GM Releases Teaser Shots of Production Chevy Volt

If you’re wondering why GM has decided to release teaser photos of the production version of the all-electric Chevy Volt nearly two years before it hits the market in late 2010, the answer is for the same exact marketing reasons that we were bombarded by official photos of the new Camaro undergoing tests well before its scheduled launch in 2009.

As we've already seen in a video from ABC News, the new photos reveal that Chevy’s designers have reworked the Volt’s front end which now features faux air-vents in the grille, a new bumper design with a larger lower air intake and cool wraparound foglamps along with a new set of headlights. We also get a teaser glimpse of the Volt’s rear end with the characteristic model badge and several pictures of GM’s design and engineering teams working on the car. -Photo gallery after the jump

Video: Near Production Chevy Volt Shown on ABC News

In a video report on the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt for ABC News, GM’s exterior design executive director Michael Simcoe partially lifted the veil off the one of the most recent clay models of the production Volt. As you can see by comparing photos of the concept with the latest production prototype, while not dramatically different, the Volt’s front end has been tweaked as it features modified headlights, a new bumper with a larger lower air intake and wraparound foglamps. Moreover, the front grille has a pure cosmetic role as all the air intakes have been sealed off.

We wouldn’t go so far by saying that this is what we’re going to see in 2010 (if all goes well that is) but the clay model revealed in ABC News’ video does give us a good indication to as what GM’s design team has in mind for the final product. -Video after the jump

Thanks for the tip Markus!

Mitsubishi Raises Annual Production of the All-Electric i-MiEV to 10,000 Units

The huge positive response from the UK and other European markets for the i-MiEV has prompted Mitsubishi to raise its output target the all-electric city car that’s set to be introduced in the Japanese market in 2009 with Europe following in 2010, from 2,000 units per year to 10,000 units. To do so, Mitsubishi announced that its joint venture – Lithium Energy Japan – will build a separate plant in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, to supply the additional anticipated demand.

The brand new plant is scheduled to be ready for next April’s start of production of the rear-wheel-drive i-MiEV all-electric city car. The plant will initially produce 1 million palm-size lithium-ion cells a year, which is enough to power 10,000 vehicles. An additional investment of more than 10 billion yen is planned by 2012 to add a second plant and doubling output to cope with demand. -Continued

According to the Japanese automaker, Mitsubishi Motors UK has requested that a proportion of the first 2,000 Right Hand Drive units be allocated to the British market to support a launch in London in 2009, something that is being seriously considered by the company.

"i MiEV" specifications

Base vehicle		"i" mini-car
Dimensions (L x W x H)		3395 x 1475 x 1600 mm
Vehicle weight		1080 kg
Seating capacity		4
Maximum speed		130 km/h
Cruising distance with a single charge (Driving pattern : 10-15 mode)		130 km / 160 km*
Charging time (80% capacity)	15 Amp/200 V (on-board charger)	5 hrs / 7 hrs*
	15 Amp/100 V (on-board charger)	11 hrs / 13 hrs*
	3-phase 50 kW/200 V (Quick charger)	20 min / 25 min*
Motor	Type	Permanent magnet synchronous motor
	Max. output	47 kW
	Max. torque	180 N-m
	Max. speed	8500 rpm
Battery	Type	Lithium-ion
	Total voltage	330 V
	Total energy	16 kWh / 20 kWh*
Controller		Inverter
Drive		Rear wheel drive

Lotus Adds Some Sound into Hybrids and All-Electric Vehicles

Electric and hybrid vehicles (when running on electric power only) have recently come in for heavy criticism from blind and partially sighted people due to the almost silent operation of the electric engine that puts them at risk as they cannot hear the vehicles approaching. To deal with this problem, Lotus has developed a system that emulates the sound of a real engine based on the vehicles speed and throttle position. -Continued

The Lotus ‘Safe & Sound’ Hybrid technology demonstrator uses a standard Toyota Prius fitted with a waterproof loudspeaker system positioned adjacent to the radiator allowing the sound to emanate from the front of the vehicle. The system is completely automatic stopping the external synthesis once the gasoline motor kicks in. When the powertrain control system switches the car back to running on the electric motor only, the synthesis controller instantaneously sets the system running again.

Nissan Unveils All-Electric Cube Prototype

Nissan released details of a prototype electric vehicle based on the Japanese market Cube minicar. The prototype features a front-wheel drive layout and uses a newly developed 80kW electric motor that’s powered by a stack of laminated compact lithium-ion batteries installed under the floor without sacrificing passenger or cargo space.

According to Japanese carmaker, the EV’s laminated lithium-ion batteries deliver twice the electric power compared to conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries with a cylindrical configuration. The prototype Cube is used by Nissan as a test bed for the compnay's forthcoming all-electric production vehicle that will be introduced into the market in 2010. The production EV will have a unique bodystyle and won’t be based on any existing Nissan model. -More pics after the jump

Opel to Launch Electric Model Derived Directly from the Volt in late 2011

GM Europe's President Carl Peter Forster has revealed details on what the company plans to do with the Chevrolet Volt in the European market. Assuming that all goes well during the development phase and the Volt is launched in the US in late 2010, GM's plan is to have the first electric-vehicles (EV) for sale in Europe about a year later, which is late in 2011. According to Forster, Opel and its UK arm Vauxhall will initially introduce a model derived directly from the Chevrolet Volt but more European-market specific EVs are planned for the future.

"The thinking goes that to have a significant impact on the environment, EREVs must be sold in high volumes, hence the reasoning for Chevrolet. The same logic is true for Europe, so the first EREV vehicle will be an Opel/Vauxhall, followed several months later by a Chevrolet,"said Carl Peter Forster. "The Opel/Vauxhall will be derived directly from the Chevrolet Volt to get into the market quickly, but I can assure you that more variations for Opel-specific designs of EREVs are already in the works but more on that at a much later time", he added. -Continued

Forster also stated in the company's official European blog that although the first EV variants will come from the States, GM will need to produce the cars in Europe as well.

"The first EREV variants will certainly come from the U.S., but the thinking goes that to get significant long-term volumes to impact our CO2 compliance strategy, we will need production capability in Europe," said Forster.

"Additionally, to deal with the huge cost implications of the new technology (the batteries initially are costing several of thousand Euros more than a typical engine/transmission setup), we need incentives for consumers to off-set the high costs and drive more volume. One thought that I floated in media discussions was that we get early adopter "super credits" under EU CO2 schedules for the initial volumes."

"By giving an Opel/Vauxhall EREV-powered vehicle (which will have an exceptionally low CO2 number) a high multiplier in CO2 fleet averaging, it would allow GM more flexibility in meeting the overall fleet average while pushing the vehicles into the fleet faster than otherwise would have happened. In other words, if one Volt was incentivized in the compliance plan to count as multiple vehicles at that low CO2 number, it would give GM incentive to offer a higher volume of Volts to the market than the affordability of the vehicle would normally warrant. This is a logical use of the regulations to get a desirable shift in consumer behaviour," added Forster.

Video: Electric-Powered Saturn Sky Roadster

An Ohio-based company called Advanced Mechanical Products or AMP for short is developing an all-electric version of Saturn’s Sky roadster equipped with twin brushless DC motors (one for each back wheel) that are powered by lithium phosphate batteries. According to AMP, the Sky EV should be able to go from 0 to 60mph (96 km/h) in about 5.7 seconds and on a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).

The company has already started accepting pre-orders for the first 300 vehicles but before you head over to AMP, learn that the conversion costs $25,000, and that of course, does not include the price of the Sky. See the video of the prototype model running up and down a street after the jump. -Continued

Via: Autoblogreen , Link: AMP

F1 Champion Damon Hill to Drive Tesla Roadster in Green Race

Former Formula One World Champion, Damon Hill will sit behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster in the GreenFleet Capital Arrive ‘N’ Drive 08 event, which will start on London’s Horse Guards Parade on 31 July, 2008. The eco-friendly challenge aims to promote the latest innovations to reduce emissions and improve air quality in London. The Tesla Roadster will be among the 20 public and private sector drivers taking part in the 33 mile-course to demonstrate the use of electric power as a viable alternative to conventional fuel sources. -Continued

Talking about the event, Darryl Siry, senior vice president of sales, marketing and service, Tesla Motors said: “It is a huge privilege for Damon Hill to present the Tesla Roadster to car enthusiasts on the capital’s streets. This will be a perfect opportunity for people to witness high performance and fun motoring without the need to compromise the environment.”

Nice Micro-Vett e500: All-Electric Fiat 500 Debuts in London

Europe's Car of the Year, the Fiat 500 has obtained an all-electric powertrain thanks to the chaps over at the UK based company Nice that specializes on electric vehicles. Produced to order in Italy by Micro-Vett, the first all-electric 500 will be produced in a limited number of units. Details are still scarce but Nice supports that the e500 is equipped with a lithium-ion polymer battery and that it has a range of around 75 miles or 120 km in typical city driving while its maximum speed is 60 mph or 96 km/h. Nice also says that the e500 comes with the full range of Fiat options and extras along with a full Fiat warranty.

Nice MyCar: All-Electric City Car Styled by Italdesign Debuts in London

The MyCar is a funky looking plug-in electric city car from Nice that will make its global premiere at this week’s British Motor Show in London (July 23 – Aug 3). Designed by Giugiaro of Italdesign and made in Hong Kong, the two-seater EV (Electric-Vehicle) will go on sale in the U.K. this Autumn with prices starting from £8,995 -$18,000 or €11,350.

While Nice hasn’t given out all the technical details, the company says that the zero emissions city car has a range of around 40 miles or 64 km in normal city driving. The MyCar has a top speed is 40 mph (64 km/h) with re-charge time between 6 and 8 hours. Nice supports that the EV’s running costs are very low, roughly one fifteenth compared to a conventional petrol or diesel model. Depending on electricity tariff used to charge the vehicle, owners are said to pay around 2p per mile. Furthermore, no CO2 emissions means no road tax and no congestion charges in the UK. -Continued

MyCar will be available in seven colour options while standard equipment will include electric windows and mirrors, Radio/MP3 player, 14” Alloy wheels, remote central locking, Hi/lo and boost button and LCD multifunction display. It also has storage space under the bonnet, in the boot and in the glove compartment. Options include a glass roof or removable fiberglass version, 15” Alloy wheels, leather interior, cooled and heated seats and a boot rack.

Moreover, buyers can opt for the work ‘n’ play and drive ‘n’ play options. The first incorporates a forward-folding passenger seat complete with laptop dock, the latter includes bluetooth, sat-nav and upgraded audio.

Nice Ze-O: £14k Electric Minivan Coming to London Show

This is the first official picture of the Ze-O, an all-electric minivan from the UK basec car company, NICE. Making its global debut at the British Motor Show next week, the no-frills mini MPV was styled in Europe and manufactured by NICE’s partners in China. The entry level Ze-O will have a range of up to 65 miles or 105 km in city driving and top speed of 55 mph or 88 km/h. Optional, longer-range lithium-ion battery options will be also be available.

The Ze-O will go on sale in the UK this autumn priced from £14k ($28,000 or €17,500). Sales in other European countries will follow in early 2009. Further on he Ze-O will be revealed on 22 July 2008.

Opel’s Variant of the Chevy Volt will be Built in the U.S.

In a recent interview published on the German magazine Automobilwoche, GM Europe’s president Carl-Peter Forster revealed that Opel’s first electric car that will be based on the Chevy Volt will be manufactured in the U.S. Forster also told Automobilwoche that European customers should expect to pay a substantial surcharge of €10,000 ($15,800) or more over a comparable Opel model with a conventional diesel or gasoline powertrain. Opel’s variant of the Volt that was previewed in concept form as the Flextreme (photo) at last year’s Frankfurt Show is due to arrive on European shores in 2012.

Renault-Nissan Form Electric Car Alliance with Portuguese Government

The Government of Portugal and the Renault Nissan Alliance have announced a partnership to promote zero-emission electric cars across the country. Under the agreement that was signed off today, the government will help the Renault Nissan Group study how to create the right conditions to make electric vehicles an attractive offer for Portuguese consumers as well as increasing public awareness. There will also be a joint study for the infrastructure and related organizations required to create a nationwide network of charging stations for electric vehicles.

The Renault Nissan Group is planning to launch its first mass market electric vehicles (EV) in 2011 and Portugal will be one of the lead global markets for the introduction of EVs from the Alliance. -Continued

“Portugal has become a leading country in renewable energy. This agreement with Renault-Nissan will place Portugal also on the front line in terms of sustainable mobility with zero-emission vehicles. Promoting electric cars in Portugal will reduce our dependence on imported oil and will contribute to a cleaner environment,” said Portugal’s Prime Minister José Sócrates.

“With the rising cost of oil and continuing concerns about C02 emissions, we believe the ultimate solution to sustainable mobility will be the mass availability of zero-emission vehicles,” said Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. “Portugal is a recognized global leader in the development of renewable energy, and we applaud the government’s actions to make electric cars an economic reality for their citizens.”

Tesla to Build Mass Market Electric Sedan in California

Tesla’s forthcoming battery-powered 4-door sedan model that is scheduled to enter the market in 2010 will be manufactured at a facility in the state of California (just like the Roadster) and not in Albuquerque, New Mexico as it was previously announced. Tesla Motors and Californian Governor Schwarzenegger made the announcement at a joint press conference at the company’s San Carlos headquarters.

“Today’s announcement is incredible news for California’s economy and its environment,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “If California was a baseball team this would be like winning the first round draft pick and recruiting a player who is a perfect fit on our roster because Tesla Motors and its all-electric cars belong in California,” the Governor added. -Continued

Ze’ev Drori, President and CEO of Tesla Motors, remarked, “Tesla has achieved an extraordinary accomplishment. We are the only automobile company today delivering full performance battery-electric vehicles to our customers. Make no mistake - we are not a niche player with a car only for the rich and famous. As our agreement with the state so clearly demonstrates, we are building a high volume ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE, manufactured in California for mid-range family use. And we aren’t going to stop there. We will continue on and build even more affordable cars.

You are witnessing the debut of a new car company, a company unlike all others, a company with a disruptive technology, a company dedicated for the exclusive production of Zero Emission Vehicles.”

Mercedes Planning Electric A-Class with Lithium-Ion Batteries for 2010

Citing inside company sources, German newspaper “Automobilewoche” is reporting that Mercedes-Benz will market an electric version of the current A-Class in 2010. According to an unnamed senior manager in the automotive industry, the current generation A-Class’ sandwich construction with its double floor is ideal to fit the batteries without performing any serious modifications to the vehicle.

The newspaper also supports that Mercedes-Benz is currently in talks with Tesla for the supply of the lithium-ion batteries. Compared to nickel hydride units, lithium-ion batteries are not only more powerful but they also weigh less.

Subaru to Showcase Stella Plug-In Electric Concept at G8 Summit

Subaru has revealed the first details of its Plug-in Stella Concept model, a prototype electric vehicle (EV) that combines the EV system employed in the R1e with the Japanese market only mini car, Stella. The 3.4 meter long concept is powered by a 40kw strong electric motor that develops 150Nm of torque and is capable of covering a distance of 80km or 50miles with a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries. The front wheel drive mini car’s top speed is 100 km/h or 62 mph. -Continued

The Japanes carmaker will provide five units of the Plug-in Stella Concept for use at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit to be held July 7 through 9, 2008. Four of the five cars will be used to transport government officials and other participants at the summit, while one vehicle will be displayed at the Environmental Showcase and it will also be available for a test drive. In addition, Subaru will provide one Stella Concept model to the Japan Post group for use in mail collection and delivery in the vicinity of Toyako during the summit.

Subaru plans to use the Plug-in Stella Concept in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of EV in Japan in the near future.

VW Golf TwinDrive: 174Hp & 94 MPG Plug-in Electric Hybrid

In cooperation with the German government, VW announced that it will start testing a fleet of 20 vehicles equipped with a new plug-in hybrid drive system with lithium-ion batteries called “TwinDrive”. Volkswagen plans are to introduce a production version of the system as early as 2010.

Speaking during the presentation of the first Golf model fitted with the TwinDrive system at the “Automobile Forum” in Berlin, VW’s Chairman Martin Winterkorn said that the “TwinDrive” plug-in hybrid system can be combined with either petrol or diesel engines.

“Different than today’s hybrid vehicles, it should be emphasized that TwinDrive – and this is decisive – enables long ranges in the city in electric mode. While the electric motor on a typical hybrid model just supplements the combustion engine, the exact opposite is true on the TwinDrive: here the diesel or gasoline engine supplements the electric-motor,” said Winterkorn.

Although VW’s representatives didn’t give out all the details on the new hybrid system, they did reveal that over the route from Potsdam to the “Automobile Forum” in downtown Berlin and back – considered a typical commuting route –the Golf TwinDrive consumed just 8Kw-hours of electricity and 2.5 liters of fuel (that equals to 94 mpg!). -Continued

According to the German carmaker, the Golf TwinDrive can cover a distance of about 50 km or 30 miles purely on electric energy. As for power, VW revealed that the Golf TwinDrive’s electric motor and internal combustion engine deliver in tandem up to 130 kW or 174Hp.

“The present era of the automobile would be inconceivable without highly efficient gasoline and diesel engines. But the future will most certainly belong to the electric motors – refueled at the electrical outlet. On the way to this future, our TDI (diesel) and TSI (petrol) engines are now being merged with electric motors and extremely efficient battery systems to form a new drive system”, explained Martin Winterkorn.

“The Golf TwinDrive being presented here today enables electrically powered driving in the city, on the one hand, while also enabling very long ranges over extended driving routes on which the combustion engine is used. For us, the TwinDrive represents an elementary step along the path toward the completely electrically driven automobile!” the Volkswagen chief added.