Electric Vehicles

The Genesis GV60—the Hyundai luxury brand’s first dedicated electric vehicle, due next year—is shaping up to offer a technology first: It will be one of the first global-market EVs with original-equipment wireless charging.

The hardware, claimed to be supplied by WiTricity, will initially only be offered (or enabled) in South Korea, Genesis confirmed Friday to Green Car Reports. The brand will first incorporate the wireless charging tech on the GV60 as part of a test, or pilot program, in that market in the later part of next year.

Genesis did not mention wireless charging in the press materials for the GV60, which was revealed this past week, and it couldn’t confirm if and when it might offer wireless charging in the U.S. But it’s likely a technology advantage that would be extended to other markets. The Hyundai Motor Group has said that the tech could play a convenience role for some vehicles built on the E-GMP dedicated EV platform the GV60 shares with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

According to WiTricity, it’s the first time a new battery electric vehicle will be equipped with the technology. Several entries from China, which has adopted streamlined standards for the tech, could arrive around the same time in early 2022, or narrowly beat the GV60. But none of those models appear bound for the U.S. and Europe like the GV60.

Wireless charging technology has been available as an aftermarket retrofit for years, but it’s been a niche product. Such inductive tech uses a magnetic field through two coils to allow current transfer, charging the EV’s battery pack over the course of hours without any physical connection. 

Wireless charging has a lot of potential in electric vehicles, as it could potentially allow drivers to charge wherever they go—at shopping centers, for instance, and in snow and winter weather—without having to get out of the car and fuss with a heavy charge cord and connector. A parking tool would simply make sure the car is aligned for the best charge.

BMW has been conducting a trial of the tech in some 5-Series plug-in hybrids, but it hasn’t shared results of that test quite yet.

Genesis hasn’t released technical information for the GV60, but both the Ioniq 5 and EV6 offer a 77.4-kwh battery pack that, in some versions, should enable more than 300 miles of range, and they’re taking all kinds of charging seriously—including speedy DC fast charging and bi-directional capability that could be used for future smart-home features. Hyundai has said the Ioniq 5, as the first model in the parent company’s mass-market EV push, will dominate the Tesla Model Y in terms of miles of range recovered.

In the U.S., a single standard for wireless charging that will harmonize charging at up to 11 kw might help move things along. Some consolidation in the business happened in 2019, when Qualcomm sold its Halo wireless tech to WiTricity.

For now, the real hurdle will simply be convincing enough stakeholders to install the charging pads and hardware. That means automakers, business owners, and customers—possibly even charging networks. And if a luxury brand like Genesis steps up, it could be the start of something great.

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with contributions from Stephen Edelstein

The ID.4 is the first of a new breed of VW electric vehicles available in the US. Sharing the MEB modular electric vehicle architecture with the ID.3 compact hatchback sold in Europe, the ID.4 fits North American car buyers’ tastes better since it’s an SUV.

But what is the VW ID.4 like compared to America’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model 3? Well, Dave Erickson, a.k.a. Everyman Driver on YouTube, may be just the right person to offer an answer.

He has owned a Tesla Model 3 since October 2020, and recently got the chance to drive the VW ID.4 for a week. The first thing he noticed was the Volkswagen’s less immediate response when accelerating. The ID.4 is fast alright, but the acceleration feels smoother, which is not necessarily a bad thing when you think about it; after all, this is a family SUV.

Something the reviewer failed to mention was that this particular ID.4 is a 1st Edition, which means it’s a single motor, rear-wheel-drive model with 201 horsepower. That said, comparing it to his 258-hp Model 3 Standard Range (also a RWD model) is not entirely fair, seeing as the Tesla is both more powerful and some 1,100 pounds (500 kg) lighter.

Moving on, Dave also talks about the ID.4’s two-screen setup, which he prefers to the Model 3’s single screen, although he says adjusting to the Tesla was no big deal for him.

Another thing he likes about the ID.4 is that it feels like a normal car compared to the Tesla, and therefore makes the transition from an ICE car to an EV more seamless. The list of pros also includes the cool design, reasonable pricing, and SUV practicality.

Head over to the video if you also want to know what the negatives are.

DETROIT – There are currently around 39,000 public electric vehicle charge points available in the UK and over 400,000 home chargers. By sharing even a fraction of them via Community Charging, electric vehicle uptake can be transformed. Co Charger – rapid expansion and making electric vehicle charger sharing a reality

Community Charging is the utilization of community resources including chargers, space and infrastructure to allow members of that community to run electric vehicles. Co Charger is currently the only purpose-built Community Charging platform.

The Co Charger app connects ‘Hosts’ – motorists with an electric vehicle charger they are happy to share with ‘Chargees’ – motorists who can’t charge at home and who would welcome the chance to access convenient, affordable charging on a neighbour’s driveway. The Co Charger app handles all the ‘matchmaking’, bookings and payments – how it works is described in this video Co Charger – Together We’re Electrifying.

Co Charger was launched in November 2020 and during 2021 has seen 34% growth month-on-month – including 1,000 new users during May 2021.

User numbers are currently 4048, with 2369 Chargees and 1679 Hosts. These Host numbers means Co Charger already has more charge points available than many other charge point companies. For example, it outnumbers Tesla’s Destination Chargers (1181) according to Zap-Map statistics August 2021.

Becoming a Co Charger Host is an simple way for motorists to help their neighborhood become greener and combat climate change

Downloading the Co Charger app is free and easy and the host sets the price they want to charge for the electricity and which bookings to accept. They are in control at all times. With a few taps on their phone, a charger owner can help create a cleaner, greener neighborhood – as well as making some additional income through regular bookings.

The process and payment structure is deliberately very simple. At the end of each charging session the Chargee pays via a card pre-registered in the app and the Host receives that payment minus Co Charger’s 12% fee. There is no other cost or commitment.

Doubling the available public charge points

So all that’s needed to double the available public chargers without a single hole being dug or a cable laid is for just 10% of the 400,000 home charger owners to decide to share their charger – making 40,000 chargers available straight away.

Joel Teague, CEO of Co Charger says, ‘Sometimes the option isn’t more hardware. It’s making better use of what we have and through communities helping themselves. At Co Charger we have shown how people are very willing to share their chargers, having come from zero to nearly 1700 charge points on our network in 10 months and and average growth of over 30% per month this year – all without so much as fitting a new fuse.’

Becoming a Co Charger Chargee can help motorists without their own driveway charger to transition from an ICE vehicle to an electric one.

According to the English Housing Survey. around 40% 0% (14.5 million) motorists live in a flat or terraced house and can’t have a charger at home. Research by EV infrastructure company Connected Kerb From early adopters to mainstream buyers reveals that two thirds of existing electric vehicle owners would not have made the switch if they had to rely on public chargers. And nearly 9 in 10 of non-EV owners would be encouraged to make their next car purchase an EV if they had a space to charge it overnight.

And with Co Charger, that space can be their neighbour’s driveway – a far more dependable and affordable option than a public charger, which might be some distance away, booked up or even broken.

‘Charging at a nearby neighbour’s offers what motorists actually need to make the switch to an…

 

The investment surge by both new and established automakers in the electric vehicle market is a bonanza for factory equipment manufacturers that supply the highly automated picks and shovels for the prospectors in the EV gold rush.

The good times for the makers of robots and other factory equipment reflect the broader recovery in US manufacturing. After falling post-COVID to $361.8 million (roughly Rs. 2,690 crores) in April 2020, new orders surged to almost $506 million in June, according to the US Census Bureau.

New electric vehicle factories, funded by investors who have snapped up newly public shares in companies such as EV start-up Lucid Group Inc are boosting demand. “I’m not sure it’s reached its climax yet. There’s still more to go,” Andrew Lloyd, electromobility segment leader at Stellantis-owned supplier Comau, said in an interview. “Over the next 18 to 24 months, there’s going to be a significant demand coming our way.”

Growth in the EV sector, propelled by the success of Tesla Inc, comes on top of the normal work manufacturing equipment makers do to support the production of gasoline-powered vehicles.

Automakers will invest over $37 billion (roughly Rs. 2,75,146 crores) in North American plants from 2019 to 2025, with 15 of 17 new plants in the United States, according to LMC Automotive. Over 77 percent of that spending will be directed at SUV or EV projects.

Equipment providers are in no rush to add to their nearly full capacity.

“There’s a natural point where we will say ‘No'” to new business, said Comau’s Lloyd. For just one area of a factory, like a paint shop or a body shop, an automaker can easily spend $200 million to $300 million, industry officials said.

‘WILD, WILD WEST’
“This industry is the Wild, Wild West right now,” John Kacsur, vice president of the automotive and tire segment for Rockwell Automation, told Reuters. “There is a mad race to get these new EV variants to market.”Automakers have signed agreements for suppliers to build equipment for 37 EVs between this year and 2023 in North America, according to industry consultant Laurie Harbour. That excludes all the work being done for gasoline-powered vehicles.

“There’s still a pipeline with projects from new EV manufacturers,” said Mathias Christen, a spokesman for Durr AG, which specializes in paint shop equipment and saw its EV business surge about 65% last year. “This is why we don’t see the peak yet.”

Orders received by Kuka AG, a manufacturing automation company owned by China’s Midea Group, rose 52 percent in the first half of 2021 to just under EUR 1.9 billion (roughly Rs. 16,532 crores) – the second-highest level for a 6-month period in the company’s history, due to strong demand in North America and Asia.

“We ran out of capacity for any additional work about a year and a half ago,” said Mike LaRose, CEO of Kuka’s auto group in the Americas. “Everyone’s so busy, there’s no floor space.”

Kuka is building electric vans for General Motors Co at its plant in Michigan to help meet early demand before the No. 1 US automaker replaces equipment in its Ingersoll, Ontario, plant next year to handle the regular work. Automakers and battery firms need to order many of the robots and other equipment they need 18 months in advance, although Neil Dueweke, vice president of automotive at Fanuc Corp’s American operations, said customers want their equipment sooner. He calls that the “Amazon effect” in the industry.

“We built a facility and have like 5,000 robots on shelves stacked 200 feet high, almost as far as the eye can see,” said Dueweke, who noted Fanuc America set sales and market share records last year.

COVID has also caused issues and delays for some automakers trying to tool up.

RJ Scaringe, CEO of EV startup Rivian, said in a letter to customers last month that “everything from facility construction to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic.”

However, established, long-time customers like GM and parts supplier and contract manufacturer Magna International said they have not experienced delays in receiving equipment.

Another limiting factor for capacity has been the continuing shortage of labor, industry officials said.

To avoid the stress, startups like Fisker Inc have turned to contract manufacturers like Magna and Foxconn, whose buying power enables them to avoid shortages more easily, CEO Henrik Fisker said.

Growing demand, however, does not mean these equipment makers are rushing to expand capacity.

Having lived through downturns in which they were forced to make cuts, equipment suppliers want to make do with what they have, or in Comau’s case, just add short-term capacity, according to Lloyd.

“Everybody’s afraid they’re going to get hammered,” said Mike Tracy, a principal at consulting firm the Agile Group. “They just don’t have the reserve capacity they used to have.”

While the Lordstown Endurance pickup approaches a limited production stage, the company works also on other projects that potentially could provide important additional revenue streams.

One such project is the Military Electric Vehicle (MEV), demonstrated during Lordstown Week in June.

It’s a six-seat military vehicle based on the same EV tech as the pickup. It has four in-wheel hub motors, for all-wheel drive with torque vectoring between the wheels.

Media representatives had a chance to take a ride in the Lordstown Motors MEV on an off-road track, including jumping and driving through water.

It’s not possible to judge capabilities solely from the videos, but it does pretty well and might be a good starting point for a non-armored, patrol EV or some other applications. We assume that the armor would make it much heavier and thus challenging for a BEV application (perhaps a range-extender would be then considered).

The key element in the case of military vehicles is reliability and Lordstown Motors hints that its target is to achieve an “exceptional durability” of its hub motors.

In the Endurance, four motors are rated for a peak system output of 600 hp (about 440+ kW). The 109 kWh battery is expected to translate into more than 250 miles (402 km) of range. MEV setup might be different than the one in a commercial pickup. The company even said that it would like to develop other versions of the motors.

The Endurance pickup is currently scheduled for the second quarter of 2022 (commercial deliveries). Only time will tell, whether we will see any derivative models in 2022, or 2023. The original plan was to introduce multiple commercial models that would share EV tech.

As Dubai and the UAE drive towards sustainable mobility and do their bit to reduce carbon footprint, electric vehicles could be the future of transport as the country strives to achieve its green vision and climate action ambitions.

Electric vehicles, better known as EVs, are still undergoing an evolution but are gaining speed as the UAE vigorously pursues clean transport and e-mobility.

The UAE and Dubai have already invested heavily in EV infrastructure over the years and have rolled out plenty of incentives so that vehicle owners can make the switch from regular cars to electric.

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has already announced that EVs in Dubai will get access to free parking in designated slots and free Salik tag. The UAE has also set up more than 750 charging stations across the country and industry experts believe there will soon be an uptick in demand and growth.

“The biggest and most exciting part of it is when everyone changes to EVs,” Kevin Chalhoub, founder and owner of EV Lab, told Khaleej Times.

“We passed from horses to cars and are now transitioning to EVs, so it’s not about reaching 90 per cent growth; it’s about the speed at which we can go from one per cent to 90 per cent. Starting with the Expo in October, we hope that EVs won’t be a thing of the future any longer, but of the present.”

As a step in that direction, EV Lab, the first-of-its-kind omnichannel, multi-brand electric platform, is trying to create awareness with pop-up stores in Dubai, so that people can gain better knowledge of EVs.

“EV Lab is about creating awareness for electric vehicles in the region. We want people to have the chance to see, test and know why EVs are interesting and why they could be a good choice for them to purchase in the future,” said the Dubai-born entrepreneur, who studied renewable energy at Stanford and worked in the solar industry, before launching his start-up.

EV Lab had a pop-up store at Mall of the Emirates, where they had 30,000 visitors and are currently displaying four models — the Tesla Model 3, Audi RS e-tron GT, the upcoming Bolt EUV, and the newly introduced Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, the first plug-in hybrid, at Mirdif City Centre.

“Over 1,000 people expressed their interest and that’s more than the EVs we sold the previous year in the entire market. So, it is exciting,” he revealed.

”Dubai has always been a tech-advanced city. There are already very exciting policies in Dubai like free charging, free parking, free registration, and free Salik tags. These are exciting incentives and I’m hoping there will be more alongside Expo 2020, as the city is really embracing the shift to sustainable solutions,” said Kevin, who pointed out that the ratio of EV chargers is more in the UAE than most places in Europe.

ALSO READ:

>> Dubai: Free parking, Salik tags for electric vehicle owners

>> Abu Dhabi implements unified tariff for electric vehicle charging

“There are over 750 chargers, as of 2019, the second-most number of chargers per EV on the road after Amsterdam,” he added.

“I’m a firm believer that the adoption can be much faster. Especially in this post-Covid era, people are realising that collective action works. We have used masks and sanitisers to make sure that this pandemic doesn’t spread. Similarly, we need to make conscious buying decisions and exciting ones — such as EVs — for the pollution to decrease,” said Kevin.

Benefits of owning EVs:

> Latest technologies like full self-driving capability

> Performance

> Acceleration (the Audi RS e-tron GT and Tesla Model 3 can go from 0-100kmph in 3.3 seconds)

> Travel range (from 400km to 800km)

> Ability to recapture energy while decelerating by regenerative braking, which in turn gives more range

> Fast charging (can charge in 6-8 hours at work/home using AC chargers; fast charging using DC chargers)

> Recharge once a week depending on the distance

> Low maintenance

> 10 times less spare parts

> No oil changes

> Zero tailpipe emissions (EVs save about 20 per cent of carbon emissions for every kilometre driven compared to petrol vehicles)

> Some are made out of recyclable materials, such as the BMW i3 model

> Incentives like free charging, free parking, free Salik tags, free registration

Models currently available in the UAE:

> Mercedes Benz EQC

> Chevrolet Bolt EV

> Chevrolet Bolt EUV

> Porsche Taycan

> Renault ZOE

> Audi e-tron

> Audi e-tron GT

> Tesla Model S/X/3

> MG ZS EV

> Jaguar I-Pace

> Peugeot 3008 PHEV

> Hyundai Kona

james@khaleejtimes.com

James Jose

Buying an electric car can feel daunting, especially if you don’t know a great deal about the tech, and what you should be looking for. Our best electric cars list is a good place to start, but there’s a lot that you need to consider, including battery range, specs measured in kWh and other things gas cars don’t have to worry about. 

But then there are an awful lot of benefits to electric cars. Lower refuelling costs, less regular maintenance, and a car that drives along so quietly it’s almost silent. Not to mention the fact you don’t need to worry about things like oil changes or spewing clouds of pollution every time you go to the store. But it still means having to make a decision on whether an EV is right for you, and which model to buy.

Optimism is growing that country residents could benefit by switching to electric vehicles (EVs).

“The research has shown that people in rural areas drive as much as 50% longer than those in urban areas,” says energy reporter Brian Grimmett.

“It’s cheaper to charge your electric vehicle than it is to put gas in your car,” he observes about rural drivers.

Worries over the range of EVs are lessening as new models now can go between 250 and 400 miles on one charge.

Grimmett acknowledges that there are not enough charging stations in rural areas.

In Kansas specifically, Grimmett reports, “There’s a whole corner of the state, the southwest corner of the state, where there are no high-speed, fast chargers at all.”

The infrastructure on the major highways like I-70 and I-35 is getting better, but for rural commuters forced to charge at home, an electric vehicle can still fulfill their daily needs.

And for those needing a pickup to meet the demands of country life, Ford is already producing an electric version of its popular F-150 model, which could come very close in price to its combustible engine counterpart.

• Brian Grimmett, energy and environment reporter, KMUW, Kansas News Service

Electric vehicle maker Xos made an underwhelming Wall Street debut on Friday, after shareholders approved its $2 billion merger this week with blank-check company NextGen Acquisition Corp.

Xos finished its first day trading under the new ticker XOS (previously NGAC) down by 14.5% from yesterday, before the transaction was officially complete. The company opened at $8.64 per share and wrapped regular trading today at $7.55.

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The Atwater Village-based firm produces electric delivery vehicles and mobile charging stations, and recently it announced a deal with FedEx to provide it with 120 electric trucks later this year for use across five states.

In a statement on the debut, Xos said: “The official ticker switch from NGAC to XOS signifies new potential, new growth, and new beginnings for the company. We’re thrilled about our debut on Nasdaq and look forward to participating in the upcoming official bell-ringing ceremony.”

Xos aims to decarbonize “transportation with reliable electric trucks, powertrains, and the tools to power them.” The company focuses specifically on class 5-8 vehicles, encompassing medium to heavy-duty delivery vans and trucks. The company’s efforts come as California cracks down on polluting big rigs.

DETROIT, Aug 20 (Reuters) – The investment surge by both new and established automakers in the electric vehicle market is a bonanza for factory equipment manufacturers that supply the highly automated picks and shovels for the prospectors in the EV gold rush.

The good times for the makers of robots and other factory equipment reflect the broader recovery in U.S. manufacturing. After falling post-COVID to $361.8 million in April 2020, new orders surged to almost $506 million in June, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Here’s a graphic on U.S. manufacturing new orders: https://tmsnrt.rs/3lVyhlM

New electric vehicle factories, funded by investors who have snapped up newly public shares in companies such as EV start-up Lucid Group Inc (LCID.O) are boosting demand. “I’m not sure it’s reached its climax yet. There’s still more to go,” Andrew Lloyd, electromobility segment leader at Stellantis-owned (STLA.MI) supplier Comau, said in an interview. “Over the next 18 to 24 months, there’s going to be a significant demand coming our way.”

Growth in the EV sector, propelled by the success of Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), comes on top of the normal work manufacturing equipment makers do to support production of gasoline-powered vehicles.

Automakers will invest over $37 billion in North American plants from 2019 to 2025, with 15 of 17 new plants in the United States, according to LMC Automotive. Over 77% of that spending will be directed at SUV or EV projects.

Equipment providers are in no rush to add to their nearly full capacity.

“There’s a natural point where we will say ‘No'” to new business, said Comau’s Lloyd. For just one area of a factory, like a paint shop or a body shop, an automaker can easily spend $200 million to $300 million, industry officials said.

‘WILD, WILD WEST’ “This industry is the Wild, Wild West right now,” John Kacsur, vice president of the automotive and tire segment for Rockwell Automation(ROK.N), told Reuters. “There is a mad race to get these new EV variants to market.” Automakers have signed agreements for suppliers to build equipment for 37 EVs between this year and 2023 in North America, according to industry consultant Laurie Harbour. That excludes all the work being done for gasoline-powered vehicles.

“There’s still a pipeline with projects from new EV manufacturers,” said Mathias Christen, a spokesman for Durr AG (DUEG.DE), which specializes in paint shop equipment and saw its EV business surge about 65% last year. “This is why we don’t see the peak yet.”

Orders received by Kuka AG, a manufacturing automation company owned by China’s Midea Group (000333.SZ), rose 52% in the first half of 2021 to just under 1.9 billion euros ($2.23 billion) – the second-highest level for a 6-month period in the company’s history, due to strong demand in North America and Asia.

“We ran out of capacity for any additional work about a year and a half ago,” said Mike LaRose, CEO of Kuka’s (KU2G.DE) auto group in the Americas. “Everyone’s so busy, there’s no floor space.”

Kuka is building electric vans for General Motors Co (GM.N) at its plant in Michigan to help meet early demand before the No. 1 U.S. automaker replaces equipment in its Ingersoll, Ontario, plant next year to handle the regular work. Automakers and battery firms need to order many of the robots and other equipment they need 18 months in advance, although Neil Dueweke, vice president of automotive at Fanuc Corp’s (6954.T) American operations, said customers want their equipment sooner. He calls that the “Amazon effect” in the industry.

“We built a facility and have like 5,000 robots on shelves stacked 200 feet high, almost as far as the eye can see,” said Dueweke, who noted Fanuc America set sales and market share records last year.

COVID has also caused issues and delays for some automakers trying to tool up.

R.J. Scaringe, CEO of EV startup Rivian, said in a letter to customers last month that “everything from facility construction, to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic.”

However, established, long-time customers like GM and parts supplier and contract manufacturer Magna International (MG.TO) said they have not experienced delays in receiving equipment.

Another limiting factor for capacity has been the continuing shortage of labor, industry officials said. To avoid the stress, startups like Fisker Inc (FSR.N) have turned to contract manufacturers like Magna and Foxconn(2354.TW), whose buying power enables them to avoid shortages more easily, CEO Henrik Fisker said. Growing demand, however, does not mean these equipment makers are rushing to expand capacity. Having lived through downturns in which they were forced to make cuts, equipment suppliers want to make do with what they have, or in Comau’s case, just add short-term capacity, according to Lloyd. “Everybody’s afraid they’re going to get hammered,” said Mike Tracy, a principal at consulting firm the Agile Group. “They just don’t have the reserve capacity they used to have.”

Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; additional reporting by Joseph White; Editing by Dan Grebler

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