A Japanese team headed by the former Dakar Rally winner Kenjiro Shinozuka, have beaten the world record for a distance run in an electric car on a single charge. The new figure stands at 808 miles (1,300 km). It beats the old record of 623 miles (1,003 km) by quite a considerable distance – 185 miles.
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New Electric Car Battery Cell Simulation Technology
Most electric cars have a range of between 80 and 90 miles, some even 120 miles like the E-Cell A-Class, one of the new Mercedes cars, which is enough to do the shopping or to commute to work. However, day trips or vacations with a plug-in car are out of question unless you plan a six-hour stop every 100 miles to recharge the car. While electric vehicles do serve their purpose as clean, environmentally friendly city cars, they fall short as an all-round car.
Two electric car concepts at Mercedes
As CO2 measurements get tougher and calls for green vehicles get louder, Mercedes-Benz has developed two new concepts for electric cars. The first one are the battery-powered E-Cell models and the second one the hydrogen-powered F-Cell hybrid models. Not only is the technology of the two concepts different but also their purpose on the streets. While the E-Cell range is designed for short distances, the F-Cell hybrid cars can go much further.
Electric Car Race Across the Alps
In order to celebrate electric cars, demonstrate their efficiency and the fun of zero-emission driving, dozens of drivers in plug-in vehicles have taken to the Alps for the e-miglia electric car rally 2012. For the third year in a row, electric cars race through four Alpine countries driving more than 500 miles in four days.
What began as a small rally with few participants in 2010, turned into one of the biggest electric car events in Europe. This year, most popular car brands are represented in the race.
Pace versus Space: BMW and Mercedes Hybrids
They may be arch rivals, but German prestige brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz see the world rather differently. For evidence, look no further than the pair of mid-size hybrid cars that will be offered by the two manufacturers this year.
EU to Propose Tighter CO2 Regulations
The European Commission will discuss tighter carbon emissions standards for new EU cars, according to a draft proposal. This is likely to evoke criticism by the auto industry which recently called on the Commission to relax the way CO2 emissions are measured in order to ease the financial burden on car manufacturers. However, it is welcomed by environmentalists and electric car manufacturers.
The proposal recommends making binding a goal to lower carbon dioxide emissions to an average of 95 grams per
Zagato Volpe – an Electric Fox
The Italian car body shop Zagato is known to come up with innovative original designs from time to time. On this occasion they’ve teamed up with Romano Artiolo of Bugatti EB110 and Lotus Elise fame to build a supermini electric car for city. It’s called Zagato Volpe that both translates as “fox” from Italian and serves as a meaningful abbreviation for Veicoli Originali Leggeri Privi di Emissioni. In other words it’s an “original emission-free light vehicle”.
As you can see from the X-ray image, the driving position is pretty much like on a
New York Auto Show 2012 Roundup
So, New York Auto Show is soon coming to an end. It was an exciting celebration of American (and a little bit of international) motoring traditions. The cars are much bigger in the U.S., you know – even the green cars. There were a few interesting debuts, including a wheelchair-friendly eco car and something that promises to transport you back to the future. Let’s crack on then:
Electric Car Ice Speed Record – 161mph
The one and only Raceabout E-RA keeps surprising the electric car enthusiasts with new feats. After it conquered the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 8 minutes and 42 seconds last September, the electric supercar has gone all wintery and smashed the ice speed record for EVs.
Note that this is an unofficial speed record because there’s no such category in the Guinness Book of Records yet. Can you imagine that?
The electric supercas has been developed by Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences to prove that EVs can be cool and fast. The ice test session took place on the frozen Ukonjarvi lake in Finland. They’ve still got winter over there… brrr!
Charge Your Car While Driving
Electric vehicles have been viewed negatively for their low range and for the inconvenience of having to recharge the battery. But a new technology might change the image of electric cars forever. Stanford University has developed a system that charges cars wirelessly while they cruise down the motorway.
The basic concept involves a series of coils that would be embedded under the pavement of the road. The coils emit a magnetic field and as the car passes over them, they pick up energy via a receiving panel underneath the body of the car.