Norway’s PEV share exceeded 40 percent for the second time ever this August. The record of 42.4% was set last June. BEVs alone were sold 2,784 times and account for 20.8% percent marketshare. The remaining 19.4% are made up of 2,609 PHEV.
insideevs.com
EV production in Thailand: The South-East Asian country and Japan are negotiating a deal that would turn Thailand into a manufacturing hub. Toyota for example is willing to start building hybrids and more surprisingly EVs here, but only if the Thai government starts to install charging infrastructure first.
bangkokpost.com
2017 Mercedes E Class: Renderings of Daimler’s next-gen E Class were published by German Auto Bild. The model is expected to debut in Detroit 2016 and will most likely feature mild-hybrid tech in nearly all petrol and diesel variants. PHEVs are planned as well with electric motor output from 75 to 120 kW.
indianautosblog.com, autobild.de (original source in German)
Electric double-decker: GreenPower sold the presumably first all-electric double decker bus in North America to EV Power for more than a million dollars. Delivery of the EVC550 is set for mid 2016. Its 400-kWh batteries translate to 240 miles range while the electric bus can carry up to 125 passengers.
marketwatch.com
Bike bargain: Spanish Volta Motorbikes is asking less than 10,000 euros for its electric models BCN City and BCN Sport (9,065 and 9,771 euros). The bikes’ motor delivers 25 kW and peaks at 33 kW. Weighing 135 kilos, both electric bikes include a 4-kW battery pack that lasts for 70 kilometres.
motorfreaks.nl (in Dutch), voltamotorbikes.com (company’s website)
10m dollars before the month’s end or else it is bankruptcy for Smith Electric Vehicles. The electric truckmaker has informed investors about its desperate need for cash. Smith EVs has a history of funding gone foul as both the UK and the Obama administration plus various investors chipped in before.
nlpc.org
Ireland to go green: The Emerald Isle will spent 94.9m pound (144m dollars) in an attempt to become energy efficient. Apart from investments in renewables and upgrades to homes, electric transport incentives will receive some funding as well.
energylivenews.com
To the rescue? Earlier this year, Chinese company Sinopoly Battery, which changed its name to FDG Electric Vehicles, had invested 42 million dollars into struggling Smith Electric to keep the business going and become their exclusive battery supplier (we reported). But because FDG ended the last fiscal year (ending March) with a loss of 117 million dollars, the future remains uncertain.
insideevs.com
Combined Charging System incompatibility: Volkswagen had actually tested several charging stations to see which work properly with their E-Golf before its market launch. But it obviously missed the DC chargers from DBT-CEV along British Ecotrity’s electric highway. Until the three companies have worked out a fix, the E-Golf will have to rely on its 3.7-kW AC charger along routes with the incompatible stations.
autocar.co.uk, transportevolved.com
New Renesas controllers: The new series of 32-bit micro-controllers will help manufactures of motor controllers to enhance efficiency, reduce system costs, and achieve higher safety levels of their systems, says Renesas. A diverse set of new functions has been implemented, such as functional safety requirements to meet ISO26262.
businesswire.com
Battery approval: Chinese manufacturer of battery systems, Highpower International, received product approval by China’s National Quality Control & Inspection Center for Buses for their 20-Ah lithium-ion battery. The approval is based on tests according to China’s automobile standard QC/T 743-2006.
money.cnn.com
Most clicked link on Wednesday was the rumour of Tesla looking into graphene-enhanced lithium-iron batteries.
graphene-info.com
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All-carbon battery: Power Japan Plus is developing a battery that uses carbon for both the anode and cathode. It is said to make charging up to 20 times faster than with Li-ion batteries while enabling up to 3,000 charging cycles. The company hired Kaname Takeya, who developed the cathode technology used today in Toyota’s Prius and Tesla.
gigaom.com, forbes.com
Mutual self-interest: After production grounded to a halt for consolidation (we reported), Smith Electric Vehicles has found fresh capital. With its 41 million dollar-investment Chinese Sinopoly Battery will become a new shareholder and, in return, the exclusive supplier of batteries. Together, the companies will operate as FDG Electric Vehicles.
greencarcongress.com, electriccarsreport.com
On your watch: Consumer Reports took a close look at Tesla’s titanium shield at the underbody of the Model S. In the video Consumer Reports shows which modifications were done to their Model S test car to minimise the risk of road debris damaging the battery.
youtube.com via ecomento.com
E-Golf energy management: Volkswagen is using the second generation PTC high-voltage heaters from Eberspaecher catem for managing the heating for the electric Golf. The same technology with intelligent output control is also found inside the VW E-Up.
eberspaecher.com
Electric B-class now in production: Mercedes-Benz has started production of the new B-class Electric Drive at its Rastatt plant, Germany. Sales of the Tesla-powered car will start in the U.S. this summer with the European market following at the end of this year. UK buyers might have to wait for a right-hand drive version until 2015 though.
autocar.co.uk
Lexus NX unveiled: Just before its actual debut in Beijing, the Japanese carmaker has released details of its hybrid compact SUV. The hybrid Lexus NX is powered by the same drive as the IS300h but will come with front and all-wheel drive. Lexus is also introducing a new 2-litre turbo engine for the NX.
greencarcongress.com, autoblog.com
ix35 FC delayed: Hyundai’s hydrogen car was expected to arrive in the U.S. in March but the company has now said shipments of the H2 Tuscon from Korea are delayed for at least another month. In any case, Hyundai does not expect to see more than 100 vehicles on American roads this year.
green.autoblog.com
Smith EVs to resume operations: CEO Bryan Hansel has now said that production at Smith Electric Vehicles has not stopped (we reported) but is being suspended. Production processes and the supply chain for the electric trucks need to be restructured before a new attempt to become profitable will be started this summer.
bizjournals.com, greencarreports.com
Renault production: French daily Les Echos reports the French carmaker is considering to cut one of two shifts at its plant in Flins, where the Zoe is built amongst other models. This would reduce the annual output from 140,000 to 110,000 cars.
reuters.com
Audi A6 e-tron for China: Together with joint venture FAW-Volkswagen, Audi will bring a plug-in hybrid version of its long-wheelbase A6 to the Chinese market. As announced this morning, the plug-in hybrid will have an electric range of 50 km and will feature “cutting-edge battery technology.”
audi-mediaservices.com
Tesla leasing: In the U.S., businesses can now lease a Model S through Tesla Finance. Everything can be done in an online process, from “signing” a contract to confirming the delivery of the Tesla. Prices start from 1,012 dollars – gas and tax savings excluded.
greencarcongress.com, teslamotors.com
Hej-hej electric Saab: NEVS has started production of the electric Saab 9-3. In a first step, 200 cars will be produced in Sweden before going to Qingdao, China to be tested. If trials are successful, production will be expanded this autumn to start selling the e-Saab in Sweden by 2015.
greencarreports.com
Slightly exalted: Peugeot did not lose time to leak its latest concept for the Beijing Auto Show either. Here, the French carmaker will present the Exalt, a hybrid sedan that uses the Hybrid4 technology.
technologicvehicles.com
Silent exit: Smith Electric Vehicles has stopped production of its electric truck already last year. The “news” has now been broken not by the company itself but by the DoE which has funded demonstration vehicles by the company from Kansas.
green.autoblog.com
New e-bike battery supplier? Apparently, LG Chem is thinking about making batteries for electric bikes as it sees clear signs of growth in the trending segment. The Korean corporation would be the last of the mayor battery suppliers to discover electric two-wheelers after Samsung, Bosch and Panasonic.
bike-eu.com
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