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Recharge Wrap-up: Comparing Nissan Leaf performance by climate, natural gas iffy for trucks

A new Carnegie Mellon University study looks at the effects of regional climate variations on the Nissan Leaf. The study shows (unsurprisingly) that the ambient temperatures of different regions have effects on battery performance and the use of climate control, both of which affect range. Efficiency and grid mix determine regional differences in emissions per mile. CMU enumerated many of the differences in performance across the US. For instance, on the coldest day of the year, maximum range can be 70 miles on the Pacific Coast, while it is less than 45 miles in the Upper Midwest. These differences in efficiency can also affect adoption patterns. Read more at Green Car Congress. Battery charger manufacturer CTEK has licensed WiTricity wireless charging technology. CTEK looks to commercialize the wireless power transfer tech for use with electric vehicle batteries, making the "plug-in" aspect of EV charging unnecessary. WiTricity's charging technology stands out for its ability for distance charging via magnetic near field. "We are excited to be on the forefront of the next generation of battery charging products for consumers and industry, and look forward to leveraging WiTricity's ground-breaking technology to bring a new level of convenience and ease of use to market," says CTEK CEO Jon Lind. Wireless charging is convenient for the public, but also especially useful for emergency vehicles, which need to be ready at a moment's notice but also keep electrical systems online while the car is parked. Read more at Green Car Congress or at the WiTricity website. Switching heavy trucking fleets from diesel to natural gas could make economic sense, but the environmental benefits aren't as certain, according to a new study from UC Davis and Rice University. Certain regions - particularly California, the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic regions - could benefit from the switch with minimal investment. "But to have an environmental advantage for reducing greenhouse gas emissions would take significant policy intervention," says Amy Myers Jaffe, executive director for Energy and Sustainability at UC Davis. This would mean stricter efficiency standards for natural gas trucks, as well as stronger regulations for methane leakage. Read more in the press release from UC Davis below.

With Nissan dragging it down, Renault predicts a worsening year

PARIS — Renault warned revenue may decline this year, scrapping a previous goal, after first-half profit was hit by weakening car demand and an earnings collapse at alliance partner Nissan in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn scandal. Net income slumped by more than half to 970 million euros ($1.08 billion) in January-June as revenue fell 6.4% to 28.05 billion, the French carmaker said on Friday. Operating profit also dropped 13.6% to 1.65 billion euros. "Given the degradation in demand, the group now expects 2019 revenues to be close to last year's," Renault said — abandoning an earlier pledge to increase revenue before currency effects. A broad-based auto sales downturn has rattled the sector, prompting profit warnings and compounding challenges for Renault and Nissan as they struggle to turn the page on the Ghosn era. Their former alliance boss is now awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges he denies. Renault's bottom line was hit by an 826 million-euro drop in earnings from its 43.4%-owned partner. Nissan is cutting 12,500 jobs globally after an earnings collapse that it is keen to blame on Ghosn's leadership. But Renault's own performance - reflected in an operating margin that declined to 5.9% from 6.4% the year before - compares less favorably with domestic rival PSA Group. The Peugeot maker bucked the downturn with a record 8.7% profit margin unveiled on Wednesday. Alliance tensions flared after Ghosn's November arrest, worsened when Renault tried in vain to merge with Nissan then Fiat Chrysler, and may be affecting operational performance, investors fear. Citi analyst Raghav Gupta-Chaudhary flagged a lower-than-usual 258 million euros in joint purchasing savings for Renault. "We thought this would be weak in light of the well-documented difficulties with the alliance," he said. Renault blamed falling sales in France, as well as Turkey and Argentina, for a 7.7% revenue drop at its core automotive business, whose profit margin slid to 4% from 4.5%. Operating free cash flow also suffered, coming in at a negative 716 million euros as investment jumped by 742 million euros to 2.91 billion. Renault, which is counting on model launches including a new Clio mini to boost performance in the second half of 2019, nonetheless reiterated pledges to deliver positive full-year cash flow and a margin close to 6%. Renault shares were down 0.5% at 52.02 euros as of 0800 GMT in Paris, after initially falling as much as 2.7%.

Nissan gets it on with the loud "Karaok-e" van concept

With a minivan, you can pack it with a half dozen friends to shuttle them to a big party. But that involves some boring time in traffic. With the Nissan Townstar Karaok-e you can skip that boring step because the van is the party. That’s the idea behind Nissan's modified Townstar Evalia is a one-off project recently shown in Europe. ItÂ’s an exercise that transforms the van into a mobile karaoke lounge. The bulk of the modifications are in the rear of the van. A 32-inch video monitor for graphics and lyrics is the centerpiece along with the exotic sound system. There are also fancy lights in the ceiling and the cabinetry, and they're synchronized the to the beat of the music. There's no mention in the press release if the van comes with a “donÂ’t dance while driving” warning. This all-electric seven-seat Townstar Evalia—which Nissan rather cosmically claims is intended to inspire “well-being and happiness”—further features a number of apps that allows passengers to show off their vocal chops, record their performances, and share them on social media platforms. The brand hasnÂ’t ignored the exterior, which features a juicy wrap enhanced by a couple of hashtags. The neon-like roof attachment would almost certainly have impressed Donna Summer. The Townstar Evalia in Europe shares close ties with the Renault Kangoo van. It comes in a long wheelbase configuration with options for five or seven seats and is available with either fully electric or gasoline powertrains. Nissan offers no hint that this particular Townstar variant might enter serious production, and we doubt that even a groundswell of interest from the public would get the company to start building them. But we bet there are limo services that might be interested, and certainly some upfitters that could put together something similar. Of course, that's as long as said customer has the will and the means.