Infiniti show off EV roadster concept

A bunch of manufactures are using the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to show new vehicles and seems that Infinity is no exception as they launch the UK designed Prototype 10.

The INFINITI Prototype 10 recaptures the spirit of early speedster for an era of electrified performance. Revealed at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the concept represents a physical manifestation of INFINITI’s creative and ambitious plans for electrified performance. It looks like a cross between an early Mercedes racing car and something out of Tron.

As a brand with technological innovation at its core, electrification is a natural next step for INFINITI. From 2021, every new INFINITI model will be electrified, feature electric drivetrain technology to enhance performance. The Prototype 10 provides a window into INFINITI’s desire to deliver driving pleasure, thrilling performance, and range confidence.

Following the ground-breaking Prototype 9 concept first revealed at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, INFINITI has ‘looked back to go forward’ with the Prototype 10. A future vision realised by INFINITI designers, Prototype 10 evokes the spirit of early Californian speedsters, and is informed by some of the most iconic car designs of all time.

This is the first project to come to fruition under the direction of Karim Habib, INFINITI’s new Executive Design Director, and it hints at how the brand’s design teams will evolve the appearance of its production cars. A project spanning the globe, the Prototype 10’s creation has been overseen by INFINITI’s Japan design centre, designed digitally in the UK, and crafted by hand in San Diego, California.

The new concept is resolutely forward-looking in terms of its aesthetics and is a natural evolution of the form language first seen in the INFINITI Q Inspiration and Prototype 9. The monoposto (single-seat) cockpit is consistent with INFINITI’s driver-focused approach, and is indicative of the new opportunities created for INFINITI by adopting electrified powertrains and flexible vehicle platforms.

We all feel a certain degree of passion when talking about roadsters and speedsters. We are equally passionate about the potential that electrification holds for the future of our cars – a daring speedster is the perfect study for our designers to explore an electrified future and ignite such excitement.

Roland Krueger, President, INFINITI

INFINITI Prototype 10 in detail

Cool, clean, forward-looking, and inspired by electrified performance
“The INFINITI Prototype 10 echoes the layout and design of early speedsters. This period saw the creation of some of the most evocative car designs of all time, where power was celebrated through high-powered single-seat competition cars. Our new concept speaks of an electrified future, something which is reflected in its form and details. It is appropriate that we found inspiration in an optimistic bygone era in which cars were characterised by the simple love of driving.”
Karim Habib, Executive Design Director, INFINITI

Inspiration: a speedster for the modern era
In creating the Prototype 10, INFINITI has re-imagined the classic speedster with a cool, clean, forward-looking design. Inspired by the potential for electrification, INFINITI’s new concept seeks to demonstrate the daring spirit of performance that will inform the brand’s production vehicles in the future.

The new concept follows two other design studies revealed by INFINITI in the last 12 months: the Prototype 9 – first revealed in 2017 – and the INFINITI Q Inspiration Concept, unveiled at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Where Prototype 9 – a sleek, open-wheeled, electric retro-roadster – imagined an alternative history for INFINITI, the Prototype 10 is resolutely focused on what the future holds for the brand. Utterly daring in its bold execution, the new concept is inspired by the spirit of early speedsters, its form and function evoking driving pleasure and thrilling performance. Even its monoposto cockpit is consistent with INFINITI’s approach to creating driver-focused cars. The Prototype 10 also echoes the design of the 2018 Q Inspiration Concept, which previewed a new form language for INFINITI in an era of advanced powertrains.

“For us, Prototype 9 evoked the thrill and drama of early open-wheeled racing, and Prototype 10 represents another passion project for our designers. This idea of ‘looking back to go forward’, and combining the inspiration of an earlier aesthetic with future technology, lets us show how excited we are about the era of electrification. Prototype 10 draws on some of the most iconic and evocative car designs of all time to illustrate this excitement.”
Karim Habib

Harnessing a global creative team
The Prototype 10 has been designed under the direction of INFINITI’s new Executive Design Director, Karim Habib. The first project to come to fruition under his instruction, it hints at how INFINITI’s design teams will evolve and adapt the appearance of its production cars in future.

INFINITI’s design teams in Asia, Europe and North America have each been involved in the creation of Prototype 10 from its inception. A forward-looking project on a global scale, its creation has been masterminded by INFINITI’s Japan design centre and forged digitally in the UK. Evoking the spirit of early speedsters, it was to be expected that the project would be completed in San Diego, California – home of INFINITI’s North American design base.

The unveiling at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is no accident. California has an automotive culture all of its own, with a rich vein of individual expression empowering car fans and gearheads alike to create their own unique, hand-built machines. This instinct for challenging accepted automotive norms – aided by the ever-temperate weather – meant California was destined to become the spiritual home of the high-performance speedster. A similar passion for expression has driven INFINITI’s designers in creating the Prototype 10, a physical manifestation of the brand’s vision for vehicle electrification.

“California is intrinsically linked to the speedster body style and remains a cultural centre for independent car tuning and coachbuilding to this day. Prototype 10 taps into this unique Californian ethos of self-expression, both in its design and its performance.”
Karim Habib

INFINITI’s electrification strategy

Prototype 10 provides a link between where INFINITI stands now, and where we are heading. For us, electrification means performance – our cars will be powerful, efficient, and highly rewarding to drive, and Prototype 10 is a physical representation of our electrified future.

Karim Habib

Designed as a single-seat speedster, the Prototype 10 hints at the performance intent of all future electrified models from INFINITI. It doesn’t just embody the brand’s basic desire to electrify its cars, but represents a promise to deliver driving pleasure.

From 2021, all new INFINITI models will offer a mix of pure electric vehicles and e-POWER vehicles – demonstrating the full range of ultra-low emissions technology available. The Prototype 10 seeks to illustrate what drivers will come to associate with the brand’s electrified models. Echoing the performance traditions of the speedster, INFINITI will deliver electric performance of the highest order.

Delivering high performance in the smartest way possible, electric motors will be used to provide INFINITI vehicles with breath-taking off-the-line acceleration and thrilling speeds. By eliminating the need for external charging sources, INFINITI’s unique e-POWER models will also provide ‘range confidence’ for longer journeys.

Design

Realising INFINITI’s vision for electrified performance
“In designing Prototype 10, we wanted to explore how an INFINITI could look in future with the arrival of electrified powertrains. The idea of clean motoring is carried over in the car’s uncluttered, skyward-facing surfaces, while simple, geometric details provide a visual link to the notion of electrification and direct power.”
Karim Habib

A daring evolution of Q Inspiration’s form language.

A carefully crafted evolution of the design language first shown with the INFINITI Q Inspiration Concept in 2018, the Prototype 10 is resolutely forward-looking in terms of its aesthetics. Like the Q Inspiration Concept, the new design study proposes how the function of an advanced, electrified powertrain could be communicated in a stunning new form. While it retains the clean, uninterrupted surfaces of the Q Inspiration Concept – an elongated, coupé-like saloon – the Prototype 10 telegraphs the performance benefits of electric powertrains with a more purposeful speedster configuration.

The concept’s design is characterised by clear, concise lines, and confident proportions, without the body volume of the Q Inspiration Concept. With a pared-back, more geometric form, the bodywork incorporates a series of austere, straight lines, particularly evident in the 90-degree relationship between the bodywork and the fin behind the driver’s head. Ultra-modern shapes, and clean, abrupt lines, punctuate a design that would otherwise be characterised by the flowing nature of its bodywork.

“Prototype 10 follows the INFINITI Q Inspiration Concept in introducing a new form language for an electrified era, hinting at electric performance of the highest order. Where the Q Inspiration Concept presented a degree of sensuality in its surfaces, Prototype 10 evolves this design with more purpose and aggression.”
Karim Habib

Design inspired by high-performance electric motoring
“Our electric vehicle architecture represents a turning point for our design teams, a chance to present alternative proportions with different shapes. This new design language prioritises clean, efficient lines with which we can articulate a new, confident design language.”
Roland Krueger, President, INFINITI

In seeking to understand the way INFINITI’s vehicles will look in future, every element of the Prototype 10’s design links to the notion of electrification. As with the Q Inspiration Concept, the concept’s clean, uninterrupted surfaces serve as a reference to the power source that provides an uninterrupted flow of electric propulsion.

The most obvious representation of the car’s performance is its low speedster layout and confident proportions, with its long bonnet and open cockpit contrasted by a dramatic fin behind the driver’s seat.

Where the Prototype 10’s unbroken, skyward-facing surfaces reflect the uninterrupted nature of electric motor power delivery, the bodywork itself is punctuated by geometric lines. These lines reference the shock of sudden acceleration enabled by a powertrain which can instantly deliver 100% of available torque with a push of the accelerator pedal. Straight lines give added definition to the grilles at the front of the car, and the side strakes which plunge into the rear wheel arches. The cooling ducts in the open-air cockpit – one behind the driver, one in place of a passenger seat – are also characterised by their sharp geometry, with their very structure appearing to take the form of an electrical pulse. The upright fin behind the driver’s head carves into the rear deck of the car, with razor-sharp forms also evident in the design of the triangular rear light.

The front of the car features a prominent INFINITI badge pressed deep into the bodywork, with distinct creases running over the front fenders and up the centre of the hood. Slashes at the base of the hood house ultra-thin headlights, as sharp in their appearance as the power delivery is direct. Contrasting the silver bodywork, a black chin spoiler at the base of the bumper is designed to enhance downforce at the front, and channel air flow beneath the completely flat underfloor of the vehicle.

Unbroken lines and smooth body surfaces flow rearwards, culminating in a tapered rear deck, similar to that of the earlier Q Inspiration Concept. Once again, the performance spirit is present in the subtle rear diffuser, which channels air out from beneath the car and provides an efficient aerodynamic profile as the car carves near-silently through the air at higher speeds.

A monoposto cockpit underlining INFINITI’s driver-focused approach
“We were drawn to the idea of outlaw racers adapting their own cars for grass-roots racing. Cabriolets become roadsters and speedsters with the removal of the roof, or by fitting a smaller, swept-back windshield. Many owners even covered the passenger bay to create a monoposto competition car.”
Karim Habib

The cockpit echoes the design philosophy of the exterior, with clean, flowing surfaces bisected by geometric lines. The hood flows seamlessly into the open-air cabin, drawing attention to the driver’s seat and the large electric motor cooling ducts. The speedster layout encouraged INFINITI’s designers to create a monoposto cockpit, with attention focused solely on the driver. Fully visible from outside the car, the pure, minimalist cockpit captures the essence of INFINITI’s driver-focused approach. Where cabins in INFINITI production vehicles are designed to be ‘driver-focused and passenger minded’, the sole purpose of Prototype 10 is to deliver a thrilling driving experience. In place of a passenger seat, therefore, a large vent lets air flow into the rear of the car to cool the electric motor and batteries.

Prototype 10’s cockpit design is inspired by single-seat formula race cars – placing the driver fully in-control with an unhindered view of the road ahead, with ready access to ergonomic controls, and with minimal distraction. Communicating the notion of electrification and performance, Prototype 10’s uncluttered cockpit is fitted only with a driver’s seat, four-point harness, brake and accelerator pedals, and a striking, highly technical race-inspired steering wheel.

The steering wheel is the most visually-arresting element of the cabin, mounted on lightweight carbon fibre struts that extrude out of the bodywork. There is no need for an intrusive steering column due to the presence of INFINITI’s steer-by-wire Direct Adaptive Steering, providing lightning-fast responses to steering inputs. The shape of the struts holding the wheel in place is echoed in the form of the steeply-raked wind guard, deflecting air over and around the driver’s head and into the cooling ducts. The small-diameter wheel itself adheres to motorsport principles, with a flat lower section and distinct grips for the driver’s hands – with no gears to change, an electrified powertrain means fewer physical distractions. Like the INFINITI ‘infinite road’ logo, the centre of the wheel extends away from the driver, leading into a compact instrument display.

The single seat is trimmed in black leather, with red stitching matching the centre of the wheel. Extended side and hip bolsters provide a snug fit and maximum possible lateral support. The seat is mounted as low in the cockpit as possible to help lower the overall centre of gravity, with only the driver’s head visible above the bodywork – it is for this reason that INFINITI designers dubbed this aspect of Prototype 10 ‘The Bathtub’ during its creation.

Powertrain electrification

Embodying INFINITI’s desire to develop electrified models that offer driving pleasure, thrilling performance, and extended range

Prototype 10 highlights the shift towards powertrain electrification for INFINITI. In the near future our cars will offer high performance, extended driving range and the intelligent management of energy.
Roland Krueger

A physical manifestation of INFINITI’s creative and ambitious plans for electrification
From 2021, all new INFINITI models will feature electrified powertrains. Electrification is a natural progression for INFINITI, as a brand with technological innovation at its core – and the Q Inspiration Concept and Prototype 10 represent the latest steps in the brand’s shift to only produce electrified cars.

As a physical manifestation of INFINITI’s creative and ambitious plans to electrify its model line-up, Prototype 10 demonstrates the potential application for the brand’s future powertrain technologies. New models will offer owners a choice of pure battery electric vehicles, and unique, performance focused e-POWER powertrains.

INFINITI’s electrified vehicles will break down many of the perceived barriers to EV ownership. INFINITI e-POWER models in particular will eliminate the need for an external charging source, providing ‘range confidence’ for long journeys while delivering the same memorable and invigorating EV driving experience.

High performance remains a key tenet for INFINITI, innovative drivetrain technologies applied to deliver truly electrifying performance. As hinted at by the Prototype 10, INFINITI’s electrified cars will enable rapid acceleration, high speeds, and intelligent energy management.

Flexible vehicle platforms create new possibilities for powertrain and chassis layouts

Electrification provides new opportunities for the design and layout of our cars. In accommodating batteries and electric motors, or employing smaller gasoline engines, we aren’t bound by the same physical restrictions. Prototype 10 shows how an electrified powertrain could fit within a lean, lightweight and daring body, and this enabled us to rethink the fundamental layout of the car.
Karim Habib

The unique layout of Prototype 10 suggests the approach that INFINITI will take in engineering its new cars. INFINITI’s EV and e-POWER powertrains offer greater packaging flexibility for INFINITI engineers, and afford new creative freedom in design.

Prototype 10 hints at the potential for INFINITI to adopt rigid, modular platforms with flat floors to underpin every one of its new electrified vehicles, and support a new era of design and packaging. Indeed, it’s due to the flat floor that the Prototype 10 driver’s seat can be situated so low in the chassis.

Modular platforms will enable INFINITI to apply e-POWER and battery EV powertrains in new and creative ways within chassis of all shapes and sizes – including saloons, SUVs and sports cars. Electrification also provides the opportunity to introduce a wider variety of drivetrains, including a new e-AWD system, underpinned by electric motor technology, to help transform perceptions of EV performance and power delivery.

Purely a design study at this stage, Prototype 10 nevertheless hints at the inherent flexibility of INFINITI’s approach to platform and powertrain development. The ducts and vents in Prototype 10’s body could enhance cooling for a battery pack, electric motor or even INFINITI’s unique, performance focused e-POWER technology.

Sunday times joins the EV race with review of Best Electric Car in 2018

The Sunday Times asks WHICH IS THE BEST ELECTRIC CAR IN 2018? AUDI E-TRON VS JAGUAR I-PACE VS PORSCHE TAYCAN VS TESLA MODEL X?

On the face a strange question as two of the cars, the Audi and the Porsche are not yet available and the I-Pace is so new that very few people have seen one.

It does lead with:

A new wave of battery-powered luxury models are arriving in Britain’s car showrooms, with the likes of Audi, Jaguar and Porsche joining Tesla in the battle to woo owners of posh cars who are contemplating ditching diesel or parting company with petrol.

California’s Tesla may have led the charge of the upmarket electric car, launching its Model S saloon in 2013, but Britain’s Jaguar has managed to get the head-start on its European rivals, beating them to the market with its recently launched I-Pace pure EV.

Audi will reveal the production version of its e-tron SUV at the end of August, which is likely to appeal to both Q5 and Q7 owners. And Porsche is in the race as it readies the Taycan, its first pure electric car that’s about the size of the Panamera.

Range

For those looking at these EVs, the obvious question is how do the new luxury electric cars compare? Here, we review the specifications of the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model X, to help drivers decide which best meets their needs.

Arguably the greatest concern for any driver that’s not owned an electric car before is how far it will travel on a fully charged battery. Distances are improving from earlier, less powerful electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, which would struggle to better 100 miles on a charge, but there’s still the largely misplaced anxiety of running out of battery juice in between charging points when driving an electric-only car.

Charging time

After range anxiety, the next headache for anyone new to electric cars is how long a battery takes to charge. It’s all good being able to travel 300 miles on a single charge, but if you forget or face a long journey it’s good to know how quickly a depleted battery can be replenished at a public charging point, or at work.

Depending on what you’re using to top up the batteries, the charging times will vary considerably. For example, when plugging the car into the regular mains household supply, Jaguar only reckons you’ll get 38 miles of range out of the I-Pace if you leave it charging overnight. That’s why most owners have a 7kW wallbox installed at home or at work, as it will give a full charge overnight, or in 13 hours.

Jaguar says that at a standard charging point at a service station its I-Pace should have 168 miles or so of range after an hour’s charge. Once 100kW-capable charging points are available in the UK, it should also be possible to top up the battery to 90% capacity within 45 minutes.

Tesla’s Model X 75D takes about 11 hours to charge at home with a 7kW wallbox, and 3.5 hours with a public 22kW rapid charger. Switch to a 120kW Supercharger and within 40 minutes it should have 80% charge.

Audi claims that the e-tron will offer 150kW DC charging capability. That means it should charge from empty to 80% in around half an hour, and reach full within 50 minutes, as and when such powerful charges become publicly available – something the company is working on in partnership with BMW, Mercedes, Ford and the rest of the Volkswagen Group, under the guise of the Ionity network. Charged at home, using an 11kW wallbox, and it will take around 8.5 hours for a complete fill.

Porsche has yet to provide comprehensive charging data for the Taycan, saying only that it has the ability to provide a range of 248 miles after 15 minutes. However, as with the Jaguar, the technology that would allow this isn’t yet available in the UK.

With its own Supercharger network Tesla wins the charging infrastructure game by a long way. Tesla operate 1,327 Supercharger Stations with 10,854 Superchargers. Each year, owners receive 400 kWh of free Supercharger credit, enough to drive about 1,000 miles. These credits cover the long distance driving needs of most owners, so road trips can be completely free. Customers who travel beyond the annual credit pay a small fee to Supercharge—only a fraction of the cost of fuel.

Price

Because the Audi and Porsche are not yet on sale, the final price for UK drivers is still to be announced. However, the companies have given guidance on the anticipated cost, with the Audi e-tron likely to start from £60,000 when it is revealed in showroom trim in September, and the Porsche Taycan expected to be around £70,000 – when it finally reaches showrooms early next year.

Rubbing shoulders with both is the Jaguar I-Pace, which costs from £63,495 and reaches £74,445 in top-spec, HSE trim. The Tesla Model X 75D costs from £74,650.

All four cars qualify for the government’s plug-in car grant for zero-emission vehicles, which is worth up to 35% of the price or a maximum of £4500, and would be deducted from the prices listed above.

Read full article at the Sunday Times website:

Harley announces plans for electric motorcycles

Yes, Harley Davidson, the maker of super loud motor bikes announces plans for multiple electric motorcycles and even an electric bicycle.

If the name Harley Davidson conjures up images in your head of leather-clad biker gangs flying down a desert highway while spewing exhaust from their loud chrome pipes, then perhaps you’d better think again. Harley Davidson is well on their way to debuting their first electric motorcycle which they are hoping will target a younger, more urban audience – a market with which the brand desperately needs to succeed.

And now the company appears to be doubling down on that commitment by announcing a new lineup of electric motorcycles while simultaneously fleshing out their EV team with a string of new positions.

Harley Davidson’s electric motorcycle development has been known by the name Project LiveWire, though the company trademarked the name Revelation in connection with the project earlier this year, making it a good bet that the new electric Harley will be known as the Revelation upon its final debut.

The project has been in progress for at least 4 years, and has a projected release sometime next year.

Recently, the Milwaukee based motorcycle company quietly added multiple open positions related to electric vehicle operations on the hiring page of their website, fueling speculation that they are preparing to expand the scope of their current EV project.

Now it appears that the speculation has been confirmed as Harley Davidson announced today multiple new electric motorcycle platforms that are in development over the next few years.

According to Harley Davidson’s Chief Operating Officer Michelle Kumbier:

“We’re going big in EV with a family of products that will range in size, power, as well as price. When you look at EV you know this is a whole new customer base that we are bringing in.”

Source HD News Site

Porsche Mission E launches as the Porsche Taycan

The Porsche Taycan is set to the brands first full EV, and now we know what it’s actually going to be called.

All the facts

Back in 2015, the Mission E was unveiled with the Taycan codename, but now Porsche has revealed it’ll be called the Taycan. The name change was announced on Porsche’s 70th birthday by Porsche’s CEO Oliver Blume, alongside news of a new Speedster concept. And if you’re interested, we’re told the Taycan name translates in a Eurasian dialect to ‘lively young horse.’

At the 2015 Frankfurt motor show and the announcement of the all-new Porsche Mission E, shown in concept car form (above). It looked like one of Stuttgart’s finest, but everything inside it seemed to be alien. Where was the flat-six engine? If Porsche had jumped on the EV bandwagon, surely the internal combustion engine’s days were numbered?

Three years later, we have a much more measured, balanced view of EVs, and they’re shifting relationship with ICE-powered cars. In 2018 everyone’s releasing an EV – or at least announcing an ambitious plan for electrification, and our roads are peppered with Nissan Leafs and a swelling number of Teslas. Now, the idea of an electric Porsche isn’t a shocking novelty, and it needs to be backed up with some serious specs, infrastructure and competitive performance.

What is Porsche Mission E?

The Porsche Taycan (formerly the Mission E) is an all-new supercar that’ll fit somewhere between the Panamera and 911, and will feature an all-electric powertrain. It has been spotted being benchmarked against Tesla Model S and Model X EVs.

‘With Mission E we are making a clear statement about the future of the brand,’ said Porsche board chairman Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, speaking in 2015. ‘Even in a greatly changing motoring world, Porsche will maintain its front-row position with this fascinating sports car.’

In the wake of the ongoing emissions scandal rocking Porsche’s parent company VW, electric drivetrain technology is being fast-tracked throughout the VW Audi empire.

How fast is the Porsche EV?

Porsche claims the Taycan will pass 62mph in ‘less than 3.5 seconds’, dashing past 124mph in just a dozen seconds. Top speed meanwhile will be ‘more than 155mph’. The dual-motor layout delivers four-wheel drive and the 911’s four-wheel steering features for agility that would surprise most four-seaters. The batteries are mounted as low as possible within the composite construction for a ground-hugging centre of gravity. There are also two recesses within the skateboard-like battery, for better rear occupant legroom.

In Stuttgart at the company’s annual earnings conference, Porsche let slip that the Tayxan would be powered by LG batteries from South Korea – but that the cells have been designed and built specifically for the Taycan, so they’re not appearing in any other EVs. Steiner added that longer term, Porsche would be pooling its resources within the VW Group to eventually produce its own batteries.

Is the Taycan a real Porsche?

Sort of. ‘The Porsche Mission has been developed in-house at Stuttgart from start to finish, but Porsche is working with its VW stablemate on a separate platform called the Premium Performance Electric or PPE,’ said Stefan Weckbach, head of BEV at Porsche. That’s BEV as in Battery Electric Vehicles, in case you were wondering. ‘E-mobility is a Herculean task, and that’s also true in monetary terms. Group-wide cooperation is therefore a huge plus for us.

‘We’re working very closely with our counterparts, in particular at Audi, on the use of joint modules for the e-vehicles we are currently planning. The brands are also working on the joint development of a platform for new BEV projects in the future.’ We should expect three SUV or saloon models from that in the future, enabled by the economies of scale sparked by working with sister brands. By teaming up, Audi and Porsche are jointly saving 30% in R&D costs.

Of course the Porsche Cayenne is based on the Audi Q7 and the Macan on the Audi Q5.

What are the Taycan specs?

Three years ago, the Mission E promised impressive specs, but Porsche realises it’s been chasing a moving target ever since the car was announced – and that won’t stop when the car is finally released in 2019. Power electronics and battery tech are moving at such a fast rate, Porsche is still unsure if it’ll be offering incremental upgrade packages to early customers.

Tesla is happy to offer performance improving software updates with startling frequency, whereas Nissan tends to save any Leaf updates for refreshed models.

However, with performance and speed being such an important part of the Mission E concept Porsche is considering how to factor in life-cycle improvements to the Taycan.

Porsche plan to use 800 volts with PSM ‘permanently excited synchronous machine’ – an electric motor with extremely high power density, high-efficiency and consistent performance over the entire range of speed and distance. Concept Study Mission E features two of them: one on each axle with a total of more than 440 kW (600 hp) to give a range of over 500 Km.

Or use a standard Type 2 charging cable.

Where does it fit?

Porsche is planning to offer its Taycan EV in three different power outputs and will price the fast four-door in a similar ballpark to the Cayenne and Panamera. This points to a launch price of around £75,000 in the UK when sales start in 2019.

Offering a choice of performance levels gives the Porsche EV a wider market appeal, different price points and an answer to the Tesla Model S, which also comes in 75D, 100D and P100D flavours. We understand the Taycan will be available with some very familiar-sounding badges, reflecting the performanceincrease.

• Carrera 300kW equivalent to 396bhp
• Carrera S 400kW equivalent to 529bhp
• Turbo 500kW equivalent to 661bhp

One constant question Porsche has to face right now is: ‘how do you make it feel like a Porsche?’ And it’s a reasonable thing to ask, especially when it comes to electric cars. Take the 911 GT3; it’s one of the most responsive cars on the road – thanks in part to its naturally aspirated flat-six – but how do you deliver that instant response and hit of acceleration in a marketplace where e-motors with tonnes of torque and linear power delivery come straight off the shelf?

The quick answer: Porsche says it’ll be going deeper into the response and power characteristics of EVs, and there’s more to it than just pure acceleration. For example, steering and braking feel are both something Porsche prides itself on, and the company expects them to be a good area of differentiation in its EV. No wooden brake feel here, say the engineers.

And unlike other cars such as the Tesla Roadster, which can only achieve its headline-grabbing figures twice before needing to cool down, Porsche wants its car to deliver the same level of performance at all times.

‘Porsche drivers won’t need to worry about throttling performance,’ said Weckbach. ‘The Mission E will offer reproducible performance and a top speed which can be maintained for long periods, he vows.

The Taycan will sound like an electric car, in the same way that the 911 GT3 sounds like a flat-six monster. That is, while the car’s acoustics may be tuned to sound as pleasant or aggressive as possible, there won’t be any synthetic BMW i8-style noise.

‘Porsche is unlikely to lower itself to gimmicks of this kind or use sound effects to mimic a bubbling eight-cylinder,’ explains Weckbach. ‘But we will give due consideration to sound as an emotional factor in the Taycan, using the design approach typical of Porsche and incorporating a clear reference to the technology.’

What’s more, Porsche believes there’s more to driving dynamics than the metallic roar of an ICE behind you, and that in the future, the sound of thousands of tiny explosions won’t be so associated with driving excitement anyway.

Charging

Porsche wants to ease Taycan owners into the world of electric charging, and it’s going to use a combination of hardware and software to do it.

For example, in a step above Tesla’s own Supercharger network, Michael says Porsche drivers will be able to easily reserve charging spots as part of a normal sat-nav-led journey.

‘Take the Turbo Charging Planner for our battery electric powertrains as another example,’ said Michael. ‘Quick-charge options are optimally matched to your route planning and charging pedestals are pre-reserved, meaning that you can gain that all-important advantage and lose as little time as possible. Added value of this kind helps to determine the essence of the brand.’ Unlike Tesla, which sees charging as a financial incentive to buy into its ecosystem, Porsche wants to use charging as an additional revenue stream.

 Interestingly, Porsche isn’t too keen on rolling out its fastest charging technology to everyone’s homes, either. Instead, it’ll offer an extended range of wall chargers, with different models catering for different cars and use cases.

‘We’ll also be able to tailor charging output to customer needs. For example, 3.6 kW for a plug-in hybrid or 7.2 kW for drivers who want to go faster in their Porsche vehicle. For purely electric vehicles, the customer can choose between 11 kW and 22 kW.’

There is also talk of Inductive charging, just drive over a base plate and the car is re-charged automatically. For this to work the car and the plate need to be super close.

Factory

The new Taycan will be built in Porsche’s Zuffenhausen plant, alongside the 911 – but with space and time at a premium, the extra facilities needed for the Taycan are being built around the existing, working factory. A portion of the plant is currently closed whiles the lines are re arranged for the Taycan.

It’s an unprecedented move for the marque, and quick glance at the proposed layout essentially shows the new factory filling in any gaps around the site. The task to essentially retrofit more facilities has been so unusual, that Porsche has had to construct an 800m conveyor belt to take Taycans from the body shop to the paint hops. Around €700m is being invested in the site 

For Porsche, building its first all-electric car is a huge learning curve in more ways than one. And it’ll be the same for customers, when they first get their hands on the Taycan at the end of the decade. This promises to be one of the most fascinating EVs yet on sale – and one aimed squarely at old-school ‘petrolheads’ keen to make a stepchange into the new electric era.

What’s it like?

Porsche brand ambassador Mark Webber loves it.

Learn more at the Porsche Mission E Micro site:

Nissan sells a new LEAF every 10 mins with over 100,000 in Europe

News from Nissan today as they announce the are celebrating the 100,000^th delivery of the LEAF car this month in Europe.

Globally, over 320,000 Nissan LEAF have been sold, making it the most sold EV in the world.

Susana de Mena, of Madrid, milestone buyer of the 100,000th LEAF said, “I’ve spent two years trying to find an electric car. I knew it would be a Nissan!

“When I saw there was a brand-new model of the LEAF, there were no doubts in my mind it would be the perfect fit. My husband and I agreed that the quality, price and specification made it second-to-none.

We are very conscious that we must respect and protect the environment, so we knew we’d want to go 100% electric. On top of this, an electric car lets us get to the very centre of Madrid when ordinary vehicles can sometimes be restricted due to pollution issues.

Combining sales of the new Nissan LEAF and previous LEAF models, the 100,000 customers across Europe have helped propel the Nissan LEAF to the position of best-selling EV in the world.

With now more than 37,000 new LEAF ordered in Europe, one new Nissan LEAF is sold every 10 minutes in Europe to customers looking to switch to innovative and zero-emission technology.

The new Nissan LEAF is the first Nissan model in Europe to feature Nissan’s ProPILOT and ProPILOT Park technologies. The new Nissan LEAF is also equipped with e-Pedal, which allows drivers to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop – simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the pedal.

Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director, Nissan Europe, explained, “For us it’s no surprise that the Nissan LEAF is the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. We have been developing our electric vehicle mass-market offering for longer than any other brand and are proud to bring an affordable, visionary car to customers across Europe. In less than 10 years, we managed to make electric vehicle a mass market reality. This milestone proves once again that our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision is embraced by our customers who believe in a more confident, more exciting, and more connected future.”

European Nissan LEAF customers have now driven over 2 billion kilometres and saved over 300,000 tonnes of CO2. They also boast a 92% customer satisfaction rate – more than any other Nissan model.

Much more than just a 100% electric vehicle, the LEAF is a whole new driving experience, designed to move people with greater exhilaration, confidence and connection to the world around them. The LEAF is the embodiment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, helping to pioneer a future which brings together intelligent power, intelligent drive and intelligent integration.

US States increase investments in Electric Car Charging

Electric cars only make up about one percent of the U.S. car market these days, but that could get a boost with big money coming in to promote electric vehicles.

This past week, California, New York, and New Jersey announced major investments for electric vehicles, mostly for fast-charging options, home charging, and other charging infrastructure.

In California, $738 million over the next five years will expand the state’s charging network for both personal cars, electric trucks, and other bigger vehicles. New York’s EV program is bringing in $250 million for 200 fast chargers on roadways and in cities, along with 400 public charging stations at parking lots, airports, and train stations.

In New Jersey, the state’s utility company is putting in $300 million to build out the state’s 200 charging stations to a 50,000-strong network in neighborhoods, office parks, and along major roads. The roughly 16,000 EVs in New Jersey will hopefully expand to 275,000 in the next seven years, the utility said.

The state is also looking into legislation to build 600 new charging stations by 2020 and provide incentives for new zero-emission vehicle drivers.

These big dollars toward electrification mean even more when big industry players get behind the alternative fuel option.

FCA or Fiat Chrysler Autos is the latest of many car companies to set aggressive electric vehicle goals, showing that the auto industry is also betting big on EVs — it’s not just emission-conscious governments trying to hit greenhouse gas reduction goals.

On Friday, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said at a company event the car group would spend more than $10 billion on building out a more robust electric fleet — a hefty chunk of its $52 billion budget for the next five years. The company’s Jeeps will be electric by 2022 and the carmaker will have four all-electric SUVs. All in all, that’ll bring the total up to 30 hybrid or all-electric vehicles in the next four years.

Fiat Chrysler’s plans follow those of a growing list of carmakers like Volvo, with plans to go all-electric starting next year, and General Motors which wants to have 20 fully electric vehicles available in 2023.

It’s not only environmental — these companies are keenly aware that electric vehicle demand is ramping up. Last month, American Automobile Association found that 20 percent of Americans want their next car to be electric, up five percent from the year before.

Although Elon Musk would really like those 50 million Americans to all buy Teslas, with government support, tax benefits, and increasing gas prices, more and more companies are likely to offer up an electric alternative to a fuel-burning vehicle.

Where is the UK model?

Infineon bets big on increasing demand for EV charging systems

Infineon prepares for long-term growth and invests €1.6 billion in new 300-millimeter chip fab

Semiconductor specialist Infineon Technologies has announced plans to build a fully automated new facility in Villach, Austria. The new plant will complement Infineon’s existing facility in Villach, and will focus on producing the company’s 300 mm power semiconductors. Infineon will invest $1.6 billion in the plant over the next six years.

Global demand for power semiconductors is soaring. As the market and technology leader, Infineon is particularly sought-after by customers and is even growing more strongly than the market

said Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Chief Executive Officer of Infineon. “Growth is underpinned by global megatrends such as climate change, demographic change and increasing digitization. Electric vehicles, connected and battery-powered devices, data centers or power generation from renewable sources require efficient and reliable power semiconductors. We recognized that trend early on and so are rapidly expanding production capacities for 300-millimeter technology at our Dresden location. The new facility at Villach will help us cater for the growing demand that our customers anticipate, and continue on our path to success in the coming decade. Backed by the unique expertise we have built at our locations in Europe, we as a global company can strengthen our position on the world market long term.”

“The investment that Infineon has decided to make in Villach is unique in terms of its magnitude, and thus a real success for Austria as a location and the technology sector in Europe”, said the Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz. “We are aware that high-tech companies need the right framework conditions for research, development and high-quality manufacturing. And we also want to further improve these conditions – industry can rely on Austria here. In this way we will secure the jobs of the future together.”

“This major investment is also a milestone for Infineon Austria economically, technologically and socially and an important step in securing the future of our high-tech site in Villach,” said Dr. Sabine Herlitschka, Chief Executive Officer of Infineon Technologies Austria. “In the fiercely competitive semiconductor industry, the new production facility sends an important signal: with the excellent know-how of our employees and our leading technologies, we are leveraging the opportunities offered by digitization and are globally competitive as a high-wage region – now and moving ahead.”

Villach is the group’s competence center for power semiconductors and has long been an important site for innovation in Infineon’s production network. Manufacturing of power semiconductors on 300-millimeter thin wafers was developed here and then expanded into fully automated high-volume production at the Dresden location over the past years. Thanks to the larger diameter of the wafers, this technology delivers significant gains in productivity and reduces working capital. Dresden is Infineon’s largest site for wafer processing (frontend) and 300-millimeter production capacities there are expected to be fully utilized by 2021. Infineon will apply the automation and digitization concepts from Dresden at the new Villach factory and develop them together with the two locations in order to increase productivity and ensure synergies in relation to systems and processes at both.

According to market researchers from IHS Markit, Infineon is by far the world’s largest provider of power semiconductors and has a market share of 18.5 percent.* These power-saving chips control the flow of electricity in a wide range of applications, such as electric vehicles, trains, wind and solar farms, and power supply units for mobile phones, notebooks and data centers. The factors driving growing demand for power-saving chips are robust and sustained. With its planned investments in additional production capacities, Infineon is helping to make life easier, safer and greener.

Infineon Technologies AG is a world leader in semiconductor solutions that make life easier, safer and greener. Microelectronics from Infineon is the key to a better future. In the 2017 fiscal year, the Company reported sales of around €7.1 billion with about 37,500 employees worldwide.

We give Infineon Technologies AG a Buy rating.

New Nissan LEAF scores 5-star safety rating in NCAP crash test

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) awarded the new Nissan LEAF with a 5-star rating. (See full tests results here)

The LEAF is the first car to be assessed against Euro NCAP’s improved and extended protocols for 2018.  The 2018 protocol sees the introduction of a raft of new tests which address key crash scenarios involving cars, pedestrians and now also the growing number of cyclists.

In these Euro NCAP tests, the LEAF earned a 93 per cent rating for adult safety and an 86 per cent rating for child protection. The safety rating is determined from a series of vehicle tests that, in a simplified way, reflect important real-life accident scenarios that could result in injuries.

New LEAF 5-star rating reflects the advanced driver assistance systems packaged on the car. Technologies such as camera and radar feature extensively to provide benefits such a pedestrian recognition and form the basis of Nissan’s acclaimed ProPILOT system for safer, more confident driving.

Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director, Nissan Europe, explained,

“The Euro NCAP announcement proves what we have known for a long time – that the new Nissan LEAF has exceptional safety standards and is a true pioneer in the EV space. This shows that our customers can fully trust our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, we are on a path to transform the way we drive and the way we live”.

The announcement has been released just months after the Japan New Car Assessment Program also awarded the car the top 5-star grade following rigorous testing. In earning the top rating, the LEAF scored 94.8 points out of a possible 100 for occupant safety in a collision. The program is organized by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims’ Aid.

BMW show all electric X3 at Beijing show

Electric BMW iX3 SUV set to arrive in 2020 – likely to be the first in a big line-up of all-electric BMWs

All change at BMW

The iX3 marks a significant shift in BMW’s electric car story, as unlike the i3 and i8 it’s a fully-fledged i model based on an existing car in the firm’s line-up. With BMW having trademarked iX1 through to iX9 it could be the first in a broad line-up of all-electric BMW SUVs. After the arrival of the iX3 in 2020, BMW promises that it’ll be able to fit any new series model with an all-electric powertrain thanks to flexible new platforms. 

From a design point of view, the Concept iX3 reimagines the regular X3 with a number of unmistakable electric car styling features. At the front end of the car, the apron has been redesigned with slimmer ventilation and smoother surfacing, while the classic kidney grille is now filled in for aerodynamic benefit.

The EV charging port sits behind the left side front wheel arch, while fresh side skirts and a new rear bumper complete with an eye-catching diffuser arrive, both sporting trademark BMW i blue accents. It rides on a set of bespoke, lightweight wheels, which BMW says have been designed to be as aero-efficient as possible.

The overall changes compared to the regular car aren’t numerous then, but BMW says that these sorts of tweaks are to be expected going forward in its future electrified series models, and that the Concept iX3 highlights the level of design differentiation it believes will be enough to separate conventionally powered cars from all-electric counterparts at a glance. BMW has yet to issue pictures of the interior. Under the skin, the Concept iX3 features BMW’s latest and fifth-generation eDrive electric technology, grouping the electric motor, transmission and power electronics into a new, separate electric drive component. However, BMW says that one of the biggest advantages of its latest systems comes in the form of more powerful, denser batteries, saving weight and serving up packaging advantages. 

Battery Pack

The battery itself boasts a capacity of ‘over’ 70kWh, while BMW’s new-generation electric motor is rated at a claimed 266bhp. It’s unclear for now, but it means that if BMW plans to offer the iX3 with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive drivetrain, total system power could come in at 532bhp. A claimed range of 249 miles under the tough new WLTP regulations is touted, which is on par with Audi’s e-tron but behind the Jaguar I-Pace. A 75kWh Tesla Model X 75D claims 259 miles, though under now redundant NEDC regulations.

Like the Audi e-tron, the iX3 will arrive ready to support 150kW fast charging thanks to clever battery cooling and temperature control tech. It means that an 80 per cent recharge will be possible in less than half an hour, when plugged into a charge point capable of delivering the super high voltage.

Costa Rica joins the Plug In band waggon with gift from Japan

Costa Rican government cruises ahead with a fleet of Mitsubishi plug-in vehicles

The government of Japan has delivered a fleet of 20 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs and 29 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs to the government of Costa Rica, as part of the Overseas Development Agreement between the two countries.

The new vehicles will be used by 15 government agencies and universities.

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Costa Rica is a land of rugged terrain and many unpaved roads – SUVs and trucks with high ground clearance dominate the vehicle market. The Outlanders are sure to be a hit in the country while the tiny i-MiEV city car shoul dbe fine in San Jose.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

“We are very pleased to be able to support the Costa Rican government’s efforts to embrace cleaner automotive technologies,” said Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko. “We hope these vehicles will contribute to Costa Rica’s transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”

Read more at Mitsubishi Motors.