Good news for DIY enthusiasts who intend to drive an electric vehicle: Ford has released the EV Eluminator e-crate electric motor that costs 3,900 dollars and that might prove to be a key element in retrofit ambit. The motor debut occurred on a pickup F-100 dated1978: it was exported the original V8 motor featuring 302 cubic inches and the transmission to integrate two Ford Eluminator e-crate motors.
Based on a heritage 1978 F-100 pickup, the F-100 Eluminator concept features all-wheel drive via two powerful electric motors shared with the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition.
Two electric traction motors drive the front and rear wheels, packing a powerful 480 horsepower and 634 lb.-ft. of torque. Eluminator, the first e-crate motor from Ford Performance Parts, is based on the Mustang Mach-E GT’s traction motor.
«Ford owners have personalized, customized and enhanced their vehicles since the beginning – from changing looks to bringing the power» – said Eric Cin, global director, Vehicle Personalization, Accessories and Licensing. – Our F-100 Eluminator concept is a preview of how we’re supporting customers as they go all-electric and embrace zero-tailpipe emissions performance, even for our heritage vehicles».
Ford has decided using two motors, each featuring 281 HP and 317 Nm of torque, providing the standard F-100 with a combined power of 480 horses and 634 Nm of torque and has chosen an 88 Kw battery system. The e-crate Eluminator still needs an inverter, battery cells, power supply controls and other to be fully operational, towards this direction Ford soon will add more parts and accessories for electric vehicles to Ford Performance catalogue, offering a broad range of options to customers.
All-electric F-100 Eluminator concept
Batteries: the new Audi research and test centre
Neckarsulm factory is at the core of the brand’s strategy that casts its spotlights on batteries and on the electrification process. Next years, the German automotive company will offer various opportunities of advanced training to workers, developing a centre dedicated to batteries to test high-voltage storage technologies. In the laboratory for pilot projects, the workers with more expertise will test the prototypes of new high-voltage storage modules for various electric vehicles. The new multifunctional building for the technical development unit will be accomplished by the end of 2022 and the structure is expected to start operating within 2023.
The decision of locating the development of batteries at Neckarsulm – explained Rolf Klotz, president of the works council – is a first important step to provide the technical development staff in that site with a safe prospect about the future, even after combustion engines will be stopped.
In Neckarsulm site, Audi is already creating the accumulators for plug-in hybrid cars and therefore it is already equipped for the electrification process that will lead the new models to be only electric starting from 2026.
«High-voltage batteries and electric motors constitute an important strategic component of the future value creation in a transformed automotive industry. For this reason, we are systematically enlarging our competence in the development of these important components» – stated Oliver Hoffmann, from Audi technical development.
Electric air taxi? Good news for Rome
Urban air mobility will be part of the solution for heavily congested city centers across the world. Volocopter, the pioneer of urban air mobility (UAM), the infrastructures’ holding company Atlantia and Aeroporti di Roma, have announced their partnership to bring electric air taxis to Rome.
As an entirely new mobility service, it offers transportation for people and goods that is battery powered and thus emission free in flight. Together with the Italian authorities and regulators and with Atlantia’s full support, Aeroporti di Roma, and Volocopter will raise public awareness about UAM and pave the way to bring it to Italy within the next 2-3 years. In particular, the new service will connect the international hub “Leonardo da Vinci” with various places in Rome, through vertical airports. This will allow to travel in comfort and quality, reducing greatly both the congestion of urban traffic and CO2 emissions, as the 18 engines of VoloCity operate in electric mode.
Volocopter takes a holistic approach to UAM by developing a full ecosystem that connects the necessary components to offer electric flight in cities. The German company is the only eVTOL developer with a product portfolio of multicopter and fixed-wing designs that can be used for passenger and cargo transportation. Through cross-industrial partnerships, Volocopter covers all the aspects of the UAM ecosystem including the aircraft, the operations, as well as the digital infrastructure, VoloIQ, enabling large-scale digital visibility of the entire ecosystem.
“We have proven again and again – said Christian Bauer— CCO, Volocopter – that our aircraft are flying fully-scaled. Now, we are currently focusing on putting the UAM ecosystem in place in several cities, just like Rome, to host our fully electric mobility solutions upon certification. There could not be any better partners to bring this exciting mode of mobility to Italy than ADR, who are recognized to be one of the most innovative and sustainable airports in Europe».
The electric era of Ducati is starting
Starting from 2023-season, Ducati will be the exclusive official supplier of motorbikes for FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, the electric class of the MotoGP World Championship.
The agreement signed with Dorna Sports, organizer and promoter of the most important two-wheel international competitions, will last until 2026 and therefore it will include four editions of the MotoE World Cup.
It is a historical step for Ducati that follows its custom of using competitions as laboratory for technologies and solutions that then become reality for all riders.
Therefore, the FIM Enel MotoE Championship has all papers in order to allow the company to develop the best technologies and test methodologies applied to light and performing sportif electric motorcycles.
At the same time, the appurtenance of Ducati to Volkswagen Group, which has made electric mobility an essential element of its 2030 “New Auto” strategy, represents the best preliminary condition for an extraordinary exchange of competences in the field of electric powertrains.
«We will work – declared Claudio Domenicali, CEO Ducati Motor Holding – to provide all participants in FIM Enel MotoE World Cup with electric motorbikes that are highly performing and stand out for their lightness. The major challenge will concern precisely weight, fundamental element of sports cars. Lightness has always been in Ducati DNA and, thanks to the technology and the chemistry of batteries that are evolving quickly, we believe we can achieve an excellent result».
From the iPhone to the electric bus
Foxconn, the Taiwanese giant that manufactures the iPhone Apple and other smartphones, has announced the production of a lithium-ion bus and of two electric cars: SUV Model C and Model E, the sedan designed by Pininfarina.
Foxconn, partner of Stellantis on technologies, produces also Smartphones with Xiaomi brand, the Chinese giant of hi-tech that has decided entering the electric car with ten billions in the next ten years.
The Model E, with high performances and advanced dynamic control technology, provides a power of about 750 HP, reaches an acceleration from 0 to 100 km in 2.8 seconds and has an autonomy of 750 km. The electric SUV called Model C features instead an autonomy of about 700 km and sportif performances, due to the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds. The electric bus with bulky sizes, finally, can reach 20 km/h of maximum speed. Ready to start its service in Taiwan in the course of 2022, it was presented with Foxtron brand.
It’born CUPRA Born!
The first full-electric model by the Spanish brand is called CUPRA Born and it is characterized by the appealing design and sportif performances.
The powertrain includes a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor with maximum torque of 310Nm at 16,000 rpm, positioned on the rear axle, in front of the central part of wheels. The torque is transferred through a single speed gearbox with differential, which allows a uniform power supply for smooth performances.
The motor is available in three power variants: 150 HP (110 kW)/310 Nm and 204 HP (150 kW)/310 Nm for CUPRA Born, whereas the motor that equips the most performing version, CUPRA Born e-Boost1, reaches a power of 231 HP (170 kW)/310 Nm. In its turn, Born e-Boost1 will be available in two variants: one with 58 kWh battery, which assures an autonomy of 424 km, and one with 77 kWh battery, with autonomy of 540 km. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes place in 6.6 seconds.
CUPRA Born exploits a lithium-ion water-cooled battery system with more modules, centrally housed in the lower part of the car to guarantee an excellent centre of gravity and to reduce the weight impact. The arrangement of the battery pack assures improved dynamics and more stability, so sharing in a more uniform distribution of the car weight (50% on the front part and 50% on the rear part). «CUPRA Born – commented Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA – represents the boost towards the electrification era. Due to its appealing design created in Barcelona and to the sports performances, as well as to an autonomy in fully electric modality of over 500 km, this car contributes in decreasing the global CO2 emissions and in reaching European targets».
Designed and developed in Barcelona, at the Headquarters CUPRA at Martorell, CUPRA Born is produced in the factory in Zwickau, in Germany.
Electric motorcycles: the hybrid prototype by Kawasaki
Kawasaki, which has declared the intention of ceasing the production of fossil-fuel vehicles starting from 2035, has revealed a first prototype of hybrid motorcycle, which combines the petrol propulsion with an electric aid.
The first details seem to indicate as “starting base” the famous Ninja 400, with the addition of a small electric motors and a semi-automatic gearbox.
The interaction between thermal and electric implies that the transmission is studied to exploit at best the synergies between the two propulsor typologies that often operate in complementary manner: the electric gives its best at zero revolutions, whereas the petrol motor on the long term.
What about the overall dimensions on a motorcycle? The prototype is equipped with a 48-volt battery that does not seem to affect so much the two-wheeler’s performance.
Dream yatch … electric!
The first mega-yacht with hybrid propulsion Bintador is in Tankoa Genovese yard, shipyard specialized in the construction of fully customizable metal mega yachts.
Number one in the S501 range featuring 50 metres of the yard, the boat is powered by a state-of-the-art hybrid propulsion package based on a pair of diesel 895 kW (1200 HP) MTU and two electric 300 kW motors assisted by two 250 kW variable-speed generators.
Among the various operation modalities, it is worth underlining DEM (Diesel Electric Mode) that assures a notable fuel saving and leads to decrease noise levels: the electric motors are powered by two variable-speed generators and allow reaching a speed of 10.5 nodes, with maximum autonomy of 4900 nautical miles. In hybrid modality, instead, the two diesel generators are off during the navigation and one of the two main motors works to power the second electric motor that shares in the propulsion and to satisfy the energy requirements for non-board services. At 12 nodes, the yacht will have a cruise autonomy of about 4000 nautical miles.
The choice of navigating in Full-Speed modality sets in operation both main motors and the generators to power the two electric motors and on-board services: in this case, the yacht reaches a maximum speed of over 18 nodes.
The yacht has been already awarded: it won the Boat International 2020 World Superyacht Award as it is the best “Displacement Motor Yachts Below 499GT – 40M and above”.
Are you wondering how much does it cost? About 31 million Euros!
Separate waste collection in the electric sector
To implement its first electric vehicle for the sorted waste collection, Nord Engineering, protagonist in the sector of the smart waste management, has chosen Volvo Trucks, more precisely Volvo FE 6×2 Electric. The vehicle is fully electric, with a maximum power of 540 HP, total ground mass of 27 Tons and it is equipped with four battery packs, with 66 kWh batteries. Moreover, it is configured with the Easy collection system, innovative automated green solution for the intelligent waste management according to smart city principles.
«We have ideated and patented Easy – explained Andrea Fissore, Marketing Manager of Nord Engineering – an automated system of waste collection unique in the world, which includes both the equipped vehicle and collection containers. Our system has been chosen by municipalities and companies in over 20 Countries in the world, from America to Dubai, which have acknowledged our capability of developing smart, safe and efficient collection technologies. We have chosen Volvo Trucks because it shares our same awareness of the environment, the unceasing evolution is a constant factor of its history and its electric vehicles, immediately available, have a technological edge».
Easy system permits to optimize the entire collection process in full safety: without leaving the cabin, through a joystick, a single operator activates the equipment that automatically hooks, empties and repositions the container.
Moreover, due to the cloud, containers communicate with vehicles and the center to be emptied when they are almost full.
Here are the three new motors for General Motors
Excellent performances for the electric vehicles where they will be installed and lower manufacturing costs are the targets of the new Ultium Drive motors signed by General Motors, which are part of a scalable family.
Besides the new motors, GM has revealed details on the controllers that share in determining more efficient ways to distribute the torque in three-motor systems: it seems the artificial intelligence and the machine learning are exploited, so permitting a broad array of vehicles, from high-performance cars to work trucks. Moreover, the American player has announced the inverter and other electronic components are directly integrated into Ultium Drive motors precisely to decrease the complexity of its production, then lower costs.
The units featuring 180 and 255 kW are permanent-magnet motors designed with the target of minimizing the dependence on heavy rare earth materials, whereas the 62-kW motor is induction type.
«Twenty years – said Mark Reus, General Motors President – of electric drive system development and more than 100 years of high-volume vehicle engineering are helping GM pivot quickly from conventional vehicles to EVs. Our vertical integration in this space, encompassing both hardware and software, helps give us control over our own destiny and a significant competitive advantage».