The third Silvretta E-Car Rallye in Austria is a stress test for electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars and electric motorbikes. The 300-mile, three day course winds up and down the Alpine mountain roads around Montafon, Austria, that include grades of more than 15 degrees.

As in past years, Daimler will again have the most vehicles at the starting line, with a total of seven battery and fuel cell-powered electric cars. The event will take place at Montafon, Austria, from July 5–7 2012. All the Daimler vehicles will cope easily with the tougher conditions of this year’s rallye, including longer distances, large height differentials and even steeper gradients than before. Furthermore, the smart ebike is going to travel parts of the Silvretta rallye route, as well.

For the first time, the Daimler entrants will include two brand-new smart fortwo electric drive cars. This model has been commercially available since mid-June 2012, making Daimler the first German automaker to launch a series-produced all-electric car on the market. They will be competing alongside their tried and proven counterparts: two Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL vehicles, two Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL electric super-sports car, scheduled for market launch in 2013. It will be driven by Karl Wendlinger, a former Formula One driver and now an AMG brand ambassador.

Electric cars traversing the Montafon mountains

The three-day rallye through the mountainous landscape of the Montafon area is not a speed contest – instead, the victor will be the driver displaying the greatest degree of uniformity and skill. The overall distance of the course is more than 330 kilometres, around 30 kilometres longer than last year. The sections are also significantly more demanding than before. The task is to negotiate the various sections, including gradients of up to 15.2 percent and height differentials of as much as 4759 metres during a day, with incredible accuracy: the teams are expected to complete a series of trials in exactly the right time, to within a hundredth of a second, with penalties for faster or slower times. And because they are driving silent electric cars with zero local emissions, the competitors will enjoy the added benefits of clear mountain air free of emissions or noise pollution – surely the best possible way to experience the scenic mountain landscape in Austria’s Vorarlberg and Tyrol regions!

Mercedes-Benz and smart electric cars

The third Silvretta E-Car Rallye enables Daimler to showcase the world of future mobility, with its wide spectrum of electric cars powered by batteries or fuel cells, already operating reliably in everyday road transport conditions.

The participation of the new smart fortwo electric drive car in the Silvretta event will show that the new vehicle is now more than a superb inner-city car. Its enhanced power ratings provide more dynamic performance qualities and excellent acceleration, equally useful at traffic lights in Berlin as on a steep climb in the Montafon mountains. Its range of 145 kilometres, maximum power of 55 kW and top speed of 125 km/h make the new smart fortwo electric drive even more fun to drive than its predecessor. It should be noted that the previous model was already an impressive performer, with a range of 135 km, 30 kW output and a top speed of 100 km/h.

The competitors in the e-rallye will again include two Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL cars. This model offers space, flexibility and comfort, all with zero local emissions. Its range of more than 200 kilometres makes it ideal for local emissions-free driving, both in the city and on the open road. It is powered with a quiet, locally emissions-free electric motor with an output of 70 kW (95 hp). The A-Class E-CELL is fully ready for series production, and is already available to selected customers.

Another vehicle is the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL. This car has already proved its readiness for series production and suitability for everyday use, for example in the F-CELL World Drive event in 2011. The fuel-cell powered vehicle runs on hydrogen, with a 100-kW electric motor offering dynamic performance qualities equivalent to those of a 136-hp, 2.0-litre petrol engine model. The B-Class F-CELL has a range of around 400 kilometres per tank of fuel.

Another highlight back at this year’s event is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL. The performance of this outstanding concept model over the twists and turns of the Alpine rallye course will prove once and for all that thrilling and dynamic automotive performance can go hand in hand with electric propulsion. The fascinating gullwing design, now with a high-tech emissions-free powerplant developing a maximum output of 392 kW and a maximum torque of 880 newton metres, is the standout pioneer in the super sports car market segment. The man at the wheel of the SLS AMG E-CELL will be well up to the task: as a former Formula One driver and a native-born Austrian, Karl Wendlinger knows all about fast cars and the mountainous route traversed by the Silvretta E-Car Rallye.

Two-wheeled electric mobility with the smart ebike

Not all of the electric vehicles in the Montafon mountains this year will be on four wheels. Daimler will also have the new smart ebike on board, to travel part of the route of the Silvretta E-Car Rallye, up hill and down dale, in tandem with the cars. The new member of the smart family successfully puts the characteristic smart on two wheels: everyday functionality, distinctive smart design and high-tech excellence, as illustrated by the outstandingly powerful and efficient drive concept. The pedelec (pedal electrical cycle) combines the comfort of a motorised bicycle with the ease of handling of a bicycle. These bikes can be operated in EU countries without a driver’s licence or insurance sticker, since the electric motor provides support up to a speed of 25 km/h. The smart ebike is fitted with a 423-Wh lithium-ion battery, and has a continuous power rating of 250 W and a torque of 35 Nm.

Global automakers from the United States and Germany are demonstrating a new fast-charging technology that will give electric vehicle owners the ability to recharge their EV in a mere 15-20 minutes. Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen have all agreed to support a single-port fast charging approach, called DC-fast charging, for use on electric vehicles in Europe and the United States.

The combined charging system integrates one-phase AC-charging, fast three-phase AC-charging, DC-charging at home and ultra-fast DC-charging at public stations into one vehicle inlet. The new system gives EV owners the ability to charge at most existing charging stations regardless of power source and may speed more affordable adoption of a standardized infrastructure. The combined charging approach will also reduce development and infrastructure complexity, improve charging reliability, reduce the total cost-of-ownership for end customers and provide low maintenance costs.

Currently today’s electric vehicles like the Ford Focus Electric can recharge in as little as four hours with a quick charger, but new models like the 2014 BMW i3 will be able to be recharged much faster. The new chargers will be available commercially by the end of 2012 and the first vehicles to use the new technology will be available starting in 2013.

Global Automakers to Demo EV Fast Charging at EVS26

• Combined Charging System allows AC and DC fast-charging from single inlet port

Global automakers from the United States and Germany will demonstrate fast-charging technology that will enable the recharging of most electrified vehicles with compatible systems in as little as 15-20 minutes.

Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen have agreed to support a harmonized single-port fast charging approach – called DC Fast Charging with a Combined Charging System – for use on electric vehicles in Europe and the United States.

Live charging demonstrations will be conducted during the Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 (EVS26) May 6-9.

The combined charging system integrates one-phase AC-charging, fast three-phase AC-charging, DC-charging at home and ultra-fast DC-charging at public stations into one vehicle inlet. This will allow customers to charge at most existing charging stations regardless of power source and may speed more affordable adoption of a standardized infrastructure.

The International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has chosen the Combined Charging System as the fast-charging methodology for a standard that incrementally extends the existing Type 1-based AC charging. The standard is to be officially published this summer. ACEA, the European association of vehicle manufacturers has also selected the Combined Charging System as its AC/DC charging interface for all new vehicle types in Europe beginning in 2017.

The charging system design was based on collaborative reviews and analysis of existing charging strategies, the ergonomics of the connector and preferences of U.S. and European customers. The system was developed for all international vehicle markets and creates a uniform standard with identical electrical systems, charge controllers, package dimensions and safety mechanisms.

The system maximizes capability for integration with future smart grid developments through common broadband communication methods regardless of the global location of the charging system. The combined charging approach will reduce development and infrastructure complexity, improve charging reliability, reduce the total cost-of-ownership for end customers and provide low maintenance costs.

Commercially available combined charging units are projected to be available later this year. All committed OEMs have vehicles in development which will use the Combined Charging System. The first vehicles to use this system will reach the market in 2013.

Source: inhabitat

DENZA unveiled its new all-electric vehicle show car at Auto China 2012 in Beijing. The battery-driven vehicle that defines a new level of sophistication in the Chinese New Energy Vehicle (NEV) segment is the result of the partnership between BYD and Daimler.

Auto China 2012 marks the first appearance of the DENZA brand at a motor show. It is also the first landmark event since the official launch of the brand, which took place in Shenzhen in March this year. The arrival of DENZA marked the first strictly NEV brand in the Chinese market.

“Even before the birth of DENZA, Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co., Ltd. (BDNT) has created a very special ‘first’: When Daimler and BYD made their partnership official in the spring of 2010, they founded the first joint venture in China dedicated solely to New Energy Vehicle. The Joint Venture is making extremely positive progress with the first prototypes of the future production model already out on the streets,” said Ulrich Walker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BDNT and Chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia. “We are very much on track with the plans for our DENZA vehicle.”

Over 200 engineers and experts from both companies have gathered and combined their strengths at BDNT’s base in Shenzhen. BYD is providing its expertise in battery technology and e-drive systems, as well as their experience in bringing electric vehicles onto the roads of China. Daimler is contributing more than 125 years of excellence in automotive design and know-how in vehicle architecture, safety and quality.

The concept car unveiled today, a full electric battery-driven model, was designed, and will be built and sold in China. “We are reaching out to those who believe that state-of-the-art technologies and beautiful concepts can blend together into the perfect mobility solution without compromising on safety and comfort, to provide both a modern and green urban lifestyle,” remarked BDNT COO Arno Roehringer while introducing the car at Auto China 2012. “We are creating DENZA not only for the people of today, but also for inspiring our next generations.”

“We brought traditional Chinese elements forward into the next generation with a priority on ergonomic design and some futuristic innovations,” said CEO Lian Yubo, on hand to point out some of the features of the car to the gathering of auto media and various dignitaries. “The rear seating area was designed to feel as much as possible like a lounge area. The lounge character really comes out through the reclining rear seats integrated into the design.” He went on to describe the chrome inside and out, the wood and copper features in the interior, and the ambient light system that runs all throughout the cabin making night driving more pleasant without compromising safety.

The exterior chrome can be illuminated to provide perfected visibility and safety. It is visually integrated with the battery storage area, which succeeds better than most EVs at keeping the batteries out of passengers’ way. Combined with the rear-hinged rear doors, the DENZA concept car is easily accessible, with no awkward battery-related steps to clear while entering or exiting the vehicle.

The DENZA booth at Auto China is carefully designed to reflect the strengths of the car, as well as the values of the company. The main feature is a large white ribbon which flows all around the booth, defining its dimensions and the character of the interior. The sense of movement – like a car on the road – is reinforced by the actual movement of the light in the LED strip along its rocker panel. The LED light is the identical blue found in DENZA logo and in the body paint of the car. This “DENZA blue” color represents the company’s twin conceptual foundations of environmental responsibility and cutting-edge technology.

On DENZA

China is the home of DENZA because of its potential as an NEV market. With its expanding middle class, increasing urbanization, open-minded consumers, and a supportive government determined to reduce their reliance on crude oil, central government expects the number of NEVs in China to rise from its current level of 10,000 to 5,000,000 by 2020 according to the latest NEV industrialization plan. With the launch of its new concept car, and a production model slated for release in 2013, DENZA is “on track”.

With the electric drivetrain system of the SLS AMG E-CELL, Mercedes-AMG GmbH is providing yet another glimpse of its latest development project. The drivetrain has been in development since 2010 as a result of the cooperation between Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. Four synchronous electric motors located near the wheels, providing a peak output of 392 kW and torque of 880 Nm, help to provide the SLS AMG E-CELL with its exciting driving dynamics. The carbon-fibre transmission tunnel, which also serves as the monocoque housing for the high-voltage battery modules, is structurally integrated into the aluminium body shell and firmly bonded to it. The lightweight fibre composite materials have their origins in the world of Formula 1, among other areas.

A small series-production run of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL is expected to be launched onto the market in 2013. The powerful and locally emission-free super sports car with electric drive is yet another example of the innovative strength and development competence of the AMG performance brand.

The ground-breaking drive system of the technology vehicle boasts some outstanding features: powerful traction is provided by four synchronous electric motors with a combined peak output of 392 kW and a maximum torque of 880 Nm. The four compact electric motors each achieve a maximum rotational speed of 12,000 rpm and are positioned close to the wheels. As a result, compared with wheel-hub motors, the unsprung masses are substantially reduced. One transmission per axle transmits the power.

Acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 4 seconds

When it comes to dynamics, the electrically-powered SLS makes a statement: the gullwing model accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4 seconds – which almost puts it on the same high level as the SLS AMG with 6.3-litre V8 engine developing 420 kW (571 hp), which can accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds.

Further exciting touches are provided courtesy of the agile accelerator response and the straight-line performance: unlike a combustion engine, torque build-up in an electric motor is instantaneous – maximum torque is available virtually from a standstill. The spontaneous torque build-up and confident power delivery – which does not suffer from any interruption of tractive power – are combined with engine running characteristics which are totally free of vibration.

The key data at a glance:

All-wheel drive with torque vectoring enables completely new levels of freedom

Four wheels, four motors – the intelligent and permanent all-wheel drive of the electric SLS guarantees driving dynamics at the highest level, while at the same time providing the best possible active safety. Optimum traction is therefore ensured, whatever the weather conditions. According to the AMG developers, “torque vectoring” involves the individual control of the electric motors, something which enables completely new levels of freedom to be achieved. Torque vectoring is permanently active and allows for selective distribution of forces for each individual wheel. The intelligent distribution of drive torque greatly benefits driving dynamics, handling, driving safety and ride comfort. Each individual wheel can be electrically driven and electrically braked, depending on the driving conditions, thus helping to

• optimise the vehicle’s cornering properties
• reduce the tendency to oversteer/understeer
• increase the yaw damping of the basic vehicle
• reduce the steering effort and steering angle required
• increase traction
• and minimise ESP® intervention

Torque vectoring enables optimum use of the adhesion potential between the tyres and the road surface in all driving conditions, thereby extending the critical limits of the vehicle’s driving dynamics.

Advanced technology from Formula 1: high-voltage lithium-ion battery

The SLS AMG E-CELL incorporates a liquid-cooled high-voltage lithium-ion battery featuring a modular design with an energy content of 48 kWh. Its development has made use of advanced technology from the world of Formula 1: the battery is the first result of the co-operation between Mercedes-AMG GmbH in Affalterbach and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (formerly Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines). Headquartered in Brixworth, England, the company has been working closely with AMG for a number of years. F1 engine experts have benefited from its extensive expertise with the KERS hybrid concept, which made its debut in the 2009 Formula 1 season. At the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, Lewis Hamilton achieved the first historic victory for a Formula 1 vehicle featuring KERS hybrid technology in the form of the Mercedes-Benz KER System.

The high-voltage battery consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion polymer cells. This optimised arrangement of a total of 864 cells has benefits not only in terms of best use of the installation space, but also in terms of performance. The maximum electric load potential of the high-voltage battery is 480 kW, which is an absolute best value in the automotive sector. Another technical feature of this considerable performance is the intelligent parallel circuit of the individual battery modules – this also helps to maximise the safety, reliability and service life of the battery. As in Formula 1, the 400-volt battery is charged by means of targeted recuperation during braking whilst the car is being driven.

High-performance control as well as effective cooling of all components

A high-performance electronic control system converts the direct current from the high-voltage battery into three-phase alternating current which is required for the synchronous motors and regulates the energy flow for all operating conditions. Two low-temperature cooling circuits ensure that the four electric motors and the power electronics are maintained at an even operating temperature. A separate low-temperature circuit is responsible for cooling the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. In low external temperatures, the battery is quickly brought up to operating temperature with the aid of an electric heating element. This helps to preserve the overall service life of the battery. In extremely high external temperatures, the cooling circuit for the battery can be additionally boosted with the aid of the air conditioning system.

“AMG Lightweight Performance” design strategy

The trailblazing body shell structure of the SLS AMG E-CELL is part of the ambitious “AMG Lightweight Performance” design strategy. The battery is located within a carbon-fibre monocoque which forms an integral part of the body shell and acts as the gullwing model’s “spine”. The fibre composite materials have their roots in the world of Formula 1, among other areas. The advantages of carbon-fibre were exploited by the AMG engineers in the design of the monocoque. These include their high strength, which makes it possible to create extremely rigid structures in terms of torsion and bending, excellent crash performance and low weight. CFRP components are up to 50 percent lighter than comparable steel ones, yet retain the same level of stability. Compared with aluminium, the weight saving is still around 30 percent, while the material is considerably thinner. The weight advantages achieved through the carbon-fibre battery monocoque are reflected in the agility of the SLS AMG E-CELL and, in conjunction with the highly innovative wheel-selective four-wheel drive system, ensure true driving enjoyment.

The carbon-fibre battery monocoque is, in addition, conceived as a “zero intrusion cell” in order to meet the very highest expectations in terms of crash safety. It protects the battery modules inside the vehicle from deformation or damage in the event of a crash.

The basis for CFRP construction is provided by fine carbon fibres, ten times thinner than a human hair. A length of this innovative fibre reaching from here to the moon would weigh a mere 25 grams. Between 1000 and 24,000 of these fibres are used to form individual strands. Machines then weave and sew them into fibre mats several layers thick, which can be moulded into three-dimensional shapes. When injected with liquid synthetic resin, this hardens to give the desired structure its final shape and stability.

Through their experience with the SLR, the AMG Black Series vehicles and in motorsport, Mercedes-Benz and AMG have accumulated more than 10 years of expertise in working with carbon-fibre materials. AMG currently makes the propshaft for the SLS AMG, for example, in carbon-fibre. On the SLS Roadster, the supporting structure for the draught-stop is made as standard as a carbon sandwich structure. This component, with extremely short cycle times in an industrially oriented manufacturing process, already demonstrates what will be possible in the future.

Optimum weight distribution and low centre of gravity

The purely electric drive system was factored into the equation as early as the concept phase when the gullwing model was being developed. It is ideally packaged for the integration of the high-performance, zero-emission technology: by way of example, the four electric motors and the two transmissions can be positioned as close to the four wheels as possible and very low down in the vehicle. The same applies to the modular high-voltage battery. Advantages of this solution include the vehicle’s low centre of gravity and balanced weight distribution – ideal conditions for optimum handling, which the electrically-powered gullwing model shares with its petrol-driven sister model.

New front axle design with pushrod damper struts

The additional front-wheel drive called for a newly designed front axle: unlike the series production vehicle with AMG V8 engine, which has a double wishbone axle, the SLS AMG E-CELL features an independent multi-link suspension with pushrod damper struts. This is because the vertically-arranged damper struts in the series SLS had to make way for the additional drive shafts. As is usual in a wide variety of racing vehicles, horizontal damper struts are now used, which are operated via separate push rods and transfer levers.

Thanks to this sophisticated front-axle design, which has already been tried and tested in the world of motorsport, the agility and driving dynamics of the SLS AMG E-CELL attain the same high levels as the V8 variant. Another distinguishing feature is the speed-sensitive power steering with rack-and-pinion steering gear: the power assistance is implemented electrohydraulically rather than just hydraulically.

AMG ceramic composite brakes for perfect deceleration

The technology vehicle is slowed with the aid of AMG high-performance ceramic composite brakes, which boast extremely short stopping distances, a precise actuation point and outstanding fade resistance, even in extreme operating conditions. The over-sized discs – measuring 402 x 39 mm at the front and 360 x 32 mm at the rear – are made of carbon fibre-strengthened ceramic, feature an integral design all round and are connected to an aluminium bowl in a radially floating arrangement.

The ceramic brake discs are 40 percent lighter in weight than the conventional, grey cast iron brake discs. The reduction in unsprung masses not only improves handling dynamics and agility, but also ride comfort and tyre grip. The lower rotating masses at the front axle also ensure a more direct steering response – which is particularly noticeable when taking motorway bends at high speed. The ABS and ESP® systems have been adapted to match the special application spectrum of the permanent all-wheel drive.

It’s a car, it’s a truck, it’s a club on wheels – No, it’s Dock+Go from Rinspeed on an electric smart car.  What is a Dock+Go system you’re wondering.  It is the latest creation from Swiss automotive visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht that is essentially an on-demand third axle.  In simpler terms, it is a backpack for your tiny electric vehicle, in this case a smart fortwo.   For everyday driving from point A to B, your smart car is enough, but what if you plan on doing some serious shopping, or are headed to the mountain for skiing.  Rinspeed has the answer with the Dock+Go, plug it into your smart and you now have the added room of a full size vehicle to store whatever it is you need.

For demonstration purposes Rinderknecht selected a two-seat smart car as the basis. One of the Rinspeed backpacks can turn an electric smart car into the dream car of every pizza delivery driver – complete with a built-in isothermal box. Or winter sports enthusiasts can comfortably stow their gear in another of Rinspeed’s Dock+Go packs. In a few weeks in Geneva, Rinspeed will show off a rolling “sound pack” which multimedia and infotainment specialist Harman has filled with the latest high-end sound solutions in order to guarantee a first class acoustical experience.

Before you read more and get overly excited that you will soon be able to convert your smart fortwo into a party bus, keep in mind that we have seen some wild concepts from Rinspeed in the past that didn’t make it into production. But, whether the Dock+Go backpacks ever make it to the streets isn’t the important thing, they help us to realize the possibilities available to us in the future.

Saving the best pack for less, Rinspeed can extend the operating range if your electric vehicle with an “energy pack”  An “energy pack,” fitted with a range extender or additional batteries, powered by a fuel cell or equipped with a combustion engine, provides the crucial extra mileage needed to reach more distant destinations. The simple and equally clever trick of the latter is: the docked third axle drives the rotating second axle and in doing so also recharges the on-board batteries of the city speedster. The world’s first Variohybrid – as Frank M. Rinderknecht calls his range donor – is born. And to top it all off: when the pack with auxiliary batteries is docked and the vehicle is not in use, the pack will even provide electricity to the owner’s private residence or serve as a buffer for the public energy grid, in effect turning it into a “smart grid.”

Rinspeed’s automotive visions live not only on the quality of the ideas behind it, but also and in particular on their sharp implementation. That’s because one key element of Frank M. Rinderknecht’s credo is that a car must provoke emotions and visions, especially if it is to serve as a vehicle for communicating new technologies and innovative materials. And there is a lot to see on the “Dock+Go” in that respect, contributed by large corporations and small but brilliant specialists alike in order to effectively showcase “Dock+Go,” which is currently going through the Swiss patenting process.

An immediate eye-catcher is the silver outer skin from AkzoNobel with a finish that resembles sparkling ice crystals. It ties in with the Goodyear low-rolling-resistance tires in size 205/40-17 mounted on 7.5-inch AEZ rims, whose decorative silver covers are attached to red fasteners with rubber bands. At night the chrome-blue accent striping on either side stands out immediately, developed by Lumitec based on an electroluminescent 3D-flexible film. Anyone with a message for their environment can broadcast it using the innovative “Identiface” feature. This display-based surface, developed by MBtech, replaces the front grille, which on an electric vehicle serves virtually no purpose. Thanks to internet connectivity “Identiface” can display the owner’s Facebook pages, news from around the world, the manufacturer’s badge or even the offer of a ride from point A to point B.

The interior is dominated by black and red. The high-tech Schoeller yarns have strong natural thermoregulation, good insulation and a high capacity for absorbing moisture. They keep comfortably warm in winter and remain pleasantly cool in summer. Premium automotive textile manufacturer Gaenslen Völter spun them into soft, supple upholstery that provides that special feel-good factor. And wherever plastics are used, it is in the form of high-grade man-made materials, such as the creatively and stylishly embossed synthetic leather that is supplied by Hornschuch, a specialist in this field. The transparent roof and its distinctive grass inlays – as well as a number of other interior materials – were contributed by Studer. The view ahead is dominated by a 12.1-inch monitor. It belongs to the multimedia equipment and is part of the intelligent infotainment system developed from Harman. The platform features the latest integration technologies for smart phones, adaptive navigation and the cloud-based Aha-platform with a flexible Human Machine Interface (HMI) and gesture control in order to bring digital contents intuitively, easy and safely into the car. This gesture-controlled system makes operation of the contents child’s play and the four cameras integrated into the vehicle body make dents from parking maneuvers things of the past.

The instruments were again supplied by – who else? – VDO. Also brand-new is the steering wheel from the German-Japanese Takata Corporation with integrated “parking space” for a smartphone, which serves as a second monitor when docked. This is made possible these days by a driver airbag that thanks to vacuum technology requires reduced installation space.

But “Dock+Go” offers more than just style; it also serves up a high level of technical sophistication. The recently newly developed high-strength, lightweight door frames come from Austrian steel manufacturer Voestalpine. Weber Fibertech built the extremely lightweight liftgate insert with function integration, the high voltage electric heater including the futuristic air vents were supplied by German specialist Eberspächer. No compromises can be made when it comes to handling huge amounts of energy safely, a fact accounted for by the extremely robust electric plug connectors from TE Electronics. Apropos plug connectors: recharging the car no longer requires it to be plugged in. Instead the vehicle simply rolls onto an induction field from SEW Eurodrive for non-contact charging.

“Dock+Go” is a clever mobility concept, implemented rich with emotions, enhanced with technical delicacies and intriguing enough for Swiss insurance giant Zürich Versicherung to commit to the cause. Who wouldn’t think of a series production in this context? No wonder that dynamic Frank M. Rinderknecht, one of the flagships for Swiss watch manufacturer C.F. Bucherer, is toying with this possibility. Rinderknecht on this issue: “Yes, we have been in productive talks with potential manufacturers for some time now.” Düsseldorf-based consulting company A.T. Kearney at any rate has already devised a manufacturing and marketing concept for the series production.

Tesla reported fourth quarter and full year earnings yesterday and within its shareholder’s letter was information that revealed that they have begun a development program with Daimler. The cooperation between Daimler and Tesla is to build an electric Mercedes-Benz vehicle that uses a Tesla powertrain. Daimler is already an investor in Tesla and uses Tesla battery packs for the electric Smart cars.

Tesla stated that the electric Mercedes-Benz program will include use of a full powertrain — including the motor, gearbox, inverter and software — but Tesla didn’t go into details about timing of the launch of the car or volumes of production of the car. Tesla says it’ll recognize revenue from the program beginning in the second quarter. The Mercedes-Benz deal is Tesla’s latest good news, following the unveiling of its third car the Model X model in Los Angeles last week.

When I hear the term “urban pickup”, images of the Clampetts fresh off a new oil discovery immediately come to mind. smart, however, had a slightly different vision of what an urban pickup should be and they called it the for-us.  It is designed for the young and those that still think they are young with active lifestyles that are conscious of the footprint they are leaving behind.  Don’t confuse low emission driving with small and slow, the smart for-us is designed to have a practical loading concept that helps to maximize interior space.  The for-us  also has a state-of-the-art electric drive with a55 kW magneto-electric motor that gives the driver a speedy response.

smart is turning the automotive world upside down once again and challenging ideas about what an urban pickup should look like. In a tongue-in-cheek manner the for-us signals that this is the right car for the young and young-at-heart with active lives who attach importance to low emissions and taking up minimum road space. The smart for-us translates the practical loading concept of a pickup to the reality of 21st century urban traffic for the first time.

With its exterior dimensions (length/width/height: 3547/1506/1701mm) it could almost go unnoticed on the loading area of a typical pickup, and it also anything but ordinary under the body. Thanks to the state-of-the-art electric drive with a55 kW magneto-electric motor the zero-emission smart for-us is agile and lively to drive. It will celebrate its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 14-22, 2012).

smart CEO Dr. Annette Winkler says “We at smart love pick-ups – if they are small on the outside, large on the inside, very safe and extremely comfortable. With the smart for-us a petrol station is no longer required!”

Like car2go, the globally successful car sharing initiative from smart for more flexibility in city traffic, the smart for-us is a mobility concept. It has plenty of room for two people and space for two smart ebikes behind them. Thanks to the docking station on the cargo area of the smart for-us their batteries are always charged, and smart for-us drivers can also reach destinations that are out of bounds for cars – for example traffic-calmed zones in the city or isolated park trails.

The design: sassy and robust with extremely short overhangs

Compared with the series-produced fortwo the smart for-us makes a powerful statement and its appearance plays with the martial image of conventional mega-pickups. Nevertheless, it greets the viewer with a friendly yet assertive face. It features convex and sensuously shaped body surfaces. The large brand emblem is proudly sported on the grille, and the front has a pronounced three-dimensional design with an underride guard finishing off the lower part of the front end.

The longer wheelbase (2480 mm/plus 613 mm) and the track that has been widened by 50 mm on each side also emphasise the robust look of the study. At the same time the extremely short overhangs at the front and rear make it exceedingly compact.

The tailboard at the rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. When it opens first of all the cargo floor including tailboard retracts by 280 mm, then the tailgate slides down in a parallel position. The cargo on the 900 mm cargo area is then extremely easy to access.

Sleek, taut surfaces in mother-of-pearl white combined with precisely designed technical functional elements in brushed aluminium – the interior is characterised by contrasts. Like in the smart forvision, the whole cockpit boasts aerodynamic styling for interior ventilation. In place of a conventional rear-view mirror the smart for-us features a smartphone accommodated in a holder on top of the instrument panel support. The driver can see what is happening on the road behind with the help of an integrated video camera.

Stylish, uncomplicated, highly functional and easy to individualise – the two seats in the concept car are typically smart. The seat shells, which are open in the middle, are covered with a soft yellow fabric throw giving them a hammock-like seating feel.

Electric drive – zero-local-emission driving fun

The electric drive of the smart for-us is based on the innovative drive concept of the smart fortwo electric drive, which will be launched in the spring of 2012. Thanks to the 55 kW magneto-electric motor the smart for-us is agile and lively to drive. With 130 Newton metres of torque it boasts powerful, lag-free acceleration and it can overtake other vehicles with the greatest of ease. The maximum speed exceeds 120 km/h. The lithium-ion battery has capacity of 17.6 kWh.

BDNT is the result of a joint R&D venture between Daimler AG and BYD Company Limited, Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd.  At next year’s Auto China in Beijing, BDNT will be showing off their electric vehicle Design Concept to the public for the first time.

In April 2012, BDNT will be present at the motor show with an own appearance, showcasing BDNT’s green vision, the new brand’s identity, including brand name, logo and positioning as well as the Concept Car’s exterior and interior design. The Concept Car is going to give a first outlook on BDNT’s fully electric vehicle that is scheduled to be launched in 2013.

In the meantime, the Shenzhen-based joint venture is making good progress on the production model of the car. Recently, work on building up the electric vehicle’s first prototypes has started with the target to have them running by springtime next year. The joint venture will use BYD’s excellence in battery technology and e-drive systems and Daimler’s know-how in electric vehicle architecture and safety.

Furthermore Daimler’s quality philosophy has been incorporated from a very early stage – not only to safeguard the vehicle’s quality but also to contribute the company’s long-standing expertise with quality management along the supply chain and production processes.

Production of the new generation of compact to mid-size electric vehicles in Shenzhen is going to be closely accompanThe 50:50 R&D Joint Venture between Daimler AG and BYD Company Limited, Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. (BDNT), is going to show a Design Concept of the future joint venture electric vehicle to the public for the first time during next year’s Auto China in Beijing.

The supplier sourcing for the new vehicle is nearly completed. Both partners have decided to sign a number of China-based international as well as local suppliers.

For those of you unfamiliar with BDNT, here is a brief overview.

In 2010, Daimler and BYD signed the contract for a 50:50 research and technology joint venture called “Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd,” (BDNT) that will develop an electric vehicle in and for China. End of February 2011 BDNT has received its business license from Chinese authorities – just a few months after signing the JV contract. The vehicle will be marketed under a new brand jointly created and owned by the joint venture company BDNT.

Electric vehicles are especially well-suited for urban driving. With its many metropolitan areas, China has the potential to be among the world’s largest markets for zero-emission vehicles. Daimler and BYD are determined not only to participate in this growth of electric mobility in China but to accelerate it even further.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled their Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus at the Frankfurt International Motor Show for the press on Tuesday.

The Mercedes Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus has a total range of up to 600 kilometers and a range of up to 100 kilometers when in all-electric, local emission-free mode. Acceleration in the B-Class E-Cell Plus is a less then speedy sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 11 seconds and the top speed of 150 km/h.  Though you won’t win any races both speeds are attainable in either operating mode making it extremely eco-friendly.

The above is made possible by the combination of a powerful electric drive generating a peak power output of 100 kW and a continuous output of 70 KW with a 50 kW petrol engine. The latter performs a dual role: at low vehicle speeds it charges the battery via a generator. At higher speeds it serves as a driving engine, acting on the front wheels together with the electric motor via a newly developed automatic transmission. The transmission is a newly developed automatic from Mercedes-Benz.

The Mercedes Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus meets Mercedes-Benz’s high standards in every respect. The vehicle combines compact exterior dimensions with a spacious and variable interior and luggage compartment. Five full-size seats make it an all-round electric car for the family, leisure and general motoring. The new electromechanical steering and enhanced driving dynamics provide for refined sportiness in the field of electric mobility.

Complete details can be found in the expanded press release below.

The third generation smart fortwo electric drive offering zero-emissions will be available beginning in the spring of 2012. Following on the heels of the second generation’s success, the next generation smart will give electric mobility to all those interested in more than 30 markets worldwide. In the development of the new generation smart benefited from extensive experience and customer feedback gathered worldwide over the past years. Driven by a battery supplied by Deutsche Accumotive for the first time the 55 kW electric motor passes the 74mph mark. From 0 to 62 mph in less than 13 seconds – even driving on urban motorways becomes enjoyable. The 17.6 kWh battery enables the smart fortwo electric drive to travel around 87 miles in city traffic without producing any local emissions.

“The smart fortwo has exceeded itself. It has always been a pioneer of urban mobility and with the new electric drive it is once again setting standards with even more driving fun and environmental compatibility,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “With the new generation the frequently cited “electric era” has finally arrived.” For the further development of the smart fortwo electric drive the company was able to bring in extensive experience and customer feedback from various electric mobility projects. For example, this is reflected in clearly improved performance data. Driven for the first time by energy from a battery supplied by Deutsche Accumotive the 55 kW electric motor effortlessly passes the 120 km/h mark. The smart developers were also able to realise the more powerful acceleration requested by customers. From 0 to 100 km/h in less than 13 seconds – even filtering into traffic on urban motorways is a pleasure. The 17.6 kWh battery enables the lively city car to travel considerably more than 140 kilometres without producing any local emissions.

Ever since 1998 the smart has been revolutionising urban mobility like no vehicle before it. Compact, agile, environmentally friendly and stylish – it has evolved from a practical small car to a lifestyle product and has long become a familiar sight on the roads of cities around the world.

With the start of the first electrically driven test fleet in 2007 in London smart also took on a pioneering role in the area of electric mobility when 100 smart fortwo electric drives took to the roads of the British capital – with great success. Today the vehicle is a trendsetter and a synonym for forward-looking battery-electric-driven urban mobility of the future.

One of the largest electric fleets worldwide

With the introduction of the second generation in 2009 the smart fortwo electric drive was ready to take to the roads. The electrically driven avant-gardiste from Stuttgart was introduced in 18 markets. The objective of the second generation was to gather as much experience as possible about how customers use and charge electric vehicles. The huge demand exceeded all expectations. Instead of the planned 1000 vehicles more than 2000 smart fortwo electric drives are being produced in Hambach. This means that smart has one of the largest fleets of electrically driven vehicles on the roads worldwide and a trove of customer experience and wishes that have been input in the third generation smart fortwo electric drive.

A higher top speed and better acceleration at speeds above 37 mph were right at the top of the customers’ list of priorities.

Contrary to prevailing opinion the range wasn’t the crucial point from the perspective of the test customers. The vast majority of users confirmed the results of surveys which say that people drive approximately 30 to 40 kilometres per day on average in urban areas and they expressed great satisfaction with the range of their smart.

Even better in the third generation

With total production amounting to a five-figure number, from the spring of 2012 the further developed smart fortwo electric drive will start winning wide-ranging buyers in more than 30 countries for an innovative and forward-looking drive concept.

The third generation smart fortwo electric drive features a 55 kW magneto-electric motor – the first product from the EM-motive joint venture founded together with Bosch – which ensures that it is as agile and lively as ever. With torque of 130 Newton metres it accelerates powerfully and immediately from 0 to 60 km/h in 5 seconds and thanks to better acceleration in the higher speed range it can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 13 seconds as it has much more tractive power than its predecessor. This makes for speedy driving and overtaking. The battery-electric two-seater smart fortwo now also has a higher top speed of more than 120 km/h, putting it on a par with the combustion-engined smart.

A battery supplied by Deutsche ACCUmotive is fitted in the new smart fortwo electric drive for the first time. With capacity of 17.6 kWh the lithium-ion battery from the joint venture with Evonik Industries provides for well over 140 kilometres of pollutant-free driving fun. In addition to the higher battery capacity clear improvements have been made to the efficiency of the drive system, resulting in a greater range. When completely empty it takes a maximum of eight hours to fully charge the battery at a household socket or charging station on the electricity systems of most countries i.e. overnight.

Quick charging in just one hour

For the greater freedom of quick charging it is possible to optionally equip the vehicle with a quick-charging function. The 22 kW on-board charger enables a completely empty battery to be fully charged in less than an hour. A power cable is needed for this which is used to connect the vehicle to a public quick-charging station or a wallbox at home or work.

A comparison of the two smart fortwo electric drive generations

A fresh green and even more colours

With a larger radiator grille featuring the electric drive logo, stylish LED daytime driving lights below the headlamps, wider door sills and several modifications to the rear the new model is much more dynamic than its predecessor.

The new smart fortwo electric drive comes in all smart colours and colour combinations that are also available for the diesel and petrol models.

The new colour fresh green is a particularly visible manifestation of electric driving fun. In addition to crystal white bodypanels the electric drive design package comprises white alloy rims, a green tridion cell, green mirror caps and numerous green accents in the interior which form an attractive contrast to the black seats.

Perfectly equipped

As to be expected the new smart fortwo electric drive features extensive equipment. A highlight is the fully automatic air conditioning with pollen filter and pre-air conditioning. As with the second generation the vehicle can be pre-cooled or pre-heated as required for a programmed departure time when it is connected to the power network. A new feature is the possibility to start the pre-air conditioning via the internet or a smartphone at any time. The standard equipment furthermore includes electric windows and electrically adjustable door mirrors, a leather steering wheel, leather gear knob, the entry line radio, power steering, 9-spoke alloy wheels and a luggage compartment cover. As with the predecessor model in addition to the standard solid roof a glass roof and a cabrio version are available. The trip computer – also a standard feature in the electric smart – shows journey information including the remaining range. And like the predecessor model the two round instruments show the charge status of the battery and the energy used and recuperated. In addition, the smart fortwo electric drive can be equipped with a navigation system and a 3-spoke leather steering wheel.

Clever app for infotainment with smartphones

smart is the first car brand to develop its own drive app for the iPhone®. Together with the smart kit and cradle for the iPhone®the cult phone becomes a multimedia trip computer that is optimised for the smart fortwo in terms of function and design. The smart drive app for the iPhone®has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, your own extensive music collection, internet radio and a clever navigation system with a special smart touch. There are also smart extras – for example the Car Finder that will guide you back to wherever you parked your car.

The new smart drive app for the iPhone®is simple to operate and features extra-large buttons among other things. The new app makes urban mobility even easier and more fun – the declared objective of the smart philosophy.

Two new elements developed by smart make the two-seater car and the iPhone®a perfect team:

• The smart cradle for the iPhone®with control unit and microphone serves as a stylish and functional holder. It charges the iPhone®and also functions as a hands-free system using the loudspeakers of the smart radio for sound output and automatically muting it when phone calls are made.

• The smart drive app for the iPhone®is the world’s first drive app on the market to be developed by a car brand. It combines all the features needed on the road in a single app. All the functions are extremely easy to use thanks to extra-large buttons and extra-large letters.

Always know how far you can go: connected services

The smart drive app for the iPhone can be tailored to the smart fortwo electric drive with further functions. However, the current charge status or the SmartCharging charge configuration can also be conveniently controlled and managed via a web portal from a home computer or with any modern smartphone.

The Vehicle Homepage offers every third generation smart fortwo electric drive customer a chance to visualise the range on an interactive map with 3D views. All the destinations that can be reached with the current battery charge are displayed. The public charging stations within reach can also be seen at a glance. If a desired destination is further away than the available range the Vehicle Homepage can be used to quickly check the additional battery charge needed. Among other things the depiction of the range considers the topography and the route profile. The intuitive graphic depiction that can be combined with 3D views and satellite images is an attractive feature. Furthermore, the vehicle itself can also become active. Information on the charge status and range can be sent by email or Twitter messages for example. The driver is notified as soon as the desired range can be reached with the current charge.

Intelligent charging

The smart fortwo electric drive can be connected to the internet at home via a standard powerline adapter (Homeplug AV) for SmartCharging. After entering the planned departure time in the vehicle or the web portal the vehicle will be fully charged in a battery-saving and economical way, and pre-air conditioned if required so that it is ready to start. The pre-air conditioning can also be conveniently activated online shortly before setting off.

San Diego will be the first North American city to have a 100-percent electric vehicle (EV) carsharing program from car2go N. A. LLC, a subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N. A. LLC, and Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality, made the official announcement at a news conference today at the El Cortez this morning.

“We’re proud that car2go has chosen to launch the first North American all-electric car sharing service in San Diego,” said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. “car2go’s launch here further supports our efforts to make San Diego the nation’s electric vehicle capital.”

The all-electric car2go program in San Diego is going to start operations before the end of 2011 with 300 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles.

“The launch of an all electric vehicle fleet marks a new era in carsharing in North America,” said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N. A. LLC. “San Diego is a forward-thinking city determined to meet future transportation demands of its residents. Our goal is to complement the existing transportation infrastructure by providing an emission- free carsharing service for short and spontaneous one-way trips.”

All smart fortwo electric drive cars will be equipped with the latest car2go telematics technology, allowing fully automated, easy and convenient rental operations. As the world’s first free-floating carsharing service, car2go provides its members with the possibility to rent the cars spontaneously without having the burden to commit to a specific return time or location.

The car2go program is already very successful in four cities with a total of more than 40,000 members and 1,000 smart fortwo vehicles with low-emission gas engines.

Right from the beginning, the smart fortwo was designed for electric drive and that now shows,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “I love driving the smart electric drive and I am convinced that the car2go members in California will enjoy using this forward technology to get around their home town San Diego – a new method of transportation both pleasing to the ear and the environment.”

The smart fortwo electric drive is powered by a 30 kW electric propulsion system. It is economical, quiet and emissions-free. In San Diego, the high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries can be recharged at designated EV charging stations. On a single charge, the car can travel up to 84 miles. Battery recharging time from 20 percent to 80 percent of battery full capacity is just three and a half hours. Recharging a completely discharged battery takes no more than eight hours, which makes it possible to recharge overnight. Past experience shows that this is seldom necessary, as the daily stretch covered by car2go drivers in urban areas rarely exceeds 6 miles.

“By being the first to make an all-electric network of vehicles easily accessible for thousands of people, we are revolutionizing carsharing and creating the future of the urban transportation,” says Cole.

The electric car2go vehicles will be charged at Blink EV charging stations developed by California-based technology provider ECOtality. The company is currently in the process of siting and installing the charging stations, and approximately 1,000 Blink commercial charging stations are expected to be installed by end of 2011 for public use in San Diego.

“Innovative carsharing programs like car2go’s service are pivotal to encouraging the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “As we deploy approximately 1,000 Blink charging stations in the San Diego region as part of The EV Project, we are creating the robust public infrastructure necessary for car2go’s program to succeed. Together, we will show that EVs are a perfect fit for the lifestyle of San Diego drivers.”

The electric car2go service in San Diego will be operated by car2go N. A. LLC. Further details of the service such as business area, parking and charging concept as well as start of customer registrations will be announced in the near future.

AMP Electric Vehicles, a company offering emission-free electrification of OEM vehicles, AMP handed over the keys of an electric Mercedes-Benz ML 350 to the company’s newest and biggest client, Gisli Gislason, the chairman and chief executive of Northern Lights Energy, a utility in Iceland.

This is the initial delivery committed in AMP’s long term supply agreement with the Icelandic company signed on April, 14, 2011. The Mercedes SUV was just the first vehicle produced in accordance with the five-year contract between the two companies, during which Amp expects to ship 1,000 E.V.’s to the island nation.

In the past, Amp has converted only General Motors passenger cars, primarily the Chevrolet Equinox crossover.. The Mercedes-Benz ML’s proportions are similar to those of the Equinox, which helped in the conversion, particularly to house the company’s 900-pound battery unit.

“We retained a split battery pack to keep the weight balance about equal to the original manufacturer’s specification,” said Steve Burns, president and co-founder of Amp, in a telephone interview. “We can even lower the center of gravity a bit to give it better handling.”

The ML’s global distribution was also a consideration for Amp. “It’s a world car, so it’s already passed Euro and U.S. crash-safety tests,” he said. “That’s the benefit of our approach; we didn’t have to worry about developing a defroster or a windshield wiper.”

Amp is not committing exclusively to the ML as its future platform, nor is it trying to lock up a contract with one battery supplier (Mr. Burns declined to name the current supplier of its batteries). This is an advantage of the company’s business model, Mr. Burns said. “We have a five-year contract, so you can imagine what batteries will do during that time,” he said. “We try to be battery agnostic.”

Mr. Burns estimates that the ML should travel 100 miles on a charge in pure highway driving, which compares favorably to the estimated range of the Nissan Leaf, despite the ML weighing nearly 2,000 pounds more than the purely electric Nissan.

Though primarily an electricity provider, Northern Lights will function as a distribution channel for the Amp vehicles. Mr. Gislason is working to secure orders from companies, municipalities and individual buyers in Iceland, who, according to Mr. Gislason, should be easy quarry.

“Gasoline is about $8 a gallon right now, and Iceland has low import taxes on E.V.’s,” he said in a telephone interview. “A Mercedes S.U.V. would be basically the same price to import, plus you’d have to purchase gas. For us, it’s a no brainer.”

Iceland also generates much of its electricity through geothermal and hydroelectric sources, which increases the cost benefit of E.V. operation, he said.

The utility’s agreement with Amp is not exclusive, so Northern Lights could conceivably become partners with other E.V. manufacturers. However, Mr. Gislason does not expect that to occur soon. “Amp can deliver us cars. Today, they gave us a real car. We’re not being told by a big manufacturer, ‘Oh, there’s a delay.’ We’re getting them right now.”

We ask a lot of our cars – heat me, cool me, be silent, be comfy, be exciting and, increasingly, propel me without costly and polluting gasoline. It’s the latter request that confounds, since batteries, the most obvious replacements for gas, are heavy and have limited energy storage.

But what if the energy storage burden was shifted from our overworked cars to the road?

Researchers at the Energy Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University are working on just such a solution, called electrified roads.

Electric vehicles, or EVs, could pick up small amounts of electricity as they drive over charging pads buried under the asphalt and connected to the electrical grid. Researchers say that a continuously available power supply would allow EVs to cut battery size as much as 80 percent, drastically reducing vehicle cost.

“Basically you get power directly from the grid to the motors as the car moves,” said Hunter Wu, a Utah State researcher who was recruited from The University of Auckland in New Zealand, where the technology was pioneered, to further develop the concept. “You can travel from the West Coast to the East Coast continuously without charging.”

Nicola Tesla first discovered the principles of wireless charging, or inductive power transfer, in the late 19th Century. It works by creating an electromagnetic charging field that transfers energy to a receiving pad set to the same frequency.

Manufacturers are already marketing wireless charging pads for electric vehicles – retrofitted to accept the charges – that can deliver a 5-kilowatt charge with 90 percent efficiency from a distance of about 10 inches.

There is also a trial application of electric roads – albeit at slow speeds and using very long charging pads – for buses at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, south of Seoul.

But Wu is thinking of something much more radical: charging at interstate speeds. This will require several technical breakthroughs, he said.

“At 75 mph, you’re only going to stay on a pad for about 30 milliseconds,” he said. “We need to turn the pad embedded in the road on and off really quickly.”

The pads would need to be able to signal to each other that a car is coming and the car would also need to communicate its need for a charge, he said.

Wu said the pad must also deliver power even when the car isn’t directly over top of it – a capability called horizontal misalignment that the current generation of stationary inductive power transfer chargers don’t have.

John Boys, a University of Auckland professor who is credited with refining the technology, said it would be possible to transfer up to 30 kW of power at an average efficiency of 80 percent on the highway. Assuming that chargers would be available at home and work, Boys said, a car would only need “a battery big enough to make it to the nearest interstate or major road.”

Wu said the cost of electrified roads, pegged at $1.5 million to 2.5 million per lane mile, could be made up through charging a toll along the roadway.

Not only would the cost of EVs, but range anxiety would be totally eliminated, he said.

“This technology,” Wu said, “would propel EVs forward.”

Source: txchnologist

Daimler has today confirmed its plans to form a partnership with Robert Bosch GmbH to develop electric motors for a new generation of electric vehicles. If all goes well, production of the electric motors will begin production in early 2012. The motors will initially be used in Mercedes-Benz and smart electric cars starting in the later part of 2012.

Production of EV at BMW is not slated to begin until 2013, putting Mercedes far in front of the competition.

Specific vehicle details have yet to be released, but we expect the first vehicles to receive the electric motors will be the SLS AMG E-Cell and the A-Class E-Cell.

Press Release

Daimler AG and Robert Bosch GmbH plan to expand their long-standing partnership and cooperate in the development and production of electric motors for all-electric vehicles in Europe. The companies have signed a letter of intent and begun negotiations to establish a 50:50 joint venture that should be concluded in the first half of 2011.

Both companies aim, by bundling their competencies, to accelerate development advances in electric motors as well as to make accordant synergies accessible. According to their letter of intent, joint production should start in 2012. It is envisioned that the electric motors developed will be used in Mercedes-Benz and smart electric vehicles from 2012. Subsequent sales to other automakers are to be handled by Bosch. The joint activites will be located in the greater Stuttgart area and in Hildesheim.

The Bosch Group is a leading supplier of technology and services to the automotive sector. It has a high level of competence in developing and producing electric motors, which it is already manufacturing in series in Hildesheim.

The automotive manufacturer Daimler has built up 20 years of experience in the area of electric vehicles as well as their key components electric motor and battery, giving it a comprehensive understanding of how results can be best achieved in this field.

car2go today announced to bring its innovative mobility program to Amsterdam before end of 2011 and decided to run one of the world’s first large scale carsharing fleets of pure electric vehicles there with 300 smart fortwo cars.

“The future of mobility has arrived. The smart fortwo electric drive has already been delivered to our customers in 18 markets worldwide. And car2go, our innovative mobility concept, has proven to be a success in Germany and in the U.S.,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We will next set a new benchmark for sustainable individual mobility by bringing these two intelligent concepts together.”

The car2go program is already very successful in Ulm/Germany and Austin/Texas with a total of more than 35.000 members. In Hamburg, the car2go program was made available to the public with 300 vehicles last week. The electric car2go program is going to start operations in Amsterdam before end of 2011 with 300 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles. All cars will be equipped with latest telematics technology, allowing fully automated, easy and convenient rental operations. It allows customers to rent the cars spontaneously with having the burden to commit to a specific return time or location.

“We are delighted that car2go has opted for Amsterdam as one of the first cities in the world to start this electric car sharing project”, says Eric Wiebes, alderman for traffic, transportation and air quality of the city of Amsterdam. “It fits perfectly into Amsterdam’s strive for improving the air quality in the city. This project brings electric car sharing a significant step closer to a major audience. As car sharing vehicles are completing many kilometres within the city, electrification of such vehicles in particular has a positive effect.”

Amsterdam is known world-wide for its openness to new technologies and businesses. Around 300 electric charging stations are expected to be installed by end of 2011 for public use, increasing to 1000 by end of 2012.

“As from the very beginning, our smart fortwo has been invented as the ideal car for individual mobility in dense urban areas,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “The smart fortwo electric drive has been tailored to shape the future of urban mobility, combining environmentally responsible driving with a lot of fun and perfect functionality. smart is much more than just a small car – it is a big idea for metropolitan areas and now for the wonderful city of Amsterdam – Proficiat!”

“car2go is designed to meet the growth and diversity of mobility needs in dense urban areas while protecting environment and quality of life,”says Robert Henrich, CEO of car2go GmbH, “Amsterdam’s strong focus on implementing and fostering green technologies such as an extensive electric infrastructure and its citizen’s open-minded lifestyle makes it the perfect place to launch an electric car2go program.”

Amsterdam has an efficient public transit network as well as various bike and car sharing schemes which are well accepted by its citizens. “car2go is aiming to complement the existing transport systems by providing a service for short and spontaneous one-way trips. We see ourselves not as a competition to other means of transport, but as another puzzle piece in the mix of Amsterdam’s different means of urban transportation,”says Henrich.

car2go is planning to establish a subsidiary in the Netherlands in order to bring the service to Amsterdam. Further details of the service such as business area, parking/charging concept and start of customer registrations will be discussed in the course of the coming months based on a memorandum of understanding with the City of Amsterdam signed today.

From March 31 to April 2, the 60 winners of a drawing held by radio station SWR3 will have an opportunity to drive various electric cars during a three day tour of their broadcasting region. This is in hopes that by driving them for themselves, the will be able to form their own impression of the performance, everyday practicality and driving feel of the locally emission-free vehicles.

Daimler is supporting the unique road show “SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom” with a total of 25 electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart. The tour will cover almost 500 kilometres right across the SWR3 broadcasting region from Koblenz to Ulm and will give SWR3 listeners an insight into the electric future of the automobile.

Participants include the smart fortwo electric drive – the electrified pioneer of urban mobility, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL, the Vito E-CELL van and the B-Class F-CELL. With this vehicle fleet the inventor of the automobile is providing the majority of the participating electric vehicles and is once again demonstrating how practical and reliable its electric vehicles with both battery and fuel cell technology are today.

“The tour is an excellent practical opportunity to demonstrate the possibilities that e-mobility will offer all citizens in future. This is why we are supporting the SWR3 tour and providing 25 electric vehicles”, says Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. And he continues “The tour is a great idea. It’s really customer-oriented and promises sheer driving pleasure. And because the 60 drivers will convey their impressions live on SWR3 radio to the many listeners, the road show is authentic and shows that with Daimler it is possible to experience the future of driving on the streets nowadays.”

Three days powered by electricity

To mark the 125th anniversary of the automobile, for the first time a road show with electric vehicles will take place in the SWR3 broadcasting region. The radio station recently held a draw for seats in the locally emission-free vehicles. A total of more than 30 electric vehicles will take part in the tour. In addition to the 25 vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart, cars made by Tesla, Mitsubishi, Renault, Peugeot and Citroën will also take part in “SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom”. The tour will start in Koblenz and pass through Bingen, Bruchsal, Worms, Ludwigsburg and Schwäbisch Gmünd before reaching Ulm. At the stops of the respective stages interested visitors will have an opportunity to find out about the technologies and ways of charging and refuelling the various vehicles.

Wide-ranging fleet of electric vehicles

The vehicles taking part in the tour demonstrate just how varied the Daimler model range of electric cars already is today. The participating smart fortwo electric drive is the ideal battery-electric driven car for the city. With a range of 135 kilometres the electric smart is great fun to drive in urban areas. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is powered by hydrogen and has a locally emission-free range of around 400 kilometres. It is also ideal for longer journeys and can be fully refuelled in less than three minutes. The A-Class E-CELL offers lots of space, versatility and a very high level of comfort – without producing any emissions. With a range of more than 200 kilometres it is suitable for zero local emission driving in urban areas and in the countryside. A battery-electric van is also taking part in the tour in the form of the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL. This environmentally friendly and quiet van is particularly advantageous for deliveries and transportation in inner city areas. All four models have reached full production maturity and are already available to selected customers.

Over the weekend we brought you the first look at the smart forspeed electirc roadster along with a wealth of photos, and today, smart has officially launched the model.  Combining contemporary urban mobility with the fun factor typical of smart, the two-seater smart forspeed roadster has no roof or side windows and it features a low wind deflector instead of a windscreen in the style of a classic propeller aircraft. The result is an incomparable fresh air driving experience. The responsive electric drive that has been further developed and features a boost function also guarantees driving pleasure. A look forward at the next generation is particularly exciting as the era of electric mobility has already started at smart.

No roof, minimal windows and a responsive and zero-emission electric drive at the rear: the smart forspeed combines responsibility and emotional appeal in a new and pleasurable way. Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart says “The smart forspeed is a completely new take on how much fun it is to drive electric: it boasts a superb design with a powerful drive system and, needless to say, locally emission-free. And if you put the smart forspeed next to our ebike, escooter and smart fortwo electric drive you’ll see that smart has realised all kinds of variations of electric driving – demonstrating that smart is not just a practical city car, but a great idea.” The smart forspeed boasts an extremely innovative and self-assured design. Prof. Dr. h. c. Gorden Wagener, Head of Design says “The cult brand smart has always taken an unconventional approach with bold design. The forspeed now carries purist sportiness to extremes and in terms of form it is also a pioneer for a new paradigm of mobility.”

Powerful and environmentally friendly electric drive with an extra boost

smart is a pioneer in modern electric mobility. The second generation smart fortwo electric drive has been delivered to customers since the end of 2009. It is been proving its suitability for everyday use in 18 countries including Germany, Italy, Spain, England, France, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and further countries in Asia. Due to the high demand production figures have been increased to 1500 vehicles. Thanks to this experience smart has already collected extensive customer feedback that has been integrated in the development of the smart forspeed’s electric drive. With its improved performance and charge management the concept vehicle offers a look at the performance potential of future generations of the electric smart.

For example, the smart forspeed accelerates from 0 to 60 km/h in just 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 km/h. A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the smart forspeed and the vehicle concept provides an immediate powerful response from stationary. Pressing a button in the centre console activates a boost function which provides an extra 5 kW of power for a short time and is ideal for overtaking manoeuvres on urban highways, for example. The smart forspeed is powered by a lithium-ion battery that delivers 16.5 kWh of electrical energy. It is simple to charge at any conventional 220 Volt socket. The charging device is located in the third brake light behind the smart logo and features a simple push/push opening mechanism. A fully charged battery is sufficient for 135 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). Quick charging from 0 to 80 percent takes just 45 minutes.

The forspeed developers have integrated a further clever way of charging in the wind deflector: photovoltaic cells feed solar power to the on-board electrical system. As with the smart escooter this lengthens the battery life of the smartphone, for example.

Unconventional exterior

With its high-gloss white metallic paintwork the smart forspeed also builds a bridge to the two-wheel escooter and ebike studies that were presented at the Paris Motor Show.

The front and rear lamps have a very striking design. The outer rings are illuminated by a large number of rod-shaped LEDs whilst the centre of the lamps is white. The indicators seem to push outwards like arrows – like drops on the cockpit window of an aeroplane as it takes off. In the front and rear bumpers numerous holes with a honeycomb structure serve as air inlets and create an interesting progressive pattern. At the same time this pattern gives the forspeed a particularly wide appearance and a powerful road stance. The smart forspeed is fitted with front tyres in size 205/35 R 18 to match its dynamic look. On the driven rear axle the tyres measure 235/30 R 18 for full grip.

Purist and sporty interior

The exterior and interior of the smart forspeed are designed as a formal unit. This is manifested in numerous details: the tridion safety cell flows from the outside behind the roll-over bars towards the front to the cockpit and forms the centre tunnel as a load-bearing part. The outer and inner door sections connect seamlessly to form a single component, just like the floor and side walls. The leather seats also have a one-shell design and are a modern interpretation of purist sportiness.

The air inlet in the wind deflector ends in the central outlet in the centre console and can provide even more fresh air for the interior when needed.

The high-gloss white of the exterior paintwork also dominates in the interior. It is accentuated by green elements such as the sporty four-point seat belts for driver and passenger or the large horizontal shelf under the cockpit that provides stowage space. All the control elements that the driver uses particularly frequently, such as the gear lever, door openers or steering wheel come in natural brown leather. By contrast, load-bearing structural components such as the tridion safety cell or the curved trims on the instrument hoods are in matt platinum silver. Functional elements such as the steering wheel buttons and the shift lever with gate are painted in silver shadow.

The open two-seater has been deliberately designed without an outer door handle – an interior grip is all that is needed to open the door. The control for the electric parking brake is particularly convenient to operate and also has a simple and functional design: the switch on the centre tunnel is reminiscent of the lever used to pull in the landing gear of aircraft.

There is a block with ten LEDs in the middle of the instrument panel. When the forspeed is started the LEDs shine through the translucent paint and show the battery charge status of the electric smart. When switched off noting is seen of the charge indicator except its outline.

Weatherproof thanks to tonneau cover and coating

The whole interior of the smart forspeed can be protected against rain and sun when necessary with a tonneau cover. It is an easy matter to stretch it over the interior and fasten it to the body with the straps. It can be divided in the middle with the help of a zip to free the driver’s seat only, for example.

But even without weather protection a downpour will not lead to any serious problems. Water drainage channels in the vehicle floor ensure that water is channelled outside. The seat surfaces also have water drainage channels and all interior equipment has a waterproof coating for fun behind the wheel regardless of the weather.

Smartphone as a communication centre

The purist sportiness of the interior is also reminiscent of classic aircraft construction: the driver and co-pilot sit in front of two separate round turbine-like instrument clusters. Whilst the driver has the speedometer firmly in his field of vision, the passenger is responsible for communication and navigation: this area of the cockpit features a smartphone. It can be swivelled by up to 90 degrees in its holder and towards the driver so that the driver can also take a look at the display of the navigation system.

As in the production models from smart, the smart drive app for the iPhone® has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, navigation with a special smart touch and a Car Finder that guides the driver back to the parked car.

Intelligent lightweight design, optimised aerodynamics and state-of-the-art LED technology

With its body made of glass fibre-reinforced plastic the smart forspeed is a real lightweight. The low power-to-weight ratio is conducive to driving pleasure. Moreover, the dynamic two-seater boasts excellent aerodynamics: round, taut forms, a deliberate lack of joints (for example on the single-piece front module), smooth, handleless surfaces on the doors and rear lid and the design of many details based on aircraft construction reduce aerodynamic resistance.

State-of-the-art LED lighting technology contributes to active safety. Furthermore, it is controlled intelligently: daytime running lamps are automatically activated during the daytime. The Citylight system also senses when the forspeed driver turns night into day: photoelectric sensors monitor the brightness and give the command to automatically switch on the low-beam headlamps when necessary.

The highly anticipated Geneva Motor Show is right around the corner, and in an effort to build even more anticipation for the event, auto makers are releasing teasers of what we can expect. smart is no exception, as they’ve just launched new photos of the electric smart forspeed concept ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut.

The smart forspeed, a zero-emission roadster, will complete smart’s electric vehicle line-up, which currently includes a bicycle and scooter. According to smart, the forspeed roadster will reach speeds up to 75 mph with a rear-mounted 40 bhp electric motor and a 7bhp overboost function. The electricity for the engine is stored in a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 16.5 kWh, and the range should be 84 miles.  As for charging, the smart forspeed concept will plug into a normal 220 volt socket, with a quick charge in about 45 minutes.

In terms of its outer design, the smart forspeed features a high-gloss finish, wind deflectors with integrated solar cells to power the on-board electrics, and a honeycomb grill. Steffen Kohl, Head of Design for Mercedes-Benz, was quoted saying the smart forspeed has a “unique and electric look, but is still recognisable as a smart”.

The interior of the car offers a minimalist design similar to what you would see on a boat, with a notable addition being a smart phone housing that can be tilted 90 degrees to face the driver. Adding a touch of luxury to the smart’s interior are leather door pulls, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob. The boost switch to unleash the… wait for it… 7bhp… is located in the center console.

Dr. Annette Winkler, head of smart, says the forspeed is not planned as a limited series. “We have to be profitable with smart so it won’t make production,” she said. But she added, “Elements of the car will be carried over into future projects.”

A big thanks to our good friend Markus for the photos.

UPDATE: More photos and details can be found by clicking here.

Stuttgart’s Maybach Manufaktur automotive hand-finishing section is exploring radical new avenues for the urban mobility of the future. As seen at the the Los Angeles Design Challenge with the electrically powered luxury rickshaw. The Maybach DRS – “Den-Riki-Sha” (electrically driven rickshaw) – blends the very latest automotive technology, luxurious comfort, and the highest safety levels with the needs of an environmentally aware world and the traditional values of the classic “Jin-Riki-Sha” (human-powered rickshaw). The futuristic four-seater is created through metamorphosis from a DNA cocoon, making it the world’s first naturally manufactured vehicle. The rickshaw was developed by the designers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Tokyo.

The challenge set before designers at Maybach was to draw a complete vision of a car that weighs 1,000 pounds (around 454 kilogrammes) (kerb weight). The remit was to create a four-seater small car that was safe and comfortable, offering good handling and first-class design. “This was a major challenge – in particular for a brand such as Maybach, whose luxury has thus far manifested itself not least in the vehicles’ size. This is why, when building the Maybach DRS, we combined the European concept of luxury with the Asian feel for optimum use of space, so we were able to create a vehicle which blends both in an intelligent manner. Thereby we have shortly undermatched the weight limit”, explained Holger Hutzenlaub, who heads the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Tokyo.

The amalgamation of organic intelligence and biomechanical engineering artistry

Breathtaking looks, polished luxury, and technical brilliance characterise the ambitious development of the Maybach DRS. The design is reminiscent of a butterfly’s cocoon, light and elegant as it floats between two oversized wheels. The rickshaw is made in a unique, natural production process. Through a complex and perfect metamorphosis a finished vehicle is developed from a DNA cocoon: Organic intelligence blends with advanced biomechanical engineering. The result is a futuristic combination of an ultralight structure and an unparalleled luxury exterior and interior – for a limited number of exclusive vehicles.

The vehicle frame consists of carbon fibres and organic composite materials, whilst the doors and windows are made of injection-moulded polycarbonate and the panoramic roof of flexible organic composite materials. The Maybach DRS is powered by two 20 kW electric motors which are positioned in the wheel hubs and are self-balancing. The energy required is produced by a lithium-ion battery in the tail end. An on-board computer ensures optimum control, communicating with the metropolis’s transport infrastructure, and thus guaranteeing a smooth, luxurious ride through the city. In order to increase the vehicle’s range, the human/electric hybrid also allows additional pedal force, which is produced by the driver.

Staying true to the grand Maybach tradition of luxurious mobility, the Maybach DRS – “Den-Riki-Sha” – is carrying forward this heritage, paying homage to the roads of tomorrow.

Thanks to the B-Class F-CELL, the employees of the German Federal Ministry of Transport will soon be able to enjoy local zero-emission motoring on business trips. This is because Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, presented a fuel cell car to German Federal Minister for Transport Peter Ramsauer in Berlin today. Another B-Class F-CELL was also accepted by NOW GmbH – the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

“Electric cars featuring fuel cell drives have the potential to revolutionize our mobility again. The fuel cell drive in the B-Class F-CELL is efficient, clean and highly suitable for everyday use. It enables local zero-emission motoring with a range of around 400 kilometres, and this is with a refuelling time of just three minutes. In addition, the vehicle really comes into its own in terms of driving pleasure”, explained Dr. Thomas Weber.

“Germany is a world leader in the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. We now need to build on this lead. Our goal is clear: today we are building the best cars in the world, and in the future we also want to build the best electric cars in the world. To achieve this we need marketable, practical products, because the success of electric mobility will depend to a great extent on acceptance by users. This is why we are promoting electric mobility not only with batteries, but also with hydrogen and fuel cells. In cities, on short journeys, I see great potential for electric cars with batteries. On longer routes, electric vehicles featuring fuel cells present an interesting option”, noted Federal Minister for Transport Mr. Ramsauer.

Local zero-emission mobility

In the current B-Class F-CELL, the 100 kW/136 hp electric motor, which develops torque of 290 Nm, delivers dynamism from the instant the engine starts to turn. At the same time the B-Class F-CELL achieves an NEDC consumption (New European Driving Cycle) equivalent to only 3.3 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 kilometres. With its long range and short refuelling times, the B-Class F-CELL combines local zero-emission mobility and high performance with suitability for long distances. At the heart of the drive system is the optimised, latest generation fuel cell system which is compact, powerful, safe and suitable for everyday use.

The fuel cell generates the electrical power on board the vehicle, from a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen – producing only pure water and zero emissions. The integrated safety concept of the B-Class F-CELL takes the specific characteristics of the innovative drive system into account. The experience garnered over many years by Mercedes-Benz with the electric drive powered with fuel cells from the A-Class F-CELL and the high-voltage technology involving the lithium-ion battery from the S 400 HYBRID went into honing the concept.

Everyday use demonstrates practical suitability

In order to gather more experience from everyday use of the vehicle, which will be of benefit for subsequent model series, on the basis of market research data Mercedes-Benz has chosen a representative customer group consisting of fleet operators, public institutions, public figures and private customers as “test drivers”. In all, by 2012 around 90 B-Class F-CELL vehicles will be introduced into the German market. Within the scope of the National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), BMVBS advances the allocation and operation of the B-Class F-CELL. At the same time, the vehicle is also being put to practical everyday use in the USA as well as a number of other countries. It is expected that in 2012 a total of around 200 examples of the environmentally friendly electric cars will be operated on the roads by customers.

A million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020

A prerequisite for the introduction of fuel cell vehicles as well as the necessary infrastructure they require is that all of the parties involved must pull together. Support from public authorities is particularly important in order to ensure prompt and extensive implementation of the mobility concept. As part of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme (NIP), which is coordinated by NOW, the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is supporting research and development work, as well as demonstrating hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the areas of transport, stationary supply and special markets with investment currently totalling 500 million euros. Initiatives such as the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) are also expected to provide proof of the system capabilities of accompanying technologies. These include the electrolytic production and storage of gaseous hydrogen at filling stations, and the central CO2-free extraction of hydrogen and its subsequent delivery and on-site storage. The aim is to put the economic efficiency of hydrogen production from regenerative energy sources to the test in actual operation, to guarantee quick, safe refuelling, and also to demonstrate the suitability for everyday use of high-performance, near production standard hydrogen vehicles. “I want this future technology to become part of everyday life – including part of our lives here at the Ministry. This is why we are striving to set an example: as of today, in addition to a battery car, we will also be using a fuel cell vehicle to meet the Ministry’s official motoring requirements”, explained the Federal Minister for Transport.