Category Archives: EV

EV, News

Mercedes-Benz eActros – a new era of electric vehicles

The world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz eActros took place a few days ago. This is a new era of electric Mercedes-Benz Truck.

After 2016, when the concept of a heavy-duty distribution vehicle was introduced, the time came for Mercedes-Benz to introduce its first electric truck.

“We have to acknowledge that transport is part of the problem when it comes to climate change. At the same time, we can and we will be part of the solution. We start with our eActros that has covered more than half a million kilometers on public roads. The eActros and its dedicated services are a big step for Mercedes-Benz Trucks and for our customers towards CO₂-neutral transport,”said Karin Rådström, Member of the Management Board at Daimler Truck AG and responsible for Mercedes- Benz Trucks.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros is powered by two electric motors, which are powered by 3 or 4 batteries with a total power of 315 kWh or 420 kWh (depending on the version). This allows a truck with a larger battery to cover a range of 250 miles (400 km), or 186 miles (300 km) with a smaller battery. It takes a little over an hour to charge a 20-80% battery.

Electric transport trucks allow owners to use vehicles during the night as well as to enter city areas where traffic for diesel vehicles is prohibited.

At Mercedes-Benz, great attention is paid to the safety of vehicles and drivers. With the eActros model, Mercedes-Benz Trucks not only provides active safety, in the form of standard integrated systems such as MirrorCam, Sideguard Assist S1R or the fifth generation Active Brake Assist (ABA) system with the ability to detect pedestrians, but also the challenges associated with electrical vehicles and their high voltage systems.

Source: Daimler

EV, News

The BMW i3 is leaving the US market

BMW announced that it will stop production of the Model i3 for the American market from July.

One of the first purpose-built cars and a pioneer in the use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics and aluminum, it did not achieve the sales expected in the US. Since 2015, sales of this model have been gradually declining, so that in 2020, slightly more than 1,500 units were sold.

“The success of the BMW i3 and the experience gained in developing and manufacturing it have laid the groundwork for the next generation of BMW electric vehicles – the fully electric BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle and the BMW i4 Gran Coupe, both of which arrive in the U.S. early next year,” BMW said in a statement.

This does not mean that BMW will reduce supply in the US. From next year, the i3 will be replaced by the BMW i4 eDrive40 with a more powerful electric motor.

The BMW i4 will be powered by an electric motor with an 83.9 kWh battery and a range of 300 miles, which will produce 335 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The BMW i4 will reach 62 mph in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 118 mph.

Source: Carscoops

EV, News

Tesla is facing car safety issues in China

Tesla’s efforts to conquer the Chinese market have been halted. Allegedly, China is demanding that Tesla’s cars (285,000), which are sold in the country, go through a safety check process.

The competent authority (State Administration of Market Regulation) announced that the decision refers to vehicles manufactured in China (Model 3 and Model Ys) and 35,665 imported vehicles.

Namely, the problem is the possibility of automatic activation of the autopilot, which poses a safety risk because it can lead to a car accident. Fortunately, most security fixes can be done through online updates.

Tesla apologized for the current situation, saying it would upgrade the software for free.

The biggest impact will be on Tesla’s crossover (Model Y), which has a range of 369 miles (594 kilometers), as the main vehicle in conquering the Chinese electric vehicle market, which was also confirmed by Elon Musk.

Tesla hopes that the production of the Model Y could surpass other vehicles. Demand for this crossover could increase as China allowed families to have more children. This was also confirmed by China’s Passenger Car Association, which predicts increased demand for roomier cars.

The starting price of the Chinese Model Ys is $ 53,000.

Source: Bloomberg