20 July 2018 | First Drive: Model 3 Performance, Kia Niro EV On Sale and Nissan Launch LEAF NISMO
First Test Drives Of The Tesla Model 3 Performance | Kia Launches Niro EV In Korea | Nissan LEAF NISMO Goes On Sale In Japan | 487 Electric Vehicle Makers In China Now | New EV Law For UK | Gatwick Launches UK First Electric Car Sharing Service | Ecotap And Allego Deploy 4,500 Public Chargers In The Netherlands | Oil Refiners Express Scepticism, Worry Over Electric Cars | For E-Truck Revenues Look To BYD
Read today’s show notes on https://www.evnewsdaily.com
Well good morning, good afternoon and good evening, wherever you are in the world, hello and welcome to the Friday 20th July edition of EV News Daily. It’s Martyn Lee here with the news you need to know about electric cars and the move towards sustainable transport.
FIRST TEST DRIVES OF THE TESLA MODEL 3 PERFORMANCE
- According to Wall Street Journal, they got the first ever drive of Model 3 Performance
- According to Marques Brownlee. He got the first ever drive of Model 3 Performance
- Whilst Marques will put his on IGTV, let's stick to the other.
- "I have borrowed a new 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance ($78,000, as tested) from the factory in Fremont, Calif., and I’m now quietly tearing the hide off this switchback road in the grass-gold hills near Silicon Valley for the world’s first test drive of the hot rod Tesla" whilst I wish that was me saying that, it's Dan Neil from WSJ.com: ""In the Performance version, two motors north and south equal 335 kW (450 hp) and digitally mastered all-wheel drive, with corner-exiting acceleration that will leave average BMW M4s with a soft auf Wiedersehen."
- "The Model 3 is more than futuristic. It’s optimistic. This is what ordinary cars should be, which is to say, better than they are."
- "But the car is a star. Doubters will have to bring it. Show me another car with an all-glass roof and five-star rollover crash rating. Point out another $80,000 sedan that out-clouds a Rolls-Royce, out-punches a Porsche Boxster and gets an electric equivalent of 116 mpg. You can’t, unless you’re building something in your garage we don’t know about."
- Meanwhile the carbon fibre spoiler on the Performance cars isn't fitted at the factory, but at service centres. And pics are now online of it. It's nice and clean, very simple, quite subtle. The badges aren't universally loved. If you have a Dual Motor your Model 3 now says Dual Motor, in words, on the back. It's much more of a signpost than something like "P100D" which doesn't mean anything to a laymen. But someone who's curious, who see's a new electric car and then reads the words Dual Motor, will at least know that it has two motors. Itself a fact many people might not have given any time to thinking about. Then again AWD would have been more specific, but again it's a bit car geeky.
- A reminder again on the current North America Tesla website timescales. Dual Motor Performance, or maybe we just call it Performance because dual motor is the only choice so it's kinda redundant saying Dual Motor Performance, ~1-3 Months. Dual Motor is ~2-4 months. Rear Wheel Drive ~1-3 months. And whilst you still can't select standard battery, it's 6-9 months.
- Of course there's no point changing the Tesla site to UK mode as the Design Studio doesn't work. But out of interest, whilst I'm there, there are 11 Used Tesla's on there, from £37,900 for a 2014 Model S up to £69,100 for a 2016 Model S 90D.
KIA LAUNCHES NIRO EV IN KOREA
- We've seen the Hyundai Kona launch in the home market of South Korea and yesterday, the Kia Niro EV launched.
- The Niro EV mated with a 64 kilowatt-hour battery can travel up to 385 kilometres -- more than the distance between Washington and New York -- on a single charge. The model with a 39.2 kWh battery has a range of 246 km, the company said in a statement.
- The model sells for the equivalent of US$42,000) and Kia plans to launch the Niro EV in Europe later this year.
- I’ve been checking out the Kia Korea website, and whilst I can’t read a single word, I can tell the Niro EV has taken pride of place on the homepage.
http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20180719000245
NISSAN LEAF NISMO GOES ON SALE IN JAPAN
- The Nissan LEAF NISMO will go on sale July 31 in Japan, featuring custom tuning computer for more responsive acceleration, custom tires and suspension for improved handling and ride comfort, and new exterior and interior design. The exterior also includes custom 18-inch aluminium wheels that minimize air resistance.
- At the moment, Nissan says there are no plans to offer the LEAF NISMO outside of Japan.
- Nissan aims to sell 1 million electrified vehicles a year, including the new Nissan LEAF, globally by fiscal 2022.
THERE'S A WHOPPING 487 ELECTRIC VEHICLE MAKERS IN CHINA NOW
- China now has 487 electric vehicle makers based in the country.
- Jalopnik says: "Bankrolled by $15 billion in subsidies, with another $47 billion in the pipeline, a smattering of new manufacturers are angling for a piece of the action. Local governments across China are teaming up to give EV hopefuls millions of dollars to support their ambitions, and it’s happening all across the country.
- And WSJ: "Such partnerships are springing up all over China, spurred by Beijing’s call for the country to become a world power in electric-vehicle technology and by local governments eager to jump on the bandwagon. President Xi Jinping’s Made in China 2025 plan, launched three years ago to promote “domestic dominance and global competitiveness” in 10 sectors, includes electric vehicles."
- Back to Jalopnik: "There’s bright spots, to be sure. NIO, with its ES8 electric crossover, has raised $3.1 billion and already launched production. Byton wants to make an entry-level luxury SUV with a screen that covers the entire dash, and thinks it can start production in 2019. Even Faraday Future, virtually left for dead a year ago, could see itself making a production car or two by the end of the year (though it’s still running into similar issues of the past)."
https://jalopnik.com/theres-a-whopping-487-electric-vehicle-makers-in-china-1827718353
NEW EV LAW FOR UK
Who fancies talking about some new laws here in the UK? "Electric car chargers are set to become a more common sight on UK highways and motorways in near future, after the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act became law earlier today" according to Business Green: "The Act gives government the power to force petrol stations and motorway services to install electric vehicle (EV) chargers to ensure charging availability keeps up with market demand. It will also require operators to ensure charge points are compatible with all EVs and standardise payment systems for charging. In addition, the Act updates insurance rules to ensure drivers are covered even when self-driving modes are activated."
GATWICK LAUNCHES UK FIRST ELECTRIC CAR SHARING SERVICE
- In a UK airport first, passengers, staff and local residents can now reserve and pick up a 100% electric car at Gatwick – and return it to any of 300 compatible pick up/ drop off points across London or back at Gatwick - the airport announced today.
- The service - similar to schemes popular in other parts of the world - is being rolled out in partnership with Bluecity, the only company to operate a pan-London electric vehicle car sharing service with 100 cars currently available in total.
- Operating in a similar way to existing cycle schemes across the capital, ten cars and charging points are currently available on Gatwick’s South Terminal forecourt. This is Bluecity’s first airport hub and discussions are in progress to increase capacity.
ECOTAP AND ALLEGO TO DEPLOY 4,500 PUBLIC CHARGERS IN THE NETHERLANDS
- "The Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel have awarded charger manufacturer Ecotap and charging solution provider Allego a contract to install and operate 4,500 public charging points in 43 cities." reports Charles Morris at Charged EVs: "The new chargers will make the maximum possible use of sustainably generated energy from local energy coops, and will automatically reduce charging speeds during peak hours. EV drivers gain access to the chargers using Allego’s Dutch public charging platform. The company uses separate platforms for Belgium and Germany."
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/ecotap-and-allego-to-deploy-4500-public-chargers-in-the-netherlands/
OIL REFINERS EXPRESS WORRY OVER ELECTRIC CARS
- "A recent survey by the World Refining Association shows some oil industry executives are becoming concerned about how the proliferation of electric cars may affect their business. A core of respondents, however, seem unconvinced that electric cars are a threat." so says Green Car Reports: "In the survey published late last month, 61.1 percent of professionals in the oil industry said they were "somewhat worried," about electric cars' impact on their business."
FOR E-TRUCK REVENUES, LOOK TO BYD RATHER THAN TESLA
- Seeking Alpha have noticed that orders for BYD Electric Trucks keep on rolling in. "Unlike its competitors, it has a full range up and running. This is key. Much of the talk has been about the big Class 8 trucks. In fact, smaller trucks in huge demand from the growth of e-shopping and consequent urban deliveries are a more important business. Other specialist products have great potential too. In garbage trucks alone, BYD has a range of products for which orders are starting to build up. Recently, the company closed a contract for 500 garbage trucks in Shenzhen (a city to which they have already supplied over 16,000 e-buses). These have a range of 280 kms."
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