General Motors has a solution for our crappy EV charging infrastructure.

 General Motors announced a “holistic charging approach” to electric vehicle charging that it’s calling the Ultium Charge 360.

Much like Ford does with its FordPass network, the Ultium Charge 360 will integrate GM’s own vehicle apps and software with a variety of third-party charging services, such as Blink, ChargePoint, EVgo, Flo, Greenlots, and SemaConnect. The goal is to create a seamless experience in which an owner of a GM electric vehicle can drive up to a station, plug in, and start charging without having to juggle multiple apps or third-party memberships.

“There is a lot more to EV adoption than just buying the vehicle and just having a large connected network,” said Travis Hester, GM’s chief EV officer. “And our mission is to help every single person get over whatever anxiety they have, and help them into an EV in the most convenient way possible.”

“our mission is to help every single person get over whatever anxiety they have”

Unlike Tesla or Volkswagen, GM does not own its own EV charging network. Owners of GM’s electric vehicles must instead rely on a patchwork of third-party chargers, each with their own software and membership requirements.

The challenge, though, will be to ensure that it all works as advertised. A lot will depend on the level of service provided by these various charging services, an aspect that GM will have little control over. EV charging in the US is a bit of a mess, with broken chargers, fraying cables, and unreliable maps. While GM can’t solve some of the more intractable problems, it says it’s doing what it can to make charging a little less of a headache.

A good comparison is to the FordPass network, which the automaker first introduced in 2019. The automaker claimed that Ford EV owners would have access to 12,000 public chargers. But the branding made it seem as if Ford were launching its own version of Tesla’s Supercharger network, when it was actually tapping existing stations from companies like Electrify America.

Speaking of which, Volkswagen’s subsidiary is noticeably absent from GM’s list of participating charging networks. The automaker said it was seeking to add additional charging providers into its Ultium network in the future.

GM said it was making good progress on this partnership

GM wouldn’t say whether its forthcoming EVs would include Plug and Charge capabilities, a new technology standard that allows a much simpler way to charge your car. “We’re not announcing specifics on some of those features,” said Alex Keros, lead architect for EV infrastructure at GM, “but you could certainly imagine Plug and Charge really enabling that seamless experience.”

The company announced that it would collaborate with EVgo to create a constellation of 2,700 electric vehicle fast-charging stations in cities around the country. GM didn’t specify the size of its investment in the charging buildout, and the partnership won’t be exclusive, meaning GM’s vehicles won’t get special access to them. GM said it was making good progress on this partnership, with the first stations already up and running in Washington, California, and Florida.

GM, the largest automaker in North America, is in the midst of a historic rebranding as an electric vehicle company. It has committed to spending $27 billion on electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025 — up from the $20 billion it announced before the COVID-19 pandemic. GM has also said it will launch 30 new electric vehicles around the world by that date, more than two-thirds of which will be available in North America. And it has set a goal to phase out its gas-powered vehicles and be a completely carbon neutral company by 2040.

GM unveiled two new EVs in 2020: the Cadillac Lyriq SUV, expected to go into production in late 2022, and the GMC Hummer EV, slated for late 2021. This year, it has revealed more details about an electric Hummer SUV and two new versions of the Chevy Bolt. And GM has also said it would release an electric Chevy pickup truck with 400 miles of range.

Hester said the “major functions” of Ultium Charge 360 will be available by September 2021. He described the new features as “single click, one click to activate” an EV charger, as well as some “gamiefied activity” tied to a specific electric vehicle, adding, “I don’t want to spoil the vehicle news.” 

Tata Nexon EV – 5 Things We Want.

 The Tata Nexon EV is currently the best-selling electric car in the Indian market, and is also one of the most value-for-money EVs in the country.

  The ongoing and rising global transition from ICE vehicles to EVs has resulted in a range of electric cars being launched in the Indian market in the past few years. However, India is still far behind in terms of EV infrastructure. Nonetheless, people are slowly and steadily started accepting EVs as a replacement for ICE cars, and the Tata Nexon EV leads this transition.

 Launched back in January 2020, the Nexon EV quickly gained popularity, and is currently the best-selling electric car in the country. While the Nexon EV seems to tick all the boxes, there are also some reasons we suggest against going for it. Here is a list of the top 5 things we love about the Tata Nexon EV, and the 5 things we don’t, take a look – 

Good: Design 

 The ICE Tata Nexon has been highly praised for its design, especially since it received a mid-life facelift last year. Hence, the Nexon EV, also based on the Nexon facelift, deserves the same praise. The best part of the Nexon EV’s design is how similar it is to the internal combustion Nexon.Apart from blue accents here and there as well as the EV badging, the Nexon EV looks identical to the standard Nexon. Unlike other EVs based on ICE cars, the Nexon EV gets the same front fascia as the regular Nexon, as well as the same alloy wheels.

Bad: Real-World Range

The Nexon EV is the first car to make use of Tata’s Ziptron EV technology. It has been plonked with an IP67 rated 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is paired to a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The car has an ARAI certified range of 312 km on a single full charge.

However, the real-world range of the Nexon EV has been reported by users to be anywhere between 190 to 250 km on a single full-charge, depending on usage. Other users have reported the range to be even lesser, and for the same reason, Delhi government had suspended its subsidy on the Tata Nexon EV last month. This also means that until the EV infrastructure in the country is fully developed, the Nexon EV is best driven in the city. 

Good: Feature-loaded 

Just like its ICE version, the Nexon EV has been packed up to the brim with features. Its equipment list includes an electric sunroof, ZConnect app with 35 connected-car features, 7-inch TFT digital instrument cluster, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, an 8-speaker system by Harman, a 7-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, cooled, multi-drive modes and illuminated glove box and much more.

Bad: Slow Charging 

The Tata Nexon EV can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 60 minutes with the help of a fast charger. However, the 3.3 kWh portable charger that can be used with any 15 ampere AC charging socket will charge the Nexon EV’s battery from 10 per cent to 90 per cent in around 8.5 hours, as claimed by the automaker. This also means that the Nexon EV would take around 10 hours to fully charge from a zero per cent initial charge.

 Good: Performance 

The Nexon’s electric motor puts out 129 PS of maximum power, along with 245 Nm of peak torque. The car can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in just 9.9 seconds, while 0 – 60 kmph comes up in just 4.6 seconds! The instant torque delivery makes the Tata Nexon EV fun to drive. Also, the 205 mm ground clearance is more than adequate to be driven on bad roads.

Bad: Wheel-Spin 

Due to the instant torque delivery of the electric motor, the Nexon EV has an insane level of wheel-spin, which means that you have to be careful with the throttle input in order to increase the life of the rubber. The wheel-spin can also scare your passengers as well as pedestrians, since the car barely produces any other sound, amplifying the screeching sound of the tyres. 

Good: Safety Rating 

The ICE Tata Nexon is a well-built car, and the sub-4m SUV received a 5-star rating in the Global NCAP crash tests. While the Nexon EV hasn’t been tested by the organisation, it’s built on the same platform and uses the same body panels.

Bad: Missing Safety 

Tech It should be noted that the Tata Nexon EV misses out on some crucial safety features like ESP and traction control, both of which are available on the ICE version. These features should’ve been offered with the Nexon EV, since they would also prevent the wheels from spinning every time you push the accelerator too hard. 

Good: Most Affordable Electric SUV 

The Tata Nexon EV is currently available in three different variants, namely XM, XZ Plus and XZ Plus Lux, priced at Rs 13.99 lakh, Rs 15.39 lakh and Rs 16.39 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes it the most affordable electric SUV in the Indian market. The entry-level Nexon EV XM is also just Rs 1.2 lakh more expensive than the range-topping diesel variant of the ICE Tata Nexon.  

Bad: Restricted Top Speed

 The top speed of the Tata Nexon EV has been restricted to 120 kmph, and while this is more than enough for city driving, it is a little too shy for the highways. The restricted top speed is also a shame considering the Nexon EV’s 0 to 100 kmph sprint time of under 10 seconds. 

However, the real-world range of the Nexon EV has been reported by users to be anywhere between 190 to 250 km on a single full-charge, depending on usage. Other users have reported the range to be even lesser, and for the same reason, Delhi government had suspended its subsidy on the Tata Nexon EV last month. This also means that until the EV infrastructure in the country is fully developed, the Nexon EV is best driven in the city. Good: Feature-loaded Just like its ICE version, the Nexon EV has been packed up to the brim with features. Its equipment list includes an electric sunroof, ZConnect app with 35 connected-car features, 7-inch TFT digital instrument cluster, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, an 8-speaker system by Harman, a 7-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, cooled, multi-drive modes and illuminated glove box and much more.

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/tata-nexon-ev-5-things-we-love-and-5-we-dont/  

The Nexon EV is the first car to make use of Tata’s Ziptron EV technology. It has been plonked with an IP67 rated 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is paired to a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The car has an ARAI certified range of 312 km on a single full charge.

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/tata-nexon-ev-5-things-we-love-and-5-we-dont/  

Bad: Slow Charging The Tata Nexon EV can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 60 minutes with the help of a fast charger. However, the 3.3 kWh portable charger that can be used with any 15 ampere AC charging socket will charge the Nexon EV’s battery from 10 per cent to 90 per cent in around 8.5 hours, as claimed by the automaker. This also means that the Nexon EV would take around 10 hours to fully charge from a zero per cent initial charge. Good: Performance The Nexon’s electric motor puts out 129 PS of maximum power, along with 245 Nm of peak torque. The car can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in just 9.9 seconds, while 0 – 60 kmph comes up in just 4.6 seconds! The instant torque delivery makes the Tata Nexon EV fun to drive. Also, the 205 mm ground clearance is more than adequate to be driven on bad roads.

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/tata-nexon-ev-5-things-we-love-and-5-we-dont/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/tata-nexon-ev-5-things-we-love-and-5-we-dont/  

Read more at: https://gaadiwaadi.com/tata-nexon-ev-5-things-we-love-and-5-we-dont/  

Ola Electric to set up world's largest EV two-wheeler charging network.

 Ola Electric on Thursday revealed its plans to set up the world’s largest electric two-wheeler charging network. SoftBank-backed Ola Electric plans to provide charging solutions to all its electric two-wheeler customers. It unveiled the Ola Hypercharger Network, the charging network for its upcoming two-wheeler products starting with the Ola Scooter to be launched in the coming months.

The Ola Hypercharger Network will be the widest and densest electric two-wheeler charging network in the world, with more than 100,000 charging points across 400 cities. In the first year alone, Ola is setting up over 5,000 charging points across 100 cities in India, more than double the existing charging infrastructure in the country. Ola along with its partners would set it up at an estimated cost of $2 billion over a period of five years.

“For us to ensure aggressive and large scale adoption of electric vehicles, a strong charging network is required,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, chairman and group CEO, Ola. “One of the key infrastructure gaps in our country has been the charging network.”

Aggarwal said 'electric' is the future of mobility and Ola is reimagining the entire user experience of owning an electric vehicle. The plans to build a comprehensive charging network is a key piece of this. “By creating the world’s largest and densest 2-wheeler charging network, we will dramatically accelerate the customer adoption of electric vehicles and rapidly move the industry to electric,” said Aggarwal.

In India, Ola is now in direct competition with electric two-wheeler makers, such as Ather Energy, Hero Electric, and TVS Motor Company. However, Aggarwal said the charging network won’t be available to other electric vehicle players and only the customers of Ola Electric.

“It is a conscious strategic choice,” said Aggarwal. He said by controlling both ends of the ecosystems--the vehicle and the charging infrastructure--the firm would be able to offer a great “seamless” experience to the customers. He said Elon Musk’s Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio had also rolled out their own proprietary charging ecosystem and strategy.

“With Hyundai electric car, you cannot charge on Tesla’s supercharger network. It is for Tesla people,” said Aggarwal.

Ola will offer the most comprehensive set of charging options to its electric vehicle customers. This would be done through a combination of widely deployed high-speed Ola Hyperchargers and the home-charger that will come bundled with the Ola Scooter.

Ola Hypercharger will also be the fastest two-wheeler charging network. The Ola Scooter can be charged 50 per cent in just 18 minutes for a 75 km range, providing superior range confidence. Ola Hyperchargers will be widely deployed across cities and will be found in city centres and dense business districts as stand-alone towers as well as in popular locations such as malls, IT parks, office complexes and cafes, ensuring that Ola Electric customers always have a Hypercharger nearby.

The Ola Hypercharger network, being built by Ola along with partners, will be complemented by the home charger that will be bundled with the Ola Scooter. The home charger will require no installation and will provide Ola customers with the convenience of charging at home by simply plugging into a regular wall socket for overnight charging.

Ola Hypercharger network, together with the home-charger and Ola Scooter’s industry-leading range, will ensure that customers have complete range confidence when opting for Ola’s electric vehicles.

The company said Ola Hypercharger network will offer an effortless and seamless charging experience to Ola customers. They have to simply arrive at a charging location and plug their scooter into the charging point. Customers can easily monitor the charging progress in real-time on the Ola Electric app. The same app can be used to seamlessly pay for the charging as well.

“We have also built navigation features,” said Varun Dubey, head of marketing at Ola Electric and Ola Financial Services. “If you are going from point A to B, our app would automatically know whether you have enough charge.”

The much-anticipated and soon-to-be-launched Ola Scooter is a tech-driven electric vehicle with industry-leading range and speed. It will be manufactured at the Ola Futurefactory which is being built at record speed in Tamil Nadu, India, with its first phase to be ready this summer. The facility is being built with an investment of Rs 2400 crore on 500 acres of land.

The company said the electric two-wheeler will be priced aggressively to make it accessible to all and will help accelerate India’s transition to sustainable, clean and electric mobility.

The Ola Scooter has already won several prestigious awards including the IHS Markit Innovation award at CES and the German Design Award. The firm said it has industry-first smart features that reimagine the entire scooter experience for customers in India and around the world. The scooter has a sophisticated design and a unique banana-shaped battery that is easy to remove and charge anywhere.

In July 2019 Ola Electric Mobility (Ola Electric), the ride-hailing firm’s electric vehicle arm raised $250 million from Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank. It was just a two-year-old firm at that time. The investment made the fledgeling venture a “unicorn”, or a start-up valued at more than $1 billion.

Covid-19 impact

At a time when the second wave of Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in the country, Aggarwal doesn’t foresee any major disruption presently, in the roll-out of its charging network, vehicles and setting up of the Futurefactory. He said there were supply chain issues before the second covid wave as well. “We don’t forecast any major issues ourselves, but the next month is going to be critical.”

Ola’s mega-factory will have an initial capacity of 2 million units a year in phase 1 around June this year. It will serve as the company’s global manufacturing hub for its range of electric-powered scooters and two-wheelers across India and international markets including Europe, UK, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

Aggarwal said the automotive sale got hampered due to coronavirus waves, but EV penetration went up drastically in regions such as Europe, China and the US.

“I feel EVs are so disruptive,” said Aggarwal. “EV penetration will actually thrive and go up significantly (due to) any kind of demand issue.”

Ola Electric said its technology in the new charging network is cutting edge compared to innovations in other countries. Aggarwal said the majority of the electric two-wheelers in China using lead-acid batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries as the country had started electrification many years back.

Few of the industry executives have called Aggarwal’s plans for the electric vehicle business ‘outlandish claims’.

“I would like to ask them, what have they been doing,” said Aggarwal.

He said the US and China are ahead of India in this space and the players here have remained circumspect.

“Why is the world ahead of us. We want to put India on the global map," said Aggarwal. "For that, we have to build research and development and the manufacturing capabilities.”

2021 the year of electric cars in India.

 India’s automobile sector is expected to go all-electric in the coming years, and 2021 is going to be a testimony of that. There is a general buzz around electric cars in India. This is largely attributed to several central and state government EV policies giving a big push to go electric. Additionally, there are a series of EV cars that are expected to launch in India this year. From luxury carmaker Audi to mainstream car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki, all have lined up their EV cars. Apart from this, Tesla is also finally making its debut in the country. Here are all the electric cars in India expected to launch in 2021:

Table of Contents

• Upcoming electric cars in India
• 1. Tesla Model 3
• 2. Audi e-Tron
• 3. Mahindra XUV300 electric
• 4. Tata Altroz EV
• 5. Maruti WagonR EV
• 6. BYD e6
• 7. Mahindra eKUV100
• 8. Volvo XC40 Recharge
• 9. Renault KWID Electric

1. Tesla Model 3

It’s the most-awaited electric car in India. Tesla Model 3 is expected to make its debut in the country as early as June. The EV car is the best selling and most affordable offering from Tesla yet. The Tesla Model 3 has a top speed of 162 kmph and a range of 500 km on a single charge. The model packs a 55kWh battery that is rated to juice up from zero to 100 percent in 5 hours through an 11KW wall box and around 24 hours through a regular wall outlet. The Tesla Model 3 price in India is expected to be somewhere around Rs 55 lakh to 60 lakh.

2. Audi e-Tron

Another high-profile electric car, which is expected to launch in India soon. The Audi e-Tron has already been announced globally where it’s quite a hit. The car is said to have a range of 500km, thanks to the built-in 95kWh battery pack, which will give a combined output of 360PS and 561Nm. Additionally, the Audi e-Tron will come with fast charging support. The battery will get charged from zero to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

3. Mahindra XUV300 electric

Much like Tesla Model 3, Mahindra XUV300 electric is also expected to launch in India in June. The car; however, will be priced around Rs 18 lakh. The electric car in India was originally showcased at Auto Expo 2020. The Mahindra XUV300 electric is expected to be powered by a 130hp electric motor with a 30kWh battery, which is claimed to offer a range of over 300 km on a single charge.

4. Tata Altroz EV

Tata will drive in the EV version of its premium hatchback Altroz this year. The car was showcased at last year’s auto expo. The Tata Altroz EV is likely to get a 30kWh battery that will offer a range of around 350 km on a single charge. Moreover, the battery can be charged up to 80 percent in an hour using a DC fast charger. The electric car in India could launch by the end of 2021. In addition to Tata Altroz EV, Tata Tiago and Tigor are also likely to get their EV avatars.

5. Maruti WagonR EV

Maruti’s popular model WagonR is also said to get an electric model in 2021. The car is expected to look pretty much the same as the regular petrol model. Apart from this, there isn’t much we know about this electric car model. However, the carmaker has already confirmed that its first electric vehicle will be retailed through Nexa showrooms.

6. BYD e6

The all-electric car from the Chinese carmaker BYD is also expected to launch in India this year. The car was recently spotted testing in Chennai. The BYD e6 is packed with all the convenience and safety features, including an electronic parking brake, 4-airbags, ABS, traction control, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, and rear parking sensors, among other things. The e6 is powered by a 41kWh battery pack, which is capable of travelling up to 522kms on a single charge, per the company. Apart from BYD e6, the company is also expected to unveil several other electric vehicles in the country.

7. Mahindra eKUV100

The mini-SUV was launched in India last year at Auto Expo at a starting price of Rs 8.25 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Mahindra eKUV100 looks identical to its petrol-powered counterpart in terms of price. As for specifications, the EV comes with the same motor as the eVerito. The car is powered by a 40kW electric motor that offers 53bhp and 120Nm of torque. It has a 15.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is claimed to offer a driving range of 140 kilometres on a single charge. The eKUV100 can be charged from 0 to 80 percent in an hour.

8. Volvo XC40 Recharge

The electric Volvo XC40 Recharge is also headed to India in 2021. The car was announced globally last month. The Volvo XC40 Recharge features are headlined by two 204hp electric motors for a combined output of 408hp and 660Nm of torque. This enables it to achieve 0-100kph in 4.9sec, with a limited top speed of 180kph. To juice up, the electric car in India uses 11kW AC charger or a 150kW DC fast-charger, which the firm says can deliver an 80 percent charge in 40min.

9. Renault KWID Electric

Renault will drive its KWID Electric car in India later this year. The car is among the most affordable EVs in China. It touts the Tianjin Lishen 30kWh ternary lithium battery that is rated to offer a driving range of 271 km on a single charge. The Renault KWID Electric price in India will allegedly start at around Rs 6 lakh.

Hyundai Ioniq Is an Electric Car That Can Also Cook Your Dinner

 

Hyundai is pitching its new Ioniq 5 as being able to do more than the average EV.

In a series of promotional videos on YouTube, a camper is shown running on a treadmill hooked up to the car's battery, listening to their favourite tunes on a bank of speakers, and even rustling up a roast-chicken dinner in a portable oven. The car can supply up to 3.6kW of power, enough to run appliances like refrigerators and stoves.

It's part of a push by Hyundai to appeal to a younger audience as it plays catch-up in the EV market. The South Korean automaker is behind EV pioneers such as Tesla and established brands like Volkswagen AG and BMW AG, only introducing its electric car in 2016.

“We looked at the wider meaning of space that would include outdoor and daily activities that consumers can do with their cars,” Heung Soo Kim, a senior vice president and head of product and EV businesses, said in an interview last month. “We are constantly looking into new features that will appeal to users.”

Hyundai says it's the first major electric-car maker to offer bi-directional charging, which means owners can power electronic devices from the car battery. While conventional car batteries can be used to charge laptops and phones, they drain quickly if hooked up to anything more powerful, like a portable fridge or sound system, meaning serious campers need to install a dual-battery system or lug around heavy, noisy generators to power their home comforts.

The Ioniq 5 also comes with the option to install a solar-panel roof that will charge the battery pack, giving the vehicle additional driving range of about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) annually.

US-based EV start-up Rivian Automotive. is also looking to attract buyers who love the great outdoors, but with some creature comforts. It has developed a slide-out camp kitchen for its Sedona SUV complete with an induction cooktop powered by the car battery.

‘New Era'
Hyundai in the next few months is set to start sales of the Ioniq 5, its first EV built on a dedicated platform called the Electric-Global Modular Platform, or E-GMP. The flattened chassis allows the automaker to create more spacious interiors, another drawcard to entice drivers to switch from convention gasoline-powered vehicles.

“This year will be the start of a new era for Hyundai and Kia as its full EVs go on sale,” said Lee Jae-il, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities in Seoul. “Hyundai has come a long way from being one of the latecomers to the EV market to offering a very competitive product with the Ioniq 5.”

Still, demand for the Ioniq 5 is expected to be slow initially. Hyundai received orders for just more than 20,000 of the vehicles in South Korea on the day pre-orders opened. The automaker aims to sell 26,500 of the EV model in its home market this year, a fraction of its total sales target of 741,500 vehicles.

The Ioniq 5 will start at SKW 52 million (roughly Rs. 34.6 lakhs) before subsidies, according to Hyundai's website. The smaller Kona EV starts at 49 million won before subsidies, and its Palisade SUV starts at SKW 36.4 million (roughly Rs. 24.2 lakhs).

Hyundai shares rose 0.4 percent in early Seoul trading Wednesday. They have risen 20 percent this year, making them one of the best-performing auto stocks behind the likes of VW, General Motors, and Ford Motor.

Another features Hyundai says sets it apart from rivals is its charging speed. The platform enables EVs to charge up to 80 percent capacity from 10 percent in 18 minutes and add as much as 100 kilometers of driving range in just 5 minutes. They'll have a top range of 500 kilometers on a single charge. It will also charge at 800 volts and 400 volts, allowing owners to access more charging infrastructure, Kim said.

That compares with Volkswagen's ID.4, which takes about 38 minutes to charge up to 80 percent from 5 percent in about 38 minutes and add 100 kilometers in about 10 minutes. It falls short of the Porsche Taycan, which can add enough charge for 100 kilometers in 4 minutes, and has a total range of 450 kilometers. Tesla markets the Long Range version of its Model 3 at about 515 kilometers.

Hyundai's Kia unit last month also unveiled its new EV6 model that will be assembled on the same E-GMP platform and is expected to go on sale in July.

“We also focused on having a modular platform that will enable us to offer various types of vehicles on the same platform,” Kim said.

Hyundai is also working to build charging infrastructure to encourage more people to buy EVs. The conglomerate unveiled plans in March to provide ultra-high-speed charging stations through its E-pit brand. It plans to open 20 stations in South Korea this year and will work with potential partners overseas to build the infrastructure.

Emerging markets beckon too, with India and Southeast Asia part of the company's long-term strategy, Kim said. Hyundai is also considering partnerships with local governments to build charging infrastructure to support demand for EVs, he said.

Toyota Teases New EV Crossover for BZ Electric Lineup

 

Toyota has a lineup of electric vehicles coming under the BZ name, for Beyond Zero. The first will be an electric crossover, which will debut for Europe at the Shanghai auto show next Sunday, April 18, at 9:20 p.m., to compete with other EV crossovers from Tesla, Ford, and VW. The U.S. version should make its debut later this year.

This electric crossover, which will be built on an electric platform co-developed by Toyota and Subaru, has similar styling to one of the six concept vehicles Toyota showed in 2019. It’ll have thin, jagged headlights, possibly stretching down over the front wheel arches (as seen on a similar concept), and it sports a blue Toyota badge. Toyota trademarked a blue BZ logo in Europe, which we expect will be saved for other exterior badging.

The Beyond Zero models’ names will all start with BZ and be followed by a number. In that way it’s similar to the naming scheme for Kia’s coming electric vehicles, which use “EV” followed by a number. Toyota recently filed trademarks in the U.S. for the names BZ1, BZ2, BZ2X, BZ3, BZ4, BZ4X, and BZ5. We suspect that the “X” is reserved for dual-motor, all-wheel-drive models, and this crossover could definitely be one of the models to offer that setup.

We’ll know more about Toyota’s first electric BZ model next week, when it debuts for the Europe market, and we should hear more about the U.S.-bound version later this year. Sedans, and even vans, will join the Beyond Zero lineup as well.

Ten ways to improve your electric car.

For many potential EV customers, one of the biggest potential stumbling blocks before purchasing is ‘range anxiety’. Yet with battery technology improving all the time, electric cars can travel further on a single charge than ever before. Even so, there are ways you can eek out your electricity reserves even more, so here are our top 10 tips for extending your range.

1. Use regenerative braking

All EVs feature regenerative braking, a system that uses the electric motor as a generator to send energy back into the battery every time you lift off the accelerator or brush the brakes. It’s usually only a small amount of electricity that’s generated, but use the set-up effectively to avoid engaging traditional friction brakes and you can add more distance to the range than you’d think. This is particularly true of EVs that allow you to alter the level of resistance from the generator to deliver a stronger braking effect therefore releasing more energy to be ploughed back into the battery – such as the Hyundai Kona Electric. Some electric cars can effectively be driven in one pedal mode, allowing you to come to an almost complete stop without ever touching the traditional friction brakes.

In the city, it’s best to use a higher regen level to maximize energy generation in the typically short stopping distance. Whereas on the highway, a lower regen level is better so that you can maximize the distance travelled while coasting.

2. Pre-condition your car

Perhaps one of the neatest tricks you can perform with an EV is to pre-programme its charging and heating/cooling programmes from the comfort of your armchair. The air-conditioning system requires a fair amount of energy to run, especially when it is trying to warm or cool the cabin in extremes of temperature. So it’s best to get this done when the car’s plugged in and charging, then all it has to do when you’re running is maintain a set temperature, which uses less energy. This feature is particularly useful when the weather is at its coldest, as you can pre-condition the cabin’s temperature, demist or defrost the windows and even set your heated seat while the car is still charging, helping to preserve the battery’s power for driving.

3. Condition the battery

One of the keys to a strong battery is correct charging, as better conditioned cells perform better and live longer. Given that the majority of journeys are short hops with frequent top-up charges when you return home, then most of the time it’s best to charge the battery to 80 percent of its capacity. Not only is this faster, it means you avoid the last 20 percent of charge that is slower and heats the cells more, potentially degrading them. When you do need the car’s full range capability, then you can charge the battery to its maximum capacity safely in the knowledge that the cells will be at their best and that the available range will be optimised.

4. Plan your route

It’s not just a question of how far you go in your EV, it’s also how you get there. The more time you spend on high speed routes such highways and expressways, the greater amount of energy you’ll need and the quicker your predicted range will tumble. Plan your route carefully, however, and you can get more kilometres for your kilowatt. Happily you won’t need to spend hours poring over your road atlas to figure out an efficient route, because most navigation systems will do it in seconds. With a little more than a few taps on a touchscreen you’ll find an option for the most economical route. Sure it’ll take a bit longer from A to B, but it’s also possible that reduced energy use might mean you’ll go further on a charge and not have to stop off for a time-consuming top-up.

5. Don’t speed

The faster you go, the more energy you use – that’s just physics. This is true of all cars, regardless of power source, but it’s especially so for electric cars. Instant torque and an ability to spin at tens of thousands of revs means that almost all electric cars only have a single ratio in their gearbox (the exceptions being the Porsche Taycan and Dual Drive Teslas – the latter gears the front and rear motors differently). Single speed transmissions mean the motor works harder the faster you go, with quicker motorway speeds taking a particular toll on battery range (power consumption jumps by about a quarter between 80kph and 110kph). Keep the speed down and you’ll make the electricity last longer. The same is true of acceleration, and while it’s tempting to indulge in the quick off-the-line blasts that EVs are capable of, a more gentle approach to gathering speed will use a lot less energy and so keep you rolling for longer.

6. Keep it smooth

Taking the path of least resistance is always going to reap rewards when you’re looking to maximise energy use. Avoid the temptation to revel in both lead-footed acceleration and late-braking and you’ll not see kilometres drop from your range indication faster than they roll under your wheels. By honing your anticipation and concentrating on reading the road ahead you’ll be able to carry more speed everywhere – through the corners, over roundabouts and out of junctions. This will mean you can take a gentler approach to the throttle and brakes, helping rinse some extra range. More importantly, you’ll become a better and safer driver in the process, while also having more fun as you aim to keep up the average speeds without taking a heavy toll on the battery.

7. Moderate use of ancillary systems 

It’s not just the electric motor that has an effect on an EV’s range – there are also all the car’s ancillary functions, such as heating, lighting and infotainment. These systems have a surprising effect on battery life, and if you set the heater to maximum in many electric cars, you’ll instantly see a couple of kms drop off the range indicator. So it’s important to make sure you’re managing these energy drains as efficiently as possible. Pre-conditioning the car helps, but while moving set the climate control to its ‘eco’ setting, which normally disengages the air-con compressor. Some EVs also have heated or cooled seats, which will keep you warm or cool while using fewer amps than the climate control system.

8. Be prepared

Mass is always the enemy of efficiency, so make sure your EV is as light as possible. We’re not condoning anything as extreme as stripping out seats and sound deadening, but do make sure the boot isn’t full of clutter. Slippery aerodynamics also help, so always remove roof racks and bike holders when not in use. And believe it or not, a clean car will genuinely scythe through the air with less drag than a dirty one, so frequent washing and waxing will always pay off. Tyre pressures are crucial too, with underinflated rubber increasing rolling resistance and taking a toll on the range.

9. Top-up charge when you can

Okay, so this one’s a bit of a cheat, but in terms of cracking range anxiety it’s a sure-fire winner. Essentially, whatever journey you’re undertaking, try and factor in a bit of charging time. So whether it’s a trip to the supermarket, a dinner date or an outing to the gym, aim to make it somewhere that there’s a charging point. Even on longer journeys where you might have enough predicted range to make it without stopping, factor in a break for a tea or coffee so you can unwind and the car can take on charge. This way you’ll rarely worry about the range.

10. Choose a larger battery size

Okay, this might seem obvious, but the bigger the battery in your car the further it will go before needing to be recharged. Unlike some devices, such as laptops and phones, you can’t currently upgrade your EV’s cells once it’s been built. Some carmakers abroad offer a choice when ordering a new car and when buying used. For example, the Nissan Leaf is available with either a 40kWh or a 62kWh battery, the former giving a claimed 270km of range, while the latter delivers an impressive 385km. Obviously the larger the battery the higher your financial outlay, but if you can stand the cost then this is an example of bigger really meaning better. The upcoming Mahindra eXUV300 is expected to come with two battery pack options to cater to a wider set of buyers at different price points.

These cities may get the first Tesla showrooms once EV giant makes India debut.

 Tesla is eyeing India with as much anticipation as India is eyeing Tesla. The electric mobility ecosystem in the country, while gathering pace in a gradual manner, remains in a nascent stage but it could all change once Tesla touches down on Indian shores. 

Tesla is the world's largest EV maker and has quite a lead over rivals which include traditional automakers. Having already registered in the country, Tesla is now looking at a market that promises a wide playing field with limited competition.

Reuters recently reported that Tesla is looking out for a showroom space in the country and has reportedly hired an executive to lead its lobbying and business efforts. The same report also highlights that Tesla is scouting for large commercial properties in three Indian cities - New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. These three cities, therefore, could be the first cities in India to welcome a Tesla showroom.

A possible challenge could be that while Tesla may look at properties that are each around 20,000-30,000 square feet, the typical car showroom - even in bigger metropolitan cities - are far smaller. But there is nothing typical in how Tesla is known to go about its business and its India plans could be as radical as its plans elsewhere.

What could, possibly, also help Tesla's cause in India is an affordable car that sits even lower than the Model 3 which is, at present, the most affordable EV. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has already stated that there are plans to roll out an even more affordable model in the times to come and this could be tailor-made for emerging markets. The pace of development in infrastructure support, however, remains to be seen as EVs are likely to be restricted to major cities in the forseeable future.

Here’s How Much The Highest Selling Electric Car In India Sold Since Launch.

 Tata has sold over 4,000 units of the Nexon EV since its launch in January 2020. Since then, it has maintained its title of the best selling electric car in India. In FY 2020-21, the carmaker sold 4,219 electric vehicles, seeing a 300 percent increase in annual sales. 

In March 2021, the carmaker recorded its highest monthly sales of 705 EVs and highest quarterly sales of 1,711 in the Q4 FY 2020-21. It is currently the most affordable electric car you can buy in India. In comparison to the ICE-powered Nexon, the EV demands Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 3.6 lakh more, depending on the variant. 

The Tata Nexon EV is available in three variants — XM, XZ Plus and XZ Plus Lux — priced from Rs 13.99 lakh to Rs 16.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It features automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, electric sunroof, automatic AC, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto, Apple Carplay and connected car technology, push-button start, a rear parking camera, a semi-digital instrument cluster, and dual front airbags. 

It is powered by a 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor, which produces 129PS and up to 245Nm. It gets brake energy regeneration and two drive modes (Drive and Sport). It offers a claimed range of 312 kilometres. What about its real-world performance and efficiency numbers? 

Well, the Nexon EV takes just 9.9 seconds to go from 0 to 100kmph. Its top speed is limited to 120kmph. It can be charged up to 80 percent in just about 60 minutes using a fast charger. A 3.3kW AC home charger will take up to 8 hours for a full charge. 

The most affordable electric SUV takes on the costlier MG ZS EV (Rs 20.88 lakh to Rs 23.58 lakh) and the Hyundai Kona EV (Rs 23.75 lakh to Rs 23.94 lakh). Mahindra is expected to bring in the electric XUV300 as a prime rival by 2022.

The key things to know about Biden's EV infrastructure plan.

 

Within President Joe Biden's $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan — the American Jobs Plan — unveiled last week, the White House is proposing a massive $174 billion investment "to win the EV market." It's a historic move that will have deep implications for the emerging U.S. EV industry. If it passes Congress mostly intact, we could see Americans' use of plug-in vehicles jump considerably.

A lot of ideas are in the plan, and many impacts will result from it. Here are 10 important bits to know about the planned federal investments for electric vehicles and EV infrastructure (and a reminder that we're hosting an event about many of these pressing topics, VERGE Electrify online May 25 and 26):

1. It's a boost for EV chargers: Biden has been calling for a goal of 500,000 chargers built out across the U.S. by 2030 since before the election. His infrastructure plan says the federal government will help achieve that goal by creating grant and incentive programs for local and state governments as well as the private sector to deploy EV chargers. Companies that own EV charging assets, such as ChargePoint and Tesla, saw a big boost to their stock prices following the release of the plan last week.

2. There's a big push to electrify transit and school buses: The plan calls for replacing 50,000 diesel-powered transit vehicles as well as electrifying 20 percent of the U.S. school bus fleet through a new Clean Buses for Kids Program. Electric transit and school buses are two types of vehicles that already have been quickly electrifying because transit agencies and school districts can save money on fuel and maintenance costs while reducing air pollution for riders. What these organizations need is incentives to reduce the upfront purchase price of the electric vehicles, which are still more expensive than their diesel-powered counterparts. 

3. Ditto the federal fleet: The plan also calls for electrifying vehicles in the federal fleet, including the United States Post Office. Details are sparse at this point, but it's good to know that the elusive and complicated USPS will be a target.

4. It would buoy domestic EV production: Asian countries own the world's EV battery production markets. But Biden is hoping to boost domestic manufacturing of batteries and EVs through incentives for automakers. Former President Barack Obama's green recovery stimulus invested in battery and EV manufacturing with some mixed results. Biden's plan should make sure to invest in scaling up already proven companies and technologies, instead of betting on emerging ones. 

5. It includes incentives for Americans to buy EVs: The plan says it will give EV buyers "point of sale" rebates and tax incentives to buy American-made EVs. Despite the dropping costs of batteries and EVs, consumers still need incentives to buy more expensive electric cars. Biden reportedly plans to extend the current $7,500 federal tax credit, an amount that diminishes for vehicles built by automakers including Tesla and General Motors that already have sold over 200,000 electric vehicles. Biden could drop that 200,000 ceiling as well as enhance incentives for EV buyers in disadvantaged communities.

6. It prioritizes building out transmission lines and clean energy: If many of America's vehicles go electric, we'll need more electricity, and the nation's electric grid will have to get more resilient and cleaner. Biden's plan calls for the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to cover transmission lines (which will provide much-needed financing), as well as energy storage projects. It also would extend the ITC and the Production Tax Credit for another decade. The plan also mentioned a Clean Electricity Standard, which would set goals for the percentage of clean energy required each year. Many states including California have set state-level renewable portfolio standards that have been successful in boosting clean energy.

7. It prioritizes racial justice: Biden's plan uniquely says it will use its overall infrastructure investments to prioritize "addressing long-standing and persistent racial injustice." Forty percent of the total planned investments (not specific for EVs) will create climate and clean energy benefits for disadvantaged communities. 

8. Decarbonizing transit is a big focus: Beyond EVs, the Biden infrastructure plan calls for investing $85 billion into "modernizing existing transit," and help transit agencies expand systems to boost ridership. There's also $80 billion for intercity rail systems such as Amtrak. This is essentially a doubling of federal investment in public transit, and transit advocates are saying this a "dramatic shift" in transportation spending.

9. Corporate taxes will feed funding: Biden seeks to raise corporate taxes, raising $2 trillion over the next 15 years. Corporations would see a boosted tax rate of 28 percent, and some offshore tax loopholes would be closed.

10. The proposal still needs to get through Congress: Biden's plan likely will see significant reshaping as it spends months making its way through Congress. What's been floated now is an aspirational initial draft.

Still, the plan is historic and could help kick-start a real EV revolution in the U.S. 

In just one day, Kia gets 21,000 reservations in this country for its latest EV

 Following in the steps of Hyundai Ioniq 5 which received nearly 24,000 reservations in one day, Kia has also managed to create a massive buzz in its home market of South Korea and informed it has received more than 21,000 reservations for its EV6 electric vehicle in just the first day of being made available online.

The Kia EV6 was unveiled on March 30 and the electric compact crossover SUV is the first product from the company to be based on its new platform for electric vehicle. That it has 577 hp of power and a claimed per-charge range of a little over 500 kilometres may have helped EV6 create a buzz. That Kia says this EV is quicker than even a Porsche Taycan 4S may have only made this buzz bigger and significantly louder.

Standing 4,680 mm in length, 1,880 mm wide and 1,550 mm tall, Kia EV6 will be offered with two battery pack options - 58kWh and 77.4kWh. The battery has a large role to play in firing this EV to 100 kmph in just 3.5 seconds. The cabin is also claimed to be spacious and loaded with features galore.

Expected to be put on sale at a later date this year, the EV is looking at carving a determined space in markets where it would be offered. This includes markets in Europe as well as South Korea. And while Tesla dominates the EV space in Europe, the Korean home base may hold more potential, something evident from the large number of online reservations.

But Kia is also expecting a solid response from potential customers in Europe despite these customers having more and more options with passing time. Car makers like Volkswagen, Renault - among others, are looking at reducing the extend of lead that Tesla has. Joining them now are Kia and Hyundai with their respective offerings that could further bolster the EV penetration in several countries here, and even elsewhere.

Tata Power to expand EV charging mission to national highways, tourist places in India.

 Tata Power, which currently has a presence in 65 cities in India with over 400 charging points now and is to have a footprint in over 100 cities with its Public Charging Network, is targeting setting up an EV charging infrastructure of over 700 charging stations across the country by December 2021. It might even get there before that.

In a recent interview with Autocar Professional, Sandeep Bangia, Head — EV, HA & ESCO Business, Tata Power, said: “We will get to 700 charging stations much earlier than December this year. We are quite bullish on the demand for EVs and are investing in the charging infrastructure in preparation for the impending demand. Last year despite Covid, the total number of EVs (4Ws, 2Ws and 3Ws) sold were a very sharp increase from the previous years. This was on the back of new and strong EV launches. Hence, we believe the interest in EVs is expanding at phenomenal pace and it’s a market which is beginning to grow. We are currently available in about 65 cities and will soon expand to over 100 cities. The locations of our public charging stations are available on our state-of-the-art digital platform — the Tata Power EZ Charge app — which is available for download on both Android Play Store and iOS Store.”

Enabling ease of charging to EV users

While the company’s charging infrastructure is suitable for all cars, the company has tie-ups with EV makers like MG Motor India, Jaguar Land Rover India and Tata Motors for charging infrastructure.

According to Bangia, “We work very closely with them to identify potential areas and cities to set up charging infrastructure — for home charging or public charging — so that when they launch their cars in those geographies, our charging infrastructure is already there. These tie-ups also offer us an opportunity to learn and then improvise as we go along. We are deploying a mix of charger types from 7.2kWh regular chargers right up to 50kWh fast DC chargers. We optimally deploy these chargers depending upon the location and application so that we have right-sized our network for the needs of our customers and their vehicles.”

Tata Power has also recently tied up with the Central Railway Mumbai in association with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) for charging facilities at railway station precincts. The company is now looking to spread its reach across the country. This will involve setting up EV charging facilities at high-traffic highways and also popular tourist locations.

According to Bangia, “Highways are an important focus area for us as the main use of a public charging network is for inter-city travel. We are identifying specific high-traffic density highway locations along the key city pairs like Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Jaipur, Bangalore-Chennai, Hyderabad-Vijayawada and others to put up chargers.

“Similarly, we have identified tourist destinations like Mussoorie, Mahabaleshwar, Coorg, Dwarka and such locations where EV owners from a city would go for a driving excursion. We are putting up fast DC chargers at logical pit-stops along these highways where one may take a quick chai break while his/her car gets topped up.”

EV users need a mindset change

According to  Bangia, EV users need to have a change of mindset. He said, “EV charging requires a mindset shift from the current way in which are used to refuelling our vehicles at a central location, compared to EV charging which can happen at ‘fragmented’ locations. Electric vehicles can charge themselves at locations wherever vehicles are parked anyway — be they homes, offices, malls, restaurants or public parking lots. One will not have to go to a location to charge; instead, charging will be available where you are parked or are going to be stopping as a natural pit-stop in your journey from one place to another. Our alliances will help us in accessing precisely these locations.

"So, you can continue to do what you are doing while your car charges at the next available ‘opportunity’. You sleep at home while the car charges, you watch a movie at a cinema and the car is topped up, you work in your office and your car is topping up.  Of course, it will take time from the century-old habit of refuelling IC engine cars, but this is the mindset change that is gradually happening and people actually see this as a benefit,” added Bangia.