Preview: 2011 Chevy Volt Electric

General Motors' milestone 100th anniversary will likely be remembered as much for what's ahead than what has come before. That's saying a lot, considering that GM has produced more than 450 million cars since 1908. The highlight: GM used its Centennial event to pull the wraps off the production version of the highly anticipated Chevrolet Volt electric car. The 2011 Volt is scheduled to go into production in late 2010, driving the world's second largest automaker into its second century of operation.

Green Car has followed the amazing Volt story closely since it was introduced as a concept car at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Volt concept was an immediate hit, but the clincher was GM's promise to actually build the futuristic range extending electric car. To date, General Motors has met critical developmental deadlines as it races toward the promised 2010 product launch, pouring considerable effort and resources into the project. Volt utilizes GM's E-Flex platform, which can accept various powertrain changes depending on the intended market.

The revolutionary Volt is a plug-in electric car that has a 40 mile zero-emission range on all-electric operation. This 40 mile electric capability fits the needs of many commutes and nearly all errand-running missions. Once the advanced 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is depleted, the Volt uses a small internal combustion engine-generator as a range extender to add 300 more miles to the Volt's total driving range. The internal combustion engine, which is FlexFuel capable and can run on gasoline, E85 ethanol, or any combination of the two fuels, doesn't power the wheels directly, but rather provides electric power as a generator. All propulsion drive is through the electric drive motor.

GM's latest figures peg the Volt's 0-60 mph performance time in the 8 to 9 second range, with a top speed of 100 mph. The electric drive unit will deliver 111 kW of power that translates to 150 horsepower, and importantly an impressive 370 lbs-ft of torque. Since electric motors can deliver maximum torque from 0 rpm, overall performance should be quite good.

Charging the 220 lithium-ion cells housed in the Volt's 'T' shaped battery pack will take eight hours from a 120 volt outlet when fully depleted, and as little as three hours if charged from a 240 volt outlet. Based on a projected cost of 10 cents per kWh, the Volt will cost about 80 cents per day to fully charge. That equates to an energy cost of just 2 cents per mile under electric power. Factoring gasoline costs at a low $3.60 per gallon, GM estimates the when the internal combustion engine-generator is running, per-mile cost is still an economical 12 cents per mile. To put the electric energy consumption in perspective, GM says a daily charge will use less electricity annually than the average home refrigerator.

Some hard core Volt enthusiasts are disappointed that the production car won't offer the same strong design statement as the original futuristic concept car. The Volt, however, has spent more time in the wind tunnel than any GM product in the history of the company. The original design simply wasn't very aerodynamically clean, even if it did look aggressive and clean. To deliver optimum electric range and economy, the profile needed to be as slippery as possible. To this end, the production car is said to be light years ahead of the concept in terms of coefficient of drag.

Still, the leading edge of the production Volt looks surprisingly like the current Chevy Malibu. There is considerable brand equity at play here, so the family resemblance is understandable. The concept also had a very low 'chopped-top' roofline, which has given way to a much more rounded roof profile for improved interior room and better aerodynamics. The GM E-Flex design team also raised the rear window and deck line to minimize wind turbulence and resulting drag as the air flows over the car. The Volt's roof and rear hatch incorporate a large expanse of glass for a very open feel.

The production Volt is a four passenger, four-door sedan, with the long center battery tunnel eliminating the potential for fifth passenger seating. The Volt's interior is both sporty and futuristic, with a driver-configurable liquid crystal instrument display and a seven-inch touch screen information display as standard equipment. Bluetooth phone and music streaming will also be standard equipment, with an optional GPS navigation system offering hard drive storage for maps and digital music.

General Motors hasn't committed to a projected retail price for the 2011 Volt yet. We expect it to fall somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range, with loaded models north of $40-grand. Considering the developmental effort required to bring the E-Flex platform and the Chevy Volt to production, that price point is likely well below actual cost until technology efficiencies and production volume can bring costs down. We look at it as no less than a major investment in the future of personal transportation - GM's century maker.

Chrysler Shows New Electric Cars

In many ways, Chrysler has been late to the party in recent years. While others like Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, and Toyota have forged ahead with eco-friendly advanced technology vehicle programs, Chrysler has largely sat it out in favor of a more traditional road. Maybe we can chalk it up to its former life as part of DaimlerChrysler, but with that automotive marriage behind it there's no longer an excuse. And excuses are not being offered by Chrysler LLC, as evidenced by its recent introduction of not one, but three electric vehicle prototypes.

Playing catch-up wasn't always the way at Chrysler. In the early 1990s, Chrysler was on top of its alternative fuel game, with forays into virtually all of the important areas unfolding at the time from methanol and ethanol flexible-fuel vehicles to ones running on hydrogen, natural gas, and electricity. Then Chrysler seemed to all but disappear from the running, making news instead with such stylistic models as the Viper, Prowler, and 300, but with little in the way of alternative fuel vehicles beyond its GEM neighborhood electric vehicle and the occasional eco concept. Apparently, those earlier days are returning with a vengeance.

Now Chrysler has announced the coming of a production electric vehicle for the North American market. The automaker is showcasing its efforts with three prototypes - an all-electric Dodge sports car using Lotus Europa underpinnings and two range-extended electrics, a Jeep Wrangler and a Chrysler Town & Country. Chrysler says it will select one of these for production and sale to North American consumers in 2010. This will be preceded by 100 Chrysler electrics in fleet use in 2009.

All use what Chrysler says is 'production intent' technology, incorporating an electric drive motor, a motor controller to manage energy flow, and a lithium-ion battery pack. Chrysler will work with General Electric to develop batteries for the production model. It has also been reported that the automaker is in talks with battery company A123 Systems, which is separately working with GM on the Volt program and has contracts to provide its nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries for production Th!nk electric cars and BAE Systems hybrid bus powerplants. GE Energy Financial Services has invested $20 million in A123 Systems.

While Chrysler has not identified its other suppliers, photos of the Dodge sports car show the use of electric drive components from UQM Technologies (www.uqm.com), a company noted for its energy dense and high-performance electric drive motors and controllers. Specs provided by Chrysler indicate a 268 hp (200 kW) electric drive motor featuring a whopping 480 lbs-ft of torque that powers the performance electric car from 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds. Top speed is said to be 120 mph. Charging at 110 volts is accomplished in 8 hours, or 4 hours at 220 volts.

The electric vehicles are being developed in an in-house effort that's focusing on electric drive production vehicles and advanced technologies. This effort - called ENVI - is so-named by taking the first four letters of 'environmental.'

Preview: Peapod Electric Car

This could be the coolest iPod accessory yet: Chrysler's GEM division has introduced a docking station on wheels. And, it can carry you and three friends along with a tune.

GEM calls the new docking station "Peapod," and it is actually a futuristic neighborhood electric vehicle, or NEV. Unlike the current GEM car that has an exposed tubular structure, the Peapod offers a sleek, ultramodern, and fully enclosed form. In contrast, when it rains the current open GEM design must be enclosed with accessory cab components if you want to stay dry.

The Peapod is a product of Chrysler's ENVI design and engineering division. ENVI is a skunkworks style operation dedicated to electrically powered vehicles. The organization is said to operate semi-independently to facilitate moving quickly outside the normal corporate climate.

Clearly, the Peapod's design language is intended to look very futuristic. Its rounded teardrop form offers large expanses of tinted glass, including a large overhead glass roof panel. The body design maximizes interior space and has four high-back bucket seats with space saving mesh seatbacks. The dash area is a large elliptical shape with a center dock that can accommodate an iPod or iPhone.

The car is built on a 102 inch wheelbase with an overall length of 143.6 inches. It is 56.5 inches wide and 70.5 inches tall. For contrast, that's just two inches shorter in overall length than a MINI Cooper with a longer wheelbase. Its turning circle is 32 feet curb-to-curb. Base vehicle weight is estimated to be 1,290 pounds, and with a rated payload capacity of 910 pounds the maximum gross vehicle weight is 2,200 pounds. The Peapod is built on an aluminum spaceframe that's supported by dual A-arm front suspension with coil-over shocks and rack-and-pinion steering.

Buyers will have a choice of either six flooded electrolyte 12-volt lead acid batteries or optional maintenance-free batteries. The Peapod's 72-volt electrical system will have an onboard charger that will top off the batteries in six to eight hours from a standard 110-volt outlet. No details have been released on the electric motor, but the platform will be front-wheel-drive and feature regenerative braking. A full charge will yield approximately 30 miles of range, depending on terrain.

Neighborhood electric vehicles like the Peapod are street-legal low-speed vehicles that can be driven in most states on public roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or lower. NEVs are electronically governed to have a top speed of 25 mph to meet federal requirements. They're intended for use in congested urban areas, gated communities, and private and public lands that can benefit from their low-impact, zero tailpipe emissions electric drive.

Chrysler also took the occasion of the Peapod launch to rename its neighborhood electric vehicle division. Formerly Global Electric Motors, GEM now stands for Green Eco Mobility. GEM, based in Fargo, North Dakota, has produced more than 38,000 vehicles since 1998. The current GEM line includes two, four, and six seat models, along with models designed for cargo hauling and specialty applications. Those 38,000 GEM cars have now amassed more than 200 million miles, saving an estimated 10 million gallons of gasoline and 150 tons of tailpipe emissions.

The Peapod is scheduled to go into production in 2009 and represents a major component of Chrysler's reinvigorated emphasis on electric drive. Company CEO Bruce Coventry also shares that GEM will follow the Peapod with a new, larger city electric vehicle and light-duty commercial electric truck. Expect to see more on these new electric vehicles in the near future since they're slated to go into production within the next year.

As an accessory to your iPod, the Peapod will be offered in a rainbow of bright colors that complete the statement. And if you need one more reason to fall for the Peapod, take a look at the front - it's always smiling.

Deposits Taken on Plug-In Prius

It's no mystery why plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are so desired by consumers. The ability to drive on electric power only for extended periods is attractive to many, especially considering that such zero-emission motoring can be done for pennies per mile. Plus, even on longer drives where the internal combustion engine is needed after battery-only range is exceeded, overall fuel economy could be well over 100 mpg. High gas prices and a growing concern about dependence on imported oil will only make this desire stronger over time.

Today's heightened, almost beyond-passionate interest in plug-ins is creating a general craziness that's difficult to comprehend. Yes, we all want a PHEV once they come to fruition. Who wouldn't? The plug-in Chevy Volt is on its way to production and several other automakers, including Toyota with its Prius, are aiming to develop commercially viable PHEVs. But so far, GM is the only one that has said it is definitely producing such a model and identified a timetable for introduction.

This is why the news that a few Toyota dealers were taking deposits for a Prius PHEV is so ... bizarre. The situation: Following a Northern California newspaper article about the Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), inquiries came in to some California Toyota dealers about purchasing one of the hoped-for - but as yet unconfirmed - consumer models. At least two California dealers decided to take deposits on a Prius PHEV, Magnussen's Toyota in Palo Alto and Toyota of San Luis Obispo.

The problem? No such consumer model has been confirmed by Toyota. While the automaker is testing Prius PHEVs and these tests will expand to a greater number of fleets and government agencies, in Toyota's view lithium-ion battery costs must come down substantially to make the Prius PHEV a commercial reality. This could change if substantial government incentives are brought to bear or a battery leasing strategy is worked out with electric utilities, but that's the reality now. It is an interesting phenomenon that dealers would even consider taking deposits for a vehicle that may, or may not, actually be sold to consumers in the future.

Toyota posted an open blog on the subject at http://blog.toyota.com/2008/08/the-plug-in-pri.html. Here, Toyota group vice president Irv Miller notes that while the company is excited about the Prius PHEV and will be placing several hundred in fleet tests in 2009, there is no timetable for commercial introduction. The result? Dealers have been asked not to take deposits.

Magnussen's Toyota in Palo Alto has refunded its $500 deposits and is instead taking names on a waiting list. Toyota of San Luis Obispo has advised those who made deposits that a production or sales date has not been identified for the Prius PHEV and offered to refund deposits. Some did take their deposits back but others preferred to leave their $500 deposits in place to stay in the queue for the hoped-for model, Toyota of San Luis Obispo advised GreenCar.com. The dealership notes that customers already are making deposits toward the purchase of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius, so a Prius PHEV deposit doesn't seem out of the ordinary.

5 Facts: BMW Hydrogen 7

1. Hydrogen Doesn't Mean Just Fuel Cells 
Most automakers are developing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. However, BMW, as well as Ford and Mazda, are developing vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines running on hydrogen. Unlike fuel cell vehicles that are still several, even many, years in the future, hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2ICEs) have the potential to come to market cheaper and sooner. Like fuel cells, H2ICEs can be used in zero emission vehicles with exhaust emissions that are primarily water.

2. BMW H2ICEs on the Road 
BMW has been working with hydrogen vehicles for over 25 years and has introduced its seventh generation H2ICE. In 2006, BMW put nearly 100 bi-fuel BMW Hydrogen 7s in the hands of drivers in the U.S. and other countries. Because of the still-limited availability of hydrogen, with a touch of a button the bi-fuel hydrogen V-12 engine in these luxury sedans can run on either gasoline or hydrogen. On either fuel, the 12-cylinder engine produces 260 horsepower and the top speed is an electronically limited 143 mph. Hydrogen, stored in cryogenic liquid form, provides a cruising range of over 125 miles with another 300 miles when running on a separate 19.5-gallon gasoline tank. BMW has followed up with the introduction of the mono-fuel Hydrogen 7 with an engine that's been optimized to run exclusively on hydrogen. This version achieves even lower emissions, increased engine performance, reduced fuel consumption, and greater range than the bi-fuel Hydrogen 7.

3. Advantages of H2ICEs 
A big advantage of H2ICEs is their minimal required changes in engine manufacturing and the maintenance infrastructure. Engine manufacturers can build H2ICEs on the same production lines as conventional gasoline and diesel engines. The BMW Hydrogen 7 sedan and its V-12 engine are built alongside regular 5-, 6- and 7-Series sedans on assembly lines in Germany. In comparison, hydrogen fuel cells will require large investments in new manufacturing facilities and equipment. The same equipment, tools, and facilities can be used for maintaining and servicing hydrogen internal combustion engines as those running on gasoline. Training technicians to service H2ICEs is much like that for other alternative fuels, whereas fuel cells require training for a completely new technology.

4. A Stepping Stone to the 'Hydrogen Economy' 
H2ICEs can speed up the establishment of a hydrogen distribution infrastructure, bolstering the transportation sector for the so-called 'hydrogen economy.' H2ICEs have almost all the advantages of a hydrogen fuel cell but at a fraction of their cost. Thus, they have the potential to be affordable for consumer use sooner.

5. Hydrogen BMWs are Still 'Ultimate Driving Machines' 
Both versions of the BMW Hydrogen 7 share the performance, comfort, and safety qualities of every production BMW 7 Series car. That's one of the reasons BMW is developing H2ICEs rather than fuel cell vehicles. Can you imagine an 'Ultimate Driving Machine' that doesn't go VROOM-VROOM when you step on the accelerator? A virtually silent fuel cell with electric motors would simply be out of character.

Save Gas: Cylinders Get Smart

While a V-8 engine is great when you need maximum horsepower and torque, most of the time vehicles could get by with the output from a four-cylinder engine. The duty cycle of the typical internal combustion engine consists of many minutes or even hours of leisurely production of only a fraction of its rated horsepower and torque. This is interspersed with a few minutes of pedal-to-the-metal output for passing or climbing a steep hill.

Operation like this is wasteful because fuel is continuously injected into all cylinders and combusted even though maximum power is not needed. There are also pumping losses as the fuel-air mixture is compressed in all cylinders, wasting engine output. So why not 'shut off' some of the cylinders when they're not needed? That's the idea behind variable displacement engines.

Old Idea Requires New Technology 
Variable displacement technology has been attempted several times over the internal combustion engine's history, with limited success. The most famous, or really infamous, example is presented by the 'V-8-6-4' engines used in 1981 Cadillacs. Depending on driving conditions, the V-8-6-4 engine ran on four-, six-, or eight-cylinders. It was offered only in 1981 in consumer versions - although it was available on Cadillac limousines through 1984 - because it was quite troublesome. Early 1980s electronics and computer technology simply weren't ready for this complex job.

Working Great Today
General Motors, Chrysler, and Honda now offer variable displacement engines. GM's Active Fuel Management, developed with assistance from Eaton Corp., is used on V-8 powerplants. According to GM, Active Fuel Management provides fuel savings of 8 to 25 percent, depending on driver and driving conditions. Chrysler's similar Multi-Displacement System is used on its 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. Chrysler says MDS reduces fuel use by about 20 percent. Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) allows its 3.0-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine to run on either six or three cylinders. According to Honda, VCM combines the performance of a 3.0-liter V-6 engine with the fuel economy of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine.

Add Hybrid Technology for Even More MPGs
GM and Chrysler are using variable displacement technology with full hybrid systems to synergistically achieve even greater fuel economy. It is used with the two mode hybrid system offered in the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade SUVs as well as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. It will be available in the 2009 Saturn Vue SUV as well. Chrysler's two-mode hybrid models that use the HEMI with MDS include the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge SUVs and new Dodge Ram pickup. Honda used VCM in its now-discontinued V-6 Honda Accord Hybrid and continues to use it in conventional models like the Accord and Odyssey.

Why It Works Now 
Today, computer technology is quite capable of rapidly and seamlessly turning off and on banks of cylinders in V-6 and V-8 engines. Electronic throttles and electronically-controlled transmissions also help. These technologies were not available in the early 1980s, the main reasons that the Cadillac V-4-6-8 failed.

5 Facts About Ford's HySeries

HySeries Origins

Ford Motor Company's plug-in hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology uses a drivetrain called the HySeries Drive. Development of the HySeries technology was partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and has been shown in vehicles including the Ford Edge and one-off concepts like the 2007 Ford Airstream. Ford is working on a variety of technologies including gasoline-electric hybrids, ethanol internal combustion, hydrogen fuel cells, clean diesel, hydrogen internal combustion, and more. Combining several of these technologies in a single vehicle, which is the case with the HySeries, simply makes sense.

Ford's Hydrogen Hybrid

Ford's HySeries Drive features a hydrogen fuel cell powered series hybrid. The concept's goal is to reduce weight, size, cost, and fuel cell system complexity by more than half, while providing greater durability. The HySeries uses a flexible architecture so Ford can use it with new fuel and propulsion technologies as they mature without needing to redesign the basic vehicle platform.

How It Works

This plug-in HySeries hybrid is powered by a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle is designed to drive the first 25 miles solely on stored electricity, after which the fuel cell begins operating to keep the battery pack charged. This provides another 200 miles of range for a total of 225 miles. The pack is also charged by plugging into the electrical grid. Ford uses a Ballard Power Systems hydrogen fuel cell system.

HySeries Delivers High Mpg

The HySeries technology could stretch out the time between fill-ups to more than 400 miles. Drivers with modest daily needs would need to refuel only rarely since driving could mostly be done on electric power. Drivers who travel less than 50 miles each day could see combined gasoline/electric fuel economy of well over 80 mpg. Those with long daily commutes would see somewhat lower numbers as the fuel cell must run a larger amount the time.

More Convincing Data

While Ford has already made significant progress with the HySeries technology, there are major challenges to be addressed before a vehicle like a HySeries-powered Edge is seen in dealer showrooms. Foremost among these are the high costs of fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries, plus additional improvements to be made in durability. Also, there is the almost complete lack of a hydrogen infrastructure that will need to be overcome before any hydrogen power vehicles are mass marketed.

Wendy Clem is a Michigan-based writer/photographer providing material for newspapers, magazines, and online - locally, regionally, and nationally. Her syndicated auto column for Avanti NewsFeatures has appeared in 400 national markets, and her online how-to articles serve an international audience. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in journalism from Detroit's Wayne State University.

5 Facts About Chrysler Electric Vehicles

In the 1990s, Chrysler was right alongside domestic automakers Ford and GM with electric drive research and development. Chrysler was test marketing an electric minivan, proving out fast-charge technology for electric cars, and as seriously involved in this field as any company. The merger with Daimler (DaimlerChrysler) seriously slowed, if not stopped, full function electric drive development efforts in the Chrysler camp as emphasis was placed elsewhere.

1. Chrysler Was First
While plenty of others are discussed as leaders in the electric drive field, it was Chrysler that introduced the very first modern electric vehicle to market in the U.S. – the Chrysler TEVan in 1992. These were built in extremely limited numbers and aimed at fleets wishing early involvement with electric vehicles. Why fleets? Because of extremely high battery and component costs plus low volume production, the vehicle’s price was in the range of $100,000 each … so nobody else could afford them.

2. EPIC Concept Electric Vehicle
Chrysler developed a smooth-looking electric concept van in 1992 called the Electric Power Inter-Urban Commuter, or EPIC for short. Strange acronyms like that seemed to be almost normal then (as evidenced by the circa-1990s Subaru BRAT – Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter). The EPIC concept was energized by nickel-iron batteries, although that changed to advanced lead-acid batteries in the limited production version of the EPIC that was marketed to fleets five years later.

3. ‘Destiny’ Program’s Four-Door Electric
Modifying existing platforms to accept electric drive was not the exclusive approach at Chrysler, Early on, the automaker strived to create a viable four-door mid-size electric vehicle through its ‘Destiny’ program. The vehicle in development made use of lightweight materials and an AC induction motor. Ultimately, it was determined that this would not prove to be a viable option and other approaches were followed.

4. GEM Neighborhood Electric Vehicle
Chrysler has sold more than 35,000 low-speed GEM neighborhood electric vehicles worldwide since the mid-1990s with more than 200 million zero-emission miles driven by customers. The GEM is suited for certain types of uses and is not a full-function vehicle. As a neighborhood electric vehicle, by law it is governed to a top speed of 25 mph and is allowed on streets with posted limits of 35 mph or less.

5. Renewed Electric Car Efforts
No longer part of DaimlerChrysler, efforts to develop and market electric cars have returned at Chrysler. The most high-profile example of this was the recent debut of three electric drive vehicle concepts – an all-electric Dodge sports car and range-extended electric versions of the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler Town & Country minivan. The concepts use lithium-ion batteries. While no information is provided about sourcing of these vehicles’ high-tech components, photos have shown the use of UQM Technologies electric drive in the Dodge sports car concept. Chrysler does say that its efforts will move beyond the concept stage and the company will market one of these three vehicles beginning in 2010.

BMW to Introduce Carbon Fiber Electric Car to Market in 2013

If you’ve been wondering where BMW’s ‘Project i’ field study program is headed, the wait is over. BMW has now announced its intention to produce a radically different urban electric car in 2013, a departure from the more conventional MINI E and 1-Series ActiveE battery electrics this automaker has focused on in recent years. BMW’s four-passenger premium city car is dubbed the ‘Megacity Vehicle.’

Megacity is a term used to describe the largest population centers on earth. In these busy, crowded environments, many traditional vehicles are too large or simply too inefficient. The Megacity Vehicle is a purpose-built urban transport that’s designed and engineered from the pavement up for its intended mission. A pure EV, the Megacity Vehicle is actually the latest in a long history of electric drive vehicles from BMW. Forty years ago, BMW produced a small fleet of bright orange electric 1602 sedans to serve as marathon support cars for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Electric drive development continued over the next four decades with several notable concepts, then shifted into high gear with the current Project i program that launched in 2007.

The Megacity vehicle will break new ground on several fronts, not the least of which is body structure. While most lightweight cars tend to use unibody construction, the futuristic BMW will be body-on-frame. But this body-on-frame design is very unique, featuring an all-aluminum frame to carry the suspension, battery, and electric motor that will be mated to a carbon fiber body structure.

BMW’s design places the large lithium-ion battery pack mid-ship between the frame rails to maintain a low center of gravity. This location also protects the pack of 96 4-volt cells, which are wired in series and encased in an aluminum housing. Battery cells are from German supplier SB LiMotive. The rear frame section is a large cast aluminum structure that serves as a mount for the Megacity Vehicle’s 134 hp (100-kW) brushless electric traction motor. The rear-drive layout was in part chosen to maintain BMW’s legendary driving dynamics.

At half the weight of a steel body and 30 percent lighter than aluminum, the carbon fiber body is truly space-age construction. BMW has developed proprietary manufacturing techniques to make all the pieces come together and will produce the carbon fiber material through a joint venture with SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers at a new facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Besides being lighter, carbon fiber is also corrosion resistant and five times stronger than steel. We witnessed the results of initial crash tests of the body and frame structure while in Germany, and came away thinking it’s no wonder they make Formula 1 race cars out of carbon fiber. Simply, impact absorption and damping are impressive.

We will bring you more details on BMW’s ‘premium, clever, and clean’ Megacity Vehicle as this program progresses.

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid Offers Economy and Performance, Too

Enthusiasts worry that without combustion engines, cars will not be as much fun to drive. The Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid Concept, based on the same versatile platform as the conventional Evora model, was developed to demonstrate that electric and hybrid sports cars can have the feel, driving dynamics, feedback, and even the sounds of a high-performance sports car.

There are reasons for the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid Concept’s unusual name and copper color scheme. The name comes from the 414 PS – ‘PS’ forPferdestärke, horsepower in German – power rating. Copper, a color associated with electrical systems, was chosen for the car’s interior and exterior.

Two electric motors independently drive each rear wheel via a single-speed transmission integrated into a common housing. Each motor provides 204 horsepower (207 PS) and 295 pound-feet of torque to each wheel. Well suited to electric and series hybrid vehicles, varying torque at each driving wheel allows torque vectoring for enhanced performance. Besides enhancing low speed maneuverability and parking ease, torque steering improves high-speed, straight-line travel. With lateral sensors, it offers stability control and steering response normally available only from heavy and expensive rear steer systems that automatically correct both understeer and oversteer.

A 17 kilowatt-hour lithium polymer battery pack is located in the vehicle’s center for battery-only driving range of up to 35 miles. For longer trips, a Lotus Range Extender engine drives a generator to supply the motors and recharge the battery. This 48 horsepower, 1.2 liter three-cylinder engine is optimized specifically for this series hybrid and can be operated on gasoline and alcohol-based fuels, providing a total range of over 300 miles.

The aluminum monoblock engine, with its single casting for cylinder head and exhaust manifold, means reduced weight, assembly cost, and package size as well as improved emissions and engine durability. The integrated generator is also used as a motor to start the range extender engine. This hybrid sports car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds

While only having a single speed, the driver experiences a simulated 7-speed paddle, quick-shift gear change with a dual clutch transmission. You hear synthesized engine sounds that change in frequency with virtual gear selection and even feel the jolt of the gear change. The simulated gear change can be switched off for more relaxed driving.

Like most EVs and HEVs, the Evora 414E Hybrid has regenerative braking, although in this case a more sophisticated variation. A driver controls deceleration with simulated engine braking through a virtual downshift in gears. Unlike other regenerative braking systems, the driver can select the appropriate level of regeneration by simulating stepping down one, two, or even three gears. Both the simulated gear change noise and retardation is similar to that of a conventional gearbox.

Not only does the Evora 414E Hybrid drive like a conventional sports car, it also sounds like one with driver selectable sounds that include those of V-6 to V-12 engines. Developed with Harman International, the HALOsonic Internal and External Electronic Sound Synthesis system produces engine sounds inside through the audio system. It also generates sounds outside the vehicle through speakers mounted at the front and rear, thus serving as an audible warning to pedestrians, especially at slower speeds when it may be difficult to hear a vehicle running on electric motors.