In the USA, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul metropolitan areas in the state of Minnesota, have officially launched an all-electric car-sharing network Evie Carshare with the nonprofit HourCar.
Read more
Sprint Power is leading what they say is a multi-million-pound UK government-backed project that aims to demonstrate the suitability of wireless charging technology for fleet vehicles. The trials will start next month for 6-8 months in Leeds, Nottingham and Warwick.
Read more
The New Zealand government has just approved funding for 22 new low-emission transport projects across the country. The projects in the latest round of government co-funding include a bike and car share scheme, EV charging stations as well as hydrogen and battery-electric trucks.
Read more- ADVERTISEMENT -
Nissan is using its Leaf to power Christmas trees in a number of shopping malls in the Philippines in the run-up to Christmas. With this Christmas stunt, the Japanese manufacturer is demonstrating the Leaf’s bidirectional charging technology.
Read more
Nissan’s vehicle-to-grid technology has arrived in Australia. With a government trial, called Realising Electric Vehicle Services (REVS), Nissan is preparing to launch V2G technology to the Australian market later this year.
Read more
The UK-based taxi operator City Taxis announced plans to roll out 1,500 new vehicles and become one of the first firms in Europe to go fully electric. They plan to make the shift to electric cars by 2025 with cars from Nissan in Sheffield.
Read more- ADVERTISEMENT -
Nissan and EVgo have announced the expansion of their electric car charging network in the USA by a further 200 fast-charging stations. The new DC chargers will each deliver 100 kW of charging power and feature both CHAdeMO and CCS connections.
Read more
The Lithuanian electric car-sharing service Spark has officially launched in Romania with a deployment of 50 cars in Bucharest. The fleet consists of Nissan Leafs and Renault Zoes.
Read more
The new version of Nissan’s bestselling electric car with a 60 kWh battery had been expected for some time. Yet, the Japanese carmaker has stepped back from launching the Leaf just now and said they would wait until the controversy around ex-CEO Ghosn flares down.
Read more
After a slight decline in plug-in sales in previous months, France has fully recovered at the start of spring with sales across all segments on the up. To be precise, EV sales in particular have reached a high that was hitherto unseen.
Read more
The UK government is doing almost nothing to lead by example as most of the ministerial fleet not only runs on petrol but half of the cars even run on diesel. EVs remain a tiny minority.
Read more
Nissan starts the production lines in British Sunderland where it is making the next-gen Leaf as of now. Deliveries in Europe are to begin by February 2018.Â
Read more
Nissan extends U.S. battery plant: The company’s battery factory next to its U.S. assembly plant Smyrna, Tennessee shall get an additional surface of 2,500 square metres. The Smyrna Planning Commission just gave its approval. The Japanese opened the factory in 2012, but announced meanwhile that they will soon sell its complete battery business to Chinese financial investor GSR Capital in order to focus solely on EV designing and production, as reported.
dnj.com
Thermal management alliance: German car supplier Mahle and its French equivalent Faurecia team up to jointly develop interior thermal management tech for EVs. Both agree on a collaboration in areas such as air distribution, air conditioning and personalized thermal management. Just recently, Mahle presented its demonstrator vehicle MEET (Mahle Efficient Electric Transport) at the IAA in Frankfurt.
mahle.com
New TM4 powertrain for hybrid heavyweights: With the SUMO HP HV900 drivetrain, TM4 introduces its new SUMO HP line, which targets the commercial heavy-duty hybrid market. The HV900 is a motor/generator and inverter combination with 190 kW and 915 Nm in a casing of only 200 mm in length. It is designed for series and parallel-hybrid configurations and works with diesel engines, multi-speed gearboxes or integrated to axles for ultra-low floor buses
greencarcongress.com
Another alliance for H2 safety: After the announcement of a German-American alliance for hydrogen safety, the US Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Office partners now also with Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Both organisations agree on a collaboration to share data about early-stage R&D and safety of hydrogen and fuel cells.
greencarcongress.com
Reading tip: From the British Isles over 10,000 miles to Mongolia, such was the challenge of the Mongol Rallye that the Nissan Leaf, pimped by Plug In Adventures has now successfully completed. It is the first electrc car to have ever done so.
scotsman.com
Video tip: Those that cannot get enough of the new Nissan Leaf may head over to our colleagues of Inside EVs who have compiled a list of all the latest videos, some fan-made, some official.
insideevs.com
Click tip: Attention football fans! Nissan could win Barcelona’s Andrés Iniesta as an ambassador for the Nissan Leaf. The football star says he’s excited about starring in commercials to push electric mobility.
sportsbusinessdaily.com
Video tip: Two new teaser videos of the Electric GT racing series show the Tesla race car in action. Though you have to be quick to look as the electric race car speeds past the camera.
youtube.com, youtube.com
Events for the upcoming week: Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (Jan 30 – Feb 02; Mainz, Germany) ++ International Conference on Fundamentals & Development of Fuel Cells (Jan 31 – Feb 03; Stuttgart, Germany) ++ You can find a complete list of upcoming events at electrive.com/calendar
Look back: Both the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, the first plug-in volume models, will turn six this week. Hybrid Cars takes a look at how the two EVs have grown and have compared to each other over the years.
hybridcars.com
Reading tip: Motortrend got to peak behind the curtain at the Faraday Future R&D centre. And while the article doesn’t give any new information about the cars or company that, just a year ago, no one had heard about, a look behind the scenes is always worth a read.
motortrend.com
Reading tip: A Dutch Nissan Leaf driver is getting his money back, since the EV was not able to go the promised 130 kilometres on one charge – which is what he would have needed for his daily commute. It is unclear whether the court ruled on how big the difference between range specified by the manufacturer and reality could be or if this case can and will set a precedence.
.dutchnews.nl
Study tip: Navigant Research sees the market for electric commercial trucks grow tenfold over the next decade. Awareness about air quality and tighter emission standards will be driving factors. The research firm therefore predicts 332,000 hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered trucks on the road by 2026.
hybridcars.com, navigantresearch.com
Video tip: To promote the beauty of electric mobility, Nissan took its 30 kWh Leaf along the scenic route across Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Scotland and France. It’s also nice to watch if you are looking for some of that holiday feeling.
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Reading tip: Matthew DeBord form Business Insider argues that Tesla needs to stop improving its existing models and start focusing more on the Model 3. He argues that “a need for speed doesn’t matter at all to the mass market.”
businessinsider.de
Click tip: The Gigafactory won’t officially open its doors until tomorrow, but a group of journalists already got a first peak behind the curtain. You can also take a virtual tour. The links below contain a number of pictures from the in – and outside.
insideevs.com, electrek.co
Video tip: Car Key UK drove the 30 kWh Nissan Leaf, giving it a “3.5 out of 5,” also because of the price and “odd styling.” They unfortunately also play into common arguments against electric mobility such as range anxiety and the wish to “just fill up and go.”
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Click tip: As part of the European project “E-mobility Innovation Network”, Danish, Estonian, Spanish and German vocational colleges are preparing an overview of subject matter that needs to be covered in class to teach electric mobility. A new survey is said to determine the current level of knowledge of mechanics and auto industry experts.
docs.google.com
Video tip: To show just how what the Leaf V2H can do, Nissan decided to power a concert with its vehicle-to-home technology. Using a charger/inverter connected to the Leaf’s battery, the car powered the gig of several bands that evening, surprising party guests.
youtube.com, insidedevs.com
Geely gets green: Chinese Geely will invest 8bn yuan to build alternative energy vehicles at a new 600 acre base in Hangzhou near Shanghai. The manufacturer intends to produce 100,000 electric vehicles in the first year. These EVs will account for approximately 35 percent of the planned alternative energy vehicle portfolio.
autonew.gasgoo.com
Senate approves: Despite initial objections, the U.S. Senate has voted to reauthorize a 1.6 bn dollar federal programme to boost hybrid and electric vehicle development. The bill suggests spending 339m dollars per year on research, development, engineering, demonstration, and the manufacturing of vehicles and components. Funding is set to expire in 2020.
detroitnews.com
AMG supercar: Mercedes-AMG considers a supercar powered by an F1-derived hybrid powertrain and carbon fibre tub, and small-small capacity V6 engine. The car is expected to cost about the 200,000 pounds and be conceptually more similar to the BMW i8 than limited edition hypercars like i.e. the McLaren P1 or LaFerarri.
autocar.co.uk
Mitsubishigate: Japanese media reports that Mitsubishi has issued misleading data about its internationally sold, all-electric i-MiEV. The carmaker already admitted to manipulating fuel readings for automobiles sold in Japan and has been ordered by Japan’s Transport Ministry to submit a full report on their test data by May 18th.
reuters.com
Di Grassi triumphant: The FIA Formula E race took place in Paris this past weekend, with Lucas di Grassi emerging triumphant and taking his third win this season. The race started with a tellingly slow start from Sam Bird and ended with a safety car being deployed after Chinese racer Ma Qing Hua crashed in the final laps.
fiaformulae.com
Long-term Leaf: Autocar takes a look at the new 30 kWh Nissan Leaf that, following a battery upgrade at the beginning of the year, should have 25 percent more range than the previous model. Driving the souped up Tekna variant, journalists found that the new generation is indeed more capable and practical.
autocar.co.uk
Toyota in Tokyo: Toyota has begun testing its two-wheeled electric Winglet on the roads of Tokyo’s Koto Ward. The Segway-style vehicle stands 1.2 m tall, weighs 20 kg, and can reach speeds up to 6 kph. Testing will continue through the end of March 2017, and the public will be given a chance to test drive the vehicle from April.
the-japan-news.com
Palermo entrance fees: From today, Italian city of Palermo is introducing access fees for cars to city centre. Only Euro IV vehicles (or higher), as well as motorcycles and electric cars can enter the city free of charge.
urbanaccessregulations.com
Free permits for Leeds: A twelve-month free parking permit will be issued to people in Leeds who own ultra-low emissions cars and vans. The move is marketed as an incentive for those considering electric and hybrid cars to make the switch. Permits are only available to Leeds residents.
yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
Delhi’s big incentives: The Delhi government enacted a slew of new EV incentives, cutting VAT on EV purchases from 12.5 to 5 percent, while subsidies for e-rickshaws have been doubled. Electric cars will also be exempted from road tax. The Karnataka government also eliminated all taxes on electric vehicles earlier this month.
business-standard.com
Go LEAFs!: Four all-electric Nissan Leaf have been delivered to the Colorado State University fleet. Two will be used by housing and dining staff to travel to work events during the day, while the other two are specifically for the facilities’ management staff. Two training events were held with the help of community initiative Drive Electric Northern Colorado.
colostate.edu
Video tip: Watch the Nissan Leaf on a ski trip in British Columbia, Canada. While going uphill is a rather energy consuming affair, the downhill ride rejoices the EV’s battery and saves the brakes by regenerative braking.
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Reading tip: Here is a write up of speculations on how long Elon Musk will be able to foot the double bill, acting both as Space X and as Tesla CEO. He promised to stay with Tesla as long as he “can possibly imagine,” but maybe in other capacities after the Model 3 launch.
fool.com
Some 200,000 Nissan Leaf will have been sold in January. Last week, Journalist from across Europe were invited to celebrate the EVs fifth birthday in Paris. Five years old – that means the Leaf is soon ready to head to elementary school. Or in other words: the electric car is slowly growing up. That raises […]
Read moreIn January, the 200,000th Nissan Leaf is to reach its owner, the company announced. Introduced in 2010, the Leaf remains the most sold EV worldwide. Most buyers are in the USA (90,000) followed by 50,000 Japanese drivers and about 40,000 Europeans.
automotiveworld.com, electriccarsreport.com, nissaninsider.co.uk
Research tip: Navigant Research published its”Lithium Ion Batteries for Transportation” report. It sets LG Chem apart as leading provider of power packs for electric and hybrid vehicles. The Koreans are closely pursued by Panasonic and Samsung SDI. All three excel in both strategy and execution.
navigantresearch.com via greencarcongress.com
Video tip: Take a good and long (20 min) look at the 2016 Nissan Leaf with the new 30-kWh battery. Obviously, the so-called first look fully takes in the interior, handling and includes a glimpse under the hood as well. It’s more of a how-to-guide than a review.
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Upcoming events: EEVC 2015 (Dec 01-04; Brussels, Belgium) ++ Solutions COP21 (Dec 04-10; Paris, France)
You can find a complete list of upcoming industry events at electrive.com/calendar
BMW motorcycle as hybrid: German aftermarket shop Wunderlich has added a 7.6-kilowatt hub motor on the front wheel to the BMW R1200GS LC. It can propel the bike up to 12 mph on its own (20 kph), helping with acceleration on the road and propulsion when off road. The battery nests under the machine’s front beak.
autoblog.com
Green energy as fuel: Swiss research institute Empa kicked off project “move” to test the use of renewable energy to power vehicles. Over the next years, it will analyze long- and short-term energy storage methods during summer months. Stored in batteries or as H2, the green energy will then later be used to fuel vehicles.
idw-online.de
Leaf brake issue solution: In March, Canada’s transport ministry had started to look into possible braking problems with the Nissan Leaf during cold weather. The Japanese carmaker says it can fix the issue without a recall by simply updating the software.
insideevs.com
From methane to hydrogen: Researchers from the German KIT and IASS have developed a stable method for hydrogen production from methane gas. Using a process called “methane cracking,” the former is split into hydrogen and carbon without emitting any CO2. The H2 can then be used as fuel.
greencarcongress.com, kit.edu
Video tip I: In this episode of Fully Charged, Robert Llewellyn hops behind the wheel of the new Nissan Leaf featuring a 30 kWh battery pack. It’s not any bigger, but can hold more energy because of increased density. To show how better range has gotten, the carmaker sent Robert up a mountain road. Spoiler alert: He made it! But just with how much juice left in the battery?
youtube.com
Video tip II: In this episode of Translogic, Jonathon Buckley gets behind the wheel of the three-wheeled Defiant EV3 – a strange mix of futuristic EV meets oldtimer (from the front, you might even see a little bit of Darth Vader). The range of this ‘auto-cycle’ is set between 80-100 miles. The aerodynamic design means, the car need less power and a smaller battery pack than other EVs out there.
autoblog.com
Video tip: With a new Nissan Leaf model for 2016, also comes a new ad for the U.S. It is also a sent off for the previous model year, which the ad mentions as having sold the best among plug-in vehicles in the United States.
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Download tip: The California Governor’s Office of Business Development has developed a guidebook for the development of H2 filling stations. The aim is to is to standardise hydrogen usage development.
business.ca.gov
Video tip I: For those that missed this milestone in Tesla history, here comes the Model X launch in full. Take your time and cherish the moment (the video is half an hour long). Psst, wings open at 14 minutes in.
youtube.com
Video tip II: This clip comes from Smyrna, Tennessee and takes us inside the Nissan Leaf battery facility. A few explanatory comments along the production line would have been helpful, but the ‘tschak-beep-wuuush’ sounds of the machines sure makes you wonder.
youtube.com
