AUDI AG is looking to invest in renewable sources of energy. In support of this goal, Audi this week signed an agreement with the international consortium "Desertec Industrial Initiative". The long-term goal of the joint venture is the climate-friendly production of energy in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. As an associated partner, Audi will initially work to create the right conditions and to establish the necessary infrastructure.
"When at Audi we speak of sustainable mobility, we are looking at the entire energy balance", said Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. Audi is looking to introduce its first small-series electric car to the market as early as 2012. In doing so, Stadler said Audi will not only apply the principles of sustainability to the production of the cars, but also to ensure that customers can sustainably operate the cars. "Electric cars from Audi will run on sustainably produced electricity. To achieve this goal we're supporting the development of solar- and wind-driven power plants", Stadler said.
By partnering with Desertec, Audi is joining a unique industrial initiative. It is working to achieve a safe, sustainable and climate-friendly energy supply from the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. The Desertec Industrial Initiative is working to develop the right conditions for targeted investment in solar and wind energy on the basis of careful analysis. Today the Desertec Industrial Initiative is backed by 16 founding companies, the DESERTEC Foundation and associated partners, who work to support the initiative's objectives.
In its holistic view of the energy balance of its products, AUDI AG includes its production processes. Surpassing the common German mix, an above-average percentage of the energy needed for production is fed into AUDI AG's plants from renewable sources. Novel photovoltaic panels on its roofs actively feed green electricity into the German grid. In the future, roughly an additional 14,000 megawatt hours are to be added to this through wind power; the utilization of biogas is also foreseen. The partnership with Desertec now expands this commitment.
Apr 29, 2010
Opel Ampera Passes Production Milestone
The Opel Ampera passed an important milestone Friday, April 23, when the first pre-production Model Year 2012 Ampera rolled off the line at GM's Pre-Production Operations assembly line in Warren, Michigan.
Assembly workers will build more pre-production Amperas in the coming months. These pre-production vehicles will not be sold at dealerships, but used instead for testing and validating the production intent design as well as developing the final vehicle software and controls. Engineers in Europe and the United States also use them to tune the vehicle's overall driving experience. Some of these Amperas will have very short lives as they will be used in safety and structural integrity testing.
"We're right on target for producing the Ampera for European markets later next year," said Andrew Farah, Vehicle Chief Engineer for the Ampera "There's still work to be done, but being able to drive an Opel Ampera off our pre-production line is a great accomplishment for the teams here and in Europe."
The Opel Ampera extended-range electric vehicle delivers up to 60 kilometers of pure electric driving before an engine-generator kicks in to sustain the battery charge and seamlessly extend the range to more than 500 kilometers. The battery can be charged by plugging the vehicle's on-board charge system into a standard household outlet. It is scheduled to go on sale end 2011.
Assembly workers will build more pre-production Amperas in the coming months. These pre-production vehicles will not be sold at dealerships, but used instead for testing and validating the production intent design as well as developing the final vehicle software and controls. Engineers in Europe and the United States also use them to tune the vehicle's overall driving experience. Some of these Amperas will have very short lives as they will be used in safety and structural integrity testing.
"We're right on target for producing the Ampera for European markets later next year," said Andrew Farah, Vehicle Chief Engineer for the Ampera "There's still work to be done, but being able to drive an Opel Ampera off our pre-production line is a great accomplishment for the teams here and in Europe."
The Opel Ampera extended-range electric vehicle delivers up to 60 kilometers of pure electric driving before an engine-generator kicks in to sustain the battery charge and seamlessly extend the range to more than 500 kilometers. The battery can be charged by plugging the vehicle's on-board charge system into a standard household outlet. It is scheduled to go on sale end 2011.
Apr 22, 2010
Largest gathering of Tesla Roadsters ever
Roadster owners are a fascinating group of people with varied backgrounds and great stories to tell. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of them over the past year delivering cars from our Menlo Park store. After rejoining our headquarters Customer Service team, it’s the daily interaction with our owners I miss most. When asked to help host the March 21st Road Rally for local customers, I didn’t hesitate.
We kicked off the event at the Tesla Store Menlo Park. Once everyone had assembled in the parking lot and enjoyed some coffee and snacks, we had a quick drivers’ meeting and were off. Up Sand Hill Road we went, passing some of the very VCs whose investments made these cars possible in the first place. We hopped on Highway 280, where Roadsters are becoming a familiar sight, then took the 92 towards the coast. Highway 92 is made for the Roadster – its a fun little twisty road that courses over Crystal Springs Reservoir and up into the coastal hills which greet the Pacific fog each evening. From the crest, we made our way down into the sleepy hamlet of Half Moon Bay. We cruised down the coast as the morning fog dissipated, exposing some of the best scenery the Pacific has to offer. After a dozen breathtaking miles on PCH, we stopped at Pomponio State Beach to line up the Roadsters for their photo shoot.
As we pulled in, I tallied up the Roadsters. There were thirty customer cars and four cars from our company fleet. A few of our earliest customers were there touting odometers that read over 20,000 miles. I was driving Validation Prototype 11 which had the highest mileage of any Roadster present, with roughly 67,000 miles on the odometer. Not bad for a car just over two years old! Leading the pack was our beloved VIN 750, the car we watched drive across the country to Detroit for NAIAS in January.
In the parking lot of Pomponio State Beach, we checked out the cars (a great opportunity to see color combos and customizations), and owners traded stories of how they came to be Roadster Owners. We took a group photo to commemorate the largest rally of Roadsters to date (beat that, LA!).
We were able to keep a tight grouping as we motored back up the hills to Skyline Boulevard, the famous ribbon of blacktop running along the hilltop crest of the peninsula south of San Francisco. This crossroads is home to Alice’s Restaurant, a local favorite for anyone who likes to tackle twisty roads on two or four wheels. This was the site of some of our earliest test drives, so this hilltop intersection is certainly a special place for Tesla. As we piled up for the stop sign, we could see restaurant patrons pouring out to have a look and give us a wave. While Roadsters may have become a regular sight in the Bay Area, seeing 34 of them in a row is certainly a spectacle!
After we slid down the hill and made our way into Palo Alto, we pulled into the parking lot of our new Headquarters where lunch was waiting. Since most of the building is still a hardhat zone while we prepare to build electric powertrain components, we ate in the sunshine, discussing the merits of solar power, electric drive, and the special feeling of being a member of the Roadster Owner Community.
I can’t think of a better way of spending a Sunday morning with a Roadster. If you can, let us know, we’re listening.
We kicked off the event at the Tesla Store Menlo Park. Once everyone had assembled in the parking lot and enjoyed some coffee and snacks, we had a quick drivers’ meeting and were off. Up Sand Hill Road we went, passing some of the very VCs whose investments made these cars possible in the first place. We hopped on Highway 280, where Roadsters are becoming a familiar sight, then took the 92 towards the coast. Highway 92 is made for the Roadster – its a fun little twisty road that courses over Crystal Springs Reservoir and up into the coastal hills which greet the Pacific fog each evening. From the crest, we made our way down into the sleepy hamlet of Half Moon Bay. We cruised down the coast as the morning fog dissipated, exposing some of the best scenery the Pacific has to offer. After a dozen breathtaking miles on PCH, we stopped at Pomponio State Beach to line up the Roadsters for their photo shoot.
As we pulled in, I tallied up the Roadsters. There were thirty customer cars and four cars from our company fleet. A few of our earliest customers were there touting odometers that read over 20,000 miles. I was driving Validation Prototype 11 which had the highest mileage of any Roadster present, with roughly 67,000 miles on the odometer. Not bad for a car just over two years old! Leading the pack was our beloved VIN 750, the car we watched drive across the country to Detroit for NAIAS in January.
In the parking lot of Pomponio State Beach, we checked out the cars (a great opportunity to see color combos and customizations), and owners traded stories of how they came to be Roadster Owners. We took a group photo to commemorate the largest rally of Roadsters to date (beat that, LA!).
We were able to keep a tight grouping as we motored back up the hills to Skyline Boulevard, the famous ribbon of blacktop running along the hilltop crest of the peninsula south of San Francisco. This crossroads is home to Alice’s Restaurant, a local favorite for anyone who likes to tackle twisty roads on two or four wheels. This was the site of some of our earliest test drives, so this hilltop intersection is certainly a special place for Tesla. As we piled up for the stop sign, we could see restaurant patrons pouring out to have a look and give us a wave. While Roadsters may have become a regular sight in the Bay Area, seeing 34 of them in a row is certainly a spectacle!
After we slid down the hill and made our way into Palo Alto, we pulled into the parking lot of our new Headquarters where lunch was waiting. Since most of the building is still a hardhat zone while we prepare to build electric powertrain components, we ate in the sunshine, discussing the merits of solar power, electric drive, and the special feeling of being a member of the Roadster Owner Community.
I can’t think of a better way of spending a Sunday morning with a Roadster. If you can, let us know, we’re listening.
Apr 6, 2010
Progressive design for the Audi R15 TDI
Audi wants to surprise the spectators at this year's 24-hour race at Le Mans (France) with a progressive design: the Audi Design Team created a fresh outfit for the innovative diesel race sports car that bears all the hallmarks of "pleasure in efficiency."
Whereas silver was the dominant color of the Audi R15 TDI last year, the 2010 model boasts a radical new design that features more red. In addition, large areas of the Le Mans race sports car that is internally designated as "R15 plus" will be kept in a purist black carbon-fiber look.
"We're happy that we were allowed to give the car such a progressive look," say Markus Auerbach and Tobias Drews from the Audi Design Team. "We wanted to add a dash of surprise when the Audi leaves the pits at Le Mans. We practically opened up the bodywork and are exposing the light-weight construction and its uncompromising technical development - and with a little rock 'n' roll for good measure."
The Audi R15 TDI sporting its new design will make its debut at the Le Castellet 8 Hours on April 11. Audi Sport Team Joest will contest the 2010 season opener of the Le Mans Series in preparation for the Le Mans (France) 24 Hours on June 12/13. Another test race is planned at the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
"The race at Le Castellet comes at a very early point in time for us and is nothing but a test in racing conditions," stresses Ralf Jüttner, Technical Director of Audi Sport Team Joest. "Even though it's a difficult logistical undertaking, we wanted to gather experiences with the R15 plus at a race as early as possible. Le Castellet offers the opportunity to do this."
The 2010 version of the Audi R15 TDI completed a roll-out at the Audi test track in Neustadt at the beginning of March. The prototype was subsequently flown to the USA for initial tests which primarily featured aerodynamics trials. A five-day endurance test followed at Sebring (Florida) at which about 5 500 kilometers were reeled off without any technical problems worth mentioning.
In Europe, the final set-up work with a view toward Le Mans is on the agenda. Further track tests will now be followed by the first run in a race at which the result will be of secondary importance for Audi though. "Le Castellet will strictly be about gathering additional experience with the R15 plus," emphasizes Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "Racing conditions simply can't be simulated in normal track tests; that's why we're contesting a race at such an early stage."
It is planned to field the R15 plus with chassis number 202. Audi Sport Team Joest has nominated Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) as drivers. "However, we will only decide whether all three drivers will actually race at short notice," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Since Audi has performed several endurance tests for the Le Mans 24 Hours at Le Castellet in recent years, the team and drivers are intimately familiar with the circuit in southern France.
Audi, by the way, has very good memories of its most recent racing commitment at Le Castellet: in 1995, Frank Biela won the Touring Car World Cup there in the Audi A4 quattro against strong rivals.
The schedule at Le Castellet
Friday, April 9
12:40–13:40 hrs free practice 1
16:10–17:10 hrs free practice 2
Saturday, April 10
09:45–10:45 hrs free practice 3
13:40–14:00 hrs qualifying (GT vehicles)
14:10–14:30 hrs qualifying (prototypes)
Sunday, April 11
08:20–08:40 hrs warm-up
11:00–19:00 hrs race
Whereas silver was the dominant color of the Audi R15 TDI last year, the 2010 model boasts a radical new design that features more red. In addition, large areas of the Le Mans race sports car that is internally designated as "R15 plus" will be kept in a purist black carbon-fiber look.
"We're happy that we were allowed to give the car such a progressive look," say Markus Auerbach and Tobias Drews from the Audi Design Team. "We wanted to add a dash of surprise when the Audi leaves the pits at Le Mans. We practically opened up the bodywork and are exposing the light-weight construction and its uncompromising technical development - and with a little rock 'n' roll for good measure."
The Audi R15 TDI sporting its new design will make its debut at the Le Castellet 8 Hours on April 11. Audi Sport Team Joest will contest the 2010 season opener of the Le Mans Series in preparation for the Le Mans (France) 24 Hours on June 12/13. Another test race is planned at the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
"The race at Le Castellet comes at a very early point in time for us and is nothing but a test in racing conditions," stresses Ralf Jüttner, Technical Director of Audi Sport Team Joest. "Even though it's a difficult logistical undertaking, we wanted to gather experiences with the R15 plus at a race as early as possible. Le Castellet offers the opportunity to do this."
The 2010 version of the Audi R15 TDI completed a roll-out at the Audi test track in Neustadt at the beginning of March. The prototype was subsequently flown to the USA for initial tests which primarily featured aerodynamics trials. A five-day endurance test followed at Sebring (Florida) at which about 5 500 kilometers were reeled off without any technical problems worth mentioning.
In Europe, the final set-up work with a view toward Le Mans is on the agenda. Further track tests will now be followed by the first run in a race at which the result will be of secondary importance for Audi though. "Le Castellet will strictly be about gathering additional experience with the R15 plus," emphasizes Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "Racing conditions simply can't be simulated in normal track tests; that's why we're contesting a race at such an early stage."
It is planned to field the R15 plus with chassis number 202. Audi Sport Team Joest has nominated Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) as drivers. "However, we will only decide whether all three drivers will actually race at short notice," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Since Audi has performed several endurance tests for the Le Mans 24 Hours at Le Castellet in recent years, the team and drivers are intimately familiar with the circuit in southern France.
Audi, by the way, has very good memories of its most recent racing commitment at Le Castellet: in 1995, Frank Biela won the Touring Car World Cup there in the Audi A4 quattro against strong rivals.
The schedule at Le Castellet
Friday, April 9
12:40–13:40 hrs free practice 1
16:10–17:10 hrs free practice 2
Saturday, April 10
09:45–10:45 hrs free practice 3
13:40–14:00 hrs qualifying (GT vehicles)
14:10–14:30 hrs qualifying (prototypes)
Sunday, April 11
08:20–08:40 hrs warm-up
11:00–19:00 hrs race
Apr 2, 2010
CODA Automotive Battery Joint Venture Secures $394 Million of Committed Capital for Expansion
California-based electric car and battery company CODA Automotive announced today that together with its joint venture partner, Lishen Power Battery, it has secured $394 million of committed capital. Lishen is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of lithium ion cells and a key battery supplier to industry leading companies such as Apple, Motorola, Samsung and Vodafone. The capital will enable the company to rapidly industrialize the all-electric CODA car’s power system for commercial volume production and support its ability to mass manufacture transportation and utility power storage battery systems.
The joint venture has secured $100 million in committed equity capital and has received a commitment for a $294 million line of credit from the Bank of Tianjin Joint-Stock Co., Ltd.
“This capital strengthens the strategic position of our joint venture and allows us to meet the rising global demand for automotive-grade lithium-ion battery and utility power storage systems,” said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, CODA Automotive. “The U.S. and China face tremendous security and environmental challenges that we intend to address by combining our complementary capabilities and skills. This joint venture will accelerate the adoption of new energy technology while creating jobs in the U.S. and abroad.”
CODA Automotive is slated to begin deliveries of its zero tailpipe emissions, all-electric car in the fourth quarter of this year. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and anticipates that it can deliver more than 14,000 vehicles to customers in California by the end of 2011. To date, CODA has raised in excess of $100 million in capital. Through its joint venture, CODA Automotive plans to establish battery manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
The joint venture has secured $100 million in committed equity capital and has received a commitment for a $294 million line of credit from the Bank of Tianjin Joint-Stock Co., Ltd.
“This capital strengthens the strategic position of our joint venture and allows us to meet the rising global demand for automotive-grade lithium-ion battery and utility power storage systems,” said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, CODA Automotive. “The U.S. and China face tremendous security and environmental challenges that we intend to address by combining our complementary capabilities and skills. This joint venture will accelerate the adoption of new energy technology while creating jobs in the U.S. and abroad.”
CODA Automotive is slated to begin deliveries of its zero tailpipe emissions, all-electric car in the fourth quarter of this year. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and anticipates that it can deliver more than 14,000 vehicles to customers in California by the end of 2011. To date, CODA has raised in excess of $100 million in capital. Through its joint venture, CODA Automotive plans to establish battery manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
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