Nissan BMW Renault and VW unite to form Rapid Charge Network

A partnership of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) manufacturers have joined forces through the European Union's TEN-T programme to create a multi-standard and inter-operable charging network through the United Kingdom and Ireland.

As well as helping to finance the scheme, the consortium is providing other members of the project with the benefit of its extensive experience in the BEV field.

This is the first time leading BEV companies Renault, Nissan, BMW and Volkswagen have united to accelerate the growth of EV charging infrastructure, seen as a key enabler towards making zero-emission mobility a market reality. The project, managed by Zero Carbon Futures in North East England also draws on the network expertise of ESB, one of Ireland's foremost energy company and leader of a previous TEN-T project completed this summer, and Newcastle University.

When complete, the UK Rapid Charge Network (RCN) will comprise more than 70 multi standard rapid chargers covering some 1,100km of major trunk routes and providing EV-friendly links to five seaports and five international airports.

Running on two priority road axis on the mainland, the UK RCN will link major ports and cities including Stranraer, Liverpool, Holyhead, Birmingham, Felixstowe, Leeds and Kingston upon Hull while there will also be networks embracing Dublin, Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Significantly, the rapid chargers are the latest state-of-the-art multi-standard units and are compatible with cars using 44kW CCS, 44kW CHAdeMO or 43kW AC systems. This will ensure that EV drivers travelling in the UK can undertake long journeys secure in the knowledge that they will never be far from a rapid charger.

Ten rapid chargers have been already installed with a further 28 sites soon to be commissioned.

The UK RCN is part of the European Union-financed Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) and represents a substantial partnership investment of €7,358,000, half of which is being funded by the EU.

A significant portion of the BEV manufacturers' contribution to the overall costs will be used to fund a research program, led by Newcastle University. This will aim to confirm the benefits of such an advanced inter-operable EV rapid charging network.

Strategic information gathered from users, including customer charging behaviour and changes in mobility patterns, will help plan the roll-out future rapid charging infrastructure in member states across Europe.

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Fully Charged VW Golf GTE Plug-In Hybrid [VIDEO]

Robert Llewellyn takes a brief test drive of the soon to be launched Volkswagen Golf GTE, the first plug in hybrid Golf.

With a 1.4 litre TSI petrol engine, 100 HP electric motor coupled to a 6 speed DSG gearbox and 8.8 kWh battery pack, the GTE can cover 0 - 100 km/h in 7.6 sec and returns 1.5L/100km.

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LG Chem signs battery deal with Volkswagen [VIDEO]

LG Chem has agreed to supply electric-vehicle batteries to Volkswagen, a company executive said Tuesday.

"Volkswagen has designated LG Chem as one of its key battery-sourcing channels to push its electric car projects," the executive said by telephone on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue. "LG is going to supply battery packs and solutions to the German carmaker."

The deal with Volkswagen is not as big as similar deals between LG and other leading carmakers such as General Motors and Ford, said the executive.

The partnership also involves collaboration on various products the German car manufacturer is working to develop as part of its electric-vehicle projects, part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

For example, Volkswagen is working to attain "ultra-low-carbon mobility" for its new eGolf electric vehicle, said officials.

The vehicle is a fully electric version of Volkswagen's popular Golf.

"LG Chem will join futuristic electric car business projects such as [projects to develop] plug-in hybrid electric vehicles led by the German carmaker thanks to the latest battery deal," said the official.

An LG Chem spokesman declined to confirm.

LG Chem has been in talks with Volkswagen over the past four years regarding a business partnership involving batteries for electric vehicles.

The executive said it was Beijing's approval to proceed with LG's plans to build a battery joint venture in China that helped the LG Group affiliate land the partnership with Volkswagen.

Volkswagen plans to spend more than $2 billion on models and on two new facilities in China, increasing total investments in the world's biggest auto market to nearly $8 billion.

LG Chem Chief Financial Officer Cho Suk-jeh told investors and analysts that the company aimed to generate nearly 2 trillion won in revenue from its large battery business, including energy systems, by 2016.

The petrochemical business is the biggest cash cow for LG Chem, accounting for 77 percent of its 5.87 trillion won in sales in the second quarter. Batteries accounted for 12.3 percent and electronic information materials 12.1 percent.

LG Chem is gradually cutting its reliance on petrochemical products as part of an effort to diversify its revenue sources.

On a related note, in 2016 the company plans to begin providing carmakers with batteries capable of powering electric vehicles for at least 200 miles (322 kilometers).

LG Chem currently supplies lithium-ion batteries to General Motors, Ford, Hyundai-Kia, Renault, Volvo, and other carmakers. The 200-mile-plus range of the new batteries is roughly double that of the company's current, first-generation electric-vehicle batteries.

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Bugatti plan new 1500 hp Hybrid with axial flux motor & electric turbos

Autocar report that a new Bugatti Veyron is currently undergoing initial conceptual engineering tests in a programme aimed at unveiling the car in 2016 prior to a planned start to customer deliveries the following year. According to sources close to Bugatti, early test 
mules for the new car exist 
and have already been 
pressed into action in an 
early round of testing.

“Five developmental prototypes with differing powertrain combinations have been constructed up to now,” said one insider. “They are based on the existing car 
but use various solutions 
that are being considered for the new model.”

Following recent arrivals such as the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder and LaFerrari, the new Bugatti will feature a battery powered hybrid electric powertrain. The same quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre W16 powerplant as 
its predecessor will be retained but with the possible addition of electric turbochargers, perhaps along the lines of those used by Porsche in LMP1 (Porsche and Bugatti are both part of the VW group) and the 2014 Formula One ERS MGU-H (where the H stands for heat).

The big news centres around plans to provide the new Bugatti with hybrid drive by way of a disc-shaped Axial Flux electric motor mounted within the gearbox housing. Together, the petrol engine and electric motor are said to deliver up to 1500 hp. By comparison, the Veyron Super Sport has 1183 hp.

Autocar sources suggest that torque will be capped at 1500 Nm for the sake of gearbox reliability. A Veyron Super Sport already has 1500 Nm from 3000 to 5000 rpm. With an Axial Flux AC Induction motor able to generate almost as much torque (1250 Nm from the EE in-wheel motor) The Bugatti hybrid electric powertrain design looks like a very conservative step with full potential limited by the fragility of it's mechanical driveline.

The new hybrid Veyron should have some fairly startling performance in electric only mode (if it has one - see LaFerrari), but in parallel mode, other than providing torque fill below 3,000 rpm, (partly explaining why Bugatti expect 0-100 km/h times to drop to 2.3 sec) the full potential of the hybrid powerplant will be restricted by a mechanical transmission layout that may not have moved on much from the current Veyron.

As with the McLaren P1, a hybrid that still idles in traffic, or the LaFerrari which has no pure EV mode, the new Bugatti may succeed in combined the superior low rpm torque characteristics of an electric motor to give the instant throttle response and acceleration of an EV, what McLaren call 'torque fill', with the enormous top end torque of a large displacement forced induction ICE, but in common with the aforementioned hybrid hypercars, it may be very much a first generation mild hybrid.

As Bugatti are testing five prototypes with differing powertrain combinations perhaps there are some surprises still in store. With an expected sales date in 2017 the new Veyron should be much father down the road technically than either the McLaren of LeFerrari. The current cutting edge is represented by the Mercedes SLS E-Drive with it's wheel motor powertrain allowing full blown dynamic torque vectoring to amazing effect.

In fact it was a Mitsubishi developed wheel motor powertrain with S-AWC (Mitsubishi brand for torque vectoring) that recently re-set the record books at Pikes Peak finishing 2nd and 3rd outright with only one ICE powered car preventing an EV clean sweep in 2014.

Is it too much to hope for a Bugatti with torque vectoring or will we have to wait for future evolutions of hybrid supercar powertrain design before we see anything truly revolutionary.

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VW & Bosch working on automated park-and-charge systems for EVs [VIDEO]

There are only a few minutes before your flight check-in closes, or before your train departs, but you now have to spend precious time hunting for a free space at the airport or station car park. Imagine leaving your vehicle at the main entrance and letting the car do the rest on its own. Researchers from Germany, Italy, the UK and Switzerland are working on this, and successful tests took place at Stuttgart airport earlier this year. €5.6 million of EU funding is invested in the system which will be available in the coming years.

In the future, more and more people will drive electric cars and will switch from one mode of transport to another – creating the need for more and varied parking options at transport hubs. To prepare for this mobility shift, the V-CHARGE consortium is working on a fully automated parking and charging system for electric cars at public car parks.

"The idea is that we can actually use technology to give people a better mix of public and private transport", explains Dr Paul Furgale, scientific project manager for V-CHARGE and deputy director of the autonomous systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

A smartphone app to leave and get back the car

Drivers will be able to leave their car in front of the car park and use a smartphone app to trigger the parking process. The vehicle will connect with the car park’s server and drive itself to the designated space. While in the garage, the car can also be programmed to go to a charging station. Upon returning, the driver uses the same app to summon the car – fully charged and ready to go.

Since GPS satellite signals don’t always work inside garages, the scientists have developed a camera-based system based on their expertise in robotics and environment sensing. Safety is at the centre of the project: the car is designed to avoid unexpected obstacles.

Dr Furgale believes the same technology could be used to develop autonomous parking systems for electric cars on city streets. "That will be more of a challenge", he says. "But once you have the maps in place, the rest of the technology will come together."

A system to be integrated into production

In April, the team presented the latest version of the system at Stuttgart airport. This was a success and the researchers are now fine-tuning the technology to tackle more precise manoeuvres and ensure reliability, even in difficult weather conditions.

The project is set to conclude in 2015, and its results available to be progressively commercialised in the coming years. The functions developed should be cost-effective enough to be integrated into production of electric vehicles. Engineers are working with equipment that is already available today such as ultrasonic sensors and stereo cameras that are used in parking assistance and emergency braking systems.

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Bugatti mulls hybrid follow-up to Veyron supercar

Bugatti, the maker of exotic supercars such as the 1,200-horsepower Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, is considering a model that some might feel contradicts the ethos of the extravagant brand: a hybrid.

The French manufacturer, owned by Volkswagen, has developed the blueprint for a 2015 follow-up model to the $1.7 million limited-series Veyron that may sell out this year, two sources at VW group with knowledge of the matter said.

The two-door model may rely on a 1,500-horsepower, 16-cylinder engine and will probably be limited to about 450 cars, the same as the expiring Veyron, the sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Bugatti's new chief executive Wolfgang Duerheimer, a former R&D boss at Audi and Porsche who returned to the French brand on June 1, favours a hybrid version of the brand's next model, the sources said on condition they not be identified because the matter is confidential.

Ultra-luxury nameplates such as Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche are embracing electric powertrains after being on the cutting edge for years in upgrading chassis and engine electronics while striving to trim CO2 emissions.

Hybrid systems used in McLaren's P1 model and Porsche's 918 Spyder work to boost performance and fuel economy.

"Moving to hybrid propulsion seems like a logical next step" for supercar-makers, said Stefan Bratzel, head of the Centre of Automotive Management near Cologne. "By curbing emissions and boosting performance, they can justify building more of these cars."

The new model will beat the 431 kilometres (268 miles) top speed of Bugatti's Veyron Super Sport, which lost the title of the world's fastest production car in February to the Hennessey Venom GT, sources said.

"The new model will not be less exciting than the Veyron," a spokeswoman for Bugatti said, without being more specific. "Our customers have certain expectations."

Wolfsburg-based VW acquired the Bugatti brand in 1998 along with Lamborghini and Bentley Motors to create a stable of high-end carmakers. VW doesn't break out Bugatti's earnings in quarterly or annual reporting, but a company source says the brand has been loss-making for years on high development costs for the Veyron.

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Volkswagen delivers first XL1

First vehicle goes to Berlin

Dr. Christian Malorny (left) took over his Volkswagen XL1 by Thomas Zahn, Director of Sales and Marketing Germany Volkswagen Passenger Cars

Volkswagen has delivered yesterday at the Transparent Factory in Dresden the first XL1 to a customer. Together with his family accepted Dr. Christian Malorny from Berlin's innovative diesel plug-in hybrid.

The first XL1 was delivered in the exterior color Oryxweiß pearl effect with titan black and pearl gray interior. "The XL1 has inspired me from the beginning and I am very pleased to now be driving my own. With its visionary design and high-tech appearance, Volkswagen has dared something new and innovative, "Malorny told Presented was the spectacular two-seater by Thomas Zahn, Director of Sales and Marketing Germany, Volkswagen Passenger Cars." The XL1 is the most efficient production car in the world and the Technology Lighthouse of the Volkswagen brand. He embodies the now technically feasible in a unique shape. "

With an average fuel consumption of 0.9 l / 100 km, the XL1 is the most economical series-production car in the world. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, the two-seater can be driven purely electrically, and thus free of local emissions over a distance of up to 50 kilometers. From design layout to follow the XL1 as automotive protagonist of the pure sports car theory: minimum weight of CFRP monocoque and outer skin (795 kg), perfect aerodynamics (Cd 0.189) and extremely low center of gravity (1.153 mm height). Therefore, the efficient Volkswagen range 6.2 kW / 8.4 hp to slide at a constant speed of 100 km / h above the plane. In electric mode, the Volkswagen content with less than 0.1 kWh for more than a kilometer route.

1 XL1: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: 0.9 (combined); Electricity consumption in kWh per 100 km: 7.2 (combined) CO2 emissions in g / km: 21 (combined), Efficiency: A +

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The Volkswagen Golf GTE is a hot hatch Greenpeace can get excited about

BOFFINS in a bunker deep beneath Volkswagen’s headquarters have mooned at the laws of logic with their latest model. Somehow, they’ve managed to serve roast beef and sushi on the same plate, and in a way that’s weirdly appetising.

Translated into layman’s English, the German car giant’s latest model manages to combine what should be two diametrically opposed strands of motoring. Hot hatches are feisty, fun and powerful, and eco-friendly hybrids emphatically aren’t.

The two might be about as easy to blend as oil and water, but that hasn’t stopped Europe’s biggest car maker from having a crack anyway.

To be fair, the idea of a hybrid that’s fun to drive isn’t exactly unprecedented. Anyone who owns a Honda CR-Z already knows that it’s entirely possible to drop a Captain Planet-pleasing powerplant which runs largely on lettuce and mineral water into a car that’s eager and exciting to hoof about in.

It’s just a shame that – for all the MUGEN-branded tuned up versions knocking around – Honda never came good on the CR-Z’s sports car potential. No matter how well it handles, the range-topping GT version has just 122bhp. Perhaps it’s just perceived wisdom that you can’t make a car please the hot hatch brigade and appease Greenpeace at the same time.

Or it at least will be until VW’s new hot hatch arrives.

It’s a simple idea – forty years ago VW popularised the hot hatch with the Golf GTI, and in 2009 it managed to translate the idea into coherent diesel by introducing the torque-tastic GTD. Now it’s swapped the last letter again to create a plug-in hybrid version of Germany’s favourite pocket rocket – yes, it’s the Golf GTE!

The E, in case, you hadn’t already worked it out, stands for Electric, because this particular Golf ditches the GTI’s big engine in favour of a small one and some electric motors to develop the same sort of power. Add the two together and you’ve got the equivalent of 204bhp.What’s more, when you aren’t driving like a speed-addicted yoof you can do 31 miles on electricity alone, saving the polar bears as you glide silently along.

More importantly, the GTE proves the future is arriving quicker these days. When Mercedes introduced the airbag on the S-Class we had to wait 15 years for it to reach family hatchbacks. The GTE’s premise of a performance car aided by electricity is exactly the same as the trick the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 make their shtick, and yet you can get it in affordable Golf form at the end of the year.

Who said saving the planet couldn’t be fun?

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2015 Volkswagen e-Golf electric car review [VIDEO]

Cars.com review the recently launched VW e-Golf.

The Volkswagen e-Golf, the electric version of the extremely popular VW Golf, has now hit the UK market. After the government’s £5000 Plug-In Car Grant (PICG), the price comes to £25,845. That’s still a bit higher than the Nissan Leaf, which sells for £20,990, but may not be too far off for those who prefer VW and the e-Golf.

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VW testing battery that could boost energy density 4x

Volkswagen is bench testing a new battery chemistry that it says could store up to 80 kWh of energy in a similar volume to that of the current eGolf’s 26.5 kWh battery pack, according to VW board member Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser.

Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Neusser said that the company has tested lithium-ion batteries with its existing cell supplier, Sanyo, with capacities up to 37 kWh, but “an 80 kWh unit is under development using our own technology. It would provide between three and four times the battery power in a given package.”

Neusser refuses to name the battery chemistry, but doesn’t deny it is based on lithium-air technology. IBM, BMW and Toyota are known to also be developing Li-Air battery technology.

As to how far a plug-in hybrid or pure battery car could travel in electric mode with such a battery, Neusser says that depends on what the customer wants. He suggests that as a second car, most customers will settle for about 200km (124 miles) of electric range, but as the family’s main transport a battery would have to provide a much greater range.

With VW owning 100% of Audi, we're now openly wondering if this is the battery technology Audi plan to use for their 600 km range Q8 SUV Tesla Model X killer?

Source: The Telegraph

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Volkswagen Unveils Golf GTE Plug-In Hybrid [VIDEO]

Volkswagen is the first automaker worldwide to offer a model line with a full range of conventional and alternative powertrains. The new Golf GTE plug-in hybrid, which will be presented at the Geneva International Motor Show (March 4 to 16, 2014) is the fifth powertrain to be offered in the Golf, adding to gasoline, diesel, CNG and full electric versions. The Golf GTE has an NEDC hybrid combined fuel economy rating of 157 mpg (equivalent to 35 g of CO2) and has an all-electric range of 31 miles along with an overall range of 584 miles.

GTI, GTD, GTE. The Golf GTE name is in line with the GTI and GTD abbreviations-two sporty icons of the Golf range. The first GTI in 1976 invented the term "hot hatch" and is currently the most successful compact sports car in the world. The "I" in the name stands for electronic fuel injection while the "D" in GTD, introduced for the first time in 1982, stands for diesel fuel injection. The latest versions of these two best-selling Golf sports cars were introduced in 2013. Now Volkswagen has transferred its sporty compact car philosophy to a third model-the Golf GTE.

The new Golf GTE has two engines: a1.4-liter148 horsepower turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine and a 101 hp electric motor. These combine to provide the stated system power of 201 hp. If the electric motor is the sole source for propulsive power, the Golf GTE is capable of speeds of up to 81 mph. When the full power of the system is harnessed, the GTE sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds and achieves a top speed of 135 mph on the autobahn and race courses. Of more significance is the superior pulling power of the Golf GTE thanks to its alliance of a gasoline engine and electric motor that produces a maximum torque of 258 lb-ft. This torque sets this first "GTE" apart from other plug-in hybrid models.

Despite its power and torque, the Golf GTE remains one of the world's most efficient cars. If you mainly run short distances, you can drive in emissions-free all-electric mode for days, weeks, and months. The battery takes about three and a half hours to charge fully from a conventional wall outlet.

If the battery is charged using a wallbox or a public charging station, the charging time is shortened to approximately two and a half hours. Thanks to the control options on the Golf GTE, the driver can also ensure on longer trips that only the electric motor is used in an urban area.

The automobile revolution has a name – MQB. The variety of products in the Golf lineup- TSI (including GTI), TDI® (including GTD), TGI (powered by CNG), e-Golf, and Golf GTE-is made possible by the modular transverse matrix, abbreviated to MQB. This modular technology platform, initially introduced with the current Golf in 2012, is synonymous with an automotive revolution because Volkswagen engineers have created the prerequisites for a high-volume model, such as the Golf, to accept all drive types. This explains why Golf models with gasoline, diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid drives can be manufactured from bumper to bumper at Volkswagen factories. As soon as developments make it possible, the first Golf with a hydrogen fuel cell will become part of the range.

Golf GTE plug-in hybrid system

As mentioned, the new Golf GTE is driven by a 148-hp TSI turbocharged and direct-injection gasoline engine and a 101-hp electric motor. The electric motor is supplied with power from a high-voltage 8.8 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that is charged from a socket behind the VW logo in the radiator grille. The battery weighs 265 pounds, or about eight percent of the GTE's 3360-pound curb weight. The GTE has a six-speed DSG® automatic transmission that was developed specifically for hybrid vehicles.

Volkswagen integrated the electric motor in the transmission housing. Additional hybrid drive components also include the power electronics (which converts the battery's direct current to alternating current for the electric motor) and a charger. An electro-mechanical brake servo and an electric air-conditioning compressor safeguard optimal and energy-efficient operation of the brakes and air conditioning, especially for the GTE's "e-mode".

The Golf GTE can be driven in various intuitively named modes. For instance, the driver can push a button to intentionally switch to the "e-mode" which makes the Golf GTE a zero-emissions vehicle. The driver can also use the button to switch to "GTE mode", which activates the sporty side of this new Golf.

Design and features

The Golf GTE contains a pioneering, environmentally friendly, and sporty plug-in hybrid system. All of this is combined with a suspension that offers equally sporty handling and high levels of comfort.

Exterior. Volkswagen Head Designer Klaus Bischoff's crew created a look that merges GTI insignia with those of the e-Golf, creating an unmistakable identity. Klaus Bischoff explains the differences: "The presence of the electric drive is visually expressed by the prominent C-signature of the daytime running lights on the Golf GTE. Meanwhile, all other front design elements bridge to the GTI."

In those places where red dominates on the GTI, blue is used in the GTE. Bischoff continues: "A radiator crossbar running into the headlights provides further sporty accents within the context of Volkswagen electric mobility." Like the e-Golf, the four-door Golf GTE will launch with LED dual headlights as standard. The turn signals, parking light, and smoked numberplate lighting also use LED technology. Side skirts and a roof-edge spoiler provide further parallels with the GTI and GTD. Meanwhile, the aerodynamic 16-inch (standard), 17-inch, and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels were designed especially for the GTE.

Interior. Like the exterior, the sporty interior of the Golf GTE reveals a clear relationship to its other two GT series counterparts. However, just as on the exterior, the interior's red accents have also turned to blue. Klaus Bischoff says: "Volkswagen's e-mobility color of blue creates attractive contrasts in the car's seating, decorative seams, and material design. Moreover, the blue ambience lighting builds a visual bridge to the world of e-mobility." The light blue decorative seams on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, on the edges of the floormats, on the seats, and on the shifter grip are perfectly matched with the exterior features of the Golf GTE.

Golf GTE-specific instruments and displays

Touchscreen. All Golf cars are equipped with a touchscreen. In the case of the Golf GTE the high-resolution 6.5-inch "Composition Media" radio system is standard. The "Discover Pro" radio-navigation system is available as an option. Both units are equipped with many additional functions on the GTE. These include a "driving range monitor", an "energy flow display", "zero emission statistics", "e-manager", and-with the optional navigation system-the "360° driving range". Additionally, all Golf GTE owners can download the "Volkswagen Car-Net e-Remote" app to their smartphone free-of-charge and use it to control functions and access information.

Driving range monitor: shows the current electric driving range of the GTE as well as the additional driving range potential from deactivating any auxiliary features that consume electricity.

Energy flow display: shows the power flow when accelerating (blue arrows) and when braking or regenerating (green arrows) as animated graphics.

e-manager: can program up to three departure and charging times; the Golf GTE ensures the set temperature and battery charge status at a defined time. Parallel to this, heating or cooling of the interior can be activated using standard air-conditioning while charging. Air conditioning therefore does not hinder the battery charging process, thereby extending the electric range.

360° range: the current radius in "e-mode" is shown by the 360° range in the local map. The inner area shows the range for an outward and return trip, the outer area the range for a one-way drive. Charging stations can be displayed and incorporated in the route as intermediate stopovers.

Car-Net e-Remote. Using the "Volkswagen Car-Net e-Remote" app it is also possible to make several of these settings and requests for information via a smartphone or the Car-Net website. In detail, the app can program the departure time, air conditioning, charging the battery, accessing vehicle data, and the vehicle's status.

Power meter. The power meter supplements the tachometer on the left-hand side of the instrument cluster; it displays how much system power is currently being used or the intensity of battery regeneration. The speedometer remains on the right-hand side. The color display which is located between the power meter and the speedometer (multifunction display "Plus") also permanently shows the electrical driving range and the current operating mode.

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Volkswagen launch e-Golf in Germany with 190 km range

The Golf is the most successful European car of all time. In launching the new e-Golf, Volkswagen is now bringing the bestseller onto the market as a full production electric vehicle as well. The especially agile and efficient compact car supplements the highly economic fleet of 3 Euro vehicles and boasts an extensive range of standard features. The e-Golf can be immediately recognised by its signature LED headlights and is available from €34,900.

In launching the e-Golf, Volkswagen is bringing its second electric vehicle onto the market inside six months. The agile and efficient e-Golf impresses with best-in-class qualities from the off, leading the way with low power consumption of 12.7 kWh/100 km. In addition to the environmental aspect, the practically silent and thus gliding e-Golf is also very inexpensive to run, as power costs are just €3.28 per 100 kilometres. Thanks to a particularly innovative overall technological system, improved aerodynamics (cw=0,281) and perfected rolling resistance, the new, all-electric Volkswagen is over 15 per cent more energy-efficient than the best steel-built direct competitor. Joining the e-up! and eco-up!, the e-Golf thus extends the Volkswagen brand's fleet of highly efficient 3 Euro vehicles.

The e-Golf is 'Das e-Auto' - it has the same handling, comfortable ride and generous amount of space that has seen the Golf so appreciated for decades by over 30 million car buyers. The e-Golf is in addition fitted with a very good range of standard features, including four doors, the high-end 'Discover Pro' radio/navigation system, heated windscreen, automatic climate control, parking heater and ventilation, leather steering wheel, aerodynamically optimised 'Astana' alloy wheels and, being used for the first time by Volkswagen, full LED headlights. Another especially economic and likewise standard feature are the LED daytime running lights, which by virtue of their signature C-shaped format immediately identify the e-Golf as a Volkswagen electric vehicle.

The electric engine delivers 85 kW / 115 PS and from a standing start develops maximum torque of 270 Nm. This deployment of power produces a superb driving performance: the e-Golf reaches a speed of 60 km/h within 4.2 seconds and after just 10.4 seconds the Volkswagen is up to 100 km/h. A fascinating factor here is the pull-away performance, which is extremely comfortable and totally free of any delay. Depending on the nature of the route, driving style and load, the range is between 130 and 190 kilometres. The new e-Golf is available in Germany now. Prices start from €34,900 (including the 8-year / 160,000-kilometre battery guarantee).

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Fully Charged - VolksWagen e-UP! [VIDEO]

Robert Llewellyn takes a first drive in the electric version of the VW UP!

Also includes extensive pondering on the 'Yorkshire connection' as regards the time honoured phrase 'aye -up.'

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New season of Fully Charged - Volkswagen XL1 [VIDEO]

Robert Llewellyn test drives 'the most fuel efficient production car in the world' according to VW.

Volkswagen made big claims about the efficiency of their purpose-built XL1 diesel-hybrid. They claimed the car was good for 314 mpg, which equates to 0.9 l/100km in the Metric system.

However, at a test drive event organized by VW last July, a handful of journalists were given the chance to drive the mid-engined XL1 and results ranged from 160 to 200 mpg.

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Protean & FAW-VW China to Develop RWD In-Wheel Motor System

Protean Electric has announces a partnership with FAW-VOLKSWAGEN (China) to develop an all new electric propulsion system that will include Protean Electric's in-wheel motors with intent towards a demonstration vehicle program and production.

FAW-VW will create an all-new rear-wheel drivetrain for a pure Electric Vehicle (EV) based on the new Bora compact sedan, utilizing two Protean in-wheel motors. This cooperation began several months ago and so all bench testing, engineering calibration and on site application support is expected to be completed within a year. Protean Electric will also assist FAW-VW in the development of safety and vehicle controls that can be applied to additional vehicle programs.

Protean raised $84 Million in VC funding last year and moved their operation to Liyang, Jiangsu Province, China.

"Protean Electric is very pleased and honored to be working with FAW-VW. Our involvement with this prestigious automaker shows that Protean Electric is continuing to serve as a valuable resource for OEMs as they develop New Energy Vehicle programs," says Kwok-yin Chan, CEO of Protean Holdings Corp. "This is a two-phase project that will capitalize on the torque and packaging freedoms that Protean Drive™ can bring to an automaker. Our technology will return the space to the new Bora vehicle platform that was formerly occupied by an in-board motor and powertrain."

Like the recently revealed Schaeffler Ford Fiesta eWheelDrive prototype, the Protean powertrain will be rear-wheel-drive only. One of the main reasons many in-wheel motor prototypes demonstrated to-date have only been used on the rear axle is due to front steering geometry. Most FWD cars use negative scrub radius to prevent torque steer. Due to their outer dimensions, many ‘drum brake type’ wheel motors adversely affect the scrub radius so are simply unsuitable for FWD operation.

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VW XL1 hits the streets of New York with $145,000 price tag

New Yorkers got a glimpse of the future this week, as the Volkswagen XL1 arrived in the City as part of a month-long American tour that took in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and the Big Apple.

The XL1, which looks like it could have driven off the set of a sci-fi movie, is the most fuel-efficient production car in the world, with a European combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg and CO2 emissions of 21 g/km. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, this two-seater can also cover up to 31 miles as a zero-emissions electric vehicle.

To achieve this incredible fuel economy, Volkswagen engineers married an incredibly efficient, diesel-electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain with a lightweight carbonfiber structure and the best aerodynamics of any production car in the world. The XL1 weighs just 1753 pounds, has a coefficient of drag of just 0.189, and uses a 48-horsepower two-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection TDI® Clean Diesel engine that is mated to a 27-horsepower electric motor, a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a 5.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. Thanks to this formula, this super-efficient Volkswagen can cruise at a constant 62 mph while using just 8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than 0.6 miles (one kilometer).

The 261 mpg fuel consumption figure is a record for a production car, showing that Volkswagen is in the automotive industry’s technical vanguard. The XL1 also has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds.

Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen’s 1-liter car strategy. At the start of this current millennium, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch—currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG—formulated the visionary goal of producing a practical car that had a combined fuel consumption of one liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In the two-seat XL1, this vision has become reality.

Despite the tremendous efficiency of the XL1, the engineers and designers successfully came up with a body design that delivers more everyday utility than the two previous prototypes. In the L1, the 1-liter car that was shown in 2002 and 2009, the driver and passenger sat behind each other for optimal aerodynamics; in the XL1, the two occupants sit slightly offset, side by side, almost like a conventional vehicle.

The XL1 is 153.1 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and just 45.4 inches tall. By comparison, a Volkswagen Polo is slightly longer (156.3 in) and wider (66.2 in), but is significantly taller (57.6 in). Even a purebred sports car like today’s Porsche Boxster is 5.1 inches taller. Just 250 XL1s will be produced at the Volkswagen factory in Osnabrück, Germany, priced at approximately $145,000.

XL1 SPECIFICATIONS
Body                                                    Carbonfiber reinforced polymer monocoque and panels
Length x width x height                        153.1 in x 65.6 in x 45.4 in
Wheelbase                                           87.6 in
Drive system                                       Plug-in diesel hybrid, rear-wheel drive
Engine                                                  TDI Clean Diesel, two cylinder
Capacity                                               830 cc
Output                                                  48 hp, 89 lb-ft
Electric motor                                       27 hp, 103 lb-ft
System output                                      68 hp, 103 lb-ft
Transmission                                        Seven-speed DSG automatic
Battery type                                          5.5 kWh lithium-ion
Weight                                                 1753 lb

Performance/fuel economy
Max speed                                           99 mph (electronically limited)
European fuel consumption                 261 mpg
C02 emissions                                     21 g/km
EV range                                              31 miles
EV/TDI range                                       More than 310 miles (10 liter fuel tank)

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VW e-Up priced from £19,250 [VIDEO]

Volkswagen has opened order books in the UK for the new all-electric VW e-Up, pricing the model from £19,250. That figure includes a £5000 government grant.

The e-up! is powered by a 60 kw electric motor with maximum torque of 210 Newton meters available immediately with the first revolution. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h within 14 seconds and reaches a top speed of 135 km/h.

The lithium-ion battery integrated in the underfloor area has a total energy storage capacity of 18.7 Kilowatt-hours (kWh); this means that the car can cover up to 150 km (per NEDC) on a single charge thanks to its low vehicle weight of 1,185 kg.

Deliveries of the first e-Ups are expected from February. A three-year warranty is standard, which can be extended up to five years. The battery warranty is eight years / 100,000 miles.

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VW Shows 214 mpg Twin Up! XL1 Based Hybrid Concept @ Tokyo

Volkswagen introduced the XL1, the world's most fuel-efficient production car, to the streets in 2013. This plug-in diesel hybrid for two people is being produced in a limited volume and has a European combined fuel consumption figure of 261 mpg as well as a carbonfiber body and chassis.

Now, Europe's largest carmaker is applying the experience it gained from this technological showpiece and is applying it to a high-volume production vehicle. Volkswagen is presenting this new car at the Tokyo Motor Show: a plug-in hybrid version of the up!, called the twin up! concept car. This four-seater shares certain parts of its drive system with the XL1-including its diesel engine, electric motor, and DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Compact hybrid system

Since all new Volkswagen vehicles are configured to accept alternative drive systems as well as conventional ones, it was easy to install the compact plug-in hybrid system in the twin up!. The only modification made in the production version was to lengthen the extremely short front overhang by 1.2 inches. The twin up!'s 55 kW (75 PS) drive unit-consisting of a 35 kW (48 PS) 0.8-liter TDI Clean Diesel engine, a 35kW electric motor, a seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmission, and the power electronics-is mounted at the front of the car. Installed at the back, behind the rear seats and under the trunk, is the "fuel storage system": an 8.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, the 12-volt battery for the electrical system, and an 8.7-gallon fuel tank.

Maximum efficiency

The car attains impressive efficiency thanks to a combination of good aerodynamics (0.30 Cd), a low unladen weight of 2657 pounds, lightweight plug-in drive components, and low rolling resistance 165/65 R15 tires. In all-electric model, for example, the twin up! has a driving range of 31 miles. In the "New European Driving Cycle"-the standard testing and comparison driving cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles in Europe-the concept car returns a sensationally low fuel consumption figure of 214 mpg, which equates to CO2 emissions of just 27 g/km.

The twin up! highlights the fact that efficiency and driving fun will not be mutually exclusive in the future. In the city, in electric mode, the twin up! accelerates from 0 to 37 mph in 8.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 78 mph. In hybrid mode, the car delivers 159 pound-feet of torque, a high number for such a small car. Out of town, the twin up! goes from 0 to 62 mpg in 15.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 87 mph.

Plug-in hybrid concept in detail

Two-cylinder TDI. The TDI produces its peak power of 35 kW from just 830 cc. The two- cylinder TDI was derived from a common rail four-cylinder, 1.6-liter diesel engine and has a bore spacing of 88 mm, with a bore and stroke of 81.0 by 80.5 mm. The XL1's engine also shares key internal modifications for reducing emissions, which include specially formed piston recesses for multiple injection and individual orientation of the injection jets. The common-rail diesel's smooth running properties were transferred to the two-cylinder engine, aided by a balancer shaft that is driven by and turns at the same speed as the crankshaft.

An exhaust gas recirculation system, an oxidation catalytic converter, and a diesel particulate filter are used to reduce tailpipe emissions.

Hybrid module. The hybrid module is located between the TDI engine and the seven-speed DSG transmission: it consists of an electric motor and a clutch, integrated in the DSG housing in place of the usual flywheel. The electric motor is supplied with energy from the 8.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. The power electronics, which operate at 308 Volts, manage the flow of high-voltage energy between the battery and the electric motor and convert direct current to alternating current.

Order under the hood. The engine compartment of the twin up! is completely covered. All service access points are in maintenance-friendly locations. A matte black engine compartment cover with acoustic insulation organizes all the recognisable components. The power electronics, and the service access located across from it, are integrated in a high-gloss black band, which also functionally partitions the engine compartment. An aluminium- look central capsule unites design themes from the world of combustion engines and electric motors, where the electric elements are coded in the colour blue.

Interplay of drive modes. As previously noted, the electric motor can power the twin up! for distances of up to 31 miles and to a top speed of 78 mph. In electric mode, the TDI engine is decoupled from the drivetrain and is shut off. Meanwhile, the clutch on the gearbox side remains closed, and the seven-speed DSG is fully engaged. Provided that the battery is sufficiently charged, the driver can choose when and where the twin up! should be driven electrically by pressing the e-mode button. Restarting the TDI engine is a very smooth process. While driving, the electric motor's rotor is sped up and is very quickly coupled to the clutch in a process known as "pulse starting". This accelerates the diesel engine to the required speed and starts it, so the driver hardly notices the transition.

Energy and drive management. When the twin up! is braked, the electric motor operates as a generator; its braking energy is used to charge the battery under regeneration. In certain operating conditions, the load of the TDI engine can be shifted so that it operates at its most favorable efficiency level. The gears in the DSG transmission are also always selected with the aim of minimizing energy usage.

The engine controller regulates the entire energy and drive management system based on the specific load demanded by the driver. Parameters flowing into this control system include the accelerator or e-pedal position, engine load, energy supply, and mix of kinetic and electric energy, so that the system always uses the optimal type of propulsive power.

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BMW Joins VW in Backing Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goal

BMW backed the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars by 2020 on the country’s roads, a week after Volkswagen said the target is achievable under broader terms for alternative drives.

Developing the European Union’s electric-vehicle market will need the backing of authorities, though official support in the bloc is lagging behind initiatives in the U.S. and China, BMW Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer said today in a speech at an industry conference in Munich.

“I hope the ongoing discussions between national governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission lead to a package that’s viable,” Reithofer said at the conference sponsored by Handelsblatt newspaper. “At the moment, the commission’s proposals don’t offer incentives to speed up introduction of alternative drives.”

Carmakers are promoting electric-powered models to comply with tightening regulations that apply to their fleets’ emissions across the globe. Munich-based BMW, the world’s biggest maker of luxury vehicles, is putting the 34,950-euro ($48,200) all-electric i3 city car into showrooms in Germany next month.

VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said last week that the Wolfsburg, Germany-based manufacturer, Europe’s largest volume carmaker, will “contribute” to the German goal for electric vehicles to play a larger role in the market by 2020. Authorities’ plans are feasible as long as they include plug-in hybrids, which can switch between rechargeable battery power and conventional combustion engines, as the models offer the biggest market potential, he said.

Volkswagen outlined plans in September to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. VW also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.

Purely or partly battery-powered vehicles accounted for 4,157 new car registrations in Germany in 2012, about twice as many as the year before, according to the VDA auto-industry association. Germany’s new car market amounts to about 3 million vehicles a year.

Volkswagen’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros. The model is “deliberately positioned” against BMW’s i3, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.

BMW presented the i3 at the Frankfurt show, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. Reithofer reiterated today that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will be added to BMW’s lineup in 2014.

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VW Says Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goal Achievable

Volkswagen says the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars on the country’s roads by 2020 can be achieved if partly battery-powered cars like plug-in hybrids are taken into account.

“We will make our contribution toward this goal,” Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said today at a panel discussion at a ceremony near chemical producer BASF SE’s headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Plug-in hybrids “offer the biggest market potential,” and should help with a roll out of electric mobility on a larger scale, Winterkorn said.

The CEO reiterated Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen’s plan to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. Volkswagen also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.

VW’s move echoes initiatives by peers such as Nissan and General Motors to promote purely electric and hybrid cars, which help automakers comply with tightening fleetwide emission regulations across the globe.

VW’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros ($37,000). The model is “deliberately positioned” against the battery-powered i3 city car that Munich-based BMW is bringing out, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.

BMW presented the i3 in Frankfurt last month, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. The i3, priced at 34,950 euros, will enter showrooms in Germany in November.

Plug-in hybrids have the most potential and BMW plans to eventually offer one in every model line, Herbert Diess, the automaker’s development chief, said in an interview last month. Cars with electromobility will make up 5 percent to 10 percent of the market by 2020 from well under 1 percent now, Diess said.

Other alternative-drive vehicles shown at the Frankfurt auto show included an all-electric Mercedes-Benz B-Class crossover from Daimler that will use a drivetrain supplied by Palo Alto, California-based Tesla Motors, and a hybrid coupe prototype from Volvo Car Group.

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