EV Brief 11/5/20 EV Brief 11/5/20

It's a BMW X3...but Electrified: BMW Introduces new iX3

For those who want to proudly show off their green SUV purchase in the school carpark, there’s the futuristic Jaguar iPace or Tesla Model X. For anyone else who doesn’t think the traditional SUV shape needs reinventing, meet BMW’s new iX3.

For those who want to proudly show off their green SUV purchase in the school carpark, there’s the futuristic Jaguar iPace or Tesla Model X. For anyone else with a penchant for the traditional SUV box design, meet BMW’s new iX3. The vehicle adopts a modified version of the X3 architecture, and adds a lithium-ion battery comprised of prismatic cells. With a 74kWh net battery capacity, BMW says the iX3 is good for 460km (WLTP).

The battery weighs 518kg, contributing to a total vehicle weight of 2,185kg. That’s porky for a medium size SUV, but comparably, it’s 300kg less than the Mercedes-Benz EQC or 52kg heavier than Jaguar’s iPace.

Efficiency is rated at 18.5-19.5 kWh/km (WLTP), which compares favourably to Mercedes’ electric SUV at 26-28kWh/km, Jaguar’s iPace at 31-33 kWh/km, and slightly behind Tesla’s Model Y at 17.5 kWh/km.

BMW’s fifth generation electric drive unit incorporates motor, electronics and transmission into a single unit, reducing the footprint and imroving efficency over the unit fitted to the company’s i3 city car.

The iX3 features 150kW fast charging, a power output of 215kW with 400Nm of torque, a 4-mode regenerative braking system, and a rear-biased weight distribution, leadinging to familiar BMW handling characteristics.

The iX3 starts from £61,900 in the UK for the Premiere Edition (before Government rebate), and is expected to go on sale in Europe in time for summer 2021, while Australians are likely to wait until late 2020 to see it on our shores. Full press release below, and a link to CarExpert’s review can be found here:

The First Ever BMW iX3

Fully electric mobility celebrates its premiere in a BMW X model – the new BMW iX3 (fuel consumption combined in the NEDC test cycle: 0.0 l/100 km; electric power consumption combined: 17.8 – 17.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km; fuel consumption combined in the WLTP test cycle: 0.0 l/100 km; electric power consumption combined: 19.5 – 18.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km). Locally emission-free driving pleasure complements the sporting ability for which BMW is renowned and the comfort, multi‑faceted functionality and spaciousness of the successful BMW X3. Latest stage in the ongoing rollout of the BMW Group’s electrification strategy; technological expertise amassed in the development of BMW I cars utilised for the first time in a purely electrically powered model from the BMW core brand.

New BMW iX3 will be the brand’s first model to also be produced for export at the Shenyang manufacturing facility in China. Market launch will begin in China later in 2020.
Strategic “Power of Choice” approach covers broad spread of customer requirements and statutory regulations around the world: BMW X3 is the first model to be available with a petrol or diesel engine, plug-in hybrid drive system or all-electric drive system.
New BMW iX3 blazes a trail for fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. Major progress made in terms of power density, operating range, weight, installation space requirement and flexibility. Power density of the electric drive system increased by 30 per cent over the BMW Group’s existing fully electric vehicles; gravimetric energy density of the high-voltage battery at cell level up by 20 per cent. Latest versions of the electric motor, power electronics, charging technology and high-voltage battery (all developed in-house) will also be deployed in the BMW iNEXT and BMW i4 from 2021.
Efficiency boosted significantly compared with the BMW i3 by highly integrated drive system technology. Electric motor, power electronics and transmission arranged in a central housing for the first time. Fifth-generation BMW eDrive high-voltage battery with the latest battery cell technology and gross energy content of 80 kWh enables operating range of up to 460 kilometres [285 miles] in the statutory new WLTP test cycle (up to 520 kilometres [323 miles] in the NEDC test cycle). BMW Group monitors compliance with environmental and social standards as part of its procurement process for the lithium and cobalt used in battery cells.
Newly designed fifth-generation BMW eDrive electric motor produces maximum output of 210 kW/286 hp and peak torque of 400 Nm (295 lb-ft). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h [62 mph] in 6.8 seconds (for purposes of comparison – BMW X3 30i: 6.4 seconds), top speed (electronically limited): 180 km/h [112 mph]. The design principle of a current-excited synchronous motor enables optimised power development and allows engineers to avoid the use of rare earths.
Scope for varying degrees of recuperation enables choice between pronounced one-pedal feeling with extensive recuperation of braking and coasting energy in driving position B and adaptive recuperation including coasting function in driving position D. Recuperation level can be adjusted through three stages. Adaptive recuperation enhances driving comfort and efficiency by adjusting Brake Energy Regeneration and the coasting function to the driving situation at hand.
Power transfer to the rear wheels delivers a classical BMW driving experience. Unrivalled combination of low electric power consumption and high charging capacity enables long-distance journeys at high average speeds. Adaptive suspension (fitted as standard) optimises sporting responses and comfort.
BMW IconicSounds Electric. Newly developed soundscape for electrically powered BMW models makes its debut in the BMW iX3 and adds extra emotional depth to the driving experience. Powerful drive sound available in cars with the equipment line “Impressive”. Unmistakable composition when starting and deactivating the electric drive system developed in collaboration with Hans Zimmer.
Bespoke charging products and services: BMW Charging Card provides simple and convenient access to currently more than 450,000 public charging points worldwide ; new Flexible Fast Charger (allowing use of different socket types) and high-output Wallboxes now available as options. Individual packages offer the optimum charging solution for every customer need.
New digital services from BMW Connected Charging in the car and via the app promote user-friendly electric mobility and enhance navigation planning, including recommendations for charging stops. Navigation system factors mid-journey breaks to charge the high-voltage battery (includes detailed information on individual charging points) into route planning and calculation of arrival times.
Optimised energy storage concept now enables vehicle charging capacity of up to 150 kW at DC fast-charging stations; Recharging from 0 to 80 per cent of the high-voltage battery’s capacity takes 34 minutes, 10-minute charge adds 100 kilometres [62 miles] of range (WLTP). BMW iX3 customers enjoy particularly favourable tariffs at IONITY fast-charging stations with a consumption dependent component of e.g. €0.29 per kWh for Germany)
Characteristic proportions of a BMW X model combine with model-specific design features. Innovative BMW aerodynamic wheels: 19-inch light-alloy items with new, drag-reducing design fitted as standard.
Premium interior ambience with model-specific accents. User-friendly, variable-usage cabin with high level of comfort for five people over everyday journeys and longer distances; load capacity can be expanded from 510 litres to as much as 1,560 litres.
Wide-reaching standard specification (“Inspiring”) includes metallic paintwork, LED headlights, three-zone automatic climate control with pre‑heating and pre-conditioning, automatic tailgate operation, panoramic glass sunroof, Driving Assistant Professional and ambient lighting. Optional equipment line “Impressive” also brings 20-inch light-alloy wheels, acoustic glazing, sport seats, Vernasca leather trim, BMW Head-Up Display, Parking Assistant Plus and Harman Kardon Surround Sound.
BMW Live Cockpit Professional with BMW Maps cloud-based navigation system and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant as standard. Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto preparation, Remote Software Upgrade and digital services from BMW Connected Charging also standard).
Outstanding environmental credentials thanks to commitment to sustainability throughout the value chain. CO2 impact of the BMW iX3 over its entire lifecycle is significantly less than a BMW X3 xDrive20d; impact reduced by 30 per cent when using electricity from the European energy mix for charging and by around 60 per cent when using exclusively green energy.

EV Brief 11/3/20 EV Brief 11/3/20

Chinese EV Manufacturers' Stocks Surge, as Deliveries Increase in October

Strong EV sales for October in China have demonstrated promising signs that consumer confidence is returning to the domestic market, and has bolstered the stock prices of some of China’s electric vehicle manufacturers. As trading opened yesterday, investors pushed prices of Li Auto (makers of the hybrid range-extender Li Xiang One), NIO and XPeng up sharply from Friday’s close

Strong EV sales for October in China have demonstrated promising signs that consumer confidence is returning to the domestic market, and have bolstered the stock prices of China’s major electric vehicle manufacturers. As trading opened yesterday, the prices of Li Auto (makers of the hybrid range-extender Li Xiang One), NIO and XPeng rose sharply from Friday’s close according to The Motley Fool.

Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI) was up approx. 13%
3,692 units delivered in October
21,852 units YTD

NIO (NYSE:NIO) was up approx. 10.9%.
5,055 units delivered in October (+100.1% YoY)
31,430 units YTD (+111.4% YoY)
XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) was up approx. 10.3%.
3,040 units delivered in October (+229% YoY)
17,117 units YTD (+64% YoY)

Nio exceeded 5,000 deliveries for the first time in October, and the company’s factory has a production capacity of 5,000 vehicles per month. This strong demand has seen Nio’s share price soar over 700% this year. For comparison, Tesla’s share price is up approx. 380% year-to-date.

While Tesla China’s sales for October have yet to be released, it’s expected that exports to Europe from the Chinese Gigafactory, the upcoming Model Y production ramp and news from Reuters that new energy vehicle sales will make up 20% of China’s market by 2025 will continue to boost Tesla’s share price after a late October dip.

EV Brief 11/1/20 EV Brief 11/1/20

Tesla's Updated Visualisations and UI with Full Self Driving Update

A number of Tesla customers in North America who are deemed expert, careful drivers have taken to social media to highlight their observations on Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD) software version 2020.40.8.12. The release notes for the update are as follows:

The driving visualization has been improved to better support Full Self-Driving capabilities by increasing the display size to show additional surrounding information. The next turn will now appear above the visualization if the navigation turn list is covered by another app.

With the larger visualization, select items have slightly moved but will continue to look and behave the same. Some notable differences include the following:

Quick access to the backup camera and wipers has moved to the bottom bar.

Autopilot set speed is now displayed directly below the speedometer and can continue to be adjusted using the right steering wheel scroll wheel. The speed will turn blue when Autopilot is engaged.

Tesla’s FSD software has only been live for a week, yet owners are already reporting improvements to the system’s ability to cope with difficult turns and intersections. The company’s CEO Elon Musk replied to a question from a Tesla Owners’ Group on Twitter about how this update would improve FSD on the road. Musk stated that “We measure this primarily in intervention probability. This update addressed several issues, resulting in perhaps ~1/3 fewer interventions. Many of the improvements consist of fixing silly bugs vs grand eureka moments. True for most beta releases in my experience,”

Unfortunately, a release date for a global roll out of FSD is not yet known.

You can watch Tesla Owner @tesla_raj explore the new user interface below:

Tesla Owner James Locke uploaded an extended drive using the early beta Full Self Driving software:

EV Brief 10/30/20 EV Brief 10/30/20

Rivian R1T Goes Offroad, Tests Real World Range

Rivian R1T prototypes have covered thousands of miles around the world testing, and production looks set to begin in June 2021. Reporter Emme Hall from Roadshow brings this story from the Californian desert, where Rivian invited journalists on a 5-day offroading adventure.

The test vehicle featured the 135kWh battery, which has a claimed range of 300 miles (644km) but understandably, when running on soft ground, laden with 600 pounds of people and equipement, that quickly drops and Hall estimated the R1T achieved 137 miles of range.

With 826lb-ft (1120Nm) of torque, the R1T is a performance beast, but it also works wonders off road. Hall states “The R1T might not have locking differentials, a two-speed transfer case or any kind of tough-guy wizardry you'd associate with off-road prowess, but none of that matters when you've got an absolute ton of torque. I can slowly pick my line up a steep, rocky hill, never worrying about keeping momentum. The sophisticated traction control system moves the torque where it's needed most, and before I know it, the R1T hits the top of a peak while the Jeeps behind me are still switching into low gear.”

Singapore Begins Research on Floating Energy Storage Solution

The floating lab batteries will stacked vertically-a first for Singapore-reducing the footprint by an estimated 40%. A seawater liquid cooling setup will also be implemented, to reduce the batteries’ operating temperature and improve performance in the humid climate of Singapore.

Space is precious in Singapore; with a population of close to 6 million and a land area of 725km2, creative thinking is required for large scale transport and energy projects. The Maritime Executive writes that Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) plan to install a floating energy storage system with 7.5MWh of lithium ion batteries on Keppel O&M’s Floating Living Lab.

The EMA’s Chief Executive, Ngiam Shih Chun said“Energy storage and smart energy management systems support the deployment of more renewable energy in Singapore. This project will pave the way to overcome our land constraints, and set the blueprint for similar deployments in the future.”

The floating lab batteries will be stacked vertically-a first for Singapore-reducing the footprint by an estimated 40%. A seawater liquid cooling setup will also be implemented, to reduce the batteries’ operating temperature and improve performance in the humid climate of Singapore.

Due for completion in 2023, the 7.5MWh capacity should be enough to supply power to 600 4-room HDB units, which are around 90m2 or 970ft2.

Find out more below:

Source: The Maritime Executive

EV Brief 10/28/20 EV Brief 10/28/20

New Zealand Government says no to NOx; Prime Minister's Fleet to go Electric

The New Zealand Government has a range of progressive policies around zero emissions transport, and has held a policy aim of an emissions free light vehicle fleet by 2025/26. While Prime Minister Ardern’s personal vehicle is currently a Hyundai Ioniq Electric, BMW took the honour of providing official vehicles for ministerial use, with long wheel base 7-series diesels favoured for their efficiency, security and operating costs.

The New Zealand Government has a range of progressive policies around zero emissions transport, and has held a policy aim of an emissions free light vehicle fleet by 2025/26. While Prime Minister Ardern’s personal vehicle is currently a Hyundai Ioniq Electric, BMW holds the honour of providing official vehicles for ministerial use, with long wheel base 7-series diesels favoured for their efficiency, security and operating costs.

That changes today, with Motoring NZ confirming three Audi E-Tron 55 quattro SUVs will be provided to the New Zealand Government. Two of the vehicles will be based in Wellington, to be used to transport government ministers between Wellington Airport and ‘The Beehive’, otherwise known as the Executive Wing Building. The third vehicle will be based in Auckland, to be used by the Prime Minister and her family and will reportedly be fitted with a child seat.

Many world leaders are chauffered around in armoured BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S Class Guard and Audi A8 Security vehicles, with noticible exceptions being President Trump’s ‘The Beast’, the Japanese Emperor’s Toyota Century Royal and General Secretary of the Chinese Community Party Xi Jinping’s Honqi L5.

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot Citroën Merger Looks Set to Proceed

The European Commission looks set to approve the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Peugeot Société Anonyme (PSA) according to this report from Reuters. The US$38bn merger would create the worlds fourth largest auto manufacturing group, with a suite of brands including Fiat, Ferrari, Maserati, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Peugeot, Opel, Citroen DS and more.

One major sticking point for European regulators has been the estimated 35% market share of the European light van market by Stellantis. The company responded “To allay EU antitrust concerns, PSA has offered to strengthen Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp., with which it has a van joint venture, by ramping up production and selling it vans at close to cost price, people said. FCA and PSA will also allow their dealers in certain cities to repair rival brands.”

It’s expected that the merger will take 2-3 months to finalise, but should happen well before the offical February 2 2021 deadline.

Source: Reuters

Our opinion: COVID-19 has impacted carmakers significantly, with most revising down their unit sales figures for 2020 and their earnings estimates. FCA and PSA have a good foundation of EV research and development, as well as some good products on the market, but with consumers and government regulations alike demanding cleaner vehicles, billions of dollars will need to be spent by automakers over the coming 3-5 years to produce affordable electric vehicles.

The Volkswagen Group leads the way for legacy automakers in terms of EV R&D (partly due to penalties imposed as a result of the Dieselgate fiasco), and the ID.3 has received generally positive reviews since launch in Q2 2020. For other manufacturers to catch up to Volkswagen (let alone Tesla), It’s going to take a lot of money, and a merger of these two companies into Stellantis Group will allow for larger sharing of platform architecture and drivetrains, as well as manufacturing facilities. It may accelerate the electrification of all brands, and minimise the expensive purchase of regulatory credits to offset emissions from companies such as Tesla.

Fiat 500e. Image: REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo

EV Brief 10/26/20 EV Brief 10/26/20

Fiat's 500 Reimagined for an Electric Future

They say fashion trends are cyclical, and some 13 years after the first retro Fiat 500 was launched, Fiat has redesigned the city car with a purely electric drivetrain. The most striking design detail is in the 3 door variant, with its suicide-style rear door harking back to the original 1957 Nuova 500.

The new 500 line up comprises three variants; the Action, Passion and Icon, each with “a specific product mission” according to Fiat. The 3 door 500 3+1 is initially only available in the “la Prima” launch specification, which includes full-LED headlights, 360-degree parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and more. The la Prima 3+1 is available in Rose Gold (pictured), Glacier Blue and Onyx Black.

Prices in Italy start from €19,900 for the Action model, which includes a €6,000 government electric vehicle incentive. Link to the full press release here.

500e Action

70kW motor
23.8kWh battery, 50kW DC fast charging, 11kW AC charging
180km WLTP range

500e Passion + Icon

87kW motor
42kWh battery, 85kW DC fast charging, 11kW AC charging
320km WLTP range

Source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

EV Brief 10/25/20 EV Brief 10/25/20

Polestar to be a Virtual Brand in Australia; 2021 Launch Possible

Volvo Cars Australia Managing Director Nick Connor confirms that Polestar will operate independently from Volvo when the brand launches here sometime in 2021. Connor told the Carsales network that “The Polestar plan is to sell directly, digitally, using Polestar spaces in what amounts to downtown locations. The cars will be serviced, maintained and supported by Volvo dealers”.

Reflecting the premium positioning of the brand, Polestar customers will not have to worry about taking their Polestar 2 to the dealership for service, with the brand planning to offer a pickup/dropoff service. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the worldwide release of the Polestar 2 has been delayed, meaning that the Australian introduction is unlikely before the fourth quarter of 2021.

Source: Carsales

Our Opinion: Any new brand entering Australia’s fiercely competitive premium sedan market has the difficult task of balancing extremely high customer expectations against business costs. If Polestar can provide a premium experience, streamlining the sales and servicing processes for its customers, it may gain market share from Tesla and other premium offerings. COVID-19 has also changed the nature of our downtown areas/central business districts, with so many people looking to work remotely-at least some of the time-for the foreseeable future. Will Polestar still look to create pop-up ‘spaces’, in cities in Australia, could that money be better spent on the delivery and aftersales experience for customers?

EV Brief 10/22/20 EV Brief 10/22/20

The Writing's On The Wall; Total Pivots to EV Charging

Businesses need to diversify and stay current to survive, and this is especially true in the energy sector. French oil giant Total (NYSE:TOT) pushes further into clean tech investments; Total holds a majority stake in US solar giant Sunpower (NASDAQ:SPWR), and has just acquired Source London-which operates a network of 1,600 electric vehicle charge points-from Bolloré Group (EPA:BOL). Source London has ambitions to increase its charging infrastructre in the UK’s capital city by a factor of ten before the end of 2025.

Audi's E-Tron, E-Tron Sportback Land in Australia

Swoopy coupe SUVs are all the rage right now; stroll down any inner-city cafe strip in Australia, and it’s likely you’ll see Porsche Cayenne Coupes, BMW X4s and X6s, and Mercedes-Benz GLCs/GLEs. Audi has been a bit late to this party, with the Q3 Sportback and Q8 not long on the market, but in typical Ingolstadt fashion, when they arrive, everyone notices.

Swoopy coupe SUVs are all the rage right now; stroll down any inner-city cafe strip in Australia, and it’s likely you’ll see Porsche Cayenne Coupes, BMW X4s and X6s, and Mercedes-Benz GLCs/GLEs. Audi has been a bit late to this very fashionable party, with the Q3 Sportback and Q8 not long on the market, but in typical Ingolstadt fashion, when they arrive, everyone notices.

Enter the E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback. With the former holding the title of best selling electric SUV in Europe, these are cars that are sure to be popular with Australian consumers itching to drop $140k+ on a luxury SUV.

Pricing is as follows:

E-tron 50 quattro (230kW): $137,100
E-tron 55 quattro (265kW): $146,100
E-tron Sportback 50 quattro: $148,100
E-tron Sportback 55 quattro: $157,100
E-tron 55 quattro First Edition: $159,000
E-tron Sportback 55 quattro First Edition: $169,350

All prices exclude on-road costs, government charges and CTP insurance.

Full specifications can be found on Audi Australia's website

First Edition models receive the Audi Virtual Exterior Mirrors, painted orange brake calipers, matrix LED headlights, black exterior trim, a 705-watt, 14-speaker sound system, S sports seats and interior highlights, four-zone climate control, privacy glass and unique 21-inch alloy wheel design, as standard.

The E-Tron comes with an 11kW AC home charging kit in Australia, and is also 150kW DC rapid charging capable. A single DC port is fitted to the driver’s side, while an AC port is available on each side. Audi Australia claims DC rapid charging will top up a battery from 0 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes for both models, and 100 per cent in 45 minutes.

The E-Tron range joins the Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs on the market, and Audi Australia aims to provide additional value to E-Tron early adoptors, offering a complimentary six-year service program, as well as six years’ unlimited access to the Chargefox ultra-rapid charging network.

A six-year roadside assist program along with a home wallbox installation is also included.

More information in the following Australian reviews: