The current Revero uses solar panels located on its roof that can power the car’s electrified powertrain. Solar panels have been seen on earlier development cars, so expect improvements to their efficiency with the 2019 model if they do continue into production. “The energy collected from the solar panels is supplied directly to the car’s high-voltage battery, which in turn… Continue reading New Karma Revero plug-in hybrid saloon tests in Europe
Tag: VW
Schwäbisch-Bavarian development aid
They are bitter rivals in the luxury segment – nevertheless, Daimler and BMW want to make robotic cars together according to a report. What is behind the planned cooperation? Electric cars from Mercedes and BMW Monday, 21.01.2019 17:27 clock Until recently, such partnerships were almost unimaginable: a BMW engineer needed no help, least of all… Continue reading Schwäbisch-Bavarian development aid
Exclusive: Worst-case no-deal Brexit puts Bentley’s return to profit at ‘fundamental risk’
CREWE, England (Reuters) – Loss-making carmaker Bentley is on track to be profitable this year but a worst-case no-deal Brexit puts that at “fundamental risk”, its boss told Reuters, adding that the chance of Britain leaving the EU on March 29 with a deal now seemed “fairly low.” The Bentley name is seen inside a… Continue reading Exclusive: Worst-case no-deal Brexit puts Bentley’s return to profit at ‘fundamental risk’
Andreas Lehe – Biography
Andreas Lehe was born on June 17, 1968 in Koblenz. After training as an electroplater and studying Materials Science/Surface Engineering at Aalen University, Lehe started his career at AUDI AG in Neckarsulm as a planner on the Surface Process Chain project. He worked on optimizing cross-process enhancements to the control cycles in Production with the… Continue reading Andreas Lehe – Biography
Modern architecture for fresh air
The facade elements are made of aluminium coated with titanium dioxide. The coating acts as a catalyst and breaks down the absorbed pollutant particles into the harmless substances water and nitrate when exposed to sunlight and with only low air humidity. In a first pilot project, Porsche is testing the NOx-absorbing high-tech facade on an… Continue reading Modern architecture for fresh air
Audi electrifies the World Economic Forum in Davos
Sustainable mobility for the World Economic Forum in Davos: As the exclusive shuttle partner, Audi is providing a fleet of 50 Audi e-tron cars for the annual meeting in 2019. The all-electric cars are fully powered by green electricity. And with mobile charging containers, the company is demonstrating a potential application of used batteries from… Continue reading Audi electrifies the World Economic Forum in Davos
Carmakers risk bumps in the road to collaboration
New Ford and VW partnership may face strains similar to those at Renault and Nissan Go to Source
Toyota and Panasonic to jointly make electric-car batteries, explore solid-state tech
Panasonic Li-Ion EV battery
Toyota has been a laggard in the race to transition to electric cars. The company was an early leader in fuel-efficient hybrids, but has since focused on developing fuel-cell vehicles, and executives have expressed skepticism about electric cars and lithium-ion batteries.
Now in an effort to accelerate its move to electric cars, the company may be pairing up with the largest manufacturer of lithium-ion battery cells in the world for electric cars, Panasonic. Panasonic also supplies batteries for Tesla, built at the giant Nevada Gigafactory that the two jointly own.
CHECK OUT: Lithium-ion vs. nickel-metal hydride: Toyota still likes both for its hybrids
The Nikkei Asian Review reported Sunday that the two companies plan to set up a joint battery manufacturing plant in 2020 to produce batteries for more than 5.5 million electric cars. Reuters followed with another report of the venture, citing a source of its own.
Under the venture as it's been reported so far, Toyota will own 51 percent of the factory, and Panasonic will own the rest. Batteries produced at the factory will supply not only Toyota but also companies that have signed on as partners with Toyota to develop electric cars. These include Mazda and Subaru.
Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota and Kazuhiro Tsuga, President, Panasonic
Honda also sources electric-car batteries from Panasonic, and Nikkei reports that the companies hope that they can also sell the new batteries to Honda.
READ THIS: Panasonic says solid-state batteries are still 10 years off
Toyota and Panasonic will also reportedly work together to develop next-generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries, which are expected to provide increased range with less weight and cost for electric cars. They could also be less flammable to improve safety.
Toyota has been working to find other chemistries that would be useful for electric cars. It announced in 2017 that it plans to put solid-state battery tech into a production vehicle in the early part of the next decade.
DON'T MISS: VW is planning to build 15 million electric vehicles
The two companies signed an agreement in 2017 to explore the tie-up that Nikkei reported this week.
Toyota has set a goal to sell 5.5 million electric cars by 2030. That still lags behind Volkswagen, the world's second-largest automaker after Toyota. Volkswagen has announced plans to build 10 million vehicles a year by 2027.
More about Byton, tamer BMW electrics, Toyota batteries, more chargers: Today’s Car News
Byton M-Byte concept
BMW says it plans to make its electric cars look more mainstream to move beyond sales to early adopters. Toyota and Panasonic could be teaming up to produce electric-car batteries and solid-state technology. And Maryland approves plans for 5,000 electric-car chargers to attract more electric cars to the East Coast. All this and more on Green Car Reports.
The three electric cars that Byton is developing are designed more to appeal more to passengers than drivers, the brand's chief engineer told Green Car Reports. Other than their 48-inch cross-dash screen and advanced interface, they'll take advantage of off-the-shelf EV parts from top suppliers.
BMW says its upcoming electric cars won't stand out as much, with more conventionally attractive styling to appeal to more mainstream buyers.
Toyota might be teamed up with Tesla-supplier Panasonic to develop and build new batteries for electric cars, as the world's largest automaker begins its transition to electric cars.
In an effort to attract more electric cars, Maryland has approved a plan for the state's utilities to install 5,000 new electric-car chargers, including Level 2 chargers and Level 3 DC fast chargers along highways.
Google Maps has announced that the software will now display speed-limit information in Android Auto to help drivers keep track between signs as they use the system's navigation function.
Finally, after setting a world's record climbing Pike's Peak, Volkswagen plans to take its electric ID R race car to the famous German Nürburgring race track to challenge the lap record there.
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Jaguar I-Pace outsells all other cars in the Netherlands in December
Tax changes can have great effects on car sales. In Belgium, new fiscal deductability rules taking effect on January 1st 2018 prompted thousands of buyers to sign an order form for a (premium) plug-in hybrid in December. A similiar phenomenon has manifested itself in the Netherlands last month: Dutch company car drivers hurried to the… Continue reading Jaguar I-Pace outsells all other cars in the Netherlands in December