Mitsubishi

October 9, 2008

French Automakers, Utility to Collaborate on National Recharging Network for EVs

Electricite de France, Europe's largest utility, and French automakers PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault today agreed to work together to develop a nationwide recharging network for electric cars.

The deal follows the announcement last month that Daimler and German utility RWE plan to build a network of electric-car recharging stations in Berlin.

The venture with Paris-based EDF calls for a business plan to set up outlets in France for recharging electric vehicles, or EVs, by 2011.

Renault and its Japanese affiliate, Nissan, have pledged to introduce EVs in the U.S. by 2010 and in Israel and Denmark by 2011. Renault also plans to introduce its first mass-market EVs domestically in 2012.

The project with EDF, which was announced at the Paris Auto Show today, will be open to other automakers, Renault spokeswoman Rochelle Chimenes said. Battery leasing and battery-exchange stations are being considered, she said.

Peugeot said in a statement today that its pact with EDF will cover EVs and rechargeable hybrids, building on plans the manufacturer announced in June to develop electric powertrains with Mitsubishi.

EDF and Toyota announced a partnership 13 months ago to evaluate rechargeable hybrids and charging infrastructure in Europe.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking at the car show today, said France plans to provide $550 million in research funding for low-emissions vehicle technologies. He also said a $6,827 bonus on purchases of cars generating less than 60 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, introduced in January, will remain in place until at least 2012 or until a subsidy for the 100,000th vehicle has been given.

Shai Agassi, the CEO and founder of Better Place, an American company that aims to reduce global dependency on oil through the creation of a worldwide electric-vehicle infrastructure, welcomed Sarkozy's comments.

He said his company "applauds and supports the efforts being made in France to extend the feebate policy to 2012, deploy zero emissions public car fleets, and improve battery technology. We accept President Sarkozy's challenge to develop the necessary infrastructure supporting standardized electric vehicles in France, and around the world."

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett October 9, 2008, 10:49 AM
Categories:: Plug-ins and Electric, Daimler, Peugeot, Renault, Auto Shows, Emissions, Energy Companies, Fuel Economy, Mitsubishi
Technorati Tags:: Better Place

October 7, 2008

Mitsubishi Considering a Plug-In Hybrid to Follow Battery EV

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. apparently plans to go beyond its upcoming mini-EV with a plug-in hybrid suitable for longer distances.

That's the word from Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko, according to Dow Jones News Service.

Masuko reportedly said during a talk Monday in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan that the automaker is developing a plug-in hybrid that would be better suited for long-distance travel than the iMIEV battery-electric car the company plans to begin selling in Japan next year.

Our source at Mitsuibishi Motors North America confirmed the report, sort of, saying that the plug-in car "is under study."

It would certainly make sense.

Plug-ins, particularly those that use relatively small internal combustion engines as on-board generators and not for direct propulsion, can eliminate a lot of the problems consumers associate with pure EVs - especially the need to regularly stop for lengthy recharging sessions.

While small battery-electric like the i-MIEVare ideal for short-range, intra-city driving in urban areas such as Tokyo (or Chicago, New York City and San Francisco), plug-ins give drivers with longer commutes or ambitious travel plans a lot more flexibility.

Mitsubishi and most other automakers would do well to have both types of vehicles in their lineups.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell October 7, 2008, 3:01 AM
Categories:: Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Mitsubishi Plug In Hybrid

October 3, 2008

Bail-Out Passes, Includes Plug-In hybrid Tax Credits. Now Bring On the Cars!

In case you've been in a deep, dank cave with no wireless connection for the past few hours, the news du jour is that the House has approved the Wall Street rescue measure that includes the original $700-billion in bail-out bucks plus wads of cash for renewable energy, biofuels and energy-efficiency programs.

The $17 billion energy package also includes a plug-in hybrids tax credit plan with an estimated price tag of $1 billion. It won't expire until the auto industry has, collectively, sold 250,000 plug-in cars and trucks that run at least part of the time on all-electric drive from energy stored in rechargeable, on-board batteries.

While none of the major automakers has yet to offer a plug-in, just about all (Honda Motor Co. is a notable exception) are working on them, with General Motor Corp.'s Chevrolet Volt perhaps the best known of the bunch.

Reporters walking the floor of the Paris Auto Show this week, however, are seeing a lot more as European car makers seem to have embraced the idea of electric cars and gas- and diesel-electric hybrids with a fervor usually associated with revival meeting preachers.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell October 3, 2008, 12:47 PM
Categories:: Chevrolet, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Legislation, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opinion, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Smart, Subaru, Tata, Toyota

September 25, 2008

Mitsubishi Designs 32X4 Electric Rally Racer for LA Auto Show

Mitsubishi Motors, no slouch when it comes to world rally racing and an up-and-comer in electric vehicle development, puts the two together in a design study the company is entering in the upcoming Los Angeles International Auto Show's annual design challenge.

The contest pits nearly a dozen Southern California-based advanced automotive design studios against one another, and this year designers were asked to come up with a racing-themed vehicle for the year 2025.

An early copy of Mitsubishi's entry (the company is sending out a general news release about it later today) found its way into Green Car Advisor's mailbox, so we thought we'd passd it on to you without waiting for the official release due out later this afternoon.

The "Mitsubishi MMR25," designed at the carmaker's North American design center near Los Angeles, posits a windowless all-electric Mitsubishi rally car that lets the driver "see" his or her surroundings on a 360-degree panoramic screen displaying images of what's outside the cabin via a system of real-time exterior cameras.

Removing the heavy glass windows helps lighten the vehicle for more speed and greater range from its next-generation, nano-lithium batteries, the design team says. Designers are imagining a battery pack that will deliver 1,000 miles of travel between charges.

The batteries, mounted low in the vehicle to improve its center of gravity, would power a unique vehicle capable of scurrying across sand, dirt, gravel and other loose surfaces like a sure-footed sand beetle.

Instead of using a single tire on each wheel, each of the Mitsubishi electric rally car's independently driven wheel hubs is surrounded by eight individually driven, cylindrical tires (detail, right) that would improve traction and stability on loose surfaces, trumping the typical 4x4 by making the Mitsubishi a 32x 4.

In all, the racer would use 36 electric motors: A larger one for each of the four in-wheel motors motors, and eight smaller, supplemental motors for the individual tires surrounding each wheel.

As Mitsubishi's entry describes the system, the "rotational direction of the tires allows the vehicle to be driven forward while pointing the nose...in any direction."

In plain English (as plain as we can make it, anyhow) instead of drifting through curves and around corners in a controlled slide, the MMR25 could actually be driven sideways through the turns.

While the design study isn't likely to be on your local Mitsu dealers lot in 2025, some of its parts well could hit the streets in just a few years.

The ideas of using in-wheel motors instead of a central electric drive motor has been explored by Mitsubishi, and other automakers, in a variety of concept vehicles over the years and could end up in a Mitsu EV or two after the company launches its first retail model in Japan next year, as previously announced.

Mitsubishi is the first automaker to "leak" a sneak peak at its LA Auto Show Design Challenge entry, but isn't likely to be the last. We'll do all we can to keep you entertained with them as they come in over the transom.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 25, 2008, 3:26 PM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Auto Shows, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show

September 23, 2008

Chrysler Unveils Prototype EVs And Says At Least One Slated For Production

Aiming to show that it is not irrelevant in today's fast-changing auto market, Chrysler is announcing today that it will have at least one electric vehicle in production by 2010, a timetable that would put its zero-emissions, gasoline-free car into competition with EVs and plug-in hybrids being launched by General Motors and Toyota in the same timeframe.

To prove it is up to the challenge, Chrysler Chairman Bob Nardelli is giving journalists a peek this morning at four EV prototypes it has developed in its year-old green car R&D program- one of them a close relative of Tesla Motors' already-in-production electric roadster, another -- more likely for production, based on the Town & Country van.

Chrysler raised the curtain with a preview this morning on CNBC, and promised more details later today after a press conference at its Auburn Hills, Mich., headquarters

The cars, descendants of concept vehicles Chrysler introduced at this year's Detroit Auto Show, are being unveiuled just as Congress begins considering funding $25 billion loan program to help Detroit finance a new generation of fuel-efficient vehilces that could helkp it compete agan with cars from Asian and European manufacturers..

What we know now is that the operating prototype roadster (left), called simply the Dodge EV, is based on an extended Lotus Europa chassis, uses a lithium-ion battery pack and has a claimed range of 150-200 miles per charge and a 0-60 acceleration time of under 5 seconds.

The specs closely mimic those of the Tesla Roadster, which uses a much-modified Lotus Elise chassis.

Other cars being shown are the Chrysler EV based on the T&C van (top), a Jeep four-wheel drive EV (bottom right) based on the Wrangler, and a bubble-shaped low-speed neighborhood EV (bottom left) that sprung from the imagination of a designer who apparently was once traumatized by a jelly bean.

The Chrysler and Jeep prototypes would use series hybrid electric drivetrains similar to that scheduled to be introduced in late 2010 in General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet Volt.

A grid-charged lithium-ion battery pack would provide up to 40 miles of range, after which an internal combustion engine/generator would kick on to produce enough juice to continue powering the electric drive motors while recharging the battery packs.

Click here to jump to the CNBC page where you can watch a (very slow to load) video of a test drive session.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); John O'Dell September 23, 2008, 7:30 AM
Categories:: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler Electric Vehicles

September 8, 2008

Subaru Mini-EV to Launch In Japan Next Year

Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries has decided to join the growing cadre of carmakers hustling to launch battery-electric vehicles for the retail market.

A report in Automotive News, a subscription-only auto industry journal, says the company intends to build a limited run of four-seat minicar EVs with a range of 50 miles per charge. The cars will be based on the gasoline-fueled Subaru Stella model and intended for Japan's intra-city commuter market.

Actually, Subaru pretty much confirmed production plans for the car during the New York Auto Show in March, and introduced a few concept models of its EV at the recent G8 economic summit in Japan earlier this summer. But it's nice to see additional info hitting the media.

Subaru plans to launch the cars next year and is aiming to sell about 200 to fleet customers in Japan.

Like Mitsubishi's minicar-based i-MiEV electric car, the Subaru EV isn't intended for the U.S. market, Automotive News reports - although Fuji put a couple test cars into service in New York following the auto show there earlier this year and is about to wrap up a six-month test to gauge the cars' chances in this market.

(We also suspect that Mitsubish, which has tested its i-MiEV in the States, is rethinking its plans and considering the possibility that these tiny cars just might have a future here if marketed to the proper audience.)

Power for the Suby EV will be storied in and delivered by a lithium-ion battery pack from Automotive Energy Supply Corp. - a joint venture of Nissan Motor Co. and NEC.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 8, 2008, 1:45 PM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Subaru, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Electric Vehicles

Mitsubishi Said to Join Daimler, RWE Test of Li-Ion Charging Infrastructure in Berlin

Last week we reported that Daimler Group and German utility RWE launched a joint project that calls for RWE to develop, install and operate 500 charging stations in Berlin and Daimler to provide more than 100 electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and Smart that will use the stations.

The idea is to study the performance of the cars in daily, real-world driving, and to study the efficacy of the charging infrastructure provided by RWE. Ideally, the charging stations should work with all electric vehicles.

Today, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that RWE intends to allow Mitsubishi Motors access to the network of recharging stations when Daimler's one-year exclusive agreement with the utility expires.

Mitsubishi has a suitable vehicle for the Berlin project in the form of the i-MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle), which will be named I-EV in the German market.

All of the vehicles provided by Daimler and Mitsubishi will be powered by lithium-ion batteries. The project represents the first large-scale rollout of lithium-ion battery-powered electric passenger cars in Europe.

One hundred Smart electric vehicles are currently being field tested in Britain, but all of them are fitted with the heavier, bulkier and less capable nickel-metal hydride batteries.

As previously reported, Daimler has said it plans to produce 10,000 electric-powered Smart cars by 2012.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett September 8, 2008, 1:37 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Daimler, Fuel Economy, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart
Technorati Tags:: Berlin

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 20, 2008

Bosch and Samsung Cleared to Launch Lithium-Ion Battery Joint Venture

The race to develop advanced lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles took an expected turn today, with German parts supplier Bosch and Korean electronics giant Samsung announcing they have received all regulatory approvals to launch a joint venture to develop the batteries.

The joint venture will be headquartered in Korea and bear the name SB LiMotive Co. Bosch and Samsung each own 50 percent of the new company.

The company's objective, Bosch and Samsung said in a statement, is to "series-manufacture highly efficient lithium-ion batteries customized to automotive requirements and to market them worldwide from 2011."

Samsung has extensive experience developing lithium-ion batteries for a broad range of non-automotive applications, including notebook computers, power tools and mobile handsets.

Bosch will contribute the experience it has gained in recent few years with its "Project House Hybrid," which focused on power electronics, battery management, electrical engines and transmission systems.

The development of new, advanced lithium-ion batteries is widely regarded as the last big obstacle separating a world in which the vast majority of vehicles are gasoline powered and a world predominated by gas-electric hybrids and pure electric vehicles.

SB LiMotive enters an increasingly competitive market. Among the companies that are working on advanced lithium-ion batteries are Mitsubishi, Honda, Sanyo, LG Chem, Compact Power, A123 Systems, Continental, General Motors, and Johnson Controls-Saft.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett August 20, 2008, 5:07 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric

Ford Escape Hybrid Among Small SUVs to Earn Top Safety Rating

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

Many people if not most who buy a small or midsize sport utility vehicle do so because they believe it offers greater personal protection than a car. And for that extra measure of protection, they are willing to sacrifice fuel economy.

Today, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced that the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid earned top ratings in recent crash-test evaluations, bringing to three the number of hybrid SUVs getting superior mileage without compromising safety.

The other hybrid SUVs earning top-safety-pick honors from the respected institute are the midsize 2008 Saturn Vue Hybrid and the 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, which the institute had previously evaluated.

But the big winner announced today by the institute was the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, which outperformed the competition in recent front, side and rear crash test evaluations of eight small SUV models.

The 2009 Escape, including the hybrid version, 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander and 2008 Nissan Rogue joined the Tiguan in earning top ratings in all three of the institute's evaluations. All four models come equipped with electronic stability control and side airbags, which the institute considered very important.

The institute ratings of good, acceptable, marginal or poor are based on results of front and side crash tests, plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against whiplash injury in rear crashes.

The 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, 2008 Jeep Patriot, 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2-door 2008 Jeep Wrangler all earned the second-lowest rating of marginal.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 20, 2008, 8:02 AM
Categories:: Chevrolet, Chrysler, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Hybrid, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Saturn, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen

August 18, 2008

Website Helps Motorists Become Fuel Efficient -- and Automakers Appear Green

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

The nerve of some people.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers today distributed a press release, saying that it had trademarked "EcoDriving" and launched a Website with fuel-saving tips for motorists.

This is the same Alliance that has vigilantly opposed legislation that would compel automakers to meet government-mandated fuel-economy standards.

The Website the Alliance launched -- ecodrivingusa.com -- contains what you'd expect: Nothing on how the industry can clean up its act and provide more fuel efficiency, just tips on how motorists can drive more fuel efficiently, a means to calculate your vehicle's carbon footprint, and of course instructions on how to "promote the EcoDriving program."

As for the Alliance's claim that they possess the trademark to "EcoDriving"?

The term "EcoDriving" is not unique to the Alliance or its services or products -- a litmus test that trademark terms must pass -- and the term has been in the public domain for awhile.

It can, for example, be found on ecomodders.com, ecodrive.org and other Websites that promote fuel-responsible driving and, unlike the Alliance and its new Website, aren't funded by BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 18, 2008, 5:58 PM
Categories:: BMW, Chrysler, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Legislation, Manufacturers, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen

August 11, 2008

Mitsubishi Plans Lithium-Ion Battery Factory to Meet Demand From EV Segment

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. announced Monday that it will build a factory to meet an expected fivefold increase in demand for lithium-ion batteries for use in electric vehicles.

The plant will open after April 2009 and have initial output of 200,000 battery cells per year -- enough for 2,000 cars.

Mitsubishi will ramp up capacity to equip 10,000 vehicles "shortly afterward," amid higher hopes for its i MiEV plug-in electric vehicle (below), the company said in a statement. The four-passenger i MiEV, which runs on LEV50 lithium-ion batteries (above right), goes on sale in Japan next summer.

Mitsubishi's new factory will be operated by Lithium Energy Japan, a joint venture with GS Yuasa Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. It will be located in the western prefecture of Shiga.

Earlier plans had called for GS Yuasa to make the batteries at an existing plant in Kyoto, with annual output for 1,000 vehicles. But the partners decided that a bigger plant was needed to meet growing demand for fuel-efficient cars.

As Green Car Advisor reported last week, the all-electric, zero-emissions i MiEV will be tested in California this year to evaluate a U.S. launch.

The i MiEV is the centerpiece of Mitsubishi's effort to leapfrog Japanese rivals in the green-car race. Lithium-ion batteries are seen as critical to that effort because they are lighter and more powerful than the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in most hybrid and all-electric vehicles today.

Rivals such Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. also are developing lithium-ion batteries. Nissan has a joint venture with NEC Corp. and plans to start production next year. Toyota is teaming with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. on its own battery technology.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 11, 2008, 4:15 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Electric Vehicle

August 7, 2008

Mitsubishi Motors, U.S. Utilities to Collaborate on Testing of Zero-Emissions i MiEV

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. announced today that it has signed letters of intent with two large American utilities -- Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric -- to collaborate on testing the zero-emissions i MiEV four-passenger electric vehicle later this year.

Extensive testing of the i MiEV (pronounced I-meev) has been occurring the past two years with seven utility companies in Japan. The success of those programs has prompted Mitsubishi Motors to hasten testing elsewhere and to accelerate the vehicle's entry to market, with sales in Japan scheduled to start next summer.

Under its agreement with SCE, i MiEVs will join the utility's mighty prototype testing and evaluation program. The collaboration "will provide us technical feedback on i MiEV vehicle and battery performance, as well as vehicle connection and integration into the electrical system," Mitsubishi Motors executive Tohru Hashimoto said in a statement.

Through this program, SCE hopes to help Mitsubishi Motors gauge how EVs will most effectively connect to Edison's SmartConnect advanced metering system.

Edward Kjaer, SCE's director of electric transportation, said inclusion of the i MiEV into its fleet of EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles complements the utility's existing work on electric-powered autos and next-generation advanced batteries.

SCE, which operates the nation's largest private fleet of electric vehicles, has more than 20 years and 16 million miles of EV experience.

The i MiEV electric vehicle, which is based on Mitsubishi's "i" gasoline-powered minicar on sale in Japan, adapts a zero-emissions state-of-the-art electric drivetrain. A 330-volt lithium-ion battery system is located under the floor deck and powers a permanent magnet electric motor.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett August 7, 2008, 6:01 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Batteries

July 22, 2008

Japan Inc. Reportedly Working on Uniform Lithium-Ion Battery Standard

Lithium Ion battery packs being tested in U.S. at Argonne National Laboratory.

We don't think this is one of those signs and portents that mark the impending end of the world, but it does seem a near miracle: Several Japanese automakers, battery developers and power companies reportedly have agreed to work together to establish a global standard for lithium-ion batteries.

If you can remember back to the late 1990s and early 2000s and the days of the EV1, Nissan Altra, Toyota RAV4 EV and other first-generation electric vehicles built in extremely limited numbers to meet California's then-new Zero Emissions Vehicles mandate, you'll also remember that there were several types of batteries in use and two competing charging systems required.

That added more complexity and cost to an already complex and costly new-vehicle development program and helped hasten the demise of hopes for a vast fleet of readily available, affordable and easy-to-charge EVs.

A global standard, which means - among other things - that all battery systems would be designed to use the use the same recharging system, is one of the things needed if there is to be any chance of bringing back the battery-electric vehicle in a meaningful way.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell July 22, 2008, 9:53 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Chrysler, Fisker, Ford, General Motors, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Smart, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Electric Vehicles

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 21, 2008

Mitsubishi to Present iMiEV Plug-in EV at Confab Tuesday, But Here It Is a Day Early

Mitsubishi is slated to give a presentation at the 2008 Plug-in conference in Northern California Tuesday on why it has decided to enter the electric-vehicle market with its iMiEV.

We got our hands on a version of their PowerPoint presentation and, well, we're making it available, in the more common PDF format, to you a day early: Mitsubishi 2008 Plug-in Presentation.pdf.

The slide show starts off with some facts you likely know, such as EVs have: the most efficient well-to-wheel energy use, the lowest carbon-dioxide emissions, and the lowest per-mile fuel cost.

But then it rather quickly gets into information that you likely don't know or forgot, such as Mitsubishi began building EVs in 1971 and has built them nearly every calendar year since.

Of course the heart of the presentation isn't a ride down memory lane, but rather an introduction to Mitsubishi's iMiEV, from how it works to dimensions and specifications to details regarding the iMiEV's prototype battery pack.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 21, 2008, 5:46 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric, Tesla

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

July 16, 2008

Survey Finds American Consumers Are Hot for Hybrids but Cooling on Ethanol

While most automakers have shifted production to focus on smaller vehicles, nearly 70 percent of consumers want the companies to invest more in existing and emerging powertrain technologies, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study released today.

Now in its third year, the Alternative Powertrain Study examines the reasons why consumers consider or avoid alternative powertrain vehicles, such as gas-electric hybrid, flex fuel and clean diesel models.

The study includes the Automotive Environmental Index, which rates the 2008-model-year vehicles on the basis of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data to fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions, as well as expert input from J.D. Power & Associates.

The study found that more than 80 percent of the 4,000 consumers polled believe the U.S. is currently facing an energy crisis. Only 18 percent of these respondents believe the issue can be addressed by building small, fuel-efficient vehicle.

Thirty percent believe automakers should continue to produce a comparable vehicle lineup with a focus on gas-electric hybrid, clean diesel and flexible-fuel vehicles, while another 39 percent believe carmakers should focus on developing fuel cell and all-electric vehicles.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 16, 2008, 3:32 PM
Categories:: Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Emissions, Ethanol, Fiat, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Cell, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, MINI, Mitsubishi, Natural Gas, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Pontiac, Smart, Solar, Toyota

July 10, 2008

Mitsubishi Green Lights Clean-Diesel Crossover Based on Popular Concept-cX

Mitsubishi Motors gave the nod today for production of a new compact crossover model based on the popular Concept-cX that debuted at last September's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Featuring a family of Euro-5 clean-diesel engines -- including a new 1.8-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 134 horsepower and 207 pound feet of torque -- a high-efficiency turbocharger and a diesel-oxidation catalyst with particulate filter, the full-time AWD sub-Outlander compact will serve as the showcase vehicle for the automaker's coming enviro-friendly technologies.

The wedge-shaped compact sport utility vehicle will wear the "Jet Fighter" grille introduced with the all-new Lancer family and use a derivative of Outlander's 4-wheel-drive drivetrain. Mitsubishi says the crossover will be the missing link (or is that the "found link"?) between its SUVs and its passenger cars.

The first production model is expected to roll off the assembly line in late 2009. Whether that vehicle or any of its clones will be sold in the U.S. has yet to be decided.

Also unknown is how a group of esteemed green-car enthusiasts would respond if asked whether the grille is more characterist of, say, the gull-sucking air intake manifold of an F-4 Phantom II supersonic fighter-bomber or the gaping maw of a great white shark? There is no wrong answer, though we'll be bitterly disappointed if you pick gull-sucking air intake manifold of an F-4 Phantom II supersonic fighter-bomber.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett July 10, 2008, 11:18 PM
Categories:: Auto Shows, Diesel, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mitsubishi, Surveys

Mitsubishi Said To Sell Electric Cars to Individual Customers by Next Summer

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will begin selling a fully electric version of its gas-powered i minicar (pictured here) to individual customers in Japan next summer, slightly ahead of schedule, Reuters reported today.

Called the iMIEV, for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, the plug-in car is powered by an 88-module, four-cell lithium-ion battery pack located under the passengers and a motor, charger and inverter positioned above the rear axle.

The layout is based on the "rear-midship" platform of the gasoline-powered i that has been sold in Japan since 2006. As a result, the electric version can retain the car's full interior volume without reducing space for passengers or cargo.

Mitsubishi has said the electric car would be priced from $23,420-$28,100. The cars can be recharged by connecting to an ordinary household electricity socket.

The Japanese automaker, one of the frontrunners in the development of electric cars, had said it would begin offering the zero-emissions car mainly to fleet customers next summer and to individuals no later than 2010.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett July 10, 2008, 12:25 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric