Category Archives: -Other EVs-

Aptera

Final touches being put on the Aptera

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Aptera

First of all, the electric Aptera Typ-1 will now be known as the Aptera-2e.  I would prefer Aptera Raptor or something cool, but that’s just me.  I can never remember cars with a bunch of numbers and slashes in their names.  Here is the company’s reasoning behind this attempt at simplification:

The challenge is that, with the name Aptera Typ-1, we have two names vying for attention: ‘Aptera’ and ‘Typ-1.’ With that in mind, we have decided to simplify the name and call the vehicle the Aptera-2e, where the 2 designates the number of passengers and the e denotes the electric powertrain.  Our sentiment is that with this convention, the vehicle name will rarely be spoken apart from the brand.

Secondly, the car will now have traditional rear view mirrors and a single fin mounted camera on the roof for optimal visibility and user friendliness.  Tom Reichenbach, chief engineer of Aptera, explains:

By moving to a single camera and screen – in conjunction with more traditional side-view mirrors – drivers are now placed in the safest, most practical and familiar setup.  We worked hard to make these changes without compromising our core mission of minimizing drag.  Through our comprehensive aerodynamic studies we’ve been able to design mirrors that slip right through the air.  And because the body-mounted cameras created air pockets that disrupted airflow over the vehicle, the change to the overall drag has been minimal.

Source: Aptera

Tango, Tesla Roadster

Tango vs. Tesla Roadster Drag Race

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I’m not an expert on drag racing jargon (“beat the dial handicap so he lost the competition”??) so here is the commentary from video submitter, jorgbrown:

On Nov 30th, the fastest production electric vehicles in the U.S. went head-to-head. While their first meeting had a number of issues, most notably the underfilled Tango battery pack, and the Tesla’s non-upgraded drivetrain, the 1/4 mile time is quite close and indicative of races to come.

In this race, the Tango got 92.15mph in 14.480 seconds, beating its 14.7 “dial” handicap and thus losing the competition; the Tesla got 101.23mph in 14.666 seconds, slower than its 14.5 “dial” handicap and allowing it to proceed to the next round. (Two rounds later, the Tango’s driver got behind the wheel of the Tesla and also beat its “dial” handicap… and thus lost!)

Wheego Whip

From Autobloggreen: Wheego Whip? Watt?

Posted Nov 20th 2008 at 8:01AM by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle), China, USA

RTEV, the company behind Ruff and Tuff electric ATVs, and Shuanghuan Automobile Company have formed a partnership that will see the Wheego Whip arrive in the US by May of 2009. Wheego is the street division of the Atlanta-based company and is now headed by former Miles Electric Vehicles COO, Jeff Boyd. If you are looking at the picture above and thinking, “Dude, that’s a Smart Fortwo!”, you’d be wrong because this, my friends, is a Shuanghuan Noble upon which the Whip (E-Noble outside the US) will be based.

The Whip is said to be capable of 60 mph but will be restricted to Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) status in America until it can pass Department of Transportion muster. Able to travel 50 miles on a charge, the not–so–Smart car will be packing (AGM) batteries for now. The bodies will be built in China but will have their electronics and powertrain installed in the US. Get all the details in the press release after the break plus a bonus video of a Whip prototype getting checked out on an episode of Talking with Tami.

[Source: RTEV / YouTube]

PRESS RELEASE

RTEV and Shuanghuan Automobile Announce Electric Car Partnership

U.S. and Chinese Companies Combine Efforts to Produce and Market Electric Cars Internationally

Last update: 9:55 a.m. EST Nov. 19, 2008 ATLANTA and SHIJIAZHUANG CITY, China, Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) and Shuanghuan Automobile Company announced today that they have formed a partnership to produce and market affordable all-electric cars for sale around the world. The first automobile will be a two-seat compact car that will be launched in the United States in May 2009. It will be marketed exclusively by RTEV under the Wheego Whip name in North America and by Shuanghuan Automobile as the Electric Noble (E-Noble) in the rest of the world.

While the car is capable of speeds of 95 kHz (60 mph) it will be sold to different countries specifically designed to meet the safety requirements of the particular country. For example in the U.S. it will be launched as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV- 25 mph max) or Medium Speed Vehicle (MSV- 35 mph max) depending on local state regulations, until it passes U.S. Department of Transportation safety crash requirements, which is expected sometime in early 2010.

The E-Noble will be manufactured by Shuanghuan at their factory in Shijiahuang. While the Wheego Whip will be based on the Noble platform, it will undergo final assembly, including the motor, drive train, controller, electronic components and be programmed in the U.S. The cars will feature environmentally friendly dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries, which require no maintenance and feature an on-board high tech charger. The car will travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge-and plug in for a recharge on any standard household 110 or 220-volt electrical outlet.

“What has really impressed us with Shuanghuan is their attention to detail in providing a high-quality fit and finish and smooth ride to the car,” explained Mike McQuary, RTEV CEO. “Once we locked down the systems and components for a high quality electric drive system, we undertook a global search for a car manufacturer that would meet our expectations of a driving experience that was seamless when compared to its gasoline counterparts. While several car companies that we talked to had solid mechanical systems, it was Shuanghuan that emerged with a commitment to meet the quality standards that American drivers have come to expect in an automobile. Their production of the gas powered Noble gave them a great head start, in that it was more a matter of adaptation of a vehicle, rather than trying to develop something from scratch. They share our vision and see the important potential for the emergence of an electric car as an everyday part of consumer transportation.”

“When we were first approached by RTEV, it was their passion that first got our attention. There have been several companies that have approached us and bought one or two cars and tried to convert them to electric. But it was RTEV that quickly emerged as the technology leader for electric vehicles. Combine this with their successful track record as a management team in other ventures and we knew we had made the right choice for a partner,” said Shuanghuan General Manager Cheng Bing.

“There is a perfect storm of macro-events that are causing people around the world to take inventory of their personal habits and their effect on the environment across a wide spectrum which includes transportation, and RTEV is entering the marketplace at this pivotal time,” said McQuary, former president of internet service providers MindSpring and EarthLink. “The long-held assumption has been that electric vehicles are quirky and impractical for everyday use, and are of interest to only a small group of eco-friendly consumers. We believe that our vehicles appeal to a huge market segment and will fill a middle market demand gap at the right time, with the right vehicles, and a with national dealer network to provide service and support.”

Shuanghuan Automobile Company has been making cars since 1988. Its current car models include the SCEO SUV and the Noble. The company is focused on zero defect manufacturing processes and passed the ISO9000 quality control system certification in 2000, and gained 3C constraint products certification in 2003.

About RTEV

RTEV is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs). RTEV is comprised of two divisions, Ruff & Tuff and Wheego. The company currently features recreational vehicles under its Ruff & Tuff brand, and street legal cars under the Wheego brand. RTEV is led by an experienced management team that includes McQuary; President Bo Huff, who brings twenty-one years of experience in the electric vehicle industry; and Jeff Boyd a 25 year automotive industry veteran who was most recently the CEO of electric car company Miles Motors. Privately held, RTEV is based in Atlanta, GA with distribution points in Winnsboro, SC; Baton Rouge Louisiana; and Long Beach, CA.

Tags: RTEV, Shuanghuan Automobile Company, ShuanghuanAutomobileCompany, Smart clone, SmartClone, Wheego, Wheego Whip, WheegoWhip

Wheego Whip? Watt? originally appeared on Autobloggreen on Nov 20th 2008 at 8:01AM EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Miles XS500

Miles EV gets rid of the grill

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Old:
Miles XS500

New:
Miles EV

In addition to changing the car’s name from the Miles XS500 to the Miles EV, Miles Electric Vehicles was apparently listening to me when a few months ago, I politely said this car needs a makeover. (I doubt it though) The new model? Well, the digital rendering definitely looks unique. It seems as though they lowered the fenders to give it a sportier look and gave it an aggressive looking snout in the middle of the hood. And, oh yeah, there is no more grill. A grill-less car looks awkward at first, but the change should definitely help the drag coefficient and also give it a distinction that makes it look different from your average Hyundai or Kia, which was my complaint.  So, yeah, I’m satisfied.

The Miles EV will have a top speed of over 80 mph and a 120 mile range.  The EV will be priced between $40,000 to $45,000 before government incentives.  According to the Miles EV site, “With passage of legislation by the US congress in the fall of 2008, ‘Miles EV’ customers will recieve between a $5,000 to $7,500 tax credit for their purchase of the ‘Miles EV'” They still call it the Miles Highway Speed Vehicle on the site. There may also be state incentives.  The Miles EV is targetted to hit US markets in early 2010.

Pininfarina B0

On the Pininfarina B0 (B Zero)

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Pininfarina B0

Yet another Italian born, electric vehicle made its debut at the Paris Auto Show last month. This one has a 153-mile range and a top governed speed of 80 Mph. However, acceleration will be similar to its Italian competitor, the Tazzari Zero.  Meaning, not very fast, 0-37 in 6.3 seconds. The advanced solar panels built into the roof only help power some of the cars equipment, but still look pretty darn cool:
Pininfarina B0 Solar Panels

Pininfarina teamed up with Bolloré to develop its electric power system. Bolloré is a highly diversified group of companies with a combined yearly turnover of 10 billion US dollars and 35,000 employees. For the past 30 years, the group has been the one of the world’s leading producer of components for capacitors. The lithium polymer battery is matched up with a supercapacitor that allows for excellent regenerative braking and acceleration capabilities and also extends the life of the battery to about 125,000 miles. The battery should be able to fully charge in only a few hours. The B0 is not a concept car or a prototype but an actual production model that will be built in Turin by the end of 2009. Go to Paninfarina’s B0 page for details.

Pininfarina Press Release:

Pininfarina B0 (to be pronounced B Zero) is dedicated to the memory of Andrea Pininfarina who was a firm believer in the project.

“To think, draw, design and build cars is not only an enthralling mental process.
Nor is it simply a business choice. It is also and above all a great social responsibility.”

Andrea Pininfarina (1957-2008)

The B0: the solution for a cleaner world

Bolloré and Pininfarina have entered into a partnership featuring all the expertise required to launch serial production of an electric car which, thanks to its technical characteristics and its attractive styling, is bound to make waves in motoring circles.

This car will not be a prototype. It will be a mass production model, with the first units coming off the production line at the end of 2009, after which production will be ramped up gradually based on the availability of the batteries. Built in Turin by Pininfarina-Bolloré, a joint venture formed by the two family-owned groups, the B0 electric car will be powered by Bolloré’s proprietary LMP technology, using a combination of batteries and supercapacitors manufactured in Bolloré’s plants in Quimper, France and Montreal, Canada. The B0 will be a fully-electric vehicle without any carbon dioxide production, having been designed from the ground up with that aim in mind. Its batteries will be housed in a compartment specially designed for that purpose and located under the car, between its axles, lowering its centre of gravity and providing it with outstanding road-holding properties.
With its superb body styled by Pininfarina, Italy’s renowned vehicle design shop, the B0 electric car will be an elegant four-seater, four-door hatchback with an automatic gearbox. Its LMP battery, which will be rechargeable in a matter of hours from a standard domestic main socket, will provide it with a range of 250 km (153 miles). The B0 will have a top speed that is electronically limited to 130 km/h (80 mph) and will feature potent acceleration, reaching 60 km/h from a standing start (0 to 37 mph) in 6.3 seconds. The B0 will also feature solar panels on its roof and hood, so as to help recharge its electrical power reserves.

Physical characteristics
Volume (litres) 300
Mass (kg) 300
Communication bus CAN

Electrical characteristics
Power rating 30 kWh
Nominal voltage 410 V
Peak power output 45 kW(30s)
Min. / max. battery voltage 300/435 V
Capacity at C/4 75 Ah
Energy density per unit mass 100 Wh/kg
Energy density per unit volume 100 Wh/l

Thermal characteristics
Internal temperature 60°C – 80°C
Operating temperature -20°C à + 60°C

LMP: revolutionary battery technology

At the heart of any electric car, lies the battery. Bolloré is a highly diversified group of companies with a combined yearly turnover of 10 billion US dollars and 35,000 employees. For the past 30 years, the group has been the world’s leading producer of components for capacitors. Thanks to its acquired know-how in extruded polymers and the storage of electrical energy, Bolloré has been working for 15 years through its subsidiary, Batscap, to develop a solid-state lithium polymer battery. This battery is able to store, weight-for-weight, and it can be recharged in just a few hours. The battery does not require any maintenance and has a lifespan of around 200,000 km (125,000 miles). Another key benefit is its unmatched safety while in operation. Added to that, the B0 electric car does not emit any exhaust gases, nor any fine particles. The car’s LMP batteries thus help combat air pollution. The batteries of the B0 also contribute to reducing noise, another nuisance which affects people’s quality of life in urban environments.

Supercapacitors: boosting acceleration and recycling power

Supercapacitors are sophisticated energy storage components developed by the Bolloré Group. In an electric car, supercapacitors draw and store energy generated while the car is braking and feed it back into the system when the car moves off again. The result is greater acceleration, increased range and a longer lifespan for the car’s battery. The electric cars powered by BatScap’s LMP batteries and supercapacitors have a range of over 250 km. They are fast (with a top speed of 130 km/h), pleasant to drive, safe, and long-lasting.

Natural energy from solar panels

Because it is 100% electric powered, the B0 does not generate any pollution. But the process of generating the electricity which the car uses must also, as far as possible, not have produced any atmospheric pollution. That is why the creators of the B0 have designed it to incorporate every possible solution designed to optimise the car’s energy efficiency and use of clean energy sources. For instance, the B0 electric car is fitted with supercapacitors, which enable it to store and recycle the energy that is generated while braking. Similarly, the car’s roof and part of its hood are covered with highperformance solar panels which help power some of its equipment. It goes without saying that a responsible environmental approach must be coherent throughout. Which is why all the materials used to build the car’s body, battery and interior trim have been carefully selected for their low environmental impact. All are recyclable or reusable. The Bolloré Group is also in the process of developing straight-forward panels of photovoltaic cells which might be installed by individuals or in public places to fully or partly recharge the B0 electric car’s batteries using solar energy.

The combined power of two major industrial groups

Ergué-Gabéric / Bolloré
LMP batteries and supercapacitors were developed at the research centre of the Bolloré Group’s production site at Ergué- Gabéric near Quimper in Brittany, France. They were the outcome of a concerted research effort founded on the Group’s core activities, Bolloré being the world’s leading producer of ultra-thin extruded films used in the production of capacitors, another energy storage component. The success of its research programme led the Bolloré Group to form BatScap, a subsidiary dedicated to these activities, some 15 years ago. Nowadays, BatScap’s employees have access to the most advanced laboratory and production facilities and comprise more than 120 engineers, research staff and technicians.

Montréal / Bolloré
In 2007, the Bolloré Group bought the assets of Avestor, the only other company in the world which possessed the technology and the patents required to manufacture LMP batteries. Avestor’s Canadian team, which numbers some sixty highly qualified staff, thus joined BatScap. By pooling the talent, technologies and facilities of both sites, the Bolloré Group is able to wield major and highly sophisticated production facilities which are ample to cater to the production lines of the B0 and electric Microbus vehicles.

Cambiano / Pininfarina
World-renowned for the talent of its design teams which have created many of the world’s most beautiful cars over the years, Pininfarina is also a highly experienced carmaker which produces high-end vehicles on contract for many makes. The B0 electric car will be produced by the Pininfarina-Bolloré joint venture at a plant located near Turin. The joint venture will benefit from the
tremendous know-how and experience of Pininfarina’s personnel, who are proud to be involved in producing the world’s first serial production electric car powered by LMP batteries and supercapacitors under the company’s own badge.

Two concrete examples of LMP batteries in use

La BlueCar
Designed from the ground up to take advantage of all the benefits provided by electric propulsion thanks to the highperformance batteries developed by BatScap, the BlueCar was created by Philippe Guédon, the designer of Renault’s first Espace vehicle, in cooperation with the Bolloré Group and Matra Engineering. The BlueCar is a compact vehicle that is ideal for driving around town. The first sketches for the BlueCar were drawn in the early 2000s. The car was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005 and is now in its second version.
BlueCar vehicles have been driven for tens of thousands of kilometres in all traffic conditions, acting as a testbed for Bolloré’s LMP batteries, which were officially approved for use in motor vehicles in Autumn 2007. The BlueCar has served as a mobile laboratory for the soon-to-be-released serial production electric car and has demonstrated that electric-powered cars are not merely a distant utopia but a concrete prospect in our time.

The electric microbus
In parallel with its work on private vehicles, and in order to ensure that the benefits of electric motoring are extended to public transport, the Bolloré Group has formed a second joint venture with the Gruau Group, a maker of buses and coaches, to design and build an electric version of the Microbus. Uniquely suited to urban transportation, this attractively styled, diminutive bus (5.46 metres long) features tremendous accessibility and is able to carry up to 23 people. The all-electric version, powered by LMP batteries and supercapacitors developed by Bolloré, will provide a simple and effective option for local authorities to offer their constituents a means of public transport which is environmentally friendly.

Tazzari Zero

On the Tazzari Zero

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The Tazzari Zero is a “high performance” Micro EV. They keep saying, 0-31 mph in under 5 seconds, the key number there is 31, as apposed to the customary 60, so it’s not too incredibly quick. With a top speed of about 56 mph, the car might not win any quarter mile races, but should be very capable of getting you from place to place with a 93 mile ev range. You can go to the Tazzari Zero website, but you will be hard pressed to find any info behind all the flash animation (seems to be an Italian thing, see Venturi) unless you sign up for their monthly newsletter. A November 2008 edition is below.

Also check out this video of a prototype being “driven like it’s stolen” without the body attached. The car appears to have a fair amount of pickup at low speeds so I can imagine it would still be very fun to drive.

This is ZERO NEWS, the electronic newsletter, which brings you all the news about the ZERO project, the eco-sports brand.

Loyal to the initial concept

The idea for ZERO dates back a few years. It stems from the desire to give the car market a true alternative, something completely new, so as to break with the past. Electric vehicles just had to evolve, so it was only by making a series of innovative decisions that this was going to happen. The idea was to create an electric sports car, a trendy vehicle with an Italian heart and distinctive Italian design and prime performance, incorporating state-of-the-art technology.

Born electric

ZERO exists as a totally electric vehicle. She is not the conversion of an internal combustion vehicle, as are many. This means that from the very first sketch, everything has been designed according to an all-electric concept. No rearranging around an existing vehicle, no restrictions with regard to design or technical aspects, no compromise.

New technical solutions

Indispensable and innovative the choice of lithium batteries, primarily because they hugely increase the roaming range and the number of recharge cycles that are possible with respect to the battery types that have been available up until now. They guarantee unmatched performance levels for electric vehicles at an affordable price. Moreover, they allow a significant reduction in weight and volume, meaning the vehicle is spacious and perfect for 2 occupants and provides 2 separate boot areas with over 130 litres storage capacity.

The lighter the vehicle, the more you get out of electrically powered propulsion, so the lightweight aluminium frame is ideal. In the hands of experts in the field of cast aluminium parts, this alloy’s structural characteristics, together with the specially developed geometry of the car’s design, have enabled the expert technicians to create the dynamic, ultra-light frame which makes ZERO an exciting car to drive.

The motorsport attributes belonging to ZERO are enhanced by the extremely low centre of gravity, rear-wheel drive and the centrally positioned motor. The wide wheelbase, 15″ wheels and wide tyres all make for first-rate road holding and maximum safety is achieved thanks to electro-assisted braking with 4 oversized disc brakes, giving power and balance when you need to stop fast. Last, but not least, regenerative braking, stable handling and that motor sport feeling are the objective and unprecedented features of this urban electric vehicle.

ZERO comes from Imola, right at the heart of Italian “sports car territory”. Passion is part of its DNA.

“Why did I decide to create ZERO? ZERO applies the most evolved technologies available today at a competitive price. This is the starting point of a new generation of functional, sustainable vehicles. ZERO is quality innovation, the truly ecological alternative to mobility today.”

Erik Tazzari,
President of the Tazzari Group.