Electric Vehicles « Auto Show by Auto Trader

Posts Tagged ‘Electric Vehicles’

Going green

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

By Richard Russell

DETROIT, MI – Green was the unofficial theme at this year’s North American International Auto Show. Now that there are more than 20 hybrids on the market with plenty more unveiled here, pure electric power has become the hot button to come.

Cadillac Converj (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

Like a lightning bolt from the black cloud currently hanging over the industry, hybrid-electric, plug-in electric and improbable electric vehicles appeared on stands or in news releases throughout the show. Whether by design or coincidence, virtually every major manufacturer touted efforts underway to put electric vehicles on the road starting next year.

BYD
You might not have heard of this company yet, but you will. BYD (Build Your Dreams) is a Chinese upstart that said here it plans to have a range of pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the North American market within two years.

They will include the F3DM claimed to be the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid sedan and the battery-powered e6, a mid-sized, five-passenger crossover with a claimed range of more than 400 km on a single charge.

BYD (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

BYD is the world’s largest producer of rechargeable batteries supplying those used in cell phones by Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others. It is now China’s largest independent produce of automobiles and plans to combine its battery and production expertise to expand around the globe.

Chrysler LLC
Chrysler showed four different electric concept vehicles at the show including a sports car, SUV, minivan and four-door sedan. Chrysler says it will put one of them, the two-seat Dodge Circuit into production next year.

Based on a Lotus chassis the Circuit is said to be capable of a to speed of 200 km/hr and accelerating from rest to 100 km/hr in less than five seconds. To these eyes the best-looking electric vehicle, hands down, is the rear-drive Chrysler 200C EV.

Dodge Circuit (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

This elegant blend of style and technology is a source of great pride for Ralph Gilles, Vice-President of design for Chrysler. He told me it was his favourite among the various Chrysler concepts on display here “so beautiful you would never know it is an electric car “ he said. Chrysler is calling its electric technology ENVI.

Ford Motor Company
Ford says it will have an all-electric four-door sedan on the market in 2011 that will be capable of going more than 150 km before requiring recharging.

It will be part of a multi-prong electric effort that begins with a new battery electric commercial van in 2010, the aforementioned small car in 2011 developed in conjunction with Canada’s Magna International, and next-generation hybrid vehicles, including a plug-ion version in 2012.

“Next-generation hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery powered vehicles are the logical next steps in our pursuit of greater fuel economy and sustainability,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development.

General Motors
The Chevy Volt has a target painted on it’s back. The topic of immense publicity and scheduled for production late in 2010, the Volt will go more than 65 km on a charge with a tiny auxiliary internal combustion engine to recharge the batteries while the car is on the move.

Chevrolet Volt (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

A further development of this “Voltec” powertrain is promised for other similar projects including the Cadillac Converj concept unveiled here. The unit envisioned for the Converj would be comprised of a 16-kWh T-shaped battery with 220 lithium-ion cells, an electric drive unit and a small four-cylinder engine-generator to recharge the batteries as needed.

With 273-lb. ft. of torque from idle, acceleration would be very strong and GM says top speed would be in the order of 160 km/hr. Like the Volt the actual propulsion would be from the electric motor at all times. GM says recharging from the grid will take about three hours at 220-volts and eight from a regular 120-volt outlet.

Toyota
Toyota says it will launch an small urban electric vehicle -the FT-EV, by 2012. It will share a platform with the company’s tiny iQ four-seat A-Class car currently available in Japan.

Toyota FT-EV (photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

The FT-EV will have a range of up to 80 kilometres. It will be joined by 10 new gasoline-electric hybrids in the next three years. Toyota has entered into a partnership with Panasonic to develop and produce the lithium-ion batteries.

With fuel prices currently at very low levels, interest in vehicles that use very little of the commodity may be low as well. But there are few people who believe fuel prices will stay this low. By the time these vehicles hit the road they may have a very receptive audience.

: Dodge Circuit

: Toyota FT-EV

: Cadillac Converj

: Chevrolet Volt

: BYD

Tags: 2009, 2009 North American International Auto Show, Auto Show, BYD, Car show, Chrysler, Concept, Converj, Dodge Circuit EV, Electric Vehicles, Ford, FT-EV, GM, NAIAS, Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands, Richard Russell, Toyota, Volt
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Fisker Karma Sunset

Monday, January 26th, 2009

By Nauman Farooq

Fisker Automotive might be the new kids on the block, but that hasn’t stopped them from taking the limelight from more established manufacturers.

Last year, Fisker showed the concept version of its stunning Karma sedan at the North American International Auto Show. In 2009, the company brought a fully production spec, functional version of that car.

However, they didn’t stop there; they took this year’s show opportunity to bring another World premiere: the launch of the Fisker Karma Sunset.

Fisker Karma Sunset

This is a two-door, hardtop convertible version of the Karma sedan. It shares the same drivetrain for now; that means two electric motors driving the rear wheels. These motors get their power from advanced lithium ion batteries, which on a full eight-hour charge will give you 80 km of fully electric mode driving.

Once the batteries are depleted of power, a 2.0-liter, turbocharged gas engine (sourced from GM) will kick in to take you the rest of the way home. So this electric car has no distance limitations.

It is fast, too; this car in sport mode develops 403 hp, enough to propel it to 100 km/h from zero in 5.8 seconds, while top-speed is electronically limited to 200 km/h.

While the Karma sedan goes on sale later this year at a price of $87,900 (US), the Karma Sunset won’t see production until late 2011.

: Fisker Karma Sunset

: Fisker Karma Sunset

: Fisker Karma Sunset

: Fisker Karma Sunset

: Fisker Karma Sunset

Tags: 2009, 2009 North American International Auto Show, Auto Show, Electric Vehicles, Fisker, Karma Sunset, NAIAS, Nauman Farooq, Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands
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A test track yes, but not for speed

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

By Mike Goetz

A rather unique part of this year’s Detroit show is the indoor test track for trying out electric and hybrid vehicles. The speed limit is 10 mph. And it’s not too big. But it is beautifully landscaped, complete with two ponds. It was originally only to have one pond, but a plumbing problem one floor up, created another one, which the landscaping crew cleverly transformed into part of the scenery.

Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands

I took out one of the new two-mode hybrids from GM, a Saturn Vue. My three-minute ride revealed not a lot. My next ride was the all-electric Mitsubishi iMiEV, which is on sale in Japan and on test in the U.S. Because it was all-electric, there was no danger of this car going into gas mode, I was encouraged by its handler, to “let ‘er rip.” I did. A little. And was suitably impressed again how instantaneous is the torque output of electric motors. But again, my time was short – only two laps per person, then you line-up again.

Some of the more cynical scribes at the press preview days suggested that the track was nothing more than space filler. They had a point. Usually during auto show days, this lower floor of the Cobo Hall would be filled with exhibitors from the non-automaker world – you know, the aftermarket guys, the custom builders, the guy selling the pickup truck shaped hot-tub.

Well, owing to all the no-shows this year (Nissan, Porsche, Ferrari, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, etc.), there was space galore, and some thought the organizers didn’t want to advertise that fact with a virtually empty lower-floor exhibit area. Either way, space filler or legitimate show experience, it was different.

Tags: 2009, 2009 North American International Auto Show, Auto Show, Electric Vehicles, Hybrid, Mike Goetz, NAIAS, Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands, Test Track
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Chrysler Electric Vehicles

Monday, January 19th, 2009

Author: Marc Lachapelle

While major competitors are locked into a race to bring a single extended-range electric or even a plug-in hybrid car to market, the beleaguered Chrysler Corporation has introduced no fewer than five different electric-drive vehicle platforms in Detroit. Furthermore, the first vehicle to be spun off one of these platforms would be produced for North America in 2010 and three more by 2013. Such announcements, mere days after the approval of the TARP financial rescue agreements, have a taste of vapourware. Yet, Chrysler is adamant about its plan and goes even further by stating its goal of having 500,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2013, a number that includes its market-leading GEM neighbourhood electric vehicles.

The carmaker had already unveiled three rechargeable electric prototypes last fall and presented updated versions in Cobo Hall. The sports car, now called Dodge Circuit EV, a four-door Jeep Wrangler and a Chrysler minivan. To these, Chrysler now adds the Jeep Patriot EV and the all-new Chrysler 200C EV sports sedan concept. Both are ‘range-extended electric vehicles while the Dodge Circuit, built on a version of the Lotus Elise chassis, runs on electric power exclusively.

Chrysler 200C EV (Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands)

Looking at the Circuit and 200C on display, Chrysler design chief Ralph Gilles spontaneously says: “they look so good, you wouldn’t think they are electric vehicles.” Asked about his favourite, Gilles immediately replies: “The 200C, no doubt. It is a sign of where I want to take Chrysler design. Basically back to its prominence in the mid-90s.” One can only wish the passionate Gilles, who grew up in Montreal and went on to design the smashing Chrysler 300C sedan, to succeed again.