A few days ago we reported that Audi would be bringing an electric powered R8 to the Frankfurt Motor Show. However it is our sad news to announce that according to representatives from the German automaker, the speculations have been denied and there will be no battery operated mid engine super car in the Audi booth at Frankfurt in September. This is a little disconcerting, and considering that Audi has already cancelled a TDI V12 version of the R8 due to structural reasons, this is another let down at an attempt to create a high performance environmentally friendly super car. The reluctance to alternative fuel sources is very unlike the company’s “Vorsprung durch Technik,” Advancement through Technology, slogan would suggest.
However the R8 Spyder is still coming, but another disappointment is that the next generation luxury limousine, the Audi A8s unveiling has been delayed until the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. So for now, upstarts like Tesla and Fisker can relax, a major manufacturer is no longer out to build a better green super car.
The German automaker Volkswagen is currently preparing an all-electric concept to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The concept electric vehicle will be intended as a direct competitor for the Opel Ampera. According to inside sources, Volkswagen is coming along well, and the development of the electric drive train is already at an advanced stage.
The all-new all-electric V dub will be the next addition to the automakers eco-friendly line-up consisting of the Golf Twin Drive, the TDI Hybrid and Up! city car. The technological innovations that are being used to make the future concept will be most definitely find their way into production models in the near future.
Now that the open air alternatively fueled Bluesport roadster has been put on hold until further notice, it looks like VW is concentrating on making their proven seller, the Golf, a much greener option for new car buyers.
The world’s oldest automobile manufacturer, Daimler, has just acquired a sizable stake in the American all-electric car builder, Tesla. Even before the 10 percent sale, both companies were working together to use Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries in Mercedes Benz’s Smart electric car. Member of the Board of Daimler AG, Dr. Thomas Weber, said that "our strategic partnership is an important step to accelerate the commercialization of electric drives globally," because according to Benz, the future will be made up of at least electrically assisted vehicles.
Tesla Motors Chairman and CEO, Elon Musk, had this to say about the German conglomerate, “Daimler has set the benchmark for engineering excellence and vehicle quality for more than a century. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Daimler would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla.”
There are already 100 Smart electric cars on the streets of London; these electric vehicles have been part of large-scale testing since 2007 being tested in real world driving situations, conducting normal daily operations by fleet operators as well as private citizens. Later on this year, the Smart assembly plant in Hambach, France, will commence production of up to 1000 second-generation electrically powered Smart fortwo models, taking full advantage of the latest advances in lithium-ion battery technology.
Look out Tesla and Fisker, because there is a new EV roadster on the market, and it is being built with the precision of a Swiss timepiece. Brusa is a Swiss company with a long history dealing with electronics. However, only recently have they been toying with the idea of an electric sports car, a new competitor for the American made Tesla Roadster.
The shape of the electric roadster is inspired by the classic Porsche 550 Spyder and is powered by a a couple of 95 kW electric motors – one for each of the rear wheels. The electric engines are powered by a 16 kWh lithium polymer battery pack from Kokam. With all that potential energy stored up, the Spyder can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in under 5 seconds, and with a range of 77 miles the Brusa is perfect for a sunday cruise or even commuting to the office.
Well, Jay Leno is not just into high horsepowermuscles cars and big moneysupercars. He holds a special place in his heart for alternative fuels, check out what he thinks about California’s own Aptera electric car. I you really want to get him started, just ask Jay to show you one of his steam cars.
With summer approaching and gas prices creeping closer to $4 per gallon, electric vehicles are looking better and better every day. Chevrolet has the Volt, Opel the Ampera and even Cadillac will have an upscale Converj. But what about Saab, General Motor’s brand selling strong in Sweeden, well they could soon have the Elektrisk, a word that means electric in Swedish.
Even if this is just a rendering, we here at Top Speed are almost certain that Saab will soon have an electric model of their own. If it could look anything like this, even better!
The electric vehicle builder Fisker already has the lithium-ion powered Karma sedan and soon to be Karma Sunset convertible. But for 2010 the Tesla Motors competitor would like to offer something different, a more compact plug-in vehicle.
"We’re first doing the four-door and then we’re doing the convertible and then we’re planning some third derivative off the Karma platform. Then we’re planning a high-volume vehicle for a lower price. We’ve applied for a Department of Energy grant. If that loan comes through, we’ll have this vehicle on the road in 29 months" said Fisker himself.
Have you ever wondered what a green GT racecar would look like, how would it sound and what would it smell like? Well we can help you with the first, thanks to Switzerland’s own GreenGT, one of the most revolutionary eco-conscious carmakers on the planet.
These images are of their first design study and represent what the racecar builder intends to enter in the 2011 24 Hours of LeMans. The best part is that in order to homologate the two intended models for competition, GreenGT will have to build 22 examples for the street. Take that Tesla, this will be a zero emissions all electric super car.
The GreenGT will be able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and capable of a top speed around 170 MPH. The electric engines will develop an initial 1475 lb-ft of torque until the vehicle reaches 100 MPH, and then decreasing to 590 lb-ft after that.
BMW is busy developing their Project i electric vehicle. The Bavarian automaker has teamed up with Britain’s Bath University in order to produce the world’s first "decent electric city car." What they have come up with is a compact EV that will be offered in three different versions: equipped with two, three or four wheels.
A spokesman from the German automaker was quoted as saying, "there are a number of options under consideration and we are exploring different avenues. One of the proposals is something like the Clever Concept. This would deliver the thrills of a motorcycle but, being a three wheeler, you wouldn’t have to wear a helmet to drive one."
BMW plans for the Project i to be an economical zero emission vehicle thanks in part to the batteries that have been providing juice to the Mini E.
Toyota called it the iQ and Vauxhall is calling it Trixx, although these two compacts look different they both serve the same purpose, navigating today’s overcrowded city streets. The Vauxhall is inspired by the 2004 Trixx Concept, complete with an electric motor and batteries based on the units originally used in the Opel Ampera. The front end of the Trixx also benefits from being heavily influenced by Opel’s hybrid electric concept vehicle.
The Vauxhall will have a range of about 90 miles between charges, making the Trixx even better suited for day to day around town driving. The car will make its official debut sometime in 2012.
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