TOP EV NEWS #1 – BMW to unveil new electric vehicle in Los Angeles
BMW announced the world premiere of a new electric vehicle during the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. The German automaker committed to bringing 12 pure electric vehicles and 13 PHEV to market by 2025. The press conference for the unveiling will be on the 29th of November at 8:50 AM. The company gave no further information on the new vehicle. BMW will also unveil the BMW i-Vision Dynamics Concept, the Mini Concept and the new BMW i3S to the US market.
The BMW i-Vision is a pure-electric four-door Gran Coupe with a range of 373 miles and a top speed of 120 mph. The Mini Electric Concept which would pave the way for the production model expected by 2019. The BMW i3S, a sportier interpretation of the BMW i3 would be available in the US market after the launch in November. Although there is talk of a bigger 120Ah battery for longer range the BMW i3S launched in November 2017 will still have the 94Ah battery of the current BMW i3 but more power through its 184hp electric motor delivering 199lb-ft of torque. The greater power of the BMW i3S will see it accelerate from 0 – 60mph in 6.8 seconds with a top speed of 100mph.
TOP EV NEWS #2 – Lamborgini Terzo Millennio unveiled
Last week Lamborghini of the VW Group teased a picture of its exciting vision vehicle prior to its launch on the 7th of November. The Lamborghini Terzo Millennio, packed with space age was unveiled with its development partner MIT.
The Terzo Millennio is an electric super sports car showcasing radical innovative energy storage and lightweight materials of the future. Lamborghini is set to develop a supercapacitor to bridge the gap with today’s batteries, allowing for the improved energy and power densities required by a super sports car. Nanomaterial technology will be used to diffuse nano-charges in CFK panels to store electric energy and form the body and structure of the car, saving weight. The material used on the body will also be able to monitor its own health so it can detect cracks in the carbon fiber structure. The powertrain would be in-wheel electric motors built on a system made only of wires.
TOP EV NEWS #3 – Ford and Zotye formalizes partnership
In Week 40 Ford’s new CEO Jim Hackett unpacked his plans to get the US carmaker back on track after an investor revolt led to his predecessor’s replacement. One of the pillars of his plan was leveraging partnerships, in particular with Zotye to develop a new line of low-cost all-electric passenger vehicles in China. This Week the two companies signed a definitive JV agreement for the formation of Zotye Ford Automobile Co. Ltd., a 50/50 partnership that will produce stylish yet affordable electric vehicles for the Chinese market. Zotye Ford is yet to announce the new brand for the JV’s strategy. The joint venture will require an initial investment of 5 billion RMB (~$750 million) which will be utilized to establish a manufacturing facility in Zhejiang Province. The JV is Ford’s 3rd in China and will include exploring innovative and connected mobility services. Ford’s other Chinese JV’s are with Changan and JMC.
TOP EV NEWS #4 – India to follow the world’s biggest EV tender with an even bigger tender in 2018
In September the Indian Government’s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) awarded the world’s biggest EV tender of 10,000 EVs to Tata Motors. India’s other big carmaker, Mahindra & Mahindra, got a concession allocation to deliver 3,000 of the total 10,000 units. The tender to replace the Indian Government’s fleet of petrol and diesel vehicles over the next four years is to kickstart the Indian EV sector to reach its ambitious goal to get the country off fossil fuels and 100% EV based by 2030. Tata will supply its Tigo EV, and Mahindra is expected to include its KUV100 Crossover EV which is expected in 2018. According to the Financial Express sources, this week said that the EESL is preparing a second even bigger tender of 20,000 vehicles early in 2018. Speculation is that international EV manufacturers could get a slice of the pie to further develop the Indian EV sector through this new tender. The value of the tender is expected to be in the region of Rs2,300 crore (~$350 million), which equate to $17,500 per vehicle.
TOP EV NEWS #5 – Autonomous news of the past week
After eight years of developing autonomous driving systems, Waymo entered a new chapter in the race to bring the first self-driving vehicle to market by starting the testing of driverless cars without safety drivers at the wheel. The testing is conducted on public roads in Phoenix, Arizona with a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica mini-vans and follows relaxation of the autonomous testing rules by the authorities in October. According to Waymo through a post on Medium, the company will also invite members of the public to take part in the testing in the next few months.
Siemens and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) are conducting the company’s first e-highway demonstration in the USA on a stretch of road between Long Beach and Los Angeles. According to the company, the cost of the project amounted to $13.4 million.
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