EU to become free of petrol-fuelled cars by 2050

From Deutsche Welle: Europe's cities could be free of petrol- and diesel-fuelled cars by 2050, under "very radical, very ambitious" targets set out by the European Commission.

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Google Maps lists EV charging stations

From ÜberGizmo: Electric cars and similar types of vehicles look set to populate our roads more and more in the future, and that potential explosion can be unleashed when there are also enough places to charge up said modes of transportation.

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Green industries will enjoy 'explosive' decade

From the LA Times: What a difference a decade makes. Once shunned as an industry only a tree-hugger could love, clean-tech has blossomed into an economic heavyweight, according to a report from research firm Clean Edge Inc. (click to download the report)

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Renault apologises to 'spy' managers

From the AFP: Renault publicly apologised on Monday to three top managers it fired for allegedly selling key electric car secrets to China after it emerged the French automaker may have been the victim of fraud.

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Pininfarina and Bollore sign EV deal

Italian car designer and niche producer Pininfarina has signed a deal with France's Bollore group for electric car production for Paris's Autolib project, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The deal strengthens the existing electric car ties between Pininfarina and French businessman Vincent Bollore, whom Pininfarina Chief Executive Silvio Angori would also like as an investor in Pininfarina itself

Under the contract signed on Wednesday, Pininfarina rents a plant and supplies staff for Italian car prototype company Cecomp to make 4,000 electric cars for Bollore for Autolib, which starts in October, Pininfarina said.

Pininfarina gets 14 million euros ($19.33 million) under the three-year rental contract, it said.

In December, Vincent Bollore said he was investing 100 million euros in Autolib after winning the contract to supply cars to the car-sharing program.

Thursday's deal is a key step "towards realizing future production programs for electric vehicles on a wider scale, programs which are the basis of agreements between Pininfarina and Bollore," Pininfarina said.

Pininfarina and Bollore already have a joint venture for electric cars under which Pininfarina has rights to be chosen as the producer of vehicles.

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Renault Twingo eléctrico chega em 2014

A Renault anunciou a construção de mais um carro eléctrico, o Twingo ZE. Segundo Jacques Bousquet, responsável da divisão italiana da marca francesa, o lançamento da versão eléctrica do Renault Twingo está previsto para o segundo semestre de 2014, noticia o portal Mobi.e, citando o portal Autohoje.

Jacques Bousquet afirmou ainda que o processo de criação deste que já é o quinto modelo eléctrico da marca francesa teve como grande contributo a aliança criada com a construtora alemã Daimler. Segundo o Autohoje, esta parceria "contempla a partilha de uma nova plataforma, que servirá o Twingo e um novo modelo de quatro lugares da Smart".

A adaptação eléctrica a modelos já existentes da marca parece ser uma aposta da Renault, uma vez que a juntar-se ao Twingo ZE estão já o Fluence ZE e a Kangoo Express ZE, modelos que integram a gama ZE da marca do losango.

Mas não tem sido só a Renault a seguir esta tendência, Ford e Smart também adaptaram modelos de combustão interna a versões eléctricas, com o Ford Focus Electric e o Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.

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Wikileaks cables cast doubts on BYD

From Reuters: An ordinary American investor would probably not put money into a foreign electric car start-up suspected of openly copying competitors, let alone one whose franchised dealers occasionally put other companies' logos on its own vehicles.

But Warren Buffett is no ordinary investor, and China's BYD is no ordinary company.

At the depths of the financial crisis, Buffett put $232 million into BYD Co. Ltd. (1211.HK), taking a 9.9 percent stake in the nascent Chinese auto business. Lest there be any doubt of the relationship, BYD showrooms are adorned with giant pictures of Buffett shaking hands with Chairman Wang Chuanfu.

More than any winning presentation at the Detroit Auto Show, more than any statistics or innovations, Buffett's imprimatur put BYD on the map, instantly making it the most serious Chinese contender among those seeking to sell an all-electric car in the U.S. market.

But diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks and provided to Reuters by a third party, as well as interviews with industry consultants and executives who have examined the company's operations, raise a number of questions about the fledgling carmaker. Among other things, they describe a record of stealing designs from rivals, using those savings to undercut competitors on price and scrimping on safety.

"While BYD has certainly achieved a measure of success based on a business approach of copying and then modifying car designs just enough to convince Chinese courts that the company has not infringed on patents, it is far less certain that foreign courts will be as sympathetic," Guangzhou Consul-General Brian Goldbeck wrote in an October 30, 2009 cable that was unclassified but marked for U.S. government eyes only. It was submitted just days after BYD shares hit a new peak, driven by Buffett's backing.

BYD's questionable behavior went beyond copying designs, though. According to the consulate, the company also sold some vehicles almost at cost to boost its market share and may have advertised safety ratings for one model it did not have.

The scorching assessment of BYD by U.S. officials carried the title, "BYD seeks to 'Build Your Dreams' -- based on Someone Else's Designs." Nothing in the consulate's cable describes the motivation for the secret review of the Chinese upstart, although it notes that Buffett's bet had put BYD in the spotlight and allowed it to be seen as "one of the most promising carmakers of the future." The State Department did not respond to request for comment on the cables.

It is true that analysts view some of BYD's behavior as broadly typical of the Chinese auto industry, particularly the meticulous copying of better-known international cars. Yet analysts and industry experts in the United States say even in that context, BYD stands out, and there are questions about whether the company's much-ballyhooed -- and oft-delayed -- e6 all-electric car will ever make it to the U.S. market.

Micheal Austin, the vice president of BYD America, defended the company, its track record and the promise of its battery technology that made Buffett a believer.

He said in an email: "So where is the true technology and intellectual property? -- is it in wrapping of piece of sheet-metal around a car? or is the genius in creating a vehicle with ZERO emissions? Zero, Nada, Zip -- no noise, no smell, no smog. A vehicle that does no harm to the environment and can sell in Shenzhen China for $10,800 (after Chinese National and local incentives) -- that is genius!"

"No one can match the technology in that. Should 'they' be worried, yes. Will 'they' complain that 'Chinese' cars follow World design trends and follow design best practices? Yes," Austin said in the email.

"BYD's business and intellectual property practices in China, as well all places of the World, are compliant with local and international requirements and regulations. If there are factual complaints from (other automakers), we work hard to resolve them," he said.

Buffett did not respond to a request for comment made via his assistant, who handles his press inquiries. A spokeswoman for Buffett's MidAmerican Energy unit, which controls the investment, said "we do not speak or comment on behalf of BYD."

BAD BET?

Buffett owns 225 million shares of BYD, which were worth $1.18 billion on December 31, 2010, according to his late-February annual letter to shareholders.

On paper that looks good, as it would mean his initial investment appreciated five-fold in just over two years. The reality, however, is far different. BYD's value on Berkshire's books was just under $2 billion at the end of 2009, meaning he'd lost 40 percent on his stake in what was a very strong year for markets otherwise.

Buffett made no serious mention of BYD in this year's letter, other than to note the company would have a chance to show off at the April annual meeting of his holding company Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N). The 2009 letter gives only passing mention of the "amazing Chinese company" and its products.

For Buffett it was an unusual investment. In an April 2009 interview with Fortune magazine, Buffett said his partner Charlie Munger talked him into the deal on the strength of his impression of BYD Chairman Wang, whom Munger described as a combination of Thomas Edison and Jack Welch.

If the investment does ultimately sour, though, it would be a black mark for the executive who spearheaded it: David Sokol, chairman of Berkshire units MidAmerican and NetJets.

Sokol is generally held to be one of the four candidates to succeed Buffett as Berkshire's chief executive, and most consider him the frontrunner. And Sokol has also put his face prominently on the BYD deal, meeting with the industry and the press at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to tout BYD's electric cars as the wave of the future.

The company's appearance on the main floor of the Detroit auto show was the first by a Chinese automaker and came at a time when Detroit automakers GM and Chrysler were sputtering on government life support.

"Right now, we're just limited by resources," Wang said in January 2009 as he stood outside BYD's red-and-white themed booth illuminated with the company's ambitious motto: "Build Your Dreams."

Wang has certainly built his. A former government researcher, he founded BYD in 1995 with $300,000 of money borrowed from a family friend, and within five years was the world's largest maker of cell phone batteries. Once China's richest man, Wang's goal is no less than becoming the world's largest automaker.

With that angle in mind, Wang courted Sokol, knowing that he had Buffett's trust.

"I don't know a thing about cellphones or batteries," Buffett admitted to Fortune in the 2009 interview. "And I don't know how cars work. Charlie Munger and Dave Sokol are smart guys, and they do understand it."

VIBRATING MOLARS

Sokol's attachment to the deal makes sense, given MidAmerican's commitments to renewable energy and the touted promise of BYD's battery technology, as first seen in its F3DM plug-in hybrid with range-extending gas engine.

BYD's pitch for its battery technology was so strong that the consulate, despite its concerns about the company's behavior, was willing to consider the possibility the battery itself was the real deal.

"The answer to climate change may be as simple as the chemical formula of a lithium iron phosphate battery, according to one ambitious south China company," consular section chief Michael Jacobsen said in a January 2010 note to the State Department.

The only catch is that the batteries have to work.

"During a recent visit to BYD headquarters in Shenzhen, a top manager told (an embassy official) that sales of the F3DM had been slow, with only around 100 vehicles sold to date, mostly to the municipal government," the cable said, with an added note: "Media reports speculate that slow sales may also be an indication that the F3DM's battery performance falls considerably short of expectations."

If the batteries are not all they are cracked up to be, it raises a question about the fundamental point of Buffett's investment.

"Whether or not they can manufacture their own cars isn't relevant to us, because we see their real expertise is in the development of the batteries, the motors, the control systems for that," Sokol told Reuters in January 2009.

"That's not to say that they can't make a nice car, but a lot of people can make a nice car. The breakthrough from our perspective is the battery technology."

Americans curious to see for themselves have only one option at the moment: a fleet of 10 F3DMs the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles signed a deal for last year. The arrangement is not a formal lease, but a cost-sharing program that BYD's Austin estimated cost the authority somewhere between $300 and $400 per car per month.

The housing authority did not return multiple calls for comment over a period of days. But early reviews were less than positive.

"It would be easy to chuckle at the F3DM's minor flaws -- the wobbly storage compartment between the front seats, subpar floor mats, squishy handling. But the build quality and materials seem perfectly adequate for utility-oriented Americans," the New York Times wrote on February 20 after a test drive.

The paper's assessment of the F3DM's dual-mode engine, and particularly the process of switching from electric power to gas, was even tougher.

"The steering wheel vibrates. The dashboard hums. You feel the vibration in your molars."

BYD's Austin told Reuters in a follow-up interview the Times story was actually useful, in that it helped him make the case to engineers in China that BYD needed to do a better job of dampening noise for the U.S. market.


'COPYING EVERYTHING'

The Times reporter's experience with the F3DM's workmanship goes to the heart of one of the most frequent criticisms of BYD, and of Chinese automakers in general: that their cars are simply cheap copies of other manufacturers' work.

Even in cases of active cooperation between Chinese automakers and their European, American and Asian partners, there is room for confusion on where one brand ends and the other begins.

For instance, Chinese automaker Brilliance, which has a joint venture with BMW AG (BMWG.DE), offers its own line of vehicles that rely heavily on design cues from its more famous partner. Brilliance even markets its M2 sedan as having been through the "BMVV quality control process" -- one letter away from the BMW brand -- and says its car is "known as the Chinese BMW 3."

Paul Newton, London-based analyst for IHS Automotive, said that all foreign companies doing business in China know the lay of the land. Even if they sense unsavory behavior, he said, they consider it a part of the price for doing business in the world's largest car market.

"Until the law in China recognizes some kind of international intellectual property issues, companies will always be up against it. But for the most part, (Western company officials) shrug their shoulders and say it will cost us more not being involved than being involved, so let's get involved," said Newton.

In the case of BYD, the automakers most frequently cited as "inspiration" for its cars include Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Honda Motor Co (7267.T). Both are aware of the issue, though both declined to comment on it for the record.

One Honda source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cited BYD's F3 model in particular as a known copy with Toyota Corolla and Honda Fit attributes.

"The design is such that anyone looking at the car would know it's an imitation but it's not as if carmakers are securing design rights for each individual part, so in reality it's very difficult to bring the issue to court," the source said.

Austin said he was not aware of even a single complaint for intellectual property violations.

"In China it's the standard way of doing business," he said.

The company has also used price as a lever to beat some of those same companies. The Guangzhou consulate reported that, according to one of its sources, BYD sold one model for a profit of less than $146 per car. Ironically, for almost that same amount BYD dealers would replaces all of the BYD "marks, symbols and model plates" with those from Toyota or other manufacturers, the consulate said.

Austin acknowledged the practice has happened at dealerships, which are franchised and not company owned.

"There have been isolated incidences where dealers have done that," he said. "For branding issues we felt uncomfortable about that, probably as uncomfortable as Toyota would."

Nonetheless, BYD continues to attract new partners. Just last week it said the Chinese government had approved its tie-up with Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) and that engineers from the German luxury carmaker were already at work on a joint project in Shenzhen.

For Daimler, a late convert to electric car technology, the venture amounts to a low-risk way to hedge against regulations that could require all automakers to offer EVs in China because of government policy intended to reduce oil consumption.

One person familiar with Daimler's side of the talks said that the German automaker went into the deal well aware of the cloud around BYD.

"Nobody gets so big so quickly in the Chinese market without some casualties," said the person. "It's systemic. The Chinese are famous for copying everything."

DOES IT WORK?

While BYD is known for older copy-based models like the F3, its e6 is the next generation. It's an all-electric vehicle that, according to BYD, goes farther and charges faster than competing models from the likes of Nissan (the Leaf) and GM's Chevrolet unit (the Volt).

But skeptics remain wary of the carmaker's claims.

In May 2009, Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) considered a tie-up with BYD but pulled back after some due diligence. A VW spokesman could not be reached to comment on those talks.

Among the concerns raised by potential BYD partners: auto suppliers complained that BYD's strategy of making everything on its cars amounted to a bid to steal their technology, according to a consultant who was brought in to study BYD as established automakers kicked its tires.

BYD, U.S. suppliers complained, would ask for an initial order of parts like door panels, then drop the business, reverse engineer the part and use it on upcoming models.

In addition, BYD was "nowhere near meeting safety standards" to export to the United States or Europe, the consultant found, and its quality was spotty in the Chinese market. "If you shut the doors too hard, they fall off," the consultant said, asking that he not be named.

The consulate noted those safety concerns as well. The October 2009 Guangzhou cable mentioned a dispute over the safety rating on BYD's F0 model -- the company said it had a five-star rating from a consumer association, while that same association said it had not even tested the car. The consulate also noted a tendency toward cost-cutting through the use of plastics and lighter steel grades, all of which cut weight and expense but make the car more vulnerable.

"They passed all the U.S. safety crash test standards," Austin said of the F3DMs now being used in California.


SLOWING SALES

The U.S. launch for the e6 has slipped repeatedly, and is now aimed for the first quarter of 2012. But Austin conceded there was no rush, particularly as the company continued to learn what American consumers want and demand from a car versus Chinese expectations.

"I'm not going to let them launch the wrong cars. It'll be a huge nightmare from a PR and marketing standpoint, and the truth is, the market is China," he said. "If we have a branding issue, it impacts the global sales. BYD is not in a rush to come to the U.S. market."

While consultants and executives debate whether BYD will ever make it to the United States and how it might do if it gets here, there are signs it may be having some sales troubles on the homefront.

For all of 2010, BYD reported having sold 480 of its F3DM plug-in hybrids and E6 electric taxis. By contrast, GM had over 600 Chevy Volts as of February, counting just two months of sales in 2010 in the U.S. market.

The disappointing BYD electric car sales come despite generous government incentives in China. The F3DM, for instance, carries a government subsidy of about 47 percent of its purchase price.

"BYD makes a lot of claims and not a lot of them come true," said Newton of IHS.

More recently, BYD's February sales fell by half from January and nearly a quarter from a year earlier. Analysts said its low-end models were less competitive than they used to be and higher-end models were not gaining sales momentum, even with price cuts in mid-February of up to 20 percent.

Sales also fell 15 percent in January, even as the Chinese auto market was growing in the double digits at that time.

"They are in recovery mode, working on the quality of the vehicles, working on the dealership network and most importantly trying to prove to the world that they are in fact a genuine producer of electric vehicle(s). That's why Warren Buffett had invested and that's why everyone is watching," said Michael Dunne, president of consultancy Dunne & Co.

The sales declines are nonetheless showing up in BYD's stock. Even with a sharp bounce since the last part of February the shares are still down nearly 10 percent this year, suggesting that Buffett's investment has slipped below the psychologically important $1 billion mark.

Falling sales at home would be bad enough, but BYD's aspirations are global. If the company does make it to the world stage it could face a whole different set of problems, as the Guangzhou consulate noted almost two years ago.

"Especially as the company eyes overseas markets and gears up to export its models, including electric cars, to the United States, the likelihood of legal challenges related to intellectual property and safety or liability issues would appear to loom larger and larger on the horizon," the consulate said.

The consulate's warning about lawsuits could serve as a caution to the 80-year-old "Oracle of Omaha." Though Buffett is a long-term investor, he may not want the hassle -- or the headlines -- of holding a stake in a company that risks years of protracted litigation. Otherwise, he may be reminded of his words in his 2008 letter about another bad deal, this time the acquisition of shoe maker Dexter.

"To date, Dexter is the worst deal that I've made," Buffett said. "But I'll make more mistakes in the future -- you can bet on that."

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Deloitte: Mass adoption of EVs still far away

Despite rising fuel prices, the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is still some distance away, is the finding of a new study by Deloitte, the business advisory firm.

According to the survey of 4,760 European consumers, only 16% see themselves as potential first movers to buy or lease an electric vehicle, while 53% say they might be willing to consider it, and 31 percent say they are not likely to consider purchasing or leasing an EV.

David Raistrick, automotive partner and head of manufacturing at Deloitte UK, commented: "There is no doubt that electric vehicles are the future of the automotive industry. However, while interest in electric vehicles is growing, with 69% of respondents willing to consider an EV today, current market offerings generally fall far short of consumers' expectations for driving range, charging time, and purchase price.

More than 80% of European consumers surveyed said that convenience to charge, range, and the cost to charge were all key considerations when buying or leasing an EV.

David Raistrick added: "Range, price and charging concerns need to be addressed. Our research shows that there are specific design targets that manufacturers must reach in order to entice car buyers.

"Three-quarters of European consumers surveyed (74%) said that before they would consider purchasing an EV, they would expect it to be able to travel 300 miles between charges - much higher than what is currently available - and 67% said the battery must take no longer than two hours to charge.

"In the UK, however, consumers consider the ability to travel at least 200 miles between charges to be the tipping point, especially in London and the South East."

"The automotive industry continues to invest in high end R&D to devise the cutting edge technology required for electric vehicles. It is clear that this innovation is a priority for car manufacturers. I believe there is potential for green vehicles to represent 10% of the new car market within 10 years, although the road to get there will be bumpy. Manufacturers face many challenges, both in terms of actual design elements, as well as changing the mindset of consumers toward electric vehicles."

The majority (57%) of respondents who say they may be willing to consider an Electric vehicle expect to pay the same or less for an EV than they do for a regular car. Only 24% of the same group say they would be willing to pay a premium. Currently, hybrids and battery electric vehicles represent a tiny fraction of total cars on the road. The adoption of all forms of green vehicles will be significantly influenced by government policies.

David Raistrick added: "For mass adoption, manufacturers will need to meet the challenge of pricing electric vehicles in line with consumer expectations, while still maximising their margins. Consumers are not likely to want to pay a high price premium for EVs. This means that incentives such as tax reductions and exemptions will be very important to the purchase decision. Just like the Government supported the highly successful car scrappage scheme, they should now be turning their attention to electric vehicles.

"However, a bright note for the UK is that it appears from our research that UK consumers are more willing to pay a premium for electric vehicles than their counterparts in other European countries."

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Espionagem na Renault: um falso alarme?

Do Wall Street Journal: Foi uma das alegações de espionagem industrial mais sensacionais já feitas na indústria automobilística mundial: em janeiro, a Renault SA acusou três executivos de vender segredos de tecnologia de carros elétricos.

Houve sugestões de que os compradores eram "os chineses". O ministro francês da Indústria, Eric Besson, disse que o roubo era equivalente a "uma guerra econômica". A Renault suspeitava que o dinheiro recebido estava guardado em contas bancárias na Suíça e em Liechtenstein.

Dois meses depois, a investigação está parecendo mais obra de comediantes. Há cada vez mais sinais de que a Renault apertou o gatilho rápido demais, de acordo com entrevistas com policiais, executivos, advogados e consultores externos. A montadora francesa encontrou poucas provas até agora, dizem essas pessoas.
[Ghosn] European Pressphoto Agency

O caso criou pressão sobre Carlos Ghosn. Segundo uma pessoa, a diretoria está dividida entre lados pró e contra ele

Por exemplo, a Renault não encontrou nenhuma conta bancária secreta ligada aos três executivos, segundo algumas dessas pessoas.

O caso contra os três executivos foi iniciado depois de uma carta anônima enviada em agosto a vários diretores da Renault sobre Michel Balthazard, diretor dos projetos de desenvolvimento da montadora e um de seus executivos mais respeitados. Mas o informante anônimo admitiu ter sérias dúvidas sobre suas próprias alegações.

"Vi Michel Balthazard negociar uma propina (...). Ao longo de várias semanas seu comportamento reforçou minha primeira impressão", escreveu o informante, segundo o advogado de Balthazard. A carta terminava num tom mais cheio de dúvidas: "Naturalmente, não tenho prova (...), mas se tudo isso estiver errado eu sou paranóico."

Balthazard e dois outros executivos foram demitidos quando a Renault decidiu fazer o que considerava controle de danos para o que é possivelmente seu negócio mais importante para o futuro — os carros elétricos. A Renault também entrou com queixa criminal num tribunal de Paris.

Todos os três executivos declararam repetida e veementemente sua inocência. "Depois de 30 anos, nenhum dos principais executivos mostrou nenhuma confiança em mim", disse Balthazard ao Wall Street Journal, acrescentando que ainda estava estupefato com as acusações contra ele.

Entre a série de perguntas sem resposta sobre a o caso está esta: quem enviou a carta anônima, e a quem os executivos acusados venderam os segredos empresariais?

Na Renault, executivos começaram a considerar a possibilidade de que podem ter sido enganados e agido rápido demais.
[Renault] Agence France-Presse/ Getty Images

Michel Balthazard diz estar ainda estupefato com as acusações contra ele

Numa entrevista ao jornal "Le Figaro" na semana passada, o diretor de operações da Renault, Patrick Pélata, disse que a empresa pode ter sido enganada e deu a entender que pediria demissão se a investigação em curso não provar nada. "Nós aceitaríamos as consequências até o nível mais alto na companhia, ou seja, eu", disse.

Pélata é amplamente considerado a face da Renault na França, mas a pressão está aumentando também sobre Carlos Ghosn, o franco-brasileiro que preside tanto a Renault quanto sua filiada japonesa Nissan Motor Co., dizem analistas.

A falta de provas conclusivas no caso deixou a diretoria da Renault dividida entre "lados pró-Ghosn e anti-Ghosn", segundo uma pessoa ligada ao conselho da montadora. "O ar está irrespirável na empresa. (...) Todo mundo suspeita que seu vizinho de escritório pode ser o informante secreto."

Uma porta-voz da Renault disse que as pessoas estavam um pouco nervosas na empresa, mas que não havia sinais de a equipe ficando "pró ou contra quem quer que seja".

Uma má condução da investigação pode ser constrangedora para o governo francês, que tem 15% da Renault. Na semana passada, a ministra francesa da Economia, Christine Lagarde, sugeriu que a investigação havia até o momento se mostrado inconclusiva e pediu que os principais executivos da Renault "arquem com as consequências" de qualquer equívoco da investigação.

Segundo o advogado de Balthazard, a carta anônima que motivou a investigação dizia em parte: "Não aguento ver gente que ganha bem roubar mais dinheiro, o que também acabará prejudicando a Renault e seus funcionários."
[Renault] Reuters

Bertrand Rochette, outro dos acusados, era assistente direto de Balthazard

O departamento de segurança interna da Renault lançou uma investigação e contratou o ex-militar francês Michel Luc, que trabalhava para uma firma de investigações particulares e estava baseado na Argélia, segundo pessoas familiarizadas com a questão. A firma de investigações, Groupe Geos, informa que solicitou a Luc que se demitisse quando descobriu que ele havia concordado em agir como intermediário entre a Renault e outro investigador sem a aprovação dela. Luc não respondeu a recados deixados em seu antigo escritório perto de Argel.

Em dezembro, o diretor do departamento jurídico da Renault, Christian Husson, disse a um colega que tinha "várias peças convergentes de provas" contra Balthazard e duas pessoas que trabalhavam com ele: seu assistente direto Bertrand Rochette e Matthieu Tenenbaum, um executivo de mais baixo escalão no departamento, segundo uma pessoa a par da questão.

A investigação levou a três contas bancárias, embora não esteja claro por que os investigadores da Renault consideraram as contas suspeitas. Uma tinha sido aberta em março de 2009 na Suíça com dinheiro vindo de uma firma no Chipre, disseram as pessoas. A segunda tinha sido aberta em fevereiro de 2010 em Liechtenstein e também tinha dinheiro proveniente de uma empresa do Chipre. A segunda conta foi usada para transferir dinheiro para uma terceira conta, na Suíça, por meio de uma empresa suíça, disseram as pessoas. Não está claro quem alertou a Renault sobre a existência das contas.

Em 3 de janeiro, o Technocentre, o departamento da Renault que cuida da operação de carros elétricos, estava preparando-se para uma visita de Besson, o ministro da Indústria. A Renault pretendia mostrar uma nova série de veículos elétricos que planejava apresentar no mesmo ano.

Balthazard, que tinha 31 anos de Renault e era um dos cérebros por trás da operação de carros elétricos da empresa, estava em seu escritório às 8h quando recebeu um telefonema do diretor executivo de engenharia e qualidade chamando-o para uma reunião privativa.

"Michel, estamos acusando você de corrupção num grupo organizado, de ameaçar os interesses da Renault e por fim [trabalhar] para uma potência estrangeira", disse Jean-Yves Coudriou, diretor de gestão de altos executivos, segundo o advogado de Balthazard. "Você terá de explicar por que fez isso."

Balthazard respondeu que não entendia do que as acusações se tratavam. "Depois de dez minutos, me dei conta de que havia caído em algo inimaginável", disse Balthazard depois a seu advogado, segundo este. A reunião terminou às 8h30.

A Renault se negou a tornar Coudriou disponível para comentar a questão.

Balthazard tinha um cargo no comitê diretivo da empresa e um salário anual, com bônus, de 300.000 euros, com o qual havia comprado um apartamento em Paris e uma casa de campo.

"Não acho que eu tenha nenhum inimigo", disse ele ao WSJ. "Algumas pessoas gostam de você, outras não. Mas não acho que tinha nenhum inimigo na empresa."

Momentos depois que Balthazard foi confrontado, houve uma reunião parecida com Rochette e Tenenbaum. "Sabemos o que você fez. Seus cúmplices já confessaram, por isso não adianta negar. Você deveria pedir demissão", disse o chefe do departamento jurídico a Tenenbaum, segundo uma pessoa a par da questão.

Todos os três negaram qualquer irregularidade e abriram processos alegando difamação e calúnia.

Dias depois, a Renault anunciou à imprensa que havia descoberto uma tentativa de espionagem industrial. A funcionários do governo francês, a montadora afirmou que havia provavelmente um ângulo chinês para a espionagem, segundo uma pessoa ligada ao governo. Um porta-voz do Ministério de Relações Exteriores da China negou furiosamente as acusações.

Pélata, o diretor operacional, disse à imprensa que a informação supostamente divulgada ao exterior não tinha nada a ver com nenhum aspecto técnico da operação de carro elétrico, como a fórmula dos químicos usados na bateria. Em vez disso, disse, era o modelo econômico da empresa para elétricos. Na televisão, Ghosn disse que a empresa tinha "inúmeras provas de irregularidades".

Diretores da Renault disseram à polícia francesa que não foi Luc, o ex-militar, quem coletou a informação que alegadamente incriminava Balthazard e seus dois colegas, segundo pessoas a par da questão. Mas eles se recusaram a revelar sua fonte, disseram as pessoas.

Autoridades de Liechtenstein receberam solicitações sobre a questão das autoridades francesas, mas não encontraram nada relevante para o caso, segundo uma pessoa a par do assunto.

Dois meses depois, Balthazard diz estar confiante de que a empresa não conseguirá montar um caso contra ele. Mas apesar de Pélata ter dito que a empresa recontrataria os executivos caso a investigação não prove nada, Balthazar não quer mais saber de trabalhar na empresa.

"Sem chance de trabalhar com esse pessoal de novo", diz.

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Japan vending machines to charge electric cars

From the AFP: Ten Japanese companies said Monday they plan to install electric vehicle chargers at the sites of beverage vending machines across Japan in a cost-cutting tie-up.

The consortium includes Forking Co., a major vending machine operator, and Panasonic Electric Works which will develop and produce electric vehicle chargers with rivals.

Forking has business ties with companies which own a combined 1.2 million vending machines across Japan, or about a half of the national total, company official Reiko Kobayashi said.

The firms plan to install some 10,000 electric vehicle chargers at the sites of the vending machines in the first year of the project, which is due to start at the end of March, she added.

Charging machines "will be installed where beverage vending machines already exist or together with new ones. There are various options," she said.

SoftBank Telecom and SoftBank Mobile are due to provide telecom services to connect the charging systems, the group said in a press release.

Automakers such as Nissan, which launched its all-electric Leaf last year, are gambling that electric cars with zero tailpipe emissions will catch on and, some time in the future, start to drive traditional gas-guzzlers off the road.

But many consider the lack of a charging network as the key obstacle to the proliferation of electric vehicles, prompting consumer concerns such as "range-anxiety", or the fear that their cars will run out of juice between charging points.

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iPhone app connects EV owners with plugs

From the LA Times: Electrical outlets are everywhere. Finding and accessing them to recharge electric vehicles, however, is another issue.

While the U.S. government has invested $115 million to build 15,000 public chargers across the country, they are only starting to be installed. Even then, there could be a shortage of available public plugs for EV drivers, the ranks of whom are expected to swell to 1 million by 2015.

Stepping in with a solution is a new free iPhone app, PlugShare. Available for download starting today, the app is designed to connect EV owners with available plugs, both public and private.

Individuals who have 110- and 220-volt chargers and are willing to offer them to EV drivers in need of a charge can sign up to add their address to the network. EV owners can then contact the owner of the outlet to power up.

The app uses three different icons, which show whether an outlet is 110-volt, 220-volt with a J1772 plug or a J1772 public charging station. Unlike apps developed by makers of individual EV chargers -- such as ChargePoint America, which shows only Coulomb chargers -- PlugShare shows all public chargers from all manufacturers, as well as those offered by individuals.

"A lot of the early adopters we talked to said the government infrastructure for charging EVs isn't there yet, but a lot of people are getting charging docks installed at their houses and asking, 'Why shouldn't I be able to share my charger?'" said Armen Petrosian, co-developer of the app with Forrest North.

PlugShare is the first iPhone app from their Palo Alto-based EV software firm, Xatori.

"Our goal is to create products that lead to democratization of the grid," North said. He said his company's future apps may incorporate strategies for carbon offsets and lowering pollution.

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VIDEO: Rolls-Royce revela Phantom eléctrico

Da BBC Brasil: A fabricante britânica de carros de luxo Rolls-Royce apresentou esta semana no Salão do Automóvel de Genebra, na Suíça, uma versão eléctrica do modelo Phantom.

O veículo recebe o nome de Phantom Experimental Electric. Por enquanto, o veículo não será produzido em larga escala, já que a companhia quer avaliar antes a opinião dos seus clientes.

Em entrevista à BBC, o presidente-executivo da Rolls-Royce, Torsten Muller Otvos, disse que é bastante caro investir num modelo completamente novo e que nenhuma decisão será tomada até que a empresa não esteja segura sobre como o veículo será recebido no mercado.

Carros eléctricos estão a tornar-se cada vez mais populares. Mas, no caso de automóveis de grande porte, o mais comum tem sido o uso de uma tecnologia híbrida, que combina baterias elétricas com motores movidos a diesel ou a gasolina.



Caso não consiga visualizar o vídeo, clique para visitar o site da BBC Brasil

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China quer autocarro eléctrico made in Portugal

O grupo industrial chinês BYD (Build Your Dreams) está interessado em Portugal. "Queremos vender automóveis eléctricos no mercado português, mas também estamos abertos a montar um projecto industrial destinado a produzir os nossos autocarros eléctricos", declarou o director-geral sénior da BYD Henry Li, à margem do Salão Automóvel de Genebra, ao semanário Expresso.

"Creio que há possibilidade de estudarmos formas de cooperação com unidades industriais portuguesas para fabricarmos autocarros no mercado português", adiantou.

"A actual política promovida pelo Governo português incentiva a utilização dos veículos eléctricos, o que torna Portugal num dos países mais atractivos da Europa ao nível da rede de infraestruturas para a mobilidade eléctrica", justificou o responsável da BYD, referindo-se à rede Mobi.e. Portugal é um dos únicos países que já dispõe de um sistema uniformizado e de acesso universal de carregamentos eléctricos, contando ainda com um pacote de incentivos fiscais à compra de carros eléctricos.

A chinesa BYD comercializou 520.000 veículos convencionais em 2010 e mais de mil unidades eléctricas no gigante asiático, e é um dos grupos industriais que mais aposta a nível mundial no crescimento do sector eléctrico.

BYD chega a Portugal em 2012

De acordo com o Diário Económico, os carros chineses da BYD, fabricante automóvel representada em Portugal pela Hipogest, vão entrar no mercado europeu em 2012. "O veículo e6-Eco conseguiu a homologação na Europa e chegará a Portugal no próximo ano", revelou Duarte Guedes, administrador da Hipogest.

Numa fase inicial, a empresa liderada por Hipólito Pires irá avançar com alguns projectos-piloto com câmaras municipais e empresas como a EDP, que já contactou. "Os veículos eléctricos estão na ordem no dia. Como tal, é o momento certo para apresentarmos a marca ao mercado nacional", reforça o administrador da Hipogest.

Um dos modelos na calha é o E6-Eco 2012, um ‘crossover' de cinco lugares, que está equipado com uma bateria de ferro da BYD e tem uma autonomia prevista de 300 quilómetros em estrada urbana. Para carregar este veículo eléctrico são precisos apenas 40 minutos, com um carregador rápido de 100 KW.

Além deste modelo, aguardam ainda "autorização" para andar nas estradas europeias os S6DM SUV, o primeiro todo-o-terreno eléctrico com tracção integral, e o e-Bus K9, um autocarro movido a electricidade com bateria de ferro.

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Coda aims to sell 50.000 electric cars by 2015

From Reuters/Cnet: Electric car start-up Coda Automotive aims to sell 50,000 vehicles by 2015, mostly in the United States, chief executive Phil Murtaugh told reporters today.

Coda, like Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive, is one of several new companies that are banking on mass-market adoption of electric vehicles. Major automakers including Nissan Motor and General Motors are also racing to launch electric cars.

Coda is making its first vehicle, the Coda EV, in China in partnership with Hafei, which is controlled by state-owned China Changan Auto, and is scheduled to begin selling it in the United States in the second half of this year.

It will be sold to fleet buyers in California initially and slowly expand into other states, Murtaugh told reporters in Beijing.

"Once we start selling to fleets and get a feel of how we are doing, we will start selling to consumers. Our plan is to go slowly," he said.

Coda has set a target to sell 10,000 to 14,000 units in the first 12 months after its launch.

The Santa Monica, Calif.-based company also has a battery joint venture with Lishen Battery Power.

The company had in January tapped Murtaugh, a former GM and Chrysler executive with extensive experience in China, as its new chief executive.

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Toyota to sell home electric-car chargers

From Reuters/Cnet: Toyota Motor will launch home battery chargers for electric and plug-in hybrid cars next year as it starts selling new models of environmentally friendly cars, the Nikkei business daily reported today.

The chargers, which will also be compatible with non-Toyota cars, will come in two types, the Nikkei reported, citing company sources. One would extend from the exterior wall of a home and the other would be for setting up in a garage.

The company expects to sell 20,000 to 30,000 units in the first year, with each costing about several tens of thousands of yen to 200,000 yen ($2,405) including installation costs, the Nikkei added.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, has said it would begin selling a Prius-based plug-in hybrid by early 2012 mainly in Japan, the United States, and Europe, targeting sales of more than 50,000 units a year.

The car, which--unlike a conventional hybrid--can be plugged in to enable longer-distance driving using only electricity, is expected to cost as little as 3 million yen in Japan, the company has said.

In the field of battery electric vehicles, Toyota plans to begin selling in 2012 a model based on the tiny iQ in the United States, Japan, and Europe.

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Táxis eléctricos entram ao serviço na China

Do Jornal do Brasil: Táxis elétricos já estão cruzando as ruas de um dos países mais poluentes do mundo, a China, informou a agência EcoDesenvolvimento. Dos 5 mil veículos verdes previstos para entrarem em circulação até 2012, 50 já estão transportando passageiros pelo distrito de Yanqing, perto de Pequim, como afirmou a Xinhua, agência oficial da China.

A economia que estes táxis elétricos trarão será da quantia de US$ 4,5 mil em combustível de veículo, gerando uma economia de cada unidade equivalente à plantação de 1,1 mil árvores, segundo informaram as autoridades do trânsito chinês .

O projecto em marcha em Yanqing, subúrbio de Pequim, é apenas um passo no plano chinês de incentivo aos carros elétricos. A China confirmou que pretende lançar 5 milhões destes carros até 2015, e que, já em 2020, esses 5 milhões estarão nas vias dos país.

Para carregar a bateria de todos esses carros, o governo estima implantar ainda cerca de 10 mil postes carregadores de energia. As autoridades prometem estimular também os consumidores a comprarem os veículos híbridos ou elétricos, de tecnologias limpas, para tentar reduzir as emissões de CO2 dos milhões de carros de combustível que circulam por essa nação.

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Renault Twizy could cost less than 7.000 euros

From the Renault-Nissan blog: Great press conference at the Geneva auto show from Renault’s design chief Laurens Van Den Acker who took the limelight to unveil two new concepts – and the pricing for the Twizy EV, a price that took most observers by surprise.

There wasn’t enough room on the stand for all the journalists who wanted to attend and they spilled over onto adjacent stands; here was a good indication of the high expectation that something special was going to be unveiled. And Laurens and the design team didn’t disappoint.

But first the hot news was that the Twizy EV will cost from €6,990; to lease the battery is just €45 a month, so not much more than some people pay for their monthly mobile phone charges.

Twizy goes on sale at selected Renault dealers in Europe from the end of this year. The two concepts, R-Space and Captur, show how the synergies within the Alliance can really help both Renault and Nissan.

The R-Space is the third concept car to be completed under the direction of Laurens and represents the "Family" stage in the company’s new design strategy.
R-Space is powered by an Alliance-developed turbocharged three-cylinder, 110 hp, 900cc petrol engine mated to an Efficient Dual Clutch transmission (EDC). This engine previews the new range of Alliance modular TCe engines, Energy TCe, which Renault will begin launching next year. Its CO2 emissions have been kept to just 95g/km, equivalent to fuel consumption of just 3.7 litres/100km.

The Captur is a crossover concept. It uses a twin-turbo engine-concept, developed from the new 1.6 dCi, Energy dCi 130. Downsizing is a key element in Renault’s strategy to meet its declared objective of being Europe’s leading automaker with regard to CO2 emissions.

The range of electric vehicles will run alongside internal-combustion engined models that combine performance with contained fuel consumption. This Energy dCi Concept engine fits perfectly within this strategy. It produces 118kW (160hp) from a capacity of 1.6 litres. Paired with a dual clutch EDC gearbox, this driveline promises genuinely enjoyable driving with CO2 emissions of 99g/km.

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A dozen EV models exhibited in Geneva

Electric cars (okay, and hybrids) are definitely the stars at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland. Here's a list of the models unveiled or exhibited this week:

Ford Focus electric
The 2012 Focus family comes with an electric version with the capability to fully charge in three to four hours total.

Chevrolet Volt
The American Car of the Year 2011, a hybrid already available for order in the US, is still one of the stars in Geneva. Its European cousin, the Opel Ampera, will soon roll out to the Old Continent's streets.

BMW Active E
This German sports car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 90 mph.

Volvo V60
A highly efficient plug-in electric hybrid and the first station-wagon electric vehicle.

Toyota iQ EV
The electric version of the popular Japanese microcar.

Tesla Model S
The troubled's Californian start-up's super car.

Honda Fit EV
Honda's first all-electric vehicle.

Smart fortwo concept car
Modeled after the company's popular non-electric version.

Tata Pixel concept car
Tata claims that the Pixel will return more than 60 mpg and only releases 89 grams of C02 per kilometer. The efficiency comes by way of a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel, which, though it isn't a full hybrid, employs stop-start technology and regenerative battery charging.

Nissan ES Flow concept car
Nissan's first sport's concept car can go from 0-62 miles per hour in 5 seconds.

Nissan Leaf
One of the first EVs on the market, the vehicle can go up to 90 miles per hour, can get 80% charge in a half an hour, and its batteries feature a 100,000 mile warrantee.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Experimental Car
Lotus and Rolls-Royce teamed up to produce this luxury EV, which possesses the largest battery ever used in an electric passenger car, for 'market study purposes'.

Source: Go Electric Drive
and Autoblog Green

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BMW i8 to star in Mission Impossible IV

Tom Cruise will drive the electric/diesel hybrid i8 in new Mission Impossible film The Ghost Protocol, says The Sun.

And it will go on sale in 2013 as part of a radical brand of BMW electric/hybrid cars.

The brand, launched this week in Munich, will be called BMWi - with the first models an electric city car, the BMW i3, and the high-performance i8 coupé.

The i3 will be a zero-emission all-electric supermini with room for four and a range in excess of 100 miles. It is aimed at commuters around the world. But the car that will change the image of electric motoring will be the stunning i8, a four-seat coupé with supercar performance, but fuel economy of nearly 90mpg, a range of 435 miles and CO2 emissions of less than 100g/km - and that means no road tax.

The incredible performance comes from a relatively small 1.5-litre turbo diesel, boosted by two electric motors, that delivers 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Expect a price around £100,000 plus.

BMW's Sales and Marketing boss Ian Robertson said the new brand and cars would "radically alter the motor industry and set a new benchmark for premium electric cars".

He added: "These cars and the i brand will shift the game and shape the future of motoring.

"It will change the way we build cars with new materials and production techniques and the way we drive."

He said it was too early to talk prices for the new cars but said that the i3 - despite being a small city car - would have a premium price and cost more than such rivals as the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt.

Luxury The ground-breaking brand follows a decision at the weekend by Rolls- Royce, also owned by BMW, to develop an all-electric Phantom as the first ultra-luxury electric car.

And BMW are also working on plans for an electric Mini - the German Group own Mini - to complete their electric range.

To that end BMW have been testing a fleet of 600 prototype electric Minis in the UK and around the world for the last two years.

And research from those drivers who took part in the Mini electric trials has been vital in developing the BMW i3 city car.

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Estonia plans nationwide mobility network

Estonia announced Thursday that it would sell 10 million carbon credits to Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation and use the proceeds to set up a nationwide network of charge-points for electric cars, the AFP reported.

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said that the government had approved the sale of the unused credits -- tradeable allowances granted by Brussels to European Union members in a drive to limit greenhouse gas emissions by industry.

"Under a Green Investment Scheme, the proceeds will be invested into the establishment of a country-wide charging infrastructure for electric vehicles," Ansip told reporters.

Around 500 Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric cars are to be provided to local authorities for use by social workers. A grant scheme is also to be set up to support the purchase of electric vehicles by private individuals.

"We hope that around 1,000 electric cars will be on our streets by the end of 2012," Ansip added. That figure includes the 500 allocated to local authorities.

Estonia -- a former Soviet-ruled nation of 1.3 million which joined the EU in 2004 -- holds a general election on Sunday.

The centre-right Ansip rejected suggestions that he had made the announcement Thursday in a drive to get the environmentalist vote.

"Talks have been ongoing for a long time and it is pure coincidence," he insisted.

The plan involves setting up some 250 points able to charge an electric vehicle's battery to up to 80 percent capacity within 30 minutes. They are to be located in major cities and along main highways.

"This is a very innovative project. The future will show whether and when electric cars will be in mass use, but this will help us to increase rapidly the number of electric cars in Estonia and to save energy," Economy Minister Juhan Parts told reporters.

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