1995 Volkswagen Cabrio Base Convertible 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #299 LIVE!

We record Episode #299 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #299
2013 Honda Accord

VW quite interested in solid-state batteries for EVs

Volkswagen is about to make a decision about which advanced battery technology the automaker will seriously investigate to give its electric vehicles more range. VW will decide by July if it will use solid-state batteries made by US-based QuantumScape Corp. in future EVs, according to Bloomberg News. Last year, VW bought a five-percent stake in QuantumScape, which was founded by ex-Stanford University researchers. The lure is that QuantumScape's solid-state batteries may provide a single-charge range of as long as 430 miles. That's more than three times the current range of the VW e-Golf electric vehicle the company recently started selling to the public and is substantially longer than the single-charge range of the Tesla Model S electric sedan. The batteries are also fireproof, making VW's potential decision one with an eye towards more vehicle safety. Solid-state battery technology, in which solid lithium electrodes are used instead of liquid electrodes such as those in lithium-ion batteries, are the subject of research at other automakers and suppliers as well. Toyota says they could be here by 2020. Recently, the cordless vacuum cleaner maker Dyson acquired a $15-million equity stake in Michigan-based battery maker Sakti3 with the idea of using the startup's solid-state batteries in its products. General Motors also has a minority stake in Sakti3, which was spun off from the University of Michigan.

Recharge Wrap-up: BYD sales surge, new Mazda MX-5, plug-in VW Passat

BYD has enjoyed a tremendous leap in sales since last year, according to Want China Times. Sales from January to April were ten times that of the same period last year, with much of the credit going to government subsidies for clean cars. BYD claims, though, that battery production is limiting the number of vehicles it sells, and that by increasing that production capacity, it will see even more success. BYD's Qin plug-in hybrid, introduced in December, has already sold 4,500 units with another 8,000 orders already placed. Read more here. Mazda will reveal the fourth generation of its MX-5 roadster in September. To celebrate the car's 25th anniversary, the all-new two-seat convertible will debut during simultaneous private events in Spain, Japan and the US on September 3 and 4. Furthermore, the new Miata will be the center of a more public event in Barcelona on September 6. For fans in the US, Mazda will hold a Miatas at Mazda Raceway event from September 5 to 7. The 2016 MX-5 promises to continue to offer a lightweight, balanced design for fun and efficiency. The new Volkswagen Passat will feature a plug-in hybrid version. Volkswagen confirmed the Passat PHEV for Europe at the model's unveiling at the Volkswagen Design Centre in Potsdam, Germany. The plug-in Passat uses a 154-horsepower TSI engine and an 80-kilowatt electric motor for a total output of 208 horsepower. With a full charge, it can travel up to 31 miles on electricity alone. All versions of the eighth-generation Passat use stop-start and regenerative braking. Read more at Green Car Congress. BBC warns that the costs of charging an electric vehicle in the UK could surpass those of fueling a gasoline engine. Not so fast, says The Green Car Website. While the BBC cites charging services like Charge Master introducing fees for rapid charging making it cost about as much per mile to drive as traditional internal combustion engines. The Green Car Website points out that most people usually charge at home for much less, that paying for rapid charging is still not that expensive and that the BBC article misses the point about EVs, anyway. See the BBC article here or click here to read the rebuttal. News Source: Want China Times, Mazda, Volkswagen, BBC News, The Green Car Website via Charged, Green Car Congress Green Mazda Volkswagen Green Automakers Electric PHEV recharge wrapup qin