Audi runs R8 e-Tron prototype at 24 Hours of Le Mans

Audi's been promoting the fact that an "e-tron" would lap Le Mans this week as part of a demonstration of alternative fuel vehicles shown at speed just before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Joining cars like the Porsche GT3 hybrid and natural gas powered Volkswagen Scirocco that both ran Nurburgring, the Audi e-tron turned out to be an outwardly normal Audi R8 painted in a matte medium grey with bright green decals. 

Its battery sits behind the passenger cabin to optimise its centre of gravity, thus achieving a 42:58 weight distribution. Four motors drive the front and rear axles and maximum power is quoted at 230 kW (308 bhp/ 313 PS), while peak torque is an astounding 4,500Nm (3,319 lb-ft). About 70 percent of power goes to the rear. Audi says the R8-based e-tron will accelerate from 0 - 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.

A cable and plug allow the Audi R8 E-tron’s energy storage to be powered by your household current of 230 volts/16 amperes. Charging time is about 6-8 hours when the battery has been completely depleted and goes down to about 2.5 hours when high voltage is used.




Press Release

Audi e-tron at 24 Hours of Le Mans

• Technology platform opens the 24-hour race

• Five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela at the wheel of the Audi e-tron

• Le Mans vers le futur shows Audi concept for an electric sports car

Audi presents an Audi e-tron technology platform based on the R8 at the most important sports car race of the year. Racing legend
Frank Biela drove the purely electric powered high-performance sports car during the Le Mans vers le futur, a demonstration run for electric vehicles, giving Audi fans at the 24 Hours of Le Mans a peek at the fascinating future sporty electric cars.

Not one, but four motors - two each on the front and rear axles - power the wheels of the Audi e-tron, making the test vehicle a true quattro. With 230 kW (313 hp) and 4,500 Nm (3,319 lb-ft) of torque, the two-seater accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds.

The test 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 battery is located directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axle load distribution.

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. With the technology platform shown at Le Mans, Audi is providing an insight into the development work.

Design and package
The caliber of the car is apparent to the fans in Le Mans at first glance: 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 while only 4.43 meters (14.53 ft) long and 1.25 meters (4.1 ft) tall - those are the proportions of a supercar. The wheelbase of 2.65 meters (8.69 ft) leaves ample 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 a 42:58 weight distribution between the front and rear axles and therefore ensures perfect balance and driving dynamics.

Systematic lightweight construction is a crucial prerequisite for efficiency and range - and this is also the case for electric vehicles. The Audi development engineers therefore draw on a core competence of the company for the e-tron. The body structure is based on Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology.

Driving dynamics
The normal distribution of the tractive power is clearly biased toward the rear axle. Similar to with a mid-engine sports car, roughly 70 percent of the power goes 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.

Via the four individual motors, which are each connected directly to the respective wheel via a short shaft, the e-tron also controls the lateral dynamics. Similar to the sport differential in conventional quattro vehicles, these motors allow torque vectoring - the targeted acceleration of individual wheels and thus an active distribution of tractive power. This boosts driving dynamics while simultaneously enhancing 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. Its electromechanical steering boost varies with speed. Fittingly, the technology platform rolls on 19-inch wheels.

Energy supply
The energy storage unit is charged with household current (230 volts/16 amperes) via a cable and a plug. The socket is behind what used to be the fuel cap. 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. They keyword here is recuperation. This form of energy recovery and return to the battery is already available today in a number of Audi production models. During braking, the alternator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy, which it then feeds into the onboard electrical system.

Interior and control concept
The interior evokes a luxury-grade racing atmosphere. As in the R8, its distinguishing characteristic is the monoposto - a large arc that sweeps around the instruments. Unlike the production R8, however, the Audi e-tron has a graphic display for indicating the driving mode located between two round-dial instruments showing the recuperation and boost level.

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 SLS AMG E-Cell [Video]

Mercedes Benz made an official announcement during the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show to bring a fully-electric version of its SLS AMG supercar. Almost a year after, the company has finally developed a prototype of the proposed model that looks stunning and sounds great in performance according to the recent leak of details on the web.

The Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell, showing a bright yellow exterior paint job in these official images, is ready for its debut. We bet Daimler will unveil the full picture on the Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell in a few days time. Much like the Audi eTron, the Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell is also powered by four electric motors, one for each wheel. The total output of the Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell is rated by the company at 526 hp and 649 lb-ft of torque. What's even more amazing about the new model is that it revs as a bike - up to 12,000 rpm. Too bad electric motors don't make enough noise.

The electric version of its Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS develops 533 HP and 590 lb-ft of torque. The model can accelerate from 0-60 mph in four seconds and is equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The technical details above are valid for the prototype model, the production version is not completed yet. Moreover, the autonomy and the necessary time to load a SLS AMG E-Cell are unraveled elements.


The interior of the car has also been modified, as it has been adapted to the needs of an electric vehicle. The instrument cluster now features charge status & estimated range displays, while the center console features a ten-inch touch screen display that offers information about the electric power.

External changes include the addition of an extendable front apron and splitter, a wider grille, revised air intakes in the hood, LED headlamps, plus a luminescent yellow paint scheme with matte-black accents.

Other changes – apart from the fitting of the electric motors and the bank of lithium polymer batteries housed in the centre tunnel and a box behind the cockpit – include an extendable front splitter which works with a reshaped rear diffuser to up the available rear downforce beyond the standard SLS, thanks in no small part to the lack of an exhaust system. Inside, the SLS E-Cell gets a 10″ touch screen in the centre console which displays the flow of power from the four electric motors as well as the usual infotainment stuff.

New details for Gordon Murray's T.27 City Car

Gordon Murray has long been considered one of the most innovative engineers and designers in the automotive world. The latest project from the mind that created the McLaren F1 supercar is the new T.27 electric city car. The T.27 is the battery powered variant of the T.25, a model that will debut shortly with a gas engine. Both models use the same basic architecture, and like the seminal supercar, they feature a three seat layout. That's largely where the similarities end, however.

Essentially an electric version of the T.25, the T.27 features a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery and a small electric motor with 25 kW (34 hp / 34 PS) and 875 Nm (645 lb-ft) of torque. This allows the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than 15 seconds, before topping out at 105 km/h (65 mph). While it's not fast, the 680 Kg (1,500 lb) T.27 will have a range of 129-161 kilometers (80-100 miles). More importantly, "projected emissions, using a UK energy mix, are 48g/km CO2 for the combined cycle and 28g/km CO2 for the urban cycle alone, with zero emissions at the point of use.  Full lifecycle CO2 damage will be 42% less than the average UK car," according to the press release.

T.27 has a length of 2.50m, width of 1.30m and height of 1.60m, and it offers s wheelbase of 1.78m. The car’s turning circle is 6.0 meters and the weight including the battery is 680Kg.





Press Release

Gordon Murray Design announce the Specification and Performance Targets for the T.27 City Car, a pure electric drive vehicle designed to fully optimise packaging, weight and performance. The announcement marks an exciting leap forward in efficiency for electric vehicles and working closely with their powertrain partner, Zytek Automotive, a brand new, innovative, lightweight and fully integrated electric motor, control system and battery will be designed to ensure that maximum efficiency is achieved.

Projected emissions, using a UK energy mix, are 48g/km CO2 for the combined cycle and 28g/km CO2 for the urban cycle alone, with zero emissions at the point of use. Full lifecycle CO2 damage will be 42% less than the average UK car.

Vehicle Specification

eMotor:	25kW	Height:	1.60m
Battery Type:	Li-ion	Weight:	680Kg (incl. battery)
Battery Spec.	12kWh	Wheel Base:	1.78m
Length:	2.50m	Turning Circle:	6.0m
Width:	1.30m

Performance Targets

Top Speed:	105kph
0-100kph:	Less than 15 seconds
Range:	80 – 100 miles

The T.27 vehicle concept closely follows the layout and geometry of Gordon Murray Design’s innovative T.25 city car, an MPV with 6 possible internal layouts.

The efficiency in cost, weight and performance comes in part from the ‘clean sheet of paper’ approach, part from the full integration of the powertrain and also from the low energy manufacturing system developed by Gordon Murray Design called iStream®.

iStream® massively reduces the capital investment required to produce the vehicle and also the energy required for manufacture plus the flexibility of the iStream® process would also allow the petrol powered T.25 and the T.27 to be manufactured at the same plant.

The 16 month programme started in November 2009 with a running prototype scheduled for completion in April 2011 and is supported with a 50% investment from the Technology Strategy Board. The next phase in the programme will include a push to secure partners and funding for UK manufacture. A UK partner or consortium to produce the city cars in the UK would keep the technology at home and could create 6,000 jobs.

Professor Gordon Murray, CEO of Gordon Murray Design said:

“The Technology Strategy Board have been incredibly supportive of the T.27 programme and together we are working to keep this in the United Kingdom. It is a great opportunity to work with Zytek Automotive and our other partners on this very exciting programme. We always strive to lead the way in automotive design and our current goal is to maximise efficiency of electric vehicles.”

Bill Gibson, Chairman of Zytek Automotive said:

Zytek’s new innovative powertrain, developed from our substantial experience of EV and hybrid vehicle production programmes, will substantially reduce the weight and cost of the electric engine, whilst delivering the quality, refinement and driving experience that T.27 customers will demand.”

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board said:

"This is another example of the UK positioning itself to benefit from the economic opportunities offered by the emerging low-carbon vehicles market.It’s great that the T.27, a fantastic example of smart engineering and sustainable design, is at the forefront of this. We are also glad that we were able to support a project that enabled Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive and the other partners to work together to be truly innovative.”

Tesla to partner with Toyota to Build Electric Vehicle

Toyota Motor Corporation and Tesla Motors have announced that they intend to cooperate on the production of electric-vehicles, parts and production system and engineering support. Toyota will purchase a $50 million of Tesla’s common stock issued in a private placement to close immediately subsequent to the closing of Tesla’s currently planned IPO.

Toyota will invest $50 million for a private placement of Tesla common stock and the state of California will provide a sales tax abatement to Tesla for capital equipment expenditures to tool up the plant. Musk estimated that the abatement will amount to about $20 million over the next several years.

The NUMMI - New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. - plant located in Fremont, only 17 miles from Tesla's new headquarters, ceased operations on April 1 after producing its last car, a red Toyota Corolla S believed to be destined for a museum in Japan.

The first car to roll of the production line will be Tesla's Model S electric sedan which costs around $57,400. While Tesla will still be late to the game when compared to the LEAF or the Volt, this amps up the company's reputation ten-fold. For a recent study just named Toyota as one of the top three companies consumers would buy an EV from.




Press Release

Tesla Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation Intend to Work Jointly on EV Development, TMC to Invest in Tesla

May 20, 2010 - Palo Alto, California, U.S.A. - Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today announced that they intend to cooperate on the development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support.

The two companies intend to form a team of specialists to further those efforts. TMC has agreed to purchase $50 million of Tesla's common stock issued in a private placement to close immediately subsequent to the closing of Tesla's currently planned initial public offering.

"I sensed the great potential of Tesla's technology and was impressed by its dedication to monozukuri (Toyota's approach to manufacturing)," said TMC President Akio Toyoda. "Through this partnership, by working together with a venture business such as Tesla, Toyota would like to learn from the challenging spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility that Tesla has. Decades ago, Toyota was also born as a venture business. By partnering with Tesla, my hope is that all Toyota employees will recall that 'venture business spirit,' and take on the challenges of the future."

"Toyota is a company founded on innovation, quality, and commitment to sustainable mobility. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Toyota would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla," said Tesla CEO and cofounder Elon Musk. "We look forward to learning and benefiting from Toyota's legendary engineering, manufacturing, and production expertise."

TMC has, since its foundation in 1937, operated under the philosophy of "contributing to the society through the manufacture of automobiles," and made cars that satisfy its many customers around the world. TMC introduced the first-generation Prius hybrid vehicle in 1997, and produced approximately 2.5 million hybrids in the twelve years since. Late last year, TMC started lease of Prius Plug-in Hybrids, which can be charged using an external power source such as a household electric outlet. The company also plans to introduce EVs into the market by 2012.

Tesla's goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars to mainstream buyers – relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs. Palo Alto, CA-based Tesla has delivered more than 1000 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. It is currently the only automaker in the U.S. that builds and sells highway-capable EVs in serial production. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions. Tesla service rangers make house calls to service Roadsters.


Tesla Motors Announces Factory in Northern California
Silicon Valley factory will become the home of the Model S sedan

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Tesla Motors has purchased the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California, where it will build the Model S sedan and future Tesla vehicles. As recently as April of 2010, the NUMMI factory was used by Toyota to produce the Corolla and Tacoma vehicles using the industry-leading Toyota production system. It is one of the largest, most advanced and cleanest automotive production plants in the world.

It is capable of producing half a million vehicles per year or approximately 1 percent of total worldwide car production. The award-winning plant was the birthplace of the vaunted Toyota Production System, a widely copied system that lead to dramatic quality improvements and unprecedented manufacturing flexibility and worker satisfaction.

The Model S is expected to be the first pure electric premium sedan and is designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the electric vehicle architecture. The sedan, which Tesla unveiled in March 2009, has an anticipated base price of $49,900, including a federal tax credit, and is intended to deliver the foremost design and technology in the automotive world. With an optional extended-range battery pack, the Model S will travel over 300 miles per charge.

The factory is located in the city of Fremont near Northern California's Silicon Valley, very near Tesla's Palo Alto headquarters. The location means Tesla can hire best-in-class engineers in Silicon Valley. The short distance also ensures a tight feedback loop between engineering, manufacturing and other divisions within the company.

"The Tesla Factory effectively leverages an ideal combination of hardcore Silicon Valley engineering talent, traditional automotive engineering talent and the proven Toyota production system," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. "The new Tesla Factory will give us plenty of room to grow."

Toyota produced its last car there just last month. Tesla began discussions to acquire the site this spring, when it was also evaluating opportunities in Downey and Long Beach. The turnkey nature of the facility with its recent production of top quality vehicles and its considerable room for expansion made it stand out from other sites.