Tesla to Build Mass Market Electric Sedan in California

Tesla’s forthcoming battery-powered 4-door sedan model that is scheduled to enter the market in 2010 will be manufactured at a facility in the state of California (just like the Roadster) and not in Albuquerque, New Mexico as it was previously announced. Tesla Motors and Californian Governor Schwarzenegger made the announcement at a joint press conference at the company’s San Carlos headquarters.

“Today’s announcement is incredible news for California’s economy and its environment,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “If California was a baseball team this would be like winning the first round draft pick and recruiting a player who is a perfect fit on our roster because Tesla Motors and its all-electric cars belong in California,” the Governor added. -Continued

Ze’ev Drori, President and CEO of Tesla Motors, remarked, “Tesla has achieved an extraordinary accomplishment. We are the only automobile company today delivering full performance battery-electric vehicles to our customers. Make no mistake - we are not a niche player with a car only for the rich and famous. As our agreement with the state so clearly demonstrates, we are building a high volume ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE, manufactured in California for mid-range family use. And we aren’t going to stop there. We will continue on and build even more affordable cars.

You are witnessing the debut of a new car company, a company unlike all others, a company with a disruptive technology, a company dedicated for the exclusive production of Zero Emission Vehicles.”

Mercedes Planning Electric A-Class with Lithium-Ion Batteries for 2010

Citing inside company sources, German newspaper “Automobilewoche” is reporting that Mercedes-Benz will market an electric version of the current A-Class in 2010. According to an unnamed senior manager in the automotive industry, the current generation A-Class’ sandwich construction with its double floor is ideal to fit the batteries without performing any serious modifications to the vehicle.

The newspaper also supports that Mercedes-Benz is currently in talks with Tesla for the supply of the lithium-ion batteries. Compared to nickel hydride units, lithium-ion batteries are not only more powerful but they also weigh less.

Subaru to Showcase Stella Plug-In Electric Concept at G8 Summit

Subaru has revealed the first details of its Plug-in Stella Concept model, a prototype electric vehicle (EV) that combines the EV system employed in the R1e with the Japanese market only mini car, Stella. The 3.4 meter long concept is powered by a 40kw strong electric motor that develops 150Nm of torque and is capable of covering a distance of 80km or 50miles with a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries. The front wheel drive mini car’s top speed is 100 km/h or 62 mph. -Continued

The Japanes carmaker will provide five units of the Plug-in Stella Concept for use at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit to be held July 7 through 9, 2008. Four of the five cars will be used to transport government officials and other participants at the summit, while one vehicle will be displayed at the Environmental Showcase and it will also be available for a test drive. In addition, Subaru will provide one Stella Concept model to the Japan Post group for use in mail collection and delivery in the vicinity of Toyako during the summit.

Subaru plans to use the Plug-in Stella Concept in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of EV in Japan in the near future.

VW Golf TwinDrive: 174Hp & 94 MPG Plug-in Electric Hybrid

In cooperation with the German government, VW announced that it will start testing a fleet of 20 vehicles equipped with a new plug-in hybrid drive system with lithium-ion batteries called “TwinDrive”. Volkswagen plans are to introduce a production version of the system as early as 2010.

Speaking during the presentation of the first Golf model fitted with the TwinDrive system at the “Automobile Forum” in Berlin, VW’s Chairman Martin Winterkorn said that the “TwinDrive” plug-in hybrid system can be combined with either petrol or diesel engines.

“Different than today’s hybrid vehicles, it should be emphasized that TwinDrive – and this is decisive – enables long ranges in the city in electric mode. While the electric motor on a typical hybrid model just supplements the combustion engine, the exact opposite is true on the TwinDrive: here the diesel or gasoline engine supplements the electric-motor,” said Winterkorn.

Although VW’s representatives didn’t give out all the details on the new hybrid system, they did reveal that over the route from Potsdam to the “Automobile Forum” in downtown Berlin and back – considered a typical commuting route –the Golf TwinDrive consumed just 8Kw-hours of electricity and 2.5 liters of fuel (that equals to 94 mpg!). -Continued

According to the German carmaker, the Golf TwinDrive can cover a distance of about 50 km or 30 miles purely on electric energy. As for power, VW revealed that the Golf TwinDrive’s electric motor and internal combustion engine deliver in tandem up to 130 kW or 174Hp.

“The present era of the automobile would be inconceivable without highly efficient gasoline and diesel engines. But the future will most certainly belong to the electric motors – refueled at the electrical outlet. On the way to this future, our TDI (diesel) and TSI (petrol) engines are now being merged with electric motors and extremely efficient battery systems to form a new drive system”, explained Martin Winterkorn.

“The Golf TwinDrive being presented here today enables electrically powered driving in the city, on the one hand, while also enabling very long ranges over extended driving routes on which the combustion engine is used. For us, the TwinDrive represents an elementary step along the path toward the completely electrically driven automobile!” the Volkswagen chief added.