Green Car Advisor
Subaru
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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- Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault
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- Electric Vehicles
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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
- Categories:
- Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler, Dodge, Emissions, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, MINI, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Pontiac, Porsche, Renault, Saab, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Think, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo
July 18, 2008
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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- Chrysler, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Legislation, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota
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
- 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 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
- Categories:
- 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
- Categories:
- Batteries, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
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
- Categories:
- Fuel Economy, Plug-ins and Electric, Subaru
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
- Categories:
- 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
- Categories:
- 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
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Diesel, Natural Gas, Subaru
