Lola and Drayson Racing are working together to create the first all-electric Le Mans race car. Their primary goal, however, is to showcase the electric vehicle’s potential in single lap time trial results. They intend to charge the car through inductive charging and there is no word on any quick stop methods of recharging necessary to compete in longer races.
The electric Le Mans Prototype (LMP) will have 850 horsepower and reach top speeds of over 200 mph. Power for the all electric drivetrain is stored in a new generation of highly advanced Lithium Nanophosphate® battery cells made exclusively by A123 Systems. Each wheel will be powered by four axial flux Oxford YASA motors. The car will have a single gear, which is common for electric vehicles. On the exterior, the car will look like any of the other LMP, but the team hopes the electric drivetrain will prove superior in single lap time trials.
Long story short, GM will be strenthening the Volt’s frame that protects the battery pack from side impact collisions, and make enhancments to the vehicle’s battery cooling system. The enhancements come in response to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Preliminary Evaluation which found that a full-scale vehicle crash test last May resulted in an electrical fire three weeks later. GM reiterates that the vehicle is still safe to drive. However, it might not be safe for collision repair shops, where vehicles tend to go after these types of accidents. Also, there is an inherent danger of fire for any type of vehicle collision, so take the battery fire anxiety with a grain of salt.
Press Release:
GM Announces Enhancements to Chevrolet Volt
Changes follow NHTSA investigation into post-severe crash battery performance2012-01-05WARREN, Mich. – General Motors today announced enhancements to the vehicle structure and battery coolant system in the Chevrolet Volt that would further protect the battery from the possibility of an electrical fire occurring days or weeks after a severe crash.
The enhancements come in response to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Preliminary Evaluation to examine post-severe crash battery performance.
NHTSA opened its Preliminary Evaluation on Nov. 25 following a severe-impact lab test on a battery pack that resulted in an electrical fire six days later. The test was conducted to reproduce a coolant leak that occurred in a full-scale vehicle crash test last May that resulted in an electrical fire three weeks later.
The Volt is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and has earned other safety awards from key third-party organizations. Through the first 11 months of 2011, Volt owners accumulated nearly 20 million miles without an incident similar to the results in the NHTSA tests.
“The Volt has always been safe to drive. Now, we will go the extra mile to ensure our customers’ peace of mind in the days and weeks following a severe crash,” said Mary Barra, GM senior vice president of Global Product Development.
GM will conduct a Customer Satisfaction Program to further protect the Volt battery from the possibility of an electrical fire occurring days or weeks after a severe side crash. Modifications will:
Strengthen an existing portion of the Volt’s vehicle safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision.
Add a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels.
Add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.
GM conducted four successful crash tests between Dec. 9 and 21 of Volts with the structural enhancement. The enhancement performed as intended. There was no intrusion into the battery pack and no coolant leakage in any of the tests.
“These enhancements and modifications will address the concerns raised by the severe crash tests,” Barra said. “There are no changes to the Volt battery pack or cell chemistry as a result of these actions. We have tested the Volt’s battery system for more than 285,000 hours, or 25 years, of operation. We’re as confident as ever that the cell design is among the safest on the market.”
Volt customers will be individually notified when the modifications are available for their vehicles. The enhancements are being incorporated into the Volt manufacturing process as production resumes this month.
“We’re focused on one thing right now: doing what’s right by our customers,” said GM North America President Mark Reuss. “We’ll live up to our commitment to make sure our customers are delighted with their purchase.”
Vehicle electrification technologies are important to future of the automotive industry, which is why GM will continue its leadership role in helping the Society of Automotive Engineers develop standards that will help tow truck operators, salvage yards and vehicle recyclers in the proper handling of electric vehicle components. GM will help develop educational materials that can be used by these stakeholders in the future.
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.
Tesla is drawing sales of the Tesla Roadster to a close in 2012, primarily to focus on their more subdued and affordable Model S. As of September 30, 2011, Tesla had sold more than 2,000 Roadsters worldwide and the car maker announced it intends to sell a total of 2,500 units before it discontinues the model in early 2012. The latest model punched out 295 lbs-ft of torque and 288 horsepower. The instant torque, electric motor pushes the Roadster to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The EPA reports 245 miles per charge, giving it the longest range of a production electric vehicle ever. The world distance record of 311 miles was set by a Roadster on October 27, 2009, during the Global Green Challenge in outback Australia, in which it averaged a speed of 25 mph. At $109,000, the vehicle is really a steal for performance, groundbreaking technology, and rarity.
Elon Musk’s goal from day one has been to provide a “Model T” electric vehicle, an affordable $30,000 electric car with optimal range and performance. However, as an upstart company without the economy of scale that Ford or GM are endowed with, Tesla produced a premium performance electric vehicle. Now that the company is one step closer with the Model S, they are stepping away from the successful sports car model. So is it a wise move? Maybe a couple years ago, but now that the major manufacturers are entering the electric vehicle segment (Mitsubishi iMiev, Nissan Leaf) and offering plug in hybrids (Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in). Can Tesla successfully sell a sedan while the majors are doing the same with their insurmountable resources and capital? It is going to be tough without the unique electric vehicle fanfare that the Tesla Roadster once had.
Here is a warm and fuzzy Tesla Roadster video to send it off:
Starting in March 2012, the Prius Plug-in will be available at participating dealers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Hopefully, availability will expand to several more states in 2012. If you don’t live in one of these states, the Toyota website can direct you to the closest dealership if you don’t mind driving a few hundred miles for your plug-in hybrid. Potentially, you could drive it permanently in hybrid mode without ever plugging it in. On the other hand, Toyota does not advise somebody to ever drive it without a drop of gas in the tank.
Range
The all electric mode is limited by mileage and speed, meaning you can travel up to 15 miles on a charge, and you are also limited to 62 MPH in all-electric mode. After you hit these thresholds the vehicle switches to hybrid mode. You also have the option to manually toggle between EV mode and regular hybrid mode.
Charging
This Prius plugs into any standard household outlet with a dedicated 15-amp circuit. The Plug-in Prius requires no additional charging stations or equipment. The car comes packaged with a 120V cordset.
Tax Credits
QUALIFIED PLUG-IN ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTOR VEHICLE TAX CREDIT
August 2011
Individual purchasers of a Prius Plug-in vehicle may be able to take advantage of the Federal Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle tax credit. The Prius Plug-in vehicle tax credit is estimated to be approximately $2,500. However, the Internal Revenue Service has not yet reviewed or confirmed the specific amount of credit, so at this time there are no assurances any purchasers will be able to take advantage of any specific amount of the credit, from zero credit up to the above estimate.
To qualify for the potential Plug-in tax credit:
1. The Plug-in vehicle must be new. Used vehicles will not qualify.
2. The Plug-in vehicle must be purchased. Leased vehicles will not allow the lessee to take advantage of the Plug-in tax credit.
3. The Plug-in vehicle use is primarily in the United States.
4. The purchaser must retain appropriate documentation showing the purchase of the vehicle and the date of the delivery of the vehicle.
Conclusion
So is the Plug-in Prius right for you? If you have a short commute, and rarely highway drive, this vehicle is a great choice because you will be maximizing your miles per gallon. Short commutes on smaller roads will encourage regenerative braking, which recharges the batteries in hybrid and electric drivetrains such as the Prius. While the EV range is short at 15 miles, individuals that can recharge at work or at home can go a long time without using any gasoline. Starting at $32,000, the Prius Plug-in carries about a $9,000 premium over the 2012 Prius Hybrid, but if you want to make the first step in personal oil independence, the Prius Plug-in is a safe and progressive choice.
On Wednesday, Amp Motorworks ceremoniously handed over the keys for the first of 1,000 electric Mercedes-Benz ML 350 SUVs to Gisli Gislason, the chairman and chief executive of Iceland’s Northern Lights Energy. When Amp’s PR man invited me to the festivities, I decided a short road trip through the Midwest wouldn’t be too painful a price to see Amp’s headquarters for the first time and attend the press conference.
Amp’s digs are situated right off the Ronald Reagan Cross County Parkway in the pleasant suburban town of Blue Ash on the outskirts of Cincinnati. The headquarters includes a modernly designed administrative building and about 10 remarkably clean car bays on each side. Electric vehicle garages don’t have to deal with as much grime as you average Jiffy Lube.
In the showroom, I was able to speak with the CEO of Nothern Lights Energy briefly. At roughly $100,000 a pop, Gisli Gislason is confident that he can sell the units over in Iceland for a profit. Since there are no import tariffs on electric vehicles in Iceland, the electric upfitted SUV’s will be sold for about the same price as a regular Mercedes ML 350. When you factor in the high gasoline prices, about $8 a gallon right now, a Mercedes EV becomes a logical buy in the island country. Iceland also generates much of its electricity through geothermal and hydroelectric sources, which means these electric vehicles will truly be clean cars.
The new CEO of Amp, James Taylor, gave a short speech along with Gisli Gislason, and even Mark Mallory, the Mayor of Cincinnati, made an appearance. Taylor symbolically handed over the keys to the converted ML 350 on the showroom floor to the Icelandic CEO, who happily and carefully drove the car out the garage door to much fanfare and photographs.
Afterwards, I spoke to a mechanic about the day-to-day process of assembling these upfitted electric vehicles. He was a retiree who had a dream of building his own electric vehicles, but jumped at the opportunity to work on the EVs at the AMP garage. He said there are about 4 mechanics and 4 electrical engineers in the garage. Which raised a logistical question of how they were going to expand to meet the newfound demand of 1,000 vehicles in five years.
About three units of 32 lithium iron phosphate batteries go into the Electric ML 350.
I met with JD Staley, Director of Sales and Marketing to test-drive the electric Mercedes. I expected it to behave much like their Equinox I test-drove last summer. But the ride was exceptionally smooth, and the ML 350 handled like a luxury vehicle. Aside from the lack of engine noise, a casual driver would not be able to distinguish the way it drives from a regular Mercedes SUV. This is what Amp intended, to make the transition to electric as gentle as possible. I was allowed to floor it on the backstretch behind the facility, and acceleration is pretty good with more torque than the specified 10-second 0-60 time lets on. With an approximate range of 100 miles per charge and 5 seat capacity, the Amp Electric ML 350 should be an easy sell in Iceland. While driving, I asked Staley about how they were going to satisfy the order of 1,000 vehicles. He said they are looking at cites expand their assembly capacity so they can produce 20 vehicles a month starting next Fall.
Amp is still a small company with great ambition and tall orders to fulfill. I first covered them in 2008 and in spite of the economy, they managed to grow and keep putting real, drivable electric vehicles on the road. In the coming years, Amp will be expanding capacity and creating jobs in the Midwest. With innovative ideas and the courage to follow through, Amp is a model 21st century American company I look forward to seeing grow.
Electric cars. For years they’ve been a pipe dream; an experiment, something for Jeremy Clarkson to laugh at. By 2012 however, that could all change, with the imminent release of a couple of vehicles…
Earlier this year, Vauxhall offered its Ellesmere Port staff an opportunity to see the new hybrid car, the Ampera, ahead of it going into mass production, and Nissan’s Leaf is being debuted in the US and Japan at time of writing.
When these vehicles hit these shores however, picking one up might well be worth the money if you’re looking to buy a new car: Nearly every single European country are offering to subsidise electric vehicles in some way or another, and they’re keen to try to tempt people to switch to a newer, more environmentally friendly vehicle, as the technology within them is likely to represent the way transport will be powered in the future – although admittedly not for some time yet.
By 2020, Nissan Motor Company estimate that no more than a tenth of the traffic worldwide will be electric powered – and even this paltry number is considered optimistic by many people within the industry, who think that electric vehicles are likely to be a niche product for the foreseeable future as the general public refuses to change. Nissan are very keen to focus on the upsides of hybrid and electric vehicles however; when asked about how far the Leaf can travel on a single charge (Otherwise known as range), spokesmen for the company focused on the fact that you would never need to travel to a petrol station instead of discussing the fact that with the aircon on, the Leaf can only be expected to do around 80 miles in motorway conditions. Vauxhall’s Ampera contains a small petrol motor that keeps the battery charged, and whilst this is not a completely emission free system, the amount of fuel (and the emissions produced) are miniscule compared to a standard petrol car.
The Ampera recently completed the longest journey in the UK by an electric car, making a 160 mile journey under its own power from Luton to Ellesmere Port.
So where is electric motoring going in the future? Right now, it’s very difficult to predict. Electric cars are only just now starting to be seen as a credible alternative to “old-fashioned” petrol propelled vehicles, especially as anything more than a city runabout. Part of the reason the adoption rate has been quite low is the fact that every element of motoring would need to change to accommodate them – from car insurance to fuel, garages and car rental.
It is clear that electric cars are going to take some time to fit in, but one day electric vehicles will have to become a contender to petrol vehicles, and when they do it will be very interesting to see the changes they bring…
