ev cars – DesignApplause

autonomous vehicle startup nuro gets nhtsa green light with their r2 electric delivery vehicles.

Feb 11, 2020

a lot will be happening in the ev, self-drive marketplace in 2020. above, nuro r2

now they get a great opportunity to prove themselves. the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) has awarded [ nuro ] with a permit to temporarily deploy up to 5,000 low-speed electric delivery vehicles free of human controls.

the nuro r2 has been designed to make short trips and will be restricted to pre-mapped neighborhood streets. the vehicles will be deployed during a two-year period and offer a delivery service for grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses.

in granting the nuro r2 a permit to test on public roads, the nhtsa has for the first time approved a petition for a vehicle that doesn’t meet all existing u.s. auto safety standards, such as featuring normal human controls like a steering wheel and mirrors.

u.s. transportation secretary elaine chao says that for vehicles like the nuro r2, “certain features that the department traditionally required – such as mirrors and windshield for vehicles carrying drivers – no longer make sense.”

nuro was co-founded in 2016 by a pair of former google engineers who had worked on the company’s self-driving car project. last year, nuro raised $940 million from softbank group corp and the company is now valued at $2.7 billion.

in december 2019, the state of california said it would allow ‘light-duty’ autonomous delivery vehicles to hit public streets across the state with a requirement test vehicles without a backup driver will need a certified link to a remote operator that can take control. at the time, nuro said it would apply for a permit to test the r2 in california, having already tested the vehicle in arizona and texas.

[ nuro ] dave ferguson and jiajun zhu have devoted their careers to robotics and machine learning, most recently as principal engineers at google’s self-driving car project (now waymo). they founded nuro in 2016 to harness the power of robotics and artificial intelligence to solve new challenges at a global scale. today their team consists of veterans in robotics, consumer electronics, autonomous vehicles, and automotive — from google, waymo, apple, uber, tesla, and gm.

1920-21 mustang mach-e all-electric suv a hint of the past but mostly about the future.

Dec 2, 2019

if the new mustang mach-e doesn’t look like a duck nor walk like a duck why call it a duck? this new suv, though tagged with the past, hints of mustang in the head and taillights and ponies here and there. but this new all-electric suv is really built for an exciting future.

above > e-latch system – no door handles but when car recognizes you it will present door button

80% of electric vehicle charging happens at home. ford offers multiple home charging solutions to fit your needs a) the ford mobile charger comes standard – a slow but convenient charge using a standard (120v) electrical outlet. b) the ford connected charge station is an option that fully charges your vehicle overnight* in a 240V outlet.

above > massive 15.5-inch infotainment screen is standard / mobile phone as a key with fordpass – no more fumbling for a fob.

first edition / sold out!
$59,900 msrp (epa est. 270 miles, mid 5-second, awd, 19” wheels)
0-60 > mid-5 seconds
the first edition will be a limited run with an exclusive body color (grabber blue), red brake calipers, and unique stitching. available in late 2020

select (base model)
$43,895 msrp (epa est. 230 miles, awd or rwd, 18” wheels)
0-60 > mid-5 seconds
available in early 2021

premium
$50,600 msrp (epa est. 300 miles, awd or rwd, 19” wheels)
0-60 > mid-5 seconds
available in late 2020

california route 1
$52,400 (epa est. 300 miles, awd, 18” wheels)
0-60 > mid-6 seconds
available in early 2021

gt
$60,500 (epa est. 235 miles, awd, 20” wheels
0-60 > mid-3 seconds
available in early 2021

innovative features
phone as a key with fordpass – no more fumbling for a fob.
e-latch system – no door handles but when car recognizes you it will present door button

[ mach e ]

2020 zero emissions all-electrified minified mini cooper se.

Nov 15, 2019

above> 2020 mini copper se /

a heavier mini with a lighter carbon footprint, and maybe more nimble as her center of gravity is one inch lower. the mini se will start at $29,900 and be available spring 2020. also check out a mini history below.

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[ pros and cons }
power > front-wheel powered 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque / similar to bmw i3
battery > space saving integrated into floor 32.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion
charging > 50-kilowatt fast charge of 80% in 35 minutes
weight > 1,400 pounds – battery pack adds 319 pounds but lower center of gravity
one inch taller > blame it on the integrated battery
range > 150 miles for initial offering designed primarily for urban environments, not for road trips
0 to 60 mph in 7.3 secs

[ premium features that come standard }
advanced heat pump technology
comfort access keyless entry
connected navigation
dc charging capability
dual-zone automatic climate control
electric parking brake
heated exterior mirrors and washer jets
heated front seats
led headlamps
sport leather multifunction steering wheel
[ details ]

[ mini history ] launched in 1961 via british motor corporation (1959 – 1968) bmw acquired the mini franchise in 2000.

below left to right > 1960s mini cooper s / designed by alec issigonis & john cooper // 2019 john cooper works 2-door hardtop with spoiler option

13 energizing all-electric vehicles for 2020 and 5 reasons why.

Oct 14, 2019

above > aston martin rapide e

the big automakers are eyeing electric because electric cars provide many benefits to drivers. here’s five:

1 > electric vehicles save you money
every electricity provider in the 50 largest us cities offers a rate plan that makes filling up on electricity cheaper than gasoline. view average savings in your city.

2 > electric vehicles cut your emissions
electric vehicles continue to get cleaner.

3 > electric vehicles offer a better driving experience
an electric engine provides a smooth instant torque with a responsive acceleration and deceleration and a low center of gravity. electric vehicles has been recognized in race series like formula e.

4 > electric vehicles cut your oil use
electric vehicles can cut u.s.a. oil use and offer a cleaner, better way to fuel transportation for everyone.

5 > electric vehicles are convenient
battery electric vehicles are mechanically much simpler than a conventional gasoline car.

we should see at least 15 new electric vehicles coming for the 2020 model year from both long-established automakers and high-tech start-up ventures:

aston martin rapide e < below >
a true exotic sports car. based on the low-slung rapide coupe, production will be limited to 155 units worldwide, with a sky-high sticker price. it’s expected to run for around 200 miles on a charge and register a 0-60 mph time of less than four seconds. all 155 units are already pre-sold.

audi volkswagen-based e-tron suv < below >
audi will borrow volkswagen’s meb electric platform for use in its own small suv. it will become the third e-tron model – following the 2019 e-tron suv and sportback variants. this yet-unnamed model is an affordable, high-volume baby e-tron. promising 220 miles on a single charge from a 95-kwh pack.

bmw ix3 < below >
an electric crossover is equipped with a 70-kwh battery pack providing about 220 miles of range on a single charge. a single electric motor produces 270 horsepower.

chevy bolt ev < below >
the 2020 ev delivers a 259-mile electric driving range* on a full charge, which is a 21-mile increase over the previous model. this 8.8% driving range increase comes with no physical changes to the battery pack. the 2020 chevy bolt ev will get two new exterior colors: cayenne orange metallic and oasis blue. $37,495.

ford’s mustang-inspired electric suv < below >
a 300-mile all-electric sporty five-seat crossover suv. the ev offers wireless home charging and over-the-air software updates.

kia soul ev < below >
a new 64 kwh liquid-cooled lithium ion polymer battery pack should deliver well in excess of 200 miles on a charge. power will be bumped up to 200 horsepower with 291 pound-feet of torque. it will come with four drive modes and four levels of regenerative braking, including a setting for one-pedal driving.

mercedes-benz eqa < below >
an electric version of the gla, the hatchback is inspired by the concept eqa shown at the 2017 frankfurt auto show, does 0-62mph figure in the region of five seconds, a proposed 60-kwh battery and up to 250 miles of driving range, based on european emissions tests.

mercedes-benz eqc < below >
an suv with two electric motors that combine for an output of 402 horsepower with 564 pound-feet of torque. all-wheel-drive will be standard, along with a long list of convenience, connectivity, and safety features. range projected at plus 250 miles. around $80,000.

polestar (volvo) 2 < below >
volvo is launching a new high-tech sub-brand this year called polestar. its first model, the polestar 1, will be a plug-in hybrid, but the polestar 2 is a full-electric luxury four-door hatchback. a targeted a range of 275 miles with two electric motors. all-wheel drive will come standard. a limited number at $155,000.

porsche taycan < below >
porsche’s first full-electric model will be an ultra-exotic battery-powered four-door sports car. listed at 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, with 300 miles of range with a full battery, with the ability to recharge about 60 miles worth of energy in just four minutes. from $103,800.

rivian r1t < below >
startup rivian plans to introduce a futuristic-looking pickup truck for 2020 to be built in the former mitsubishi factory in normal, il. the r1t eyes a 400-mile range, with a quad-motor system for off-road adventures and 0-60 mph in three seconds on paved roads. starting at $62,000.

volkswagen id.4 < below >
a yet to be named all-electric crossover with three battery pack sizes offering between about 180 and 250 miles. an all-wheel-drive variant will also reportedly be available. about $30,000.

volvo xc40 electric < below >
in 2020, the first pure electric volvo will arrive in the form of a battery-powered xc40 small crossover. volvo executives hinted that the xc40 will offer about 250 miles of range – and come with a price tag below $50,000.