Tokyo (dpa) – Toyota has revealed a production-ready version of the Toyota RAV4 EV electric-powered sports utility vehicle (SUV) that is scheduled for launch on the US market later this year.

Initially the electric SUV will be available only in California with the 1.8-ton vehicle powered by a 115 kilowatts/156 horsepower power package from Tesla.

The top speed is listed at 160 kilometres per hour (km/h) with acceleration from zero to 96 km/h at seven seconds. The range is around 160 kilometres. The lithium-ion batteries have a capacity of 41.8 kilowatts per hour and can be charged over six hours from a 240 volt electric socket.

Toyota lists the price at 49,800 dollars with plans to sell some 2,600 units of the RAV4 EV in the next three years.

Beijing (dpa) – Audi has unveiled its first luxury-class e-tron concept car, the A6 L e-tron, at the Beijing Motor Show with a plug-in hybrid allowing a range of 80 kilometres on pure electric drive and designed specifically for the Chinese market.

Based on the A6 L, Audi’s best-selling premium car in China, the plug-in combines a TFSI engine with an output of 155 kW/211 hp with an electric motor of 70 kW/95 hp.

The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is located in a collision-protected space at the rear of the vehicle. The technology platform can be operated using only the internal combustion engine, only the electric drive, or in hybrid mode.

From the exterior the Audi A6 L e-tron concept features a long engine hood, a low extended roof line and sharp side lines, creating an athletic overall look. At the front, the single-frame grille with slender cross-bars and the nearly covered air intakes attract the eye – features typical of all e-tron models.

The body is identical to that of the Audi A6 L, consisting of approximately ten per cent aluminium, which weighs about 15 per cent less than a comparable all-steel design. Aluminium components in the load-bearing structure and exterior skin, as well as the high-tech steels used in the occupant cell, make the body significantly lighter.

Ingolstadt, Germany (dpa) – Audi is giving the R8 a facelift with a new front and an e-tron version to be unveiled at this year’s Paris Motor Show.

The front features new LED headlights and more dynamic lines and redesigned air intakes for the front skirt. The tail-lights come in narrow LED lighting, replacing the larger lights of the current model.

It is expected to be the last design makeover prior to the launch of the new generation of the sports car in 2015.

Technically the new model retains the 4.2 litre V8 and the 5.2-litre V10 but with more performance. The V8 has an output of 450 hp while the ten cylinder engine has been boosted to 560 hp, comparable to the limited edition GT version.

The Audi R8 E-Tron version comes with four electric motors with an output of 230 kW powered by 500-kilogram lithium ion batteries positioned behind the rear seats. The R8 E-Tron accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with the top speed electronically regulated at 200 km/h.

Stuttgart (dpa) – Mercedes-Benz’s new hybrid E Class will go on sale in Germany in both saloon and estate version from this autumn, marking a first for the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. The T-badged estate car will be the first diesel-electric shooting brake to debut at home and Mercedes-Benz is hailing both variants of the E300 BlueTech hybrid as the most economical luxury-class vehicles in the world.

Fuel consumption is given as 4.2 litres per 100 km with carbon dioxide emissions at 109 g CO2/km.

The hybrid mates a 204 horsepower, four-cylinder diesel engine to a 20 Kw electric motor which charges lithium-ion batteries.
This enables the car to travel for around a kilometre in purely electric mode. The motor helps boost the diesel during acceleration and the E-class hybrid can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 miles per hour) in 7.5 seconds.

Top speed is 242 km/h. The hybrid was shown for the first time alongside an up-rated version for the US market at the Detroit motor show earlier this year.

General Motors today said that thanks to strong public interest in the Chevrolet Volt, the 340-mile extended range electric vehicle, it will increase U.S. production capacity of the groundbreaking new car by 50 percent, from 30,000 units to 45,000 units, in 2012.

The announcement came as U.S. President Barack Obama toured the Detroit-Hamtramck facility, where the Volt is being produced now for sale later this year.

The Volt offers a total driving range of about 340 miles and is powered by electricity at all times. For up to the first 40 miles, the vehicle drives gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered, engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank.

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Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled Nissan LEAF, the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real-world consumer requirements.

Slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe, Nissan LEAF ushers in a new era of mobility – the zero-emission era. The car is the embodiment of Nissan’s radical, transformative vision for the future and the culmination of decades of investment and research.

Key characteristics of the LEAF include:

1. Zero-emission power train and platform
2. Affordable pricing
3. Distinctive design
4. Real-world range autonomy – 160km (100 miles)
5. Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

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