BMW has announced pricing for its upcoming i3 electric vehicle. MSRP in the US will be $41,350 (plus a “destination & handling fee” of $925). Prices in the UK will start at £25,680, or £369 a month (for a 36-month, 24,000-mile lease with a down payment of £2,995). BMW hasn’t said anything yet about leasing… Read more »
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Formula E plans inaugural season, courts big-name teams
Formula E, the electric open-wheel racing series, has announced the calendar for its inaugural season in 2014. There will be ten races on four continents, starting with Rome and followed by London, Berlin, Los Angeles, Miami, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Bangkok and Putrajaya, Malaysia. This week, legendary IndyCar team Andretti Autosport joined Drayson Racing and… Read more »
Honda plans field tests of the Micro Commuter EV
Honda plans to begin field tests of its Micro Commuter Prototype β this fall, in cooperation with the city of Saitama, Japan. The Micro Commuter was introduced as a concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. At a mere 2.5 meters long, and 400 kg plus the battery, it’s designed to seat a driver and… Read more »
Wildcat Discovery Technologies’ new cathode materials
We first told you about Wildcat Discovery Technologies back in the October/November 2012 issue of Charged. It is a venture-backed start-up in Southern California that has developed proprietary methods for rapidly synthesizing energy-storage materials. The company boasts that one of its busy scientists can produce 400 to 500 different battery materials at the same time… Read more »
Juicy details about the BMW i3
BMW has released a vast wealth of details about its upcoming i3 EV, and there’s plenty here for auto pundits to discuss before the official unveiling, which is scheduled for July 29. The i3 embodies several milestones – it’s the first EV to offer an optional range extender engine, it features a unique carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic… Read more »
A closer look at coulombic efficiency
Peter Ulrix and Stef Leemans of PEC explain how the very delicate process of measuring a cell’s coulombic efficiency could significantly speed up development times. In May, the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) put out its results for America’s biggest survey of plug-in drivers yet. More than 2,000 California EV owners responded, and while… Read more »
Nissan says Infiniti LE delayed, not dead
Andy Palmer, Nissan’s head of global planning, said this week that the Infiniti LE has been delayed to give the company more time to develop the vehicle’s battery and charging technology. EV watchers have been eagerly anticipating the LE since the concept was unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show. In June, however, Infiniti’s… Read more »
Bosch, Yuasa and Mitsubishi to work together on next-generation batteries
The race to develop the next generation of batteries is in full swing. This week, three major automotive players decided to pool their efforts. Robert Bosch, GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi have agreed to set up a joint venture to work together on lithium-ion battery R&D. The headquarters of the new organization will be in Stuttgart,… Read more »
Nissan announces battery replacement program
Nissan has announced plans to offer a battery replacement program for US LEAF buyers who wish to replace their original lithium-ion battery pack. LEAF batteries are already protected by a warranty that covers battery capacity loss (below 70%) for five years or 60,000 miles, and manufacturing defects for eight years or 100,000 miles. The new battery replacement… Read more »
Johnson Controls to supply batteries for 120 hybrid work trucks in DOE program
About 120 work trucks, to be used by various utilities and electric companies, will use plug-in hybrid power systems by Odyne Systems, using Johnson Controls’ batteries.