Toyota working on 500 hp Wheel Motor powered Electric Sports Car

Motortrend says an insider close to Toyota tells us that plans have been put in motion to develop a supercar that would rival the E-Cell and e-tron, and even the Citroen Survolt concept first seen at this year's Geneva show.

The car is expected to produce more than 500 horsepower and would sprint from 0 to 60 mph in around 4 seconds. Like the E-Cell, the Toyota is expected to route power through four electric motors, one at each wheel. It will also incorporate a switch that allows drivers to select between driving programs such as comfort, sport and super sport, thus permitting drivers to regulate battery use.

It's expected to debut around 2015, and we are first to reveal how one artist in Japan sees the as-yet-unnamed vehicle as it might look attacking the Nurburgring in Germany. The vehicle would reportedly borrow undisclosed know-how from Tesla and utilize aerodynamic expertise gained from the Lexus LFA project.

The fact that company CEO Akio Toyoda just signed a deal to invest some $50 million in electric sports car maker Tesla adds significant weight to the story. Toyoda is said to have dined recently with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and he reportedly took the Tesla Roadster for a spin during the evening.

We were told he left suitably impressed, so much so that he's said to have given the green light to the feasibility study into the production of the all-electric sports car. In addition, Tesla has announced that it will deliver two as yet unidentified EV prototypes to Toyota by the end of July, which are believed to be EV versions of the RAV4 and Lexus RX.

Mercedes-Benz puts electric cars to the test at the Silvretta E-Rally

Montafon, Austria. At the renowned Silvretta Classic Rally in Montafon, Austria, 24 electric cars drove amongst the vintage cars that typically compete in this mountain race. The rally, cutting through the Austrian alps is demanding for the drivers and cars alike.

The initial lineup runs across the gamut, from concept cars to production vehicles. Daimler sent three electric vehicles of its fleet - The e-smart, the B-Class Fuel-Cell and its latest edition, the electric version of the super sports car SLS, the SLS AMG E-Cell.

(hat tip to Byron)

Audi Enter R8 E-TRON in “Silvretta e-auto rally"

Audi has entered an e-tron technology platform wrapped in the skin of an R8 in the Silvretta E-Auto Rally Montafon 2010. Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development, and factory driver Lukas Luhr will pilot the electric sports car along the 167.5 kilometer (104.08 miles) route through the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. After debuting with a demonstration run at “Le Mans vers le futur” as part of the 24-hour race, the Audi R8 e-tron will now be competing in three stages.

“We already received very good feedback on the Audi R8 e-tron in Le Mans,” says Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development. “In Montafon, the e-tron will put its potential to the test in ten different mountain, valley and timed special stages. This is a good opportunity to showcase Audi’s integrated approach and to experience the fascination of electromobility in a sports car on the road.”

Four motors – two each on the front and rear axles – power the wheels of the Audi R8 e-tron, making this test vehicle a true quattro. With 230 kW (313 hp) and 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, the two-seater accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds. The technology platform is designed for a top speed of 200 kilometer per hour (124.27 mph).

The technology platform vehicle wrapped in the skin of an R8 demonstrates that the Audi e-tron belongs in the major leagues of electric sports cars. The package does justice to all of the specific realities of an electric vehicle: The water-cooled, lithium-ion battery is located directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axial load distribution.

With the R8 e-tron technology platform, Audi is providing an insight into the development work. The requirement specification for the production concept goes far beyond battery technology and the replacement of a combustion engine with an electric drive system. The interaction of all components has a decisive influence on efficiency, range and practicality.

Design and package

One glance is all it will take for the fans at the Silvretta E-Auto Rally Montafon 2010 to recognize the caliber of the car: Based on the R8, this Audi e-tron has a wide, powerful road stance. The trapeze of the single-frame grille dominates the front end and is flanked by two large air intakes.

1.90 meters (6.23 ft) wide, just 4.43 meters (14.53 ft) long and 1.25 meters (4.10 ft) tall – those are the proportions of a supercar. The wheelbase of 2.65 meters (8.69 ft) leaves plenty of room between the axles for people and technology. The sporty proportions offer enough room in front of the rear axle for the battery unit and the power electronics.

The special package of the Audi e-tron technology platform provides for a 42:58 distribution of weight between the front axle and the rear axle, and thus for optimal balance and driving dynamics.

Because systematic lightweight construction is also a crucial prerequisite for the efficiency and range of electric cars, the Audi designers tapped into one of the company’s core competences for the R8 e-tron technology platform: The body structure is based on Audi Aluminum Space Frame (ASF) technology.

Driving dynamics

The normal distribution of torque is clearly biased toward the rear axle and is similar to that of the production R8 mid-engine sports car, sending roughly 70 percent to the rear and 30 percent to the front. If an axle slips, this balance can be varied by means of the four centrally controlled electric motors. The electric vehicle from Audi thus enjoys all of the advantages of quattro technology.

The R8 e-tron also uses the four individual motors, which as wheel drives are connected directly to the respective wheel via a short shaft, to control the lateral dynamics. Similar to what the sport differential does in conventional quattro vehicles, they enable torque vectoring – the targeted acceleration of individual wheels – and thus active distribution of the torque. This improves driving dynamics while at the same time increasing driving safety. Understeer and oversteer can be corrected by not only targeted activation of the brakes, but also by precise increases in power lasting just a few milliseconds. The concept car remains extremely neutral even under great lateral acceleration and hustles through corners as if on the proverbial rails.

The chassis has triangular double wishbones at the front axle and a trapezoidal-link rear suspension made of forged aluminum components – a geometry that has proven in motorsports to be the optimal prerequisite for high agility, uncompromising precision and precisely defined self-steering behavior. A taut setup was chosen for the springs and shock absorbers, but still offers a high level of comfort.

The direct rack-and-pinion steering gives finely differentiated feedback. Boost is varied electromechanically as a function of speed. Fittingly, the technology platform rolls on 19-inch wheels.

Power supply

The energy storage unit is charged with household current (230 volts/16 amperes) via a cable and a plug. What used to be fuel cap covers the socket. With the battery fully discharged, charging time is between six and eight hours. High-voltage (400 volts, 63 amperes) reduces this to around 2.5 hours.

The battery isn’t only charged when the car is stationary, but also while driving. The keyword here is recuperation. This form of energy recovery is already available today in a number of Audi production models. During braking, the alternator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy and feeds it into the onboard electrical system. This relieves the load on the alternator during the next acceleration phase, which enhances driving dynamics and improves efficiency.

Interior and control concept

The interior evokes motorsports ambience on a luxury level. As with the R8, its distinctive element is the monoposto: a large arc sweeping around the dashboard instruments. Unlike the R8 production model, however, the Audi R8 e-tron has a graphic display to indicate the driving mode. It is located between two dial instruments that indicate the recuperation and the boost level, respectively. Similar to the new A8, the driver of this high-performance sports car can select the various driving modes using a stalk that is based on shift-by-wire technology.

Mercedes-AMG Provides Details on the SLS AMG E-CELL Electric Super Car

Mercedes-AMG, the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz Cars, provided an update on its development of an electric version of the SLS AMG, the development of which it announced last July.

With a power output of 392 kW (526 hp) and 880 N·m (649 lb-ft) of torque, the gullwing with electric drive is part of the company strategy entitled “AMG Performance 2015” which aims to continually reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The SLS AMG E-CELL may see a limited production run, the company says.

Traction is provided by four synchronous electric motors each achieving a maximum 12,000/rpm and positioned near to the wheels. Compared with wheel-hub motors the unsprung masses are substantially reduced. One transmission per axle transmits the power.

The electric model accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4 seconds—which almost puts it on the same high level as the SLS AMG with 6.3-liter V8 engine developing 420 kW (571 hp), which can accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. However, unlike the combustion engine, torque build-up with an electric motor is instantaneous—maximum torque is available virtually from a standstill.

The SLS AMG E-CELL drive incorporates a liquid-cooled high-voltage lithium-ion battery featuring a modular design with an energy content of 48 kWh and a capacity of 40 Ah. The maximum electric load potential of the battery, which consists of 324 lithium-ion polymer cells, is 480 kW.

The intelligent parallel circuit of the individual battery modules helps to maximize the safety, reliability and service life of the battery. The 400-volt battery is also charged by means of targeted recuperation during braking while the car is being driven.

A high-performance electronic control system converts the direct current from the high-voltage battery into three-phase alternating current which is required for the synchronous motors and regulates the energy flow for all operating conditions. Two low-temperature cooling circuits ensure that the four electric motors and the power electronics are maintained at an even operating temperature.



A separate low-temperature circuit is responsible for cooling the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. In low external temperatures, the battery is quickly brought up to operating temperature with the aid of an electric heating element. This helps to preserve the overall service life of the battery. In extremely high external temperatures, the cooling circuit for the battery can be additionally boosted with the aid of the air conditioning system.

Battery pack modules are located in front of the firewall, in the center tunnel and behind the seats. Advantages of this solution include the vehicle’s low centre of gravity and balanced weight distribution. The installation of the drive components required no changes to the model’s weight-optimized aluminium spaceframe.

The additional front-wheel drive called for a newly designed front axle: unlike the series production vehicle with AMG V8 engine, which has a double wishbone axle, the SLS AMG E-CELL features an independent multilink suspension with pushrod damper struts. This is because the vertically-arranged damper struts in the series SLS had to make way for the additional drive shafts. As is usual in a wide variety of racing vehicles, horizontal damper struts are now used, which are operated via separate push rods and transfer levers.

This front-axle design, already tried and tested in motorsport, enables the agility and driving dynamics of the electrically-powered SLS AMG to attain the same high levels as the V8 variant. Another feature is the speed-sensitive power steering with rack-and-pinion steering gear: the power assistance is implemented electrohydraulically rather than just hydraulically.

The technology vehicle is slowed with the aid of AMG ceramic composite brakes, available as an optional extra for the series production model, which feature extremely short stopping distances, a precise actuation point and outstanding fade resistance, even in extreme operating conditions.

The over-sized discs—measuring 402 x 39 mm at the front and 360 x 32 mm at the rear—are made of carbon fibre-strengthened ceramic, feature an integral design all round and are connected to an aluminium bowl in a radially floating arrangement.

The ceramic brake discs are 40% lighter in weight than the conventional, grey cast iron brake discs. The reduction in unsprung masses not only improves handling dynamics and agility, but also ride comfort and tire grip. The lower rotating masses at the front axle also ensure a more direct steering response—particularly noticeable when taking highway bends at high speed. The ABS and ESP systems have been adapted to match the special application spectrum of the permanent all-wheel drive.

The air outlet openings on the hood and the vehicle sides have been modified for enhanced aerodynamics. The front apron has not only been brought further forward, but also helps to guarantee an optimized airflow in the area of the underbody. This improves air resistance while reducing downforce.

An extendable front splitter enhances this effect: in parallel with the automatic rear spoiler, it extends downwards by seven centimeters at speeds above 120 km/h (75 mph) and helps to further accelerate the air which travels beneath the car. When it reaches the area of the rear axle, the air enters the rear diffusor which, due to the lack of an exhaust system, features a steeper angle, thus increasing downforce at the rear axle and in turn further enhancing the aerodynamic balance.

The AMG instrument cluster and center console both feature a new design. The new AMG instrument cluster provides information on speed, charge status of the battery and the estimated range. The newly designed center console now houses a 25 cm touchscreen, which driver and passenger can use to conveniently operate all of the audio, climate and navigation functions, and also obtain information on the flow of power from the four electric motors.

The AMG Drive Unit, which is angled towards the driver, houses buttons for starting the motor, and the ESP functions, the AMG memory function and the extendable front splitter and rear spoiler. Using three new buttons, the driver can switch simply between P, R and D. The park setting is also enabled automatically by switching the electric motors off.

Riversimple looking for Australian partners

Three founders behind the British Riversimple ‘open-source’ hydrogen fuel-cell electric city car are touring Australia to sound out interest among automotive suppliers and government agencies.

In Melbourne last week as part of their mission to spread the Riversimple message was Riversimple founder and team leader Hugo Spowers, a former motor racing engineer.

Mr Spowers said: “We are seeking international partners to enter joint ventures and pursue the Riversimple model in regions across the world, tailoring the vehicle and the service to local needs and conditions.”

The Riversimple demonstration car is an interesting experimental vehicle said to have been developed for 'just' $A815,000, but the Riversimple business model is pretty ridiculous really.

Drivers are asked to lease the car for a monthly fee of around ₤200 ($A350) and a mileage charge of 15p (A$0.26c), which is around 13x the cost of running a plug-in battery EV from grid power. All fuel costs are included in the fees, with refueling provided by stations set up by Riversimple, of which there are currently none.

When a lease deal expires, the car will be refurbished at the factory and then leased again. Mr Spowers said the leasing idea would be extended to suppliers as well. Thus, Riversimple would lease an electric motor from the supplier, install it in a car and then lease the car.

Aside from the inherent disadvantages of using hydrogen as a fuel, Riversimple want to make buying the car and/or the fuel it runs on from any source other than them simply impossible. Not exactly 'open' source then is it? Sounds more like the Apple Computer closed shop business model.

Read more GoAuto

Leaked: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell (w/Video)

Images of Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell have been leaked ahead of its official unveiling. The photos show the car wearing ‘AMG lumilectric magno’ paint work giving it a distinct look, quite apart from the colours that the rest of the SLS AMG was originally shown in. Mercedes have promised that this will be the worlds first all-electric supercar when it goes on sale in 2013.

The SLS AMG E-Cell will be powered by four electric motors situated at each wheel. Power will be equivalent to 519 instantaneous horsepower and 649 lb-ft of torque allowing the E-Cell to glide effortlessly to 62mph (100kph) in just under 4 seconds. The lithium polymer batteries will be located behind the cockpit and down the center tunnel.

Other modifications to design include a new rear diffuser to produce more downforce, a multi-link front suspension with push-rod dampers is also now necessary at the front due to the extra space taken up by the front electric motors.
Enjoy the pictures and the videos, we’ll let you know when something official is released!

Work continues on Wheel Motor EV project

Work continues on the Evans Electric Wheel Motor EV project. Featuring all wheel drive, the four Axial Flux, 3 phase, AC Induction wheel motors are nearing completion and have been trial fitted to the vehicle.

The Wheel Motors are based on Linear Induction Motor (LIM) principles, each having an 8 pole, double sided stator with a 415 mm diameter ladder bar disc rotor producing up to 70 kw (95 hp) Peak.

The car has no conventional friction brakes as the AC Wheel Motors in regeneration will brake with as much torque as they accelerate right down to a stop. Because the Wheel Motors are inside all four 19" wheels, brake regeneration can be maximised as 70% of braking effort normally occurs on the front axle.

The battery pack, which weighs only 40 kg, is completed and has been fitted to the chassis via the standard fuel tank mounts. Using this location keeps the center of gravity as low as possible and provides weight distribution similar to that of a mid-engined sports car.

A123 lithium ion Nanophosphate batteries were chosen for their high 50C discharge rate which allows maximum power from the smallest possible battery pack. This keeps gross vehicle mass to a minimum, essential when demonstrating the blistering acceleration capabilities of these wheel motors. The high charge rate of these A123 cells will allow the recovery of as much regenerated brake energy as possible and 5 minute recharge times.

The press launch of this EV supercar is scheduled for September 2010.

Delos Aerospace Developing Wheel Motor Landing Gear System for Aircraft

Delos Aerospace has announced technology to reduce aircraft fuel burn reducing greenhouse gas production and increase airport and aircraft capacity utilization.

Delos holds two patents for technology that provides for the optimal efficiency in aircraft ground maneuvering by incorporating the use of in-wheel electric motor/generators that are capable of producing sufficient power density to effectively maneuver aircraft of any weight on the ground, and provide for safer and more effective braking of the landing gear wheels.

This revolutionary technology is a total systems integration of a fully electric landing gear and maneuvering system wherein axial flux disk motor/generators replace the old friction disk technology providing increased braking and maneuvering capability to the aircraft wherein there are many engineering benefits to eliminating the heat generated within friction based braking systems.

This fully integrated electric braking and maneuvering system and method allows for higher levels of effective braking and maneuvering capability to be applied to aircraft without the use of jet engines which is a safer and more effective braking and maneuvering system (forward, reverse and steering) than current systems used at a reduced overall weight that can also assist in takeoff thus allowing for reduced thrust levels required by the jet engines wherein these applications reduces the required fuel weight by 1200 lbs for average airline flight times of 60-90 minutes and over 4,000 lbs for larger airliners that might fly out of LaGuardia Airport for example thus directly impacting payload and range capacity.

Currently jet and turbofan aircraft require tow motors or tugs to push the aircraft backward into the designated taxiway. This is an added operational cost in ground support material and personnel for the airline or cargo operator. By eliminating the need to wait for, attach, and detach tow motors or tugs aircraft can enter and exit gates faster thus reducing between-flight turnaround times which directly impacts Airport capacity utilization and airline operators' revenue. This means that on many routes, total trip times can be reduced, enabling an aircraft to make more flights per day thus increasing an airline's capital-asset utilization rate.

Delos technology can provide for increases in airline operators' revenue by eliminating fuel burn during ground maneuvers, reduce fuel burn at takeoff, reduce gate charges, reduce turnaround cost, and provide for reductions in MRO costs due to brake system overhauls and reduced maintenance frequency of the jet engines thus ensuring that airplanes spend more time serving passengers.

There is the added benefit of reduced air and noise pollution in and around airports thus significantly impacting the environment that is of a growing concern among many.

Overall operating cost savings from incorporating Delos technology are expected to total 2.6 to 2.8 million USD a year per commercial airliner aircraft.

Principal benefits of Delos technology include:

. Fuel savings. With Delos technology the primary engines need be turned on only at the end of the runway, immediately before takeoff, and can be turned off immediately after landing. Delos technology will brake the aircraft upon landing by converting the kinetic energy of the aircraft into electrical power and store that electrical power onboard the aircraft using lightweight nano enhanced ultra-capacitors. The stored energy is later used to motor the aircraft wheels in the taxiways and runways. For many short-haul routes (60-90 minutes), taxiing and takeoff-waiting times can be a large fraction of total trip time 20-33%, and the fuel savings on these routes can be substantial for large commercial airline operators.

. Faster flight turnarounds. By eliminating the need to wait for, attach, and detach tow motors or tugs, aircraft can enter and exit gates faster, reducing between-flight turnaround times. This means that on many routes, total trip times can be reduced, enabling an aircraft to make more flights per day and increasing an airline's capital-asset utilization rate.

. Decreased operational cost due to the fact that there are no friction disk to be replaced due to wear as magnetic torque is used to brake the aircraft wherein there are no friction disk wear items thus no need to overhaul the braking system and thus no need to remove the aircraft from service.

. Reduced engine wear. By reducing the throttle setting on the jet engine during assisted take-off and reducing the time the engines are running, wear-and-tear are reduced on the aircraft engines thus reducing the frequency of mandatory engine maintenance.

. Reduced airport charges for towing and gate usage.

. Reduced air and noise pollution in and around airports. The environmental benefits of Delos technology for airport neighborhoods will be substantial.

. Elimination of tug stress damage to aircraft. Aircraft are occasionally damaged when a tug stops but the aircraft it is towing (with much larger mass) does not thus applying stress damage the aircraft; Delos technology eliminates this risk and cost.

Any airplane can be equipped with Delos technology including civilian craft such as Boeing and Airbus jetliners, regional and business jets, as well as military aircraft ranging from transports and refueling craft, bombers, fighters and unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs.

Delos technology when implemented into aircraft represents a radical advance in landing gear technology and design implementation, eliminating the same materials and components that have existed for decades. Delos major advance is in implementing a fully integrate electrical motor/generator system within the landing gear wheels for use in a fully electrical aircraft landing gear system that has a feedback capability that is 1000 times faster than hydraulically actuated systems and is 100 times faster than the latest electrically actuated systems thus the effectiveness of the ABS and automatic braking are much higher adding to the safety level of the aircraft.

Conventional friction based brakes actually prevent effective levels of braking from occurring at very high power levels due to the fact that friction based systems are much slower in feedback capability than that of a fully electrical system and the braking capacity diminishes as the friction based brakes heat up and is known as brake fade. As a result, Delos technology provides for a higher level of effective braking and is more capable to meet the challenge of braking a large commercial aircraft, whether it is a 737, 787 or even an A380. Friction-based brakes can also affect the aircraft turn around time as they require time to cool down before they can be used again (30 minutes or more).

The heat generated by the friction disk within the wheel hub migrates to the tires and causes the tire to balloon or stretch and requires additional material to prevent the tire from exploding thus adding weight to the tire structure. Thus redesign could allow for further weight reductions in tire and wheel structures further improving fuel burn.

There is the added benefit of adding gyroscopic stabilization to the aircraft by spinning up the landing gear tires prior to touchdown minimizing wake vortex wind influence caused by preceding large aircraft thus increasing the level of safety for smaller aircraft which could allow for shorter separation distances for aircraft thus further increasing airport capacity.

Also by matching the tires rotational velocity with the relative ground speed the impulse of the landing event which normally causes the tires to spin up from zero rpm to over 1000 rpm in one half a second is eliminated thus reducing the impulse stress on the aircraft landing gear and airframe which also increases the passenger comfort by reducing the physical jolt experienced during a landing event with the added benefit of starting out in a rolling friction state as opposed to a sliding friction state as with current friction disk braking systems. Effective braking only occurs in the rolling friction state thus effective braking can be implemented immediately at touchdown not a few moments later when the tires are up to speed as is the case when landing on a contaminated landing surface such as that due to ice and/or snow.

Volvo ReCharge WHEEL MOTOR Test Drive (w/Video)

The camera work is terrible but this is VERY rare footage of a wheel motor powered EV being driven at speed. This is the Volvo ReCharge concept car driven on a fairly level race track.

All previous demonstration videos featuring vehicles powered by PML wheel motors, including the Volvo ReCharge and Ford F-150 and Lightning GT, have been at low speeds suggesting that the cars are either fitted with only one operational wheel motor and/or they are a long way short of their extravagant torque claims.

The 'sound' heard in this video is a result of the 16 khz carrier frequency used in the inverters. This frequency is within the audible range of human hearing. The inverters in silent BLDC or AC electric vehicles use a carrier frequency of 20 khz or higher.

Australian Company Prepares to Launch 400 hp AWD Wheel Motor EV

An Australian based start-up company is making final preparations to emerge from stealth mode with the launch of a high performance in-wheel motor powered electric vehicle. Evans Electric, based in Sydney close to the Eastern Creek Raceway, has been hard at work for the last 3 years developing disc type Axial Flux AC Induction wheel motors.

The demonstration vehicle to be launched in the next month or two is a small 4 door sedan based on a well proven model with a long history of World Rally Championship success. The car will feature All Wheel Drive with a 70 kw (95 hp) 3 phase AC Induction disc motor in each of it's 19 inch wheels. The EV sports sedan will be powered by a 400 volt high power density A123 lithium ion Nanophosphate battery pack.

The company is quietly confident that with close to 400 horsepower on tap a 0-60 mph (100 km) time in the sub 3 second region is a realistic performance target.

Stay tuned (subscribe to email or RSS) for more news as it breaks.

Audi E-tron R4: Full Details

Audi’s latest e-tron concept is the strongest hint yet at the firm’s intentions to build a smaller, lighter sports car known as R4.

The new two-seater has the same name as the bigger, more powerful wheel motor equipped All Wheel Drive version. However, this car is significantly smaller and, uncharacteristically for an Audi concept car with clear sporting intentions, it’s rear-wheel drive.

The latest e-tron, revealed at the Detroit motor show, is also more than just a one-off showcase for Audi’s zero-emissions plans; it confirms that Audi chairman Rupert Stadler has already given the go-ahead for a new, small, mid-engined sports car.

According to Audi sources, this new e-tron concept provides strong clues to a new production car that will be sold as the R4. It will share key components with the showroom version of Volkswagen’s BlueSport concept, and possibly a new entry-level Porsche roadster, when it arrives in showrooms sometime between now and the end of 2013.

Picking up on the styling theme from the first e-tron, the low-slung concept has a traditional sports car silhouette, with a long bonnet, a heavily curved roofline and a stubby rear end. However, the body is a lot edgier, with hard crease lines, taut surfacing and a heavily sculpted rear end providing it with a highly contemporary look that sets the tone for the upcoming R4.

Elements such as a large single-frame grille housing carbonfibre fins to direct air into the front end, and distinctive LED-enhanced headlamp graphics, clearly set the new car out as an Audi from the front. However, certain features at the rear end are highly reminiscent of recent Aston Martin models — in particular the rear light graphic.

Styled by a small team working under Audi’s British-born manager for concept car design, Steve Lewis, this e-tron was completed in just four months following a go-ahead from senior management last September.

“We wanted to push the electric car in a sporty direction without making it appear too futuristic,” said Lewis. “It was important to give the car a uniquely technical appearance in a bid to get across the message of the electrical package that lies beneath.”

At 3930mm long, 1780mm wide and 1220mm tall, the concept is shorter, narrower and lower than the original e-tron and the current TT. It rides on a wheelbase that, at 2430mm, is 170mm shorter.

At the heart of the e-tron is a new electric powertrain. It uses a pair of motors mounted within the rear axle producing a total of 201bhp along with a whopping 1954lb ft of torque — all of which is sent to the rear wheels only via a torque-vectoring software differential.

Official performance figures put the sprint from 0-62mph at 5.9sec and 37-75mph (60-120km/h) at just 5.1sec, but the top speed is limited to just 124mph to conserve battery life.

Electrical energy is drawn from a bank of lithium ion batteries mounted behind the cabin in a space that, on production versions of the new R4, will be occupied by the engines. These are likely to include Audi’s 335bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit, which, Autocar has been told, could easily be packaged in the mid-engined slot.

Weighing a total of 399kg, the mid-mounted batteries have a capacity of 45kWh, or 2.6kWh more than the earlier e-tron. Fully charged, the concept’s range is put at 155 miles. Recharging takes 11 hours on a 230V system but on a 400V system this figure drops to just two hours.

As with the earlier R8-based e-tron, the R4-based version features an aluminium spaceframe to which Audi’s designers have attached body panels fashioned from carbonfibre-reinforced plastic. It’s an exotic combination that helps to provide the car with a kerb weight of just 1350kg, although at this stage it is unclear if the production version of the R4 will follow the same route.

With much of the weight concentrated at the rear, weight distribution is put at 40 per cent front/60 per cent rear, giving the concept — in the words of Audi R&D boss Michael Dick — “all the driveability of a go-kart — agile and neutral right up to the limit”.

Next stop for Toyota a Hybrid victory at Le Mans?

Following Toyota's withdrawal from Formula One, will we see Toyota use their massive TTE facility in Cologue Germany to return to Le Mans and make good on their promise to race more advanced Hybrid technology?

Toyota last raced in the Le Mans 24 hours in 1999 and placed second having never won the race. They have stated a Le Mans win is still on their 'to-do' list and may now hope a hybrid race car will take them to victory. Rival team Peugeot are taking advantage of the new Le Mans hybrid rules and have incorporated the Magnetti Marelli hybrid system into their 908 HY V12 diesel sports prototype.

Toyota had been one of the most public critics of the F1 KERS system and have been quoted as saying they think F1 KERS is 'primative' and not relevant to road car Hybrid systems. Is Toyota abandoning F1 to race under the much more advanced Hybrid rules coming into force at Le mans in 2010?

The company says they have already had success with a KERS system more advanced than those allowed under F1 KERS regulations in their Supra HV-R with which they won the Tokashi 24 hour race by 9 laps over second place. The Supra HV-R system is permitted under ATO KERS rules as 4 wheel brake regeneration is mandatory at Le Mans while F1 restrict the KERS system to the rear wheels only.

The technical difference between the two systems is enormous. While F1 KERS is limited to 60kw for 6.6 seconds per lap and can only be used on the rear axle, the Toyota HV-R system has a 150 kw electric motor on the rear axle plus two 10 kw wheel motors on the front wheels. As 70% of all braking effort is on the front wheels the Toyota system can collect a lot more energy per lap.

The FIA Formula One rules may have granted Toyota their wish of four wheel regeneration but they would have had to wait until 2013. The KERS regulations will allow the energy storage limit to be doubled to 800kj (222 wh) by 2011, and KERS will be allowed on both axles with up to 200kW and 1.6MJ (444 wh) of energy storage per lap from 2013. By going to Le Mans Toyota can race a 4 wheel system using wheel motors as early as 2010 and with much less manufacturer competition.

Any LMP1 car contesting the Le Mans 24 Hours with KERS in 2010 has to comply with the following specifications.

− Recovery of energy from the brakes on the 4 wheels or from the heat of the exhaust fumes.
− Only the rear wheels can be used to propel the car.
− Regarding energy recovery from the brakes, only electric systems are allowed.
− Only the storage of electric energy is permitted.
− The combustion engine and the electric motor must be controlled by the driver using the accelerator pedal (push to pass buttons forbidden).
− The quantity of usable energy stocked on board the vehicle must not exceed 1 MJ.
- The use of such a system must not be aimed at obtaining additional power but at reducing fuel consumption.

The ACO also allow recovery from the exhaust which can be either thermocouple, organic Rankine cycle (ORC) or even perhaps simply an electric generator run off an exhaust gas driven turbo expander very similar to a regular turbocharger.

Toyota admitted they came very close to following Honda out of Formula One at the end of 2008 coincidentally when the ATO first announced KERS rules for Le Mans. We await news of Toyota's 2010 plans with interest.

Japanese car Tokai Challenger wins World Solar Challenge in Australia

A Japanese sun-powered car Tokai Challenger won the World Solar Challenge on Wednesday after averaging speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour for four days through the Australian Outback. The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger crossed the control finish line just north of Adelaide at 3.39pm SA daylight saving time to claim victory in the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

In what appeared to be a near faultless run over the 3,000 kilometre distance from the Darwin start, Tokai University has broken the four event string of victories set by the Dutch Nuon team in the 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 events.

The teams first and only reported issue occurred today at the Crystal Brook rail overpass when Tokai Challenger suffered a flat tyre, 2824 kilometres from the Darwin start.

The victory by Tokai Challenger is the first by a Japanese team since 1996 when the event was won by Honda Dream II. Honda also won the previous event in 1993.

The Global Green Challenge in its former guise as the World Solar Challenge was first run in 1987 and is conducted every two years.

Tokai Challenger started the event in fourth position in Darwin after qualifying at an average speed of 81.86kph at Darwin’s Hidden Valley raceway.

The Tokai team went to the lead position in the event at the end of Day 1 at Dunmarra 633 kilometres from the start and was 17 minutes ahead of Michigan University’s Infinium (Car #2) and the Nuon Solar Team entry The Netherlands Nuna V (Car #3).

The lead held by Tokai Challenger had grown to 56 minutes on Day 2 with the Japanese team still being trailed by Infinium and Nuna V. Tokai Challenger spent the night just south of Alice Springs with its rivals some distance to the north of the Central Australian town.

By the end of Day 3, Tokai had camped at Glendambo while its nearest rivals (still Infinium and Nuna V) camped near Coober Pedy and were two hours 23 minutes in arrears battling it out for second position.

The Tokai Challenger team will return tomorrow Thursday (October 29, 2009) to the control finish line and then parade into Adelaide for the ceremonial finish scheduled for 10am (SA daylight saving time) in Victoria Square.

It is expected that the second and third running cars will cross the official finish line at around 10.am (SA daylight saving time) on Thursday (October 29, 2009)

Japans's Tokai Challenger continues to blitz World Solar Field

The Tokai University solar car entry #60 Tokai Challenger has again made sensational progress on day 3 of the 2009 Global Green Challenge.

Starting this morning (Tuesday October 27) south of Alice Springs 1531 kilometres from the Darwin start, the Japanese team stormed across the South Australia border.

The team reported its speed at 106 kph as it headed southwards.

Astern of the leading car the battle was well and truly on between the two vehicles running second and third on the road.

Car #2 Infinium (University of Michigan Solar Car Team) camped north of Alice Springs 1465 kilometres from the start last night, in second position.

In third overnight was car #3 Nuna V (Nuon Solar Team) from the Netherlands, camped north of Alice Springs 1445 kilometres from Darwin.

The two rival teams swapped positions today with Nuna V taking over second position from the American Infinium car near the Alice Springs control point.

The event took a new twist when it was reported that a truck rollover had occurred on the highway 20 kilometres north of Coober Pedy.

The Tokai Challenger team passed the incident and is expecting to camp at Glendambo overnight only 591 kilometres from the Adelaide finish.

Second on the road is the Tesla Roadster of Eco Challenger leader Team Internode.

Solar car 'uses less power than toaster'

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) solar racing team, Sunswift, has unveiled an all-new solar car to contest this year’s Global Green Challenge race from Darwin to Adelaide.

Sunswift IV, affectionately known to the team as IVy, is a three-wheeled, hand-built, carbon-fibre machine which can reach a top speed of 115 km/h using just 1300 W, the same amount of power it takes to toast two slices of bread.

About the same footprint as a small sedan, but half the height and one-tenth the weight, the single-seater car produces no carbon emissions and can cruise at 85 km/h.

Sunswift IV will be the only solar car entry from NSW, and the only student-run team from Australia, to contest the Global Green Challenge, a 3000 km race for solar and eco-friendly vehicles which draws competitors from around the world, including big-budget solar racing teams from the United States and the Netherlands.

The race starts in Darwin on 24 October, with Sunswift expected to reach Adelaide within five days.

Team Leader Clara Mazzone, who is studying Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW, said the Sunswift team had put in an extraordinary effort to prepare the new car and raise the $280,000 needed to fund the project and race campaign.

“The 60 students in the team have given up their spare time over the past 18 months to design, build and fund this vehicle,” she said.

“Although IVy is a race vehicle, it has a new design, including a steering wheel and upright seating position, which brings it closer to something we might see on the road in the future.”

IVy is expected to run on 1.3 kilowatts of power from its solar array when travelling at a speed of 90km/h - compared with 1.8 kW needed to run a four-slice toaster, Mr Pye said.

It also has a 5 kWh Li-po battery that will run the car for five hours without sunlight.

"Everything is thought (of) to make it as efficient as possible, because the race that it's built for is an endurance race more than anything," Mr Pye said.

The students will take IVy from Sydney to Adelaide before the race and test-run her from Adelaide to Darwin.

They plan to stop at schools on the way to Adelaide from Sydney to showcase their project.

"We're hoping just to get (children) excited about renewable energy, really, and the technologies we're developing, to kind of inspire them to keep it going and show them what's possible," Mr Pye said.

"I think the most amazing thing about it is that a bunch of students have built a car that runs off the sun and can race from Darwin to Adelaide in four or five days," he said.

"And it shows you, if we can do that, imagine what companies and governments can do if they really put their mind to it."

Sunswift IV specifications:
Dimensions - (L) 4.6 m (W) 1.8 m (H) 1.8 m
Weight - less than 150 kg
Body and chassis - (Frame) monocoque (Body Material) carbon fibre
Suspension - (Front) double wishbone (Rear) trailing arm
Steering - rack and pinion
Wheels & Tyres - (Number) 3 (Wheels) carbon fibre (Tyres) Dunlop Solarma
Brakes - (Front) hydraulic dual redundancy (Rear) handbrake (Regen) CSIRO wheel motor
Energy Storage - (Chemistry) lithium polymer (Weight) 24.75 kg
Motor - (Type) brushless CSIRO 3-phase DC (Power) 1800 W (Efficiency) 98%
Controller - (Type) tritium wave sculptor (Power) 20 KW (Efficiency) 97%
Performance - (Solar Only@ 5.998 m2) 1300 W (Max Speed) 115 km/hr (est avg) 85 km/hr
Project Cost - (Cost) $280,000 (Project Time) 18 months

The contrast in the above picture (click to download larger image) between Solar Car meets fuel haulage Road Train is a graphic illustration. Because the ICE powered cars being supplied by this truck are all only 15% energy efficient at the wheels, the fuel in three of the four trailers being hauled by this Road Train will in fact only be converted into waste heat by those Internal Combustion Engines.

Volvo to Launch Car With Fully Automatic Braking

Collision avoidance systems that automatically apply the brakes to a speeding car have already been launched by several automakers. But while cars will suddenly slow if they detect an accident is about to happen, automakers have been hesitant to bring them to a sudden and full emergency stop.

Volvo is about to change all that. With the launch of the S60 next year, Volvo will introduce a "full auto brake" and "pedestrian safety" function. Cars will come to a full stop at speeds less than about 15 miles an hour if their radar systems detect they are about to strike a car or a person. If the car is going faster, the car will try to come as close to a full stop as possible.

"If the car is traveling faster, the aim is to reduce the impact speed as much as possible. In most cases, we can reduce the collision force by about 75%," says Thomas Broberg, Volvo's safety expert. "Considering the large number of pedestrian fatalities that occur, if we manage to reduce the fatality risk 20 percent, this new function will make a big difference."

The system is also supposed to work in the event of rear-end impacts with other vehicles. Statistics reveal that half of all drivers who hit another vehicle from behind do not brake at all prior to the collision.



Automakers have said for a while now that they have the ability to bring cars to a full halt without driver input. But they have been hesitant to use the capability. Ford safety chief Steve Kozak says in building the new Taurus, it found that its drivers don't want the car to be able to take such dire action on its own. They want to feel in control. But Volvo has set itself the ambitious goal of eliminating deaths or injuries in its cars by 2020.

"Zero is the one and only alternative for us. As the leader in car safety we can't accept that people are killed or injured just because they want to transport themselves from A to B," says Jan Ivarsson, head of safety strategy at Volvo Cars.

While this isn't, strictly speaking, an EV development, we believe as In-Wheel Motors (which Volvo has been a leading proponent) make their way onto electric cars, fully automated braking will become much cheaper for automakers to incorporate into their cars. With Wheel Motors taking over drive and brake functions dynamic stability becomes a software function within the motor control system (imagine a 4 wheeled Segway). This may lead to auto braking becoming a standard feature, or even mandatory as with stability control, on all new cars with the result being a huge reduction in the global road toll.