IDTechEx interviews have established that the move to 48V mild hybrids as the most affordable way to meet impending 2025 and 2030 emissions regulations very much embraces Chinese industry which already offers the key component, the Torque Assist Reversing Alternator TARA also known by other names. It will even enable pure electric take-off, active coasting called sailing and creeping in traffic. China saw a 144 percent surge in new energy vehicle production (which means hybrid and pure electric) this January compared to the same month last year. In total, 16, 100 electric and plug-in hybrid cars were made with almost half of them (7,952 units) being fully electric. As 48V mild hybrid sales begin in volume next year, with up to three pure electric modes, it will be interesting to see if they are classified appropriately. They are a feature of the event, Electric vehicles: Everything is Changing in Berlin 27-28 April.
2050 Motors of China has presented its second EV for the USA. Different from the Ibis, which has been dubbed a Tesla clone, the e-Go is a compact EV that also uses carbon for its body. 2050 Motors claims it has a 200 mile range - quickly becoming par for the course with new affordable pure electric cars - and is currently looking to start manufacturing in the Las Vegas area. BYD of China will launch two electric models in South Korea this year. Antelope Valley Transit in the USA has ordered "up to 85 pure electric buses" from BYD. This is claimed to be the first US all-electric public transit fleet. The 80 kWh e6400 targets consumers, while the best seller by BYD in China, the electric bus K9, aims for commercial applications. The K9 gets orders of 1000 and 2000 at a time in China. The small city EV Baojun E100 said to premier at the Beijing Auto Show in April, was caught on camera. The Baojun E100 will launch in China in October, have a range of 100 km and top speed of 100 kph. It apparently comes with a takeout tablet on the dashboard.
In the other direction, Fiat Chrysler plans to offer an HEV in China, which will soon be followed by a PHEV version. Potential candidates for hybridisation are the Jeep Wrangler, GrandCherokee, and Patriot.
Read new IDTechEx report Mild Hybrid 48V Vehicles 2016-2031
Top image: BYD
