Nissan Cannot Meet Demand for New Leaf EV, Production Shortages to Last Longer than Expected

It has been known for a while now that Nissan is struggling with the Leaf’s slow rollout. The demand for the all-electric vehicle is so high that the Japanese maker has been forced to stop receiving new orders and concentrate on filling existing ones. However, projected production figures show that the company will only assemble 10,000 units until March 31, while it has already received 27,000 orders from the U.S., Japan and Europe.

The remaining 17,000 orders are likely to be filled in the next fiscal year starting April 1, during which Nissan will reach the maximum production capacity of 50,000 units at the Oppama plant in Japan.

Consequently, the automaker could take 33,000 more orders in the next fiscal year, but it hasn’t decided yet when it will do so. According to Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan wants to “deliver enough volume to the first lot” before giving new orders the green light.

One solution would be the opening of new assembly lines sooner than initially planned, but Shiga ruled out the possibility due to the fact that work has just started on the factory that would provide the additional lithium-ion battery packs needed.

That means Nissan's UK factory will begin producing Leafs in 2012, followed by the Tennessee plant in 2013, so the shortage could last longer than expected.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autonews [Sub.required]

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Geneva Preshow: Rolls Royce Phantom 102EX with Full-Electric Drive

Rolls Royce will be showcasing a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March 2011. The British automaker said the car will serve as a working test bed to explore the feasibility of battery-powered Rolls Royce models in the near future.

“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”

The 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), will go on a world tour in 2011 offering Rolls Royce owners and enthusiasts in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America the opportunity to test drive the car and share their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly with the company.

According to Rolls Royce, these include the 102EX's ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions, as well as to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations.

“I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” added Müller-Ötvös. “It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.”

Rolls Royce said it will reveal photos and full technical specifications for the 102EX at the Geneva Salon on March 1.

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Tesla Losses Soar to $154.3 million in 2010, Despite Gains in Revenue

Tesla Motors has just released a preliminary, unaudited financial report concerning the year than ended on Dec. 31, 2010. The company reported losses of US$51.4 million in Q4 2010 and US$154.3 million for 2010, which was almost triple the US$55.74 million loss for the year ending Dec. 31, 2009.

The EV automaker's revenue, however, rose approximately 5 percent in 2010 to $116.7 million. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2010 were US$36.3 million, a 16% increase from the US$31.2 million reported in the prior quarter. Tesla added that gross margin improved to 26% for the full year 2010, up from 9% for 2009.

The company 's future plans include the launch of the Model S, which is scheduled to go on sale in the middle of next year. Scroll down to read Tesla CEO Elon Musk's statement.

“We are very pleased to report continued revenue growth, improving margins and a steady progression in our Roadster and powertrain activities,” said Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors. “Our powertrain team delivered solid results, with an increase in orders and record deliveries of battery packs and chargers for the Daimler Smart fortwo electric drive, the completion of our development program for the Daimler A-Class, and the commencement of the phase 1 development program for the Toyota RAV4 EV.”

“The highlight of the quarter was our on-time completion of the first drivable Model S alpha,” continued Musk. “The quality and level of refinement of the alpha demonstrates the superb job of our design, vehicle engineering and powertrain teams. They have embraced the opportunity to build an EV from the ground up and have produced a vehicle which shows great potential to deliver superior aerodynamics, stability and handling, crash safety, performance and range. We believe the Model S is well on its way toward becoming the vehicle of choice for 2012.”

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RUF Developing Electric Test Vehicles Based on the Porsche 911 Carrera

Porsche tuner RUF Automobile is developing ten electric vehicles with three different powertrains based on the 911 Carrera (997), which will be put to the test in “real life situations”. The prototypes are being manufactured in cooperation with German electronics giant Siemens AG and are going to be presented in the first half of 2011. The three eRUF variants feature a single motor concept, twin motor concept with 2-speed gearbox and twin motor concept with torque vectoring.

The first powertrain comprises a 180 kW (241HP) electric motor, 29 kWh lithium-ion battery and standard Porsche gearbox used for speed reduction. The setup offers an estimated driving range of 150 km (93 miles) and decent performance: 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7 seconds and a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph).

The prototypes using the twin motor concept are even faster, reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) in about 5 seconds, while also maxing out at 220 km/h or 137 mph. Two synchronous electric motors deliver 250 kW (335HP) and are coupled to a 2-speed automatic transmission. The more potent battery pack (36,6 kWh) extends the driving range to 200 km (124 mph).

Last but not least, the third variant uses the same twin motor setup, while adding torque vectoring into the mix as well. Engineers mounted two separate gearboxes into the car, each powering a rear wheel. Acceleration and driving range are the same, however estimated top speed decreases to about 180 km/h (112 mph).

The field test are expected to provide important data on the different battery and powertrain setups, which will be handed over to the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, also involved in the project.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: RUF via Autoblog

eRUF variants [Press Release]

1. Single Motor Concept
- Base vehicle, Porsche 997 Carrera
- Electric motor (180 kW) and inverter from Siemens AG
- Porsche production gearbox used for speed reduction
- Lithium-ion batteries with an energy capacity of 29 kWh
- Integrated charger, DCDC-converter, plug, socket and charging cable
- interior heating
- Data recording unit for analysis and documentation of the charging/ discharging, journey and component data
- Driving range approximately 150 km, maximum speed about 220 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 7 seconds
2. Twin Motor Concept with 2-speed Gearbox
- Base vehicle, Porsche 997 Carrera
- Two transversely mounted Siemens synchronous electric motors (250 kW) with double inverters
- Automatic 2 speed gearbox, limited slip differential
- Liquid cooled and heated lithium ion battery with an energy capacity of 36,6 kWh
- Integrated charger, DCDC-converter, plug, socket and charging cable
- interior heating
- Data recording unit for ananlysis and documentation of the charging/ discharging, journey and component data
- Driving range approximately 200 km, maximum speed about 220 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 5 seconds
3. Twin Motor concept with Torque Vectoring
- Base vehicle, Porsche 997 Carrera
- Two transversely mounted Siemens synchronous electric motors (250 kW) with double inverters
- Two seperate angular bevel gearboxes for independent rear wheel drive
- Liquid cooled and heated lithium ion battery with an energy capacity of 36,6 kWh
- Charging via inverter, DCDC-converter, plug, socket and charging cable
- interior heating
- Data recording unit for analysis and documentation of the charging/discharging, journey and component data
- Driving range approximately 200 km, maximum speed about 180 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 5 seconds

BMW to Release Details on New Sub-Brand on February 21st

It's been a long time in the making, but the BMW Group will finally reveal full details on its new sub-brand in a press conference on Monday, February 21st, 2011. From what we know up until now, the Bavarian company’s yet-to-be-named sub-brand will be applied to a new family of radical electric vehicles, the first of which will be an advanced, electrically driven and lightweight hatchback currently known by its codename, Megacity.

In 2009, BMW's Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer told reporters that the new sub-brand will be comparable to the company's M badge, meaning that we should expect something in the likes of a new 'i' or 'E' nameplate. We'll have more on the BMW's plans after the official presentation next week.

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BMW Experimental Vehicle Platform