A Model S P85D and an i3 sporting the LAPD’s famous black-and-white livery were on display at a press conference last week as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city’s plans to lease 160 EVs and 128 PHEVs. “When we laid out our Sustainable City pLAn, we promised that 50% of new city fleet… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "gm"
BMW’s eDrive powers four new plug-in hybrid models
At the upcoming International Motor Show in Frankfurt, BMW will have four new plug-in hybrid models on display. All are based on the company’s eDrive technology, initially developed for the i3 and i8. The modular structure of the eDrive system is designed to make it easier to add an electrified powertrain to different vehicle models…. Read more »
August plug-in sales slow as LEAF, Volt and Model S jockey for the lead
There’s little good news for EV-lovers this month. August US plug-in sales of 8,972 were essentially unchanged from July, and were even further behind August 2014’s figure of 12,172. There were no major position changes – most of the leading models posted minor declines or increases. The bright spots at the moment are outside the… Read more »
Austrian boat builder installs Torqeedo electric drives in luxury yachts
Austrian boat builder Frauscher Bootswerft has chosen marine motor maker Torqeedo to power its line of luxury electric boats and yachts. Torqeedo’s Deep Blue inboard motor was selected for the new Frauscher 740 Mirage Air, and is available on several of Frauscher’s other models. The two companies have cooperated since 2005. Deep Blue provides input… Read more »
Solid-state battery innovator Seeo acquired by Bosch
Giant German automotive supplier Bosch has announced that it will acquire the Silicon Valley startup Seeo, a pioneer in solid-state battery technology. Seeo’s cell design combines a solid lithium metal anode with a conventional porous lithium iron phosphate cathode and Seeo’s proprietary DryLite solid polymer electrolyte. Seeo says its cells achieve specific energy of around… Read more »
Lux Research: LG Chem threatens Panasonic’s position as world’s top EV battery supplier
Japanese giant Panasonic is by far the largest automotive batter supplier at the moment, with a 39% market share. According to a new report from Lux Research, it will probably hang onto that position, increasing its share to 51% as EV batteries grow to a $30-billion market by 2020. However, there’s a real possibility that… Read more »
Saab successor hooks up with Dongfeng to build new energy vehicles
The future of Saab lies in China. National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), which inherited the Saab brand in 2012, and has been laboring like a mythical Nordic hero to bring it back to life as an EV, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the giant Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Dongfeng will help NEVS… Read more »
Audi targets Tesla Model X with all-electric 311-mile e-tron quattro
In May, Audi said that it is developing “a sporty SUV with electric drive,” to be launched in 2018 (the company also plans to sell two plug-in SUV models in Asia in 2016). Now Audi has released teaser images of its e-tron quattro concept, which will be unveiled next month at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2015… Read more »
New report: Marine hybrid propulsion market to reach $4.46 billion by 2022
A new market study from Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects that global revenue from the marine hybrid propulsion market will grow from $2.24 billion in 2013 to $4.46 billion in 2022. In “Marine Hybrid Propulsion Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2014 – 2022,” TMR finds that tightening environmental restrictions… Read more »
Survey: Automotive engineers don’t expect CAFE standards to be lowered
US automakers remain on track to meet the EPA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard, which will mandate average fuel economy of 35.5 mpg by 2016, and 54.5 mpg by 2025. However, average fuel efficiency is in danger of slipping, as WardsAuto reports, not because carmakers aren’t building gas-sipping vehicles, but because US consumers aren’t… Read more »