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Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan and Endesa launch V2G project; BMW denies Apple will use i3

Nissan and Endesa will work together to deliver a mass-market vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system. The technology would allow users to charge their vehicle during off-peak hours, and sell energy back to the grid during periods of high demand. The two companies are looking to launch V2G technology in Europe, as well as exploring second-life projects using retired EV batteries for stationary energy storage. V2G allows users to lower the cost of ownership of their EV, and also helps stabilize the grid, particularly in countries that use a large amount of renewable energy. Endesa will demonstrate its V2G technology system in Madrid on March 12. Read more from Nissan. BMW denies reports that Apple will build a car based on the i3. German magazine Auto Motor und Sport said that such a deal was in the works, and that the Apple car could be sold by Apple and serviced by BMW. "We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles," says BMW. "Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions." Anonymous sources say that Apple could have a car available for production in 2020. Read more at Automotive News Europe. BluepointLondon will take over the management of 60 EV charging stations from Transport for London. The 60 chargers are in the boroughs of Southwark and Sutton, and Bluepoint expects to take over management of charging infrastructure in other London boroughs as well. "A better maintained and more extensive charging infrastructure will mean more drivers are able to use electric vehicles and join the early-adopters who are already helping London reach lower emissions level," says BluepointLondon Director Christophe Arnaud. "We are very excited to be playing our part." BluepointLondon aims to manage 6,000 charging points in London by 2018. Read more in the press release below. Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) offers plug-in hybrid conversions for GM light-duty trucks. The PHEV drivetrain offers all the performance of the original model, but reduces consumption and emissions by as much as 80 percent. It offers 30 to 40 miles of all-electric range plus enough energy to act as an idle-free power supply for tools and the like without depleting range. The EDI drivetrain can even be used to charge other EVs. Says EDI's Charlie Travis, "The light duty truck class is an important and high-volume vehicle category for fleet owners.

Recharge Wrap-up: electric taxis in Montreal, Sebastien Buemi leads Formula E testing

Sebastien Buemi leads the pack in the second session of Formula E pre-season testing. Buemi, driving for Renault e.dams, set a new lap record at Donington Park with a time of 1:31.050s. Buemi says that, with a little bit of work, he feels like he could shave off another second or more. "We could do quite a bit on the car and the car is a bit easier to drive, the stability is better, the brakes are better," he says. "I see some good potential, we just need to extract it from the car." Sam Bird was the second fastest during the testing session, followed by Daniel Abt. Read more in the press release below. A Montreal taxi company plans to create a fleet of 2,000 electric taxis by 2019. Taxi Hochelaga currently has the city's second largest fleet with 500 taxis currently in service. Owner Alexandre Taillefer believes this large fleet of green taxis will help the company compete with ride services like Uber and Lyft. "We want to be an alternative to the second car and even to the first," says Taillefer. "We will reduce traffic on the roads and pollution." The company's first electric cabs could be in service as early as November. Read more at Green Car Reports, or, if you speak French, at Le Journal de Montreal. DriveNow is open to franchising. The carsharing company, owned by BMW and rental company Sixt, will allow third parties to operate the DriveNow program in certain cities, according to a report. DriveNow is set to launch a fleet of 400 electric cars in Copenhagen, Denmark with the help of Arriva Plc. Read more from Automotive News Europe. Kandi Technologies Group Inc. on Monday reported second-quarter net income of $5.4 million. On a per-share basis, the Jinhua, China-based company said it had profit of 12 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 10 cents per share. The electric and all-terrain vehicle maker posted revenue of $48 million in the period. For the current quarter ending in October, Kandi Tech said it expects revenue in the range of $49 million to $51 million. Kandi Tech shares have dropped 45 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has fallen 59 percent in the last 12 months. The AP contributed to this report. BUEMI STAYS ON TOP IN SECOND TEST Renault e.dams driver heads field for consecutive days at Donington Park DONINGTON PARK, UK (August 11 2015): Sebastien Buemi broke the Formula E lap record at Donington Park as he once again set the fastest time in pre-season testing.

BMW M3, M4 let loose on the 'Ring

We just posted our first drive of the 2014 BMW 435i yesterday, but for those wanting even more power from this stylish coupe, help is on the way. From the sounds of it, BMW will be showing off a production-ready concept previewing the M4 next month at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but until then, we have some new spy shots of the performance coupe being tested at the Nürburgring, along with its four-door counterpart, the M3.
Despite all the camouflage, it doesn't take much imagination to picture what both cars will look like, since we can clearly see the more aggressive front fascia and beefier brake setup. One interesting element we see on both cars is a double bubble roof that is almost certainly made from carbon fiber. Based on our report earlier, both the M4 Coupe and M3 Sedan are expected to debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.