Alt Energy Autos

Lucid Air will have over 500 miles of range, beating out Tesla's Model S battery

2020-08-15T16:33:00.003-04:00

The Air electric sedan looks like it will beat Tesla to the punch when it comes to a 500-mile EV.

Are we dreaming? Nope, Lucid swears this does over 500 miles on a charge.

Lucid

Move over, Elon Musk. Tesla may have been the first to build an electric car with over 400 miles of range, but Lucid has some pretty astounding news to tell us.

The startup, which once teetered on the brink of collapse, said on Tuesday its Air electric sedan will go an astounding 517 estimated miles on a single charge. Five-hundred and seventeen miles, folks. Today, the Tesla Model S is king with a 402-mile EPA-estimated range, and in reality, it will remain at the top until Lucid actually builds the Air. But when it does, it could deliver a might blow to Tesla.

Now, of course it's easy to toss numbers around when it comes to startups and wild concepts. But Lucid did its homework. They took the Air to FEV North America to undergo independent testing. There, FEV applied the EPA's current test cycle with the standard adjustment factor, and that returned the 517-mile range. In addition to the indepedent test results, Lucid said its own testing indicated the Air would go well beyond its original estimate of 400-plus miles of range.

"A few years ago we revealed our alpha prototypes of the Lucid Air and promised over 400 miles of range; a reflection of our technology at that time," Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson said. "In the intervening period we have achieved a series of technological breakthroughs, culminating in an unsurpassed degree of energy efficiency."

Audi increases upfront expenditure for electric mobility; €12B by 2024

2019-11-30T08:42:00.000-05:00

Audi AG plans an outlay of approximately €37 billion for research and development expenditure and investment in property, plant and equipment over the next five years (2020 to 2024).

The current planning reflects a significant improvement in investment and cost discipline, as well as the strong prioritization of investments in electric mobility. The manufacturer is planning an upfront expenditure of €12 billion solely for electric mobility—more than ever before.

The Audi Transformation Plan (ATP), launched two years ago, is freeing up the necessary funds. Since the start of the program, the ATP has already contributed €4 billion to earnings. Furthermore, measures taken in the context of Audi.Zukunft are to free up approximately €6 billion for future investments by 2029.

With our Consistently Audi strategy, we are accelerating our roadmap towards electrification. Our investment planning takes this into account. At around €12 billion, we will spend more than ever before on electric mobility by 2024.

—Alexander Seitz, Board of Management Member for Finance, China and Legal Affairs at Audi AG

“

By 2025, the Audi Group intends to have more than 30 electrified models in its product range, 20 of which will be fully electric. Audi intends to achieve about 40% of its worldwide unit sales with all-electric and hybridized automobiles by then.

In order to achieve the rapid scaling of electric mobility, Audi is working with Porsche to develop the premium electrification architecture (PPE) for large electric cars; the Modular E Drive System (MEB) is being developed together with Volkswagen. The cross-brand architectures will enable high Group synergies to be utilized in the future.

In order to finance the high investment required to realign the business model, the company launched the Audi Transformation Plan (ATP). This earnings-improvement program is to free up a total of €15 billion for future investments by 2022. The ATP has already contributed more than €4 billion to operating profit since it was launched.

With the ATP, we have significantly improved our spending discipline and our focus on investment. The course has been set for Audi to return to an operating return on sales within the strategic target corridor of 9 to 11 percent in the medium term.

—Alexander Seitz

Measures have already been identified for 80% of the program.

Audi.Zukunft, a fundamental agreement reached on 26 November between the company’s management and the employee representatives, will also make a crucial contribution towards ensuring Audi’s long-term competitiveness. The agreement includes the market-oriented optimization of strategic production capacities at the two German plants and socially responsible workforce adjustments.

The agreement strengthens new job profiles in apprenticeships and further training and extends the employment guarantee until the end of 2029. At the same time, the Works Council and the company’s management have agreed to cut up to 9,500 jobs until 2025.

The reductions will take place along the demographic curve—in particular through employee turnover and a new, attractive early-retirement program. An equivalent percentage staff reduction will take place in management.

Nonetheless, Audi will continue to recruit in the coming years. The company plans to create up to 2,000 new expert positions in areas such as electric mobility and digitalization. Those appointments will be made on the principle of internal before external candidates.

The measures agreed upon within the framework of Audi.Zukunft are expected to have a cumulative positive impact on earnings of approximately €6 billion by 2029, which is to be available for investments in the future.

BMW Group to build future MINI E vehicles in China with Great Wall Motor

2019-11-30T08:40:00.001-05:00

The BMW Group and Great Wall Motor have launched a new joint venture—Spotlight Automotive Limited—and are building a joint plant in China, where the BMW Group will produce future fully-electric models of its MINI brand.

The plant will have a standard capacity of up to 160,000 vehicles per year, which will require around 3,000 employees after the ramp-up phase. Both partners will together invest around €650 million (more than five billion CNY). The construction phase is planned for 2020 to 2022.

In summer 2018, the 50:50 joint venture agreement was signed in Berlin in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

As well as production, the innovative joint venture model also includes joint development of battery-electric vehicles in the world’s largest market for electromobility.

The joint venture envisages production of future electric MINI vehicles, as well as several models and brands for Great Wall Motor. Following the launch of the brand-new first-generation fully-electric MINI, which will be built at Oxford and come to market in the first quarter of 2020, this is another important step towards the MINI brand’s electrified future.

MINI Plant Oxford, which recently built the 10 millionth car since the brand’s launch in 1959, will remain the heart and home of MINI manufacturing, while the Spotlight Automotive joint venture will provide additional capacity and flexibility.

Zhangjiagang was chosen as the location of the Spotlight plant because of its solid supplier network, skilled workforce and good infrastructure. Jiangsu is also one of the leading provinces for finance, education and technology.

The BMW Group is firmly committed to continuing its successful cooperation with established sales structures and channels in China. The joint venture will not be creating an additional sales organization in China for future electric vehicles. Every joint venture partner will use their own sales channel for their specific brands.

The BMW Group is already a leading supplier of electrified vehicles. By the end of 2021, the company aims to have more than one million fully-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on the roads worldwide.

At that point, the BMW Group will offer five fully-electric production vehicles. Alongside the BMW i3, which saw demand increase by approximately 20% so far this year, production of the fully-electric MINI will also begin at the Oxford plant (UK) this month.

More than 78,000 customers have so far expressed an interest in the MINI ELECTRIC. In 2020, production of the fully-electric BMW iX3 will begin at the Shenyang plant (China), followed in 2021 by the BMW iNEXT, which will be built at the Dingolfing plant (Germany). The BMW i4 is also due to go into series production at the Munich plant in 2021.

By 2023, the company will already offer 25 electrified models—more than half of which will be fully electric. Flexible vehicle architectures, which allow a model to be driven fully electrically, as a plug-in hybrid or with a combustion engine, form the basis for this, as well as a highly flexible production system.

Hyundai Motor previews HDC-6 NEPTUNE fuel-cell-electric truck concept and trailer

2019-10-22T20:27:00.000-04:00

Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) released the first rendering images of its concept for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric truck, HDC-6 NEPTUNE.

Known for its leadership in fuel cell technology with integrated capabilities for the passenger and commercial vehicle markets, HMC will debut its latest commercial truck concept during this year’s North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta.

In addition, Hyundai Translead (HT) will also reveal its eco-friendly, high-performance refrigerated concept trailer solution, HT Nitro ThermoTech.

Supporting the company’s vision for a zero-carbon-emission fuel-cell truck, Hyundai’s name for its concept—HDC-6 NEPTUNE—recognizes the Roman god of the seas, Neptune, symbolizing the hydrogen-powered natural elements of the sea: the largest potential source of hydrogen fuel on Earth.

We have cemented the fuel cell technology leadership positon in the passenger vehicle sector with the world’s first commercially produced fuel cell EV and the second generation fuel cell EV, the NEXO. With the introduction of HDC-6 NEPTUNE, in addition to the road-proven Xcient fuel cell truck, we expand our technology leadership into the commercial vehicle sector by unveiling our vision of how fuel cell electric trucks can resolve the environmental equations of widely used commercial vehicles and our commitment to create a decarbonized society.

—Edward Lee, Head of Commercial Vehicle Business Division at Hyundai Motor Company

In addition to HDC-6 NEPTUNE’s unique construction, fuel-cell system and advanced in-cab technology, its modern design draws inspiration from the streamliner railway trainsets of the 1930s with its Art Deco function-driven style. Similarly, the HDC-6 NEPTUNE design team found new ways to combine both form and function to create an entirely unique new solution within the commercial vehicle industry.

Hyundai’s commercial offerings include trucks from Class 2 to Class 8 and buses which are manufactured in three international plants and currently sold in 130 countries around the world since 1970s.

Groupe Renault introduces fuel-cell range extenders into its light commercial electric vehicles

2019-10-22T20:24:00.000-04:00

Groupe Renault is extending the range of its electric light commercial vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells. Renault KANGOO Z.E. Hydrogen will be available at the end of 2019 and Renault MASTER Z.E. Hydrogen in 2020.

Tested since 2014, Groupe Renault’s hydrogen technology was developed in partnership with Symbio, a Groupe Michelin subsidiary.

The vehicles are equipped with a range extender fuel cell providing electric and thermal power of 10 kW, increasing the range of Renault MASTER Z.E. Hydrogen and Renault KANGOO Z.E. Hydrogen to more than 350 km (217 miles).

Another advantage of hydrogen is that charging takes just five to ten minutes. Hydrogen responds to the requirements of professionals not yet to be fulfilled by electric vehicles, notably for their long-distance travel needs.

Expected in first-half 2020, Renault MASTER Z.E. Hydrogen will triple the range from 120 km to 350 km and will be available in van (two versions) and chassis cab (two versions). Equipped with two hydrogen tanks located under the car body, the vehicle will gain in versatility with no compromises on the load volume from 10.8 m³ to 20 m³ with a reasonable additional weight of 200 kg.

From the end of 2019, Renault KANGOO Z.E. Hydrogen will boast the best real-life range of any electric van on the market at 370 km (230 miles) (vs 230 km.143 miles WLTP with Kangoo Z.E.). With a load volume of 3.9 m³, despite a reasonable additional weight of 110 kg, this vehicle will be available in France at €48,300 ex. VAT (including the battery purchase and not including ecological bonuses).

Groupe Renault considers hydrogen electric light commercial vehicles particularly suitable for the intensive needs and uses of professionals in large urban areas up to the periphery of cities: transport and logistics, urban deliveries and multi-technical services, municipal and local authority services, express and special mail.

Hyundai Motor Group develops world first active shift control for hybrids

2019-07-20T09:15:00.000-04:00

Hyundai Motor Group has developed the world’s first Active Shift Control (ASC) transmission technology. The innovation optimizes transmission efficiency by monitoring gear shifts 500 times per second, precisely adjusting the transmission rotation speed to for faster shift times. The new technology will premiere in the upcoming Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and eventually benefit other upcoming Hyundai and Kia hybrids.

ASC applies new control logic software to the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU), which then controls the electric motor to align the rotational speeds of the engine and transmission to reduce gear shift time by 30%. The technology also delivers smoother gear changes despite quicker shift times.

The development of world’s first ASC technology is a remarkable innovation which incorporates precise motor control to automatic transmission. It will not only save fuel but also provide a more fun driving experience for our customers.

—KyoungJoon Chang, Vice President and Head of Powertrain Control System Group of Hyundai Motor Group

Conventional hybrid vehicles do not have torque converters in order to further improve fuel economy as torque converters lose energy during the process of transmission. Although fuel efficient, such a system also requires longer shift times to ensure smoother gear changes.

ASC technology allows the hybrid’s electric motor to also take control of gear shifts by applying new software logic to the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) to mitigate issues with slower shift time. The HCU monitors the rotational speed of transmission with a sensor installed inside the electric motor at 500 times per second to quickly synchronize the rotational speed with that of engine.

With the synchronization, shift time is reduced by 30% from 500ms to 350ms. This not only improves hybrid vehicle’s acceleration performance and fuel economy, but also durability of the transmission by minimizing friction during gear shift.

BYD, Toyota jointly to develop battery electric vehicles for Chinese market

2019-07-20T09:10:00.000-04:00

BYD Company Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation have signed an agreement for the joint development of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The two parties will jointly develop sedans and low-floor SUVs as well as the onboard batteries for these vehicles and others with the aim to launch them in the Chinese market under the Toyota brand in the first half of the 2020s.

BYD was founded in 1995 as a battery business and has grown into a total energy solution company, manufacturing not only electrified vehicles but other products such as large-size energy storage cells. Core parts for electrified vehicles such as batteries, motors and power electronics are among the products that BYD develops in-house.

In 2008, BYD became the first company to sell mass production of plug-in hybrid electrified vehicles (PHEVs). Since 2015 onwards, BYD’s sales of BEVs and PHEVs have been ranked first in the world for four consecutive years.

Since the launch of hybrid electric vehicle production in 1997, Toyota has become a pioneer of electrified vehicle development, and accumulated a rich array of technologies and experience in the development, production, and sales of electrified vehicles.

In terms of BEVs, Toyota is now developing a wide range of vehicles, from pedestrian-zone (or walking-area) BEVs to ultra-compact two-seater BEVs, as well as conventional-size passenger vehicle BEVs, among others.

Toyota has already announced its plan to gradually have more than 10 BEV models available worldwide by the first half of the 2020s, starting with a rollout in China in 2020.

Going forward, BYD and Toyota will make use of the electrified vehicles, and battery development technologies they have acquired through their market introductions and will work together to further develop BEVs that are attractive to customers and in further promoting their widespread adoption.

Toyota Expands Battery Supply With CATL Deal

2019-07-20T08:47:00.000-04:00

As it gradually moves to begin selling more plug-in and electric cars, Toyota is widening its net to secure more batteries.

Japan's largest automaker signed a deal this week to buy batteries from Chinese suppliers Contemporary Amex Technologies (CATL) and BYD. The agreement adds to a January deal Toyota signed to buy batteries from Panasonic.

All three deals go beyond simple battery supplies. Toyota will work with the three battery suppliers on everything from developing new solid-state batteries to building out systems to recycle the batteries they produce.

Toyota executives have said in the past that they don't believe lithium-ion batteries are the best solution for electric cars, and that they expect better chemistry to emerge to make electric cars more affordable, reliable, and safer.

With the electric-car market looking set to expand dramatically in the next few years, Toyota and other automakers that have stood on the sidelines are scrambling to ramp up their own supply chains to begin producing EVs.

Toyota announced in June that it is developing its first dedicated electric-car platform, potentially for a mid-size SUV, in conjunction with Subaru.

Executive vice president Shegeki Terashi told reporters in Japan last month that the company expects half of its sales by 2025 to come from hybrids, electric-cars, or plug-ins, according to a Reuters report. "There may be a gap between the amount of batteries we can produce, and the amount of batteries we may need,” he said at the time.

ZF develops dual-lens camera for commercial vehicles; launches in 2020 with integrated ADAS technologies

2019-06-15T16:16:00.000-04:00

ZF has developed the Dual-cam two-lens camera specifically designed for the commercial truck market and to be used in concert with other ZF ADAS technologies. The camera features ZF’s longitudinal and lateral vehicle control expertise combined with Mobileye’s advanced EyeQ4 processor.

Part of ZF’s S-Cam4 family of automotive-grade cameras, the Dual-cam is designed to help meet varying global regulatory requirements and delivers advanced functions such as Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Keeping Assist and Centering and object and pedestrian detection to enable Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB).

ZF dual-cam image

To help ensure these technologies work effectively on commercial trucks a second lens is necessary for some of these advanced functions. For example, for pedestrian AEB in some instances a standard mono-camera with a 52-degree field can limit the ability to detect pedestrians or other vulnerable road users with enough time to actuate the brakes and help avoid or mitigate accidents for larger trucks in complex environments.

—Dan Williams, head of ADAS and autonomy for ZF Commercial truck applications

Having a second lens also enables redundancy for Level2+ functions—if one lens becomes blinded or non-functional the second lens helps ensure the camera can still operate due to multiple optical paths.

ZF’s camera technologies feature best-in-class optical performance and an enhanced fusion envelope. When combined with a full suite of the company’s ADAS technologies such as forward looking and corner radar, automated functions such as lane change assist, and traffic jam assist are enabled. These functions can form the basis for technologies such as truck platooning to make long haul trucking safer and more efficient.

ZF has a long history of commercial truck ADAS supply for major European truck makers, and will launch an advanced ADAS system for a major Japanese manufacturer in 2020. The launch will include ZF’s first application for its Image Processing Module where camera images will be processed in a separate unit from the camera housing.

Global BMW Group electrified vehicle sales pass 400K mark

2019-06-15T16:12:00.000-04:00

In May, cumulated BMW Group electrified sales topped the 400,000 mark with a total of 406,756 fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models delivered to customers since the BMW i3 first went on sale in November 2013.

Five and a half years after it was launched, demand for the iconic BMW i3 continues to grow with global sales in May up 40.0%.

Overall sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles grew by 9.8% in May, as customers show increasing interest in low emissions mobility.

Deliveries of the plug-in hybrid BMW 2 Series Active Tourer quadrupled in May and sales of the electrified BMW 5 Series increased by 40.4%.

Sales of the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 in May were almost three times as high as the same month last year.

By the end of next year, the BMW Group will have introduced ten new or updated electrified models and by the end of this year, the company expects to have a total of half a million electrified vehicles on the roads.

Honda provides some detail on chassis and powertrain for Honda e EV

2019-06-15T16:03:00.001-04:00

Honda’s new compact electric vehicle, the Honda e, is the first Honda to be built on a dedicated EV platform, designed from the ground up to deliver excellent Honda driving dynamics.

The Honda e platform has been developed with a focus on urban environments to offer a rewarding, responsive driving experience. The battery is positioned at a low level under the floor, and centrally within the wheelbase of the car, affording a 50:50 weight distribution and low centre of gravity for optimal handling and stability.

Power from the high-torque electric motor is delivered through the rear wheels, enabling steering precision even at high acceleration.

The platform offers a combination of ride comfort and agility. The four-wheel independent suspension is engineered to offer stability in all conditions, a smooth ride and responsive handling. Elements of the suspension components are forged aluminum to reduce weight and benefit performance and efficiency.

When combined with its compact size and short overhang, the Honda e delivers next-generation small car agility to make city driving enjoyable and tight maneuvers in urban environments effortless.

For continued ease of use and charging flexibility, the 35.5 kWh Lithium-ion battery can be charged using either Type 2 AC connection or a CCS2 DC rapid charger. Combined with a full range of more than 200 km, the fast-charge capability of the advanced powertrain will deliver exceptional usability to meet the demands of everyday commuting providing 80% charge in 30 minutes.

Designed with a focus on simplicity and usability, the Honda e charging port is integrated into the hood, with LED lighting visible through a glass panel to illuminate the port for the driver and highlight the battery charging status. The positioning of the charging port allows easy access from the front of the car or from either side. Displays on the dual touchscreens inside the car present the current level of battery charge, while a drivetrain graphic charts the current power flow and the regeneration and recharging status.

The battery pack is water-cooled to maintain an optimum thermal state therefore maximising the efficiency of the battery and charge state, while also ensuring its size and weight are minimised so that it does not compromise cabin room.

Honda’s new compact electric car is a key part of the brand’s latest electrification commitment to feature electrified technology in 100% of its European sales by 2025. Presented in prototype form at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the first Honda production battery electric vehicle for the European market will make its mass production debut later this year.

Honda has already received 31,000 expressions of interest, and customers can make a reservation for priority ordering online in UK, Germany, France and Norway or register their interest in other European markets on the Honda national websites.

Tesla Model Y Electric Range Just 8-10% Less Than Model 3, Says Musk

2019-06-03T16:05:00.000-04:00

As a crossover, a drop in range compared to the Model 3 is to be expected.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the range of the Model Y will be up to 10% less than the Tesla Model 3 due to its shape and weight.

In that same Ride The Lightning podcast that brought us news of the $50,000 Tesla pickup truck and the insane performance of the upcoming Tesla Roadster, we learn some information in regards to the Model Y.

In discussing the Model Y, Musk stated:

“We tried to make the car as similar to the [Model 3] as possible except in the case where a change was necessary to achieve SUV functionality…[all] while still having a low drag coefficient and not increasing the frontal area too much.”

According to Musk, the net result is a range loss of only 8-10%, as compared to the Model 3. Not bad for a vehicle that can seat up to 7 in a pinch.

While Tesla’s Model 3 sedan is a runaway success, the coming Model Y sport-utility vehicle could eventually out-sell it. Planned to debut later in 2020, it will be based on the Model 3 and start at $39,000 with a 230-mile battery range.

Unfortunately, the base model won’t be available until 2021. Tesla will initially sell costlier versions of the Model Y at launch, with a range of between 280 and 300 miles and priced up to $61,000.

13 Photos

New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/clean-air-taxis-cut-pollution-new-york-city-study to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 mpg, and corresponding estimates of nitric oxide (NO) and total particulate (PMT) exhaust emissions declined by 82% and 49%, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city’s air. Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9% of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as “clean air” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city’s 100,000 for-hire vehicles such as Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations. The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor. —Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes. The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxis—not in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health. This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference. —co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health Additional authors include Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Christian A. Treat, David Evans, Kimberly R. Burke, Daniel Carrion at the Columbia Mailman School and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Loni P. Tabb, Gina S. Lovasi at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. The research was conducted in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was financed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (P50ES09600), the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (P30ES009089), the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Foundation.

2019-06-03T16:01:00.001-04:00

New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/clean-air-taxis-cut-pollution-new-york-city-study to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 mpg, and corresponding estimates of nitric oxide (NO) and total particulate (PMT) exhaust emissions declined by 82% and 49%, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city’s air.

Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9% of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as “clean air” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city’s 100,000 for-hire vehicles such as Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations.

The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor.

—Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes.

The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxis—not in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health.

This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference.

—co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health

Additional authors include Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Christian A. Treat, David Evans, Kimberly R. Burke, Daniel Carrion at the Columbia Mailman School and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Loni P. Tabb, Gina S. Lovasi at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health.

The research was conducted in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was financed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (P50ES09600), the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (P30ES009089), the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Foundation.

Tesla Pickup Truck To Be Priced Below $50,000, Makes Ram Seem Puny

2019-06-03T16:01:00.000-04:00

The target starting price is even lower.

This is a real shocker. In fact, it's a bit hard to believe.

According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the upcoming Tesla truck will have a target price of under $50,000. This seems an impossible figure given the fact that other Tesla products (aside from the Model 3) start at a price that's much higher. However, Musk stated this in a recent Ride The Lightning Podcast:

“You should be able to buy a really great truck for $49k or less.”

Musk added that the capabilities of the Tesla truck will be unmatched, though its appearance might be a bit over-the-top for a typical truck buyer.

If that price turns out to be true, then yes indeed the Tesla truck will beat the Rivian R1T and electric trucks from Ford and others, too.

In the past, Musk commented on the abilities of the Ram truck, stating that it'll be more or less toy-like compared to the Tesla truck. Range of the Tesla truck is expected to be around 500 miles. The unveiling is set for sometime later this year.

In top-level trim, it should boast a range of between 400 and 500 miles, possibly more. As one might suspect, it will be all-wheel drive with a motor for each axle. Musk also noted that the suspension will dynamically adjust according to its load. Being electric and a truck means it will have lots of torque. While we can't say how much, exactly, we can point out that Musk once tweeted that it could tow 300,000 pounds.

Regarding the look, there's been any number of renders of a possible Tesla truck produced over the past couple of years, but we've yet to see the actual truck to really have an idea of what it will look like, though Musk does say it'll have a certain sort of sci-fi appearance.

Hyundai Motor introduces electric double-decker bus

2019-06-02T20:23:00.001-04:00

In Seoul, Hyundai Motor unveiled an electric double-decker bus—a first of its kind for Hyundai, and part of the company’s effort to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

The all-new electric double-decker bus is being shown at the ‘Land, Infrastructure and Transport Technology Fair’ held in Korea, co-hosted by Hyundai and the national Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, lasting from 29 to 31 May.

To develop the company’s first electric double-decker bus, Hyundai worked for 18 months on a project supported by the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, which began in 2017.

The bus allows up to 70 passengers—11 seats on the first floor and 59 seats on the second floor—1.5 times as many passengers as compared to that of a regular bus. Through the implementation of two fixed-in-space wheelchairs, an automatic sliding ramp and low floor design, the double-decker bus secures added accessibility for disabled and mobility impaired passengers.

As part of the company’s effort to increase efficiency and to reduce vehicle emissions, Hyundai equipped the all-new bus with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery, with a maximum 300 km (186 miles) driving range on a single charge. A full charge can be completed in 72 minutes.

The large electric double-decker bus is 12,990 mm long and 3,995 mm high. It runs on an independent suspension system in the first driving axle for a more comfortable ride, and a 240 kW wheel motor axle combined with a motor in the second axle that minimizes loss of electricity. A rear-wheel steering system works in coherence with the steering system of the first axle, optimizing steering performance.

Various advanced safety features are also equipped on the bus to ensure the safety of the passengers:

Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) helps identify the driver’s intended driving direction and maintain the vehicle in control.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) uses the car’s front-facing camera to help detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously.
Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) helps prevent accidental lane departure by sensing road markings.

Study finds NYC Clean Air Taxi rules successful in cutting pollution

2019-06-02T19:52:00.000-04:00

The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor.

—Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference.

—co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group unveils hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric city buses

2019-06-02T19:41:00.001-04:00

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group’s (GCV) subsidiary brand, Yuan Cheng, launched two new zero-emission buses at a ceremony in Beijing: the F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 battery-electric bus.

The F12 is Geely’s first commercial vehicle which utilizes hydrogen fuel cell technology and after a 10-minute refueling can run more than 500 km (311 miles). The C11 battery-electric bus is made for a variety of operational scenarios such as city commuting, tourism, and public transportation. Along with a high passenger capacity, the two new models also have the advantages of being quiet and economical.

Yuan Cheng F12 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

As a provider of public transportation solutions, Yuan Cheng provides a full range of pure electric, range-extended, hydrogen, and methanol smart buses between 6 and 12 meters long. Along with a wide variety of products designed to meet different operational needs, Yuan Cheng also provides training, after-sales service, parts, charging services, financial services, and other comprehensive services as part of Geely’s future smart three-dimensional travel ecology.

F12 fuel cell bus. The new hydrogen-powered F12 city bus was developed by GCV in response to China’s national new energy policy and as part of Geely’s continuing R&D into fuel cell technologies.

In real world operational tests, the F12 fuel cell bus had an energy consumption rate of 7.5 kg of hydrogen per 100 km. A full tank is enough for all-day operation. Through extreme environmental test such as extreme heat, cold, and high altitude, hydrogen fuel cell technology has been proven to be very adaptive.

In addition to its advantages of zero emissions and low energy consumption, the F12 also comes with attractive design, comfortable interior, and multiple smart functions. The model is available in both 12-meter and 10.5-meter versions. The F12 bus comes with real time remote monitoring, road condition warning, remote fault diagnostic, and other intelligent features to assist companies in scheduling and fleet management.

C11 battery-electric bus. Utilizing Geely Holding Group’s experience in design, R&D, and supply chain management for passenger vehicles, GCV was able to develop the C11 pure electric bus to meet the diverse needs of different users. The electric bus utilizes Geely’s advanced lightweight technologies, perfectly meeting the operational needs of urban commuting, tourism, and chartered buses.

Yuan Cheng C11 Electric Bus

The C11 fully utilizes Geely’s suite of intelligent technologies such as AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes, ESP Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Rearview Mirror, AutoHold Automatic Parking Brake, EPB Electronic Parking Brake, DMS Driver Fatigue Management System, etc. In terms of intelligent safety, the AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes on the C11 help drivers monitor the road and keep pedestrians safe. Together with LDW Lane Departure Warning, these features help reduce traffic accidents by 80%.

Optimizing battery energy consumption, the C11 is equipped with an IECS Intelligent Energy Control System which improves the energy efficiency of the vehicle by 16%.

Geely commercial buses are produced in two plants in Nanchong, Sichuan and in Jinzhong, Shanxi, which can meet the production needs of products in Northern and Southern China.

Development strategy. The newly unveiled F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 electric city bus expand GCVs product lineup into the public transportation market. The unveiling and launch of these two new products represents GCV’s commitment to green mobility. At the same time, it demonstrates Geely’s leadership and strength in R&D, design, manufacturing, and resource integration.

NTSB investigation of Model 3 fatal crash in March finds Autopilot was active

2019-05-17T20:25:00.000-04:00

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the fatal March 2019 crash of a Tesla Model 3 with a semi-trailer in Delray Beach, Fla., stating that the Autopilot driver-assist system was active at the time of the crash.

The 2018 Tesla Model 3 EV was southbound in the right through lane of the 14000 block of State Highway 441 (US 441) in Delray Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, when it struck an eastbound 2019 International truck-tractor in combination with a semitrailer.

As the Tesla approached the private driveway, the combination vehicle pulled from a driveway and traveled east across the southbound lanes of US 441. The truck driver was trying to cross the highway’s southbound lanes and turn left into the northbound lanes. According to surveillance video in the area and forward-facing video from the Tesla, the combination vehicle slowed as it crossed the southbound lanes, blocking the Tesla’s path.

The Tesla struck the left side of the semitrailer. The roof of the Tesla was sheared off as the vehicle underrode the semitrailer and continued south. The 50-year-old male Tesla driver died as a result of the crash. The 45-year-old male driver of the combination vehicle was uninjured.

he driver engaged the Autopilot about 10 seconds before the collision. From less than 8 seconds before the crash to the time of impact, the vehicle did not detect the driver’s hands on the steering wheel. Preliminary vehicle data show that the Tesla was traveling about 68 mph when it struck the semitrailer. Neither the preliminary data nor the videos indicate that the driver or the ADAS executed evasive maneuvers.

Autopilot also was active at the time of a 2016 fatal crash in Florida involving a semi-trailer and several other serious crashes since that incident.

Either Autopilot can’t see the broad side of an 18-wheeler, or it can’t react safely to it. This system can’t dependably navigate common road situations on its own and fails to keep the driver engaged exactly when needed most. Yet Tesla claims that it’s leading the way toward lifesaving, self-driving cars. If Tesla really wants to be a leader on safety, then the company must restrict Autopilot to conditions where it can be used safely and install a far more effective system to verify driver engagement.

—David Friedman, Vice President of Advocacy for Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports sai that taking these steps would mean embracing the NTSB’s safety recommendations arising from the 2016 crash, which Tesla has failed to fully address despite those recommendations being made more than a year and a half ago.

In light of this latest tragic death and those preceding it, a disturbing pattern is becoming clearer—these kinds of crashes appear to be happening with some frequency in Teslas and not in other brands with similar technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should investigate whether Tesla Autopilot is the outlier it appears to be. If it is, then it poses an unreasonable risk to consumers’ safety and is defective.

—David Friedman

Consumer Reports urges all drivers to pay close and consistent attention to the driving task, including when using a vehicle with driving automation features.

CR has previously called on Tesla to improve the safety of its Autopilot system. Last month, following an event for investors, CR urged Tesla to stop treating its customers like guinea pigs and instead demonstrate a driving automation system that is substantially safer than what is available today, based on evidence that is transparently shared with regulators and consumers; backed by rigorous simulations, track testing, and the use of safety drivers in real-world conditions; and validated by independent third-parties.

CR also urged the company to focus in the meantime on making sure that proven crash avoidance technologies on Tesla vehicles, such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, are as effective as possible.

BorgWarner introduces onboard battery charger

2019-05-17T20:19:00.001-04:00

BorgWarner introduced its Onboard Battery Charger (OBC), adding to the company’s impressive portfolio of technologies for plug-in hybrid and pure-electric vehicles. This technology uses silicon carbide technology and is best-in-class for power density, power conversion efficiency and safety compliance, the company says.

The OBC is installed in hybrid or electric vehicles to convert alternating current (AC) from the power grid to direct current (DC) for charging batteries.

This technology accepts an extended range of AC inputs including 7.4 kilowatt (kW), 11 kW and 22 kW power ratings with DC-to-DC converter rating integration from 2.3 kW to 3.6 kW as an option. It is compatible with all battery chemistries and voltages of 400 volts, 650 volts and 800 volts.

BorgWarner OBCs have a wide range of charging powers and capabilities. The OBC with a rated charging power of 7.4 kW can also be used for charging powers of 1.8 kW, 3.3 kW and 6.6 kW and uses a single-phase supply from the power grid.

The OBC with a rated charging power of 11 kW is more efficient with its three-phase grid supply and fast charging strategy, while the onboard charger rated at 22 kW is even more efficient with its three-phase supply and therefore much faster charging.

Hyundai Motor Group introduces industry-first smartphone-based EV performance control technology; blockchain

2019-04-23T16:06:00.000-04:00

Hyundai Motor Group has developed smartphone-EV pairing-based performance adjustment technology which allows users to customize primary functions through a smartphone application—an industry-first innovation.

Drivers can use this technology to adjust seven performance features including the maximum torque output of the motor, acceleration and deceleration abilities, regenerative braking capacity, maximum speed limit, responsiveness, and energy use on climate control.

As electric vehicles continually expand their market share, especially in rental or car-sharing industries, the new technology will allow drivers to use their custom settings in whichever electric vehicle they drive by downloading their profile from the server.

The application provides optimized settings for a designated destination by analyzing the remaining distance and electric energy requirement. It can also accommodate sportier driving by recommending tailored performance settings.

Beyond the driver’s seat, users can share their customization settings online as well as try out other users’ custom settings. Customers can also apply recommended settings by Hyundai based on the condition of roads, from country roads to the city center or mountain ranges.

Hyundai Motor Group will utilize blockchain technology to prevent security issues while users upload and share their custom settings on the server.

In the process of uploading and sharing custom settings, the system encrypts major performance parameters in a blockchain network by creating new data blocks and stores them in the distributed data storage system to block unauthorized manipulation.

Hyundai Motor Group’s smartphone vehicle pairing-based performance adjustment technology is possible due to electric vehicles’ distinctive properties which set them apart from combustion engine vehicles.

Zero-emission vehicles offer unique freedom to modify the drive experience because altering performance doesn’t change the carbon footprint. As such, electric vehicles provide drivers more leeway in applying such technology.

As Hyundai Motor Group is planning to deploy 44 eco-friendly models by year 2025, including 23 electric vehicles, we see the potential of technologies and services inherent in non-combustion vehicles. By developing paradigm-shifting mobility technology like this one, we will continue to strive to improve user experience for electric vehicles customized to individual preferences.

—research fellow JeongSoo Eo from Hyundai Motor Group

The Group expects to implement the technology in future Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

Toyota, Kenworth, POLA and CARB unveil next-gen heavy-duty fuel-cell truck; ZANZEFF

2019-04-23T15:44:00.000-04:00

Toyota, Kenworth, the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) unveiled the first of Toyota and Kenworth’s jointly developed fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks during a special event held at the Port of Los Angeles.

The new generation zero-emission truck expands on the capabilities of Toyota’s first two Project Portal Proof-of-Concept trucks through enhanced capability, packaging, and performance while offering an estimated range of more than 300 miles per fill, twice that of a typical drayage trucks average daily duty cycle.

Toyota and Kenworth will deploy a total of 10 trucks as part of the Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF) (earlier post), hauling cargo received at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, throughout the LA Basin.

Toyota is committed to fuel cell electric technology as a powertrain for the future because it’s a clean, scalable platform that can meet a broad range of mobility needs with zero emissions. The ZANZEFF collaboration and the innovative ‘Shore-to Store’ project allow us to move Heavy-Duty Truck Fuel Cell Electric technology towards commercialization.

—Bob Carter, Executive Vice President for Automotive Operations Toyota

CARB has awarded $41 million dollars to the Port of Los Angeles for the ZANZEFF project as part of California Climate Investments, a California initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment―particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Since operations began in April 2017, the Project Portal “Alpha” and “Beta” Proof of Concept Class 8 trucks have logged more than 14,000 miles of testing and real-world drayage operations in and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach while emitting nothing but water vapor.

The first Kenworth/Toyota Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) under the ZANZEFF project will begin drayage operations in the fourth quarter, increasing the ports’ zero emission trucking capacity and further reducing the environmental impact of drayage operations.

The latest Fuel Cell Electric truck utilizes the Kenworth T680 Class 8 model combined with Toyota’s fuel cell electric technology and is part of the ZANZEFF project. Pioneered by the Port of Los Angeles with leading support from Toyota, Kenworth, and Shell, the endeavor provides a large-scale “Shore-to-Store” plan and a hydrogen fuel-cell-electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement. The initiative will help reduce emissions by more than 500 tons of Greenhouse Gas and 0.72 weighted tons of nox, ROG and PM10.

The collaboration between the Port of Los Angeles, Kenworth, Toyota and Shell is providing an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell electric technology in both drayage service and regional haul commercial vehicle applications operating in Southern California. The performance of the 10 Kenworth Class 8 trucks being developed under this program―the first of which debuted today―is targeted to meet or exceed that of a diesel-powered truck, while producing water as the only emissions byproduct.

&mdashMike Dozier, general manager of Kenworth Truck Company and PACCAR vice president

The Port of Los Angeles, a global maritime leader with respect to zero-emission and near-zero emission technology testing and adoption, will develop the project in several phases, ultimately encompassing initiatives in Southern California, the Central Coast Area, and Merced County. The initial phase is designed to kick-start the leap to a new class of goods movement vehicles, while reducing emissions in designated disadvantaged communities.

The project phases will include:

Ten new zero-emissions fuel-cell-electric Kenworth/Toyota FCET developed through a collaboration between Kenworth and Toyota to move cargo from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports throughout the Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, the Port of Hueneme, and eventually to Merced. The trucks will be operated by Toyota Logistics Services (4), United Parcel Services (3), Total Transportation Services Inc. (2), and Southern Counties Express (1).
Two new large capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations will be developed by Shell in Wilmington and Ontario, California. The two new stations will join three additional stations located at Toyota’s Long Beach Logistics Services and Gardena R&D facilities to form an integrated, five-station heavy-duty hydrogen fueling network for the Los Angeles basin. Together, these stations will provide multiple sources of hydrogen throughout the region, including over 1 ton of 100% renewable hydrogen per day at the Toyota Logistics Services station to be operated by Shell, and important research and development advances at a pair of stations operated by Air Liquide, all enabling zero-emissions freight transport.
Expanded use of zero-emissions technology in cargo terminal and warehouse environments, including the first two zero-emissions yard tractors to be operated at the Port of Hueneme, as well as the expanded use of zero-emissions forklifts at Toyota’s port warehouse.

More than 16,000 trucks serve the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complexes—North America’s largest trade gateway for containerized cargo. That number that is estimated to grow to 32,000 by 2030. Currently, more than 43,000 drayage trucks are in operation at ports across the United States.

This announcement is an extension of Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 efforts to eliminate CO2 emissions from its operations. Toyota has previously announced the construction of the Tri-Gen facility which will be the first megawatt-sized carbonate fuel cell power generation plant with hydrogen fueling in the world. The 100% renewable plant will use agricultural waste to generate water, electricity, and hydrogen that will support Toyota Logistics Services’ (TLS) operations at the Port of Long Beach.

Battery Shortages Lease to Audi e-Tron Production Delays

2019-04-23T15:39:00.000-04:00

Building electric cars is harder than it looks.

According to a report last week in the Brussels Times, Audi is delaying the production of its planned E-tron Sportback and slowing production of its E-tron SUV following battery shortages from supplier LG Chem.

The factory that builds the e-tron has cut back from eight hours of production a day to six, and is reported to be planning to cut back from running five days a week to four, leading to a day of unemployment for workers there. The moves would cut production of the long-awaited electric car by 10,000 cars annually, from more than 55,000 to just over 45,000 in 2019, according to the Brussels Times. In the report, Audi declined to comment on the delay.

Many automakers ramping up production of plug-in hybrids and electric cars depend on LG Chem for cells, including Hyundai, Volkswagen, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. LG's dominance in supplying batteries to electric cars gives it power to control prices.

A report last year by Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper suggested that LG Chem raised prices on its batteries for the Audi E-tron by 10 percent, leading to the production shortage. Waiting lists for the car in Europe have reportedly expanded from 4-5 months to 6-7 months, as demand has also increased by 15 percent. Audi's Belgian spokeswoman Sofie Luyckx told the Brussels Times, that is "not an exceptional waiting time for an all-new Audi."

At the New York auto show last week, Audi E-tron product manager Matt Mostafaei said that the company has U.S. orders for the car, which is expected to go on sale here in May, but would not specify how many.

The delays could also be impacted by a shortage of the car's electric motors following a strike at the Hungarian factory that produces the motors.

The reports say the introduction of the E-tron Sportback, a smaller hatchback version of the E-tron SUV, has also been delayed from late this year to 2020.

Audi is planning a whole line of electric E-tron models, including the SUV, the Sportback, the e-tron GT sports sedan, a new smaller Q4 E-tron SUV, and reportedly a new E-tron GTR supercar to replace its R8 flagship, according to a new report in British auto journal Car.

If it's going to fulfill all those dreams, the company will need to secure a large and reliable source of batteries and, if these hiccups are any indication, it still might not have that.

VW Reveals I.D. Roomzz Electric SUV With 280-Mile Range

2019-04-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

The newest addition to the I.D. range is bigger than the I.D. Crozz and has three rows.

Auto Shanghai 2019 is literally just around the corner and Volkswagen wants to be among the firsts to introduce one of its latest creations – bound to strengthen the German marque’s electric I.D. range. For the uninitiated, China is currently the largest market for zero-emission vehicles in the world.

Dubbed as the I.D. Roomzz, the all-electric SUV is bound to stir the continuously growing global three-row SUV market but with zero emissions and smart in-car technologies. It sits on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform but it’s bigger than the I.D. Crozz, which was debuted in Los Angeles in 2017.

One of the key features of the I.D. Roomzz is its three-row seating configuration. This could, however, turn into a lounge on wheels with the electric SUV’s open space interior design.

In the front cabin, the I.D. Roomzz features a digital, glass-front panel. The dashboard and steering wheel floats in front of the driver as a visual display. In combination with the I.D. Pilot mode, the I.D. Roomz concept vehicle can be driven autonomously without an active driver.

The VW I.D. Roomzz has its own version of 4MOTION technology, with two electric motors powering the front and rear axles with a system output of 225 kiloWatt (302 horsepower). This allows the electric SUV to accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 6.6 seconds and reach regulated speeds of up to 180 kph (112 mph).

More importantly, the VW I.D. Roomzz is powered by an 82-kWh battery, which allows ranges of up to 450 km (280 mi) under WLTP, or 475 km (295 mi) under NEFZ in China.

VW is set to debut the production version of the I.D. Roomzz, I.D. Crozz, and the Compact I.D. in 2020, with all three models to be sold globally. On the other hand, the I.D. Vizzion sedan and I.D. Buzz will debut its production version in 2022.

Categories: Volkswagen

Musk Says Tesla Will Make Astonishing 500,000 Cars In Next 12 Months

2019-04-15T16:06:00.000-04:00

Production to increase from 300,000 to 500,000

By the way of answering questions about the expected appreciating value of Tesla cars due to Full Self Driving capability, Elon Musk said that within the next 12 months, the company will produce more than 500,000 cars.

Of course, all of those cars will be hardware ready for fully autonomous driving and according to Tesla, soon the software update will be ready to unleash the capability. Because the update will be available only for cars with the FSD option, the price of those are expected to increase (as well as the option).

“Very much so. There are 2.5B cars & trucks on Earth. Even replacing 1% of that fleet would require making 25M vehicles per year. Tesla will make over 500k cars in next 12 months, but that’s a mere 2% of 25M or 0.02% of global vehicle fleet. Car industry slow -> demand >> supply.”

Let’s take a look at the production rate – Tesla’s 12-months rolling output was at the end of March 2019 at around 297,000, including over 206,000 Tesla Model 3. Sales during the period amounted to about 280,000.

To achieve 500,000 in 12 months, Tesla needs to produce and sell at least 125,000 cars per quarter. The automaker’s production record was 86,555 in Q4 2018. In Q1 2019 production was 77,100, including a record 29,950 Model 3.

The increase from almost 300,000 to 500,000+ requires growth of about 67% year-over-year. Assuming that the Model S/Model X will stay at around 100,000 per year, Model 3 production and sales need to double to 400,000 per year.

If Tesla does manage to produce and sell 500,000 per year, and additionally significantly increase the revenues because of the autonomous driving capability, profitability should reach high levels. The FSD option is sold for $5,000 per car and is expected to be priced higher in the near future.

Just 100,000 cars (20% of planned) with the $5,000 option for robot taxi alone would provide $500 million of revenue.

If the production growth and automation is achieved, Tesla also should not have any problems with staying in good shape (in the business perspective) until the Tesla Model Y launch to gain yet another engine of growth.

Noa DeNova@KnightmarArchon

· Apr 13, 2019

Replying to @EvBite and 2 others

When FSD becomes reality, demand will outstrip supply, hence a rise in value for those who already own one.

Elon Musk

✔@elonmusk

Very much so. There are 2.5B cars & trucks on Earth. Even replacing 1% of that fleet would require making 25M vehicles per year. Tesla will make over 500k cars in next 12 months, but that’s a mere 2% of 25M or 0.02% of global vehicle fleet. Car industry slow -> demand >> supply.

762

3:28 PM - Apr 14, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy

203 people are talking about this

Rivian R1T Truck & R1S SUV Wow NYC Ahead Of Auto Show - VIDEO

2019-04-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

Rivian impresses before the show even opens.

The New York Auto Show doesn’t officially open to the public until April 19th, but that doesn’t mean the fun hasn’t already started.

The weekend before an auto show opens is usually the real kickoff party, with manufacturers trying to get a jump on the competition, and many opt to show off their new vehicles before they hit the show floor the following week. That precisely what Rivian did with its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV.

The Rivian R1T on display in NYC

Rivian, the upstart electric vehicle manufacturer from Plymouth, Michigan, promises to bring us “The world’s first electric adventure vehicles” held invite-only events last night in New York City. I say “events” because according to Rivian, so many people asked for invitations, that they had to hold two events, one from 4pm to 6pm, and another from 7pm to 9pm.

I know this happens to be true, because I was originally sent an invitation that said the event was from 6pm to 9pm. Then, a few days later, Rivian reached back to me to say they needed to have two events, and I had to pick one of the two time slots.

Rivian was able to secure a space on Pier 76 (a real pier on the Hudson River) directly behind the Jacob Javits center where the New York Auto Show is held. This space is normally occupied by the Classic Car Club at Hudson River, and in order to make room for Rivian, they had to move cars like a couple dozen rare cars out into the parking lot for the night.

Both the R1T pickup truck, and R1S sport utility vehicle, have a power opening/closing hood that conceals a huge front trunk. While you can certainly fit a lot of gear/luggage, etc. up there, it will probably be difficult to load & unload anything heavy, because of the height.

These events were mostly for VIPs and reservation holders; they weren’t press events where we could schedule interview time, so unfortunately nothing new was learned. I suspect if Rivian is going to announce any new news, it will be done so during the Auto Show for maximum exposure.

As you might expect, the crowd was extremely enthusiastic, and it reminded me of how it feels at Tesla events. Since most of the people in attendance were reservation holders, they were already on-board with what Rivian is doing. Plus, for most, it was their first opportunity to see the vehicles that they plunked $1,000 down on to reserve.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe was on hand chatting it up with many in attendance. There was a line of people waiting to say hello and ask him questions. From what I could tell, he did his best to greet as many people as he could, and give them a few minutes before moving on the next person eager to meet him.

Immediately after the event, I sat down with Alex from E For Electric to discuss Rivian on this week’s Plugged In show. Let us know what you think of Rivian in the comments below. Will they be the first to bring an electric pick up truck to market, or will Tesla or another competitor beat them to it? What do you like and dislike about the R1T & R1S?

9 photos