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Panasonic announces the establishment of Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America, a new manufacturing company of lithium-ion batteries at the Tesla Gigafactory

October 3, 2014 in Battery Energy Storage, Electric Vehicles, EV News, Tesla

Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation announced today that it has established a new manufacturing company of lithium-ion batteries, Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America in Sparks, Nevada, the United States on October 1, 2014.

Tesla and Panasonic have been working together in various collaborative projects toward the popularization and growth of electric vehicles since 2007.

A new company, Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America will be built in the Tesla Gigafactory, a large-scale battery manufacturing plant which has been discussed between Tesla and Panasonic, and will produce and sell lithium-ion batteries. This new factory will enable a continuous reduction in the cost of long range battery packs in parallel with manufacturing at the volumes required to enable Tesla to meet its goal of advancing mass market electric vehicles. Through this cooperation, Panasonic will contribute to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle market.

Panasonic plans to continuously expand operations meeting with Tesla’s vehicle delivery schedule, driven by the progressive role out of new vehicles and across global markets.

Overview of New Company

Corporate name Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America (ABBR:PENA)
Establishment Oct. 1, 2014
Location Sparks, Nevada, USA
Principal lines of business Production and sales of lithium-ion battery cells
Stated capital 5 million US dollars (Capital investor: Panasonic Corporation of North America)
Name and title of representative CEO: Masayuki Kitabayashi
Area of factory 555,000 square meters

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.74 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2014. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company’s website at http://panasonic.net/.

Image courtesy of Tesla

Image courtesy of Tesla

This article is an EV News Report repost, credit: Panasonic.

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Tech Focus: Electric hybrid cars star at Paris Motor Show

October 3, 2014 in EV News

By Formula E

Renault Eolab concept Image courtesy of Formula E

Renault Eolab electric hybrid car concept
Image courtesy of Formula E

The future of family cars will be super-economical electric and electric hybrids according to the new and concept models on display in the Paris Motor Show, reinforcing one of the key messages of the FIA Formula E Championship.

Demonstrating a vision of its future models, Renault gave a world debut to its Eolab concept – an electric hybrid vehicle that is capable of 282mpg (1l per 100km) and emits just 22g/km of carbon dioxide.

The impressive figures come from a special lightweight construction and stunningly aerodynamic design. The car is powered by a one-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing a claimed 74bhp and an electric motor with 54bhp and a whopping 148lb ft (200Nm) of torque.

Renault boss Carlos Ghosn said: “The Eolab is the perfect illustration of how Renault is dedicated to still developing plug-in hybrid, hybrid, diesel powertrains and can still innovate, not just focus on making EVs. For us, it is not either/or – there is all sorts of technology we are still developing.”

The Eolab is expected to go on sale ‘within 10 years’, but you won’t have to wait anyway near as long for Mercedes-Benz’s all-electric B-class, which has been developed in conjunction with Tesla. The motor produces an impressive 251lb ft (340Nm) of torque, which will mean it’s the fastest accelerating of all the B-class variants when it goes on sale next year, although top speed will be limited to 100mph (160kmh).

Charge time is expected to be three hours, while the range is stated as 125 miles (200km).

Infiniti showcased a premium luxury saloon concept – the Q80 Inspiration – that uses a 3.0-litre V6 engine combined with a lithium-ion battery pack to create well over 500 bhp and 500 lb ft (677Nm) of torque, yet can do more than 50mpg (5.6l per 100km) and produces only 129g/km.

Infiniti has already confirmed the car will eventually go into the production, and is expected to be on sale in ‘three to five’ years.

This article is an EV News Report repost, credit: Formula E.

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Envision Solar Receives Order From Silicon Valley Search Engine For 20 EV ARC™ Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

October 2, 2014 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News

The EV ARC™ Units Ordered Will Provide Emission Free Workplace Charging Infrastructure That Enables Employees to Drive on Sunshine

Photo courtesy of Envision Solar

Photo courtesy of Envision Solar

SAN DIEGO, CA – Envision Solar International, Inc., (EVSI) (OTCQB: EVSI) (“Envision Solar,” or the “Company”), the leading renewable energy Media and Branding product company, today announced that it will be supplying the next order of 20 EV ARC™ charging stations to a major Silicon Valley search engine.

The EV ARC™ is a cost-effective, easy-to-install, standalone solar powered electric vehicle charging station that solves many of the problems faced by employers looking to provide workplace charging. It does not require a foundation, trenching, building permits or grid connection and the batteries on board provide emission free charging all during the day or night.

“The EV ARC™ has received a brilliant reception throughout Silicon Valley, where Envision Solar’s products are providing the clean energy charging infrastructure employees require, as well as the opportunity to drive on sunshine,” said Desmond Wheatley, President and CEO of Envision Solar. “We are pleased to continue our relationship with this world-renowned customer. Their facilities team rigorously tested the first two EV ARC™ units purchased. After months of testing, they found the EV ARC™ to exceed expectations and as a result, placed this latest and more significant order. I look forward to continuing our work with them to provide the workplace charging infrastructure needed at their many other campus locations.”

Wheatley said these EV ARC™ units will be manufactured in Q4 at Envision Solar’s new headquarters and manufacturing facility in San Diego, California, providing for new green jobs and making a significant economic contribution to the local community.

The past year has seen a major uptick in deployments of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). This acceleration is a direct result of developments in the market for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Frost and Sullivan forecasts that EV charging infrastructure deployments will grow at a 128% CAGR over the next five years. Solar powered charging offers the cleanest and easiest method for the deployment of such infrastructure particularly in cities and remote locations.

About Envision Solar International, Inc.

Envision Solar, www.envisionsolar.com, designs, manufactures and deploys unique, proprietary and architecturally accretive renewable energy media and branding systems with a Drag & Drop Infrastructure™ product line. The company’s flagship products include the patent pending EV ARC™, patented Solar Tree® array and Solar Tree® Socket™ solar media and branding platforms with EnvisionTrak™, a proprietary and patented solar tracker, and SunCharge™ Column Integrated Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.

Based in San Diego the company integrates only the highest quality components into its Made in America products ensuring long and trouble-free service and timeless beautification of the parking lots they serve. This unique approach to the industry allows the company’s commercial and institutional customers to take full advantage of the value creation associated with transforming parking lots into beautiful, shaded, renewable energy generation plants shrouded in the “Green Halo.” Envision Solar is listed on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol [EVSI]. For more information on Envision Solar, visit www.envisionsolar.com or call (866) 746-0514.

About the EV ARC™

Invented, engineered and fabricated in the United States, the EV ARC™ fits inside a standard parking space and generates approximately 16 kWhrs per day that are stored and ready for use in the 22 kWhr on board battery storage. The system’s clean solar electrical generation is enhanced by EnvisionTrak™, which enables the solar array to follow the sun, generating 18 to 25 percent more electricity than a conventional fixed array. The EV ARC™ makes electric vehicles truly emissions free. It changes the deployment story and further advances us to a day when range anxiety is a thing of the past.”

This article is an EV News Report repost, credit: Envision Solar.

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BMW i3 electric car at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2014, Paris, 2 October, 2014

October 2, 2014 in BMW, BMW i3, Electric Vehicles, EV News

Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG

Bonjour and good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!

You have been talking about changes in our society. Well, our electric BMW i3 here was designed specifically with megacities like Paris in mind. It is the only electric car in the world integrated with public transport to this extent. In a traffic jam, the i3 will even show you alternative means of transport to reach your destination faster. Believe me: That was not an easy step for us as a car maker.

More than any other factor, customers decide how quickly new technologies become established on the marketplace. The i3 is already on the roads in many cities – including Paris. Several hundred customers in France have bought a BMW i3 since the start of 2014; in the second half of the year, we are launching it onto the market in metropolitan regions of China.

Sustainable mobility is gradually becoming reality – wherever customers find it to be an attractive and innovative option. As an engineer, I learned to look at things from a functional perspective and to always ask: Why? Because by questioning things, we create innovation.

Innovation has always been one of Europe’s strengths – thanks in significant part to the automotive industry. Europe is not only the largest sales region for the BMW Group – around 70 per cent of our cars are also produced here, at 16 locations in four countries, if you include contract manufacturing.

Europe has unique strengths and qualities. So let us focus on the common ground – the things that unite us. Let us strengthen our industrial base and invest in future technologies and innovations! Then, we will be able to compete with other regions of the world as a serious partner. BMW i has given progress a face.

This partial article is an EV News Report repost, credit: BMW.

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NTU and German scientists invent award winning 2-in-1 motor for electric cars

September 30, 2014 in Electric Vehicles, EV News

New Motor Design for Electric Cars Photo courtesy of NTU

New Motor Design for Electric Cars
Photo courtesy of NTU

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have invented a 2-in-1 electric motor which increases the range of electric vehicles.

This innovative engine integrates the traditional electric motor with the air-con compressor, typically two separate units. This novel, space-saving design allows the use of bigger batteries, which can increase the range of electric vehicles by an additional 15 to 20 per cent.

Prof Subodh Mhaisalkar, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N), said: “The biggest challenge with electric cars in tropical megacities is the range that they can travel on a full-charge, because their batteries are needed to power both the engine and the air-conditioning. In tropical countries like Singapore, up to half the battery’s capacity is used to power the air-conditioning system.”

The new 2-in-1 design allows the electric motor to be more efficient in powering the car’s wheels, while its integrated air-con compressor uses less power due to synergy between the engine and the compressor, which can also tap on energy regenerated directly from the car’s brakes.

With the potential boost in range through the efficient use of energy, the joint invention recently won the Best Originality Award in the TECO Green Tech International Contest held in Taiwan.

The competition saw 19 entries from top universities including Boston University, University of California (UCLA), Waseda University, and universities from China and Russia.

NTU’s partner, DLR, the German aerospace and space agency will conduct further tests and improvements to the new engine with the aim of eventual commercialisation. The team is applying for a Proof-Of-Concept (POC) grant in Singapore. After the development of the prototype, test bedding and refinements will be done at DLR’s facilities in Germany.

Prof Mhaisalkar, said this innovation will pave the way for extending the range of electric cars, as the integrated design combines the two of the most important parts of an electric car, thus reducing its complexity into one highly efficient solution.

“With the global population of electric vehicles set to grow rapidly to 20 million in 2020, a more efficient electric motor and air-con compressor will enable cars to travel further on a single charge,” added Prof Mhaisalkar. “This energy efficiency will in turn reduce overall greenhouse emissions and promote sustainable transportation solutions.”

“This integrated design solution for air conditioning will go a long way in reducing the range anxiety of drivers, reduce maintenance costs, and will save time and money for the driver.”

For the automobile manufacturers, the new electric motor will also cost less to produce, as it requires less material than its counterparts. Both the weight and size of the electric motor are reduced, creating more space for other components such as an auxiliary battery source.

Dr Michael Schier, from DLR’s Institute of Vehicle Concepts, said: “For electric vehicles, the air conditioning uses a lot of electrical energy, thereby cutting down the range of electric cars by up to 50 per cent. To increase the energy efficiency and therefore the range of electric cars, the thermal management and the integration of additional functions into existing powertrain components play a major role.”

“By integrating the refrigerant compressor directly into the electric motor, we save components, weight and cost. Simultaneously, the more regenerative braking part of the kinetic energy is passed directly to the refrigerant compressor and thus the efficiency is further increased,” added Dr Schier.

Research scholar Mr Satheesh Kumar from the Energy Research Institute @ NTU said his award-winning, integrated electric motor challenges conventional design that goes way back to the 1960s when air-conditioning first became popular.

“Back then, air-conditioning was something new that was an add-on feature to a car’s combustion engine,” said the 29-year-old Singaporean.

“Since we are now designing electric vehicles from scratch, I see no reason why we should keep both units separate. As we have proven, combining the two gives us synergy – a more efficient use of electricity and it also improves engine braking, which stops the car faster with lesser wear on the brake pads.”​

This research is part of NTU’s focus on sustainability research. Sustainable Earth and Innovation are two of NTU’s Five Peaks of Excellence, which are areas of research that the university hopes to make its global mark in. The other three peaks are Future Healthcare, New Media, and the Best of East and West.

This article is an EV News Report repost, credit: NTU.