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Recharge Wrap-up: Schaeffler 48V mild hybrid Audi TT, Georgia Power charging stations

Schaeffler will test a 48-volt mild hybrid system in the Audi TT. A lithium-ion battery powers an electrified rear axle, which supplements the power provided to the front wheels from the internal combustion engine. The system includes a belt-driven starter generator also running on 48 volts. The car has driver-selected Sport and Eco modes, the latter of which maximizes all-electric driving at low speeds for increased fuel economy. The rear axle can also support the front when more traction is needed. Sport mode wrings out every bit of performance from both the internal combustion and electric motors, with torque vectoring between the rear wheels offering extra stability. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release from Schaeffler. A man has built a near-life-size replica of a Tesla Supercharger out of Legos. Robert Turner's ode to the charging station stands at 42.5 inches tall (which looks impressive standing next to a real Model S), and took over three months to build. Turner showcased his Lego Supercharger at the Brickworld Chicago Lego convention, and he goes into more detail about the painstaking process of forming his creation out of tiny plastic bricks in a video interview. See the Lego Supercharger and read more at The Brothers Brick. Georgia Power is opening 11 new EV charging stations around the state. The charging islands – which are located at various Georgia Power locations – offer DC fast charging with CHADeMo/SAE Combo plugs as well as Level 2 208/240-volt chargers. Customers can pay with either a Georgia Power or ChargePoint card. These first chargers are part of a larger plan by the utility to roll out 61 charging islands throughout Georgia by the end of 2016. See a list of locations and learn more in the press release below. Georgia Power opens 11 new EV charging islands First phase of statewide public charging infrastructure completed ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power announced today that the company will open 11 new electric vehicle (EV) charging islands to the public on October 1. The new charging islands, located at Georgia Power properties across the state, mark the completion of the first phase of planned charging infrastructure being developed by the company which will include approximately 61 community charging islands for public use statewide by the end of 2016.

Car companies may need to start curbing model proliferation

Looking at the current automotive landscape, especially from German makers, you quickly get the impression that less definitely isn't more. BMW alone offers its 3 Series platform in practically every segment possible, including the regular sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe, which would seem to be direct competitors. Porsche might be the winner, though, with 20 different variants of the 911 listed for sale on its US website. However, some of this model madness might be reaching an end as companies begin cutting back spending or shifting money to other priorities.
According to Yahoo Finance, the offerings from the German automakers are up 25 percent over the past three years to over 200 models in Europe. The peak is expected to come around 2018 at 230 separate vehicles, according to consulting company PwC.
Amazingly, BMW, which is among the poster children for this model explosion, might be changing its tune. "I'm sure there will be points in the future where we look at certain cars and say, 'Maybe we need to think differently now,'" said head of sales Ian Robertson in an interview, according to Yahoo Finance. The statement certainly sounds shocking coming from a company rumored to have 23 front-wheel-drive vehicles all using a single platform on the way.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.