ICE vs FCV vs EV, page-551

Ultra-rapid electric vehicle charger opens in Ballarat

The Chargefox electric vehicle charging network has now expanded to Ballarat, adding a key stop along the Melbourne to Adelaide route.

Made possible by investment from Australian Motoring Services (RACV, NRMA, RACQ, RAC, RAA and RACT), Wilson Transformers and the founder of Carsales, Greg Roebuck, the new ultra-rapid charger is the 11th in the Chargefox network which stretches down the east coast of Australia from Brisbane to Sydney and Melbourne and across to Adelaide.

The new site features two 350kW chargers which can add up to 450km range every 15 minutes to capable electric vehicles, and two 50kW chargers, made by Brisbane-based leader in EV charging technology Tritium.

All units are equipped with both CCS2 and CHAdeMO plugs to fit all modern and future electric vehicle models.

The new charging location at Alfred Square in central Ballarat is about 120km from Melbourne and around 400km from Keith, the next available Chargefox location heading towards Adelaide.

“This Ballarat location has always been part of our roll out plan and it is one of a number of key charging stations planned to connect Melbourne and Adelaide,” Marty Andrews, Chargefox CEO, said in a statement.

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“Just like petrol stations, these charging stations are an essential service for EV owners, and where possible, we will continue to expand the Chargefox network to help prepare EV drivers for the future.”

However Andrews said that the Covid-19 crisis means it will, for the time being at least, largely be locals that will be using the charger.

“For the time being however, we support the importance of staying closer to home and are pleased to be able to offer this world leading technology to Ballarat locals.

“This is a strange time for many businesses, but we remain focused on making EV charging as fast, easy and affordable as possible for all Australians. This new site in Ballarat is the next stepping stone on our journey to connect Australia’s major cities for the thousands of EV drivers in the future,” says Andrews.

Branded under the Victorian motorists association RACV, the chargers can be accessed using the Chargefox smartphone app.

Nicole Brasz, RACV executive GM for home and energy, said in a statement that, “The new charging station in Ballarat is an important milestone for Chargefox and RACV members.

A reliable charging network is critical to ensure that all electric vehicle owners can, in the future, travel where they need to without worrying about running out of charge or spending hours waiting for a recharge.

“RACV continues to invest in emerging technology and infrastructure like Chargefox, solar systems at our resorts and in the home to improve the lives of all Victorians.”

https://thedriven.io/2020/04/07/ultra-rapid-electric-vehicle-charger-opens-in-ballarat/


German electric vehicle registrations reach 10,000 for first time in March

A total of 10,329 new fully electric cars were registered in Germany in March, 2020, reports the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) in a press release.

This is a new record, while the share of e-cars in total registrations also rose to its highest ever level at almost five per cent. The share of petrol cars continued its downward trend of the past months to 50 percent, and diesel vehicles made up a little over 30 percent.

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Compared to the same month last year, total new registrations fell almost 40 percent amid the coronavirus crisis, writes the KBA.

Meanwhile, applications for the government’s buyer’s premium for alternative-engine cars also reached a new record at 12,365 in March, bringing the total to 191,838, according to the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA).

Faced with the economic slump brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the German car industry has recently called on the EU to drop tighter CO₂ emissions limits.

The country’s largest carmakers, including VW and Daimler, have suspended production in a bid to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and introduced ‘short-time’ work for their employees in order to limit the damage to their businesses.

The virus outbreak is likely to cause a massive reduction in Germany’s industrial output and is set to largely paralyse economic activity for at least several weeks.



https://thedriven.io/2020/04/07/ger...trations-reach-10000-for-first-time-in-march/

South Australia may host world-first flying electric car race after funding success

The thought of a flying car race may spark memories of a young Anikin from cult film series Star Wars, but it may soon be a reality thanks to a round of seed funding secured by performance electric flying car company Alauda.

It may sound far-fetched, but Alauda founder and CEO of its Airspeeder racing league, Matt Pearson, believes bringing the race series to fruition will do for eVTOL (electric vertical take off and landing) technology, and clean mobility, what the Formula One series did for the internal combustion engine.

“Electric flying cars are a coming reality that will liberate our cities and answer the long-term mobility challenges we face,” says Pearson, who also runs Fleet, an Australian firm that seeks to digitise remote industry by connecting millions of low-power devices in a low earth orbit.

“Nothing drives technology as fast as competition. The F1 racers of the early 20th century possessed a pioneering spirit we are harnessing today to rapidly accelerate progress,” he says.

And it could be closer to home than you think: Alauda, from which has been spawned the Airspeeder racing series, is Australian, and the company’s headquarters are based in South Australia.

But how soon? The flying vehicles in question that will race in the planned flying car race series are known as “eVTOLs”, and Alauda has created three such vehicles to date, the Mk2, Mk3 and Mk4. The first incarnation was shown off in action at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed (see video at the bottom of this article).

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The second and third incarnation promise the ability to accommodate a pilot, and according to the company’s website the latter of these will use a swappable 500kWh battery for 15 minutes flying apiece.

A development prototype of the Mk3 has been flown by test pilots from the US Air Force and California-based Martin Aviation in the nearby Mojave Desert, according to Automobilsport.

It is the Mk4, however, that will be used in the racing series “Beta Season” which will reportedly take place first in South Australia.

However, like its well-established and ground-based counterpart the Formula E, which has been temporarily suspended due to the Covid-19 crisis, confirmation of first Airspeeder series dates are dependent on overcoming the current global health challenge.

“The MK4, first shown as a concept in the summer of 2019 will be co-developed in the UK and South Australia, with the latter proving the perfect testing ground for both ground control and manned flights as the sport nears its inaugural ‘Beta Season’,” the company’s press release says of the funding.

“This will include public manned test flights that will demonstrate Airspeeder’s potential to be the most exciting sport on the planet. The firm is poised to deliver this flight but exact timings will be dependent on the lifting of restrictions related to the current global health crisis.”

Andrea Gardiner, co-founder of Jelix Ventures, an Australian investor in potentially disruptive technologies and participant in the funding round, said her company is impressed with the creation of a flying car racing league.

“There is a clear global market for Airspeeder and Alauda and the founder has an outstanding track record as a successful entrepreneur. We are proud to support the realisation of his bold vision of the future of mobility.”

Fellow investing firm Saltwater Ventures is also backing the racing series.

“We are inspired by Matt Pearson’s vision to drive innovation in a sector that promises to change mobility,” said Len Findlay, founder of Saltwater Ventures in a statement.

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“Electric flying car racing will drive awareness of a technology that will bring our communities together and answer the question of sustainable urban transport in the coming decades. We are proud to be a part of bringing the bold promise of electric flying car racing to life.”

The investment represents a significant seed round ahead of an already planned Series A raise, and will be used to create a state-of-the-art technical base in Adelaide, South Australia.

“We are delighted that Jelix and Saltwater are joining us on the journey to seeding the next great mobility revolution. These are proven and professional investors with extraordinary vision and track records backing technology led ventures. To receive backing from investors with such exceptional reputations affirms our ambition,” says Pearson.


https://thedriven.io/2020/04/07/sou...ying-electric-car-race-after-funding-success/