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Law enforcement teams, firefighters and medics across Europe are adopting the all electric Nissan Leaf as a key frontline emergency support vehicle. Emergency services in Portugal, France, U.K. and Switzerland have deployed Leafs as community support vehicles, with a number of other countries considering making the switch to battery power. The first force in the world to go electric was Portugal's PSP (Pol
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Inside these pretty pictures is the new BMW i3. And if you haven't heard of it, the Bavarian automaker is heading full steam into Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the i3 will mark its foray in the segment. Under its 'i' sub brand, BMW will create two vehicles. The first - the i3 - was conceived to be an urban runabout - or MCV (Megacity Vehicle). A more mouth-watering i8 Spyder concept is scheduled to be launched at a later date. And we are keeping our fingers crossed that the production version will look just as stunning. Back to reality. Yes, the i3 is already on its way to its production run and will be on sale by next year. Much of the futuristic element of the concept has been inherited, and we must say it is one of the best looking EV so far - bar the sexy Tesla Roadster. BMW has vowed to make the i3 as 'liveable' as possible. Space for more than one - check. Proper seats - check. And there's the ingenious-looking cabin aperture, which does without the B-pillar for easier entrance into the cabin. Not bad at all. One of the most pressing question that must have popped into your mind by now - how far will it go on one full charge? On paper, it says 150km - a very usable range if you consider most of us in Singapore only do 50km daily. But what if those figures aren't reassuring enough? Or you need a longer range? BMW will offer an optional range extender, which will increase the total range to 300km. The minimalist interior design of the i3 is a fresh approach, and looks welcoming to us. The switch-gear looks straight from a sci-fi show, and seems easy to use too. Fans of the marque will be familiar with these ConnectedDrive controls. Look further and you will realise that there isn't a 'Sport' option on the drive select switch - proof that the i3 was meant to be a practical, economical city car after all. The whole package of the i3 looks pretty enticing. But if this is really the future of motoring, does it spell doom for adrenaline-pumping, mind blogging petrol-driven cars that we have been so accustomed to from day one? Jot down your thoughts below.
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[extract] Nissan has developed a fuel cell vehicle known as the Terra SUV concept that opens a path to zero-emissions future. The compact SUV exterior design expresses athletic eco-appeal with 'Modern Toughness' that the company is very much confident would appeal buyers, no matter for off-road or urban use. The Terra SUV concept is set to be unveiled at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show on Sep 27. The concept combines two of Nissan
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The Renault Zoe was recently showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and even before the official launch, later this year, the Zoe has set a new world record for distance traveled in an electric car in 24 hours. It really looks like Renault wants to prove that an electric car can travel sensible distances in a sensible period of time. Renault ran a pair of production-spec Zoes at the Aubevoye speed ring in Normandy, France. The Renault Zoe is powered by a 22kWh lithium ion battery pack which drives a 87bhp synchronous electric motor. The car has a maximum torque of 220Nm and a top speed of 135km/h. The car's NEDC Cycle range is 210km and it's Cameleon charger allows the Zoe to charge at any power level, taking around 30 minutes to nine hours. In the record attempt, the car covered 1,617km or 363 laps of the Aubevoye, in 24 hours and it took 15 drivers to take turns at the steering wheel. The feat averaged to an average speed of just 67km/h but it also included the stoppage time for the car to recharge its batteries. Since the Cameleon charger could take power of any level, the car relied on a fast 43kW charge during the record attempt and this allows to batteries to restore an eighty percent charge in less than 30 minutes. The car had to be charged nine times during the attempt. Renault is hailing this record as proof that the Renault Zoe is just as practical as a normal car. A Renault spokesperson in charge of their electric vehicles mentioned that this feat is a superb technical and human adventure and the victory is a joint commitment to showcase the quality of Renault electric vehicles. The previous record for the above mentioned feat was held by Citroen with their AX CEA which covered 1,279km and the Nissan Leaf could only manage to cover 1,250km in 24 hours. Photo credit: Left Lane News
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[extract] After months of reports from Saab
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[extract] Mazda has used the Wankel rotary engine for nearly fifty years. Other than Mazda
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BMW is set to launch a hybrid version of its 5-Series sedan, the production version of the ActiveHybrid 5 concept (pictured above) later this year. However, BMW is about to go greener and is reported to be working on an all-electric model based on the same platform. According to a report from the Beijing Youth Daily, BMW will team up with its Chinese partner, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd (BCAH), to develop a new electric vehicle based on the 5-Series platform. BMW and BCAH are tied in a joint-venture which currently builds the 5-Series sedan as well as the long-wheelbase variant in Shenyang. The newspaper goes on to report that a concept version of the new electric vehicle will be unveiled later this year at one of the major auto shows in China. In the US, the next stage of BMW
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U.S. auto supplier Delphi Automotive is partnering WiTricity Corp to develop a wireless charging technology for electric vehicles. Delphi is working on a system that would simply require the drivers to park their electric car over a wireless energy source installed in the floor of a home garage, or fitted under the pavement of a parking spot. The vehicle
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Although ZOE sounds like COE, they are entirely different. One is a piece of paper while the other is an electric vehicle in the making. Following last year's ZOE Z.E. coupe, Renault took the opportunity at the Paris Show to show off the ZOE, which presents a more realistic look at the production version that will be available in 2012. Wearing Renault's newest face, it may also preview the next Clio as well. Similar in size to the Clio, this little electric automobile gets some high-end passenger comfort technology that may show up in the production model (Renault claims 90% of what you see here is what you'll get). To pamper the occupants, the ZOE has a humidity-regulating climate control system with an integrated toxicity sensor and scent diffuser. It also provides "light therapy", which is being co-developed with Philips. The concept seen here is 4.1 meters long and rides on 19-inch wheels. For production, dimensions are going to be similar, but expect those wheels to be replaced by smaller ones. Power comes from an 80-horsepower electric motor that makes 222 Nm of torque. A charge will take from 6 to 8 hours and can be done in two different ways: either with a wall box that you connect to your home's outlet, or by the optional EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). Renault recommends the wall box method for the sake of convenience.
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The zero-emissions Nissan Leaf is a dedicated, mass production electric-vehicle that is slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan. Slightly larger than the Latio, the medium-sized five-door hatchback is based on a unique platform and is equipped with a fully electric drivetrain that consists of a 107HP electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack (positioned underneath the cabin floor to save space) that can be charged through any home outlet providing a driving range of more than 160km. I guess most readers would agree with me that the exterior styling of the Leaf is nothing inspiring. However, the interior design has an almost concept-feeling to it. For the record, the Leaf is not a prototype and is 99-percent of what you see here when the Leaf hits showrooms in late 2010. An interesting detail concerns the headlights which have been designed to split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, in order to reduce wind noise and drag. According to Nissan, the lights consume just 10 percent of the electricity of conventional lamps. The Leaf's batteries can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger while a full charge at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately eight hours. This may pose a problem to buyers that live in cities and do not have the luxury of a garage to charge up the car. Nissan said that it is addressing this problem with the development of a comprehensive charging infrastructure through public and private investment with its Zero-emission mobility programmes. In May 2009, a multi-agency taskforce chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been set up to study the introduction of electric vehicles (EV's) in Singapore from 2010. EMA CEO Mr Lawrence Wong said Singapore is well-positioned for the deployment of EVs because of its compact urban environment, robust electrical grid and IT infrastructure. Perhaps, we may eventually get to see the Leaf in our lion city some time down the road.
