Tag: BMW

Paolo D’Ettore: Director LCV Business Unit Nissan Europe

Who is Paolo D’Ettore? Paolo is currently Director of the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Business Unit at Nissan Europe. He leads a team of 20 people across Europe and is responsible for the profit, sales, marketing, product planning and overall program management of the LCV range. The role is varied and can range from managing… Continue reading Paolo D’Ettore: Director LCV Business Unit Nissan Europe

BMW Will Shut Down Oxford Plant for a Month After Brexit Date

Terms of Service Violation Your usage has been flagged as a violation of our terms of service. For inquiries related to this message please contact support. For sales inquiries, please visit http://www.bloomberg.com/professional/request-demo If you believe this to be in error, please confirm below that you are not a robot by clicking “I’m not a robot”… Continue reading BMW Will Shut Down Oxford Plant for a Month After Brexit Date

Henrik Fisker Opens Up About $40000 Fisker & Solid-State Batteries (#CleanTechnica Exclusive)

September 11th, 2018 by Kyle Field  CleanTechnica sat down with Henrik Fisker on August 30th, 2018, in Los Angeles to get an update on where Fisker, Inc. is today and where Henrik plans to take it in the months and years to come. Henrik opened up about his plans for a $40,000 Fisker, solid-state batteries, ultrafast… Continue reading Henrik Fisker Opens Up About $40000 Fisker & Solid-State Batteries (#CleanTechnica Exclusive)

UPDATE 1-Audi launches electric SUV in Tesla’s backyard, with assist from Amazon

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – German luxury car brand Audi on Monday staged the global launch of a new electric sport utility vehicle on the home turf of rival Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), and highlighted a deal with Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) to make recharging its forthcoming e-tron models easier. The Audi e-tron midsize SUV will be offered… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Audi launches electric SUV in Tesla’s backyard, with assist from Amazon

BMW plans to shut Mini plant for a month after Brexit day

BMW Carmaker says Cowley closure minimises impact of supply disruption if there is no deal BMW has said it will not build cars at its Mini plant immediately after the UK leaves the EU next year, to carry out annual maintenance. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images BMW plans to shut its Mini plant for a month… Continue reading BMW plans to shut Mini plant for a month after Brexit day

UPDATE 2-BMW moves UK Mini plant shutdown to just after Brexit in case of no deal

(Adds supplier comment on JLR) By Costas Pitas LONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) – German carmaker BMW said it will move the annual maintenance shutdown period for its British Mini plant to just after Britain is due to leave the European Union in April, in case there is no Brexit deal. Carmakers generally close their factories… Continue reading UPDATE 2-BMW moves UK Mini plant shutdown to just after Brexit in case of no deal

Honda: No-deal Brexit ‘would cost millions’

The senior vice president of Honda Europe has warned that a no-deal Brexit would cost his company tens of millions of pounds. Ian Howells told the BBC that quitting the bloc without an agreement would affect the carmaker’s competitiveness in Europe. He said the Japanese firm was preparing for a no-deal outcome but had not… Continue reading Honda: No-deal Brexit ‘would cost millions’

British engineering firm brings lightweight race car design to production cars

Gordon Murray Design iStream construction
British race car design company Gordon Murray Design showed off its new lightweight race car body last week at the Low Carbon Vehicle Show in England.

The company calls its body-in-white—an industry term for a car body with no components attached—iStream, and it says it's the result of a new process it patented to make lightweight racing technology easier to manufacture.

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Cutting weight can make all kinds of cars more efficient, from pure electric, to hybrids, to conventional cars. Automakers have known how to make cars lighter for a long time, but the lightweight, affordable, and easy to manufacture trifecta has been a challenge.

Gordon Murray Design said that thanks to its patented manufacturing methods, the iStream is expected to be half the weight of a comparably-sized conventional steel body at the same cost. Like the BMW i3, the iStream uses a carbon fiber reinforced body structure paired to an aluminum pan that holds the vehicle's mechanical components.

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Gordon Murray also released concept specs for a sports car based on the body based on the body in white.

The company says it would weigh just 1,874 pounds. Using a 220-horsepower, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine would give an iStream race car a power-to-weight ratio of 8.5 pounds per horsepower. With a six-speed manual transmission geared for maximum acceleration, that could give it a 0-60 time of just over 4 seconds.

Gordon Murray Design iStream construction

Reducing the weight of the body reduces the need for even heavier batteries for an electrified version and would the use of smaller, lighter brakes and other components, too.

Along with the iStream body, Gordon Murray showed a lightweight seat that the company says weighs 30 percent less than conventional seats. The seats use a tubular frame and fiberglass or carbon composite structure, and can fold for access for cars that need it.

Gordon Murray didn't specify the cost of the race car body or the racing seat.