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One of the main issues with electrification is securing a large supply of batteries. In many ways, this explains why Tesla is the only volume electric car maker: they worked on their battery supply before it became a bottleneck.
It's good to see Volvo and others working on getting enough batteries. They still have a long way to catch-up, but at least they are on their way.
Volvo Car Group signs multi-billion Li-ion dollar battery supply deals with CATL and LG Chem
Volvo Car Group has signed long-term agreements with leading battery makers CATL and LG Chem to ensure the multi-billion dollar supply of lithium-ion batteries over the coming decade for next generation Volvo and Polestar models. The agreements cover the global supply of battery modules for a...
All cars have brake connections in the hubs, so getting an electric connection isn't an insurmountable problem.
The problem with in-wheel motors is unsprung weight. It's probably not a valid solution for light-duty vehicles, but it should be workable for trucks,
Elaphe to begin low-volume series production of L1500 in-wheel powertrain system
Elaphe Propulsion Technologies will begin low-volume series manufacturing of L1500 gearless in-wheel powertrain system. The Elaphe L1500 in-wheel motor achieves the highest torque densities of electric motors on the market, generating 1500 N·m of torque without using any gears. A single in-whe...
Harvey,
The answer is in the article:
"Between 43 and 61% of TNC trips substitute for transit, walk, or bike travel or would not have been made at all, adding traffic to the road that otherwise would not have been there."
On a related topic, there was an article here last year explaining that autonomous cars will find it cheaper to continuously drive around if parking is expensive. That will certainly add to congestion: imagine hundreds or thousands of empty cars, driving slowly in circles all day. Sure, some of them will occasionally leave the city core, but the net number should be stable. At the end of the day they will ferry you home and drive around your residential neighbourhoods all night. The fact is, these cars have to be somewhere. They don't disappear when we don't need them, and transportation requirements are not random: most people need to get to work or school in the morning, and back home at night. Not much for autonomous cars to do in between these two peaks.
Study finds ride-sharing companies biggest contributors to growing traffic congestion in San Francisco
Researchers from the University of Kentucky and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority have determined that, contrary to the concept and vision, transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft are the biggest contributor to growing traffic congestion in San Francisco. Using da...
Autonomous cars will increase congestion even more, of course.
Study finds ride-sharing companies biggest contributors to growing traffic congestion in San Francisco
Researchers from the University of Kentucky and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority have determined that, contrary to the concept and vision, transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft are the biggest contributor to growing traffic congestion in San Francisco. Using da...
Can it be recycled?
Teijin’s Sereebo now in use for GM as first CFRTP for high-volume production vehicles
Teijin Limited announced that its Sereebo carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) has been selected by General Motors (GM) for use in select pickup box applications. This is the first use of CFRTP for structural parts in a high-volume production vehicle. Sereebo will be used to manufact...
To put it an other way, a handy (unverified) online converter tells me this is the equivalent of 0.84 million barrels of oil. It's not nothing, but it's also not a lot. Yet.
DOE: US plug-in vehicles consumed nearly 3 TWh of electricity in 2018
The amount of electricity consumed by plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) in the United States has nearly doubled in the last two years—from 1.44 terawatt-hours in 2016 to 2.85 terawatt-hours in 2018, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). The share of electricity consumption from all-el...
It's just a much more modern engine family than their old V8 and V6 which were left-over from Land Rover's Ford days (10+ years ago).
The Ingenium engine family was first introduced with 4 cylinders in the smaller Discovery Sport and Evoque. It makes sense for a relatively small manufacturer to derive their 6 cylinder from their 4 cylinder, instead of tooling-up for a V6. The Range Rovers and bigger Jaguars have lots of space under the hood for an in-line 6, so the advantages of a V design would not be as relevant.
2020 Range Rover available with 48V mild hybrid in-line 6
The 2020 Range Rover is now available in the UK with a 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder Ingenium gasoline engine in a Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) powertrain designed to bring enhanced efficiency to the range with fuel economy of 9.3l/100km (25.3 mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 212g/km (NEDC ...
They seem to completely ignore externalities: pollution, health care to fix the effects of the pollution, exporting money to pay for non-renewables (coal, gas, oil).
I don't doubt that many of these programs could be better, but that doesn't justify looking at only one side of the ledger.
EPIC: state-level renewable electricity mandates increase electricity prices up to 17% over 12 years; cost more expensive than benefit
As states take the lead in confronting climate change, a flagship policy is often Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). RPS programs, which require that a certain percentage of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources, currently cover 64 percent of the electricity sold in the United S...
They say it's a limited edition, but the real question is "could they build more if they had to?"
Everybody but Tesla is struggling to procure enough batteries for their EVs, so they release low-volume halo models (Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes), or sub-compacts with a relatively short range (dozens of Chinese manufacturers, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Smart, GM, BMW).
6,000 units may seem substantial, but Tesla builds more than that every week. It seems obvious now that you can't build EVs without batteries. The problem is, the only way to get batteries today is to invest in battery manufacturing 6 or 7 years ago.
NIO launches ES6 electric SUV starting at $52K and 317-mile range
NIO Inc. officially launched the NIO ES6 on December 15, 2018 during the annual NIO Day celebration in Shanghai. The electric SUV starts at a pre-subsidy price of 358,000 RMB (US$52,000), and is available now for public pre-order via the NIO app, with delivery to start in June 2019. The NI...
I guess this means that there's very little value in lease-return i3's. Probably because it has a tiny range.
That's too bad, the i3 is BMW's only interesting/innovative design of the past decade. They should refurbish them using modern batteries. The carbon fiber structure is probably as good as new, so it's a shame to send these cars to the crusher because of an obsolete (but replaceable) battery.
BMW providing 10 pre-owned i3 EVs to UC Davis for 18 months
BMW is providing the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis with ten battery-electric, BMW i3 models for 18 months. Eight of the pre-owned vehicles will be available soon for UC Davis faculty and staff to rent through the campus’s UC Drive program, which is managed by the Fleet Service...
I suspect that Toyota hasn't yet figured-out how to make/buy enough batteries for a full EV. That's where Tesla has a real market advantage.
I'll repeat what I said about the last new Prius, and the one before that: there's barely any gains left to be made with hybrid technology. Fuel consumption is more-or-less the same as it was 15 years ago. I know that a lot of people here love to speculate that the next Prius will get "100mpg", but they are in the 50-60 range, just like every Prius since the second generation.
2019 Prius offered with new electric all-wheel drive system
Toyota is offering a new electric all-wheel drive system (AWD-e) on the facelifted 2019 Prius. Toyota projects fuel economy of 52 mpg city / 48 mpg highway / 50 mpg combined for the AWD-e model, and estimates that the AWD-e model—which is debuting at the LA Auto Show—could account for as much as...
E-P,
FYI, the problem is not "while the storage tank is being filled and air is being pushed out."
In most jurisdictions, the air that is pushed-out is sent to the tanker to replace the equal volume of fuel that is pushed-in.
New study finds gasoline stations vent up to 10x more benzene fumes than previously thought
A study led by environmental health scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health examined the release of vapors from gasoline station vent pipes, and found benzene emissions were 10 times higher than estimates used in setback regulations that determine how close schools, pl...
E-P,
I think you are confusing the marketing with real life. It says Jeep on the front, but this is their small urban crossover.
The target markets are families, and empty-nesters who can't get into low cars anymore. These people appreciate the space efficiency of the wagon shape. They will not be crossing the Darién Gap.
As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, it's not much different from competing choices, which is to say that it is much better than almost anything available 20 years ago.
FCA Melfi plant preparing for production of Jeep Renegade PHEV for 2020
The FCA Melfi, Italy plant is beginning preparations to produce the Jeep Renegade Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) scheduled for market launch in early 2020. The Renegade PHEV will be produced alongside the Renegade and 500X full combustion engine products that are currently produced at t...
What is the real-world range if it spends all day parked with the air conditioning on?
Lightning Systems debuts new all-electric Ford E-450 shuttle bus and cutaway models
Lightning Systems, a global developer of zero-emission drivetrains for commercial fleets, announced new battery-electric powertrain options for the Ford E-450 Shuttle Bus and Ford E-450 Cutaway. The new Lightning Electric models for the Ford E-450 will be available in 14,500-pound gross ve...
One important question is "how many can they make?"
It looks like Tesla is the only company that can produce 100,000+ battery packs per year. All the other electrics are limited to 10 or 20% of that volume. In a way, Tesla has no "real" competition yet.
A 700kg, 2.28 meter battery pack... wow! No wonder they released a giant SUV, that monster pack won't fit in anything else.
Audi e-tron premium electric SUV debuts; starting at $74,800 in US; delivery Q2 2019; reservations open
Audi unveiled its all-electric Audi e-tron mid-size SUV—its first fully electric production model—in an event in San Francisco. The Audi e-tron is a premium electric SUV designed for sport, family and leisure, and will enter the US market with a suggested retail price of $74,800, with initial a...
Not sure it's a long-term trend. Add 8 years to the bump in the 2009 data and you get a corresponding bump in 2017.
The years before the 2009 recession were characterized by easy credit, which fueled car sales. What the graph shows is that many of those cars are still on the road (and presumably paid-off!).
There's a dip in the 2017 chart (around 5-8 years) that corresponds to the 2009+ sales collapse. Makes perfect sense: there aren't as many 2009-2012 cars on the road, because fewer were made/sold in the first place.
US households are holding on to their vehicles longer
The turnover of household vehicles has slowed since 2009, based on US Department of Transportation surveys of household vehicle travel, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported. The 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) reported that the average vehicle—including cars, t...
It's actually funny that the "Tesla-beater" Bolt sells as much in a quarter as the Model 3 does in a week. I wonder how many of those sales are made to people who don't want to wait for the Model 3 backlog to be filled.
GM boosting production of Chevrolet Bolt EV more than 20% for Q4 compared to three-quarter average; 1% of US 1H vehicle deliveries
US and global demand for the Chevrolet Bolt EV has been very strong in 2018, with global sales estimated to be up more than 35% year over year in the second quarter and up more than 40% in the first half, according to GM. In response, GM is increasing fourth quarter production by more than 20% ...
The pipeline isn't for American pickups, it's for China and the rest of Asia.
Government of Canada to buy Trans Mountain Pipeline System and Expansion Project for C$4.5B, resume planing and construction
The Government of Canada will purchase Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline system and the expansion project (TMEP) for C$4.5 billion (US$3.46 billion); Kinder Morgan has agreed to work with the Government of Canada to seek a third-party buyer for the Trans Mountain Pipeline system and TMEP....
What about recycling. Steel and Al are easy to recycle, but composites usually aren't.
SABIC lifecycle assessment finds thermoplastic composite doors achieve lower GWP, energy demand than steel, aluminum and magnesium
SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, released the results of a recent lifecycle assessment of passenger car side doors using hybrid material solutions including laminates made with its continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite (CFRTC), the UDMAX GPP 45-70 tape. The materia...
E-P, one of the pictures on Volvo's site clearly shows a turbocharger.
Volvo Cars debuts its first 3-cylinder engine in new XC40 compact SUV; designed for PHEV applications
Volvo Cars launched its new three-cylinder Drive-E powertrain in the XC40, the company’s first entry into the compact SUV segment. The new powertrain is the first three-cylinder engine in the company’s 91-year history. The new three-cylinder powertrain has been deliberately designed for integ...
The "new engines, plug-in hybrid versions" from the title did not make it into the article.
Nothing against fragrancing options and massage seats, but GCC is usually more about the running gear.
Mercedes-Benz unveiling facelited C-Class at Geneva with new engines, plug-in hybrid versions
Alongside the A-Class, the G-Class and the new four-door Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé, Mercedes-Benz will hold the world premiere of the new facelifted C-Class Saloon and Estate models featuring new gasoline and diesel engines, and plug-in hybrid versions. The C-Class in its current generation was Mer...
Look on the bright side: these Ford/Lincoln barges are more efficient than GM, Nissan and Toyota large SUVs. Especially Toyota, the Sequoia gets 14MPG on gasoline, and 10 (TEN!) MPG on E85.
Ford boosting production targets for full-size SUVs by about 25%; increasing line speed at Kentucky Truck Plant
Ford is increasing production of two popular full-size SUVs to meet increasing retail demand for both models. The company is increasing line speed at its Kentucky Truck Plant to build more Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition SUVs, boosting production targets approximately 25% since last fall ...
How is this different from having everybody in a neighborhood running maximum A/C and cooking dinner at the same time? Electric cars are less of an issue because they can be programmed to charge overnight.
NREL study finds that uncoordinated plug-in vehicle charging could prove challenging to the grid
An influx of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) charging without coordination could prove challenging to the nation’s electric grid, according to research conducted by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Dr. Matteo Muratori, a transportation and energy sys...
Cheeseater,
Bolt sales are lower than Tesla, and they always will be. LG Chem has (inadvertently) stated that they are only contracted to build up-to 30,000 Bolt battery packs per year. Bolt sales aren't high enough to reach that target, even if you take their highest sales month and multiply by 12 (ignoring seasonal variations).
JATO: Tesla most popular global electric vehicle brand between January and September 2017; EV sales accelerating
The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has accelerated as policymakers across the globe pass regulations to reduce emissions of air pollutants, according to the latest analysis by JATO Dynamics. 2017 represents a turning point in the adoption of electric cars, with sales in key regions increas...
It's still a net savings, and definitely better than buying 2 SUVs.
Researchers find consumers compensate for fuel-efficient car by buying bigger second vehicle; losing 60% of fuel economy savings
An analysis by a team from the University of California, Davis, MIT and Yale suggests that households that buy a fuel-efficient vehicle tend to compensate for that purchase by buying a bigger, more powerful second vehicle. This unintended effect could erode goals of fuel economy standard polici...
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