+++ The idea of sourcing electricity from solar energy to power and operate vehicles is nothing new. We have seen cars mounted with solar panels, but they don’t seem to look appealing and also appear to be bulky. Likewise, installing solar panels on a car might greatly reduce the vehicle’s aesthetic value. However, integrating solar cells into panoramic glass roofs could be a very good idea. This is the strategy conceptualized by German premium carmaker AUDI and Chinese partner Hanergy Thin Film Power Group Limited, as represented by American subsidiary Alta Devices. The endeavor (dubbed as the Audi/Hanergy Thin Film Solar Cell Research and Development Project) plans to integrate Alta Devices’ thin-film solar cells into panoramic glass roofs of Audi’s electric vehicles, which mean that these models won’t have to sacrifice aesthetics to gain an unlimited source of energy, unlike mounted solar panels. Interestingly, the project plans to cover almost the entire surface of the panoramic roof with solar cells. Then, the electricity generated by these thin-film solar cells will be sent to the EV’s electrical system. This electricity could power up the vehicle’s air-conditioning system or even its seat heaters. As a result, the EVs become more efficient and experience a considerable increase in its electric range. To note, the integrated thin-film solar cells aren’t meant to fully power the whole vehicle, especially its propulsion system. Instead, the integrated thin-film solar cells are expected to extend the range of Audi’s EV. At a later phase, electricity from the integrated thin-film solar cells is expected to directly recharge the traction battery. These innovative thin-film solar cells (produced by Alta Devices in California) are very thin and flexible, which means they could easily be integrated to the panoramic roof of Audi’s EV models. Boasting of an efficiency rate of more than 25 percent, these thin-film solar cells are known for their excellent performance even in high temperatures and low light conditions. Bernd Martens, Audi Board of Management Member for Procurement, remarked that the German premium carmaker acknowledges the fact that the customers consider range as one of the decisive factors in purchasing electrics cars. He said that Audi plans to sustainably extend the range of its EVs by installing groundbreaking solar technology, which is meant to be achieved by partnering with Hanergy. Martens noted that this project would be a milestone in achieving sustainable, emission-free mobility. Hanergy Thin Film Power is involved in the research and development, design and assembly of large-scale thin-film solar turnkey production lines. Hanergy Thin Film Power also develops and operates downstream solar power projects and application products. The Audi/Hanergy Thin Film Solar Cell Research and Development Project plans to complete its first prototype by the end of 2017. +++
+++ We are already past the first 6 months of the year, and now is the time when automakers evaluate their performance within this period. Speaking of numbers, Daimler and Volkswagen are some of the largest automakers out there, being part of the top 15 worldwide rankings in 2015, where Toyota is ranked first, and Volkswagen is just behind it. But here is the thing, Daimler and Volkswagen are not at par with the levels of revenue being experienced by BMW so far this year. Ernst & Young have been studying the numbers and they found that BMW earned as much as €49.25 billion in the first half of this year alone, that is equal to a profit of €5.58 billion with a profit margin of 11.3 percent. Looking at many other figures from other automakers, no one is close to what BMW has earned in the past 6 months. The analysts also compared which company came closest to BMW, and surprisingly, it was Suzuki with a profit margin of 10.3 percent. Next in line is Daimler with a 9.7 percent profit margin. In fourth and fifth place are General Motors and Volkswagen, respectively. If VW hasn’t been involved in the Dieselgate scandal, it would probably still rank the highest, as seen in the past. So what got BMW to the top in terms of revenue for the first half of 2017? China is a huge contributor as BMW’s popularity in the country has grown exponentially. Furthermore, it was revealed that one in every 3 vehicles sold there are from the BMW Group and Daimler. As for the United States and the European market, the German company is doing pretty well with steady sales. Currently, the BMW 7 Series made up 26.9 percent of their overall sales in the past couple of years. In addition, the company said that the BMW Group’s total electric vehicle sales surpassed 50,000 units in the same time period. This is an increase of a whopping 74.8 percent. As we know, they are the third biggest plug-in car manufacturer. The BMW i3 alone has been the best-selling fully electric compact vehicle in the premium segment since 2014. Looking at how the company is doing now, it seems like their success will continue for at least another year. Recently, the German company revealed the M5 (F90), which boasts as much as 602 horsepower. +++
+++ United Kingdom tech giant Delphi believes it has the technology to wean Europe (and China) off its DIESEL addiction, in light of ever-tightening global CO2 standards. Actually, it’s 2 technologies: a 48-volt mild hybrid system, and a new type of cylinder deactivation that Delphi is calling Dynamic Skip Fire. Combined, they can provide up to a 19 percent boost in fuel economy with a traditional petrol engine. Better still, Delphi officials say the systems can not only make the engines hit similar mileage numbers as comparable diesels, but will also deliver the kind of low-end torque that diesel drivers are so accustomed to. That said, either system can be adopted independently, although Delphi says the 2 complement each other through powertrain efficiency across a broader rev range. General Motors is likely to offer Dynamic Skip Fire with its next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra when they launch late in 2018. The system would replace GM’s existing cylinder-deactivation tech, which effectively reduces fuel consumption by shutting down 4 cylinders of a V8 engine and 2 cylinders on a V6. The software was developed by Silicon Valley company Tula Technology, which both Delphi and General Motors have invested in, while Delphi manufactures the engine parts. It might seem like too little, too late, but Delphi believes electric vehicles will be introduced gradually over a lengthy period, instead of immediately replacing the internal combustion engine. According to Mary Gustanski, Delphi Vice President of Engineering, it will come down to costs. “You can spend $2000 for the diesel system, with the appropriate after-treatment, or you can spend $1500 and you can have a 4-volt mild hybrid with Dynamic Skip Fire”, Gustanski said. “When you do that, your CO2 performance is equal, but you get enhanced performance”, she added. +++
+++ HONDA has teased 2 electrified vehicles bound for the Frankfurt motor show next month, one being an all-new electric vehicle (EV) concept, and the other a hybrid prototype of the new-generation CR-V. Pitched as the next steps towards its ‘Electric Vision’, the Urban EV concept will preview a future production model for the European market, while the CR-V Hybrid previews the European version of the popular SUV. It’s unknown whether the CR-V Hybrid prototype is the same as the CR-V Sport Hybrid that broke cover at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, which teamed a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors and lithium/ion batteries; similar to the set-up used by the Accord Sport Hybrid. The electrified pair will debut alongside the facelifted Jazz and the new diesel-powered version of the Civic. Honda’s CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, will unveil the Urban EV Concept at the Honda Press Conference on Tuesday 12 September. +++
+++ Japanese automakers MAZDA and Toyota are planning to collaborate on a inter-connected vehicle infotainment platform for their next-generation vehicles. Following the 2 companies buying shareholdings in each other a month ago while announcing plans for a joint factory in the US and co-development of electric vehicles (EVs), the manufacturers are set to share a core platform for in-vehicle navigation, media, and smartphone connections. Toyota is developing this intelligent software using the Linux operating system, and Mazda is being brought in for “further streamlining”. Despite the system being a collaborative effort, Mazda and Toyota will develop their own features and applications for their respective versions, though the “shortage” of industry-specific software developers in Japan’s automotive industry prompted the companies to collaborate on the platform. The 2018 Toyota Camry will be the first vehicle to be fitted with the core Linux-based system. The company aims to make communications equipment a standard feature in all cars sold in the US, Japan and China by 2020. Meanwhile, in “late fiscal 2018” (likely relating to Japan’s financial year, which ends on March 31) Mazda will introduce new vehicles offering fuel economy improvements of between 20 and 30 percent. The first of these upgraded models is expected to be the Mazda 3, which is also said to be the first model in the company’s range to get the new infotainment system. Mazda’s current MZD Connect system will be updated inline with the introduction of Toyota’s control platform, which will also include high-speed communications hardware. The ‘zoom zoom’ brand is also expected to enlist the help of Japanese phone carrier and Toyota partner, KDDI, in maintaining its communications network. +++
+++ NISSAN will launch its redesigned Leaf next week, with all eyes on how the all-electric vehicle’s battery range will stack up against its Tesla and General Motors competitors. The Leaf is the reigning EV champion in sales: Nissan says it sold more than 280,000 Leafs worldwide, from the car’s debut in December 2010 to last month. It remains to be seen whether the battery range will go up, or whether Nissan will offer options in battery size at different price points, offering a larger range on costlier trims. The 2017 model, which starts around $31,000, offers a range of 170 kilometers. “If the range goes up and the price remains the same, the new Nissan Leaf will continue to offer one of the least expensive and practical ways to own a pure electric car”, said Ed Hellwig, a senior editor with Edmunds. The car probably won’t offer as much range as the Chevrolet Bolt (Opel Ampera-e), but if the Leaf delivers even a modest bump over its current range, it will be enough to get the attention of most mainstream EV shoppers, he said. “The original Leaf was easily recognizable, but not very attractive. This time around Nissan is promising a more conventional design that should make the Leaf more appealing to a wider range of buyers”, Hellwig said. The battery range on the new Leaf will likely be around 240 kilometers. That would give the Tesla Model 3 the battery-range advantage as well as a brand and style advantage over the Leaf, he said. The Nissan EV could have an upper hand on base price over both the Bolt and the Model 3, and the high availability advantage over the Model 3, Brauer said. The Bolt is widely available. For the Model 3, customers putting down a $1,000 reservation on the car can expect to receive it in 12 to 18 months, according to Tesla’s website. The Model 3 is the linchpin of Tesla’s expansion plans, which include launching new passenger and commercial vehicles and arriving at a production rate of 500,000 by the end of next year. At a conference call earlier in August after company results, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk told analysts there should be “zero concerns” about achieving that production goal. Tesla sold its first-ever pure bonds in August to secure a smooth financial ride for the Model 3 production ramp. +++
+++ The U.S. House will likely approve a bill next week that would make available more SELF-DRIVING cars for testing and sales, as well as standardize state rules for easier interstate travel. A similar version for the Senate hasn’t been introduced, but it likely faces the same fast-track through Congress and on to President Donald Trump’s desk for approval. The bill, which was passed unanimously through a House committee in July, would phase in testing and sales for four years for interested individual automakers, which could lead to up to 275,000 self-driving cars on the roads from each participating automaker. Earlier iterations allowed for more sales, faster, but committee amendments slowed down the final pace to 25,000 sales the first year, 50,000 in the second year, and 100,000 sales in each of the third and fourth years from automakers such as Audi, General Motors, and Volvo. Each of those automakers have plans for self-driving cars in the near future, while Audi has already previewed a Level-3-capable version of its A8 that could go on sale as early as next year, if the legislation is enacted. Officials from those automakers didn’t immediately comment on the bill. The bill (and its fumblingly long acronym “Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act” or SELF DRIVE Act) directs the Department of Transportation and NHTSA to create less-cumbersome rules for self-driving cars that would be applied across state lines. That initially drew criticism from state officials and groups including the National Governors Association, which is a lobby for individual states’ chief executives, that warned that a massive spike in the number of self-driving cars could create a “safety vacuum” on America’s roadways. “Based on the scope of development and field evaluation of a new motor vehicle safety feature, we are concerned that this forty-fold increase in the exemption threshold could be excessive or present potential safety risks to the motoring public”, the association wrote to Congress in a July 27 letter. According to Reuters, the bill would require that self-driving cars approved for the exemption would meet or exceed current federal automotive safety regulations. +++
+++ TOYOTA plans to occupy 2 ends of the SUV spectrum with its 2 global debuts at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show. The Japanese automaker announced a new Land Cruiser and a C-HR hybrid concept will be revealed at the show. Toyota was brief in description but said the C-HR Hy-Power concept previews a future expansion of Toyota’s hybrid powertrain throughout more of its core lineup. The automaker confirmed the Toyota Land Cruiser will stick with a body-on-frame architecture and simply said the 65-year-old nameplate will continue to be capable of taking drivers where they want to go and bring them back with ease. The Land Cruiser was last updated for the 2016 model year. The platform actually dates back to 2008, but Toyota has updated the engine and transmission along the way. It is unclear if the new Land Cruiser will be a full redesign or an update of the existing model with new sheet metal and new features. Aside from Frankfurt, Toyota is poised to be busy elsewhere around the globe, too. Toyota will debut a new “sports car series” at a special event in Japan next month, which is rumored to align with GRMN (Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring). The brand launched GRMN with a Yaris GRMN in Europe to compete with subcompact pocket rockets like the Fiesta ST and Polo GTI. It’s all but confirmed the next Supra will sit as its crown jewel. The GT86 and a production version of the S-FR concept will round out the new sub-brand. +++
+++ VOLKSWAGEN is targeting a 5% market share in the U.S. by increasing the number of SUVs in its lineup, a top executive said. Volkswagen wants to reposition itself globally as a bigger player in the sports utility segment and use that momentum to catch up with rivals in the competitive U.S. market, said Herbert Diess, chairman of the company’s VW brand. “We are committed to becoming a volume player” in the U.S. by more than doubling the company’s current 1.9% market share, he told reporters in a briefing at Volkswagen’s factory in Chattanooga. The world’s largest auto maker by volume has struggled to gain traction in the U.S., even as other global brands have seen their market share grow at the expense of the Detroit-based Big Three American auto makers. Diess wouldn’t provide a timeline for that growth goal in the U.S. but said Volkswagen plans to introduce 2 new models a year into the American market for the foreseeable future, including a pair of sedans in 2018. The move comes as the company recovers from a scandal involving cheating on diesel emissions that hurt its brand image in the U.S. and Europe. In September 2015, Volkswagen admitted to rigging millions of diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests, costing the company nearly $25 billion in fines, penalties and compensation. It is now seeking to rebound from that black eye by growing in segments where it has been weakest: crossovers and SUVs. Volkswagen aims to increase its lineup of these vehicles to 19 models globally by 2019, increasing their share of its total sales volume to 40%, up from less than 15% today, Diess said. “SUVs will drive our sales world-wide”, he said. An important part of that strategy is a new midsize SUV designed with American car buyers in mind. Production of that vehicle, called the Atlas, began in December at the Tennessee plant, which has produced Passat sedans since opening in 2011. The addition of the Atlas lifted the $1.9 billion factory’s production capacity by almost 70% to 250,000 vehicles a year. Volkswagen also sells a smaller SUV in the U.S. called the Tiguan, which is made at a factory in Mexico. The larger Atlas is positioned to compete with Honda’s popular Pilot model, and Volkswagen officials say there is much to learn from its Japanese rival’s U.S.-designed models tailored to American drivers. “We are more than 10 years behind Honda in the U.S.”, said Matthias Erb, Volkswagen’s chief engineering officer and head of product strategy in North America. +++