Chrysler to develop new Fiat 500 electric vehicle for U.S.

Chrysler announced today that it will build an all-electric vehicle using the Fiat 500 platform. For those who don’t know the Fiat 500EV made its debut back in January at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show and the manufacturer promises that the vehicle will demonstrate the immediate benefits of the alliance between Chrysler Group and the Fiat Group.

The US edition will undergo further development at Chrysler hq in Auburn Hills, Michigan. "The alliance with Fiat presented new opportunities to merge Chrysler Group engineering knowledge with new platforms and the Fiat 500EV is an outstanding example of our efforts," said Chrysler engineering executive Scott Kunselman.

“The Fiat 500 is a small, lightweight platform perfect for integrating electric-vehicle technology.” added the same Kunselman.

Pricing for the Fiat 500EV will be “competitive with similar electric vehicles in the market.” Most automakers have all-electric vehicles planned over the next few years.





Press Release

Chrysler Group LLC to Develop New Fiat 500 Electric Vehicle for the
United States

• New Fiat 500EV demonstrates benefits of Chrysler Group and Fiat
  Group alliance
• Zero-emission Fiat 500EV provides an environmentally friendly,
  clean, quiet driving experience freeing customers from escalating fuel
  costs and costly oil changes
• Department of Energy provides up to $48 million grant toward test
  fleet of 140 Ram Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
• PHEV technology to improve fuel economy up to 65 percent with up to
  20 mile electric-only driving range

Chrysler Group LLC today announced its plans to engineer and produce a
pure electric vehicle using the Fiat 500 platform. Shown earlier this year
at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, the Fiat 500EV
demonstrates the immediate benefits of the alliance between Chrysler Group
and the Fiat Group as well as the speed at which the two companies can work
together on advanced vehicle programs.

"The alliance with Fiat presented new opportunities to merge Chrysler
Group engineering knowledge with new platforms and the Fiat 500EV is an
outstanding example of our efforts," said Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice
President Engineering-Chrysler Group LLC. "The Fiat 500 is a small,
lightweight platform perfect for integrating electric-vehicle technology."

The Fiat 500EV powertrain is comprised of three main systems; high power
electric powertrain module, advance lithium ion battery, and an EV control
unit to manage power flows. Beginning in 2012, Chrysler Group will
manufacture the Fiat 500EV for the United States market. All powertrain
engineering and vehicle development will take place at Chrysler Group
headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. Pricing will be announced closer to
launch, but will be competitive with similar electric vehicles in the
market.

Chrysler Group is the vehicle electrification center of competence for
both Chrysler Group and Fiat Group. The company is exploring ways to promote
zero-emission transportation and the development of an electric-vehicle
charging infrastructure through partnerships to be announced in the future.

Last year Chrysler Group announced the company's intention to build the
Fiat 500 with a combustion engine for North America. The vehicle will debut
in late 2010.

Ram Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

Chrysler Group has been selected for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant
of up to $48 million as part of a $2.4 billion American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act DOE Vehicle Electrification program. Chrysler Group is
planning to build a total of 140 Ram PHEVs for a three-year demonstration
project that includes various geographic and climatic locations across the
United States.

"This initiative represents how government, automotive industry,
suppliers and key partners are reaching common goals and demonstrates how
rapidly this type of advanced technology can be brought to market," said
Paolo Ferrero, Senior Vice President-Powertrain, Chrysler Group LLC.
"DOE-support for domestic advanced technology is an important enabler for
Chrysler Group and its key suppliers in order to understand and test
customer acceptance and the capability of PHEV systems in a variety of
real-world conditions."

The Ram PHEV features Chrysler Group's 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with a two mode
hybrid transmission and a 12KwHr lithium ion battery. The vehicle is capable
of up to 20 miles of zero-emission, pure-electric range without the need for
gasoline. An overall fuel economy improvement more than 65 percent is
expected for average drive cycles. Chrysler Group has partnered with
Electrovaya Inc. to supply the advanced lithium Ion batteries for the Ram
PHEV test fleet.

The DOE grant will expedite the development of vehicle-electrification
technology. More than 21 Chrysler Group partners across the U.S., including
utility companies, government agencies and Universities will independently
test the Ram PHEV and provide valuable data for the advancement of the
technology.

In 2008, Chrysler Group announced the company's intention to bring a Ram
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) to market. After closely evaluating the
response to hybrid pickups in the marketplace, the company could not
formulate an appropriate business case and has decided to cancel development
work on the 2011 Ram HEV.

Chrysler Group's alliance with Fiat Group brings new platforms and
technologies that allow the company to create an improved long-term product
strategy with greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Chrysler
Group's five-year plan has an uncompromising product schedule, including a
progressive vehicle electrification strategy.

Nissan to Build LEAF Electric Vehicle in UK

Nissan will start taking reservations for the Leaf electric vehicle in April, start building them by October and have the first of them rolling into driveways in December.

The Nissan Leaf and the plug-in Chevy Volt are supposed to hit U.S. dealerships late this year. They're the first wave of mass production electric cars. Mark Perry, who directs product planning for Nissan North America, says new owners will have no trouble finding a power station. "So the concern, 'If I use this vehicle or purchase this vehicle, can I get charging?' that's going to be a very easy answer here."

The Nissan Leaf all-electric vehicle goes on sale in late 2010.






Press Release

NISSAN TO BUILD LEAF ELECTRIC VEHICLE IN SUNDERLAND

UK to become third global manufacturing location for Nissan electric
vehicles

• Production to begin in early 2013


• Initial annual production capacity in Sunderland of about 50,000
  units


• Together with Sunderland battery plant production, represents more
  than a 420 million GBP (468.2 million euro) investment in zero emission
  mobility

SUNDERLAND, UK (March 18, 2010) -Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., further
underlined its commitment to zero emission leadership today by announcing
that the Nissan LEAF will be manufactured at its plant in Sunderland, UK.

Nissan LEAF - the first in a range of forthcoming Nissan electric
vehicles (EVs) - is the world's first affordable, mass produced zero
emission car and embodies Nissan's vision for an environmentally sustainable
future for road transport.

Nissan also said that construction of its advanced lithium-ion battery
plant, announced last year, will begin this April. The facility, which will
be located at Sunderland, will have a production capacity of 60,000 units a
year and will start manufacturing batteries in 2012 for both Nissan and its
Alliance partner Renault.

The production of Nissan LEAF and the batteries represents a total
investment of more than 420 million GBP (468.2 million euros) in the
Sunderland Plant and is expected to maintain about 2,250 jobs at Nissan and
across the UK supply chain. The investment will be supported by a 20.7
million GBP (23.1 million euros) Grant for Business Investment (GBI) from
the UK Government and a proposed finance package from the European
Investment Bank of up to 220 million euros (197.3 million GBP).

The UK's Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: "This investment is a
fantastic vote of confidence in the Sunderland plant and its excellent
workforce. The automotive sector is of key importance to the UK. It supports
R&D, technological innovation, skills and a supply chain that's a mainstay
of the wider manufacturing sector.

"Today's news from Nissan, with support from government, shows that by
working together we can achieve our aim of making the UK a world-leader in
ultra-low carbon vehicles."

Andy Palmer, senior vice president at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and
responsible for the company's global EV strategy, said: "The world is at the
dawn of a new era in automotive transport. Nissan LEAF, which will go on
sale later this year, is a five-seater hatchback that offers the same space,
practicality and performance of a similar car in its class - minus the
tailpipe emissions."

"Thanks to the UK's firm commitment to a low carbon future in terms of
infrastructure, customer incentives and educational programmes, Nissan LEAF
will be built at Sunderland, making the UK the third country in the world to
produce this revolutionary car."

Production of Nissan LEAF will begin in Oppama, Japan later this year
followed by Smyrna, Tennessee, USA in 2012. Sunderland will come on-line in
early 2013 with an initial annual production capacity of about 50,000 units.
The three production sites will support the sales launch of the model, which
begins in late 2010 in Japan, the United States and selected European
markets, ahead of global mass marketing from 2012.

Nissan and its Alliance partner Renault are the only automakers committed
to mass marketing pure electric vehicles on a global scale and together have
announced production capacity of 500,000 units per year. To date, the
Alliance has entered into more than 50 partnerships worldwide with
countries, cities, organisations and other key stakeholders to prepare the
markets and infrastructure for the successful adoption of EVs around the
world.

Work to integrate Nissan LEAF into Sunderland's manufacturing process
will begin in 2012. The car will be launched on the plant's ‘Number 2'
production line alongside the recently unveiled Juke compact crossover car,
which enters production in August 2010.

Nissan will continue to work in partnership with local and national
government in preparation for the UK sales launch of Nissan LEAF in early
2011.

Last December, Nissan and Regional Development Agency One North East
signed a definitive agreement on zero emission mobility. The agreement
includes the development of a regional network of charging points, supply of
Nissan LEAF to the region from early 2011 and a range of incentives for
early adopters of EVs, such as a period of free charging and use of
dedicated EV lanes.

Although zero-emission vehicles are the centerpiece of Nissan's product
strategy, the company is also investing in a portfolio of low-emission
technologies (called PureDrive) such as clean diesels, efficient
internal-combustion engines and hybrids.

###

Note: Amounts in euros and pounds are translated for the convenience of
the reader at the foreign exchange rate of 1.115 euro/pound and 0.897
pound/euro (as of Wednesday March 17, 2010)

NISSAN LEAF at a glance:

• World's first affordable, mass produced zero emission car


• Five-seater C-segment hatchback


• Powered by an 80kW electric motor


• Charges to 80% of capacity in under 30 minutes (rapid charging)


• Real-world range: 160 km (100 miles - US-LA 4 mode)


• Top speed of more than 140 km/h (90 mph)


• Produced on all-new dedicated EV platform

Sunderland Plant facts:

• Established in 1984 (start of production 1986)


• Total investment in plant to date: 2.68 billion GBP (2.99 billion
  euros)


• Total volume since start of production: 5.6 million units


• Total 2009 volume: 338,000 units


• Current workforce: 4,100 employees


• UK's largest car producer and exporter


• Produced a third of all cars built in the UK in 2009


• Current model line-up: Qashqai, Qashqai +2, Note and Micra

Atomik unveils all-electric version of Fiat 500

While there's still no word on whether Fiat/Chrysler will bring an electric version of the retro-metro 500 to market, it appears that someone else will. Atomik Cars has taken the 500 Abarth and made it meaner and cleaner. The new company's aim is to deliver a zero-emission vehicle that blends supercar performance with city car packaging. Atomik's motto is "Anticipating the future." It may well have succeeded.


The vehicle is said to be powered by an AC brushless synchronous motor that is said to be equivalent to that of a 300hp engine. The Atomik 500 reaches 60mph in just 5.6 seconds and is powered by a lithium iron phosphate battery pack of unknown capacity. The vehicle also features a ceramic heating system that warns the driver that the “Peltier A/C modules w/o gas” needs to be cooled.



via:ecofriend autoblog

Geneva 2010: NLV Quant Concept

The second generation NVL Quant made its public debut in front of media yesterday in Geneva, bringing with it what NVL Solar, its creator, calls "a breakthrough the market eagerly has been anticipating for years." While this last statement is a matter of interpretation, the Quant does bring a range of interesting features. The most exciting thing about it, however, is the promise to turn production version rather sooner than later.


Set to be production ready next year, the Quant was designed to prove "cutting-edge supercars can combine speed, comfort and enjoyment with environmental integrity." It features two different battery systems ("a long-life metal-air battery or a rechargeable redox flow cell"), four torque-vectoring electric motors, a full carbon fiber chassis, and a revolutionary thin-film coated photovoltaic body.


The Quant has some initial performance figures which would give a regular, internal combustion engined supercar, a good run for its money: 2.8 seconds 0-100 km/h acceleration time and a top speed of 377 km/h (234 mph).


The latter converts light into electricity to supply the operating electronics and the battery. While it's a bit technical, NLV says the coating has "an average photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 38%, depending on ambient conditions, and a peak performance of over 50%." More importantly, the company believes they can tune the material's absorption characteristics to create multiple layers with their own unique absorption frequency. As impressive as this is, NLV estimates the film will have a degradation coefficient of only 5-6% over 20 years.


The Quant comes with four airbags, ABS and ESP, two infotainment panels for the rear seats, zone Climate Control system, LED front and rear lights and, la piece de resistance, NLV photovoltaic thin film solar coating all over the body of the car.


More Photos



Press Release

NLV Solar AG, a pioneer in photovoltaics and accumulator technology, have joined forces to create the Quant sport. The brainchild of this marriage of power and energy is a four-seater electric car - a breakthrough the market eagerly has been anticipating for years. A prototype is to be unveiled at the Motor Show Geneva 2010, with currently working to scale up for series production.

The NLV Quant is an exciting, revolutionary automotive project. Within the coming year, the NLV Quant will be fully engineered and ready for production. You can follow the last few stages. The design, drive system, range and photovoltaics of the Quant are already spectacular and record-breaking as individual components, and we believe that together they will mark a milestone in automotive history.

Technics

The NLV Quant is proof that cutting-edge supercars can combine speed, comfort and enjoyment with environmental integrity. It implents the mobile energy technology of the future. The NLV Quant has two different battery systems, a torque vectoring with 4 electric motors and a full carbon chassis. A thin-film coated photvoltaic car body supplies the operating electronics and also supports the battery. Gull-wing doors provide easy access to all four passengers.

Carbon Chassis

A reason for the car's low weight is the utilisation of a carbon-fibre monotube backbone chassis, construction, which houses the FAES system safely inside the centreline of the car at the lowest possible position, bringing down the centre of gravity and central mass point.

Using tradition lay-up, the vacuum bag generates the pressure for consolidating the carbon plies. In RTM process there are two moulds and the pressure comes only from the resin pump. The design becomes quite critical as inner and outer skin has to be perfectly defines in order to have a designed volume matching exactly the tooling volume. The risk is to have voids generated by not precise fitting of the inner cores.

Thin Film

The NLV Quant is coated with a thin film made of pyrite, which converts light into electricity to supply the operating electronics and also support the battery. This innovative pyrite technology is cost-effective, efficient and ecological.

NLV Solar AG has developed an iron-sulphur composite semiconductor using digital prototyping, with very promising results. The research indicates:

• an average photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 38%, depending on ambient conditions, and a peak performance of over 50%

• the possibility of fine-tuning the material's absorption characteristics by modification of its crystal lattice structure using ion implantation; stacked in a multilayer thin-film cell, it would be possible to tune each layer to a different target absorption frequency

• as a thin-film cell, the material could be applied to substrates in a transparent, semi-transparent or tinted coating

• the projected degradation coefficient is only 5-6% over 20 years

Electric Power

The NLV Quant allows for the modular installation of either a long-life metal-air battery or a rechargeable redox flow cell. These are both future-oriented, secure energy sources which help give the Quant exceptional power and range.

Speed

The projected curb weight of 1680 kg is very light considering that it is a battery-powered, four-seater, luxury performance car. This is partly due to the four-motor installation- a remarkable achievement which allows the NLV Quant to deliver 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 377 km/h.

Gullwing

The gull-wing doors set the NLV Quant apart from any other four-seaters on the market. As well as being a stylish feature, they also make entry to the car more ergonomic, thanks to the lack of B-pillars. They provide easy access to both the front and rear passenger seats. The unique split side-lite feature allows either passenger to open and close the front and rear side windows separately, despite the fact that there is only one door per side.

Preliminary Specs

• Power: 600 kW ( 4x 150 kW), 800 bhp
• Rotation speed 12'000 U/min
• Torque: 1500 nm
• 0-100 km/h: 2,8 seconds
• Top speed: 377 km/h
• Curb weight: 1680 kg
• Wheelbase 3102 mm
• Track - Front: 1730 mm; rear: 1729 mm
• Wheels/tyres ? front: 245/35 - 23"; rear: 285/30 - 23" - low friction tyres
• Width: 2016 mm incl. rear-view mirrors; length: 4879 mm; height: 1335 mm
• Rear-wheel drive
• Four-wheel brake regeneration
• Minimum 4 airbags, ABS and ESP and torque vectoring
• 2 infotainment panels Adjustable rear seats
• 3 zone Climate Control system
• Generous leg room in the rear
• LED front and rear lights
• Body covered in NLV photovoltaic thin film solar coating
• Accumulator with cooling liquid (weight ca. 500kg)
• Operating voltage 420 V
• Inverter voltage 350 V
• Price: TBD

Features

• NLV Quant has two different battery systems: on the one hand, purely conventional accumulator technology with a transition metal and air mixture, and on the other hand, a pure redox flow cell

• Thin-film photovoltaic coating of car body and windows

• Torque vectoring with 4 electric motors for wheel-specific torque distribution to enhance the vehicle's agility and stability

• Full Carbon chassis and carbon body

• Minimised running and manufacturing costs thanks to new technology

• Optimised safety

• Unique/functional design, vehicle comfort and loading capacity

Geneva Motor Show: Tata Nano EV Concept

Tata expanded its foray into alternative fuels at the Geneva Motor Show. The company showed off the Tata Nano Electric Vehicle as part of a long term plan that will include a 2012 market release of the EV.


Yup, Tata was working on the Nano EV and here it is. Looks like Tata wants a new tag – maker of the world’s cheapest Electric vehicle.


The Tata Nano EV Concept car will come with a driving range of 99 miles and would take off to 60 km/h in just 10m seconds. It is quite a good deal for an electric car and it would be less than what you pay as fuel for an entire year for your SUV. The car looks quite typical to the Asian cars which have the box like structure, without cuts or shapes.


The EV will first hit markets in Scandinavia and the UK while India might have to wait for few more years to get the same. Lack of proper infrastructure and no help from the government in the form of reduced taxes for electric vehicles seem to be the reason for the delay. The EV might also cost upto two times the cost of a standard Nano, which is still a great price for an EV.


Tata told reporters in Geneva that the Euro-spec Tata Nano will come to market in 2011. Changes for the European customer base includes a body that is 20 centimeters longer, better suspension, and antilock brakes. The electric model will be released in 2012.


"Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles," said Tata Motors executive Ravi Kant. "The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets."




Press Release


Tata Motors displays Tata Nano EV at the 80th Geneva Motor Show

Tata Motors today presented at the 80th Geneva Motor Show the Tata Nano Electric Vehicle (EV), based on the award winning Tata Nano platform. When launched, it will expand the company's electric vehicles portfolio, which already comprises the Tata Indica Vista EV.
Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors, said, "Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets."
The Tata Nano EV offers the practicality of a real car, compromising nothing in the pursuit of providing environment-friendly personal transportation for the modern consumer.
It will seat four individuals comfortably in its spacious interiors, which the Tata Nano is known for. It will have a predicted range of up to 160 km and an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds.
Tata Motors continues its innovative approach with the Tata Nano EV, using super polymer lithium ion batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista EV, which provide superior energy density to conventional batteries.
The company has already displayed the Tata Nano Europa at last year's Geneva Motor Show, and expects to launch it in select European countries in a couple of years. Meanwhile, in India, the Tata Nano, now being delivered to the first 100,000 chosen customers, has received rave reviews. It has won the 2010 ICOTY (Indian Car of the Year) Award, an award instituted jointly by six auto publications. It has also been individually declared as the Car of the Year by three other auto publications/television channels.
The Tata Indica Vista EV, based on the award-winning new generation Tata Indica Vista, is also a more practicable option for the consumer capable of carrying four individuals and adequate luggage space. Its super polymer lithium ion batteries provide a predicted range of up to 200 km and acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds.
Also on display are the Tata Aria, a mid-range Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) with the all terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV, premiered in January in India and first shown as a concept at the 75th Geneva Motor Show, and the Tata Indigo Manza, the recently launched new generation sedan.
The Tata Aria blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all-terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV. Its unique design and construction makes it robust, elegant and comfortable. The interiors, with three rows of theatre style seating, present a luxurious world of premium features comprising 3D surround sound, dimming roof lamps, in-dash built-in GPS, a state-of-the-art infotainment system, multifunctional steering wheel, dual air conditioning with automatic climate control and cruise control.
The Tata Indigo Manza is an altogether new car with a feline aggressive appearance. A complete new body on a new platform houses an all new interior. The spacious right inclination rear seats with a centre armrest, allow one to sit back and relax, in a living room like comfort and ambience. The tilt adjustable power steering with a height adjustable driver seat allows a comfortable driving posture. The driver information system on top of the central console provides information on fuel consumption and ambient temperature, while the sporty instrument cluster shrouded in the swoop of the soft-feel dashboard completes the styling statement. A 2 DIN Music System offers connectivity with a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity through the Blue5.
Tata Motors is also displaying at Geneva this year the Tata Xenon Double Cab pick-up vehicle and the Tata Indica Vista. The Xenon Double Cab is available in Italy, Spain, Poland, Thailand, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and several countries in Africa. The Tata Indica Vista has already been launched in South Africa, and will be introduced in the company's European markets. The other new generation cars of the company on display will also be launched in international markets in a phased manner.
via:wheelosphere

Protoscar unveils its electric sports car prototype LAMPO2 at the Geneva Motor Show 2010

LAMPO2 is an electric demonstration sports car conceived by Protoscar (www.protoscar.com), a Swiss company which has been developing CleanCar projects for 23 years including consulting of OEMs, power utilities and governments. The LAMPO2 boasts "quick-charging" capability (up to 100 km range extension in just 10 minutes charging time) and will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show (2nd March 2010) on the e'mobile stand Nr. 5141.

LAMPO2 is an even more energy efficient successor to the LAMPO demonstration vehicle presented in 2009. Weight, aerodynamics and the efficiency of individual components of the BRUSA drive train have been further optimized in order to reach a world-class energy consumption of less than 100Wh/km-ton under real conditions.


LAMPO2 is equipped with 4 different charging modes:

• standard single-phase with up to 3,3kW on board charger for typical overnight home-charge,

• "control-pilot" equipped and (EDF provided) PLC single-phase with 6,6kW on board charger typical for public charging,

• standard three-phase 9,9kW on board charger typical for charging at industrial plugs (fleet-owners) and

• an interface for DC fast charging (able to transmit a max. power of 80kW), where up to 100km of additional range can be charged within just 10 minutes, by an off-board system, so that the different solutions can be compared in terms of usability and efficiency by being demonstrated in real conditions.

LAMPO2 will be shown together with different charging infrastructure solutions: a smart home charge device (developed with ALPIQ), the public charging station E-TOTEM and the quick-charging station (developed with ABB and Brusa).

LAMPO2 impressively demonstrates that electric drive-trains are mature and perform sufficiently well to be a solution for all types of vehicles, not just city cars. This includes premium cars, the segment through which most new technologies have successfully been introduced into the market.


Together with the first LAMPO (which has already been driven over 10'000 km on race tracks and public roads across Europe), LAMPO2 will be used for practical demonstrations and testing. Protoscar has repeatedly been encouraged to develop an advanced electric cabriolet for small-scale production and plans to use the LAMPO2 to evaluate this possibility. The evaluation will include discussions with potential industrial and financial partners, and an assessment of the preferences and desires of potential clients.

In addition to BRUSA, which supplies the components of the whole drive train, the main partners and sponsors of the LAMPO2 project are ALPIQ (the leading Swiss company in power generation and distribution, which is actively promoting the goal of 15% of electric vehicles in Switzerland by 2020), the German Fraunhofer Institute IAO (EV-specific features and MMI, as well as optimization of the ergonomics), ABB (DC fast-charging technology) and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.


Technical details

LAMPO2 has two electric motors (allowing it to operate as a four-wheel drive with variable torque between front and rear axle for optimal handling, safety and efficiency) with a total output of 300 kW (equivalent to 408 HP), 640 Nm (over 50% more than its predecessor!) and over 30 kWh of Lithium-Ion battery capacity. LAMPO2 features real sports-car performances: 5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, 200 km/h of max. speed and a range of over 200 km. More than enough energy for driving is produced by a remote solar plant which is installed on the roof of a farm in Tuscany, allowing a real zero-emission drive on a "Well-to-Wheel" basis.

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Geneva Motor Show: Citroen Survolt bridges the divide

SURVOLT: GLAMOROUS, FREE-SPIRITED AND HIGHLY-CHARGED!

Survolt is the continuation of CITROËN'S exploration of distinctive and original electric vehicles, initiated with the Revolte concept car revealed at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Survolt turns received notions on their heads through its radically new vision in a consummate blend of high-fashion glamour and extravagance with motor-racing punch.

The desire to overcome one's limits, take things further, dare and create is written in CITROËN'S DNA. Breaking with convention, shaking up the rules, shifting borders and surprising continuously is the passionate quest and leitmotiv of a brand that over its 90-year history has never ceased to develop innovative objects ahead of their time. Survolt is one of these. It takes the genetic material of Revolte and adds an extroverted sports dimension to the mix.

Like a luxury accessory that transcends an outfit, Survolt is CITROËN'S answer to an automotive universe that all too often seems morose. Survolt casts aside protocol and transgresses existing codes to initiate a new kind of stylish, sporty and elegant supermini. Bucking current trends and pointing to the future of sleek coupés, it unites elegance, glamour and sporting passion, sublimating this last quality with its electric drivetrain.


Innovative and sensual

With its compact dimensions – 3.85 m long, 1.87 m wide and 1.20 m high – Survolt reappropriates sports car styling cues to form an all-new and revolutionary concept.

At the front, the distinctive vehicle badge reigns elegantly above the large oval-shaped grille, its centre home to the striking double chevron. The car's "look" – charming and profound at the same time – attracts and holds the viewer's gaze with a promise of transgressions suddenly made possible. Its slim, horizontal head lamps, inspired by high-performance sports coupés, exert a magnetic appeal, while an LED light signature adds a contemporary, high-tech touch.

Survolt was made to gobble up the miles and glide over roads. Low-slung and sleek, it features strong contrasts between the voluptuous bonnet and generous, sculpted flanks, highlighted by emphatic wheel arches that promise performance and thrills.

Survolt's air-slicing, flowing design is heavy on excitement and sensuality. It conveys agility, precision and vitality, barely containing a powerful, well-defined musculature under refined and luxurious wraps. The rear features the elegant light signature of Revolte together with a spoiler in an essential reference to motor sport.

Survolt is innovative and powerful but also knows how to turn on the charm, revealing its finest assets to catwalk in motor sports arenas. It features two-tone paint, hues of fuchsia and charcoal grey, and plays with materials and volumes. The curves shift from satin-smooth to shiny, breaking definitively with the classic masculine codes of the sports world. Survolt continues the work begun with Revolte by once again blending two universes with contrasting appearances. Survolt eschews decorum to create its own styling language.

The inclusion of materials such as chrome and aluminium inevitably recall the spheres of luxury goods and motor sport. Survolt is a perfect combination between high fashion and car racing, a unique alliance with the same philosophy and the same cues as Revolte, namely performance, cutting-edge technology and excellence.


Elegantly sporty

Survolt's cockpit is designed like a floating cell, a glass setting held between chrome-finished roll bars like some magnificent piece of jewellery. The leitmotiv with Survolt is to transgress the conventions of the luxury world and combine them elegantly with those of the sporting world.

The cabin was imagined as a cross between two worlds that by their essence are opposed. This union begets an organic universe, both flowing and technical, from which the driver's station springs forth. The interior as a whole was designed to bring the two occupants comfort and refinement, triggering singular pleasure and an outstanding experience.

The car's generous glazed area brings light and a sensation of space, light years from that offered by today's sports cars.



Transcendent power and excitement

Ahead of its time, Survolt captivates with its innovative, environment-friendly technology. Like Revolte, Survolt is powered by electricity, thus combining sports performance with environmental respect and sustainable development. Still particularly rare in the racing world, this technological solution also embodies a previously unthinkable alliance. But CITROËN dares and creates, transgressing conventions to better sublimate them. With irreproachable ecological credentials, the drivetrain blends driving pleasure, thrills, performance and vitality, and all in extreme comfort, since the car is silent in operation.

CITROËN is proposing a new automotive vision with Survolt, in a move that is entirely consistent with its 90-year history as an innovative brand focused on creativity and technology.

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TAG Heuer and Tesla Motors Launch Worldwide Partnership

To be unveiled this week at Geneva Motor Show, unique TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster commemorates Swiss brand's 150th anniversary.

Pioneering luxury Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer and electric carmaker Tesla Motors have teamed up in a worldwide partnership as the iconic Swiss brand celebrates its 150th anniversary.

On display at the Geneva Motor Show starting Tuesday is the 2010 TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster. This one-of-a-kind collector's car includes a unique interior by Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, incorporating TAG Heuer avant-garde design elements and a specially designed center console due to host TAG Heuer's cutting edge concept watch, to be revealed in Basel on March 18.

This car also features a TAG Heuer Meridiist mobile phone as well as a one-fifth second Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch. This Swiss-made timepiece with mechanical movement pays tribute to the 1860 founding of the company and evoques the mythic revival of the brand's vintage stopwatches.


The car's exterior color scheme is Foucault Field Gray, embodying the innovative spirit of both companies. The design was inspired by the new TAG Heuer concept watch, a technical milestone in mechanical movements, which brings technologically advanced art to life through motion.

The 2010 TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster will remain at the Tesla booth during the public show days, March 4-14 at the Palexpo-Geneva conference center. The car will then be driven to Baselworld, the world's largest watch exhibition, for a special event March 18.


Relentless focus on technological innovation

Since its founding in an artisan's workshop in the Swiss Jura, TAG Heuer has become one of the world's best-known luxury brands -- maker of avant-garde watches, eyewear and premium mobile phones for refined consumers around the globe.

TAG Heuer, a star brand from the luxury group and worldwide leader Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), also has deep roots in the automotive sector. Company founder Edouard Heuer received in 1911 the patent for The Time of Trip, the first car dashboard chronograph, followed in 1933 by the Autavia -- the first dashboard timekeeper for both automobiles and aviation. The benchmark in cutting-edge chronographs and timekeeping technology since 1860, TAG Heuer is the watch brand that can claim the longest and strongest association with motor sports and dream cars. Both watches and chronographs are inspired and driven by motor sports, from Formula One to GT cars.


"TAG Heuer has a rich history and expertise with the world's most prestigious racing teams -- but this is the first ever partnership we've forged with an electric sports car company," said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer. "We believe that high-performance drivers are increasingly searching for products that are efficient, socially responsible and stylish. TAG Heuer and Tesla are two of the few companies arleady achieving these ideals today."

Tesla Motors began developing an electric sports car in 2004 and remains the only automaker selling highway-capable electric cars. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than nearly any other supercar yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius -- the only car that delivers supercar performance guilt-free, with zero tailpipe emissions and a carbon footprint dramatically lower than any comparable sports car.


Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla has delivered more than 1,000 cars to consumers in 21 countries. Advertising Age magazine recently named Tesla one of America's "hottest brands." The Tesla Roadster is quickly becoming the must-have car among Hollywood celebrities, European royalty and socially responsible trendsetters worldwide.

"Engineers at both TAG Heuer and Tesla understand intuitively that technology -- whether worn on your wrist or driven on the road -- can help us live better while we tread more lightly on this planet," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The CEOs of TAG Heuer and Tesla, along with celebrity customers of both companies, will launch their next collaboration in style on March 18 at a party during Baselworld 2010. This nine-month project, commemorating TAG Heuer's 150th anniversary, will have worldwide reach and will raise awareness of technological innovation to consumers on three continents.

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Tesla Offers Leasing Option for Iconic Roadster

Tesla Motors, producer of the world's only highway-capable EV, is now offering the option of leasing the groundbreaking Roadster and Roadster Sport. Tesla Motors Leasing will allow more people to enjoy the Roadster's uncompromising design, engineering, and service with the benefits that leasing provides.


Tesla Leasing allows customers to take immediate delivery of a new 2010 Roadster or Roadster Sport with a three year, 30,000 mile contract and with monthly payments as low as $1,658 (see below for details). The relative low cost of electricity vs. gasoline and the low maintenance needs of Tesla's electric motor add to the benefits of leasing a Roadster over a conventional car. The cost savings compared to a similar gas powered car could be $131 per month based on an estimated 833 miles driven per month based on EPA fuel economy tests. At the end of the term, customers have the flexibility to purchase their Roadster or pay a fee and walk away.


"We are committed to continuously improving and enhancing the Roadster, offering a leasing option means even more people can drive this exciting and groundbreaking car," said John Walker, Tesla Vice President of Sales.

The Roadster is the only production car that is faster than many sports cars and more energy efficient than any hybrid. It is quickly becoming the choice amongst discerning drivers who demand performance with a clean conscience.


The Roadster has an EPA range of 236 miles per charge, double that of any other commercially released electric vehicle. It can be charged in any conventional 120 or 240V outlet. The Roadster produces zero tailpipe emissions. It does not need regular oil changes or exhaust system repairs. Roadsters have no spark plugs, pistons, hoses, belts or clutches to replace.

Tesla customers also benefit from the Tesla Rangers, Tesla's pioneering mobile service squad. Tesla Rangers make house calls for annual inspections, firmware upgrades and other services, so customers can enjoy hassle-free service from their home or office. U.S. customers pay $1 per roundtrip mile from the closest service center, with a minimum charge of $100.


Lease financing is available on Tesla Roadster vehicles. Monthly lease payments of $1,658 (excludes sales or use tax) for 36 months based on MSRP of $111,005 (includes destination and documentation fees). $12,453 due at signing includes $1,658 first month's payment, $9,900 down payment, and $895 acquisition fee. No security deposit required. Excludes tax, title, license, registration, and any locally applied fees. This lease offer is subject to credit approval and is for well qualified customers only. Not all customers will qualify for this lease program. Lessee must cover insurance. At lease end, lessee will be liable for disposition fee ($350.00), any excess wear and use as set forth in the lease agreement and excess mileage charges of $0.25 per mile for miles driven in excess of 30,000 miles over the life of the lease. Lessee acquires no ownership interest unless purchase option is exercised. Visit a local Tesla showroom or contact Tesla Motors directly for details and vehicle availability. For more information call 650-413-6300. All figures presented are estimates only. Actual selling price may vary.
More details on Tesla Motors Leasing can be found at: www.teslamotors.com/leasing


About Tesla
Tesla's goal is to produce increasingly affordable cars to mainstream buyers – relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs. San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla sells cars online and has delivered nearly 1000 Roadsters to customers in North America and Europe. Tesla has showrooms in California's Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Boulder, South Florida, Chicago, London, Munich and Monaco. The Tesla Roadster is faster than many sports cars yet more efficient than a hybrid.
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