07 Feb 2019 | Mercedes Could Supply Vans To Tesla, Model 3 Costs $35k “After Savings” and Luxury BMW 7-Series Plug In

Mercedes-Benz Could Supply Tesla With Electric Vans | Tesla Model 3 Price Reduction | 2019 VW Passat GTE Facelift Debuts In Europe | New BMW 7 Series Plug-In Hybrid Launches At £76,815 | BMW iNEXT Makes Undercover Appearance In Sweden | Lagonda ‘All-Terrain’ EV Set For Geneva Debut | Porsche Expands Charging Service In Europe | Lyft Adds Vs To Ride-Hailing App | DHL Expands Green Fleet With 63 Workhorse Electric Vans | Honda Partners With CATL on EV Batteries | Vandoorne Finding More Joy In FE

Can You Help Me Fight The Fossils? Read More About Patreon here EVne.ws/patreon

 

Read today’s show notes on https://www.evnewsdaily.com

 

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Thursday 7th February 2019. It’s Martyn Lee here and I’ve been through every EV story I can find today, and picked out the ones I think you need to know about.

 

Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they’ve built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It’s a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.

 

Trevor in Washington asked me about future shipments of the Model 3's after i reported on the first load to be delivered yesterday. As far as I know, there is a car carrier leaving California around once every 5 days - Glovis Captain (arrived yesterday), Glovis Cosmos, Grand Aurora, CsCC Europ , Glovis Courage. The Morning Cindy is on her on way to Shanghai. If you know more, email me and I’ll pass it on, hello@evnewsdaily.com

 

MERCEDES-BENZ COULD BE SUPPLYING TESLA WITH ELECTRIC VANS

• It's always nice when the listeners do the work for me, it means I can kick back and put my feet up! I wish. And Partner of the Podcast Sascha Pallenberg was tweeting this morning about the Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and something he said about a potential partnership with Tesla. Now it may have been in German but Sascha kindly translated: "Our CEO Dieter Zetsche just confirmed during the annual #Daimler pressconference that #Tesla is interested in our #MercedesBenz eSprinter for their service fleet. Ongoing talks..." @sascha_p

 

• So we're talking about the eSprinter here. Jerome Guillen, Tesla’s President of Automotive, is also former Daimler. On the Tesla earnings call Elon Musk said his focus was ono improving service including Tesla Ranger Service. Most recently I've seen pics of them using Model S's, but this would be a proper electric van. This sounds like a supply deal for Tesla to use Mercedes-Benz vans rather than some sort of collaboration project. The eSprinter has a 55kWh hour pack and 93 miles (150km) of range which might not be enough.
• Let me remind of you an Elon Musk tweet from 19th November 2018: "Lot on our plate, so it’s either get van gliders (no battery, powertrain or compute tech) from Daimler & produce sooner or do all & produce later. Not a big difference to total vehicles produced either way. Priority list is Model Y, solar roof tiles, pickup, semi, Roadster."

 

• And: "Maybe interesting to work with Daimler/Mercedes on an electric Sprinter. That’s a great van. We will inquire."

 

TESLA MODEL 3 GETS ANOTHER PRICE REDUCTION

• "Not long ago, Tesla reduced its prices by $2,000 in an attempt to assist buyers after the U.S. federal tax credit entered its initial sunset phase" reports InsideEVs, and now: "When the Model 3 Mid Range first arrived, it was priced at $46,000. The price dropped recently to $44,000, and now it’s down to $42,900. Tesla is moving closer and closer to that $35,000 price point, and the base model has yet to arrive. As for the rest of the Model 3 lineup, the Long Range Dual Motor is priced at $49,900 and the Performance model now comes in at $60,900. In reply to a question on the above Twitter thread, Musk said Tesla is doing everything it can to get to the $35,000 base Model 3. Elon Musk tweeted that the car starts at “~$35k (after ~$8k of credits & fuel savings).”"

 

https://insideevs.com/tesla-model-3-price-reduction/

 

2019 VW PASSAT FACELIFT DEBUTS IN EUROPE WITH PLENTY OF TECH

• "After Volkswagen gave China an all-new Passat last year and the United States a not-so-new Passat last month, it’s now Europe’s turn to meet the refreshed midsize sedan. The plug-in hybrid Passat GTE (pictured below, on the left) has been updated as well and can now do up to 34 miles (55 kilometers) in pure electric mode per the more realistic WLTP cycle" reports Adrian Padeanu for Motor1.com: "For the sake of comparison, the pre-facelift Passat GTE only did 31 miles (50 km) using the now defunct NEDC procedure."

 

https://www.motor1.com/news/304079/2019-vw-passat-europe-reveal/

 

NEW BMW 7 SERIES PLUG-IN HYBRID LAUNCHES IN SPRING AT £76,815

• "BMW has revealed the new plug-in hybrid versions of its 7 Series saloon, which will go on sale in the UK this spring. The luxury limo will be available in a choice of long- and short-wheelbase guises, with prices starting at £76,815." according to James Fossdyke for the UK version of Motor1.com: "That money will buy you the standard-wheelbase 745e xDrive, which combines a 3-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor to create a 389 bhp powertrain capable of 0-62 mph in 5.2 seconds and a 155-mph top speed. Thanks to a larger battery than found in the old 7 Series hybrid, the new model offers an all-electric range of between 34 and 36 miles despite the new, more stringent economy test. The car also uses the eight-speed automatic gearbox as a generator, taking the energy otherwise wasted during deceleration to recharge the battery and further exploiting its zero-emission potential. In Hybrid mode, the car will do 68 mph on electric power alone, with the petrol engine taking over above that speed, but in Electric mode, that top speed is stretched to 87 mph."
• Here's the interesting thing about performance - 0-62mph for the fastest version is 5.1 seconds, the Tesla Model S is 3.1 unless you spec Ludicrous mode.

 

https://uk.motor1.com/news/303916/bmw-7-series-plug-in-hybrid/

 

BMW iNEXT IN PRODUCTION SPEC MAKES AN UNDERCOVER APPEARANCE IN SWEDEN

• "Last fall, BMW showed off its iNEXT electric crossover concept packed full of fanciful design and high-tech features. The company promised it for 2021, and we figured we wouldn't see much of it for a while. But instead, BMW just released images of the production model undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden." reports Autoblog.com: "The front fascia is more upright and blunt, and the hood is flatter, resulting in a sharper transition between the two. BMW still isn't saying much about the production iNEXT's feature set except that it will be fully electric and feature all-wheel drive."

 

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/02/05/bmw-inext-production-test-model-photos/#slide-7513711

 

LAGONDA ‘ALL-TERRAIN’ ELECTRIC CONCEPT SET FOR GENEVA DEBUT

• "Since the Lagonda brand’s revival in 2011 we’ve seen only a hint of what the British luxury firm is capable of...last year’s Vision Concept revealed at the Geneva motor show." says evo: "At this year’s show we’ll see another, much clearer indication of Lagonda’s intentions, with the All-Terrain Concept – a car that will eventually go into production. while a solitary teaser image shows that the All-Terrain takes several design cues from last year’s Vision Concept, it clearly cuts a taller and more imposing form than the low-slung, one-box Vision. We learned last year that Lagonda’s first two all-electric production vehicles will share a platform with the Aston Martin DBX (itself an SUV), with an electric motor per wheel allowing for full torque-vectoring, and no doubt some impressive on-paper performance figures."

 

https://www.evo.co.uk/news/22235/lagonda-all-terrain-electric-concept-set-for-geneva-debut

 

PORSCHE EXPANDS CHARGING SERVICE IN EUROPE TO 49,000 CHARGING POINTS

• "Porsche is expanding its Porsche Charging Service – launched in May 2018 – to five new countries, which will enable access to more than 49,000 charging points under single contract, through Porsche ID card or smartphone app." reports Mark Kane for InsideEVs.com
• "“In Germany, the fee for using the Porsche Charging Service is €2.50 per month. The costs for actual charging come on top of this: these depend on the provider as well as the amount of power charged. The prices are shown in detail and also according to power class/charging speed if wished. The app can be used on all mobile devices with iOS or Android operating system. The service is generally available to all drivers of hybrid or electric vehicles. It is not limited to Porsche sports cars. Registration is possible via www.porsche.com/connect-store.”"

 

https://insideevs.com/porsche-charging-europe-49000-points/

 

LYFT ADDS ELECTRIC VEHICLES, 'GREEN MODE' TO RIDE-HAILING APP

• "Your chances of riding in an electric vehicle just went up: Lyft users will soon be able to request a zero-emission or hybrid vehicle directly from the home screen of the app." according to Sasha Lekach for Mashable: "Using the new setting, passengers can request an electric vehicle through the app and get matched with a battery-powered (or hybrid) car for their ride. Lyft says the new feature will be rolled out to other cities after the Seattle pilot."

 

https://mashable.com/article/lyft-electric-vehicles-green-mode/?europe=true#8OIiWF8YeGqq

 

DHL EXPANDS GREEN FLEET WITH 63 WORKHORSE ELECTRIC DELIVERY VANS

• DHL is preparing to roll out a new fleet of electric delivery vans that will serve U.S. markets.
• The fleet of 63 NGEN-1000 electric delivery cargo vans are produced by equipment manufacturer Workhorse Group(WKHS) and are built to be among the safest, most efficient last-mile delivery and work truck systems available. Capable of running up to 100 miles on a charge, the vans have ultra-low floors to reduce physical stress on workers’ knees and back, and a high roof design that maximizes cargo space.

 

HONDA PARTNERS WITH CATL ON LI-ION EV BATTERIES

• "Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) signed a cooperation agreement with Honda Motor in Tokyo to cooperate formally to develop electric vehicles for the future market." says Green Car COngress: "Under the agreement, CATL will become Honda’s partner in the field of lithium-ion EV batteries. CATL will guarantee the supply to Honda of about 56 GWh of lithium-ion EV batteries before 2027. CATL currently uses NCM as a core material in its automotive cells; energy density is as high as 240 Wh/kg."
• Honda makes an excellent PHEV, the Clarity PHEV with an electric range of 47 miles, almost as good as the Chevy Volt which unfortunately will be discontinued soon.

 

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/02/20190206-hondacatl.html

 

VANDOORNE FINDING MORE JOY WITHOUT F1 POLITICS

• com's Scott Mitchell reports: "Ex-McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne says he is enjoying Formula E following his Formula 1 exit because of the difference in camaraderie between drivers and paddock “politics”."
• He now races in Formula E for HWA.
• "The 26-year-old, who will dovetail his commitments with some Mercedes F1 simulator work, hopes his move to HWA could facilitate a “long-term” future in FE."

 

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/vandoorne-finding-joy-f1-politics/4332552/

 

COMMUNITY

And thanks to MYEV.com they’ve set us another Question Of The Week. Keep your comments coming in on email and YouTube…

 

"Which incentives, beside those already available where you live, do want to see implemented by auto makers or dealers to help promote EVs?"

 

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the 178 patrons of this podcast whose generosity means I get to keep making this show, which aims to entertain and inform thousands of listeners every day about a brighter future. By no means do you have to check out Patreon but if it’s something you’ve been thinking about, by all means look at patreon.com/evnewsdaily

 

 

PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE (PREMIUM PARTNER)

ELECTRICMOTORING.NET (PREMIUM PARTNER)

BRAD CROSBY (PREMIUM PARTNER)

 

DAVID ALLEN (PARTNER)

OEM AUDIO OF NEW ZEALAND AND EVPOWER.CO.NZ (PARTNER)

SASCHA PALLENBERG (PARTNER)

JON BEARDY MCBEARDFACE (PARTNER)

ALAN ROBSON @SCOTTISHEVOWNER (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

ARILD GEIR SKAALSVEEN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

ASHLEY HILL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BÅRD FJUKSTAD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BOB MUIR / GINGERCOMPUTERS.COM IN DUNDEE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BORISLAV BORISOV (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BRENT KINGSFORD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BRIAN THOMPSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BRIAN WEATHERALL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

BRYAN YOUNG / CONFT.SHOW PODCAST (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

CESAR TRUJILLO (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

CHRIS BENSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

CHRIS HOPKINS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DAMIEN DAVIS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DARREN BYRD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DARREN SANT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DAVE DEWSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DAVID FINCH (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DAVID PARTINGTON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DAVID PRESCOTT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DIRK RUTSATZ (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

DON MCALLISTER /