Author: Green Car Online News

Volvo XC40 EV will be first equipped with next-gen active-safety sensors

The upcoming XC40 EV will roll off the assembly line equipped with the next generation of active-safety sensors, Volvo outlined Wednesday, as it prepares to launch its very first all-electric vehicle.

Volvo is just a month away from introducing the XC40 EV, and in the lead-up to its formal debut, the company is teasing the technology that will make it a step forward for Volvo while retaining all of the characteristics that helped the company build its worldwide reputation as a leader in automotive safety.

The XC40 will debut technology from the joint-venture project between Volvo and Autoliv dubbed Zenuity. The partnership was formed to develop self-driving technology, and the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform that will be installed in the XC40 EV is the first implementation of that ecosystem in one of Volvo's automobiles.

ADAS is scalable, and while the XC40 will not employ a version of it that is capably of full autonomous driving, it is a key step in the process of developing autonomous vehicle tech.

Electric Volvo XC40's powertrain

However that's not the only thing that will make the new XC40 EV one of the safest cars on the road. Volvo employed several traditional techniques to improve both its ability to avoid accidents and its crashworthiness when it can't. “The fundamentals around safety are the same for this car as for any other Volvo. People are inside, and the car needs to be designed to be safe for them,” said Volvo's Malin Ekholm in the announcement.

Volvo placed the XC40 EV's battery pack in its floor, improving its center of gravity. The safety structure around it was developed specifically to protect the battery (along with vehicle occupants) in the event of a collision.

We expect more information to trickle out ahead of the XC40 EV's debut on October 16.

Report: “All-electric future” a short circuit in UAW-GM strike

The electrification of General Motors may be a sticking point in the company's negotiations with the UAW, a report suggested, as GM's union employees kicked off a second week on strike over the two parties' inability to agree on new contract terms.

An unidentified source told the Associated Press that GM's restructuring is a pain point for negotiators, as union representatives want to preserve jobs in Lordstown, Ohio, formerly home to production of the Chevrolet Cruze. GM is interested in producing batteries in Lordstown, the source says, but it won't support as many union jobs—or, perhaps, union wages—as the old Lordstown facility did.

GM would build a new factory to facilitate this, but wants to work with a third-party supplier or develop a joint venture to do so.

The facility which housed production of the Cruze is expected to become the future home of EV startup Workhorse, which intends to use the factory to build an electric truck.

So far, Nissan is the only company to have produced battery packs for larger-volume electric vehicles entirely in-house, which it did for more than a decade. Last year, Nissan sold its battery production subsidiary, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation, to China-based Envision Group.

Thus far, other automakers have relied on outside suppliers such as Panasonic and LG Chem to produce battery modules. Tesla's joint venture with Panasonic experienced some growing pains early in 2019 when the supplier backed off on its plans to expand production at its space in Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory.

Volkswagen ID wall chargers revealed for Europe; US plans yet to come

As a companion to the launch of its new ID 3 electric car, Volkswagen is offering a series of at-home AC charging stations.

In three flavors, the new ID Charger series ranges in three levels from basic charging to a high-precision, connected suite. All of the versions will have the same 11 kw output, the upgraded models offer additional connectivity for users who want to program and monitor charger usage.

VW ID Charger

In its most basic form, the ID Charger is effectively just a good, old-fashioned plug. At $440 (399 euros), it's a very basic and affordable unit. Volkswagen says it will charge the 58-kwh battery in the ID 3 in six hours.

The next step up is the ID Charger Connect, which offers the first tier of connectivity options. It allows smart monitoring and remote operation via either wired or wireless network, with LTE available as an optional upgrade. Without LTE, it starts at $660 (599 euros), and includes remote management (via VW's App-Connect) and maintenance, access control management via charging card, and over-the-air software updates.

The top-tier unit is the ID Charger Pro. At this level, you get the features of the Connect model, plus an integrated electrical meter for high-precision monitoring of usage. The Pro will run you $940 (849 euros), but the upside is that it includes the Connect model's optional LTE upgrade along with a lifetime data subscription.

There's no word yet on availability in the U.S. market, but we expect that it will follow a formal announcement of VW's plans for bringing its ID vehicle lineup stateside.

Delphi teases 800V inverter for 2022 “high-performance vehicle”

Last week, in coordination with the Frankfurt auto show, Delphi Technologies announced it will be the first major supplier for the auto industry to produce an 800-volt inverter—a component that Delphi underscores is one of the enablers to allow 800-volt charging and effectively halve charging times compared to today’s 400-volt systems.

As Delphi outlines, with 800V systems, automakers have greater freedom, to either opt for smaller, lighter cables and connectors, harvest more power via regenerative braking, or go for ultra-fast charging.

And at least one more automaker is sold on it. Delphi says that it secured a $2.7 billion deal for volume production of the 800-volt inverter over 8 years with “a premier global OEM,” on the product launch of “a high-performance vehicle” in 2022.

Cadillac electric crossover SUV based on GM BEV3 modular platform

That brings up a long list of potential products. Some or all of the upcoming Porsche and Audi vehicles built around the Volkswagen Group’s premium electric (PPE) platform are expected to be 800-volt, and Hyundai’s Genesis electric luxury cars are expected to be built around an 800-volt architecture. GM’s BEV3 platform is expected to launch in a Cadillac, with premium EVs from Mercedes-Benz expected as well.

In electric cars, the inverter is the component that changes the direct current (DC) from the battery to alternating current (AC) to be used by the motor system. Although the battery pack is by far the most expensive component in electric cars, the inverter is one of the runners-up.

Delphi Technologies 800V inverter

Delphi’s component employs silicon carbide MOSFET semiconductors from the specialist company Cree. Delphi says its Viper power switch together with that helped create a product that is 40 percent lighter and 30 percent more compact than comparable inverters.

Porsche led one of the turning points toward 800V technology. It opted, in 2015, to undertake the development of an inverter, power systems, wiring harnesses, and various accessories all in-house because they didn’t exist then from so-called Tier 1 suppliers.

Outside of the very limited Aston Martin Rapide E and fully electric racing—in Formula E, most notably—800V tech has seen little implementation so far.

That’s clearly now due to change. Even electric-truck hopeful Rivian told Green Car Reports last year that it has conceived its 400V platform for a future 800V upgrade, likely around 2022.

Based on announcements such as this from Delphi, it’s safe to say that the change to 800V is happening—from the top of the market down, because it’s more expensive—and possibly a lot faster than previously anticipated.

CATL considers U.S. plant, targets 45 percent energy-density boost in 5 years

China’s Contemporary Amerex Technology Co., better known as CATL, has in the past several years become a global battery giant.

Last week one of its senior executives revealed to Reuters that the company is considering a manufacturing expansion into North America, even though the market for EVs will lag that of China and Europe.

The company is already planning a battery “gigafactory” of its own in Erfurt, Germany—a facility that will start production in 2021 and be one of the largest battery plants in Europe.

The plant will make cells and modules, which is part of CATL’s plan to mastermind the whole pack and save size and weight. Through its cell-to-pack technology, it says it can increase mass energy density by 10-15 percent and increase volume utilization efficiency by 15-20 percent.

CATL products – 2019

CATL announced firm numbers for the improvements. It can now accomplish more than 200 watt-hours per kilogram with its automotive lithium-ion batteries for EVS (up from 180 wh/kg).

Energy density with its current chemistries has reached 240 watt-hours per kilogram, and it’s targeting 350 wh/kg—a 45 percent improvement—by 2024.

The battery company also announced that it’s working to improve its total battery life to 373,000 miles (600,000 km), with other improvements including uniform self-heating technology built into the battery for better cold-weather performance plus a “turbo charging solution” for larger (C/D-class) vehicles that would allow 0-80 percent charging in just 9 minutes.

2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop

CATL recently announced a collaboration with Bosch, in which the battery supplier will supply cells for Bosch’s 48-volt systems globally. It’s already forged supply partnerships with Volkswagen, Daimler, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Honda, and Toyota, and it will be making cells for upcoming BMW and VW models, as well as the 2020 Mini Cooper SE, at the plant in Germany.

Earlier this summer it was reported that LG Chem was considering a second U.S. manufacturing plant to supply Volvo, among other potential customers. And earlier this year South Korean rival SK Innovation broke ground on a $1.7 billion battery plant in Georgia, expected to supply Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, among others.

Audi AI:Trail concept splices trail-ready with autonomous-ready

Earlier this week at the Frankfurt auto show, Audi revealed a strikingly different adventure-vehicle concept car that’s designed to show, according to the brand, “a comprehensive concept for sustainable mobility off the beaten track.”

The AI:Trail completes a quartet of concepts with similarly colon-punctuated names—the AI:Con, AI:Me, and AI:Race—that show how the German luxury brand can pull autonomous-driving modes and all-electric powertrains into vehicles for almost any kind of automotive lifestyle.

It’s an important issue to address. With just a few exceptions, the electric cars of the past decade conform into a surprisingly homogenous set. They’re far from representative of the real potential of going fully electric—that it allows a lot more flexibility for vehicles to be strikingly different and varied in design versus models with a combustion engine.

The AI:Trail has four electric motors—not in-wheel motors—summing to 435 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, and what it calls “ample battery capacity” bringing a driving range of up to 311 miles based on the European WLTP cycle.

For on-road driving, the AI:Trail has level 4 automated driving capability—meaning that it has traditional controls but in specific conditions can take over responsibility from the driver.

Audi promises confident crawling up off-road trails, and its gearing of the motor systems was chosen to deliver strong wheel torque in off-roading. It underscores that its development “was not about achieving remarkably quick acceleration or hitting breathtaking speeds on the autobahn.”

The AI:Trail, with its huge 22-inch wheels and 33.5-inch big-sidewall tires, is limited to 81 mph. But it can ford up to 19 inches of water and has a ground clearance of 13.4 inches.

Green Car Reports walked around the concept at the show and found that Audi’s own released pictures didn’t entirely do the design justice, especially from the rear. The concept is exceptionally tall—5.5 feet overall—and the “one-box” passenger-cell design and especially sharp creasing around the cabin give it the look of a sci-fi truck brought to life. Its design looks influenced by lunar-rover designs, with a passenger pod over huge wheels.

The concept has a lot of glass around and overhead, allowing an impressive view out for off-roading. Retractable running boards help with access, while an optical-sensor system reads the surface and adjusts the tire pressure accordingly.

The driver interface consists of a yoke instead of a steering wheel, plus a minimal set of buttons. Interior materials include recycled textiles, reprocessed wool, and recycled leather. Second-row seats follow a hammock-like design that helps save weight.

With a mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber, the AI:Trail weighs less than 3,900 pounds despite what Audi calls a high-capacity battery.

The headlights themselves are actually drones that can detach from the vehicle and go airborne, helping illuminate the way ahead of the vehicle when off-roading, or a surrounding area when parked. While that seems like a silly use of energy and effort, it’s exactly the kind of feature we’d expect to see in an innovation-focused concept vehicle—and it’s cool.

Perhaps the most puzzling piece to ponder now is how all of these concepts fit together into Audi’s future, which so far has been mostly in the form of electric versions of pre-existing formats (like the production E-tron SUV, the upcoming Q4 e-tron, and the e-tron GT sport sedan). The future, if this is any hint, could get a lot more interesting.

Hyundai hatches an electric future with retro 45 EV concept

Hyundai is channeling nostalgia for a past product that Americans never had with its 45 concept car revealed Tuesday at the Frankfurt auto show.

But that won’t get in the way of Americans appreciating the design of this strikingly different concept—or seeing it as retro. The concept, according to Hyundai, evokes “emotional connections from the past to create a consumer lifestyle brand for the future of mobility.”

To Americans, it will bring to mind the handsome hatchbacks of the 1970s from AMC, Volkswagen, and others—and the Plymouth Horizon.

Hyundai 45 concept

The intended reference is the Hyundai Pony, a rear-wheel-drive hatchback that came to be in the mid-1970s—45 years ago—and was later sold in Europe.

The 45 concept mates those distinct hatchback geometries with a front-end look that bears hints of muscle cars and sport coupes from the same era, and brings in some uniquely modern contouring (and sliding doors).

As Hyundai terms it, the overarching language is “Sensuous Sportiness,” with a “kinetic cube” theme for the front and rear lights. A lattice grille also harks back to the ‘70s and ‘80s.

It’s not the only concept to go retro in a quite charming way. The Honda E (originally called the Urban EV Concept) is one of those.

The 45 concept uses side camera mirrors with a built-in cleaning function. And at the bottom of the door, a battery-level strip shows quickly how much range is left in the car, without the need to open up the car or flip through an app.

Hyundai 45 concept

Inside, the concept “reimagines the in-car experience in the age of electrification and autonomous technologies), with a wide-screen layout that occupies about two-thirds of the dash width, and a curved shelf running the full width. It’s clean and light, with a warm, textured look (from wood, fabric, and leather), and lounge-style seats in front pivot to the side for easier entry and exit.

The 45 concept has a skateboard layout, with the batteries set low in the floor. Hyundai offered no additional technical details about the vehicle, although it’s considering this as a global model, to be built on the company’s upcoming E-GMP dedicated EV platform due around 2021.

In an earlier teaser for the concept, the company called it “a symbolic milestone for Hyundai’s future EV design.” Given this concept’s reception so far at the show—and its refreshingly different design, we’ll likely see more of these lines in the next year or two.

Hyundai and Kia invest in Europe’s high-power fast-charging network

Hyundai and Kia announced Monday that they are investing in Ionity, Europe's 350-kilowatt charging network. They will join BMW Group, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen/Porsche in expanding charging station availability for vehicles with 800 volt on-board systems.

This partnership gives Hyundai the opportunity to develop vehicles with 800-volt systems that will be able to utilize the 350-kilowatt capacity of Ionity's network, which currently comprises 140 stations. Another 50 are currently under construction and the company plans to expand to an addition 200 sites by 2020.

It's Ionity's goal that its stations be no more than 120 km (75 miles) apart along major highways, guaranteeing that even small city cars will have sufficient range to travel between stations.

“Our participation in this joint venture reaffirms the Group’s commitment to future electromobility. I am confident that our work with Ionity will open a new era of high-power charging experiences, where charging will be seamless and easier than refueling for our customers,” said Hyundai Product VP Thomas Schemera.

Ionity was formed in 2017 with the mission of developing a connected, high-output charging network for European EVs. The coalition was formed with 800-volt systems in mind, allowing for quicker charge times for vehicles like the Porsche Taycan and a forthcoming Hyundai EV.

Europe remains well ahead of the United States with respect to DC fast charging. Tesla's V3 Superchargers charge at up to 250 kw and have recently arrived in some markets. Most U.S. hardware caps at 150 kw.

Porsche boosts stake in Rimac: What it could gain from the deal

Porsche announced last week that it has increased its investment in Rimac Automobili, the Croatian electric sports-car maker. It now holds 15.5 percent in Rimac, a step up from June 2018, when the German sports car maker purchased a 10 percent stake.

What’s one established sports-car brand—and part of the greater Volkswagen Group, with its massive research-and-development coffers—doing investing in a smaller, much less established one?

Rimac CEO Mate Rimac with Porsche Taycan

Part of it relates to how Rimac is building more than a car. Rimac, which now employs about 550, is putting the focus on high-voltage powertrains and battery tech—so there’s likely quite a bit of alignment with Porsche.

“We quickly realised that Porsche and Rimac can learn a lot from each other,” said Lutz Meschke, the Porsche AG board member in charge of finance and IT. We believe in what Mate Rimac and his company have to offer, which is why we have now increased our stake and intend to intensify our collaboration in the field of battery technology.”

Mate Rimac called gaining Porsche as a stakeholder “one of the most important milestones in our history,” with this increase of its stake in the company “the foundation for an even closer relationship.”

Porsche isn’t the only one investing in Rimac, though. Hyundai Motors, which includes Kia, earlier this year announced that it would invest $80 million in Rimac in a partnership extending to battery tech.

Rimac has already supplied the 800-volt battery pack and power systems for the Koenigsegg Regera supercar, and its most recent triumph has been the development of the C Two, an upcoming two-seater that reaches a claimed 256 mph, charges at 250 kw, and can go 404 miles on a charge in the very generous NEDC measurement.

2020 Porsche Taycan

With the newly shown 2020 Porsche Taycan the first mass-produced car built on an 800-volt system and the Volkswagen Group’s SPE electric supercar platform potentially nixed from the global giant’s R&D budget, a modest stake in Rimac might indeed be a very savvy investment.

New Faraday Future CEO co-founded Byton and led the BMW i8 program

Faraday Future announced last week that it hired Byton co-founder Carsten Breitfeld as its global CEO, replacing the company’s controversial founder, Jia Yueting.

Jia ran into conflict with investors after a separate e-commerce company he owned in China, LeEco, allegedly defaulted on debts and failed to return to China to pay them when the government ordered him to do so. LeEco also aimed to build electric cars.

Last year Faraday lined up a new investment from Hong Kong conglomerate Evergrande to set up a factory and build several prototypes in California, But when Evergrande wouldn't provide a next payment, it had to lay off much of its staff and shutter the factory. All of its founding executives except Jia left.

Since then, the company has been working to secure more investors to restart production. As a condition of their investment, most new investors have reportedly insisted on Jia’s departure.

Faraday Future FF91 prototype

In its latest announcement, Faraday Future says Jia is not leaving the company, but is stepping down as CEO to become Faraday’s Chief Product and User Officer, a role perhaps similar to that Bill Gates took on after stepping down as Microsoft’s CEO.

He will be replaced as global CEO by Breitfeld, a mechanical engineer credited with leading the development of the BMW i8 and who more recently served as co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Chinese electric carmaker Byton.

Under its new lead investor, Chinese gaming company The9, Faraday Future is contracted to develop a new cheaper electric vehicle for the Chinese market.

It will also resume work on the Faraday Future FF91, a model that is likely to be significantly more expensive than the Tesla Model X. The car is expected to be built at a former Pirelli tire factory in Hanford, California.