Electric vehicle subsidy is under threat

The £5,000 subsidy for the purchase of electric vehicles is under threat, according to the Coalition Government's Business Secretary, Vince Cable.

Cable has said that the Government grant could be scrapped as the new administration seeks to cut costs to reduce the national deficit.

The Government ''can't go around waving a chequebook at British industry,'' said Cable, adding that car makers were no longer in an ''emergency situation''.

However, Cable did say that the Government is not planning to walk away from car manufacturers, but will simply be more selective on how it provides support in the future.

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EC to ensure electric vehicles charger interoperability

The European Commission has handed on June 2010 a mandate for the development of relevent standards on  common charging system for electric cars, scooters and bicycles to the European Standardisation Organisations bodies, CEN-CENELEC and ETSI. Thanks to this mandate plugs and connectors will use the same standard all across Europe, providing a true European solution independently of brands or countries. The Commission expects that the standard will be ready by mid-2011.

On June 29th 2010,  European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani handed a European Commission mandate for the development of the relevant standard for electric vehicles chargers to the President of CEN-CENELEC David Dossett, CEN-CENELEC´s Director General Elena Santiago Cid and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) General Assembly Chair John Philips. These new standards are aimed to ensure that all types of electric vehicles and their batteries are charged both safely and easily in all EU Member States.

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Washington to build “electric highway”

Washington has launched the nation’s first “electric highway,” a network of electric vehicle recharging stations along Interstate 5. The project will be a partnership between the state’s transportation and commerce departments and is supported by $1.32 in federal Recovery Act infrastructure funding. Once implemented, Washington will have the first border to border highway to offer fast charge technology.

The highway stations will support plug-in electric vehicles along the full 276 miles of I-5 between Washington’s borders north and south. The state estimates that nearly 300,000 electric cars will be on Washington’s roads during the next ten years. Right now, almost half of Washington’s emissions come from standard cars.

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Study: 670,000 Fuel Cell Vehicles to be Sold Annually Within 10 Years

The United States will lead the way

Pike Research, a market research and consulting firm that focuses on global clean technology markets, conducted a study that predicts 670,000 fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) will sell annually by 2020.
Some auto companies are still focusing their development on electric vehicles (EVs), and as many other surveys indicate, the growth of electric vehicles are expected to surpassfuel cell vehicles. However, Pike Research's study goes against the grain saying otherwise. According to the study, the U.S. will account for 134,049 annual FCV sales of the total 670,000, putting them in the lead for fuel cell vehicle sales. China will be in second place with 129,241 FCV sales and Germany will be in third place with 126,783 total annual sales.
Some believe these are "overly optimistic" results and that Pike Research is assuming that the appropriate refueling infrastructures will be available by 2020. According to fuel cell industry analyst Dave Hurst, "The entire growth of the fuel cell vehicle market balances on two key elements: the growth of hydrogen gas refueling stations and improvements in the cells themselves."
While improvements of fuel cells is in the works, the possible growth of hydrogen gas refueling stations is here. Currently, there is only one personal, zero-emission refueling station for FCV's that runs on sunshine and tap water. It's called a residential hydrogen refueler, and the only one that exists is hidden on the Torrance campus of Honda R&D.

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Factory opens in Finland to supply lithium-ion batteries for up to 3,000 electric vehicles

The engineering and construction company M+W Group has successfully completed its first order to build a lithium-ion battery plant in Varkaus (Finland). The plant, which was commissioned by the Finnish battery manufacturer, European Batteries Oy, has now started full volume production.

The new factory in Varkaus has a surface area of 10,000 square metres and manufactures large, lithium-ion based battery packs and systems with an annual production capacity of around 100 megawatt/hours. This means that around 3,000 full-electric cars can be fitted with lithium-ion batteries, although a possible tripling of production is already planned.

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Global leading Electric Vehicle to Appear in Shenzhen

The 25th World Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS-25), an international pageant for the development of new energy auto, will be held in Shenzhen in November.

Held once a year and a half, the World Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition, the largest and most powerful international summit and exposition in nowadays’ electric vehicle and new energy auto fields, is held in turn in Asia-pacific, American and European countries, which will unite the authoritative academic groups of the holding countries to submit applications to the World Electric Vehicle Association and can hold the exposition after approved.

The exposition will exhibit the latest technology fruits and its future development trend of each country with the whole vehicle, auto components and basic supporting facilities.

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Man charged up about plug-in cars

In the parking garage near the South Carolina Aquarium, a man pulling out of his parking spot asked James Poch a question recently about his modified Toyota Prius

"You really get 100 miles to the gallon in that thing?"

James Poch, whose nonprofit organization Plug In Carolina wants up to 14 electric car-charging stations installed in downtown Charleston by December, gets that question all the time. His answer is "yes."

Photo by Grace Beahm

The Post and Courier

James Poch, executive director of Plug In Carolina, hopes that parking garages will be sites for future electric car-charging stations.

For more information

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Electric cars provide future transportation needs

My magic wand is on the fritz, otherwise we'd have a big, new federal program to free America from its dependence on oil. Like other environmentalists, I'm sad that the calamity in the Gulf of Mexico hasn't spurred Washington to more vigorously promote America's exit from this curse.

The fault may lie with President Obama's timidity, a public scared by major new government programs or fossil-fuel interests flashing their campaign dough. Probably it's all three, but the bottom line is this: An all-out effort to unchain America from hydrocarbons is essential to national security, a healthy environment and economic prosperity in the 21st century. But it's not politically possible.

And so we must look at what's passable. Fortunately, there's one piece to the escape strategy that business leaders, military brass and the buying public all like — and would create jobs. Most importantly, it has bipartisan support in Congress.

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With I.P.O., Tesla Bets on Electric Car’s Future

As Tesla Motors begins selling stock to the public on Tuesday, the offering’s success depends on how much investors are willing to bet on a car company that has never made a profit and expects to lose money until at least 2012.
Tesla will be the first automaker to go public since the Ford Motor Company held its initial public offering in 1956. It expects the stock sale to raise up to $185 million, The Associated Press reports.
The start-up company, which is based in Palo Alto, Calif., believes Americans’ taste in cars is changing. Most analysts agree that electric cars like Tesla’s will catch on as gas prices rise and environmental worries mount.
But Tesla faces bigger questions. It has lost $290.2 million since it was founded in 2003 and has not had a profitable quarter.
It does not expect that to change until it starts selling its next vehicle, a four-door electric sedan called the Model S, in large numbers. That is not scheduled “until 2012, or possibly later,” according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Valley has become hub for electric vehicles

With Tesla Motors leading the way, Silicon Valley has become a hub for electric vehicles. It is also home to some of the top companies working on the infrastructure to keep the cars running and on the road.

Former Brocade CEO Greg Reyes was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a securities fraud case that emerged as the centerpiece of the stock-option backdating scandal that rocked Silicon Valley in the middle part of last decade.

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London gears up for electric vehicles

25,000 charge points to be in place in capital by 2015

On the day that London has been branded as having the poorest air quality in Europe, Transport for London has unveiled its plan to ramp up the use of electric transport in the capital.

The plan appears geared towards electric cars - 1,000 of which are set to become part of TfLs fleet in the next few years – and the move will see the introduction of 1,600 charge points across London by next year and 25,000 within five years. At that point no Londoner will be further than a mile from a charge point.

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Tesla IPO: Will build electric cars for $178 million

Tesla Motors, whose $109,000 electric Roadster is vividly familiar to anyone who’s ever picked up a car magazine (or, recently, a business one) is trying to go public and raise $178 million (up from $100 million). My guess: They’ll do it, because Tesla is a very sexy business, with a great image. Who wouldn’t want to tell people at cocktail parties that they’re an investor in Tesla?

The harder part will be getting the company out of the high-end luxury niche it is in now. Tesla’s strategy is clear enough: It’s rolling out the Model S at $49,900 (inclusive of a $7,500 federal tax credit) late next year as a 2012 model, and with the money that better-selling sedan brings in will then prepare an even-more-affordable third car. At that point, a publicly traded Tesla Motors will go mainstream and get out of the niche.

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In a big shift, electric cars are just around the corner

IRVING -- Electric vehicles are coming to Texas soon, and along with them a vastly different experience in buying, owning and driving a new car.

With two automakers preparing to roll out the first mass-market, plug-in electric autos this year, the auto industry, retail electricity providers and government agencies are moving to make it easier for consumers to embrace the environmentally friendly technology.

Speakers at an electric-vehicle conference here said the looming introductions of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, which their manufacturers say will be delivered this year, are the vanguard of a movement that has enormous promise for Texas drivers living in pollution-plagued urban areas.

The basic technology to make electric vehicles practical "is already here today," and Texas is the perfect market for it, said Robert Nelms, director of the Institute for Intelligent Energy Systems at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Chevrolet says it will begin delivering the Volt, an electric car with a backup gasoline-powered generator, to buyers around December. Nissan plans to begin deliveries of its all-electric, 100-mile-range hatchback to the first U.S. buyers by year's end.

"We could see a significant [market] penetration of all-electric vehicles over the next decade," especially as the technology improves and consumers learn about it and become comfortable with the concepts, Nelms said.

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Electric Vehicle Consumer Adoption Summit, Day One

Today was the first day, and as conference chair, I’ve had a hand in every session and been able to meet an interesting mix of thought leaders who really understand the electric vehicle space.

But even after devoting two full days to this event, the summit only breached the surface of what EVs are all about.

This is a great, deep dive for me – at our next summit we’re doing one session on EVs. And after what I saw this week, I can tell you there’s a whole lot more to explore. This article is a brief recap of the highlights, and I’ll do the same for day two in my next write-up.

The summit started strongly with a presentation from Marc Tarpenning, one of the co-founders of Tesla Motors. For those who don’t know Tesla, their Roadster really embodies the sex appeal of electric vehicles; it’s really sharp looking, has all the power you crave and of course, is very eco-friendly. However, there’s a six figure pricetag (News - Alert) with that, so it’s not going to recalibrate the balance of power any time soon, but it’s setting the bar high for what electric cars can strive for.

Marc gave us a lot to think about, and I could build this whole article around his comments. The key topics included why the time is right now for electric vehicles and why earlier entries like the EV-1 failed. Not being very technical, I really enjoyed Marc’s practical insights, especially as they concerned the global market opportunity for electric cars (including how important behavior change and attitude shifts will be to the success of this market.) I also enjoyed how he identified home-charging as a great opportunity for utilities to deploy smart grid/smart home solutions and make themselves a more active part of the electric car equation.

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Battery Electric Vehicles vs. Hydrogen Vehicles

President George W. Bush promised that a child born at the beginning of his administration would be able to buy a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle as their first car. President Obama proposed that we deploy 1.5 million plug-in battery vehicles by 2015. Electric platform vehicles are going to be required to meet ambitious global climate change targets such as a 76% reduction from 2005 levels by 2050.

However, these vehicles will be more expensive than advanced gasoline vehicles. While lower fuel costs on a cents/mile basis can offset additional vehicle costs, 2015 may be too early to market either option commercially. However, the electric options can be more competitive as gasoline approaches $4+/gallon in the future¹.

If the fuel cell system manufactured cost is about $50/kW and the hydrogen storage system is about $13 to 17/kWh, then fuel cell vehicles would be about $5000 to $7000 more expensive than a gasoline vehicle. The current DOE assessment for fuel cell system costs when mass produced in quantities of 500,000 is $60/kW² and that 5000 psi and 10,000 psi hydrogen storage tanks meet the above values respectively³. Thus sufficient progress has been made on these component costs for automobile manufacturers to consider early marketplace entry by 2015. In fact Toyota, Honda, Daimler and GM have made public announcements that they plan to have tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles available by 2015⁴ and demonstrate 5000 hour fuel cell system durability to provide the public with a reliable product.

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Tesla CEO to investors: We're like Google or Apple

Tesla's Motors' prospects for becoming a 21st-century auto powerhouse have as much to do with its Silicon Valley culture as with its technology, CEO Elon Musk told investors.

During a video recording prepared in advance of Tesla's initial public offering, which could come as early as next week, Musk touted the combination of the company's auto industry and Silicon Valley roots as a key competitive advantage.

"We're closer to an Apple or a Google than we are to a GM or a Ford," Musk said, adding that Tesla doesn't suffer from a slow, bureaucratic culture. "There will not be anybody that will bring technology to market faster than Tesla."

The forthcoming Model S electric sedans will be as high-tech as they come, equipped with a 17-inch touch-screen computer and a design inspired by slick consumer electronics, he said. "The best way to add value to a product is to make it really good-looking and appealing."

Telsa Motors plans to raise an estimated $178 million by going public, with a valuation of over $1.4 billion, according to reports. It's a sign of how electric transportation has shaken up the auto business and created an opportunity for young companies to crack into the auto industry with new technology.

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Toshiba to expand Houston factory to produce electric vehicle motors

Electronics company Toshiba Corporation said it will expand its manufacturing plant in Houston, Texas, to produce drive motors for electrified vehicles.

The company said the project would mean setting up its first automotive propulsion systems production facility outside its native Japan.

Currently, it produces systems in Mie Prefecture on Japan’s Honsh? island.

The expansion in Houston comes after the company won a contract to supply propulsion systems for the Ford Motor Company.

From 2012, Toshiba will produce propulsion motors in Houston for hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in electric vehicles and electric vehicles, it said yesterday.

“Promising business”

“Toshiba recognizes the importance of localizing production within North America to ensure long term growth and make a commitment to the North American market,” said Shinichiro Akiba, President of Toshiba International Corporation.

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Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell Prototype Previewed

The world of electric vehicles has just appointed a new ambassador, as Mercedes has presented the prototype of the electric SLS AMG supercar, dubbed SLS AMG E-Cell. AMG’s aluminum spaceframe has remain unchanged, but now it includes completely different internal organs.
The vehicle is powered by four electric motors, two for each axle. The units are not mounted on the wheel hubs, but they are situated low and close to each wheel. The positioning of the front motors required that the double wishbone suspension of the gas-powered SLS was replaced with a multi-link setup that uses push-rod dampers.

The 12,000 rpm motors offer a combined output of 526 hp and a maximum torque of 649 lb-ft, allowing the vehicle to reach 60 mph in a sharp four seconds.

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