Hello, pricey readers and riders! Welcome to the final installment of our EV information roundups for February. This week, we’ll cowl the world’s quickest eVTOL, a surprising new idea from Zero, and the EV trade’s darker aspect. As at all times, please ship any results in stephanie@thevintagent.com. Let’s roll.
Zero’s New Idea is Straight from the Future
The Zero SR-X idea constructed with HUGE Design from San Francicso. [HUGE]
Zero Bike unveiled its latest e-Bike idea, giving us Sci-Fi vibes. Known as the Zero SR-X, the bike was in-built partnership with Invoice Webb of HUGE Design. “The SR-X idea bike strives to hit a design candy spot for the close to future of electrical bikes by combining clear traces and disciplined design-detailing with the aggressive stance and uncooked efficiency present in trendy liter bikes,” Webb defined.
Meet the New eVTOL Racecar
Entertainments for the longer term: a flying F1 automotive? [Alauda]
Alauda Aeronautics not too long ago launched a brand new design idea for a track-racing-inspired eVTOL. The corporate claims that its new hydrogen-powered plane, the Airspeeder Mk4, is the quickest on the planet. What units the Mk4 other than different eVTOL is its in-house designed gimballed thrust system managed by an AI-powered flight controller that adjusts the craft’s four-rotor pairs mounted on 3D-printed gimbals. “It handles much less like a multi-copter and extra like a jet fighter or Formulation 1 racing automotive.” Alauda Aeronautics states.
Colibri M22 is a Folding e-Moped that Travels 125 Miles on a Single Cost
A foldie that can take you locations, after you’ve gone locations. [Colibri]
Designer Petre Georgescu not too long ago revealed his newest innovation, the Colibri M22. The foldable e-Moped can journey 125 miles (200km) on a single cost and is extremely customizable. With out the battery, the bike weighs solely about 66 kilos and might attain speeds of as much as 31mph. The Colibri M22’s off-road setting permits riders to discover trails much less traveled and has a high velocity of virtually 60mph.
Volvo Preps for Electrical 20-Ton Wheel Loaders
Volvo is retrofitting its business gear with EV motors. [Volvo]
Volvo Development Gear is launching an electrical retrofit program in Europe for its 20-ton L120H wheel loader. The corporate will swap out diesel engines with 240kWh batteries in partnership with Parker Hannifin. Consequently, the big automobiles may have near-silent operations and five-hour runtimes. They are often totally charged in lower than two hours.
EV Trade Employees Are Dying
WIRED not too long ago printed an article masking the darkish aspect of the EV trade. Journalist Peter Yeung spoke to dozens of staff on the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) and located that they labored as much as 15 hours every day, incomes lower than $25. The article reveals that working circumstances at IMIP are “harmful and lethal” and that corporations are “placing income over folks’s lives.” Indonesia’s nickel sector additionally has devastating environmental impacts, with tons of of 1000’s of timber being cleared for smelters, mines, and supporting infrastructures.
Meet Tesla Semi’s Little Sister
Appears to be like like a Tesla semi, however isn’t. There’s competitors in them thar hills.
Watt Electrical Automobile Firm’s new eCV1 lineup of panel vans and electrical vehicles appears rather a lot just like the Tesla Semi, solely smaller. The automobiles are based mostly on the corporate’s Passenger and Business EV Skateboard (PACES), are powered by 110kWh batteries, and have 290 miles price of vary.
MIT Media Lab is Creating a Self-Driving e-Trike
MIT’s Metropolis Science analysis group is engaged on a self-driving tricycle that may be summoned on demand.
Are EV Pickups Harming the Planet?
The New York Instances printed an article exploring electrical pickups’ environmental affect. Whereas the electrical variations produce as much as 50% fewer emissions per mile than combustion engines, they’re nonetheless a lot dirtier than you suppose, particularly when the complete life cycle from manufacturing to destruction is taken into account: identical to oil manufacturing and inner combustion automobiles. Since Individuals like every thing greater, the 6000+lb behemoth EV pickups use loads of electrical energy, placing them on par with small automobiles in carbon manufacturing per mile.
Stephanie Weaver is the EV Editor at The Vintagent, and a Philadelphia-based freelance author. When she’s not locked to her laptop computer, she may be discovered driving horses and bikes.
