Tag Archives: electric vehicle
Honda Introduces Everus Concept At Beijing Auto Show
Those of you who think that Honda is simply dwindling their thumbs while everyone is jumping on the electrification bandwagon will soon be proven wrong. At the 2018 Beijing International Motor Show, the Japanese automaker unveiled the Everus concept, a HR-V-looking electric vehicle that signals Honda’s entrance into a market dominated by the likes of Tesla.
Even though it is still a concept, the Everus looks like it’s ready to roll out of the production line. Details are still scant and we barely know any information about the Everus, but looking at the photos showed the same size and proportions as the Honda HR-V. It even has the weird rear door handles that are placed at the C-pillar.
If this is how Honda’s new EV will look like, it will definitely draw a lot of praise from enthusiasts and Honda fans. Unlike other concept cars that are too far off from the actual production unit, the Everus has a promising future to look like the concept. We can probably surmise that development of the EV is underway and near to being finalized since the Japanese carmaker claims it will start manufacturing the Everus later this year.
Of course, we can look at it from the business angle: Honda has just partnered with Chinese automaker GAC, so it’s entirely plausible that the Japanese company is rushing the development of the first model of its EV line.
Considering the competitions we have in the EV market, it’s not surprising that Honda is working fast to get the Everus out there. Not only will this be available to the Chinese market, Honda also plans to roll out the model through a car-sharing service offered by Reachstar, a Chinese company that specializes in providing car share services.
What we’re sure is that this will welcome a new generation for Honda; a generation that will tap into the endless possibilities of a more electrified auto industry.
Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept Unveiled in Japan
The Mitsubishi e-Evolution was just unveiled this week at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. The auto is still in its concept stage but it promises to bring in high-performance elements similar to the discontinued Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
The Mitsubishi e-Evolution was classified by its maker as a crossover SUV. As the small letter “e” in its name implies, it is powered by electricity. The concept marks the Japanese brand’s first time to integrate EV technology with a high-performance vehicle.
According to a report, the e-Evolution makes use of three electric motors. The concept follows the same setup of the Lancer Evo, except that this one is electrified. Two of its motors are mounted to the rear wheels for better distribution of power and improved handling. Then the crossover possesses a four-wheel drive system.
The battery pack for the electric motors of the vehicle is located in the middle part of its base just under the floor. Mitsubishi said that it is to allow a better center of gravity for the auto.
The e-Evolution is equipped with an AI package. The source said that the AI analyzes the skill of the crossover’s driver. After that, it uses its assessment in its “coaching function”, which recommends ways for the driver on how to go about the various road conditions. The aim of such feature is to make the handling of the auto enjoyable and safe to the driver even if he or she does not have the skills of the racing driver.
Since Mitsubishi is now a part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, it is expected that some of the technologies found in the coming EV will also appear in the future vehicles of Renault and Nissan under a different name.
Photos
The pictures below show the concept form of the Mitsubishi e-Evolution:
The 2018 Nissan Leaf Will Get The E-Pedal
Pictured above is the 2017 Nissan Leaf.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf will be the Japanese automaker’s main electric vehicle offering. As it gets ready to debut for its second generation, Nissan continues to improve it with technology currently being made available in the market. One such technology is the E-Pedal.
But before that, let’s look back at what we know so far. Teases from Nissan showed that the new Leaf will have a refreshed pair of headlights and an upgraded grille. Based on the spy shots gathered, this upcoming model will be more attractive aesthetically compared to the current generation out in the market.
A video also featured the Leaf’s use of the brand’s ProPilot, the semi-autonomous driving system that this new generation will come packaged with. And speaking of autonomous driving, it came as no surprise that Nissan is fitting the 2018 Nissan Leaf with the E-Pedal, which you will either love or hate.
Basically, the E-Pedal is a single-pedal system, which can automatically accelerate or brake depending on the driver’s foot position. When accelerating, there isn’t much difference because it functions just like any ordinary accelerator pedal. What it does after you lift your foot from the pedal is what differentiates it.
As the driver lifts his foot from the accelerator, the car will automatically slow down and will come to a full stop when the foot is completely off the pedal. This will work even when you are on a hill or in a “hanging” position. The commands will be based on the position of your foot on the E-Pedal.
This sounds promising, of course, when you think about the concept of autonomous driving. Drivers, however, will have to get used to having a single-pedal system, though this may backfire to Nissan. It is highly doubtful if people will trust this E-Pedal system enough, or if they will even open up to the idea of using it.
3 Things We Learned From the Upcoming 2018 Nissan Leaf
Spy shot of the 2018 Nissan Leaf EV. (Photo Source: Autocar)
In our previous article, we have mentioned that Nissan is already clearing up the supply of its first-generation Leaf electric vehicles. In an effort to reach that goal, the automaker has partnered with other companies to provide US customers with up to $10,000 discounts on its lease. The move is to pave the way for the coming of the 2018 Nissan Leaf.
Thanks to leaks, teasers and reliable reports online, we have learned more about the electric car. Here are the top 3 juicy stuff we uncovered about the 2018 Nissan Leaf EV:
Design
The new Nissan Leaf EV is heavily inspired by the Micra. The leaked photo here and the spy shot on top show the electric car with more aggressive styling.
The new design is in contrast with the existing Leaf with mild-looking fascia. The baggy camouflage wrap of the spied new model of the auto make it hard to distinguish its body lines and actual edges though.
Electric Motor
There is no word yet about the possible boost in the electric motor output of the EV but it is speculated to get more driving range. From full-charge, he car is estimated to run up to 340 miles on pure electric power before its battery runs out of juice. The number is more than double the capability of the current model of the Leaf.
Arrival
The 2018 Nissan Leaf will likely be unveiled a couple of months from now. The sale of the car might start in December. However, other sources claim that the car will hit the market during the early part of next year.
Photos
Check out the teaser and leaked spy shots of the 2018 Nissan Leaf EV in the gallery below:
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- Spy shot of the 2018 Nissan Leaf EV. (Photo Source: Autocar)
Save Up to $10,000 on 2017 Nissan Leaf EV Lease
The 2017 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle presents a pretty decent look packed with just enough horsepower and zero-need for fossil fuel. This June, there are some companies in various parts of the United States of America that provide Nissan Leaf EV lease deals with plenty of ways to gain up to $10,000 in lease discounts.
According to Green Car Reports, Nissan is working with various partners in order to provide $10,000 off on customers getting a 2017 Leaf lease. The savings add to the $7,500 federal income-tax credit of the government. Doing the math, that’s a whopping total of $17,500 in incentives.
One of the companies where customers can save is Baltimore Gas & Electric in Baltimore City, Maryland. A $10,000 discount is offered at the end of June. It can’t be combined with other lease deals though.
Another company offering the same deal outside the coverage area of BG&E is Constellation Energy. The offer was introduced in January but it has been extended up to the end of this month. It should be reminded that there is a need to register with EZ-EV to avail of the deal.
Next is EVgo national charging network in the southern area of Texas. Their partnership with Nissan allows customers to get the same amount of incentive. People availing the deal are required to sign up for an EZ-charge card and the promo is only available for new sign-ups.
For people in Hawaii, the same $10,000 incentive on Nissan Leaf EV lease are offered by Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative and Hawaiian Electric Company. The deal runs until the end of June.
The source said Nissan might be offering the huge incentives to entice customers into buying their first-generation Leaf EVs in order to clear their supply. A 2018 model of the car is set to be unveiled some time this year with sales of the new model to commence as early as December 2017.
3 Key Features of the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf
The 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf is VW’s only entry to the electric vehicle segment in the the US market. The German car boasts a long range and a pretty decent output.
Recently, Green Car Reports took the EV for a test drive at the Grant’s Tomb located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side in New York. Below are the top 3 features of the e-Golf based on the review:
1. Power
The Volkswagen e-Golf runs on a 100 kWh electric motor powered by a 35.8 lithium-ion battery pack. The output of the unit is 134 hp with 214 lb-ft of torque. It’s older model possesses 115 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque.
The output of the new e-Golf allows it to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 9.6 seconds. That’s a second quicker than the older model. The source noted that they could not sense any difference from its earlier version’s acceleration time though.
2. Range
The combined EPA-rated range of the auto is 125 miles. It is a significant increase compared to its predecessor’s 83 miles range.
The charging of the vehicle takes less than six hours in a 240-volt Level 2 charging station. Using the DC fast charger of the SE and SEL premium models, and as optional add-on on the e-Golf S, an 80 percent charge can be attained in around an hour with a CCS charging station.
The article showed admiration to the engine of the EV for being quiet. The auto was also praised for its smooth handling during acceleration and while being reversed for parking.
3. Design
The VW e-Golf is basically a VW Golf fitted with electric motor. So everything from the exterior to interior design of the e-Golf and the standard Golf is the same.
2017 Volkswagen e-Golf Test Drive Photos
Check out some of the photos of the Volkswagen e-Golf while it is being taken for a spin in the gallery below:
Tesla Will Equip All Its Cars With Self-Driving Tech
Electric vehicle maker Tesla announced on October 19 that all the cars it will produce—including Model 3—will be equipped with technology that will allow them to go on auto-pilot.
Last year, the company co-founded by Elon Musk introduced the Autopilot system. Although it is far from offering fully-autonomous driving to its cars, the technology already has the elements that will pave way for that goal.
So far, the system allows auto-braking. It will also offer several features that will heighten the safety levels of the car, which is far more than the capability of a human driver.
To achieve such, Tesla equipped its cars with twelve updated ultrasonic sensors. The sensors double the capability of the old system in detecting hard and soft objects within the vicinity of the vehicle. The tech increases the awareness of the driver on the road too especially during heavy rain, dust, fog and in detecting incoming cars using its forward-oriented radar with enhanced processing.
Tesla said the new onboard computer in its cars provides 40 more computing capacity than the previous generation. The upgrade gives Tesla cars a new neural net enhancing their vision, sonar and radar. With that, every direction is seen by system simultaneously, which is far more than what the human senses are capable of.
Tesla reminded that customers will not have to wait for the mentioned technology anymore. The Tesla Model S and Model X have it already. The vehicles are being sold now.
For the meantime, Tesla stated that it will have to conduct more tests with their new system. The calibration would require millions of miles in real-world driving to ensure optimum safety and convenience. As a result, some features of the Autopilot will have to be disabled for the moment like the emergency braking, collision warning, lane assist and active cruise control. Over the air updates will be released to enable the blocked features once Tesla is confident in their new system.
2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO Gets Unveiled
Electra Meccanica launched its 2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO electric vehicle (EV) at the Luxury and Supercar Weekend event held at the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Finally, after years of development, the single-rider SOLO is now available for the public.
The idea for SOLO was a product of the brainstorm by CEO Jerry Kroll, founder of KleenSpeed Technologies, and Henry Reisner, President of Intermeccanica Inc., who is now the COO of Electra Meccanica. It was not intended to replace the family car, but was instead dedicated to supplement the driving experience of the commuter in an environmental-friendly way, and at minimal expense.
The SOLO was built from the knowledge that 80 percent of commuters go to work alone. And since the average round trip commute is 40 miles, the SOLO won’t need to be charged in between the house and the workplace because it has a 100-mile range.
The SOLO is powered by a 16.1 kWh lithium ion battery that has a universal power connector that enables connection at both quick charge and standard stations. To fully charge the battery, it needs only three hours on a 220-volt charging station, and twice the amount of that time on a 110-volt station.
It has a top speed of 80 mph, and an ability to go 0-60mph in under eight seconds.
Standing 10 feet in length, the SOLO is about 14 inches longer than a Smart ForTwo and 19 inches shorter than a Fiat 500. It has a a wheelbase of 80.5 inches, a height of 50.5 inches, a front width of 47.6 inches and a lowslung, singleseat configuration.
During its launching, the SOLO will be available in colors based on Electra Meccanica’s corporate palette–Titanium Silver, Electric Red, Raven Black and Arctic White.
Those who want to make a fully-refundable deposit for the SOLO EV can now do so. Release of the vehicle will be in 2017.
Mercedes-Benz To Introduce Four Electric Vehicles By 2020
Mercedes-Benz is looking at releasing four electric vehicles by the end of the year 2020. Sources said the company will be producing two sedans and two SUVs to comprise the first tranche of electronically powered vehicles Merc is looking at developing.
Each electric vehicle model will share the basic elements of models already part of Merc’s current lineup, but the company also promised that the models will have distinct designs to set them apart from their conventionally powered counterparts.
This move came on the heels of the German government’s announcement of sales subsidies for all EVs priced at less than €60,000, or $67,150 based on current exchange rate.
This German government policy is part of the bigger scheme to attract would-be buyers to consider EVs instead of gasoline- or diesel-powered engines.
Of course, such a decision from Merc can also be seen as the company’s attempt to keep up with the fast-rising EV market, something other automakers have taken advantage of in the past months. Tesla Model 3’s 370,000 orders certainly made an impact.
Merc has reportedly taken a €500 million expansion of their existing battery production facilities in Germany to prepare for their EV plans.
Although not a surprise, Merc’s move is still a welcome development. There are no details released regarding this new direction the company is taking, but R&D chief Thomas Weber hinted that the current C-Class and S-Class models, as well as the GLA and GLC SUVs, will be the templates for the four EVs planned.
In particular, the GLA-based SUV model will tap the reworked version of the MFA platform that Merc is already using on its B-Class Electric Drive, which is technically Mercedes’ first EV. The other three models, on the other hand, will probably use the evolved version of the MRA, which was developed particularly for electronic vehicles.