Hasta La Gadget!

Tesla has torn into the New York Times review of its Model S electric car, using systems logs showing charge and recharge status, driving style, cabin settings and more to undermine claims the EV is unreliable. In a detailed run-down of the stats gathered by the Model S’ onboard computer – something Tesla says it always does “carefully” on media drives, after UK car show Top Gear made similar reliability claims about a previous model, in a case which ended up in the courtroom – Tesla CEO Elon Musk argues that NYT reviewer John Broder was prejudiced against electric cars from the start, and did as much as possible to portray the Model S as unfit for the road.

For instance, the onboard logs showing what charge the Model S had at points of the journey, and when Broder decided to recharge, indicate he took the car off the power connection earlier than stated in the original review. “The final leg of his trip was 61 miles and yet he disconnected the charge cable when the range display stated 32 miles” Musk argues. “He did so expressly against the advice of Tesla personnel and in obvious violation of common sense.”

Meanwhile, some of Broder’s claims about how he tried to minimize power consumption are also challenged. Musk points to the typical speeds driven at – 65 to 85 mph – and the average cabin temperature of 72F for the duration of the test, and the fact that the reviewer also actively turned the heating up when charge was getting low.

Broder is even accused of trying to artificially run down the Model S’ battery by more than it would typically, driving “in circles for over half a mile in a tiny, 100-space parking lot” in front of one of Tesla’s Supercharger power stations, in what Musk suggests is an attempt to fully drain the car. Tesla also points out the sheer number of charging points – both its own, and those run by other companies – along the length of Broder’s drive, as a counterpoint to the number of times the reviewer actually stopped to rejuice.

For his part, Broder wrote a follow-up article – prior to Musk’s breakdown of the numbers – in which he challenged some of Tesla’s defenses around the Model S’ performance. He maintains that the car is susceptible to cold weather, with an effect of reducing range, and claims nobody from the company gave the power-saving advice Musk refers to.

Tesla now says it will not be making further reference to the test drive, as it believes the data run-down “speaks for itself.” Whether it will put Broder behind the wheel for a second attempt, as the NYT author says Musk originally offered, remains to be seen.

Tesla tears down NYT Model S review with car’s own logs is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Ford, Daimler AG, and the Renault-Nissan alliance will jointly a develop a fuel-cell system for eco-conscious motoring, with the first mass-market, “affordable” model tipped for 2017. The pact – which follows a similar agreement by BMW and Toyota, also concerning fuel-cell technology – will see a single fuel-cell stack and system that will form the basis of a new range of cars from each marque, with the same underlying technology rebranded to suit different consumer segments.

Fuel-cell electric vehicles, or FCEVs, power their motors by combining hydrogen and oxygen, with water the only physical byproduct. A high-pressure tank contains the hydrogen, while oxygen is extracted from the air.

The three companies involved have, they point out, a cumulative total of over 60 years of fuel-cell vehicle development, and more than 6m miles in test driving and demonstration models. Work on the homogenized stack will take place in multiple locations around the world, while teams from the three companies will also look at collaborating on other components FCEVs will require so as to achieve further economy of scale.

Unlike the BMW-Toyota partnership, however, which will take an active role in pushing the development of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, Ford, Daimler, and Renault-Nissan instead hope that their work “sends a clear signal” to existing hydrogen network stakeholders that they need to pull their finger out and get working.

Still, that focus means today’s deal may result in a workable car – or cars – before BMW and Toyota have something ready for the forecourts. The trio today claim 2017 is the earliest a fuel-cell vehicle may be on the market, whereas BMW and Toyota gave themselves a little more wiggle-room, estimating that they would have something prepared by 2020.

Ford, Daimler and Renault-Nissan team on fuel-cell cars by 2017 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

BMW and Toyota have finalized their partnership on sports cars, fuel-cell tech and more, signing a binging agreement that will also see the German and Japanese marques collaborate on new lithium-air batteries. The deal, which builds on the two car company’s previous “memorandum of understanding” back in June 2012, focuses on four key areas for the future, with green motoring and lightweight, fun performance cars both on the agenda before 2020.

On the green side, BMW and Toyota plan to continue their joint work on fuel cell systems. They will share their existing research, and then collaborate on a “fundamental fuel-cell vehicle system” – consisting of fuel-cell stack, system, hydrogen storage tank, battery, and motor(s) – as well as the infrastructure to fuel it, with a mind to producing a working, practical setup by 2020.

Beyond that, however, will come lithium-air batteries, jointly researched as the eventual replacement for lithium-ion power packs as used in most recent all-electric or hybrid cars. That will take a little longer than the fuel-cell technology, but the target is a battery with far greater energy density than current-gen technology, improving range and reducing bulk and weight.

Slimming cars is, indeed, another of BMW and Toyota’s goals, not to mention applicable both to performance models and to green vehicles. Reinforced composites, more traditionally used in racing cars, will play a greater role in mainstream models, it’s suggested, including the fourth strand of the two companies’ collaboration: a new sports car.

A joint platform for a mid-sized car will be created, with a goal to complete that by the end of this year. The system – which will presumably be used as the underlying basis for two differently designed, branded, and positioned vehicles – will combine the best of Toyota’s EV, fuel-cell, and hybrid technology as well as BMW’s strengths in driving experience and dynamics.

It’s unclear when production models based on the platform might appear, though both firms have been flirting with squeezing performance out of what would normally be considered green technology. Toyota revealed the sleek NS4 hybrid concept last year, as well as demonstrating the speeds that could be squeezed out of electric vehicles with its Le Mans car, while BMW’s i8 Spyder is resolutely a sports machine, despite running on electricity.

Meanwhile, there are indications that this won’t be the end of Toyota and BMW’s work together. Comments from Dr. Herbert Diess, a member of BMW’s board, at a press conference in Japan to announce the binding agreement suggested it is the first in “a shared vision” that is necessary to cater for all types of mobility requirement in the future.

BMW and Toyota official tech buddies: Sports cars, Li-Air batteries, more is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nissan‘s new Leaf EV could be priced as low as $18,800 in 2013, as the company chases elusive sales and first-time electric car buyers with a refreshed, budget version. The company, already stinging from less-than-anticipated demand for the Leaf worldwide, had previously confirmed that it would be introducing a third, entry-level version of the car for the new year; now, it’s confirmed pricing, though exactly how good a deal drivers will get depends on their local subsidies.

Nissan’s base price for the entry-level Leaf will be $28,800, the company has confirmed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. That’s $6,000 less than the current cheapest model, and forms the bottom rung of a new, three car line-up.

With locally-decided subsidies, however, those in more EV-friendly states could save $10,000 off the sticker price, bringing the Leaf comfortably under the all-important $20k boundary. “Now, customers won’t have to pay a premium for owning a green car that’s really fun to drive,” GVP Billy Hayes said of the new model, “and that’s exciting.”

However, the cheapest Leaf won’t have quite the same kit bag as its more expensive siblings. For the new line-up, Nissan is adding an onboard fast-charging system that can apparently rejuice the EV in roughly half the time of before; that will be standard on the two higher-tier versions, but a paid option on the budget Leaf.

Nissan slashes entry-level Leaf EV by $6k is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

BMW has taken the wraps off of its latest eco-friendly car design, the BMW i3 Concept Coupe, with an innovative carbon fiber cabin, clever inter-car communications system, and smartphone connectivity. Debuted at the LA Auto Show this week, the i3 Concept Coupe follows BMW’s LifeDrive ethos, packaging a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell – lighter than steel, but stronger – on top of a 170HP electric motor slice with li-ion batteries.

The Drive section – shared with the previous BMW i3 Concept – is made primarily of aluminum, again to keep it light and strong, while the modularity of the system would allow BWM greater flexibility in how future EVs are pieced together to target different market segments. For the i3 Concept Coupe, it’s a case of a distinctive “layered” sports design, with some of the CFRP left untouched by the custom Solar Orange paint so that its high-gloss grain is visible.

That’s not to say the aesthetic is solely intended for visual appeal. The front apron’s complex venting creates an “air curtain” which pushes air around the wheel arches, while the rear apron has a diffuser to tweak the rear air flow. CFRP’s inherent strength means no B-pillar is required for structural purposes, so the two rear seats are more easily accessed; the scalloped shoulder line also maximizes light in the back. While the 20-inch wheels are on the large side, they’re narrow and fitted with low-resistance tires.

Inside, it’s a mixture of leather, wool, wood, and other renewable materials, with an electronic gearshift and twin displays mounted across a swathe of eucalyptus wood (sourced from sustainably managed European forests, naturally). BMW’s iDrive system is in the center panel between the front seats, but the space between the dash and where the transmission tunnel would normally be found is left empty. That makes the whole cabin feel more spacious, BMW says, but also allows for easier exiting the car on either side.

Since it’s the future of mobility we’re talking about, there’s no shortage of technology packed into the i3 Concept Coupe. A 6.5-inch screen above the wheel serves instrument binnacle duties, while a second, 8.8-inch panel in the middle is dedicated to BMW i ConnectedDrive: it can show infotainment, navigation, pull contacts, messages, and schedules from a wirelessly tethered smartphone, mixing that data together so that the system can make suggestions as to where and when to recharge the EV based on where the driver needs to go and the predicted range.

That range can be achieved in one of three modes – Comfort, Eco Pro, and Eco Pro+ – which temper the enthusiasm of the electric motors and how fulsome the HVAC system blows, heats, and cools depending on how much driving you need to squeeze from a full charge. BMW claims Eco Pro achieves up to 20-percent greater range than Comfort, while Eco Pro+ – which also limits top speed to 56mph – extends it even further. A roughly 100 mile range is expected in standard conditions, and the center display can show estimated range in each mode using a set of concentric circles (as in the above shot).

Meanwhile, a dedicated modem means the i ConnectedDrive system can get real-time traffic data from the BMW servers, and can map out the most efficient route or the fastest route to the driver’s destination. If a driving mode change is required, it can prompt that too, and remote reservation of charging station is also supported. BMW has created iOS and Android apps which will handle remote control and monitoring of charging, as well as setting navigation details, and how to complete the last stage of a journey on foot or by public transportation.

As for when you might be able to park a BMW EV like the i3 Concept Coupe on your drive, the release schedule still is pretty uncertain. “The study presented at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show has been brought out in parallel to the ongoing development process for getting the first ever all-electric model from the BMW i brand ready for series production,” BMW says of the new concept, “and demonstrates the potential for conceivably extending the model range.”

BMW i3 Concept Coupe ditches steel for intelligent EV is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.