Bosch to get VW contract for EV batteries

German automotive supplier Bosch is set to receive a major contract to develop electric car batteries for Volkswagen, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

Awarding Stuttgart-based Bosch the contract would give VW a second battery supplier next to Japan's Sanyo. Both VW and Bosch declined to comment on the matter.

Volkswagen has said it plans to launch all-electric vehicles in 2013 and expects these zero-emission vehicles to account for 3 percent of its sales by 2018.

Reuters

VW plans to introduce EVs in Japan within 3 years

Volkswagen AG plans to introduce electric vehicles based on its Up! and Golf compact cars in the Japanese market within three years, according to Gerry Dorizas, head of VW’s Japanese unit.

In addition to releasing EVs in Japan, Dorizas says the German auto giant will debut more competitively priced hybrid vehicles. It unveiled its first hybrid model in January, a luxury sport utility vehicle priced at 8.98 million yen.

Dorizas indicated the company expects 14% of passenger car sales in the Japanese market to be hybrid vehicles this year and is looking to add less-expensive models to help broaden its customer base.

Nikkei

Volkswagen to make electric cars in China with FAW

Top European automaker Volkswagen said on Wednesday that it plans to build electric cars in China with FAW Group under new brand Kaili, becoming the first foreign automaker to announce concrete plans to make electric cars in the country.

The electric vehicle would be built by FAW Volkswagen, and China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had certified the vehicle on May 3, Volkswagen said in an email to Reuters.

"The Chinese government has been encouraging joint ventures of foreign car manufactures to develop indigenous brands," Andreas Hoffbauer said in the email. "With the certification of FAW-Volkswagen's Kaili electric vehicle, Volkswagen Group makes serious commitments to striving for indigenous innovation with its joint ventures."

Volkswagen would provide attractive and affordable electric vehicles for Chinese consumers, he added.

Volkswagen to introduce plug-in hybrids by 2013

Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn has finally confirmed the company will introduce plug-in hybrid models by 2013. As far as hybrid technology goes, Volkswagen has been a bit behind the mark, but now it’s time for catch-up.

At the recent International Vienna Motor Symposium, Mr Winterkorn revealed the company’s future hybrid plans. He said there would be a “range of important models with plug-in hybrid technology starting in 2013/14″.

Although definite models were not mentioned, reports suggest plug-in hybrids of the next-generation Mk7 Golf and, similarly, the new Audi A3 which will use the same platform, are likely candidates. Both cars will be developed on Volkswagen’s upcoming MQB front-wheel drive platform.

Mr Winterkorn said Volkswagen was very excited about the prospect of the plug-in hybrid, expressing that the technology combines the best of both worlds.

“The plug-in hybrid offers precisely what many customers expect: unlimited internal combustion engine performance combined with attractive electric mobility ranges in everyday driving.”

Volkswagen is not interested in producing a full-electric version of its models however. It believes the large battery pack required for a plug-in provides ample electric vehicle efficiency, as electric-only ranges are within most city driving limits of around 32km anyway.

At the same time, if long trips are needed the petrol motor can come in to provide long ranges, and the tank can also be refilled with ease, compared with an EV that takes several hours to recharge.

Overall consumption of the plug-in Golf is expected to dip below the 2.5L/100km mark.

World's First Electric Street-Bodied Car to Break into the 9's [video]

Oliver Young made it into electric drag racing history today at Santa Pod Raceway in the UK with his electric VW bug, "Black Current." Olly piloted the Black Current to a 9.82 @ 133 mph run at 10:15 GMT followed by a 9.51 time at 135.65 mph at 13:52 GMT.

This makes the speedy electric bug the "World's First Street-Bodied Electric Car" to break into the 9's. A significant historic event for EVs and electric drag racing history. Congratulations to Olly and his work on Black Current! We'll have more details as they become available.

This time last year, Black Current, with Sam Young at the wheel made it into the NEDRA 100 mph Club with a speed of 112.48 mph.

Check out the above video of Black Current in 2010.

VW to launch 100mpg Hybrid Golf by 2020

Volkswagen is set to launch a 100mpg Golf in 2020, in time to meet super-stringent EU fuel economy regulations. The greenest Golf — likely to be the blue-e-motion — is expected to have an average CO2 rating of just 75g/km.

Planned EU regulations require the average fuel economy across a maker’s entire range to average just 95g/km by 2020, which is forcing car makers into considering radical methods to drive down consumption.

Launched as part of the Mk8 Golf line-up, the super-frugal car will feature much of the technology featured in the new XL1. But it’s expected to get a next-generation version of the two-cylinder hybrid powertrain.

A combination of improved combustion technology and new materials should allow the engine to have a higher power density and still use slightly less fuel.

However, VW sources say the super-frugal Golf will also have to see significant friction reduction and aerodynamic improvement as well as a big weight loss. Carbon-reinforced plastics could be used for the bonnet and roof panels, for example, and heavy sound deadening is likely to be replaced by a sound cancellation system working through the car’s audio.

VW to launch 95mpg Up blue-e-motion Hybrid

Volkswagen is putting the final touches to a super-economical version of the Up city car, which will be good for at least 95mpg.

Expected to be called the Up blue-e-motion, the model will be powered by a production version of the powertrain from the XL1 concept, company sources say.

Based on today’s four-cylinder, 1.6-litre VW Group diesel engine, the Up’s twin-cylinder, 800cc turbodiesel is expected to develop just 47bhp, but will be ‘assisted’ by a 26bhp electric motor. The engine’s block is made from aluminium and the bores are plasma coated. It also gets a sophisticated balancer shaft set-up to smooth out the inherently unbalanced two-cylinder layout. The engine and electric motor will be coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Unlike the XL1, however, the Up blue-e-motion will not be able to travel solely on battery power. That’s because the car’s battery pack will only be large enough to power the electric motor during standing starts or for brief periods of hard acceleration. Energy will be reclaimed during braking to help recharge the battery.

The Up is also likely to be equipped with the XL1’s new ‘pulse starting’ feature, which will make the car’s stop-start mode much more seamless. In pulse starting, the electric motor spins the idle engine up to the required speed for its restart, making it virtually undetectable by the driver.

When the XL1 is being powered purely by this hybrid diesel engine, it returns 141mpg on the EU test cycle. However, the Up will be at least 300kg heavier than the carbonfibre-bodied XL1 and will have more aerodynamic drag, due to its bigger cabin and much greater frontal area, which means fuel economy will be reduced by about a third when compared with the concept.

Volkswagen debuts 313mpg XL1 concept hybrid [Video]

Volkswagen today presented the XL1 prototype, the eagerly-awaited vehicle that consumes only 0.9 l/100km (261.3 US mpg - 313 IMP mpg)! Scheduled to make its world debut at the Qatar Motor Show (26-29 January), the new concept releases only 24 grams of CO2 per kilometer, obviously thanks to a series of technological innovations, all of them supposed to cut emissions and improve mileage.

The XL1 uses a combination of lightweight construction, monocoque and add-on parts made of carbon fiber, a very low aerodynamic drag (0.186) plus a very advanced plug-in hybrid system which relies on a two-cylinder TDI engine and an electric motor.

Specifically, the car measures 3,888 mm / 1,665 mm / 1,156 mm (153 in / 65.5 in / 45.5 in) and has a wheelbase of 2,224 mm (87.5 in). The 800 cm3 two-cylinder TDI engine generates a maximum power of 48 hp and 120 Nm of torque, while the electric motor adds an extra 27 hp and 100 Nm of torque. The powertrains are mated to a 7-speed DSG, with the electric unit being backed by a lithium-ion battery pack.

Weighing only 795 kilos, the car can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 11.9 seconds, while achieving a maximum electronically-limited speed of 160 km/h (99.4 mph). The estimated range of the electric motor is 35 kilometers, while the whole autonomy, TDI plus electric, goes up to 550 km with only 10 liters of fuel.

Sanyo to boost output of auto Lithium batteries 150%

Sanyo plans to raise its annual output capacity for automotive lithium-ion batteries by 150 percent, by investing about 15 billion yen (about $180 million) in a key plant, the Nikkei reported.

Sanyo's production lines at the Kasai plant in Hyogyo Prefecture, which will double to four in 2011, will produce batteries with capacities of 20 ampere-hours or higher for use in plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, the daily said.

The company produces lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles made by the Volkswagen AG group, the business daily said.

By boosting capacity, Sanyo aims to use the plant -- among the top in the world in production capacity for automotive lithium-ion batteries -- as its main supply base for three automakers, Nikkei said.

Panasonic, which will turn Sanyo into a wholly owned unit next spring, is positioning automotive lithium-ion batteries as a pillar of its group operations, the daily said.

At a combined share of 26 percent, Sanyo and Panasonic led the global market for cellular phone lithium-ion batteries in the July-September quarter, according to Tokyo firm Techno Systems Research Co, the Nikkei said.

By expanding operations, the team is looking to be the global leader in the field of automotive lithium-ion batteries.

Green Overdrive: VW’s Electric Golf! [Video]

This week Katie Fehrenbacher goes for a spin in VW's all-electric car the Blue-e-motion Golf.

Volkswagen won't launch their EV until late 2013, or 2014. VW say they intend to wait for the next generation A7 Golf platform so they can make the necessary changes to the vehicle's floor plan to accommodate the 'T' shaped battery pack they intend to use.

The Blue-e-motion also has four driving modes that drivers can use to change how aggressive, or not, the regenerative braking of the car is.

VW & Audi in dispute over Electric Vehicle strategy

The sparks are flying in Germany as Volkswagen and Audi are fighting over the brand's EV strategy.

Details are sketchy, but the Financial Times Deutschland is reporting Audi wants to develop electric vehicles independently of Volkswagen. This hasn't made the parent company happy as sources have indicated VW has "frowned upon" Audi's "anarchist project."

The real problem seems to be Audi's refusal to drop the Wankel engine from the A1 e-Tron. If Audi keeps the engine, it would be a costly move as Volkswagen doesn't build a rotary engine and they'd be forced to develop it with another partner - possibly Mazda.

As we have previously reported, the A1 e-Tron features a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery which powers an electric motor that produces a continuous 45 kW (61 PS / 60 hp) and 150 Nm (111 lb-ft) of torque. It can travel up to 50 km (31 miles) on electricity alone, before a Wankel engine activates to recharge the batteries.

Source: Financial Times Deutschland

VW EV Taxi Concept Makes Its Debut In London

A conceptual twist on a British institution has been unveiled in the form of the Volkswagen Taxi Concept – the latest evolution in a series of 'World Taxis' based on the underpinnings of the forthcoming UP! city car.

The man behind the project, Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design at Volkswagen, was present in Central London earlier today to unveil the car.

Designed to meet the challenges faced by vehicles in modern cities, with ever tighter restrictions on space and emissions, the Volkswagen Taxi Concept is powered by an electric motor fed by lithium-ion batteries. With a capacity of 45 kW/h the batteries allow the electric motor to generate a maximum power output of 115 PS, translating to a theoretical top speed of 74 mph.

The range of the Volkswagen Taxi Concept is estimated at 186 miles between charges with an 80 per cent charge taking around one hour to complete.

The Concept, which measures 3,730 mm in length, 1,680 mm in width and 1,600 mm in height, is shorter than the current smallest Volkswagen, the Fox. However its long wheelbase and minimal front and rear overhangs allow it to have a spacious cabin with room for two adults to be seated in comfort plus an allocated area for luggage. At the front, the driving environment is similarly spacious, an impression emphasised by the large glass area.

The theme running throughout the vehicle is simplicity, with an elegant, clutter-free look to the interior. The major functions of the vehicle including climate, entertainment and fare information are all grouped onto one touchscreen display mounted next to the driver. In the back a similar screen relays information to the passengers on their route and their immediate environment. Despite its modest size, the Volkswagen Taxi Concept feels luxurious, with use of cream leather and individual, as opposed to bench, seats.

The styling draws on that of the UP!, Space UP! and Space UP! Blue concept cars and features deliberately tongue-in-cheek details such as the silver Union Jack on the roof and the City of London's coat of arms resplendent on either side of the vehicle as well as on the dashboard.

Elegant daytime running lights mounted within the headlight units are joined by a distinctive 'Taxi' light on the roof. This has two settings – it glows green, indicating when it's free and red when it's not.

At the rear the light units are integrated into the 60:40 split tailgate, behind which are a pair of cubbies to house the belongings of the driver.

While the concept doesn't adhere to current legal requirements regulating taxis in London it does offer an insight into the possibility of a future small, efficient taxi that offers an alternative to conventional fuels.

VW Unveil Electric E-Bora in China

Volkswagen unveiled a new electric vehicle, the E-Bora, Tuesday in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province.

The company plans to trial the E-Bora next year in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, and Changchun City, Jilin, with a full market launch in 2013.

The Bora is stocked with VW’s Blue-e-Motion Li-ion batteries rated at 26.5kWH whilst the batteries weigh in at 315kg including their cooling systems.

The E-Bora's traction motor was developed by Sanyo with batteries supplied by BYD. VW are also working with various other battery suppliers to find the optimal one.

Audi aims to be luxury EV leader; plug-in hybrid due in 2014

Audi has big plans for its electric vehicle business.

"By 2020, we want to be the leading premium seller of electric vehicles," Franciscus van Meel, Audi's manager for electric mobility strategy, said at a recent technical workshop at the company's headquarters here.

"We will successively bring out a variety of hybrid models and electric vehicles, such as our first plug-in hybrid in 2014," he said, without sharing more details on the plug-in hybrid.

Audi's alternative powertrain plan includes: full-hybrid versions of the A8 upper-premium sedan and Q5 SUV, both due in late 2011; a hybrid A6 that is likely to arrive in 2012; plus a range of high-priced electric cars starting with the limited-edition battery-powered e-tron version of the R8 supercar in 2012.

Audi set up the e-tron division to develop and produce EVs. The brand's electric-car approach is different from that of rival BMW AG, which is developing the smaller so-called Megacity Vehicle designed for urban commuting. The Megacity Vehicle is due to launch in 2013.

"Today we're assuming that our sales of Audi e-tron electric cars will rise to a six-figure volume by 2020," van Meel said.

By 2020, Audi wants to increase the efficiency of its internal combustion engines by 30 percent and wants 5 percent of the brand's lineup to be electric, Michael Dick, Audi's board member for technology, said earlier this year.

To help it meet that goal, Audi recently opened a 65 million euro (about $89 million), 14,000-square-meter electric-drive development and test center at its headquarters. It plans to hire 840 people to help develop electric powertrains and batteries.

Audi parent Volkswagen AG wants the group to be No. 1 in hybrid and electric cars before the end of the decade, increasing its EV market share to 3 percent of its forecast global sales of 10 million vehicles by 2018.

Globally, VW Group plans to launch a full-electric version of its Up minicar, the E-Up, E-Golf and E-Jetta in 2013. VW recently announced they will invest $71.2 billion focused on hybrids and electric vehicle development over the next 4 years.

VW to invest 51.6bn euros in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Volkswagen says it plans to invest 51.6 billion euros ($A71.2 billion) in the next four years to develop new models and attain its objective of becoming the world's top car maker by 2018.

With another 10.6 billion euros ($A14.63 billion) to be invested by its joint ventures in China, the German car maker said it aims to "expand and modernise its entire product line across all of its brands".

The investments, to come from the company's own funds, will focus on hybrids and electric vehicles, where it lags behind Japan's Toyota, which it hopes to unseat as the top global car maker within seven years.

Last year Volkswagen said it planned to invest 25.8 billion euros ($A35.6 billion) between 2010 and 2012.

Volkswagen steered around being significantly damaged by the global crisis, thanks in large part to continued boom the Chinese car market, and was sitting on a cash pile of 19.6 billion euros ($A27.05 billion) at the end of September.

The company, which owns nine brands, is in the process of absorbing a tenth, luxury sports car maker Porsche.

Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion wins the inaugural Future Car Challenge

A Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion prototype electric car is the overall winner of the inaugural Future Car Challenge. The car also won its category, Most Economic and Environment Friendly Regular Passenger EV.

The Royal Automobile Club Gold Medal for the winning vehicle was presented to Jim Holder, Editor of What Car? and Volkswagen engineer Folko Rohde who shared the driving. The pair joined a total of over 60 entrants in travelling from Madeira Drive in Brighton to Pall Mall in London – a distance of 57 miles – with the aim of consuming as little energy as possible.

The Challenge attracted a diverse range of entries, from pure electric vehicles such as the Golf blue-e-motion, to hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and highly efficient diesel cars such as the Polo and Golf BlueMotion.

Powered by lithium-ion batteries, the Golf blue-e-motion has an electric motor with a peak power output of 115 PS and a range of around 100 miles in normal conditions. It can reach a top speed of 86 miles per hour and accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 11.8 seconds. The car features regenerative braking that can activate when the accelerator is released and during the initial travel of the brake pedal. This reduces the amount of energy that would otherwise be wasted during driving. Despite its unconventional motive power the Golf blue-e-motion appears at first glance like any other Golf with a slightly reduced boot volume of 279 litres and space for five adults.

This is the first time that a Golf blue-e-motion has been brought to the UK. It was found to have consumed the least energy of any of the diverse range of vehicles in the competition from Brighton to London which took in a challenging mix of country roads, and some severe London traffic jams.

On arrival in London the Golf blue-e-motion had its data recorder removed by the RAC scrutineers and then joined the Polo BlueMotion and Golf BlueMotion entries plus all the other competing vehicles for a special display in Regent Street. Despite its conventional appearance this particular Golf attracted a lot of attention from members of the public, particularly when its bonnet was raised.

On receiving the award, Jim Holder said: ‘It’s a testimony to the abilities of the Golf blue-e-motion that it won despite the fact I’d never competed in any sort of eco driving challenge before. Folko was a superb tutor in getting the best from the car, but the fact is that this was a challenge on real roads and, in my case, without an expert ‘eco’ driver at the wheel. That just underlines how efficient the blue-e-motion is now – so to think how good it will be when it goes on sale in three years time is extremely exciting.

‘Better still, we made it to London without any hint of a worry about range, and in total comfort. Already, this is a car that lives up to all the expectations that come with being a Golf; it’s refined, a joy to drive and supremely practical. This should guarantee a great story for the readers of What Car? and whatcar.com.’

The Golf blue-e-motion is currently in the development stage. It is planned that it will be introduced to the market in late 2013.

Volkswagen Reveal Golf Blue-e-Motion Electric

One of the world’s most popular cars is going full-electric and with the might of the Volkswagen Group behind it, it will be a force to be reckoned with.

The Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion electric car will initially be available as a five-door, five-seater driven by a single electric motor housed in the usual front engine compartment. The electric powersource will produce a maximum 85 kW (continuous power output of 50 kW) and a healthy 270 Nm of torque from the get go.

Powering the Golf is a lithium-ion battery (26.5 kilowatt-hours) that is made up of 30 battery modules each with six lithium-ion cells. The technology allows for a 150km driving range which according to Volkswagen is sufficient enough for most people’s driving needs. Nonetheless, the German company says the production version which goes on sale in 2014, will have a ‘significantly improved’ driving range over this concept.

The electric Golf has a topspeed of 135 km/h and will go from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.8 seconds

Much like Toyota Prius’ in-car systems, the Golf blue-e-motion allows the driver to see how much energy is being demanded at any given time. However, the Golf does it with a kW gauge which has replaced the traditional tacho.

Drivers can also select three different modes: maximum range, maximum comfort and maximum dynamics. This will then set how much power the electric engine will output plus control energy going to air conditioning systems.

In comfort mode it gets all 85kW so that it can hit the 135km/h topspeed. Put it in Normal and that comes down to 65kW (115km/h). If you’re really keen for maximum range, you can reduce power to 50 kW and deactivate the aircon.

Charging takes place via a typical plug connector hidden cleverly behind the VW logo on the radiator grille.

In total the electric version of the Volkwagen Golf weighs roughly 200kg more than the standard five-door, five-seater version (1,545kg).

Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion Concept Car – Technical Data:

Dimensions

• Length 4,199 mm
• Width 1,786 mm
• Height 1,480 mm
• Wheelbase 2,575 mm

Motor

• Motor type Electric motor
• Power (max./continuous) 85 kW/50 kW
• Max. torque 270 Nm

Gearbox/Tyres

• Gearbox EQ 210 (1-speed transmission)
• Drive type Front-wheel drive
• Tyre size 205/55 R16

Driving performance

• 0 – 100 km/h 11.8 s
• Top speed (Comfort+ mode) 135 km/h
• CO2 emissions with electricity generated from renewable resources  - Negligible

VW Looks Forward to Selling 10,000 Electric-Cars in China

Volkswagen AG, Europe’s largest carmaker, plans to build and sell 10,000 electric cars in China from 2014 to 2018 as rivals add more fuel-efficient vehicles in the world’s biggest automarket.

The German company will produce an electric model at local ventures with SAIC Motor Corp. and FAW Group Corp. as early as 2013 and is considering a battery-powered model specifically designed for the nation in 2018, said Karl-Thomas Neumann, president of Volkswagen Group China, at a conference on electric vehicles in Shenzhen, China yesterday.

Volkswagen, the first overseas automaker to enter the Chinese market three decades ago, joins Nissan Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Daimler AG in planning electric vehicles in the country. While local demand for electric cars and hybrids trails other markets, China is offering buyers of plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars subsidies of as much as 60,000 yuan ($9,000) to help cut pollution and reduce oil dependency.

“There is a very strong argument that electric cars are the right move for China, although there are still many challenges,” Neumann said yesterday. “China is making huge investments in renewable energy.”

The challenges include lessening the country’s reliance on electricity produced by coal-fired power stations and high battery costs, which make production of electric cars in China not feasible at the moment, Neumann said.

Touareg Hybrid

The German carmaker will introduce its Touareg hybrid sport-utility vehicle locally this year and begin field tests of electric vehicles in China this year, VW said yesterday.

Shares in Wolfsburg, Germany-based VW rose 0.9 percent to 97.70 euros in Frankfurt trading on Nov. 5. The stock has risen 28 percent in 2010.

Other car companies are planning to introduce new electric models in China before Volkswagen.

General Motors, the biggest overseas automaker in China, will add its Chevrolet Volt, which runs about 40 miles on batteries before using engine power, during the second half of 2011 and may introduce further models, the company said.

“We’ll probably move to lead with lower cost cars, which are more designed around shorter trips and urban-use than some other parts in of the Western world,” Kevin Wale, president of Detroit-based GM’s China business, said yesterday at the electric-car conference in Shenzhen.

Other markets such as the U.S. will require no-compromise electric vehicles that meet all the standards of today’s vehicles, he said.

Nissan, Daimler

Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan, which plans to make as many as 500,000 electric vehicles a year globally by 2012, will begin tests of its Leaf electric car in Wuhan, China next year, Hideki Kimata, senior general manager of the Japanese automaker’s Chinese joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Co. said in September.

Daimler and Shenzhen-based BYD Co. will be ready to introduce an electric car in the nation as early as 2012, Dieter Zetsche said in October.

China will have as many as 20,000 plug-in hybrids and electric cars by 2013, Wan Gang, China’s minister for Science and Technology said yesterday.

Still, Chinese consumers may lag behind more developed automarkets in their acceptance of alternative-energy vehicles.

Researcher J.D. Power & Associates estimates China will account for less than 9 percent of the total plug-in hybrid and electric car demand by 2020, according to a study last month.

Chinese Consumers

Chinese consumers may buy 432,000 plug-in or electric vehicles in 2020, out of a total of 5.2 million globally, J.D. Power said.

In Japan, hybrids already account for around 10 percent of car sales, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest seller of regular hybrids, is testing feasibility of introducing plug-in hybrids and electric cars in China with its partners FAW Group Corp. and Guangzhou Automobile Co., Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada said yesterday.

Even so, electric cars may be of limited use to many drivers and mainly used by those traveling short distances in cities because of the limitations of battery technology, Uchiyamada said.

“We expect hybrids and plug-in hybrids to replace most of the gasoline-powered vehicles we have today,” he said. Fuel- cell vehicles may eventually become popular with drivers that want to drive longer distances, Uchiyamada said.

Eberhard: '500-mile EVs by 2020'

Electric vehicles will have a range of more than 500 miles within the next 10 years. That is the view of Martin Eberhard, a man who sprang to prominence when he co-founded the Tesla electric sports car company in July 2003.

One of the world’s most forthright advocates of electric cars, he was ousted from control of Tesla in 2007 and became electric vehicle engineering director at Volkswagen’s Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) in Palo Alto, California, in early 2009.

Here's a Q and A he had with Autocar about the future of EVs in general and about VW’s electric offerings in particular.



Q: What does VW’s ERL do, and where do you come in?

Eberhard: The ERL is the Volkswagen Group’s biggest R&D centre outside of Wolfsburg. We employ around 100 people, we opened in 1998, and we focus mainly on the development of new driver assistance systems and new human-machine interface technologies, as well as improving the multimedia functionality and connectivity of Volkswagen Group cars.

We developed the new Google Earth functionality for Audi’s A8 and A7 sat-nav systems, and worked with Stanford University on VW’s driver-less DARPA Challenge cars. We’re also working on the development of the power electronics and battery systems for Volkswagen Group’s forthcoming breed of electric cars, which is where I come in.

Q: Which EVs are you working on right now?

Eberhard: Our biggest projects at the moment are the development of the lithium-ion battery packs for Volkswagen’s Blue-e-motion Golf, the E-Up city car and the Audi e-tron. We’re working exclusively with ‘18650’-type lithium-ion cells. They’re the same size as the ones you’ll find in most laptop computer battery packs; that’s why they’re referred to as ‘consumer cells’.

Q: Why use laptop batteries when other manufacturers are developing bespoke cells for automotive applications?

Eberhard: Because 18650 cells are at the leading edge of battery development, and by using them we can benefit from state-of-the-art technology straight away. Put simply, 18650s develop faster than any other kind of battery because there’s more demand for them; the industry is already making two billion of them a year.

To illustrate the point, the lithium-ion cells we’re currently working with contain 2.9 amp-hours of power; five years ago the ones we were using at Tesla only had 1.4 amp-hours. That rate of development has already had an impact on the cars we’re working on. The batteries we used in the original Audi e-tron prototype, for example, gave it 60kWh of power and a range of just over 150 miles.

But with the 3.4 amp-hour cells we’re about to take delivery of, it should have 100kWh and do close to 300 miles on a charge.

Q: Is there a cost advantage involved with using existing batteries?

Eberhard: Of course. Even with the latest-generation 18650 cells, we’ll be looking at a commodity price of about 200 euro per kilowatt-hour. (Nissan’s batteries for the Leaf reportedly cost around 400 euro per kilowatt-hour). Using more, smaller cells also gives us greater built-in redundancy in our battery packs. If one cell dies, you wouldn’t notice in a battery pack containing thousands of them.

Q: So when can we expect the fully mature electric car?

Eberhard: At the current rate of progress, I’d say we will have banished the range anxiety problem, and will be making EVs with greater than 500 miles of operational range, within 10 years. At that point, the further development of fast charging infrastructure won’t be so important — because how often do you drive more than 500 miles in a day?

Some of the numbers quoted by Eberhard in this interview are off.

Where he says a 60 kWh battery pack in the original e-tron gives only 150 miles range, the Tesla Roadster with a smaller 53 kWh pack has a range of 240 miles.

Based on the approx 200 wh/mi energy consumption of the Tesla, a 100 kWh pack, that Eberhard is quoted as saying gives 300 miles range, would in fact be very close to the magical 500 mile range mark.

If VW are working on a production 100 kWh battery pack based on the next generation 3.4 amp hour 18650 cells, we won't have to wait till 2020 for EVs with 500 miles on a single charge range, they'll be available next year.

It's interesting to note, a commodity price of about 200 euro per kilowatt-hour for 18650 cells, as quoted by Eberhard, prices the 53 kWh Tesla Roadster battery pack at approx 10,600 euro.

Volkswagen Turns Attention from Diesel to Electric

Germany's Volkswagen AG has long been a pioneer in fuel efficient vehicles – some of its European variant diesel vehicles get well over 60 mpg. However, it has trailed in hybrid and electric vehicle efforts. In fact, will just get around to offering its first hybrid vehicle in the U.S. later this year.

At its Electronics Research Laboratory in Palo Alto, California, amid the backdrop of the launch of its sixth-generation VW Jetta compact, the company talked about its transition from being focused on diesel to going for the gold in the electric arena. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn comments, "I am deeply convinced Volkswagen will play a key role in electrifying the automotive world."

The company's efforts will be spread across its base consumer brand and its luxury brands -- Audi and the recently acquired Porsche brand.

VW plans to release a Touareg (SUV) this year and Jetta (sedan) hybrid in 2012. It will then follow up with hybrid Golf and Passat models in 2013. In 2011, it plans to start testing a fleet of electric VW Golf vehicles. VW will also introduce a new electric called the E-Up! .

On the luxury front, Audi will release its first EV, the e-tron. Meanwhile, Porsche is cooking up hybrid variants of its Cayenne (SUV) and 918 Spyder (roadster).

VW reports that by the time these vehicles hit the market, its electric efforts will be as refined as its diesel ones. It says that its E-Up! batteries are already capable of running for 93 miles on a charge -- more than the 2011 Chevy Volt's, which can only muster 40 miles on a charge.

Winkerton states, "Our customers are not willing to compromise. They expect the same high standards from an electric Golf as from a conventional one."

Volkswagen has seen a long slide in sales in America. Once the top foreign brand -- selling 570,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 1970 -- the company has been gradually displaced by Japanese and Korean automakers who have a better reputation for quality. Diesel enthusiast still love VW, though, and Volkswagen Group of America increased deliveries by 29 percent to 175,000 vehicles in H1 2010.

The German automaker will soon open a $1B USD plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which will produce the popular Jetta and its upcoming hybrid variant. The plant will mark VW's first auto-production facility in the U.S. since it shut the doors on its Pennsylvania assembly plant in 1988.

Volkswagen has set a relatively lofty goal of selling 800,000 VW-brand vehicles and 200,000 Audis annually in the United States by 2018 -- over twice current sales levels. Winkerton states, "We want to take Volkswagen to the top of the industry by 2018. ... We know that the United States is one of our main destinations on our way to the top."

The company realizes that diesel will not necessarily win many new customers, so its hoping its shift to electric will win new business.