electric cars

Catalan carmaker Seat also accepts funds to boost electric vehicle manufacturing and build battery factory

Catalan company will begin production of the Hypernova in 2023

Local authorities are considering following example of places like London by asking drivers to pay a fee as part of efforts to reduce urban pollution

Innovative US car company opens first dealership in Spain near to Barcelona with another planned soon for the Catalan capital

Some 126 charging points will be available to drivers by the end of the year

A team of researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has developed an electric car that can move without a driver, identifying roads, obstacles and traffic signs with its cameras. In fact, the use of cameras instead of expensive sensors is the main difference from similar existing models and makes the Catalan car much cheaper than its potential competitors, such as Google's prototype. In addition, the use of less sophisticated devices, such as simple cameras, makes the UAB prototype demand more intelligent algorithms and programmes than its competitors, says Antonio López of UAB's Centre of Computer Vision. In the last few years, Catalonia, and particularly Barcelona and its Metropolitan Area, has become one of the main centres at world level developing electric vehicles. In addition, Barcelona is also a world reference point within the mobile industry, as well as the Internet of Things and smart cities industries, hosting the Mobile World Congress each year and many smart city projects.

The 38^th edition of the Barcelona International Motor Show (SIAB) will be held between 9 and 17 May at the Montjuïc venue of the Catalan capital's trade fair. This year, the event will host at least 38 brands and others could be added in the following weeks. This is the biggest number since the economic crisis started. According to Mario Armero, ANFAC Executive Vice President, "the show coincides with a clear recovery of the sector, where 2-digit growth rates have been registered in sales, production and exports volumes". Organised by Fira de Barcelona, SIAB is the only motor show in Spain recognised by the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. The coming edition will also coincide with the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, transforming the Catalan city into the world's motor capital for a few days.

The factory that the Japanese car multinational has in Barcelona will be working 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for the first time in its 30 years of existence in order to produce the Pulsar saloon car and the NV200 van. In addition, it will hire 686 new temporary workers to deal with this production increase. As from the 20^th of October, Nissan will hire 86 new staff that will strengthen the current night shift on week days, which will be covered by 500 workers in total. Furthermore in early January, 600 additional staff will be hired to work on the weekends until later March. Nissan decided to allocate the production of its Pulsar saloon car to Barcelona in February 2013, after the company and trade unions reached an agreement to improve competitiveness. Furthermore, in Barcelona in May 2014, it started to assemble its first electric van model.

Barcelona-headquartered Ficosa International S.A and Japan-based Panasonic Corporation signed an investment agreement on Tuesday to form a capital and business alliance through a €250 million operation. According to the official press release by Ficosa, as part of the capital alliance, Panasonic will take a 49% stake in the Catalan company. Ficosa is a company that specializes in automobile components, founded in 1949 in Barcelona, where the headquarters remain. It grew at a phenomenal rate and now has around 8,000 employees in 18 countries around the globe, with net sales of €925 million as of December 2013. It is best known for its gear-boxes and rear-view mirrors, of which it produces over 20 million a year. The goal of the alliance will be for both groups to develop projects towards a future self-driving car, while also being mutually advantageous from a business perspective.

Barcelona´s bicycle sharing service, Bicing, has announced plans to launch an electrical bike service designed to aid longer journeys around the city. This service aims to improve the effectiveness of the current Bicing service by promoting the use of electrical bicycles, which will further enhance the image of Barcelona as a ´Smart City´. An initial trial of the new service will begin this December when 300 electronic bikes will be spread over 45 Bicingstations across the city. As with the original Bicing service, this new scheme will be directed towards regular residents of Barcelona and will be unavailable to short-stay tourists.

At a conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Barcelona presented itself as a “pioneering” city to accommodate electric vehicles. Coinciding with the European Energy Week, the Catalan delegation to the European Union in collaboration with Renault-Nissan organized a conference on the promotion of electric mobility and smart cities, entitled 'The Liveable City’. "Everything is ready, what is missing is that people just have to make the step to use electric vehicles”, the Manager of Infrastructure and Electric Mobility of the City of Barcelona, Manuel Valdés, told CNA. According to the Communications Director of Nissan Iberia, Francesc Corberó, the city "is not only ready, but its whole mindset is totally focused on this challenge".

This weekend the Formula 1 World Championship comes to Catalonia once again thanks to a long tradition which blends the motor industry and competition. Catalonia has several industries related to cars and motorbikes. Aside from SEAT, Nissan, Honda and Rieju are important factories that supply components worldwide. Catalonia plays host to a packed motor sports calendar. The Formula 1 Grand Prix, the GP Motorbike Grand Prix, the World Rally Championship all take place in Catalonia among other endurance series, classic races and indoor or outdoor motorbikes championships. Moreover, Catalan drivers are competing in a lot of international categories. For instance, last year the three Motorcycle World Champions – Marc Márquez, Pol Espargaró and Maverick Viñales - were all Catalans.

The Japanese car manufacturer started production of its new e-NV200 van, the electric version of the existing NV200, on Monday. The new model will be Nissan’s first van to be 100% electric. The vehicle will be exclusively built in the company’s plant located in Barcelona’s Zona Franca industrial district, which is very close to the city’s sea port, one of Europe’s main gateways for imports and exports. The production of the new e-NV200 has meant the creation of 700 new jobs, according to Nissan’s CEO and Vice President for Industrial Operations in Spain, Frank Torres. Barcelona’s City Council has reached an agreement with the car manufacturer to promote the use of this van among the Catalan capital’s taxi fleet and distributors operating in Mercabarna, the city’s wholesale market.