Dr Automotive Design and Tools

Ford Motor Company announced today that Azure Dynamics Corporation has joined in a collaborative effort to deliver a pure battery electric Ford Transit Connect van for the United States and Canadian markets in 2010. Azure will integrate its Force Drive(TM) battery electric drive train in the Transit Connect van for commercial fleet and retail use.

The collaboration with Azure Dynamics for the Transit Connect BEV will build
on the existing business relationship between Ford and Azure as well as their
shared experience with battery supplier, Johnson Controls-Saft.

"We recognize an increasing interest in electrified vehicles and have an
aggressive strategy to bring these vehicles to the marketplace," said Nancy
Gioia, Ford director of Global Electrification. "Our work with Azure to
create a pure electric battery Transit Connect vehicle will allow us to offer
our commercial customers an additional option for environmentally friendly
transportation."

The Transit Connect BEV will be built on Ford's global commercial vehicle
platform as part of the company's One Ford global product vision. It is the
first of four electrified vehicles from Ford that will become available over
the next three years in the U.S. and Canada including:

-- Battery electric Transit Connect van in 2010
-- Battery electric Ford Focus passenger car in 2011
-- Next generation hybrid vehicle in 2012
-- Plug-In hybrid vehicle in 2012


Collaboration builds on existing business relationship Azure Dynamics develops hybrid electric and electric drive technology for shuttle buses and commercial trucks, such as the Balance(TM) Hybrid Electric,which is built on the Ford E-450 cutaway and strip chassis for the medium duty commercial vehicle segment.

"The opportunity to work with Ford on the Transit Connect BEV is a
breakthrough advancement for us at Azure and for the light commercial vehicle
market," said Scott Harrison, Azure Dynamics CEO. "For Azure, it's an
important evolution of our existing relationship with Ford. From an industry
standpoint, we are seeing delivery fleet and utility vehicle operators move to
smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles. The Transit Connect BEV will come to
market at an ideal time to meet this growing trend."

Oak Park, Mich.-based Azure Dynamics will integrate its proprietary Force
Drive(TM) battery electric drive train into the Transit Connect BEV, which
will have a targeted range of 80 miles minimum on a full charge and zero
tailpipe emissions. Force Drive(TM) components have previously been deployed
in more than 40 vehicle integrations and have more than 25 million miles of
on-the-road experience. The Transit Connect BEV will offer fleet owners the
opportunity to eliminate the use of gasoline and help to lower operating
costs. The vehicle will be badged with both the Ford Blue Oval and Azure's
Force Drive logo.

Azure Dynamics has selected Johnson Controls-Saft as the supplier for
lithium-ion battery cells and battery packs for the Transit Connect BEV. Azure Dynamics and Ford both currently utilize Johnson Controls-Saft battery technology for other products. The Transit Connect BEV will use the same proven cell technology that is currently deployed in the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid fleet that is on the road today.

In addition, Azure had previously announced it would use Johnson Controls-Saft
lithium-ion batteries for its E- 450 Balance Hybrid Electric beginning in the
second half of 2010. The shared supplier business relationship is expected to
provide additional synergy between Ford and Azure in the Transit Connect BEV
project.

Transit Connect commercial platform ideal choice for battery electric power
The Ford Transit Connect already is a proven global success. Ford introduced
the gasoline-engine Transit Connect to North America this year. With a unique
combination of car-like driving dynamics, cargo capacity, accessibility and
low purchase and operation costs, it is an ideal choice for electrification.
Commercial users often travel predictable, short-range routes with frequent
stop and go driving in urban and suburban environments. For customers seeking
sustainable mobility solutions, the Transit Connect Battery Electric Vehicle
with Azure Force Drive(TM) will provide a zero emissions option.

The Transit Connect was designed, engineered and manufactured on a dedicated
global commercial vehicle platform to beat tough commercial vehicle durability
standards. The final manufacturing location for the Transit Connect BEV has
not yet been determined.

The first mass production battery-powered electric vehicle from BMW, due to be launched in the US by 2012 will feature mass produced lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced panels, a first for the automotive industry.

BMW has joined forces with carbonfibre specialist SGL Group to produce lightweight parts for its new MegaCity electric vehicle.

MegaCity will take on Daimler's Smart division with a range of urban vehicles, in both two- and four-wheeled forms.

Two plants will be built in North America and Germany to manufacture carbonfibre parts which will be the first “large scale” manufacture of carbon fibre in the automotive industry.

"We will enter into a new dimension in the use of carbon-fiber reinforced plastics, both in terms of volume per car and in vehicle numbers," a BMW spokesman said.

The companies are said to be investing $500 Million in total.

L'esercitazione degli studenti del secondo anno del corso triennale in Transportation Design - Car Design, che si tiene presso l'Istituto Europeo di Design di Torino, era tanto complessa quanto intrigante. Gli aspiranti designers hanno infatti dovuto immaginare alcune vetture che fossero il potenziale risultato della collaborazione tra il Gruppo Fiat e il Gruppo Chrysler, ma iniziando nel febbraio 2009, cioè ancor prima dell'ufficializzazione dell'accordo. Pensando, dunque, al rispetto delle caratteristiche dei singoli marchi (come l’economia e il basso impatto ambientale per Fiat, o le piattaforme, le capacità industriali e l’ampio mercato di riferimento per Chrysler), gli studenti hanno anche dovuto immaginare una concreta condivisione di piattaforme: ciò è stato possibile grazie al team di docenti che ha monitorato l'intero sviluppo del progetto, ma anche attraverso l'incontro diretto del gruppo di lavoro con i designers del centro stile Fiat. L'esercizio, partito in febbraio e conclusosi a luglio 2009, ha previsto innanzi tutto la realizzazione di un concept da parte di ciascuno dei 37 studenti; di questi, ne sono stati selezionati 13, e infine soltanto due sono stati scelti per la realizzazione di altrettanti modelli, in scala 1:4. La prima vettura si chiama Biov ed è stata ideata da Roberto Testolin, con l'obiettivo di ridurre i costi di produzione di una vettura del segmento A dalle caratteristiche ecologiche, e destinata ai giovani. Questo assunto spiega la forma moderna ed essenziale, costituita da poche superfici e da materiali plastici di facile realizzazione e molto leggeri, assemblati tra loro mediante un sistema di sovrapposizione. La particolare forma della "cellula" ad uovo garantisce abitabilità, protezione dei passeggeri e anche una certa efficienza aerodinamica, in rapporto alle dimensioni generali. La Jeep PYGMY è invece la proposta di Vasiliy Kurkov: al contrario dell'essenzialità del progetto precedente, qui l'obiettivo è la creazione di una Jeep "europea", che integri lo spirito del fuoristrada americano. Basata su una piattaforma molto compatta (è quella della Fiat Panda Cross 4x4), con abitacolo a due posti, la vettura ha una carrozzeria le cui parti sono fortemente trasformabili e personalizzabili, passando da una "shopping car" a una sportiva con vocazione rallystica... Lo stile è contemporaneamente retrò e high tech, e con effetti appariscenti - si veda, ad esempio, il frontale in contrasto cromatico o l'originalissima soluzione del lunotto circolare in coda; anche gli interni mantengono la stessa filosofia, non trascurando una sensazione di lusso. Dopo questo progetto, gli studenti sono ora pronti per una nuova sfida: affrontare il terzo e ultimo anno del corso, con un brief ancora una volta proposto insieme ad una casa automobilistica, e immaginando le forme e alle tecnologie delle automobili del futuro.
(Fonte: www.omniauto.it - 27/10/2009)

La società cinese Great Wall Motor ha sporto denuncia contro la Fiat per presunto furto di segreti commerciali in relazione alla piccola vettura Peri. Lo hanno annunciato la stessa azienda e il suo avvocato all'agenzia Afp, aprendo così una nuova puntata di una querelle che va avanti da tre anni, nei quali la casa torinese ha sempre sostenuto che la Peri è sostanzialmente un clone della Panda. Secondo quanto spiega il legale Liu Hongkai, Great Wall ha depositato il ricorso presso la Corte intermedia di Shijiazhuang, nella provincia di Hebei, affermando che la Fiat avrebbe fotografato la nuova vettura Peri, prima del lancio nel 2007: «Nel 2007 - ha riferito Liu all'Afp - la Fiat ha inviato qualcuno allo stabilimento Great Wall, che ha scattato delle foto segrete della vettura ancora in corso di sviluppo. Abbiamo denunciato la Fiat per essersi introdotta nella fabbrica e aver rubato dei segreti commerciali». Un responsabile dell'azienda cinese, che ha voluto mantenere l'anonimato, ha confermato all'Ansa la denuncia, che sarebbe avvenuta in giugno, senza fornire ulteriori dettagli. La Fiat, invece, respinge le accuse affermando di non aver ricevuto alcuna notifica ufficiale: «Vorremmo sottolineare - dice un comunicato del Lingotto - che in 110 anni di esistenza, la Fiat non ha mai plagiato nè imitato il design di nessun altro costruttore nel mondo». Secondo la Fiat, infatti, le accuse vanno ribaltate, perchè in realtà la Peri sarebbe una imitazione della Panda. Lo sottolineò nel 2006 il presidente del Lingotto Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, che dopo aver visto la vettura cinese esposta al Motor Show, ironizzò: «Se non altro dimostrano di avere buon gusto». In seguito il Lingotto ricorse alle vie legali sia in Cina che in Italia. Mentre il tribunale e la Corte d'Appello di Torino hanno dato ragione alla Fiat, i giudici cinesi hanno invece scagionato la Great Wall.
(Fonte: www.motori24.ilsole24ore.com - 20/10/2009)

Almost one in three cars on the roads could be electric by 2020, according to the former head of Rover.

Professor Kevin Morley said a “significant” number of cars would be zero-emissions in 10 years' time, but added the technology needs to be much better before there can be mass appeal.

“In 10 years a significant amount of cars will be electric, and by that I am talking around 30 to 40 per cent,” he said.

But he believes electric cars need to have at least a 200-mile range and a charging time of around 10 minutes. Morley estimates this could be a commercial reality by 2012.

“The technology must be there soon,” he said.

In April this year the government announced that motorists will be offered incentives of up to £5000 to buy electric cars from 2011.

The £250 million scheme will also result in key UK cities becoming testing grounds for how drivers will use and charge their new vehic

"La centralità dell'Italia nella Fiat è tuttora importante. Riuscire ad ampliare il perimetro è l'unica vera garanzia per mantenere nel tempo ciò che c'è in Italia". Lo ha detto il vicepresidente della Fiat John Elkann, incontrando giovani e insegnanti in occasione di "Open Mind", manifestazione di cinque giorni a Torino che prevede incontri con un centinaio di personalità dell'imprenditoria della cultura delle istituzioni. "Il mercato italiano - ha proseguito Elkann - non è sufficientemente grande per l'industria dell'auto. E dunque ciò che è avvenuto è stato di ampliare il perimetro geografico per accrescere le nostre possibilità e la nostra organizzazione, in sintesi il raggio d'azione ed essere sempre più competitivi". "Questo - ha detto ancora Elkann - fa sì che la Fiat possa andare avanti positivamente e avrà ricadute positive sull'Italia. Se al contrario non lo facesse perderebbe velocità e a quel punto le possibilità che la Fiat continui ad esistere sono molto basse. Uno può non volerlo vedere ma è la realtà. Non c'è miglior garanzia per la Fiat in Italia di sviluppare l'auto in tale perimetro, non c'è uno spostamento della produzione ma c'è soltanto un aumento di perimetro che è stato fatto per esempio con l'accordo Chrysler, a garanzia della Fiat e a beneficio della sua presenza in Italia". Dopo il suo intervento Elkann, avvicinato dai giornalisti che gli hanno domandato del piano Chrysler, ha dato appuntamento al 4 novembre, giorno in cui verrà reso pubblico. "Aspettiamo il 4 novembre", ha dichiarato.
(Fonte: www.asca.it - 28/10/2009)

A Japanese sun-powered car Tokai Challenger won the World Solar Challenge on Wednesday after averaging speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour for four days through the Australian Outback. The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger crossed the control finish line just north of Adelaide at 3.39pm SA daylight saving time to claim victory in the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

In what appeared to be a near faultless run over the 3,000 kilometre distance from the Darwin start, Tokai University has broken the four event string of victories set by the Dutch Nuon team in the 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 events.

The teams first and only reported issue occurred today at the Crystal Brook rail overpass when Tokai Challenger suffered a flat tyre, 2824 kilometres from the Darwin start.

The victory by Tokai Challenger is the first by a Japanese team since 1996 when the event was won by Honda Dream II. Honda also won the previous event in 1993.

The Global Green Challenge in its former guise as the World Solar Challenge was first run in 1987 and is conducted every two years.

Tokai Challenger started the event in fourth position in Darwin after qualifying at an average speed of 81.86kph at Darwin’s Hidden Valley raceway.

The Tokai team went to the lead position in the event at the end of Day 1 at Dunmarra 633 kilometres from the start and was 17 minutes ahead of Michigan University’s Infinium (Car #2) and the Nuon Solar Team entry The Netherlands Nuna V (Car #3).

The lead held by Tokai Challenger had grown to 56 minutes on Day 2 with the Japanese team still being trailed by Infinium and Nuna V. Tokai Challenger spent the night just south of Alice Springs with its rivals some distance to the north of the Central Australian town.

By the end of Day 3, Tokai had camped at Glendambo while its nearest rivals (still Infinium and Nuna V) camped near Coober Pedy and were two hours 23 minutes in arrears battling it out for second position.

The Tokai Challenger team will return tomorrow Thursday (October 29, 2009) to the control finish line and then parade into Adelaide for the ceremonial finish scheduled for 10am (SA daylight saving time) in Victoria Square.

It is expected that the second and third running cars will cross the official finish line at around 10.am (SA daylight saving time) on Thursday (October 29, 2009)

Leaders of the Eco class for production cars on the World Solar Challenge (now known as the Global Green Challenge) have set a new 'world record' for distance traveled on one charge in a standard production Tesla Roadster of 501 kms or 313 miles. The car had about 3 miles of range left when the drive was completed.

The distance will be fully accredited by event officials in due course, and preparation for the record-setting drive included security sealing of the electric charge port door at departure and full on-road supervision of the vehicle during the drive.

The path driven was to the south from Alice Springs, in the Australian Northern Territory, and ended at a distance marker on the highway at a point 183 km north of Coober Pedy, in South Australia.

How do you drive a BEV across the Australian outback? The team has a service crew that includes a truck carrying a diesel powered 17 kw generator able to fully charge the Tesla's battery in 3 hours.

Chrysler dice addio a molti dei suoi modelli e affida il proprio rilancio ai quelli Fiat: la prima a sbarcare negli U.S.A., nel 2011, sarà la 500, prodotta in Messico. L'Alfa Romeo, dopo oltre un decennio di assenza, farà il suo nuovo esordio in territorio americano nel 2012 con la MiTo. Per il pubblico americano l'Alfa si farà anche SUV: la vettura, che sarà basata sulla piattaforma del Jeep Grand Cherokee - scrive il New York Times - punta a imitare i successi della Bmw X3. Il piano industriale della casa automobilistica statunitense sarà svelato il prossimo 4 novembre dall'amministratore delegato Sergio Marchionne, con una presentazione-fiume stimata in sei ore, ma le prime indiscrezioni a una settimana dall'atteso evento iniziano a circolare. Secondo il Wall Street Journal, il primo piano quinquennale targato Marchionne prevede l'addio ad alcuni modelli Dodge, come la compatta Caliber, il SUV Nitro e la berlina Avanger. Rimarrà invece il Dodge Challenger e la berlina full-size Charger. Andrà in pensione, a partire dal 2012, anche il Chrysler PT Cruiser e la Chrysler Sebring, così come il Jeep Compass e il Jeep Patriot. Per il proprio rilancio la casa automobilistica americana si affida ai modelli Fiat: l'Alfa Romeo MiTo sarà lanciata nel 2012, seguita all'inizio del 2013 dall'Alfa Milano e da un'altra berlina. Tutte e tre le vetture - aggiunge il quotidiano - saranno prodotte in nord America. La 500, invece, sarà prodotta in Messico. "Fiat e Chrysler sono al lavoro anche su diversi nuovi veicoli dotati di tecnologia Fiat per gli U.S.A., inclusa una berlina targata Chrysler da lanciare nel 2012". Presentando il piano Marchionne fisserà anche gli obeittivi economici per la società. In una recente intervista al canadese Globe and Mail, l'amministratore delegato ha previsto un ritorno all'utile operativo per la casa automobilistica americana in 24 mesi. "Siamo tornati, siamo vivi e vegeti", aveva detto Marchionne, descrivendo il rilancio della casa automobilistica americana che considera "più reale che teorico" nonostante la mancanza di sviluppo di veicoli sotto il precedente proprietario Cerberus Capital Management. Da quando la Fiat ha acquisito il 20% "la società si sta già risollevando" e nei prossimi 24 mesi - aveva sottolineato - tornerà all'utile operativo. Il vero problema di Marchionne, secondo gli analisti, sarà quello di mantenere a galla Chrysler fino al 2012, quando l'alleanza con Fiat decollerà effettivamente. Per i prossimi due anni - osserva il Wall Street Journal - Chrysler dovrà infatti sopravvivere con i suoi attuali modelli e potrà contare solo sul restyling della Jeep Gran Cherokee e della berlina Chrysler 300. Per sostenere la casa americana, alle prese con un calo delle vendite, la Fiat difficilmente opterà per l'importazione di un numero significativo di modelli, visto che andrebbero rivisti e adeguati alle normative vigenti negli U.S.A. e dato l'apprezzamento dell'euro nei confronti del dollaro che rende l'importazione onerosa. "Gli americani amano i vestiti italiani. Se ameranno le auto italiane è tutto da vedere" spiega al New York Times Arndt Ellinghorst, analista di Credit Suisse, secondo il quale "il prodotto non sarà un problema. Il nodo è la percezione del marchio. A Volkswagen ci è voluto molto tempo e ancora non è come vorrebbe essere".
(Fonte: http://online.wsj.com - 27/10/2009)

The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger has again made sensational progress on day 3 of the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

Starting this morning (Tuesday October 27) south of Alice Springs 1531 kilometres from the Darwin start, the Japanese team stormed across the South Australia border.

The team reported its speed at 106 kph as it headed southwards.

Astern of the leading car the battle was well and truly on between the two vehicles running second and third on the road.

Car #2 Infinium (University of Michigan Solar Car Team) camped north of Alice Springs 1465 kilometres from the start last night, in second position.

In third overnight was car #3 Nuna V (Nuon Solar Team) from the Netherlands, camped north of Alice Springs 1445 kilometres from Darwin.

The two rival teams swapped positions today with Nuna V taking over second position from the American Infinium car near the Alice Springs control point.

The event took a new twist when it was reported that a truck rollover had occurred on the highway 20 kilometres north of Coober Pedy.

The Tokai Challenger team passed the incident and is expecting to camp at Glendambo overnight only 591 kilometres from the Adelaide finish.

Second on the road is the Tesla Roadster of Eco Challenger leader Team Internode.

L’alleanza tra Fiat e Chrysler porterà la casa torinese al lancio di due nuove berline a trazione posteriore basate sulla piattaforma della Chrysler 300 LX. La notizia segue quella dell’acquisizione della fabbrica di Bertone in preparazione del lancio di diversi nuovi modelli basati sulle piattaforme della casa americana. La settimana scorsa Alfredo Altavilla, responsabile del reparto propulsori del Lingotto, ha dichiarato che le nuove vetture saranno basate sulla grossa berlina Chrysler e utilizzeranno il nuovo propulsore V6 Pentastar. Secondo indiscrezioni Fiat produrrà circa 50.000 unità di due nuove berline a trazione posteriore: è ormai certo che la prima sarà una Lancia (l’erede della Thesis) mentre sulla seconda c’è qualche incertezza tra Maserati e Alfa Romeo. La produzione inizierà nella ex fabbrica Bertone, ribattezzata Officine Automobilistiche Grugliasco (OAG), a fine 2011. Ne sapremo di più il 4 novembre, quando Fiat annuncerà il suo piano quinquennale per la produzione dei nuovi modelli del gruppo.
(Fonte: www.motorionline.com - 26/10/2009)

The leading cars in the World Solar Challenge have passed the halfway point in the race from Darwin to Adelaide.

Leading the way late on Monday was the Tokai University solar car entry Tokai Challenger.

At last report the car was 1,436km from Darwin. Race officials said it was expected to stop for the night just south of Alice Springs with about 1,540km covered.

In second position was Infinium from the University of Michigan, which was about 70km behind.

The leading cars are expected to reach the finish in Adelaide on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on weather conditions.

The Tokai Challenger is equipped with triple-junction compound solar cells that use indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and germanium (Ge) for top, middle and bottom cells, respectively. They are originally space cells used on communication satellites and feature a cell conversion efficiency of 30% (conventional crystalline silicon solar cells typically have a little more than 15% efficiency).

A total of 2,176 cells, each of which measures 77 x 39mm, were installed on the top surface of the vehicle. When used as space cells, they are sealed with glass to make a module. This time, however, the cells are sealed with a film so that they can be mounted on a curved surface and the total weight of the solar car can be reduced.

The total area of the solar cells is 6m2, and the total output is 1.8kW. Generated electricity drives Mitsuba Corp's brushless DC direct drive motor (efficiency: 97%) after passing through Mishimaki Denshi Y.K.'s buck-boost type maximum-power-point tracking circuit (efficiency: 98%). Also, Panasonic Corp's Li-ion secondary battery (5.6kWh) is used to store electricity.

The car can reach a top speed of 150km/h but as the race is being held on open public roads they have to respect the speed limit of 130km/h.

Follow the race Live on Google Maps here

Tesla motors recently announced they have agreed terms for a lease on 350,000 sq/ft of manufacturing space formally occupied by Hewlett Packard. The Palo Alto facility is intended to be the powertrain production facility with assembly of the Model S at a separate, still as yet un-announced, plant. Tesla intend to spend $100 Million of their $465 M government loan to bring 'powertrain' manufacture in-house. The huge size of the facility seems to be pegged on securing more customers like Daimler who will incorporate Tesla made battery packs and chargers into their initial run of 1000 Smart EVs.

The biggest questions about Model S production still remain. With a self imposed delivery deadline of late 2011, over 1000 orders taken and the vehicle assembly plant location still not selected, we're left to speculate about how much of the Model S Tesla is actually planning to manufacture themselves?

With the chassis and most of the body panels for the Model S being specified in Aluminum it seems highly unlikely Tesla will bring manufacture of those parts in house. Currently the Tesla Roadster, which has an Aluminium chassis, is assembled by Lotus in the UK and delivered to Tesla as a completed vehicle minus the powertrain.

The adhesive-bonded aluminium Tesla Roadster chassis is not made by Lotus but is manufactured by aluminum sub-contractor Hydro Raufoss Automotive, a division of Norsk Hydro, on the same production line as those of the Lotus Elise.

Is Tesla planning to take over the vehicle assembly role currently filled by Lotus or will another company take their place and supply a finished Model 'S' minus powertrain using the same business models as used for the Roadster? There may be the option of having a 'glider' manufactured by a large subcontractor other than Lotus but Musk has made plenty of enemies in those circles to date.

Who 'could' build it?

Canadian firm Magna are one of the largest vehicle assembly subcontractors in the automotive business but as Tesla have already sued and been counter sued by them over the ill conceived 2 speed transmission, it would seems bridges have been burnt there already. Magna already has it hands full with a deal to make Focus EVs for Ford by 2011.

Finland based Valmet have years of experience building aluminium chassis and body panels having been the main contractor for Porsche building Boxster and Cayman over the past decade, but EV rival Fisker already have a production contract for their Karma to be manufactured by Valmet and Tesla have made themselves unwelcome by suing Fisker as well. When the music stops will Tesla be left standing?

There may be an option to have the Model S chassis manufactured by Hydro much as the Roadster chassis is although there are many technical differences between the two. While the Model S is a unibody the Roadster/Elise is a very unique bonded chassis constructed primarily from aluminium extrusions.

Full aluminium unibody chassis, while more common in recent years, are still rare in the automotive business and are usually the reserve of low volume, high priced sports cars where higher manufacturing costs can be recouped. Tesla may not have that option because while the 'S' will be a low volume production vehicle, they are simultaneously attempting to make it an 'affordable' car with a monster battery pack, both strategies leaving very little room for margin.

Powertrain

Currently the Roadster battery pack and 3 phase AC motor are manufactured in Asia and shipped to California for installation into the Lotus based chassis. With the new Palo Alto facility slated to take over the battery pack assembly, with some question over whether AC motor manufacture will be brought in-house, there must be a very steep learning curve for Tesla Motors to grow from a small operation who currently manufacture nothing in-house to manufacturing the entire powertrain and chassis with their own plant and equipment in the space of the next 2 years.

Some questions must also be raised about the engineering reality of offering different sized battery pack options for the Model S. Tesla says they will offer upgrade battery options for 230 miles (370 km) or 300 miles (480 km) on the standard 160 mile (256 km) range.

While the 160 mile 'Standard' Model S will include a 42 kw/hr battery pack, the larger 300 mile battery pack will be 70kw/hr and weighs 1200lb (544 kg). There will be a significant weight difference across the range of battery sizes which may pose a challenge to the Tesla chassis engineers if the various sized packs can be “hot swapped”. Installing the larger 300 mile battery will be like putting a load into a truck - and will have adverse affects on the vehicles dynamics as it's almost double the weight of the smallest pack.

Amongst the torrent of Tesla Press Releases there is virtually no news regarding Model S production. There was a recent company blog mention that the Model S chassis would be used as a base for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets although these plans must be years off given the total lack of Model S production facilities to date.

We certainly hope Tesla haven't bitten off more than they can chew and that the Model S isn't a very expensive example of EV vapourware. It will be very interesting to see them create a vehicle assembly plant and supply chain from scratch, presumably in California, and make the leap from glorified EV conversion company to full fledged auto maker within the next 24 months!

In the world of gas powered vehicles, engines are not all alike. There are flat-heads, Hemis, straight, opposed, and V configurations. And on and on. One would have thought that, years ago, someone would have figured out which was best. That would have ended all the choices and thereafter only the one best engine type would be in production. Not so. There is no one best engine type, rather there are different types of engines to suit personal requirements, such as price and performance. This is also true for electric vehicle drives.

In the early days of EVs there were lead acid batteries, DC brush motors, and contactor controllers. Today, none of these remain. Lead has been replaced by lithium and DC by either DC brushless or induction. Contactors, meanwhile, have given way to modulating inverters. So, will each of these elements also become obsolete in the near future or is it possible that some “stability” may be at hand? Without a good crystal ball, it is hard to predict the future. My guess, however, is that we will see both induction and brushless machines “duke it out” for many years to come. Each will have its loyal proponents and religious detractors.

A Closer Look

So what are these two technologies? How do they work? What differentiates them? And what do they have in common? Let’s start with DC brushless drives.

With brushless machines, the rotor includes two or more permanent magnets that generate a DC magnetic field (as seen from the vantage point of the rotor). In turn, this magnetic field enters the stator core (a core made up of thin, stacked laminations) and interacts with currents flowing within the windings to produce a torque interaction between the rotor and stator. As the rotor rotates, it is necessary that the magnitude and polarity of the stator currents be continuously varied – and in just the right way - such that the torque remains constant and the conversion of electrical to mechanical energy is optimally efficient. The device that provides this current control is called an inverter. Without it, brushless motors are useless motors.

Let’s move on to induction motor drives. A forerunner of the 3-phase induction motor was invented by Nikola Tesla sometime before 1889. Curiously, the stators for the 3-phase induction motor and the DC brushless motor are virtually identical. Both have three sets of “distributed windings” that are inserted within the stator core. The essential difference between the two machines is with the rotor.

Unlike the DC brushless rotor, the induction rotor has no magnets – just stacked steel laminations with buried peripheral conductors that form a “shorted structure.” Currents flowing in the stator windings produce a rotating magnetic field that enters the rotor. In turn, the frequency of this magnetic field as “seen” by the rotor is equal to the difference between the applied electrical frequency and the rotational “frequency” of the rotor itself. Accordingly, an induced voltage exists across the shorted structure that is proportionate to this speed difference between the rotor and electrical frequency. In response to this voltage, currents are produced within the rotor conductors that are approximately proportionate to the voltage, hence the speed difference. Finally, these currents interact with the original magnetic field to produce forces – a component of which is the desired rotor torque.

When a 3-phase induction motor is connected to utility type 3-phase power, torque is produced at the outset; the motor has the ability to start under load. No inverter is needed. (Were an inverter needed, Tesla’s invention would have been useless until sometime in the 1960s.) The fact that induction motors are directly compatible with conventional utility power is the main reason for their success. In contrast, a brushless DC motor produces no starting torque when directly connected to fixed frequency utility power. They really need the aid of an inverter whose “phase” is maintained in step with the angular position of the rotor.

While 3-phase induction motors have great utility, they also have some severe limitations. They cannot operate from DC; AC is a must. Shaft speed is proportionate to line frequency. Hence, when used with utility power, they are constant speed machines. Finally, when operated from utility power, they have limited starting torque and somewhat limited running peak torque capabilities, when compared to DC type machines.

Add an inverter (without any feedback control) and it becomes possible to power an induction machine from a battery or other DC source; variable speed also becomes possible simply by adjusting the inverter frequency. Still, torque performance is low compared with DC machines. Add some feedback loops such that the inverter produces the exact frequency that the motor “desires,” and the induction motor is now capable of competing with DC and DC brushless for vehicle applications.

Brushless or Induction?

Back in the 1990s all of the electric vehicles except two were powered by DC brushless drives. Today, all the hybrids are powered by DC brushless drives, with no exceptions. The only notable uses of induction drives have been the Ford Ranger EV; General Motors EV-1; the AC Propulsion vehicles, including the tzero; and the Tesla Roadster.

Both DC brushless and induction drives use motors having similar stators. Both drives use 3-phase modulating inverters. The only differences are the rotors and the inverter controls. And with digital controllers, the only control differences are with control code. (DC brushless drives require an absolute position sensor, while induction drives require speed and current sensors; these differences are relatively small.)

One of the main differences is that much less rotor heat is generated with the DC brushless drive. Rotor cooling is easier and peak point efficiency is generally higher for this drive. The DC brushless drive can also operate at unity power factor, whereas the best power factor for the induction drive is about 85 percent. This means that the peak point energy efficiency for a DC brushless drive will typically be a few percentage points higher than for an induction drive.

In an ideal brushless drive, the strength of the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets would be adjustable. When maximum torque is required, especially at low speeds, the magnetic field strength (B) should be maximum – so that inverter and motor currents are maintained at their lowest possible values. This minimizes the I² R (current² resistance) losses and thereby optimizes efficiency. Likewise, when torque levels are low, the B field should be reduced such that eddy and hysteresis losses due to B are also reduced. Ideally, B should be adjusted such that the sum of the eddy, hysteresis, and I² losses is minimized. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of changing B with permanent magnets.

In contrast, induction machines have no magnets and B fields are “adjustable,” since B is proportionate to V/f (voltage to frequency). This means that at light loads the inverter can reduce voltage such that magnetic losses are reduced and efficiency is maximized. Thus, the induction machine when operated with a smart inverter has an advantage over a DC brushless machine – magnetic and conduction losses can be traded such that efficiency is optimized. This advantage becomes increasingly important as performance is increased. With DC brushless, as machine size grows, the magnetic losses increase proportionately and part load efficiency drops. With induction, as machine size grows, losses do not necessarily grow. Thus, induction drives may be the favored approach where high-performance is desired; peak efficiency will be a little less than with DC brushless, but average efficiency may actually be better.

Permanent magnets are expensive – something like $50 per kilogram. Permanent magnet (PM) rotors are also difficult to handle due to very large forces that come into play when anything ferromagnetic gets close to them. This means that induction motors will likely retain a cost advantage over PM machines. Also, due to the field weakening capabilities of induction machines, inverter ratings and costs appear to be lower, especially for high performance drives. Since spinning induction machines produce little or no voltage when de-excited, they are easier to protect.


Still No Winner

My conclusion is that DC brushless drives will likely continue to dominate in the hybrid and coming plug-in hybrid markets, and that induction drives will likely maintain dominance for the high-performance pure electrics. The question is what will happen as hybrids become more electrically intensive and as their performance levels increase? The fact that so much of the hardware is common for both drives could mean that we will see induction and DC brushless live and work side by side during the coming golden era of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The nation needs to muster the same economic might that brought about the explosion in personal computing, the Internet and cellular phones, and apply it to electric vehicle technology to help wean the U.S. from its dependence on foreign oil, Gen. Wesley Clark said this afternoon at "The Business of Plugging In" conference.

Freeing the U.S. of its petroleum-dependence is crucial to national security interests, said Clark, former supreme allied commander for NATO. He noted that the past few wars -- from the first Persian Gulf War to the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- had securing U.S. access to oil among their motivations. Climate change could also put extra burdens on national security, as well, if it brings about storm-related catastrophes that require military assistance.

"It's absolutely dead center of the bull's eye of national security," said Clark, who was the keynote speaker at the three-day event at MotorCity Casino-Hotel. "It's a tragedy. It doesn't have to be that way, but it is."

Much of the oil imported -- about 12 million barrels a day -- goes to fueling our nation's 240 million vehicles with the U.S. spending $300 billion to $500 billion each year to pay for it, he added.

All that could be money better spend invested here to create jobs and stimulate the economy, he added.

"We need the next big thing for America. It could be in electric vehicle technology," Clark said.

At a morning session on readying cities for electric vehicles, speakers said moving electric vehicles into the mainstream will be crucial for reducing carbon emissions, but their adoption will largely depend on making the transition easy for consumers who want to plug in to their homes or workplaces.

"You can't have a meaningful effect with just a couple of cars," said Britta Gross, director of global energy systems at General Motors Co., who moderated the session.

Simplicity is key to making this new technology understandable to consumers who may be reluctant to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars on a vehicle when they don't know where to charge, how long it will take and whether they have the necessary equipment at home, said Mike Ligett, director of emerging technologies at Progress Energy Corporation, a utility in Raleigh, N.C.

He cautioned industry and government against being overly ambitious in the early years because it could end up confusing customers and stalling sales.

"We do not need a smart grid to make this work," Ligett said.

Rather, a customer needs to know a 110-volt outlet will be available when the electric vehicle arrives home from the dealer.

At the same time, not all homes have external 110-volt outlets, and installations will have to be made. Cutting down the time it takes to get residences and workplaces ready is also needed, said Enid Joffe, co-owner of Clean Fuel Connection, an Arcadia, Calif.-based installer of charging stations.

With existing systems, it could take anywhere from 30 to 45 days to install a charging station, she said.

"No one wants to wait 30 to 45 days to install their infrastructure" after they buy a new electric car, she said. "Part of what we need to do as an industry is we really need to reinvent this process."

Patrick Davis, program manger for vehicle technologies at U.S. Department of Energy, said he sees plug-in electric hybrids -- which run on electricity for a limited distance before switching to the gas engine -- as a transitional technology to gradually phase in pure electric vehicles, which use no gas.

Eventually, as the infrastructure is built out and charging stations become readily available, customers warm to the pure electric vehicles, which will go finite ranges on a single charge but have no carbon tail pipe emissions.

"Right now, we have range anxiety," he said.

In an earlier morning session on the electrification of vehicle, Peter Darbee, CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. in California, said demand for plug-in electric vehicles is likely to surpass industry estimates, and utilities should brace for a sharp increase in electricity use once these vehicles hit the showrooms.

He said he believes plug-in electric vehicles will be incredibly popular in Northern California where hybrid vehicles, like the Toyota Prius, have had strong market penetration.

An uptick in new electric vehicles could tax the grid in new ways, especially since a plug-in electric vehicle -- drawing electricity from a 220-volt outlet -- is like adding the equivalent of another home to the system. Add on top of that a hot day when drivers come home, turn on the lights and air conditioning and then plug in the vehicle, and "you would create a peak load on top of the peak load," Darbee said.

"What happens if three to five vehicles show up in one neighborhood," he said. "You're going to overwhelm the circuits."

To prepare, utilities must work with the automakers in building out the infrastructure, as well as consumers to encourage electric vehicle owners to plug in at off-peak demands.

Similarly, dynamic pricing will also be critical to evening out electricity use by giving customers a financial incentive to plug in at night when demand is low and prices are cheaper, he said.

Sanyo Electric said Wednesday that it could begin assembling hybrid vehicle battery systems overseas as early as 2012 as more automakers gear up to expand production of environmentally friendly cars.

Such regions as Europe, North and Central America, and China are among the candidates for possible locations, Sanyo said during a briefing in Tokyo to outline strategies for its automobile battery business. Launching overseas assembly, which is solely domestic at this time, will help Sanyo expand its hybrid battery systems operations.

The battery systems, comprising multiple cells and control units, are currently assembled at Sanyo's Sumoto plant in Hyogo Prefecture for shipment to automakers. But with this factory busy handling production of nickel-metal hydride batteries for Honda Insight and others, Sanyo is investing roughly US$33 million this year to set up a new assembly line at its Kasai plant, also in Hyogo Prefecture.

Sanyo also filled in details about plans for a new facility to mass-produce lithium ion batteries at its Kasai site. In addition to making these batteries for hybrid vehicles, the 30 billion yen plant will begin monthly production of roughly 300,000 to 400,000 high-output batteries for plug-in hybrid vehicles in fiscal 2010.

Un tempo erano la Giulietta Sprint, la Lamborghini Miura e la Lancia Stratos ad uscire dallo stabilimento di Grugliasco (Torino) della Bertone, entro il 2012 invece saranno i modelli Chrysler. La storica carrozzeria italiana, dopo cinque anni di traversie aziendali e di sacrifici per i lavoratori, è pronta a ripartire con l'assemblaggio di due modelli del Gruppo americano - uno alto di gamma ed uno equipaggiato con un motore Chrysler V6 opportunamente adattato - e con una capacità produttiva pari a 50mila vetture l'anno. Ieri mattina i rappresentanti dei sindacati si sono incontrati con Alfredo Altavilla, amministratore delegato di Fiat Powertrain Tecnologies, ed hanno definito in dettaglio gli ultimi accordi. Già dal 19 novembre i 1.100 dipendenti della carrozzeria passeranno sotto le insegne del Lingotto. Lo stesso avverrà per gli stabilimenti, che si chiameranno "Officine Automobilistiche Grugliasco", mentre il marchio resterà della famiglia Bertone. L'incontro ha generato grande soddisfazione tra i dipendenti, che si occuperanno anche della verniciatura dei prossimi modelli Fiat-Chrysler, ma c'è ancora una rischiesta da soddisfare: la formazione. In particolare i sindacati hanno chiesto alla Regione Piemonte di finanziare dei corsi di aggiornamento tecnico per i lavoratori ex Bertone.
(Fonte: www.omniauto.it - 23/10/2009)

A team from Cambridge University has entered the race for the first time and with the backing of new Formula One champion Jenson Button, has immediately been listed among the favourites.

The 3,000km race from Darwin to Adelaide gets underway on Sunday with the leading cars expected in Adelaide a bit over three days later.

Hot favourites are the Nuon Solar Team from the Netherlands with their car Nuna 5.

The team holds the race record and has won the past four events.

But organisers say the Dutch will be under pressure this year after a testing accident in Darwin that badly damaged Nuna 5.

The Dutch also face a strong challenge from the University of Michigan's car Infinium, the Belgium entry from the Umicore Solar Team called Umicar Inspire, Germany's BoCruiser car from the HS Bochum team, the Swiss entry Heliox II, Australia's own Aurora 101 and the Cambridge team with its car dubbed Endeavour.

It takes its name from Captain James Cook's ship that explored Australia's east coast in 1770.

"Endeavour requires 50 times less power than a normal, petrol-fuelled vehicle and experts believe that aspects of its design could provide a model for green vehicles in the future," team spokeswoman Lucy Hickmet said.

"Sustainable transportation is likely to prove an essential weapon in the fight to prevent the environmental decline of the planet and designs like this help to draw attention to the available alternatives to traditional carbon-consuming technologies."

This year's World Solar Challenge features 35 cars from 15 countries and race director Chris Selwood said picking a winner would be difficult.

"We don't really see the technology and ingenuity until the cars are scrutineered in Darwin and a lot of things can happen on the journey south," he said.

The record speed for the World Solar Challenge was set by the Nuon team's Nuna III car in 2005 at 102.75km/h.

Since then rules changes, which reduced the size of the solar panels, have slowed the cars with Nuna 4 averaging 90.97km/h to win in 2007.

Che il nadir della crisi potesse essere alle spalle, grazie da un lato agli incentivi di stato dall’altro ai poderosi tagli dei costi operati dal management di Fiat, gli operatori l’avevano sospettato già stamattina leggendo di come nel terzo trimestre il giro d’affari di Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) fosse calato solo dell’1,4% su base annua rispetto al -15,9% medio del gruppo e l’utile della gestione ordinaria del 18,4% contro il -61,6% a livello consolidato. Ma Sergio Marchionne non ha voluto sprecare l’occasione data dalla conference call con gli analisti per ribadirlo, sia pure mantenendo una certa prudenza. E’ difficile “fare previsioni per il 2010” ha risposto il manager, ma dopo che i risultati nel trimestre si sono rivelati “in linea con le nostre attese” si può ritenere che “il peggio è passato”. Marchionne ha anche confermato che il gruppo punta a chiudere l’anno con una quota di mercato del 33% in Italia (in settembre è risultata pari al 31,5%, ovvero al 33,2% nei primi nove mesi dell’anno) e del 9% in Europa Occidentale (alla fine del mese scorso il Lingotto era risalito all’8%). Risultati ottenibili a fronte di una previsione di sostanziale stabilità del mercato dell’auto in Italia nell’ultimo trimestre del 2009 e di un rallentamento della crescita del mercato brasiliano. Se poi gli incentivi al settore saranno rinnovati per un altro anno, consentendo al gruppo di mantenere i volumi di vendita sui livelli attuali, Marchionne prevede che Fiat possa raggiungere nel 2010 un utile della gestione ordinaria (trading profit) di 1,5 miliardi, mentre se ciò non dovesse accadere l’impatto negativo su tale grandezza sarebbe nell’ordine dei 300 milioni di euro. Meno brillanti le previsioni a breve per Cnh e Iveco: nel primo caso le previsioni per il 2009 parlano di un mercato in calo “in tutte le regioni” del 40%-45% rispetto al 2008, mentre per i mezzi pesanti in Europa Occidentale il fondo sembra toccato, ma la risalita si preannuncia faticosa tanto che il 2009 dovrebbe registrare complessivamente volumi in calo del 40%. Per quanto riguarda l’integrazione con Chrysler il numero uno del Lingotto ha confermato solo che “sta procedendo” e che il management del gruppo è “attivamente impegnato in questa operazione”. “E’ prematuro fare anticipazioni”, ha poi concluso, ribadendo come già si leggeva nella trimestrale diffusa stamane che i dettagli dell’operazione “li vedremo dopo la presentazione del piano quinquennale di Chrysler il 4 novembre”. Quanto alle ricorrenti voci di un aumento di capitale, il numero uno del gruppo ha ribadito come “non sia il caso” visto che “siamo fiduciosi che continueremo a generare cassa nel quarto trimestre” e che sul debito il gruppo, che nelle scorse settimane ha collocato con successo tre bond per oltre 3,2 miliardi di euro, “non ha scadenze a breve”. Mentre Marchionne parlava giungevano due ulteriori notizie. In Italia, Fiat Powertrain (1,25 miliardi di ricavi a fine settembre, in calo del 40,5% rispetto al precedente trimestre ma solo del 22,5% su base annua, con un trading profit di 19 milioni contro i -26 milioni segnati nei tre mesi precedenti) ha annunciato altre due settimane di cassa integrazione (dal 16 al 28 novembre), che dovrebbero riguardare in tutto 1.046 lavoratori (di cui 146 tra quadri e impiegati) della linea dei motori dello stabilimento di Torino Stura, che fornisce i camion di Iveco. Da oltre oceano Steve Rattner, banchiere d’affari a capo fino allo scorso luglio della task force nominata da Barack Obama per occuparsi della crisi dell’auto, ha riferito di come l’amministrazione fosse profondamente divisa al suo interno (con 4 membri a favore e 4 contrari) sull’opportunità di concedere finanziamenti per la ristrutturazione di Chrysler e sulla possibilità che il produttore di Detroit potesse sopravvivere per rimborsare gli aiuti. Lo stesso Rattner, messo sotto pressione dal consigliere economico capo di Obama, il 53 enne Larry Summers (economista nipote di due “mostri sacri” come Paul Samuelson e Kenneth Arrow, già segretario al Tesoro Usa sotto Clinton dal 1999 al 2001), stimò all’epoca le probabilità di sopravvivenza di Chrysler nei due anni successivi pari solo al 51%. Come dire che la fiducia in Sergio Marchionne, da alcuni commentatori paragonato ormai a Lee Iacocca, e nel know-how di Fiat nel settore delle city car ha significato molto nel momento in cui il presidente Usa optò per far entrare il gruppo italiano nel salvataggio di Chrysler, ma che tra le due società quella per cui l’accordo ha rappresentato sin dall’inizio un’intesa “vitale” è sempre stato l’ex colosso di Detroit.
(Fonte: www.affaritaliani.it - 21/10/2009)

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Corp. announced joint plans to initiate a business venture to "Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle" lithium-ion batteries previously used in electric cars.

The "4R" business model is designed to capitalize on the supply of reusable lithium-ion batteries as electric cars achieve widespread marketplace acceptance. While today there is no existing supply of large-capacity reusable batteries, by 2020 in Japan, the demand for "second-life" batteries is expected to reach the equivalent of 50,000 electric-cars per year at the minimum, as demand grows for an increasing range of energy-storage solutions.
"We recognize Nissan's unique responsibility as the first company in the world to commit to delivering affordable zero-emission mobility," said Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan’s COO. "Consumers are excited by the promise of all-electric, zero-emission cars, but they also want assurances that lithium-ion batteries can be reused and recycled. In fact, our batteries are not only reusable, but they also contribute as a solution to energy storage. We are pleased to have found a business partner in Sumitomo."

Nissan has committed to bringing electric vehicles to the mass market by fiscal year 2012. As consumers increasingly choose zero-emission cars, demand for second-life batteries is expected to grow as the supply of reusable batteries from electric cars rises. Even after the end of normal vehicle life, the high-performance lithium-ion batteries used by Nissan will retain 70 to 80 percent of residual capacity and can be reused and resold to various industries as a solution to energy-storage.

"As a company that handles initiatives from natural resources and battery materials to building an infrastructure for electric vehicles, we are quite pleased to announce our work with Nissan to create a new market with second-life batteries," said Kazuo Ohmori, Sumitomo Corp.’s executive VP. "In coming years, our social commitment is to contribute to the substantial reduction of carbon dioxide. I believe this new potential venture could help us fulfill our social commitment."

The two companies have committed to a joint feasibility study to establish a framework for a JV company, which is expected to be operational by late next year, in Japan and the United States. In Europe, Nissan will proceed to explore the 4R business model with its Alliance partner, Renault. A task force from Sumitomo and Nissan will work to finalize details such as the shareholding structure, capital investment, business structure and other operational concerns for the joint venture.

The 4R pillars for the second-life battery business are:

Reuse: Start second-life use for batteries with approximately 70 to 80 percent capacity;

Resell: Resell the batteries for various applications;

Refabricate: Disassemble the battery pack and then repackage and customize to fit the client's needs; and

Recycle: Implement end-of-life recycling to salvage raw materials.

Thomas Debuisser, founder and controlling director of Clairitec, and Gildo Pallanca Pastor, CEO of Venturi, officially announce the creation of the "Ventec - Intelligent Battery Management System", a new generation of Intelligent Battery Management System (IBMS) enhancing both security and performance of Lithium technologies.

The "Battery Management System" (BMS) is a major factor in the mastery of embedded energy. It handles temperature control, battery balancing, charging and discharging management and data processing for the cells composing batteries.

A company specializing in embedded intelligence, Ventec develops "Ventec IBMS", Intelligent Battery Management System wich incorporates a new generation of software and electronic cards. The degree of measurement precision combined with a predictive system based on modelling of the various types of battery chemistries make "Ventec IBMS" a particularly innovative solution.

"Ventec IBMS" is intended for all battery manufacturers, but also for car manufacturers wanting to propose a secure and high-performance range of electric or hybrid vehicles.

French "Ventec IBMS" technology is an important advance wich will help to speed up the marketing of reliable and competitive Lithium battery packs.

Clairitec is a digital and electronic engineering firm specializing in the design and production of industrial electronics. In just twelve years, Clairitec has become a reference in the provision of electronic solutions in the areas of aeronautics, automotive and medical equipment. Clairitec benefits from recognized expertise in the development of electronic cards and software specific to BMS. This expertise is backed up by the production of 12,000 electronic cards since 2000.

Since 2001, Venturi has pursued a policy of spearhead innovation enabling it to become a major player in the field of electric vehicles. Mastering the most advanced technological solutions in this sector, Venturi can claim unique feedback from its experience in the various battery technologies. Its expertise ranges from high-performance vehicles to urban cycles through conversion of vehicles into electric propulsion.

At the opening of the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed that Nissan will produce an electric version of the firm's newly introduced NV200 light commercial vehicle.

In what is now becoming an emerging trend in the EV market with Ford, Mitsubishi and now Nissan planning small EV vans, Ghosn said "This low-cost multi-purpose vehicle would allow ambulance drivers to drive directly into the hospital... or van and taxi drivers to enter urban areas where CO2 emissions are restricted, It's a flexible, practical vehicle with zero emissions."

While the Japanese automaker released a teaser sketch of the fully electric NV200, no other information was given out on the vehicle.

The Yamaha EC-03 is a 100% electric powered commuter vehicle developed with a concept of Light, Smart, Clean and Silent. It mounts a slim electric power unit and lithium-ion battery on a lightweight aluminum frame. With Yamaha-exclusive motor control technology it provides smooth start-ups and acceleration. The charger is built into the vehicle for easy recharging from a home electric outlet.

The Yamaha EC-03 with Permanent magnet type synchronous motor power unit is equivalent to 50cc license category at less than 0.6 kW (600 watts) and is powered by Lithium-ion battery.

La Mazda è orgogliosa della sua indipendenza, dopo che la Ford ha ceduto la sua partecipazione nella ormai ex controllata giapponese. Ma, con un volume produttivo di poco più di un milione di macchine l'anno, ha obiettivamente un problema di taglia. Se dovesse pensare a un futuro diverso dall'attuale stato di fiera solitudine? Ci sarebbe una marca che più di altre si adatterebbe allo spirito Mazda? "Non avrei dubbi: Alfa Romeo", dice al Salone di Tokyo Kiyoshi Fujiwara, direttore generale della divisione Powertrain di Mazda, inquadrando la prospettiva da un punto di vista ingegneristico. Alfa Romeo viene indicato come marchio preferito, e questa volta dal punto di vista estetico-emotivo, anche dal direttore del design della Casa giapponese, Ikuo Maeda, che lo mette nella rosa dei tre marchi al momento più stimolanti del panorama automobilistico, assieme appunto a Citroën per quanto riguarda lo spirito d'innovazione estetica e a BMW per la qualità tecnica e di esecuzione. Insomma, se non è proprio un'offerta di matrimonio, è comunque un bel complimento per la Casa italiana.
(Fonte: www.quattroruote.it - 21/10/2009)

Fiat Powertrain ha lanciato online il sito del MultiJet II: “The music has changed” è il motto d’apertura. E il video introduttivo sottolinea, proprio con l’aiuto di una sezione ritmica, l’evoluzione del diesel common rail, dalla sua nascita nel 1997 fino ad oggi, passando per le 5 iniezioni per ciclo del MultiJet 2003 e le 8 attuali. Si tratta di una pagina web molto interessante per chi vuole approfondire gli aspetti meno noti dei nuovi diesel di Torino: tecnologia, strategia di funzionamento e benefici in termini di controllo della combustione e di contenimento di consumi ed emissioni sono spiegati in termini accessibili a tutti. L’ultima sezione, “Developers Stories”, ospita infine due video in cui gli ingegneri Marco Casalone e Luigi Spagnulo si soffermano sulla storia del MultiJet e sui miglioramenti apportati dal MultiJet II.
(Fonte: www.autoblog.it - 19/10/2009)

Gian Mario Rossignolo è un nome che si sentirà pronunciare sempre più spesso. E' lui che ha rivelato i macchinari e gli impianti Paninfarina di Grugliasco (Torino) e lo ha fatto con un obiettivo: produrre la prima vettura, in alluminio, nel marzo 2011 e "con un marchio conosciuto a livello internazionale", forse De Tomaso. Il giorno dopo la firma del contratto preliminare di compravendita con lo storico carrozziere torinese emergono i dettagli dell'operazione. Con un investimento immediato di 53 milioni di euro, che diventeranno 120 nell'arco di 3 anni, Rossignolo, attraverso la IAI (Innovation in Auto Industry), rileverà il ramo dell'azienda Pininfarina garantendo l'occupazione a 900 dipendenti per produrre tre modelli, ciascuno in 3mila esemplari l'anno, con un punto di pareggio indicato in 800 vetture per modello vendute ogni anno. Le auto in alluminio che nasceranno nell'impianto di Grugliasco, venduto da Pininfarina alla Finpiemonte e per cui la IAI pagherà un canone annuo di affitto pari a 650mila euro per 6 anni, potranno essere equipaggiate con motori elettrici e la collaborazione con Pininfarina proseguirà proprio in questa direzione. "E' allo studio la possibilità di creare una miniflotta di autobus urbani elettrici, riconvertendo i vecchi autobus Euro Zero", ha detto l'assessore regionale all'Industria Andrea Bairati. Così sarebbe garantito il lavoro nei due stabilimenti Pininfarina del Canavese: uno per le auto elettriche e l'altro per la conversione dei mezzi pubblici. Vero simbolo della collaborazione tra il Gruppo Rossignolo e la Pininfarina S.p.A. è però la Galleria del vento di Grugliasco, rimasta proprietà del carrozziere. Lo stesso Rossignolo ha detto inoltre di essere interessato ad utilizzare lo stile Pininfarina per le nuove auto, mentre a sua volta può offrire la fornitura del servizio di verniciatura ai veicoli prodotti negli stabilimenti canavesani.
(Fonte: www.omniauto.it - 16/10/2009)

The recent buzz over hybrids and electric cars has overshadowed the massive investments global auto giants are making in fuel-cell vehicles — another near-reality dream car that some believe promises an ultimate zero-emissions society.

Japan plans to stay on the cutting edge of the accelerated race for green technology — including fuel cells — that has kept its automakers competitive even as rival gas-guzzling carmakers crumbled under the weight of the global recession.

But despite a lead in technology, some carmakers, especially from abroad, say costly and back-breaking legal barriers are making Japanese roads uninviting for testing their latest pollution-free cars.

General Motors Co. of the United States and Mercedes-Benz, an arm of Germany's Daimler AG, have long been engaged in talks with Japanese authorities to bring in their latest fuel-cell vehicles with 700-bar high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks for a test run on public roads.

"Japan is waving a flag for eco-cars but why don't they let these cars in," said George Hansen, director in charge of fuel-cell commercialization at General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan) Ltd.

Fuel-cell vehicles, which are powered by electricity generated by a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, have long been researched as an alternative to petroleum-powered cars since they only emit water vapor, have ample driving range and can be quickly refueled.

With global auto giants pushing to mass-produce the electric vehicles with fuel cells from 2015, Japan is also scrambling to lay the groundwork that will help to allay concerns on safety, production costs and lack of infrastructure like hydrogen fueling stations.

But while the country already has regulations on a 350-bar ( 5000 psi ) hydrogen tank system, the government is still in the process of setting up a legal framework for a 700-bar ( 10,000 psi) system, which promises a longer cruising distance.

As a result, automakers say they currently need to collect and submit massive volumes of data for a series of safety tests to obtain certification, a straining and foggy process that could cost over $1 million in total.

In GM's case, the automaker needs to provide convincing data to verify the safety of a tank material that is not common in Japan — the key cause for stalled talks for certification.

"There is nowhere else in the world that requires this amount of money for a test vehicle," said Masanobu Wada, managing director of the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

Combined with huge resources already spent in developing the fuel-cell vehicle, there is also no guarantee that the extra costs for data collection will bear fruit.

At home, Toyota Motor Corp. is among the few domestic automakers given approval for driving its FCHV-adv fuel-cell vehicle with a 700-bar system on public roads.

Both Toyota and Honda Motor Co., whose FCX Clarity with a lower pressure 350-bar system is available for lease in Japan, refused to provide any details on the certification process.

But several officials familiar with the negotiations said Toyota likely also waded through the same hurdles to obtain approval for its FCHV since both Japanese and foreign automakers are obliged to meet the taxing requirements for a test run on public roads.

"There are no legal shortcuts," an official at a Japanese carmaker said on condition of anonymity. "The government does not have any guideline to evaluate the new technology."

GM brought one of its fuel-cell Chevrolet Equinox vehicles to Japan around two years ago for a test run, but it still remains stationed for display at a government exhibition park in Yokohama.

The U.S. automaker currently has over 100 of these cars on roads worldwide, including the United States, Europe and South Korea.

"To be honest, we can't just let our vehicle — our valuable asset — sit tight since it will decay if we don't move it," Hansen said.

But GM is no stranger in the process. It made similar investments when it was granted approval for its liquid hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the HydroGen3, in 2003.

And this time the situation is vastly different. The company, which made a rare speedy exit from bankruptcy proceedings in July, is eager to put on a greener face and keep its foothold in an environmentally conscious market.

"We're not giving up," Hansen said. "GM believes it's important to have our cars driven in Japan."

Japan, for its part, has been trying to relax some of its regulations while launching various demonstrations and projects to ensure safety. It is also one of the key players in efforts led by the United Nations to compile global standards for fuel-cell and other auto-related technologies.

"We are aiming for international harmonization so Japan does not isolate itself with unique regulations," said Yasushi Takahashi, chief officer at the government-affiliated New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.

"But these promotional activities (on fuel-cell vehicles) will come to an immediate halt if an accident occurs, so we need to be cautious in that sense," he added.

Takafumi Imada, subsection chief in charge of hydrogen and fuel-cell promotion at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, also said each automaker for its part needs to specify concrete numerical targets that demonstrate the company's long-term position on fuel-cell vehicles.

"We feel that they should clarify the role of their (fuel-cell) business and their firm commitment and resolve," Imada said. "Only then can we begin talk on division between the public and private sectors on what each of us needs to do."

But whether foreign automakers are willing to wait for those legal barriers to come down is another matter, especially at a time when many are turning their attention away from a shrinking Japanese market to vibrant auto demand in neighboring China.

"If Japan wants to lead in environmental technology, it needs to think more about what that really means," GM's Hansen said.

"Instead of simply making good technology and exporting it," Hansen said Japan should exercise "soft leadership in translating various ideas (on paper) into action."

In previous coverage of the UK wind power company Ecotricity and their Lotus based EV project I have to admit I had the wrong opinion about Ecotricity CEO Dale Vince. Having just discovered he founded the company while having lived in the back of a truck for 10 years I have a new found respect for the man.

In an interview with Robert Llewellyn (of cult BBC sitcom Red Dwarf fame), Dale busts some myths about wind turbine load factor, the UK's wind generating capacity, and explains how Ecotricity got started from the back of a truck, taking 5 years to get his first wind turbine up, to building a company worth $200 Million. They also take the $350,000 wind powered Lotus EV for a spin.

The interview is part of an Internet TV series called Carpool in which Llewellyn interviews notable business people, celebrities and other interesting characters. Being mostly British based many of the 'Celeb's may be unfamiliar, but the show is mostly about Green topics and they're always in either a hybrid or an electric car. Other notable interviews Chelsea Sexton, proponent of electric vehicles, Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development for Tesla Motors and a test drive of the Mitsubishi MiEV.

For decades, automakers have been on a quest to make cars quieter: an auto that purrs, and glides almost silently in traffic. Despite the fact that 70% of the noise generated by a vehcile is created by the tires, some are now claiming electric vehciles and hybrids aren’t noisy enough.

Self appointed safety experts, the same people who brought us the hyper annoying reversing beeper, worry that electric vehicles and hybrids pose a threat if pedestrians can’t hear them approaching and want to impose themselves on automakers to supply some digitally enhanced vroom.

So automakers have now gone on a PR offensive to counter these claims. Just as cellphones have ring tones, “car tones” may not be far behind — an option for owners of electric vehicles to choose the sound their cars emit.

Working with Hollywood special-effects wizards, some hybrid auto companies have started tinkering in sound studios, rather than machine shops, to customize engine noises. The Fisker Karma, an $87,900 plug-in hybrid expected to go on sale next year, will emit a sound — pumped out of speakers in the bumpers — that the company founder, Henrik Fisker, describes as “a cross between a starship and a Formula One car.”

Nissan is also consulting with the film industry on sounds that could be emitted by its forthcoming Leaf battery-electric vehicle, while Toyota has been working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Federation of the Blind and the Society of Automotive Engineers on sounds for electric vehicles.

“One possibility is choosing your own noise,” said Nathalie Bauters, a spokeswoman for BMW’s Mini division, who added that such technology could be added to one of BMW’s electric vehicles in the future.

Despite the fact that EVs haven't even hit the showroom floors yet, Congress introduced the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 early this year that would require a federal safety standard to protect pedestrians from ultra-quiet cars. We are left to imagine which particular vested interests are funding which special interest group pushing for this kind of law?

Karen Aldana, a spokeswoman for traffic safety agency, which is also working on the issue, said, “We’re looking at data on noise and E.V. safety, but manufacturers are starting to address it voluntarily.”

A Toyota spokesman, John Hanson, said: “I don’t know of any injuries related to this, but it is a concern. We are moving rapidly toward broader use of electrification in vehicles, and it’s a fact that these cars are very quiet and could pose a risk to unsighted people.”

A study published last year by the University of California, Riverside and financed by the National Federation of the Blind evaluated the effect of sounds emitted by hybrid and internal-combustion cars traveling at 5 miles per hour.

People listening in a lab could correctly detect a gas-powered car’s approach when it was 28 feet away, but could not hear the arrival of a hybrid operating in silent battery mode until it was only seven feet away. Of couse electric vehciles don't actually drive down footpaths so this only becomes a problem if a blind person jaywalks.

A more realistic proposal may be a law requiring all Vision-impaired people to wear day-glow safety vests when walking near roads, exactly like out-door workers, including Police, are required to do by current occupational health and safety laws.

Mr. Scott, vice president of the advocacy group Plug In America, said he would prefer giving drivers control over whether the motor makes noise, unlike, say, the Fisker Karma, which will make its warning noise automatically.

“Quiet cars need to stay quiet — we worked so hard to make them that way,” he said. “It’s the driver’s responsibility not to hit somebody.”

Mr. Scott has already warmed up to the idea of a car ring tone.

“It should be a manually operated noisemaker, a button on the steering wheel triggering a recording of your choice,” he said. “It could play ‘In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,’ or anything you like.”

Not forgetting the manually operated steering wheel mounted noisemaker already standard on all cars... the HORN!!

Tutto da rifare per la Opel, addio alla certezza dell'accordo tra Berlino e la cordata degli austrocanadesi di Magna e dei russi della banca Sberbank e della vecchia fabbrica d'auto Gaz: la Commissione europea, anzi più precisamente la commissario europea per il controllo del rispetto delle norme Ue sulla libera concorrenza, signora Neelie Kroes, ha scritto una lettera urgente al governo tedesco in cui esprime severe critiche. Ci sono chiari indizi, scrive Mevrouw Kroes, che gli aiuti pubblici promessi (4,5 miliardi di euro) e in parte (1,5 miliardi del totale) già concessi come credito-ponte, siano stati tacitamente legati all'ipotesi di una vittoria di Magna e non garantiti a qualsiasi altra cordata fosse stata eventualmente scelta da General Motors, la casa-madre originaria dello storico marchio tedesco e della filiale britannica Vauxhall. E ciò contraddice norme e regole europee sulla libera concorrenza. Pessimo giorno per Angela Merkel, dunque, proprio mentre la cancelliera crisitanoconservatrice (CduCsu) vincitrice delle elezioni del 27 settembre scorso con la sua proposta di svolta dalla grosse Koalition uscente con la socialdemocrazia, Spd, grazie al trionfo elettorale dei liberali (Fdp) sta completando il difficile negoziato con la Fdp stessa sulla nuova maggioranza. Tutto è da rivedere, scrive Mevrouw Kroes: la Germania deve fornire per iscritto a General Motors e all'amministrazione fiduciaria provvisoria di Opel fondate garanzie di concedere le stesse condizioni, cioè gli stessi aiuti, a tutti. la lettera inviata al ministro dell'Economia uscente, il barone Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, è chiarissima. "Già la settimana scorsa ci siamo parlati con la signora Kroes sui dubbi della Ue", aveva preannunciato il barone zu Guttemberg prima dell'annuncio di questa sera venerdì. Il problema è che la Commissione, e con essa i governi degli altri paesi europei dove sorgono impianti Opel o Vauxhall (Belgio, Regno Unito, Spagna, Polonia) sospettano da tempo che il piano di Magna sia stato preferito dai tedeschi perché il drastico progetto di tagli occupazionali degli austrocanadesi-russi protegge e garantisce i quattro impianti di Opel in Germania - la casa madre Ruesselsheim, poi Bochum, Kaiserslautern ed Eisenach) molto più delle fabbriche negli altri Stati membri della Ue. Sarebbe quindi un protezionismo mascherato, contrario alle norme europee a difesa della libera concorrenza e quindi della pari opportunità tra le imprese. Soprattutto il governo socialista spagnolo aveva dato voce a queste critiche sparando a zero sulla soluzione Magna. La partita da cui Fiat era stata esclusa nei mesi scorsi a causa delle pressioni dei potenti sindacati tedeschi (i metalmeccanici di IgMetall) e della Spd (socialdemocrazia, allora alleata di Frau Merkel nella grosse Koalition) dunque si riapre. La cancelliera è ora sciolta, grazie al verdetto degli elettori, dall'ipoteca del pressing Spd, ma i sindacati restano potentissimi. E rimane da vedere quale impatto il fallimento apparente dell'accordo con Magna avrà sul rapporto speciale, la 'special relationship' di Berlino con la Russia di Putin e Medvedev. Al contrario del suo predecessore spd Gerhard Schroeder, che aveva condotto una politica di prono allineamento allo stile e agli atti imperiali del Cremlino, Merkel vuole con Mosca un rapporto stabile e stretto ma a pari dignità e con ogni diritti di Berlino di criticare la grande potenza. Ma il potere russo ha dalla sua un potente lobbyista: appunto l'ex cancelliere Schroeder. Il quale è ora alto dirigente e consulente di Gazprom, il colosso energetico che è prima azienda russa e legato a filo doppio al Cremlino. La riapertura a sorpresa della partita Opel accende o riaccende dunque anche scontri politici, geopolitici ed economici decisivi: tra la Germania e l'Unione europea, visto che quest'ultima ha chiaramente negato alla prima potenza della stessa Ue il diritto di stringere sopra la testa degli altri paesi membri dell'Unione intese internazionali che coinvolgono gli interessi di tutta l'Europa. Ma anche tra Germania e Russia, visto che lo sbarco in forze della banca russa più vicina al potere e l'accesso per la Russia a tecnologie d'avanguardia (auto ecologiche, auto elettriche, produzione moderna) ora è in forse. Il caso Opel, che sembrava chiuso con la fine della grosse Koalition, diventa ora un difficile e prioritario dossier aperto per il governo che Merkel e il leader liberale Guido Westerwelle vogliono varare entro il 9 novembre, ventesimo anniversario della caduta del Muro di Berlino. E teoricamente General Motors può ripensarci e scegliere qualsiasi altro acquirente. Vedremo tra l'altro come a questo punto Fiat sceglierà di reagire.
(Fonte: www.repubblica.it - 16/10/2009)