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Autocar takes Gordon Murray's T.25 and T.27 city cars for a spin, gives us its impressions
When he isn't tinkering around with McLaren F1 supercars and Batmobiles, Gordon Murray is working on fuel-efficient -- or even fuel-independent -- city cars. Autocar just got its hands on the gas-powered T.25 and battery-powered T.27, and reports a pleasant experience with the three-seaters. We already knew that the T.27 crashes well and offers efficiency comparable to an astounding 350MPG, but we learned even more info today. The 74MPG T.25 will cost £6000 ($9467) should it ever go into production, while the T.27 would theoretically run you a grand more, but also get you 100-130 miles between four-hour charges. The body and interior is simple and innovative which becomes evident before you even get inside -- stepping behind a windscreen that pivots forward on struts. Neither travels at high speeds (90mph for the T25 and 65mph for the T.27, though it's faster off the mark), but these cars don't aspire to compete with Formula 1 racers; they're going for efficiency and simplicity -- and evidently doing it pretty well.
Midtronics GRX-5100 simplifies servicing hybrid and EV batteries
As we move away from traditional fossil fuel-burning automobiles towards hybrids and EVs, we're presented with new challenges -- namely servicing those vehicles and their high-voltage batteries. When it comes time for transport, in the event of an accident or when components need to be serviced individually, it's necessary to completely drain the cells on board, and that's where Midtronics' GRX-5100 comes in. The vehicle battery service and de-power tool is wrapping up field testing at GM and may soon find itself in "reclamation yards" (read: junk yards) as well as your local mechanic. With testing out of the way Midtronics plans to ramp up production before the end of the year, and its updateable firmware means it will be able to handle future vehicles with nothing more than an upgrade loaded on a USB key. For more info check out the PR after the break.
Fisker rep defends Karma hybrid sedan in garage fire aftermath
Last week, a newly purchased Fisker Karma went up in flames, damaging its owner's home and earning the company behind that hybrid sedan plenty of bad press. The auto maker hasn't submitted an official explanation for the fire, though the former chief engineer for the late General Motors EV1 electric car places the blame on the hybrid's tight engine bay packing. Fisker clearly isn't having any of that -- according to the company's director of powertrain: Our technologies and engine design have been fully tested and certified at the highest level. It is irresponsible and ill-informed for technology pundits to suggest otherwise in order to secure media attention for unfounded claims. No defensiveness there, then.
Fisker Karma reportedly sets house on fire, doesn't restore cosmic balance (updated)
Fisker's Karma woes aren't relenting anytime soon, as one new owner just found out the hard way. A driver in Sugar Land, Texas parked his recently obtained hybrid sedan in his garage last week, only to have the car self-immolate minutes later and damage his new home. Despite the slight risk of lithium-ion batteries catching fire, the luxury car's power pack (unplugged at the time) appears to have been left in one piece -- suggesting that something more complicated is at fault. For their part, neither Fisker nor insurance investigators are ready to offer a definite explanation as to what set the car on fire, although an electrical panel in the garage is a possible lead. Hybrids and pure EVs typically aren't at significant risk of igniting, so we might not ask for a refund... but we would recommend keeping an eye (and a nose) on any potential fire hazards around your eco-friendly auto. Update: Looks like Fisker's about to take some more heat. Here's a statement from the owner's attorney: The fire department recently completed their investigation and determined the origin of the fire was, in fact, Gutierrez's newly purchased Fisker Karma hybrid electric vehicle that he just took possession of two weeks earlier Hit up our source link after the break to read the note in full.
Audi, GM, others unite on 20-minute EV charging standard for green drivers in a rush
Fast-charging an EV isn't new in itself, but deciding on a standard for it is. Which is why we're glad to hear that Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, GM, Porsche and Volkswagen have all agreed to a common format for their EV charging ports, the not-very-elegantly-titled DC Fast Charging with a Combined Charging System. Together, the automakers are promising a consistent way to power up a car within 15 to 20 minutes, all without breaking a current Type 1 AC charging implementation. The new format will be demoed at the Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 in Los Angeles starting May 6. Just be aware that your first-generation Focus Electric won't be certain to use the newly universal technology: the first cars to tout the new plug won't be at dealerships until 2013, and the European vehicle association ACEA is only guaranteeing that charging stations on the continent will be using the DC Fast Charging system by 2017. Check after the break for a further look at the port.
FAA writing rules for electric aircraft, to allow public to fly them in the next decade
There are those in the general aviation community who think electric planes are the future for private aircraft, but regulatory hurdles are in place preventing them from proliferating in our skies. You see, current FAA requirements for light sport aircraft (LSA) -- planes that can be flown by anyone with a pilot's license -- preclude electric powerplants, and that makes such planes unavailable to most private pilots. Well, today at the CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium, FAA analyst Tom Gunnarson delivered some good news for flying EV advocates, stating that the FAA has completed its regulatory study on electric aircraft, and the rulemaking process will begin soon. Once those rules have been written, electrically-propelled aircraft will be available for use as LSA by the public, which isn't possible today given their current status as experimental craft. The bad news? Governmental wheels spin slowly, and Gunnarson said that incorporating those new rules into the current regulatory framework will take five years if we're lucky, but ten years is a more likely time frame for the FAA to finish. In the meantime, you'll have to settle for air shows or terrestrial transport to get your EV fix.
BMW i8 Concept Spyder takes to the road, sounds almost as gorgeous as it looks (video)
It's been less than a year since our first opportunity to get up close and personal with BMW's i8 plug-in electric car, and now the German automaker is back to tease a whole new beast. The Concept Spyder made a static appearance over the weekend, but today the sportier i8 has returned to the spotlight, with video footage in tow. BimmerPost managed to share some clips via YouTube, including a straight-cut-gear-fueled drive around a parking lot and across a lamp-lit bridge, somewhere in the Eastern U.S., believe it or not (take note of the I-95 sign in the first few seconds). You can also gawk at some side-to-side pans of the Spyder's exterior, with a few HD interior close-ups to boot. And where can you find said stimulating simulations? Buckle up and click past the break.Update: That's Miami there in the bridge scene. A perfect setting for the Spyder test drive.
BMW adds extra sportiness to its i-series lineup, unveils i8 Concept Spyder
We've swooned over BMW's i3 and i8 plug-in gasoline electric hybrids for some time now, so naturally our hearts raced today when the company announced its latest addition to the series, the i8 Concept Spyder. What you're looking at is essentially a sportier version of the i8 Coupe, with the appropriate accents and design tweaks to match. So, what's different in this variant of the nearly gull-winged wonder with a 96 kW / 131hp electric motor up front and 164 kW / 223hp gasoline engine on back? BMW notes that the vehicle features a shorter wheelbase and overall length (all while maintaining its 50-50 weight distribution), a slighter darker interior and refreshed paint job on its exterior, topless roof and even a pair of matching folded kickboards(!) that stow in the back. BMW hasn't mentioned when they'll be showing this Spyder in flesh, but as Autoblog notes, the New York Auto show is only a week way -- and we'll be sure to let you know if we spot it ourselves. In the meantime, you can zip over to Autoblog and the press release after the break for the details.
BMW and Toyota come together, right now, over batteries
Clue's in the headline, really. Car makers BMW and Toyota have finally gotten around to confirming that they're pairing up to research next generation lithium-ion batteries. The focus will be on building environmentally friendly technologies that'll boost the power of future EVs. The duo will also examine new ways of combining materials to build better cathodes, anodes and electrolytes. As part of the deal, Toyota will be buying diesel engines for its European subsidiary from its Teutonic new best friend from 2014.
NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure
Way back before NRG was making electric DeLoreans and building solar power plants, it co-owned a slew of power facilities in California with Dynegy -- an energy outfit that got caught up in a long-term litigation over some old energy contracts with the state. Long story short, that legal dispute became NRG's problem in 2006, after it acquired Dynegy's majority stake in the partnership -- a problem it's finally resolving by peppering California with 200 fast-charging EV stations. The $120 million settlement promises to create jobs, invest in the state's economy and provide job training for the stations' maintenance and installation crews.NRG may be shelling out some serious cash, but the deal is still mutually beneficial -- those extra vehicle chargers will be running on its own fee-based eVgo network, after all. Governor Jerry Brown calls the settlement the beginning of a "virtuous circle" that will boost EV sales for the state, which will in turn, provoke investors to expand California's charging infrastructure, which will, of course, sell more cars. In fact, he's banking on it, and has signed an executive order setting targets for EV adoption. If all goes as planned, you'll be looking at a smog free San Francisco skyline by 2050. Won't that be nice?
Device warns of catastrophic failure in lithium-ion batteries, robots celebrate
"Catastrophic lithium-ion battery failure" are five words Malfunctioning Eddie never wants to hear, and may not have to, thanks to a new sensor developed by the folks at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Despite the popularity of lithium-ion batteries in everything from consumer electronics to hybrid and electric vehicles, they have been associated with a phenomenon called "thermal runaway" -- known to cause overheating and potentially, fire. The newly developed device measures the electrical parameter of the cell, which is an indicator of whether the internal layer temperatures are getting too toasty. The best part? The warning comes before the heat can reach the surface and cause catastrophic failure, perhaps saving our electronics from a fate like the one in the video after the break.
BMW and Toyota to collaborate on future lithium-ion tech, love notes
What kind of doors open when you're Toyota and you sell over three million hybrids? Apparently a partnership with BMW on "next-generation" lithium-ion packs and all sorts of future green debauchery. Whether the collaboration will bear fruit in time for München's upcoming lithium-ion powered i3 and i8 remains to be seen, but the tie-up should save the duo mucho dinero as they pool development time and cut costs with economies of scale. The memorandum will also grant Toyota's European outfit with access to BMW's 1.6 and 2.0 liter diesel engines come 2014. Does that mean we're a little over three years from the bimmer powered oil burning Prius of our dreams? Guess we'll have to find out, but we can't imagine things are exactly peachy over in France right about now.
GM's got a brand new electric motor and it'll give you the key (video)
Cars with electric motors running the show are few and far between, which is something we need to change -- that's why General Motors is finishing up a new plant in White Marsh, Maryland. The facility will be cooking up magnet and induction electrical motors to power GM's next generation of EVs. The first off the line will be the 85 kW (114hp) electric engine that'll sit inside the hood of 2013's dinky Chevy Spark EV. Peek after the break and you'll be rewarded with a cornucopia (that's the technical term for four, right?) of videos and a press release about the company's plans for electrical domination. [Thanks, Nicole]
EV manufacturers get harmonized, agree to build a universal charging system
Fancy segregating EV charging stations by vehicle manufacturer? No? A slew of major automobile firms didn't like the idea much either, and have agreed on a combined charging system to use as an international standard. Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen now support a single-port fast charging system that integrates all charging configurations -- from spiffy quick charging setups, down to modest Level 1 rigs. The new system also crowns HomePlug Green PHY as the standard communication protocol, allowing charging stations to hook compatible EVs to Powerline Smart Grid applications. Where do all these fancy features leave you and your Leaf? Charged, of course -- the new "harmonized electric vehicle charging solution" promises to be backward compatible with current industry standard J1772 connectors. Hit the break for Ford's official press release.
350Green to install 400 EV charging stations across the US
EV charging stations are still hard to come by here in the US and, while 400 new ones won't exactly blanket the nation, we'll take what we can get. 350Green is teaming up with Coulomb Technologies to build exactly that many new ChargePoint stations across New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and California. With the latest announcement the ChargePoint Network is expected to grow to over 1,000 locations, many with fast charging capabilities. We wouldn't exactly call the plan a game changer but, like we said, every little bit helps. Check out the PR after the break.
TomTom announces Z.E. Live navigation system to measure EV battery juice, keeps you truckin'
There's nothing worse than going for a late-night chili dog run only to find your EV sucked dry in a 7-11 parking lot. To reduce so-called "range-anxiety," there's the Carminat TomTom Z.E. Live, an in-dash navigation system that not only keeps drivers from getting lost, but also offers a visual cue to how much power's left. Sticking with the green theme, the device provides the most eco-friendly and efficient routes (with nearby charging stations) -- leaving drivers feeling good about putting the pedal to the metal. The nav will come pre-baked in all future Renault Fluence Z.E.s -- but we wouldn't be surprised to see other EV manufacturers implement similar add-ons in the future. Check out the full PR after the break.
Nissan downsizes EV quick charger, slashes price while eying US, EU and Japanese markets
Like a hamburger Happy Meal, Nissan's brand new quick-charge station is fast, cheap and easy, thanks to its tasty new electric circuit technology. Nissan claims the 49kW charger takes up less space, is easier to install and a heckuva lot cheaper than former models, leaving only a ¥1 million yen (or around $10,000) dent in your pocket compared to the former ¥1.47 million (or $19,088) crater. Hoping to sell around 5,000 units and set up charging stations throughout the Land of the Rising Sun by March 2016, Nissan sees the technology rolling out in the US and Europe sometime in the near future -- no toy included. Pull over for the full PR after the break.
Exoconcept EXO all-electric jet ski: perfect for lake recon, your next indie action film
Part jet ski, part electric water scooter, 100 percent awesome. That's the Exoconcept Exo -- a new sea-born vehicle for stealth missions and the occasional run-in with Mr. Living Vicariously. The craft comes in a few flavors with shells made of high-end carbon fiber or ABS plastic, and engines ranging from 3.5-7kWh. Capable of cruising the open waters at a max speed of 15-27 knots (17-31 mph), it doesn't really rival the thrust of some of its non-electric cousins, but it's certainly fast and quiet enough for some reconnoitering or good old fashioned family fun. With four racks of Li Fe PO4 high capacity batteries, the motor powers a water jet turbine drive system to cut through waves without any sound pollution. Unfortunately, zipping around on electric power doesn't come cheap -- at €7,290 (or $9,939), it'll probably only appeal to those who also own the lake needed to enjoy it on. But hey, at least you've got until Q1 2012 to save up!
Fisker's shooting brake Surf EV to make waves at Frankfurt
Frankfurt's ready to hang ten as teaser images of Fisker Automotive's new "shooting brake" electric whip dropped in just in time for the city's automotive show on September 13th. Affectionately nicknamed the Surf, the two-door sedan is the latest incarnation of the Karma, Fisker's range-extended electric vehicle launched last year. Although the company won't release any details on the new ride just yet, we're expecting it to be somewhat similar to the company's former model, which boasts two 150 kW electric motors, a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 and a lithium-ion battery. Joining the ranks of other luxury wagons like the Ferrari FF, the Surf's blast-from-the-past design is guaranteed to be a gnarly change from the standard four-door luxury variety, and you can bet we'll be there for the full reveal.
Daimler Smart Forvision: a solar-powered roof with plastic wheels never looked so good
No, it's not a Micro Machine -- it's the Daimler Smart Forvision. Daimler paired up with chemicals giant BASF to improve Smart's flagship EV after being soundly trounced by the Nissan Leaf's longer range. With an emphasis on efficiency, the Forvision goes up to 20 percent further than the standard Fortwo. It has a transparent solar-panel roof which generates power to keep the cooling fans running even when stationary, see-through dashboard and clear OLEDs for internal lighting at night. BASF's wizardry helped in the development of all-plastic wheels, a super-thin heat shield and aluminum fiber paints that insulate the car but allow for GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth signals to pass through unimpeded. The concept will be unveiled properly at the Frankfurt Motor Show but check out the preview gallery and press release to learn more. %Gallery-132455%
