All posts by Repost

O-M-G — Get Me Out Of This Gasmobile!

March 16, 2019Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, PollutionRepost

I’m renting a gas car for a few days. I won’t bother naming it, but it’s one of the 10 top selling cars in the USA. (Oh yeah, you can also see it above.) O–M–G, I cannot wait to get out of this car!

For people driving a Tesla, a BMW i3, a Nissan LEAF, a Chevy Bolt EV, or probably any other electric car for a while, I think the feelings they have when driving a gas or diesel car again are highly similar to mine below. Even knowing that, and even experiencing it years before,I couldn’t avoid the visceral shock of this experience.

Initially, I thought, “hey, it will be interesting to experience this car and maybe I’ll find some features I like about it.” Instead, I was quickly reminded of how “1910” gas car technology feels. The first sign (aside from the large grille on the front) was when I sat in the car and couldn’t find the “On” button. “Where the heck is the ‘On’ button in this thing? So many buttons and knobs and I can’t find it anywhere.” Okay, it didn’t take 10 minutes, but there were 30–60 seconds before I realized I had to insert the key into the car and turn it. It was a sign I wasn’t ready for what was about to come.

But the really annoying features are once the car is on. It starts rumbling and grumbling immediately. Like I said, it quickly feels like 1910 tech. It sounds like a monster. Putting the most positive spin on it that I can, it’s like a mild chair massager. 😛 But, yeah, it’s more annoying than relaxing.

All about that bass: carmakers seek electric car sounds for post-petrol era

March 15, 2019Cooper Electric, Electric Cars, Mercedes, MINI, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

GENEVA (Reuters) – Carmakers are dreaming up futuristic electric car engine sounds to ensure that pedestrians can hear vehicles that lack audible cues like high-revving, howling combustion engines, senior executives at the Geneva car show said.

As BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Mini and VW prepare to launch battery-driven vehicles, carmakers are searching for a new way to market the potency of their zero-emissions vehicles.

“The electric vehicle sound is its identity. It cannot be too intrusive or annoying. It has to be futuristic and it cannot sound like anything we had in the past. We cannot simply add the sound of a combustion engine,” Frank Welsch, responsible for technical development at Volkswagen, told Reuters.

VW’s electric cars will have speakers designed to draw the attention of pedestrians, Welsch said, standing next to a lime- green electric dune buggy being shown in Geneva.

“Performance models need to have a more assertive sound, with more bass. It cannot be a high pitched din, like a sewing machine. It has to be futuristic,” he said, adding that SUVs will have a deeper sound to reflect their bigger size.

Nissan Leaf becomes the first EV to surpass 400,000 sales

March 14, 2019Electric Cars, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

Throwing the confetti for the long-running, mass-market electric car

Nissan said Tuesday that the Leaf surpassed 400,000 sales, making it the first electric vehicle to hit that sales plateau. Of course, it’s also had a hefty head start over its closest competitors, the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevrolet Bolt, having first gone on sale in late 2010, and it has a few other advantages as well. Not to rain on the Leaf parade or anything.

Now in its second generation and sporting improved driving ranges, Nissan says Leaf owners have driven their cars more than 6.2 billion collective miles, equating to an estimated savings of 3.8 million barrels of oil per year. The battery-powered hatchback is now available in more than 50 markets across the world, with six new markets coming on board during the first half of 2019 in Latin America, and seven across Asia and Oceania by year’s end. The Leaf was the best-selling EV in Europe in 2018 and the top-selling vehicle of any kind in Norway last year, Nissan says.

Nissan also builds the Leaf at three different plants globally: Oppama, Japan; Sunderland, England; and Smyrna, Tenn.

By comparison, a spokeswoman for Tesla said the company had built more than 150,000 Model 3s as of the end of 2018, with nearly 140,000 sold since it went into limited production in mid-2017, according to its most recent quarterly letter to shareholders. Tesla said December was the car’s highest-volume month ever, with 63,359 Model 3s delivered in the fourth quarter. The company also has begun producing the vehicle for export to Europe and China, has begun construction on a new plant to build it in Shanghai, China, and it recently announced it would finally start selling the vehicle at its long-promised entry-level price of $35,000, making it competitive on price with the Leaf.

New Green NCAP highlights real-world emissions performance

March 13, 2019Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionRepost

Safety rating organisation Euro NCAP has launched a new green car assessment programme called Green NCAP in conjunction with European Governments, motoring clubs and other organisations.

It aims to promote cars that are less polluting and more fuel- and energy-efficient by providing consumers with independent information about cars’ performance in tests that go well beyond legislative requirements to uncover the differences between manufacturers’ emissions-control strategies.

With members and independent test laboratories in eight European countries, Green NCAP aims to motivate car manufacturers to develop cars that make the most efficient use of the energy they use and to minimise the pollutant and greenhouse gases they emit.

For now, Green NCAP considers only the energy used while driving (‘tank to wheel’), but in time, well-to-wheel and ultimately the whole life-cycle will be considered, including the energy used to produce the vehicle, the energy it consumes in its lifetime and the energy needed to scrap and recycle its parts.

Pierre Castaing, chairman of Euro NCAP, said,

“For years, there has been a mismatch between the way cars perform in regulatory tests and how they perform on the road. Consumers often don’t get the fuel economy officially claimed for their vehicles and end up paying for the difference in fuel. Now, legislation is tightening-up, but consumer testing can complement it and go a step further: it can really encourage car manufacturers to beat their competitors by innovating in the field of energy efficiency and emission reduction. We’re confident that they will respond to the challenge, to the benefit of car-buyers and the environment.”

In Green NCAP’s first round of tests, twelve cars have been rated: the Hyundai Ioniq and BMW i3, both electric vehicles, achieve a maximum five-star rating; the VW up! GTI gets a creditable four stars; BMW’s X1 2.0d and the Mercedes-Benz A200 are both awarded three stars; the Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost is rated as two stars in its latest guise, and a one-star rating is given to the Audi A7 50 TDI, the Volvo XC40 T5 and the Subaru Outback 2.5. Three cars – the VW Golf 1.6TDI, the FIAT Panda 1.0 and the previous level Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost – get zero-star ratings. All three of the zero-star cars are approved to Euro 6b emissions standards, still valid for models introduced before September 2017. However, from September 2019, all cars will have to meet the tougher standards of Euro 6d-temp and updated versions of these cars will be rated in the next round of tests.

2020 Seat el-Born electric car revealed: price, specs and release date

March 12, 2019el-Born, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SeatRepost

Concept previews Seat’s first electric car: a five-door family hatchback that will challenge the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe…

Look just beneath the surface of this el-Born concept car’s funky, futuristic styling and you’ll glimpse Seat’s first electric car. Based on the same underpinnings as Volkswagen’s upcoming ID electric hatchback, the el-Born will lead to a production model with about the same footprint as the current Leon family hatchback.

2020 Seat el-Born range and charging

Powered by a 201bhp electric motor, the el-Born has an official range of 261 miles on the new WLTP test cycle – far greater than electric rivals such as the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf, which offer 186 and 168 miles respectively on the same test. The el-Born should also be nippy; it can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 7.5sec.

Charging the el-Born to 80% capacity takes as little as 47 minutes using the latest 100kW rapid chargers, but that time will increase dramatically if you use a standard wall-mounted charger. A heat pump can extend battery life by as much as 37 miles in conditions where cold can quickly sap an electric car’s range.

Seat is traditionally seen as the VW Group’s sporty brand – something that’s emphasised by the el-Born’s wide, low stance, with its wheels pushed to the very edges of the car. Design features include a closed-off grille (no air intake is needed to cool an engine). There are intakes lower down, though, to increase the car’s aerodynamic efficiency and send air to the battery pack. The el-Born concept sits on 20in wheels that help to channel cooling air to the brakes.

2020 Seat el-Born interior

Inside, the el-Born features a 10.0in touchscreen infotainment system that’s angled towards the driver, plus a digital instrument cluster. The absence of an engine up front has also allowed Seat to maximise room inside the car and provide lots of storage space, including under the centre console between the front seats, although boot capacity is still unknown.

The el-Born is capable of controlling its own acceleration, braking and steering in certain situations, such as on the motorway, and its advanced driver assistance systems include a self-parking function.

Jaguar i-Pace wins UK Car of the Year 2019 award

March 11, 2019Electric Cars, I-PACE, Jaguar Land Rover, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The electric Jaguar i-Pace is the 2019 UK Car of the Year, after a closely fought battle with three other manufacturers.

Having been named the Best Executive car when the category winners were announced in February, the Jaguar was pitted against the 11 other triumphant new cars to fight it out for the top accolade of overall winner.

It is the third time in six years of the UK Car of the Year Awards that the overall victor has been battery-powered. John Challen, director of the UK Car of the Year Awards, said:

“As manufacturers take electric vehicles more seriously, Jaguar is leading the pack with the i-Pace, which offers fantastic range and performance as well as a stylish and spacious interior for driver and passengers.

“The UK Car of the Year Awards judges are always keen to recognise innovation and that is certainly the case in 2019.”

Collecting the UK Car of the Year Awards 2019 trophy, Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Land Rover MD, said:

“This latest major award for the i-Pace is something we can all be extremely proud of. This car was conceived, designed and engineered in Britain, so to have a selection of the nation’s leading automotive journalists vote it as the overall UK Car of the Year against some stiff competition is a special moment for us.”

While the World Goes Electric, Some Germans Desperately Fight for their Diesel

March 10, 2019Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Pollution, SalesRepost

Germany is divided about the future of its most important industry: while some automakers pursue electric vehicles, a noisy group of diesel-energy enthusiasts are expressing their frustration through protests.

These have gone on every weekend so far this year, since the first on January 11th.

The first protest took place in Stuttgart — the hometown of Daimler, Bosch, and Porsche — and was organized by Ioannis Sakkaros, who works as a mechatronics technician for Porsche. Since then, hundreds of protesters wearing yellow vests have gathered each weekend to rally against court-mandated driving bans for older diesel cars. The bans were put in place in response to excessive air pollution.

At a rally on February 9th in Munich, where BMW’s headquarters is located, dozens of people chanted a pro-diesel rhyme together, and cheered on speakers who accused “eco-fascists” and “green ideologists” of wanting to destroy the car industry. A man earned applause from the crowd for calling electric vehicles “hazardous waste.”

The debate about the future of cars — diesel or electric — is emotional for many Germans, as the auto industry and its dependent companies employ 1.8 million people, hundreds of thousands of whom work directly with internal combustion engines. But new carbon emission limits and pending bans on diesel and gasoline cars in major markets threaten their livelihoods. German cars are big business, bringing in almost $500 billion annually. And a successful switch to electromobility will cost 114,000 jobs in Germany by 2035, according to predictions from the Institute for Employment Research. After all, electric motors require significantly fewer components and less maintenance than internal combustion engines — which means an annual economic loss that will grow to reach $22 billion in 2035.

“The diesel is only the beginning,” Michael Haberland, who organized the protest in Munich, tells The Verge. “The gasoline engine is next.” Haberland is president of Mobil in Deutschland, a motor club. He feels the European emission limits for air pollution, which are responsible for driving bans, are nonsense. “Are we all supposed to drive electric vehicles now?” he asks. “They just don’t work. The diesel engine, on the other hand, has been a success story for more than 125 years.”

First Ultra Low Emissions Zone drives up EV values at auction

March 9, 2019Electric Cars, Electric Vans, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

The introduction of the UK’s first Ultra Low Emissions Zone in April is pushing up prices of EVs at auction.

Shoreham Vehicle Auctions (SVA) said it had seen a “significant rise” in demand for EVs in recent months with the market witnessing stronger residual values on both cars and vans.

Alex Wright, managing director of SVA, said: “The second half of 2018 saw a strong demand for used EVs and that has continued into 2019, which has resulted in ever stronger prices.

“For example, the Nissan e-NV200 van has appreciated in value year-on-year by around £1,000.

“Part of this rise in value is because of the increasing awareness across London and the south east of the pending introduction of the UK’s first Ultra Low Emissions Zone in April.”

SVA teamed up with the Energy Saving Trust to launch the first ever used electric vehicle training course for car and van dealer sales staff in May 2018. One of its main jobs was to dispel many of the myths surrounding EVs to help educate dealers on which customers will benefit most from buying and running an electric car.

“We have helped support an increase in knowledge of EVs within the market and many progressive dealers have a good understanding of EVs, customer suitability and battery types,” explained Wright.

Here’s Why Grid-Down Preppers Should Buy Electric Cars: Video

Are EVs right for preppers?

The end is near. Will you survive if you own an electric car? For preppers, the end is always right around the corner. Therefore, you should be ready to bug out in the post-collapse world.

Would you better off in an electric car in such a situation. Or is gas the answer? Maybe some other means of transport entirely? Like, say a bicycle.

With the rise of Rivian and its rugged R1T and R1S electric off-roaders, there’s seem to be a new interest in electric vehicles among preppers and for good reason. Most noteworthy, EVs don’t rely on gasoline, which in a grid-down scenario, becomes scarce immediately. Additionally, EVs can be charged by the sun.

Electric Cars Are About To Absolutely Demolish Gasmobiles

March 7, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

We have other, much longer, much more detailed articles coming about this, and I have to recommend those over this one. But there’s also something useful about a short, simple message.

Kia Niro EVWhile editing Nicolas Zart’s review of the Kia Niro EV, one line jumped out at me and triggered this story.

“From Oct 2014 (first Soul EV launch) to Jan 2019, a little less than four years, the range has advanced from 93 miles to 239 miles (2.6×), and the battery energy density increased by +25%, while battery weight increased only 1.6x (640 lb to 1008 lb),” Steven Kosowski, Kia’s Long Range Strategy & Planning Manager, said.

This is something that those of us who have been following electric cars for years understand well, and understand is key to electric vehicles being disruptive tech, but we also get a little complacent to the progress and what is around the corner.

If you have a 71 mile BMW i3 (like we do), or a 84 mile Nissan LEAF, or a 62 mile Mitsubishi i-MiEV, you think about range quite a bit. You may not be plagued with range anxiety — that’s actually quite rare for people who actually own electric cars — but you plan a lot and are sure to charge often. Seeing range for the new versions of the i3, LEAF, and similar electric cars jump to 110 miles, 130 miles, 150 miles, etc. is a clear indicator the technology is improving fast and becoming much more acceptable for mainstream buyers.