Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Tesla's First SupercCharger In Scotland

Tesla has now hit Scotland with its first Supercharger based in Edinburgh

28th October 2014

The electric car firm headed up by Elon musk, has now expanded its network of supercharges with the new facility at Edinburgh airport.

Tesla is now ramping up its energy trying to install their superchargers across the UK so any of its drivers of the model S model X can travel anywhere. Tesla are leading the way by making sure that the their customers of their electric cars can use supercharger stations in a fast and timely manner.

If you've got a Tesla and you are heading to Edinburgh you can find the new supercharger at Edinburgh airport which is off Almond Road close to the terminal which has access provided to Tesla model S drivers 24 hours day, you also you get one hours free parking on the house.

We spoke to Georg EII, Who is the director of Tesla UK and he said "we're really pleased to open our first Scottish supercharger. The location makes travel in and around Edinburgh easy and also enables a route from Edinburgh to both Glasgow and Stirling and beyond. It's an exciting time for Tesla in Scotland there are plans for the new Edinburgh store and service centre next year so watch this space for activity"

All we can say is thank you Tesla for your SuperChargers

Reported By

Your ElectricCar2Team

Monday, 27 October 2014

The New Porsche Hybrid Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

The Cayenne S E-Hybrid is a true world first, even outside the Porsche model range: it is the first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV segment, and it sets standards among luxurious all- wheel-drive vehicles. Its high-voltage battery enables it to be charged both at a mains supply and during the journey. Distinctive features of the Cayenne S E-Hybrid are the brake callipers in acid green and related emblems. The needles of the cockpit instruments also feature this distinctive colour.

Very clear technical advances have been made compared with the previous Cayenne S Hybrid: the Cayenne S E-Hybrid has a lithium-ion traction battery that now has an energy capacity of 10.8 kWh (previously 1.7 kWh from a nickel-metal-hydride battery). An electric range of between 18 and 36 kilometres can now be achieved, depending on driving style and topography. This means that most everyday journeys can be made without consuming any fuel or producing any local emissions. The power output of the electric motor has more than doubled – from 34 kW to 70 kW (95 hp). Combined fuel consumption has been reduced by almost 60 per cent and is now 3.4 l/100 km instead of the previous 8.2 l/100 km, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 79 g/km. The previous model emitted 193 g/km.

The drivetrain has already proved itself in the Panamera S E-Hybrid, but it has been adapted for use in the Cayenne S E-Hybrid. The Cayenne now also offers an impressive electric driving experience that the driver can control intuitively. This is enabled by an accelerator pedal with a pressure switching point which the driver can use to precisely regulate the electric motor’s power development and activate the combustion engine. At 416 hp (306 kW), the combined system power output of the supercharged three-litre V6 engine and the electric motor coupled with a combined system torque of 590 Nm enables performance at sports car level: 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 243 km/h. The electric top speed is 125 km/h. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid is networked via Porsche Car Connect (a standard feature). It is used to access information such as the state of charge or energy efficiency or to control the optional stationary heating/air conditioning. This cools and heats the vehicle interior when the ignition is switched off – in order to reach the desired temperature before setting off whilst the vehicle is still connected to the electrical supply. The energy needed on the road is reduced and the electric range is increased.

Details of a perfect plug-in hybrid concept

The lithium-ion battery has the same housing as in the Panamera S E-Hybrid, and it is also accommodated under the luggage compartment floor. However, it features advanced battery technology and uses cells with a larger energy capacity – 28 Ah instead of 24.5 Ah.

The vehicle comes with a 3.6 kW charger as standard. An integrated charger with higher power output of 7.2 kW is available as an option; it charges the Cayenne S E-Hybrid twice as quickly as with the standard charger – assuming that an appropriate electrical connection is available. For example, in Germany the vehicle is charged in less than an hour and a half instead of just under three hours.

The pressurised fuel tank is a special feature of the Cayenne S E-Hybrid. A slight positive pressure of 0.3 bar in the tank ensures that evaporated fuel does not escape to the outside, and this improves the car’s emissions footprint. During refuelling, the tank is depressurised by pressing the fuel flap release button, and the evaporated fuel is neutralised via an activated carbon filter. Needless to say, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid complies with the Euro 6 emissions standard.

High level of hybrid expertise at Porsche

Porsche is the leading supplier of premium hybrids. As the first plug-in vehicle in the luxury class, the Panamera S E-Hybrid set standards when it was launched in June 2013. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid now carries this forward-looking technology to the premium SUV segment. With its record-breaking time on the Nürburgring in September 2013, the 918 Spyder demonstrated in impressive style that even super sports cars can attain new dimensions in performance with hybrid technology and are clearly able to leave conventional drive systems behind when it comes to driving dynamics and efficiency.

In this respect, the 919 Hybrid – the LMP1 class race car that Porsche uses in World Endurance Championship (WEC) competition – plays a pioneering role as a high-technology vehicle. It is a research laboratory on wheels for further developing hybrid technology with the aim of achieving maximum dynamics and efficiency. Its drive combines a charged V4 petrol engine that drives the rear axle with two energy recovery systems. In addition to braking regeneration, a generator driven by the exhaust-gas flow generates additional electric energy. This energy is stored in a water-cooled lithium-ion battery, and during acceleration it is fed to an electric motor which drives both front wheels via a differential. This means that the 919 Hybrid has all-wheel drive at times. The coordination of all drive components is extremely complex and has the aim of making every second on the racetrack completely predictable whilst driving with maximum precision and speed. Independent of race results, Porsche gathers knowledge and experience with every kilometre that the 919 Hybrid races, and this will help give future generations of sports cars a competitive edge.

Incidentally, the world’s first hybrid vehicle also came from Porsche: the 1899 Lohner-Porsche “Mixte” designed by Ferdinand Porsche combined a battery-electric drive with a combustion engine.

Reported By

Your ElectricCar2Buy News Team

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Toyota Joins Consortium To Provide Electric Car Sharing Service In France

Grenoble in France is going to be the location for a new car sharing service that is going to be trialled from next month using electric vehicles from Toyota. Developed in partnership with the local car-sharing operator, Cité lib, the “Citélib by Ha:Mo” scheme will run alongside the existing car-sharing scheme operated by the company.

The “Citélib by Ha:Mo” scheme will run for a period of three years. In total, Toyota will provide 35 three-wheeled i-ROAD cars and 35 four-wheeled Toyota Auto Body COMS vehicles. The vehicles will be available for short city trips and will be supported by a network of 27 charging stations installed and operated by Sodetre. In total there will be 120 charging points for the project and 41 for other plug-in vehicles will be added to the city’s transport infrastructure.

Both the vehicles and the charging stations are connected via a sophisticated IT infrastructure operated by Grenoble’s transport network. This offers route planning as well as online/mobile app reservations.

The vehicles will be able to be used for return or one-way trips from one charging point to another. People who want to take advantage of the scheme can pick-up one of the 70 vehicles and drop it off at any station near to their final destination without having to return it to the original pick-up point. Users will only be charged for the journey that they take.

To encourage as widespread a usage as possible, a simple “3,2,1 euros” pricing plan has been developed. Each Euro covers a 15-minute increment – meaning that for €6, a user can have up to 45 minutes of usage. To attract those who subscribe for an annual local transport card, the price will be reduced at 2+ 1 euro for respectively the first and subsequent 15-minute increments.

Christophe Ferrari, President of Grenoble-Alpes Metropole, operator of the area’s public transport network, told first4auto: “The project ‘Citélib by Ha:Mo” is only a start, but we believe it has the potential to encourage our citizens’ active participation in the creation of tomorrow’s mobility, and it goes in the direction we want to take.”

This is an abridged article especially prepared by First4Auto on behalf of ElectricCar2Buy and EcoCars4Sale

Reported By

Andrew Merritt-Morling

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Peugeot's HYbrid Air Car Concept That Can Achieve 141 MPG!

Peugeot Unveils A 141 MPG Hybrid Air Car Concept

21st October 2014

One very interesting but on the face-of-it nothing out of the ordinary car was recently displayed on the Peugeot stand at the Paris motor show earlier this month – but seemed to have been largely overlooked by the majority of the world’s media. This car demonstrated Peugeot’s commitment to its revolutionary Hybrid Air Technology, in the guise of its new 208 HYbrid Air 2L concept. Based on the production version of the 208 1.2-litre PureTech 82hp hatchback, the reference to 2L in the name of the company’s latest concept vehicle refers to its impressive economy of using just two litres of fuel per 100km – equivalent to 141mpg.

Constructed from a mixture of steel, aluminium and composite materials, the 208 HYbrid Air 2L is 100kg lighter than the car on which it is based. This is important since it helps reduce fuel consumption to the minimum. But the real key to the success of the HYbrid Air Technology is what lies at its heart: its drivetrain.

In essence this comprises of a standard petrol engine mated to a compressed air system. Developed in association with Bosch and demonstrated before in a number of different guises, the new hybrid system works by using compressed air for energy storage rather than a battery. This means hybridisation can be achieved more cheaply and with less weight than traditional systems. The air is stored in a tank under the boot and pumped to the engine hydraulically and can be used to assist or even replace the petrol engine to enable maximum efficiency.

At speeds of up to 43mph, the car’s Air Mode operates in the same way as the EV mode does in traditional hybrid cars. This means that it is possible to travel without any noxious gases being emitted from the exhaust pipes. This mode can be active between 60% and 80% of the time the car spends in an urban environment, depending on traffic conditions. The compressed air tank can be recharged in one of two ways: firstly, when the car slows down, whether this is whilst the driver is actively braking or just taking their foot off the pedal, or secondly, by using the energy developed by the 3-cylinder petrol engine to compress the air.

In either case, maximum pressure can be achieved in just 10 seconds. The result is an efficient hybrid system whose CO2 emissions have been rated at a competitive 111.2g/km.

There is no confirmation from Peugeot yet as to whether the 208 HYbrid Air will ever see the light of day as a production vehicle. However, we know that the French government is aiming to make an affordable 2.0-litre per 100km vehicle available to the public by 2020 – thus giving Peugeot at least another four years of development time.

This is an abridged version of an article that has been especially prepared by First4Auto on behalf of EcoCars4Sale and ElectricCar2Buy

Reported By

Andrew Merritt-Morling

Chief Editor

Monday, 13 October 2014

NATIONAL COVERAGE OF EV QUICK CHARGING NOW LIKELY ACROSS UK THANKS TO A 7MILLION EURO EUROPEAN PROGRAMME

13th October 2014

A consortium of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) manufacturers are working on a €7 million-plus scheme to support the European Union’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) programme to deliver a multi-standard and interoperable network through the UK and Ireland. In addition to meeting the finance requirements, the consortium is also providing other members of the project with extensive experience of operation in the BEV field.

The member of the consortium include Nissan, BMW, Volkswagen and Renault, and marks the first time leading BEV companies have united to accelerate the growth of EV charging infrastructure – seen by many as the key enabler towards making zero-emission mobility a market reality. Managed by Sunderland-based Zero Carbon Futures, the programme will draw on the network expertise of ESB, one of Ireland’s foremost energy companies and leader of a previous TEN-T project completed this summer. Newcastle University will also be involved.

Once complete, the UK Rapid Charge Network (RCN) will comprise more than 70 multi standard rapid chargers covering some 1,100km of major trunk routes and providing EV-friendly links to five seaports and five international airports. It will run on two priority road axes on the mainland of the UK. The RCN will link major ports and cities including Stranraer, Liverpool, Holyhead, Birmingham, Felixstowe, Leeds and Kingston upon Hull. There will also be networks embracing Dublin in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Significantly, the rapid chargers are the latest state-of-the-art multi-standard units and are compatible with cars using 44kW CCS, 44kW CHAdeMO or 43kW AC systems. This will ensure that EV drivers travelling in the UK and Ireland can undertake long journeys secure in the knowledge that they will never be far from a rapid charger.

So far, 10 rapid chargers have been already installed with a further 28 sites soon to be commissioned. The start of the project’s deployment was officially marked on 9 September 2014 at a ceremony at the Corley Services on the M6 motorway in Coventry, UK.

Baroness Kramer, UK Minister of State for Transport told ElectricCar2Buy :"We are serious about plug-in vehicles and have a comprehensive package of measures to help consumers and industry make the switch to electric. The UK now has the best rapid charging network in Europe. Projects like this highlight how industry is showing its confidence in the rapidly growing market.”

The UK RCN is part of the European Union-financed Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) and represents a substantial partnership investment of €7,358,000, half of which is being funded by the EU.

Nissan is leading the BEV manufacturers’ contribution to the overall costs, a significant portion of which will be used to fund a research programme, led by Newcastle University. This will aim to confirm the benefits of such an advanced interoperable EV rapid charging network.

Strategic information gathered from users, including customer charging behaviour and changes in mobility patterns, will help plan the roll-out future of rapid charging infrastructure in member states across Europe.

“The UK’s Rapid Charge Network will provide a vital sense of security for all EV drivers, as well as helping to promote the advantages of zero emission mobility to others,” said Olivier Paturet, General Manager, Nissan Europe Zero Emission Strategy and RCN Project Leader. “This project will have a major impact on the decarbonisation of European transport, and Nissan is thrilled to contribute to its viability.”

The project was among the 172 projects selected from the 2012 Call for funding which will help realise TEN-T network development and aid European Transport in moving to a more sustainable future.

Reported By

Andrew Merritt-Morling

Chief Editor

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

A New Audi Hybrid Is On The Cards!

Audi A8 Hybrid Coming Soon

It looks like Audi are not only looking at the ECO side of the electric revolution they are also about the power!!

Here are some Tech Specs for their new concept A8

Utilising two power units – a 2.0 TFSI engine and an electric motor – the Audi A8 hybrid has a combined output of 245PS and 480Nm of torque, giving the car the same outstanding performance as a large-capacity conventional six-cylinder engine.

This systematic downsizing demonstrates significant fuel-consumption advantages, the average fuel consumption is only 45.6 mpg, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 144 g/km.

The Audi A8 hybrid uses the parallel hybrid configuration – a highly efficient principle that avoids unnecessary friction and power losses. The powerful electric motor integrated between the 211 PS four-cylinder petrol engine and the eight-speed tiptronic transmission can supply a further 45 PS to the driveline, as well as 211 Nm of torque.

The A8 design study is a full hybrid, that is to say the petrol engine or the electric motor can propel it either separately or together. In the pure electric drive mode the car can reach 40 mph and cover a distance of more than a mile.

Our question is, can they beat the Tesla Model S at 0-62 in 4.2 seconds?

Reported By

Your ElectricCar2Buy Team