Ever since Tesla’s inception, Panasonic has been the automaker’s only approved battery supplier when it comes to its electric vehicles.
Now Tesla is reportedly looking to approve its second one in order to supply battery cells to Gigafactory 3 in China. more…
The post Tesla to approve first new battery supplier for vehicles since Panasonic, report says appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
Last week, we published a report about Tesla drastically increasing Supercharger prices around the world, but now the automaker is reducing the price hike after a backlash from customers. more…
The post Tesla cuts Supercharger prices back down after customer backlash over increase appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
A partnership led by Rolls-Royce is building an electric aircraft that it hopes will reach a top speed of over 300 mph and beat the previous speed record of 210 mph set in 2017 by Siemens.
The project is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called Accelerating the Electrification of Flight (ACCEL), which is partly funded by the UK government, and also involves corporate partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and aviation start-up Electroflight.
Working out of Gloucestershire airport in central England, ACCEL is drawing on Formula E expertise in an effort to build an electric aircraft that tops out at over 300 mph to set a new e-plane record, and perhaps someday even exceed the 1931 Schneider Trophy record set by a Supermarine S.6B that used a Rolls-Royce “R” engine to reach 343 mph in 1931.
The Rolls-Royce team is working on a battery pack with 6,000 cells that it claims is the most energy-dense ever to be installed in an aircraft. The powertrain will run at 750 V with a maximum power of 750 kW, and the pack will be cooled by an Active Thermal Management System Cooling radiator. The plane will have enough range to fly from London to Paris nonstop.
Rolls-Royce has released a cool blueprint of the racing plane with a wealth of technical details. The battery pack feeds three 750R lightweight e-motors built by YASA. The three electrically-actuated blades of the single propeller operate at 2,400 rpm with an efficiency of up to 90 percent. Sensors will monitor 20,000 points in the powertrain to provide the engineers with plenty of data on performance.
“This plane will be powered by a state-of-the-art electrical system and the most powerful battery ever built for flight,” says Matheu Parr, ACCEL Project Manager for Rolls-Royce. “In the year ahead, we’re going to demonstrate its abilities in demanding test environments before going for gold in 2020 from a landing strip on the Welsh coastline.”
Source: Rolls-Royce via New Atlas
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
Ever since Tesla built the first battery ‘gigafactory’, a factory able to produce battery cells at the gigawatt-hour level, many other companies have announced similar ambitions.
Now, India is apparently going to get one as a consortium of companies are getting together. more…
The post India is getting its own giant battery gigafactory for electric vehicles appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
Aston Martin‘s boss Andy Palmer shared a short video with a validation prototype of the all-electric RapideE.
According to the description, it’s the first time when the car is running under its own power from a 800 V production battery, developed in partnership with Williams Engineering.
“A moment of @astonmartin history. First Validation Prototype Aston Martin RapideE moves under its own power for the very first time with its breakthrough 800v battery. Great work from the development team which includes Williams Engineering.”
A moment of @astonmartin history. First Validation Prototype Aston Martin RapideE moves under its own power for the very first time with its breakthrough 800v battery. Great work from the development team which includes Williams Engineering. pic.twitter.com/b2mRaeCsNP
— Andy Palmer (@AndyatAston) January 21, 2019
The first electric Aston is to be available before the end of this year, but only 155 units will ever be made.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
The Tesla Model 3 has a pretty awesome 15-inch touch screen. It dominates the dash and is used to display all the information a driver will need. It’s also where any and all settings are changed. If you (like us) think it’s hard to imagine driving the mid-size sedan without this key component, then the video above could come as a surprise. A shock, even.
In the footage, found on the DÆrik YouTube channel, the hosts demonstrate with their own Tesla Model 3 Performance that you can, in fact, drive without the screen being attached. Of course, they also warn others not to try this at home and for good reason. For one thing, having no screen means there’s no way of telling how fast you are going. It also removes the ability to adjust the HVAC controls, open the dash, or any other number of important functions.
As you can see, they get around some of this by pulling up the car in the Tesla app. There, they can see the speed at which the car is supposedly driving. Interestingly, the Autopilot function is still useable, since it is activated by a couple pulls on a stalk on the steering column. Also, as we can see in the clip, the automatic braking function still works.
We have to say, losing the screen really opens up the front of the car’s interior, allowing for even better visibility. We kind of like the look. Our hosts seem to as well, and they spend some time discussing alternate screens they could install in place of the stock rectangle. Whether they’ll be able to track down an adaptor to make it work remains to be seen, but if they do, we’ll let you know. Enjoy!
Source: YouTube
Source: Electric Vehicle News
The order guides for the 2019 Volkswagen e-Golf in the U.S. indicate upcoming changes in prices and standard equipment. According to CarsDirect, the base price will go up by $1,400.
Here are the details:
We don’t know for sure why Volkswagen decided to increase the prices of base version, as we would expect to see a gradual decrease.
Maybe it’s simply the effect of simplifying offers to cut costs, which in general decreased the number of options and actually increases prices. As automakers seek savings, we will probably see such practice often in the next couple of years.
CarsDirect points out that the competitive position of e-Golf, both in case of purchase and leasing, isn’t too good anymore.
“This month, VW is offering 2.9% financing for up to 60 months, plus a dealer cash incentive worth up to $3,000. In terms of leases, the 2019 e-Golf SE is listed at $319 for 36 months with $2,999 at signing, which equates to an effective cost of $402/month.
Based on our analysis, that makes the SE $72/month more expensive than a 2019 Nissan LEAF S here in Los Angeles ($330). At that price, shoppers may find the 2019 Chevy Bolt LT to be more appealing ($421) for an extra $19/month but a range of up to 238 miles.”
Besides this, the supply of e-Golf in the U.S. is constrained anyways and only 1,354 were sold in 2018 – down from 3,534 in 2017 and 3,937 in 2016 and 4,232 in 2015.
Source: CarsDirect.com
Source: Electric Vehicle News
VW’s I.D. R fully-electric sports car, which has broken several records at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, is coming back with some updates to go after the Nürburgring electric record. more…
The post VW is going after the Nürburgring record with a new version of its ID. R fully-electric sports car appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
When people first heard that the Tesla Model 3 would use a key card instead of a traditional key and/or key fob, it was exciting. And, when it works, it really is pretty neat. You can also access the vehicle using your smartphone. Again, this is awesome, when it works as expected. Needless to say, while this futuristic tech is cool, it’s finicky and has caused problems for many owners. So, Tesla has come up with a solution. The automaker now offers a traditional key fob.
The bad news is, we were under the impression that existing owners would get the key fob for free. In addition, we thought new owners would get the key fob along with the purchase of their Model 3. Sadly, neither is true. Instead, if you want a Model 3 key fob, you have to order one, and it will set you back $150. To make matters worse, the fob doesn’t offer passive entry. This means you can’t just approach the car for unlocking. Instead, you have to physically push the button on the device.
Our friend Ben Sullins has purchased the key fob and says he just can’t recommend spending $150 for this device. Honestly, he doesn’t even use it. He gave it to his son to play with on his Hot Wheels set. However, he does note that the reason the Model 3 key fob may not have passive entry could be related to the PIN to drive security feature. We hope that Tesla can update the fob to offer passive entry in the near future.
Tesla Model 3 Key Fob Review – Worth the Money?
I’ve been wanting a key fob for my Model 3 since I took delivery. Unfortunately, what I got wasn’t much better than the basic key card option.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
Jason Fenske, of the popular Engineering Explained Youtube channel, has traded in his Tesla Model 3. His new car, which he says is a huge improvement, is also a Tesla Model 3. The video above doesn’t just fill us in on why he made the switch. It also gets into the inner workings of the Model 3 rear motor and how that played a part in his decision. We’ll give you a quick synopsis here, though, in case you don’t have the time to watch. (We do recommend it though)
When Fenske first got his Model 3 Mid Range rear-wheel-drive he seemed pretty happy with it. It was the most affordable version available, yet still boasted a reassuring 264 miles of EPA-rated range. Sure, there were some issues with it upon delivery that weren’t really acceptable, but those could be dealt with. Still, it didn’t quite seem to spark joy like he had thought it would. The problem, it seems, had to do with the acceleration.
The mid-size Tesla sedan uses a unique type of permanent magnet motor. According to Fenske, it is a permanent magnet switched reluctance motor (PMSRM), which has a higher efficiency while costing less. With no AC induction motor on the front axle — used in the all-wheel-drive versions of the car — the Mid Range rear-wheel-drive version lacked that instant torque that is generally the hallmark of electric vehicles.
Fenske tells us this is because a PMSRM has to deal with a unique phenomenon called torque ripple. In order to this from making acceleration feel uneven, power is meted out in a slightly limited fashion. While still capable of a 5.6-second sprint from 0-to-60 miles per hour, the performance edge felt blunted.
The obvious fix to this situation was the one the affable host took. He traded in his car for a Performance variant. As you can see in the video, he is extremely happy with the new car. Besides having much better panel alignment and only a couple very minor paint issues, it gives him that deeply satisfying instant acceleration response he felt was missing. With 310 EPA-rated miles, it also gives his range a significant boost. Then there are the extra features like “track mode.”
Besides the info in the video, Fenske also answered a couple questions in the text of the video description dealing with the price of everything and how he knows he didn’t get special treatment. We’ve added that just below. Enjoy!
Video description:
I Sold My Tesla Model 3 Mid-Range & Bought A Model 3 Performance!
After driving the Tesla Model 3 mid-range, I regretted not opting to upgrade to the Performance AWD Model 3. The Model 3 mid-range features a unique permanent magnet rear motor, which gives it different driving characteristics versus many other electric cars, including the Model S and Model X, which both use induction motors. This video will cover what the differences in the motors are (front and rear), how this affects the driving characteristics of the car, the mechanical differences between the mid-range and Performance, as well as the overall condition that my Tesla Model 3 Performance arrived in.
How Do I Know I Didn’t Get Special Treatment From Tesla With Paint Repair/Car Exchange?
First off, this seems strange to me, but many have asked if I somehow received special treatment with regards to getting paint fixed, ordering the Tesla, delivery, etc. That’s not how Tesla works, nor myself, but here’s how I know that no special treatment was provided:
1. Both previous videos were filmed before either video was released. I took delivery of the Model 3 Performance BEFORE the video about paint scratches went live. Hence, Tesla had not seen that I had publicly posted paint issues until I already had my new vehicle. The paint video was filmed before I had decided I was going to trade-in the Mid-Range.
2. I specifically selected the vehicle which I bought. I called Tesla to find out what was in inventory, and I selected a red M3P from that inventory, with VIN. Tesla did not choose the new car for me.
3. When I received the Mid-Range with paint scratches, I called Tesla SLC for the fix. I had heard horror stories from friends about the process required to get the paint repaired (multiple body shop visits, coming back worse than before, loss in value from repaint, etc) so I decided against getting the repair and asked Tesla if they could compensate me at all for the damaged paint instead of dealing with the hassle of repair shops. I felt $2,500 was an unjustified payment for the red paint if it arrives defective/scratched. Tesla said they would get back to me about this. They never did before trading in the car.
4. I only put 49 miles on the car before calling Tesla to inform them I wanted to exchange it for the Performance. This was outside of the 3-day return window (we had a bunch of snow after I took delivery, so I waited until snow had melted before driving for the video review, thus no 3-day window). Tesla said they might be able to switch the car due to the special circumstances (71 miles on the odometer, typical 3-day window needs mileage under 500). Then, they told me they could not.
How Much Did All Of This Cost?
– I bought the Model 3 Mid-Range in November 2018. $46,000 base price.
– $2,500 red paint option, $1,500 19” wheel option, and $1,200 delivery. Total: $51,200 – $7,500 tax credit. Actual Total: $43,700
– The trade-in value of the Mid-Range was $43,200. A $500 loss. The $7,500 tax credit can only be applied to the first buyer, so it instantly loses this much in value. Essentially, buying used means getting the tax credit up front.
– I bought the Model 3 Performance in December 2018. $64,000 base price.
– $2,500 red paint option, and $1,200 for delivery. Total: $67,700 – $7,500 tax credit. Actual Total: $60,200
– Total Cost To Upgrade To Model 3 Performance: $17,000
Source: YouTube
Source: Electric Vehicle News
