WebAssembly Browser Preview

Today we’re happy to announce, in tandem with Firefox and Edge, a WebAssembly Browser Preview. WebAssembly or wasm is a new runtime and compilation target for the web, designed by collaborators from Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, Apple, and the W3C WebAssembly Community Group.

What does this milestone mark?

This milestone is significant because it marks:

• a release candidate for our MVP (minimum viable product) design (including semantics, binary format, and JS API)
• compatible and stable implementations of WebAssembly behind a flag on trunk in V8 and SpiderMonkey, in development builds of Chakra, and in progress in JavaScriptCore
• a working toolchain for developers to compile WebAssembly modules from C/C++ source files
• a roadmap to ship WebAssembly on-by-default barring changes based on community feedback 

You can read more about WebAssembly on the project site as well as follow our developers guide to test out WebAssembly compilation from C & C++ using Emscripten. The binary format and JS API documents outline the binary encoding of WebAssembly and the mechanism to instantiate WebAssembly modules in the browser, respectively. Here’s a quick sample to show what wasm looks like:

Raw Bytes	Text Format	C Source
02 40 03 40 20 00 45 0d 01	block  loop    get_local 0    i32.eqz    br_if 1	while (x != 0) {
20 00 21 02	get_local 0    set_local 2	z = x;
20 01 20 00 6f 21 00	get_local 1    get_local 0    i32.rem_s    set_local 0	x = y % x;
20 02 21 01	get_local 2    set_local 1	y = z;
0c 00 0b 0b	br 0  end   end	}
20 01	get_local 1	return y;

Greatest Common Divisor function

Since WebAssembly is still behind a flag in Chrome (chrome://flags/#enable-webassembly), it is not yet recommended for production use. However, the Browser Preview period marks a time during which we are actively collecting feedback on the design and implementation of the spec. Developers are encouraged to test out compiling and porting applications and running them in the browser.

V8 continues to optimize the implementation of WebAssembly in the TurboFan compiler. Since last March when we first announced experimental support, we’ve added support for parallel compilation. In addition, we’re nearing completion of an alternate asm.js pipeline, which converts asm.js to WebAssembly under the hood so that existing asm.js sites can reap some of the benefits of WebAssembly ahead-of-time compilation.

What's next?

Barring major design changes arising from community feedback, the WebAssembly Community Group plans to produce an official specification in Q1 2017, at which point browsers will be encouraged to ship WebAssembly on-by-default. From that point forward, the binary format will be reset to version 1 and WebAssembly will be versionless, feature-tested, and backwards-compatible. A more detailed roadmap can be found on the WebAssembly project site.

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World Top 10 September 2016

Tesla's Cult followers pushed  their cars to the Top Spots

Models - 1-2 Win For Tesla

The global EV market continues to grow at rapid pace, with some 77.000 units delivered in September (Second best month ever, only behind the 86k of last December), representing a 54% growth YoY, with YTD sales now at 515k, we are headed for a total sales number of around 800.000 units.

In the models ranking, the Best Seller of the Month for the fourth time in a row was the Tesla Model S, with 7.910 deliveries, only 100 less than the absolute record, recorded by the same Model S last December, so as predicted last month, the Tesla Model S displaced the Nissan Leaf from the Models leadership in the Second Half of the Year, like it did last year.

Looking at the rest of the YTD ranking, the #3 BYD Tang sales are down for the third consecutive month (Softening demand?), while the Fourth Place of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Sales down 50% YoY) is in serious danger, with a real chance to end 2016 in Seventh. 

The Renault Zoe is also most certainly sure to lose the #8 soon, to the current sensation, the Tesla Model X, which ended September in Second with a record 5.484 deliveries, securing a 1-2 win for the Palo Alto company, while jumping to #9 in the YTD ranking.  

Besides the aforementioned Tesla, two other models have beaten their own sales record, with the BMW i3 scoring 3.515 units, while the BAIC E-Series has beaten a 21 months-old record (An eternity in China), with 2.659 units.

Looking outside the Top 10, there was another BAIC pulling out a brilliant performance, with the EU260 sedan scoring 3.800 units, a personal best for any model of Beijing Auto, that allowed it to surge to Third in September. Will it be a future sighting in this ranking?

Pl	WORLD	Sept.	YTD	%	'15Pl
1	Tesla Model S	7.910	38.282	7	1
2	Nissan Leaf	3.503	38.042	7	2
3	BYD Tang	2.120	26.788	5	8
4 5 6	Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Chevrolet Volt BYD Qin	2.397 2.501 3.125	20.001 18.931 18.391	4 4 4	3 9 4
7	BMW i3	3.515	18.251	4	5
8	Renault Zoe	1.992	15.979	3	7
9	Tesla Model X	5.484	15.813	3	68
10	BAIC E-Series EV	2.659	15.457	3	11
	TOTAL	76.876	515.035

Manufacturers -  Tesla & the Three B's

No, it's not a new R&B project, the title is the short story about what happened last month, with Tesla breaking records with a superlative 13.394 deliveries, followed by three brands that start with the letter "B": BYD, BAIC and BMW, their performances had different meanings for all three brands:

- BYD continues to be the Master In Command in the YTD ranking, but the Second Place in September, with 10.261 units, is somewhat disappointing, as this is the fourth consecutive month where the automaker scores 10.000-something results. Production bottlenecks? Waning demand?

-  The 7.062 units of  Beijing Auto (BAIC), came as (Good) surprise, with a 73% improvement over the previous month, allowing it to jump to Third in September and climb to #5 YTD. There are reports that BAIC electric models are quite popular in Beijing, so we could see it improve even further in the future.  

- As for BMW, the record 7.050 units (Beating the 6.030 of last December) were expected, currently the Bavarian automaker benefits from a strong (And extensive) lineup, with four(!) out its seven models scoring record performances in September. Now, the #3 Nissan is only an arms length of reach, when it passes the Japanese automaker, then BMW will become the best selling legacy OEM. Who would of thought, eh?

An interesting fact is that the September podium was composed by three outsiders: Tesla (First), BYD (Second) and BAIC (Third). Something to consider for the established OEM's...

With Chevrolet finally selling at decent levels, the American car maker is now in Eighth Place, while Renault is waiting for the 40 kWh version of the Zoe to be back in the game. 

The #10 Ford is keeping the #11 SAIC Roewe at safe distance, so for the time being it looks that it will keep the last place of the ranking all to itself.

Pl	WORLD	Sept.	YTD	%	'15Pl
1	BYD	10.261	74.039	14	1
2	Tesla	13.394	54.033	11	2
3	Nissan	3.828	41.139	8	4
4	BMW	7.050	40.449	8	6
5 6 7	BAIC Volkswagen Mitsubishi	7.062 3.614 2.875	29.644 26.280 23.560	6 5 5	12 5 3
8	Chevrolet	2.816	21.719	4	11
9	Renault	2.620	21.457	4	8
10	Ford	2.477	18.084	4	10

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Europe September 2016 (Updated)

Two shakers of  EV Sales in September

BMW i3 Wins September and Two Tesla in the Top 5

The European EV market had 24.000 registrations last month, up 47% over September last year, being not only the best month of the year, but also the second best-selling month ever, only behind the inflated (34k) December ’15, with the market set to surpass the 200.000 units (205k? 210k?) by year end, the EV share now stands north (1,1%) of the 1% frontier.

Looking at the Monthly Models Ranking:

#1 BMW i3 – “There’s no Replacement for Displacement”, Gear-heads used to say in the 20^th Century, now it’s more “There’s no Replacement for Range”, not so poetic, but nevertheless true, as the i3 proves, the best score that the BMW’s hot hatch did in Europe in the first seven months of 2016 was 1.049 units (Last March), now with the 33 kWh battery version kicking in, sales more than doubled to 2.189 units, a new record for the little bugger, with an interesting twist: While in the past, the extended range version outsold the pure electric one, with the 33 kWh version, it’s the other way around, with BEV’s outselling Rex…  

#2 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – After a tight race with the BMW i3, the Japanese SUV ended September in Second Place, with 2.184 units, with sales dropping 23% YoY. Although growing in important markets, like Norway or Germany, Mitsubishi hasn’t found a way to replace the average 300-400 units/month it had last year in the Dutch market and to stop the slowing sales in the United Kingdom.

#3 Renault Zoe – After the Summer break, the French hatch sales went back to normal in September, with registrations up 19% YoY to 1.966 units. With sales in its domestic market and Norway back to full swing, the Zoe will be anxiously waiting for the 40 kWh version to land, in order to secure the Best Seller status in 2016. 

#4 Tesla Model X – The (not so) surprise of the month, Tesla’s SUV finally spread its wings and jumped to the Top 5, reaching #4, with 1.825 units, in its first significant European deliveries month, with the result inflated by Norway (601 units), but with good performances across the Continent, as deliveries of the Model X were on par or better than its older brother, the Model S. With a long waiting list of prospective owners still to be delivered of their winged-SUV, expect this model to remain a common sight in this Top 5.

 

#5 Tesla Model S – If its newer sibling stole the headlines, the fact is that the Model S actually had a good sales month, with deliveries up 40% in September, to 1.679 units, its best performance since March, with good numbers in a number of markets, namely Netherlands (227 units), Norway (247), Germany (200) or France (132). Looking ahead, expect deliveries to drop in October and another possible Top 5 appearance next December.

YTD Ranking – BMW Charges On

Looking at the YTD ranking, this month there were only two significant changes, with the BMW i3 climbing to #5 and the BMW 330e to #10.

In a strong sales month, several models excelled, like the BMW 225xe Active Tourer, that performed a new personal best, with 620 units, just like its junior executive relative, the 330e, that for the first time broke into the four digits area, with 1.193 registrations, while the Kia Soul EV scored a Year Best, with 695 units. Arch rival to the BMW 2-Series MPV, the Mercedes B-Class also scored a personal best, with 577 units.

Outside the Top 20 several models did well, the Audi Q7 e-Tron broke again its personal best, with 708 deliveries, by far its best month to date, the Mercedes GLC350e delivered a record 251 units, while the Kia Optima PHEV is off to a good start, with 276 units in its first full sales month.

Underlining a positive month for BMW, the X5 PHEV did a year best performance with 553 units, while the 740e registered 208 units, already trailing the Mercedes S500e (53 units) and Porsche Panamera Plug-in (20) in September.

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, the trophy bearer, Volkswagen (16%) is on its way to lose the Top Spot to BMW, which is only 90 units behind (23.558 vs 23.468) and currently benefits from a stronger lineup, while Renault (14%) is Third, waiting for the 40 kWh Zoe to try a reproach the front runners.

Pl	Europe	Sept.	2016	%	'15Pl
1	Renault Zoe	1.966	15.830	11	2
2	Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV	2.184	14.983	10	1
3	Nissan Leaf	1.084	12.955	9	5
4	Tesla Model S	1.679	9.889	7	4
5 6	BMW i3 Volkswagen Golf GTE	2.189 1.078	9.129 8.603	6 6	6 3
7	Volkswagen Passat GTE	1.362	7.724	5	12
8	Mercedes C350e	970	6.988	5	11
9	Volvo XC90 T8	949	6.835	5	18
10 11 12	BMW 330e Volkswagen e-Golf Audi A3 e-Tron	1.193 589 444	5.627 5.525 4.601	4 4 3	37 4 7
13 14	BMW X5 40e BMW 225xe Active Tourer	553 620	3.697 3.587	2 2	22 32
15	Kia Soul EV	695	3.184	2	10
16	Mercedes B250e	577	2.872	2	17
17	Renault Kangoo ZE	259	2.847	2	13
18 19 20	Volvo V60 Plug-In Nissan e-NV200 / Evalia Tesla Model X	424 320 1.825	2.554 2.347 2.251	2 2 2	9 15 N/A
	TOTAL	24.085	149.910

Post also published at EV Obsession and CleanTechnica.

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