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  • ETCM forms First Energy Networks – subsidiary to build and operate charging infrastructure and system for EVs

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Local News, Nissan / By / / 18 comments

    Nissan looks like its ready to up its EV game here, what with Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s recent announcement of the incorporation of a wholly-owned subsidiary called First Energy Networks. The start-up’s principal activity, according to the statement made in its filing to the Bursa, will be to build and operate the charging infrastructure and system for electric vehicles and any related facilities.

    The company already has the Nissan Leaf about, though the EV isn’t running commercially, but as part of a pilot programme to create public awareness of the car and the tech. Still, the move beyond just that now looks certain, and with the formation of the new subsidiary, ETCM looks like it’s planning early for the future.

    Perhaps it’s all spurred by the suggestion that the Government may pile on more incentives for hybrid and EVs. Reports indicate that the Government is looking at various avenues to help spur the uptake of such vehicles, and the incentives will supposedly be revealed when the second revision of National Automotive Policy is announced sometime this year.

     

  • Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution set to take on Pikes Peak

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Mitsubishi / By / / 0 comments


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    Mitsubishi is set to enter two all-electric vehicles (EVs) in the Electric Class of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this coming July, and the company is banking on its i-MiEV Evolution to bag the honours in the segment.

    The Evolution is a specially-prepared competition version based on the i-MiEV all-electric vehicle – it uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the production i-MiEV, but tweaked for performance, and the system is fitted on a specially-designed racing-specific body which uses a tube-frame chassis and a carbon fibre cowl.

    The four-wheel drive vehicle’s three motors (one front, two rear) each delivers 80 kW for a system total of 240 kW, and the single-seater – which will be piloted by Dakar winner Hiroshi Masuoka for Pikes – rides on 18-inch wheels and 245/40 series rubbers.

    The second Mitsubishi EV entry for the event will be a 49 kW production i-MiEV, modified with a more aerodynamic front bumper and fitted with roll bars and other safety equipment for the climb.

     

  • Toyota RAV4 EV – all-electric SUV makes its debut in LA

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Toyota / By / / 11 comments

    Toyota has unveiled its new RAV4 EV, with the all-electric SUV making its debut at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. Built in collaboration with Tesla Motors, the vehicle has come about from announcement to completion in just 22 months.

    The front-wheel drive vehicle features a Tesla designed and produced battery and electric powertrain, good for 154 hp at 2,800 rpm. Other numbers include a driving range of approximately 160 km and a charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger.

    The SUV has two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 0-100 km/h in just 7.0 seconds, with maximum speed being 160 km/h. Normal mode achieves 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, and maximum speed of 137 km/h.

    Exterior variations to distinguish the EV from the regular RAV4 include new exterior emblems on the front, rear and the front door panel, utilising the signature Toyota “environmental blue.”

    There’s also LED low beam /halogen high beam projector headlights, with vertical LED daytime running lights that dim to parking lights. The rear combination lights are LEDs, accented by a unique light smoke outer lens.

    Other changes include reworked exterior elements to help improve aerodynamics. Compared with the gas-powered version, the front bumper, upper and lower grill, side mirrors, rear spoiler, and under body design have all been redesigned to maximise air flow around the vehicle.

    Meanwhile, interior elements include a unique “Neutron” fabric, woven with a subtle sheen and blue accent on the seat inserts and door trim, as well as an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen featuring navigation, telematics and EV drive information/settings designed specifically for the RAV4 EV.

    And so you’re always aware of what mode you’re running, the dash display color illuminates red when the vehicle is operating in sport mode, and blue in normal driving mode.

    In terms of space, total cargo capacity is equivalent to the conventional RAV4 – the company says that no interior space is lost inside the vehicle despite the EV components. The battery pack – which has an eight-year or 160,000 km warranty – is mounted low and to the centre of the vehicle, contributing to a more sedan-like ride.

    The RAV4 EV is set to begin selling in the US in late summer this year, initially in four major California metropolitan markets including Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego. Toyota is planning to shift approximately 2,600 units over the next three years.

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  • Government planning more incentives for hybrid and EV – details to be revealed when revised NAP is announced

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Local News / By / / 69 comments

    The Star earlier reported that the Government may pile on more incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles. This move is being done to encourage more Malaysians to embrace environment-friendly vehicles.

    On top of the current incentives, which include the 100% import duty and excise duty exemption for hybrids below 2,000 cc in place until December 2013, the Government is exploring other avenues to spur the uptake of such vehicles. One such incentive the Government is looking at is possible income tax exemption.

    International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said that the incentives will be revealed when the second revision of National Automotive Policy is announced later this year.

    He said that there are currently about 8,000 hybrid cars on the road, which the government sees as a very low figure. He added that the goal is to increase the number of both hybrid and electric vehicles on Malaysian roads significantly by 2020.

    The announcement was made during the launch of Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s Nissan Leaf Pilot Programme. The Leaf is not yet available for sale in Malaysia, but it is available for a limited period for test drives at selected locations.

    Our man, Danny, has taken the Leaf for a spin. Read his thoughts here.

     

  • CH-Auto Lithia – flash goes electric, the Chinese way

    In Cars, China, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News / By / / 27 comments

    Sitting in a quiet corner in Auto China 2012 were two electric vehicles from CH-Auto, one presenting a sports car take on the go-green path. The Lithia, as the prototype two-seater Beijing debutant is called, looks sporty enough, even if some of the lines might look a bit borrowed.

    It’s powered by an air-cooled AC induction motor offering 201 hp of power with the unit spinning between 7,000 to 8,000 rpm, as well as 220 Nm of torque from 0-5,000 rpm, driving the rear-wheels.

    The motor, rated to a maximum 11,000 rpm, gets its juice from a 36 kWh and 106 Ah Li-ion battery pack, and performance figures include a 150 km operating range, a 170 km/h top speed and an under 12 seconds 0-100 km/h sprint time. Not exactly blazing, but hey, it’s an electric.

    The 4.5 metre-long Lithia weighs in at 1,600 kg, and normal charge time is seven hours, with fast charging to 80% possible in just 70 minutes. It rides on 215/30, 19-inch front and 245/40 20-inch rear wheels, and features a front disc and rear drum brake system.

    Keeping the Lithia company on display was the smart-like Cylent city car. The 2.85-metre long two-seater features a permanent magnet synchronous motor at the heart of things, and weighs in at a modest 700 kg.

    Performance-wise, the Cylent can travel 100 km on a single charge, with a top speed of better than 50 km/h to be had. The 8.5 kWh Li-ion pack can be charged in two hours.

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  • Prototype EV battery explodes at a GM research lab

    In Cars, General Motors, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News / By / / 21 comments

    We sometimes tend to forget that batteries tend to be potentially volatile things – they can, if stressed beyond reasonable measure, go south, like catch fire and blow up.

    That’s what happened to a prototype EV battery at GM’s Technical Center battery research lab a couple of days ago – it blew up, leaving plenty of damage but only one person requiring minor treatment for concussion and some checmical burns.

    According to reports, a small fire had started due to “extreme testing of a prototype battery,” and the resultant explosion of the battery caused significant structural damage in the area used to test lithium-ion batteries.

    GM did not state the kind of battery that exploded, but did say that it was an A123 Systems unit, and that it was undergoing tests that were meant to stress the battery. The automaker was quick to add that the battery was not Chevrolet Volt-related, in a bid to protect the car from more negative publicity than it has had already, with regards to battery-related safety.

    In May last year, a Volt caught fire after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) side-impact crash test was carried out on the vehicle, which prompted an investigation on the safety of lithium-ion batteries used for EVs. Last November, a further three Volts were tested by the NHTSA, and two out of three either sparked or caught fire while the third remained normal, the reports add.

     

  • Volkswagen XL1 – two-seater to go into production in 2013

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Volkswagen / By / / 22 comments

    Volkswagen’s XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV), which premiered in concept form at the Qatar Motor Show in January last year, is set to go into small-series production in 2013, presumably as a primary field test.

    VW’s CEO Martin Winterkorn said that production will start in two years time in Germany, according to a report by Automotive News Europe. The report added that sources said the plug-in hybrid will be built either in Dresden or Wolfsburg.

    The lightweight 795 kg vehicle is an evolution of the 1-Litre car from 2002 and the L1 concept of 2009, and is capable of offering a staggering 110.9 km per litre in fuel consumption on a combined cycle.

    It’s powered by an 800 cc TDI two-cylinder common-rail diesel engine offering 47 hp and an electric motor producing 27 hp, and the hybrid powertrain works with a seven-speed DSG gearbox with an automatic clutch mounted between each unit.

    The electric motor can either work independently of the TDI engine or in tandem when accelerating – in pure electric mode the XL1 can travel up to 35 km before the diesel engine cuts in. Performance figures for the 3.97 metre-long two-seater include a 0-100 km/h time of 11.9 seconds and an electronically-limited 160 km/h top speed.

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  • Honda reaches settlement in Civic Hybrid class-action suit over gas mileage claims in the US

    In Cars, Honda, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News / By / / 35 comments

    Over in the US, according to news reports, a Superior Court judge in San Diego has finalised the approval of a class-action settlement between Honda and Civic Hybrid owners in the US, who claimed that their cars fuel economy was not that which was promised, in this case a combined total of 50 mpg.

    The settlement agreement will give owners between US$100 to US$200, as well as a rebate towards the purchase of a new Honda. The ruling covers around 200,000 Civic Hybrids from model years 2003 to 2009, with owners of 2006 to 2008 year models set to get the higher amount due to additional claims over battery defects, the reports add.

    The settlement is valued at around US$170 million. It will also award the plaintiff attorneys more than US$8 million.

    The case became big news last month after Heather Peters, a Civic hybrid owner who had declined to join the class-action suit, won her case in Small Claims Court against Honda on the fuel economy issue, in which she was claiming against Honda that her 2006 Civic failed to deliver the 50 mpg economy that was promised.

    The Los Angeles resident won nearly US$10,000, and Honda has filed an appeal in that case. Unlike Peter’s small claims case, class-action lawsuits only awards claimants against Honda a maximum of around US$200 in compensation, the reports said.

    The reports added that more than 1,700 Honda owners opted out of the settlement, some believing that owners should be paid more, while some complained that the attorney fees were too high.

     

  • Nissan “Can you feel electricity in the air?” teaser goes up on its website – is the electric-powered LEAF arriving?

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Local News, Nissan / By / / 33 comments

    A teaser graphic has gone up on the local Nissan website, with a ‘Can you feel electricity in the air?” tagline being the only thing mentioned, and also that whatever is due to happen is just but five days away.

    Chances are it’s the nod to the arrival of the electrically-powered Nissan LEAF, one of the models slated for introduction here this year. Don’t get too excited though, even if this is the case, because the EV isn’t going to be commercially available just yet, as indicated by an earlier report on its planned arrival.

    In it, Edaran Tan Chong Motor stated that it will be running a pilot program for the LEAF, in which the vehicle will be used to promote public awareness and be involved in experimental drives with Government bodies, the media as well public audiences. So, you might get to sit in one, but you can’t take it home just yet.

     

  • LC Super Hybrid – going the lead-carbon battery route

    In Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News / By / / 4 comments

    Yet another hybrid is set to take a bow in Geneva, but this one walks a slightly different path. The LC Super Hybrid, as it’s called, shows what can be achieved through electric hybridisation at low voltages (12-48 volts) using the latest lead-carbon batteries.

    Conceived by Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) and the Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC), the production-ready micro-mild technology offers the potential of a mass market, petrol-powered, large family car with superb drivability, impressive performance and excellent fuel economy achieved at substantially lower cost than an equivalent diesel model.

    Based on a series production 1.4 litre turbocharged VW Passat TSI model, the LC Super Hybrid is set to provide carmakers with real world validation of the pioneering technology. The tech comprises a Valeo electric supercharger (powered by the battery), next generation belt-integrated starter generator with an advanced belt tensioning system, carbon enhanced valve regulated lead–acid (VRLA) batteries which avoid the need for super-capacitors, and higher gear ratios to reduce engine speed.

    Recalibration of the engine has increased power from 122 to 142 PS and torque from 200 Nm to 275 Nm. This output is comparable with VW’s bigger 160 PS and 250 Nm 1.8 litre TSI gasoline engine. Despite the enhanced gasoline engine performance, the vehicle achieves near diesel levels of fuel economy, but with substantially lower production costs.

    The Passat demonstrator weighs in at approximately 1,530 kg, with its upgraded battery pack and on-board test equipment adding about 79 kg to the kerb weight of the baseline vehicle. However, much of this additional mass, including the test equipment, would be eliminated in a production vehicle as well as the existing starter motor, which is made redundant by the belt-integrated starter generator.

    Figures provide the necessary validity – the LC Super Hybrid delivers CO2 emissions of less than 130 g/km compared with 140 g/km for the baseline Passat 1.4 litre TSI, which is already best in class.

    Similarly, fuel economy is a claimed 5.6 litres per 100 km, an improvement over the 6.2L/100 km for the 1.4 TSI, measured over the standard European drive cycle. Performance-wise, the LC Super Hybrid gets to 100 km/h from standstill in 8.7 seconds, an improvement of 2.5 seconds over the 1.4 TSI’s 11.1 seconds.

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