Monthly Archives: April 2017

Electric Cars in General

TRO to launch UK’s first Electric Vehicle Experience Centre

TRO has been appointed to launch the UK’s first ever Electric Vehicle Experience Centre in partnership with Chargemaster.

Opening in Milton Keynes, the EV Experience Centre is aimed at educating consumers by demonstrating the value of electric vehicles.
TRO’s retail division is responsible for the design and production of the EV Experience Centre, which will feature a number of engaging technologies to enrich shoppers’ showroom experience.

Pictured: TRO has designed the first of its kind Electric Vehicle Experience Centre, launching in Milton Keynes in spring

Ben Taylor, retail director at TRO, said:

“We are thrilled to be spearheading this innovative initiative in partnership with Chargemaster. The new store reflects the automotive industry landscape and the dramatic increase of consumer interest in electric cars – plug in power models are appealing not just to dedicated environmentalists but a much more mainstream audience. The project embodies several areas of TRO’s capabilities – melding our expertise in retail, automotive and digital spheres.”

Chargemaster is responsible for the running and management of the store for its five-year duration.

The EV Experience Centre is to be delivered as part of Milton Keynes’ £9 million ‘Go Ultra Low’ Cities programme, which encourages the uptake of low emission vehicles – with a target of 23 per cent of all car sales being electric or plug-in by 2021.

Source: meetpie.com via Fuel Included news

Electric Cars in General, Renault Zoe News

ELECTRIC RALLY CAR SPARKS SUCCESS

Fife-based eRally Motorsport have built the first electric rally car, a Renault Zoe which is charging into Formula 1000 in 2018.

The prototype car will be used in junior rallying, for 14 to 17-year-olds, after being tested in the senior division this year.

Thanks to help from Business Gateway Fife, eRally, which is based just outside Rosyth, has created a sponsorship package that has already attracted Aberdeen’s EC-OG. Further deals are currently being sought which would help the company reduce the car’s price tag from £15k to under £10k.

The sponsorship deals, alongside a commitment from RCI Financial Services to supply a number of donor vehicles to the team over the next 12 months, will also help keep them on course to launch the eRally Championship in Scotland within the next three years.

Jean Hay, co-driver and project coordinator at eRally Motorsport Ltd, said:

“We now have a complete package – a rally ready car and sponsorship deals on offer. Although the number of cars RCI Financial Services Ltd’s will supply to us at a discounted or subsidised rate has yet to be decided, having them on board will help us showcase electric car rally driving to the nation.”

Fraser McKee, Business Gateway Fife, said:

“We’ve provided eRally with information on how to run a rally team as a business. Getting the pricing structure for sponsorship correct was crucial and with our help they now have packages that will attract the right companies”

eRally’s electric rally car is the brainchild of former British Rally Championship and current Scottish Rally Championship driver Ellya Gold and Tristan Dodd, Chairman of Formula 1000.

Although the original idea for the car arose in 2006, it wasn’t until Tristan approach the Motorsport Association with the idea of producing an electric car for youngsters to drive last year that approval was given.

The prototype eRally car is powered by a 65kw motor which provides a maximum torque of 220Nm – double the torque currently used in the junior section. The 20kWh lithium ion battery gives the car a competitive range, when driven flat out, of around 25 miles.

Renault has recently launched a new 41kWh battery pack that will effectively double the range of further eRally cars built for customers.

Read more: BQ Weekly via Fuel Included news

Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Electric Cars in General

Hitachi Starts U.K. Project to Mix Clean Power and Electric Cars

Hitachi Ltd. will work on a smart-grid project in Southwest England that seeks to combine renewable energy, battery storage and electric vehicles to balance power output and usage.

Hitachi’s European unit will develop a so-called Internet-of-things platform for the 10.8 million-pound ($13.13 million) project in the Isles of Scilly, in Cornwall, according to a statement Wednesday. It’s partly funded by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund.

Hugh Town on the Isles of Scilly (image: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

PassivSystems Ltd. will supply home energy management systems, and Moixa Energy Holdings Ltd. will contribute systems that allow home and electric vehicle batteries to respond to changing demand.

“This is a key investment area for Hitachi Europe Ltd. and puts us in an ideal position to build IoT engineering capabilities in the U.K. to deploy digital solutions globally,”

Andres Larriera, head of Hitachi’s smart cities energy group, said in the statement.

Source: Bloomberg via Fuel Included news