Report: Electric Audi A1 won’t be produced
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Audi
Audi A1 e-Tron – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to a report out of Italy, Audi boss Rupert Stadler has said that the Audi A1 e-tron concept will not see production. Apparently the house of Audi believes that the conventional A1 will be sufficiently frugal and kind enough on the environment with its stop/start and brake energy recovery system. Additionally, there seems to be some issues with the A1′s platform and its ability to house all the necessary EV components. If true, ’tis a shame – that cargo-floor-mounted Wankel engine paired with lithium-ion batteries was supposed to be good for 154 miles per gallon, and the A1 e-tron is a package we would have enjoyed by being so green we made grass jealous.
[Source: Autoblog.it (translated)]
Report: Electric Audi A1 won’t be produced originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Study: Light commercial electric vehicle market ready to heat up, especially in Europe
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily
Ford Transit Connect Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
A recent study conducted by Frost & Sullivan assesses the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) on the commercial industry. In particular, the study focused on light-duty commercial vehicles along the lines of small delivery vans, pickup trucks and buses. Frost & Sullivan notes that commercial vehicles regularly remain in service for far longer than your typical passenger vehicles and, when coupled with the fact that many of the miles on these vehicles are racked up in stop-and-go use, you’ve got a vehicle that is costly to maintain, operate and fuel up. Seeking a way to reduce high operating costs, the study predicts that the commercial industry will increasingly turn to electric vehicles.
The study suggests that Europe’s demand for light-duty commercial electrics will far outweigh other continents. European companies and municipalities are expected to purchase 165,000 battery-electric vans, buses and trucks by 2016 with the North American market only requiring a fraction of that number (26,000 units). The vast majority of the light-duty commercial EVs that we will see tooling around by 2016 will include electric versions of the Ford Transit Connect and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. These two vehicles are expected to capture one third of the European light-duty commercial EV market. As we’ve said before, commercial fleets are ideally suited for electrification and these high-volume predictions further affirm that belief.
Gallery: Ford Transit Connect Eletric at Chicago Auto Show
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Dow Kokam breaks ground on advanced battery plant in Michigan
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily
Dow Kokam, a joint venture between Dow Chemical and Townsend Kokam, has broken ground on its new lithium-polymer battery manufacturing facility in Midland, MI. Dow Kokam chief executive officer Ravi Shanker was on hand for the groundbreaking, as was Vice President Joe Biden and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. When completed, the Midland Battery Park will have the capacity to produce enough batteries to power some 60,000 electric vehicles per year. Dow Kokam’s 800,000 square-foot facility will produce large-format batteries targeted at “high-performance, high-end” electric vehicles.
For Michigan, more new jobs can’t come soon enough. The Midland Battery Park will eventually employ 800 workers at an average weekly wage of $730, and an additional 1,000 workers will be needed to construct the facility. As Vice President Biden said, “This is a gigantic start.” The first phase of construction, supported by a $161 million Department of Energy Recovery Act grant, kicks off immediately.
Dow Kokam claims that its prismatic lithium-polymer batteries outperform the competition. CEO Riva Shanker said:
From the next generation of hybrid vehicles, to unmanned military ground and air vehicles and high-end industrial products, Dow Kokam’s robust lithium-ion technology sets the pace for advanced battery systems in today’s demanding applications.
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2011 BMW 6-Series – Not a Radical Change
The next-generation 6-Series BMW will not be as radical a change as the current 6-Series introduction was that happened in 2004. However, BMW is expected to address all of the concerns with the current model when the new 6-Series is launched in the US in late 2010 as a 2011 model.
The 2011 BMW 6-Series [...]
Via New Car Blog
Ex Mazda worker storms plant (JP)
A previous Mazda employee supposedly murdered one and injured ten others after crashing his car into a group of people at Mazda’s Hiroshima factory yesterday, according to reports. The 42 year old suspect, Toshiaki Hikiji, fled the scene, but was arrested an hour after the offence.
A 39 year old man, Hiroshi Hamada was pronounced dead at the scene. Another male employee is still in critical condition. The crash took place at the Mazda-owned Ujina plant near the Hiroshima port in south-western Japan.
“I pray for the spirit of the man who was killed, and pray for the recovery of the ten who were injured,” said Mazda President Takashi Yamanouchi in a statement.
Mazda said that Hikiji left the firm for personal reasons, although, media in Japan report that Hikiji was sacked from the plant in April after working at the Ujina location for eight days, according to the wire service. Reporters also said Hikiji brought a knife with him, and planned to kill people at the plant.
Report: Volkswagen Routan might not be back for an encore
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill
Volkswagen Routan – Click above for high-res image gallery
“No decisions have been made regarding the Routan.” This according to a source from Volkswagen. Unsurprisingly, the re-branded Chrysler minivan is rumored to be receiving less-than-enthusiastic support from Volkswagen’s current management, and the ambivalence might spell doom for the Routan. Volkswagen’s sales are down, though it’s not necessarily the Routan’s fault. The people mover has a consistent four percent of the minivan market and Volkswagen thinks that can be grown.
For now, Volkswagen’s concentrating on launching its latest Jetta and building a factory in Tennessee to assemble the majority of its U.S.-market cars. The Phaeton will also be returning to the U.S. market, indicating an intent to foster growth on the top and bottom of its model offerings. Volkswagen has set a goal for itself of tripling U.S. sales numbers, and the Routan puts the brand in a segment it would not otherwise be in here in the U.S., though its small market share may not make it worth the effort.
Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Routan
Video: Audi wraps up “The Next Big Thing,” not sure if anyone noticed
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury
Justin Timberlake flogging the Audi A1 in The Next Big Thing – Click above to watch videos after the jump
Audi made an episodic series of short films for the A1 called The Next Big Thing, and it was apparently so big that it didn’t fall off the radar, it swallowed the radar whole. For those of you who missed the last four episodes, we’re here for you. We’re not sure that this was the intended effect of getting Justin Timberlake to promote the A1, nevertheless the A1 is selling so well that Audi is upping production.
Episode three – wherein JT ends up in a bare-chested cage match and a sleeper hold applied by co-star Dania Ramirez – is titled “What was that for?” Coincidence? Return to episodes one and two to refresh, or head straight for the jump and episodes three through six. There’s even a making-of video as a bonus. If that’s what you call that…
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: Audi wraps up “The Next Big Thing,” not sure if anyone noticed
