It’s not unheard-of for financial analysts to tear down a vehicle to get an accurate estimate of what it costs to produce. Back in 2015, a consulting firm took apart and reverse-engineered a BMW i3. More recently, a team from UBS disassembled a Chevy Bolt and published a cost analysis of the new EV. However,… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Ford"
Plug-in sales shatter records in May, Prius Prime takes the lead
As more and more automakers are accelerating their plans for an electric future, sales of existing EV models are also gathering momentum. Monthly US plug-in vehicle sales have now beaten previous-year figures for 20 consecutive months. The trend continued in May, as an estimated 16,568 plug-ins were sold, a gain of 44% over last May…. Read more »
Tritium trials its Veefil fast chargers in China
Australian EVSE manufacturer Tritium, which recently expanded into the UK and opened an office in the US, has set its sights on another continent, beginning trials of its Veefil-RT 50 kW DC charger in China. The first Veefil charger has been installed in Jiangsu Province, near the financial center of Shanghai. “China is currently one… Read more »
All-new 2017 smart fortwo electric drive will start at $23,800
The all-new 2017 smart electric drive will be $1,200 less expensive than the outgoing model, starting at $23,800 for the coupe and $28,000 for the cabrio (not including a $750 destination charge and federal and state incentives). Arriving at US dealers this summer, the next-generation smart electric drive will have improved range, more power, more space and additional standard features. Daimler… Read more »
California Energy Commission awards $36 million for clean transportation projects
The California Energy Commission has awarded more than $36 million in grants for various clean energy transportation projects. The South Coast Air Quality Management District and Long Beach Harbor Department received $10 million each and the Los Angeles Harbor Department received $4.5 million to conduct field demonstrations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and cargo handling… Read more »
Motiv Power Systems to power 13 electric school buses
Motiv Power Systems, in partnership with school bus manufacturer Trans Tech, will build 13 zero-emission school buses for two school districts in the Sacramento region. The project is supported by a $7.5-million grant from the California Air Resources Board. The Trans Tech eSeries buses will be built on the Ford E450 chassis, and powered by… Read more »
Wrightspeed partners with AxleTech to meet demand for heavy-duty vehicles
Business is picking up for Wrightspeed, the manufacturer of plug-in powertrains for heavy-duty vehicles headed by Tesla founder Ian Wright. The company is expanding its supply chain team, bringing on experts with experience at Tesla, Ford, Cummins, and others, and scaling up operations to meet demand from customers such as New Zealand bus operator NZB… Read more »
Hyundai launches Ioniq with three distinct powertrain choices: EV, PHEV and hybrid
In the short history of the modern EV industry, it’s been common for automakers to launch plug-in cars under a new brand or model – particularly those companies who are serious about selling EVs at scale. Or, at least the ones that want to appear serious about selling a lot of EVs. Even though Hyundai… Read more »
Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning talk EVs
Here’s a treat for any EV fan: a long and meaty talk with Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, delivered at Stanford last October. While there are several substantial talks with Tarpenning available on YouTube (he also graciously granted me a lengthy interview for my book about Tesla), Martin Eberhard has seldom sat down… Read more »
GKN Driveline reveals fully integrated eDrive system in Shanghai
GKN Driveline has presented a concept for a fully integrated eDrive system at the 2017 Auto Shanghai motor show. China is a major focal point for today’s auto industry, and supplier GKN is no exception – the company forecasts that its Chinese joint venture will produce over a million eDrive units per year by 2025…. Read more »