Electric Vehicles This Week:Tesla In India In 2021, Mahindra’s EVs For Logistics & More

 After years of delay, US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla is finally ready to launch its cars in India. Transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Monday (December 28), Elon Musk’s Tesla will be arriving in India ‘early’ in 2021. The company will first start with sales and then look into start assembling in India if the demand requires.

The US luxury EV maker has been trying to enter the Indian market since 2016, but the efforts fell apart due to lack of infrastructure, policies and the market for emobility in India. Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown interest in the EV maker as well, whereas Gadkari previously offered it land near the port to import their technology.

Last year, even Chennai-based automobile manufacturer Ashok Leyland had invited Tesla for a partnership to help the company bring their brand to India.

Electric Vehicles News Of The Week

Mahindra Will Soon Deploy EV for Last Mile Deliveries

Mahindra Logistics is planning to deploy EVs for its last-mile delivery shortly, following Amazon India’s decision to deploy ECs for last-mile deliveries. The ecommerce giant is reportedly in touch with Mahindra Electric and Kinetic Green for vehicle supplies as well.

Rajasthan Sets Tariff For Public Charging Stations

The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has issued a draft order for EV charging infrastructure, tariff and other regulatory issues. As per a draft order, a tariff of INR 6 will be applicable to public charging stations (PCS) under two categories: LT-8 and HT-6. The tariff is also applicable to battery charging stations (BSC) and battery swapping stations (BSS).

Hyundai Plans To Launch Its Most Affordable EV Nest Year

South Korean automobile maker Hyundai is reportedly working on a low-cost EV for the Indian market by 2021. The AX is the codename for the upcoming car and the company will position the all-new car below the Hyundai Venue in its SUV-lineup. Once launched, it will be the brand’s most affordable EV.

Hyundai is also the maker of Kona EV, which is priced at INR 24.76 Lakh. The vehicle was launched last year for passengers. Even Indian government’s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has been deploying it for official purposes.

EV COSMOS To Deploy 500 Charging Stations In India

Indian EV solutions firm EV COSMOS announced it has tied up with ChargeNET SriLanka to set up 500 chargers in India in the next two years. ChargeNet, which is a group company of Codegen International of UK, operates a manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka.

“We shall be providing IOT enabled fast charging solutions on strategic locations in cities, highways and hotels et cetera where EVs shall be charged in 15-30 minutes. This will help fleet owners to move towards electric vehicles seamlessly,” said Harsha Subasinghe, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Codegen International, UK.

Electric Vehicles Headlines From Around The World

BMW Looks To Up Its EV Game

German luxury carmaker BMW is planning to set up its EV production to represent about 20% of its product line by 2023, the company’s Chief Executive Oliver Zipse told German daily Augsburger Allgemeine. The company wants roughly every fifth car its sells to be powered by an electric engine by 2023.

“We are significantly increasing the number of electric vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, we will build a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned”, Zipse added.

Indonesia, LG Sign $9.8 Bn Battery Investment Deal

Indonesia and a unit of South Korean firm LG Group have signed a MOU on a $9.8 Bn EV battery investment deal, the head of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board has confirmed. The deal was signed on December 18 and includes investment across the EV supply chain.

Under the MOU, at least 70% of the nickel ore used to produce the EV batteries must be processed in Indonesia. The country aims to start processing its rich supply of nickel and laterite ore for use in lithium batteries to become a global hub for producing and exporting EVs.

Tata Nexon EV review: Bestselling electric car in India

Electric mobility is still in its infancy as far as market acceptance is concerned but Tata Motors has been one automaker which has accelerated the growth of EVs in India with its Nexon.

Ever since the launch, Tata Motors has sold over 2,000 units of the Nexon EV, making it the bestselling electric car in the country. But how good is it?

Exteriors: Tata Nexon EV: At a glance

The Nexon EV has the same design as the standard Nexon, which was also launched earlier this year with the new grille, headlamps and alloy wheels.

However, there are some differences in the form of blue highlights and a lower ground-clearance courtesy the battery pack underneath the car.

The Nexon EV comes in three color options: Glacier White, Moonlight Silver and Signature Teal Blue.

Interiors: Inside the cabin

Inside, the Nexon EV has a tri-arrow theme along with a flat-bottom steering wheel, a 7-inch touchscreen console, an 8-speaker Harman audio system, and a digital instrument cluster.

It also gets navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and support for ZConnect App, which offers features like geo-fencing, vehicle tracking, vehicle reports, and trip analytics.

In terms of space, it is identical to the standard Nexon.

Under the hood: Power and performance

Powering the Nexon EV is a 30.2kWh battery pack and a PMS motor, which develops 127hp/245Nm. The combination comes paired to an automatic gearbox with two drive modes.

The Nexon EV feels pretty quick as it does 0-100km/h in just 9.9 seconds. The regenerative braking system, which cannot be adjusted like in other EVs, is easy to get used to.

Mileage: Battery and range

The vehicle's ARAI-certified range is 312km but in real-world conditions, expect 200-250km of range, depending on the way you drive.

With a fast charger, the charging time is drastically reduced to 60 minutes for an 80% charge while through a regular charger, it takes around 8 hours.

The battery has an 8-year warranty and the charging network is amongst the largest for an EV.

Our verdict: Is it worth your money?

The Nexon EV starts at Rs. 13.99 lakh and goes up to Rs. 16.25 lakh for the top-end model. It is currently the most affordable electric SUV on sale with rivals costing a lot more.

Buying an electric car also means less running costs and maintenance. Hence, if your commute is mostly city based, the Nexon EV is worth making the switch.

Toyota launches C+pod ultra-compact electric car: Two-seater BEV with 150 km range

 Toyota Motor Corporation today announced a limited launch of the ‘C+pod’ ultra-compact battery electric vehicle (BEV), from 25th December to corporate users, local governments, and other organisations. Toyota plans to further promote the establishment of systems for popularising BEVs, including the development of new business models, and to conduct a full-scale launch including to individual customers by 2022. The company also stated that with this limited launch, it will also demonstrate new services that can only be provided by BEVs.

The new C+pod is an all-electric two-seater BEV designed as a mobility option that Toyota says improves per-person energy efficiency. In addition to short-distance daily use, the C+pod is also aimed at corporate users visiting customers on a regular basis, and at users in urban or mountainous communities.

The electric motor produces a maximum power of 9.2 kW and 56 Nm of torque, with the vehicle weighing in at up to 690 kg. Standard charging time ranges from 5-16 hours, depending upon the power source of whether it is a single-phase, 200V/16A, or a single-phase, 100V/6A. The C+pod’s top speed is rated at 60 km/h.

The rear-wheel-drive C+pod has been launched in Japan in two grades – X and G which are priced at 1,650,000 yen (approximately Rs 11.73 lakh) and 1,716,000 yen (approximately Rs 12.2 lakh), respectively. The C+pod comes with a cruising range of up to 150 km (WLTC mode, Class 1 test cycle when running on battery power; Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism).

In Japan, Toyota is focusing initially on the C+pod, Walking Area BEVs, and Toyota i-Road, with more than 200 corporate and local government partners currently involved in exploring new transportation models. As one of these collaborative efforts, the launch of the C+pod will also demonstrate new services specific to BEVs.

One of those services is Toyota Green Charge, a joint project developed with Chubu Electric Power Miraiz Co., Inc. to offer a single point of contact for corporations seeking support when constructing optimal charging facilities or developing electricity plans for BEVs, such as CO2-free power.

The service will be jointly implemented in collaboration with Chubu Electric Power Miraiz, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., and TEPCO Energy Partner, Inc. Other services in planning include the Electric-vehicle sharing service that combines tourist information with the “Toyota Share” car-sharing service to promote sightseeing and excursions.

BMW Aims For 20% Of Its Vehicles To Be Electric By 2023

 German luxury carmaker BMW is planning to step up its production of electric vehicles, Chief Executive Oliver Zipse told German daily Augsburger Allgemeine.

"We are significantly increasing the number of electric vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, we will build a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned", Zipse told the newspaper's Monday edition according to a pre-released version.

BMW wants roughly every fifth car it sells to be powered by an electric engine by 2023, Zipse said, compared to about 8% this year.

The manager also reiterated his call to speed up the expansion of charging infrastructure.

"15,000 private and about 1,300 public charging points would have to be put into operation every week as of today. Unfortunately, we are a long way from that", he told the paper.

Maruti Omni Digitally Imagined As A Futuristic Electric Vehicle.

 Check out this digitally-rendered Maruti Omni EV, which takes the minimalistic design of the original, and gives it a futuristic spin A lot of carmakers in India, like Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra, etc., have declared their plans for electric vehicles in the near future. While the official sources aren’t usually generous with the info about their cars (except for a few), peoples’ interest in them is rising. Many digital artists these days are busy imagining everything with wheels as an EV, and the results are usually quite interesting. Here, we have a few digitally rendered images of Maruti Omni, created by Shashank Shekhar, a student of Automobile Design. He has imagined the Maruti van in its next-generation electric avatar, and the design of the vehicle is quite nice. Just like the old ICE-powered model, the Omni EV gets a boxy silhouette.The front end of the vehicle features rectangular LED headlamps with integrated LED DRLs. There’s a Suzuki logo on the nose, and just like the original, there’s no front grille here. Fog lamps are mounted low on the front bumper, and there’s a functional air dam just above them. The van also gets body-coloured ORVMs with LED blinkers.

From the side, the vehicle looks a little longer than the original. It still gets a sliding door for the rear though, along with black plastic cladding at the bottom. The van sports tiny alloy wheels, which look cute. At the rear, the LED taillights mirror the design of the headlights, and have a red bar running horizontally between them. The cabin of this vehicle has six seats, all forward-facing, which is much more practical than the original’s rear-facing second row. The black interior theme looks good, and we would’ve loved to see the interior rendering as well.

Maruti Omni had a production run of 35 years, from 1984–2019, and was extremely popular in the Indian market. It was a reliable workhorse, available at an affordable price. In 2019, when safety regulations were tightened in India, the Omni was discontinued. Maruti Suzuki isn’t too keen on introducing new electric cars in India at the moment, with the WagonR EV being the only one confirmed, that too only as a fleet vehicle. As such, we probably won’t get to see an electric Maruti Omni in the metal anytime soon.

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

The front end of the vehicle features rectangular LED headlamps with integrated LED DRLs. There’s a Suzuki logo on the nose, and just like the original, there’s no front grille here. Fog lamps are mounted low on the front bumper, and there’s a functional air dam just above them. The van also gets body-coloured ORVMs with LED blinkers.

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-omni-digitally-imagined-as-a-futuristic-electric-vehicle/  

Mahindra EKUV100, Tata Tiago EV, and more: Upcoming electric cars in 2021

The electric mobility space in India has grown substantially over the last few years and things are only going to get better to such cleaner vehicles. Because of growing environmental concerns, the Indian government as well as the automakers are now pushing towards electrified vehicles and are being helped by dedicated EV policies by the state governments and various incentives promised by the central government. Admittedly, there are only a handful of fully electric vehicles in India as of now. However, the scenario will be different next year when we will have a raft of electric cars hitting the market. 

1. Jaguar i-Pace

Jaguar's first fully-electric model-- i-Pace -- will be launched in India next year and the deliveries will start from March 2021. Ahead of that, the British carmaker has already started accepting orders for the electric SUV. The i-Pace will be available in three variants -- S, SE, and HSE. The first Jaguar electric car will come powered by a 90 kWh battery pack with two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors. This configuration delivers 394.5 bhp with 696 Nm of maximum torque and allows the SUV to go from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. And as for the range, the I-Pace offers a driving range of 470 km on a single charge.

2. Tata Tiago EV

Tata Tiago EV has the same silhouette as the regular Tiago. However, Tata is likely to use graphics, besides the EV badging, to help differentiate the Tiago's electric version from its ICE sibling. The carmaker has not revealed whether the Tiago EV will use Tigor EV's powertrain but it did note that the electric hatchback will offer a driving range of 130 km on a single charge. While this sounds adequate for your run-of-the-mill commute, longer drives on this EV may require some bit of extra planning. 

3. Tata Altroz EV

Showcased at the Geneva Motor Show 2019, Tata Altroz will be an aspirational premium hatchback that will also get an all-electric powertrain. It will look similar to its ICE (Internal combustion engine) counterpart but is expected to be more spacious due to the lack of transmission tunnel. Not much else is known about the electric powertrain on the Altroz EV, but we have gathered from sources that it could offer a driving range of 250 km on a single charge.

4. Mahindra EKUV100

Mahindra EKUV100's price in India was revealed at the Auto Expo and the electric SUV is expected to be launched next month. When launched in India, the EKUV100 will start from  ₹8.25 lakh (ex-showroom). However, this price is inclusive of FAME II subsidies, which means the private users will have to spend more for this electric SUV. Nonetheless, we expect EKUV100 to be the cheapest electric SUV in India, a title which currently belongs to Tata Tigor EV.  The electric SUV will be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor which develops 54 bhp and 120 Nm of peak torque. Mahindra noted that the eKUV100 has a driving range of 147 km on a single charge and the SUV can be charged up to 80 per cent in an hour.

5. Porsche Taycan

Porsche Taycan marked the German brand's entry in the electric mobility space and the car is expected to hit our shores next year. Available in two models -- Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo -- both of them take the mantle of the most powerful production cars in Porsche's portfolio. The Porsche Taycan Turbo generates up to 671 bhp of power, promises a driving a range of up to 450 km. The Taycan Turbo S, on the other hand, belts out 750.5 bhp together with Launch Control and claims to deliver a driving range of 412 km. Both models offer the same top-speed -- 260 km/h. 

6. Audi e-Tron

Audi's first all-electric vehicle was expected to reach our shores this year but the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted those plans to 2021. The Audi e-tron gets two electric motors that deliver a maximum power output of up to 402 bhp. However, during standard running, the two motors generate a collective output of 355 bhp and 561 Nm of torque. Audi's first fully electric SUV can go from zero to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and that too without making any noise at all. The 95 kWh lithium-ion battery, positioned underneath the cabin, allows the Audi e-Tron to deliver a driving range of over 400 kilometres in the WLTP driving cycle.

All that you should know before buying an electric two-wheel

Read more at:
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/business/planning-to-get-an-electric-scooter-know-pros-and-cons/articleshow/79882891.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

All that you should know before buying an electric two-wheel

Read more at:
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/business/planning-to-get-an-electric-scooter-know-pros-and-cons/articleshow/79882891.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Read more at:
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/business/planning-to-get-an-electric-scooter-know-pros-and-cons/articleshow/79882891.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Volvo Promises Second Electric Car Is Coming in March 2021

 As with other automakers, Volvo is keen on continuing to expand its EV lineup. The XC40 Recharge is barely out of the gate and the Swedish automaker has another electric vehicle up its sleeve, which it will unveil on March 2, 2021.

In a video interview with Automotive News Europe, Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson told the outlet that while the upcoming vehicle will share the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform used by the XC40 Recharge, it will have a "more streamlined body."

The platform is also in use by the Polestar 2 sedan, so a sleeker-looking electric vehicle with the underpinnings of the XC40 isn't out of the question. But don't expect too much more information out of Volvo ahead of the reveal.

"We will keep you a bit in the dark until we show the car, but I promise you it will be a very good-looking car," Samuelsson told Automotive News Europe. The publication also learned that the vehicle will not be a successor to the discontinued V40 compact hatchback. The automaker wants to be in a higher-priced, more premium vehicle segment than the V40.

Factory floor will see Apple-Tesla tussle as electric vehicle race picks up

 It was kind of inevitable that Tesla’s biggest challenger wouldn’t be a car company. Apple makes for the perfect nemesis and could teach its California cousin a thing or two about reliability and delivery.

For years, there’s been speculation that Apple would join the electric vehicle race, with teams formed and development under way. Yet the programme also seemed to lack focus, leading to job cuts and changes in direction. Now, there’s renewed hype that an Apple car may be in the works, and the aggressive timeline is taking even the company’s fans by surprise.

Automotive suppliers, including Taiwan’s Hota Industrial Manufacturing, have been told by Apple to ramp up production of parts ahead of a launch as early as next September, the Taipei-based Economic Daily News reported. Reuters says that Apple has a 2024 timeframe for delivering its self-driving vehicle, with battery technology set to be the secret sauce.

Having sat on plans for electric vehicles for the better part of a decade, the resurfacing of Apple Car rumours has peculiar timing. One reason would be a leadership reshuffle inside the company.

Artificial intelligence chief John Giannandrea is taking over the self-driving car unit, an indication that Apple sees software and systems as the key ingredient. Previously, the effort was led by Bob Mansfield, vice president of hardware engineering.

Another development that went mostly unnoticed outside the EV realm: Foxconn Technology Group is getting into cars. That’s the same firm that not only assembles your iPhone but supplies numerous less-significant components for it. Foxconn announced plans in January and unveiled its own open-vehicle platform in October. It says it will start shipping a first EV development kit in April, allowing any developer to build a car on top of this barebones chassis and electrical system.

So after years of hearing little out of Cupertino, we have Apple shifting vehicle plans away from a hardware chief to an AI leader, its primary manufacturing partner unveiling a modular platform, and news reports from suppliers talking up an imminent product launch.

I have covered Foxconn for almost 20 years, yet I have no information that the Taiwanese firm has even been tapped to make cars for Apple. To be frank, I think their interdependent relationship is unhealthy: Foxconn gets over half its revenue from that one client, while iPhones couldn’t get made without that key supplier.

But they do seem in sync on one thing: In this era, a vehicle’s brand and production can and probably should be split. Tesla CEO Elon Musk vehemently disagrees.

“Cars are very complex compared to phones or smartwatches,” Musk told Handelsblatt in 2015. “You can’t just go to a supplier like Foxconn and say: Build me a car.”

I think his sentiment understates the complex and close relationship between Apple and its entire supply chain. CEO Tim Cook doesn’t just fax an order to Shenzhen and expect Foxconn’s team to bang together a few parts and ship them out. Bits of today’s iPhone were being designed five years ago, with manufacturing discussions likely under way two years before launch. And smartphones are sophisticated, made more difficult by the small size, tight tolerances, fast ramp up, and large volume of production.

Already, one thing Cook can do better than Musk is deliver on time a high-quality and consistent product. What’s holding Tesla back from growing into its $616 billion market value isn’t demand for EVs, but inability to manufacture them.

Two decades ago, founder Steve Jobs recognised Apple’s strength wasn’t in manufacturing Macs, but in designing and marketing them. Dell, HP, Sony Corp and dozens of others came to the same conclusion. Cars are different, comes the familiar refrain, and can’t be outsourced. Yet global leaders like BMW AG have tapped the likes of Magna Steyr to do assembly.

Musk fancies himself as the man who upended the automotive industry with an electric-only vehicle and direct-sales business model. Investors seem to think that warrants making Tesla the world’s ninth most-valuable company. But maybe the next true innovation in autos will pass him by as he clings to the fantasy that a car’s brand should also be its manufacturer.

Electric vehicle market in India expected to hit 63 lakh units per annum mark by 2027: IESA

 The electric vehicle (EV) market in India is expected to hit over 63 lakh unit mark per annum by 2027, according to a report by India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).

As per the findings of the report, which covers the present scenario and forecast of electric vehicle (EV), EV batteries and the public charging infrastructure market in the country, demand for the batteries is also going to rise substantially over the same period.

"In the base case scenario, the EV market is expected to grow at CAGR of 44 percent between 2020-2027 and is expected to hit 6.34-million-unit annual sales by 2027,” the IESA report said.

Similarly, the annual battery demand is forecasted to grow at 32 percent to hit 50GWh by 2027, of this, 40 plus GWh will be on lithium-ion batteries, it added.

"The estimated battery market potential is USD 580 million in 2019 and is forecasted to grow to USD 14.9 billion by 2027,” it noted.

The EV sales in India stood at 3.8 lakh units in 2019-20, and the EV battery market stood at 5.4GWh during the year.

The electric two-wheelers were the highest selling in the entire segment last fiscal.

As per the report, low and medium-speed electric two-wheelers (up to 40 kmph) with conventional lead-acid batteries were dominating the market.

"With more companies getting FAME-II certification in 2020, sale of high-speed electric two-wheelers is expected to increase rapidly,” it added.

In terms of battery technology in the electric two-wheeler segment, lead-acid technology will be completely out of the market in the next five years, it said.

Elaborating on the electric bus market the report noted that the demand in the vertical is expected to be driven with subsidy support from the Central government due to high upfront cost.

Going forward, expansion is likely based on viability and access to financing, it added. Besides, the electric e-rickshaw market is poised for growth in the upcoming years as many new markets such as Raipur, Indore, Bhopal, have opened last year.

Besides, the electric e-rickshaw market is poised for growth in the upcoming years as many new markets such as Raipur, Indore, Bhopal, have opened last year.

Moreover, the South and North East markets are also expected to open in the upcoming years, the report said.

It noted that the high-speed electric three-wheeler market is currently at a very nascent stage and has opened mainly at the B2B or in the cargo segment due to the requirement of performance vehicles.

Low-cost financing is a key constraint hindering the growth of this segment, the report said.

"Going forward, the industry believes that the market will grow very rapidly in the upcoming years as many state governments are planning to convert the existing fleet of autos into electric under their EV policies,” it added.

Apple Aims To Produce Electric Vehicle In 2024: Report

Electric vehicle stocks have been soaring the past few weeks. With Tesla Inc's TSLA success and addition to the S&P 500, other EV maker's valuations are rising along with Tesla.

Now a new report from Reuters states Apple Inc AAPL is working on a self-driving electric vehicle of its own, slated for release in 2024.

Reports of Apple's work on its own car first started in 2014 and Apple's cars have even been spotted testing as recently as 2019. Reuters says 180 people were laid off from the team in 2019.

Now two people familiar with the matter told Reuters Apple is ready to build a vehicle ready for consumers. One key aspect of Apple's approach is a new battery design to drastically reduce costs. Sources expect Apple to rely on manufacturing partners to build the vehicles.

To boost emissions reductions from electric vehicles, know when to charge

 Transportation-related emissions are increasing globally. Currently, light-duty vehicles—namely passenger cars, such as sedans, SUVs, or minivans—contribute about 20 percent of the net greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. But studies have shown that switching out your conventional gas-guzzling car for a vehicle powered by electricity can make a significant dent in reducing these emissions.

A recent study published in Environmental Science and Technology takes this a step further by examining how to reduce the emissions associated with the electricity source used to charge an electric vehicle (EV). Taking into account regional charging patterns and the effect of ambient temperature on car fuel economy, researchers at the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) find that the time of day when an EV is charged significantly impacts the vehicle's emissions.

"If you facilitate charging at particular times, you can really boost the emissions reductions that result from growth in renewables and EVs," says Ian Miller, the lead author of the study and a research associate at MITEI. "So how do we do this? Time-of-use electricity rates are spreading, and can dramatically shift the time of day when EV drivers charge. If we inform policymakers of these large time-of-charging impacts, they can then design electricity rates to discount charging when our power grids are renewable-heavy. In solar-heavy regions, that's midday. In wind-heavy regions, like the Midwest, it's overnight."

According to their research, in solar-heavy California, charging an electric vehicle overnight produces 70 percent more emissions than if it were charged midday (when more solar energy powers the grid). Meanwhile, in New York, where nuclear and hydro power constitute a larger share of the electricity mix during the night, the best charging time is the opposite. In this region, charging a vehicle overnight actually reduces emissions by 20 percent relative to daytime charging.

"Charging infrastructure is another big determinant when it comes to facilitating charging at specific times—during the day especially," adds Emre Gençer, co-author and a research scientist at MITEI. "If you need to charge your EV midday, then you need to have enough charging stations at your workplace. Today, most people charge their vehicles in their garages overnight, which is going to produce higher emissions in places where it is best to charge during the day."

In the study, Miller, Gençer, and Maryam Arbabzadeh, a postdoc at MITEI, make these observations in part by calculating the percentage of error in two common EV emission modeling approaches, which ignore hourly variation in the grid and temperature-driven variation in fuel economy. Their results find that the combined error from these standard methods exceeds 10 percent in 30 percent of the cases, and reaches 50 percent in California, which is home to half of the EVs in the United States.

"If you don't model time of charging, and instead assume charging with annual average power, you can mis-estimate EV emissions," says Arbabzadeh. "To be sure, it's great to get more solar on the grid and more electric vehicles using that grid. No matter when you charge your EV in the U.S., its emissions will be lower than a similar gasoline-powered car; but if EV charging occurs mainly when the sun is down, you won't get as much benefit when it comes to reducing emissions as you think when using an annual average."

Seeking to lessen this margin of error, the researchers use hourly grid data from 2018 and 2019—along with hourly charging, driving, and temperature data—to estimate emissions from EV use in 60 cases across the United States. They then introduce and validate a novel method (with less than 1 percent margin of error) to accurately estimate EV emissions. They call it the "average day" method.

"We found that you can ignore seasonality in grid emissions and fuel economy, and still accurately estimate yearly EV emissions and charging-time impacts," says Miller. "This was a pleasant surprise. In Kansas last year, daily grid emissions rose about 80 percent between seasons, while EV power demand rose about 50 percent due to temperature changes. Previous studies speculated that ignoring such seasonal swings would hurt accuracy in EV emissions estimates, but never actually quantified the error. We did—across diverse grid mixes and climates—and found the error to be negligible."

This finding has useful implications for modeling future EV emissions scenarios. "You can get accuracy without computational complexity," says Arbabzadeh. "With the average-day method, you can accurately estimate EV emissions and charging impacts in a future year without needing to simulate 8,760 values of grid emissions for each hour of the year. All you need is one average-day profile, which means only 24 hourly values, for grid emissions and other key variables. You don't need to know seasonal variance from those average-day profiles."

The researchers demonstrate the utility of the average-day method by conducting a case study in the southeastern United States from 2018 to 2032 to examine how renewable growth in this region may impact future EV emissions. Assuming a conservative grid projection from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the results show that EV emissions decline only 16 percent if charging occurs overnight, but more than 50 percent if charging occurs midday. In 2032, compared to a similar hybrid car, EV emissions per mile are 30 percent lower if charged overnight, and 65 percent lower if charged midday.

The model used in this study is one module in a larger modeling program called the Sustainable Energy Systems Analysis Modeling Environment (SESAME). This tool, developed at MITEI, takes a systems-level approach to assess the complete carbon footprint of today's evolving global energy system.

"The idea behind SESAME is to make better decisions for decarbonization and to understand the energy transition from a systems perspective," says Gençer. "One of the key elements of SESAME is how you can connect different sectors together—'sector coupling'—and in this study, we are seeing a very interesting example from the transportation and electric power sectors. Right now, as we've been claiming, it's impossible to treat these two sector systems independently, and this is a clear demonstration of why MITEI's new modeling approach is really important, as well as how we can tackle some of these impending issues."

In ongoing and future research, the team is expanding their charging analysis from individual vehicles to whole fleets of passenger cars in order to develop fleet-level decarbonization strategies. Their work seeks to answer questions such as how California's proposed ban of gasoline car sales in 2035 would impact transportation emissions. They are also exploring what fleet electrification could mean—not only for greenhouse gases, but also the demand for natural resources such as cobalt—and whether EV batteries could provide significant grid energy storage.

"To mitigate climate change, we need to decarbonize both the transportation and electric power sectors," says Gençer. "We can electrify transportation, and it will significantly reduce emissions, but what this paper shows is how you can do it more effectively."                                                                                                                          

CFMoto introduces new electric vehicle brand Zeeho

 CFMoto, the two-wheeler maker from China has launched a new electric vehicle brand which goes by the name Zeeho. Along with that, CFMoto has also introduced a new battery-powered scooter concept called Zeeho Cyber. The production-spec model of Cyber will make its public debut by 2022.

The company claims that the Cyber scooter concept is capable of accelerating from 0-50 kmph under 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 100 kmph. It features a 10 kW electric motor which is juiced up from a 4kWh battery pack. Power output from this system is equivalent to 14 bhp while the peak torque has been rated at 213 Nm. The full charge range this system delivers is over 130 km. Its battery pack can be charged up to 80% within 30 minutes.

The Cyber scooter concept has been developed by CFMoto in collaboration with KTM owned Kiska design studio, hence the outlandish razor-sharp design lines. For the record, Kiska is also responsible for working on Husqvarna motorcycles.

The main feature list on the scooter includes three riding modes - Eco, Street and Sport. Goes without saying, the 'Sport' mode enables the scooter to achieve the quickest acceleration timing and top speed of 100 kmph. Some other features on the scooter include a full-digital instrument console, with smartphone connectivity, a 360-degree camera and GPS navigation. In addition to that, traction control, as well as, ABS is also offered as standard on the Zeeho Cyber.

CFMoto also retails its products in the Indian market. Recently, the brand has also revealed its KTM 790 Adventure-based 800 MY adventure motorcycle.

Mercedes pulsating with electric energy, 6 EVs to hit production in 2 years

 Mercedes may be significantly behind the likes of Tesla when it comes to electrification of its products but there is just no shortage of intent to turn to battery power. The EQC was launched in India and in several global markets earlier this year and the German luxury car maker now plans to bring six more electric vehicles (EVs) to production line over the next two years.

Mercedes' ambitions for cleaner mobility options is well known. The car maker has spared no effort to brandish its vision for the future and its emphasis on battery-operated vehicles. Globally, the company is looking at launching the EQS ultra luxury sedan from its plant in Germany in the first half of 2021. Production of its EQA sub-compact SUV will also commence at its Beijing plant next year. It was previously confirmed that production of compact SUV EQB will be made at its facility in Hungary. Then there is the business sedan EQE as well as SUV variants EQS and EQE to follow shortly.

That's a whole lot of 'E' from MB!

The carmaker is in the know of just what the future of personal mobility looks like and, therefore, it is really no surprise to see it double down on its battery-operated offerings. "With its ‘Electric First’ strategy, Mercedes-Benz is consistently on the path to CO2 neutrality and is investing heavily in transformation. Our vehicle portfolio becomes electric and thus also our global production network with vehicle and battery factories," Markus Schafer, Head of Research at Daimler and COO at Mercedes-Benz Cars, has said. "We intend to lead in the field of e-mobility and focus in particular on battery technology. We are taking a comprehensive approach, ranging from research and development to production, and also including strategic cooperation."

In many ways, Mercedes launching the EQC in India has also opened the proverbial floodgates with announcements from Jaguar, Volvo and Audi regarding their electric launches for the country in 2021 following. And while infrastructure to support EVs may vary from country to country, the luxury space may pave the way for a shift of tectonic proportions in how personal mobility is perceived in the next few years.

Eramet, BASF target electric vehicles with nickel, cobalt project

 French mining group Eramet and German chemicals giant BASF announced on Tuesday a partnership to process nickel and cobalt, as the two companies step up their ambitions to supply the electric vehicle industry.

The companies are to study the development of a high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) plant in Weda Bay, Indonesia, using ore from a local mine operated by Eramet, along with a base metal refinery (BMR) whose location has yet to be determined, they said in a statement.

The partners aim to start up both facilities in mid-2020s and will begin a first-phase feasibility study with limited funding, they said.

BASF earlier this year picked a site in the eastern German state of Brandenburg for its second European battery materials factory, part of a 400 million euro ($486.12 million) investment plan to tap into the growing electric vehicle market.

Eramet has previously raised the possibility of using the Weda Bay deposit to process materials for batteries.

The Indonesian project began production in the last year, with Eramet initially mining nickel to supply an adjacent smelter built by Chinese partner Tsingshan Holding Group.

Nickel is mainly consumed in making stainless steel but is increasingly used in batteries for electric vehicles.

Weda Bay represents a second major nickel mining operation for Eramet in addition to its New Caledonian mines.

Its New Caledonian unit SLN, which is trying to reverse years of losses, is facing disruption from protests over the sale of another nickel operation in the French territory. 

Amazon's Zoox unveils autonomous electric vehicle

 An autonomous vehicle company acquired this year by Amazon has unveiled a four-person "robo-taxi," a compact, a multidirectional vehicle designed for dense, urban environments. 

The carriage-style interior of the vehicle produced by Zoox Inc. has two benches that face each other. There is no steering wheel. It measures just under 12 feet long, about a foot shorter than a standard Mini Cooper.

It is among the first vehicles with bidirectional capabilities and four-wheel steering, allowing for better maneuverability. It has a top speed of 75 miles per hour.

The vehicle is being tested in the company's base of Foster City, California, as well as Las Vegas and San Francisco, Zoox said Monday.

Zoox, based Foster City in Silicon Valley, was founded in 2014 and acquired by Amazon in June. It operates as an independent subsidiary at Amazon.

Electric vehicle sales expected to grow 50% in 2021

 Global electric-vehicle sales will grow 50% or more next year, while sales of internal combustion engine vehicles are expected to grow 2% to 5%.

That’s the view of analysts at Morgan Stanley, who in a note to clients on Friday also predicted that global EV penetration would top 4%, rising to 31% by 2030.

The year 2021 “is shaping up to be a critical year for EV adoption and (internal combustion engine) de-adoption that will dictate the pace of multiple expansion, contraction, consolidation and proliferation” among the stocks, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in the note.

Investor interest in electric-vehicle and adjacent stocks continued unabated this week, as exemplified by Tesla Inc. TSLA, -2.72% closing the books on $5 billion worth of shares in just one day.

In other news this week:

• Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimated that Tesla has a $20 billion “war chest” to fund expansion plans in 2021, which include two factories going up in Germany and in Texas and new vehicles such as the Cybertruck, its pickup truck.
• Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk made waves this week. Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council annual event, Musk confirmed he has moved to Texas, where his company is building a factory. He took jabs at California and Silicon Valley, which influence in the world he called “too much.”

• Nio Inc. late Thursday announced that it plans to sell at least 60 million American depositary shares, with an additional 9 million shares available to underwriters. Nio stock dropped more than 4% in after-hours trading following the announcement, and on Friday dropped nearly 7%.      Nio ADRs have gained nearly 950% this year, compared with gains of around 13% for the S&P 500 index. SPX, -0.13%Nio’s and Tesla’s moves followed XPeng Inc., which said Monday it planned to sell 40 million ADRs. Li Auto Inc. announced last week its own plan to sell 47 million new ADRs. Both stocks struggled in the wake of those announcements.

• Despite the momentary dips amid stock offerings, EV stocks are enjoying a 2020 stock surge that is more widespread than Nio’s jaw-dropping 2020 gains. Tesla is up 625% this year, while XPeng is up more than 111% and Li Auto around 100%

  • Electric vehicle company Electric Last Mile Inc. has agreed to go public via a merger with a blank-check company, or special purpose acquisition corporation, Forum Merger III Corp. FIII, +6.48%
  The deal would value Last Mile at about $1.4 billion, and once it closes, likely in the first quarter, the combined company will be renamed Electric Last Mile Solutions Inc. and trade on Nasdaq under the ticker “ELMS.” The company plans to launch electric delivery vans later in 2021.
•         We are in the “early innings” for alternative energy stocks, with more upside in store for 2021, analysts at JP Morgan said. They chose shares of solar-power companies SunRun Inc. RUN, +1.22% and Sunnova Energy International Inc. NOVA, -0.33% as their top picks in the space.

“While we do not expect a similar performance as 2020, we expect our coverage to outperform the market,” they wrote in note this week.     

US-based startup claims its electric vehicle does not need charging

 A US-based electric vehicle startup has launched a three-wheeler that it claims does not require any charging to run. Aptera Motors has announced it has introduced the first solar electric vehicle (sEV) that requires no charging for most daily use and boasts a range of more than 1,600 kms per full charge. That is way more than any other EVs, even Tesla cars, can offer currently.

“With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun. Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go," says Co-Founder Chris Anthony.

“With direct current fast charging, charging speeds can reach a range of 500 miles per hour," Aptera claims. Never Charge is built into every Aptera and is designed to harvest enough sunlight to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions. Theoretically, it is possible to drive without charging, depending on the occupant's location and driving habits.

The Aptera battery packs range in size from 25.0 kWh to 100.0 kWh, and the heaviest model weighs about 997 kgs. Aptera energy efficiency is 10 miles per kWh, certainly more than any other EVs on offer till date and is nearly double to what Lucid Air has on offer.

The Aptera EV is characterised by a shape that looks like an airplane's fuselage minus its wings, which has a drag coefficient of 0.13 and is designed to consume only 100 watts of energy per mile. And it is decently quick too for an electric vehicle. Aptera claims the liquid-cooled electric motors can propel the EV from 0-60 miles per hour in as fast as 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 110 mph (177 kmph).

The Aptera EV is available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive options. The front-wheel-drive EV can produce maximum power of 134 hp, while the all-wheel-drive version can produce 201 hp of power.

The Aptera EV will be available in three exterior colour options - Noir (black), Luna (silver), and Sol (white). The EV is open for order at a starting price of $25,900 (roughly calculated to ₹19.10 lakh).

Top 5 Electric Scooter Launches In 2020

 To say that 2020 was an interesting year would be an understatement. While some of us are still stuck in March mentally, the next March is actually closer now. Nevertheless, an interesting year it was indeed, and it t started with quite the bang for electric scooters. While we haven't been able to ride too much this year, personal mobility will be a key space in the immediate future and so, these e-scooters have a bigger role to play in the times to come. So, in the final month of 2020, let's take a look at the top five electric two-wheeler launches of 2020 that made a big impact.

1. Bajaj Chetak

The Bajaj Chetak was a highly-awaited launch that marked the return of the two-wheeler brand back to making scooters and the iconic nameplate. The Chetak, now an electric scooter, turned out to be quite impressive, with its all-metal body, neo-retro design language and a top-notch build quality. Power on the scooter comes from the 4 kW electric motor that offers up to 5.36 bhp of peak power, and 16 Nm of peak torque. Continuous power drops down to 5 bhp. The top speed was slightly disappointing though at 60 km. The model comes with two modes - Eco and Sport. Bajaj Auto claims a range of 95 km on a single charge in the Eco mode, which drops to 85 km in the Sport mode. With prices starting at ₹ 1 lakh for the Urbane variant and ₹ 1.15 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Pune) for the Premium variant, the Chetak has been a promising offering in the electric two-wheeler space. However, the pandemic did delay the company's sales and distribution plans and the e-scooter remains available only in Pune and Bengaluru for now.

2. Ather 450X

Ather Energy's new flagship is also its most advanced offering yet, bringing the best from the Bengaluru-based start-up to the fore. The Ather 450X is a step-up from the now-discontinued 450 and boasts of new colours, larger battery pack and even a higher-spec 6 kW electric motor. As a result, the 450X now makes 26 Nm of peak torque, while the range stands at 85 km on a single charge. The Ather 450X is also the only offering on this list that gives you the thrills as we found out in our road test review recently. The sharp and futuristic design, coupled with top-spec build and performance, ensures that it is one of the most sought-after made-in-India electric scooters to get your hands on. The performance does come at a steep price of ₹ 1.60 lakh (ex-showroom), but as far as turning heads is concerned, the 450X does that aplenty. With Ather expanding to 27 cities by the end of FY2021, it will also be more readily available.

3. TVS iQube

TVS Motor Company finally jumped to the electric bandwagon with the iQube in January this year. It was the third major electric offering in that month with the Chetak and the 450X. The TVS iQube promises to be practical with the ease of a conventional scooter, and the eco-friendly nature of an electric model. The scooter gets a largely conventional design, barring the cyclops-inspired headlamp unit. It also comes with a digital console that offers several connectivity features. The e-scooter uses a 2.25 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers the 4.4 kW motor with 6 bhp on offer. The scooter promises a top speed of 78 kmph while the claimed range stands at 75 km on a single charge. It will take about 4-5 hours to completely charge the scooter from a standard 5 ampere socket. Sadly, we haven't seen much of the TVS iQube since its launch and the scooter is only available in Bengaluru for now. We do hope to see it in newer cities in 2021.

4. Ampere Magnus Pro

Engineering and heavy equipment maker, Greaves Cotton ventured in the electric mobility space with the Ampere brand and the company is retailing electric scooters at accessible prices. Earlier this year, the company introduced its new flagship, Ampere Magnus Pro, that takes on 110 cc ICE scooters and is aimed at buyers looking at a family-friendly offering. The scooter is loaded on features and comes with LED lighting, keyless entry, anti-theft alarm, Combi-Braking, and even a Limp mode that offers an extra 10 km of reserve battery. The Magnus Pro promises a range of 100 km on a single charge and a top speed of 55 kmph. The Ampere Magnus Pro will meet your commuter needs and at a price of nearly ₹ 74,000, it is an inexpensive all-rounder.

5. BGauss B8

2020 saw a new player emerge in the electric scooter segment called BGauss. The new start-up commenced operations in July this year with a line-up of futuristic electric scooters namely - A2 and B8. Both models are offered with lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries with prices starting from ₹ 52,499 for the BGauss A2 and from ₹ 62,999 (all prices, ex-showroom) for the B8. The BGauss B8 is the more powerful of the two and also comes with features like geofencing, combi-brakes, anti-theft alarm, remote lock/unlock, find your scooter and more. The B8 packs a 1.9 kW motor with three riding modes and promises peak torque of 94.6 Nm. The range stands at 70 km on a single charge on the lithium-ion version (78 km with the lead-acid battery) and a top speed of 50 kmph. The B8 is one of the more interesting choices on sale today.

Vespa electric scooter India launch confirmed

 

The Vespa Elettrica comes equipped with a 4 kW brushless DC electric motor that delivers a maximum torque of 200 Nm. It offers a maximum riding range of 100 km on a single charge.

Do you guys remember that Piaggio India showcased a Vespa electric scooter earlier this year during Auto Expo 2020? At the time, the company had refused to comment about the probability of the scooter's arrival in India. However, during a recent interaction with the media, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Piaggio India, has confirmed that a Vespa electric scooter will indeed arrive in India. However, it won't be the Vespa Elettrica, i.e. the model we got to see during Auto Expo 2020; instead, the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer will bring in a model based on the Elettrica albeit designed and engineered especially for India.

In fact, Graffi also explained that the company is currently trying to decide on the appropriate powertrain for the upcoming Vespa electric scooter in India. He said, "We use our own design, own technology for our electric two-wheelers, and the same will be applied to the new Vespa electric scooter. We're looking at the right powertrain for the Indian market, because we don't believe in sourcing the powertrain and technology from outside vendors."

Currently retailed in Europe, Vespa Elettrica gets a round headlamp, a curvy front apron, contrast colour airvents at the front, and apron mounted indicators. The side panels get a clean design while the rear sports LED tail light. Other notable provisions include alloy wheels, a 4.3-inch fully digital instrument panel, smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth, dedicated reverse mode, etc.

The Vespa Elettrica comes equipped with a 4 kW brushless DC electric motor that delivers a maximum torque of 200 Nm. It offers a maximum riding range of 100 km on a single charge and can be fully charged in four hours. 

Now, the million dollar question: When is the new Vespa electric scooter's India launch scheduled? The simple answer is -- not anytime soon. But if we had to guess, we'd say we won't see it here anytime before 2022.

Hybrid cars are quietly selling faster than fully electric vehicles

 

Hybrid cars are seeing a quiet resurgence as the boom in electric vehicles spurs automakers to give the older, cheaper technology a second look.

This year has been an extraordinary one for electric-car manufacturers. Investors have embraced makers of pure-electric vehicles, driving the share prices of Tesla Inc. and Chinese competitor Nio Inc. to stratospheric levels. Drivers are also coming on board, with EV sales from China to Europe rising despite the pandemic.

But the market risks becoming a crowded one, with more than 500 EV models expected to be available globally by 2022. Many conventional automakers are mulling their options, trying to decide which technologies will reign in the decades between now and a full transition away from combustion engines. The investment decisions they make today could determine whether they sink or swim.

While hybrids, which blend the power of a gasoline engine with electric motors and batteries, are now more than two decades old — the first Prius debuted in Japan in 1997 — they’re still seeing demand even as EVs loom large. Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are among those releasing fresh hybrid versions of their flagship marques and investing anew in their hybrid component supply chains. While non plug-in hybrids aren’t subject to the same sort of generous subsidies meted out to electric vehicles in China, Europe and California, their appeal has been rising after a multiyear slump.

Hybrid sales in the U.S. rose 17% last year from 2018; in the European Union they rose 22% over the same period as the region braces for tightening emissions regulations. In China, Japanese brands — which claim the biggest share of the hybrid market globally — sold about 30% more hybrids, making the segment one of the market’s fastest growing. Electric-car sales by contrast increased 6% in 2019 from 2018, well down on previous years’ double-digit growth.

The reasons are severalfold. Hybrids offer savings at the pump, while not sparking the same range anxiety as EVs. And because hybrid cars are supported by a gasoline engine, therefore requiring smaller and less expensive battery packs, their overall costs are lower — an attractive prospect for a consumer wanting a car that’s better for the environment but who’s not able to shell out top dollar for a Tesla.

That’s the dilemma facing car buyers such as John Briggs, a mechanical engineer living in Massachusetts who values fuel efficiency but isn’t ready to make a complete transition to EVs. He’s keeping his trusty hybrid Prius even though he bought Nissan Motor Co.’s popular electric Leaf five years ago.

“The nice thing about our Prius, it’s an efficient car and its range isn’t limiting like our EV’s is,” said Briggs, whose wife uses the Leaf for a short commute to and from work. They take the Prius for longer trips to go hiking on weekends. “It’s just not practical to have to stop and the charging time takes too long.”

Ford’s 2021 inaugural F-150 truck, part of the 43-year-best-selling F-series, is set to be the first full-hybrid, full-size truck available on the market. Toyota’s 2021 iteration of its bestselling crossover Rav4 is a plug-in hybrid called the RAV4 Prime that’s the automaker’s most powerful model of the car yet.

In fact, hybrid sales are projected to keep growing until they peak in 2027 with a market value of $792 billion, according to IDTechEx.

Capital Question

Hybrid Rav4s outsold their gas-only counterparts in the U.S. in June, a rare occurrence that lends credence to Toyota’s theory that there’s demand for new hybrid versions of its existing models that come with added fuel-economy, torque and power.

In April, a Toyota and Panasonic Corp.-led battery venture called Prime Planet Energy & Solutions Inc. began operations. It aims to produce batteries for 500,000 hybrid vehicles a year, starting in 2022.

“For now, we’re going to firmly move forward with making batteries for hybrid vehicles as they are today’s standard,” Prime Planet Chief Executive Officer Hiroaki Koda said, acknowledging that an industry shift to full-electric or fuel-cell vehicles will require flexibility and some change in direction.

That’s a question mark in some analysts’ minds, too. Will tying up too much capital in the hybrid-vehicle pipeline inhibit carmakers’ ability to invest in electric vehicles down the track? It is afterall a segment that’s expected to skyrocket to 64 million units from about 2 million units in annual sales over the next two decades as battery costs fall and consumer tastes shift.

Similarly, while elevated oil prices and strict fuel-economy regulations can drive up hybrid sales, if either of those factors gets too strong, the market will be pushed toward full EVs, according to Colin McKerracher, head of advanced transport at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Stepping Stone

Indeed, Honda Motor Co. is set to stop selling gas and diesel-only cars in Europe by 2022, Honda Europe Senior Vice President Ian Howells told Autocar in an interview published last week, suggesting a more decisive shift to hybrids.

Toyota sees hybrids making up a quarter of sales, Bob Carter, Toyota’s executive vice president for North America sales, told reporters last week. That’s up from about 16% currently and capacity constraints are the only reason the company isn’t selling more hybrids now, he said.

Toyota, which hasn’t released a mass-market all-electric car in any major market except China, will have to “quickly change its tune” on plug-in vehicles and EVs and sell more of them or risk falling short of the European Union’s regulations on fleet emissions by 2025, McKerracher said. “Eventually you reach a place where you’re at 70, 80, 90% hybrids and then you’re out of room to keep hitting those tightening regulations just by hybridizing vehicles.”

Toyota however sees hybrids as a necessary stepping stone to other next-generation technologies. The world’s second-largest automaker is investing heavily in fuel-cell vehicles and battery EVs, Chief Competitive Officer Shigeki Terashi said at a briefing last month, but until those technologies mature, “hybrid vehicles are most practical.” Toyota is expected to invest about $13.5 billion through the end of the decade in electrifying its vehicles, as it targets sales of 4.5 million hybrids and one million full-EVs and fuel cell vehicles a year by 2030 or sooner.

Toyota to reveal new European-focused electric SUV in 2021

 

Toyota will reveal a new electric SUV next year as the first model built on a bespoke BEV platform, kick-starting what will be a fast-expanding range of electric vehicles.

The as-yet-unnamed model will be similar in size to today’s RAV4, although as a dedicated BEV on a dedicated architecture it’s set to take a new name. Toyota says the SUV has been tailored specifically for the European market and will be built at its dedicated zero-emissions factory in Japan.

The SUV will be the first of six BEVs planned to use the new e-TNGA platform that Toyota has co-developed with Subaru. This architecture is designed to be highly adaptable and can be used for vehicles of differing length and wheelbase. It can also be used for front, rear and four-wheel drive powertrains by allowing for motors across both axles, and with a wide range of battery capacities.

Toyota also claims that learnings from its hybrids will allow it to increase both range and battery lifespan.

Toyota’s European product development boss, Andrea Carlucci, said the new car will be “very European in the DNA and design.” He explained that a RAV4-sized SUV was chosen for Toyota’s first BEV because “the car will be a global model, and it offers the best balance to out together the needs of all regions.” He added: “It’s quite obvious that there’s volume in more compact models, and this is where we will look in the future with other models for the European market.”

Toyota has previously said that other models planned for the e-TNGA platform will include a compact SUV that it’s developing with Suzuki, a crossover, a large SUV, a saloon and an MPV. Toyota is also investing in solid-state battery research and has said that it plans to launch a “mass-produced” BEV using this transformative technology “in the first half of the 2020s”.

As well as the new electric SUV, Toyota will also launch BEV versions of its Proace and Proace City vans next year. While the arrival of e-TNGA-based models will quickly flesh out Toyota’s BEV offering, the firm remains committed to offering a range of electrified options, with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell models. It aims to be selling 5.5 million electrified cars per year by 2025.

In Europe, Toyota is planning to launch more than 60 new or updated electrified models by 2025. By that date, it expects more than 70% of its sales to be of hybrid models, with PHEVs, BEVs and FCEVs accounting for slightly more than 10% each.

The new electric SUV will also join a fast-expanding SUV line-up. Along with as the similarly sized RAV4, offered with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, Toyota's crossover range now includes the Yaris Cross, C-HR, Highlander and Land Cruiser.

UK's first all-electric car charging forecourt opens in Essex

 Britain’s first all-electric car charging forecourt is set to open for business in Braintree, Essex, to charge electric vehicles with 100% renewable energy.

From Monday, the super-fast electric forecourt will deliver 350KW of charging power, or enough to add 200 miles of driving range, within 20 minutes, to up to 36 cars at a time.

It will use clean energy sourced from one of the UK’s first subsidy-free solar farms at Clayhill in Bedfordshire, overhead solar canopies, and a battery capable of storing enough energy to drive 24,000 miles.

It is the first of more than 100 electric forecourts that Gridserve, a clean energy company, plans to roll out across the country over the next five years as part of a billion-pound “sun-to-wheel” infrastructure.

Toddington Harper, Gridserve’s founder and chief executive, said he hoped to update the traditional petrol station model for a net zero carbon world by offering drivers the confidence to replace their fossil fuel car with an electric alternative.

“Charging has to be simple and free of anxiety,” he said.

The forecourts will offer super-fast wifi, and stand alongside a range of “Best of British” shops including WH Smith and Boots as well as Costa Coffee and the Post Office. Some will offer business meeting pods, a children’s play centre and a “wellbeing area” with exercise bikes that generate electricity.The standard rate for charging up at a Gridserve electric forecourt will be 24p per kilowatt hour of clean electricity, which beats the current lowest ultra-high power charging rates. This means a typical charge for an average electric vehicle – from 20% charged to to 80% – would cost under £10.

Rachel Maclean, the transport minister, said: “As we accelerate towards cleaner and greener transport, I’m delighted to see the future of service stations being brought to life with the opening of the UK’s first all-electric forecourt.

“There has never been a better time to make the switch.”

Tata Nexon EV surpasses 2,000 sales milestone in 10 months

 It may not seem like a milestone to rave about at first but that its battery-powered heart has helped Tata Nexon become a cornerstone in the electric vehicle movement in India is now underlined by the fact that 2,000 units of the EV have been sold here in a little over 10 months since being launched. The sales of the Nexon EV reached 2200 units last month.

After rolling out its 1000th Nexon EV in August this year, the car clocked in another 1000 sales units in 3 months making it one of the best-selling electric car in India.

Recently, Tata Motors increased pricing of its all-electric Nexon SUV by ₹26,000. The battery powered version of the Nexon was launched in the country earlier this year.

The Tata Nexon EV was introduced in three trims - XM, XZ+, and XZ+ Lux. While pricing of the base XM trim remains unchanged at ₹13.99 lakh, the XZ+ and XZ+ Lux variants have become slightly costlier at ₹15.25 lakh and ₹16.25 lakh, respectively. All prices are ex-showroom.

The EV houses a 30.2 kWh battery which juices up an electric motor producing 127 PS of maximum power and 245 Nm of peak torque. The motor propels the SUV across the 0-100 kmph line in just 9.9 seconds. It has an ARAI-certified full charge range of 312 kilometres.

Some of the key feature highlights of the battery powered Nexon SUV include dual-pod headlamps, LED tail lights, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, reverse parking camera, electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, leather-wrapped steering wheel, push-button start, climate control, and a wearable key.

Shailesh Chandra, President of the Passenger Vehicle Business Unit at Tata Motors, said, “This is a moment of great pride for us and those working with us in our journey to accelerate the adoption of EVs in India. The Tata Nexon EV, since launch, has captured the imagination of the entire nation and has consistently led the way for the electric vehicle segment. Offering thrilling performance, connected drive experience with zero emissions and at an attractive pricing, the Nexon EV has found widespread acceptance among its customers. This growing demand is on the back of increased awareness, growing charging infrastructure, encouraging government incentives, breaking myths that surrounds EVs, and most importantly the undisputed benefits that it offers i.e. lower operating cost. Further, with the continued support from the government in terms of incentives such as benefits on registration and road tax, we hope that EVs will soon become the most desirable and a mainstream choice for the customers in India."

Pravaig Electric Car Debuts – Made In India, Claims 5 Star Safety .

 Even as the Indian electric car segment is currently ruled by EVs such as the Hyundai Kona, MG eZS, and Tata Nexon, there would soon be a rival in the form of the new Pravaig Extinction electric sedan. This new electric car from Bengaluru based Pravaig Dynamics has now been officially unveiled in India ahead of official launch, which is only slated for sometime late next year.

 Pravaig Dynamics has estimated sales at around 250 units per annum with the new Extinction to be initially sold in Delhi and Bengaluru with markets to be extended to Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad later. The company is slated to offer the new Extinction as an exclusive lease model and will even provide chauffeur services if the customer so requires. Hence, no prices have been announced as on date.

 Pravaig Electric Car Pravaig Extinction design and dimensions The Pravaig Extinction sedan will boast of a low couple style design with special focus on aerodynamics. It will be presented as a four door model with a swooping roof, LED projector headlamps connected by an LED. It will get a similar arrangement at the rear with LED tail lamps with an LED connecting bar.

 Pravaig electric car will get a minimalistic side profile, distinctive shoulder line, blacked out alloy wheels and a ‘Pravaig’ logo prominently positioned in the middle of the tail lamps. Dimensions would stand at 4,820mm length, 1,934mm width and 1,448mm height with 3,038 mm long wheelbase.

 Pravaig Electric Car The interiors will be in a lounge like arrangement, much in the same way as is seen on the Volvo XC90 Excellence Lounge. This would give passengers extended leg room and relaxed posture. The company has also stated that the new Extinction could come in with recline of left rear passenger seat at around 165 degrees.

 Apart from its well designed interiors, customers will also be able to incorporate their own designs while liaisoning with a tie up with architects and fashion and interior design professionals, so as to get a bespoke interior set up. For example, for the music system, they have tied up with France based Devialet audio technology company. 

 Pravaig Electric Car Pravaig also plans features such as autonomous driving technologies while this has yet to get Government of India approvals, swappable battery pack, HEPA air filters and a total of 8 air bags. Regenerative braking and smartphone connectivity could also be a part of its features. 

Battery and Range 

 Pravaig Extinction electric sedan will be powered by a 96 kWh battery pack offering max power of 150 kW or 200 hp with an electric range of 504 km and a top speed of 196 km/h. Acceleration from 0 top 100 km/h could be achieved in 5.4 seconds and fast charging upto 80 percent charge in 30 minutes. Pravaig aims to rival Tesla in terms of battery performance, and offer Mercedes S-Class like luxury. 

Pravaig Electric Car Speaking about safety, Pravaig claims that safety has been their top priority, and that the car offers 5 Star Safety. But it is not clear if the car is actually crash tested by any other body or it is an internal claim of 5 star safety. The full debut presentation can be watched on YouTube.

 Pravaig Dynamics targets corporate customers like fleet operators and hotels with the new Extinction and hence this sedan will not be seen in any showroom for purchase by private buyers and will be exclusively on lease. The company will itself reach out to potential customers and will even offer chauffeur service with the car if the customer so desires. Interiors of the cars were not revealed. The car still seems to be far away from production. If the production variant can manage to achieve all the above claimed figures, that is a matter of discussion for another day. For now, the company has started accepting interests from buyers at their website – defy.city

Copyright (C) 'RUSH LANE' Read more at... https://www.rushlane.com/pravaig-electric-car-debut-launch-details-12383488.html .