June 2016 Promoting the use of electric vehicles since 1967 Vol. 48 No. 6 Gigafactory Grand Opening Is This Summer Recently, Tesla Motors notified winners of its Model S referral contest [http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/09/14/ tesla-motors-incs-referral-program-is-working.aspx] that it would be holding a grand opening event for its currently under- construction Gigafactory on July 29. continued on page 6 RAV4 EV – Three Years Electrobus – 15 Years BMW Fending Off Tesla of Ownership Before Its Time Model 3 – Part 2 ... page10 ... page 14 ... page 28 IN THIS ISSUE CURRENT EV STAFF Articles Contributors: E-mail: [email protected] Bob Oldham, Ron Freund, Marc Geller, Forbes 1 GIGAFACTORY GRAND OPENING IS THIS 34 2017 VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF: 35.8 KWH SUMMER Bagatelle-Black, Earl Killian, JB Straubel, Doug BATTERY, 124 MILE/200KM RANGE Korthof, Jerry Pohorsky, Linda Nicholes, Lee (UPDATE) — A significant range upgrade to Galbraith, Daniel Davids, Jim Bohorquez, Felix 3 THE PARALLEL OF REGEN IN EVS FOR be available by the end of this year. Kramer, Paul Scott, Monte Gisborne, Doug E-PLANES — The use of electric airplanes is Brentlinger, Darell Dickey, Thomas Sidle, Bill gaining momentum worldwide. 36 SMART MOBILITY ON THE RISE: GLOBAL EV Hammons, Tim Wong, Chelsea Sexton, David Turock, REVENUE TO HIT $58 BILLION IN 2021 — Olaf Ungerer, Jack Rickard, Jack Ashcraft, Irwin 8 THE OBSESSIVE, SECRETIVE RACE TO MAKE Review of the role of vehicle electrification in Dawid, Tom Dowling, Oliver Perry, Jack Bowers, Eric THE PERFECT TIRE FOR ELECTRIC CARS — urban areas. Burns, John McEwan, Michael Bianchi, Jory Squibb, Excerpts of an article appearing in Wired. Dave Kodama, David Hrivnak, Tom Moloughney, Charles Hall, Charlton Jones, Mark Larsen, David 36 FOLLOW THE ADVENTURES: 80 EDAYS — Herron, Prof Eckhard Elmers, Ruediger Hild, Tom 10 WHY I DRIVE ELECTRIC — A three year Second event to showcase the future of EVs. review of Toyota Rav4 EV. Saxton, Stephen Johnsen, Noel Adams, Richard Lane, Charles Whalen, Anatoly Lobtsov, Carol Cole, Jon 41 GERMANY HAD SO MUCH RENEWABLE 12 TESLA MODEL 3 INTERIOR IS LIKELY Ando, George Stuckert, Dave Oliveria, Tim Goodrich, ENERGY RECENTLY THAT IT HAD TO PAY Jason Jungreis, Paul H. Kydd, Julia Sirotina, Brandon DESIGNED AROUND INCLUSION OF VERY PEOPLE TO USE ELECTRICITY — How Hollinger, Chris Sheridan, Gary Bulmer, Peder LARGE HUD OPTICS — This speculative Germany hit a new high in renewable energy Norby, Tim Catellier, Corbin Dunn, Dave Hall, Jeff innovation is in removing the conventional generation. Finn, Bob Vahsholtz, Gert Gelhaar, James Billmaier, instruments, controls and HVAC ducts from Adam Eberhardt, John Palmerlee, Alan Soule, Chad the dash. 43 GM TERMINATES CADILLAC ELR Schwitters, Guy Hall, Don Gerhardt, Bill Brinsmead, PRODUCTION — Three years of dismal sales. Bob Tregilus, Nick Butcher, Dave Erb, Kim Rogers, 14 THE ELECTROBUS: 15 YEARS BEFORE Peter Eckhoff, Lee Gasper-Galvin, Rich Burns, ITS TIME! — A pioneering 91 year old’s Carolyn Amon, Carl Vogel, Michael Thwaite, William contribution to the state of the art over 4 Columns (Coty) Keller, Bryan Murtha, Jessie Spruel, Anton decades ago. Wahlman, Chris Neff, Patrick Connor, Donald R. 3 EAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2016 Davidson, Victor Wowk, Rick Beebe, Bill Palmer, Doug Manowitz, Stephen Noctor, Bryan McCarthy, 28 CAN BMW FEND OFF THE CHARGE OF THE Bob Bruninga, Jukka Kukkonen TESLA MODEL 3? PART 2 — The concept 37 EVENTS & CONFERENCES 2020 BMW i is BMW’s answer to Tesla’s Board Chairman, CE Publication – Ron Freund Model 3. 38, 39 NOTABLE VIDEOS AND ARTICLES Managing Editor – Dorothy Foglia Book Reviewers – Warren Winovich, Jack Swartz, 32 2015 – A GREAT YEAR FOR LARGE-SIZED 40 EAA MEMBERSHIP FORM Earl Killian, Stan Hanel, Oliver Perry LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES — Speculation that the electric bus is a game changer in 42 & 43 CHAPTER LISTINGS the battery market. Article Submissions: The deadline for articles is the first of every month for consideration in the next issue of CE. Articles received after this date will be retained for future issues of CE. Send submissions to: [email protected]. Advertisements: A full advertiser’s information package and Rate Sheet can be sent by E-mail. Please contact Advertising Manager or CE Staff for details. National EAA: Web Site: www.electricauto.org or electricauto.org Mailing: CE Comments 847 Haight Street San Francisco, CA 94117-3216 USA Membership/Address Changes: E-mail: [email protected] Mailing: EAA Membership 323 Los Altos Drive, Aptos, CA 95003-5248 USA If you have comments, please send them to [email protected]. http://electricauto.org Follow us on Facebook Current EVents is printed on recyclable paper (30% post https://www.facebook.com/ElectricAutoAssociation consumer waste), using soy-based inks. The press chemicals On Twitter: @EAANational are non-toxic. https://twitter.com/EAANational ©2016 Current EVents is a publication of the Electric Auto Association. All rights reserved. While Current EVents and the Electric Auto Association strive for clarity and accuracy, we assume no responsibility for usage of this information. Permission to copy for other than commercial use is given, provided that full credit is given to originator of material copied. This permission does not extend to reprinted articles. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. 2 Current EVents / June 2016 EAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2016 PARALLEL OF REGEN Chairman, CE Publication: Ron Freund The Parallel of Regen in EVs for E-planes [email protected] The paradigm shift in trans- Co-Chairman, Plug In America: portation today is to reduce Marc Geller carbon-intensive fuel use and to embrace what electricity Guy Hall, [email protected] can provide. Chris Neff [email protected] We all understand that aside from many nice telematics Treasurer: Gint Federas features in a modern automo- [email protected] bile, the propulsion system Figure 1 Variable pitch control aids in deceleration of CE Advertising Manager: Carl Vogel benefits greatly from electri- electric LSA. [email protected] fication. Instead of occupy- regeneration works in the air as it does ing a large percentage of the vehicle’s on the road. Larry Tuttle, footprint with fuel storage, an exhaust Terry Hershner system, a transmission and that hot An excellent diagram and explanation Board Appointees running internal combustion engine, an concerning the angle of attack of the Marina Cerin-Stith EV can package its components nicely, prop, the geometries and the design, leaving ample room for passengers and the pitch effects etc., can be found at: Membership: Will Beckett [email protected] their belongings. http://www.pilotfriend.com/training/ flight_training/fxd_wing/props.htm. Jay Friedland The electric motor is frequently an AC This instructive diagram above is from Education Grant Manager induction motor which lends itself per- the website, as well. What used to be fectly along with suitable electronics, performed using hydraulics is now Historian: Darryl McMahon to recapturing the kinetic energy gained largely done with electric subsystems [email protected] while accelerating to highway speeds. for increased efficiency and decreased EAA Board Contact: Recapturing that energy for reinsertion weight, both critical factors in any [email protected] 415-861-7278 into the battery as additional miles of electrification effort. stored energy really amounts to “on the Notice: IRS requires us to ask for a full disclosure by fly” refilling of your fuel tank. (Try that The future for weekend flyers in Light the donor for donations of $1000 or more. This should in an ICE vehicle while moving!) Sport Aircraft using Very/Extremely include Full Name, Complete Address, Phone Number, and Social Security or Tax ID Number. Short Take Off Landing (V/ESTOL) The use of electric airplanes is gaining depends on electric motors, such as the momentum worldwide, and has the same soon to be released ¼ MW Siemens unit. ability to “regenerate” energy when It weighs 110 lbs and does not needing Current EVents Back they fly. As outlined in several talks at a a transmission. Propeller speeds are Issues on the Web recent 2016 Aviation Symposium http:// now less than 2500 RPM and they The EAA has put most of its Current EVents sasymposium.com/ held in Redwood have a longer “reach”. An interesting issues from 2001 to 2016 on its website. City, CA –– propeller driven planes joint project with Siemens and Grob Please visit have the ability to vary the pitch of their Aircraft has resulted in some successful http://electricauto.org/ and from the home blades while underway. See figure 1. tests already. An assumption is that the page, click on “Current EVents for 2016” in the top navigation bar. batteries will be lithium polymer packs With computers controlling many things The resulting page will show images of the rated at 31 Amp-hours and weighing cover of only recent year’s issues, each with (truly everything in a pilotless drone), a mere 74 lbs. Flying times may be two links: one to a downloadable PDF file, these prop pitch adjustments vary from somewhat limited for now, but FAA the other to the on-line Bluetoad version. Our full forward ‘bite’ into the airstream, statistics already show that today’s archive of previous issues is accessed using the pull down selector labeled “Current EVents for to a neutral or feathered position, to weekend warriors are averaging less 2015 & older” which produces a list of years. a full reverse thrust for slowing the than two hours in the air using gas, due descent. Amazing as it may seem, such to other constraints. continued on page 4 June 2016 / Current EVents 3 PARALLEL OF REGEN / SOLAR IMPULSE UPDATE Parallel of Regen continued from page 3 We will see swift advances as major companies explore the horizons of what’s possible with electrification of small planes.