The electric car startup Fisker has announced that it is considering increasing production at contract manufacturer Magna in Graz beyond the previously planned 50,000 units per year from 2024 due to the high level of interest in its Ocean electric SUV. In addition, Fisker is looking into producing the Ocean in the US.
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Fisker is aiming to triple production of its Ocean all-electric SUV model from 2024 through contract manufacturer Magna. This is to be prepared for the expected increase in demand as soon as the first examples are on the road.
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AVL List has put its new Battery Innovation Center (BIC) into operation in Graz. In addition to the functional development of new high-voltage batteries for electric vehicles, the focus is on establishing, implementing and validating new efficient production processes.
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In Vienna and Graz, the ‘eTaxi Austria Project’ is starting a large-scale test run to test a new type of charging-pad charging technology over the next two years. With the Easelink system, electric taxis can charge with a connection to a charging pad at the taxi rank. The approach holds much promise for fleet operators.
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The Californian electric car manufacturer Fisker gives more details about its plans for branches in the USA and Europe. A series of sales locations is to open starting in L.A, followed by more locations in the USA and Europe.
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An international research team at the University of Technology in Graz presented a new solid electrolyte for batteries. According to a statement by the university, it shows one of the fastest lithium migration processes ever measured in a lithium-ion conductor. Toyota was also involved in the project.
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Austrian start-up Easelink presented their automated charging solution for EVs last year. Their so-called Matrix Charging is now ready for application and the company uses a BMW i3 to prove the efficacy of their pad-based conductive charging station that works without cables.
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AVL List has opened their Battery Lab again after remodeling the facility for eleven months. It now offers 700 m² of space for modern testing facilities for electric and thermic batteries up to 750 kW and 1,200 V.
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Austria’s largest automobile association ÖAMTC has rolled out their own electric scooter sharing. People in Vienna can now rent 150 light electric vehicles with another 15 being available in Graz. The ‘easy way’ service works via mobile app.
Read moreBolt charges with 80 kW: Inside EVs really studied the Chevy Bolt’s owner’s manual carefully and found that the electric GM can be fast-charged with up to 80 kW using CCS. The carmaker has so far been little forthcoming when it comes to confirming capabilities, but the 360-page manual filled the gaps. Moreover, GM has chosen AeroVironment as a preferred supplier for homechargers for future Bolt drivers.
insideevs.com (fast-charging), forbes.com (supplier)
Graz bets on supercapacitors: Austrian transport agency Graz Linien has commissioned four electric busses. Two 18-metre buses from CSR are equipped with supercapacitors, which enables them to fast-charge at the beginning and end of the line, as well as quickly top off along it route.
graz.at, meinbezirk.at (articles in German)
Juice up: eMotorWerks is partnering with EV Meter, a subsidiary of Nayax, to develop the so-called JuiceStation and provide smart grid energy intelligence for convenience stores, service stations, and shopping centres. The station builds on eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet platform, adding flexible payment options, energy management, and advanced reporting features.
prnewswire.com
Canadian charging network expands: AddÉnergie will install 25 fast-chargers at Canadian Tire Gas+ petrol stations along busy highways in Ontario early next year. The chargers will be part of the FLO network. Natural Resources Canada is footing nearly half of the 1.8m dollar bill.
newswire.ca
New Jersey seeks larger charging network: New Jersey is hoping for 3m dollars in federal grant money to incentivise utilities to set up chargers in the U.S. state. The investment would have to be matched by the latter. The Senate Environment and Energy Committee also approved a bill that would require EV chargers to be installed along toll roads.
njspotlight.com
Plug-in sales increased by 135 percent in China this year compared to the first 7 months of 2015. As the country supports a switch to green transport, another 430,000 more new energy vehicles are expected to arrive in 2016. BYD leads the sales with Tesla remaining the best-selling foreign EV.
electriccarsreport.com
Electric buses for Austria: Holding Graz plans to electrify its entire bus fleet with the help of Chinese CSR. The latter builds buses with supercaps which are fast-charged within seconds at every second stop. Testing will begin in 2016 and if successful, Graz could see electric buses only.
steiermark.orf.at (in German)
New BYD orders: After a long bidding war, BYD won the contract in Californian Long Beach for the delivery of ten electric buses with options for 50 more. In total, the Chinese manufacturer hopes to sell about 200 electric buses in the States this year. Across the pond, another order over 13 electric buses has been placed by British Nottingham.
bloomberg.com (Long Beach), insideevs.com (Nottingham)
Free EV loan: Chargemaster is offering businesses in Milton Keynes electric cars for free. Two Nissan Leafs and a Renault Zoe are available to borrow for two weeks at a time and can be charged at over 200 charge points in the city for free.
mkweb.co.uk
Basel charged up: The utility of the Swiss city of Basel, IWB, plans to install 20 charging stations by the end of 2016. Four have already been set up in Basel and one in the neighbouring community Riehen.
iwb.ch (in German)
Smart kickstart: eMotorWerks says it has delivered over 3,500 JuiceBox charging stations and expects volumes to double this year. The company started trading its low-cost charging station kit in late 2013 after a successful crowdfunding campaign.
marketwatch.com
Spearheading e-volution: South Korea’s Renault Samsung has agreed with the city of Seoul to supply ten electric taxis free of charge. The SM3 Z.E. will be used in a pilot project designed to showcase the suitability of EVs for public transport. The South-Korean capital will take care of charging infrastructure.
just-auto.com
H2 station from Toyota: The Japanese carmaker began construction of its first commercial hydrogen refuelling station in Nagoya, Japan. The fuel will be provided by French Air Liquide. Another two stations are set to be build with in the next few months before the planned introduction of Toyota’s FCV car in March 2015.
online.wsj.com
Hamburg’s harbour electrifies fleet: Hamburger Hafen and Logistik AG (HHLA) is adding another four Renault Zoe and three Smart ED into its fleet of now 64 EVs at the European port. They will replace older petrol models and will have their own charge point each.
noodls.com
E-bike sharing in Austria? The E-Mobility-Graz-Gesellschaft has come up with a bike sharing system which might go into operation in the city of Graz already next year. The system will include pedelecs with digital locks to be opened via bluetooth and smartphone app. The project plans to work with existing rental stations.
kleinezeitung.at (in German)
Meanwhile in Bavaria, the ‘Mobility Station’ is already past planning stage as construction has started. The station in Munich will include parking reserved for car sharing vehicles of multiple operators, an EV charging spot and a centre for rental bikes. Its opening is set for November.
merkur-online.de (in German)
