e-Golf: German car electric version arrives in Portugal this month (with features)

It won't be long for the Portuguese put your hands-and feet-on Volkswagen e-Golf, the first purely electric version of one of the most successful models cars of all time, the Golf-30 million units sold.

The e-Golf will be officially launched later this month, you know the Green Savers and the first cars arriving in Portugal in July. The price is not yet set, but is expected to around € 38,000 â€" still, an estimated price.

In its electric version, the iconic VW brand's strong point â€" autonomy between 130 and 190 km â€" and a selection of driving profiles: Normal, Eco and Eco + (these two are a redundancy, since the car is 100% ecological).

Autonomy depends on the route to go, driving style and weight of the cargo. On the other hand, if the outside temperature is too low, the autonomy can be less than these values.

According to Volkswagen, technological innovation of e-Golf allows you to ensure a top speed limited to 140 km/h, so the car is the only model of the range fitted as standard with the radio and navigation system of high technology, the Discover Pro.

From the functional point of view, the new model is also fitted as standard with the App Car-Net-and-Remote, which allows the battery charge, the activation of auxiliary heating/air conditioner (during the battery charging procedure) and the demand for vehicle data through a smartphone.

Abroad, the Volkswagen highlights the headlights in LED electric Golf, as well as C-shaped taillights, visual feature of all VW models equipped with electric propulsion hybrid or plug-in.

With a very low consumption â€" less than 100 kWh/12.7 Km, the e-Golf is about "10% more efficient than the best and most direct competitor with steel construction". The vehicle is also completely silent, and costs €1,9 to 100 km for energy.

The battery Positioned between the front and rear axle, the lithium ion battery has a weight of 318 kg and consists of a total of 264 cells integrated into 27 modules (6 and 12 cells). The total capacity of the battery is gross to 24.2 kWh. Some of these are reserved to prevent damage as the result of a total discharge of the battery.

The battery management system, called BMC, which assumes the functions of security, Diagnostics and monitoring. It is also he who regulates the temperature of the battery in the controller-Junction-Controller, one interface to provide power to the motor. When the vehicle is stopped or suffers an accident, is switched off automatically the electric current from the battery.

How to load? One of the greatest challenges of electric vehicles has as its backdrop the shipment. In Golf, and as with his "brother" e-up!, there are several form of shipment. The simplest is to connect the charging cable (standard) to a conventional socket 230 V. E-Golf batteries are loaded to 100% when they are completely discharged, within 1:0 pm.

Optionally, Volkswagen offers a wallbox to the garage or a parking place covered, which enables an output of 3.6 kW load. In this case, the battery requires approximately eight hours to be fully charged.

In addition to the wallbox, there are also public places of loading that offer a power 3.6 kW load.

For the e-Golf, the client may also request to Volkswagen for the vehicle is prepared for the Combined charging system CCS (Combined Charging System) with direct current (DC). In this mode, the battery reaches over 80% of its capacity in just 30 minutes.

Watch the silence as was expected, the e-Golf is silent. With the absence of combustion engines, there are other sources of noise that are heard. Thus, Volkswagen has implemented a specific acoustics concept for e-Golf, designed for the characteristics of electric vehicle and which make it possible, even hear a PIN fall. But beware: the silence of the electric car has been criticized, including by the European Association for the blind, which asks cars more noisy and warn people, blind or not, their passage. Learn about all the features of the vehicle and, below, some photos of the e-Golf.

Goodbye, Rev counter Located on the left side of the instrument panel, the display of kW of the vehicle replaces the tachometer. It indicates the main energy levels: If the motor vehicle is prepared to boot if the battery is being charged via regenerative braking or if she's being consumed.

On the right side is positioned the analog speedometer which in this case indicates a speed up to 160 km/h. In the color display other values are indicated, cases of a continuous view of the autonomy, the level of regenerative braking that is active and the information about the remaining charging time and the type of loading plug connected.

But as I'm going on vacation? Today, the electric car is a great ally of the city trips, but has some problems on long journeys. To work around this issue, Volkswagen developed a partnership with Europcar, in which owners of electric vehicles of the German brand can rent a car with conventional motor with a special price.





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Scientists may have discovered the largest water reservoir in the world

A water tank three times greater than the total volume of Earth's oceans may have been discovered under the United States, 700 km depth. The discovery was published last week in the journal Science.

The article was written by American investigators, led by Geophysicist Steve Jacobsen, and Northestern University by Brandon Schmandt, seismologist at the University of New Mexico.

The water found is not in liquid form, but magma wells were found, which may indicate the presence of water. During the investigation the laboratory experiments were used to Jacobsen, where the rock layers studied the Geophysicist of the planet under simulated high pressure, similar to the 700 km depth, together with comments made by seismologist seismic activity data that were collected under the USArray project, a network of seismographs throughout the American territory, referred to Treehugger.

Based on investigations, scientists believe the water is stored in the molecular structure of minerals inside the Rocky mantle, in the form of the mineral itself, created by pressure and heat inside of the mantle. In this layer there is a terrestrial ringwoodite, a mineral that has water in its composition which, according to scientific articles published earlier this year, allows to infer the existence of a reservoir of water in the Earth's mantle equivalent to the water of the oceans.

Researchers believe that water exists on the planet's surface might have arrival at great depths through the tectonic plates. During the investigation, they found evidence of an extensive melting underneath the North American territory, close to the depth at which can be found the mineral. The depth is this fusion of materials of the Earth's interior is the one that presents the best temperature and pressure so that the water can leave the ringwoodite, a phenomenon that scientists compare to sweating.

Currently, only there is evidence of the existence of ringwoodite in the United States, having the presence of the mineral in other parts of the Earth to be confirmed yet.

Foto: Wikimedia Commons

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Wai-o-Tapu: one of the most beautiful places in the world

Between October 11, 2009 and 22 December 200, the production team of the Lord of the Rings movies used various locations in the areas of conservation of natural parks within New Zealand 438 days.

The end result is apparent in the trilogy by Peter Jackson and eventually raise the small country to the top of the world of natural beauty â€" even then there were few who knew him, even if it was photography, the beaches or lush mountains New Zealanders.

Another of the secrets of New Zealand is Wai-o-Tapu, a geothermal wonder located in Taupo volcanic zone. Wai-o-Tapu, meaning "sacred water" in Maori, is an area with hot springs and geysers are breathtaking.

More than words, see this scenario in our gallery.

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Berlin: ducks fall in love with golden retriever

Native to North Africa and southern Europe, the Heron Buckaroo is so named for being too close to the cattle, in search of its parasites and insects. The Group of ducks we talked about this news has the same behavior, probably for other reasons, with the golden retriever Miedosos.

The four ducks shoot the dog when they see it and, most intriguing, attempt to copulate with him. After all, explains Ulrike Kersjes, owner of the animal, Miedosos be cool when you see them around.

The dog and the ducks live in a suburb of Berlin, Germany and, according to Ulrike, the four ducks fell in love by Miedosos. "Sometimes you have to rescue him, take him into the House or to the other side of the garden. After the hassle a while eventually stop. But, a few minutes later, they come back to him, "says Ulrike. "I think they're in love". See some pictures of this unnatural ratio.

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Developed by Portuguese scientist Sensor allows detecting dangerous foodborne bacteria

Every year millions of people are affected by diseases caused by food-borne bacteria and some of them have even died. One of the main food-borne bacteria that causes these deaths and illnesses is the listeria, which leads to Listeriosis.

However, researchers at the University of Southampton, led by Portugal's Salome are testing a Ganai new device which detects the most common cause of listeriosis, directly on surfaces where food is prepared, without having to send samples to be tested in the laboratory.

Listeriosis is caused by the bacterium Listera monocytogenes and mainly affects newborns, the elderly, pregnant women and patients with immunodeficiency, although it is a rare disease. Symptoms include fever, vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, the bacteria can spread through the body and cause dangerous diseases, such as meningitis. Usually the bacteria enters the body through food such as milk, cheese, fish, meat and vegetables.

However, this new sensor may prevent many clinical complications caused by the bacteria. The sensor is embedded in a device that uses pressurized air and water to isolate the cells from the surface to test and then puts them in touch with an antibody specifically prepared for detection, as referred to in Gizmag. If the bacteria is present via antibody become fluorescent and this fluorescence is detected by a camera designed specifically for the device.

"We have investigated biofilms in different environments to search the right pressure to remove the cells of different surfaces, without harming their own cells," explained Salome Gião, licensed in biological engineering at the University of Minho. "We also found that biofilms may form on the surfaces, even if they are covered with water".

Currently, the bacterium detection techniques are based on laboratory tests, which can take days until they know the outcome. Additionally, although the current tests identify all types of cells, they do not discriminate and dangerous living cells and dead cells and harmless. The new device is designed to overcome these problems, with the ability to accumulate and detect the pathogen at the site within three to four hours. See a photo of the team at the University of Southampton â€" Salome Gião is in the foreground.

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The American who lives in a Boeing 727

Bruce Campbell is a former electrical engineer who lives in a Boeing 727 since 1999, when he decided to save the plane from the junkyard.

The plane is complete â€" wings, cockpit and landing wheels â€" and this 64 years of Portland, in Oregon, sleeping half the year on the aircraft.

The former engineer decided to buy for having knowledge of the history of a Mississippi Barber who did the same. Campbell spent about €161 thousand to make the aircraft habitable and now intends to increase the aircraft for a large Boeing 747, refers to the Mirror.

One of the things that stays original aboard is the food unpalatable, since Bruce Campbell admits kitchens with a microwave or a toaster, feeding mostly canned or cereals. Here are some pictures of the housing.

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What do the markings to encourage sustainable consumption?

The creatives have a great responsibility in promoting sustainable consumption. Should not be seen as mere passive interfaces, but rather as active constituents, said Guta Moura Guedes this morning, at the Conference of Green Project Awards "Sustainable Consumption-consumer power".

"While designer when I'm designing a bottle, I can tell the client what you're asking is not feasible the sustainable point of view. I have this responsibility, "explained the President of Experience Design.

An opinion was refuted by Carlos Coelho, Chairman of IVITY Brand Group, which stated that "doesn't fit to be creative agents of change. The creatives are creators of interaction between audiences and producers or vice versa ".

"Companies active in the market does not have on its agenda the concern of sustainability as they should have and are not creatives to do this role," he explained.

Ana Morais Wheat, Director-General of the Portuguese Association of distribution Companies (APED), who also participated in the Panel "Stimulating sustainable consumption practices: design, brands and consumption", stressed that companies look increasingly for sustainability in their business models and that 80% of the decisions that are taken by companies in developing a product start in design, IE"environmental concerns have started many behind in the production chain and from conception, design".

Citing a Eurobarometer survey of the European Commission, Ana Morales said that Wheat 56% of the population is aware of the environmental impacts of consumer products. Thus, he added, "the consumer assumes behaviors according to the information we have, so it is essential to invest more in awareness-raising campaigns".

Vasco Colaço, President of Deco, believes that the national panorama also has influenced the consumption pattern of consumers. "This crisis we live in forced people to rethink their consumption habits, looking to be more selective in their choices, either by difficulty, either by the price increase," he said, adding that the Government did not always take advantage of the change.

"Nearly 56% of the energy consumed in Lisbon is linked to transport. What happened is that the income of households has decreased and there was a tendency to pass to ride public transportation. However, what happened is that there has been a significant increase of transport charges, which led to the loss of passengers ", exemplified.

For the President of Deco, the solution would "maintain the tariffs so that people use in a natural way transport. But there was the obligation of the people change their habits and the politicians did not know take advantage of the move to consolidate more sustainable behaviours ".

However, the responsible considers that not only the Government that has a role to play in promoting sustainable consumption. "Companies should do something so that green products are not seen only as something distinct or as a marketing strategy. This is a systematic process and everyone has to assume their responsibility in the system ".

Organized in conjunction with APED, DECO and ICS, the Conference of Green Project Awards was still as one of the high moments the signing of a cooperation protocol between the GCI and the Business Association of Portugal (AEP), with the aim of coordinating efforts between the two entities.

After the debate on sustainable consumption, the GPA now prepares its next conference dedicated to sustainable cities, which will take place July 15.

Foto:  JC i Núria / Creative Commons

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