Nissan

October 9, 2008

Electric Cars: From the Paris Motor Show to a Driveway Near You.

Electric cars are the hot topic at this year's Paris auto show, with General Motors, Renault, Nissan, Smart and many lesser-known car manufacturers showing off a huge variety of EVs.

They range from wildly exotic supercars to tiny commuter cars that look ready to park in your driveway. Some are strictly concepts. Others could go on sale - even here in the U.S. -- much sooner than you think.

Green Car Advisor's man in Paris, contributor Nick Kurczewski, was at the show last week and offers some thoughts on the biggest electric-car newsmakers there.

Chevrolet Volt - Yes, we've written a ton about it and you've read even more, but we still can't ignore it. There it was, sitting on the GM stand in Paris, bowtie gleaming in the spotlights.

Chevy's Volt is often called a plug-in hybrid, and it is a hybrid by definition. But it also is an electric car, using only an electric motor for propulsion.

Its small 1.4-liter gasoline engine cranks over only to recharge the batteries and never sends its power directly to the Volt's wheels.

Whether you consider it an EV or a hybrid, chances are the bigger factor in consumer acceptance of the four-door sedan will be its escalating price tag.

A new bill just signed by the White House makes the Volt eligible for a $7,500 federal income tax credit, but before applying that, the sticker price - which determines the size of down payments and monthly lease or purchase costs - is likely to be at or above $40,000 when it goes on sale in late 2010 in the U.S.

That's awfully steep sticker-price, especially considering that new Honda Insight hybrid will cost less than $20,000 when it arrives next year.

Renault Z.E. Concept - Renault and its sister company, Nissan, are busy co-developing electric vehicles that will go on sale as early as 2010. The Z.E. Concept is the first indication as to where Renault is taking its version.

The design of the Z.E. - for Zero Emissions -- looks like a shortened version of the humble Renault Kangoo, a tall and boxy utility van currently sold throughout Europe. The green glass in the concept model adds a bizarre touch of show-car drama.

Other details include the use of rear-view cameras instead of side mirrors - to smooth out the aerodynamics and improve range - along with solar panels built into the roof, to aid battery recharging.

The Z.E. concept car uses double-walled insulating bodywork, which keeps the cabin cozy whether it is hot or cold outside and requires less energy from the ventilation system.

Its lithium-ion batteries provide a driving range between 60 to 90 miles.

Renault does not currently sell cars in America, which makes it unlikely the French manufacturer will ever bring its EV stateside.

But it's Japanese partner has other plans.

Nissan Nuvu - Don't worry if you love the idea of an electric-powered Nissan but hate the blobby looks of the Nuvu concept car.

The 2+1 seat Nuvu is important chiefly because it offers a glimpse of the lithium-ion powered drivetrain of the electric vehicle Nissan says it will start selling in the U.S. in 2010.

The Japanese company reassures us that the quirky Nuvu is not a totally faithful indication of what this production car will eventually look like.

Under its skin, the Nuvu's battery pack provides a range of 75 miles and a top-speed of 78 miles per hour. Range will likely be improved, and the wacky looks toned down a bit when Nissan unveils a more accurate glimpse of its upcoming EV during next year's Tokyo motor show.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell October 9, 2008, 3:00 AM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Auto Shows, Chevrolet, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Smart, Solar
Technorati Tags:: Electric Cars

October 8, 2008

Renault Highlights Its Green-Technology Efforts With All-Electric Z.E. Concept

Looks like someone who's really into highlighters got to this Renault.

Called the Z.E. Concept -- as in Zero Emissions Concept -- this gem is the French automaker's vision of the electric vehicle as an efficient, user-friendly car.

It features lithium-ion batteries and a 70-kilowatt electric motor producing 166 foot-pounds of torque.

The electric vehicle is one of handful we can expect from the Renault-Nissan Alliance that aims to bring a string of EVs to market beginning in 2011.

The windows aren't simply intended to get attention, although they are doing plenty of that at the Paris Auto Show right now. Rather, they are intended help control the climate inside the vehicle without the use of electricity.

Just how the greenish yellow or yellowish green glass windows manage that is anyone's guess, as Renault doesn't offer an explanation, but they are undeniably fun.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett October 8, 2008, 3:54 PM
Categories:: Auto Shows, Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault

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

October 2, 2008

Hybrids Outpace Dismal September Market By Scant Margin

By John O'Dell, Senior Editor

It's been pretty well established that there wasn't much of an auto market in the U.S. last month.

"Catastrophe" and "disaster" are applicable adjectives; "It sucked" is how some wags have described it.

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Sales of new GM hybrid SUVs like this Chevrolet Tahoe helped hybrid market.
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We've had Edmunds' crack number crunchers parsing the data for us, looking for any glimmer of hope that might be found in the "green" and fuel-efficiency parts of the market and, so, far, have to say that they haven't come up with much.

The first pass through Wednesday's raw sales data provides at look at how hybrids did in comparison to the market as a whole.

And depending on how you do the comparison - to the previous month or to the same month a year ago - we found a mixed message for September hybrid sales.

Hybrid Segment Outpaces Market

The market as a whole was down 26.5 percent from September 2007 and was off 22.5 percent from August '08. It was the first month since the late 1990s that sales dropped below the 1-million mark.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell October 2, 2008, 4:41 PM
Categories:: Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Hybrid, Mercury, Nissan, Toyota

September 19, 2008

U.S. Fuel Economy Up Sightly In 2008 As Consumers Shift To Smaller Cars

Thanks largely to the rapid and sudden shift to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S. - a shift driven by soaring fuel prices - industrywide fuel economy for new cars and trucks sold this year is expected to top 20.8 miles per gallon, the federal Environmental Protection Agency said today.

The new "real-word" figure from the EPA marks the fourth consecutive year fuel economy has risen since a gradual 16-year decline that began with the rise of the full-size truck and SUV markets in 1988 and ended in 2004 as Asian automakers began rapidly increasing their share of the U.S. market with vehicles that were markedly more efficient than domestic models.

In a preliminary report released today, the EPA said it is estimating the average adjusted fuel economy for the light vehicle - or passenger - fleet this year will be at least 20.8 mpg, up 0.7% or two-tenths of a gallon, from last year.

That's still 1.2 miles per gallon, or 5.4 percent, below the all-time high of 22 mpg set in 1987.

For cars alone, the preliminary average is 24.1 miles per gallon, while the truck average is 18.1 mpg.

The agency said, though, that it expects final figures, to be released late this year, to show even higher averages for cars, trucks and the combined total.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (3); John O'Dell September 19, 2008, 4:27 PM
Categories:: Audi, Chrysler, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Technorati Tags:: 2008 EPA Fuel Economy Ratings

September 15, 2008

Honda's R&D Chief Says Automaker Prefers Fuel Cells to Batteries for EVs

We opined last week that Honda was skipping at least the initial heat of the battery electric vehicle race to concentrate on its hybrid and fuel-cell electric programs.

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Honda believes fuel-cell electric cars such as its FCX Clarity will be marketable before battery-electric vehicles can make the grade.

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Now comes word, via Bloomberg News, that the automaker also is bowing out of the plug-in hybrid contest.

Batteries just aren't advanced enough to make rechargeable gasoline-electric vehicles sensible replacements for gasoline-only cars, Honda research chief Masaaki Kato said in a recent interview with the business news service.

"For battery-powered vehicles to become more widespread, more popular in the market, we feel battery technology needs to advance further,'' Kato said. "We just don't see it providing the type of driving performance you get with a gasoline-powered vehicle.''

Honda's reticence flys in the face of aggressive moves by General Motors Corp, with its promised Volt plug-in sedan, due in fleets in small numbers toward the end of next year and scheduled for mass production at the end of 2010, and Toyota Motor Corp., which is developing a plug-in Prius hybrid for fleet use and has scheduled a late 2009 introduction (no word on when or if the car will be made available in the retail market).

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 15, 2008, 2:40 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Fuel Cell, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: FCX Clarity

Preview: Green Is the Fashion at Paris Auto Show This Year

By Nick Kurczewski, Contributor

Paris, fashion capital of the world, usually has more influence on what hangs in your closet than what's parked in your driveway.

But from October 4th through the 19th, when the doors to the Paris auto show are open to the public, the automobile takes center stage in the City of Lights, and big fuel economy numbers will be as essential to automakers as little red dresses or neatly tailored black suits are to the fashion world.

Car manufacturers will be displaying everything from hybrids, such as the new Honda Insight, to electric cars and fuel-sipping diesel and gas-powered models like the new Ford Ka and Toyota iQ (above) city cars.

To help whet your appetites, Green Car Advisor offers a look at the cars that are set to make the biggest impression in this distinctively enviro-chic auto show:

Honda Insight

The newest hybrid from Honda represents the Japanese company's most determined effort at cracking Toyota's stranglehold on this increasingly important market.

The five-passenger, four-door hatchback uses an improved version of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. Better fuel economy, a lower center of gravity and reduced cost are said to be the main benefits.

The Insight is expected to be cheaper than its rival, the next-generation Toyota Prius, when both cars go on sale early next year. Our one complaint: Why did Honda feel the need to copy the potatolike profile of the Prius?

Toyota iQ

If the Insight is Honda's take on a Prius fighter, the iQ is Toyota's attempt at outsmarting the Smart Fortwo.

The iQ is slightly longer than the Smart, and the Japanese city car offers two tiny rear seats, whereas the Fortwo -- as the name makes clear -- is strictly a two-seater.

The iQ goes on sale in Japan in October and in Europe later this year.

Will Toyota bring the iQ Stateside? The company's not saying, but with the sales success of the Smart Fortwo in America, it would be pretty dumb not to consider the idea. And Toyota's not noted for dumb.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 15, 2008, 3:31 AM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Auto Shows, Chevrolet, Diesel, Ford, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Hybrid, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Smart, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: New Green Cars

September 8, 2008

Honda Still Saying 'No' To EVs

While rivals in Japan are increasingly experimenting with small electric vehicles, Honda Motor Co. apparently is sticking to its guns and arguing that battery-electric cars still don't make sense.

The automaker, which already boasts the industry's most fuel-efficient fleet, doesn't believe that battery technology is sufficiently advanced to make a case for electric vehicles, Honda's research and development chief told industry trade journal Automotive News.

R&D chief Masaaki Kato said he sees EVs limited for now to short-range commuter and inter-city delivery vehicles.

Rival Toyota Motor Co. apparently figures that's a good-enough market and is joining Mitsubishi and Subaru in developing a minicar EV of its own.

And Nissan, Renault and several other carmakers apparently don't buy Honda's argument at all and have invested in battery-making enterprises and are designing full-service electric cars for the global market.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); John O'Dell September 8, 2008, 1:55 PM
Categories:: Honda, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: Honda Electric Vehicles

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

September 3, 2008

Nissan Executive Says Automaker Developing Plug-In Gasoline-Electric Hybrid

A top executive at Nissan Motor Co. says the automaker is developing a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, according to a Website that covers Japanese corporate news.

The report, posted by JCNnetwork Tuesday, quotes Nissan Vice President Mitsuhiko Yamashita. No further details were provided.

Yamashita effectively reiterated the ambitious electric-vehicle plans of Japan's No. 3 automaker. Green Car Advisor reported on those plans in detail less than a month ago.

Yamashita's remarks underscore how suddenly the automaker has embraced electric vehicles. Only three years ago, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn called battery-powered vehicles "niche products."

Today, Nissan, Toyota and other automakers are in a race to be first to bring affordable electric cars to U.S. showrooms.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett September 3, 2008, 2:07 PM
Categories:: Batteries, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: EV

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 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.

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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.

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"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 14, 2008

Revamped Chrysler Plant Will Produce Fuel-Efficient Car-Based SUVs

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

Chrysler will spend $1.8 billion to convert a Detroit automotive plant tooled to produce the full-size Jeep Grand Cherokee into a factory rolling out more fuel-efficient, car-based crossovers.

Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Tom LaSorda, speaking Wednesday at a conference in Traverse City, Michigan, said the Auburn Hills-based automaker intends to make a "new generation of world-class vehicles" at the factory.

While skimping on specifics, LaSorda said the new vehicles would be "of various sizes and dimensions" and represent an "evolution" of the older, gas-guzzling Jeeps.

The 2.7 million-square-foot Jefferson North assembly plant was built in 1991 and expanded in 1999. Its main product has been the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The current Grand Cherokee (above) began production in August 2004 and the Jeep Commander was added in July 2005.

No vehicle illustrates Chrysler's financial woes more than the Grand Cherokee. Unlike its competition, the SUV had a so-called unibody construction rather than a body mounted on a truck frame.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett August 14, 2008, 5:03 PM
Categories:: Chrysler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Jeep, Nissan
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler

Take a Ride -- A Short One -- With Us in Prototype Nissan Hybrid

We brought you news of Nissan's new rear-wheel drive hybrid system earlier this month, now we're reviewing the prototype we drove in Japan.

Short version is that we liked it and think that when it gets here in late 2010 it will be a gret addition to the lineup of hybrids carmakers are offering. But there's still a lot of development work and fine-tuning to be done.

For the long version, click here to read our review of the prototype -- First Drive: 2008 Infiniti GT35 Hybrid -- on Edmunds Inside Line.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell August 14, 2008, 9:59 AM
Categories:: Nissan
Technorati Tags:: Hybrid

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

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

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 8, 2008

Nissan Cancels Israeli Dealership Fuel Economy Ad That Rankled Saudis

Ah, the perils of free speech.

We told you earlier this week about an ad on Israeli television touting the fuel efficiency of the Nissan Tiida (sold here as the Versa) that had offended Saudi Arabian sensibilities for the way it portrayed a few Arab oil moguls cursing the car for its negative impact on oil sales.

"Hawks should peck at you night and day!" one traditionally garbed oil magnate shouts at the car.

The initial story, as broadcast on Saudi Arabia's state-owned MBC TV, made it sound as though the ad had been developed by Nissan.

But the carmaker says that's not the case.

It was an ad developed, produced and paid for by an independent Nissan distributor group in Israel, said Nissan spokesman Simon Sproule.

Indeed, Nissan "didn't know about, didn't review it and had nothing to do with it," he said, adding that Nissan dealers and distributors are free to spend their own money on their own advertising without asking Nissan to first okay the material.

After learning that the ad was viewed by at least some in Saudi Arabia as offensive, Nissan did, however, ask the distributor to stop airing it -- a request, Sproule said, that has been agreed to and complied with.

As for the suggestion by a Saudi representative interviewed in the MBC broadcast that Nissan apologize for the ad or face a boycott, well, that doesn't seem to have much traction.

Nissan hasn't received any such request from the Saudi government, insiders said.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell August 8, 2008, 2:59 PM
Categories:: Fuel Economy, Nissan, Oil
Technorati Tags:: Advertising

August 6, 2008

Nissan Ad in Israel Depicting Arab Oil Lords Assailing Fuel-Stingy Car Incites Saudis

With violence in the Gaza escalating last week and chances of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal crumbling, who'da thunk the lead story on an prominent Arab newscast Sunday night would revolve around a Nissan commercial promoting the fuel efficiency of one of its cars?

But Saudi Arabia's MBC TV began its Sunday night news broadcast with an outraged report about a Nissan commercial for its Tiida (pronounced Tee-da), a somewhat-sporty economy car that goes easy on the gas.

The advertisement, which has been airing in Israel, depicts wealthy Arab oil barons cursing and otherwise assailing the Tiida, enraged that the car is so fuel stingy.

"You destroyed my home! May God destroy your home!" one shouts at the little white car with a tan interior. "Hawks should peck at you day and night," says another.

It's entirely possible that some Israelis have found the commercial amusing and that possibility angered some Saudis, but that's only a hunch.

After showing snippets of the commercial, MBC proceeded to interview a Saudi representative, who was asked why he thought Israel would broadcast the commercial.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (2); Scott Doggett August 6, 2008, 6:27 PM
Categories:: Fuel Economy, Nissan, Oil, Opinion
Technorati Tags:: Commercial

Nissan Shows New Hybrid, EV Systems and More at Advanced Tech Fest

Nissan packaged its new electric vehicle ssytem in a Cube compact van for testing, but is planning a more conventional sedan for production.

By John O'Dell, Senior Editor

OPPAMA, Japan -- Much of the rest of the auto industry seems to be slowing down, but Nissan Motor Co., hoping to ride the green wave to growth in the U.S. and globally, is pumping billions into environmental initiatives that executives say could propel the company to the top tier of automakers in a just a few years.

In pursuit of that goal, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's charismatic chief, already has committed the company to zero-emissions leadership by 2012.

Nissan this year has announced plans for a rear-wheel-drive hybrid and a battery-powered electric car by 2010; has formed a partnership with electronics giant NEC to develop a new generation of powerful lithium-ion batteries for hybrids and EVs; is helping develop a rapid charging system for electric cars that could recharge battery packs in as little as 10 minutes; and continues development work to commercialize hydrogen fuel cells for automotive use.

It showed off many of those technologies for the first time in a seminar this week at its research and development facilities in this port city southwest of Toyko.

The company isn't alone. As fuel prices have soared globally and international concerns about energy independence grows, most automakers have begun or stepped up efforts to bring alternative fuel and alternative power plant cars and trucks to market.

But Nissan is a standout for its push for battery EVs and its determination to make the technology -- promising in the late 1990s but long-since abandoned by most -- viable once again.

On Wednesday (Tuesday night in the U.S.) Nissan let a group of journalists try out prototypes of its 2010 EV and hybrid powertrains and showed us the technology behind the advanced lithium-ion batteries that will make them go.

Minoru Shinohara (right), Nissan's senior vice president of technology development, told Green Car Advisor that the company sees a business advantage in EVs and intends to be the industry leader in affordable, mass market zero emission cars that use batteries to power electric motors.

Nissan also wants to be a leader in providing the batteries and the battery-charging infrastructure that will make EVs work, he said.

While others champion the gas-electric hybrid and the plug-in hybrid with limited all-electric range, Nissan's faith in the all-electric vehicle is based on its belief that people all over the world are moving out of suburbia and back into cities as they try to minimize commutes and economize on fuel.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell August 6, 2008, 11:27 AM
Categories:: Batteries, Fuel Cell, Fuels & Technologies, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Electric Vehicle

August 4, 2008

Latest From Nissan: An 'Eco Pedal' Designed to Improve Vehicle's Fuel Efficiency

Nissan's Eco Pedal, unveiled in Tokyo today, calculates the rate of fuel consumption and transmission efficiency during acceleration and cruising and then calculates the optimum acceleration rate, Edmunds.com's Inside Line reports.

"When the driver exerts excess pressure on the accelerator, the system counteracts with the pedal push-back control mechanism," the automaker said, adding that the system can be turned on or off based on the driver's preference.

A gauge on the instrument