Land Rover has built a prototype electric version of its Defender four-wheel-drive off-road utility vehicle, the descendant of the original Land Rover.
Newswire
China Racing becomes second Formula E team
The FIA’s new Formula E electric racing series is picking up speed. China Racing has been officially proposed as the second of ten teams that will compete in the zero-emissions championship, which launches next year (UK team Drayson Racing was the first team to sign up, in January). The announcement was made this week at… Read more »
McLaren P1 delivers instant torque with twin power plants
The McLaren P1 looks like it belongs on a race track, but its maker hints that this “production-ready version” might someday be an option for your daily commute. The super-PHEV, which will make its world debut at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, uses the combined force of a V8 gas engine and an electric motor… Read more »
German researchers seek to demonstrate that EVs are cheaper than ICEs
Do the lower operating costs of EVs justify their higher purchase prices compared to legacy gas-burning vehicles? That question may have no definitive yes-or-no answer (it depends on an individual’s driving habits), but more data is always welcome. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, in cooperation… Read more »
Fisker settles suit with insurance company – precursor to a sale?
The carmaker filed suit in December, after the insurer refused to cover the loss of 338 Karma sedans, worth about $33 million, that were destroyed in Superstorm Sandy.
Siemens and Semikron increase collaboration on EV power electronics
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division has signed an agreement with Semikron International, under which Siemens will take over Semikron’s VePOINT subsidiary, and the two companies will increase their cooperation in the field of EV power electronics. VePOINT’s technology is meant to complement the Siemens range of products by adding systems with attractive power densities and… Read more »
EVs slowly gaining ground in Europe
By all accounts, the EV revolution is getting off to a later start in Europe than it is in the US and Asia. Precise figures are hard to come by, but there’s no question that substantially fewer EVs and PHEVs changed hands in the Old Country in 2012 than in the US, despite Europe’s greater… Read more »
Tesla Shareholder Letter trumpets 2012 triumphs
Tesla’s 2012 Shareholder Letter reads like a bundle of good news for EV fans, but the bean counters on Wall Street are less impressed.
Korean researchers develop 180 kW wireless charging technology
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) have developed a wireless power transfer technology that can supply 180 kW of power at 60 kHz. KAIST first tested its On-line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) in 2009, and has made substantial improvements in size and charging power since then…. Read more »
New York Times’ Editor weighs in on the Tesla controversy
Margaret Sullivan concedes that Broder didn’t use especially good judgment, and “left himself open to valid criticism."