Electric vehicle (EV) software provider Monta and Core Solutions, one of Ireland’s largest installation providers, have partnered together to provide robust charging solutions across Ireland.
The partnership will kick off with the installation of 50 charge points in workplaces and multi-unit developments across Ireland, combining high quality hardware installation with easy-to-use charging software.
Chargers will be equipped with Monta’s software to enable easy management of the charge point. Users will also be able to access Monta’s feature rich app which provides roaming, payments via Google Pay and Apple Pay, and other useful tools for EV drivers.
Core Solutions will be using Monta as its exclusive software provider in Ireland, and the two companies say that the partnership will provide seamless charger installation with reliable servicing and management.
“We’re excited to launch our first partnership in Ireland” said Max Scherer, COO at Monta. “Core Solutions have a great reputation for providing thoughtful and purposeful EV charge point installations. Our platform will support Core Solutions by providing reliable software that makes EV charging flexible and fuss free in the workplace” Scherer concludes.
John McDonagh, Managing Director at Core Solutions, said: “We are incredibly excited to partner with Monta, the most reliable, scalable, and seamless EV charging solution there is. Working together with Monta we will unlock the full potential of our EV charging installations and place our clients on the best path for success in the new EV landscape.”
Since 1981 Core Solutions has been providing innovative electrical installations from their office in Dublin. Their mission is to provide outstanding end to end experiences for their customers and to create a greener, quieter, safer driving future for businesses and homes across Ireland.
Available as a web-based app, Monta allows businesses to manage their charge points, track energy consumption, usage, and costs in real time. Monta also provides a consumer app which allows users to share their charge point, access roaming networks, and view their charging data.
Lime – the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company – has today announced the establishment of an Irish Disability Advisory Board ahead of its expected rollout of e-scooter and e-bike sharing services in Irish towns and cities next year.
The Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) will be founding members of the board, which will also be supported by local cycling organisations. The group is being established to help ensure that Lime’s for-hire e-scooter and e-bike services are designed in a safe and responsible way, without negatively impacting local residents or visitors with disabilities or access needs. Lime welcomes further applications from relevant organisations to the Board.
John Fulham, Public Engagement Manager for the Irish Wheelchair Association said, “Irish Wheelchair Association welcomes the opportunity to be involved in Lime’s Irish Disability Advisory Board, where we can offer our advice and represent the voice of people with disabilities as the country prepares for the official introduction of e-scooters in Ireland. It is important that the voice of disabled people is heard and represented in the discussions from as early a stage as is possible.”
Lorna Fitzpatrick, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at NCBI said, “NCBI is happy to participate in Lime’s Irish Disability Advisory Board to share our views that are reflective of the experiences of people who are blind or vision impaired across the country. It is of paramount importance that the experiences of people living with sight loss and all people with access and mobility requirements are heard and considered as Lime prepares to create a presence in Ireland.”
Hal Stevenson, Lime Senior Public Affairs Manager for Lime in Ireland said, “Safety and inclusivity are central to Lime’s services, wherever we operate, so we’re really proud to be setting up our Irish Disability Advisory Board ahead of the launch of our services here next year. Each organisation provides a different perspective, and their insights and opinions will help us to design and deliver services that can have a positive impact across all communities.”
The Board’s first meeting will take place in July and will meet on a quarterly basis thereafter. Minutes and actions will be recorded during each meeting and shared with Lime’s partner local authorities to ensure full transparency and accountability. The group will be consulted ahead of Lime implementing any new products or service changes in Ireland. Lime will also provide opportunities for the Board to collaborate with its pre-existing Northern European Disability Advisory Board.
Following recent delays to e-scooter legislation in Ireland, Lime is expecting to launch services here in 2023. Commenting on delays to the Government’s legislation to regulate e-scooters, Stevenson added, “the delays to legislation are unfortunate and prevent safer and more sustainable use of e-scooters in Ireland. Lime is using this additional time to work with the policy makers to ensure that when regulations are passed they are progressive and proportionate, helping to create a future of transport in Ireland that is shared, green and affordable.”
Pioneering cleantech engineers, Viritech debuted their revolutionary hydrogen powertrain technology in the form of the Apricale, the world’s first zero-emission hypercar to achieve weight parity with petrol-engined competitors, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed today.
Performance with Purpose
Apricale is the first car in the world to achieve zero-emissions hypercar performance, with a weight of only 1,000kg. This transforms the driving experience of the Apricale. it combines the agility of the best petrol-engined hypercars with the instant response of an electric motor. Indeed, the electric drivetrain means it is actually more responsive than a traditional hypercar.
However, the Apricale does more than simply transform the electric hypercar. With the combination of a light weight and zero emissions, it opens up a new world of sustainable transport. Many vehicles cannot function with a powertrain that weighs more than an equivalent internal combustion engine. Until now, such vehicle categories have been excluded from the move to zero-emissions powertrains, as batteries are always heavier than internal combustion engines – and the higher the power requirement, the bigger the difference.
The powertrain of the Apricale represents a historic landmark. It proves that a zero-emissions powertrain can offer the same power, the same weight and the same range as an internal combustion engine.
Re-imaging FCEV
The ambition to overcome all the compromises of zero-emission vehicles required Viritech’s engineers to completely reconsider how fuel cells and batteries function together. Matt Faulks, Viritech’s CTO explains, “Hydrogen fuel cells have, until now, been used as range extenders for powertrains with batteries at their heart. We’ve essentially turned that approach on its head, developing a powertrain around multi-hundred kW fuel cell system supported by a lightweight but highly efficient battery. This delivers hypercar performance for Apricale, but at less than half the weight of typical BEV hypercars.”
Faulks continues, “Not only does this reduction in weight transform Apricale’s driving dynamics, but our reduced reliance on batteries means less demand on rare earth minerals.”
The multi-hundred kW fuel cells are combined with unique Ultra High Power lithium-ion cells developed by technical partners, AMTE Power and Viritech’s patent-pending intelligent energy management system, Tri-Volt™. While the fuel cells provide the main motive power for Apricale, the battery provides additional power for acceleration and ultra-high performance driving, as well as a highly-efficient storage for regenerative braking energy.
The Tri-Volt™ Energy Management System and Viritech’s patent-pending power electronics enable a continuously variable mix of energy from both the fuel cells and the batteries. In addition, the very fast charge and discharge batteries enable the regenerative braking system to recover many times more kinetic energy than a traditional battery electric vehicle.
Until now, hydrogen has been another key weight problem. To withstand the 700 bar pressure, most hydrogen storage tanks have a weight efficiency of only around 5% (ie 5kg of hydrogen requires a 100kg storage tank). Viritech’s engineers developed a radical solution. Viritech’s patent pending Graph-Pro™ technology uses lightweight composites and a graphene-enabled resin system, allowing the tanks to form part of the structural element of the Apricale monocoque. This solution minimises weight, improves packaging and provides a projected range of over 350 miles/560 kms before refuelling.
The Chassis, Unshackled
The fact that Apricale weighs only 1,000kg means that it can escape the handling constraints of a BEV hypercar. The suspension features all-round pull-rod torsion bar suspension with a limited degree of active ride control.
With a low polar moment of inertia, the car will have the dynamic characteristics of a classic mid-engined supercar with minimal weight transfer under steer, yaw and pitch.
There are two drive motors (one on the front axle, one on the rear). With its sub-1,000kg weight, there is limited requirement for torque vectoring, so the driveline uses a pair of mechanical differentials.
The unique combination of light weight and the instant response of electric motors means that the Apricale will be even more inspiring to drive than a traditional supercar.
Future Technology fused with Timeless Design
The Apricale revealed at Goodwood today was originally conceived as a reference design by Viritech, and optimised by Pininfarina.
Silvio Angori, CEO of Pininfarina describes the design as ‘a synthesis of technology, sustainability, beauty, and above all, performance.’ Viritech is extremely proud of working with perhaps the greatest name in automotive design, a partnership which embodies the Apricale’s mission to take the heritage of the hypercar, and completely reinvent it for the future.
Alongside the development of the Apricale’s styling, Viritech is in discussion with Pininfarina to build the limited production run of just 25 examples at its atelier in Cambiano in Turin.
With stunning looks, Apricale will not just be seen, but also heard. Matt Faulks explains that ‘cars must be imbued with personality’ and to that end, Apricale will have its very own distinct and futuristic sound emanating from the fuel cells and electric drivetrain.
Delivered in 2024
Apricale’s key technologies including the drivetrain, the Tri-Volt™ EMS and the Graph-Pro™ structural storage vessels have already been validated in two mule vehicles that have successfully undergone testing. Experimental prototype 1 (XP1) will provide the final sign-off process for the powertrain. While XP1 will test for 100,000km, it will overlap with a production prototype, intended to validate all aspects of Apricale during 2023, so that Viritech can commence customer deliveries in early 2024.
Scalable Technology
The technologies developed by Viritech are highly scalable. Viritech focused on the Apricale for their first application since a hypercar platform makes the most significant demands of power, weight and packaging. Proven in Apricale, the powertrain technology is being developed by Viritech for a diverse range of sustainable transport applications.
Matt Faulks, Viritech’s CTO said, ’Apricale has enabled us to completely reassess the benefits that different energy vectors offer. Until now, engineering choices have been finite and compromised, but adding hydrogen into the mix offers a whole new array of capabilities that we have aimed to optimise with a new approach to FCEV. Apricale is going to be spectacularly exciting for its owners and we truly hope marks a new chapter in powertrain technology. It is great to see that vision realised at Goodwood today.’
Timothy Lyons, Viritech’s Founder said, ’Viritech is focused on becoming the world’s leading developer of hydrogen powertrain solutions and the Apricale, with its requirement to optimise weight, space and performance, provided us the perfect development platform for our core powertrain technologies, which have also been designed for broad application in the coming age of sustainable transportation.’
.The National Transport Authority (NTA) has today announced an order for 120 double-deck battery-electric buses from Bamford Bus Company (trading as Wrightbus). These 120 buses are part of a framework agreement which provides for the procurement of up to 800 zero-emission battery-electric buses over a period of five years
The buses – Streetdeck Electroliner BEVs – will be manufactured and assembled at the Wrightbus facility in Galgorm, on the outskirts of Ballymena in Northern Ireland.
The framework agreement now in place between the NTA and Wrightbus has the potential to be the single biggest bus procurement in the history of the State. These will be the first battery-electric double-deck buses to be added to the national bus fleet in Ireland and their addition will deliver a significant uplift in the proportion of low- or zero-emission buses within that fleet.
This historic deal is a major component of the overall strategy to build a sustainable future by decarbonising the country’s PSO public transport fleet, and is in line with a number of key national policy directives including:
National Strategic Outcome 4 in the National Development Plan 2021 which provides for Sustainable Mobility through the delivery of greener and cleaner bus fleets;
Section 9.3.7 of the Climate Action Plan 2021 on the decarbonisation of public sector transport which says: ‘We will transition public bus fleets to zero emissions models though the renewal and expansion of the fleet, allowing for the full electrification of double-decker buses in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Galway by 2035’;
Section 12.2.4 of NTA’s Draft GDA Transport Strategy on zero-emission buses which says: ‘2022 will see the introduction of fully electric single and double deck fleet and the ongoing conversion of bus depots to charge and maintain the new vehicle types’; and
Action 13 and 14 of the National Sustainable Mobility Action Plan 2022 which provide for the transition of PSO bus services in the Dublin metropolitan area, along with Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford to low/zero emission bus fleet.
As they incorporate a fully battery-electric powertrain, the buses will operate with zero tailpipe-emissions, which will contribute to a substantial improvement in air quality in the cities and towns in which they are deployed.
This initial order for 120 buses represents an investment of some €80.4m.
Of the 120 buses currently on order, 100 are destined for use by Dublin Bus on PSO bus services within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and 20 are destined for use by Bus Éireann for use in the Limerick Metropolitan Area. Buses from future orders may also be used to operate PSO bus services in other parts of Ireland, including the metropolitan areas of Cork, Galway and Waterford.
Commissioning and training activities will get under way later this year, as will work on installing the necessary charging infrastructure. The first buses are expected to enter passenger service in 2023.
The buses will be outshopped in the green, white and yellow Transport For Ireland (TFI) livery which is in the course of being applied to all buses and coaches in the PSO fleet.
Passenger facilities onboard include:
seating for up to 65 passengers;
a permanent wheelchair space;
a dedicated area for the accommodation of a pram, pushchair or buggy;
prominent and distinctive priority seating;
high-definition real-time passenger information displays;
USB charging sockets; and
complimentary Wi-Fi.
Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan said:
“We know that decarbonising transport is imperative, as part of our effort to tackle climate change. Public transport because it is shared mobility is already a far more sustainable and economical way of getting around, particularly compared to a private car that runs on fossil fuel, and the battery-electric buses that we are now ordering, will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission fleet.
“Going electric will reduce the carbon footprint of our public transport fleet, and will help us reach our long-term climate goals, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan. These new electric buses will also help reduce air pollution, improve public health and improve access to public transport for people of all abilities.
“I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to seeing cleaner and greener buses in operation in our cities”
Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said:
“The transition to a zero-emission bus fleet is a central component of our BusConnects project, and the procurement of these battery-electric buses represents a key milestone in that process.
“There is no doubt that people are looking to us to provide better, more sustainable transport alternatives in all areas, and it is incumbent on us as an Authority to respond to that demand in a positive way. In so doing, we will reduce the need for personal vehicles, making the quality of the air we breathe healthier for everyone.
“When it comes to taking climate action, we in the NTA want to play our part and we want to lead by example. We are doing that by transitioning our public transport fleet away from fossil fuel to zero emission technologies and as you see today we are making real progress. This process is already under way, and when complete in 2035 will result public transport emissions being massively reduced.”
Neil Collins, Managing Director of Wrightbus, said: “We are extremely proud of this historic deal, which is hugely significant for Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions and for us here at Wrightbus.
“This deal further cements the reputation we have built in the zero-emission sector, and follows hot on the heels of historic deals in Australia and Germany. This shows our ambition to be at the forefront of the zero emission drive in cities, towns and rural areas across the world.”
Ford has announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe, which will see the company transformed and offering a new generation of seven, all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024.
Today’s announcement builds on the recent news that the company has created a new global business unit – Ford Model e – focused on the design, production, and distribution of electric and connected vehicles. Together with Ford Pro, the business unit focused on Ford’s commercial vehicle business, these two business units will define Ford’s future in Europe.
“I am delighted to see the pace of change in Europe – challenging our entire industry to build better, cleaner and more digital vehicles. Ford is all-in and moving fast to meet the demand in Europe and around the globe,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO.
“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety.”
With its extended range of electric passenger and commercial vehicle models, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, and also reaffirmed its intention to deliver a 6 percent EBIT margin in Europe in 2023. The acceleration in Europe supports Ford’s goal to sell more than 2 million EVs globally by 2026 and deliver company adjusted EBIT margin of 10 percent.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. “It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Together, these efforts will support Ford’s global plans to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The company today announced it is targeting zero emissions for all vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.
Seven new electric vehicles by 2024
Following the successful European introduction of the all-electric Mach-E in 2021 and Mach-E GT this year, plus the launch of the E-Transit in the next quarter, Ford today unveiled plans for seven all-electric vehicles to join the Ford family in Europe – three new passenger vehicles and four new commercial vehicles.
Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of an all-new electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover, built in Cologne with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production line-up in 2024. In addition, Ford’s top-selling passenger vehicle in Europe, the Ford Puma, will be available as an electric version made in Craiova, Romania, starting in 2024.
Reaffirming its leadership as Europe’s top-selling commercial vehicle brand, Ford’s iconic Transit range will include four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimized for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Rowley.
EV production and investment in Cologne
Ford confirmed today that the first volume all-electric passenger vehicle to come out of the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre will be a five-seat, medium-sized crossover. In 2021, sports utilities and crossovers accounted for 58 percent of all Ford passenger vehicle sold in the continent, up nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.
The all-electric crossover breaks new boundaries for Ford. Capable of a 500km driving range on a single charge, the vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.
Today’s confirmation that a second, all-electric passenger vehicle – a sports crossover – will be built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre means that electric vehicle production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe. Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.
New joint venture aims to increase battery production in Europe
To support Ford’s ambitious vehicle electrification plans, Ford, SK On Co., Ltd. and Koç Holding have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for a new, industry-leading joint venture business in Turkey. Subject to execution of a final agreement, the three partners plan to create one of the largest EV battery facilities in the European wider region.
The joint venture would be located near Ankara and will manufacture high Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.
The investment the three partners are planning in the battery joint venture – including support from the Turkish Government – will directly benefit large and small commercial vehicle operators across Europe, reducing energy and running costs and providing a significant contribution to CO2 reduction.
Boosting EV manufacturing capacity in Craiova
Ford’s manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania, will play a significant role in the company’s electric and commercial vehicle growth plans in Europe.
From 2024, European customers will be able to purchase an all-electric version of the Ford Puma, Ford’s popular compact crossover. The Puma was Ford’s best-selling passenger vehicle in Europe in 2021, and the all-electric Puma will bring this successful new nameplate to an even wider group of European customers when it goes into production in Craiova in 2024.
Additionally, the all-new Transit Courier, the popular light commercial vehicle, and Tourneo Courier, a compact multi-purpose vehicle, will also be produced in Craiova from 2023, with all-electric versions coming in 2024.
To further boost electric and commercial vehicle capacity, Ford announced this morning that Ford Otosan will assume ownership of the Craiova plant and manufacturing business, subject to regulatory approval and consultation. Ford Otosan, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, is one of the longest running and most successful joint ventures in the global auto industry.
“We welcome this opportunity to grow our joint venture with Koc Holding and leverage this strategic partnership to better utilize our resources and know-how in Romania,” Rowley said. “Ford Craiova is today a strong success story, and we believe that through Ford Otosan’s experience and expertise in electrification and commercial vehicles it can reach even higher levels of achievement.”
As sales of EVs continue to grow across Europe, premium tyre manufacturer, Continental Tyres is highlighting that its tyres are now relied upon by seven of the ten highest-volume manufacturers of electric vehicles. In Ireland, we have seen a 132 percent growth in the sale of electric vehicles year to date 2022 versus the same period last year.
Brands using Continental tyres as original equipment for their electric vehicles include Tesla, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, as well as Kia and US manufacturer Ford.
Co. Meath native David O’Donnell, who leads the original equipment business at Continental Tyres, commented: “We develop tyres for different electric vehicles and their fields of application – whether they are small cars for city traffic or off-road SUVs.
“As the only vehicle-to-road connection, the tyre makes a very important contribution to underlining the required driving characteristics of the vehicle model.
“We are proud that so many manufacturers around the world are equipping their vehicles with our premium tyres – this is proof of our development expertise and the premium quality of our products.”
Continental’s research has shown that tyres are responsible for up to 20 percent of a vehicle’s total resistance and therefore have a significant impact on energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is important to vehicle manufacturers – and therefore for Continental’s original equipment tyre business – as they work hard to reduce the CO2 emissions of their fleets.
Low rolling resistance is also in high demand for the owners of electric cars, for whom efficient driving is understandably a priority. Reduced rolling resistance has a clearly measurable positive effect on the environment, as well as ensuring maximum mileage per charge.
Dr. Holger Lange, who heads up tyre development for Continental’s original equipment business, added:“With our specific rolling resistance-optimised tyres, we are contributing to more climate-friendly and sustainable mobility. We combine our decades of experience in tyre development with findings from various practical tests and development co-operations with well-known manufacturers.
“Recently, we introduced a special tyre for vehicles of the Stellantis brands Peugeot, DS and Opel/Vauxhall which exceeds the requirements of the EU tyre label rating A for energy efficiency by around 17 percent. This tyre is particularly low in rolling resistance but has also received the top EU tyre label rating A in wet grip – an outstanding achievement by our engineers and material experts.”
Continental has developed a series of special technologies that meet other tyre requirements specific to electric vehicles, which are available in original equipment and replacement products.
These include ContiSilent technology, which reduces rolling noise levels in the cabin by as much as nine decibels – something that’s especially important to EV drivers, because the absence of noise from the engine makes road noise significantly more noticeable.
ContiSilent is a special foam layer applied to the inside of the tyre tread to absorb vibrations from the road. It’s compatible with all commercially-available rims and does not affect a vehicle’s performance, fuel consumption, load capacity or top speed.
Another innovation designed to put drivers’ minds at ease and support road safety is ContiSeal, whereby a highly elastic protective layer on the inside of the tyre encloses penetrating foreign bodies in fractions of a second and seals the damaged area when the foreign body is removed from the tread – which can be achieved simply by the tyre’s ongoing rotational movement.
Around 80 percent of punctures can be remedied immediately in this way, ensuring safe continuation of driving and eliminating the need for added load in the form of a spare tyre.
EVs are already heavier than vehicles with internal combustion engines because of the battery units they carry. In fact, the increased weight of vehicles on the road has partly influenced the requirement for a new HL (high load) designation for tyres.
Continental has been producing passenger tyres with the new HL load index designation since 2021. When inflated to the same pressure, the new ‘HL’ marked tyres have a higher load capacity than those built to the familiar XL standard.
The load capacity of the HL tyre with load index 101 is 825 kg, which is a ten percent increase over the XL standard
The Citroën e-Dispatch / Opel Vivaro-e / Peugeot e-Expert, an electrified joint collaboration of the three companies, has been voted Continental Tyres Irish Van of the Year for 2022.
The award is voted upon by a jury of Ireland’s most experienced van journalists and was announced at the 2022 Irish Car and Van of the Year awards ceremony which took place at The Aviva Stadium on Friday February 11.
EVs were very much to the fore at the awards event as, in addition to electric models taking the main trophy in the Van of the Year contest, the full electric Kia EV6 won the top award in the Irish Car of the Year competition.
Pictured at the presentation of the award with the winning vans were (l to r): Colin Sheridan, MD of Citroën Ireland; James Brooks, MD of Opel Ireland; Tom Dennigan of awards sponsor Continental Tyres; Cathal Doyle and Anthony Conlon, Joint Chairmen of the Irish Car and Van of the Year Committee; and Stephen McGrath, Head of Product and Pricing with Peugeot and DS Automobiles.
At an awards ceremony today at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Kia EV6 was named as the Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year for 2022.
Kia took the top award with its latest EV6 model which also won the Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year category award at the ceremony. It is the second time that an electric vehicle has taken the award as Kia also won the 2020 Irish Car of the Year title with the all-electric Kia e-Soul.
Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Anthony Conlon said: “The Kia EV6 is a great car and as the second electric vehicle to win the title, it is proof, if any proof was needed, that the era of electric motoring is already well and truly here in Ireland. Just look at our field of runners for this year’s awards, more than half of the contenders are available as either partial or full electric vehicles”.
Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Cathal Doyle said: “Congratulations to the Kia team on a very worthy win and what an achievement to score back-to-back titles with two great electric vehicles. The Kia EV6 came out as the clear winner and was hugely popular with my motoring journalist colleagues”.
Tom Dennigan from awards sponsor, Continental Tyres said: “After missing out on a 2021 Irish Car of the Year awards programme, we are delighted to be back with these awards for 2022 as the whole programme provides a great guide to Irish motorists on what the best and latest cars coming onto the Irish market are. I am sure that the Kia EV6 will benefit hugely here from winning this much coveted award.”
The category winners:
Continental Tyres Irish Compact Car of the Year: Dacia Sandero
Continental Tyres Irish Medium Car of the Year: Citroen C4
Continental Tyres Irish Small Crossover / SUV of the Year: Opel Mokka
Continental Tyres Irish Medium Crossover / SUV of the Year: Renault Arkana
Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year: Kia EV6
Continental Tyres Irish Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Continental Tyres Irish Performance Car of the Year: BMW M3/M4
(Full details on all of the winners are available on the Irish Car of the Year website: caroftheyear.ie)
The Continental Tyres Irish Van of the Year title for 2022 was awarded to the joint entry Citroen e-Dispatch / Opel Vivaro-e / Peugeot e-Expert.
Header image photo – Anthony Conlon and Cathal Doyle, Joint Chairmen, Irish Car of the Year Committee; Ronan Flood, Kia Ireland; and Tom Dennigan, Continental Tyres Ireland
Electric cars, as the name suggests, run on electricity. Their rechargeable batteries power the electric motor that turns the wheels. Due to the increased acceleration in the wheels, the vehicles tend to be faster and lighter than traditional cars. If you’re in the market for one, Carplus will help you understand how it works and find you the ideal car if you need one. Let’s find out what makes the electric car the possible future of car travel.
Batteries
The placement of a car battery helps to maintain the center of gravity low, thereby keeping the car from oversteering off the path in corners. For this reason, the battery in an electric car is usually placed low down in the car or, in some cases, run along the floor. Since the entire machine now runs on electric power, these cars have an auxiliary battery to cover the smaller electronics like the lights, windows, and so on. This way, the car will still work even if the main battery stack runs out.Electric vehicles are more than just a car. With Dcbel bidirectional power flow charger implemented in home solar system EV’s battery becomes a very powerful energy storage system on wheels.
Despite their sustainable nature, electric cars are heavier than their petrol or diesel counterparts are and can weigh as much as 2000 kilograms.
Electric Motor
Just as the use of batteries is compartmentalized, there are different electric engines used for different purposes too. The smaller electronics, like the windshield wipers, use direct current motors. However, a DC motor is not sufficient to drive the vehicle, for which an alternating current motor is used.
There are two types of AC motors used to create traction for an electric vehicle:
Asynchronous motors, also known as induction motors, have a stator that creates a rotating magnetic field. This further pulls the rotor into the spin. Since the rotor is trying to catch up to the spin of the stator, the engine provides high power output and is a commonly found motor in electric vehicles.
Synchronous motors, on the other hand, do not have the rotors trying to catch up with the stator and, in fact, turn at the same speeds. The presence of this engine makes it an ideal vehicle for urban drivers due to the high torque it produces even at a low speed and its compact and low weight.
Charging
Electric or hybrid cars have a charge port and need to be plugged in to recharge. This could be done from a domestic socket, the same ones used to charge laptops, or from a fast charger available at your closest motorway or parking. Note that weather changes will affect the performance of your car, while warmer temperatures allow farther travel, colder temperatures tend to require an extra charge to travel the same distance.
Fuel Cell Vehicle
These electric vehicles are classified as zero-emission vehicles as their only outputs are water and heat. An FCV uses fuel cells, commonly in combination with a small battery or a supercapacitor, in order to power an onboard electric motor. Electricity is generated from the oxygen in the air and compressed hydrogen, leaving byproducts, water, and heat.
Fuel cells are made up of three parts, an electrolyte, an anode, and a cathode. Despite the lack of hydrogen filling stations, the fuel cells are used in large machines like the forklift and submarines.
Control Unit
Control units are the decision-making centers of the machine. They are used to decide the amount of power to send to the electric motors from the batteries. Don’t think of the control unit like a switch that only goes on or off, though. If it did that, you would not be able to drive at all. Instead, the control unit feeds power to the motors a few thousand times per second depending on the acceleration you provide, thereby emulating the feeling of being in an actual car.
Don’t be fooled, though – electric cars can accelerate like a beast. This is because all the torque is right there at your service as soon as you push the pedals down, you can also check this page on car starter parts.
Regenerative Braking
When you brake, your car loses some of the energy guiding it forward. This is a very normal thing. However, electric cars have a feature called regenerative braking. Every time you brake, the mini electric car saves some of the energy it would otherwise lose in braking and channels it right back to the main battery. While this gives the sensation of the car slowing down, what this does is increase your range with every brake.
There will be settings, of course, for you to control just how strong you want this effect to be. Overall, though, it makes the driving experience better and safer all around. In fact, you can drive some electric cars out there with just one pedal!
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article helps you understand some of the inner workings of an electric car and what makes its components different. Even better, more advanced electric cars are waiting across the horizon, so it is exciting to see what the future holds for this industry.
