The increasing numbers of electric and hybrid vehicles making their way onto the used market will be the focus of the first Vehicle Remarketing Association meeting of 2019, taking place on 23 January at Fleet Auction Group, Coalville.
During the CES 2019 technology show in Las Vegas, Continental is exhibiting how a driverless vehicle could be paired with a robotic delivery hound. No it’s not 1 April, but do think “deliverwoof”.
Delphi Technologies PLC has announced a collaboration with TomTom, known for its satnav products. According to the two companies, the partners will collaborate on “electronic and software applications designed to further optimize vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions through the use of real-time mapping data”.
Volkswagen and Tesco have announced the development of the largest UK retail electric vehicle (EV) charging network. The two companies will roll out more than 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 Tesco stores within the next three years.
Electric vehicles are expected to become dominant in 89 per cent of fleets before the end of the next decade, according to a new study by Geotab. Almost half of today’s surveyed fleets (46 per cent) in the UK have no electric vehicles but nine out of 10 UK-based fleet managers expect them to play a dominant role in their company’s fleet before 2028.
Comline Auto Parts will support Denmark-based Vermilion Racing as the team’s official supplier of brake discs in Formula Student. Comline ADC1503 coated brake discs will feature on the team’s 2019 all-electric single-seat racer.
Melksham Motor Spares has begun to bring garages together to train with Delphi on its hybrid electric vehicle course. The company said the training would help to leverage the opportunity offered by the latest hybrid technology. Delphi’s IMI accredited hybrid vehicle training programme has been designed to give technicians the confidence and capability to work safely and effectively on hybrid systems.
Hella, the lighting and electronics specialist is participating in a consortium initiated by the Chinese automobile manufacturer BAIC to develop an intelligent mobility infrastructure in Beijing. This includes communication between vehicles and their environment, via traffic lights equipped with sensor technologies, for example. A total of thirteen international and Chinese technology companies are involved in the non-exclusive cooperation.
Electric vehicles cost an average 23 per cent less to service and maintain over three years/60,000 miles than petrol models, research from Cap HPI has found.
Hankook Tire’s recently-released electric vehicle tyre has already snapped up its first award. At last month’s International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), the Hankook Kinergy AS EV was honoured in the automotive and transportation category. This is the first time Hankook Tire has received an IDEA award for a production model, having previously only gained this distinction with concept tyres, such as its ‘climate change’ concepts in 2015 and its ‘Birth On Nature’ (BON) tyre two years later.
Porsche is the latest vehicle manufacturer to announce that it is to stop producing diesel cars. It follows a 2015 scandal in which its parent company, Volkswagen, admitted it had cheated emissions tests for diesel engines. The Porsche chief executive said the company was “not demonising diesel”.
Electric cars could be charged in a matter of seconds using a revolutionary new battery system, it has been claimed. A so-called ‘flow battery’ system, which has been developed by researchers at the University of Glasgow, uses nano-molecules to store either electric power or hydrogen gas, creating a flexible dual-output battery system.
A good concept vehicle shouldn’t just be stuffed full of forward-thinking technologies and ideas, it should also look as if it’s absconded from the future. The CitE – MAN’s vision of the “future of city delivery transport” – ticks both boxes. Currently on display at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show, the all-electric CitE displays the truck manufacturer’s latest ergonomic and safety concepts. The tyres are also a one-off, made especially for the CitE by Continental. The tyre maker views the concept project as an opportunity to gain experience in electric vehicle tyre development, referring to the Conti e.MotionPro study, as a “starting point for the development of tyres for electric commercial vehicles.”
Drawing upon research and technology that it has developed and proven in markets from Formula-E to Supercars, Ricardo’s new E-Axle transmission offers a balance of efficiency and performance, together with low total cost of ownership.
Maxxis is joining forces with German electric carmaker e.GO. The strategic partnership will see Maxxis create tyres for the manufacturer’s future models. The latest e.Go to be launched is the aptly named ‘Life’. Being fully electric, the car will produce more torque than its comparable combustion-powered peers, which will present Maxxis with some very specific development challenges. The brand is set to re-engineer its premium sports tyre, the Victra Sport 5, to fit the ‘Life’, with modifications to include a unique sidewall design to help balance strength, performance and durability on the roads. Being OE on the TX electric taxi means Maxxis has plenty of experience in producing tyres for electric vehicles, making it the perfect partner for e.Go.
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