Maserati plans to out an electric car by 2020

Maserati might be late in the electric car game but that isn’t stopping them from building their own EV. According to Fiat Chrysler (FC) engineering head Roberto Fedeli, Maserati’s EV might show up as soon as 2020—or possibly 2019. It won’t be like its competitors, though. It could possibly be a low-volume model like a grand-tourer instead of an SUV or large sedan. Fedeli says they want to try and bring something different to the market and it won’t be following in the footsteps of Tesla. In fact, he has a few choice words about Tesla, saying that “the execution and quality of the products of Tesla are the same as a German OEM in the 1970s. Their solutions are not the best.”

One of the big challenges Maserati faces with the EV is on the sporty driving experience and signature engine note the FC division has. They have to work on the lack of sound EV engines produce as well as the weight of the batteries. Another challenge is the electric car’s inability to be enjoyed like a sports car on a normal road is “inconsistent with the brand we are representing,” says Fedeli.

Source: Car And Driver

Nissan reports record EV sales despite drop in Leaf demand

Renault-Nissan has reported record EV sales in 2015 despite a drop in sales of its Nissan Leaf electric vehicle. Global sales of Renault-Nissan's battery-powered vehicles rose 2.5 percent to a record 84,754 last year even though there was a slowdown in demand for the Nissan Leaf, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.

The Leaf is the world's best-selling EV, with more than 201,000 vehicles sold since it launched in 2010, the statement said. In total, all-time EV sales by the alliance were 302,000 at the end of 2015. The reason for buyers passing on the Leaf is that it has a shorter EV range than newer models like the Chevy Bolt EV which is expected to ship at the end of the year.

Click to read more ...

CES 2016: VW's Budd-e concept is a futuristic EV minivan

Volkswagen just unveiled its BUDD-e concept vehicle which holds the promise of many future technologies including a hypothetical 373 miles of range and ability to charge to 80 percent of battery capacity in about 15 minutes, this doesn't represent any technology currently available to VW but is more a marker for what's to come in the future.

With a fully reconfigurable interior reminiscent of older camper microbuses, the Budd-e concept also features 12.3-inch curved screen in front of the driver that blends into a 13.3-inch display in the center console. It's good to see VW aspiring for an all-electric future in a vehicle that, while purely conceptual, could generate interest in pursuing and developing more widespread technology, safety and energy efficient solutions.

Source: VW

VW hinting at EV Microbus reveal at CES

VW has brought back the Beetle numerous times and now looks to revive another beloved model for modern times at a point in its history where positive news and goodwill is much needed. The vehicle in question is the Microbus or Kombi which might appear at CES 2016 as an electric vehicle with a long range. Few vehicles, specially vans, are as iconic as the original VW Type-2, which had a long and successful run as a family mover as well as a reliable and affordable work bus. The keynote, which takes place in Las Vegas, will reveal more about this next EV move by VW.

Source: VW