Daimler Green Car Advisor Blog on Edmunds' Inside Line

September 4, 2008

Smart Says Cobasys Hampering Work on ForTwo EV Fitted With Li-Ion Batteries

In early June we reported that General Motors won't sell as many hybrid cars as it had hoped this year due to 9,000 defective batteries supplied by Cobasys.

Now the Michigan-based battery maker is being blamed for holding up the release of electric Smart ForTwos fitted with advanced lithium-ion battery packs.

Smart had hoped to bring to market ForTwos packing lithium-ion batteries by the end of 2009.

But Klaus Badenhausen, the automaker's chief engineer, told Edmunds.com's Inside Line today that problems it is having with Cobasys have stymied Smart's lithium-ion battery plans.

As we've reported, Cobasys' parent companies are in a dispute over who should assume costs incurred by their troublesome child.

Indeed, GM wasn't the only automaker to be burned by Cobasys. Early last month, Mercedes-Benz sued Cobasys and its parent companies, claiming the battery maker wasn't delivering the battery packs it agreed to build for Mercedes' ML450 Hybrid.

As a result the German automaker might have to delay the launch of its planned hybrid SUV.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett September 4, 2008, 4:39 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Daimler, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart, Tesla

September 2, 2008

Daimler Releases More Photos of Electric Smarts but Withholds Plans for U.S. Market

Daimler Group hasn't yet announced whether it will offer electric Smart ForTwos in the U.S., but that doesn't stop the German automaker from shoveling photos of the cute little plug-ins into the email boxes of autowriters across America.

Here are three that arrived today. We post them because we're certain some of our readers are already yearning for their own Smart ED -- for electric drive, as they are called in Europe -- even one in neon green.

Daimler currently has a first-generation fleet of 100 all-electric Smart cars being tested in England, and this little bugger is likely part of the herd. Also under study are public chargers, including the one pictured here.

As we reported recently, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has announced that Mercedes-Benz will begin selling an all-electric version of its Smart car in Europe in 2010.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett September 2, 2008, 4:20 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Daimler, Fuel Economy, Mercedes-Benz, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart

Chrysler Testing Green Vehicles, Says Progress 'Substantial' Toward Electrification

By John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Chrysler co-president Jim Press, the carmaker's self-described "demand" man charged with developing a product line people actually want to buy, says that despite its image, the company isn't stuck in the performance-car track and is well on the way to launching a full slate of "green" vehicles.

In addition to gas-electric hybrid models of the Chrysler Aspen (left) and Dodge Durango SUVs just hitting dealer showrooms and a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup due next year, Chrysler engineers are testing a trio of hybrid and all-electric models with componments that are "near" market-ready, Press said.

Speaking to a group of automotive journalists and industry insiders in Los Angeles today, Press -- former head of Toyota's ultra-successful U.S. sales and marketing operation -- said that while a slimmed-down Chrysler will not abandon the Hemi V8s, hulking trucks and off-road vehicles it is known for, it is also looking at ways to boost fuel economy and, eventually, offer plug-in hybrid and battery-electric versions of many of its models.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 2, 2008, 2:35 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Chrysler, Daimler, Dodge, Fuel Cell, Fuels & Technologies, Hydrogen, Jeep, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler Green Vehicles

August 29, 2008

Daimler Taps Tesla Motors to Provide Batteries for Test Fleet of Electric Smart Cars

The Financial Times Germany reported today that Daimler has picked U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Motors to provide batteries for a 150-car test fleet of battery-powered Smart cars.

The Smart EVs, which will be made in England and sent to Berlin and other cities for testing, will contain lithium-ion batteries capable of propelling the cars 90 miles between charges.

The article also reports that Daimler has teamed with RWE, a major German utility, to install 500 charging stations throughout the German capital. Daimler will eventually expand the test fleet to 1,000 cars, the newspaper said.

Daimler did not immediately return calls seeking confirmation. Tesla's Darryl Siry declined to comment on the story at this time, but Tesla is no stranger to electric Smart cars.

We reported back in March that the company had a battery-powered Smart at its facility and speculated then that Tesla might have been angling for a conversion deal with the San Fransicsco-area Smart dealer.

Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche told another German newspaper recently that Mercedes-Benz will release an all-electric version of its Smart car in 2010.

Zetsche declined to discuss vehicle price, in part because Daimler has not decided yet whether or not to manufacture the electric motors itself.

Daimler currently has a first-generation fleet of 100 all-electric Smart cars being tested in London.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 29, 2008, 11:39 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Daimler, Energy Companies, Fuel Economy, Mercedes-Benz, Plug-ins and Electric, Tesla
Technorati Tags:: Daimler

August 28, 2008

Daimler Opening Global Hybrid Research Center in Japan

Looking to boost the fuel efficiency of its commercial trucks (left), auto giant Daimler's truck division has opened a hybrid research center in Japan, where it owns a big chunk of truck maker Mitsubishi Fuso.

The new Daimler Global Hybrid Center will be located on Mitsubishi Fuso's campus in Kawasaki, the company said.

Mitsubishi has developed diesel-electric hybrid systems for city buses and light commercial trucks and Daimler wants to harness that expertise to its own Teutonic engineering prowess, according to industry analysts at economic consultant Global Insight

The aim is to come up with systems that can be applied to the range of commercial vehicles it manufacturers in its Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star and Mitsubishi Fuso subsidiaries.

And if some of that technology happens to trickle down into the company's Mercedes-Benz and Smart passenger car divisions, well, so much the better.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell August 28, 2008, 3:41 PM
Categories:: Daimler, Fuels & Technologies, Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi
Technorati Tags:: Daimler Trucks

August 25, 2008

Hydrogen Car Tour's Promoters Hope Finish Line Is Just the Start

As the nine cars crossed the Hydrogen Road Tour "finish line" Saturday in the shadow of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, promoters of the 13-day, 31-city event piped in Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" - theme song of "Rocky III" -as many in the audience of about 150 people waved mini checkered flags.

----------

Daimler's A-Class mercedes-Benz fuel cell car on display at Road Tour finale.

----------

The image they hoped to convey, of course, was the hydrogen, like actor Sylvester Stallone's fictional fighter, Rocky, is a winner.

It remains to be seen, though, whether the hydrogen fuel-cell technology promoted by the tour has a chance of knocking gas-electric hybrids out of contention as the dominant alternative to fossil fuel-powered engines.

General Motors, Honda, Toyota and Nissan were among automakers showing off their hydrogen fuel-cell cars by featuring them in the tour, which began in Portland, Maine, on Aug. 11 and ended Saturday at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.The tour was backed by the U.S. Energy and Transportation departments, the National Hydrogen Association and the California Fuel Cell Partnership.

Fully fueled, such cars, which produce electricity through an electro-chemical process in the fuel cell stack and limit tailpipe emissions to mere drops of water, have traveling ranges that vary from 100 miles for Daimler's Mercedes-Benz F-Cell to about 270 miles for Honda's FCX Clarity.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); John O'Dell August 25, 2008, 2:30 AM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, BMW, Daimler, Ford, Fuel Cell, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Hydrogen, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Electric Car

August 15, 2008

Feds, Automakers Renew Vow To Make Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future

In case you've been wondering, major automakers and the lame-duck Bush Administration have reaffirmed their joint commitment to hydrogen fuel and to getting fuel-cell electric and other hydrogen-using vehicles into the retail market by 2018.

The happy group renewed its vows during a hydrogen technology showcase Thursday in Washington.

----------

A pair of Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric Vehicles are shown in rendering of a hydrogen fuel station being installed near los Angeles International Airport.

----------

"With continued investment, hydrogen holds the potential to help fundamentally change the way we power our vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Bud Albright, an Energy Department undersecretary, said in remarks delivered during the public showcase.

The Energy Department, Transportation Department, nine automakers with prototype hydrogen-using vehicles and a number of fuel companies and other hydrogen advocates are in the midst of a cross-country tour to promote hydrogen as the logical successor to oil for fueling cars and trucks.

The manufacturers in "Hydrogen Road Tour '08" are BMW, Daimler, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Honda Motor Co., Hyundai-Kia, Nissan Motor Co., Toyota Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); John O'Dell August 15, 2008, 4:49 PM
Categories:: BMW, Daimler, Ford, Fuel Cell, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Hydrogen, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Technorati Tags:: Electric Vehuile

August 11, 2008

Business Is Brisk at Nation's First Rental Car Company That Loans Only Hybrids

With established rent-a-car companies reporting that they are having trouble meeting customer demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, a Southern California company has begun renting nothing but hybrid vehicles.

Business has been brisk at Eqocar in Burbank since it opened its doors three months ago, General Manager Nick Hamed told Green Car Advisor today. Hamed said Eqocar, which rents only hybrid vehicles, is in talks to open four more rental-car centers, all in California.

Eventually, the company would like to expand nationwide, Hamed said.

Eqocar has a fleet of 45 hybrids, which include the Toyota Prius, Camry and Highlander hybrids, Ford Escape Hybrid, Lexus LS600h L, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe hybrids, and the Nissan Altima hybrid. Daily rates range from $59 for the Prius to $650 for the LS600h L.

There are plans to add the extended-range plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt, hybrid versions of the Smart Fortwo, Chrysler Aspen, Cadillac Escalade, and Porsche Cayenne and Panamera, as well as the Tesla and Fisker plug-in sports cars and the bubbled-faced three-wheel Aptera to the rental fleet, Hamed said.

The Aptera is reminiscent of vehicles appearing in The Jetsons, a futuristic cartoon series produced during 1962 and '63.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 11, 2008, 2:42 PM
Categories:: Aptera, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Emissions, Fisker, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Lexus, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Porsche, Smart, Tesla, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Camry Hybrid

Daimler Announces Plans to Produce 10,000 Electric Vehicles by 2012

In March we brought you news that Green Car Advisor had spied a pair of electric-powered Smart Fortwos in California and that Smart USA President David Schembri hoped to begin testing a small fleet of Smart EVs here in America sometime next year.

Today we can report that Daimler Group, which owns Smart, is aiming to produce 10,000 electric vehicles by 2012.

"By 2010 we will be very close to series production and aim to start with limited numbers in the hundreds," Thomas Weber, Daimler's director for research and development, said in Stuttgart Saturday. "Our aim is to cover costs by 2010. By 2012 we would be producing around 10,000 units."

Weber said "the next phase in electric car production is equipping the Smart microcars with lithium-ion batteries, with Smart two-seaters and the Mercedes A series coming onto the market the following year."

Daimler research shows that for most European customers 80 percent of their mobility requirement was under 31 miles a day. Weber said Smart electric cars can go 60 miles between charges.

The most promising market is seen as Europe, where environmental concerns are widespread. Weber said Daimler was planning further tests on top of those currently running since last year in London.

"Berlin is very interested, and Paris and Rome would also be possible," he said, but he made no mention of Smart or Mercedes EVs coming to the U.S., and calls placed to Daimler regarding the subject were not promptly returned.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 11, 2008, 1:24 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mercedes-Benz, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart
Technorati Tags:: Daimler

Hydrogen Road Tour Begins Today: Good Luck Finding Fuel

Honda's FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric car (right) is one of 10 vehicles traveling 'cross country in Hydrogen Road Tour '08.

Ever wonder what a hydrogen fuel cell really looks like, or how a fuel-cell electric vehicle handles? Itching to try that hydrogen-burning BMW 7-Series that so far has been piloted publicly only by high profile business, entertainment and political people?

(Article modified at 6:45 a.m, Pacific Daylight Time)

Your chance of laying eyes, or hands, on a vehicle using what many still believe will be the fuel of the future increases beginning today as a coalition of hydrogen backers launch a 13-day, 18-state, 31-city, cross-country tour to boost interest in hydrogen vehicles.

We wish them well. And we hope everyone who has a chance stops by, takes a look - or a drive - and becomes a hydrogen missionary.

But there's a sad note to what is being billed as the "Hydrogen Road Tour '08."

At times, ~~Mostly,~~ the vehicles will be trucked rather than driven to locations very near their various destinations on diesel or gasoline-burning commercial carriers. After being off-loaded, they'll be driven under their own power just a few short miles to the venues.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (9); John O'Dell August 11, 2008, 2:45 AM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, BMW, Daimler, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Hydrogen, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Technorati Tags:: California Fuel Cell Partnershp

August 6, 2008

Mercedes Alleges Troubled Battery Supplier May Delay Production of ML450 Hybrid

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. has sued Cobasys LLC and its parent companies, claiming the battery maker isn't delivering the battery packs it agreed to build for Mercedes' ML450 Hybrid (right) and as a result the German automaker might have to delay the launch of its planned hybrid SUV.

In a lawsuit filed last week in a U.S. District Court, Mercedes-Benz said it had scheduled the production launch of its new hybrid vehicle for June 2009, and that it had a contract with Cobasys in which that company agreed to supply 100 percent of the batteries for the ML450 and would do so "in due time."

The automaker also alleges that based on the contract, its engineers began working closely with Cobasys personnel to refine the specifications for the battery pack and Mercedes-Benz and its affiliates paid Cobasys approximately $6 million in connection with the development of the battery pack.

But according to the lawsuit, Cobasys notified Mercedes-Benz many months later that its owners -- Chevron Technology Venture LLC. and Ovionic Battery Company Inc. -- "had reached an impasse as to how to fund Cobasys."

As a result, Cobasys said it would not sign a purchase order Mercedes-Benz had presented for the battery packs months after Cobasys representatives signed the initial contract with the automaker.

The suit also says that Mercedes-Benz "understands that a buyer for Cobasys has now been located, and that a sale of Cobasys is now imminent."

Cobasys builds batteries for General Motors' mild hybrid sedans and, in June, GM officials said the American automaker was nearing a deal to buy Cobasys. However, no agreement has been announced.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 6, 2008, 10:04 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Courts, Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz
Technorati Tags:: Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

July 30, 2008

Honeywell to Provide Turbochargers for Ford's Initial EcoBoost Engines

Honeywell International has been selected by Ford Motor Co. to develop turbochargers for the first of its EcoBoost engines, which will initially appear in next year's 2010 Lincoln MKS.

The new turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine will perform like a large V-8, but will deliver the fuel economy of a V-6, Honeywell announced today.

To help bring the new engine to market, Honeywell says it leveraged the latest advances in turbine design and materials to optimise the performance and ensure the reliability of its gasoline turbo technology.

The twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 will deliver upwards of 340-plus pound-feet of torque across a wide engine range - 2,000-5,000 rpm - versus 270 to 310 pound-feet of torque for a conventional naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 over the same speed range.

Honeywell expects the global turbocharger segment to grow from 30 percent of the overall automotive market to more than 38 percent by 2013 as automakers look to boost engines to help increase fuel-efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions without sacrificing performance.

Honeywell provides turbochargers to many automakers, including BMW, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Volkswagen.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett July 30, 2008, 2:21 PM
Categories:: BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen
Technorati Tags:: BMW

July 22, 2008

Public Invited to Test Drive Newest Green Machines at Inaugural Event

Right, BMW 7 Hydrogen on Nürburgring racetrack. The car or one like it will be available for test drives.

The Detroit area is famous for the Woodward Dream Cruise, a summertime showcase of thousands of hotrods, muscle cars and other exotics.

Now in an effort to improve Motown's gas-guzzling image, a new group has organized what they call Nextcruise, which will actually give the public an opportunity to drive what many see as the next generation of vehicles - hybrids, fuel cell, clean-diesel, plug-in electric and other green machines.

The low-emissions, fuel-efficient vehicles will be available for free 15-minute drives on a first-come, first-served basis in Pleasant Ridge, just outside Detroit, in mid-August.

The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Memorial Park, 23925 Woodward Avenue, Pleasant Ridge 48069-1199.

Nine automakers have agreed to provide green vehicles and green-car-technology demonstrations for event to date. They are: General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 22, 2008, 3:44 PM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Audi, Auto Shows, BMW, Biofuels, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Diesel, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Cell, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Toyota, Volkswagen

Acura, Smart, Chevy Models Top List of Healthiest Cars Tested by Ecology Center

Soy foam in the seats the Ford F-150 pickups and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. Locally farmed hemp, "ethically produced" woolen fabric and floor mats made of sisal in the Lotus Eco Elise.

Some automakers are increasingly going to great lengths to make the interiors of some of their models if not environmentally friendly, at least a bit wholesome.

But others, well...

Early today the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan, posted its second-annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars and children's car seats at www.HealthyCar.org.

More than two hundred 2008- and 2009-model-year vehicles and more than 60 children's car seats were tested for unhealthy chemicals that seep in gaseous form from the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests, seats and carpet.

The "new-car smell," as the gases are commonly called, mingle with the air occupants breathe and have been linked to allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity and cancer.

The Ecology Center reported that Mazda, General Motors and Nissan improved since last year's findings, with GM showing the greatest gains of the domestic automakers, with an average vehicle ranking improvement of 27 percent.

The list of the 10 best and 10 worst vehicles as picked by the Center appears in the chart above.

Average child-car-seat scores improved 28 percent overall. The list of 10 best and worst car seats for 2008 as picked by the Center appears at left. Click on the chart for a better look.

For more information, go to www.HealthyCar.org.

Below are the three worst 2008-model-year vehicles by interior pollution, according to the Center (click on each to enlarge). From left to right: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Suzuki Reno and Volkswagen New Beetle.

Below are are the three best vehicles by interior pollution, according to the Center (click on each to enlarge). From left to right: Acura RXD, Chevrolet Cobalt and Smart Passion Cabriolet.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 22, 2008, 12:21 AM
Categories:: Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Dodge, Emissions, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, MINI, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Pontiac, Porsche, Renault, Saab, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Think, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo

July 18, 2008

EPA Supplies Fuel-Economy Estimates for Hybrid Variants of '09 Silverado, Sierra

Right, the 2009 Chevy Silverado Hybrid.
Below, the 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid.

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

The Environmental Protection Agency has posted the official mileage numbers for the new two-mode hybrid variants of the 2009-model-year Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks offered in limited availability starting late this fall.

The rear-wheel-drive models achieved 21 miles per gallon city, 22 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined while the 4-wheel-drive models achieved 20/20/20 mpg. The open bed crew-cab hybrid trucks scored the identical numbers as their 2009 full-body SUV siblings.

However, the conventional model with the same 6-liter V8 only manages 14 mpg city and 19 highway in RWD running on premium-grade gasoline, and only 13 mpg city and 19 highway in RWD running on regular. The EPA did not provide combined estimates for the 2008 models.

The hybrids are outfitted with an advanced two-mode powertrain developed by BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 18, 2008, 11:30 PM
Categories:: BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Hybrid

July 17, 2008

That New Car Smell Might Kill You

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

That's our sensational headline for 2008, but there's more than a smidgen of truth in it.

Last year Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Ecology Center released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars and child car seats -- and what they reported was sickening.

The odor you inhale when you slide into a new car? It might very well be bromine, chlorine, lead, other harmful chemicals or a witches' brew of them. They've been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and, no doubt, cancer.

If you think the government protects you against such things, think again. Some of the vehicles on the road today are veritable toxic dumps on wheels. And many drivers are exposed to these chemicals through inhalation and contact with dust every day.

In case you missed last year's report, Ecology Center found the most toxic vehicles were the Nissan Versa, Chevy Aveo, Scion xB 5dr and the Kia Rio. The least toxic vehicles were the Chevy Cobalt, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Honda Odyssey and the Volvo V50.

Next Tuesday -- July 22 -- Ecology Center will release its second annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars and child car seats, and if you're thinking of buying a new car anytime soon, you'll want to check it out. The guide will be posted at www.healthycar.org a little after midnight on the 22nd.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (2); Scott Doggett July 17, 2008, 1:39 PM
Categories:: Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Dodge, Emissions, Fiat, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Legislation, Lexus, MINI, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opinion, Pontiac, Porsche, Renault, Saab, Smart, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo

All Mercedes Cars to be Turbocharged by 2010; Full Hybrid to Join S Class Next Year

Right, Daimler R&D's Thomas Weber.

Mercedes-Benz will introduce turbocharged engines across its entire lineup in the next two-and-a-half years.

"All our vehicles will have turbocharged engines in series production by the end of 2010 at the latest," Thomas Weber, Daimler board member responsible for research and development, told Automotive News Europe at a press event in Dusseldorf, Germany, today.

Forthcoming legislation in Europe and the U.S. is forcing automakers to reduce auto emissions.

Demand for turbochargers is growing, because they offer a proven and relatively inexpensive way to reduce fuel consumption. With the addition of a turbocharger, Daimler will be able to install smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient engines without sacrificing performance.

Under current proposals, the European Commission will ask the German automaker to cut its average fleet emissions from 178 grams per kilometer to 138 g/km by 2012. The commission will fine automakers that fail to meet the targets.

Improving the efficiency of its existing engines is the first part of Daimler's strategy to reduce carbon-dioxide emission levels across its fleet. Weber said the medium-term step would be to introduce more hybrid technology. The S class -- Mercedes' flagship sedan -- will be offered as a full hybrid vehicle starting in 2009.

Weber also said that zero-emission driving is the German automaker's long-term goal. To get there, the automaker plans to use technology such as fuel cells and electric-powered vehicles. A full-electric version of the Fortwo from Mercedes sister brand Smart goes into production in 2010.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (3); Scott Doggett July 17, 2008, 8:30 AM
Categories:: Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Cell, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz, Smart

First International Plug-In Hybrid Convention to Be Held in California July 21-24

The first-ever international conference dedicated exclusively to plug-in electric hybrid technology will be held in California's Silicon Valley next week.

"Plug-In 2008: A Short Drive to Tomorrow" takes place July 21-24 in San Jose. The event is open to anyone and on-site registration is available.

Admission isn't cheap, with full access to the conference starting at $250 for students with ID, but everyone who's anyone in the PHEV world will be there. Among the attendees:

Senior representatives from the automakers, high-tech component manufacturers, electric utilities, state and federal government.
Exhibitors who will showcase the latest innovations associated with PHEVs and supporting electricity infrastructure.
Scientists who will share current technical research on PHEVs in areas including batteries, powertrains and vehicle to home technology.
Analysts who will discuss the business case for PHEVs, including potential adoption scenarios, customer segments and profit potential.
Policymakers who will explain how regulations impact PHEVs and the electricity grid, and how future rules may accelerate PHEV adoption.
Clean-tech entrepreneurs who will outline their ideas to expand the PHEV market with new technologies for vehicles and communication systems.

For more, check out the agenda.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 17, 2008, 7:55 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Chevrolet, Daimler, Emissions, Fisker, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Legislation, MINI, Manufacturers, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart, Tesla, Toyota

July 12, 2008

A Little Knowledge of Transmissions Can Save You Big Bucks at the Pump

All images click to enlarge.

By Robert E. Calem, Contributor

Choosing a fuel-efficient automobile was a whole lot simpler 30 years ago, the last time the U.S. was in the throes of a gasoline price crisis. It was often as simple as buying a small vehicle with a manual transmission.

Today, with gas prices soaring to new record highs almost weekly, finding fuel economy means navigating an almost bewildering selection of vehicles. Even enormous SUVs can qualify if they come equipped with gasoline-electric hybrid drive systems.

Behind this tremendous hike in choices -- to a fairly significant extent, experts say -- has been a concomitant increase in the variety of transmissions.

Whereas in the 1970s there were only four- and five-speed manual transmissions and three- and four-speed automatic transmissions, now there are six-speed manual, six-, seven- and eight-speed automatic, six- and seven-speed "dual-clutch" automatic-manual, and continuously variable transmissions.

The result: more efficient engine operation and higher fuel economy in every car, whether it's a high-performance Porsche Carrera or a modest Volkswagen Jetta.

But there are important differences among these sophisticated transmissions, including in how much they contribute to better fuel efficiency. Knowing those differences may help you the next time you're in the market for a new car.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (2); Scott Doggett July 12, 2008, 12:53 AM
Categories:: Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Smart, Subaru

July 11, 2008

2009 Smart Fortwo in Europe To Get Standard Micro-Hybrid With Gas Engine

Beginning this October Smart will make its micro-hybrid-drive system standard equipment on European Fortwos fitted with the 61- or 71-horsepower gas engines, parent company Daimler AG said in a statement today.

The system has been available as an option with the 71-horsepower engine since 2007.

Smart claims the auto start-stop reduces combined city/highway fuel consumption by eight percent. But Smart owners who drive mainly in dense urban areas can see savings of up to 20 percent, the automaker claims.

The setup shuts off the engine whenever the driver is braking and the vehicle speed drops below 5 miles per hour. It automatically starts the engine when the brake is released.

Diesel-powered Smarts also get an upgraded closed particulate filter for 2009 that removes even more of the soot from the exhaust. All Smarts are also getting interior upgrades, including new gauges for the new model year.

U.S.-bound Smarts will likely contain the interior changes, but Daimler AG is not saying whether America-bound Fortwos will experience the powertrain upgrades.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett July 11, 2008, 9:53 AM
Categories:: Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Smart

July 7, 2008

New Markets, New Powertrains Await Smart Fortwo as the Cult Microcar Turns 10

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

In an uncharacteristic display of German engineering, Daimler AG announced today that its Smart Fortwo fuel-efficient microcar celebrated its 10th birthday not today or even this week, but rather during the middle of last week.

We could understand it if the German automaker had announced it would be celebrating the diminutive two-seater's birthday a day or even a week early -- because the pint-size car that makes the Mini Cooper seem big has always been ahead of its time.

Developed in the early 1990s at the Mercedes-Benz design studio in Irvine, California, the first Fortwos to roll off the assembly line in Hambach, France, on July 2, 1998, sported colorful body panels made of recycled plastic and a steel frame coated with a powder paint that was significantly less harmful on the environment than conventional painting processes.

Instead of engine placement in the front or rear, the Fortwo carries its engine directly beneath its passengers, preserving storage space while also giving additional height to the seats.

Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche put it nicely today when, in the official celebratory statement, he said that the Smart Fortwo "is a clever solution and fun to drive. Had we not invented it 10 years ago, we would have to do so now."

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 7, 2008, 7:03 PM
Categories:: Batteries, China, Daimler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mercedes-Benz, Plug-ins and Electric