Tag Archives: electric vehicle

Mercedes’ “Real-World” Performance

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Impressive for an EV. . .but one that isn’t as real as a gas-powered one you can buy right now. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Mercedes-Benz recently announced that it performed a “real-world” test of an electric vehicle—a “lightly modified” Mercedes EQS—for a distance run:

It went from Stuttgart, Germany, through Denmark, to Malmo, Sweden, without a stop for recharging.

This means it traveled 749 miles. What’s more, there were 85 miles remaining in the battery.

Now presumably “real-world” means that they performed the test in the world that we know, regular highways.

Because what isn’t “real-world” in the context of what we know is that the sedan was equipped with a solid-state battery system developed in cooperation with Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, the same operation that provides tech for the Mercedes Formula One team.

Most of us don’t have access to that kind of tech in our real worlds.

Mercedes “lightly modified” EQS traveled from Stuttgart to Malmo—749 miles—without needing to recharge the solid-state battery powering the vehicle. (Image: Mercedes)

The solid-state lithium-metal cells were produced by Factorial Energy, a Woburn, Massachusetts-based company that is working with Mercedes, Stellantis and Hyundai on the solid-state tech.

You can’t buy a vehicle (for now) in the real world that has a battery of this type, to say nothing of one that was developed with an F1 supplier.

According to Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement:

“The solid-state battery is a true gamechanger for electric mobility. With the successful long-distance drive of the EQS, we show that this technology delivers not only in the lab but also on the road. Our goal is to bring innovations like this into series production by the end of the decade and offer our customers a new level of range and comfort.”

Which is a fair point.

But back to the real world for a moment.

The Mercedes S 500 is not unlike the Mercedes EQS, although it is a gasoline-powered vehicle.

The S 500 fuel economy numbers are 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, 24 mpg combined.

The S 500 has a 20-gallon fuel tank.

So if we take the combined number, that gives it a range of 480 miles, which is short of the 749 miles from Stuttgart to Malmo.

Even though the route from Stuttgart to Malmo is mainly highways, if we take the 24 mpg number it only provides 620 miles of range.

However, one assumes that during a 749-mile drive there would be a need for at least one stop to attend to some personal issues.

During such a stop, a vehicle can be refueled in about five minutes. So let’s say that to be on the safe side someone stopped after using 450 miles of range, leaving 30 miles in the tank, and refueled.

That means there would be 299 miles left to go, but the full tank would provide 499 miles of range, or arrival in Malmo with 181 miles of range still in the tank.

And this is with a production vehicle you can get at your local Mercedes dealer today.

EVs and the Middle Class

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By Gary S. Vasilash

Electric vehicles aren’t cheap.

According to the most-recent figures from Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price for an EV in October was $51,762. (Silver lining? Down 7.4% compared to the price in October 2022.)

The average transaction price for a non-luxury vehicle—arguably the type of vehicle that the average person buys—was $44,331 in October.

That’s a difference of $7,431. Or to go from the non-lux vehicle to the EV a ~17% increase.

Non-trivial.

The big cost in an EV is the battery. It can represent 40% or more of the sticker.

So one thing vehicle manufacturers are working on is reducing the price of the battery.

One of the ways they’re doing this is by using batteries with less-costly materials.

Right now the (more or less) standard type of battery chemistry is NMC, or lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide. The key things to know are the nickel and the cobalt, as these are the pricey ones.

There is another chemistry, LFP, or lithium iron phosphate. Iron and phosphorus are a lot cheaper than nickel and cobalt.

What’s more, the manufacturing process to make LFP batteries is simpler, which also contributes to a lower price.

However, LFP batteries have less energy density than NMC batteries. Which means less range for the same-size battery.

Additionally, LFP batteries don’t charge as readily in cold environments.

But there’s a price difference of about 30%, so perhaps the downsides of LFP are not a concern for those who are looking for affordability.

Stellantis and CATL, the leading producer of batteries for EVs, have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the supply of battery cells and modules to the vehicle manufacturer’s operations—in Europe.

For LFP battery cells and modules.

The interesting thing is this:

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, rationalized the arrangement by saying, “This MoU with CATL on LFP battery chemistry is another ingredient in our long-term strategy to protect freedom of mobility for the European middle class.”

Have you ever heard a U.S. automotive exec specifically say they’re developing EVs for the middle class?

Until that is the stated objective, odds are it’s not going to happen. And there will continue to be that double-digit percentage difference between the cost of an EV and a non-luxury car.

Yes, Ford, for example, is working with CATL on the now-reduced-scope battery plant that will be built in Marshall, Michigan, and yes, Ford has said that the LFP batteries that will be built there will be less expensive than the NMC batteries it offers, but the market is still waiting for a true middle class EV from Ford (i.e., the least-expensive F-150 Lightning that a consumer can buy right now is $54,995 and the median price for a Mustang Mach-E is $46,995).

Perhaps the cooling in the EV market is explained by the simple fact that the vehicles available, for the most part, are simply too expensive for the middle class buyer.

Hertz Getting More EVs: Good for Them. Tricky for Renters.

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The Polestar 2, when plugged into a DC fast charger, can go from 10 to 80% of charge in 33 minutes. If using a Level 2 charger, it is about eight hours to get to 100%.

Imagine the clock running. . . .

Rental car company Hertz and Polestar have announced that during the next five years the vehicle manufacturer will be selling Hertz some 65,000 vehicles, starting with the Polestar 2.

Hertz announced in October 2021 that it would be sourcing 100,000 Model 3s from Tesla.

Clearly the company is making a commitment to electric vehicles.

The company reported that in Q4 2021 it had a total of 470,900 vehicles, of which 384,492 are in the Americas.

Here’s the thing: Whether it is someone who has rented a vehicle for making business calls or who has one for a family vacation, isn’t is almost always the case that in order to avoid paying exceedingly high refueling rates there is a last-minute run to a gas station before dropping the vehicle off, even if that station is one of those that is on the edge of the airport and so has comparatively high per-gallon prices?

Further, isn’t it almost always the situation—vocational or avocational—that people are running to the edge of the time schedule for the flight departure? (Let’s not even go to the baggage check and the TSA process.)

Imagine the clock running. . . .

How are EVs going to work out for those people?

Probably not very well.

A New Old Truck Concept from Ford

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Something a couple of electric motors can do

By Gary S. Vasilash

Ford Performance, working with MLe Racecars and the Roadster Shop, has developed the F-100 Eluminator concept—an electric truck.

It is based on a 1978 F-100 pickup, which explains the retro styling (i.e., because it is retro).

F-100–customized with electric motors. (Image: Ford)

But bringing the truck up to the moment, it features two electric traction motors—front and rear—which are the same type as those used in the Mustang Mach E-GT.

The traction motors produce 480 hp and 634 lb-ft of torque.

Eric Cin, Ford global director, Vehicle Personalization, Accessories and Licensing. “Our F-100 Eluminator concept is a preview of how we’re supporting customers as they go all-electric and embrace zero-tailpipe emissions performance, even for our heritage vehicles.”

One can only imagine that were a truck like the Eluminator pull up along side a [fill-in-the-blank performance car] at a stop light it would get a glance from the other driver. . .who would then stare at the taillights as the truck has left him behind.