Argo AI is set to expand its fleet of autonomous development vehicles to a fifth location. Argo AI has received a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test autonomous cars within state borders, Automotive News reports, citing the DMV’s records. The vehicles will hit the roads around Argo AI’s headquarters in Palo… Continue reading Argo AI can now test self-driving cars in California – CNET
Tag: Honda
Honda Global | January 30, 2019 Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Production Records for Automobile Production, Worldwide, Overseas, in Asia and China
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the calendar year 2018 as well as for the month of December 2018. Worldwide Production Calendar Year 2018 December 2018 Units vs.’17 Units vs.’17 Japan 891,248 +9.0% 81,821 +6.6% Outside of Japan 4,465,765* +1.1% 339,892… Continue reading Honda Global | January 30, 2019 Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Production Records for Automobile Production, Worldwide, Overseas, in Asia and China
Tesla is responsible for half of Toyota’s owner defection rate
Toyota recently admitted that the Tesla Model 3 is affecting Prius sales, but we are now learning by just how much: Toyota says that it has a 9% owner defection rate in North America and it attributes about half of it to Tesla. Last year, Tesla revealed the top 5 cars Tesla Model 3 buyers are trading… Continue reading Tesla is responsible for half of Toyota’s owner defection rate
Zipcar and Honda Expand Strategic Partnership for Mobility Solutions
BOSTON, Jan. 28, 2019 – Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network, and Honda today announced an expansion of their strategic mobility partnership. The agreement will add hundreds of new Honda vehicles to Zipcar’s diverse fleet, while focusing on supporting Zipcar’s university program in California and the expansion of Zipcar’s successful service in Columbus, Ohio. In… Continue reading Zipcar and Honda Expand Strategic Partnership for Mobility Solutions
Company claims to harness AI for quicker electric-car DC fast charging
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2015 Nissan Leaf with CHAdeMO fast-charging cable plugged in [photo John Briggs]
At CES earlier this month, GBatteries demonstrated that it could charge a 60-kwh battery pack, made up of off-the-shelf lithium-ion automotive cells, to half capacity in just 5 minutes, or to a full charge in 10 minutes.
Further, the company is aiming, with a technology that employs AI elements, to boost charging speeds without accelerating degradation and rendering electric-vehicle battery packs useless.
Such a technology could help lessen the effects of fast-charging battery packs in vehicles. The more often you fast-charge an electric-car battery pack—and the higher the charge rate—the higher the chances are that you’ll do irreversible damage to the cells within, and decrease the cycle life of the battery and its effective capacity.
DON’T MISS: Toyota and Panasonic to jointly make electric-car batteries, explore solid-state tech (Updated)
The company’s hardware and software solution together smartly speeds up or slows down charging momentarily, depending on conditions inside the battery.
GBatteries hopes to license the technology to automakers and suppliers. Most automakers already monitor voltage at the cell level, and fast charging already uses DC fast-charging parameters communicated from the vehicle, so it may not be a complicated or expensive upgrade.
CHECK OUT: Honda presents new battery chemistry that could succeed lithium-ion
The project, according to TechCrunch, was born out of what the founders saw as a very short cycle life, and a high level of degradation, for phone batteries.
GBatteries’ funders include Airbus Ventures, Plug and Play, Initialized Capital, SV Angel, and Y Combinator. The venture is based in Ottawa, Canada, and has also received a $900,000 grant from the Canadian national government.
If this technology proves itself, it could potentially save consumers and automakers—as well as keep costly, resource-dependent energy cells in use much longer.
Arnold Clark acquires Phoenix Car Company
Arnold Clark has completed the acquisition of Phoenix Car Company, with the transfer of assets and staff from the Paisley-based car retailer set to take place on January 31. The AM100’s fourth-placed retail group will grow with the addition of six retail sites in Paisley and one in Edinburgh from the group, with franchised partners… Continue reading Arnold Clark acquires Phoenix Car Company
Honda confirms world premiere of new electric vehicle prototype at 2019 Geneva Motor Show
World premiere of Honda’s new electric vehicle prototype confirmed for 2019 Geneva Motor Show Early design sketch of prototype revealed Next step in Honda’s commitment for two thirds of European sales to feature electrified technology by 2025 Honda has confirmed the global premiere of a prototype version of its new electric vehicle at the Geneva… Continue reading Honda confirms world premiere of new electric vehicle prototype at 2019 Geneva Motor Show
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’
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.
Toyota, Panasonic setting up EV battery JV amid rising China competition: source
TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Panasonic Corp (6752.T) are set to launch a joint venture next year to produce batteries for electric vehicles (EV) in an effort to compete with Chinese rivals, a source familiar with the matter said. Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda (L) and Panasonic Corp President Kazuhiro Tsuga… Continue reading Toyota, Panasonic setting up EV battery JV amid rising China competition: source