AD #2780 – Automakers Hit Hardest by Coronavirus; Polestar Reveals Precept Concept; Wireless Charging Breakthrough
February 25th, 2020 at 11:44am
Listen to “AD #2780 – Automakers Hit Hardest by Coronavirus; Polestar Reveals Precept Concept; Wireless Charging Breakthrough” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 8:30
0:23 Automakers Hit Hardest by Coronavirus
1:43 Polestar Reveals Electric Precept Concept
2:37 Renault Twingo Gets First EV Powertrain
3:20 Mercedes Winter Testing Electric EQA Crossover
3:53 BMW Teases Electric i4
4:08 WiTricity Makes Wireless Charging Breakthrough
6:05 Volkswagen Touareg Gets Plug-In Powertrain
6:44 Audi A3 Using Material Made from Recycled Bottles
7:34 Nissan Updates Roox Minivehicle
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
AUTOMAKERS HIT HARDEST BY CORONAVIRUS
The corona virus is affecting or will affect every automaker in the world as supply chains get disrupted by efforts to contain the disease. But obviously the biggest impact is in China, where the virus first appeared. Michael Dunne, the head of the consultancy ZoZoGo, says these are the OEMs feeling the biggest impact. First is Nissan, which has its China headquarters in Wuhan, where the disease broke out. He says China is Nissan’s largest and most profitable market globally. It’s stock shares are down so much that it is now worth less than Subaru. Next is Hyundai which buys large quantities of parts from China and was forced to close its plants in Korea earlier this month. Then come Mercedes and BMW, which sell twice as many cars in China as in the U.S., and now stand to see their profits get hammered. They’re followed by VW, which depends on China for 40% of its global sales. And then there’s General Motors who was counting on a big comeback in China where sales were down 40% before the outbreak began. As the virus continues to spread around the world 2020 is going to turn out to be a lousy year for the automotive industry.
| OEM Stock Performance YTD, 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Nissan | -24.6% |
| Hyundai | -8.6% |
| Daimler | -23.8% |
| BMW | -20.1% |
| Volkswagen | -14.2% |
| General Motors | -11.4% |
POLESTAR REVEALS ELECTRIC PRECEPT CONCEPT
Polestar, the premium electric brand from Volvo and Geely, took the wraps off its Precept concept. Instead of traditional side mirrors it features camera-based units and it doesn’t have a conventional rear window. The glass roof extends behind the rear seats and the tailgate is designed with a larger opening and higher-mounted hinges to allow access to the trunk. The interior is made from a number of sustainable and recyclable materials. For example, the flax-based composites for interior panels and seatbacks cut weight by 50% and reduce plastic waste by 80% compared to conventional materials. The interior also features a 15-inch touchscreen and a 12.5-inch driver display. No powertrain details were shared but we’ll learn more when it debuts in Geneva next month.
RENAULT TWINGO GETS FIRST EV POWERTRAIN
For the first time Renault’s small city car, the Twingo will come with an all-electric powertrain. That setup, including the motor, which is 60 kW, the reduction gear and charger are based from the new ZOE electric. The motor is mounted in the rear and is paired with a 22 kWh battery. It provides up to 180 kilometers of range on the WLTP test cycle, which converts to about 90 EPA miles. The battery does not negatively impact interior space. The Twingo Z.E. also gets a number of unique features, including blue accents and a bunch of Z.E. badging, which signifies it’s an electric model.
MERCEDES WINTER TESTING ELECTRIC EQA
In other EV news, Mercedes is conducting winter testing of the EQA. This is the all-electric version of the GLA compact crossover and will make its debut before the end of the year. The automaker says engineers are keying in on thermal management of the battery and interior, charging in the cold as well as traction and energy recovery on the ice and snow. Mercedes also announced it will unveil new plug-in hybrid versions of some of its compact models at the Geneva auto show, which kicks off early next month.
BMW TEASES i4 ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Speaking of Geneva reveals and EVs, BMW had this teaser of the i4. The head of BMW design calls the sleek, 4-door sedan “a perfect BMW that happens to be zero emission.”
WITRICITY MAKES WIRELESS CHARGING BREAKTHROUGH
A startup that was formed by physics professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they’ve come up with a breakthrough in wireless charging for electric cars. Their system uses magnetic induction and resonance and they claim it’s just as efficient as plugging in with any Level II charger. They say it will be a key enabler for widespread adoption of EVs, as well as autonomous electric cars since they won’t have a driver to plug them in. It can even work even when covered by snow or ice. Here’s Morris Kesler, the company’s CTO:
“I would like to show you the components of an electric vehicle wireless charging system. On the wall we have the electronics which are used to drive the system. They convert the energy to the 85 kilohertz, which are used to transfer the power. We have the ground unit which contains the resonator which creates the magnetic field used to create the energy. On the bottom of the vehicle is a similar resonator captures that energy shown here. The output of that resonator is connected to some electronics on the vehicle which convert that energy back to DC to be able to charge the battery. This system is designed to work in a variety of parking conditions and a variety of vehicle types.”
Witricity says its working with most major automakers and several Tier 1 suppliers and will be market ready in 3-4 years. By the way, we’d like to thank Autoline viewer Norm Duncan who made us aware of this breakthrough. So if you come across something that you think we ought to be looking into, let us know.
VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG GETS PLUG-IN POWERTRAIN
Volkswagen introduced the new Touareg R, which is now available with a plug-in hybrid for the first time. It’s powered by a turbocharged V6 gasoline engine, which is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain also consists of a 100kW electric motor and a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery. The company didn’t reveal the electric range of the plug-in but says the SUV can travel up to 87 MPH in pure electric driving. The Touareg R is the first R Line model to offer a hybrid and it will make its debut at the Geneva auto show.
AUDI A3 WILL USE MATERIAL MADE FROM RECYCLED BOTTLES
Earlier this month, Audi shared details about the new A3 and now we’re learning a bit more. For the first time, the seat upholstery will be made from recycled materials. Up to 89% of the textile used consists of recycled plastic bottles. Audi says this fabric has the same quality in terms of look and feel compared to conventional upholstery. The company is working on making the seat material completely recyclable and is close to achieving this. In addition to the seats, the carpet is also made from the recycled plastic bottles and other components in the car are made from recycled materials, including the insulation, the side panels of the trunk and the floor mats. The new A3 debuts at the Geneva auto show next month.
NISSAN UPDATES ROOX MINIVEHICLE
Nissan updated the Roox minivehicle it sells in Japan. The ‘super-height’ kei car features a more boxy design with Nissan’s signature V-motion grille. Other upgrades include a more powerful engine, a quieter cabin and Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance system. The new Roox was developed under the joint venture between Nissan and Mitsubishi and it goes on sale March 19. And before we end the show, do vehicles like this make anyone else miss the first generation Scion xB? I know I sure do.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
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Comments (32)
February 25th, 2020 at 12:04 pm
A. “Mercedes and BMW, which sell twice as many cars in China as in the U.S.”
This is AMAZING. I saw a ton of them in China every time I visited, but would not have guessed. This is for all those who cluelessly in the past thought that cars in China are all crappy Kias and 30 year old VW passats.
B. “do vehicles like this make anyone else miss the first generation Scion xB?”
Absolutely not. I have ridden in xB’s sister, the tinny xA, for a 4 hour drive to Columbus to pick up my 2nd E back in April 2008, and it was a truly LOUSY vehicle, the slightest wind made you believe the tinny little car will fly off the road. No car felt as unsafe to me EVER.
C. Renault Twingo BEV. If the price was below $20k, I could use this overseas, due to its diminutive size and adequate range (my round trip from my summer place to downtown is less 60 miles), and will be a breeze to park in the narrow downtown streets, BUT its LOUSY interior, especially these accursed FAUX aluminum silver color plastics on the dash, are a BIG turn-off.
D. Polestar. Ask me if i care, Volvo-Geely.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:05 pm
Wireless charging, the ultimate technology for the very lazy. WiTricity claims their wireless charging will be as efficient as connecting the car with a wire. I’m not convinced.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:11 pm
Sorry Sean but I never found the Sion xB nor do I find that Roox attractive. They look like small boxes on little wheels. To each their own!
I don’t think Witricity is on the leading edge as I’m pretty sure AD showed this exact concept a good year or so ago. I remember the same comment I made back then which was I wonder how anyones feline friends will fare if they decide to crawl under the car during charging?
February 25th, 2020 at 12:11 pm
2, Kit, wireless charging. 91 to 93 percent efficiency; I wonder if they are massaging the numbers or they really came up with a technology this efficient. I would think just the conversion of a/c to d/c would lose efficiency (before the induction loss comes to effect). Hope I’m wrong and they are not just finagling their calculations.
1B, Larry, I’m in your court.
Xb, not a fan either; of all the box vehicles, I liked the Honda Element the best.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Hopefully Polestar decides to change mustard yellow seatbelts out of what is otherwise an attractive interior.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:18 pm
2 I believe my e-toothbrush is charged by induction, been using them since 2005 or so. why couldn’t this be scaled up for a BEV?
I looked at the link and googgled to find the price of that Renault BEV but found nothing. Its 250 km claimed range they say is really 180 km city, which is more than 110 miles. Since I will be using this in the summer, or from April to October at most, when temps are quite high, I would expect much more than 90 mi range. (I just need 60 anyway).
February 25th, 2020 at 12:21 pm
1 correction, it was a 2008 E, I picked it up in April 2017, not 2008.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:28 pm
8 did you even read my post????
FOr VERY important reasons, such as PRICE ($20k or less, NOT $40 and $60 k a 3 costs!) AND SIZE, it would be ideal to drive downtown when the E is a HUGE vehicle to drive around the narrow double-parked streets. I would KEEP my 2008 E.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:28 pm
8 and first of all, I have said a zillion times I would ONLY consider a Tesla S. You are confusing me with Bob WIlson.
February 25th, 2020 at 12:42 pm
I understand there is a slightly used, Model X available for about $30k (see link.)
February 25th, 2020 at 1:08 pm
11 Thanks, but I am not in the least interested in the Model X, the Model Y, or the Model 3. I have said many times here, IF I ever buy a Tesla, it will be a Model S. Probably a high-end performance version, which you can get used for less than $35k (2013-15 models)
February 25th, 2020 at 1:09 pm
Sean,
Like the hair cut and trim! Was looking a bit scruffy yesterday. Keep up the good work.
Regards, Tim Beaumont
February 25th, 2020 at 1:13 pm
2
I heard them mention 80 kilohertz and that would be pretty darned efficient, particularly if they can fine tune the energy output via PWM (pulse width modulation).
My first career job was with a company that perfected the commercial application of the switcher power supply that is the standard today. If they still used the old-fashioned linear power supply, your computer would way about 150 pounds.
February 25th, 2020 at 1:21 pm
4 My thoughts exactly about the probably loss with all that converting, and induction loss, as opposed to just taking what comes out of the wall, and rectifying it to charge the batteries. I’m sure we’ll hear more about actual efficiency of such systems, beyond mfg’s claims, at some point.
I kind of the miss the first generation xB, but the Kia Soul is sort of a replacement for the automotive landscape. I wouldn’t buy either one, though.
6 Your inductively charged tooth brush would be wasting a few watt-hours of juice a year, while charging a car that way would probably waste a few kilowatt hours a week, if the car is used and charged regularly. My phone has wireless charging capability, and I rarely use it, because it makes the phone get much hotter, not good for the phone, even if you don’t care about the wasted energy.
February 25th, 2020 at 1:29 pm
16 The high frequency would greatly decrease the size of the elements needed to transfer the power to the car, but efficiency? There would be loss in the transfer, and in the electronics needed to get the 80 kHz power.
February 25th, 2020 at 1:56 pm
15 Not a question of being able to read its a question of discerning what is worth reading, and the clue I have, is that most of what you post isn’t worth reading.
Comprehension isn’t your strong point. I was not comparing the Renault to the model 3. It was actually about if you were going to buy an EV it just seemed a Tesla would be the obvious choice after gushing on Elon for so long.
February 25th, 2020 at 2:03 pm
10 My thoughts on the used Model X. I posted this earlier this morning in comments for yesterday’s show, so it may be redundant for some of you.
That was interesting. It appears that they have a very good “secret warranty,” replacing many thousands of dollars of high voltage battery and rear drive unit for free, at over 300K miles. It said the battery may have had unlimited mileage warranty at that time, with no mention of degradation, rather than the current 8 year, 150K mile warranty, with retention needed to be below 70% for the warranty to kick in.
I was surprised that the 12 volt batteries lasted only about a year. They must not do a very good job of keeping those batteries at near full charge. They should last at least 5 years. I’m assuming the 12v battery is lead-acid, but it should last a lot longer than a year, whatever it is. I was not surprised about the trim related things. That has never been a strong point with Tesla, and using the car as a taxi wouldn’t help.
February 25th, 2020 at 2:31 pm
17 The problem with secret warranties is only the people who know get to take advantage of such a warranty. Would certainly create some upset customers to find out they paid for repairs tat others did not.
February 25th, 2020 at 3:03 pm
1 – Have never understood your anti-Volvo stance. In 2019, Volvo sold 705,452 vehicles worldwide and made a profit doing so. Tesla sold 367,500 vehicles worldwide in 2019, according to their website, and did not do so profitably. Seems as though Geely is doing a good job managing the Volvo brand and leveraging their engineering expertise. Unless the styling is off-putting, what’s not to like?
February 25th, 2020 at 3:20 pm
19). I like The Volvo wagon but would never buy one.
The reason; The Chinese are part owners.
February 25th, 2020 at 3:55 pm
15
Very little loss using power MosFETs. We only saw the layout of the receiving side of the system and it was bigger than a cookie sheet, by the look of it. The coils on the sending side are probably finer an far more numerous.
We also don’t know if they’re doing anything exotic to contain and focus the magnetic field straight up towards the receiving panel.
February 25th, 2020 at 4:25 pm
21 Yeah, I’d think the focus/positioning would be very important to keep efficiency up. Maybe they would use some kind of channel things to exactly position the tires when you park to charge.
February 25th, 2020 at 6:50 pm
Trying to view the bigger picture, I hear Tesla is making a greater effort to sell their batteries to others. This is an indicator of two things; First, Despite Tesla growth, battery production exceeds their own car/ semi needs. Second, it indicates they need capital. Selling stock and credits are not enough to offset the huge expenditures they took upon themselves.
If I had to guess, I think Tesla will be selling more of its product and technology to increase revenues. While Tesla keeps loosing $, others are waiting until EVs become profitable, then they will give Tesla enough competition to make their heads spin. They can massage the mpg’s to keep swaying buyers but other manufactures aim is to beat them on price. And they will because most all others are profitable and Tesla isn’t!!!!!
February 25th, 2020 at 9:33 pm
At my house survey says:
1) He looks better with a haircut.
2) Jury is still out on the beard.
February 26th, 2020 at 9:01 am
I thought EXACTLY the same thing when I saw that little Nissan box. I missed my 2003 xB so much I just purchased a used one recently and really enjoy driving that brave little toaster fast. My wife thinks I’m crazy (she drives a Cadiillac), but I am having so much fun it should be illegal!It’s true what they say – it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow
February 26th, 2020 at 9:07 am
Careless auto writers call this small hatch the size of a Golf, the VW id3, with an “under €30,000” price tag which has a 45kWh battery and offers 330 kilometers, or 205 miles of range (which means an EPA 150 mile range tops, 100 in winter), a “Model 3 Fighter” aiming for ‘mass market’ like the Model 3 has already achieved, even though the Model 3 is much BIGGER, 1-2 sizes bigger, and $10k more expensive, and VASTLY superior in performance.
Anyway, this alleged Model 3 fighter is in deep doodoo, and VW has 10,000 technicians trying to fix its problems, as the link sez.
PS this GOlf sized hatch with the puny battery and range, IF it sells for under 30,000 EUROS ($35,000) in Germany, it might do ok, but in the US, forget it. People will NOT pay $35k for a hatch that is inferior even to the failed BOLT and its far bigger battery and Range.
https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/vw-id3-software-problems-threaten-summer-launch-report-says?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20200226&utm_content=hero-headline
February 26th, 2020 at 10:00 am
24 It looks like VW has a major problem there.
As far as the Model 3 being 1-2 sizes bigger, some people care more about how big a car is inside, than outside, especially in places outside the US. That VW may have as much cabin room as a Model 3. A Bolt does.
If the VW is $35K equivalent, including VAT, it would be mid 20s without VAT a decent price. They need to get things fixed, though.
February 26th, 2020 at 10:12 am
25 This is really boring. You have tried many times, using one out of 100 different statistics, to pretend that a hatch is the same size as a car that is actually bigger than the 3 Series. You are in DEEP DENIAL.
February 26th, 2020 at 10:35 am
26 Car size groups differ usually by less than 6″. My E class is only 4″ shorter than the regular length version 7 series I had before. The Model 3 is a foot or more longer than the GOlf.
ALso, the Golf is the size of an A3 (a clone really) which is one size smaller than the A4, which is a 3 Series segment car. The Model 3 is bigger than even the 3 and the A4, and, as I CORRECTLY stated, MUCH bigger than the VW id3 Golf-sized BEV.
February 26th, 2020 at 10:38 am
26 Yes, you have a “size” fetish of some sort, but to many people, especially in Europe, Japan, and some other places, cabin space is what matters, more than length.
February 26th, 2020 at 11:22 am
Kit, I think that wireless charging is far more important than just allowing someone to be lazy. For instance, wireless chargers for street parking. This would allow users in urban apartment situations to charge their car overnight without fear of vandalism by a passerby on the sidewalk. It thusly allows BEV market access to people who otherwise would of had no reasonable options.
February 26th, 2020 at 11:31 am
31 Yeah, true. I’m hoping I’ll be proven wrong, and wireless charging can be done efficiently.