Mazda has announced that they’ll be introducing their very first production EV (electric vehicle) on 23 October 2019. This means that two days from now, the electrified Mazda will make its official debut at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and judging by the teaser photo they posted, it might just be an SUV of some sort. (more…)
After its pioneering role in mass producing hybrid vehicles in the late 1990s and then taking on a leadership position in the segment, it looks like Toyota plans to do the same for battery electric vehicles or BEVs. With hybrids, Toyota successfully brought the more environment-friendly powertrain into the mainstream, enabling volumes to become larger. This, in turn, allowed economies of scale to kick in and lower production and technology costs, making hybrids more affordable.
At the Tokyo Motor Show this month, the carmaker will display a new, production-ready ultra-compact BEV which it plans to start selling in Japan late next year. The ultra-compact 2-seater is specifically designed to meet the daily mobility needs of customers who make regular short-distance trips, such as the elderly, newly licenced drivers or businesspeople visiting local customers.
The next-generation mobility solution is designed to provide short-distance mobility while limiting impact on the environment. It has a range of approximately 100 kms on a single charge, can reache a maximum speed of 60 km/h and features an extremely tight turning radius.
Development chief Akihiro Yanaka said the BEV, which is less than 2.5 metres long and 1.3 metres wide, can be considered a mobility solution that can support Japan’s ageing society and provide freedom of movement to people at all stages of life.
New business model to popularise BEVs
Toyota is also pairing its planned launch next year with a new business model that aims to promote the wider adoption of BEVS in general. This includes examining every step of the battery pack’s life, from manufacture through sale, resale or re-use, and recycling to maximise its value.
In the near term, Toyota will focus on expanded leasing initiatives designed to recapture used batteries for evaluation and re-use as appropriate in pre-owned vehicles, as service parts, or even in non-automobile applications. Toyota is also developing peripheral services for BEVs such as recharging stations and insurance.
Some years back, Hakan Samuelsson, President & CEO of Volvo Cars declared that the company is determined to be the first premium carmaker to move its entire portfolio of vehicles into electrification. After starting with hybrids, the plan was to have fully electric models by the end of this decade and with three months remaining, the company has rolled out the XC40 Recharge, its first ever fully electric car and the first model to appear in its brand-new Recharge car line concept.
First in the fully electric Volvo family
The XC40 Recharge, based on the XC40 SUV, is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos. Over the next 5 years, the Swedish carmaker (part of China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2010) will launch a fully electric car every year. This will enable it to make all-electric models account for 50% of global sales by 2025, with the rest being hybrids. Recharge will be the umbrella name for all Volvos with a fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The new XC40 Recharge, with all-wheel drive and 408 ps, has a claimed range of over 400 kms on a fully charged battery pack. The battery pack can be recharged to 80% of its capacity within 40 minutes but only if a fast-charger system is used.
Fully powered by Android
An Android-powered infotainment system is fully integrated with Volvo On Call, the company’s digital connected services platform. The Volvo Car Group is the first company to team up with Google on integrating an infotainment system powered by Android, with the Google Assistant, Google Maps and the Google Play Store built-in. The new system offers full integration of Android Automotive OS, Google’s open-source Android platform, with real-time updates to services and automotive apps created by the global developer community.
“We are finally giving you the same experience in your car that you’re used to on your phone, but adapted for safe interaction while driving,” said Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Cars. “And by introducing over-the-air updates for everything from maintenance to completely new features, the car can stay as fresh as your other digital products, always with the latest and greatest features.”
To meet the anticipated growth in demand for its Recharge models, Volvo Cars will triple production capacity for electrified cars and will, as of next year, prepare a Designer’s Choice selection of popular Recharge models, offering the potential for radically reduced delivery times.
For many driving enthusiasts, a lap of the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany is something they must do at least once in their life. Opened in 1927, the engineers designed a 28.3-km Nurburgring circuit with various route variants, including the then 22.8-km Nordschleife. It is estimated to have cost 27 million euros converted to today’s monetary value.
Nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ by 3-times F1 champion Jackie Stewart, the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit is used for certain world championship events, especially endurance races. On days when there are no races, the circuit is open to the public who, after paying a fee, of can drive their own cars around during the ‘tourist sessions’. There are all sorts of cars – as well as vans and even buses!
For those who want an extreme experience but don’t have the necessary skills for high-speed driving, there are also ‘taxi rides’ available. Professional drivers will be at the wheel and there’s a range of supercars to choose from.
First zero-emissions performance SUV for taxi rides
But until now, there has never been a fully-electric taxi at Nurburgring and Jaguar’s RACE eTAXI service with the I-PACE performance SUV is the first. The public can now experience the sportscar performance of the all-wheel drive I-PACE around the 20.8-km, 73-corner track. The zero-emissions SUV has a claimed acceleration time from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with its 400 ps/696 Nm powertrain that is fed energy from a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
One lap as a co-driver in the I-PACE will cost €149 (about RM690) and you are provided with a helmet and drinks. The introduction of the first all-electric RACE eTAXI is another step in Jaguar’s electrification strategy as it enables more people to experience Jaguar’s I-PACE first-hand.
Explosions are normally associated with something negative or bad as they generate a lot of energy which can be damaging. However, there are also some explosions which can save lives – these are tiny explosions which reduce the risk of electric shocks after a vehicle has an accident.
With more and more electric cars on the road, many drivers are increasingly uncertain what they should do or not do in the event of a collision. Electric motors also present rescue crews with new challenges. In fact, like any other vehicle, electric vehicles are equipped with safety features for such events.
Deactivating electrical circuits right away
For example, Bosch semiconductors help prevent the risk of electric shock after an accident. Specially designed microchips deactivate the vehicle’s power circuits in a fraction of a second. This enables rescue crews to set to work immediately and ensures that first responders and the vehicle’s occupants remain safe.
“Our semiconductor technology plays a vital role in the safety of hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Jens Fabrowsky, Member of the executive management of Bosch’s Automotive Electronics division. Bosch supplies vehicle manufacturers with semiconductor chips for incorporation in special systems that safely disconnect the battery in the event of a collision.
“Faced with the growing number of electric vehicles that could potentially be involved in collisions, such systems are absolutely essential if we are to fulfil our mission of helping and rescuing victims of road accidents as rapidly and safely as possible,” added Karl-Heinz Knorr, Vice-President of the German firefighters association.
Higher voltage than home electrical outlets
For a lot of people, damaged cables as the result of an accident are a cause for concern: the current from the battery pack could leak into the metal bodywork of a hybrid or all-electric car. After all, these batteries are designed to deliver a voltage of 400 to 800 volts (the voltage from your home electrical outlet is 240 volts and that’s already dangerous). But they can rest assured because Bosch semiconductor chips ensure that the high-voltage battery is automatically disconnected, so that nobody at the scene of the accident – vehicle occupants, rescue crews, first responders – comes into contact with current-carrying components.
The semiconductor devices are part of a pyrotechnical safety switch system, or pyrofuse. These systems ‘blow out’ whole sections of the cable connection to the high-voltage battery by means of miniature explosive charges, thus quickly and effectively shutting off the power circulation. Bosch semiconductors play a decisive role in these systems. If, for example, the airbag sensor detects an impact, the tiny devices – measuring no more than ten by ten millimetres and weighing just a few grams – trigger the pyrofuse. This sets off little explosions that drive a wedge into the high-voltage cable between the battery unit and the power electronics, disconnecting the two. By cutting off the flow of current this way, the risk of electric shock or fire is eliminated.
Reliability in millions of applications
The CG912 integrated airbag system IC used in the pyrofuse system is an application-specific integrated circuit or ASIC. The specific application in this case is automotive safety. “Our ASICs, which are no bigger than a fingernail and yet populated with millions of transistors, are custom-designed to activate safety functions reliably within a fraction of a second,” Fabrowsky said.
Originally developed by Bosch to trigger the release of airbags, the CG912 has performed reliably millions of times in this application. Modern vehicles contain dozens of ICs to control not only safety features such as airbags and belt tensioners but also cruise control, distance sensors, high-beam assist, lane-keeping support, rain sensors, and driver drowsiness detection. “Nowadays, there is hardly any area of automotive engineering that does not involve the use of microchips,” he noted.
Visitors to the Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) booth at the coming Tokyo Motorshow later this month will be shown two new concept cars that preview the carmaker’s future technologies: the MI-TECH Concept and the Super Height K-Wagon Concept.
MI-TECH Concept
The MI-TECH Concept is said to embody the values of MMC’s ‘Drive your Ambition’ brand message under the concept of “An electric SUV that delivers unparalleled driving pleasure and confidence over all terrain in light and wind”.
The concept car features a new, downsized and lighter plug-in hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain, a 4-motor electric 4WD system and advanced driver assistance with active safety systems. The MI-TECH name is derived using the ‘M’ from Mitsubishi and the ‘I’ from ‘Intelligent, Ingenious and Inspired’, while the TECH is an abbreviation of Technology.
The MI-TECH’s advanced PHEV system is optimised with a light and compact unit for this small size SUV, using a gas turbine engine generator instead of a petrol engine generator. This allows the driver to use pure-electric driving mode and series hybrid modes, delivering the smooth and powerful performance characteristics inherent to electrified vehicles.
Its 4-motor 4WD system called Quad Motor with Dual Motor Active Yaw Control (AYC) has two motors for both the front and rear axles. This allows optimum torque to be delivered to all the wheels, bringing confidence to the driver with precise handling for the daily use and also enhanced performance for adventuring off-road.
Inside, a human-machine interface (HMI) projects a variety of information, detected by using advanced optical sensing technology, onto the windscreen of the vehicle. While the MI-PILOT driver assistance system not only alerts the driver in potential collision situations, it also supports the operation of the steering wheel and brakes.
In addition, active safety systems support the driver in avoiding collisions and mitigating any collision damage. All these systems work together to deliver a reassuring, safe and enjoyable driving experience.
Super Height K-Wagon Concept
The new-generation Super Height K-Wagon Concept answers the wishes of those drivers looking to expand their list of destinations and going further towards to the horizon. This concept features the roomy interior space as is standard of the genre while delivering the performance and functionality expected in this category, with a SUV touch.
Few details are available but MMC says it delivers nimble handling and brisk performance while maximizing interior space. It also offers reassurance and safety to all occupants with MI-PILOT driver assistance technology, Forward Collision Mitigation, mis-acceleration mitigation and other advanced active safety systems which earn it SAPO CAR (Safety Support Car) S Wide classification from the Japanese government.
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In a recent article about Jaguar Design, it was noted that one of the important elements in the DNA of Jaguar cars is ‘Britishness’, which has been maintained over many decades. Cars from Japanese manufacturers also have a certain ‘Japanese-ness’ which has been evident, particularly in details, packaging and ‘hospitality’. There are also influences from Japanese culture in some models, while craftsmanship is a very high priority.
Ultimate urban commuter
You’ll see this in the IMk, the latest concept car from Nissan which is presented as ‘the ultimate urban commuter’. The compact electric car combines chic design and cutting-edge technologies in a minimal aesthetic, drawing on Nissan’s new design philosophy called ‘Timeless Japanese Futurism’. A close look reveals additional elements of ‘Japanese DNA’ throughout the IMk. For example, the V-motion signature ‘shield’ and combination taillights feature a trellised, woodwork-type impression.
Adopting the simplistic nature of traditional Japanese design, the exterior is characterized by flowing lines. Carefully applied Japanese motifs add refinement and intrigue. Dipped in an Akagane paint scheme – reflecting a reddish copper colour – the concept pays homage to artisans who formed copper into functional works of art.
“We incorporated `Japanese DNA’ into the design of the IMk,” said Satoru Tai, Executive Design Director at Nissan. “For example, the bumper, wheels, tyres, windows, tail lamps, roof and high mount spoiler treatment borrow from the flowing patterns of mizuhiki, a thin twine made of Japanese rice paper. Just as mizuhiki flows naturally by design, this flowing pattern on the IMk blends the front, sides, and rear of the concept together for a completely new presence, outside and inside.”
“The shield, which replaces the grille in petrol-powered vehicles, represents a new signature element in our redefined design language. It follows function with style, giving the vehicle visual strength and inspiration while also providing protection and advanced technology underneath, including sensors and electronics,” Tai added.
Inviting cabin with high-tech functionality
“We could have kept all the surfaces inside the IMk’s cabin flat, which would have equated to more physical space,” he said. “But if we did that, we would have lost some of its beauty, and we didn’t want to go that route. The IMk was never about being roomier than a traditional small car. It was about being an upscale, stylish partner that gives occupants a chic, elegant space to enjoy.”
The IMk concept’s cabin is a new type of ‘room’ that exudes the nature of a cafe or lounge. The bench-style seat, with a dimpled texture, promotes a relaxing, welcome space that gives the impression of sitting on a floating cloud. The dashboard and sections of the doors are upholstered with light tonal materials, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Akagane-coloured accents along the instrument panel, doors and steering wheel add brightness to the interior and a premium feel to the car as a whole.
Interlocking with the lower door section are wood slats that are a nod to the Japanese wood joinery technique of kigumi, which create a sense of inner calm. This feature is highlighted by special hidden lighting. Dark coffee-coloured floor carpeting with woven strands of metallic fibre enhance the cozy, relaxing setting.
Other than the start button and shifter, the IMk’s thin dashboard has no physical controls. Powering up the IMk reveals cabin comfort controls and settings with soft glowing icons within the Akagane trim. Important driving information, such as vehicle speed and navigation directions, appear in ‘midair’ by way of a bezel-less prism display. Customized information is communicated to the driver via holographic displays.
For a relaxing experience
According to Tai, the concept’s interior design focuses on creating a high-tech yet relaxing experience. The interior accent lighting mimics the prism display’s colour scheme, depending on displayed content. When using the touch-sensitive surface – for example, when swiping while viewing a map – a touch of whimsy is displayed in the form of a flock of birds flying across it. A careful eye will even notice a faint bird pattern across the prism, hinting at how this display can come to life. This is just one way the IMk provides a level of interactivity and personalization, adding excitement to the driving experience.
“As a small EV for a new era, the Nissan IMk is designed to be at home in sophisticated cityscapes as much as in traditional Japanese towns,” said. “The IMk fuses a modern, clean look, driven by its Japanese heritage, with cutting-edge EV technology. Unconstrained by conventional concepts of the kei car segment, its design is interwoven with Japanese culture. It’s a luxury small EV that I hope a lot of customers are going to drive.”
That last line suggests that the IMk is more than just another showcar. Its global debut should take place at the Tokyo Motorshow later this month and as in many cases where companies say their display cars are ‘concepts’, the exterior design looks ready to go into production while the interior would be a matter of inserting hardware currently available.
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‘Electrification’ has been a buzzword in the auto industry over the past few years as carmakers have announced plans for the next decade. Tightening emission regulations have forced them to accelerate solutions which largely use electrification of powertrains, either as hybrids or as fully electric.
Volvo Cars was one of the early companies to make progress in its electrification program, introducing its first model with a hybrid powertrain 7 years ago (in a V60 model). Since then, it has focussed on electrified models while developing a fully electric powertrain which will be unveiled next month.
New model will highlight safety leadership
This all-new powertrain will be used in the XC40 SUV (to be called the XC40 Recharge) and while the company is not talking about the powertrain at this time, it is highlighting the safety of the car’s design and engineering. Despite a fresh set of challenges presented by the absence of an internal combustion engine, Volvo once again lives up to its well known reputation for safety leadership.
“Regardless of what drives a car forward, be it an electric motor or combustion engine, a Volvo must be safe,” said Malin Ekholm, Head of Safety at Volvo Cars. “The fully electric XC40 will be one of the safest cars we have ever built.”
While building on the superior safety standards of the original XC40, the safety engineers had to completely redesign and reinforce the frontal structure to deal with the absence of an engine, meet Volvo Cars’ high safety requirements and help protect the occupants as well as in any other Volvo.
“The fundamentals around safety are the same for this car as for any other Volvo. People are inside, and the car needs to be designed to be safe for them,” said Ekholm.
Structural redesign
To help keep passengers safe and the battery intact in the event of a collision, there is a new and unique safety structure for passengers and battery alike in the XC40. The battery is protected by a safety cage which consists of a frame of extruded aluminium and is embedded in the middle of the car’s body structure, creating a built-in crumple zone around the battery. The battery’s placement in the floor of the car also has the benefit of lowering the centre of gravity of the car, for better protection against roll-overs.
Meanwhile, the car’s body structure has not just been reinforced in the front but also at the rear. Here, the electric powertrain has been integrated in the body structure to realise a better distribution of collision forces away from the cabin and reduce the strain on people inside the car.
New Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
In terms of active safety systems, the XC40 Recharge also introduces new technology. It is the first Volvo model equipped with a new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform with software developed by Zenuity, the joint venture company owned by Volvo Cars and Veoneer.
The new ADAS platform is a modern, scalable active safety system that consists of an array of radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. Because of its scalable nature it can easily be developed further and lays the foundation for the future introduction of autonomous drive technology.
The XC40 Recharge is part of the ongoing plan to have 50% of Volvo Cars’ sales volume to be fully electric by 2025.
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In 1974, Hyundai Motor launched a model called the Pony which was South Korea’s first mass-produced model. Regarded as a ‘national car’ in its domestic market, the Pony also spearheaded exports of Korean vehicles to many countries.
As homage to its heritage and reimagined for the future, the carmaker’s designers have come up with a study called the ‘45 EV Concept’. The progressive 45 puts a twist on the 45-year old icon to introduce an entirely new in-car experience for self-driving vehicles of tomorrow. It foreshadows a new era of Hyundai’s automotive design focused on electrification, autonomous technologies and intelligent design.
Inspired by a 1974 concept car
Taking a look to the past is essential for moving forward, and the dramatic exterior styling of the 45 draws inspiration from the car that first established Hyundai’s design DNA – the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept. The iconic character of 45 is defined by its monocoque-style body, aerodynamic and lightweight design inspired by aircraft from the 1920s.
The car’s name also comes, in part, from the 45-degree angles at the front and rear, forming a diamond-shaped silhouette that previews the design direction of future EV models. The new concept strips away complexity, celebrating the clean lines and minimalistic structure of the original coupe concept.
“As an icon of Hyundai, the 45 clearly reveals how Hyundai heads towards the future through heritage,” said SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and the Head of Hyundai Design Centre. “Through the 45 that is built upon our design language ‘Sensuous Sportiness‘, Hyundai wants to present our vision on how we want to reshape people’s in-car lifestyle in the era of electrification and autonomous driving.”
Style reimagined
The 45 reinterprets the concept’s distinctive lattice radiator grille with a ‘kinetic cube lamp’ design. The iconic front-end presence with the kinetic cube lamps evokes analogue emotions, while at the same time applying cutting-edge technologies. It also takes Hyundai’s lighting architecture to the next level, allowing people to instantly recognize the car at a distance.
By exhibiting a modernized fastback profile, the 45 epitomizes stability and dynamism, characteristics accentuated by the vehicle’s significant width and forward-oriented posture. The precise, yet energetic factors of the exterior are delivered throughout the cabin, which is structured by a dynamic daylight opening (DLO). The DLO terminates in the fast angle of the C-pillar, which generates a feeling of dynamic forward motion, even when standing still.
As a progressive EV, new technology is visible in the 45’s design. At the bottom of the door, a special garnish highlights its long-distance capability and, through active LED lights, drivers can intuitively know how much longer they can drive even before they get in the car. These thoughtful elements are designed for a user who is experiencing an EV for the first time.
Future tech previewed
The 45 also highlights future technological developments that may influence forthcoming Hyundai models, such as a hidden Camera Monitoring System, leaving room for self-driving system applications, and other upcoming technologies to emphasize Hyundai’s open architecture for the future. The system utilizes side cameras instead of traditional door mirrors to overcome visibility challenges caused by dirt gathering on the mirror offering progressively less visibility. The 45 overcomes this challenge by using an embedded turntable module, which rotates the lens past a brush to ensure perfect visibility at all times.
The 45 embodies Hyundai’s ‘STYLE SET FREE’ strategy for future mobility that emphasizes personalization of design and function. As the new era of future mobility opens, Hyundai reimagines the in-car experience in a self-driven vehicle. The interior becomes a unique living space capable of transforming to accommodate a range of passenger lifestyle demands.
Inside, Hyundai’s design team takes the space beyond driving to focus on the car’s evolution into a living space. Inspired by furniture designs, the minimalist cabin is fitted with an inviting fusion of wood, fabric and leather, creating a warm atmosphere that is both relaxing and spacious. Daylight was also considered as a design element for the headlining to bring analogue emotions in a natural way.
For the occupants, the car delivers a comfortable and communal environment, with lounge chair-style rear seats and front seats that can rotate to face other passengers. Pushing design and technology further ahead, front-seat passengers can interact with the infotainment system via a projection-beam interface. This replaces a single central touchscreen with a series of displays and functions integrated into the dashboard itself.
Clean lines, ergonomic placement of controls and a ‘high-end electronics’ feel for the interior fixtures further enhance the feeling of space while reinforcing the simplistic modernity of the 45’s design. The car reimagines storage space in a range of novel ways, including refining the concept of door-mounted device pockets by introducing a horizontally elongated shape that allows books or tablet PCs to be stored. Furthermore, the storage space uses a transparent material, so it is easy to see the contents.
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Tata Motors will soon offer EVs (electric vehicles) with its own state-of-the-art technology which will be launched during 2020. Known as ‘ZIPTRON’, the EV powertrain technology is a building block towards the Indian carmaker’s strive for commonality so as to drive economies of scale. Pursuing this strategy will help to make new technologies affordable for Indian consumers.
While full details have not been released, the new technology embodies important characteristics such as an efficient high voltage system, zippy performance, long range, fast charging capability, a battery pack with warranty of 8 years, and adherence to IP67 standard which relates to protection from water.
In-house development
Speaking at the announcement recently, Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD of Tata Motors said: “We are proud to present this state-of-art technology brand – ZIPTRON – which has been designed in-house while utilizing our global engineering network. At the heart of our future EV line-up, this technology will deliver a thrilling driving experience to our customers aspiring to go-green. Rigorously tested across 1 million kms, ZIPTRON technology is well proven, advanced and reliable. With this technology, we hope to usher in a new wave of eMobility in India and accelerate faster adoption of EVs, supporting the government’s vision.”
The ZIPTRON powertrain has a highly efficient permanent magnet AC motor providing superior performance on demand. It is claimed to have best-in-industry protection against dust and water, an important requirement for Indian motoring conditions. Furthermore, ZIPTRON technology has smart regenerative braking to charge the battery while on the drive, enhancing the range.
In the coming months, Tata Motors will be starting a campaign to introduce ZIPTRON technology as well as educate consumers on EVs.
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