Volkswagen, Eli Electric Vehicles, eRace, Jaguar, Chevrolet.

Another electric VW bus: VW unveiled its new electric concept car, the I.D. Buzz at the Detroit Motor Show. The minibus takes after the iconic VW bus and is slightly bigger than the BUDD-e, presented at CES last year (we reported). It is powered by two electric motors with a total output of 275 kW, while the 111-kWh battery pack allows for up to 270 miles of range (EPA) or 600 km (NECD). It is not clear when the I.D. Buzz will hit the road, but most likely not before the I.D. and an electric SUV, which VW will unveil in Shanghai.
greencarcongress.com, autonews.com, autocar.co.uk

Eli Electric announces the launch of the EV Zero tiny e-car for the city: The startup Eli Electric Vehicles presented its EV Zero in Las Vegas. The small electric car has some similarity with the Renault Twizy but has a closed cockpit and real doors. Its top speed is limited to 40 kph, while it has a range of 100 km on one charge. Zero will launch in Europe and the U.S. at the end of the year and will sell for around 10,000 dollars.

Update 10 August 2020: Following the CES 2017 it became very quiet around the EV Zero project. Now the startup has returned with an update: Some improvements have been made to the Eli Zero, which will allow it to be approved for road use in the US and EU. Production in limited quantities and sales in the USA and the EU are scheduled to begin this year.

It was decided last year to suspend marketing of the Eli Zero in order to focus on some upgrades and supply chains, the company now announced. While the exterior of the model now on display still bears a strong resemblance to the concept presented in 2017, the Zero is said to have been given a completely new interior. In addition, power steering and ABS have been integrated. Eli has not revealed more concrete information about the sales and the exact technical data of the Zero.

autoexpress.co.uk, evobsession.com (update), cleantechnica.com (update)

eRace hits track in Vegas: The first virtual eRace took place in Las Vegas over the weekend. Faraday Future Dragon Racing pilot Bono Huis took the crown, winning 200,000 dollars. Technically, Mahindra driver Olli Pahkala was the fastest, but only because he used a FanBoost incorrectly, activating it for six rounds and not six seconds. He therefore got a 12 second penalty and lost the top spot.
motorsport.com, cnn.com

Electric two-seater by Jaguar? Auto Express reports that Jaguar may be working on a narrow two-seater electric city car, where the passengers would be seated behind the driver. The tiny EV could become available at the beginning of the next decade and would be built by company Magna in Graz (Austria).
autoexpress.co.uk

EV crowned: Automotive journalists have cured the Chevy Bolt as “North American Car of the Year 2017.” It is the first time that an electric car has taken home the award. The Bolt is said to have won out mainly because it is believed to be a game-changer in the automotive sector, as it offers more than 200 miles of range, while still being affordable.
usatoday.com, electrek.co, insideevs.com