Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen

Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen

Ford really, really wants you to know that it’s big on electric cars. Really. To that end, it’s putting $135 million where its mouth is as part of the design and production for the electrified vehicles rolling out to dealer lots this year, such as the Focus Electric. A new research building in Dearborn is also being renamed as the Advanced Electrification Center to emphasize the uniform dedication to EVs and hybrids among the 1,000 researchers that call the Center their home away from home. We already know that the company plans to triple its manufacturing capacity to make 100,000 of the cars a year by 2013, but many of the supporting aspects are getting their own lift, Ford adds: it’s hiring more engineers and doubling its battery testing capacity. The checklist of improvements you’ll find after the break reflects some braggadocio on Ford’s part, especially while it tries to stretch its jobs claims, but it’s good news all the same. If the expansion keeps the likes of GM and Tesla on their toes, drivers hopefully win as a whole.

Continue reading Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen

Filed under:

Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Korean carbon-coated lithium-ion battery could cut recharge times down to minutes

Korean, carboncoated lithiumion battery could cut recharge times down to minutes

Anyone who’s had to recharge an EV — or, for that matter, any mobile device with a very big battery — knows the pain of waiting for hours while a lithium-ion pack tops up. South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has developed a conduction technique that could cut that charging time down to less than a minute. By dousing the nanoparticle materials of the battery in a graphite solution that’s then carbonized, the researchers make a web of conductors that all start charging at once; current batteries have to charge towards the center slowly, like a not-very-edible Tootsie Pop. The immediate goal is to develop a secondary battery for an EV that could provide extra mileage in a matter of seconds. Here’s hoping that the Ulsan team’s fast-charging battery is more viable than others and spreads to just about everything — we’d love to have EVs and laptops alike that power up in as much time as it takes to fill a traditional car at the pump.

[Image credit: iFixit]

Filed under: ,

Korean carbon-coated lithium-ion battery could cut recharge times down to minutes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Register  |  sourceYonhap News Agency  | Email this | Comments

MIT’s Hiriko ‘foldable’ car said to be priced at around $16k when it launches later next year

MIT's Hiriko 'foldable' car said to be priced at around $16k when it launches later next year

There’s certainly a great amount of hype behind that Spanish, MIT-backed EV project called Hiriko, and although we’d been given an idea of how much this miniature ride would cost to make, we still hadn’t heard any word on the official MSRP. Well, according to PSFK, the site’s heard confirmation that the unorthodox Hiriko electric car will be priced at “around” $16,000 when it finally launches in 2013, which could be considered a small price to pay for driving around in a foldable and very fancy four-wheeler. Unfortunately, we’ve yet to hear what roads around the world the Hiriko Fold will be hitting after launch, but as you may or may not know, the company does say it’ll be perfect for cities like San Francisco, Barcelona and Berlin.

Filed under:

MIT’s Hiriko ‘foldable’ car said to be priced at around $16k when it launches later next year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 03:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePSFK  | Email this | Comments

GE, Urban Green Energy set up first integrated, wind-powered EV charging station (video)

GE, Urban Green Energy claim first integrated, windpowered EV charging station video

GE and Urban Green Energy might not be the first to install a wind-powered EV charging station, but the two may be the best prepared to take the concept to a grander scale. The partnership just installed the first Sanya Skypump just outside of Barcelona to serve corporate and government drivers with truly clean energy at levels that meet their typically heftier demands. It’s billed as one of the first properly integrated wind-powered EV chargers, and it’s undoubtedly one of the more elegant: one of UGE’s 4K wind turbine towers catches energy from the breeze above, while a GE Durastation tucked neatly at the bottom provides high-voltage charging for EV drivers undoubtedly eager to get moving once again. Don’t worry if you don’t speak enough Catalan to charge up at the initial location, either, as plans are underway to bring Skypumps to malls and universities across Australia and the US before 2012 is over. The only catch is the frown you’ll likely get if you try to plug in a personal car for a top-up — let’s hope the attention swings towards completely green power sources for commuters in the near future.

Continue reading GE, Urban Green Energy set up first integrated, wind-powered EV charging station (video)

Filed under:

GE, Urban Green Energy set up first integrated, wind-powered EV charging station (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceUrban Green Energy  | Email this | Comments

Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire

Fisker's Karma EV catches for the second time

Fisker Automotive can’t seem to catch break — because its Karma hybrid EV sedan has yet again become too hot. Similar to an incident last spring that left a model burnt to near smithereens and damaged its owner’s house, the Karma above caught fire in a Woodside, CA parking lot while powered off. Jalopnik was the first to get word of the incident, noting that the damage remained reserved to the front left of the vehicle, near where an exhaust is located. As the story goes, the owner found the vehicle emitting smoke after returning from a grocery run, prompting a call to Fisker and then the local fire department, which arrived as it was already engulfed in flames. In a statement to Wired’s Autopia, Fisker has been vehement to note that the damage appears to be far from where the car’s battery and sensitive electrical components are located, and that it wasn’t plugged in for a charge — furthermore, it’s already had correspondence with the owner and is actively investigating the matter with plans to issue an update when there are findings to share.

All that said, it remains to be seen whether the Karma’s battery system, supplied by A123 Systems (and the focus of previous recalls), had any role in igniting the car. Thankfully there were no reports of injuries from the incident, but as you can tell from the photo, the car was essentially totaled. You’ll find a video of the Karma in flames being quelled by firefighters after the break, along with the official statement by Fisker given to Autopia.

Continue reading Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire

Filed under:

Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 05:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired Autopia  |  sourcewoody77atgmail (YouTube), Jalopnik  | Email this | Comments

Nissan’s e-NV200 all-electric van earmarked for a London taxi makeover

Nissan's e-NV200 all-electric van earmarked for a London taxi makeover

Buried within an announcement from Nissan about its NV200 diesel compact van hitting the London streets, the company has also outed its plans to trial the all-electric variant for ferrying people around the city. The e-NV200 went from concept to reality earlier this year, shortly after the diesel version got a New York paint job and was branded the “Taxi of Tomorrow.” The NV200 has satisfied all legal requirements and is set to challenge the iconic London black cab with its lower emissions, greater efficiency and, of course, competitive pricing. The e-NV200 prototype (not to be confused with the soon-to-be certified diesel version) is scheduled for testing in London during 2013. However, Nissan does note that rolling out the EV would only be realistic if there’s “increasing investment in charging infrastructure” across the capital.

[Image Credit: Auto Express]

Filed under:

Nissan’s e-NV200 all-electric van earmarked for a London taxi makeover originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceNissan, Auto Express  | Email this | Comments

Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road

Ford Focus Electric hands-on

Believe it or not, EV battery life is still something of a Pandora’s Box, even for automakers: they can tell you the battery pack’s current and voltage, but not how it’s really performing under pressure. Ford, GE and the University of Michigan are uniting to unlock that mystery through a new ARPA-E project. In its role, GE is developing a minuscule sensor array that will track the nuances of battery cells that existing technology misses; it will promptly hand the baton to researchers at the University of Michigan, who plan to both prove that GE’s data is on the mark as well as develop tricks for predicting behavior. Ford handles the last mile, almost literally: it’s planning to fit the GE sensor technology to one of its cars and test in a more realistic environment. Before you fantasize about knowing the lifespan of your Focus Electric’s battery down to the minute, however, the new alliance is stressing that it’s only just getting started — there’s another three years and $3.1 million to go before the project wraps up. If all goes according to plan, though, we’ll have electric cars and plug-in hybrids that can not only tell when they’ve seen better days but can eke out extra miles through smarter battery designs.

Continue reading Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road

Filed under:

Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Aug 2012 12:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Alvarez Electric Motors rolls out budget-friendly line of Eco vehicles

Alvarez Electric Motors rolls out budgetfriendly Eco line of vehicles

Sure, there’s already a ton of electric rides out there, but some folks might not be interested in all those bells and whistles found in something like, say, that precious Tesla Model S or the upcoming Audi A3 e-tron. Luckily for them, there are indie companies like Alvarez Electric Motors trying to stir things up a bit in the EV market. The California company (with the help of Chinese OEM Liuzhou Wuling) has just announced three eco-friendly vehicles, starting with its Eco-E Commuter Car and followed by two larger ones, the EcoTruck and EcoVan — all of which are priced at around $10,000, $17,000 and $18,000, respectively, though this isn’t taking into consideration the tax credits and rebates that come with going the green route. Naturally, saving cash also means taking a couple of hits in key departments, and thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise the EV trio is only expected to have a mild range of 30-40 miles, while top speeds are said to clock in at a mere 25 mph. You’ll find more info on these at the source below, along with extra pictures for your kind viewing pleasure.

Filed under:

Alvarez Electric Motors rolls out budget-friendly line of Eco vehicles originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Inhabitat  |  sourceEcoCenter  | Email this | Comments

Mercedes-Benz said to be exploring SLS AMG E-Cell in roadster guise

MercedesBenz said to be exploring SLS ECell in roadster guise

Mercedes-Benz has already committed to bringing the SLS AMG E-Cell gullwing to dealers in 2013, but we’d advise holding back on taking out a second mortgage to pay for it until you’re done reading. The Netherlands’ De Telegraaf hears from an unnamed spokesperson that there’s enough interest to make a roadster version of the EV supercar. What action the automaker takes depends on sales of the hardtop: if it’s clear more people want an open-air experience, that’s what will happen. The electric motor layout is easily transferred to a roadster, the representative says. If that E-Cell variant becomes a reality, Audi might want to hurry up and build a production-grade e-tron Spyder before Mercedes claims all of the (very niche) German electric roadster market for itself.

Filed under:

Mercedes-Benz said to be exploring SLS AMG E-Cell in roadster guise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Autoblog  |  sourceDe Telegraaf (translated)  | Email this | Comments

Nissan pins Leaf’s WattStation charging woes on a software bug, works on a fix

Nissan Leaf in desert

GE and Nissan had previously ruled out GE’s WattStation as the cause of a few Leaf charging failures, and that story of EV tragedy looks to be winding to a close with a more definitive explanation. As the two tell us, a bug in the Leaf’s on-board charging software can damage the relevant hardware under a perfect storm of conditions: if a drivers uses a specific (but not necessarily GE) charger, an undervoltage or similar power crisis can bring the Leaf to its knees. Nissan says it’s hurrying towards a remedy, although we’re working to confirm just what that entails. In the meantime, the automaker is asking owners to be cautious and avoid plugging in when there’s lightning or brownouts in the making.

Filed under:

Nissan pins Leaf’s WattStation charging woes on a software bug, works on a fix originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGE  | Email this | Comments