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Motor Authority - blog Category: Electric Cars

  • Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit

    Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit November 6th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 6th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit

    Fisker's Karma plug-in hybrid has already won flocks of followers thanks to its stunning looks and powerful stat sheet, so it should be no surprise that the opening of the brand's Santa Monica dealership was met with a full house of guests and fans.

    The car itself has yet to come to production reality, and so far its only real-world test was on the track at Laguna Seca during the Pebble Beach Concours, where no independent journalists were allowed to drive the car. So the car's warm welcome must have been based purely on its potential, rather than its actuality.

    Santa Monica itself may have contributed to the hype, as Automotive News points...

    Fisker's Karma plug-in hybrid has already won flocks of followers thanks to its stunning looks and powerful stat sheet, so it should be no surprise that the opening of the brand's Santa Monica dealership was met with a full house of guests and fans. The car itself has yet to come to production reality, and so far its only real-world test was on the track at Laguna Seca during the Pebble Beach Concours, where no independent journalists were allowed to drive the car. So the car's warm welcome must have been based purely on its potential, rather than its actuality. Santa Monica itself may have contributed to the hype, as Automotive News points out. Long known amongst Californians for its forward-looking--if often oddball--take on life, the city has embraced hybrid and green technology like few others. Many of the 200 or so guests in attendance were among the more than 1,300 people that have place pre-orders for the car effectively sight unseen. The dealership is among the first crop of 32 "Eco-facility" dealers in the U.S., so it's appropriate that it should be located in granola-crunching Santa Monica. The building itself was once a Lexus dealership that has now been retasked to Fisker's uses. Opening the dealership now is mainly a mode of marketing, as no actual sales will be happening for the next several months, though pre-orders will certainly continue to be taken. Fisker's Karma is planned for production by Valmet in Finland to start later this year, followed shortly by retail sales. The company has recently started work on a plant in Delaware as well, to build the brand's next car, which remains unannounced in any detail. The Karma will cost $87,900 when it does hit the street, powered by 408-horsepower and 959 pound-feet of electric-motor torque. [Auto News -- sub. req.] Read More

  • Tesla To Build Model S Sedan Plant In California

    Tesla To Build Model S Sedan Plant In California October 30th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 30th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 4 Comments

    Tesla To Build Model S Sedan Plant In California

    Regardless of what Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger may or may not be saying between the lines to California assemblyman Tom Ammiano, his message is clear when it comes to Tesla Motors: a break on the sales tax on $320 million worth of equipment has enticed Tesla to build its new sedan plant within the state's borders.

    The exact location for the plant isn't yet known, but the cities of Long Beach and Downey are both front runners. This would put the sedan plant--where Tesla will build its 2012 Model S Sedan--near the Los Angeles area, rather than midway up the coast where its current Menlo Park offices are located.

    About $238 million will be...

    Regardless of what Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger may or may not be saying between the lines to California assemblyman Tom Ammiano, his message is clear when it comes to Tesla Motors: a break on the sales tax on $320 million worth of equipment has enticed Tesla to build its new sedan plant within the state's borders. The exact location for the plant isn't yet known, but the cities of Long Beach and Downey are both front runners. This would put the sedan plant--where Tesla will build its 2012 Model S Sedan--near the Los Angeles area, rather than midway up the coast where its current Menlo Park offices are located. About $238 million will be spent on the plant itself, while another $59 million will go to upgrade the existing Palo Alto powertrain production facility. All of these funds come from the U.S. Department of Energy loan secured earlier this year, worth $465 million. The 2012 Tesla Model S sedan, in addition to being seriously good-looking, is expected to be one of the first all-electric sedans to market. It will also carry forward some of the perform legacy built by the Tesla Roadster, with an expected 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds in the running with many gasoline sports sedans. In some configurations the sedan will also be capable of a 300 to 600-mile range. Starting price for the Model S will be $57,500, though a $7,500 tax credit will help bring its total cost down to about $50,000. It's expected to go into production by mid-to-late 2011, reaching retail sale by early 2012. [Reuters] Read More

  • BMW Joins Forces With Carbon Fiber Manufacturer For Megacity Vehicle

    BMW Joins Forces With Carbon Fiber Manufacturer For Megacity Vehicle October 29th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 29th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    BMW Joins Forces With Carbon Fiber Manufacturer For Megacity Vehicle

    BMW's Megacity Vehicle, which will be launched under a sub-brand during the first half of the next decade, will employ a vast array of lightweight composite materials to enable its super-low emissions goals. To that end, BMW today announced a joint venture with carbon fiber and composites experts the SGL Group.

    Both the technology and the materials developed by the SGL Group will feed into the Megacity Vehicle. Ultra light yet still structurally very strong materials will be key to meeting both environmental and safety goals for the car.

    The Megacity Vehicle is expected to come under a BMW sub-brand, possibly the Isetta brand, with the...

    BMW's Megacity Vehicle, which will be launched under a sub-brand during the first half of the next decade, will employ a vast array of lightweight composite materials to enable its super-low emissions goals. To that end, BMW today announced a joint venture with carbon fiber and composites experts the SGL Group. Both the technology and the materials developed by the SGL Group will feed into the Megacity Vehicle. Ultra light yet still structurally very strong materials will be key to meeting both environmental and safety goals for the car. The Megacity Vehicle is expected to come under a BMW sub-brand, possibly the Isetta brand, with the first car under the sub-brand arriving as early as 2012. Talk of collaboration with Toyota on the project, leveraging the iQ city car platform, has also emerged, which would help BMW meet the tight timeline. Project i is the over-arching project that will spawn the Megacity Vehicle, however, meaning that not all cars built under the BMW sub-brand will necessarily share the Megacity's super-high-tech goals. Some may be simpler, cheaper, and more readily available. The Megacity Vehicle is also likely to take several years more development, with the outside window of 2014 or 2015 being more likely for retail release. The Mini E electric vehicle prototype, for example, was the first vehicle to come out of the Project i works. Still, the joint venture with the SGL Group will help BMW reach the economies of scale necessary to produce carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) at volumes and prices realistic for mass production. BMW is, of course, no stranger to carbon fiber, having employed its use extensively in motorsports as well as the CSL versions of its M Division vehicles over the years. [BMW] Read More

  • Final 43 Automotive X Prize Contenders Announced

    Final 43 Automotive X Prize Contenders Announced October 20th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 20th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Final 43 Automotive X Prize Contenders Announced

    The Automotive X Prize is controversial for its tendency to choose what many perceive not as the most viable or realistic technologies, but the geekiest or most oddball. On the other hand, the innovation and research driven by hopes of winning the $10 million prize could serve to uncover something less than obvious in the hunt for a mass-produced, fuel-efficient and useful vehicle.

    Today that prize is a little closer for 43 of the teams in the hunt. Those 43 teams have 53 vehicles entered across the two categories: Mainstream and Alternative. The criteria for advancing to this final stage is that they are the teams most likely to have a...

    The Automotive X Prize is controversial for its tendency to choose what many perceive not as the most viable or realistic technologies, but the geekiest or most oddball. On the other hand, the innovation and research driven by hopes of winning the $10 million prize could serve to uncover something less than obvious in the hunt for a mass-produced, fuel-efficient and useful vehicle. Today that prize is a little closer for 43 of the teams in the hunt. Those 43 teams have 53 vehicles entered across the two categories: Mainstream and Alternative. The criteria for advancing to this final stage is that they are the teams most likely to have a real impact on the automotive marketplace with their technologies. The remaining teams represent six different "fuel" types, including hydrogen, biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and solar power. They also represent some fairly big-name manufacturers. Among the more recognizable companies remaining in the Progressive Insurance-sponsored X Prize competition are Aptera, Tesla Motors, Tata Motors, Tango and ZAP. Tata Motors is using the competition as a way to help raise its U.S. profile and build brand image and awareness. Tesla, on the other hand, is already fairly well-known for its Roadster and planned Model S sedan, with the latter expected to carry the mantle for this competition. Aptera's 2e three-wheeled vehicle--which recently won Congressional status as a "car"--is perhaps one of the more radical designs. With just under half of the original 97 teams remaining in the competition, the struggle to find the winners will still be tough. It will take time to sort them out--the final results aren't due until September, 2010. "Over the next year, we'll see significant advancement of these designs, taking us even closer toward the ultimate goal of making super fuel efficient vehicles a viable choice for consumers," said Progressive CEO Glenn Renwick. To see the full list of remaining teams, hit the link below. [Progressive] Read More

  • Audi Confirms E-Tron For Production By 2012

    Audi Confirms E-Tron For Production By 2012 October 5th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 5th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    Audi Confirms E-Tron For Production By 2012

    With monstrous torque figures and all the good looks of the Audi R8, the all-electric e-tron concept from this year's Frankfurt Auto Show made waves in both the sport/luxury and green car press. Now it looks wants to send those waves through the market, too, as it has OK'd the e-Tron for production.

    Powered by a set of four electric motors, the e-tron generates a whopping (and somewhat inflated) 3,319 pound-feet of torque and 313 horsepower. Proof that not all of that twist is real--or useful--is the 4.8-second 0-60 mph time, though it also does 37-75 mph in just 4.1 seconds, demonstrating excellent in-gear acceleration.

    Audi expects to...

    With monstrous torque figures and all the good looks of the Audi R8, the all-electric e-tron concept from this year's Frankfurt Auto Show made waves in both the sport/luxury and green car press. Now it looks wants to send those waves through the market, too, as it has OK'd the e-Tron for production. Powered by a set of four electric motors, the e-tron generates a whopping (and somewhat inflated) 3,319 pound-feet of torque and 313 horsepower. Proof that not all of that twist is real--or useful--is the 4.8-second 0-60 mph time, though it also does 37-75 mph in just 4.1 seconds, demonstrating excellent in-gear acceleration. Audi expects to have the car, complete with its 42.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack, complete with operable production prototypes on the ground within 24 months. The full production e-Tron will come within three years, meaning the end of 2012 at the outside. The news comes straight from Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen. To get ready for your e-tron, you can warm up your PlayStation Home setup and get ready for the e-tron Virtual Test Drive coming at the end of this year, and until then, you can read up on the e-tron concept's full details here. [Auto News - sub. req.] Read More

  • Tesla Reaffirms Plans for Model S-Based Crossover, Minivan

    Tesla Reaffirms Plans for Model S-Based Crossover, Minivan September 29th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, September 29th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    Tesla Reaffirms Plans for Model S-Based Crossover, Minivan

    Thirteen months ago we brought you news that Tesla was planning more models based on the Model S sedan platform, including a crossover SUV, and today Tesla has reaffirmed those plans, and also mentioned a minivan and a utility van as being on the list of upcoming EVs.

    In an announcement explaining their recent $465 million DOE loan for the construction of a new plant and a drivetrain engineering facility, Tesla vice president of business development said, "The Model S platform will also be used for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets and other industrial or civic uses."

    Another vehicle...

    Thirteen months ago we brought you news that Tesla was planning more models based on the Model S sedan platform, including a crossover SUV, and today Tesla has reaffirmed those plans, and also mentioned a minivan and a utility van as being on the list of upcoming EVs. In an announcement explaining their recent $465 million DOE loan for the construction of a new plant and a drivetrain engineering facility, Tesla vice president of business development said, "The Model S platform will also be used for derivatives including a minivan, cross-over utility vehicle and a utility van for fleets and other industrial or civic uses." Another vehicle also known to be in the works at Tesla is the Bluestar project. Designed to be affordable at around $30,000 and cost-competitive with fossil-fuel vehicles, the Bluestar coupe-sedan  will use the Model S underpinnings, too, though it will likely cut corners in the features and interior department to save costs. The Bluestar platform had previously been pegged as the basis for the minivan, coupe and possibly even a light truck, but the latest announcement hints that all of the projects may be merged onto a single, modular platform. Tesla hopes to have the Model S on the road by late 2011 now that it has the funding necessary to build its full-scale production plant. The other platform mates to the Model S aren't expected to arrive before 2015. Read More

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