Earlier this month Skoda announced that they … in close co-operation with their parent company Volkswagen … had begun testing electric traction in everyday use with a fleet of 10 electric Octavia E Line wagons based on the Octavia Combi.

Skoda chose the Octavia Combi because its modular chassis provides plenty of space for the battery pack and various controllers that you won’t find in a conventionally powered vehicle. The extra space available in the Octavia has allowed Skoda to pack a 180 cell battery that weighs 315kg into the space under the rear floor panel and part of the of the boot.

The electric motor that Skoda is using has a peak power output of 85kW that produces 270Nm of torque and a top speed of 135km/h.

The range of the lithium-ion battery in the test vehicles is a very credible 150km which Skoda feels is ideal for city drivers and when you think about the number of people who use a station wagon around the city and suburbs here in Australia it’s not hard to see that the Skoda Octavia E Line might be quite popular here in Australia.

Of course if you happen to travel more than 150km in a day you’re going to run into the one issue that is undoubtedly causing the most head-scratching among engineers and that’s charging time. On a three-phase 400 volt charger it takes two hours to charge the battery while the more common 230 Volt single phase charger takes eight hours to charge the battery.

Now if only Skoda’s technical department could reduce that charge time they just might have the perfect vehicle for a lot of city based businesses here in Australia.

Testing the Skoda Octavia E Line should be seen as an indication that Skoda is looking to move away from conventionally powered cars … at least not in the medium-term future. Skoda is still developing its diesel and petrol engines and expects to see a mix of different propulsion systems being available for quite some time to come.

In Europe Mercedes has an electric Vito under test and they’ve reached the point where they’ve been testing it in extreme conditions but Opel … General Motors’ European brand … isn’t there yet. In fact they aren’t even thinking of going into production with this Vivaro electric concept … for Opel this Vivaro is a proof of concept … and that’s a little sad because they could have a vehicle here that’s way ahead of the competition.

This electric concept van has an 111kW electric motor that produces 370Nm torque and has a range of 100km and then a more conventional engine cuts in and charges the battery through a generator to give the van an extra 300km. While Opel has been a little coy about the details it seems that the Vivaro e-Concept uses a similar system to the Chevy Volt.

The battery system in the Vivaro consists of a number of lithium ion battery modules that are housed under the floor of the van so that the cargo area is completely clear for loading. The electric Vivaro can be loaded to its full 750kg capacity

The Vivaro electric van can be re-charged from a standard household electric supply so why isn’t it in production or at least close to production? You have to wonder.

And while it may have none of those creature comforts … hey who needs a roof in the wet season in north Queensland anyway? … it sure does look as though it’s big on fun so it’s sad that the smart forspeed is only a concept car.

Of course if it has no emissions then it’s going to be an electric vehicle but unlike most electric vehicles it doesn’t have the neck-snapping acceleration that most electric cars have. 0 to 60 … km/h that is … is hardly anything to get excited about. But I’d love to be able to slip into that cockpit and push it up to its top speed of 120km/h.

Technical details
For those interested in the technicalities the smart forspeed has the usual lithium-ion battery that delivers power to a rear-mounted 30kW magneto-electric motor. As I said a moment ago, the forspeed’s acceleration isn’t going to produce too much adrenaline … after all, this is meant to be a city car … but it does have a button on the centre console that willl activate a boost function that provides a short 5kW boost if you really want to get away from the lights.

A full charge in the battery gives the smart forspeed a range of 135km and when that’s exhausted it only takes 45 minutes to get an 80 per cent charge into the battery. If you thought you heard a note of sarcasm … or disappointment … in what I said just then you’re right.

A range of 135km on a single charge is great but 45 minutes to recharge the battery to just 80 per cent capacity? Really … if we want to see the electric car take the place of cars powered by fossil fuel then someone really needs to get something happening with recharge times.

Interior
The open two-seater has been deliberately designed without an outer door handle – an interior grip is all that is needed to open the door. The control for the electric parking brake is particularly convenient to operate and also has a simple and functional design: the switch on the centre tunnel is reminiscent of the lever used to pull in the landing gear of aircraft.

There is a block with ten LEDs in the middle of the instrument panel. When the forspeed is started the LEDs shine through the translucent paint and show the battery charge status of the electric smart. When switched off noting is seen of the charge indicator except its outline.

The aircraft design idea has also been carried over to the dashboard. The driver and co-pilot sit in front of two separate round turbine-like instrument clusters.

Whilst the driver has the speedometer firmly in his field of vision, the passenger is responsible for communication and navigation: this area of the cockpit features a smartphone. It can be swivelled by up to 90 degrees in its holder and towards the driver so that the driver can also take a look at the display of the navigation system.

As in the production models from smart, the smart drive app for the iPhone® has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, navigation with a special smart touch and a Car Finder that guides the driver back to the parked car.

When it rains
Well if you’re in the car you’re going to get wet but smart have made it easy for all that water to drain away and not be left sloshing around in the floor of the forspeed or left on the seats. After all, there’s nothing worse that driving with a wet bum now is there?

Water drainage channels in the vehicle floor ensure that water is channelled outside. The seat surfaces also have water drainage channels and all interior equipment has a waterproof coating for fun behind the wheel regardless of the weather.

Sadly I can’t see any government allowing a car like the smart forspeed to be registered for road use but wouldn’t it be fun if it could be?

The Toyota EV is only a prototype at this stage but it features a very interesting location for the battery … flat under the cabin floor.

While the placement of the battery might be innovative the rest of the Toyota EV is based on proven technology and a platform that is already in production. The platform for the Toyota EV is the Toyota IQ … a small car that’s not currently available in Australia but is selling well in Europe.

The power-train for the Toyota EV is the Hybrid Synergy Drive … the same drive that Toyota has used in the Prius and the Hybrid Camry.

With the combination of flat lithium-ion battery and Hybrid Synergy Drive the Toyota EV has a range of 105km before the battery needs a recharge.

Toyota plans to put the EV through a lot more testing on European roads before possibly offering it to the public under a leasing programme in 2012.

Toyota has already announced that it plans to sell the Toyota EV in the American market and possibly in other markets as well so we may see it here in Australia in the next few years.

While the use of a flat battery buried under the floor seems like a great idea because it delivers a bigger battery with no loss of storage space there is one question that keeps popping up in my mind.

How the heck do you get it out when it’s time to replace the battery? That looks as though it would involve major … and very costly … surgery whichever way you try to access the battery.

So Toyota has begun developing a new electric motor that does not require rare earths for any of its components. While no specific timeline has been announced by Toyota you can bet that work on developing the motor is preceding at a fast pace because Toyota is committed to the production of a number of new hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

And there could be an Australian angle to all of this too. While China might export up to 97 per cent of the world’s current supply of rare earths it only has around 30 per cent of the world’s rare earth reserves.

Australia also has reserves of rare earths but hasn’t mined them since the 1990s when China undercut it’s competitors and we might yet see a return to rare earths extraction in Australia as China becomes concerned about it’s dwindling supplies and the need for rare earths in other car makers’ electric motors increases.

The Lampo2 prototype will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2 but Protoscar has already released images and video of this unusual looking car. From some angles it reminds me of a vacuum cleaner that was popular here in Australia some years ago while from other angles it certainly does look exciting.

Technically speaking the Lampo2 is equipped with two electric motors so that it can be operated in an all-wheel drive mode with variable torque between front and rear axles.

The Lampo2 has a range of around 198km and comes with four different charging modes so that it can be charged from a standard home fitting overnight; a single-phase on-board charger for public charging points; a three-phase on-board charger for charging at typical industrial charge points and a special DC fast charger that will give the car an additional 100km after just 10 minutes charging.

Acceleration is not bad either – it only takes 5 seconds from start to 100km/h and it has a top speed of 200km/h. That’s a heck of lot faster than my old vacuum cleaner.

While AussieMotoring had no photos available of the Lampo2 we can show you this walk-around courtesy of YouTube

Sadly for Nissan … and the proponents of electric vehicles … the general buying public has some resistance to full-time electric vehicles that the makers of hybrid cars don’t have to worry about. And preying on the concerns people have about buying an electric car is quite a simple matter.

Simply talk in terms of range and recharging and anyone who wants to divert attention away from electric cars is on a winner. While some people may think that the range of an electric car like the Nissan Leaf is not going to be an issue with the motoring public the marketing departments are only too aware of how much of a concern range really is.

No one wants to head out on the highway in their wonderfully environmentally friendly electric car only to have it come home on the back of a truck because they’d drained the battery and there was no where to recharge.

So the guys at Nissan are working hard to ensure that people understand that the range of the Nissan Leaf is a full 100 miles (160 km) while most people won’t drive more than 40 miles (64 km) in a day.

The guys at Nissan are also doing something about making charging a whole lot easier for people who buy the Nissan Leaf … at least at home. In a move to make people feel comfortable about the cost of fitting special chargers Nissan has announced that it will provide everything that a home-owner needs … including the electrician … to install a home charging unit.

Nissan is also making sure that the American motoring public feels comfortable in buying the Leaf by having them built in the United States. Obviously it might be a Nissan but it’s a US-built car and that’s an important selling point because people will see it as a local car.

So things are looking fairly rosy for Nissan and perhaps not so good for those American companies who don’t have an electric vehicle in their current line up. Whether or not those car makers have been caught on the wrong foot or not remains to be seen but you can tell that they are not entirely comfortable about the Nissan Leaf.

When the Leaf first appeared there was very little in the way of criticism from the other makers … perhaps they were entirely focused on survival and had no time to look beyond their own front fence but that’s starting to change.

Now we are beginning to see a few subtle suggestions that maybe the Nissan Leaf won’t be the best vehicle to buy and GM is going right for the jugular as it begins to cast doubts on the Leaf.

For any electric car the jugular is the battery. It’s expensive and if it dies when the car is out of the warranty period then you’re in trouble and some car makers are suggesting that the battery in the Nissan Leaf is not as well-engineered as people might think.

Already a former Tesla marketing executive has gone public and suggested that the battery in the Leaf won’t give owners a true 100 mile range. Of course he’s a little vague about what that true range might be but he’s cast some doubt by suggesting that it will be “significantly less” than the stated range.

Then there’s the life of the battery. GM suggest that the batteries they will use in the Volt … which is essentially a hybrid … will last up to 10 years or 150,000 miles but those who want to cast doubts on the Leaf say that Nissan’s batteries aren’t going to last anywhere near that length of time.

Even Nissan admits that they have opted for a simpler battery set up because to include a battery heating and cooling system, as GM has included in the Volt, would mean that valuable cabin space would be lost. As some analysts point out, perhaps that’s why Nissan seems likely to lease the battery rather than sell it as part of the car.

Whatever the true situation might be there’s no doubt that the Nissan Leaf is an electric vehicle that deserves a chance and at times like this … when electric vehicles could do so much for the environment … it’s sad to see car makers white-anting each other instead of working together to produce the long-range electric vehicles that we need so badly.

At least it’s reassuring to know that the Nissan Leaf is good enough to have the competition worried.

However Bob Lutz was up-front about the range issues associated with electric cars. He admitted that weather, atmospheric conditions, terrain and driving habits all have an impact on just how far an electric car can go before the battery needs to be recharged.

Reflecting on the vote, AUTOBEST Jury concluded: “i-MIEV is the first production electric vehicle on sale in Japan and soon to be sold in Europe. ECOBEST award founded by AUTOBEST Jury 10 years ago was one the very first worldwide to prize the efforts in the green field.”

AUTOBEST’s President Ilja Seliktar added his own comments, saying: “For us is a great pride to award i-MiEV. There are many statements in this exciting sector coming from almost any manufacturer. But – so far – Mitsubishi is the only one with a real EV for any customer.”

It’s a recognition of Mitsubishi Motors’ long standing efforts in the area of electric drivetrain and technology, this ECOBEST award also vindicates the long-term strategy MMC and its local partners initiated successfully in the Balkans, Central Europe, Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine from the early 90′s.

Founded in 2000 in Romania, AUTOBEST is the motoring organization in the emerging markets of Europe. Today, its Jury includes leading journalists from 15 countries, including: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, the former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and the Ukraine: an area representing over 300 million customers.

This year, Russia will host the award ceremony, scheduled for February 11th, 2010 and to be held in Moscow.

The “e-Spark” is GM India’s bold move into the Battery Powered Electric Vehicles and will be India’s first 4 door Passenger Electric Vehicle! The e-Spark is a local initiative of GM India in collaboration with Reva Electric Car Company.

This is an initiative that has the ability to re-define how automotive companies in India plan for future mobility solutions keeping the carbon footprints and environmental issues in mind. The e-Spark will be one of the leading platforms of GM India in its Drive to Green initiative.

The e-Spark is a true Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV). It is going to be based on the existing Chevrolet Spark architecture and will be powered by the RECC EV powertrain. The vehicle will be equipped with a host of smart consumer friendly features.

This car will seat four and the 4 doors will allow for ease of entry and exit. The e-Spark will be an “automatic drive” car owing to its unique propulsion system and that will make it ideal for dense city traffic conditions.

Interior of a conventional four-door Chevrolet Spark

The easy drive system will be coupled with an equally informative and intelligent Driver Display System that will provide all necessary and vital signals on the dashboard, easily visible to the driver.

The Electric Drive AC Motor provides 100% torque on tap as soon as the accelerator pedal is pressed down. While this gives fast acceleration the e-Spark will feature two distinct drive modes that will provide power to the vehicle through a high torque AC electric motor.

Regular Drive Mode will give the best battery performance while Boost Mode will provide additional torque to the driver for a short time span when hard acceleration is needed.

No details of range have yet been released but the e-Spark will be launched by the end of this year.

The pioneering global manufacturer of electric vehicles plans to begin selling the THINK City, one of the world’s first highway-capable urban EVs, in the U.S. later this year. The company plans to invest $43.5 million in building improvements and equipment in Elkhart County, and the plant could begin assembling vehicles in early 2011.

THINK’s investments in Elkhart County will support manufacturing capacity for more than 20,000 vehicles a year. The company started delivering the latest generation of its THINK City model to customers in Europe last month.

The THINK City is a purpose-built, all-electric car designed for urban environments. It can travel at highway speeds for more than 100 miles on a single charge with zero local emissions. It is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has been through extensive testing and validation and several hundred computer simulations and correlations.

European production of the THINK City is already underway in Finland with manufacturing partner Valmet Automotive, which also assembles the Porsche Boxster and Cayman models for Porsche AG. Production will continue at Valmet Automotive to support European market demand, where sales have begun in selected key EV markets such as Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

THINK CEO Richard Canny, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce plans for a second THINK production location today. Things are moving very swiftly for the company in Europe following the start of production in Finland and the subsequent start of sales at the end of last year. Now its time for us to do the same in the North American market – and there’s no better place to start than Indiana.”

He continued: “Indiana is quickly becoming an international leader in advanced, clean technology manufacturing. It’s an industry with a future, and EV’s are right in the center of the convergence of where the auto and energy sectors are heading. We’re proud to be part of this effort to reinvent and reinvest in U.S. auto manufacturing.”

THINK is joining Indianapolis-based lithium-ion battery maker, EnerDel in choosing Indiana for a North American manufacturing location. Ener1, the parent company of Enerdel, is a 31% equity stakeholder in THINK. In addition to incentives provided by the State of Indiana and Elkhart County, THINK plans to utilize funding from the U.S. Department of Energy ATVM loan program to establish its new production facility.

Kia is currently testing a Borrego (not available in Australia?) they call they Mohave FCEV powered by a hydrogen cell and plans to put the vehicle into small-scale production in 2012 with full production starting in 2015.

The current test vehicle will run at speeds of up to 160kph and can travel around 600km on one hydrogen charge. A refill takes just five minutes and that’s definitely a point in favour of hydrogen vehicles compared to the recharge times for electric vehicles.

The hydrogen Borrego isn’t cheap though … Kia expects the vehicle to arrive in the showrooms in 2012 with a price tag of around $US50,000.

Kia have produced this short video that clearly explains how they will use hydrogen power and, if you can look beyond the hype, it’s really worth watching.

Batteries have never functioned well in cold temperatures and the battery in the Mini E is apparently no exception with owners finding that after a full charge the range of their vehicles was almost halved in temperatures of around -5 Celsius. One rather vocal Mini E driver found that instead of having a normal range of 160km after a full charge his battery meter was telling him that his battery was flat after just 88km.

There are other considerations here including the age of the battery and the drain on it caused by running with the heater on full but it’s the effects of the cold that seems to be the major problem and one that will have to be overcome if electric vehicles are to be of any use to motorists in cold climates.

However there is a question that has to be asked here … why is the Mini E having problems in cold weather when the Norwegian-built Think seems to handle cold European winters without any complaint?

Here in Australia temperatures of -5 are not uncommon in large towns along the Great Divide and they’re not unknown in our nation’s capital.

Despite that low-key promotion here international interest in the vehicle has been considerable. Currently, the i MiEV is undergoing feasibility studies in a number of countries around the world, including the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Iceland and Canada.

Utilising a large-capacity lithium-ion battery system and a compact, high-output electric motor in place of a traditional gasoline power train (based on Japanese and European trial figures) the i MiEV has some impressive technical specifications for a zero drive-time emissions vehicle.

Producing 47 kW of power and 180 Nm of instant torque, the i MiEV’s permanent magnet synchronous engine is supported by what Mitsubuishi describes as “a revolutionary” lithium-ion battery from the newly formed joint venture company Lithium Energy Japan.

With total voltage measuring 330V, and total energy output at 16kWh, the compact battery and motor reside under the seating and in the back of the vehicle.

This allows seating capacity for four individuals and good size luggage compartment in the rear of the vehicle. In a small car, this maximisation of space is made possible by the i MiEV’s smart design and long wheelbase of 2550mm.

Requiring seven hours from a normal domestic household power supply for a full battery charge, the i MiEV should ideally be left to recharge overnight, making it perfect for daily commuting over common distances in a city landscape.

Able to reach a top speed of 130 km/h, with a range of around 160 kilometres* from a single charge, the i MiEV is a rear-wheel drive vehicle with three ‘speeds’: Drive, Eco and Brake.

Drive is the full power mode where the car drives under normal mode. Economic or ‘Eco’ mode allows the power to drop out automatically to extend the i MiEV’s cruising range and fuel efficiency.

Brake mode offers high regenerative braking that absorbs as much kinetic energy as possible – restoring power to the battery – and is perfect for downhill driving.

Compared to a similar sized petrol car, the running costs per kilometre are around 33% lower. If charged during off-peak or night time hours the operating costs will be even less.

Following testing around the country Mitsubishi plans to build on the initial exposure program with a range of longer-term trials of the i MiEV in government and private fleets across the nation.

Through this i MiEV program, MMAL will receive feedback from key stakeholders regarding the viability of the technology and, in doing so, lay the foundations for the possible sale of the vehicle in the Australian market.

His argument is that, while conventional vehicles won’t fade away overnight they will disappear within the next 10 years and the reasons they will disappear are these:

1. Climate change will continue to push us to the point where we stop burning fossil fuels.
2. We will reach the point … if we haven’t reached it already … were the demand for fossil fuels will exceed the supply
3. The electricity grid and technology will reach the point where it can cope with millions of vehicles being plugged in and recharged every night.
4. Electric vehicles are getting better and many of the problems that restrict them now will soon be overcome
5. Everyone will be able to have a home charging station and just about everywhere you park will have them too

I for one certainly hope that his vision of the future comes to pass. While I still love to hear and drive a fire-breathing V8 monster (although I now settle for a very sedate 4-cylinder) I recognize the fact that if I want my children and their children to live in a sustainable world then we have to make the transition to electric power for our cars.

But sadly I just don’t think that it’s going to happen quite that quickly. Climate change can push us all it likes but in a country where people travel 300km in a morning, do a few hours business and then turn around and drive 300km home the lack of infrastructure and the charging times are not going to be able to handle the demand.

Perhaps in the United States the electricity generating and supply companies really are working towards being able to handle the demands of millions of recharging electrical vehicles but here in Australia things are different.

In most capital cities if too many consumers turn on their air conditioners during summer we teeter on the brink of brown-outs and total shut downs and things are not improving. Think of how much demand would have to be met if everyone was recharging their electric vehicles and then do a little search to see when the last generating plant was built in Australia and how long it took to build it.

We’re certainly not going to do it on the scale that’s going to be needed in anything like 10 years and if we can’t build the power stations then is it really possible to build all those charging stations in car parks etc.

I certainly hope I’m wrong but somehow, in country where we’re still buying SUVs like there’s no tomorrow, I can’t see this every happening in 20 years let alone 10.

What do you think?

This makes the smart fortwo electric drive the first environmentally and customer-friendly electric vehicle and the first smart was delivered to a customer today.

The very first drivers of the electric smart will be Rolf Bauer (artist and owner of a film dubbing studio) and Lutz Tamaschke (owner of a dental technology company). Both have sworn by the compact two-seater for years.

“I’ve always been a fan of smart and am proud to be able to set a new trend once again by driving the electric smart. Thanks to the smart fortwo electric drive, I can make my own contribution to preserving the environment,” commented Rolf Bauer.

With the smart fortwo electric drive, these two gentlemen now own a vehicle that is perfectly suited to urban mobility and offers driving pleasure, while being locally emission-free at the same time.

“I allow myself and my car a rest for the night, so that we can both recharge our batteries. After a few hours sleep, we’re both good to go,” says Lutz Tamaschke enthusiastically.

The first two vehicles were handed over today in Berlin by Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, and Harald Schuff, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Organization.

“Environmental compatibility and latest functionalities have been defining features of the smart fortwo ever since it was launched more than ten years ago,” said Dr. Thomas Weber.

“Since then, its innovative concept has combined pioneering technology with individual, urban mobility. The smart fortwo electric drive is just as convincing as its siblings with conventional drive when it comes to suitability for everyday use, safety and driving pleasure.

“In terms of environmental compatibility it sets a new benchmark with its emission-free electric drive. In addition, with just 12 kwH consumption and its purely electric drive system, it is the most economical and environmentally-friendly way of driving,” concluded Weber.

The electric smart will be delivered to selected fleet, business and private customers around the world as part of various “e-mobility” projects. These customers will receive a complete service package for their vehicles thanks to a so-called “full-service rental model”.

“Beside state-of-the-art vehicle technology, we also want to provide our customers the best service possible – for us, this is an integral part of the concept of groundbreaking mobility,” commented Harald Schuff.

Key objective of these projects is to evaluate customer behaviour and specific support services. In addition to Germany, the electric smart will also be made available to customers in Italy, Spain, England, France, Switzerland, as well as the USA and Canada.

The concept
smart sayd that the intelligent two-seater combines sustainable, forward-looking technologies with individual, urban mobility. Its unique design has led it to quickly become an automotive lifestyle icon, which today is quite at home on the streets of trendsetting cities.

And the new smart fortwo electric drive is still a smart fortwo without any compromises in terms of safety, comfort and space.

A 30 kW electric motor operates in the rear of the smart fortwo electric drive, which ensures good acceleration as soon as the car is started thanks to 120 Nm of torque. When fully charged, the highly-efficient lithium-ion battery guarantees a range of 135 kilometres thanks to its 16.5 kwH capacity – more than enough for city traffic.

In order to charge the battery when required, the smart can either be hooked up to a public charging station, a wall-mounted box in the garage or simply to any standard household socket.

Intelligent charging management
The smart fortwo electric drive is equipped with an intelligent charging management system. The on-board electronics allow for the permanent exchange of information with the grid. As such, electricity billing, for example, can be arranged in a very convenient, simple and secure way.

As the heating and air-conditioning of the vehicle are also controlled by the power electronics unit, drivers of the smart fortwo electric drive can pre-air-condition their car as soon as the vehicle is connected to the grid supply – no other car offers this convenient option of pre-heating the car in winter and pre-cooling it in summer.

The electronics of the vehicle also form the basis for future applications, such as active management of the charging process. As the electronics can retrieve the maximum available charging capacity as well as the corresponding electricity costs when the vehicle is hooked up, it can calculate in which period of time recharging would be the most cost-effective. If the electric smart is parked for a longer time, charging can be carried out at times with lower electricity network load, for example.

On-board economy as standard
Depending on the respective electricity contract partner, operating costs for the smart fortwo ed amount to around €2 to €3 for every 100 kilometres driven.

In addition, more and more governments and city authorities around the world are introducing regulations to promote emission-free driving and are setting up low-emission zones, which will also lead to cost benefits.

The test fleet of approximately 50 Volvo C30 EV models will be factory-built in 2010 and on the road from 2011. Selected users will drive the test fleet during a two-year trial period in order to provide Volvo Cars with valuable experience. Not just technical but also behavioural.

“The first prototype helped us identify the main technological challenges, such as battery packaging and safety issues. We have addressed these challenges without compromising the C30′s cool and fun-to-drive personality. I am very happy with the result. The electric C30 in Detroit is a much more complete product,” says Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

Valuable field data
Volvo knows that a pure electric car has different characteristics compared to a car with an internal combustion engine and peopel will interact with an electric car differently and that’s important for Volvo’s engineers to understand as they move towards putting an electric vehicle into full production. When the data from the test fleet begins to roll in Volvo’s engineers will have the opportunity to study how users handle these differences.

“Our test fleet data will be valuable in Volvo Cars’ development of electric cars. It will also provide crucial input for the infrastructure planners and help define which services are needed to make rechargeable cars the most attractive choice in the future,” says Lennart Stegland.

New instruments and graphics
The electric C30 looks like a regular Volvo C30 and it offers the very same safety, comfort and roominess as the standard car but of course there are differences.

The most obvious difference inside the car is the new instruments facing the driver. The gauges and graphics are somewhat different to those in a conventional Volvo. The cool and user-friendly combined instrument shows in principle only road speed and energy consumption. However, it also integrates a number of new symbols such as a gauge for battery charge status and other relevant information for this type of vehicle.

The driving experience is also different to that in a conventional car. The electric C30 has no gears and the motor’s power is delivered seamlessly, with full power available immediately.

“Sailing along virtually without a sound is a very special experience. The power is there instantaneously. We need to spend a lot of time verifying a transmission system that is both comfortable and safe for the driver to handle and at the same time utilizes the battery’s capacity optimally at different speeds,” says Lennart Stegland.

Like a regular C30 but with no emissions
An electric motor uses about one-fourth as much energy as an engine running on fossil fuels. This superior energy efficiency suggests that interest in electric cars will increase as fuel prices rise and demands for low CO2 emissions become increasingly stringent.

The Volvo C30 shown in Detroit is powered by Lithium-Ion batteries that can be recharged via either a regular household power socket or special roadside charging stations. Charging the battery fully takes about eight hours and there may be a real problem for people driving the test vehicles. It appears that there will be no long trips and quick recharges with the test fleet

Top speed with a fully charged battery pack is about 130 km/h. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph takes less than 11 seconds. The car’s range is up to 150 km.

Safety is still a feature
The electric motor is fitted under the bonnet while the batteries (24 kWh) are installed in the propeller shaft tunnel and in the space normally occupied by the fuel tank, outside the passenger compartment and away from the deformations zones.

“What is more, they are well encapsulated and the structure around them has been reinforced. Electric cars represent yet another interesting challenge in our dedication to building the world’s safest cars. An electrically powered Volvo must be as safe as all other new Volvos. And the very same standards also apply to ownership, driving and protection in the event of an accident,” says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Cars.

Volvo’s view of the market for electric vehicles
When it comes to electric-only cars, there are several factors that determine their appeal in the future.

“The consumers must feel that this type of car is attractive both to drive and own. That is why electric cars have to be as comfortable and safe and offer the same sort of performance as cars with other power sources,” says Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo Cars.

He continues: “We believe in this technology and our field test aims to demonstrate that electric cars have considerable market potential. However, offering an attractive car is not enough. What is also needed initially is a system of subsidies to make the electric car’s expensive battery technology financially viable for the car buyers. We hope that the authorities and the rest of the society will follow Volvo Cars in our “Drive Towards Zero” – Volvo Cars’ journey towards zero emissions.”

Key characteristics of the LEAF include:
1) Zero-emission power train and platform
2) Affordable pricing – although ‘affordable is a relative term and recent reports suggest that it could hit the showrooms in Australia with a list price of anywhere between $33,000 and $39,000 at current exchange rates.
3) Distinctive design
4) Real-world range autonomy – 160km (100 miles)
5) Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

Pricing details will be announced closer to start of sales in the United States – expected to begin in late 2010; however, the company expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle. Additionally, Nissan LEAF is expected to qualify for an array of significant local, regional and national tax breaks and incentives in markets around the world.

ZERO-EMISSION MOBILITY
Nissan LEAF is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate power output of over 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. This ensures a highly responsive, driving experience that is in keeping with what consumers have come to expect from traditional, gasoline-powered automobiles.

Unlike internal-combustion engine (ICE) equipped vehicles, Nissan LEAF’s power train has no tail pipe, and thus no emission of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. A combination of Nissan LEAF’s regenerative braking system and innovative lithium-ion battery packs enables the car to deliver a driving range of more than 160km (100 miles) on one full charge*.
(*US LA4 mode)

Extensive consumer research demonstrates that this range satisfies the daily driving requirements of more than 70% of the world’s consumers who drive cars. And, Nissan has set out to make charging easy and convenient.

Nissan LEAF can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger. Charging at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately eight hours – ample time to enable an overnight refresh for consumer and car alike.

REAL-WORLD CAR
The engineers and designers behind Nissan LEAF worked to create a competitively priced real-world car that would enable Nissan to lead mobility into the zero-emission era. To ensure comfort, spaciousness and cargo capacity, Nissan LEAF employs a completely new chassis and body layout.

“Our car had to be the world’s first, medium-size, practical EV that motorists could afford and would want to use every day. And that’s what we’ve created. The styling will identify not only Nissan LEAF but also the owner as a participant in the new era of zero-emission mobility,” said Masato INOUE, Product Chief Designer.

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN
Even the smallest details can yield tremendous effect.

Nissan LEAF’s frontal styling is characterized by a sharp, upright V-shaped design featuring long, up-slanting light-emitting diode (LED) headlights that employ a blue internal reflective design that distinguishes this car from any other But the headlights do more than make a statement; they are also designed to cleverly split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, thus reducing wind noise and drag.

The headlights provide yet one more benefit in that they consume about 50 percent of the electricity of conventional lamps, which reduces the drain on the battery.

Through bright trim colors inside, Nissan LEAF creates a pleasing and stylish cabin environment. The “blue earth” color theme that has been used on the prototype is carried into the interior through blue dashboard highlights and instrument illumination.

CONNECTED MOBILITY IT SYSTEM
Nissan LEAF employs an exclusive advanced IT system. Connected to a global data center, the system can provide support, information, and entertainment for drivers 24 hours a day.

The dash-mounted monitor displays Nissan LEAF’s remaining power – or “reachable area” – in addition to showing a selection of nearby charging stations. This is important because Nissan believes that it will help overcome any range anxiety that may worry a driver Another state-of-the-art feature is the ability to use mobile phones to turn on air-conditioning and set charging functions – even when Nissan LEAF is powered down. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries.

“The IT system is a critical advantage,” says Tooru ABE, Chief Product Specialist. “We wanted this vehicle to be a partner for the driver and an enhancement for the passengers. We also wanted this vehicle to help create a zero-emission community, and these IT features will help make that possible.”

WORLDWIDE PARTNERS
Zero-emission mobility programs under the banner of the Renault-Nissan Alliance include partnerships with countries such as the UK and Portugal, local governments in Japan and the USA, and other sectors, for a total of nearly 30 partnerships worldwide.

In these partnerships major efforts focus on three areas:
1) Development of a comprehensive charging infrastructure through public and private investment,
2) Incentives and subsidies from local, regional, and national governments, and
3) Public education on the individual and societal benefits of zero-emissions mobility.

And just this week Renault-Nissan entered into one of these partnerships with the New South Wales state government.

ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE PRODUCTION
Nissan LEAF is the first in the company’s forthcoming line of EVs and is a major milestone in the realization of the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s vision for zero-emission mobility.

The first of Nissan’s EV’s will be manufactured at Oppama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for Smyrna, Tennessee, USA. Meanwhile, lithium-ion batteries are being produced in Zama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for the USA, the UK and Portugal, and other sites for investment are under study around the world.

This post was compiled from an edited Nissan press release and the author’s notes

Here’s a video that was shot this week while the vehicle was on display in Seattle.

It’s suggested that the Nissan Leaf will hit the showrooms in the US with a price tag of between $28,000 and $35,000 … a big price for a small car.

You can read more about the Leaf and the test drive here

Valmet Automotive is a leading provider of engineering and manufacturing services to the automotive industry and recently became a THINK shareholder and strategic industrial partner. Today marks the start of production at Valmet Automotive’s high-tech manufacturing base, which also produces Garia and Fisker alternative-fuel vehicles as well as Porsche AG’s Boxster and Cayman.

The start of production at Valmet Automotive also marks a new start for THINK, which has made significant progress since announcing its re-capitalisation earlier this year with major new investors coming on board. In recent months THINK has made a series of senior executive appointments from the automotive and clean-tech industries, won major new contracts in the drivetrain supply business, started the roll-out of sales into key European markets and now, re-started production in Europe.

Richard Canny, THINK CEO, says: “This is a very significant day for THINK. We are back in production and I am so pleased that some of our very loyal customers can look forward to delivery of their long-awaited THINK City before Christmas. The order bank stands at around 2,300 vehicles, and our first priority is to deliver to these customers now that our vehicles are rolling off the production line again. Our next priority is to build on this order book with continued expansion in Europe and around the world.”

He added: “Our strategic alliance with Valmet Automotive is much more than just about assembly – we are already reaping the benefits of Valmet’s expertise in manufacturing and engineering – with time being taken out of the production process, more manufacturing done on site and an overall more efficient industrial solution, from product development support right through to final assembly.”

The THINK City is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has been through extensive testing and validation and several hundred computer simulations and correlations.

Ilpo Korhonen, President of Valmet Automotive, said: “Valmet already has expertise in the EV industry, but with the start of industrial production of the THINK City at our cutting-edge facilities in Finland, we aim to become a leader in the industry. The start of production is a very important step for both THINK and Valmet, and we aim to grow our strategic alliance alongside the growth of the THINK brand around Europe as more deliveries of the eagerly awaited THINK City are made in the coming weeks.”

Sales of the THINK City have started in selected key EV markets such as Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with first fleet deliveries due to start before Christmas. The majority of THINK sales in these countries have been made to municipal authorities and utility partners, supported by government incentives