Volkswagen is considering the development of an all-electric rallycross supercar.
The German firm's head of technology Frank Welsch says the short, sharp format of rallycross events offers the perfect showcase for advances in electric car technology.
“I can certainly imagine a championship done with all-electric cars,” Welsch told Autocar. “The races are around six minutes long, which allows for short, intense bursts of competition and then charging.”
VW already competes in Red Bull Global Rallycross with factory Beetle GRCs and in FIA World Rallycross with Polo RXs. Both cars squeeze around 560 HP out of their tiny engines and reach 100km/h in just 2 seconds.
“Today these cars are super-powerful, have torque from hell and use all-wheel drive,” said Welsch. “Electric drivetrains could deliver that.”
Welsch went on to say that “If the championship moved that way it would be perfect for us.”
The Toyota Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, went on sale in Japan in 1997. 18 years later with sales surpassing 8 million vehicles, we're starting to get a clear picture of how durable vehicles powered by electric powertrains are.
The humble Prius has proved so durable, with regular news of taxi operators surpassing 1 million km (the record stands at 1.5M km), there is even a thread on the priuschat website designated for Prius owners who have passed 299,999 miles (480,000 km).
Not only are most Prius achieving these distances on the original battery pack (dispelling that urban myth) but in many cases they are also still on the original factory fitted set of brake pads!! With a Prius able to use brake regeneration down to 10 km/h, industry standard hydro-mechanical friction brakes move from being a system made up of consumable parts to a durable system that lasts the life of the vehicle.
Typical brake pad life expectancy on an ICE car is between 50-100,000 km with brake rotors needing replacement every 100-200,000 km so the increase in Prius brake life is in the region of 10x.
If the relatively low powered 50 kw electric motor / generator in the Prius has made friction brakes 90% redundant, then vehicles like the BMW i3 with a much more powerful electric motor (125 kw) and aggressive speed variable brake regeneration capable of bringing the car to a complete stop, make friction brakes entirely a legacy system whose only function is to provide very low duty-cycle safety functions such as Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
Taxi operators running fleets of Nissan Leaf are also reporting high mileage on original brake pads and no doubt given enough time will also pass 500,000 km without a pad &/or rotor change. Leaf owners have the added benefit of not having an ICE to service (Prius ICE's reportedly consume excessive oil above 500,000 km) and with typical electric motor life measured in the 20-40,000 hour range, electric only powertrains could last in excess of 2 million kilometres of trouble free motoring, compared to a typical ICE car life expectancy of 320,000 km (200,000 miles).
The more that brake regeneration becomes an auto industry standard, the more inevitable the elimination of the dead weight and costs associated with legacy friction brake systems seems. In order to allow electromagnetic braking to functionally replace all mandatory safety systems like ESC, each wheel requires an electric motor to drive / brake each wheel independently.
Technologies that we take for granted these days — like stability control and anti-lock brakes — paved the way for computer-controlled cars, and these long-established safety technologies are mandated by NHTSA etc. Automakers today agreed to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) standard on most U.S. cars by 2022. Automatic braking, like lane keeping and dynamic cruise control, is considered a precursor to fully autonomous vehicles.
The converging vectors of vehicle electrification and self-driving cars will accelerate the need to consolidate all vehicle dynamic controls for propulsion and braking within a single system, i.e. Software Eats the Automotive Powertrain.
Stay tuned, we'll delve into electromagnetic braking in a future post.
BMW will boost the range of its i3 electric car by about half for the 2017 model year.
This summer, the lithium ion battery pack of the compact EV will be improved, "which puts it into a much more usable range," Ian Robertson, BMW AG board member for sales and marketing, told Automotive News at the Detroit auto show.
BMW doesn't have the exact figure yet, but a 50 percent increase means about 200 km on a single charge, up from the current 130 km (EPA).
The 2017 i3 will begin production in July of 2016 and will use Samsung 94 Ah battery cells. The 2017 i3 needs the increase in range to compete with the 2016 30 kWh Nissan Leaf with 250 km range and the upcoming Chevy Bolt, which will have a range of 300+ km.
The i3 went on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2014 and has a base price of $43,350 including shipping. A model with a range extender is also available -- with about double the range -- and starts at $47,200 including shipping. Those prices are before tax credits.
BMW sold 24,057 i3s worldwide last year, an increase of 50 percent from 2014. In the United States, BMW sold 11,024 i3s, up from 6,092 in 2014. Nearly 60 percent of those were with the range extender.
General Motors announced Friday it is buying Cruise Automation, a San Francisco self-driving vehicle startup, the latest move by the auto company as it competes with Silicon Valley to develop self-driving cars that could be used in ride-sharing fleets.
GM and Cruise did not disclose the value of the deal. Technology website Re/Code cited sources as saying GM paid $1 billion. If correct, GM has just set a new precedent for valuations in the automotive technology start-up market.
GM intends to use Cruise’s technology and people to accelerate its effort to develop vehicles that can operate without a human driver, potentially as part of ride-sharing fleets “as soon as possible,” GM President Dan Ammann said in an interview.
“We will be committing considerable resources to recruit and grow the capability of the team,” Ammann said.
Cruise has been working to develop hardware and software that could be installed in a vehicle to enable the car to pilot itself on a highway, without the driver steering or braking.
GM initially planned an investment in the company but moved within five weeks to buy Cruise outright, said venture partner Nabeel Hyatt of Spark Capital, an investor in Cruise.
"They moved faster than most Silicon Valley companies would move," he said.
Cruise, which has 40 employees, was launched in 2013 and has raised $20 million in venture capital, founder Kyle Vogt said in an interview.
Vogt impressed Silicon Valley venture capital fund Signia Venture Partners by demonstrating an Audi A4 that could be controlled by a game console, said Signia principal Sunny Dhillon.
More recently, Cruise was working on a system that could make a car "fully driverless," Vogt said.
A flurry of investments by traditional auto companies reflects a fear among industry executives that the century-old business of building and selling cars that people drive themselves is at risk, even though global vehicle demand is strong.
In January, GM said it would invest $500 million in ride-hailing company Lyft Inc and followed that by forming a new car-sharing operation called Maven. The company has also established a separate unit for self-driving vehicle development.
Other automakers are moving into ride sharing and self-driving vehicles, as are some traditional auto suppliers.
Germany’s Continental and Delphi Automotive among others are seeking technology companies to buy for intellectual property and programming talent.
Porsche AG has been weighing bids from Panasonic Corp. and Robert Bosch GmbH for a long-range battery as it prepares to challenge Tesla Motors Inc. with an all-electric sports car, according to people familiar with the matter.
Costs for the package offered by crosstown neighbor Bosch would be higher than the competing technology from Japanese peer Panasonic, which supplies Tesla’s batteries, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential. The advantage to Bosch’s offer would be less-complex logistics.
“We’re in the final stage of making a decision,” Porsche Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume said in an interview last week at the Geneva International Motor Show. He declined to comment on the suppliers being considered.
The unit of Volkswagen AG, Europe’s largest automaker, earmarked 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to build its first battery-powered sports car in December. It’s part of the parent company’s broader push for more low-emission electric and hybrid cars. Volkswagen has sped up its electric efforts since admitting six months ago it had cheated on emissions tests for diesel cars.
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said a week ago the company, a fellow Volkswagen unit, will purchase batteries for its electric vehicles from Korean suppliers LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung Electronics Co., who have plans in place to start producing battery cells in Europe.
Electric Investment
With the Volkswagen scandal throwing the long-term future of diesel into question, other carmakers are also turning anew to electric cars. Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz said last week it will invest 500 million euros to build a second battery factory in Germany because it expects demand to pick up.
Porsche’s electric sports car will be based on the low-slung Mission E concept shown at the Frankfurt auto show six months ago. Set to be produced near the automaker’s German headquarters in Stuttgart, the new model will create some 1,000 jobs.
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV does more than set a new benchmark for affordable, long-range EV driving. It also raises the bar when it comes to driving performance.
Engineers developed the Bolt EV’s propulsion system to offer more than an estimated 200 miles (based on GM estimates) and a peppy driving experience that’s more akin to a compact sports sedan than a small utilitarian crossover.
“Being the leader in range and affordability means nothing if the car isn’t going to excite you each time you get behind the wheel,” said Josh Tavel, Chevrolet Bolt EV chief engineer. “That’s why the team was tasked with delivering a propulsion system that would also make the Bolt EV an electric vehicle that owners would love to drive.”
Single Motor Drive Unit
Like most EVs on the road, the Bolt EV’s drive system uses a single high capacity electric motor to propel the car. But it’s the smooth, powerful and quiet motor design, gear configuration and shift-by-wire system that separates it from the pack.
The engineering team designed the Bolt EV’s electric motor with an offset gear and shaft configuration tailored to meet efficiency and performance targets – most notably more than an estimated 200 miles of range. The motor is capable of producing up to 266 lb.-ft. (360 Nm) of torque and 200 hp (150 kW) of motoring power. Combined with a 7.05:1 final drive ratio, it helps propel the Bolt EV from 0-60 mph in less than seven seconds.
Power delivery is controlled by Chevrolet’s first Electronic Precision Shift system. This shift and park-by-wire system sends electronic signals to the Bolt EV’s drive unit to manage precise feel and delivery of power and torque, based on drive mode selection and accelerator inputs. A by-wire shifter requires less packaging space than a traditional mechanical shifter, resulting in more interior space and improved interior layout.
60 kWh Battery System
Having more than 1.3 billion miles of EV experience from the Chevrolet Volt helped Bolt EV battery engineers and strategic partner LG Electronics to develop an all-new cell and battery pack to offer more than an estimated 200 miles of range.
Battery system preliminary specifications include:
60 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
288 lithium ion cells
Five sections
10 modules
96 cell groups – three cells per group
960 lbs. (435 kg) total weight
“You usually have a battery cell that delivers either the desired levels of energy or power, but not traditionally both. With this cell design and chemistry we were able to deliver a battery system with 160 kilowatts of peak power and 60 kilowatts hours of energy,” said Gregory Smith, Bolt EV battery pack engineering group manager.
The battery uses active thermal conditioning, similar to the Chevrolet Volt, to keep the battery operating at its optimum temperature, which results in solid battery life performance. The Bolt EV battery will be covered by an 8-year/ 100,000 mile (whichever comes first) limited warranty.
Inside the battery pack – which spans the entire floor, from the front foot well to back of the rear seat – is a new cell design and chemistry. The nickel-rich lithium-ion chemistry provides improved thermal operating performance over other chemistries, which requires a smaller active cooling system for more efficient packaging. The chemistry allows the Bolt EV to maintain peak performance in varying climates and driver demands.
The cells are arranged in a “landscape” format and each measures in at only 3.9 ins. (100 mms) high and 13.1 ins. (338 mms) wide providing improved packaging underfloor. The lower profile cell design enabled the vehicle structure team to maximize interior space.
The battery system is mated to a standard equipment 7.2 kW onboard charger for regular overnight charging from a 240-V wall box. A typical commute of 50 miles can be recharged in less than two hours. Bolt EV also features an optional DC Fast Charging system using the industry standard SAE Combo connector. Using DC Fast Charging, the Bolt EV battery can be charged up to 90 miles of range in 30 minutes. Outside temperatures may affect charging times.
Regen System Provides One-Pedal Driving
Regenerative braking has become more than just a tool to boost range, it’s also transformed into a feature that can provide an improved EV driving experience. The Bolt EV features a new regenerative braking system that has the ability to provide one pedal driving.
“Interviews with EV enthusiasts indicated their desire for one pedal driving capability on the Bolt EV. One pedal operation boosts the thrill and uniqueness of EV driving,” Tavel said.
Through a combination of increased regenerative deceleration and software controls, one pedal driving enables the vehicle to slow down and come to a complete stop without using the brake pedal in certain driving conditions.
When operating the Bolt EV in “Low” mode, or by holding the Regen on Demand paddle located on the back of the steering wheel, the driver can bring the vehicle to a complete stop under most circumstances by simply lifting their foot off the accelerator, although the system does not relieve the need to use the brake pedal altogether.
Operating the Bolt EV in “Drive” mode and not pulling the paddle while decelerating delivers a driving experience where usage of the brake pedal is required to stop.
Daimler will invest 500 million Euros in a new battery factory in Germany. The new battery factory will produce lithium-ion battery packs for hybrid and electric vehicles for Mercedes-Benz and smart brands.
Li-Tec, a subsidiary of the Daimler Group, ceased manufacture of battery cells in December 2015. The majority of the 280 employees were transferred to the Deutsche Accumotive—also a wholly owned Daimler subsidiary—which manufactures battery packs based on LG Chem cells.
Daimler consistently expands its activities in the area of electromobility and invests around 500 million Euros in the construction of a new battery factory. This will lead to a significant expansion of the production capacities for lithium-ion batteries of Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE located in the Saxon city of Kamenz.
The new factory will produce batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles of the brands Mercedes-Benz and smart. As a first step, the full Daimler subsidiary has purchased about 20 hectares of land adjacent to the existing battery factory.
"To get closer to fully electric driving, we keep investing big in the key component of emission-free vehicles: powerful batteries. We are now devoting another 500 million Euros to build a second battery factory in Germany. This underlines our commitment to the consistent expansion of electromobility", said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Daimler announced a initial 100 million euros investment to expand East German battery pack output in 2014.
With the growing electrification of the automobile, the demand for highly efficient lithium-ion batteries is also rising steadily. Through its entry into the new business field with stationary battery storage for private and industrial applications, Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE will tap into additional growth opportunities.
By the end of 2014, the Daimler subsidiary had already announced its plans for a significant increase in its production capacities and an investment of around 100 million Euros in the expansion of the existing battery factory. "With the purchase of the new land, our production area at the site will be tripled.
The previous 20,000 square meters will be stocked up by an additional 40,000 square meters of production space. We will expand the production capacity consistently in the coming years", said Harald Kröger, Head of Development Electrics/Electronics and e-Drive Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new factory is planned for fall 2016. The topping-out ceremony will then follow in spring 2017. The new production plant is to start operations in summer 2017.
Daimler entered into the business with stationary battery storage with Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE last year. The scalability of the systems enables the use of the lithium-ion batteries in big industry for network stabilization and smoothing of peak shaving for energy producers as well as private households, for example in conjunction with photovoltaic installations.
Mercedes-Benz energy storage units for private households can already be ordered and will soon be installed at customers in collaboration with selected sales partners. In the area of industrial applications, around 29 megawatt will be connected to the network jointly with different partners.
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