If you’re wondering how quickly EVs could take over from legacy vehicles, you might look at early adopter Norway, where plug-ins now represent 33% of all auto sales. Of the top 10 cars sold in the country in May, only two were non-electrified models. The Norwegian plug-in market continued its steady rise in May, growing… Read more »
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Southwest Research Institute consortium conducts independent battery benchmarking
Comparing the spec sheets from different parts manufacturers is tricky business for engineers in any industry. However, the advanced battery market seems to be uniquely challenged in this regard. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk often points out, when it comes to batteries, the BS factor is outrageous. Even if you assume that every vendor provides… Read more »
Plug-in sales through the roof in 2016 as multiple models set records
December plug-in sales blew away last year’s figure, a cheery finale to a year that saw a huge increase. 159,139 EVs and PHEVs changed hands in 2016, a 37% increase over 2015’s 116,099. A new breeze seems to be blowing through boardrooms around the industry, from Toyota to Chrysler to Ford. As usual, Tesla heads… Read more »
Volkswagen says it will offer a 373-mile EV in 2020 at the price of a diesel Golf
Volkswagen has announced plans to invest €3.5 billion ($3.7 billion) in e-mobility and digitalization at its German plants. The modernization plans are part of an agreement with the company’s General Works Council (an organization similar to a labor union, which represents VW’s workers). Under the agreement, the Volkswagen plants at Wolfsburg and Zwickau will produce… Read more »
EVs aplenty at Paris Motor Show
Electricity was en vogue at the recent Paris Motor Show. Few automakers had any new ICE vehicles (isn’t that an oxymoron anyway?), but there were updates to several production EVs, and a couple of promising concepts, on display. The Renault Zoe, Europe’s best-selling plug-in vehicle, has gotten a substantial battery upgrade. An available 41 kWh… Read more »
European CLEVER network offers home and public EV charging for a fixed monthly fee
CLEVER, which operates a network of fast charging stations in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, has introduced a new plan that offers unlimited charging for a fixed monthly fee. CLEVER Unlimited includes installation of a home charging station, and unlimited free use of the company’s over 900 public charging points. The company recently announced an agreement… Read more »
Improving aerodynamic modeling: Combining airflow dynamics with vehicle-handling models
Tuning a vehicle’s aerodynamic features is nothing new. Engineers have been using wind tunnels for decades, and more recently they’ve also employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to reduce drag, minimize noise and increase stability by preventing undesired lift forces. In the expanding world of EVs, car builders are doubling down on efforts to push… Read more »
Volkswagen reopens Transparent Factory as showcase for electric mobility
Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory, which allows customers to watch their new vehicles being assembled, has been redesigned as a showcase for electromobility and digitalization. The site now features some 50 interactive exhibits, including a glass frame model of the e-Golf. Several of VW’s electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are available for test drives. The exhibition is… Read more »
New report from JATO details German EV market
Germany is Europe’s third-largest market for plug-in vehicles, and sales are growing quickly. However, electrified vehicles still represent a minute fraction of the overall automotive market, and better information for consumers will be necessary to get the country to start plugging in. These are among the conclusions of a new report from London-based automotive business… Read more »
March plug-in sales take off as Tesla factory cranks into high gear
US plug-in sales have resumed their steep upward climb. March sales shattered last year’s figure, setting a new all-time record. Around 13,725 plug-ins were sold in March, a 33% increase over March 2015 and a few units more than the previous monthly record set in December. American car buyers now have around two dozen EV and… Read more »