Alternative Propulsion

SEAT, together with VW Group China and JAC, will establish an R&D center in China to develop electric vehicles, and connectivity and autonomous-driving technologies, including parts and components.

HonestJohn.co.uk Managing Editor Dan Powell says high list prices, range anxiety and limited access to charging points have been routinely blamed for slowing EV sales, but the issue of high insurance premiums has been quietly ignored.

Called SmartCharge, the Honda beta program uses the Fit EV’s onboard telematics system and eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet software platform to compute optimal vehicle charge times.

The 2-seat PB18 e-Tron (a reference to the words Pebble Beach and the year 2018) concept car was developed at Audi’s newly established Design Loft in Malibu, CA, as part of an internal program investigating design ideas for possible future...

Researchers say consumers shopping for vehicles look not only at the upfront costs and running costs. They also consider attributes such as available models and brands, comfort, acceleration, interior space and the availability of refueling stations.

Kia hopes the EV will add to the 200,000 Niro models sold globally since its 2016 introduction. The Korean automaker has received more than 5,000 pre-orders for the Niro EV in South Korea since the car was first revealed earlier this year.

BMW and Great Wall say the $741 million JV, Spotlight Automotive, also will produce EVs for the Chinese automaker. It will build a production facility in Jiangsu Province, where it is expected to manufacture 160,000 vehicles a year.