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Daimler acquires a 10% stake in electric car maker, Tesla |
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In the News section of the April issue, we showed you the new, and once again beautiful, Tesla Model S – the newest offering from the California based electric car manufacturer. The Model S is pegged as being the first highway-capable electric car with a range of up to 300 miles (480 kilometers), and is slated for launch in 2011. Well, it appears that Daimler was sufficiently impressed, and has since acquired a 10% stake in Tesla.
Daimler is keen to accelerate development of battery-powered vehicles for both its luxury brand, Mercedes Benz, as well as its niche small car brand, Smart. Tesla will provide battery packs for the Smart ED, as well as work on battery pack integration and electric drive systems for Daimler. Meanwhile, Daimler will provide Tesla with engineering support, and possibly parts as well for the Model S.
“Our strategic partnership is an important step to accelerate the commercialization of electric drives globally. As a young and dynamic company, Tesla stands for visionary power and pioneering spirit. Together with Daimler’s 120 years of experience in the automotive sector, this collaboration is a unique combination of two company’s strengths and marks another important milestone in Daimler’s strategy for sustainable mobility,” said Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Daimler AG.
| VW and BYD sign an MoU to partner towards electric mobility |
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During the last week of May, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen, Dr. Martin Winterkorn, and the Chairman of the Board of Management of Chinese automaker BYD (Build Your Dreams), Wang Chanfu, signed a memorandum of understanding in Wolfsburg, Germany, to explore partnership between the two firms in the areas of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Volkswagen has been actively developing its clean BlueMotion diesel technology, and now obviously feels the need to accelerate development in the areas of electric and hybrid cars – an area in which BYD could prove to be very valuable, especially in regards to advanced battery technology. BYD is fast emerging as a key player in the global electric car race – to the extent that, last year, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway invested substantially in the Chinese company.
Mr. Chanfu is so committed to an electric future that he quite literally pours his own battery fluid into a glass and drinks it. You see, Chanfu’s company aims to make batteries 100% recyclable, and, to that end, has developed a nontoxic electrolyte fluid. A word of caution, though, don’t try and ingest the battery fluid from your VW just yet.
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Maruti, Tata and M&M join hands to develop
hybrid and electric vehicle technology |
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Under an initiative of the Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India, and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Maruti, Tata and M&M will work together to develop hybrid and electric motor technology consisting of lithium-ion battery packs, electric motors, controllers and transmissions – the intention, of course, is to lower the cost of development, and thereafter share the benefits. These systems will be jointly developed, and subsequently individually adapted by each company to their own fleet of vehicles, which they aim to showcase as early as the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in 2010. |
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Honda insight becomes the best-selling car in Japan |
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Honda’s latest dedicated hybrid, the Insight, became the best-selling car in its home market, with sales of over 10,000 units for the month of April (with the exception of the 660cc ‘Kei’ class of mini cars). This is very significant simply because it marks the first time ever that an obviously environmentally conscious car such as a hybrid has surpassed other more conventional small cars on the sales charts – in this case, including the Honda Jazz, which came in at number two, and the Toyota Yaris, which was number three. Furthermore, with the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius slated to hit showrooms very soon, the hybrid race is only expected to intensify. |
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