Important Innovations

UK's EasyJet's & US Wright Electric Partner on Commercial Electric Plane Source:  Wright Electric Proposed E-Aircraft Green Partnership, Aggressive Time-Line Low cost airline group EasyJet of the UK has announced plans to collaborate with US electric plane startup Wright Electric to develop an electric engine for a 186 passenger electric commercial aircraft. Their goal is sustainable, electric commercial flight that ushers in an era of emissions free, cheaper and environmentally friendly flying. Their time frame is aggressive.  In 2023, they plan to test flight the electric motor and in 2030 fly the new aircraft. London to Paris by Sustainable Flights Wright is developing electrical systems big enough to carry 186 passengers, the crew and a 1.5 megawatt electric motor(s) on its electric aircraft. The Wright 1 plane will be able to fly an hour on a charge.  It's designed for short haul travel such as London to Paris.  Electric planes have zero to very low

Norway & Sweden Create World's 1st Green Airspace  Source:  Sweden's Heart Aerospace Electric Plane ES-19 Source:  Rolls Royce Electric Plane Safe Airspace to Test Electric Planes Norway and Sweden have created a large, green airspace for the testing of electric planes and small to medium sized drones.  This is the world's first test airspace for electric flights. The airspace straddles the Norway-Sweden border over an area between Roros and Osterund.  It's large, rugged and challenging both from climate and terrain perspectives and includes mountains, lakes and forests.  It's specifically designed to be a place to test manned electric aircraft and unmanned, small to medium sized drones. Norway and Sweden Continue to Act for a Greener  Environment The green flyway is yet another world first example of Norway and Sweden's commitment to electric powered vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.  The green flyway provides an isolated space to test fl

Nissan Leaf Drives Autonomously & Electric for 230 miles in UK Source:  Nissan Leaf Add Autonomous, Electric Vehicle Electric, Self-Drive Sets UK Record Nissan has made autonomous driving history.  An electric Nissan Leaf has just completed 230 miles autonomously across the UK.  That makes the record books for autonomous driving in the UK. The car encountered all types of road conditions.  The drive was far from a straight shot.  It safely drove on expressways, roundabouts and on poorly marked roads. It did so without any human intervention and emissions free. Loaded with Technology The test car is equipped with advanced autonomous technology. The electric Nissan Leaf was fitted with GPS, radar, LIDAR, laser scanners and laser cameras to perceive the vehicles and roadway around it and make safe decisions. Project "HumanDrive" The Nissan HumanDrive project was designed to show what autonomous vehicles can achieve, promote autonomous mobility a

BMW's Electric Future: Expanding EV Lineup Source:  BMW iX3 Rapidly Expanding Production For BMW, the future of mobility is electric and the future is now.  The global automotive leader has big electric plans.  Right now, it has 12 electric vehicle models, including the new BMW 330e, the BMW X5xDrive45e, the BMW X3xDrive30e - all plug-in hybrids, along with the all-electric Mini Cooper SE.  In 2020, they'll be joined by the all-electric BMWiX3 and the BMWX1 plug-in hybrid. By 2030, 50% of BMWs Sold Will Be Electric Vehicles BMW plans on having 25 electric models by 20023, more than half of which will be all electric.  By 2021, the company estimates 25% of all BMWs sold in Europe will be electric, 33% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. EV Demand to Double in 2020 Based on these new projections, BMW is significantly ramping up production.  It's more than doubling its staff at its global Center of Excellence for Electric Mobility in Dingolfing, Bavaria. BMW p

11 New EV's by 2025 Source:  Kia's Concept HABANIRO Electric Car 2021 Dedicated EV South Korean automotive giant Kia is going electric in a very big way.  As part of its "Plan S", it's pouring $25 billion into electrification.  Kia will launch 11 new EVs by 2025 and it will launch a "dedicated" marque EV model targeted for usage in 2021.  Kia is going globally electric with a smart strategic plan behind its moves. Kia Plan S Their plan includes "Purpose Built" EV models that target corporate buyers, car sharing users, among others.  Kia says it will find most of the $25 billion investment into electrification by cutting spending on internal combustion engines.  Plan S is designed to transition Kia's business while continuously surrounded by two pillars:  EVs and mobility solutions. Marketing Focus Kia is focusing on Korea, North America and Europe, which face tougher fuel emissions standards.  They'll offer

UK Accelerates Ban on Combustion Engines Source:  City of London Committed to Cutting CO2 Emissions The United Kingdom is aggressively banning the sale of new gas, diesel and hybrid cars starting in 2035.  That's five years ahead of the previously announced schedule.  The ban is aggressive and even includes plug-in hybrids. Brexit The UK's automakers association, the SMMT, is sharply critical of the new measures. They are asking for more government support right now to make the changes sustainable and support jobs during the Brexit exit.  UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK is committed to cutting their CO2 emission:  "As a country, as a society, as a planet, as a species, we must act now." Europe's Major Commitment to the Environment Demands for electric vehicles is surging in the UK, which is Europe's second largest car market. The government is funding $3.25 million to build 1,000 new charging stops for EVs

Leading Electric Driving Source:  Audi e-tron electric SUV World's Top EV Nation In Norway this January, the sale of electric vehicles hit a whopping 44% of all new car sales.  Norway already has the world's highest rate of electric car use.  There are forecasts that the % will climb to the 50 to 60% range during 2020.  For the full year of 2019, electric car sales represented 42.4% of the new car market.  The numbers testify to Norwegians commitment to a cleaner environment and reducing carbon emissions from car exhaust. Environmental Target for 2025 Norway wants to phase out the sale of combustion engine cars by 2025.  To achieve that, the Norwegian government has exempted battery powered vehicles from the taxes imposed on gas and diesel powered cars.  As a result, Norway is the world's #1 user of electric vehicles and a favorite among global automakers to serve as test grounds for their new EV models. Audi the Big January Winner Interestingly i