04 Mar 2020 | BMW i4 For 2021
BMW Concept i4 for 2021 | Tesla Giga Berlin Groundbreaking Ceremony Later This Month | Tesla releases software update boosting displayed range of Model S/X vehicles |2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Nearly Sold Out | Deathknell for diesel in National Express’s all-electric drive | Tax writeoffs coming to Canada for off-road electric cars | Havn and Jaguar Land Rover rev up all-electric chauffeur service | The electric-vehicle industry is thriving in Southern California
Show #716
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Wednesday 4th March 2020. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story to save you time.
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BMW CONCEPT I4 FOR 2021
"BMW is a step closer to introducing a Tesla Model 3 rival. While that car won't start production until 2021, the BMW Concept i4 provides a preview of what it will be like." says Green Car Reports: "The Concept i4 follows the BMW i Vision Dynamics concept of 2018, but with exterior styling and specifications likely closer to the upcoming i4 production model. That means a car close in size to the current BMW 3 Series, but with a low roofline reminiscent of the 4 Series Gran Coupe BMW expects greater interior space than internal-combustion models with the same footprint, thanks to the packaging efficiencies of the electric powertrain. BMW has said the most powerful version of the i4 will develop 523 horsepower. An 80-kilowatt-hour battery pack will provide a range of 270 miles on the EPA testing cycle"
Steven Ewing at CNET says: "Accelerating to 60 mph will take roughly four seconds, and the car's top speed will be about 125 mph. This long, curved screen is "the logical next step" for infotainment and vehicle system displays. BMW says, "placing all the needs of driver and co-driver in one surface." Users can choose from three display settings -- sorry, "experience modes" -- which alter the colors and themes of the two screens, as well as the ambient lighting. The i4 will ride on BMW's new modular platform that can support gasoline, hybrid and fully electric powertrains; it will be built in Munich on the same line where BMW will produce the standard 3 Series and 4 Series models. BMW is still sticking to a 373-mile estimate for the 80-kW version, under the European WLTP testing cycle. "
Meanwhile TechCrunch mentions that front end, with looks that only a mother could love: "The front end shows a closed-off grille. BMW says it has given the grille of the concept a purpose beyond just a reminder of its combustion engine past. The grille will be used to house various sensors, according to BMW. Perhaps the most noticeable features, besides the mammoth kidney-shaped grille, is the glass roof and a curved digital display in the interior. The i4 will have the fifth-generation BMW eDrive, a platform that features a brand new electric motor, power electronics, charging unit and high-voltage battery. This fifth-gen platform will also show up in the iNEXT SUV and the iX3, which is headed for the Chinese market. The 80-kilowatt battery pack in the i4 is flat, according to BMW, and weighs 550 kilograms. For comparison, the battery pack in the Tesla Model 3 weighs 480 kg."
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/bmw-i4-concept/
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/03/the-bmw-concept-i4-gets-us-closer-to-whats-coming-in-2021/
TESLA GIGA BERLIN GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY LATER THIS MONTH
"Elon Musk will be attending the Giga Berlin groundbreaking ceremony later this month, Armen Hareyan of Torque News indicates. In the Torque News video, Hareyan refers to another news article quoting Jorg Steinbach, Brandenburg’s Economic Minister, who said the groundbreaking ceremony for Tesla’s fourth Gigafactory in Berlin will be scheduled in March." reports Johanna for CleanTechnica.
Minister of Economics Jörg Steinbach: "We expect a groundbreaking project to happen in the second half of March. I would like Elon Musk to come back to Germany for this. This would be an important signal for the locals.”"
Elon replied: definitely
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/03/02/tesla-giga-berlin-groundbreaking-ceremony-later-this-month/
TESLA RELEASES SOFTWARE UPDATE BOOSTING DISPLAYED RANGE OF MODEL S/X VEHICLES
"Tesla has started pushing a new software update boosting the displayed range of the most recent Model S and Model X vehicles after announcing the new “Long Range Plus” version." writes electrek today: "The new update is called 2020.4.11 and the release notes don’t mention anything new, but this Model X is now showing a range of 354 miles on a full charge, which is even higher than the updated EPA estimate. The CEO said that the software thought that the car was less efficient than it actually is with those hardware improvements."
https://electrek.co/2020/03/03/tesla-software-update-boosting-range-model-s-x-vehicles/
2021 FORD MUSTANG MACH-E NEARLY SOLD OUT
"According to reports from the Mach-E forum, Ford now has more than 40,000 reservations for the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, representing about 83% of the 50,000 unit production capacity for the 2021 model year." says Tom at InsideEVs: "When the Mustang Mach-E arrives later this year, it will be available with standard battery (75.5 kWh) and an optional extended-range battery (98.8 kWh). It will come in rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive configurations, either of which can be ordered with either battery size. Ford claims when equipped with the extended-range battery and rear-wheel drive, the Mustang Mach-E will have an EPA-estimated range of more than 300 miles. "
https://insideevs.com/news/402070/ford-mustang-mach-e-nearly-sold-out/
DEATHKNELL FOR DIESEL IN NATIONAL EXPRESS’S ALL-ELECTRIC DRIVE
"National Express has bought its last diesel bus and will have a zero-emission UK fleet within 15 years. The route from Stansted airport to central London will be the first to switch to electric coaches in a trial." says the TElegraph: "Chief executive Dean Finch said battery technology provides enough range for the 45-mile journey, and he expects further advances will soon allow for longer distances. Although electric and hybrid buses cost £150,000 more than the £300,000 price tag for a diesel equivalent, he said they will create savings elsewhere. National Express has between 1,600 and 1,700 vehicles with a 10 to 15-year lifespan. Only 10pc are electric or hybrid, and the company plans to buy 160 new buses a year to reach the target."
TAX WRITEOFFS COMING TO CANADA FOR OFF-ROAD ELECTRIC CARS
"Canada is making off-road electric vehicles and automotive equipment eligible for immediate tax writeoffs in a bid to encourage Canadian companies to buy them, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday." according to the National Observer: "Last year's federal budget created the zero-emission business tax writeoff for zero-emission vehicles including electric cars, hybrid-electric cars and hydrogen-fuel cell cars. Businesses can write off 100 per cent of the purchase price, up to $55,000, in the year the car goes into service. The business program will now extend to off-road vehicles as well such as mining equipment and farm equipment. With the types of vehicles available expanding each year, the program specifies that the 100 per cent writeoff will be available for vehicles that will be used before 2024."
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/03/03/news/tax-writeoffs-coming-canada-road-electric-cars
HAVN AND JAGUAR LAND ROVER REV UP ALL-ELECTRIC CHAUFFEUR SERVICE
"Jaguar Land Rover's electric mobility strategy took a step forward today with the official launch of a new all-electric chauffeur service across London. Chauffeur firm Havn - which is backed by InMotion, Jaguar Land Rover's venture capital and mobility services arm - formally kicked off its new service this morning following a successful 18,000 mile trial phase." says Business Green: "The service uses all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs to provide customers with a zero emission ride that can be booked through an app or online booking portal. Since the trial phase in September, the fleet of Jaguar I-PACEs has grown thanks to demand from individuals and customers of premium businesses and corporate travel, the company said,"
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4011737/havn-jaguar-land-rover-rev-electric-chauffeur-service
THE ELECTRIC-VEHICLE INDUSTRY IS THRIVING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
"California is already a world leader in the embryonic electric vehicle industry but needs more government help to flourish, according to a new report from the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation." writes Russ mitchell for the LA Times: "Southern California is becoming a hub of EV manufacturing in its own right"
And it's not just Tesla: "That includes vehicle manufacturers, battery manufacturers, charging system manufacturers, suppliers to all three, and the sales and service operations that support them. The Chinese company BYD builds electric buses in Lancaster. American company Proterra does the same in Walnut, just outside LA. Romeo Power assembles battery packs; XOS manufactures heavy electric trucks. Fisker is making electric cars, as is Canoo, a startup that plans to sell its cars by subscription, similar to a short-term lease."
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-03-03/southern-california-ev-jobs
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