Nissan Says U.S. Electric Leaf Sales May Reach 12,000 in 2011

Nissan Motor Co., aiming to be the world’s largest seller of electric cars, expects to deliver as many as 12,000 battery-powered Leaf hatchbacks to U.S. customers this year as orders are confirmed and production quickens.

Japan’s second-largest carmaker sold 1,142 Leafs in the U.S. last month, the most since it began shipping them in December. Deliveries should continue at that pace, totaling between 10,000 and 12,000 by the end of the year, Al Castignetti, Nissan’s vice president of U.S. sales, said in an interview yesterday.

“That’s a reasonable figure,” Castignetti said. “We’re very positive about this program. It’s different than anything we’ve ever done, launching the car in three global markets at the same time. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Carlos Ghosn, chief executive officer of Nissan and its partner Renault SA, has positioned Nissan to meet demand for electric cars that he expects to account for 10 percent of global auto sales by 2020. In the U.S., Leaf deliveries began at a trickle, averaging just 113 units a month from December through March, before accelerating in April and May.

Nissan took 20,000 reservations from U.S. customers last year for the compact, rated in the U.S. as going from 62 miles to more than 100 miles when its lithium-ion battery pack is fully charged. With a base price of about $33,000 before a federal tax credit, the Leaf is the first mass-market electric car sold in the U.S.

Battery Factory

The initial reservation figure ultimately shrank to 11,000 firm orders, said Katherine Zachary, a spokeswoman for Nissan. Nissan began taking Leaf reservations again in May, which require a $99 deposit, and has secured about 1,000 additional orders, she said.

“Reservations are going pretty good,” Castignetti said. Sales of the car will jump after Nissan’s battery factory, being built next to its main North American plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, opens in 2012, he said.

Leaf sales total 2,167 through May. By comparison, General Motors Co. (GM) has sold 2,184 units of its Volt plug-in car this year. Nissan’s North American unit is based in Franklin, Tennessee.

Readmore → Nissan Says U.S. Electric Leaf Sales May Reach 12,000 in 2011

Top Gear Eco Special (Spoof) [video]

In answer to Top Gear's childish antics when it comes to anything that Plugs-In, a group of friends from London have produced a spoof video of the up coming Nissan Leaf / Peugeot Ion episode.

For all the multi millions in the BBC's Top Gear budget, the production values of this camcorder spoof look surprisingly similar to the real thing!

Readmore → Top Gear Eco Special (Spoof) [video]

AC Induction motors have a bright future in EVs

The Economist has published a well written piece covering some of the main advantages of Induction motors over those that use permanent magnets and why car makers such as Toyota are now working on their own version.

The Economist

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SANYO lithium-ion battery equipped EV to contest Piles Peak

SANYO Electric has announced that its lithium-ion batteries will be used in the Yokohama Rubber electric vehicle operated by "Team Yokohama EV Challenge" for the upcoming hill-climbing motor sports race "2011 PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB" to be held in Colorado, USA on June 26.

Yokohama Rubber has been participating in the race since 2009, with the aim to harmonize the pleasure of driving with the environment and to promote research and development for EV tires. They have used a SANYO lithium-ion battery system for electric motors every year, and last year achieved a new, all-time record for electric vehicles. This year, the team will use a prototype of the fuel-efficient tire BluEarth.

To power the EV, the battery system used combines 6,656 of SANYO's 18650-size cylindrical lithium-ion batteries (Diameter: 0.7inch (18mm) x Height: 2.5inch (65mm)), typically used for consumer equipment such as laptops. The 18650-size cells offer the expected performance, and because they are readily available, only a short period of development for use with EV systems is required.

SANYO aims to contribute to the realization of a low-carbon society by increasing the use of lithium-ion batteries.

• Number of batteries: 6,656 cylindrical li-ion batteries
• Rating: 385V-96Ah
• Total energy: Approx. 37kWh

Readmore → SANYO lithium-ion battery equipped EV to contest Piles Peak

Porsche GT3 R Hybrid wins 4-hour endurance race at Nürburgring

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid has taken its first competition victory in a four-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring. And hybrid efficiency played a key part in the win.

This goes some way to make up for Porsche’s huge disappointment this time last year when the hybrid 911 race car was just two hours from taking victory in the Nürburgring 24-hour race when a mechanical failure saw it grind to a halt.

Since then the 911 GT3 R Hybrid has raced all over the world, including appearances in the US and China. But that its first major win has come at the ’ring following the disappointment last year must be a great boost for the team behind its development.

Porsche refers to this 2011 911 GT3 R Hybrid as the Version 2.0, the 2011 car 50kg lighter than the first version and weighing in at a respectable 1,300kg. Power in the two motors driving the front wheels has also been increased from 60 to 75Kw each.

This equates to a power boost of 200hp for limited bursts when exiting corners or, on demand via a ‘push to pass’ style button, overtaking. Porsche claims that over a lap of the Nordschleife the hybrid system is equivalent to an additional 32hp.

One of the reasons Porsche has been able to keep the weight down is the use of a kinetic generator rather than heavy batteries. Under braking the electric motors drive a flywheel that then spins at up to 40,000rpm, this energy then used to power the motors under acceleration.

A version of the same system also features in the Porsche 918 RSR concept, revealed earlier in the year at Detroit. But while that’s a concept the 911 GT3 R is a very real ‘rolling laboratory’.

And Porsche will be happy that the car’s efficiency was one of the key factors in its victory, the hybrid pitting twice for fuel while rivals were forced to stop three times. As a result the Hybrid came home seven seconds ahead of a conventional 911 GT3 RSR.

This all bodes well for the 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0’s return to the Nürburgring 24-hour on June 25-26, the improved efficiency and – hopefully – reliability combined with the proven pace enough, Porsche hopes, to challenge for an outright win.

Readmore → Porsche GT3 R Hybrid wins 4-hour endurance race at Nürburgring

Nissan Leaf to Contest 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

On June 26, a 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF will compete in the 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord behind the wheel. The Nissan LEAF will compete in the Production Class for electric vehicles and, other than the removal of some interior parts like seats and carpets to make room for safety equipment, such as a roll cage, racing seats and safety harnesses, the LEAF will be very close to the way it left the factory.

Like every production Nissan LEAF, the Pikes Peak LEAF will be powered by a lithium-ion battery composed of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80kW AC synchronous motor that generates 107 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. However, unlike most of the other vehicles competing at Pikes Peak, the LEAF will have no tailpipe, no emission of greenhouse gases and will make the climb in near silence.

“This is another innovative way to showcase the fun-to-drive nature of the Nissan LEAF and highlight that 100 percent electric vehicles perform very well in demanding situations like the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb,” said Ron Stukenberg, senior manager, Marketing Communications, Motorsports. “The instant torque available from the electric motor makes the LEAF a fun car to drive and the abundance of corners on the hill climb will give Chad a chance to take advantage of that torque.”

The Pikes Peak Hill Climb will be the motorsports competition debut for the Nissan LEAF, but Nissan recently showcased the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC at the New York Auto Show. The Nissan LEAF NISMO RC is designed and constructed as a real racing machine, starting with its full carbon fiber monocoque bodywork. The three-piece bodywork includes removable front and rear sections, fixed windows, LED headlights and taillights and driver-adjustable rear wing. The powertrain is straight from a production LEAF and repackaged to provide a mid-ship placement for the motor, inverter and battery pack as well as rear wheel drive.

The Nissan LEAF NISMO RC will likely make a series demonstration runs later this summer at various motorsports venues around the world.

“Nissan is committed to taking an innovative approach to showcasing the Nissan LEAF and Pikes Peak is an excellent venue to do just that,” added Stukenberg. “Nissan LEAF owners are fully embracing this new world of zero-emission technology. We believe the same potential exists in the motorsports world, and we’re proud to be one of the first on the grid.”

Readmore → Nissan Leaf to Contest 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

Cover 1254 km with a Nissan Leaf in 24 hours [video]

A small group of Dutch EV enthusiasts have completed a 24 hour road trip challenge with a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle.

Using fast charging infrastructure capable of fully charging the 24 kWh Leaf battery in 20 minutes, the team drove in shifts for 24 hours straight to see how far they could travel in a day. Despite some heavy traffic they covered 1254 kilometers (783 miles) mostly at highway speeds.

Readmore → Cover 1254 km with a Nissan Leaf in 24 hours [video]