Tag: Electric vehicles

Ford will use VW platform to build an electric car for Europe

Ford and Volkswagen announced jointly on Friday that VW will share its MEB affordable electric car architecture with Ford, while VW will join Ford's Argo self-driving effort.

In addition to its own efforts to build electric cars, Ford will build a new electric car for the European market based on Volkswagen’s mass-market MEB platform. Ford CEO James Hackett says the car will be built at a Ford factory in Europe starting in 2023.

Volkswagen will provide the vehicle architecture—including batteries—for up to 600,000 examples of the car. The companies are continuing discussions to build a second MEB-based electric model for Ford of Europe with nearly as large a volume. And VW CEO Herbert Diess allowed that Ford EVs based on the platform could also come to the U.S., though none are currently planned.

Ford will also sell electric cars in Europe (and in the U.S. and elsewhere) based on its own platforms, including the Mustang-inspired Mach E SUV due out in 2021 and the electric F150 it has under development. The company also invested $500 million in EV pickup startup company Rivian in April, which Hackett says is designed to accelerate the automaker's knowledge base on EVs and should be seen separately from product development.

Ford crossover EV teaser photo

One of the biggest challenges in getting more consumers to buy electric cars is to bring prices down to make them more affordable even without tax credits.

Executives from both companies said that sharing the MEB platform is designed to do that. “We will see more collaboration [on electric cars] because the timing is not clear and the market penetration is not clear” said Diess. Sharing the MEB platform with other automakers will increase volume to spread development costs and make EVs “more affordable for consumers, and be better for the environment,” said VW CEO Herbert Diess.

Hackett called MEB, which stands for “modular electric architecture” “an impressive platform.”

VW MEB platform

“I’m very inspired by it, and our teams are excited to work with it,” he said. The MEB platform is one of the first dedicated electric-car platforms designed to be sold in all of the major car markets around the world.

The announcement expands on an earlier agreement between the companies to share development costs on commercial vans and self-driving cars announced in January. Global vehicles developed under that agreement will go on sale beginning in 2022.

As for the self-driving portion of the partnership, Volkswagen will join Ford in taking a $1 billion stake in Argo.AI, and will merge its Autonomous Intelligent Driving self-driving program into Argo. Argo is testing self-driving vehicles in five U.S. cities, including Miami, Detroit, and Washington, DC, in an effort to develop fully self-driving cars.

Hybrid Electric Vans Present Practical, Accessible Solution for Cleaner Air in European Cities, Study Suggests

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Hybrid Electric Vans Present Practical, Accessible Solution for Cleaner Air in European Cities, Study Suggests

Three months after introduction of London Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), a new study reveals potential for cleaner city air from hybrid electric vans already available to order

Businesses including Heathrow Airport, Sky, Speedy Hire, Transport for London and Vodafone took part in the 12-month study with Ford using 20 plug-in hybrid vans

The hybrid van fleet covered more than 240,000 km (150,000 miles) real-world driving; 75 per cent of Central London mileage was driven on zero-local-emission electric power

Ford launching further city trials in Cologne, Germany and Valencia, Spain, with plug-in hybrid vans and people-movers

Three months since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in London, results of a year-long trial in the U.K. capital suggest that plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) commercial vehicles could pres..

UK lags behind Europe on home EV charging speeds

When you think of roadblocks to EV adoption, vision-challenged automakers, uneducated dealerships and SUV-loving consumers make for convenient culprits. However, in many parts of the world, arcane technical and political issues also present major challenges. In the UK, a technical issue having to do with the electrical grid is emerging as a limitation on home… Continue reading UK lags behind Europe on home EV charging speeds

Renault sees new model push as softening sales decline

PARIS (Reuters) – French carmaker Renault (RENA.PA) posted a 6.7% decline in first-half vehicle sales amid a global auto slowdown, but said a forthcoming product offensive would begin to help soften the blow in key markets. FILE PHOTO: The logo of French car manufacturer Renault is seen at their dealership in Haguenau, North Eastern France,… Continue reading Renault sees new model push as softening sales decline

ViaVan Receives 3-Year License Renewal from TfL in London

Published July 15, 2019 8:39 am, Via NYC
ViaVan Receives 3-Year License Renewal from TfL in London
The UK’s leader in shared rides set sights on evolving the future of public transport in the capital

15 July 2019 (LONDON) — ViaVan, the joint-venture between Via and Mercedes-Benz Vans in Europe, has been granted a 3-year Private Hire Vehicle Operator license renewal to continue to operate efficient on-demand shared transport in London by Transport for London (TfL).

“We are proud to receive the renewal of our license in London. We believe that ViaVan’s focus on smart, shared mobility is part of the solution to achieving the Mayor’s goal of 80% journeys by public transport, walking or biking by 2041,” said Chris Snyder, ViaVan CEO. “To actually get Londoners out of private vehicles and on-board with the city’s goals, it’s necessary to provide a technology-driven solution that combines the efficiency, comfort and convenience of a personal vehicle with the affordability and traffic-reducing benefits of public transport.”

Since its launch in April 2018, ViaVan has provided more than 7 million rides in London and saved 3 million vehicle kilometers by pooling multiple passengers into shared vehicles, resulting in more than 600,000 kilograms of CO2 saved. During this time, ViaVan expanded to serve London city-wide, and won a highly competitive tender to collaborate with TfL in launching London’s first demand-responsive bus pilot in the borough of Sutton, a project which is directly in line with the city’s vision for the future of transport.

A key point of differentiation for ViaVan in London is the company’s focus on the evolution of on-demand public transport to reduce single occupancy vehicles on the road and reduce the impact of rising congestion and harmful carbon emissions. Using powerful technology from U.S. provider Via, ViaVan has proven to be a strong solution for public transport operators and partners, not only in London with TfL but across the UK in both rural and urban areas.

Via’s technology powers the ArrivaClick service in Liverpool, Leicester and Sittingbourne. In Sittingbourne, 50 percent of ArrivaClick passengers have shifted from private modes of transport, and significant numbers use the service to connect to commuter train lines. In partnership with Go Ahead, ViaVan provides nearly 4,000 shared journeys a week in Oxford, and most recently launched GoSutton with TfL. ViaVan also launched a second UK consumer service in Milton Keynes in October 2018 that has provided more than 55K rides and saved more than 17,000 kilograms of CO2, with the introduction of electric vehicles to the fleet coming this fall.

About ViaVan:
ViaVan is a leading provider of innovative on-demand shared transit services in Europe. ViaVan was founded in 2017 as a joint venture between Via, the world’s most sophisticated developer of dynamic shared rides technology, and Mercedes-Benz Vans, the leading manufacturer of iconic passenger and cargo vans. Working closely with cities and public transit operators, ViaVan powers dynamic shared mobility services that complement existing transportation infrastructure, and currently operates in London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Milton Keynes. Through their partnership, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Via are also collaborating on the development of advanced mobility solutions, from sensor technology, to electric vehicle fleet management, to autonomous driving.

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Tesla drops cheapest Model X, S variants, cuts prices to simplify lineup

BEIJING (Reuters) – Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has dropped the standard-range variants of its Model X and Model S from its product lineup and adjusted prices across its range, in a sales push that comes days after the U.S. electric vehicle maker reported record deliveries. FILE PHOTO: A logo of Tesla Motors on an electric car… Continue reading Tesla drops cheapest Model X, S variants, cuts prices to simplify lineup

UK Releases Plan to Put Electric Car Chargers in All New Homes

Plugging In Lawmakers in the U.K. just announced new draft legislation that would require every new home to include a built-in electric car charging port. The plans, first announced last year, were released on Monday by England’s Department for Transport, according to CNBC. The proposals are currently available online for public consultation before the government votes… Continue reading UK Releases Plan to Put Electric Car Chargers in All New Homes

UPDATE 1-Tesla cuts price of mass-marked Model 3, lifts prices of premium EVs

FILE PHOTO: A 2018 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle is shown in this photo illustration taken in Cardiff, California, U.S., June 1, 2018. Picture taken June 1, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has lowered the price of its mass-marked Model 3 and raised the prices of… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Tesla cuts price of mass-marked Model 3, lifts prices of premium EVs

EV maker Tesla revamps prices in sales push

FILE PHOTO: Tesla super chargers are shown in Mojave, California, U.S. July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) said on Tuesday it will change prices of its Model 3, X and S vehicles. The starting price for the Model 3 will be $30,315, down from $32,225, that… Continue reading EV maker Tesla revamps prices in sales push

Union hack: British company offers electric classic Mini conversion

The Mini Cooper SE revealed last week and the planned electric Mini Rocketman city car represent a new push from the official owner of the Mini brand, BMW.

While neither of those models has arrived quite yet, the UK-based company electric bicycle company Swind has already started making a limited number of electric conversions of classic Minis for British customers.

The specs read like something of a cross between the Mini Cooper SE and the electric Rocketman: The classic Minis get a 24 kilowatt-hour battery (about 2/3 the size of the modern Cooper SE) that delivers a potentially similar 125 miles of electric range. An internal estimate from Mini pegged the upcoming Cooper SE at 114 miles on the EPA cycle.

It has 110-horsepower electric motor, which is significantly short of the Cooper SE's 181 horsepower, but in the smaller, lighter original Mini, the effect is only slightly slower acceleration of 0-60 mph in 9.2 seconds. Swind limits the top speed of the electric Mini to 80 mph, which is perhaps wise, since the chassis was never designed to go that fast with its original gas engine.

Classic Mini Cooper electric conversion by Swind
Classic Mini Cooper electric conversion by Swind
Classic Mini Cooper electric conversion by Swind

Swind installs the battery underneath the floor, which it says improves the classic Mini's balance. It's still nose-heavy, with 57 percent of its weight in the nose, versus 68 percent for the original. Taking out the gas tank even leaves 7 cubic-feet of trunk space.

The original Mini is even smaller than the Mini Rocketman concept, which was designed to be a city car to compete with the modern Smart. It's just over 120 inches feet long, 55 inches wide, and 53 inches tall. The tiny Rocketman is more than a foot longer and wider.

The updated cars will offer USB charge ports and heaters for the front seats, windshield and rear windows, and under-floor radiant heat. Buyers can opt to add a navigation system, power steering, air conditioning, and a full-length cloth sunroof in addition to performance upgrades and custom paint colors—but of course these conversions are lacking most modern safety features. Swind offers a one-year warranty.

The classic electric Mini conversion is the latest in a cottage industry of electric-car conversions in Britain, including Jaguar E-Types that the automaker has begun to sell, Porsche 911s, Aston Martins, and Morgan roadsters.

Swind started building the electric Minis in February and plans to make up to 100 of the Mini electric conversions in customers' choice of right- or left-hand drive.

The conversions cost 79,000 British pounds (almost $88,000). With new Mini Cooper SE prices expected to start around $30,000 before tax credits, you could buy three of them for about the price of a converted original.