the good word groundswell

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Elon Musk Promises to Take Tesla Model S to ‘Plaid’ with New Powertrain

As reported by TechCrunch: CEO Elon Musk promised a more powerful powertrain option in future Model S and Model X vehicles, as well as the next-generation Roadster sports car, which will push acceleration and speed beyond the current high bar known as Ludicrous mode.

Musk tweeted Wednesday evening “the only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid,” a teaser to a higher-performing vehicle and a nod to the movie “Spaceballs.”

These new higher-performing versions of the Model S, Model X and Roadster will contain what Musk describes as a Plaid powertrain and is still about a year away from production. This new powertrain will have three motors, one more than the dual-motor system found in today’s Model S and X.

This Plaid powertrain has already seen some action. Tesla revealed Wednesday that a Model S equipped with a Plaid powertrain and chassis prototype had lapped Laguna Seca racetrack in 1:36:555, a second faster than the record for a four-door sedan.

The “Plaid” powertrain will not be offered in the lower-cost Model 3 or Model Y, which isn’t expected to go into production until late 2020. Musk also promised that this Plaid powertrain will cost more than “current offerings, but will be less than competitors,” without explaining what that means.

Close followers of the automaker might recall hints of a three-motor powertrain in the past.

When Tesla unveiled a new Roadster prototype in November 2017, Musk said it would have three motors and be able to travel a whopping 0 to 60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds with a top speed of 250 mph or even more. The Roadster isn’t expected to go into production until 2020.

What is new are Tesla’s plans to make this more powerful three-motor powertrain available in the Model S and Model X. And it stands to be an important option, if it does in fact materialize. The Model S has been around since 2012; since the introduction the cheaper Model 3, sales have dipped.

And yet, Musk has said the X and S won’t be getting a major refresh. If Tesla hopes to maintain demand for either of its higher-margin luxury vehicles, new trims like this Plaid powertrain will be essential.

Tesla first announced Ludicrous mode in its Model S vehicles way back in July 2015. As shareholders and customers awaited the Model X to arrive, Musk unveiled several options for the company’s Model S sedan, including a lower-priced version, longer battery range and “Ludicrous mode” for even faster acceleration.

Ludicrous mode, which improved acceleration by 10% to let drivers go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, came about as a result of an improved battery fuse. This new fuse, Musk explained in a blog post at the time, has its own electronics and a tiny lithium-ion battery that monitors current and protects against excessive current.

Tesla also upgraded the main pack contactor with a high-temperature space-grade superalloy instead of steel. This enabled the battery pack to remain “springy” under the heat of heavy current. In the end, the max pack output increased from 1300 to 1500 Amps.

Ludicrous was a $10,000 add on for new buyers. Tesla did reduce the price for existing Model S P85 owners for the first six months following the announcement and sold them the pack electronics upgrade needed for Ludicrous mode for $5,000.

Musk joked in this 2015 blog post that there is “one speed faster than ludicrous, but that is reserved for the next generation Roadster in 4 years: maximum plaid.”

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Watch an Electric Ford F-150 Tow Over a Million Pounds

Ford is wooing its base with the promise of mammoth torque.

As reported by Engadget: Ford is trying to show its rabid pickup truck fans that EVs aren't just for latte-sipping Tesla pilots. In an impressive demonstration of torque, an electric F-150 prototype towed 10 double-decker rail cars stuffed with 42 current-model F-150s, weighing over a million pounds (500 tons) in total. That shows promise that it could beat Ford's current towing champ, the 2019 F-150 with a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6, that's rated to tow 13,200 pounds (6.6 tons).

It's just a technology demo and of course there's a big difference between rated and maximum towing capacity. It does show, though, how electric motors can develop more torque than ICE engines, even at zero RPMs. There's a reason, after all, that most train locomotives are diesel electric, with the diesel engine acting as a generator and the electric motor actually driving the train.

Left unsaid in all this, of course, is that while an electric F-150 might be able to pull more weight than a gas-powered model, it wouldn't be able to do so for nearly as long. The ICE model has a (non-towing) range of 720 miles with the optional 36-gallon tanks, while the longest-range EV out there, the Tesla Model S 100D, can go 370 miles. Ford has yet to reveal the battery capacity of the electric F-150, nor when it will hit the market.

When the F-150 EV does arrive, it will have to contend with Tesla, which is set to launch its own "cyberpunk" EV pickup pretty soon. CEO Elon Musk has also bragged about towing capacity, tweeting that Tesla's model will be able to tow 300,000 pounds.

An electric F-150 will also be competing with Rivian, which recently unveiled the impressive looking R1T electric truck. However, that should be a more friendly rivalry, as Ford has invested $500 million into the startup. The automaker plans to build an "all-new" electric vehicle using Rivian's platform, on top of the F-150 and its other EV projects. Ford also recently announced that it was collaborating with Volkswagen, and will use VW's MEB platform for its own electric cars.

Monday, July 15, 2019

Watch These Drones String Utility Power Lines

As reported by CNBC: SkySkopes, an unmanned aircraft operator based in North Dakota, has devised a new way to string power lines using drones.

Their multi-step process uses an unmanned drone to pull a lightweight rope. This initial lead line pulls a heavier metal cable, and finally the cable pulls the much heavier power lines.

Typically, large power lines are strung using helicopters or workers climbing the towers. However, these methods can be quite dangerous. In April 2018, two workers stringing power lines in Northeastern Pennsylvania died when their helicopter crashed.

Drones do not present the same risks to people nor costs that helicopters do. SkySkopes estimates that the initial cost savings is about 25%.

The company is still researching ways to bring this method to a larger scale.

Friday, July 5, 2019

Charge's Mustang Hides an EV Inside Classic American Muscle

As reported by Engadget: Charge's electrified Mustang is controversial. The original, after all, is an automotive icon that many associate with 'American muscle,' a sub-genre of cars that growl loudly and consume gasoline like water. The Mustang before me, however, does neither of those things. It's powerful, yes, but runs on batteries and will, presumably, be whisper-silent on the road. For some, the combination is an attractive blend of technology and 1960s design. For others, it's a monstrosity that betrays the Mustang heritage.

From afar, the car looks like nearly identical to its more than 50-year-old inspiration. Charge is building its electric road warrior with officially licensed Ford Mustang shells from the 1960s. The basic shape and bodywork is, therefore, indistinguishable from the original. Look closer, though, and you'll notice the Charge badge -- a cross-shaped symbol that resembles a snowflake -- on the hood, trunk and wheels of the vehicle. The front and rear lights have been updated, too, and the exhaust pipe has obviously been thrown out. It's a unique refresh that, against all odds, straddles the line between modern and vintage design sensibilities.

Unfortunately, the car I saw at the Goodwood Festival of Speed wasn't moving. Charge is promising performance levels, though, that are worthy of the Mustang name. The final version will, for instance, have a top 'V-max' speed of 149MPH (240KPH), the company claims, and a nought to 60MPH (97KMH) time of under four seconds. A 64 kWh battery will take the car 200 miles on a single charge, which is low by luxury EV standards (the standard Model 3, for comparison, has a 220-mile range) but strangely fitting for a car that, at least outwardly, is imitating American muscle.

So why the Mustang? Well, Charge knew it would be a head-turning project. The car's enormous size, though, also made it easier to squeeze in all of the necessary EV components. An old Jaguar E-Type or Mini would have been considerably harder to pull off. "Yes, [a Mini] is too small, Vadim Shagaleev, CEO of Charge told Engadget. "That's almost impossible."

There is, of course, one huge advantage to owning Charge's Mustang over the 1960s original: reliability. "It's a well known fact that it's very difficult and problematic to drive old classic cars," Shagaleev added. "They're unreliable and always smoky and leaking. There are just plenty of problems." Charge's version, meanwhile, is effectively a brand-new car powered by modern and, hopefully, more reliable components. Owners should, in theory, be able to drive the car every day and spend minimal time, if any, cooped up in their garage with various tools and oily rags.

There will always be people who prefer the original and want to spend their weekends repairing and restoring a classic car. And that's fine -- Charge knows its electrified Mustang won't be for everyone. If you do fancy owning this unusual and somewhat eco-friendly vehicle, though, there's a reservation form online. Be warned, though: only 499 cars are being made, and each one has a starting sticker price of £300,000 (roughly $377,000).

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Intel and the Auto Industry Pen First Safety Rules for Self-Driving Cars

The guideline sets out 12 principles that autonomous vehicles must adhere to.

As reported by Engadget: Intel and a team of automotive companies have teamed up to create new guidelines for autonomous vehicles. The intention of the "Safety First Automated Driving" paper, published today, is to establish a framework of universal safety principles that all self-driving cars should abide by. The standards deal primarily with how the industry should monitor and report safety standards when building and operating autonomous cars.

Aptiv, Audi, Baidu, BMW, Continental, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Here Technologies, Infineon and Volkswagen were all involved in crafting the paper, which established 12 principles for autonomous vehicles. They include: safe operation, operational design domain, vehicle operator-initiated handover, security, user responsibility, vehicle-initiated handover, interdependency between the vehicle operator and the automated system, safety assessment, data recording, passive safety, behavior in traffic and safe layer. The paper, which is more than 100 pages, contains more details specifications for each principle.

The move by the industry to establish its own guidelines comes at a time when self-driving cars may be facing additional government scrutiny. The US Department of Transportation has been working to establish rules at the federal level while states have offered their own, varied requirements -- some considerably more lax than others.

Friday, June 21, 2019

The Age of Electric Flight is Finally Upon Us

As reported by BBC News: Aerospace firms are joining forces to tackle their industry's growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, with electric engines seen as one solution. But will this be enough to offset the growing demand for air travel?

This week's Paris Airshow saw the launch of the world's first commercial all-electric passenger aircraft - albeit in prototype form.

Israeli firm Eviation says the craft - called Alice - will carry nine passengers for up to 650 miles (1,040km) at 10,000ft (3,000m) at 276mph (440km/h). It is expected to enter service in 2022.

Alice is an unconventional-looking craft: powered by three rear-facing pusher-propellers, one in the tail and two counter-rotating props at the wingtips to counter the effects of drag. It also has a flat lower fuselage to aid lift.

"This plane looks like this not because we wanted to build a cool plane, but because it is electric," says Eviation's chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay.

"You build a craft around your propulsion system. Electric means we can have lightweight motors; it allows us to open up the design space."

Eviation has already received its first orders. US regional airline Cape Air, which operates a fleet of 90 aircraft, has agreed to buy a "double-digit" number of the aircraft.

Media captionThe plane that can fly 600 miles on batteries alone

The firm is using Siemens and magniX to provide the electric motors, and magniX chief executive Roei Ganzarski says that with two billion air tickets sold each year for flights of under 500 miles, the business potential for small electric passenger aircraft is clear.

Crucially, electricity is much cheaper than conventional fuel.

A small aircraft, like a turbo-prop Cessna Caravan, will use $400 on conventional fuel for a 100-mile flight, says Mr Ganzarski. But with electricity "it'll be between $8-$12, which means much lower costs per flight-hour".

"We're not an environmentalist company, the reason we're doing this is because it makes business sense."

MagniX is now working with seaplane operator, Vancouver-based Harbour Air, to start converting their existing fleet to electric.

The future also looks reasonably bright when it comes to medium-range flight - a range of up to about 1,500km.

Unlike Alice, aircraft targeting this range would use a mix of conventional and electric power, enabling them to cut CO2 emissions significantly by switching on the electrical component of their propulsion at the key points in a flight - take-off and landing.

Several demonstration projects are now nearing fruition.

Graphic of E-Fan X plane — Image captionAirbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are co-operating on an electric-hybrid aeroplane called the E-Fan X

For example, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and Siemens are working on the E-Fan X programme, which will have a two megawatt (2MW) electric motor mounted on a BAE 146 jet. It is set to fly in 2021.

"There are huge amounts of energy involved here, the engineering is absolutely leading-edge - and our investment in electrification is ramping up rapidly," says Rolls-Royce's chief technology officer Paul Stein.

United Technologies, which includes engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in its portfolio, is working on its Project 804, a hybrid electric demonstrator designed to test a 1MW motor and the sub-systems and components required.

The firm says it should provide fuel savings of at least 30%. It should fly in 2022 and is forecast to be ready for regional airliners by the mid-2020s.

United Technologies project 804, a hybrid electrical X-plane — Image captionIs United Technologies' hybrid-electric demonstrator plane the shape of things to come?

Zunum Aero, backed by Boeing, is using a engine turbine from France's Safran to power an electric motor for a hybrid craft. And low-cost airline EasyJet is working with Wright Electric, saying it will start using electric aircraft in its regular services by 2027. This is likely to be on short-haul flights, such as London to Amsterdam - Europe's second busiest route.

"Electric flying is becoming a reality and we can now foresee a future that is not exclusively dependent on jet fuel," says EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren.

It's a statement underscored by a report from investment bank UBS which predicts the aviation sector will quickly switch to hybrid and electric aircraft for regional travel, with an eventual demand for 550 hybrid airliners each year between 2028 and 2040.

But the prospects for electric long-haul flights are not so rosy.

While electrical motors, generators, power distribution and controls have advanced very rapidly, battery technology hasn't.

Grazia Vittadini, Airbus — Image captionAirbus' Grazia Vittadini says today's planes are 75%-80% more fuel-efficient than 50 years ago

Even assuming huge advances in battery technology, with batteries that are 30 times more efficient and "energy-dense" than they are today, it would only be possible to fly an A320 airliner for a fifth of its range with just half of its payload, says Airbus's chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini.

"Unless there is some radical, yet-to-be invented paradigm shift in energy storage, we are going to rely on hydrocarbon fuels for the foreseeable future," says Paul Eremenko, United Technologies chief technology officer.

The big problem with this is that 80% of the aviation industry's emissions come from passenger flights longer than 1,500km - a distance no electric airliner could yet fly.

Yet the UK has become the first G7 country to accept the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 - a huge challenge for the air travel business with 4.3 billion of us flying this year and eight billion expected to do so by 2037.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

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