Featured Threads Archive

For our New Jersey folks, state lawmakers looking how to get funds from growing number of EVs to pay for roads, etc because of dip in gas tax. In my opinion, fortunate that quoted lawmaker is looking at miles driven.
How do you tax a car that doesn't use gas? NJ may seek ideas

In this recent article, if you live in Lancaster, CA one can get some awesome new EV car instant savings - If I did my math right $11K-$14.5 depending on your income level.

Going all-electric | Local News | avpress.com

The news that Toyota joined the Trump administration and other forces opposing California's ability to set its own auto emissions standards made me sad, and awakened me to a possible truth.
https://reut.rs/2NwQeUH

Convinces me that maybe Toyota is one of the bad guys, or at least one that is good only when they have to. Basically, the Prius and Mirai, and future similar efforts...

California will halve most incentives for on new ZEV sales on December 3rd. Rebates for low-income buyers will be unchanged.

PHEV are now required to have an all-electric range of 35 miles in urban driving. The Prime may no longer qualify (not sure what its urban-only range is). The new RAV may also fail to qualify depending...

Vehicle sales price for BEV are now capped at $60,000. Most Tesla models and entries by European luxury car makers will no longer qualify, but most other entries and the Model 3 will continue to qualify.

Households are now limited to only 1 rebate. There are also changes for fleets.

This is only for the new vehicle rebate program, not other clean vehicle programs funded by the state.

What should I know about the December 3rd program changes? | Clean Vehicle Rebate Project

Chris Anthony of Aptera joins us for the full hour. Chris was part of Aptera generation 1, left the company, and is back to get generation 2 off the ground. It’s not a stretch to say that even though we really want all EV manufacturers to succeed, we’ve been skeptical of Aptera. Chris is a […]

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Below is a link to a youtube video of the assembly line for the Porsche Taycan AWD electric sports car. The video is about 28 minutes long. One version is around 670 hp and it's 0-60 time is 2.7 seconds. A little faster than our Prius but then you would have to dig considerably more change out from under the couch cushions to buy one of them.

I can detail some of what you see but I have been retired for 15 years so some of the process may have changed.

They don't show the stamping department that forms all the required panels with presses.

They begin in the weld department where automation is used to spot weld panels to the body. These are called white bodies at this point as they are unpainted. The parts and bodies can't sit more than a couple days before rusting begins. Next is inspection and the bodies are wiped down with tack rags before they are painted.

The first step is primer. The bodies are primered using an e-coat (electrically coated) dip tank. This is a water base...

Yep, they're bypassing us 'cause we don't like small cars, maybe.
Charged EVs | Honda accelerates electrification plans for Europe, passes over US

For China.
Toyota And BYD Agree To Establish EV R&D Joint Venture

Press release - BYD Company Ltd. (BYD) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced on 7Nov2019 that they have signed an agreement to establish a joint company (I assume in China) to research and development for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

BYD, Toyota Agree to Establish Joint Company for Battery Electric Vehicle Research and Development | Corporate | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

And the startup is affiliated with Workhorse.
GM just sold its Lordstown plant to an EV startup affiliated with Workhorse - Electrek

It appears that, from today, the refreshed C-HR with the Hybrid 2.0 powertrain 135 KW (184 hp), the same on the Corolla, can be ordered, at least here in Europe.



It also appears that in some markets (e.g., Italy) the C-HR can now be only ordered with the Hybrid 2.0 powertrain. The 1.8 that powers the Prius? Gone. They were selling lot of these in Europe (1.8H C-HR), btw.

Given that they published third quarter financial results with increased revenues and profits, under a global demand slowdown for vehicles and the strengthening of the Yen (that slows down exports), Toyota might be selling a lot of hybrids (which they are also pricing higher, with respect to the old non-hybrid versions of the same cars).
Well, at least here, almost all the vehicles they are now selling are hybrid-only, and it's several years already that the Lexus line is 100% hybrid.

They also finalized a joint venture with BYD, apparently (lot of news today ); who...

“We forecast EVs and hybrids – such as the Toyota Prius – will reach 20% and 30% of global penetration rates respectively by 2030.”


Which Regions are Driving the Electric Vehicle Trend? | Morningstar

Infiniti bets its future on electric cars–and hybrid tech it hasn’t yet named



It appears to be based on Nissan’s e-Power series-hybrid system. 3.5-5.1kWh batteries to supplement the engine.

In and out with 10-minute electrical vehicle recharge | Penn State University

New developments in charging Lithium cells shows that heating the batteries to 140 F for 10 minutes than rapidly cooling to ambient temps allows for 200 to 300 miles of range with a battery life expectancy of 2,500 cycles or the equivalent of 500,000 miles.

Also mentioned in the study, fast charging of Lithium cells below 50 F produces lithium spikes on the anode, reducing cell capacity.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/10-minute-charge-evs-hit-170000497.html

Ford Brings Three New Plug-In Hybrids To Frankfurt Motor Show

A glimpse of what is coming to Europe.

The Kuga is the Escape.
We are getting the Explorer PHEV as the Lincoln Aviator.
The Mondeo is the Fusion. Of course, we don't get the wagon, but the Fusion and its hybrid versions is living on in 2020.
The Puma is a crossover based on the Fiesta. I expect it to come here, as the Ecosport is an old model brought in to fill the slot below the Escape.

I was originally thinking we wouldn't see the mild hybrids here, but Now i am rethinking that. Many Fords now have start/stop systems standard, and the cost of a 48v hybrid system upgrade would be less than $1000 to Ford. Perhaps they are planning to bring them here. Which could explain why they support California's fuel economy standards.

Jon B attended the Tokyo Auto Show and brought back photos and videos. A lot of interesting things going on. Harbour Air (Vancouver, CA) plans to be the world’s first fully-electric airline. According to Mary Barra, General Motors will spend more money in the next 5 years developing new EVs than in ICE development. The […]

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Toyota Australia says plug-in hybrids are imminent - Car News | CarsGuide

Do all Toyota hybrids before current generation use the same multi-cellular construction? I’m pondering getting a Highlander Hybrid, as longer Uber trips in my Gen 3 are tight with 4 passengers. Would a 2010 or older HiHy be on its last leg on the battery, or is this not a concern on them??

1) Russell provides insight gained at Toyota’s eVolution event2) If you haven’t yet watched Russell’s interview with Matthew Klippenstein, you should check it out3) The founder of Faraday Future files bankruptcy4) Dyson declares they are giving up on developing an electric vehicle5) All the non-Tesla owners need a supercharger network6) The Nobel Prize in Chemistry […]

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1) General Motors considers (threatens) to bring back the Hummer nameplate as an EV.2) John Goodenough and others receive the Nobel Prize for inventing the Lithium-Ion battery that is primarily powering our transition to electric vehicles.3) Tesla Gigafactory 3, phase 2 will be a battery manufacturing facility.4) The future of transportation is not cars. Not […]

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