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Recharge Wrap-up: Audi A4 TDI in US, Local Motors' 3D EV sales

Local Motors plans to begin selling its 3D-printed electric cars in 2016. The Arizona-based startup will begin by selling a neighborhood electric vehicle, called the Reload Redacted, in the first quarter of 2016, with a full-speed version to follow. The design for the car, submitted by Kevin Lo, was chosen by a panel from a pool of entries. The company plans to set up microfactories to build the cars at a fraction of the cost of setting up a traditional automotive manufacturing facility. Now, Local Motors is looking at ways to quicken the 3D-printing process, a task that currently takes days for a single vehicle. Read more at NBC News, or in a blog post from Local Motors. Audi will bring a diesel variant of the A4 to the US for the first time as a 2017 model. The new A4 is slated to go on sale in March of 2016. In addition to the gasoline-powered 2.0-liter TFSI motor, the A4 will be available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel motor, providing 190 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, mated to a seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission. Audi has not yet release fuel economy figures or pricing. Read more at Hybrid Cars. A company called EV Charging USA has announced its entrance into the marketplace. After a research phase, EV Charging has launched a services division to provide consulting services to the electric vehicle industry, particularly to charging networks looking to expand into new markets. EV Charging says it helps companies evaluate existing charging locations and make decisions about new locations, equipment and installation vendors. With charging industry revenues expected to grow to $2.9 billion by 2030, EV Charging USA sees potential for its services worldwide. Read more in the press release below. EV Charging USA Inc. Enters National & International Sector CHICAGO, July 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EV Charging (OTCQB: EVUS) today announced its entrance into the EV Charging marketplace. The company after extensive research has elected to launch an EV charging support related services division. The company reviewed a multitude of research and announcements by some of the top automobile producers and researchers in the world, such as BMW, Chevrolet, Tesla, Nissan, Ford and other major automobile manufacturers.

Audi R8 E-Tron back on production map thanks to new battery tech?

Contrary to our October 2012 report, it appears Audi's R8 E-Tron program is back on track, if a report from Australia is to be believed. Drive is reporting that the German brand has changed its mind and won't be sacking the program, despite previously stated concerns about the quality and price of batteries for the R8-based EV.
We last saw the R8 E-Tron prototype in the snows of northern Europe, although footage of the car has been non-existent since that wintry test. This new report claims that a small number of R8 E-Trons will see production, which gels with what we heard back in 2012 and supposed earlier this year. Apparently, some new sort of lithium-ion battery technology has allowed for a drastic increase in range, with rumors of the original 130 miles going up to around 250. According to Drive, this makes the project feasible again.
"Our engineers and technicians are further developing the car and its electric drive system. The range has grown significantly, allowing the potential for a small-scale production," an unnamed, but high-ranking Audi employee told the Aussies.

Audi rolls out new A6 L E-Tron hybrid for China

Audi is expanding its range of hybrid models with the introduction of the A6 L E-Tron at the Shanghai Motor Show. It's earmarked specifically for the Chinese market and is based on the long-wheelbase A6 L already produced there. The new E-Tron model marries a 2.0-liter turbo four good for 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque to an electric motor with 122 hp and 162 lb-ft integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission. A lithium-ion battery pack provides 14.1 kWh power. Mounted in the trunk, it limits cargo capacity to 11.9 cubic feet. The system produces net output of 245 hp and 369 lb-ft – enough to send the long-wheelbase hybrid to 62 miles per hour in 8.4 seconds en route to a top speed of 130 mph. All the while, it'll return 106.9 miles per gallon by the Chinese standard, traveling over 30 miles on electric power alone (at speeds of up to 83.9 mph) and up to 546.8 miles without needing to stop. The A6 L E-Tron is one of three new hybrids Audi is showcasing in Shanghai this year, alongside the Q7 E-Tron and Prologue Allroad concept. Ingolstadt, 2015-04-16 The new Audi A6 L e-tron for China - First Audi plug-in hybrid model from Chinese production - Output of 180 kW (245 hp) with extremely low consumption - 50 km (31.1 mi) electric range and total range of 880 km (546.8 mi) With the A6 L e-tron, Audi is taking an important step toward even greater fuel efficiency in China. The sedan has been developed specifically for the Chinese market. Its plug-in hybrid drive with 180 kW (245 hp) provides for powerful performance. The model consumes on average just 2.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (106.9 US mpg). After launching the e-tron era in China with the imported A3 Sportback e-tron* in 2015, Audi is taking the next step with the local production of the A6 L e-tron beginning in 2016. The model is based on the long version of the Audi A6, which is already built in China, and is configured as a highly efficient parallel hybrid, meaning that its two drives are arranged one directly behind the other. The 2.0 TFSI is a state-of-the-art, four-cylinder, gasoline engine producing 155 kW (211 hp) and 350 Nm (258.1 lb-ft) of torque. The disk-shaped electric motor provides 91 kW and 220 Nm (162.3 lb-ft) of torque. Together with a decoupler, this is integrated into the eight-speed tiptronic transmission, which transfers the power to the front wheels. System output is 180 kW (245 hp); maximum system torque is 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft).