Watching the world.

EURELECTRIC, the Union of the Electricity Industry in Europe, has published a new position paper on electric mobility on March 21, 2012, highlighting the importance of standards for an EV charging infrastructure. “In the absence of a European agreement, we have found that European countries are either installing infrastructure that is incompatible with other solutions or they are delaying investments until a European agreement has been reached. We are very concerned that this situation is endangering the successful spread of electric vehicles by denying customers a convenient recharging solution and creating uncertainty among potential investors,” said EURELECTRIC Secretary General Hans ten Berge. Read more online.

The German center for innovation in mobility (InnoZ) will be launching its new Micro Smart Grid project on the Berlin-Schöneberg EUREF-Campus on Friday, March 16^th. The press conference presenting the venture will be followed by the 10^th Intelligent City Salon. Among other InnoZ initiatives, the Micro Smart Grid represents one of the main parts of Berlin-Brandenburg’s application for the “Schaufenster Mobilität” competition. Different system participants such as buildings but also energy generators like wind power, photovoltaic and power-heat cogeneration infrastructures will be integrated. The project’s research aim is to establish whether and how grid integration of renewable energies, absolutely necessary to reduce carbon emissions, and smart grid integrated mobility and public transportation can be realized simultaneously. Read more online.

The UK’s first free EV charging, hiring and parking facility opened this week, on Tuesday, March 6^th in Glasgow. It will allow its visitors to test-drive new EV models. This initiative is part of the Scottish Centre for Renewable Excellence of SSE, whose target is to demonstration Scotland’s potential in renewable energy generation – a major contributor to the UK fulfilling its emissions reduction targets. “Through the Sustainable Glasgow partnership we aim to be one of Europe’s most sustainable cities” said the city’s councilor, Gordon Matheson. Simultaneously, the Glasgow center will be hosting the “Power of Now” exhibition displaying simulations of a hydroelectric dam, the electricity network and a “smart home”.

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has adopted proposals for the Advanced Clean Cars program this past Friday, January 27th 2012, the objectives being the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 47% for 2015-2025 and the augmentation of the zero emission vehicle sales. By 2050, the state aims for an 87% of battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles on Californian roads. To that end, the ARB imposes strong requirements on automakers through a zero-emissions mandate that should begin in 2018, demanding they produce an annually increasing number of clean cars. In order to additionally promote the purchase of these vehicles, the Californian government has opted to provide financial incentives amounting to an additional funding of $15 million. Read more online.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan met with Prime Minister Voker Bouffier of the German Federal Land of Hessen as well as two other ministers this past Monday with a view of discussing a potential future cooperation in e-mobility between the two countries. The signed convention principally aims at the creation of common programs and projects but also at mutual support in research and technology transfer. Hessen additionally plans to analyze how much help the Vietnamese will be needing in the development strategy area. Read more online.

According to a report by GlobalData, the market for EV charging stations can be expected to experience a growth of about 155% during the years of 2011-2020. The analyst's report "Electric Vehicle Charging Stations – Market Analysis and Forecast to 2020", focusing on countries such as the US, the UK, Germany and Japan (a country which is expected to become a major market by 2020 along with the rest of Asia-Pacific), explains its theory mainly by the efforts of the automotive industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the support of governments. According to GlobalData, customers will be prone to buy EVs as soon as they are sure that they can charge their car wherever and whenever they want. Read more online.

In its most recent survey, the accountancy company Deloitte showed a new trend among the young generation (also called Gen Y, aged 19 to 31). Indeed, almost half of the young people (49%) partaking in the survey answered they would be willing to pay more when buying their car, this purchase being their first for many. Two explanations for this development were offered: For one thing, most of the young drivers see this investment as a way to fuel efficiency, since renewable energies aren’t as expensive as gasoline. The audit also showed that 59% of the Gen Y costumers preferred alternative powered vehicles. The other aspect is the Gen Y generation's fondness for new technologies, with many stating that they were looking for cars containing high levels of technology, which was most often the case with eco-friendly vehicles. Read more online.

At the European Motor Show in Brussels on January 16^th, hree companies including the German smartlab, the Belgian eNovates and the Dutch e-laad announced their plans for creating an open European Clearinghouse for E-mobility. Project financing will be secured by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. “The borders of our cities and countries shouldn’t be a stop to electric driving. For E-mobility to have a future, it needs european answers”, says Andreas Pfeiffer,  business manager of smartlab. A first version of the platform is scheduled for launch in June 2012. Read more online.

The European Expert Group on Future Transport Fuels published its second report on infrastructure for alternative fuel transportation, including e.mobility, this week. Its purpose is to advise the EU Commission in their preparations of hardware and communication software standards, a report of which is to be launched in spring 2012. EU actors are convinced that harmonizing standards is the only effective way to set off the alternative fuel market. Read more online.

Wirtschaftswoche has chosen ubitricity as one of the 30 most interesting Start Ups of Germany. The German newspaper is renowned for its in-depth reporting on developments in economics, management and economic politics. Wirtschaftswoche regularly scouts young companies for the most promising ideas and concepts. Read more online.

The German research institute Fraunhofer IAO published a roadmap presenting its idea of an ideal evolution of E-Mobility in Germany last week. In a 5 phase study, the Fraunhofer researchers described how German cities could successfully combine electric mobility and a sense of community. According to these scenarios, EVs could even become the rule, completely replacing fuel-powered vehicles in less than forty years. It remains to be seen whether these estimates are accurate. Read more online.

A number of American blue chip companies, including FedEx Express and CODA Automotive, announced their merger on Monday, January 9^th 2012. Their joint target is to form a new organization promoting EV industry development, the Electrification Leadership Council. This coalition “is about developing a more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly EV Ecosystem”, said Dennis Beal, vice president of Global Vehicles for FedEx Express. The ELC will therefore choose a number of densely populated communities that already showed a readiness concerning electric mobility to introduce its self-designed large scale EV demonstration project, hoping to spark public interest. Read more online.

In the course of its application as one of the German showcase regions “Schaufenster Elektromobilität”, Berlin strives to become the first German city with an E-Mobility based public transport system. Because of a lack of willingness from the city’s Senate to finance such a project, Berlin’s applying public transport company abandoned its initial idea of installing new electric suburban and underground trains because it wouldn’t be able to pay for the high incurring costs. Instead, the company decided to present a new project promising the use of at least 10 hybrid-buses and the creation a bus line working exclusively with fully electric buses and wireless charging based on the system designed by Bombardier Transportation. Read the article online.

According to the German Federal Office for Motor Vehicles’ annual report, released on January 1, 2012, vehicle registration has increased in Germany. Registrations went up 8,8% in comparison to the previous year, totaling 3,17 million for the year 2011. EV registration composes a comparatively small share, 2,154 electric cars representing only 0,07% of total registrations. However, the market for electric cars is far from static. Indeed, this is a considerable increase when compared to just some 1.600 registrations in 2009, showing that the market in this area is expanding. Read more online.

ubitricity extends its warmest wishes for a happy new year to its partners, colleagues and friends.

The Indian company Hero Eco has long since been looking to expand its activities in the eco mobility sector. Yesterday, it announced its buyal of the UK-based EV maker Ultra Motors. Hero Eco is the recently established umbrella entity of Vijay Munjal-led companies, including Hero Electric, Hero Exports, Hero Cycles, Mediva, Winn and Hero Ecotech. Hero Eco expects to strengthen its position in global markets considerably via its newest acquisition. "This will give us an exposure to all the markets where Ultra Motors were present," says Managing Director Naveen Munjal. The British EV maker has 3 plants and is present in 6 countries, its sales network spread throughout 22 nations across the globe. Within the next 18 months, Hero Eco is also planning to establish an electric vehicle facility in North America. Read more online.

Ford has recently started assemply of the new Ford Focus Electric that will be launched in 2012 at its Michigan plant. The company expects the vehicle to exceed the 100 miles per gallon equivalent in ratings. Starting sales early next year, the Ford EV will be available for a little under $40,000 (before a $7,500 federal tax rebate), starting sales in California and New York/New Jersey. The EV is announced with a range of 85 to 100 miles and an on-board 6.6 kilowatt charger. Based on a 240-volt outlet charger, this tranlates into a full recharge in a little over three hours while one hour of charging will add another 30 miles. Read more online.

The Chinese government has been pushing for customers to switch to electric vehilces in order to save on fossil fuel imports and clean up the transport sector. However, Chinese customers keep their distance. The vehicles' high costs, their small driving range and, especially, the underdeveloped charging infrastructure have so far served to discourage sales. Thus, government efforts to increase EV usage have so far not translated into increased sales. Nevertheless, Chinese officials and industry insiders remain hopeful, that consumers will soon be more prone to drive electric. "With an affordable and sustainable battery switching model and more favorable government policies, it is easier to persuade Chinese buyers to purchase an electric car," says Idan Ofer, board chairman of Better Place, a global provider of battery-switching stations for electric cars. Read more online.

Using a modified modified Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL, the Daimler AG will begin testing of inductive charging for EVs. Inductive charging does not rely on a cable connection, but on a special charging coil fitted inside tha car which is then positioned over a corresponding charging coil in the ground. Charging begins automatically. "We are keen to find out how the inductive charging process proves in daily use," says Herbert Kohler, head of e-drive & future mobility in the Research and Advance Development department at Daimler AG. "We have already demonstrated the essential feasibility of the technology. The experience in day-to-day use will now provide important pointers for the further course of development. A number of technical and financial issues also need to be resolved before we can really assess the marketability of this technology."

As off March 2012, these vehicles will be deployed as part of the "Effizienzhaus-Plus mit Elektromobilität" project that was inaugurated in Berlin yesterday by Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Dr. Peter Ramsauer, Member of the Bundestag and Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. Read the press release online.

FIve months after the first Nissan Leaf vehicles entered US households, the Consumer Reports magazine has launched its first road test, ratings and reports on this first mass-market EV. One family was followed for five months in order to monitor typical usage patterns and the vehicle's performance. While the Leaf is rated as a car with pleasant driving qualities, the limitations of range and long charging times remain. While users reported a range of some 90 miles in ideal conditions, meaning mild weather and gentle driving habits, the range dropped to only 60 miles in cold weather. Typically, a full charge delivered som 75 miles, with the car returning to base with 10 to 15 miles left in reserve. Using a 240-volt charging station, a full charge then took about 6 hours and consumed about 22 kilowatt-hours. However, Consumer Reporting also backed up the on-board power consumption data with detailed testing, and came up with an average of 3.16 miles/kWh, which is the equivalent of 106 mpg when using standard EPA formula calculations. Charging efficiency was put at 85%. Based on the US national average of 11 cents/kWh, the Leaf’s running costs are only about 3.5 cents a mile - a significant reduction even when compared to hybrids, let alone conventional vehicles. Consumer Reporting concludes that the Leaf offers full performance, while offering swift acceleration, quiet driving and a sensible economic choice. For a day-to-day city vehicle, this more than compensates for the loss of range. Read more online.

Qualcomm recently announced the first EV Wireless Charging pre-commercial trialto be launched in London, in a collaboration with the UK Government, as well as the Mayor of London’s office and Transport for London (TfL). Using Qualcomm wireless inductive power transfer technology, the trial seeks to demonstrate what is set out to be a particularly comfortable alternative to plug-in charging. In particular, however, UK decision makers hope to leverage London's Tech City entrepreneurial community. “This wireless charging technology is a giant leap forward for the electric car industry," says Prime Minister David Cameron,"and I am delighted that London businesses will be among the first to benefit from the trial. Creative, high-tech advances such as this are extremely important as we work to rebalance our economy, and the decision to trial this at Tech City shows confidence in the UK as an ideal place for innovation and investment.” Read more online.

Japanese automaker and e-mobility pioneer Nissan is aiming to boost its e-mobility strategy by handing out some 400 of its expensive quick charger stations for free to partners throughout Europe. Pierre Loin, Vice President of the company's Product Planning & Zero Emissions Business Unit, realises the importance of a dense charging grid: "With a significant number of QCs available across Europe, EV owners will be able to recharge quickly no matter where they go. We believe this is essential for the mass adoption of EVs.” While this is widely acknowledged, the Nissan quick charging stations require significant investments and roll-out has consequently been hesitant. The company is thus now offering free quick charging stations to eligible partners throughout Europe to boost future sales. Read more online.

The Kingdom of Jordan recently saw its first solar powered charging station launched. AllCell Technologies is leding a consortium of cleantech companies that has now unveiled its first off-grid solar charging station in the city of Amman. As an off-grid station, the charging point includes a lithium-ion energy storage system which is protected from the heat of the Jordanian sun by AllCell's cutting-edge passive thermal management system and can power a Nissan LEAF and multiple light electric vehicles at the same time. As one of feq countries in the region, Jordan has no significant access to fossil fuel resources, but is rich in solar energy that has so far scarcely come to use in powering the country. However, this is set to change, as the country's target is to fuel 10% of its energy consumption renewably by 2020. Read more online.

A123, one of the world's leading manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries, has signed an agreement over collaboration and supply with the European developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery system Axeon, also a market leader manufacturer. The cooperation has been establshied with a view of jointly developing specific electric vehicle customer programs. The two companies are already engaged with a major UK customer, and Axeon has hinted that additional projects are already underway. Read more online.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has recently started the delivery of some fifty i-MiEV electric vehicles out of 507 units scheduled for provision to the Estonian government. The Estonian government concluded a contract with the Mitsubishi Corporation this past March, agreeing on the delivery of 507 Mitsubishi i-MiEV - to date the most significant single order of these vehicles. The provision is part of a larger agreement on the purchase of 10 million tons of emissions rights. Shipment is to be completed by the end of the current fiscal year. Read more online.

US regulators and business makers have acknowledged the pivotal quality of a widespread EV charging infrastructure not just for the roll-out of electric vehicles, but also for regional development. Presenting at a workshop hosted by South Shore Clean Cities and the Indiana Office of Energy Development on Wednesday, Bob Spatz of Plug-In Vehicle Solutions addressed the old chicken-egg dilemma of what is to come first, chargers or cars. "I believe you need the infrastructure," Spatz concludes. Indeed the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing a $3 million proposal by NIPSCO for electric vehicle infrastructure that would provide financial incentives for residential customers with home charging stations and the creation of 10 public charging stations. "That chicken and the egg concept is right," said Kevin Kirkham, director of regulatory strategic analysis for NIPSCO. "NIPSCO believes you have to have an electric vehicle friendly environment or show you are working toward one to entice those manufacturers to come and sell their vehicles here."  Ken Adams of 350Green, a California-based company that develops electric vehicle charging networks from a host of manufacturers, points to the importance of pushing EV infrastructure for reasons of regional development, highlighting that EV users are typically men between 26 and 45 with a median income of $100,000 to $150,000 who is Internet savvy and intends to use it as a second vehicle. Thus, an EV friendly environment might ultimately also promote regional development: "If you want to bring young, affluent people to the area, you've got to bring electric vehicle charging stations to the area," Spatz said. Read more online.

Japanese automaker Nissan, a leader in EV development and market introduction, and General Electric are extending their cooperation. The companies signed a research and development agreement to fast-track the development of electric vehicles on September 30, 2011. The partners aim to accelerate the development of a both reliable and robust smart charging infrastructure to spurr mass market adoption of electric cars like the Nissan LEAF. Two focal areas have been identified to guide the research. The first relates to the integration of electric vehicles with homes and buildings. The second examines electric vehicle charging dynamics and the future impact on the grid once millions of electric cars are on the road. Read more online.

Mexico's capital, more famous for its smoggy charm than its clean transportation system, introduced its first Zero Emissions Taxi Programme yesterday with some 100 vehicles to be on the road by the end of the year. The initiative aims at reducing serious air pollution levels in inner city areas and resulted from a partnership of the local government with one of the world's leading automakers in EVs, Nissan. While 100 vehicles may not seem much considering the capital's size, it is a first step towards cleaning individual transport. And indeed, Mexico City's mayor Marcelo Ebrard, incidentally also a potential presidential candidate in the upcoming elections in 2012, has gone far beyond this programme in his effort to green the city's transportation system, introducing shard bicycle programmes and alternative energies in public transportation as well as incentives and regulatory reforms to foster alternative vehicles in the cities transportation mix. Read more online.

The University of Western Australia (UWA) pioneered research in the EV sector in Australia, commencing trials in Perth (Western Australia) in early 2010. Initiated by CO2 Smart Pty Ltd. in cooperation with the UWA, the two year trial is aimed at monitoring the performance, environmental benefits, policy, infrastructure and practical implications for electric vehicle fleets. The trial includes eleven different vehicle types, converted to electric driving and implemented in diverse settings to represent different fleet usages in industrial and governmental usage schemes. Preliminary results published now are encouraging. CO2 Smart CEO Terry Mader says the trial has been instrumental in getting the technology out of the lab and in to the market. According to Mr Mader, early empirical evidence indicates per kilometre running cost of the electric vehicles are only about 10 per cent of their petrol counterpart. Read more on the UWA EV trials online.

General Motors and the SAIC Motor Corp. signed a Memorandum of Understanding on September 20, 2011, for a joint project on EV infrastructure development in China. “The co-development of this new electric vehicle architecture demonstrates the broad range of benefits made possible by the strong partnership between SAIC and GM,” said Tim Lee, president of GM International Operations. “For almost 15 years, our two companies have forged some of the industry’s most successful joint ventures. This unprecedented level of cooperation is another demonstration of our companies’ commitment to work collaboratively.” Read the Press Release online.

The Chinese government is again planning to extend its support for EVs. As off 2009, the government had launched a programme to foster EV roll-out in 10 cities that has since spread to 15 further cities throughout the country.The China New Energy Vehicles Programme followed in April 2011, building further support, and electric vehicles also feature prominently in the transportation plans of the current Five Year Plan (2011-2015) that also include the installation of 2,351 charging stations and 220,000 outlets by the State Grid Corp of China, the country's major power supplier. Word now got out of these measures to be extended again by the end of the year. Support measures may include additional financial support for EV purchasing to further encourage consumers. However, critics point out that China's energy supply remains largely based on coal-fired power plans, thwarting plans of emissions reduction through electric vehicles. Moreover, Chinese cities are increasingly suffering from congestion due to insufficient planning which is why additional vehicles, whatever their drive train, also induce additional challenges. Read more online.

Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. presented its new EV quick charger to the public today that will be going on sale throughout Japan come November 2011. Nissan is currently already selling a quick charger of its own manufacturing, the suggested retail price is 1.47 million yen (including tax). While the new charging unit maintains the current high performance rates, its size (by volume) will be reduced by half. This facilitates installation and ensures that charging units can be provided requiring less space. At the same time, costs will be reduced significantly (estimated costs per unit are to be below 1 million yen). The company's aim is to sell 5,000 of the new quick chargers by the end of fiscal year 2015 (March 2016), and thus accelerate the ongoing rollout of an EV quick charging infrastructure in Japan. Installation will predominantly be centred on Nissan retailers and local government facilities, however, Nissan also seeks to deploy its charging stations in various public locations that draw large numbers of customers in regions throughout Japan and is actively inviting infrastructure partners to join in the rollout. The quick charging unit will also be made available in the US and Europe, however, there is currently no timeline for this development. Read more on the company's plans online.

A new study of the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB) Driving Innovation reveals that EV users indeed make the shift to their new vehicles much more easily and smoothly than initially expected. The TSB revelaed preliminary results of a detailed survey including users of 340 vehicles on September 7, highlighting that users adapted easily and without changing their daily routines. The study also challenges one of the most prevailing critics raised with electric driving: range anxiety. A frequent fear when driving electric is that of the vehicle shutting down unexpectedly or not offering sufficient mileage to cover daily driving routines. However, the study shows that the EVs where not only well able to match their users' daily needs and wishes (83% of all users confirmed) - users also felt reassured quickly. The first study results, published only three months after beginning the survey, also illustrate that most users had already lost all anxiety of having to make a trip that would exhaust the EVs range before reaching the desired destination within a mere three months. Launched in 2009, the £25m Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles Demonstrator programme, includes 19 vehicle manufacturers, with 340 vehicles being trialled in seven different demonstrator hubs across the UK. The programme is supported by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles. Read more online.

The US Department of Energy presented two online tools for facilitating EV charging at US homes at the end of August. To support electricians and inspectors in their shift towards EV technology, the US Department of Energy launched a video (‘Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Residential Home Charging Installation’) set out to serve as a tutorial for the installation of EV charging stations at US homes. The video depicts all steps of the installation, focusing primarily on technical, safety and consumer issues. The declared target is to enhance certified electricians' understanding of the process and to enable them to adhere to the necessary requirements. The second tool was created to answer to the various permit formats currently necessary for the installation of an EV charger. The DoE thus issued a unified template allowing for individual adjustments of each local government responding to its own requirements. The Department expects the standardised form, including all technical specificities like voltages, markings, wiring techniques, to simplify the work of certified electricians and accelerate the processes of permit acquisition. Explore the DoE's support measures for alternative transport strategies online.

Canada's largest automotive parts manufacturer, Magna International, and the Government of Ontario, Canada, announced a joint investment of some $441m/€311m in electric vehicles today. Magna International is headquartered in Aurora, Ontario. “We are delighted to receive support from Ontario to pursue our goal of transitioning Canada’s automotive design, engineering and manufacturing toward the clean economy,” says Don Walker, CEO of Magna International. Over the course of the next six years, the automotive manufacturer will receive some $48.9m/€34.5m in provincial government funding, supporting the supervision of 19 projects aimed at enhancing car concepts, parts for hybrid and battery electric vehicles, alternate energy sources and bio-based materials to reduce vehicle weight and increase fuel efficiency. The investment is aimed at creating more than 700 jobs in the province and help protect existing jobs at Magna’s factories. Read more online.

The Portugese government has recently announced its placement of an order for 100 fast charging stations that will be installed throughout the country. The government has requested the Siemens type Charge CP700A, the German company had already completed a contract with the government comprising some 300 charging stations under MOBI.E earlier. The first 100 charging stations will be deployed by the contractor Intelli; plans include 25 cities to be equipped by the end of 2012. To enable users to access these stations, the installation is planned for public parking lots, or spaces near shopping centres, hotels or airports. Read more on Portugal's MOBI.E programme online.

US auto-maker Ford Motor Co. and SunPower Corp. announced last week that they will be joining forces to sell solar-powered cars. Ford will launch production for an all-electric version of the Ford Focus later this year, and also annoucned several follow-up plug-in projects for 2012 and later years. SunPower´, based in San José California, has been making solar panels and selling rooftop solar systems for years. Both partners seek to enhace their market position - Ford faces serious competitors in the EV market and hopes for added green credentials through this new partnership, while the cooperation provides SunPower with a novel opportunity for selling and leasing its rooftop solar-power systems in times of increasingly heavy competition in the global solar power market. Read more online.

President Obama announced the first ever Fuel Economy Standard for Commercial Vehicles in the US today. Under the comprehensive new national program, trucks and buses built in 2014 through 2018 will reduce oil consumption by a projected 530 million barrels and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by approximately 270 million metric tons. The Administration’s  program – which relies heavily on off-the-shelf technologies – was developed in coordination with truck and engine manufacturers, fleet owners, the State of California, environmental groups and other stakeholders. President Obama announced that the government was in fact approached by drivers and manufacturers of medium and heavy-duty trucks themselves, when word got out that standards for light-duty vehicles were underway: they wanted to be included. This cooperation-based approach thus implies improved compliance due to better acceptance. Apart from long-term savings in fossil fuels, GHG emissions and money, the new fuel efficiency standards are also expected to support research and development in fuel efficiency and alternative drive systems. Read more online.

Toyota and Tesla announced jointly on August 5 that the new Toyota RAV4 EV will be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC) in Woodstock, Ontario beginning in 2012. “TMMC is going to be the first in North America to build a Toyota electric vehicle. Our team members are fully committed to building the finest, highest quality electric vehicle on the road.”, said TMMC President, Brian Krinock. The construction of the RAV4 EV will use the same line as the gasoline-powered RAV4, thus streamlining and simplifying the production process. The vehicle will be built in cooperation with Tesla, with the Californian company shipping components to Canada from its production facility in Palo Alto and Toyota paying some $100 million for the cutting edge power train supplied by Tesla. Read more online.

Electric mobility can have important reprecussions for greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector and is thus especially interesting for fast growing markets such as China or India, where the number of new cars hitting the streets every year is increasing fast.GM India announced that it would be presenting 5 new vehicles over the next 18 months at its recent launch of a new Diesel automobile. But the company is cautious when it comes to electric vehicles. "We have proved, by displaying the electric car in Delhi, that we have the technology. But where is the infrastructure, particularly power?", P. Balendran, Vice-President, GM India, asked at a press conference. While charging points are certainly an issue, the much more pressing one goes deeper. The Indian power grid is simply not laid out to support a roll-out of electric vehicles. In addition, the question of displaced emissions remains, as much of India's electricity generation is not emissions free. Read more online.

The German Federal Ministries of Economics and Technology, of the Environment, and of Agriculture presented their 6. joint Energy Research Programme today. The Programme outlines the strategy of the German Federal Government in supporting research in innovative and sustainable energy technologies over the next three years. Besides supporting both sustainable and affordable energy technologies, the research programme is also designed to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable supply system throughout the country. This also promotes the country's ambitious emissions reduction and energy efficiency targets. The new round of the energy research programme assigns € 3.4 billion to research projects in the sector between 2011 and 2014. This amounts to a 75% increase when compared to the prior round of 2006 to 2009, and is largely funded by the new Energy and Climate Fund. Find more information on the government's research initiative online.

MIT researchers Jeffrey Grossman and Alexie Kolpak have discovered a new way to store the sun's energy, in an innovative application of carbon nanotubes. While conventional approaches concentrated on storing the sun's energy by converting it into electricity or storing the heat aided by heavy insulation, Grossman and colleagues pursued a strategy of storing the energy in chemical form - a much more promising method as these storage concepts allow for a much longer period of storage while not struggling with the problem of energy losses. On the other hand, chemical storage most commonly either faced the challenge of material degradation or included the rare and expensive element ruthenium.

Grossman and colleagues had already shown how these challenges could be overcome using fulvalene diruthenium last year, however, Grossman had also announced that an increased understanding of the underlying processes would better the chances of finding other compounds with similar properties. Grossman and Kolpak have continued this work and announced on July 13 that they have discovered how carbon nanotubes combined with azobenzene can serve this purpose, ultimately succeeding in presenting a material that is both comparatively inexpensive and highly efficient, with an energy density approaching the scores of lithium-ion batteries. Read more on this research project online.

Das Land Nordrhein-Westfalen hat im vergangenen Jahr die zweite Runde des Förderwettbewerbs "ElektroMobil.NRW" eingeläutet. Gesucht wurden besonders innovative Ideen, um Elektromobilität als umweltfreundliche Mobilitätsstrategie künftig bezahlbar und durch die verbesserte ENtwcilung im Infrastrukturbereich besser zugänglich zu machen.

Förderschwerpunkte des Wettbewerbs mit einem Gesamtvolumen von € 30 Mio. waren in diesem Jahr die Speicherung elektrischer Energie, Fahrzeugentwicklung, Infrastruktur und Ladetechnik sowie die übergreifenden Schwerpunkte Gesetzgebung, Akzeptanz, Markteinführung, Normen und Standards. Von den 35 Projektskizzen, die im Rahmen dieser Ausschreibung landesweit erarbeitet wurden, wählte eine Fachjury vor zwei Tagen nun 14 Vorhaben mit 65 Partnern aus, die damit zur Förderung vorgeschlagen sind.

Zur Förderung vorgeschlagen wurden 2 Vorhaben im Themenschwerpunkt Speicherung, jeweils 3 Vorhaben in den Schwerpunkten Fahrzeugentwicklung sowie Infrastruktur und Netze und 4 Projektvorschläge im Bereich Flottenversuche bzw. Pilotvorhaben. Das Gesamtvolumen der Projekte umfasst rund 22,2 Millionen Euro, 14,7 Millionen Euro davon sollen gefördert werden. Weiterlesen.

The energy management specialist Schneider Electric and EMT, Estonia's leading mobile operator announced yesterday that they had signed a business and technological agreement, joining forces to build an electric vehicle charging solution for the Estonian market. The cooperation follows a tender launched by the country's government for the development of EV infrastructure in Estonia. Besides offering standard infrastructure services, the solution to be developed is also scheduled to include services for both energy management and mobile parking payment. Read more online.

Japan announced its discovery of rare earth deposits in early July, reporting some 80 to 100 billion emtric tons of the precious materials to be located in international waters east and west from Hawaii at 3,500 and 6,000 meters below sea-level. This discovery very nearly surpasses the 110 billion tons of so far provenr eserves in China. cars21, the EV community, has now analysed the relevance of this discovery for the EV industry. With China as its sole provider, the industry was expecting shortages of rare eraths relevant to EV production between 12 and 33% by 2014. In addition to finite resources, China has a reputation of manipulating export quotas of rare earths and thus increasing the prices. As an average EV (both plug-in and hybrid) includes approximately 11kg of rare earths, import of these materials are crucial for the industry. The largest EV market in the world 2010, Japan's reported imports amounted to some 30.000 tons of rare earths annually. A discovery of this size thus has the potential to significantly shif the balance on the market, however, whether the advantages exceed the difficulties of tapping these reserves remains to be seen. Read more online.

Two recent updates to California's policies on clean transport, are once again pushing the move towards lowered emissions in the transport sector. On 29 June 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to approve California’s air quality plans for fine particles – also known as PM_2.5. Jared Blumenfeld, the Agency's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, said, “Clean air is a critical human health issue in California. In large part, the solution will be found in moving quickly towards zero emission transportation systems”. The state's plans aim at reducing pollution to the level required by the 1997 health based PM_2.5 standard by 2015. California is still the only US state closing in on diesel emissions, with an estimated impact on some one million vehicles operating in California. This is certainly a milestone, however, new plans reaching even further are already underway. Updated air quality plans will address the more stringent 2006 PM2.5 standard. This will essentially calls for a move towards newer technologies in the transport sector, and several grant and incentive programs have already been introduced to demonstrate and deploy near zero emitting technologies. Also, California's carpool lanes will no longer be open to conventional hybrids as off 1 July 2011, reserving this preferential treatment for battery EV and plug-in hybrids. Again, this policy update is set out to encourage users of most efficient and cutting edge technologies. Read more online.

A study conducted by the UK based infrastructure designer Elektromotive Ltd. highlights the importance of an affordable and widespread infrastructure for EV drivers. Of 1,417 participants, two thirds stated that they would be much more likely to switch to an electric vehicle, if there were charging points available on roads and carparks throughout the country. While the UK government is currently giving financial inventives to encourage buyers of EVs, this study indicates the importance of investing in a publically available charging infrastructure. Elektromotive is currently the leading provider of EV charging infrastructure in the UK. However, at approximately £ 3000,- per charging point (price of equipment), Elektromotive faces the challenge of making a comprehensive infrastructure roll-out affordable. Read more online.

On June 21-22, the Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association brought together policy makers, entrepreneurs and various other stakeholders at the TEC-VE seminar in Brasilia, to discuss a Brazilian scheme to electrify transportation. The country is currently still struggling with various hurdles to a wide market entry of EVs. One of these barreiers are restrictive fiscal policies: EV imports to Brasil shoulder two heavy toll taxes, amounting to more than half a vehicle's retail price. However, the alternative of producing EVs domestically in order to avoid import taxation, must overcome technological challenges still not mastered in the country. Consequently, effective legislation combining EVs and strategies for sustainable development as well as a national platform involving government, industry and civil society were called for to push the country's move towards electric vehicles. Read more online.

ubitricity Geschäftsführer Knut Hechtfischer präsentiert auf der 5. EUROSOLAR Konferenz "Stadtwerke mit Erneuerbaren Energien" am 21. und 22. Juni in Darmstadt das ubitricity Mobile Metering Konzept. Das Programm der Konferenz und die Möglichkeit zur Online-Anmeldung finden Sie hier.

Key players in the battery industry as well as consultancy companies presented their projections for the EV battery market by 2015 and 2020 at this year's Advanced Automotive Battery Conference in Mainz, Germany, June 6-10, 2011. Market forecasts for HEVs, PHEVs, EVs and their batteries were offered during the Advanced Automotive Battery Technology, Application and Market (AABTAM) Symposium on 8 June, chaired by AAB President Menahem Anderman. As might be expected, the research institutes and consultancies included in the symposium showed considerable differences in their projections regarding battery market trends for the next decade. Advanced Automotive Batteries (AAB) expects the overall EV battery market to be worth about $6 (€4.15) billion by 2015 and $11 (€7.60) billion come 2020. Sanyo is expecting to be the market leader with about $510 (€353) million turnover, followed suit by AESC (Automotive Energy Supply Corporation), a joint venture established in 2007 by Nissan and NEC, with projections of around $475 (€328) million. The market for EV battery cells would represent $2,6 (€1.8) billion, this time with AESC as the market leader ($400 (€277) million expected turnover) and Sanyo second (calculated turnover of $170 (€118) million by 2015).

There was more unity among the expert speakers on developments of battery costs. It was agreed that this will greatly depend on production volumes and material prices. Overall, a drop in battery price of some 40% by 2020 from 2010 levels can be expected.

With regard to batteries for PHEVs, HEVs and EVs, Menahem Anderman siad: “If fuel saving benefit is not more than 15-20%, then the consumer is not willing to pay for an HEV”, adding that “the trend is NMC prismatic metal cell configuration for EV/PHEV”. Anderman expects almost all EVs and HEVs to be powered with Li-ion batteries by 2015, as Toyota has made the commitment to use NiMH until then, representing more than 70% of the current HEV market. Regarding Li-ion HEV battery suppliers, AAB expects Sanyo to be the market leader with a turnover of $185 (€128) millions, followed by Hitachi with $120 (€83) million and A123 Systems with $95 (65.7) million. The overall Li-ion HEV battery market is expected to weigh around $750 (€519) million by 2015. More on the AABC Conference presentations regarding market sizw and cost development has been summarised by cars21.com, official media partner of the conference.

German automaker Daimler presented new results of Life Cycle Assessment analyses conducted with regard to different drive trains at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC Europe 2011), hosted in Mainz from 6-10 June 2011. Daimler's findings regarding energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions were presented by Joerg Wind, Manager EC Projects and Energy Systems Analyses. The company's analyses underscore that different scenarios favour different propulsion systems, with plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) finding greatest support for long distances (while certainly also a good choice for interurban and city traffic), and pure electric vehicles (EVs) considered as advisable for interurban and city traffic only. This Life Cycle Assessment considers the performance of different technological solutions with regard to energy efficiency, consumption, and CO2 emissions and goes further to take the production of different fuel sources, such as those commercially available and in the development stage, into account. Read up on more conference presentations online.

The business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan recently published a report on the short term deployment of EV charging infrastructure, concluding that some 2 million charging points may be expected across Europe by 2017. Frost & Sullivan researchers expect this to translate into a ration of 1.8 electric vehicles per charging point, the necessary investment amounting to € 5 billion in investments over the vourse of the next 7 years. “We are awaiting that European governments will forecast a budget of €700 million over the next seven years to build a charging infrastructure” said Anjan Hemanth Kumar, Frost & Sullivan analyst. ”It will be one of the key factors helping toward the mass deployment of public EV charging infrastructure”. The majority of these stations will be Level 1 and 2 charging points, with fast charging (Level 3) and inductive charging points playing only marginal roles. Read more on the report online.

Speaking at the European Electric Vehicles Conference 2011 in Brussels today, Vice President of the European Commission Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, presented his vision for the deployment of electric cars in Europe. VP Kallas especially focused on how the ambitious targets set out in the Transport White Paper recently published by the European Commission may be translated into action. Proposing a 60% cut in carbon emissions in the transport sector by 2050, the White Paper strongly advocates alternative fuels and ultimately aims at removing conventional cars from urban environments altogether. Kallas highlighted that the electrification of road transport may "radically change the way mobility is organised". He emphasised that support for the necessary technological development must now be strengthened and called for a speed market introduction of electric mobility in Europe. He also pointed to the lead the Commission has already taken in promoting technological developments in the sector, for example thorough its considerable financial deployments. Read more on Kallas' speech online.

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc (EPRI) has published a guide on electric vehicles, answering the most frequent user questions on electric vehicles.Conducting research on the generation, delivery and use of eletric energy for public benefit, the EPRI offers technology, policy and economic analyses to drive long-range research and development planning, and supports research in emerging technologies. Its members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. "Plugging In: A Consumer's Guide to the Electric Vehicle" answers questions on the characteristics and features of electric vehicles, and seeks to calm associated anxieties. In doing so, the EPRI guide successfully makes a case for public infrastructure, as electric vehicles are most beneficial in urban areas where many users have no access to private parking. Read the EPRI's guide on EVs online.

The German Natioanle Plattform für Elektromobilität (NPE) published its second report today, suggesting further steps on promoting electric mobility to the federal government. Taking up on the NPE's reports, the government will launch a new programme on electric mobility on May 18. The key target of having 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2020 remains. In pursuit of this goal, the government has announced to increase spending for research and development, offering another €1 billion until the end of the year. Professor Schavan, Minister of Research and Technology, points out that outstanding competencies in technologies will ultimately determine success in the markets, rather than public support schemes for EVs. The report also highlights the importance of renewable energies in electric driving. Read more on the NPE report online.

As commisisoned by Prime Minister Francois Fillon in September 2010, French senator Louis Nègre presented the new government Green Paper on EV infrastructure in April 2011. A collaboration of various industrial actors as well as electric utilities, OEMs, parking companies and infrastructure managing authorities, the paper sketches out technical details of improving the market introduction of EVs and presents various economic and legal models. The document highlights, that it will be necessary to deploy some 400.000 public charging points and 4 million private charging points in order to effectively achieve the Fraench goal of 2 million EV on the road by 2020. With current conventional infrastructure systems, this translates into a €450 million investment for installing adequate public charging infrastructure for just the 25 biggest urban areas by 2014. The authors also point out that infrastructure investments should not be left to consumers as this would discourage EV roll-out. Rather, users should merely be burdened with a fraction of the price. Read the French Green Paper online.

The upcoming issue of the German AUTOMOBIL ELEKTRONIK will feature the ubitricity Mobile Metering concept. Presented by the ubitricity founders and managing directors, Knut Hechtfischer and Dr. Frank Pawlitschek, the Mobile Metering idea is explained and the on-board metering project work is sketched out. Read more on ubitricity Mobile Metering in the current issue!

ubitricity Managing Director Frank Pawlitschek will be presenting the discussion on grid integration and charging infrastructure at this year's KONGRESS of the Forum Elektromobilität e.V. on May 31. and June 1. Focusing on technology transfer between scientific and economic actors, this conference joins leaders in research and development as well as market leaders to discuss the latest in electric mobility. Dr Pawlitschek will be moderating a session with presenations by the Fraunhofer ISE, Vattenfall Europe Innovation GmbH, and the Siemens AG on the first day of the conference, May 31. Register online to attend the KONGRESS 2011.

The leading industry analyst Gartner has named ubitricity one of the 2011 Cool Vendors in Automotive. Each year, the Gartner Cool Vendors report choses a small number of vendors with innovative and intriguing approaches and technologies.

“We are excited and proud to have been selected by one of the world’s leading analysts,” says ubitricity Managing Director Knut Hechtfischer. “We believe this confirms our unique approach to designing EV infrastructure. Our Mobile Metering services reduce the price of the charging point radically, enabling a comprehensive infrastructure roll-out with charging points installed anywhere they are needed. A lean and cost-effective solution. We are convinced that an affordable charging infrastructure solution is the prerequisite of electric driving. Gartner’s choice of ubitricity as a 2011 Cool Vendor shows that we are on the right track.”

The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) published a roadmap for the new EEG feed-in management today. Special attention is given to the ranking determining which energy generators must reduce the amount of power fed into the grid in times of high generating capacities. "This roadmap aims to pave the way for renewables, allowing for maximum feed-in without jeopardising grid stability," said BNetzA President Matthias Kurth. "In case of a power overload, power generation from renewable resources or by cogeneration can only be reduced if conventional power stations have already been adjusted to a minimum as required by the grid. However, most important is rapid network expansion in order to keep renewable power stations online." Until grid expansion meets the requirements of the current and future levels of renewable energy generation, renewable power stations will have to be taken off-grid in times of high grid load. Read the report online.

Construction of the first US "Electric Highway" began today on the Washington Interstate 5.Quite simply, the idea is to have a rest stop every 40 to 60 miles along the highway that offers a fast charger to allow electric vehicles to recharge their batteries so they can make longer trips. Construction work now is focused on installing the necessary electric cabling. Fast charging units are expected to be installed in the summer. So far, however, the type of connector to be fitted is not quite clear. While a Level 3 fast charging point was initially favoured, so far only the Nissan LEAF supports this fast charging process and had stakeholders calling for additional slower charging points to be installed.

The Electric Highway project was boosted by some $1.32 million in Federal Recovery Act funding in August 2010. Once implemented, Washington will have the first border to border highway to offer fast charge technology. “Providing the nation’s first true electrified highway (I-5) will benefit Washingtonians and show the rest of the country how we can use innovative partnerships to solve some of our most difficult challenges like climate change and our dependence on oil,” said Governor Chris Gregoire on announcing the additional funding. Read more online here.

US designer and builder of environmentally friendly automobiles, Genovation Cars, revealed on Saturday that it will be unveiling the design of the new G2 at the SAE 2011 World Congress, April 12-14 at the Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan. "We are very pleased to be participating with our partner Tata Technologies at the SAE World Congress," says CEO Andrew Saul. "The SAE World Congress is the premier platform for the exhibition and sharing of new technologies relating to the automotive industry."  Genovation Cars was founded in 2007. "The G2 is designed to be easily maintained at the dealership level; as opposed to the many sophisticated hybrid cars available today from major manufacturers that require highly-trained factory supported teams to maintain certain parts of the technology," said its founder, Mr. Saul.

In turn, Tata Technologies, will be announcing its Vehicle Program and Development (VPD) Division at the SAE Congress, while the G2 will be featured as an example. "The Tata Technologies team is excited to be playing a pivotal role in the design and development of the G2," said Kevin Fisher, Tata Technologies President - VPD. "We share the Genovation vision for the future of EV technology." Genovation Cars is especially interested in better understanding the needs and desires of its various clients, be it corporative customers or suburbian families, and sees great potential in tailor made EV solutions. Read the G2 press release online.

The German Advisory Council on Global Change WBGU presented its new report "World in Transition - A Social Contract for Sustainability" to Minister of Research and Education Schavan and Minister of the Environment Röttgen today. Stating that a "Great Transformation" towards more sustainable society forms has already begun, the Council calls for a new social contract laying the foundation for an environmentally sound and sustainable global economy. The main challenge for politicians was now to promote and accelerate this transformation, rather than block its path, says the Council in its report. The WBGU offers concrete advice on policy measures and strategies to promote this transformation to sustainability. The centerpiece of its report is the call for new energy systems, including transportation systems, that must be decarbonised and switched to renewable sources by 2050. Read the summary of the WBGU report online here. An English version is avaiable through the WBGU website.

The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, BMWi, announced today that it will join an international initiative for the promotion of intelligent electric grids formed at the Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting in Abu Dhabi. The BMWi membership in this initiative complements its engagement in several projects aiming to promote energy efficiency, clean mobility and the development of clean coal technologies. "I am glad to announce our participation in this initiative," says BMWi Parliamentary Secretary Jochen Homann. "Extending and improving electric grdis and the development of an intelligent energy supply system are crucial to make renewable energies the main suppliers of our energy grid." The Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting in Abu Dhabi was the second of its kind, the next meeting will take place in the spring of 2012 in London. Read the BMWi press release online here.

Sales for battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rose significantly in the US in Q1, 2011. Mirroring the increase in oil prices, sales for at least partially electric vehicles are improving steadily, reported the German American Chambers of Commerce at the Hannover Messe in Germany. This is backed up by US car salesmen and automakers such as Chevrolet. The new Volt, set to sell some 10.000 times in 2011, was launched in January and is exceeding expectations, selling more than 600 times in march alone. Among the habrids, the Toyota Prius still leads followed by the new Honda Insight. Find more details on the German American Chambers of Commerce presentations online.

The European Commission announced on March 31, 2011, to support developments in the electric mobility sector with a new project. This new Green eMotion" project, a €41.8 million cross-European electromobility initiative, joins 42 partners from the industries, utilities, electric car manufacturers, municipalities, universities and research institutes across the Union. As part of the Green Cars Iniative, the project will be funded under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and receive  €24.2 million in financing from the European Commission. The project aim is "to develop and to demonstrate a commonly accepted and user-friendly framework consisting of interoperable and scalable technical solutions in connection with a sustainable business platform." Read more on the Green eMotion project online.

The 2nd eCarTec closed in Paris yesterday. The conference brought together national and international leaders of industry and politics, presenting the latest in e mobility developments. The eCarTec Paris successfully joins conference and exhibition, the number of renowned presenters and interested guests speaking for the promise the e mobility sector holds. Explore the eCarTect Paris online here.

Die Schaeffler Gruppe hat zu Beginn der Woche ihr neues Konzeptfahrzeug vorgestellt: der ACTIVeDRIVE, ein Scoda Octavia Scout mit Allradantrieb, der zusätzlich mit einer an Vorder- und Hinterachse montierten Elektrodifferenzial ausgestattet ist. Schaeffler komplettiert damit das Trio von Konzeptfahrzeugen, CO2ncept-10%, Schaeffler Hybrid und ACTIVeDRIVE, mit denen das Unternehmen die Zukunft des Fahrens aus seiner Sicht auffächert. Das Modell ACTIVeDRIVE ist dabei das einzige "reinrassige" Elektrofahrzeug. 

"Das eDifferenzial ermöglicht Eingriffe zur Fahrdynamik durch gezielte Kraftzuführung anstelle - wie bislang vom ESP gewohnt - mittels Bremseingriff und somit Energieentnahme," erklärt Professor Dr-Ing Gutzmer. "Das aktive Elektrodifferenzial verbessert die Kraftübertragung beim Fahren auf Untergründen mit unterschiedlichen Reibwerten signifikant. Auch unterstützt es die Lenkung und wirkt sich deutlich positiv auf Fahrdynamik, Sicherheit und Fahrkomfort aus. Der Einsatz von zwei eDifferenzialen ermöglicht zudem eine Längsverteilung der Antriebsmomente" Der elektrsiche Antrieb werde durch das aktive Elektrodifferenzial (eDifferenzial)  mit der Möglichkeit einer radselektiv steuerbaren Antriebsleistung verbunden. Dadurch erweitert sich das Einsatzgebiet des Fahrzeuges erheblich, so Schaeffler.

Durch die Verwendung zweier aktiver Elektrodifferenziale verfügt das Fahrzeug nach Angaben des Herstellers insgesamt über eine Leistung von bis zu 210 kW sowie einen Allradantrieb. Li-Ion Batterien mit eienr Kapazität von 18kWh fungieren als Energiespeicher. Bei einem Gewicht von 1.900 Kilogramm beschleunigt das Testfahrzeug in 8,5 Sekunden aus dem Stand auf 100 km/h, die Reichweite beziffert der Hersteller mit 100 Kilometern. Weiterlesen: Schaeffler präsentiert den ACTIVeDRIVE.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are exploring new materials with a view of enabling new concepts for safer li-ion batteries. Presenting his group's findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Professor White pointed out the importance of battery performance safety and reliability, stating that “a variety of complex damage mechanisms in Li-ion batteries and microelectronics can lead to a significant loss of conductivity, and eventual system failure.” 

The Battery Standards Committee of SAE International released a document yesterday announcing the creation of new safety standards for li-ion battery systems. With the introduction of electric vehicles to the automobile sector, special attention has been given to the battery sector regarding its performance standards and safety. SAE International has set up several battery committees working on safety standards limiting the risk of all battery related aspects of electric and hybrid vehicles. The new document “J2929 – Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion Battery System Safety Standard – Lithium-based Rechargeable Cells” provides a common basis for battery and vehicle manufaturers to create safe battery systems, focusing especially on li-ion battery systems. The committee has now commenced work on a second set of standards related to li-ion battery systems expected to be released later this year. Read more on the SAE International committees' work online.

Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) briefed the industry on the governmen's new “Electric Scooter Industry Promotion Program” during this year's Taipei Power Forum held at the Taipei CYCLE trade show. Earmarking 1.6 billion NT$ (some €39 million), the programme seeks to boost domestic electric scooter sales to 160,000 between 2009 and 2013. Greening scooters is a major challenge in Taiwan, with approximately 10 million of these vehicles already on the road, reducing both import dependency for fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. The new government strategy includes consumer incentives, safety standards and certificates, product quality improvements and measures to improve the infrastructure for these vehicles, establishing one of the most ambitious support schemes for the elcetrification of scooters in the region.
 Explore the Taipei CYCLE trade show online.

In an attempt to move its rare earth industry towards a more environmentally friendly production, the Chinese government announced new emissions standards on February 28 to be entered into force by October 1. This new push towards sustainable development in the sector was less than welcomed by industry representatives, some stating that this would cause problems for some 60% of the industry. China Daily quoted a representative of Ganzhou Rare Earth Mineral Industry Co Ltd that these new standards would drive consolidation among miners of the metals used in electric vehicle batteries and other hi-tech electronics, translating into higher export prices. As China rules the worldwide supply of rare earth elements with a share of over 90%, this will certainly affect industries around the world. Read the whole article online.

In its 2011 budget, announced earlier today, the Indian government has extended its support for hybrid and electric vehicles. It follows up on the $20 million support package launched last November. The newly proposed National MIsison for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles will not only encourage manufacturing and selling of green vehicles produced domestically, but also reduces fees and excise duties impeding import and dissemination of foreign vehicles. Among the world's fastest growing economies, the Indian automobile sector alone grew by some 30% recently which makes greening automobiles an imperative if greenhouse gas emissoins are to be kept in check. However, so far this new move to support green vehicles has not been followed by tax increases for SUVs or diesel engines, the main source of carbon emissions in India's booming cities.

The new presidential budget presented on Monday includes several initiatives to further accelerate developments in the US' EV sector. Although the President announced comprehensive cost cuttings, federal support for EVs in 2012 will even increase compared to current rates. Measures include support for automakers, customers and communities: The current $7.500 tax credit for electric vehicles has been transformed into an immediate rebate to consumers at the point of sale. Funding for research and development will see an 88% rise above current levels, with an allocation of $588 million in federal dollars to the Department of Energy. In addition, $146 million will provide the basis for a new battery research innovation hub adding three new focus areas: critical materials including rare earth materials; battery and energy storage; and new grid technologies and systems to help Smart Grid and improve energy transmission efficiency. Another $200 million are being set aside to reward communities investing in EV infrastructure and removing regulatory barriers. Meanwhile, EV initiatives continue on the local level: the City of Austin announced an EV support programme this week that involves a network of more than 100 public charging stations to be deployed throughout the city by the end of this summer. Check out the details of the US President's budget 2012 online.

China may yet outrun the USA in the deployment of electric vehicles, concludes gobal consultant agency Accenture in its January report "The US and China: the race to disruptive transport techonology". Following the comparison, Accenture states that the strong state support for electric vehicles, China's domestic supplies of lithium, and its current head start in battery production will give the country the competitive advantage it needs to lead the US.By comparison, the more market-focused approach of the US will translate into a more gradual development and deployment of EV technology. On the other hand, the US are better equipped for innovation accross various transport modes (e.g. advanced internalcombustion engines or biofuels) that can be more easily integrated into the existing fuel-supply infrastructure. Read Accenture's full report online.

German automaker Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, launched the first electric version of its classic Boxster series today. Depending on the configuration, the new Boxster e is powered by up to two electric motors with a power of up to 180kW and runs on a battery storing 29kW. "Electric mobility is one of the key challenges of the next years," said Porsche's Matthias Müller said upon presenting the new Boxster e, "Porsche's engineers seek to contribute to this task with the first class performance they are known for." The new vehicles, however, are not for sale - they are "driving laboratories" and will be part of a larger research and development project of Stuttgart's model region e-mobility programme. The new Boxster e demonstrates what might be the future of sports cars: its light frame is accomodating to electric motoring technology, while the drive system components of the Boxster S make for the exhiliration Porsche drivers seek. So far, however, only few test drivers will be able to experience what might be the future of the esteemed Stuttgart automaker - a silent Porsche. Read more on the new Porsche Boxster e.

Der US-amerikanische Konzern General Motors hat mit seiner kürzlich getätigten Investition in Envia Systems möglicherweise den entscheidenen Schritt getan um sich in Zukunft von der Konkurrenz um das günstigste Elektrofahrzeug abzusetzen. Rund US-$ 7 Mio. hat der Automobilriese in das kalifornische Unternehmen gesteckt, dessen patentierte Kathodentechnologie für Lithium Ionen Batterien deren Energiedichte um ein Drittel erhöhen soll. GM sicherte sich außerdem das Recht auf die alleinige Nutzung der Envia Batterietechnologie in seiner zukünftigen EV Serie. Damit könnte der Automobilkonzern einen entscheidenden Schritt getan haben, um die Kosten für Elektrofahrzeuge zu senken (bzw. größere Reichweiten zu marktfähigen Preisen anzubieten) und damit seine Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu stärken.

Steven Chu, US-amerikanischer Energieminister, lobte in der Presseerklärung des amerikanischen Automobilherstellers die Investition als ein Beispiel für die Früchte, die Investitionen der öffentlichen Hand in Wissenschaft und Technologieföderung tragen könnten. Mithilfe dieser neuen Kooperation bewege sich eine Technologie, die ursprünglich im Argonne Laboratory des US Department of Energy entwickelt wurde, weiter auf die Marktreife zu. Weiterlesen: GM investiert in Envia Systems.

Erstmals trafen sich europäische Staats- und Regierungschefs heute zu einem Europäischen Energie Gipfel in Brüssel. In der Abschlusserklärung bekräftigten die Teilnehmer ihre Unterstützung für erneuerbare Energien und Elektromobilität als wichtige Säulen einer nachhaltigen europäischen Wirtschaft. Der Ausbau erneuerbarer Energiequellen müsse weiter vorangetrieben werden, forderte die Europäische Kommission und beruhigte damit auch die Sorgen vieler, die im Vorfeld des Gipfels eine "low carbon" Lösung (die dann auch Atomkraft stärker fördern würde) fürchteten. Damit einhergehend wurden Probleme bei der Liberalisierung des Energiemarktes und im Bezug auf den notwendigen Netzausbau thematisiert. Beide Themen würden von vielen Mitgliedsstaaten bisher nur unzureichend behandelt, beklagte die Kommission und forderte entschlosseneres Handeln. Insbesondere in Sachen Netzausbau müsse nicht nur die notwendige Finanzierung sichergestellt, sondern auch die Arbeit an smarten Lösungen und gemeinsamen Standards befördert werden. Der Bericht des Gipfels fordert die Entwicklung von europäischen Standards für die Ladeinfrastruktur von Elektrofahrzeugen bis Mitte dieses Jahres, und die Standardisierung smarter Netzwerk- und Zählertechnologie bis Mitte 2012.

Menahem Anderman, Präsident der Advanced Automotive Batteries Conference (AABC) in Pasadena, Kalifornien, bremste in seinem Konferenzbeitrag den Optimismus, den Präsident Obama noch am Dienstag in seiner State of the Union Address beschworen hatte. Elektrofahrzeuge befänden sich keineswegs bereits auf dem Vormarsch, vielmehr seien sie gegenüber herkömlichen Fahrzeugen in den USA weiterhin nur bedingt wettbewerbsfähig. Ihr Marktanteil sei gering, und werde maßgeblich von strengen Emissionsvorgaben wie beispielsweise der kalifornischen Gesetzgebung bestimmt. Diese seien jedoch in den USA längst noch nicht flächendeckend eingeführt. Ein weiterer wesentlicher Punkt in der Verbreitung von Elektrofahrzeugen werde die Lebensdauer des Akkus sein, betonte Anderman. In der Europäischen Union seien die Marktchancen elektrischer Fahrzeuge aufgrund strengerer Emissionsvorgaben, höherer Benzinpreise und allgemein einer europäischen Vorliebe für kleinere Fahrzeuge (verglichen mit den USA) derzeit immer noch besser als in den USA.

Der US-amerikanische Präsident Barack Obama hat in seiner State of the Union Address am 25. Januar den amerikanischen Kongress dazu aufgerufen, eine Energiewende einzuleiten. Anstatt Milliarden in die Ölindustrie zu investieren, sollten saubere Technologien gefördert werden, die dem langfristigen Ziel dienten bis 2035 80% der US-amerikanischen Stromversorgung aus sauberen Quellen zu speisen. Dazu gehörten sowohl erneuerbare Energiequellen, als auch andere Energieträger mit geringem Treibhausgasausstoß. Präsident Obama betonte außerdem, die USA sollten das erste Land mit 1 Million Elektrofahrzeugen auf den Straßen werden – bereits 2015 könnte dieses Ziel mit den richtigen Fördermaßnahmen erreicht sein. Am folgenden Tag erklärte Vize-Präsident Biden hierzu eine dreiteilige Förderstrategie, um Elektrofahrzeuge auf die Straße zu bringen: finanzielle Anreize für Käufer, umfangreiche Fördermaßnahmen für Forschung und Entwicklung, sowie Anreizsysteme für Kommunen um deren Investitionen in EV Infrastruktur zu fördern. Bereits im Rahmen des Konjunkturpakets hatten die USA umfangreiche Förderprogramme für Elektromobilität eingeführt. Diese neuen Ankündigungen sollen daran anknüpfen.

Die von der Europäischen Kommission eingesetzte Expertengruppe zu Future Transport Fuels hat heute ihren Bericht zu alternativen Kraftstoffen veröffentlicht. Erstmals wird darin ein systematischer Überblick über die Rolle alternativer Kraftstoffe im gesamten Transportsektor bis 2050 gegeben. Die Experten sind sich einig: bis 2050 könnten alternative Kraftstoffe bisher dominante fossile Energieträger im Transportsektor ersetzen und die Nachhaltigkeit des Sektors befördern. Obwohl die Experten betonen, dass eine „single fuel“ Lösung weder wahrscheinlich noch wünschenswert sei, wird der Elektrifzierung des Verkehrs eine besondere Bedeutung zugewiesen. Elektromobilität könne dabei vor allem in drei Formen auftreten: in Batteriebetriebenen Fahrzeugen, in Wasserstoffgetriebenen Brennstoffzellen oder in Tram, Metro und Buslinien, die Strom aus Oberleitungen beziehen. Strom aus erneuerbaren Energie kann dabei erheblich zur Reduktion schädlicher Treibhausgase beitragen. Die EU strebt danach, ihre Treibhausgasemissionen bis 2050 um 80-85% zu senken. Der Transportsektor hat bisher am wenigsten zu diesen Bemühungen beigetragen – Emissionen stiegen zwischen 1990 und 2008 um 24%.

Die Organisation Greenpeace zeichnet in ihrem am Dienstag veröffentlichten Bericht „Battle of the Grids“ das Bild einer 100% erneuerbaren Energieversorgung für Europa bis 2050. Schon 2030 könnten 68% der europäischen Stromversorgung erneuerbar gespeist werden, wenn schon heute die entsprechenden Netzwerkstrukturen ausgebaut würden. Zentral sei dabei der Aufbau eines „intelligenten Netzwerks“ (smart grid), das einen zuverlässigen Ausgleich von Energieangebot und -nachfrage ermögliche. Elektrofahrzeuge werden dabei als mobile Speicherkapazitäten anerkannt, die dabei helfen könnten fluktuierende Stromerzeugung aus erneuerbaren Stromquellen auszugleichen. Der Bericht erscheint pünktlich zum ersten Treffen europäischer Staats- und Regierungsoberhäupter zum Thema Energie am 4. Februar 2011.

 Auf eine Initiative des demokratischen Senators und ehemaligen Präsidentschaftskandidaten John Kerry hin wurde heute der Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act verabschiedet. Selbst Fahrer eines Hybridfahrzeugs, hatte Senator Kerry bereist seit längerem darauf gedrängt Elektrofahrzeuge mit künstlichen Geräuscherzeugern auszustatten, und so das fehlende Motorengeräusch dieser Fahrzeuge zu "ersetzen". Insbesondere für Menschen, die sich im Straßenverkehr nicht auf ihre Augen verlassen können, sei dies eine notwendige Sicherheitsmaßnahme. Das Ministerium für Transport werde nun die notwendige Lautstärke eines solchen Geräusches festlegen. Fahrzeughersteller müssen ganz oder teilweise elektrisch betriebene Fahrzeuge zukünftig mit einem Apparat ausstatten, der ein entsprechendes Geräusch abgibt um auf die sonst sehr leisen Fahrzeuge aufmerksam zu machen. Der neu erschienene Nissan LEAF besitzt in Erwartung entsprechender Gesetzgebung bereits mit ein solches Feature. Den US-amerikanischen Gesetzestext können Sie hier nachlesen.

Der erste Zwischenbericht der Nationalen Plattform für Elektromobilität wurde gestern von Prof. Dr. Kagermann, Vorsitzender des Lenkungskreises und Präsident der acatech, der Bundesregierung überreicht. Darin werden erste Erkenntnisse aus den Untersuchungen der Arbeitsgruppen präsentiert und die bisher herausgearbeiteten Empfehlungen vorgestellt. Die Nationale Plattform für Elektromobilität war im Mai 2010 von der Bundesregierung zur Unterstützung und Umsetzung der Ziele zur Förderung der Elektromobilität in Deutschland ins Leben gerufen worden. Optimistisch zeigen sich in ihrem ersten Bericht vor allem die Experten für Netzwerkintegration: das deutsche Stromnetz ist demnach bereits heute gut gerüstet, um den zusätzlichen Strombedarf der für 2020 geplanten 1 Million Elektrofahrzeuge auf deutschen Straßen zu decken. Nur in wenigen Regionen bestünde Nachrüstungsbedarf, sollten sich viele Anwohner entscheiden auf das Elektrofahrzeug umzusteigen. Der Bericht hebt aber gleichzeitig die Notwendigkeit des Ausbaus einer geeigneten Ladeinfrastruktur, sowie die Optimierung des Stromnetzes zu einem "Smart Grid" hervor. Nur dann können die Vorteile von Elektrofahrzeugen als günstige und saubere Mobilitätsalternative optimal genutzt werden. Alle Empfehlungen der sieben Arbeitsgruppen können Sie im Zwischenbericht online nachlesen.

In Paris wurde heute ein erstes umfassendes Self Service Vermietungssystem für Elektrofahrzeuge vorgestellt: Autolib. Mehr als 3.000 elektrisch betriebene Fahrzeuge sollen nach dem Modell des Fahrradverleihs Vélib Parisern und Touristen zur Verfügung stehen. Die Stadt versucht damit die Umweltbelastungen des dichten Verkehrs in der französischen Hauptstadt zu verringern. Die Fahrzeuge können im Selbstbedieungsverfahren flexibel entliehen werden. Dabei kann man für einen geringen Grundpreis registriert werden, und zahlt für den Mietwagen eine weitere Gebühr je nach Nutzung. Vermietungspunkte werden außerdem mit öffentlichen Ladestellen versehen. Die Pariser Initiative wird von dem amerikanischen Unternehmer und Milliardär Bollore unterstützt, der 100 Millionen Euro in das Projekt investieren will. Neben der beträchtlichen Geldsumme wird Bollore Autolib außerdem mit dem Elektrofahrzeug Bluecar seines Unternehmens ausstatten. Die Vermietung soll im Herbst 2011beginnen. Weiterlesen: Self Service EV Autovermietung beginnt in Paris.

Wenn es nach der britischen Regierung geht, könnte 2011 das Jahr des Elektroautos auf der Insel werden. Zusätzlich zu den bereits angekündigten Fördermaßnahmen gab der britische Minister für Transport heute weitere umfangreiche Pläne zur Unterstützung von Elektrofahrzeugen bekannt. Ab Januar 2011 werden Käufer von neun verschiedenen Elektrofahrzeugen eine großzügige Finanzspritze bei der britischen Regierung beantragen können. Bis zu 5000 Pfund gibt es danach pro Neuwagen. Zunächst werden Käufer der folgenden Modelle die Förderung beantragen können: Mitsubishi iMiEV; smart fortwo electric drive; Peugeot iON; Citroen CZero; Nissan Leaf; Tata Vista EV; Toyota Prius Plug-in; Vauxhall Ampera und Chevrolet Volt. Bereits jetzt kündigte die Regierung jedoch an, die Liste im kommenden Jahr zu erweitern. Die finanzielle Förderung beim Kauf eines Elektrofahrzeugs baut dabei auf zahlreiche Fördermaßnahmen der Regierung zum Ausbau einer kundenorientierten Ladeinfrastruktur sowie weiteren Dienstleistungen im EV Sektor auf. Weiterlesen: Großbritannien setzt das EV auf die Überholspur.

Der kalifornische Hersteller von Elektrofahrzeugen Fisker Automotive hat heute eine neue Kooperation mit chinesischen Partnern bekannt gegeben. Gemeinsam mit der China Grand Automotive Group sollen die Fahrzeuge des amerikanischen Premiumherstellers im Reich der Mitte vermarktet und vertrieben werden. Fisker Automotive plant seinen Einstieg in den chinesischen Markt für den April 2011 anlässlich der Shanghai Motor Show. Die CGA ist mit einem Netz von mehr als 200 Verkaufspunkten und über 40 Marken - darunter Mercedes Benz, BMW, Lexus und Lamborghini - ein erfahrener Partner auf dem chinesischen Markt. "Wir sind sehr stolz mit der CGA zusammenzuarbeiten um Fisker Automotive im schnell wachsenden chinesischen Markt zu etablieren," sagte Henrik Fisker, CEO von Fisker Automotive. "Die CGA wird Fisker mit ihrem dichten Netzwerk erfahrener Händler einen glaubwürdigen Fußabdruck in der Region geben." Weiterlesen: Fisker Automotive kooperiert mit der China Grand Automotive Group.

BMW launched its new sub brand "BMW i" today, established to market a range of advanced stand-alone hybrid, range-extended and plug-in electric models under this new name. To develop, produce and market "innovative solutions to premium mobility" as Ian Robertson, BMW's head of marketing announced, the German automaker has created the sub company i Ventures. Initial models named i3 and i8 will be introduced in 2013.

“These cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems,” said Klaus Draeger, head of BMW's R&D operations. “We're using an innovative architecture to cancel out practically all the extra weight of the batteries.” Find out more about BMW i online.