Tesla BEV Competition Developments

[Saghost]

Nissan Rogue is supposed to be available in the U.S. starting tomorrow with ProPilot Assist. Anyone planning on buying one so we can compare to Tesla EAP?

Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist Making US Debut This Month … In 2018 Rogue

Well, it looks like Nissan preemptively solved the penalty box angst:

The system also goes into temporary standby mode when the accelerator pedal is pressed.

They apparently shut down the automatic steering when you hit the fast pedal.

 

[alloverx]

I test drove a 2018 Nissan leaf today and did a quick test of that feature. It was okay, note that
-used it on a 1 lane each way road (not recommended) and I prefer to favor the right (outside) side of the lane as it was centering (with trucks coming the other way). Ironically I was using it behind a model-X
-it handled a slight curve ok but struggled with a tighter curve.

freeway test was only for 20 seconds.
-it detected cars cutting in front quite well.

Also the e-power button really slows things down.

 

[ZsoZso]

Ah, yet another Tesla-killer, this time from Volvo:

Volvo just showcased its new Tesla-killer

Poor Tesla: life in perpetual lethal danger from all these killers hunting it on the roads
Oh, wait, nevermind, there aren't many on the roads, these critters only show up in press releases and auto-shows

PS:
ah, sorry this post is OT, my bad, its not a BEV, just another hybrid...
The Polestar 1 is a 600-horsepower hybrid sports coupe from Volvo
so its not a Tesla-killer after-all but a human-killer:
Pollution linked to one in six deaths

 

[Saghost]

Ah, yet another Tesla-killer, this time from Volvo:

Volvo just showcased its new Tesla-killer

Poor Tesla: life in perpetual lethal danger from all these killers hunting it on the roads
Oh, wait, nevermind, there aren't many on the roads, these critters only show up in press releases and auto-shows

If you ignore the Tesla killer hype that the media seems to have ladled on, it actually seems like it might be an interesting car, when it arrives.

 

[SwTslaGrl]

"What are the current challenges in the trucking electric vehicle space?
I think the question of whether fleets will transition to zero emission is more a question of when but not if. BYD is in a very unique position having the entire supply chain within the company and also having the financial resources to scale very quickly in response to it."

https://www.trucks.com/2017/10/26/byd-chief-future-electric-trucks/

 

[McRat]

Balqon started building electric tractor trailers about 9-10 years ago, roughly the time the Apple iPhone was created.

 

[JRP3]

Yeah, short distance trucks, mostly around the ports I think.

 

[McRat]

Yeah, short distance trucks, mostly around the ports I think.

Back when batteries were really expensive. They used LiFePO4 because it was safer.

 

[JRP3]

No, because it was cheaper, and the weight penalty was less of an issue for short range trucks. The company had ties to the Chinese battery company Thundersky which became Winston, who made large format cells.

 

[McRat]

No, because it was cheaper, and the weight penalty was less of an issue for short range trucks. The company had ties to the Chinese battery company Thundersky which became Winston, who made large format cells.

No, Lithium polymer was cheaper.

 

[JRP3]

Unlikely since they would have had to get them from a third party.

 

[SwTslaGrl]

"Opel's technical center in Ruesselsheim will become a competence center for engineering services, focusing on the partial or complete electrification of all PSA vehicles, Frankfurter Allgemeine said."

Opel's restructuring plan to cut models, boost EV competence

 

[dennis]

Here's a rundown by Automobile Magazine on BMW's plans for 12 new EV's through 2025.

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/s...B5666F821C393C7C2C2EB058D546EA0C68D9F762D01FA

My takeaways:
- Mini EV (2019) and X3 EV (2020) both have < 200 miles of range
- X3 EV is FWD only, no AWD
- No 200+ mile BEV until 2021
- No Model S competitor until 2023
- Most EV's to be built on existing chassis
- By trying to offer EV alternatives in most market segments currently served, BMW will be spread way too thin and the plan looks incoherent

 

[RobStark]

Very thorough Bolt review from Soul EV owner.

 

[SwTslaGrl]

"Continental AG (CON.XE) is considering establishing its own battery production for electric vehicles, the company said Monday. The German company could make investments of around EUR3 billion into setting up production, if it decides to go ahead with the plans. The plants under consideration could produce enough batteries for up to 500,000 vehicles per year. German car magazine Automobilwoche first reported the news. Production could start as early as 2024, according to the company."

Continental Considers Its Own Battery Production for Electric Vehicles

 

[Jeff N]

One million EVs globally a year by 2026 in 20+ models with high volume next-generation battery production at plants in China and the US. Costs on track to drop from $145 per kWh at cell level to $100 by 2021 as previously stated.

Battery cells will be higher energy density and faster charging. Planning for over 300 mile range.

GM challenges Tesla with promise of profitable electric cars

 

[scaesare]

Return of the Thing? VW Considers Reviving the Kübelwagen as an EV

They'll be the second: evthing.me

 

[EinSV]

One million EVs globally a year by 2026 in 20+ models with high volume next-generation battery production at plants in China and the US. Costs on track to drop from $145 per kWh at cell level to $100 by 2021 as previously stated.

Battery cells will be higher energy density and faster charging. Planning for over 300 mile range.

GM challenges Tesla with promise of profitable electric cars

From the article:

Barra said GM aims to be selling 1 million electric vehicles a year by 2026, many of them in China, which has set strict production quotas on such vehicles.
​

So China is forcing GM to sell EVs, and GM plans to do the bare minimum. One million in 2026 is a joke for a company the size of GM, especially given the mandates from China and elsewhere.

Weak.

 

[RobStark]

The zero emission vehicles GM needs to sell by law in China,CARB States, Quebec, plus any other GM markets that pass similar ZEV legislation willl probably equal ~1M in 2026. They are bragging about being able to meet their legal requirements.

 

[wdolson]

As fast as the technology is changing, being able to build 1 million 300 mile range EVs by 2026 should be well within the capabilities of anyone currently mass producing cars who wants to do it. Tesla will likely be making a lot more than that by 2026.

The Model S has been out 5 years and look where Tesla is now. They have gone from producing a handful of cars a year to around 100K and they are just about to hit the S curve where they will be going to 1/2 million in a very short period of time. In another 5 years, at even a smaller rate of growth they will likely be producing well over 1 million vehicles a year, and that's just 2022. 2026 is 9 years from now. Tesla's battery tech will likely be very different, quite possibly with a solid state battery with at least 2X the density, if not 3X or more. And the price will be on par with ICE today (price adjusted for inflation), if not cheaper.

Compared to the plodding pace of car evolution over the last 50 years, the changes GM says it will make by 2026 sound impressive. But if you look at how much EVs have evolved in just this decade, it looks very conservative.