[testdummy]

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Electric



Tesla and Daimler are set to collaborate on a new electric Mercedes-Benz. According to Gigaom.com, the fourth-quarter earnings report released by Tesla earlier this week revealed the company is set to supply a full powertrain for an unnamed electric Mercedes-Benz in the near future. Those components include a motor, transmission, inverter and all of the software necessary to keep the car whirring along. Funds from the deal are supposed to begin trickling in by the second quarter of this year, though no details about production timing or volume were available in the report.

The two automakers aren't strangers. Daimler is an investor in the small electric vehicle manufacturer, and Tesla already supplies battery packs for the low-production Smart ED. Mercedes-Benz made waves at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show when it unveiled the B-Class E-Cell Plus. At the time, the vehicle boasted a lithium-ion battery sourced from a joint venture between Daimler and Evonik, though it's certainly possible the German automaker has changed course on the five-door. Then again, the B-Class E-Cell Plus was an extended-range hybrid, whereas the Tesla earnings report seems to hint toward a full-electric model. Consider us curious.Tesla to build electric Mercedes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[dboz]

Why the obsession with electric? People still realize you need a carbon source for the power, right?!!

 

[dkevox]

just cause you need a carbon source for the power doesn't mean that with an electric vehicle it isn't a more efficient process with significantly less polutants released.

I just happen to work in the energy industry designing fossil power plants, that's why i'm being nitpicky. I'm not a big fan of the electric movement for other reasons though. Top of the list being battery technology sucks.

Here's a car, make sure you don't go further then 10miles from home or you will have to wait 8hours for it to chrage so you can make it back. I wanna see someone do a cross country road trip in an electric car, and write a blog about it. That would be funny.

 

[KickAss]

Why the obsession with electric? People still realize you need a carbon source for the power, right?!!

Because power generation is more efficient in a dedicated plant even when taking transmission losses into account and energy recovery is inherently better in electric vehicles. Also, the cars will be lighter without the engines etc...its a whole different animal. Electric cars have their own vices wrt pollution, but they have reached a point where they cannot be easily discounted anymore.

Also, not all power generation is carbon based. Nuclear and hydro etc make a pretty big contribution.

 

[dboz]

And you forget that battery materials come from foreign sources (still dependent on other countries) and the batteries add TONS of weight. Further, what is going to happen when the time comes for battery disposal? That is certainly not enviro friendly.

As to nuclear and hydro, they are surely not enviro friendly as both have negative consequences to the environment, just not in terms of carbon pollution.

Maybe new tech batteries will come along, but there is certainly more oil in the world than there is lithium.