Electric cars for everyone

Volvo just announced it will show an electric C30 at the NAIAS next month.

Source :
https://www.media.volvocars.com/go/391e3464-e2da-4b24-b4f9-bbe3ea049a48.aspx

I have been a long time admirer of the C30 Recharge since I knew it and I even have taken it in picture at the 2008 Brussels Auto Show.

So when I received the news from Volvo, I thought that it was  about a new version of the Recharge but it was about an Electric C30 of a more conventional structure (without the in-wheel motors).

So I’m a little disappointed but in the quest of electric cars for everyone this is a significative step forward.

Its specifications taken from the above source are comparable to other similar cars, the Wh/kg  ratio : 86 (idem for the Chevrolet Volt : 16kWh/400lbs)

Technical specifications Electric C30 :

Car model: Volvo C30 – full four seater

Main engine: Electric engine 40/82KW

Power output: Electric engine 82kW, 111 bhp

Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 10.5 seconds

Charging duration: Charging via standard power socket, 230 V, 16 ampere: < 8 hours

Range on electric power: 150 km (NEDC cycle)

Battery energy content: 24 kWh nominal energy, of which 22.7 kWh used to power the car

Battery weight:280 kg

I hope the C30 electric will be available soon, affordable and practical.

I also hope that the fears about technological obsolescence of the battery that a lot of prospective customers of EVs share will be overcomed by a creative approach from EV makers.

A merry Christmas and happy (I hope it will also be electrical) new year to all.

JC Jacquemin

I’ll perhaps repeat myself but being from Belgium I must say that for once I’m glad of what one of our political people has done yesterday.

I do not write about Herman Van Rompuy, for him I wish the best and particularly to sign the same text with Barak Obama than the one he has signed a few days ago with the Chinese President on cooperation for the mass introduction of electric cars, see :
http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/2009/november/US-China-Fact-Sheet-on-Electric-Vehicles.pdf

The one I would particularly like to thank and encourage is Bernard Clerfayt our Assistant Budget Minister who succeed in passing a law with serious incentives for electric cars in Belgium, particularly for individuals and corporations which install charging ports in their garages or parking lots and for consumers who will buy electric vehicles.
See (in French) http://www.rtbf.be/info/economie/fiscalite/eco-fiscalite-nouveaux-avantages-pour-les-transports-et-lhabitat-162701
A brief summary :
A tax credit of 30% of the MRSP of an EV with a maximum of 8990 € will be granted to be buyer (if he is an individual). A tax crediy of 40% will be granted for an external charging station with a maximum of 250€.

In the corporations, the charging stations will be encouraged by an investment deduction of 21,5% and be allowed to be amortized in two years . Fot the employer, the vehicle emitting less than 1gr/CO2/km,
like EVS, will be 120% deductible !

I also applaud the nomination in Germany of an E-car commissionner : http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=ataVzUUc3zIA

I emphasize that we need such a Commissioner for the whole EU not only for Germany.

So with Renault Nissan being so agressive with the introduction of very nice E-cars in the next future, what is the prospect for Opel-Vauxhall in that matter ?

The Ampera is certainly my next car if its price is affordable and its performances as announced but I would it to have a swappable battery to protect its buyer against its technical obsolescence. (That is the plan with the Renault ZOE, the Nissan LEAF, the Renault FLUENCE …).

I could do with an Ampera (with a swappable battery) and an E-Corsa or Meriva.

JC NPNS

This is a quick post to ask you to check the  site cited bellow.

Guy Fournier, University professsor at the Pforzeim University, Germany, has shown how to transform the e-mobility into a value chain.

Thanks to Olivier Danielo who referenced the site on its blog on planetbetterplace : http://planet.betterplace.com/profile/Olivier

Regards

JC

http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=demetentreprises.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fidw-online.de%2Fpages%2Fde%2Fattachmentdata460.pdf

Look at this new site :

http://www.electric.citroen.com/

They are rumors from inside that say it will cost around 16.500 €.

Source

http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1038326_citroen-unveils-electric-car-for-2010-production

One year ago I had computed that the Mitsu iMIEV could cost about 17.000 €. Not bad for a Zero emission urban vehicle with reasonable performance.

So we could have an affordable EV for everyone.

What bothers me is the rear traction, there is snow sometime in winter, … Citroen says the car has traction control and ESP.

More informations here :

http://www.electric.citroen.com/includes/pdf/c_zero_us.pdf

Regards and press your auto dealers by asking them at what price they will sell their EVs,

JC NPNS

Note : I already registred myself to test the car, use Internet Explorer to make the registration, it does not work under Firefox 3.0

A very interesting presentation by C. Ghosn.

I think all carmakers should be inspired by this vision and, less importantly, look at the car behind Carlos, that ZOE ZE could be one of my future cars.

Regards,

JC NPNS

The video is in French with English subtitles here :

http://www.renault-ze.com/fr/blog/?p=205

or here :

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=198474275819#/video/video.php?v=198474275819&ref=mf

Source :

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/Industry-News/Renault-confirms-electric-car-production-for-2011/

A few weeks ago Renault published an add in the most read magazine in the french speaking part of Belgium, with the engagement to produce affordable E-cars for everyone.

I think this is a good move that all the car manufacturers should follow.

The  article underline the fact that the ZOE ZE should account for two-thirds of Renault’s electric car sales in Europe.

Do you like it it as much as I do ?

Regards,

JC NPNS

P.S. do you know this excellent wikipedia page by Karl :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car

Welcome to Volt Nation.

I’m Jean-Charles Jacquemin, Belgian, currently university professor in economics.

I am convinced that we must get rid of oil as soon as possible and that electric cars are a good way to begin the task without loosing our freedom to move.

The GM-Volt was the first car to get my interest and I continue to promote it, however, I’m also fond of the Better Place initiative, of the Renault ZE concepts and of the Bolloré’s Bluecar.

I’ll keep you informed and would thank the Dr Lyle Dennis for all what he has done so far.

Jean-Charles