We are lucky today to get the loan of the new plug-in electric hybrid Mini Countryman for the weekend from our friends at BMW. Jo, our sales and business administrator, drew the long straw and will get to enjoy the new car until Monday.
It shows an electric range of up to 22 miles (25 if you drive really gently), so the average driver won’t need to switch on the 1.5l engine.
Looking forward to lots of fun with an iconic car.
Four decades ago, the electric car looked set to be an acceptable commuting vehicle within a few years.
From 1977: “The electric car seems inevitable. As oil resources dwindle, it will appear far more prudent to develop an automobile powered by electricity, charged by an already-in-place power generation system, than to invest in huge plants to produce synthetic gasoline. Electric automobiles would snuggle nicely into a large, unexploited niche in the electric economy by recharging at night when electric demand is low and power plant capacity idle.
“But as yet electric cars have proven abysmal technical failures. For example, in its 1975 tests of two electric cars on the market, Consumer Reports magazine found ‘major safety and operating problems.’ The cars performed poorly, not even living up to their modestly advertised abilities. They accelerated sluggishly, balked at hills, and petered out at inopportune times. The magazine declared that ‘it would be foolhardy to drive either car on any public road.’ The electric cars now on the market have a range of only about 30 miles at 50 miles per hour, with 0-to-30 acceleration times of about 12 seconds. What’s more, the cars were not significantly cheaper to run than comparable gasoline-powered subcompacts.
“Two test electric vehicles recently commissioned by the Energy Research and Development Administration could mark some resurgence for the electric car. The two electric car versions are being built for E.R.D.A. by General Electric Co. and AiResearch Manufacturing Co.
“Both vehicles will possess about the same range and performance characteristics—70 miles between charges, 60-mile-an-hour speeds, and 0-to-30 m.p.h. in about eight seconds. They will also both be about the size and weight of a conventional subcompact, and will operate for about the same costs as a conventional car.”
Read more: Technology Review 1977
BRUSSELS – The European Commission is considering the introduction of a ‘zero emission vehicles’ (ZEV) mandate.
If translated into legislation this means that Europe’s car makers will have to comply with minimum quotas for the production and sales of zero emission vehicles. Such a move will give an unprecedented push to the supply of electric vehicles in Europe, while putting an end to the transport sector’s stubborn CO2 emissions which have seen no significant decline over the past decade and still remain higher than in 1990.
he introduction of a ZEV mandate is being deliberated as the EU regulation setting CO2 standards for new cars and vans (together referred to as light duty vehicles) is currently undergoing reform. Late last year the Commission conducted a public consultation, to which Bellona submitted its views, strongly supporting the tightening CO2 standards, and the inclusion of a targeted mechanism, mandating quotas for the sales of zero emission vehicles. The Commission’s legislative proposal is expected later this year, following which it will be handed over to the European Parliament and Member States.
Meeting the EU’s target of reducing CO2 emissions from transport by 60% and eliminating the use of fossil fuels in cars by 2050 will necessitate immediate efforts to transition to a low- and zero-emission transport sector. Existing CO2 legislation has fallen short in doing so however, largely as a result of the inadequacy of the EU vehicle emission testing regime (the NEDC test) which has accompanied fuel economy standards and thus allowed car makers to systematically cheat their way into compliance.
Read more: BELLONA
Plug in Hybrid options are beginning to cascade across the entire lineup of BMW’s core offerings. BMW designates these PHEVs as the iPerformance line with the marketing tag line; “Charging is optional, thrilling is not”. The X5-40e was the first to market in October 2015, then came the 330e in March of 2016, followed by the 740e nine months later. Now, it’s the 5 Series that’s getting the “e” treatment, with the introduction of the 530e iPerformance.
BMW of North America was kind enough to allow me an exclusive extended test drive of their latest iPerformance offering. Having it for nearly three weeks, I was able to get a good feel for how well the eDrive system works, how it performed, and what to expect in terms of fuel efficiency.
The 530e iPerformance comes with a turbocharged 2-liter inline 4-cylinder engine which, along with the synchronous electric motor combine for an output of 255hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough power to propel the rear wheel drive 530e from 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds, and 5.8 seconds for the xDrive version (which I had), according to BMW. Top speed is 146 mph, and the maximum speed in all electric mode is 87 mph.
However, I noticed that the maximum speed in all electric mode diminishes as the state of charge depletes. So, while you start out with a top speed of 87 mph, it may be as low as 65 mph once the battery state of charge is under 10%.
There are three driving modes: Max eDrive, Auto eDrive and Battery Control. The car defaults to the blended mode of Auto eDrive, which combines the gas and electric power supply to increase efficiency. In Auto eDrive the car decides when it’s best to be in all electric mode, and when to blend the power. It works very well, and I was pleased to see the car wants to drive in electric mode as much as possible, and only turns on the ICE when more power is needed or when the battery SOC is low.
I found that this is probably the most efficient mode to use if you are driving long distances. If you’re going to be driving less than 40 miles, the Max eDrive mode would be the best choice. It keeps the car in all electric mode until the state of charge is depleted, and then the ICE kicks on.
Read more: Inside EVs
Milton Keynes already has a great reputation for its support of Electric Vehicles, from its vast infrastructure of electric charge points to the UK’s first Electric Vehicle Experience Centre due to open later this month.
Now TESLA the American automaker, energy storage and solar manufacturer has set up shop in Milton Keynes Intu shopping centre, displaying their high end electric cars in an impressively slick showroom.
Strolling past this afternoon it was certainly eye catching and there seemed to be a genuine buzz from many passers-by when they noticed the giant letters spelling ‘TESLA’.
The two story car showroom isn’t the first to appear in the Milton Keynes Shopping Centre, a Mercedes store appeared a few weeks previous. This new trend seems to coincide with a greater change and understanding of how consumers are now purchasing. The idea of viewing a car in a showroom and then ‘shopping online’ for the best price is becoming ever so much more the norm, much like shopping for the latest smart TV.
Panasonic Corp. sees the future of solar on car rooftops.
The Osaka-based electronics maker has started producing a 180-watt array of solar cells that can be fixed to the roof of an automobile. In February, Panasonic announced that its photovoltaic module would be used on the roof of Toyota Motor Corp.’s latest Prius plug-in hybrid.
Cars represent a potentially lucrative new outlet for solar cells in an industry where intense competition from Chinese manufacturers has pushed down prices sharply. That’s prompting some manufacturers to adapt solar cells for everything from home roofing tiles and the outer skins of buildings to backpacks and tents.
“Car roofs have the potential to become a new market for solar panels,” Shingo Okamoto, the general manager at Panasonic who was in charge of developing the technology, said. “We made history in the auto industry and in the solar industry with the sun powering mass-produced cars for the first time in the world.”
Cars could hold the promise of a giant new market for solar panels from Panasonic, which also is partnered with Tesla Inc. in making batteries at its Gigafactory outside Las Vegas. There are 264 million cars and light trucks in operation in the U.S., according to the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Others are noticing the potential. Tesla Chairman Elon Musk tweeted in November that his company’s Model 3 car may come with a solar roof. He’s also beginning to sell a type of roof tile for homes featuring embedded photovoltaics. Nissan Motor Co. offers an add-on solar panel option for its Leaf electric cars, giving extra charge to systems such as the air conditioners and radios, according to Nicholas Maxfield, a spokesman for the company.
Read more: Bloomberg Technology
Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn has revealed the proposals that will help achieve his aim of dramatically cutting vehicle emissions in the capital. The plan is to make London’s transport network zero-emission by 2050.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone and T-Charge proposals are already confirmed to come into force in the near future, but zero-emission zones will be launched in phases, with central London and town centres first from 2025, inner London between 2035 and 2040, and a blanket London-wide zone by 2050.
Between now and 2025, a ‘major expansion in electric vehicle charging points’ is planned, along with the installation of at least 15 hydrogen refuelling stations in and around London. These investments in infrastructure will continue in a significant manner to encourage expansion until at least 2035.
In terms of public transport, all new buses bought will be hybrid, electric, or hydrogen, before all buses operating in the capital being zero-emission of hybrid from 2030. All buses will be zero-emission between 2035 and 2040.
All new taxis will need to be zero-emission capable from the beginning of next year, with the same rule for new private hire vehicles by 2025. From 2030, only zero-emission capable taxis and private hire vehicles will be able to operate in London.
The overall aim of these proposals is to improve air quality and reduce congestion. Despite a predicted expansion in London’s population to 10.5 million over the next 25 years – with a forecast additional 5 million trips each day by 2041 using current models – Kahn’s plans aim to cut the number of car journeys by three million each day.
Read more: Next Green Car
The joint venture in autonomous driving by BMW, Mobileye and Intel has gained another partner in German automotive parts and tyre company Continental.
As the development of the technology continues at a pace, manufacturers are finding themselves in needs of an alliance with technology companies to ensure they can keep up with the demand required to meet launch targets. The BMW venture will see Continental play a role in the commercialisation of the platform, which will be sold to other vehicle manufacturers.
Frank Jourdan, member of the Executive Board of Continental AG and head of the Chassis & Safety division, comments:
‘We have already had very good experience in working with the BMW Group through jointly successfully completed development and series projects. Contributing development and integration for the partnership is a recognition of our extensive competence in the field of automated driving. The cooperation with the core partners involved represents the unique opportunity to drive ahead and get this technology of the future to our roads more quickly.’
Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Klaus Fröhlich, member of the board of management of BMW AG for development, adds:
‘Every new Tier One partner brings us a step closer to our goal: We intend to bring safe autonomous driving to series production by 2021 and actively shape this technology. With our non-exclusive approach to this technology of the future we will deliver a safe, fast and cost-efficient solution that is highly attractive also for other manufacturers.’
The group added Delphi to the partnership in May 2017, while Mobileye was bought by Intel earlier in 2017, the technology giant seeing the need to integrate the autonomous specialist into its ranks.
Read more: Autovista Group
AS ELECTRIC cars become ever-more mainstream this BMW 530e is the latest example of new technology becoming normal.
BMW’s new plug-in hybrid version of the already-successful 5-Series could revolutionise the electronic market, especially among business drivers. Plug-in hybrid vehicles work by combining a petrol engine with an electric motor and battery.
That means the car can run on electric power for around 30 miles before the engine kicks in. Alternatively, both the engine and electric motor can work in tandem with the electric one running the car at lower speeds or under light acceleration, switching to or working with petrol when more performance is required.
It takes a sharp eye to even spot that this 530e is the plug-in hybrid version of BMW’s 5-Series saloon, introduced earlier this year. Only details like a blue tint to the grille, blue lining to the BMW badge on the alloy wheels and the eDrive logo on the rear door pillar, as well as the giveaway charge point flap behind the nearside front wheel, mark out this as the ultra-low emission 5-Series.
The plug-in hybrid takes the 5-Series to new efficiency levels, which isn’t surprising as it’s the first rechargeable one. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and 83kw electric motor combine to produce 252bhp, returning an average fuel economy figure of 141.2mpg, though that number is entirely dependent on how much time the car runs on electric rather than petrol, and the emissions figure is 46g/km.
That’s important for company car drivers because anything below 50g/km means lower monthly tax bills. It is also eligible for a £2,500 government grant off the purchase price. The battery helps performance too, giving the 530e a 0 to 60mph acceleration of 6.2 seconds. It is electronically limited to 146mph.
There are three driving modes for how the battery and engine work. In the Auto eDrive setting, the car decides whether to use electric or petrol based on how hard the driver is pressing the accelerator and the car’s speed.
Below 60mph and when not accelerating too hard the battery is employed. Push harder or get to higher speeds and the car switches to petrol. It’s essentially like a regular hybrid, such as Toyota’s Prius.
Read more: Express