One of the catch phrases for not buying an electric car is the fact that its range might be well below any individual car driver’s needs. We looked at how electric vehicles in Europe can appeal purely on a cost basis, but it seems one thing preventing people from purchasing electric cars is the so-called “range anxiety”. Despite car companies’ declarations that any one vehicle can travel from 50-100 km, that probably isn’t very indicative if you’re driving to work everyday, popping off on weekend trips and trying to figure out where and when you can recharge your vehicle before you actually take the leap and purchase an electric car.

So Autobloggreen comes to the rescue with an article from Treehugger about how to plan whether an electric car is for you. And it’s very simple: do some practice range anxiety with your fuel-powered vehicle and try to convert that to what you might use in an electric vehicle. There are two steps a driver needs to follow:

1. How far you drive between stops that could be places you’d recharge your EV.
2. How long your stops are at these places (so you can estimate how much extra juice you’ll get in the time parked there).

More after the jump.

Continue reading: Swapping from petrol to power: range anxiety with gas vs electricity

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When we say that a vehicle is Euro 5 compliant, or will be Euro 6 compliant once it’s on the market and that new law comes into effect, here in Europe that actually means something quite significant. It means you can happily travel the town centres on days when they’re shut to more polluting traffic, you might get some big incentives for a new car and more importantly, you know you’re saving some precious euros on what is becoming more and more expensive fuel.

It may take some time before hybrid and electric cars make real inroads in the European car market but often there’s no easier way to stimulate uptake of something than to make sure it appeals to the hip pocket. Which is why, according to research figures, hybrid and electric cars on the US market will take longer to be adopted - because fuel is just too cheap there.

The figures above show that US fuel prices are the lowest of all the nations that were studied for this particular project. It appears that any economic argument for going electric in America is redundant giving the figures - why would you bother driving a car that might not appeal and having all the recharge hassle for just $813 savings every year?

While Autobloggreen says that the initial choice to go electric in the US will likely be driven by the desire to be environmentally responsible, we still think money smells stronger than fresh air. There’s no better way to get the project off the ground than making it more economical. Although we still haven’t seen a surge in electric sales in Europe so maybe we’re a way off yet. But rest assured that if people can make enough of a saving, they’ll switch.

Source | Autobloggreen

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The Tata Nano could appear in Europe as an electric model only, after the Indian company conducted further market analysis on the possible future of the Nano on the old continent. In fact, the choice makes a lot of sense. While the Nano Europa is planned for a 2012 debut at less than 6,000 euros, an electric version could make this a real city car for European centres getting stricter about pollution and emissions.

Originally, an electric Tata Nano was not planned but a recent interview with CEO Carl Peter Forster hinted that one could be developed. It would make the Nano quite unique, and we believe could even make it a significant long-term prospect in its own country of India if the right infrastructure could be developed. The only downside is that an electric version could cost double the 6,000 euros for the standard version, making it decidedly less appealing in Europe.

However, if an electric city car is your choice of vehicle, competitor options such as the Citroen C-Zero or Peugeot iOn have pricing around the 30,000 euros mark. It’s still a Tata Nano, though…. Despite our European cynicism, if the Nano electric goes ahead it could be produced in the same production facilities as the Smart EV, indicating a possible future joint-venture. It seems the Indians are getting very good at collaborating and we could soon see an intelligent choice from Tata entering the European market. Something to look out for in the future.

Source | Autointernationaal

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The Opel Ampera’s first image has been released, although the presentation as such is actually a trip from Rüsselsheim to Geneva, where it will likely appear at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The Opel Ampera is the European sister to General Motors’ other electric car, the Chevrolet Volt. After the initial Ampera concept was presented at last year’s Geneva show, it’s going into production as a “range extending” vehicle, and not a hybrid car.

The Ampera front has undergone some slight changes, and front indicators are now included in the boomerang-shaped headlight set-up. The rear vision mirrors also include indicators but the overall profile and side design are so similar that this version looks pratically identical. The Ampera has a Voltec platform with a 1.4-litre aspirated engine with 100 hp and range extender. The battery/fuel combination gives the Ampera a 60 km zero-emission range, and a 500 km extended range. The fuel motor acts as a generator to the batteries, which can also be recharged via a 230V socket. For more details on how it works, see the Ampera website.

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The Citroen C-Zero electric city car has been presented, equipped with a magnetic synchronous motor with 64 hp (or 47 kW) and 180 Nm of torque between 0 and 200 rpm. The synchronous motor works like an induction motor, but off a magnetic field that requires no slip to run, and the C-Zero uses one single-speed reduction grear to send power to the rear axle. The unit is powered by a 330volt lithium ion battery pack for its light weight and durability.

The C-Zero is a joint effort between Citroen and Mitsubishi, and is the French firm’s version of the Mitsubishi iMIEV. Peugeot also has its version, called the iOn. The C-Zero will go into production in 2010 and will join the DS3 and C3 low-emissions versions as part of an effort to reduce CO2 emissions across the range. It will expand to include the first Citroen hybrid, the DS5, in 2011.

The Citroen C-Zero has a range of nearly 130 km, and a top speed of about 130 km/hr as well. It does 0-100 in 15 secs, and has a recharge time of about six hours in a normal 220-volt socket. Using a 400-volt outlet you can get an 80 percent fast charge in just 30 minutes. See the new C-Zero in the pics below, with the video after the jump (it’s a silly video - check out the first C-Zero video here for some better enviro messages).

Citroen C-Zero

Continue reading: Citroen C-Zero electric city car: environment vs luxury yachts

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The Fiat 2010 New Year commercial is less about wishing you a Happy New Year and more about showing you the hopes for the Fiat-Chrysler deal for 2010. With a few historic images, very Italian in nature, we’re taken to the Fiat 500 cruising some world famous American sites. It’s a strange video for the local Italian audience, as if they needed convincing about the Fiat-Chrysler deal.

Another European manufacturer focussed on something more ecological for the New Year, with Renault producing a New Year video about its electric cars. With highly recognisable footage from recreation to environmental disasters, the Renault commercial closes with a brief look at the Renault Zoe: one of the family of Renault electrics made up of the Twizy, Fluence and Z.E. See the video after the jump.

Continue reading: Fiat and Renault: New Year commercials on Chrysler deal and electric cars

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The Audi E-Tron test drive by the Los Angeles Times is seen in this video, although it’s unlikely to tell you anything you didn’t already know. We don’t get an idea of what it feels like to actually drive the E-Tron, and the torque figures quoted are likely to be those of the wheels, and not the output shaft, which has created some controversy.

The driver of this test, Dan Neil, gives us some insight into what kind of car the E-Tron is like in his written article. He says:

Like all electric cars, the batteries are the biggest concern. The e-tron uses a lithium-ion pack sourced from Sanyo with a total capacity of 53 kWh, but only about 43 kWh is usable storage. Max discharge is a healthy 230 amps. According to Krauter, the car will have two settings for regenerative braking, one normal and one sporty — which is to say, you lift off the gas and the aggressive regen will instantly slow the car down as if it had piled into a load of sand. No coasting.

Continue reading: Audi E-Tron test drive video

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The BMW Concept ActiveE will be released at the Detroit auto show in January. Based on the 1-Series coupe, it is equipped with an electric engine with 170 hp and lithium ion batteries. This video teaser of the Concept ActiveE, with Efficient Dynamics, focuses on the comfort and space of the vehicle.

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These pics of the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive show the electric car in Monte Carlo, where Smart has an agreement with Monaco to deliver ten units for use in public companies. The initiative starts from next spring and is part of a pre-launch program for the two-seater electric Smart. The program is also extended to Italy where the Smart ForTwo Electric will appear in 100 units with energy company Enel, for use in Rome, Milan and Pisa.

Smart Electric Drive

Continue reading: Smart ForTwo electric drive pics from Monte Carlo

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The European car market is changing, with Eastern Europe enjoying larger shares of production and manufacturing. The hugely successful Fiat 500, for example, is made in Poland, and Renault is now continuing this trend of moving manufacturing elsewhere with the announcement that the electric prototype Renault Fluence, first on show at the 2009 IAA Frankfurt motor show, will be produced in the Bursa factory in Turkey.

This announcement completes the various facilities destined to produce Renault’s electric cars, with the the Zoé and Kangoo Express Z.E. being made in France, the Twizy in Spain and the Fluence in Turkey. Production will commence in the first six months of 2011.

For Renault this is merely a natural step to take, as the Fluence will be assembled at the same facilities as the fuel version, meaning a quick start to the project and easy transition to the electric assembly function. However, Renault makes the point that this is also a cost measure, ensuring that the electric Fluence makes it to market with a competitive price tag.

Renault Fluence Z.E.

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Citroen’s new electric car C-Zero has been presented in the form of an electric city car which will debut on the market by the end of 2010. The car is based on the Mitsubishi I-Miev, as was the Peugeot iOn, with a slightly different look. The C-Zero is equipped with a 64 hp engine with 180 Nm of torque, and lithium ion batteries with a range of about 130 km. The top speed is 130 km/hr and acceleration to 100 km/hr occurs in about 15 seconds (we must bear in mind this is a city car).

Battery recharge time takes about six hours with a 220V outlet, but 80 percent recharge can also be achieved in just 30 minutes with a dedicated lead. The C-Zero measures 3.48 metres long, with a wheel base of 2.55 metres and a boot measuring 166 litres.

It’s a four-seater, for you and your commuting buddies, and has power steering, ABS, six airbags, electric windows, and air conditioning. No prices have been released, but given the various eco-incentives in Europe, you could look to save up to 5,000 euros. The first video is after the jump.

Continue reading: Citroen C-Zero electric city car presented

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The Fiat-Chrysler alliance is working on a joint electric car, making use of Chrysler’s know-how in electric engine technology. The news has been confirmed by Alfredo Altavilla from Chrysler, and is the first open recognition of the project.

Fiat will officially present its plans for the future of the Fiat-Chrysler partnership on November 4th, when hopefully we will have full knowledge of the Fiat group models headed for the US, and an idea of how the electric car will fit into that plan.

Source | Il sole 24 ore

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