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Aussie haulage heading down electric avenue

Added by admin 20/07/17

Posted by Scott Murray on July 14th, 2017

A fleet of nine electric trucks, manufactured in Melbourne, has officially hit the open road.

Kings Transport has taken delivery of nine completely electric SEA Electric 10-tonne rigid trucks with an approximate 200km driving range per charge.

SEA Electric’s modular driveline is retrofitted to existing cab chassis which executive chairman Tony Fairweather says is a crowning achievement for Australia’s transport industry.

“We are proud to deliver the first 100% electric vehicle to Kings Transport,” he says.
“[This technology aims] at the small- to medium-sized commercial vehicle segment where transport businesses operate relatively fixed route applications with overnight layovers – which is the perfect application for electric vehicles,” Fairweather adds about the Dandenong-based company.
He says the company’s strategy was to license the retrofitting drivelines to a list of medium-duty OEMs in the future.
Energy, environment and climate change minister Lily D’Ambrosio attended the low-key delivery, saying there are plenty of strengths remaining in the local manufacturing industry.
“SEA Electric is setting a great example of how local manufacturers can embrace new technology,” she says.
Kings Transport chief executive officer Tony Mellick says it’s the right time for taking action in his fleet.
“It is beyond question now that electric vehicles are going to be a substantial part of both the passenger and commercial vehicle sector in the future,” he says.

“The question is simply how great – SEA has positioned its business, Victoria and Australia, to benefit from this exciting journey,” he adds.
The electric component manufacturer has three vehicles including a light electric van called the E4V, and the EV10 which is a nine to 11 tonne rigid truck with capability of being upgraded to a 12-15 tonne rigid truck.
The company received a half-million dollar grant from the Victorian government’s Energy Jobs Fund to boost the program which the company says has had indications from Iveco Australia and New Zealand-based waste management organisations.
 

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                               Story and image courtesy: EVtalk
                                                  
                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                               

 

Tesla Model 3 starts production

Added by admin 05/07/17

Posted by Geoff Dobson on July 4th, 2017

The first models of the US$35,000 (A$45,697) Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle begin production this week after passing key regulatory tests ahead of schedule.
But Model 3 reservation holders in Australia could be waiting for delivery until 2019. Electrek reports almost all of the 2017 Model 3 production are likely to go to California.
“Model 3 passed all regulatory requirements for production two weeks ahead of schedule,” Tesla chief executive Elon Musk tweeted this week.

“Expecting to complete SN1 [first production] on Friday.
“Looks like we can reach 20,000 Model 3 cars per month in Dec.”
The California-based company aims to make 5000 Model 3 sedans weekly by the end of the year and 10,000 a week in 2018.
Tesla has not said how many people have put down US$1000 (A$1305) refundable deposits for the Model 3, but Musk says people who put down a deposit now will not get a car until the end of 2018 – suggesting it could be close to 500,000.

The Daily Mail says the sporty five-seat sedan can get to 96.5kmh in under six seconds and will travel 340 kilometres on a single charge.
The car has a computer monitor controlled by a touchscreen in its centre instead of a traditional dashboard, showing details about the EV and its route.
Each side of the steering wheel will have a single scroll button.
Even if the Model 3 is on time, servicing all those vehicles will still provide a challenge, the Daily Mail says.
Model S and Model X owners are worried about having to share Tesla’s company-owned charging stations with an influx of new cars.
And while Tesla is promising to increase its network of stores and service centres by 30% this year, it began 2017 with just 250 service centres worldwide.
Musk has said a new fleet of mobile service trucks will be deployed to help customers far from service centres.
Tesla also plans to double its global high-speed charging points to 10,000 by the end of this year and increase them by another 50%-100% in 2018.
Rumours around the Model 3’s production began last week after Musk said there would be ‘News on Sunday’, in reply to a tweet by Sydney-based Douglas Bailey who asked Musk to end the speculation on the Model 3 release date.
                                                 
                               Story and image courtesy: EVtalk
                                                  
                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                               

 

Elaphe tests its in-wheel motors in a BMW X6

Added by admin 05/07/17

Posted July 3, 2017 by Charles Morris

Elaphe Propulsion Technologies (Slovenia) has built a demonstrator vehicle that it claims is the highest-performing in-wheel-powered car ever.

The modified BMW X6 uses 4 Elaphe L1500 gearless electric motors mounted inside the wheels. It delivers over 440 kW (590 hp) of power, and over 6,000 Nm (4,425 lb·ft) of direct-drive torque. The 5,300-pound vehicle can reach 62 mph in under 4.9 seconds.

Elaphe will use the demonstrator for on-vehicle validation and testing. The company is investing heavily in R&D and scaling up production – it recently won a grant of over 1 million euros from the EU to help bring its L1500 in-wheel motor into mass production.

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                               Story and image courtesy: Charged EVs   PRODRIVE   In-Wheel.com
                                                  
                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                               

 

   
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