17 Apr 2020 | Lexus NX Trademark Hints At Plug-In Model
Plug-in hybrid technology in more than 20 Mercedes-Benz models | Nissan Leaf crowned Britain’s most iconic electric car | Honda hybrid and EV batteries to be used in new recycling initiative | London cab maker LEVC readies plug-in van | Tata Nexon EV now India’s highest selling electric car | Poland to bring back LG Chem technicians on special flight | Lexus NX trademark might hint at plug-in hybrid model to come | The Soundtrack to an Electric Car | Virus Could Cause More Car Travel
Show #751
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Friday 17th April 2020. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.
PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY IN MORE THAN 20 MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS
"There will be more than 20 Mercedes-Benz models with EQ Power by the end of 2020, the company pledges, starting with the A-Class all the way to the S-Class luxury saloon, SUVs included." reports MercedesBlog: "Furthermore, the relatively large lithium-ion batteries provide purely electric driving enough for most daily journeys. EQ Power system integrates the 1.33-liter 4-cylinder engine of 218 horsepower, developed in partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. A lithium-ion battery supplied by Daimler’s subisidary Deutsche Accumotive, featuring a capacity of approximately 15.6 kWh."
There's also a larger battery variant of 31.2kWh compatible with the COMBO vehicle socket using AC and DC. They only give the recharging time of 20 minutes to get from 10% to 80%. So that's 21.8kWh, assuming that first figure is usable. To get that energy into the battery in 20 mins, divide by 20 mins and multiply by 60 mins, looks like 65kW charge speed. Very rough maths!
NISSAN LEAF CROWNED BRITAIN’S MOST ICONIC ELECTRIC CAR
"A DrivingElectric survey of more than 700 people has revealed the Nissan Leaf as the most recognisable electric vehicle on sale. Now in its second generation and celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020, the Leaf is also the world’s best-selling electric car to date." according to Driving Electric: "Of the survey respondents, 94% recognised the Leaf, with the Tesla Model S finishing a close second. The Jaguar I-Pace climbed the ladder to third place in this year’s round-up, pushing Tesla’s Model X into fourth – one place lower than before. The BMW i3 completed the top five, with the MINI Electric – new for this year’s table – in sixth. As well as revealing the most recognisable electric cars, the survey asked respondents which manufacturers they thought were leading the charge with electric vehicle adoption. Tesla topped both of these categories, with Nissan and Jaguar completing the podium."
https://www.drivingelectric.com/electric-car-survey
HONDA HYBRID AND EV BATTERIES TO BE USED IN NEW RECYCLING INITIATIVE
"Honda Motor Europe is expanding its battery recycling partnership with SNAM (Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux) to advance the sustainable usability of its end-of-life traction batteries." says Renewable Energy Magazine: "The pan-European arrangement will see SNAM collect and recycle batteries from Honda's increasing number of hybrid and electric vehicles and either potentially prepare them for 'second-life' renewable energy storage uses or extract valuable materials for recycling if they are not suitable for that purpose. Dealers can arrange and request the collection of end-of-life batteries for treatment and recycling through SNAM's dedicated online platform. Collection can be arranged from centralised storage hubs within 15 working days, so that dealers do not have to store batteries at their premises."
LONDON CAB MAKER LEVC READIES PLUG-IN VAN
"London black-cab maker LEVC aims to start production of its plug-in hybrid light commercial van in November ahead of sales next year, the Geely-owned company has said." writes Automotive News Europe: "The van, called VN5, uses the same platform and drivetrain as the TX5 taxi and will rival Ford's plug-in hybrid Transit Custom, which has already gone on sale LEVC is banking on cities getting tougher on air quality and forcing delivery companies out of traditional diesel vans. The van will use 65 percent of the same parts as the taxi, LEVC said, and will be built on the same production line in Coventry. The high cost of the drivetrain with its 31 kWh battery and 1.5-liter Volvo-sourced three-cylinder range-extender engine is expected to make the van significantly more expensive than conventional rivals in the one-ton, midsize van segment."
https://europe.autonews.com/latest-launches/london-cab-maker-levc-readies-plug-van
TATA NEXON EV NOW INDIA’S HIGHEST SELLING ELECTRIC CAR
"The next most accessible electric car in India happens to be the Tata Nexon EV. Tata launched the Nexon EV earlier this year and the response so far has been good. In a somber March, Tata managed to sell 198 Nexon EVs. In comparison, MG Motors managed to sell 116 units of the much more expensive and bigger ZS EV." reports Financial Express.
Motor (Type)
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Battery pack
30.2 kWh High energy density Lithium ion battery pack
Thermal management system
Liquid cooled
Acceleration (0-100 kmph in sec)
9.9*
POLAND TO BRING BACK LG CHEM TECHNICIANS ON SPECIAL FLIGHT
"South Korean battery maker LG Chem said Thursday that the Polish government would open its airways to allow LG Chem employees to resume the expansion of the company’s electric vehicle battery plant in Poland. It is an exception to the country’s strict measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak." according to the Korea Herald: "According to LG Chem, the company will dispatch some 200 employees on a special LOT Polish Airlines flight Friday to the construction site in Wroclaw, Poland, to restart the work to expand the plant. LG Chem is currently planning to double its EV battery production capacity this year in Europe to 60 GWh, which is enough to power 1 million EVs. To facilitate the immediate deployment of essential personnel, the Polish government is expected to waive its two-week quarantine requirement for LG Chem employees who have tested negative for COVID-19 in Korea. The Polish government has closed the country’s borders until May 3, but made this exception because disruptions in EV battery production could hurt European automakers including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Renault."
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200416000739
LEXUS NX TRADEMARK MIGHT HINT AT PLUG-IN HYBRID MODEL TO COME
"A Mach E Club forum user posted trademarks Lexus filed in Europe surrounding the NX, but one of them is very interesting: an NX 450h Plus. For those who don't speak Lexus nomenclature, the "h" stands for "hybrid" but the "Plus" is something new." says CNET: "It could be that the plus designation means there's more going on with the hybrid system, perhaps a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It's the best theory for now since we only have previous Lexus names to go on. The brand declined to comment on future product. Should the NX 450h Plus come to life as a plug-in hybrid, there's a possibility it could share the Toyota RAV4 Prime's powertrain. The plug-in hybrid RAV4 makes 302 horsepower, boasts 90 miles per gallon equivalent and should go 39 miles on a full charge."
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/lexus-nx-toyota-rav4-plug-in-hybrid-platform-range/
THE SOUNDTRACK TO AN ELECTRIC CAR
"when a driver starts up his or her electric-powered BMW i4 sedan later this year or next, Hans Zimmer will be riding shotgun, so to speak, creating a sonic signature for the car, because electric motors make little sound." reports The New York Times: "In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted rules in 2018 that say electric cars must make some artificial sounds. Congress made it a requirement that light-duty hybrids and electrics emit noise as a safety measure for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with a visual impairment. The European Parliament has mandated that electrics sold in Europe will have to “sound similar” to cars with combustion engines at speeds below 20 kilometers an hour. The rule is to take full effect in 2021. He explained that, in his view, the “BMW IconicSounds Electric” commission was more about deleting than adding. “Too much information would automatically be distracting,” he said. “If you look at the great pieces of art, it’s usually the simplicity that makes them great.”"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/business/bmw-i4-hans-zimmer.html
VIRUS COULD CAUSE MORE CAR TRAVEL
"Earlier this year, daily highway vehicle traffic volumes in China were lower than they had been a year earlier thanks to reduced activity during lockdown. By early March, however, China’s daily traffic was consistently above that of a year before. Car-buying in Wuhan, the original epicenter of Covid-19 and the first city to be sealed off to prevent its spread, has also rebounded. As an Audi AG sales representative said, “It’s like a boom after a two-month dormancy. I thought sales would be frozen.”" according to Bloomberg: "Covid-19 has brought about changes that urban planners once only dreamed about. The city of Oakland, California has designated 74 miles of neighborhood streets for “bikes, pedestrians, wheelchair users, and local vehicles only.” New Zealand’s transport minister has announced the country will provide funding for 90% of the cost of pop-up cycleways and footpaths. This is our present moment in transport. But it won’t last forever. When we exit our however-long-it-will-be of weekdays that feel like Sundays, people will start moving again. China’s example suggests that personal car traffic will more than rebound–and that public transit will not."
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How can the EV industry help people get into driving electric cars as soon as this is all over?
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