Slovenia’s electric motor specialist Elaphe has agreed on a strategic partnership with McLaren Applied. They are developing a powertrain that combines Elaphe’s in-wheel motors and vehicle control with McLaren Applied’s inverter technology.
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Following Porsche, Jaguar and Nissan have now also presented their new Formula E racing cars. The new Jaguar I-Type 6 for the 2023 season is expected to bring the British company big success after the runner-up title with Mitch Evans in the previous season. But the first thing that catches the eye is the Jaguar’s […]
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Following the recent announcement of McLaren Racing’s entry into Formula E for the upcoming season, McLaren Racing has now entered into a long-term cooperation with Nissan. Nissan will supply the electric drive system for the entire Gen3 era of Formula E to the British team as part of the partnership.
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The British sports car manufacturer McLaren has presented its first production model with a plug-in hybrid drive. The super sportscar Artura combines a six-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor – a first for the manufacturer. The McLaren Artura is already available for order, starting at 226,000 euros.
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McLaren Racing has secured an option to participate in Formula E once the 3rd generation race cars debut. The option will enable McLaren to enter the championship as one of a maximum of twelve teams from the 2022/23 season.
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The British sports car manufacturer McLaren has delivered an update to the first production model with hybrid drive. The still nameless hybrid super sports car has entered the final phase of its development and test programs, which include driving on public roads.
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A but or two actually. McLaren now also offers its iconic 720S sports car with an electric motor – at least for children. Only the benefits of electric mobility have not yet been fully understood at McLaren…
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The luxury automobile manufacturer McLaren has announced their plans to fit their entire lineup with hybrid motors in the next seven years. The goal is being managed by a £1.2 billion business plan called Track25.
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Rivian Automotive and its (former) McLaren execs present their EV strategy. An electric pick-up is due by 2020 plus an electric SUV with three rows of seats. Both electric vehicles will feature a level of autonomy as well.
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The idea was to open up the competition to manufacturers component by component but for batteries this won’t happen before 2025 at least. Formula E’s Alejandro Agag revealed that the electric racing series will stick to a standard battery for another 7 years, that is until season 11.
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McLaren celebrates the fifth birthday of its super sports car P1 with zero-emission equivalents that on top cost much less. They are electric- respective muscular-powered, but – well – attract first of all children.
gearsofbiz.com, carthrottle.com (with video)
A Ring lap of 6 minutes and 43 seconds means the Nordschleife found a new record holder in a modified version of hybrid sports car McLaren P1 LM, just weeks after the electric Nio EP9 had broken its own speed record.
roadandtrack.com
Electric passenger plane in 10 years? London-Paris, New York-Boston, and Seoul-Jeju could all be routes served by an all-electric airplane within the decade if Wright Electric’s dream comes true, or better, if battery technology keeps up. The start-up’s jet has yet to go into development but is conceptualised for 150 passengers and journeys of less than 300 miles. Wright hopes to utilise a modular and thus exchangeable battery system and said it struck a partnership with EasyJet already.
bbc.co.uk, techcrunch.com, weflywright.com
McLaren outlined its next P1 currently codenamed BP23 that is to eclipse its current hyper hybrid. The new model takes inspiration from the legendary F1 and shall become part of the Ultimate Series due by 2019. Naturally, this latest take on the hybrid hype will outrun the P1 in performance.
autocar.co.uk
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Bafang to make its own e-bike batteries: The Chinese maker of electric bike drives plans to offer complete system solutions to pedelec manufacturers and has earmarked 11.2m euros to build a battery plant. The automated factory shall make standardised packs as well as semi-integrated design options.
bike-eu.com, cyclingindustry.news
The world’s most efficient cars are electric and from Asia, the Shell Eco Marathon showed. Winner in the BEV category was team HuaQi-EV from the South China University of Technology that managed 474,1 km/kWh. For fuel cells, UiTM Eco-Sprint from the Universiti Teknologi in Malaysia prove most efficient (359.4km/m3).
shell.com
Hyundai bets on EV market in the U.S.: Including the Ioniq, the South Korean brand wants to launch no less than 14 electric and hybrid models in the U.S. by 2020. According to CEO Dave Zuchowski, the plans include four BEVs and PHEVs each, as well as a fuel cell vehicle. Asked about President-elect Donald Trump, the Hyundai boss didn’t want to speculate on possible changes on the U.S. market.
autonews.com
China approves fifth EV start-up: Min’an is the first joint venture to get the government’s green light after China said this summer that all EV production must be approved. A first model is to hit the road in 2018. The company’s plant will start with a production capacity of 50,000 units per year, which will later be tripled.
shanghaidaily.com
EU funds electric bin lorry: As part of the LIFE programme, the EU Commission will invest around 223m euros in low-emission pilot projects. Part of the cash as been earmarked for electric mobility undertakings, such as a lorry bin with an electric and fuel cell drivetrain in Belgium.
europa.eu, europa.eu (all projects)
McLaren plans second hybrid hypercar: The hybrid GT codenamed BP23 was inspired by McLaren’s F1, though the three-seater is said to be more comfortable. Insiders believe the new hybrid addition will boast a total of 515 kW.
autocar.co.uk
Slovakia pushes EVs: The announced subsidies programme has now been finalised, and the government will grant buyers up to 5,000 euros for battery-electric and up to 3,000 euros for plug-in hybrid cars. A total of 5m euros have been earmarked for the scheme, which will not be extended once cash runs out.
cleantechnica.com, data.greenway.sk (funding details)
Supercar unveiling: Techrules announced the serial version of its GT96 supercar with turbine range-extender for the Geneva Motor Show next spring. The car is said to go 2,000 km on one charge. 25 units a year will roll off production lines from 2017. A street-legal and a track version are planned.
autocar.co.uk
Hybrid hypercar confirmed: Daimler AMG is indeed working on a hybrid racer with a 735 kW/ 1,000 hp motor from the F1, development chief Thomas Weber revealed. He brought a sketch to Paris that shows a GT racer. The price is estimated to be beyond the million.
carscoops.com
Hydrogen maiden flight: The DLR let its fuel cell plane loose this week as planned. The HY4 took to the air for the first time and the German Aerospace Center now plans to improve the four seater so it will eventually be able to carry up to 19 passengers.
dlr.de
It is McLaren that will deliver batteries for the Formula E from season 5 for two years until 2019/20. McLaren will thus take over from Williams Advanced Engineering.
electricautosport.com, reuters.com
Electric Porsche as job motor: Porsche will hire over 1,400 new people for the development and production of its all-electric sports car. More than 1,200 of the said positions will be created in Zuffenhausen (Germany).
autonews.com, porsche.de
Solar-powered globe circumvention completed: Pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg have touched down in Abu Dhabi after a total of 510 hours and 40,000 km in the air. The Solar Impulse 2 is powered entirely by the sun. Congratulations!
bbc.com, theguardian.com
Electric McLaren in the pipelines: CEO Mike Flewitt told PistonHeads that McLaren is working on an all-electric drivetrain, which the Brits want to integrate into an existing architecture. It could possibly be a limited edition Ultimate Series (P1 level) EV.
pistonheads.com
Electric buses from Hungary: According to non-official sources, Chinese manufacturer BYD has begun building an electric bus factory in Komárom in northern Hungary. Production could kick off as early as October 2016 with a yearly output of 100 units that will then be exported to western Europe.
portfolio.hu
Issues to launch in India: A planned consortium for the delivery of components for electric and hybrid vehicles has been pushed back. The launch was originally planned for July 15th, but Ford now pulled out, citing financial reasons and partners Mahindra, Tata Motors, and Maruti Suzuki are left out in the rain. There have so far not been any official statements on the issue.
livemint.com
Driving the Audi Q7 e-tron: Autocar took the plug-in SUV for a spin. And while they applaud the combination of a diesel engine and electric motor, the Audi couldn’t quite convince, also because one needs “be able to charge it frequently to get anywhere near the claimed economy.” For anyone who has set their heart on a plug-in hybrid they recommend the Volvo XC90 T8 instead.
autocar.co.uk
Electric crossover from Korea: SsangYong is working on a new crossover, it seems. Not much is known about the project codenamed C300. But it seems certain that the model will be available with an all-electric drivetrain from 2019.
motor1.com
McLaren to chase Mission E: Just like Porsche, the British carmaker wants to launch an all-electric super sports car. Auto Express quotes insiders as saying that the EV will be part of the range-topping Ultimate Series, but will not be the successor to the P1 – that will not be here for another seven years.
autoexpress.co.uk
Model X arrives in China: According to China Daily, Tesla will launch its all-electric SUV in the country sooner than originally planned. The Model X will become available at the end of this month instead early 2017. Moreover, the paper reports that Tesla has signed a deal with Beijing to set up its operative headquarters in the Chinese capital.
chinadaily.com.cn
C-HR to arrive in December: Toyota’s compact SUV will hit the road in Japan before the end of the year. The European and North American markets will follow. The hybrid variant combines a 72kW combustion engine an 53 kW electric motor that power the front axle.
indianautosblog.com
Updated i8 caught on camera? It seems that the prototype of the facelifted BMW i8 set to launch late 2017, could not escape the cameras. The PHEV is said to boast 10 percent more power and increased all-electric range (we reported).
motor1.com
Very compact EV: My Electric Vehicle (MEV) presented its new four-seater, said to go 150 km on a single charge. The tiny car is only 2.5 metres short and 1.4 metres wide. Its electric motor boasts 4 kW, enabling the EV to reach a maximum speed of 45 kph. How much it will cost was not announced.
motor.es (in Spanish)
Mitsubishi to serial produce eX: The Japanese will launch the electric SUV eX Concept shown in Geneva. According to Autocar, the compact offroader will be available with a range of 400 km from 2020. Despite being fitted with an all-wheel electric drive, pricing is said to be similar to the combustion engine variant.
autocar.co.uk
Daimler and Tesla go separate ways: Daimler will no longer get the battery and drivetrain for the next-generation B-Class Electric Drive from Tesla, German Automobilwoche reports in their print edition. Daimler says, it can “supply itself without a problem in the future.”
wiwo.de (in German)
Audi to go H2: The H-tron Quattro concept currently on display in Geneva will go into serial production, Audi’s chief engineer Stefan Knirsch confirmed in an interview with Top Gear. The only question is when and the answer not very promising; there need to be enough hydrogen filling stations, says Knirsch. So it could be while…
topgear.com
McLaren update: The British manufacturer confirmed a relaunch of its current 650S and 675LT. The code-named P14 is said to feature a V8 and an electric motor. A first version could be shown in Geneva next year. McLaren only recently announced 15 new models by 2022 – half of them with hybrid drivetrains.
caranddriver.com, autoevolution.com
Electric sedan from Bugatti? Only a few days ago, the VW luxury brand took the wraps off the expensive and powerful Chiron, boasting a hybrid drive with a combined 1,102 kW (we reported). And Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer is already pondering his next move: a four-door sedan, possibly purely electric.
bloomberg.com
Hyundai’s secret plans: According to media reports, the South Korean in working on a single-seat EV and electric scooter. Unfortunately, no details have been revealed, nor has Hyundai confirmed the plans. However, considering the popularity of small EVs and electric scooters in Asia, the idea is not too far-fetched.
autoblog.com, reuters.com
Vision for real: Skoda officially presents the Vision concept SUV at the Motor Show that reportedly foregoes the Kodiak set for launch in autumn. According to Automobil Produktion, a serial PHEV version will follow by 2019, as well as an electric model a little later.
carscoops.com, worldcarfans.com, automobil-produktion.de (in German)
VW luxury PHEV: Volkswagen and SAIC created the Phideon limousine exclusively for the Chinese market, where it will go into production this autumn. It is currently being shown in Geneva and comes with function previously not available in any VW. The German carmakers says a plug-in hybrid is planned as well.
autocar.co.uk, greencarcongress.com, insideevs.com
Borgward awakens: The revived brand that made its debut at the IAA last year, brings two new plug-ins to Geneva. Both the BX5 and BX6 TS are at pre-production stage and would be positioned below the bigger BX7. The SUV BX5 plug-in hybrid drive boasts 258 hp, while the sportier BX6 PHEV has 422 hp. Pure electric models will be a future option for Europe. Borgward further considers where to set up production in Germany and will announce a decision before the end of the year.
carscoops.com, paultan.org, prnewswire.com
McLaren charges ahead: The British race car marker plans 15 new models by 2022, half of them hybrid, Autocar reports. The rare P1 will be reissued and might race on purely electric power come 2023 – that is, if the ‘not-so-secret’ hyper car McLaren is currently working on proves a success as BEV.
autocar.co.uk
Road-ready electric UV range: British Bradshaw reveals a line-up of electric vehicles with body options that range from last mile delivery to pick-ups and shuttle buses. Maximum speed is 25mph with a payload of up to 900 kg. The 50-mile range can be extended by simply swapping the battery.
mhwmagazine.co.uk
Scenic hybrid confirmed: Renault is showing the fourth-gen Scenic in Geneva. The French confirmed that the MPV will indeed be offered as diesel-hybrid as expected.
autocar.co.uk, prnewswire.com
Tesla drivetrain fail? Green Car Reports reports that the Tesla Model S built in 2012 and 2013 could be subject to a drivetrain failure. An analysis by Plug-In America of 327 Tesla owners showed that two-thirds of these early models will need to have drivetrains replaced within the first 60,000 miles.
greencarreports.com
Plug-in battery pack: German FEV has developed a plug-in battery pack complete with a 10 kWh battery and the BMS. The technology is ready to hit the market and can help different vehicles to drive as far as 50 km purely electric.
automobil-produktion.de, fev.com (in German)
No new McLaren P1: The manufacturer has stopped production of its hybrid supercar after exactly 375 models – just as planned. Those interested in owning the car will have to look on the used-car market. Each vehicle took 17 days to complete on average.
electriccarsreport.com, autocar.co.uk, worldcarfans.com
Li-ion monitor: Texas Instruments’ newly developed bq76PL455A-Q1 provides highly accurate cell-voltage monitoring for large batteries with up to 256 cells in a series and can enable a more intelligent battery management in electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and grid energy storage systems.
cnn.com
Most clicked link on Thursday was Nissan’s plan to present its inductive charging technology at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
autocar.co.uk
Formula 1 goes electric: McLaren has unveiled its vision for a Formula 1 car of the future. The MP4-X concept uses electric power instead of an internal combustion engine and thin batteries integrated into the vehicle’s crash structure. These could be charged by solar panels on the car, energy recovered from regenerative braking, and also inductive charging loops embedded in the track surface.
autocar.co.uk, wired.com
Renault Trafic EV: Carwatt and its partners Renault, Paris City Council, BPI France, Alès École des Mines Engineering School, and Bobigny Business Campus present a converted Renault Trafic powered by second-life lithium-ion batteries recycled from Renault electric cars. In 2016, Carwatt and the Paris City Council plan to experiment with other Renault commercial vehicles converted to run on electricity.
gizmag.com, renault.com
Container handling: Kalmar has announced the first fast charging solution for electric powered shuttle and straddle carriers. The Kalmar FastCharge features a pantograph DC charging system with a maximum charging power of 600 kW. Kalmar is planning to bring the solution to the market next year.
industrialprime.com, kalmar.de
Platinum alternative: HyperSolar and researchers at the University of Iowa have developed a new catalyst material that the company believes will significantly reduce the cost of producing hydrogen fuel using its renewable water-splitting process. The material is a sulfide-based photocatalyst using only earth abundant, non-toxic and inexpensive materials, which can allegedly outperform platinum.
marketwired.com
Electric truck by BYD: The Chinese manufacturer is setting aside 5 billion yuan (805 million dollars) for the construction of a new electric truck factory. The new facility in Changsha in Chinese Hunan province could roll out the first EVs this year already . Initially, 2,500 units are planned but production could increase to 25,000 electric trucks per year by 2025.
insideevs.com
McLaren fast tracks hybrids: McLaren wants to hybridise half of its luxury models by 2025, says CEO Mike Flewitt. This would add to the current two hybrids, the P1 and P1 GTR. The move that comes sooner than even the company itself had expected.
autoexpress.co.uk
Piquet is champion: Nelson Piquet Jr. is the first driver to ever win the Formula E. The Brazilian, who races for Chinese team NEXTEV TCR, came in seventh the season’s last race in London’s Battersea Park. He led the overall ranking by only one point, followed by Sebastien Buemi, whose team e.dams took the title as constructors. British Sam Bird came in first in the last race of the season.
bbc.co.uk, youtube.com (highlight video)
GM will follow Tesla’s lead, as it is working on a new technology that will allow new features to be downloaded wirelessly. The cloud-based ‘Global B’ architecture would thus enable GM to send software updates to cars over the internet.
autonews.com, transportevolved.com
Sonata Hybrid pricing: Hyundai has announced the price for its latest hybrid model. In the U.S., the Sonata Hybrid is to become available for 26,825 dollars (inc. destination). Sales have kicked off nationwide, and a PHEV variant is expected to be rolled out this autumn.
hybridcars.com
Electric bus on fire: In York, an electric bus had caught fire. Thanks to the quick reaction of the driver, all passengers could get out safely. The British city now removed all eleven electric buses from service for safety checks until the cause of the incident can be determined.
yorkpress.co.uk, bbc.com
JLR’s electric plans: An all-electric Jaguar Land Rover SUV is getting more concrete, German auto motor und sport reports. Under which brand the new model will be offered has not been said, however, earlier rumours hint at an electric Range Rover. A plug-in hybrid can be expected already in 2017.
auto-motor-und-sport.de (in German)
Megacar from Sweden: “The Regera will reign as the king of the road, as the fastest accelerating, most powerful production car ever.” This is how sports carmaker Koenigsegg promotes its hybrid super car, ahead of its debut in Geneva. Obviously, it is designed to compete against Porsche, McLaren, and Ferrari but strives to top them all. So far, “only” about 500 kW delievered by electric motors are confirmed but as it is dubbed a “megacar,” expect more than 1,000 kW from the hybrid system.
carscoops.com, hybridcars.com, jalopnik.com
Transatlantic innovation: California and the Netherlands have agreed on initiating joint funding for innovative electric vehicle development. While the Dutch will spend 6 million euros, the rest of the total of 24 millions is to come from the Golden state and other investors.
telegraaf.nl, rijksoverheid.nl (both in Dutch)
1,000 hp McLaren: While the official premiere is only set for the Geneva Motor Show, the Brits could not wait to show the production-ready super hybrid P1 GTR. The race track version of the P1 boast 1,000 hp instead of the 916 hp of the standard version, while its weight was decreased by 50 kilos.
electriccarsreport.com, worldcarfans.com, indianautosblog.com
Kia estate: The Koreans will present the Sportspace Concept in Geneva which is said to give an outlook on the 2016 Optima station wagon. The latter is likely to be offered as plug-in hybrid, too.
autoexpress.co.uk, indianautosblog.com
“It’s the moment of his life,” young Elon Musk says into the camera. He has just taken delivery of a car – not a Tesla but a McLaren F1! At that point, Elon didn’t know he would be getting into the car business himself almost a decade later, and was just about to launch PayPal.
youtube.com via autoblog.com
Polaris buys Brammo’s motorcycle business: The investment will allow Brammo to focus solely on designing, developing and integrating electric drivetrains. Polaris’ will help market vehicles using Brammo technology and utilize the assets acquired to manufacture electric motorcycles later this year.
puregreencars.com, electriccarsreport.com
Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 unveiled: The second generation of the Le Mans racer features a more angular nose than last year’s design. The hybrid drivetrain will consist of a V4 gasoline engine, an electric motor to power the front wheels, as well as two recuperation systems.
autosport.com, jalopnik.com, greencarcongress.com
Toyota kills Scion iQ: Due to ever falling sales figures, the company is pulling its Smart lookalike off the market. The electric variant had already been cancelled with fewer than 200 units built. Scion as a brand will continue to exist. If it will venture into the electric or hybrid market again remains to be seen.
greencarreports.com
Gigafactory update: Recent construction permits for Tesla’s battery plant in Nevada reveal that just laying foundation will cost some 16 million dollars and the first phase of structural steel construction another 15 million. The total cost of the project is estimated at 5 billion dollars. Right next door, the company Switch will build what will be the world’s largest data centre.
forbes.com (Tesla), gigaom.com (Switch)
Toyota recall: In the U.S., the carmaker is calling back 5,000 Prius V from model years 2014 and 2015 due to possible issues with the Occupant Classification System (OCS). The system is responsible for activating and deactivating the passenger seat air bag and may not have been calibrated correctly.
puregreencars.com, autoblog.com
McLaren P1 GTR headed for Geneva: The track-only hypercar will be unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show as a world premiere. The GTR features a tweaked version of the hybrid system from the P1 road car and only existing P1 owners will get a chance to buy it.
roadandtrack.com (with video), topgear.com
Study tip: In its “Global and China Power Battery Management System (BMS) Industry Report, 2014-2017,“ Research In China names the leading actors in battery management sector in China and notes that the country has some catching up to do. A gap some companies are trying to bridge with takeovers and joint ventures.
chinamarketresearchreports.com (Study, subject to fee) via chargedevs.com
Video tip: In the newest edition of Fully Charged, Robert Llewellyn visits the McLaren Technology Centre and talks to Peter van Manen, Vice President of McLaren Applied Technologies, about the company’s role as a supplier of drivetrains and electronics for the Formula E.
youtube.com, fiaformulae.com
Tuned Model S presented: Saleen has unveiled its ‘FourSixteen’ as promised. This altered Model S looks even more sportive, features an optimised gear box, stronger brakes and better cooling. Pricing starts at 152,000 Dollar while all upgrades are available to retrofit any Model S individually.
greencarreports.com, topgear.com
Most exclusive super hybrid: McLaren presented the design of its P1 GTR at Pebble Beach. This super hybrid costs almost two million pounds (3.34m dollars) and will only be build 30 times. Exclusively reserved for previous P1 customers, the 1,000-hp car is to be driven on race courses.
hybridcars.com, autovolt-magazine.com
Will there be an VW XL2? Volkswagen is working on a four-seat model based on its super efficient XL1, Autocar reports. What would possibly called the XL2 might already hit the market by 2015 and is said to come with more battery capacity and power while still being as efficient as the original two-seater.
autocar.co.uk
Delayed Acura coming soon: Honda’s subsidiary initially planned to release its RLX Hybrid sedan already this spring. Technical issues concerning the battery and electric motor have now been solved and sales are set to start very soon. The drivetrain is similar to that of the upcoming NSX of which a prototype had recently burned down at the Nürnburgring (we reported).
wardsauto.com
BMW delivers first i8: At the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, the German carmaker has handed over the first units of its hybrid sports car to its American customers. A total of seven production i8s were delivered to an exclusive circle of owners.
transportevolved.com, greencarreports.com
The Honda Accord Hybrid is in short supply in the States, where dealers and customers currently do not know when they can get their hybrid car. According to the carmaker, the Ohio-based production of the hybrid Honda is suffering from “component supply constraints.”
greencarreports.com
Google drive: The residents of Mountain View will soon be able to hop on and off an electric shuttle bus sponsored by the internet company. The pilot project is set to start this autumn with four 16-seaters that also come with bicycle carriers. The service will run every 30 minutes and is free.
bizjournals.com, losaltosonline.com
Who is to pay for BlueIndy? Apparently, the city of Inidianapolis has urged its utility provider to apply an extra charge to help finance the planned electric car sharing by French Bolloré group. Obviously, this plan has now sparked opposition by ratepayers, who would never have anything to do with the electric cars.
indystar.com
Special edition P1: McLaren’s Special Operations team has been commissioned by a North American customer to outfit his hybrid super car to unique specifications for the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach. While the “regular” P1 is limited to 375 pieces, now only 374 of them will be left alike.
autoblog.com
EV license plate: Rhode Island created a special license plate for EVs. Its aim is not primarily privileges but to give first responders an indication that they are approaching an electric car. Instead of “Ocean State” the words “Electric/Hybrid” will appear on the plate.
valleybreeze.com
Honda updates: The Japanese carmaker will issue a new version of its FCX Clarity featuring a smaller, yet stronger, fuel cell by 2015, reports Automotive News. Furthermore, the Civic will receive a new hybrid system enabling it to drive all-electrically. A new Fit EV is also on the agenda, but not to be expected before 2016.
autonews.com
Nissan updates: The compact SUV Rogue, which is only available in the USA, is set to be hybridised by the end of 2015, or latest the beginning of 2016. Furthermore, Nissan is thinking about electrifying the Frontier pick up, also known as Navara, at some point.
autonews.com (Rogue), caradvice.com.au (Navara)
Tesla in Hong Kong: Eight Model S have been handed over in Hong Kong and are the first right-hand drives sold outside the UK. Like all Tesla’s in China, they come without a navigation system as Google maps are not supported in the country. Tesla says they are working on a solution, which will then be delivered to Chinese Model S customers via over-the-air software updates.
greencarreports.com (Hong Kong) chinaev.wordpress.com (navi) via autoblog.com
Hybrid racing toy: McLaren sent a sketch of the P1 GTR design concept to its 375 customers of the plug-in hybrid supercar. The P1 GTR is designed to take things to the next level – on the race track only – and will be made exclusively available to existing P1 drivers for about 3-4 million dollars.
hybridcars.com
BMW vs VW vs Nissan: Back in May, German magazine Auto Bild compared the VW E-Golf, the BMW i3 and the Nissan Leaf. Overall, the BMW i3 could impress with the longest range, most efficient motor and best drive, though the E-Golf was not too far behind. Last in the test comes the Leaf. But one has to take into account that this EV is a generation behind, or the longest serving of them all.
greencarreports.com, autobild.de (German original)
Test drive BMW i8: Ray Massey saw a lifelong dream come true when driving the “futuristic gull-winged” plug-in hybrid, so similar to the cars in the sci-fi series UFO he loved. Apart from backseats, which should only considered “for luggage or in emergencies,” Massey finds no fault in the i8 but enjoyed the attention of onlookers.
dailymail.co.uk
Supercharger connection? It looks like BMW might be joined by Nissan in its open approach to Tesla, the ‘Financial Times’ reports. The Japanese carmaker has been talking with the Californians, too, and rumour has it that all three mayor manufacturers might indeed join forces to create charge points to be used by all.
ft.com, insideevs.com, transportevolved.com
McLaren to build track-only P1: McLaren now confirmed to be working on a powerful race car called P1 GTR (we reported). Its hybrid drive is said to come with 1,000 hp and is currently being developed. At the same time, Ferrari is working on the LaFerrari XX, a race version of its hybrid supercar La Ferrari.
topgear.com, autoblog.com
Model X coming up: Reservation holders for the Tesla Model X received an email confirming the arrival of the first cars in early 2015. The electric SUV will now definitively get all-wheel drive, an optional third row and the much-anticipated gull-wing doors.
techcrunch.com
It looks like the latest TV spot for VW’s E-Golf is essentially a copy of Ford’s 2013 clip for its EcoBoost technology. Both videos show a man nostalgically saying goodbye to its local gas station. The concept, however, dates even further back and was first used by Chevrolet to advertise its Cruze.
youtube.com (VW), youtube.com (Ford), youtube.com (Chevrolet)
Differences explained: Luke Ottaway compared the working principle of Chevy’s Volt and the BMW i3 REx. He dubs both as “plug-in hybrids” even though he later admits that the i3 “is primarily a pure electric car.”
torquenews.com
