Autoblog

Renault launches new site dedicated to its upcoming EV lineup [w/VIDEO]

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Renault, Electric

Renault Fluence Zero Emissions Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Renault has created a new website that is dedicated to promoting its upcoming model range of battery powered cars. The site is actually about more than just the Fluence, Kangoo, Zoe and Twizzy. It also offers explanations of how Renault hopes to make these cars mainstream and affordable. It appears from the information provided that Renault plans to sell all of its EVs without a battery pack. The energy storage system will all be leased separately with payments going to a chosen energy supplier. There will be the three options for replenishing the charge.

Europeans can use their standard 220V / 10-16A outlet to charge in 6-8 hours. A standardized fast charge connector is currently being developed among multiple automakers and utilities, and it should facilitate 20-30 minute charges with a 400 V / 36 A, three-phase source. Finally, Renault appears set to implement battery swap capabilities across its full lineup for three minute battery changes. Along with the main site there, Renault has also added a video blog that thus far contains a series of videos shot at the Frankfurt Motor Show debut of the ZEV lineup. You can check out one the videos after the jump. Thanks to Shadowcast for the tip!

Gallery: Renault Fluence Zero Emissions Concept

[Source: Renault-ZE.com]

Continue reading Renault launches new site dedicated to its upcoming EV lineup [w/VIDEO]

Renault launches new site dedicated to its upcoming EV lineup [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Nissan Leaf electric car: In person, in depth - and U.S. bound [*UPDATED w/vids & live photos]

Chris Paukert — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:48:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Japan, Technology, Hatchback, Nissan, Design/Style, Electric

2010 Nissan Leaf EV - Click above for hi-res gallery

It would be easy to paint Nissan as late to the burgeoning U.S. green party, as the company essentially only counts the Altima Hybrid to sell among its alt-fuel offerings - and that sedan utilizes technology borrowed from Toyota, and it's only sold in a few states in small volumes. While that may be the case, Nissan says their near-term prospects are really quite different. While the company has admittedly been cautious in marketing alt-fuel vehicles in North America, they have been hard at work developing electric vehicles - as well as the advanced lithium-ion batteries to support them - since 1992. What's more, officials say they are now singularly well-placed to leapfrog "transitional" powertrain solutions like gas-electric hybrids in favor of genuine zero-emissions vehicles, and they are promising that their first pure-electric car will reach U.S. shores late next year.

That car, the Nissan Leaf shown here, is the reason we find ourselves in the company's brand-new Yokohama headquarters today. Designed as a four-to-five seat, front-drive C-segment hatchback, Nissan says the Leaf is not just for use as a specialty urban runabout, but rather, it was designed as an everyday vehicle - a "real car" whose 160-kilometer+ (100 mile) range meets the needs of 70% of the world's motorists. In the case of U.S. consumers, Nissan says that fully 80% of drivers travel less than 100km per day (62 miles), making the Leaf a solid fit for America's motoring majority, even taking into account power-sapping external factors like hilly terrain, accessory draw, and extreme temperatures.

We were afforded an advance look at the Leaf ahead of the car's unveiling today, and while it was a hands-off affair, we did have the chance to formulate some in-the-metal first impressions and take a deep dive into the car's technology. Click through to the jump to learn all about it.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV- Yokohama Introduction

Continue reading 2010 Nissan Leaf electric car: In person, in depth - and U.S. bound [*UPDATED w/vids & live photos]

2010 Nissan Leaf electric car: In person, in depth - and U.S. bound [*UPDATED w/vids & live photos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Koenigsegg's purchase of Saab bring electric Quant concept to production?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Green, Technology, Saab

NLV Quant by Koenigsegg - Click above for high-res image gallery

Now that Koenigsegg's purchase of ailing fellow Swedish automaker Saab is all but officially official, our attention naturally turns to the the current product lines and possible future vehicles from the two automakers. At least a few people are wondering out loud if there's a possibility that Koenigsegg's involvement with Saab could bring the gorgeous Aero X concept car from 2006 to life, but at least some of us are a bit more interested in reports that Koenigsegg's Quant from this year's Geneva Motor Show may see production via the use of some of Saab's leftover production capabilities.

Powered by an electric motor at each wheel for a total of 512 hp and 527 lb-ft of turqoe, the Koenigsegg Quant concept featured a new kind of battery that is supposedly capable of providing a range of over 300 miles after a short 15-20 minutes charge. Futher, a set of solar panels on the Quant's exterior can reportedly keep accessories running without draining the main battery. If there's any truth to the rumors, we could see the Quant hit production in low volumes within the next few years.

Gallery: NLV Quant by Koenigsegg

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Could Koenigsegg's purchase of Saab bring electric Quant concept to production? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: Mighty Morphin' iChange proves Rinspeed is up to its old tricks

Chris Paukert — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Technology

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Rinspeed iChange

From the gloriously fertile mind of Frank Rinderknecht comes the Rinspeed iChange, a shape-shifting zero-emissions concept car. As its name suggests, the iChange actually morphs its body shape depending on how many people are going to be onboard, thus optimizing its aerodynamic profile around the passenger load that is called for.

The Swiss auto designer's creations have always been a highlight of the Geneva Motor Show, from outsized roadsters with crazy paint jobs to cars that run on garbage and have tilting occupant cells to exoskeltal minimalist roadsters to Lotus Elise-based roadgoing submarines. Next month, we expect the iChange to be no different.

In the main, the lightweight (1,050 kilograms, or 2,315 pounds) zero-emissions iChange starts off as a one-seat sports car that is capable of changing to a three-seat coupe thanks to a pop-up rear end.

In the drivetrain department, the iChange is motivated by a 150-kilowatt motor, whose power is routed through a six-speed "pre-selector" gearbox which Rinspeed says is borrowed from Subaru's WRX. Juice storage is provided by one of two stack configurations of lithium-ion batteries, depending on whether short- or long-distance driving is planned. So-equipped, the iChange will whir its way to 100 kilometers-per-hour (62 miles-per-hour) in just over four seconds, topping out at 220 km/h (137 mph). The car's pure-electric drivetrain is further supplemented by a roof shingled in solar panels, which generates power that is stored in the batteries and also helps operate cooling fans to vent the interior.

Click on the jump for more details and a stupendously-large press release, and check out the 70+ image high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Geneva Preview: Rinspeed iChange concept

[Source: Rinspeed]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: Mighty Morphin' iChange proves Rinspeed is up to its old tricks

Geneva Preview: Mighty Morphin' iChange proves Rinspeed is up to its old tricks originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CARB backs off a bit on ZEV Mandate, orders 66k PHEVs sold by 2014

John Neff — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted last week to revise its ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) Mandate that was first adopted in 1990 and has since been changed five times now. The newest revisions ease up on automakers, now calling for 7,500 zero-emission vehicles to be sold in California between 2012 and 2014, down from 25,000 that were called for in the last revision made in 2003. A zero-emissions vehicle includes a pure electric vehicle or one powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, though CARB also ruled that the its ZEV Mandate could be partially met with a new category of vehicles it calls Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial-Zero Emissions Vehicle, or Enhanced AT PZEV. These include plug-in hybrids like the Chevy Volt or vehicles with internal combustion engines that run on hydrogen like the BMW Hydrogen 7.

In addition to reducing the number of ZEVs that must be sold between 2012 and 2014, CARB also demanded that automakers sell at least 66,000 plug-in hybrids during the same time period. Ford is working on a plug-in hybrid Escape and GM a plug-in hybrid Saturn VUE, while Toyota is also developing a plug-in version of its popular Prius. While this goal seems somewhat realistic to us depending on how willing consumers will be to swallow the premium price of a plug-in hybrid, achieving 7,500 ZEVs sold in less than five years could be a stretch considering that not one of the major automakers is working on a pure EV to sell in the U.S. and there just isn't a strong enough infrastructure for delivering hydrogen to that many Californians at the moment. Nevertheless, 7,500 sold is easier to achieve than 25,000. These recent revisions indicate to some that CARB is slowly being neutered of its power as the feds work to regain control of setting the nation's energy policy. One set of standards for every state is what the automakers want, and for better or worse they may have it soon.

[Source: CARB, AutoblogGreen, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

CARB backs off a bit on ZEV Mandate, orders 66k PHEVs sold by 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris Preview: Peugeot 207 EPURE Concept

Alex Nunez — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Coupe, Hybrid, Europe, Green, Paris Motor Show

The Peugeot 207 EPURE concept looks like a production car because, for the most part, it is. What you see is the new Peugeot 207 CC ... almost. A peek underhood reveals the "concept" part of this little French bulldog: it's powered by a fuel cell.

The car's name is an obvious nod toward it's green credentials, and Peugeot used the car's colors to help communicate that theme as well. The white paint, white leather interior, and soft "absinthe" green carpeting and accents communicate the cleanliness associated with its alternative fuel source. Some interior features are concept-specific, such as the instrumentation used to monitor the car's power sources. In addition to that, a lot of the leather-covered interior surfaces will likely be hide-free when the production 207 CC bows.

Peugeot says that it was natural to use a convertible as the platofrm here because the open air dirving experience is most enhanced by the car's quiet operation and emissions-free nature. The power source is a GENEPAC 20 (20 kW) fuel cell that is fed by five 15-liter hydrogen cylinders stored at the bottom of the car's trunk. The fuel cell powers the EPURE's electric motor (Peak power: 95 hp / 133 lb-ft) and recharges its 50 kW Lithium-Ion battery.

(More info, photos, press release after the jump)

Continue reading Paris Preview: Peugeot 207 EPURE Concept

Paris Preview: Peugeot 207 EPURE Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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