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Recharge Wrap-up: video touts Volvo electric buses, Nissan and BMW build EV chargers in S. Africa

Volvo is touting the advantages of electric buses in a new video. The short film, called Route 55, promotes the ElectriCity Project for public transport, and, more specifically, the new electric bus route in Gothenburg, Sweden. The new route debuts June 15 using Volvo electric and hybrid buses. In the video, two teenagers are seen waiting for the bus. As one boards, the other asks her out from the sidewalk, but she can't hear him over the noise of the diesel bus, which then closes its doors and drives away. The film asks, "What if this bus had been silent?" See the video above, and read more in the press release below. BMW and Nissan will build an EV charging network across South Africa. Through 2017, the two automakers will build fast-charging and AC stations around the country in order to encourage the adoption of EVs. Nissan has been selling the Leaf in South Africa since 2013, and BMW introduced the i3 and i8 in March. "In order for the introduction and expansion of electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to be successful in this market, we need to work together," says BMW South Africa Managing Director Tim Abbott. Read more at Automotive News Europe. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will provide the United Nations with 200 electric vehicles for the COP21 climate conference in Paris. The fleet of vehicles includes the Nissan Leaf and e-NV200, as well as the Renault ZOE, Kangoo ZE and Fluence ZE. The entire passenger car shuttle fleet will use all-electric vehicles as some 20,000 UN attendees descend upon Paris from November 30 to December 11. "Thanks to the Alliance's fleet of 100-percent electric vehicles, it will contribute to our goal of achieving a carbon neutral event," says French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development and COP21 President Laurent Fabius. "The technology of electric vehicles helps reduce greenhouse gases in the transportation sector efficiently." Read more from Renault. Visa will be the official title sponsor of the Formula E London ePrix. Officially called the "2015 FIA Formula E Visa London ePrix," the races on June 27 and 28 will be the last of the electric racing series's inaugural season. Visa Europe will award the Visa Fastest Lap trophy after the each round, and will have interactive activities at the race's eVillage.

Swedish man charged with spying on Volvo for Russia

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has indicted a 47-year-old man suspected of handing information to a Russian diplomat, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said on Monday. The prosecutor said in a statement that the man, who was not identified, had worked as a consultant at several Swedish companies, where he had illegally obtained and sold information, placing the country's security at risk. Public service broadcaster SVT said the man was Swedish. "While a consultant at his former workplaces, I allege that he obtained material with the purpose of providing information to a foreign power, in this case Russia," prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said. "The man was apprehended whilst meeting a Russian diplomat where he had just received 27,800 Swedish crowns ($3,360) from the diplomat." SVT reported that the man being charged had passed on information from automaker Volvo Cars and truckmaker Scania. A Scania spokesman confirmed that the man had worked as a consultant at the firm, while Volvo Cars declined to comment. The authority said the man had transferred material from computers to memory sticks as well as photographing the screen of his work computer, adding the crime could carry a sentence of up to six years in prison. "The crime is serious and, if convicted, the suspect could expect a lengthy sentence," Ljungqvist said.

Cadillac tops Tesla in Consumer Reports semi-automated driving test

General Motors' Cadillac outscored Tesla in a new ranking of partially automated driving systems tested by Consumer Reports and released on Thursday. The highly influential nonprofit organization, which tests and rates a variety of consumer products from appliances to vehicles, said it compared Cadillac's Super Cruise and Tesla's Autopilot with similar systems from Nissan and Volvo. Nissan's ProPilot Assist was ranked third and Volvo's Pilot Assist fourth. Consumer Reports said it has been testing partially automated driving systems for several years but elected to conduct a formal study intended for publication, because "we are at a tipping point where they are now going mainstream," according to Jake Fisher, director of auto testing. The organization said its tests, conducted on a private track and on public roads in Connecticut, were designed to measure the systems' ability to automatically control steering and speed in certain situations, while helping drivers pay attention and regain manual control of the vehicle when required. CR noted that any of these systems can increase driving risk if used in inappropriate situations, or if drivers become inattentive or over-reliant on them. While they can help relieve driver stress and fatigue, Consumer Reports said, the partially automated systems are "not intended to be self-driving features." The systems typically use cameras, radar and other sensors, as well as mapping data, to monitor location and traffic conditions and help keep a vehicle centered in the lane at a safe distance behind other cars. Each system has limitations. Cadillac's Super Cruise, for instance, only functions on divided highways that have been mapped by GM. In contrast, Tesla's Autopilot can be used even on small, curvy roads with poor lane markings, but "operates erratically in those situations," Consumer Reports said.The organization tested Super Cruise on the Cadillac CT6; Autopilot on the Tesla Model 3, Model X and Model S; ProPilot Assist on the Nissan Leaf and Infiniti QX50; and Pilot Assist on the Volvo XC40 and XC60. Consumer Reports said Cadillac's Super Cruise did "the best job of balancing high-tech capabilities with ensuring the car is operated safely and the driver is paying attention." Tesla's Autopilot was cited for its capability and ease of use, while Nissan's ProPilot Assist did a better job than Autopilot or Volvo's Pilot Assist in keeping drivers engaged.