Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid to make Monterey Le Mans Series debut

Porsche’s 911 GT3 R Hybrid will make a return to North American racing as Porsche Motorsport announced today the entry of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 in the ModSpace American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón. The six-hour race on September 17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the eighth round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

“The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid represents one of the best examples ever of technology transfer between race track and showroom,” said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. “It brought an entirely new level of relevance to our platform during its North American debut at Petit Le Mans last year; certainly it stands to do the same during its maiden appearance on the West Coast. Porsche is using its involvement in the ALMS to demonstrate that high performance and fuel efficiency are not mutually exclusive achievements. The benefits of this revolutionary development program will no doubt lead to numerous advancements that will be applied to future Porsche road cars. We are proud that our position as the Global Leader of Green Racing enables such technologies to be put to the ultimate endurance test and actively developed in front of our fans.”

Two Porsche works pilots Romain Dumas (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) will share the cockpit of the orange and white racer from Weissach. Dumas already has driven the world’s most innovative GT vehicle last year at Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans. Lietz piloted the 911 Hybrid at the 24-hour races on the Nuerburgring in 2010 and 2011 as well as at various other long-distance races.

“I’m so looking forward to demonstrating the capabilities of this very special car at race speed to the spectators in California,” said Dumas, a two-time ALMS champion in LMP2 for Porsche. “Many Porsche fans live on the west coast of America, and some of them have already discovered the advantages of the hybrid system at the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. I’m very excited because Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most challenging race tracks on earth. Its layout with a series of up and downhill passages should actually suit our 911 GT3 R Hybrid.”

The outing of Porsche’s hybrid racer at the 24 Hours of Nuerburgring last month was more than heartening. The innovative race car achieved the same quick lap times as its top rivals yet used considerably less fuel. Just two broken transmission flanges and a collision thwarted a potential podium spot.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 - with two 75-kilowatt electric motors on the front axle supplementing the 465 hp four-liter, six-cylinder power unit at the rear - particularly embodies the philosophy of “Porsche Intelligent Performance”: The electric energy is generated during braking and stored in an electric flywheel. During acceleration, this energy is automatically delivered to the front wheels supporting the combustion engine. This leads to a reduction in fuel consumption and increases the cruising range on the circuit.

Moreover, drivers can manually use the stored energy with a boost-paddle on the steering wheel for overtaking. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid has undergone further development since 2010; compared to its predecessor, its weight was reduced from 1,350 kilograms (2,970 pounds) to 1,300 kilograms (2,860 pounds).

This weekend, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The fifth round of the 2011 ALMS championship is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6 with ESPN2 airing the race starting at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 7. Live video coverage on race day will be available at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com.

Opel/Vauxhall to receive 10,000 Amperas from GM next year

General Motors Co. will make 10,000 of its Ampera plug-in hybrid cars available for sale in Europe next year, said GM Europe President Nick Reilly.

The Ampera is a sister model to the Chevrolet Volt and is built alongside the Volt in Hamtramck near Detroit.

Opel will receive 6,000 of the cars from GM's allotment of 60,000 for 2012. The remaining 4,000 cars will be sold by GM's Vauxhall brand in the UK.

The Ampera shares the Volt's technology but has styling changes such as Opel's bold-looking grille. Opel also lists Bose speakers and touchscreen monitors as examples of premium content in the Ampera.

Volt in Europe

GM will launch the Ampera and Volt in Europe in November. GM plans to sell up to 2,000 units of the Volt annually in the region.

Opel will sell the Ampera for 42,900 euros when it goes on sale in November in Europe, more than the $39,995 (28,125 euros) price of a Volt in the United States.

At the Paris auto show last year, Nick Reilly said the Ampera will be aimed at the business fleet market and local government agencies, areas where Opel is strong. The Volt, he said, would be targeted at retail customers in Europe.

GM has already started selling the Volt in the U.S.

The Ampera will be powered by electricity at all times. For the first 40km to 80 km (25 to 50 miles), power for the drivetrain comes from electricity stored in the 16-kilowatt hour lithium ion battery pack and the car has zero emissions. For longer trips a gasoline-fueled engine/generator sustains the battery charge and extends the driving range to 500km (300 miles).

No electric motors in F1 pits, Ecclestone says

From 2014 the Formula 1 race cars have to move in the pit lane just using the KERS electric motor. But Bernie Ecclestone, a self admitted climate change denier, believes it is too dangerous.

According to the regulations submitted to the FIA, the energy accumulated on the braking, shall actuate the motor during the movement of the pit lane.

"To go on the electric motor on pit lane would be dangerous, because people who are there will not hear the machine – says Bernie. – Also, the absence of sound affect the interest of viewers. Now, as soon as the GP3 race starts, where the sound of the engine is almost inaudible, the stands begin to thin out. Electric motors have no place in Formula 1. "

Porsche Hybrids Then And Now [video]

When you think of Porsche, you think of power, performance...and hybrid technology? Perhaps not, but from the Semper Vivus to the Panamera S Hybrid, Porsche has actually been in the hybrid game longer than any other major car manufacturer -- over 100 years to be exact.

Fisker Karma Test Drive around Santa Monica [video]

Take a drive in the 2012 Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid with professional driver Kyle Shields.

Borrowed from the Fisker Santa Monica dealership, Shields explains the appeal of the car while driving the streets of Los Angeles.

Fisker began deliveries of the car last month. The 2012 Karma is powered by a 20kW lithium-ion battery which sends current to two electric motors that develop a total of 408 PS (300 kW / 402 hp) and 1,300 Nm (959 lb/ft) of torque. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 5.9 seconds, while top speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).

The plug-in Karma can travel up to 80.5 km (50 miles) on electricity alone. A turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine acts as a generator to recharge the battery, extending the range up to 483 km (300 miles). Average fuel consumption is 2.4 liters/100km (98 mpg US) and CO2 emissions are just 83 g/km.

Green Overdrive: The Fisker Karma [video]

In the latest episode of Green Overdrive, Katie Fehrenbacher gets the full sales pitch on but no test drive of the first delivered Fisker Karma series hybrid electric vehcile.

The BMW i3 EV Concept & i8 Hybrid Concept [video]

More promotional video of the i3 EV Concept & i8 Hybrid Concept provided by BMW.

BMW i8 Concept: First Look

BMW's first plug-in hybrid vehicle will focus not just in saving the earth, but also on satisfying its driver's need for speed. Like the Chevrolet Volt, the BMW i8 concept combines a traditional gasoline engine with an electric drivetrain. According to BMW, the i8 can be as fuel-efficient as the best hybrid cars, while still delivering sports car-like performance.

An electric motor drives the front wheels, while a traditional gasoline engine drives the rears. The i8 can thus act as a front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive car depending on which power sources are running. An "energy tunnel" containing the battery and drivetrain electronics runs down the middle of the vehicle, connecting the two axles.

The electric motor and engine peak at a combined 349 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. That means the 0-to-62-mph sprint requires just 4.6 seconds. Top speed is electronically restricted to 155 mph. BMW says overall economy in European testing will be 2.7 liters per 100 kilometers, or 87 mpg. In real-world driving, the company expects the i8 to return mileage of 33 to 47 mpg. As gloating company executives note, no other production car can return the same combination of performance and economy.

The front-mounted electric motor is the same unit used in the i3 electric-car concept, but it is slightly modified to offer 128 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Because the i8 also has a gasoline engine, the electric motor's battery pack is significantly smaller than that in the i3. The i8 has an all-electric driving range of about 20 miles and can be fully charged in just under two hours. The electric motor can also recharge the battery, acting as a "through the road" hybrid system that can bolster the engine's output.

At the rear axle, a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine produces 220 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. BMW would only tell us that the engine is mated to an "automatic" transmission with "enough" speeds. It may be a traditional automatic or perhaps a dual-clutch unit. However, BMW doesn't think the transmission in the i8 is very important to discuss as the electric motor provides plenty of torque regardless of the gasoline engine's operating speed or gear.

i8 Concept. The electric motor in the i8 Concept has been adopted from the BMW i3 Concept and modified for use in the i8 Concept’s plug-in hybrid power train—i.e., for operation with a smaller battery pack and in conjunction with an internal combustion engine. It drives the front axle, while a 164 kW/220 hp turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine developing up to 300 N·m (221 lb-ft) of torque drives the rear axle. Together, the two drive units take the vehicle to a governed top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Like the electric motor, the 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine was developed entirely in-house by the BMW Group.

A high-voltage generator attached to the internal combustion engine can generate power for recharging the batteries. This option is only used to increase the range of the vehicle while out on the road, and is not intended as a substitute for stationary recharging at an electric power socket.

Locating the electric motor at the front axle of the BMW i8 Concept optimizes braking energy recuperation, since the front axle is where greater braking forces are developed due to the dynamic wheel load shift when decelerating. Whenever there is a chance to recuperate braking energy, intelligent driving dynamics systems make the most of it, taking into account traction conditions and driving situation, without compromising stability and dynamics, BMW says. This allows very high levels of braking energy recuperation even in the wet or in snow. Depending on requirements, braking is initially provided by the recuperation function and only when more powerful braking is required is the conventional brake system engaged.

BMW Shows Off Electric Concept Cars [video]

BMW AG on Friday presented two concept cars for the first generation of electric vehicles to be launched under its new sub-brand i starting in 2013, and said it will invest in a company named Parkatmyhouse, which offers a service to rent out private parking space via Internet or smart-phone application.

The upcoming i3 “will mark the launch of the first volume-produced car featuring bodywork largely made of carbon,” BMW research and development chief Klaus Draeger said during a presentation in Frankfurt.

BMW didn’t elaborate on the expected annual sales volume, but Chief Financial Officer Friedrich Eichiner noted that in terms of earnings per vehicle the new cars will contribute to the company’s targeted earnings before interest and taxes margin range of between 8% and 10%. Making electric cars economically viable despite expensive components such as the battery is a key challenge for the global auto industry.

The world’s largest luxury-car maker by sales volume will initially launch two new vehicles under the new sub-brand, the BMW i3 and the BMW i8, which will be launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and built at BMW’s German plant in Leipzig. The i3 will be a purely electric powered car for urban areas. The i8 will be based on the plug-in hybrid sportscar concept BMW Vision EfficientDynamics.

The new sub-brand is the outcome of BMW’s Project i, a task force established in 2007 to explore future mobility concepts and one of the Munich-based firm’s most important think tanks. It is a cornerstone of BMW’s plan to expand in the field of alternative drivetrains and green technology, making cars more environmentally friendly to comply with tightening emission regulations world-wide.

In November, BMW said it will invest around €530 million and create more than 1,000 jobs, together with its joint-venture partner SGL Carbon SE, as part of its plan to launch the new megacity vehicle and start producing carbon fiber components to reduce the vehicle’s weight.
Both companies forged a U.S. joint-venture to produce carbon fiber in Moses Lake, Wash.
BMW has named SB LiMotive, a joint venture between Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. and Robert Bosch GmbH, as the battery supplier for the new car. The battery is a key component for electric vehicles as it determines the range and performance of the car.

GM engineer gets 3,108 mpg in his Chevy Volt [video]

In a bit of tongue-in-cheek marketing, GM blog has posted a video showing the dash display of a Chevy Volt leased by General Motors Battery Systems Engineer Andy Oury.

Showing the Volt's maintenance mode, which cycle the fuel and lubricate parts of the vehicle if the engine hasn't been used, the dash display also shows the vehicles lifetime MPG numbers of 1554.1 Miles range having used just 0.5 Gallons of gasoline. This is a good illustration of the main advantage of a plug-in as opposed to a non-plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Note: The 2011 Chevy Volt has an EPA-estimated 35 miles on a single charge; EPA-est. 93 MPGe [electric]; 35 city, 40 MPG hwy [gas]. Actual range varies with conditions.

Toyota Targets at Least 16,000 U.S. Plug-In Prius Sales

Toyota said it expects U.S. sales of at least 16,000 plug-in Prius hatchbacks in 2012 after the model debuts early in the year.

The new version of the world’s best-selling hybrid, designed to be recharged at a standard 110-volt outlet, will go at least 13 miles solely on its lithium-ion battery pack, John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman, said in an interview. After that, it will operate like a standard Prius, averaging 50 miles per gallon of gasoline in city and highway driving, he said.

“We think it’s going to be a strong seller and we’ll deliver to whatever level the market wants,” he said yesterday. “We’re certainly on line to sell 16,000 to 17,000 in 2012.”

Toyota has dominated sales of alternative-power vehicles since it brought the Prius to the U.S. in 2000, selling 140,928 of the hybrids last year. The new version from the Toyota City, Japan-based company joins a market for rechargeable autos led this year by Nissan Motor Co.’s electric Leaf and General Motors Co. (GM)’s plug-in Volt.

The Leaf and Volt offer greater all-electric range, with as much as 100 miles for the Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan’s model and about 35 miles for the GM car. The Prius plug-in will have a pricing edge. Hanson said the new version will begin U.S. sales “very early” next year, without elaborating.

Toyota’s target is “reasonable, but the issue will be availability,” said Alan Baum, principal of automotive consulting firm Baum & Associates in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The Japan-built plug-in will also be in demand in Toyota’s home market and Europe, so U.S. supplies may be tight, he said.

Federal, State Incentives

Toyota expects the plug-in Prius to sell for $3,000 to $5,000 more than a standard version, which starts at $23,520, said Jana Hartline, a company spokeswoman.

The car should qualify for a federal tax credit of at least $2,500, Hartline said. While Toyota hasn’t begun a promotional campaign for the plug-in, 29,000 potential customers have “pre- registered” to buy one on the company’s website, she said.

In California, the plug-in Prius should also qualify for a $1,500 rebate and be allowed to use carpool lanes even with a solo driver, said Mike Ferry, program manager for the state’s Center for Sustainable Energy, which distributes the payments. The most populous U.S. state is requiring sales of plug-ins and battery-only autos starting in 2012 to reduce pollution.
Leaf, Volt Prices

Nissan said yesterday that 2012 model Leafs would cost $35,200 to $37,250, an increase of 7.4 percent and 10 percent from 2011 versions, to cover additional equipment. That’s before a $7,500 federal tax credit. Ferry said the Leaf also qualifies for a $2,500 California rebate in 2012 and carpool-lane access.

GM’s Volt costs $40,280, before the $7,500 federal tax credit. While the 2011 Volt didn’t qualify for California rebates, the Detroit-based automaker has said it will meet state requirements by 2012. That would let buyers get a $1,500 rebate and access to carpool lanes with a solo driver, Ferry said.

Toyota’s Hartline said the plug-in Prius’s “relatively small battery” doesn’t require 240-volt home chargers, which cost about $2,000 to install and may also require rewiring for older houses that can add a few thousand dollars in expenses.

“We’re finding in our research, from our demonstration program, that that is an appealing factor for many people,” said Hartline, who is based at Toyota’s U.S. sales unit in Torrance, California. The model recharges in three hours from a 110-volt outlet or as little as 90 minutes from a 240-volt charger, she said.

Fisker promises Bugatti Veyron levels of performance

The Fisker Karma is still MIA, but that hasn't stopped the company from having grand ambitions.

According to CEO Henrik Fisker, engineers are developing a new gearbox that will give their range-extended electric vehicles "[ Bugatti] Veyron levels of performance." That's not much to go off, but the executive hinted the transmission would increase the amount of torque that is sent to the wheels.

For comparison, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds while the Fisker Karma takes 5.9 seconds.

Source: Autocar

Audi to make all Chinese built models mild hybrids [video]

Audi will equip all of its Chinese made models with mild hybrid technology next year according to an interview with Mr Dominique Boesch of the GM of FAW-VW’s Audi sales unit.

The mild hybrid technology can reduce energy consumption by 3-5% said Mr Boesch. They have not made the final decision on pricing.

They are also considering applying mild hybrid technology to the imported Audi models. Mr Boesch also said that they will launch Audi Q5 coming with full hybrid technology in the near future, and then launch all-electric vehicles.

Audi has started to develop new energy vehicles since 1989. It’s also the first automaker to launch hybrid technologies, including mild hybrid and full hybrid. By 2009, Audi had launched five all-electric vehicles.

Fully Charged Vauxhall Ampera Test Drive [video]

Robert Llewellyn takes a test drive in the Vauxhall Ampera EREV, available in the UK early 2012

LlewBlog

Volvo announces three range extended EV concepts

Volvo Car Corporation develops Range Extenders for electric cars - adding 1,000 km extra range

Volvo Car Corporation is now taking the next step in the company's electrification strategy by producing test cars with Range Extenders - electric cars that are fitted with a combustion engine to increase their effective range.

The projects, supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and the EU, encompass three potential technology combinations. Tests of the various concepts will get under way in the first quarter of 2012.

"This is an exciting expansion of our increasing focus on electrification. Battery cost and size mean that all-electric cars still have a relatively limited operating range. With the Range Extender, the electric car has its effective range increased by a thousand kilometres - yet with carbon dioxide emissions below or way below 50 g/km," says Derek Crabb, Vice President Powertrain Engineering at the Volvo Car Corporation.

The company's technological developments in this area currently encompass three different technology combinations, with three-cylinder petrol engines being installed to complement electric drive to the front wheels. All the variants feature brake energy regeneration. The engines can run on both petrol and ethanol (E85).
Two of the solutions are based on the Volvo C30 Electric. In both cases, the standard battery pack has been somewhat reduced in size to make room for the combustion engine and its fuel tank.

Technical concept I: Volvo C30 with series-connected Range Extender

This is based on a C30 Electric with a three-cylinder combustion engine producing 60 horsepower (45 kW) installed under the rear load compartment floor. The car also has a 40 litre fuel tank.
The combustion engine is connected to a 40 kW generator. The power it generates is used primarily to drive the car's 111 horsepower (82 kW) electric motor, but the driver can also choose to let the generator charge the battery, thus increasing the car's operating range on electricity. The Range Extender increases the electric car's range by up to 1,000 km - on top of the 110 km range provided by the car's battery pack.

Technical concept II: Volvo C30 with parallel-connected Range Extender

Here the car gets a more powerful three-cylinder combustion engine at the rear and a 40 litre fuel tank. The difference between this and the first solution is the parallel connection, whereby the turbocharged 190 horsepower engine primarily drives the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. This gives a better fuel efficiency rating when driving with the combustion engine cruising on the highway. Via a 40kW generator the battery can also be charged to give the car increased range on electricity alone.
Here too the electric motor is a 111 hp (82 kW) unit. The two power sources give the car more than 300 hp in total, and acceleration from 0-100 km/h of less than six seconds.
The Range Extender increases the electric car's range by more than 1,000 km - in addition to the range of up to 75 km provided by the car's battery pack.

Technical concept III: Volvo V60 with parallel-connected Range Extender

This is a solution whereby the entire drive package is installed under the bonnet at the front. The 111 hp (80 kW) electric motor is supplemented with a three-cylinder petrol turbo engine producing 190 hp (140 kW), a two-stage automatic transmission and a 40 kW generator. Power from the combustion engine drives the front wheels via the gearbox and recharges the battery pack whenever needed.

Up to 50 km/h, the car is always powered solely by electricity. The combustion engine is activated at higher speeds. What is more, it charges the battery pack when its charge drops below a predetermined level.

The battery pack is located under the rear load floor and it gives the driver a range of 50 km on electricity alone. The car also has a 45 litre tank for petrol or E85.
With this technology, the Range Extender increases the car's total range by more than 1,000 kilometres.

CO2-lean driving pleasure and comfort

The series-hybrid Range Extender in the C30 is part of an EU project in which the Volvo Car Corporation is the only car manufacturer among eight partners. The company's two parallel-hybrid Range Extender solutions are being developed with a grant of SEK 10.8 million (EUR 1.2 million) from the Swedish Energy Agency.

"These three projects allow us to evaluate the Range Extender's various possibilities. As with the C30 Electric and V60 Plug-in Hybrid, the goal is to make the cars exceptionally CO2-lean without compromising on customer requirements such as comfort, driving pleasure and practicality," explains Derek Crabb.

NYPD to Get 50 Chevy Volt Police Cars

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today unveiled the first of what will be a fleet of 50 Chevrolet Volt NYPD police cruisers, which will hit the treacherous and busy streets of Manhattan this year.

“This is the latest and largest-ever addition of electric vehicles to the City’s fleet, which is already the largest municipal clean-air vehicle fleet in the nation,” Bloomberg said in a statement. “We will continue to lead by example, but we also must provide New Yorkers with tools to make environmentally friendly choices in their own lives.

“When provided with the facts, people become far more likely to choose an electric vehicle. Our job is to ensure the public has the facts, ensure they can make their own decisions and ensure that if they want to drive an electric vehicle, we are providing the infrastructure needed. It’s all part of our PlaNYC agenda to create a greener, greater New York City.”

The Volt is the first fully-electric car to join the NYPD’s ranks. In addition, the New York City Police Department will add 10 Ford Transit Connect electric vehicles and 10 Navi-Star trucks to its fleet.

Fisker Has 3000 Karma Pre-Orders

The first Fisker Karma will be delivered later this month, with the company claiming to secured 3000 pre-orders for the radical range-extended four-door performance car.

The Mercedes CLS-sized Karma is the work of former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker, and has been developed around a bespoke aluminium spaceframe chassis. Its powertrain consists of a mid-mounted battery pack and twin rear-mounted electric motors, with a 260bhp 2.0-litre turbo four acting as a generator when electric power is depleted.

Film star Leonardo di Caprio will take delivery of the first production car, with high-profile buyers including Al Gore and Colin Powell set to follow.

At present five cars a week are being built at the Valmet production plant in Finland, with production set to rise to 300 cars a week from November. Consequently Fisker estimates the $100,000 car (set to cost around £95,000 in the UK after taxes) is sold out until early 2012.

"Our sales are split 50:50 between early-adopting car enthusiasts and total non-car enthusiasts who just like that we are bringing something totally new to market," said Fisker. "They recognise the infrastructure isn't there for electric cars, and see we offer a stylish, stress-free alternative with no range compromises."

Saloon, convertible and shooting-brake models of the Karma will eventually be produced, with the latter set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Subsequently, in 2013, a smaller, four-door range-extended BMW 3-series rival will be launched, which is currently known as Project Nina.

Again, there will be three bodystyles and it will cost from $50,000, although unlike the Karma it will be available in left and right-hand drive.

Fisker estimates it will sell 100,000 Nina models a year, making it one of the best-selling alternatively powered vehicles when it goes on sale.

Audi A1 e-tron wins 2011 Silvretta Electric Car Rally [video]

Audi is this year’s overall winner of the second Silvretta Electric Car Rally in Austria’s Montafon region. The 2011 victory of the A1 e-tron follows the R8 e-tron’s win last year. The second Audi in the rally, a Q5 HFC with a fuel cell finished in sixth place. A total of 32 electric vehicles were evaluated.

After three days, 307 kilometers and a total altitude difference of 11,541 meters, the A1 e-tron bearing the number 206 was named the winner of the second Silvretta Electric Car Rally Montafon. The event took place from July 7-9 as part of the 14th Silvretta Classic. The name Silvretta refers to a group of mountains in the eastern Alps of Austria. The Audi A1 e-tron won against 31 competitors in a rally, that was held on highly taxing mountain roads with inclines up to 15 percent, presenting a special challenge to electric vehicles. The Audi Q5 HFC, which was also entered by Audi, achieved sixth place. This was the best final result of all cars with a fuel cell.

The A1 e-tron contains technology that Audi’s development engineers are using to study the mobility requirements for such a future-oriented concept. The technological basis includes an electric motor with a maximum output of 75 kW that is powered by a lithium-ion battery. The battery features a 12 kWh capacity and can be completely charged in 30 minutes (quick charge), or in less than three hours (standard charge). It offers a range of 50 kilometers. To prevent drivers from being stranded by an empty battery, the A1 e-tron also comes equipped with a combustion engine, which can charge the battery as needed. The one-disc rotary engine (254 cc) is located under the trunk floor; it provides 15 kW of output intended solely to charge the battery, rather than to directly power the wheels.

The A1 e-tron is designed with a local emission-free electric drive system, which is ideally suited for driving in a city.

During the rally the A1 e-tron was driven by Franciscus van Meel, Head of Electromobility Strategy at AUDI AG. Long-time Audi employee Gerhard Gruber took on the important role of co-driver. “Sending an electric car into the Alps is one of the toughest challenges you can present it with. The fact that the A1 e-tron proved so impressive here is especially gratifying to me and it proves we’re on the right track with our electric mobility approach of combining an electric motor with a combustion engine . Many thanks to our dedicated team for making our second overall victory in a row possible,” said van Meel after crossing the finish line.

Van Meel then went on to describe the rally itself: “On the first day we drove cautiously and despite a distance of just over 100 kilometers we finished with a lot of electricity left in the battery. On the second day we were better prepared and we were able to win the day; on day three we came in second, and in the end that was enough to win the overall victory. The car ran flawlessly. We’re now looking forward to the 2012 rally. We already have a few ideas about the kind of concepts we’ll enter with, of course.”

Opel and Europcar Launch Major Electric Vehicle Cooperation

Opel and Europcar have announced an agreement to introduce the Opel Ampera as a rental car throughout Europe. With the market introduction of the electric Opel Ampera by the end of 2011, Opel will create a new segment in the European automotive market and underline its role as a trendsetter for innovative mobility solutions.

The two companies are joining forces to broaden the range of people that will be able to access electric vehicles, capitalising on the Ampera's launch. The goal is to deploy the first vehicles in Europcar rental outlets in Germany in November of this year, followed soon afterwards by Belgium and the Netherlands. The Opel Ampera will then be rolled out throughout France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom from the beginning of 2012.

"Electric cars are among the best long-term solutions to meet society's energy and environmental challenges. The fact that Europcar is going to introduce the Opel Ampera to its day-to-day business is further proof that our extended-range electric vehicle is completely suitable for everyday use – even as a fleet vehicle in the tough rental car business", says Opel/Vauxhall Vice President Sales, Marketing & Aftersales Europe, Alain Visser.

Full introduction to Ampera on handover to rental customers

The Ampera is as easy to drive as any other car. The electric vehicle also offers a number of intelligent functions that help the driver to operate the vehicle highly efficiently. Opel and Europcar have together created a comprehensive introduction to the Ampera to present these features to rental customers. On booking, customers are advised to plan 10-15 minutes for the handover to accommodate this.

Trained Europcar employees will explain a range of topics including battery charging, the range extender, as well as other special functions and features such as the energy consumption and energy efficiency displays. In addition, customers will receive advice on energy-efficient driving in battery operation and how to recuperate energy when braking. Customers will also have the opportunity to give feedback through online chats and questionnaires.

Fully Charged INFINITI M35h Hybrid Test Drive [video]

Robert Llewellyn takes a drive to the Red Bull Formula 1 workshops in the Infiniti M35h Hybrid.