Green Car Advisor
Subaru
October 22, 2009
Subaru, which is displayed a concept hybrid touring car at the Tokyo Auto Show this week, plans to have several hybrids in the market in the next few years, Fuji Heavy industries President Ikuo Mori told reporters at the show.
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Hybrid Tourer concept is Subaru's interpretation of a gas-electric car. The grille, at least, is likely to see production - on other Subaru models if not on this gull-winged four-seater.
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Fuji is Subaru's parent company.
Mori declined to say whether the hybrid would be based on the "Subaru Hybrid Tourer" concept at the show and wouldn't say whether it would be a model developed with technology partner Toyota, or would use a design and a hybrid system of Fuji's own making.
The Tourer concept uses a Fuji-developed system that mates Subaru's 2.0-liter horizontally opposed "Boxer" engine with a pair of electric motors.
But Subaru is expected to launch a hybrid version of its redesigned Legacy in Japan in 2011, using technology licensed from Toyota - Fuji's largest shareholder.
A Legacy hybrid could easily make its way to the U.S.
Ignored in all the hybrid talk was the fact that Subaru also has recently unleashed a battery-electric version of its boxy Stella subcompact. Although mainly used for testing purposes, the Stella EV is likely to lead to a retail model and that could lead to an EV for at least limited sales over here in the states that have adopted California's zero emissions vehicle mandate.
The more, the merrier, we say.
How 'bout a hybrid WRX? Better yet, why not an all-electric WRX featuring independently driven electric wheel-motors in each hub?
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- John O'Dell October 22, 2009, 8:11 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Hybrid, Japan, Subaru, Toyota
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- 2009 Tokyo Auto Show
, Hybrids, Subaru
October 6, 2009
Judging from the amount of copy they fed us in advance, Toyota is a whole lot prouder of the rear-wheel drive "Toyobaru" sports coupe it is showing at this month's 2009 Tokyo Auto Show than of the FT-EV II electric city car concept (above) that also will be there.
But an electric city concept there will be - based off the hot-selling toyota iQ micro-mini and an "upgrade" of the FT-EV city car concept that debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show.
Toyota's not let much out about the new city EV, but what we can tell you is that that it has a lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor that can deliver about 56 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 62 miles an hour (that's a nice round 100 kilometers an hour in metrics.)
There are no brake, clutch or accelerator pedals - it's all operated by hand with the levers on a futuristic steering wheel, although "control apparatus" might be a better way of describing it.
The reason for the lack of foot controls? Toyota has envisioned a day when radio signals, perhaps from cables embedded in the road, will guide cars and this equips the concept with an "auto mode" for those city commutes when you'd rather spend the time reading the morning paper.
We can also say that it seats four people despite an overall length of just 107 inches long, and those people would climb in through a pair of sliding doors (one on each side).
And that's about it -except that Toyota hopes to have a real battery-electric city car in the market by 2012.
As for that 'Toyobaru" that's stealing the little EV concept's thunder - it's the FT-86 (left), fruit of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, in which Toyota now holds a stake. It is intended to replace the MR 2 as Toyota's fun car, will use Subaru's 2.0-liter horizontally opposed, flat-four engine, reportedly handles like a dream and is due to hit the streets in late 2011. You can read more about it on Inside Line.
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- John O'Dell October 6, 2009, 10:31 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Japan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru, Toyota
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- 2009 Tokyo Auto Show
, EVs, Toyota, Toyota EV, Toyota FT-EV II
September 29, 2009
Subaru is set to unveil a new hybrid concept at the upcoming 2009 Tokyo Auto Show - a gull-wing touring car with technology features that presage the real thing the automaker is slated to put into production as early as 2011.
The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - catchy name! - will combine Subaru's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive and horizontally opposed "boxer" engine with a next-generation automatic transmission and two-motor hybrid system.
The automaker, owned by Fuji Heavy industries with Toyota Motor Corp. as a sizable minority stakeholder, isn't offering much detail about its hybrid system this early in the game, but has said in the past that it intends to license technology from Toyota.
What info Fuji Heavy has provided includes the tidbit that the system will include a company-developed lithium-on battery derived from the li-ion pack used in the recently launched, Japanese-market Subaru Stella EV.
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- John O'Dell September 29, 2009, 9:00 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Hybrid, Japan, Subaru
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- 2009 Tokyo Auto Show
, Subaru Hybrid
September 28, 2009
It's no secret that Subaru is working on a hybrid, using technology licensed from Toyota Motor Corp., which has acquired a 16 percent stake in Subaru over the past year largely to tap into the lithium-ion battery development work being done by the all-wheel-drive specialist's parent, Fuji Heavy industries.
But now there's rumor circulating that the new Subaru hybrid, when it gets here, will be called the Subaru Prius as part of an effort by Toyota to broaden use of the Prius name and further ensure that it is synonymous with "hybrid" the world over.
Discussion with a posting yesterday evening on PriusChat.com by someone claiming to be a Subaru salesman who said he recently attended a corporate briefing on the new hybrid at which the "Subaru Prius" name was used.
It might have been used as a tongue-in-cheek reference to Subaru's intent to license Toyota hybrid technology for its upcoming hybrid vehicle, but we though it highly unusual that Toyota would let such a valuable brand name out of the Toyota fold.
Our own Subaru sources say they hadn't heard of a Subaru Prius, and now John Hanson, head of Toyota's U.S. environmental products communications team, tells us that there's no way anyone but Toyota will be able to use the Prius name.
"Absolutely not. That's a model reserved exclusively for Toyota," Hanson said.
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- John O'Dell September 28, 2009, 1:30 PM
- Categories:
- Hybrid, Subaru, Toyota
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- Subaru Hybrid
, Subaru Prius Rumor, Subaru Prius Rumored
August 13, 2009
It seems Japan is really getting serious about this EV business.
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Mistubishi's i-MIEV electric car now comes with a rapid-charging port as Japan begins studying fast-charging systems to make EV driving more accessible.
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Both Mitsubishi and Subaru are marketing small electric city cars in the Tokyo-Yokohama area, Nissan is following with its full-service, five-seat Leaf next year and now a trio of companies including Nippon Oil are launching a national test of rapid charging systems for EVs.
The six-month test of EV chargers for Japan's Ministry of Economy,Trade and Industry will be conducted in five of Japan's largest prefectures (like counties in the U.S.) and participants will be given (yes, given) Mitsubishi i-MIEV electric cars to drive for the duration.
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- John O'Dell August 13, 2009, 9:21 AM
- Categories:
- Energy Companies, Japan, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Electric Cars
, EV Chargers, Rapid Charging Systems
July 23, 2009
Subaru Also Introduces its Stella EV in Japan, But on Much Smaller Scale
By Terril Yue Jones, Contributor
TOKYO - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. launched the modern era's first mass-produced electric vehicle from a major automaker today with plans to sell more EVs than any company ever has and to establish itself as the leader in zero-emissions vehicles.
About 50 i-MiEV four-seaters running on newly developed lithium-ion batteries were delivered to government and utility offices and companies around Japan Thursday, the first of 1,400 EVs that Mitsubishi expects the sell through March, when it will ramp up for sales to the general public, first in Japan and then globally.
Mitsubishi's launch overshadowed a smaller effort by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which manufactures the Subaru brand.
It also launched an EV effort today, delivering five Stella EVs to Japanese government and utility customers. Unlike Mitsubishi, Subaru doesn't plan to produce and sell large numbers of its electric car.
Tokyo Launch
Tokyo Electric Power Co. received four i-MiEVs and two EV Stellas on Thursday.
The power company has been testing both models for about a year and plans to deploy 310 EVs this fiscal year, according to spokesman Daisuke Hirose. Tokyo Electric plans eventually to convert 35 percent of its fleet of 8,500 vehicles to EVs, reducing its CO2 emissions by 2,600 tons per year, Hirose says.
"This isn't an effort to save money, but to protect the environment," said Hirose, noting the higher cost of the EVs compared to conventionally powered cars and trucks.
Japan Post Group, the national mail carrier that was privatized in 2007, took on two i-MiEVs and one Stella Thursday, the first of 20 each it plans to acquire this fiscal year.
Japan Post has been testing the EVs in various geographies and weather conditions to determine appropriate usage. It will deploy almost all of the 40 EVs in Kanagawa Prefecture, the state bordering Tokyo to the south that includes the port city of Yokohama, according to spokeswoman Takumi Niwa.
Electric motors provide good torque, and during a brief test ride in an i-MiEV this week the car showed good responsiveness and impressive acceleration in weekday Tokyo traffic.
Driver Reaction
Keiichi Hayakawa was among those who signed up for a test-drive at a Mitsubishi-sponsored program in Tokyo on Wednesday.
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- John O'Dell July 23, 2009, 11:06 AM
- Categories:
- Japan, Mitsubishi, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Electric Vehicles
, Mitsubshi EV, Miysubishi I MIEV, Suraru EV
June 19, 2009
Collapsing economies being what they are, we haven't been able to pry open the corporate coin purse to finance a trip to Tokyo, so we aren't able to bring you the Green Car Advisor
seat-of-the-pants perspective on Subaru's about-to-launch EV.
But our colleagues over at Edmunds' Inside Line have a bigger budget and asked frequent contributor and Tokyo resident Peter Lyon to take the battery-electric mini wagon for a spin recently.
His report provides a rundown of the technical bits and pieces of the Subaru Stella EV - 9.2-kilowatt-hour, 346-volt lithium-ion battery pack; 47 kilowatt, 63-horsepower electric motor that delivers 125 lb-ft of torque through a continually variable transmission - as well as a driving impression gleaned from a rather short test drive in Tokyo.
Lyon reports that he found the Stella EV quick - 0-40 mpg in under 4 seconds with a 60 mph top speed - well-balanced and fun to drive.
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- John O'Dell June 19, 2009, 2:01 AM
- Categories:
- Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Electric Stella
, Stella EV, Subaru Stella Electric Vehicle
June 4, 2009
And the race is on.
Moments after we got word from second-had sources that Mitsubishi has begun production of its i-MIEV electric city car, with first deliveries to commercial lessees to start next month, Subaru posted a notice on its media web site that it has begin production of its Stella electric city car, with deliveries to purchasers to begin in late July.
The Stella EV is a battery-electric minicar with about 55 miles of range (versus up to 100 miles for the i-MIEV)and a 62 mph top speed. A quick-charge system will enable owners to bring depleted batteries up to 80 percent of capacity in just 15 minutes. Charging the 47 kilowatt, lithium-ion battery pack will take about 5 hours from a 220 volt system and 8 hours from a 110 volt outlet, the company said.
The automaker said the sticker price of the Subaru Stella EV will be 4.7 million yen, or about $48,000, (versus 4 million yen for the Mitsubshi) but buyers can qualify for a government incentive of up to 1,38 million yen, or $14,000, plus other, unspecified discounts from a program being implemented by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Subaru is only planning to produce 170 Stella EVs this year, but could ratchet up production as it sees more demand for the car. The company has said it doesn't plan to sell the car outside of Japan.
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- John O'Dell June 4, 2009, 6:35 PM
- Categories:
- Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Electric Cars
, Subaru EV, Subaru Stella EV
May 21, 2009
Subaru, famous for its horizontally opposed "boxer" engines, all-wheel-drive systems and furiously fast high-performance models, isn't noted for delivering great fuel economy in its cars and SUVs.
Now the company is hoping to fix that with a new clean-diesel engine and a hybrid drive system.
The Japanese automaker, owned by Fuji Heavy Industries, has a diesel version of its four-cylinder engine in use most of its models in Europe and in some Japanese models and has been testing U.S. customers' interest in diesels although the present engine won't meet federal emissions standards without expensive modifications.
Fuji Heavy's president, Ikuo Mori, told reporters in Japan earlier this week that Subaru now is developing a new diesel to meet tougher global emissions standards in 2011 and "hopes" to have a gas-electric hybrid vehicle in the market that same year.
He said Fuji would license hybrid technology from its largest shareholder, hybrid vehicle pioneer Toyota Motor Corp.
Subaru already has developed an all-electric drive system for its Stella minivan and will be introducing the electric Stella (right)
in limited numbers for testing in Japan this summer.
Fuel-efficient diesel and gas-electric hybrid models would go a long way toward helping Subaru meet the Obama administration's national standard for reduced automotive greenhouse gas emissions and comply with accelerated federal fuel economy rules that call for automakers' U.S. retail fleets to average 33.5 mpg by 2016.
The company, as do all automakers, also faces increasingly tough European emissions standards.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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- John O'Dell May 21, 2009, 9:52 AM
- Categories:
- Diesel, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Subaru Diesel
, Subaru Hybrid
May 18, 2009
Auto Industry Lines Up To Praise National Program Idea, Now the Hard Work Begins
By
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
The auto industry, tired of being seen as the bad guy whenever fuel economy and emissions regulation is on the table, is wasting no time lining up in support of tomorrow's White House announcement on development of a national carbon emissions and fuel efficiency program.
A cynic might think this doesn't bode well for the ultimate result of the rulemaking process that President Obama will outline at a press conference in Washington Tuesday morning: That the auto industry figures it has enough clout left to wring the life out of any effort to significantly improve fuel economy.
But we think it simply shows that an industry on life support and dependent on government largess here and overseas has finally read the writing on the wall and realizes that this is as good as it is ever going to get and that if it doesn't play ball it will have no say in the rules it eventually will have to live by.
Automakers also have been caught in a trap of their own making. They've been fighting California, the national leader in establishing greenhouse gas controls on motor vehicles, insisting that individual states shouldn't be able to set carbon emissions rules and that a national standard is needed.
Now the Obama administration has stepped to the table and said, as the president is wont to: "Okay, let's develop a national rule."
To oppose that would be political suicide.
In that vein, the two lobbying groups representing almost every car maker that does business in the U.S. have jumped on board and are voicing support for the so-called National Program for Autos.
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- John O'Dell May 18, 2009, 6:00 PM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, BMW, Chrysler, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Legislation, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opinion, Plug-ins and Electric, Porsche, Renault, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen
- Technorati Tags:
- National CAFE Plan
, National Program For Autos, Obama CAFE Plan
May 12, 2009
YOKOHAMA, Japan - We're in Japan for a few days this week to take a look at the city's electric vehicle test project, more specifically to witness the first demonstration of the battery exchange technology that Better Place founder Shai Agassi has been talking about for more than a year now.
Better Place, the Silicon Valley-based company that wants to lead the way into vehicle electrification by providing a global network of battery charging and exchange systems (working country by country, not all at once) is part of a consortium working with officials in Yokohama to establish a real-world center for assessing EV operation.
Mitsubishi Motors and Subaru are providing the cars, Tokyo Electric Power is supplying the juice, and Better Place is providing the means for getting it into the cars.
A temporary exhibit aimed at educating Japan's decision-makers, auto industry leaders and common citizens about electric cars, car charging and other issues is being inaugurated later today and a Better Place battery station will be part of it.
The company's buisness plan envisions some EV owners using on-street charging stations to "top up" the vehicles' batteries for a little extra range during the day when making short trips but exchanging entire depleted battery packs for fresh new ones in automated "battery swap" centers - think of them as full-service gas stations for EVs - when trips are longer and a single charged pack won't do.
Better Place intends to sell prepaid charging and battery swap plans, much the way cell phone companies sell minutes of air time in a variety of packages.
In addition to seeing how it works, we'll be asking Agassi how he plans to field the technology - which depends on a uniform battery mounting system - in markets like the U.S. where fiercdely competitive automakers rarely agree on anything,
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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- John O'Dell May 12, 2009, 6:53 AM
- Categories:
- Batteries, Japan, Mitsubishi, Phoenix Motorcars, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru, Yamaha
- Technorati Tags:
- Better Place
, EV Battery Exchange Station, Shai Agassi, Yokohama Electric Vehicle Test
April 27, 2009
As the once-favored hydrogen highway becomes a mere side road on the route to oil independence with the Obama administration's push for rechargeable hybrid powertrains as the new favored alternative to the conventional gasoline engine, hydrogen pioneer Honda Motor Co. says it, too, will begin to pursue the way of the plug.
In an interview with Bloomberg news last week, Honda Motor Co. President Takeo Fukui said his company still sees hydrogen as the best long-term replacement for gasoline in the effort to slash automotive emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases tied to global arming.
Fukui, who is stepping down in June as part of Honda's regular executive shuffle, has in the past has been outspoken in his disdain for plug-in technology, calling it an unnecessary intermediate step form gasoline to pure electric power.
Honda has developed a hydrogen fuel-cell sedan, the FCX Clarity, that it leases to select customers in a Los Angeles-area test program, and isn't planning to abandon the effort.
But, Fukui said in a Bloomberg news wire article published this morning, the automaker also will accommodate the perceived preference of the U.S. government for plug-in hybrid-electric cars and trucks.
Unlike a conventional gas-electric hybrid that charges its batteries from on-board power sources such as regenerative braking, a plug-in hybrid gets its initial charge from the commercial grid, by "plugging in" to a wall socket or a special rapid-charging station
Plug-ins use larger battery pack than a conventional hybrids. They store enough power to permit the vehicle to be driven for an extended amount of time on all-electric drive before the grid charge is depleted and the gas engine kicks in.
Although others, including General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Volkswagen are developing fuel-cell vehicles, Honda has been the only major automaker championing hydrogen above other technologies and so far has stayed out of the rapidly developing race to bring plug-ins to market.
While federal support of hydrogen development has all-but evaporated in the U.S., the government is providing billions of dollars for battery development programs and for federal tax credits of up to $7,500 for purchasers of plug-ins.
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- John O'Dell April 27, 2009, 2:01 AM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Batteries, Emissions, Fisker, Ford, Fuel Cell, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volvo
- Technorati Tags:
- FCX Clarity
, Honda Fuel Cell, Honda Motor Co., Honda Plug In Hybrid
April 15, 2009
Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries has released a bit more information about the Electric Stella
, which will enter the Japanese battery-electric vehicle market this summer.
According to Global Insight, an economics and business consulting and analysis firm, Kyodo News (subscription required) is reporting that Fuji will manufacture about 170 Electric Stella vehicles during its current fiscal year (which ends in 2010) and around 200 units during the following fiscal year. Kyodo reports that pricing is still up in the air, but that the cars initially will be marketed to corporate and government fleet buyers when sales begin in July.
The plug-in Electric Stella blends EV technology employed in the Subaru R1e electric vehicle with the conventionally powered Subaru Stella minicar that is sold in Japan. Fuji jointly developed the R1e with Tokyo Electric Power, a leading Japanese utility.
Global Insight sees two immediate hurdles for the Electric Stella vehicle - the model's anticipated high initial cost and "strong competition" from Mitsubishi's iMiEV, which also is scheduled to go on sale in Japan this summer.
Greg Johnson, Contributor
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- Greg Johnson April 15, 2009, 11:12 AM
- Categories:
- Batteries, Hybrid, Japan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- Electric Car
, Electric Car Manufacturers, Japan, Mitsubishi IMIEV, Subaru
April 1, 2009
Thankfully, there's at least one automaker out there that still can find something to laugh about.
The April Fool's Day mailbag was pretty empty this morning until Subaru of America's media crew stepped up to the plate with a tongue-in-cheek release promoting a new option for the 2009 Subaru Forester crossover SUV.
The "Green Roof" package, designed to underscore the company's outdoorsy, pro-environment image, consists, the release says, of:
"A dealer-fitted option...installed by depositing a 3" layer of soil onto the roof of the Forester and planting a variety of vegetation to the customer's specification."
We're quite sure that after this and the accompanying photo get spread around the Web today, we'll start hearing of random sightings of homemade "green roof" conversions around the country.
So while appreciative Subaru's attempt to give us all something to grin about amidst the economic chaos rocking the automotive world these days, we'd like to caution those who think it's a good idea:
Don't do it!!!!!
Adding 3 inches of topsoil to the roof a vehicle is going to cause lots of problems -- not the least of which would be a drop in fuel economy caused by all the extra weight and wind resistance.
However, if you are bound and determined, we suggest planting low-growing ground covers rather than trying to replicate a rain forest on the roof of your car or truck -- other drivers will thank you for not blocking their view of the road with tall plants, and you'll have an easier time of it in tunnels and passing beneath bridges.
And don't forget, only use organic fertilizers, and install a moisture-sensing drip irrigation system so you don't waste water.
Happy April 1!
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- John O'Dell April 1, 2009, 8:14 AM
- Categories:
- Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- April Fool
, Subaru
February 3, 2009
GM Gets Three Models on 'Greenest' List and Tops 'Meanest' Ranking With Hummer H2
By John O'Dell, Senior Editor
In an anticlimactic repeat, Honda's natural-gas burning Civic GX topped the annual "greenest vehicles" of the year listing being published this morning by the non-profit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
It is the 12th year the Washington-based environmental and economic lobbying group has published its Green Book Online, which ranks passenger cars and light trucks for overall environmental impact.
Although the list for the 2009 model year contained no big surprises, it was marked by the reappearance of General Motors Corp., with trio of small cars among the dozen "greenest" vehicles in the market - the Chevrolet Cobalt compact and its Pontiac G5 twin placed eighth overall and the Chevrolet Aveo subcompact finished10th.
The GM cars, which were rated highly for their fuel economy, knocked Ford's Focus off the "greenest" list after its appearance there last year as the only domestic car in the top twelve.
The Ford didn't get a lower score - but the average scores in the top 12 were higher this year than last.
Evolution, Not Revolution
Generally, the 2009 list was marked by continued improvements in the fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions of scores of vehicles rather than by stellar performances from just one or two models.
Manufacturers are fine-tuning their engines and transmissions, improving materials, and adding emission control technologies, said ACEEE transportation program director Therese Langer.
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- John O'Dell February 3, 2009, 5:00 AM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Chevrolet, Daimler, Diesel, Emissions, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Hummer, Hybrid, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Natural Gas, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Pontiac, Smart, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen
- Technorati Tags:
- ACEEE Green Book Online
, American Council For An Energy Efficient Economy, Fuel economy, Green Car Rankings
December 17, 2008
Small cars fare better in crashes than they used to, but they still lag behind larger vehicles in protecting passengers. Their disadvantages are especially clear in side-impact crashes.
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Chrysler's PT Cruiser did poorly in the side-impact test.
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Of the nine small cars recently tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, all received the group's top rating of "good" in frontal crashes, but only two got good ratings when broadsided.
The Insurance Institute tested nine small cars for the 2009 model year in front, side and rear collisions. The group included the BMW Mini Cooper, Chevrolet HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Saturn Astra, Suzuki SX4, as well as the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, which are essentially the same vehicle sold under two brand names.
Only the SX4 and Matrix, and its twin the Vibe, received good ratings for protection in side crashes. The Ford and Chevrolet were judged acceptable in side-impact protection, while the Hyundai and Saturn were marginal and the Chrysler was poor.
Only the Ford Focus was top-rated in rear-impact crashes that test how well the vehicles' seats and head restraints protect passengers. The Chrysler PT Cruiser was the worst performer, with poor ratings for side and rear protection.
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- Scott Doggett December 17, 2008, 1:17 PM
- Categories:
- BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Fuel Economy, Honda, Hyundai, MINI, Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen
- Technorati Tags:
- BMW Mini Cooper
, Chevrolet HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Crash Test, Ford Focus, Fuel Economy, Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Pontiac Vibe, Saturn Astra, Scion xB, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, Volkswagen Rabbit
October 3, 2008
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.
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- 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 11, 2008
VELDEN, Austria
- Subaru is about to drop its 2.0-liter boxer diesel engine into the European-spec 2009 Subaru Forester, and the company invited a contingent of U.S. media here to drive it.
We should say right up front that there are no firm plans to put this four-cylinder turbodiesel into U.S.-bound Foresters.
Indeed, company officials tell us this vehicle would not meet California emissions standards without the costly addition of an AdBlue urea tank, and Subaru of America isn't ready to commit to that or to bring in cars it can't sell in all 50 states.
Even without the urea trank to cut down toxic emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx, the diesel Forester, which is badged "2.0D," still has a more robust, closed-type particulate filter than the open-type filter in the diesel Legacy and Outback we've driven previously
.
Subaru says you could take the Forester for a Sunday spin of 1,016 kilometers - 630 miles - on a single, 64-liter (almost 17-gallon) tank.
That's good for a rating of 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers, or 38.5 mpg, on the European test cycle.
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- John O'Dell September 11, 2008, 10:50 PM
- Categories:
- Diesel, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Subaru
- Technorati Tags:
- 2009 Subaru Forester 2.0D
, Subaru Forester Diesel
September 8, 2008
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
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- John O'Dell September 8, 2008, 1:45 PM
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July 22, 2008
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.
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- John O'Dell July 22, 2008, 9:53 AM
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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.
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- Scott Doggett July 22, 2008, 12:21 AM
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- 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
By Scott Doggett, Contributor
The Automotive News reported today that Tesla Motors, the fledgling California electric-car maker, received a 2008 corporate average fuel economy rating of 244.0 miles per gallon.
Indeed, here's their entire article on the matter:
"The latest government fuel economy report says 2008-model cars and trucks sold in the United States will average 26.8 mpg, up only slightly from 26.6 mpg in 2007.
"But one eye-popping number appears in the report: Tesla Motors, the upstart maker of an electric sports car, gets a 2008 corporate average fuel economy rating of 244 mpg. The federal CAFE standard for cars is 27.5 mpg.
"The figures show government may have more work to do to compare fairly the energy and environmental impact of electric vehicles with those that use gasoline. But Tesla's CAFE number is more than a curiosity. It could mean cash.
"Tesla Vice President Darryl Siry told Automotive News today the company is eager to sell its CAFE credits when trading begins. 'It's all upside for us,' he said."
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- Scott Doggett July 18, 2008, 4:43 PM
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July 17, 2008
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.
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- Scott Doggett July 17, 2008, 1:39 PM
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- 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 12, 2008
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.
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- Scott Doggett July 12, 2008, 12:53 AM
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- Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Smart, Subaru
June 30, 2008
Fuji Heavy Industries, maker of Subaru automobiles, has developed the Subaru plug-in Stella Concept (above), a prototype electric vehicle.
FHI will provide five Stella EVs for use at the G-8 Summit, to be held in Japan on July 7-9, FHI said in a statement. Four of the five cars will be used to transport government officials, while one will be available for media demonstrations.
FHI will also provide one car to the Japan Post group for mail collection and delivery around Toyako during the summit.
The Stella EV combines the electric drive system employed in the R1e with the Subaru Stella minicar platform. It seats four, has a maximum speed of 62 mph and a range of 50 miles per charge.
A 9.2 kilowatt-hour, 346-volt lithium-ion battery pack drives an electric motor with 40 kilowatt-hour output and that develops 110 pound-feet of torque.
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- Scott Doggett June 30, 2008, 8:04 AM
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June 6, 2008
Fuji Heavy Industries' stock rose the most in nearly two months in Tokyo today on speculation that efforts to slow global warming may spur sales of Subaru electric vehicles that the company is developing.
Fuji Heavy surged 33 yen (32 cents), or 6.5 percent, to 540 yen ($5.12) at the close on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It was the biggest one-day gain since April 11.
Fuji Heavy will start selling its first electric cars in 2009 and has a sales target of "several tens of thousands"' a year by the middle of the next decade...
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- Scott Doggett June 6, 2008, 9:55 AM
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May 21, 2008
It's turning into a banner year for hybrid and other green car news.
After all the Honda hoopla this morning, word leaks out that Toyota will debut the next-generation Prius, expected to be longer, lower and more powerful, but not radically different-looking, at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show with a sales launch slated for later in the year.
If that's not enough, Toyota's luxury marque, Lexus, is believed to be considering two new hybrids of its own, one of them a premium-priced version of that new Prius, the other a midsize crossover utility vehicle.
Edmunds.com's Inside Line has
the details.
We think its great news -- although our aching keyboarding fingers wish it had been spaced out a bit.
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- John O'Dell May 21, 2008, 5:51 PM
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- Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fisker, Ford, Fuel Cell, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen
March 21, 2008
New York -- Subaru said it will partner with the New York Power Authority to test two of its R1e electric vehicles beginning this summer. The partnership, announced at the New York Auto Show, is part of a six-month-long effort by Subaru to determine potential consumer demand for the car in the U.S.
The test of the small "city" car EVs will take place in New York City.
The two-seat R1e is based on the R1 minicar Subaru sells in Japan...
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- John O'Dell March 21, 2008, 3:00 AM
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- Alternative Fuels, Auto Shows, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
January 17, 2008
Here's are a pair of must-reads for those who criticize the auto industry for its environmental record, and for those seeking ammunition to defend car makers from all the criticism.
Colleague John DiPietro has penned (or pixeled) an incisive look at how Subaru of America became the first automaker in the country to develop a comprehensive, plant-wide recycling system and has made its plant in Indiana a zero-landfill operation.
That's right. Despite the tons and tons waste generated in the assembly of automobiles -- everything from the wood and plastic from shipping pallets to the thousands of soft drink cans and bottles emptied during lunch breaks, not an ounce of stuff from the factory ends up in a landfill!
You can read
John's piece over at Edmunds Green Car Guide...
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- John O'Dell January 17, 2008, 11:45 AM
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- Alternative Fuels, Diesel, Natural Gas, Subaru
Subaru, which is displayed a concept hybrid touring car at the Tokyo Auto Show this week, plans to have several hybrids in the market in the next few years, Fuji Heavy industries President Ikuo Mori told reporters at the show.
