The installation of the first wireless charging platform is under way. Next month, two more stations will follow as well as four stations with cables at the depot. The four Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses will begin transporting passengers this summer.
rbb-online.de, moz.de, idw-online.de (articles in German)
In Maastricht too, a VDL Citea Electric bus has begun its service on line 4. This pilot is part of the Zero Emission Bus transport (ZEB) foundation’s project to electrify Dutch public transport.
vdlparts.com
For a cloud free Sunshine State: Florida Senate Bill 864 would exempt EVs from Florida’s sales tax. If accepted, the exemption would become effective by July 1st and would also be applicable to FCVs.
cleantechnica.com
Kiwi-green charging: New Zealand’s Electricity Networks Association (ENA) will kick off an initiative that could see the installation of a network of charging stations across the country. A study looking at the viability of the so-called ‘Renewables Highway’ is scheduled for July.
guide2.co.nz
Almost 100 electric Fiat 500e were sold in California last week. The rush was due to a leasing offer of roughly 83 dollars per month that resulted in group buys by motorsports enthusiasts and instructors. For those of you in California, the deal is going on.
greencarreports.com, transportevolved.com
Charging depot: Six fast-charging stations have been installed at the “Bellevue” Nissan dealership outside Seattle, forming a depot. The charge points will be operated by NRG eVgo and can be accessed via the usual EZ-Charge card.
businesswire.com
BMW, Mahindra, Fiat, Toyota, London Taxi Company, iRoad.
New BMW i at the IAA? More details on the BMW “Tesla Fighter” come from industry insider Georg Kacher. According to his sources, the model will be based on the long-wheelbase 5-series architecture and hit the market by 2018 as i5 or i7. Two electric motors and one combustion engine will provide a total power output of 400 kW. A concept car could be shown at this autumn’s Frankfurt motor show IAA.
carmagazine.co.uk
Indian EV for Europe: Mahindra is preparing a modified version of its e2o for European markets, which will come with a longer range, more power and better safety features than the Indian version. Crash tests in Spain went well and first units could arrive in Europe in the second half of this year.
thehansindia.com
Fiat 500X with plug? Rumours say that the next Fiat 500X could also be offered with an electric motor, even though it might just be a compliance car for the Californian market. A recently spotted test vehicle that does not appear to have a tailpipe spurred those rumours.
greencarreports.com
Prius c facelift in Down Under: Toyota has revealed its facelifted 2015 Toyota Prius c in Australia. It features new headlights and a redesigned grill and bumper on the outside as well as new colour themes on the inside. Another perk for Autralian buyers: Toyota has slashed 1,000 dollars from the list price of the 2015 Prius c to cement its position as Australia’s most affordable hybrid car.
practicalmotoring.com
All-electric London taxi? According to a media report, the London Taxi Company plans to build a new plant near Coventry. Based on information from the planning application, it seems that the company wants to offer a pure electric London taxi by 2018.
birminghampost.co.uk
iRoad-ing the streets of San Francisco: Toyota is testing its little electric three-wheeler in the Californian metropolis. Jennifer Jolly from USA Today got to take the “space-pod-on-wheels” for a test drive, loving the car’s agility and that it fits right through even the worst traffic congestion.
usatoday.com (with video)
Nissan, GreenTech, Toyota, Fiat, Zero Motorcycles.
Electric VIP transport: Today at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Nissan will show a premium version of its electrified E-NV200 van. The luxury demonstrator will be equipped with a 21.5-inch DSP monitor, LED lighting and a pair of club class seats for increased leg room.
green.autoblog.com
GreenTech prices: GreenTech Automotive (GTA) has issued pricing for its two electric cars manufactured in Mississippi. The GTA MyCar starts at 17,140 dollars while the GTA G2 is available for 21,250 dollars. Both EVs have a limited speed of 35 mph and come with a range of around 60 miles.
insideevs.com
Pricing for 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid: Pricing starts at 26,790 dollars for the base LE and goes up to 29,980 dollars for the XLE premium version. The new models are to become available this autumn. Michael Harley was lucky enough to review the new Camry Hybrid SE, which is now facing worthy competition from Ford, Hyundai or Volkswagen.
hybridcars.com (pricing), autoblog.com (review)
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New hybrid GT-R: The next generation Nissan GT-R will be available from 2018 with a hybrid drivetrain, German Auto Bild reports. A first optical impression is delivered by the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo which was first shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year.
autobild.de (in German)
Fiat 500e in Oregon: The fully electric Italian small car is now available as 2015 model year at Fiat studios in Oregon for a monthly 199-dollar lease with 999 dollars down payment. Since its introduction in 2013, the Fiat 500e has only been on sale in California.
electriccarsreport.com
Zero at Intermot: American manufacturer Zero Motorcycles is to present its full range of electric bikes at the upcoming motorcycle show in Cologne, Germany stating next week. However, details on the new 2015 model year have not yet been revealed.
prnewswire.com
Gigafactory, Toyota, Specialized, BMW, Chevrolet, Fiat.
Details on Gigafactory deal: Tesla and Panasonic have agreed on the basics for the planned mega battery facility. The carmaker will be responsible for the property while the Japanese will possibly invest 20 to 30 billion yen (194-291 million dollars) into machinery. At a later date, Panasonic’s investment might go up to one billion dollars. Nothing is official yet though the formal announcement might be made tomorrow when Tesla publishes its quarterly figures.
asia.nikkei.com, chargedevs.com, greencarreports.com
Fuel cell Future: “Mirai” means “future” in Japanese and will apparently be the name of Toyota’s FCV, Bloomberg reports quoting an insider. The carmaker has not yet confirmed the name but Mirai is registered as a trademark in the U.S. already.
bloomberg.com via transportevolved.com
Specialized is committed to e-bikes and introduces two more pedelec models to join their Turbo offering. While the original Turbo S is a speed pedelec (45 kph) the new Turbo 25 and the Turbo 25 X feature very similar technology and an integrated battery but with electric support only up to 25 kph.
bike-eu.com
Special edition i8: Ahead of the U.S. launch of the hybrid sports car, BMW will present the “Concours d’Elegance Edition” at the show of the same name at Pebble Beach, California. The special i8 comes in an unique colour and with special interior and will be auctioned off at the event on August 16th.
green.autoblog.com, electriccarsreport.com
It’s all in the gearing: When Green Car Reports pitched a Chevy Spark EV against the Fiat 500e, the testers noticed that at city speeds the small Italian felt and was much quicker than its American counterpart, which has better power ratings. Chief engineer for the Fiat 500e, Brett Giem, solved the riddle: gearing, which is 9.6:1 reduction in the 500e, vs 3:1 in the Spark EV.
greencarreports.com
Fiat, Subaru, Hybrid SUVs, Porsche, Cadillac.
500e recall: Chrysler Group has issued the second recall for its electric Fiat 500e compliance car. Over time, coolant could seep into the power inverter module and cause a short-circuit followed by power loss. 4,151 cars are affected and will have their inverter module replaced.
insideevs.com
Plug-in hybrid from Subaru: Subaru announced a new plug-in hybrid in order to meet U.S. zero emissions vehicle regulations taking effect in 2018. The vehicle will be based on Toyota’s hybrid technology and chances are it will be a new seven-seat SUV, replacing the aging Tribeca.
autonews.com via autoblog.com
No big hybrids: The bigger the car, the more a hybrid engine can help improve mileage. Nevertheless, big hybrids are having a hard time in the States. Giants like the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS hybrids have already been discontinued there.
usatoday.com via green.autoblog.com, thegreencarwebsite.co.uk
Porsche loves hybrid: With the Panamera Turbo S, 911 Turbo S, Macan S and GT4 expected to get a partly-electric heart soon, it is safe to say that Porsche has jumped on the hybrid bandwagon for good. For more details on these desirable sports cars, check out the links below.
wot.motortrend.com via autoweek.com, autoblog.com
Luxurious ELR: The New York Times finally got their hands on the Cadillac ELR. The review is rather detailed and comes with a video. The general verdict is positive, with the only real downer being the car’s 82,135-dollar price tag.
nytimes.com
Nissan, Lamborghini, Honda, Toyota, Fiat, Peugeot, Infiniti, Lexus.
Leaf to get battery pack options: Nissan CEO Andy Palmer said that two or even three sizes of battery packs might be in the cards for the 2016 or 2017 Leaf models. Apparently, capacities of up to 42 kWh are being discussed internally.
greencarreports.com, transportevolved.com
Lamborghini SUV with hybrid version: Now, also Lamborghini wants to get a share of the SUV segment and plans to introduce an off road vehicle that is based on Volkswagen’s modular platform. Also, a hybrid version is planned.
autocar.co.uk
Sporty Honda hybrid: The Japanese unveiled the new ‘Concept B’ in Beijing, without divulging much information. The hatchback is a preview for a hybrid designed for the Chinese market where the production model is set to go on sale by 2016.
indianautosblog.com, autoblog.com
Yaris gets facelift: Toyota released a photo of an updated version of its small car due to hit the stores this summer. The redesigned Yaris will have improved dynamics while the hybrid drivetrain will remain unchanged.
carscoops.com
The Fiat 500e will go on sale in Oregon, said Fiat’s U.S. chief Jason Stoicevich in New York. So far, the small but stylish electric car has mainly been sold in California and urban centres. Sales in Oregon are set to start this summer.
wardsauto.com via greencarreports.com
Picture collection: Here are the latest pictures from Beijing and New York portraying the concept Peugeot Exalt, the extended Infiniti Q70, the Lexus NX, the Mercedes Concept Coupé SUV, the new Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry as well as the X5 eDrive and the Vision Future Luxury Concept by BMW.
BMW, VW, Honda, Smart, Fiat, Nissan, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Tesla.
Even more efficient than planned: The new BMW i8 has received its official figures for efficiency in accordance to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The plug-in hybrid will only use up 2.1 litres of fuel and 11.9 kWh per 100 kilometres with an all-electric range of 37 kilometres. Deliveries of the i8 in Europe will commence in June.
bmwgroup.com (in German), autozeitung.de (in German)
New battery from VW? Heinz-Jakob Neußer, head of Volkswagen’s powertrain development, said in Geneva that the carmaker is developing a new battery that would have 80 kWh but still be about the same size as given battery packs. However, he would not confirm (nor deny) assumptions that the research concerns a lithium-air battery.
telegraph.co.uk
Will Honda’s Vezel be called HR-V in the U.S.? The Japanese carmaker filed a trademark application for the name in the United States. In Japan, a version of the Urban SUV concept is already being sold as ‘Vezel.’ Even if the name for the American version has yet to be confirmed, Honda did say that it will be powered by a VTEC turbo engine. If the hybrid versions offered in Japan will be available in the HR-V is unknown.
autoguide.com, indianautosblog.com
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EV-test leaves “Car and Driver” unimpressed: The editors of the website tested six electric cars – the Smart ED, the Fiat 500E, the Nissan Leaf, the Honda Fit EV, the Ford electric and Chevy Spark – and found them too expensive and not very practical. Even the winner, the Chevy Spark, could not escape critique – 12 hours is simply too long for a full charge.
caranddriver.com
Looking back on his year with Tesla: After driving over 15,000 miles (or more than 24,000 km), this Model S driver still loves his car. What he does not love is that it sucks up energy even when parked, making it not as efficient as on paper. A basic flaw, he says, a luxury car like a Tesla should not have.
greencarreports.com
Toyota, Fiat, Chevrolet, Smart, Electra, Trek.
Welcome to today’s edition of electrive.com, the new industry service for electric mobility – Made in Germany! Here are the top stories and innovations this wednesday:
– Brands + News –
Toyota goes H2: At the opening of the CES in Las Vegas, two fuel-cell cars took centre-stage. The Japanese are presenting their FCV concept in shiny blue next to its „ugly“ brother – a prototype in camouflage that had been tested on U.S. roads for more than a year. The FCV will first be introduced in California in 2015.
hybridcars.com, greencarreports.com
Tiny, tinier, the tiniest: Jim Motavali compared the Fiat 500e, Chevrolet Spark and the Smart ED. All three had their “virtues”. In the end the American built suited Motavali best, with the Spark being over the Fiat “by an electron”, while the Smart excited most by being a convertible.
nytimes.com via plugincars.com
Electra taken over by Trek: The mayor bicycle company will provide logistics and financial support to its smaller competitor based in California. However, Trek does not want to interfere with Electra‘s product management or branding.
bike-eu.com