Fiat

November 3, 2009

Chrysler 5-Year Plan Thought to Include an EV Along With Fuel-Efficient Small Cars

Dodge Zeo8 concept shown at Detroit Auto Show last year could be basis for a new EV in revised Chrysler product lineup under post-bankruptcy recovery plan.

If there's anything certain about Chrysler's new 5-year product plan, to be unveiled in a lengthy conference tomorrow, it is that small cars, advanced technology gas engines and at least one electric vehicle all are likely to figure into the automaker's future.

The company, fresh out of bankruptcy, is now controlled by Italy's Fiat and Fiat, according to the leaks from Chrysler' suburban HQ in Auburn Hills, Mich., wants to use its new American unit as a portal to being its popular Fiat 500 subcompact over form Europe and to reintroduce the Alfa Romeo brand to the states.

Fiat, we've heard, also intends to use its "multiair" fuel-efficient engine technology in Chrysler vehicles going forward and, insiders say, wants to use the Dodge brand for introduction of an electric car - likely one of the models that have been under development - quietly - by Chrysler's ENVI group.

Yes, Virginia, the ENVI group, tasked with developing EVs and extended-range, plug-in hybrids for Chrysler when it was formed in 2007, has survived the financial mayhem and is still plugging away, so to speak.

Whether Chrysler's new masters will pick the sexy Dodge Zeo electric sports car, one of the Jeep plug-ins or the Chrysler 300-based EV concept shown at the Detroit auto show in January - all ENVI productions -or select an all-new Chrysler- or Fiat-based model for the EV is up in the air.

But as we've said all along - and as Fiat's Sergio Marchionne well knows - Chrysler can't survive in the new automotive age without EVs and PHEVs in its portfolio.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell November 3, 2009, 1:54 PM
Categories:: Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler

September 14, 2009

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Greenest Car Show Begins Previews Tuesday

Hyundai Motors' ix-Metro Hybrid city car is one of several dozen 'green' cars and concepts debuting at Frankfurt show.

By John O'Dell, Senior Editor

This week's Frankfurt Auto Show promises to be the greenest major auto show to date - a showcase for fuel efficiency improvements and alternative powertrains that are coming to the forefront as the mainstream auto industry finally begins coming to grips with the need to begin weaning itself - and us - from petroleum.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell September 14, 2009, 1:49 AM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Audi, Auto Shows, BMW, Citroen, Diesel, Fiat, Ford, Fuel Cell, General Motors, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, MINI, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Plug-ins and Electric, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen
Technorati Tags:: 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show

June 29, 2009

Chrysler Reportedly To Build and Sell Four Versions of Fuel-Efficient Fiat 500 in U.S.

Four versions of the Fiat 500, a fuel-efficient, low-emissions subcompact car that's been a bestseller in Europe for years, will be coming to the U.S. as early as 2011, according to Automotive News (subscription required).

Often compared in style and character to the Mini Cooper, the Fiat 500 will be the first of the Italian automaker's modern offerings to reach the New World and it will be built at one of Chrysler's own U.S. plants, possibly the one in Belvidere, Illinois, not in Mexico, as had been speculated, the News reported.

In the wake of Fiat's becoming a 20 percent owner of the newly reorganized Chrysler, company officials have said to expect the 500 in about 18 months, allowing time for federal emissions and safety certification.

Like the Mini Cooper, the 500 is an updated incarnation of an iconic original, but with modern safety and emissions equipment. The 500 also borrows retro styling cues from the original, and it offers seating for four, like the Mini, but the 500 is 7 inches shorter and weighs 500 pounds less.

Four versions of the red-hot little car will be built for the U.S. market, Automotive News reported, quoting 500 designer Robert Giolito, who confirmed the plan to Edmunds.com in Italy. Two hatchbacks -- one standard, one sporty Abarth model -- a convertible and a wagon, will comprise the U.S. lineup.

The trade publication noted that it is possible a four-wheel-drive SUV version of the tiny car could be in the works as well for U.S. consumption.

The original 500, referred to as the Cinquecento in Italian, got its name from the size of its engine, an air-cooled scooter-like two-cylinder displacing just 479 cubic centimeters. It was a true gutless wonder.

Four engines are available in the current 500, ranging from a 69-horsepower 1.2-liter engine to the 1.4-liter engine generating 135 hp in the sporty Abarth version. It's unknown at this time if all of these engines will be offered in U.S.-bound 500s, and it's too soon to say if a diesel variant will be available (as it is in other countries today).

Unlike the original 500, the new one has a front engine and front-wheel drive.

As far as style is concerned, the 500 is offered elsewhere in 12 exterior colors, including pastel, metallic and pearl finishes, according to Fiat's Web site. Checkerboard paint schemes are also available, and the interior accommodates four passengers on a variety of seating fabrics and leather.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett June 29, 2009, 12:03 PM
Categories:: Chrysler, Diesel, Emissions, Fiat, Fuel Economy, MINI
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler LLC

April 30, 2009

Chrysler's Green Programs Likely To Survive Bankruptcy, Fiat Alliance

Company Can't Afford To Drop EV and Plug-in Development If It Hopes for a Future

Chrysler green prototypes include plug-in hybrid Jeeps and Town & Country van and Dodge Circuit EV.

By John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Some quick thoughts on what Chrysler's bankruptcy and reorganization may mean for the company's green initiatives.

Chrysler is going to continue to be run largely by government dictate as it wends its way though bankruptcy -- the Obama administration will be selecting new board members and the Feds will be providing much of the company's working capital -- and the government has made it clear time and again that it wants carmakers to concentrate on fuel-efficiency.

So if Chrysler is to have a post-bankruptcy future, then building cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles that help us kick our oil dependency has got to be part of it, as it must for all automakers.

A large part of that effort, now that Chrysler will be teamed with and ultimately controlled by Italy's Fiat, will be in development of fuel-efficient gasoline and, possibly, diesel engines for Chrysler's U.S. cars and trucks using Fiat technology.

So we can look for smaller, lighter vehicles to be added to the lineup of the company that made its bones with hulking pickups, gas-guzzling Hemi V8 muscle cars and hefty family hauling minivans. And we can surely expect some of Chrysler's more egregiously fuel-inefficient vehicles to disappear.

A Chrysler version of Fiat's popular and tiny 500 subcompact might not make a big hit in a U.S. still worried about the safety aspects of small cars sharing the road with all those Hummers and Expeditions and Rams, but Fiat has other, larger cars, especially in its Alfa Romeo brand, that might transition well in the U.S.

In his press conference today, President Obama skipped over the impact the restructuring will have on Chrysler's green initiatives except to say that Fiat already has agreed to transfer "billions" of dollars worth of "cutting-edge technology" to Chrysler so it can build "new fuel-efficient cars and engines in America."

But Chrysler also may have some technology of its own to bring to the table.

----------
Chrysler recently showed this 200C EV electric car concept.
----------

Skeptics believe Chrysler's green programs, particularly the electric and plug-in hybrid-electric prototype vehicles it has shown off in the past year, are vaporware.

But Green Car Advisor spoke with a few Chrysler insiders this morning and they said that there have been no signs that work on those technologies is being dropped or even diminished.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); John O'Dell April 30, 2009, 10:33 AM
Categories:: Chrysler, Fiat, Fuel Cell, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler Bankruptcy

April 6, 2009

Eco-Driving Systems: Now Your Car Can Gently Nag You Into Being More Fuel-Wise

Ford's SmartGauge features a multitude of displays to help people become more fuel-efficient drivers.

By Robert E. Calem, Contributor

Regardless of the kind of car you drive, one of the keys to improving fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to drive smarter - don't hammer the accelerator pedal, don't brake harshly and do steadily maintain just enough speed to keep up with the flow of traffic without passing everyone in sight.

These often are not easy tasks.

To help, automakers have begun rolling out new features and technologies that call attention to uneconomical driving behavior and offer "rewards" for fuel-efficient driving.

Some of these features are passive, like instrument panels that change color as fuel economy improves.

Others more actively engage with the driver, such as an accelerator pedal that pushes back when pressed too aggressively.

Some automakers are even working on technologies that will be able to take the driver out of the fuel economy equation by allowing the car to practically drive itself with best mileage in mind.

Read on to learn more about the driver training features and technologies in cars you can buy today, and be able to buy tomorrow.

Smart Gauges Make Smarter Drivers

"The whole idea is coaching the driver, but as a good coach you don't want to preach," says Sonya Nematollahi, driver information engineering supervisor at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Mich., while describing the "SmartGauge with EcoGuide" instrument cluster in the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids.

Conceived by Ford in collaboration with IDEO, the design and innovation consultancy that also devised the Swivel 'n Go seating in Chrysler minivans, SmartGauge consists of two 4.3-inch, high-resolution color LCD screens - one on either side of the analog speedometer - that display a collection of digitally rendered gauges accessed through multi-layered menus.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide, fashioned by Ford Design Studio with features input from the industrial design firm Smart Design, uses the menus and gauges to offer increasingly detailed information in four modes: Inform, Enlighten, Engage and Empower.

"Like a good coach, we designed modes into SmartGauge to engage drivers at their experience levels and then guide them to new energy-efficient behavior," says Steve Bishop, global lead for sustainability at IDEO in Palo Alto, Calif.

----------

Green leaves 'grow' on fusion instrument panel as visual reward when fuel economy improves.

---------

"Video games engage their users in a similar fashion with levels. In fact, when we observed hybrid drivers, we found they were going for high scores, a gaming behavior that has never existed in cars before. We designed to accommodate it."

Steering-wheel mounted directional buttons are used to navigate through the modes, and the driver can customize the displays in each mode by adding or removing gauges.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (2); John O'Dell April 6, 2009, 4:10 AM
Categories:: Audi, Chevrolet, Emissions, Fiat, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, General Motors, Honda, Mercury, Nissan, Tesla, Volvo
Technorati Tags:: Eco Driving

February 10, 2009

Fiat and Alfa Romeo to Introduce Fuel-Saving Engine Line at Geneva Auto Show

The Fiat Group will announce new engines and new technologies at the Geneva Motor Show next month, including a new 1.8-liter gasoline engine and a 1.3-diesel engine, Italiaspeed reports today .

The Website reports that the turbocharged four-cylinder 1.8-liter engine will be used in the upcoming Alfa Romeo 159, the Lancia Delta, the Alfa Romeo Brera, Spider and Mito GTA.

It will be offered in 170-, 200- and 230-horsepower outputs (the latter reserved for the Brera, Spider and Mito GTA) and it will feature both direct injection and continuously-variable inlet and exhaust cam timing.

Italiaspeed reports that Fiat Powertrain Technologies is close to production of its Multijet 2 new-generation diesel injection technology, and its Multiair electrohydraulic valve-actuation system.

Multiair is said to improve torque from gasoline engines by up to 20 percent at lower engine speeds and boost power by 10 to 15 percent, yet reduce fuel consumption by up to 10 percent.

Additional information regarding fuel economy and tailpipe emissions was unavailable.

The Multijet 2 engines will be launched in Frankfurt with a new injection pump and solenoid injectors for more precise fuel delivery. Fiat has not yet decided whether to offer any of these small powerplants in the U.S.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (1); Scott Doggett February 10, 2009, 12:54 PM
Categories:: Alfa Romeo, Auto Shows, Emissions, Fiat, Fuel Economy
Technorati Tags:: Alfa Romeo

January 20, 2009

Chrysler-Fiat Pact Good News for Fuel Economy, Emissions - If Chrysler Survives

Looks as though Chrysler has found someone interested in it for purposes other than picking the meat from its bones.

Italy's Fiat, itself just recently recovered from a near-death experience (remember just four years ago, when GM, worried that Fiat was close to collapse, paid $2 billion to walk away from an option to buy the company?) has signed a deal for a strategic partnership with Chrysler.

No money is expected to change hands, but the strategic partnership agreement opens each company's product, intellectual and marketing resources for the other to dip into.

We'll leave it to our colleagues at Edmunds' AutoObserver to opine on the business sense of a cashless deal that apparently leaves Chrysler still looking for several billions of dollars to make it through 2009.

But we're heartened by the proposition that, if the beleaguered third member of the U.S. auto-making industry does survive, its tie-up with Fiat could bring a whole new batch of fun to drive, fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly cars to our shores.

Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealerships in the U.S. could become outlets for upscale Alfa Romeos and the economical (40+ mpg) Fiat 500 mini-car (right) - the European Car of the Year in 2008.

Fiat isn't likely to be too interested in Chrysler's cars, but the company has underused factories in the U.S. that Fiat can use, and it provides the Italian company easier entry to this market than it would have had going it alone.

Chrysler also would benefit from Fiat's know-how in building small engines that deliver both fuel economy and performance - expertise Chrysler seems to be missing.

And who knows, maybe there's a secret lust for Dodge Ram duallies and Chrysler 300s in Fiat's European markets.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell January 20, 2009, 8:24 AM
Categories:: Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Fiat, Fuel Economy
Technorati Tags:: Chrysler

December 11, 2008

World Green Car of the Year Organization Posts List of 2009 Candidates

The World Car of the Year organization has announced the initial slate of candidates for 2009 World Green Car of the Year.

Launched three years ago, the title has been awarded in the past to the BMW 118d (2008), the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec (2007) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (2006).

The 2009 candidates must be new and on sale by December 31.

The list includes the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (pictured), BMW 335d BluePerformance, Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon hybrids, Citroen C1, Fiat Palio Weekend Electric, Fiat Siena Tetrafuel model, Honda FCX Clarity. Go to Edmunds.com's Inside Line to view more candidates.

The organization includes working automotive journalists from around the globe, including regular Inside Line contributors Matt Davis, Hormazd Sorabjee, Peter Nunn and Peter Lyon.

The top 10 finalists will be announced in January, with the winner revealed in April at the 2009 New York Auto Show.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett December 11, 2008, 1:33 PM
Categories:: Alternative Fuels, Audi, Auto Shows, BMW, Chevrolet, Citroen, Diesel, Emissions, Fiat, Flex-Fuel, Fuel Cell, Fuel Economy, Honda, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Mercedes-Benz, Natural Gas, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI

October 6, 2008

European Commission Snubs Automakers' Plea for Loans to Ease Green Transition

European automakers today called for $55.2 billion of low-interest loans to help develop greener cars in the fight against climate change, but their request was instantly rebuffed.

"This idea does not even merit discussion," a source at the European Commission said.

An auto industry group claimed the global economic crisis was making it increasingly difficult for carmakers to achieve European Union emissions targets by 18 percent over the next several years.

But the European Commission rejected the demand for a loan that would equate to over one third of the annual EU budget.

A representative for the auto industry group said it was trying to start a discussion of how the EU might support its automakers in a time of change.

The same group has asked the EU to create incentives for motorists to scrap vehicles over eight years old to speed up fleet renewal.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett October 6, 2008, 2:12 PM
Categories:: Emissions, Fiat, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, Legislation, Manufacturers, Tax Incentives

Taking Cue From Detroit 3, EU Automakers Want Loans to Ease Move to Green Cars

Borrowing from the Detroit 3 playbook, Europe's automakers plan to ask the European Commission for a $55.2 billion loan to accelerate the transition to fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel cars, The Wall Street Journal reported today.

The request follows a similar move in the U.S., where Congress last week approved $25 billion in loans to help American carmakers improve the fuel economy of their vehicles.

Fiat suggested the request to European auto executives at a board meeting of the European Auto Makers Association, or ACEA, on Friday, the Journal reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the matter.

The board met to discuss the commission's proposals for tighter rules on emissions that scientists say cause global warming. Under the rules, Europe's automakers would face fines if the average emission for their vehicle fleet exceeded 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.

Car companies have complained that meeting the emission limit for the entire fleet by 2012 isn't economically feasible for them, though they would agree to a gradual application of the rules. They have lobbied for the commission to delay applying the rules in full until 2015.

"All European carmakers agree on the [$55.2 billion] demand," a spokesman for Fiat said Saturday, confirming earlier comments by his boss, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. The final details of an agreement remain unclear, another person familiar with Fiat's proposal told the Journal.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); Scott Doggett October 6, 2008, 5:01 AM
Categories:: Emissions, Fiat, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, Legislation, Manufacturers

August 1, 2008

Ford Releases Photos of New Ka; Images Are All Americans Will Likely See of It

Ford of Europe today released these photos of its redesigned entry-level Ka model, developed and built with Fiat, and set for unveiling at the Paris motor show in October.

The original Ka, which was based on the Ford Puma coupÃ© chassis platform, was launched 12 years ago and proved an unexpected success with Ford selling more than 1.4 million of the small city car.

The new model is based on the Fiat Panda/Cinquecento chassis platform and built in Poland.

Although fuel-efficient cars like this are now very popular in the U.S. and reports abound that the new Ka might be coming to America, Ford spokesman Jay Ward told Green Car Advisor the automaker has no intension to selling the microcar here.

"That is not currently in our plan," he said in an email. "We do have the Fiesta coming here in 2010, which will be an excellent addition to our car line-up and add to the already very successful Focus."

Unfortunately, the photos provided here only serve to show what we'll be missing.

Scott Doggett, Contributor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (2); Scott Doggett August 1, 2008, 1:08 PM
Categories:: Emissions, Fiat, Ford, Fuel Economy

July 22, 2008

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

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

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

But others, well...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 17, 2008

That New Car Smell Might Kill You

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 16, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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