Electric Vehicles

Tesla Battery Day 2020 is Just Around the Corner!

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Tesla /
Tesla Battery Day 2020

Tesla’s Battery Day has been pushed back a couple times this year, but we’re now less than 2 weeks away. Originally slated for April, it is now scheduled for September 22nd. There’s been quite a bit of speculation around what announcements they might share during the event. Battery Tech Clearly the main focus during their Battery Day events is around the battery technology itself. There’s been discussion of a battery pack that will last over a million miles, has Tesla now achieved this feat? Current Tesla battery packs are estimated to last somewhere between 350,000-500,000 miles before they need to be replaced. It would take some substantial cycle testing to determine if a battery pack can last for one million miles. Big Announcements Coming Elon Musk tweeted that many exciting things would be announced on Battery Day. This is only going to fuel the speculation! Many exciting things will be unveiled on Battery Day 9/22 ⚡️ — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2020 Maxwell Technologies Back in May, Tesla acquired Maxwell. Is it possible that Tesla has had enough time to incorporate some of the proprietary technology from Maxwell into their products already? Project Roadrunner Earlier this year, information about a code name “Project Roadrunner” was leaked. This is an internal project within Tesla to lower the cost of battery cells. Could some of this information come to light at Battery Day? Plaid Model S Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, Tesla was estimating a release of a Plaid Model S by the end of the year. A tribute or borrowed naming from Space Balls, a movie Elon has referenced before had the line “the only thing faster than ludicrous is plaid!”. It’s quite possible there’s an update during Battery Day regarding the Plaid Model S. Photos of the Model S prototype with the tri-motor drive train showed some subtle enhancements to the body such as air intakes in the fenders. Tesla Model S and X Refresh A photo showing a more minimalist interior for the Tesla Model S and X surfaced last year. The rendering was quite similar to the Model 3 interior. Some individuals feel the Model S and X are a bit dated, especially the Model S that has only had a minor fascia upgrade since it first went into production in 2012. It’s quite possible that Tesla could also announce an update to the interior and/or exterior of the Model S and X. Bigger Battery Packs and Longer Range? Tesla has mentioned making batteries more dense. This would mean more power in a smaller size. This could open up things for battery packs that are larger than the current 100 kWh packs on the Model S and X. Larger battery packs would directly correlate to even longer range. Is it possible we might see 125 kWh or 150 kWh packs? Summary For those who are fans of EV’s, the Tesla Battery Day should bring some big news. Lot’s of speculation is out there, but all we can really do is sit back and wait. As the countdown to Tesla Battery Day gets closer, there should be more details on the time. Like previous events, it will likely be streamed live with a link on the Tesla.com website. Are You Considering a Tesla Purchase? If you’re looking to purchase a new Tesla vehicle or Tesla Energy product, please consider using my referral code (link to Tesla with my code): https://ts.la/kevin82163 Looking for More Articles on Tesla? Check out our other Tesla posts here: https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/tesla

Aviar R67 – Another Classic Electric Mustang for Production?

Automotive, Electric Vehicles /
aviar r67

Aviar Motors has renderings and some real-life photos of what they call the R67. It’s essentially a modern version of the Ford Mustang Fastback from the late 60’s. To be exact, more likely the 1967 (hence the R67 name). Some details including price, expected production date, and production quantities aren’t listed on their website. It’s also unclear if the design is finalized or if they are still in an earlier concept phase at this point. In it’s current form, it appears it will have a carbon fiber body based on the 1967 Ford Mustang with some more modern components. Many of these modern components are borrowed from Tesla. On one of their photos, you can clearly see Tesla brakes components including the red caliper. Tesla’s adjustable shock tower also appears to be part of the suspension. More on the brakes later… Per their press kit… AVIAR R67 electric car is made on the basis of Tesla Model S automobile. AVIAR R67 project uses a battery, electric motors, gearboxes, suspension elements, power cables, electronics manufactured by Tesla. While on their website they claim it’s “the first electric muscle car with incredible acceleration dynamics and a high level of comfort”, let’s not forget about the Charge Mustang. I’m not sure if Charge has produced and sold any of their Mustang’s yet, but it would be great see some of these on the streets and in the hands of private owners. With what I’m sure will be a fairly substantial price tag, just don’t expect mass quantities of them – assuming either are able to go into production. Aviar R67 Specs Power 840hp 0-100km/h (0-62mph) 2.2 seconds Top Speed 250 km/h (155mph) Range 507 km (315 miles) Battery 100 kWh Exterior Shots Interior Aviar R67 Prototype (with Unpainted Carbon Fiber Body) Aviar R67 Features Some of the features they list include: Autopilot Sensors and Cameras Electronic Stability and Traction Control Voice-Activated Controls Climate Control 6 Airbags throughout LED Optics WiFi and Cellular Internet Capability Bluetooth Hands-Free Calling One-Touch Power Windows Backlit Pull-Out Handle Heated Steering Wheel and Seats Dual-Zone Climate Control 17″ Touch Screen HEPA Air Filtration System (Biohazard Mode?) New or Salvaged Tesla Parts? Since as of today, Tesla hasn’t made it easy for owners to purchase certain parts from them, it makes you wonder. Is Aviar planning on building the R67 from a wrecked Tesla or have they possibly reached a deal with them to obtain new parts? Tesla Supercharging for the Aviar R67? Here’s a big feature they’ve listed, they also state the R67 is compatible with Tesla Supercharge stations. Many Tesla’s that have been totaled by insurance companies have been “blacklisted” from the Tesla Superharging network. Will the R67 actually work at Tesla Superchargers? Door Handles Looking closely at the door handles, they also appear to be borrowed directly from the Tesla Model S. If that’s the case, and assuming other hardware/software is pulled from the Tesla Model S, they’ll likely be self-presenting handles. Painted? I think the raw carbon fiber body gives quite a unique look. I wouldn’t mind seeing it left in this form and not have any paint. Brakes While many parts are borrowed from Tesla, the brake discs were designed specifically for the R67. The discs are machined from 6060 aluminum alloy. This is to help to improve dynamic performance and handling. Aviar R67 Price and Other Questions Price As mentioned earlier, one of the big questions (for me at least) is the price. While clearly not an easy task to build a prototype, going into production is quite another. Production and New or Used Parts? Will Aviar Motors be able to mass produce these, albeit likely in a low volume capacity? Are they dependent on salvaged Tesla’s for parts or have they worked out an agreement direct with Tesla? Geographical Market How big of market will they have? Will these ever see US soil since they are based on a classic Mustang? Restomod or Electromod? Personally I would love to see more vintage and classic cars go through modern manufacturing. Give it a bit of a restomod update or what or a new buzz word I’ve seen is “Electromod”. Straight from a manufacturer or as a kit similar to the Shelby Cobra replicas. Even if it’s not the original manufacturer. Let someone else give a modern take on a classic (assuming they have everything cleared from a licensing standpoint). There’s certainly purists out there who want everything left stock and original on certain classics. For myself, I enjoy seeing the custom modified vehicles. And rather than putting endless hours into restoring old, rusted out parts, why not look to components built with modern technology? You can’t always original for everything. Restored vehicles typically see new paint and other components here or there. About Aviar Motors Aviar Motors was founded by Aleksey Rachev and is based in Russia. They’ve drawn influence not only from American muscle cars from the 1960’s, but other cultural influence such as Apollo 11 and Woodstock. I could not let this wonderful cars be left no more than in the pages of history, just for the reason of ecology, economy, new safety standards and the rest of various factors. That would be just awful! Aleksey Rachev, Founder of AVIAR Motors Check out AVIARMotors.com. Comments? What are your thoughts on the Aviar R67 Electric Mustang? Leave your comments below…

Rivian Update (Company Progress Report – August 2020)

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Rivian /
rivian update at normal factory

Here’s a Rivian Update for August 2020. In this video they show what they refer to as their progress report. It’s a guided tour of their Operations Facility in Normal, Illinois… If you’re not already familiar with Rivian, they’re an all-electric “adventure vehicle” manufacturer. Rivian is expected to start producing their first vehicles, likely in 2021. Originally slated for late 2020, but thanks in part to the pandemic, their dates have pushed. Their lineup currently includes a truck as well as an SUV that share the same “Skateboard” platform. The R1T is their pickup truck, and the R1S is the SUV. They have also designed an electric cargo van, although I have not found verification if the van has it’s own skateboard platform. The Factory Their CEO, RJ Scaringe gives a guided tour of their production facility located in Normal, Illinois. Normal is approximately a 2 hour drive from Chicago. This plant location is home to their manufacturing operations. They show batteries and drivetrains being assembled to the subframe. Some of the job roles they have at this location are: Quality Manufacturing Ops Vehicle Engineers Manufacturing Engineers Their robotic arms are color matched in the same blue that is one of the color options on the truck. Approximately 500 robotic arms are part of the plan for this particular facility. Reusable Dunage I found this interesting, many of their parts will come into the factor with a reusable dunage. What is dunage you might ask? Dunage is typically packing material that protects products during shipping. Examples include bubble wrap, corrugate, or, in the case of Rivian, plastic containers. They will re-use these containers. They ship them back out for new parts to be sent back in. He mentions these are made from ocean based plastics. A vacuum-like device is supposed to be used to suck up the plastic from the ocean. Could this involve taking plastic from the infamous plastic island in the Pacific Ocean? Apparently the Rivian packing and logistic team are behind this and not a third party vendor. Very cool from the sustainability standpoint! Wheels and Tires RJ checks out where wheels and tires are sitting and ready to go. 20″ all terrains and 21″ all season tires are apart of their inventory. A 275/65R20 tire is listed for their max ground clearance on the specs page for both the R1S and R1T. This seems to imply the all terrain tires may be the standard and whereas the all seasons are an optional upgrade. Rivian Headlights While looking at a headlight, Scaringe mentions how the headlights are one of his favorite parts of the design. A friend of mine said there was no chance this design would make it into production. Things are different in the startup space. Smaller companies trying to get their first vehicles off the assembly line likely don’t have deep budgets. This can be time and money based. A budget to re-design things involves employee salary too and the longer something is in design, the longer it will take to see sales. Larger automotive manufacturers on the other hand, tend to consistently operate with a much different approach. Also unlike traditional automotive manufacturers, they don’t unveil an over-the-top concept and drastically make the vehicle much less visually appealing if they decide to go into production with it. A lot of this startup electric automotive manufacturers are doing things differently. Whether or not many of them can survive, remains to be seen. It’s certainly not easy starting a new company, let alone one in automotive. There’s quite an overhead cost. Preorders Rivian is still accepting Preorders through their website, for more information on their vehicles check out Rivian.com. Don’t Miss Another Rivian Update, Checkout Our Other Articles! Check out more of our articles on Rivian:https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/rivian

Ford Mustang Mach-E – Hooning 1,400 Horsepower!

Automotive, Electric Vehicles /
ford mustang mach-e 1400

This must be the first action shot of the new Ford Mustang Mach-E, but a one-off. The production Mach-E will have a much more mild styling and on the higher trim levels, it appears it will have 459 horsepower, far short of the 1400hp this vehicle is supposed to produce. How Much is the Ford Mustang Mach-E? Price and Trim Packages The Ford Mach-E is expected to start out at $43,895 with a few trim levels, topping out with the GT Package at $60,500. These prices are before the eligible $7500 federal tax credit in the US. Prices were from Ford’s website at the time of this article. Model Price Select $43,895 Premium $50,000 California Route 1 $51,800 First Edition $59,300 GT $60,500 California Route 1 This is a quote directly from Ford’s site, I’m still not clear what the “California Route 1” package actually entails other than being rear wheel drive with an anticipated 300 miles of range per charge. The freedom of the open road is ever-present in a California Route 1. This signature rear-wheel-drive model was designed for stamina on the road; standard with the extended range battery for a targeted EPA-estimated range of 300 miles. Source: https://www.ford.com/suvs/mach-e/2021/#innovative-features Battery Packs and Range The extended range, RWD version of the Mach E is expected to have a 300 mile per charge EPA rating. Depending on the model, there are two battery packs available. One with 68 kWh’s, while the the larger one will have a useable 88 kWh. Mustang Mach-E Charging The Mach-E will have J1772 CCS combo charging. This will allow for charging at Level 1 or Level 2 for J1772 and a faster 440v quick charging on the CCS system. Ford claims they will have the largest charging network in North America. Ordering You can currently place a pre-order for the Ford Mustang Mach-E through Ford’s website. https://www.ford.com/suvs/mach-e/2021/ At the Drag Strip Here’s a short clip of the Mach-E 1400 burning some rubber at the track. More Fabville Articles on Electric Vehicles Fabville Electric Vehicle Articles

Zero SR/S – Sport Bikes are Going All Electric!

Electric Vehicles /
zero sr/s all electric motorcycle

Back in February, Zero Motorcycles unveiled the latest addition to it’s all electric motorcycle lineup, the Zero SR/S. Speculation about the bike leading up to the unveil was that Zero might simply add on some extra fairings to their Zero SR/F, which is a street fighter style bike.

Cybertruck on Jay Leno’s Garage – Full Segment

Automotive, Cybertruck, Electric Vehicles, Tesla /
tesla cybertruck on jay leno's garage

The last week or so, CNBC posted a couple of shorter “sneak peak” clips of the upcoming episode. This is the full segment, but definitely missing some footage previously show. This includes the trailer for the new season of Jay Leno’s Garage. Most notably, the Cyberquad footage. Perhaps some additional footage will end up on Jay Leno’s channel since it doesn’t appear to have made the CNBC cut. So here it is, the full episode of the Cybertruck on Jay Leno’s Garage, just a bit over 6 minutes.