Between 20 to 25% of the potential range of an electric vehicle is lost as a psychological safety buffer, according to a study by a doctoral candidate at Technische Universität Chemnitz in Germany. The results of the study, which also suggested that assistance systems could reduce the size of that buffer, were based on more than 400,000 km (249,000 miles) of user experience gathered in the research project “MINI E Berlin powered by Vattenfall”.
Monthly Archives: March 2014
Honda Accord takes Nº 1 spot in US retail sales in 2013
The Honda Accord was the best-selling car with individual car buyers in the US in 2013, according to new-vehicle registration data compiled by Polk. Accord retail sales in 2013 rose 12.2% to 360,089 units, displacing the Toyota Camry, with retail sales of 342,007 units, from the lead spot.
Halla Visteon Climate Control supplying components for Hyundai fuel cell vehicle
Halla Visteon Climate Control is supplying a number of technologies to support the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle manufactured by Hyundai Motor Group. Introduced in Europe in 2013, the ix35, also known as the Tucson, is slated for a limited US distribution this spring.
Honda/GM fuel cell partnership Update
In July 2013, General Motors and Honda announced a long-term, definitive master agreement to co-develop next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies, aiming for the 2020 time frame. At the SAE 2014 Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium, Mark Mathias, Director, Fuel Cell R&D for GM, provided an update on the collaboration, as well as a brief dive into the technical drivers behind the ongoing automotive efforts on fuel cell propulsion related to the scaling properties of batteries and fuel cells.
Nissan and Bhutan partner on national EV strategy
Nissan has entered into an agreement with the Royal Government of Bhutan with the shared goal of achieving the nation’s transition to an electric vehicle fleet.The agreement follows talks between the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in Thimphu last year. Ghosn returned to the capital of Bhutan to make the announcement alongside the Prime Minister.
Bhutan’s government is targeting EVs as a key strategy to achieve its goal of becoming a zero emissions nation. It envisages Thimphu as a “clean-electric” city in which transportation for its more than 100,000 citizens is powered by clean energy.
