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Can inductive charging save the EV?

Matt DeLorenzo — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Technology, Electric

Let's Face It, We're Just Plain Lazy

Recent news about the price cuts on the Ford Focus EV and Nissan Leaf are proof positive that despite all their eco-goodness, pure electrics as well as plug-in hybrids remain a tough sell to the American mass market.

There's no doubt automakers are committed to electrifying an increasing portion of their product offerings. The problem is that no one needs to buy an EV or plug-in hybrid. But with CAFE standards doubling to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 and California's mandate that major manufacturers sell zero-emission vehicles as a percentage of their overall fleets (a measure also adopted by 13 other states), carmakers have to sell EVs and plug-in hybrids to avoid costly penalties or face caps on the number of vehicles they are allowed to sell.

Matt DeLorenzo is the former editor-in-chief of Road & Track and has covered the auto industry for 35 years, including stints at Automotive News and AutoWeek. He has authored books including VW's New Beetle, Chrysler's Modern Concept Cars, and Corvette Dynasty.

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Can inductive charging save the EV? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW Isetta gets reimagined as the eSetta

Chris Tutor — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, BMW, Design/Style, Electric

The venerable Isetta was tiny, cheap and nimble transportation in post-World-War-II Europe. In this day of $4-a-gallon gas, could a similar car be an attractive alternative? That's the question University of Applied Arts graduate Tony Weichselbraun asked as he endeavored to imagine a modern Isetta.

Tony calls his interpretation the eSetta, with the "e" indicating an electric motor in place of the original Isetta's gasoline-powered motorcycle engine. Such a small package couldn't hold much of a battery pack, but it doesn't need to in Tony's plan. The eSetta would be part of a car sharing system where the little cars would be charged via induction stations where the eSetta could be borrowed and returned.

For now, the eSetta is only a concept, but its familiar retro look and frugal philosophy could do well for short trips in a compact urban center.

BMW Isetta gets reimagined as the eSetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept is going to rock down to Electric Avenue

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Rolls-Royce, Electric, Luxury

Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

The electric car has come of age. How do we know? Well, see for yourself. Rolls-Royce, perhaps the most iconic of classic luxury marques, has stepped firmly into the EV waters with the 102EX Concept. According to CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, this machine was created to help the company "[seek] clarity on which technology may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future."

We'd imagine a nice big diesel engine (perhaps fueled with a biodiesel blend) would work just fine and dandy, but electric drive is certainly a workable option, as well. Apparently, the 102EX, which is apparently also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric, will be used throughout 2011 as a test bed to shuttle... well, whomever Rolls-Royce deems worthy of transport. It won't, however, be made into a production vehicle.

The Phantom Experimental Electric started life as a run-of-the-mill Rolls-Royce Phantom from which the 6.75-liter engine and six-speed automatic gearbox were removed and replaced with a pair of electric motors putting out 145 kilowatts each. That thrust is sufficient to send the 6,000-pound EV to 60 miles per hour in "under eight seconds."

More impressive is the battery pack, which is comprised of 96 individual cells assembled (on purpose, we gather) to resemble the shape of the original engine and transmission. Rolls-Royce believes its 338-volt, 71-kWh unit is the largest battery ever fitted to a road car. Also of note is the inductive charging technology that eschews an actual plug in favor of a charging mat on the ground and an inductive mat on the underside of the vehicle that wirelessly recharges the battery. A plug also exists where the fuel filler normally resides.

Naturally, there's an exhaustive press release pasted after the break. Be sure to check out our high-res image gallery of live photos below, and pay special attention to the clear Spirit of Ecstasy that is illuminated in blue light.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept: Geneva 2011

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept is going to rock down to Electric Avenue

Geneva 2011: Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept is going to rock down to Electric Avenue originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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