Motor Authority - blog Tag: Yokohama

Shai Agassi's ambitious Better Place project has been rolling out plans for test-market EVs around the world for over a year now, and today the project took a huge leap forward with the demonstration of its first automated battery swapping station. The proof-of-concept facility was demonstrated in Yokohama, Japan.

Using a modified Nissan Dualis (Qashqai) to demonstrate the battery swap, Better Place showed how electric car owners can quickly and easily fill up with a full charge - without ever leaving their cars. It takes about a minute in all, shuttling a new battery up into the vehicle and returning the depleted one for charging and... Shai Agassi's ambitious Better Place project has been rolling out plans for test-market EVs around the world for over a year now, and today the project took a huge leap forward with the demonstration of its first automated battery swapping station. The proof-of-concept facility was demonstrated in Yokohama, Japan. Using a modified Nissan Dualis (Qashqai) to demonstrate the battery swap, Better Place showed how electric car owners can quickly and easily fill up with a full charge - without ever leaving their cars. It takes about a minute in all, shuttling a new battery up into the vehicle and returning the depleted one for charging and reuse. “Today marks a major milestone for the automotive industry as well as for Better Place,” said Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place. “For nearly a century, the automotive industry has been inextricably tied to oil. Today, we’re demonstrating a new path forward where the future of transportation and energy is driven by our desire for a clean planet and a robust economic recovery fueled by investments in clean technology, and one in which the well-being of the automotive industry is intrinsically coupled with the well-being of the environment.” Looking past the rhetoric, Agassi's words do highlight the importance of the battery switch station: bringing the possibility of EVs to a much wider audience. Currently only urban dwellers that can afford a second car are really potential EV owners due to their limited range. But with the possibility of a network of battery swap stations, the electric car's range becomes effectively limitless. And that marks the next step in the project's development, building that network of stations. That will entail developing the Yokohama station's technology into a full production solution. The first places to get the swap stations will be Better Place's existing test markets, including Israel, Denmark, Hawaii and Melbourne. Don't expect to see the stations until 2011 or 2012, however, as that's when Better Place is planning its roll-out in its select markets.Shai Agassi's Better Place automated EV battery switch station Read More

Japanese tuning house Matchless Crowd Racing (MCR) has revealed some early shots of its customized 2009 Nissan 370Z – less than a week before the car is due to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The images reveal the new 370Z with handsome aerodynamic modifications and fitted with a MCR titanium sports exhaust system.

The aerodynamic kit will include a custom front spoiler, side steps, a rear spoiler and a rear wing, as well as custom wheels. All the parts of the kit except for the wheels and the rear wing will be available in either carbon-fiber or fiberglass.

The wheels are provided by Enkei and are wrapped with Yokohama rubber.... Japanese tuning house Matchless Crowd Racing (MCR) has revealed some early shots of its customized 2009 Nissan 370Z – less than a week before the car is due to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The images reveal the new 370Z with handsome aerodynamic modifications and fitted with a MCR titanium sports exhaust system. The aerodynamic kit will include a custom front spoiler, side steps, a rear spoiler and a rear wing, as well as custom wheels. All the parts of the kit except for the wheels and the rear wing will be available in either carbon-fiber or fiberglass. The wheels are provided by Enkei and are wrapped with Yokohama rubber. Additionally, a brake system upgrade kit is also available, along with tuning of the ECU, while an upgraded muffler will also be on offer to give the car a more engaging roar. Also on show at this weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon will be two other 370Z coupes, one tuned by Zele International and the other by Branew. Via: 370Zblog2009 Nissan 370Z by ZeleBranew 2009 Nissan 370ZMatchless Crowd Racing (MCR) Nissan 370Z Read More