The whole Maserati range is shifting to electrification that completes all thermal-engine models and, concerning this, the last release will regard Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which will land on the market in 2025. Due to the action of three electric motors, two at the rear and one in the front, it assures a maximum power of 761 HP and of 1,350 Nm, which allows rising from 0 to 100 in 2.8 seconds and reaching a maximum speed of 290 km/h.
Powertrains are powered by a 92.5 battery pack with a particular T-shape and an 800-volt architecture that enables the charge up to 270 kW for a battery recovery time from 20 to 80% of 18 minutes. Concerning the range, according to the company with a “full tank” of energy you can travel up to 447 km in the Wltp cycle.
Maserati, the new GranCabrio with three electric motors
ZF sets up a cutting-edge technological centre in Mexico
It is located in Monterrey and is made up of 16 forefront laboratories, ranking as one of the most innovative and advanced centres for the automotive industry in Mexico focused on the technologies for the electric and autonomous mobility. ZF in Monterrey currently employs 700 people and expects to reach one thousand workers by 2025.
Martin Fischer, President of ZF North America and member of the Board of Management, emphasized the relevance of the Monterrey campus: “This centre is of utmost importance for our company regionally and globally, as it will allow us to drive innovation and the development of new technologies, helping us stay at the forefront of the mobility industry. In addition, the hubs of corporate functions such as finance, IT and HR operations, which are also part of this campus, are extremely relevant to guarantee the operation and efficiency of the company, since they serve various regions”.
ZF invested $200 million to create one of the most innovative and advanced complexes in the automotive sector in Mexico. The building that houses the corporate functions and the Research and Development centre was designed under the Office 3.0 concept, based on open spaces that promote collaboration and multi-disciplinary work.
“ZF Monterrey represents a crucial step on our path towards a more sustainable and connected mobility. With this campus, we are creating a unique ecosystem in Nuevo Leon that will drive innovation and the development of disruptive mobility technologies,” said Jorge Vazquez, Director of ZF Monterrey and R&D Mexico.
Electric inclusive vehicles that are accessible in wheelchair
Motability Operations, the commercial organization that offers the Motability Scheme in the United Kingdom, has revealed eVITA, an electric state-of-the-art vehicle concept that is accessible in wheelchair (eWAV). Designed and implemented by Callum, eVITA will be manufactured collaborating with the automotive industry to grant that inclusive design principles are taken into account during the whole development.
Currently, Motability Operations has over 34,000 circulating Wav, with about 4,000 applications every year for small and medium size Wav. In many electric vehicles, the floor-mounted battery decreases the internal height and the space inside the passenger compartment and also limits the available payload. Without a solution, this would lead the customers on wheelchairs to opt for bigger vehicles than necessary when they shift to electric. This new design has allowed a height from the ground of 160 mm, similar to the one of a sedan, sharing in a simpler access and in a bigger free height. This means that wheelchaired users have a better and lower seating position in the cabin.
“It is an extremely urgent matter for our customers who use accessible vehicles to wheelchairs because they rely on an obvious or convenient solution to adopt a smaller electric vehicle. We were determinate to find a way to be followed and I am absolutely pleased of having developed the eVITA concept with Callum, which has really the accessibility and the inclusivity at the core of its design, demonstrating what is possible. We are sharing our knowledge with industry – manufacturers, designers and engineers – to support a transition to electric vehicles that works for all, affirms Andrew Miller, managing director of Motability Operations.
The managing director of Callum, David Fairbairn, states: “Callum team is unbelievably proud of presenting eVITA and of working with Motability Operations on such an important project that has the potential of having a positive impact on so many lives, supporting the customers of Motability Scheme with freedom and enjoyment of travelling while the society is shifting to electric.
Electric motorbikes by Zero Motorcycles at the Design Week 2024
April saw one of Italy’s most mundane events: Milan Design Week. The Salone del Mobile filled the pavilions of Fieramilano Rho from 16 to 21 April 2024, with the Fuorisalone, a collateral event to the fair that crowded the city with events, installations, presentations and exhibitions. Demonstrating how electric mobility and the technology involved are now a beacon in the most up-to-date design of our cities, Fuorisalone also included more dedicated spaces and events, such as the one planned by Zero Motorcycles. The electric motorbike company was present at Design Week 2024 with the third edition of ‘Canale a Colori‘, where the Californian brand exhibited two of its most disruptive motorbikes, the 11 Kw Zero FXE and the Zero DSR/X Black Forest Edition. Both were hosted on board BarconeMilano, and the dealer Gpone Milano offered passing motorcyclists the chance to test-drive a model from the Zero range among those on display at BarconeMilano, thus providing a unique opportunity to experience the extraordinary performance of electric motorbikes in an enchanting setting.
‘Zero models are not just means of transport, they are an expression of a new lifestyle that embraces a more conscious freedom to explore and move, thanks to the silent and innovative power of electricity. With their cutting-edge design and exceptional performance, the American company’s motorbikes turn every journey into an adventure, where the connection between man, machine and environment reaches previously unthinkable levels of harmony,’ the company explained in a press release.
Zero Motorcycles’ participation in Design Week 2024 was not just an exhibition of elite electric motorbikes, but a dialogue between the worlds of design, mobility and technology.
Kite Magnetics inaugurates its green aviation test facility
Melbourne-based aerospace manufacturer Kite Magnetics has opened its green aviation test facility. «This features electric motor testing capabilities, including an in-house designed and built dynamometer and thrust stand, demonstrating Kite’s commitment to becoming a major player in the rapidly evolving electric aircraft propulsion industry», said Dr Richard Parsons, Founder and CEO of Kite Magnetics. During a launch event, VIPs were also treated to a view of Kite’s 120kW electric engine in action for the very first time. Their first product, called the KM-120, is now undergoing extensive performance evaluation and reliability testing in preparation for flight testing in early 2024.
Kite Magnetics KM-120 Electric Propulsion System, which is small enough to fit in a packed travel suitcase but more powerful than most small cars, includes an 800V inverter and an air-cooled gearless electric motor with variable pitch propeller support. Designed for fixed-wing electric training aircraft and the emerging eVTOL market, their system leverages their proprietary AeropermTM magnetic materials technology to reach efficiencies greater than 98%.
Batteries, collaborations and price strategies
The Chinese battery manufacturer Catl is a common topic of conversation, first of all for the five-years agreement signed with NIO to promote the technical cooperation for new brands, designs and markets, optimizing the expansion abroad and developing a business model focused on long-term batteries. More recently, the news that the Chinese battery giant is likely to be ready to halve the cost per kWh of its lithium-iron-phosphate cells (Lfp) by the half of 2024, leading to a neat decrease of electric vehicles’ costs. It seems that square 173 Ah cells, which can be charged completely in less than 30 minutes, will be sold to various manufacturers of electric vehicles at an average price of around 56 dollars/kWh. This means that a 60-kWh battery pack will approximately halve its cost, dropping from about 6,800 to 3,400 dollars. The very latest shared information concerns its most recent results in 2023. «Some milestones we achieved by the end of the year include NO.1 in EV battery consumption volume for the 7th year & NO.1 in global energy storage battery shipment for the 3rd year. Therefore, powering 11,670,000+ EVs in 64 countries and regions, 20,604 R&D specialists, 29,487 patents obtained/filed and 4 zero-carbon factories & 3 lighthouse factories», the company explained.
Boating, electric outboard motors
The specialist in electric motors ePropulsion has presented a new 500W model called eLite. It is an outboard with much more modern design that is expected to shake up the market.
With the release of eLite, with just 500W, the Chinese manufacturer faces the low-power segment with a model purposely designed for transportable use. The eLite electric motor is designed for dinghies or small sailing boats, for applications that need little power, despite a power in boost modality of 750 W. ePropulsion has adopted a design with the battery integrated into the vertical motor barrel, conferring it a more sophisticated look in comparison with the historical Spirit range. However, the battery, with a capacity of 378 Wh and a range of 45 minutes at full power, cannot be removed. It is necessary to charge the motor directly from a power supply network at 12, 110 or 220 V or through solar panels.
Electric truck, Volta Trucks signs a new agreement with Steyr
Steyr Automotive has revealed the new agreement with Volta Trucks that unveils the recovery of the production of its fully electric truck, Volta Zero. The agreement is fruit of intense negotiations and of a fruitful cooperation between the parties involved, as Steyr explained. «We are extremely satisfied with the signature of the agreement because it represents an important milestone for us for the manufacturing recovery in this crucial sector. Our team is strongly motivated to bring the innovative truck on roads together with our partner Volta Commercial Vehicles», we read in the press release. Volta Zero project has then resurrected and succeeds in it also through the big investor Luxor Capitol, United States fund.
Automotive, Nissan and Honda establish a strategic partnership
Historically in competition, the Japanese automotive companies Nissan and Honda have announced they are evaluating a strategic partnership for the segment of electric vehicles and of software, as well as in key components for electric vehicles and other complementary products. «Our sector lives a significant turning point due to the arrival of new players, in addition to historical automotive companies», declared Makoto Uchida, the managing director of Nissan and Toshihiro Mibe, CEO of Honda, specifically referring to the emerging Chinese automotive companies that promise more and more electric low-cost vehicles. «We cannot win this competition with a traditional approach», then the decision of shaking hands and of collaborating in the electrification field. Last year, Nissan announced huge investments for the production of electric vehicles in its English factory in Sunderland and foresees to invest 600 million Euros in Ampere, Renault unit that takes care of electric vehicles. Honda, in its turn, has already been committed to electric vehicles since 2022 with the Japanese technological Sony giant, with which it has created a new high-end car brand, Afeela.
Tacita releases new electric motorbikes on the market
Tacita Italian motorbike manufacturer, producer of electric models, has officially presented the 2024-range with the launch of 5 models in 2 versions and with various possible configurations, result of over 10 years of research and development. Tacita defines its range with the T-Cruise line, declined on the 2 Urban and Turismo models and the T-Race line, developed on the 3 Enduro, Motard and Motorally models. In 2025 Discanto and Pitbike Maestro will join them. The new models are provided with a 0.7mm-thick fairings in mixed carbon and ballistic Kevlar. The traction battery options are 9kWh for Enduro and Motard, and 13 kWh for Motorally, with a weight that does not exceed 196 kg. Interchangeable batteries allow a replacement in 3 minutes and the Battery Management System, equipped with proprietary software, allows increasing the range and the overheating prevention. All models have a continuity power of 11kW with a max power of 34kW, enabling their drive with A1 or B Driving licence. Today the motorbikes for 2024 are already in in pre-order in Europe on the site and since 2025 they will be available in Canada and USA, directly shipped from the headquarter at Poirino (Turin) to the new “Tacita North America” Headquarter.