HEV/EV development and launch plans among European and Korean automakers

Volume production of HEVs/EVs begins from 2011 to 2013 with greater use of CFRP

2011/09/12

Summary

 Below is a summary of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), EVs (Electric Vehicles), PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) and FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) being developed and launched by five European automakers and Hyundai.

 All these companies, other than Renault, have two or more electric vehicles currently in market and have announced plans to launch new electric vehicles. BMW, VW and Renault, in particular, plan to start volume production of their electric vehicles from 2011 to 2013.

 Among them, BMW has established a sub-brand "i" and will start volume production of the "i3" EV and the "i8" PHEV in 2013. The i3 and i8 are characterized by a more generous use of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) compared with the preceding electric vehicles.

 The VW group has made HEVs available with three Audi models and three VW volume production models (Jetta, Golf and Passat) intending to enlarge the HEV market in Europe that remains a niche market category today. The group has similar plans for EVs and reportedly will introduce the Up!, Golf and Jetta EVs in 2013 with the goal to turn them into mass market items.

 Renault plans to launch three EVs in 2011 and another in 2012 with the goal to sell 100,000 EVs in total in 2013.

 Daimler has developed a wide range of electric vehicles from the Smart fortwo Electric Drive to S-Class PHEV. Daimler has been conducting a series of road tests to check and determine their marketability in applicable segments.

 PSA will launch the Peugeot 3008 and two other models featuring a diesel HEV system in 2011 to 2012.

 In 2011, Hyundai launched full HEV versions of the Hyundai Sonata/Kia Optima.

 There have been an increasing number of partnerships formed between OEMs and between OEMs and parts manufacturers. BMW and PSA have established a joint venture company to develop and produce HEV parts. BMW and Daimler each established a joint venture company with a specialized manufacturer to develop and produce CFRP components. VW has purchased 8.2% ownership in SGL Carbon, a leading carbon fiber manufacturer. Daimler has partnered with Bosch toward the development and production of EV motors.

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