Honda – Page 531 – I wish I had more to offer

Honda UK plans to cut up to 55 sites ‘in next two to three years’

Honda UK has opted to remove its volume-driven bonus targets as part of a strategic network restructure which could result in a 35.5% reduction in its UK dealer representation by 2022. It recently implemented a plan to reduce the number of its franchised sites by 10%. Now its head of car, Phil Webb, and head… Continue reading Honda UK plans to cut up to 55 sites ‘in next two to three years’

The godfather of EVs in China has turned his attention to hydrogen cars

It's no accident that nearly half of the world's electric cars on the road today are in China. According to the International Energy Agency, of the 1.9 million battery electric vehicles on the road, 951 million are found in China.

Wan Gang had a lot to do with that. The former Audi exec is now China's state science and technology chief and helped launch the country's aggressive push toward zero-emission vehicles after he delivered a report in 2000 outlining the country's need to develop an electric-car industry. China heavily subsidized that industry and helped push the world toward electrification.

Now, Wan may have his sights set on hydrogen-powered vehicles. Wan told Bloomberg last week that the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would benefit long-haul transportation: buses, trucks, etc.

“We should look into establishing a hydrogen society,” he told Bloomberg. “We need to move further toward fuel cells.”

His opinion carries more than its weight in mere words. Wan said the country may keep in place its subsidies for fuel-cell development, even if battery electric car incentives wane. China's nascent hydrogen fuel cell market is much smaller than Japan's, which leads the world in hydrogen adoption. But that may change if China's government can spur growth for hydrogen fuel cells through incentives the same way they have for EVs in the last 20 years.

2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell at hydrogen fueling station [photo: Chris Baccus]

Toyota, Hyundai, and other companies such as Nikola have developed hydrogen-powered semis and retail vehicles, although infrastructure has lagged behind in many countries other than Japan. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, China had 12 hydrogen refueling stations in operation in May 2018 compared to more than 100 in Japan who has stated that it aims to have roughly 200 by the end of next year.

Wan says the country will move toward building more infrastructure to support hydrogen-powered vehicles.

“We will sort out the factors that have been hindering the development of fuel-cell vehicles,” Wan told Bloomberg.

If China's push toward hydrogen matches its push toward electrification that could net a seismic change for the industry within the next 15 years.

Renault, Nissan join Waymo in exploring driverless services in France, Japan

DETROIT/PARIS (Reuters) – French automaker Renault SA, its Japanese partner Nissan Motor Co and tech giant Alphabet Inc’s Waymo are exploring a partnership to develop and use self-driving vehicles to transport people and goods in France and Japan, the companies said on Thursday. FILE PHOTO: The logos of car manufacturers Renault and Nissan are seen… Continue reading Renault, Nissan join Waymo in exploring driverless services in France, Japan

Why it did not work between Aurora and VW

Why did the startup Aurora and the manufacturer Volkswagen separate? Aurora In recent years, the media attention has often surfaced, mainly because of the many cooperation agreements. Autonomous parking of VW. Source: VW Aurora was founded by former professionals of Google (Chris Urmson), Tesla and Over founded and focuses on the provision of autonomous driving… Continue reading Why it did not work between Aurora and VW

Honda has a reason to fight for sedans

Original Article

Honda E electric car: 50/50 weight distribution, “in action” tease next month

Honda’s sporty, retro-cute Urban EV Concept created quite a buzz ever since its 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show debut. And now, with the Honda E, as it will be called, fast-tracked and due to be shown in production form later this year, Honda is aiming to keep up the excitement.

This week, Honda revealed some key details about the production vehicle’s platform and battery—including one very interesting piece of information: that the Honda E will have a near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

The battery pack in the Honda E charges either with a Type 2 (230-volt AC) connector or via CCS DC fast charging, enabling an 80-percent charge in just 30 minutes. The charge port is at the front of the car, in the center. Honda claims a range of “over 125 miles” but doesn’t specify whether that’s to the WLTP or NEDC standards, or to an internal specification of its own.

Honda E powertrain infographic

With rear-wheel drive (no word about all-wheel drive yet) and short overhangs, maneuvering in tight urban environments should be a cinch. The E rides on a four-wheel independent suspension, with suspension components themselves made of forged aluminum for weight savings.

The 35.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack is water-cooled to help maximize its efficiency, and it’s positioned low, just below the passenger floor, and between the front and rear wheels—the key to that weight distribution and what should be a very low center of mass.

That could be put to the test—or at least demonstrated—soon, as the Honda E Prototype will be presented “in action” at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, in the U.K.

Honda aims to “feature electrified technology in 100 percent of its European sales by 2025”—meaning that in addition to fully electric models there may be multiple hybrid systems (including the carmaker’s i-MMD two-motor system) as well as fuel-cell tech.

2019 Honda Clarity Electric

Where does that leave us in the U.S.? Honda currently offers one fully electric model, the Clarity Electric, although the model is only available in California and Oregon, and only by lease. Honda is clearly aiming for much wider availability for the E, and notes that it has already received 31,000 “expressions of interest” across Europe. Although Honda has repeatedly told us it’s not being designed for the U.S. and won’t come here, we can only hope for something so inspiring.

Why Electric Cars Are Better

GM’s Mary Barra stands by Cruise’s cautious strategy amid Tesla’s full self-driving push – Teslarati

By Simon Alvarez Posted on June 17, 2019 A recent interview with GM CEO Mary Barra from Axios has provided some of the executive’s insights about full self-driving solutions, competition from Tesla, and the Detroit-based company’s strategy for the deployment of its autonomous driving tech. Barra proved conservative, emphasizing that GM will not deploy its… Continue reading GM’s Mary Barra stands by Cruise’s cautious strategy amid Tesla’s full self-driving push – Teslarati

Honda e battery specs and platform revealed, 31,000 have ‘expressed interest’ in the electric car

Honda has revealed more information about its Honda e urban EV, including details on the new electric car’s battery and platform. A new look at the car from Honda reveals its compact water-cooled 35.5 kWh Lithium-ion battery, which can be charged using either a Type 2 AC connection or a CCS2 DC rapid charger. The charging port… Continue reading Honda e battery specs and platform revealed, 31,000 have ‘expressed interest’ in the electric car

New Honda e: powertrain details of BMW i3 rival revealed

The firm believes the car’s retro design will give it an Apple-style appeal to customers. It maintains the styling of the Urban EV, albeit with the addition of an extra set of doors. While Honda has yet to reveal full technical details of the car, its designers told Autocar at the Geneva show that it would… Continue reading New Honda e: powertrain details of BMW i3 rival revealed