Uber offer rides only in electric vehicles in US

8th September 2020

"Entirely free of emissions by 2040."

Uber plans to offer rides exclusively in electric vehicles by 2030 in US, Canadian and European cities, and be entirely free of emissions by 2040.

Uber's announcement related to the climate crisis came as it also released a report that acknowledged its vehicles are less climate efficient than the average vehicle. Uber said the carbon intensity, which it defines as the emissions resulting from every passenger mile, of its rides are 41% higher than an average-occupancy vehicle.

Uber trips have more mileage than traditional trips as drivers must first drive to pick up their passengers. A 2019 California government report found that ride-hail vehicles only have a passenger for about 61% of miles traveled.

A 2020 study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that ride-hailing services generated 69% more emissions than the trips they aimed to replace.
"Climate changes remains an existential threat and crisis that needs every person, every business and every nation to act," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said. "We know this is going to be hard."

Transportation is the largest source of US emissions. Today, only 0.15% of Uber trips are taken in electric vehicles. Electric cars are cheaper to operate than gas-powered vehicles, but can cost 50% more than a gasoline-fueled car to purchase upfront.

Electric vehicles were 2.5% of the global light vehicle market in 2019.

Uber's announcement comes nearly three months after its rival Lyft pledged to offer only electric vehicle rides in 2030. Some experts have cautioned that the timeline is optimistic for ridehailing corporations.

Charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is also an issue. Many drivers live in multi-unit dwellings and do not have a garage, according to Shin-pei Tsay, director of policy, cities and transportation at Uber.

"Setting up public charging infrastructure in more residential neighborhoods is something that when the [Uber] team talked to drivers, they were really interested in," Tsay said.

The shift to electric vehicles will increase costs for Uber riders, as they'll cover some of the increased costs from the transition to electric vehicles.

Uber says it will take steps to ease drivers' transition to electric vehicles. In the US and Canada, drivers with electric vehicles with now receive an extra $1.50 per trip, Uber said, with $0.50 cents coming directly from the passenger. Drivers of hybrids will receive an extra $0.50 per trip. Uber also said it would work with automakers to give drivers discounts on electric vehicles.

Uber said in a Europe-focused report that it released Tuesday, that many drivers would face a significant earnings reduction unless they have access to a home charger and a generous subsidy to close the gap for the total cost of owning an electric vehicle.

There's a lack of affordable and second-hand electric cars, the report said. The price gap between a used gas-powered car and a new electric vehicle can be up to 30,000 euros, according to the report.

Uber is expanding a feature that allows users to request a ride in an electric vehicle. Uber says the option is available in 37 European cities already and will be in 60 global markets by year's end, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Toronto.

Uber's goal to be zero-emission by 2040 comes nearly a year after Amazon made a similar pledge, and this past July Apple announced that it planned to be entirely carbon neutral by 2030.

Source:CNN

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What are Hybrid Electric cars and how do they work?

31st August 2020

"Here's all info about the hybrid cars."

The word Hybrid in the context of the automobile refers to the vehicle that is powered by both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine and a hybrid battery. The two systems work directly with each other to drive the wheels. Hybrid cars can switch between the petrol engine and electric motor, or combine both power sources depending on the driving scenario. Better fuel economy is the primary motivation behind hybridization.

Certain driving conditions favor the use of only the electric motor (depending on the state of charge of battery) such as driving below a specific speed or sitting at idle, the engine remains off and thus burns zero gasoline. When the battery level gets to a certain depletion level or if heavy control loads are required, the gasoline motor automatically kicks in to assist both in recharging the battery and pushing the drive wheels. When the engine isn’t needed, say if you’re idling at the lights, it shuts off altogether. This makes hybrids incredibly fuel-efficient as they tend to only use the engine for accelerating, climbing hills, or when extra power is required. In terms of performance, driving a hybrid is much like driving a regular car. Hybrids automatically charge their own hybrid battery so you don’t need to use an external charging point or worry about the distance you can drive.

How do they work?

Hybrid cars use a combination of an internal combustion engine (ICE) and a battery-electric drive motor. The engine and the motor can work separately or together to power the wheels. Here are 5 different driving scenarios so you can see how hybrid cars work:

When pulling away from a stop: The electric motor gets the car moving initially, and draws on the hybrid battery for power.
During normal cruising: Both the electric motor and petrol engine can run together or independently when cruising at higher speeds.
During heavy acceleration: The petrol engine provides power during heavy acceleration and higher speeds.
During braking and deceleration: When the brakes are applied or you ease pressure on the accelerator, power is stopped being fed to the wheels.
When coming to a complete stop: Both the petrol engine and the electric motor turn off once the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Battery power is used to keep vehicle systems running, e.g. lights, radio, air conditioning, etc.

On the surface level, it might seem like all the hybrid cars are the same in mechanism but there are variations in the designs and layouts of certain hybrids. There are different types of hybrid vehicles out there, though we’re focusing mainly on common consumer and commercial vehicle applications.

Type of Hybrid Vehicles

hybrid-cars-types

Parallel Hybrid

In this most common design, the electric motor and gasoline engine are connected in a common transmission that blends the two power sources. That transmission can be an automatic, a manual, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). One very popular hybrid transmission is a power-split CVT, which is used by the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. Transmission type and the size of the gasoline engine are the main factors that determine how a parallel hybrid will accelerate, sound, and feel. Brands that use the parallel design include Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Honda, Lincoln, Nissan, and Infiniti.

Series Hybrid

In this design, the electric motor provides all the thrust, and there is never a physical-mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels. The gasoline engine is just there to recharge the battery. This results in a driving experience that's more indicative of an electric car, with smoother, powerful acceleration. There's typically less vibration when the gasoline engine engages. However, that engagement doesn't always happen in concert with what your right foot is doing (remember, the battery is making the demands), so the engine might be revving up while the car is cruising at a steady speed. Some find this behavior disconcerting. The BMW i3 with the range extender is an example of a series hybrid.

Plug-In Hybrid

A plug-in hybrid enhances the conventional hybrid concept with a much larger battery pack that, like an electric car's, must be fully recharged using an external electricity source—from your home, office, or public charging station. This greater amount of energy storage is like a larger gas tank: It allows for extended all-electric driving (between 15 and 55 kilometers depending on the model) and can significantly reduce fuel consumption. In fact, if you have a short commute and recharge nightly, you'll be running on electricity most of the time. Should you deplete the all-electric range, the car basically reverts to being a conventional parallel hybrid. The Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid is an example of the plug-in breed.

Mild Hybrid

All of the above are considered "full hybrids," which means that the electric motor is capable of moving the car by itself, even if it's for a short distance. In a "mild" hybrid, it cannot. The mild-hybrid, the term was coined to describe one of the industry’s latest innovations, the 48-volt electrical system. It’s an additional electric supply that supplements the already standard 12-volt electrical supply used on vehicles. Just as in a full hybrid, a mild hybrid's electric motor is there to assist the gasoline engine to improve fuel economy, increase performance, or both. It also serves as the starter for the automatic start-stop system, which shuts down the engine when the car comes to rest in order to save fuel.

In the end, we can say it’s an exciting time to buy a hybrid car. As more cities invest in charging stations, there are more opportunities than ever before to rely on electricity and save money on gas. It’s important to assess how you will drive the vehicle before choosing a hybrid car. Figuring out an average mileage and typical trip distance can help you determine what kind of hybrid system makes the most sense for you. You should also research charging options and ask yourself how often you will be able to recharge your hybrid vehicle. Hybrid cars are well suited for stop-start city driving and reducing CO2 emissions since they generally run on electric power at low speeds.

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Nikola and GM team up to make this 900-horsepower super electric truck

8th September 2020

"Nikola and GM are teaming up to take on Tesla’s cybertruck."

Nikola (NKLA) and GM (GM) are teaming up to take on Tesla’s cyber truck.

The electric truck startup announced Tuesday it has selected GM to be its manufacturing partner for its electric pickup truck dubbed the Badger. The Badger will use GM’s widely acclaimed Ultium battery technology. Additionally, Nikola will hand over $2 billion in stock to GM — giving the automaker an 11% stake in the company.

Shares of Nikola and GM rose 40% and 8%, respectively on the tie-up.

“General Motors was the perfect fit,” Nikola founder executive chairman and CEO Trevor Milton told Yahoo Finance’s The First Trade.

Added GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, “What we're focused on is creating an all-electric future and this announcement is very important today because it shows another very strong validation of our technology, our hydrogen fuel cell technology as well as our ultium batteries.”

Thus far, the Badger has been a mere rendering that has lit-up social media feeds.

The company did begin taking pre-orders for the electric super pickup truck in late June. On paper, the truck stands to be a beast. It’s expected to have 906 horsepower and have a 600-mile range using both battery and hydrogen fuel cells. Nikola has said pricing will start at $60,000 for the electric vehicle version and $90,000 for the one that also includes the hydrogen cell.

The Badger is expected to be unveiled in early December. Production has been set for 2022.

Source: yahoo!finance

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Yadea Electric Scooter Launching soon in Nepal

24th March 2022

"Yadea brand electric scooter has entered Nepal."

Kuzu Nepal Pvt. Ltd., the authorized distributor of YADEA brand electric scooter in Nepal. The company will initially launch the C1S model electric scooter very soon.

Yadea -electric-scooter-C1S

The scooter has a powerful 2.2 KW capacity 'Brushless Hub Motor'. It has a 60 volt 32 Ah Panasonic lithium-ion battery pack that can travel 70 kilometers on a single full charge. You can It is fully charged in 3.5 hours when charged from a DC charger. You will get a top speed of 60 kmph and a total weight of 93 kg.

You will also get disc brakes on the front and rear wheels along with CBS. The scooter has many innovations and features including GEO-fencing, keyless start and lock (RFID), cruise control, self-sensing headlight, anti-theft alarm, a P-gear for increased safety, a reverse gear and USB charge ports for a mobile phone.

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Yadea-electric-scooter

The scooter is IP67 waterproof and can drive through water. The buddy seat of the scooter provides 25-liter storage space. The scooter has a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) or regenerative braking in which energy from braking is returned to the battery.

The scooter is available 5 colour options White, Black, Red, Blue, and Gray. At this movement, Kuzu Nepal did not disclose the price of the scooter. We will soon update you about the price of the scooter as launched.

Chinese electric scooter manufacturer YADEA Technology Group Co., Ltd. was founded in 2001. After more than ten years of rapid development, they become a high-end two wheels electric vehicle manufacturing enterprise that integrating research and development, production and electric bicycle sales, electric motorcycles, and their spare parts together.

Premium electric scooter maker YADEA had sold 5 million units of scooters last year.

Price of Yadea in Nepal