It's been in the works since the day Obama took office and now it's official. California can now set its own standards for vehicle emissions, a change that effectively allows the state to regulate fuel mileage.
Several states have already said they will follow California's lead in this area, so the new rules are expected to become a national standard in the near future.
Looks like Consumer Reports has finally caught up with reality. In its latest review of the 2010 Honda Insight, the magazine takes the car to task calling it a, "noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling." First time in a hybrid CR?
As much as we appreciate the technology offered by vehicles like the Prius and the Insight, we've always considered them a huge compromise. You don't get that kind of mileage without giving up a few things, it's not a free ride. Unfortunately, many of the things hybrids ditch in the name of mileage are the very things that make driving enjoyable. Looks like CR isn't ready to make the trade just yet.
The man in the Oval Office officially signed the $1 billion "cash for clunkers" bill that we're sure you have heard of.
If you haven't read the newspaper, been on the internet or watched TV recently, the bill gives up to $4,500 to consumers that trade in their less fuel-efficient car for a new one. Officially dubbed Car Allowance Rebate System (or CARS, how clever), those interested can sign up for updates as the program's details are ironed out.
Ford has already launched a new Web site to tell you if your rusty ride is eligible. It has an eligibility calculator that checks if your car is under 25 years old and gets less than 18 mpg. Despite the sales pitch that comes after you enter your information, the calculator is actually quite useful for people looking to trade in their vehicle.
Remember that Jesse James hydrogen speed record we told you about last week? Well, it turns out it wasn't quite as legitimate as we were told. Louise Ann Noeth, known as "Landspeed Louise" for her years of coverage of the dry lakes scene, sent out a release today detailing several problems with James' "record".
"The claim is without merit since the activities were conducted without benefit of any motorsports sanctioning authority. The vehicle was neither inspected, nor certified and all the timing personnel were on the James TV payroll," she noted.
"World speed records require two runs over a one-mile course within one hour. James was 5,148 feet short -- being timed one-way for a total of 132 feet; he made only three or four passes over an eight to ten-hour period. Any world record holder will tell you it's quite a technical feat to hold speed for a full mile."
So whether you agree with Landspeed Louise or not, she knows her stuff. At the very least, it's reason enough to question the record, that is, if anybody really cares about Jesse James anymore.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the first installment of loans to promote clean energy. A total of $8B will be handed out to Ford, Nissan and Tesla in hopes of jump starting efforts to produce electric vehicles as well as cleaner internal combustion drivetrains.
Ford will receive $5.9B to to "help finance numerous engineering advances to traditional internal combustion engines and electrified vehicles." The money will also be used to convert two trucks plants into car plants.
Nissan is getting $1.6B to help defray the costs of producing an electric car and battery packs at its Smyrna, Tenn. manufacturing plant.
And finally, Tesla will receive $465M to help develop and build its Model S sedan as well as the production of battery packs in a separate facility.
For the record, GM and Chrysler were not eligible for the program because of their bankruptcy filings. The loan program specifies that any company receiving money must first prove its viability as a stand alone company separate from the loans. How Tesla, which is currently not profitable, got around this provision isn't clear.
So what do you think? Is this a good way to spend federal stimulus money?
General Motors held a webchat session this morning with Troy Clarke, President of GM North America. He attempted to address several issues, but as you might expect most of his answers were light on specifics and heavy on generalities and themes.
When one participant asked about Buick, Clarke said he was very confident that they would get the brand right. "I will tell you that you will be pleasantly surprised at the product line up we have for the new Buick. It will go places product wise we haven't gone with Buick before," Clarke said.
When asked about NUMMI, Clarke said GM has no plans to buy Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. "We are not in current discussions with Toyota on licensing their synergy drive. I would point out that we are working like crazy on our own hybrid technology. Also, we are really moving fast on the Volt of which you are well aware," Clarke said.
Other participants, many of which were clearly GM employees expressed frustration with the way GM was being handled. Clarke told him that he thought getting government assistance was the company's best chance of turning itself around. The full text is available at GM's Fastlane blog.
The next "revolutionary" green car manufacturer has popped up and this time it's the brainchild of former Oracle Corp. executive Ray Varasano.
It's called V-Vehicle, and is backed by a dream team of investors--former oilman T. Boone Pickens, former Mazda N.A. design chief Tom Matano and Fisker Automotive-investor Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers have all pumped money into the San Diego-based company.
Unlike Tesla's push for all-electric vehicles, V-Vehicle is looking to make either a more efficient gas powertrain or, considering Pickens is now a natural gas proponent, it might go the CNG route. The company was founded on the ideology that it will build a "high-quality, environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient car for the U.S. market."
V-Vehicle is planning to use a former GM headlight plant in Monroe, Louisiana to build its alternative cars. The plant underwent a $100 million revamp and will employ about 1,400 people from the bayou state.
For those that are interested in hearing more, you can head to the Louisiana Economic Development Web site and get some first-hand commentary from the major investors (keep in mind it's a Louisiana promotional video).
Looks like Tesla is going to have some well-funded competition in the coming years. Regardless of which company comes out on top, it's good to know it will be an American one.
The governor of Louisiana announced today that V-Vehicle Company, a San-Diego-based start up, has signed on to assemble "environmentally-friendly vehicles" in an vacant supplier plant. The Monroe, La. facility used to house operations for Guide Corporation, a major lighting supplier.
"Today, we are here to announce that through quick, aggressive action to pursue a transformative opportunity, we have a chance here in Louisiana to re-energize the entire U.S. auto industry. Indeed, this project also has the potential to transform the entire Monroe area, and this project could be a game changer for the economy of Northeast Louisiana," said Governor Bobby Jindal. Louisiana Economic Development: New American Car Company Will Make History In Louisiana
Among all the chatter about the upcoming Koenigsegg/Saab tie up was a report in a Swedish newspaper confirming the eventual production of the Quant electric concept first shown at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show.
Like most concepts at the Geneva show, the Quant concept was light on hard numbers but big on promises. Koenigsegg said the Quant had over 500-hp, a range of 310 miles and a recharge time of just 20 minutes. Sounds great, but we're guessing the production model will be somewhat less powerful, have less range and require more than a short nap to fully recharge.
Our man in Japan, Peter Lyon, has driven the newest eco-mobile, the Subaru Stella Plug-In electro-box.
The profoundly unsexy Stella Plug-In uses the body of the standard Japanese-market Stella, (which is typically powered by a 660 cc gas engine) and the 63-hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery from the company's R1e development vehicle. For perspective, the hot-rodded Stella RS, with its tiny supercharged motor makes the same 63 horsepower.
Range and the time needed to re-fuel don't quite match the performance of the gas version though. The vehicle will go on sale to the general public (the general Japanese public, that is) in April 2010 for the equivalent of $47,900...wait...what? Well, after various national and regional government rebates, the Stella Plug-In will still be a not-insubstantial $29,000.
Kind of puts GM's Volt pricing struggles into perspective, no?
Elon Musk's foot-in-mouth disease appears to be progressing. In an interview at the Disruptive by Design conference in Manhattan, he told Wired magazine Editor in Chief Chris Anderson that he would like a crack at running Detroit.
"When the mess gets sorted out, I'd like to have a conversation with whoever's in charge at the time -- the car czar or whoever -- and say 'I'd like to run your plants, if you don't mind,'" Musk said
Musk probably thinks he can bring all sorts of "Silicon Valley efficiencies" to big auto plants, but he's about two decades behind in that regard. And let's face it, Musk has yet to build a single car on his own yet, so his ability to run even one auto plant is questionable.
Speaking of which, it's been nearly three months since Tesla announced that it was close to securing a site for the production of its Model S Concept car. It's been radio silence on that front since. Not a good sign given that Tesla is still telling people that the Model S will begin production in late 2011.
And for the record, despite the Wired headline, Elon Musk had nothing to do with the founding of Tesla Motors.
Did you see the new Buick commercials that aired during this weekend's NBA title game? They implored viewers to "take a look at me now" as if Buick was some middle-aged housewife fresh out of plastic surgery.
GM's junior luxury division is going to need more than snappier commercials to get attention and according to a GM fan site a hybrid might be its next attempt to gain some recognition.
GM-volt.com says that the two-mode plug-in hybrid system developed for the Saturn Vue may make its way into a new Buick compact crossover. A CBS news report is thought to have revealed a glimpse of the upcoming sport utility and not surprisingly it looked like a downsized Enclave.
Do you putz around in your beater getting less than 18 mpg? Are you in the market for a new vehicle? If you answered yes to both of those questions, you might be eligible for the "Cash for Clunkers" rebate that was just approved by the House (it still has to get through the Senate).
The vouchers are worth $3,500 or $4,500, depending on how much better gas mileage the new vehicle achieves.
See if your whip qualifies and if it's an economical move below.
What's more lucrative than selling Teslas? Being Tesla's legal team of course. After unsuccessfully suing Fisker last year, Tesla's lawyers now have the chance to rack up some hours defending the company from Martin Eberhard, Tesla's co-founder.
Turns out Eberhard was none too pleased about the things current CEO Elon Musk said about him after Eberhard was ousted from the company. After mulling it over for some time, Eberhard finally decided to file suit for defamation among other things, a claim that Tesla calls "twisted and wrong." Well this ought to be interesting.
In case you're wondering where all that stimulus money is going, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued a friendly reminder that it's doing its part to spread the wealth.
"On June 1, 2009, the agency ordered 14,105 fuel efficient vehicles for the Federal fleet using $210 million of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)," according to the press release.
"This brings the total number of fuel efficient vehicles ordered by GSA using ARRA funds to 17,205 at a cost of $287 million."
The breakdown includes:
2,933 Chrysler vehicles for $53 million; 7,924 Ford vehicles for $129 million; and 6,348 General Motors vehicles for $105 million.
Strangely enough there is no mention which vehicles the agency purchased, only that they will be more efficient that the ones they replace. Reassuring isn't it?
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz reiterated his assertion that the demand for green vehicles is still relatively low.
"When you get out into the marketplace, it's probably just 5 percent of the public that desperately wants something environmentally sound and is willing to pay a premium for it," he said in the interview.
Earlier we thrilled you with footage of the i-MiEV electric car in action. Now Mitsubishi has gone one step further and announced an official on-sale date for its upcoming eco-car.
Fleet sales will start in Japan this July with about 1,400 vehicles slated for leases to corporations and local authorities. Starting in April 2010, Mitsubishi plans to begin leasing the i-MiEV to the public.
In case you've missed the Mitsubishi i MiEV at the half-dozen auto shows it has graced over the last several years, it's an all-electric car that the company has been developing with full production in mind. It's expected to go into fleet use this summer and Mitsubishi has said that it plans worldwide consumer sales shortly thereafter.
In a bid to shore up confidence in its pint-size crossover thing, Mitsubishi has released this video of the vehicle undergoing various reliability tests. You've got your "high speed" oval run, slalom test, rough road test and even a deep water crossing.
You know all those people up in arms about V8-powered SUVs? Well, they're being a bit disingenuous. You see, if they really cared so much about the environment they would be railing against ships too. But they don't, mostly because they don't see them. Out of sight, out of mind you know.
If they did pay more attention, they would realize that the average cargo ship burns fuel oil which is only slightly less toxic that roofing tar. According to a report in The Guardian, the average ship spews about 10.4M pounds of sulfur oxide gases in a year. In comparison, an average car driving 10,000 miles in a year emits a little less than one quarter pound of the same gas. So yeah, ships might be worth looking into if one is serious about reducing airbourne pollutants.
Now that Tesla has backing from Daimler, it's moving aggressively towards an expanded lineup and more affordable models. At least that's what company CEO Elon Musk told Green Car Advisor.
Musk (pictured) said that in addition to the Smart EV, "there is also another major vehicle program that we will be doing with Daimler and that was part of the investment deal and would also fit into the 'everyman' category."
Good to see that Tesla is aiming to bring down the price of its electric cars, but given how much work it has left to do on the Model S, it seems a little premature to be thinking about additional cars down the road.
After signing off from the Tonight Show last week, Jay Leno figured he would have a weekend of doing nothing but playing with his cars. Which of course made this past weekend no different than any other weekend for Jay. This time, however, he pulled out one of his more interesting and rare toys: the EcoJet, turbine-powered concept.
You might remember the EcoJet concept from the 2006 SEMA show. It uses a 650-horsepower Honeywell turbine for power and runs on biodiesel, lots and lots of biodiesel. Underneath, there's an all-aluminum Corvette Z06 chassis, while the body of the EcoJet is made entirely of carbon fiber and kevlar. In other words, this sucker was expensive.
We'll hand it to Jay though, he said back then that he would drive it on public roads, and yesterday he delivered on that promise. And say what you will about the design, when this thing pulled into the parking lot with its turbine wailing, all the open-piped Cobras on hand suddenly seemed quite tame.
We've been periodically checking in on Ford's Fiesta Movement test program, and we'll be following the Mini E test program with equal fervor. And it is just a you-test-it-for-us program, remember, since "owners" only get to lease these electric Minis for 1 year to the tune of $850/month, after which time the car gets shipped back to Munich for a full download by BMW Project i engineers.
The first lessee, Peter Trepp, of Pacific Palisades, CA, has been getting plenty of press recently. He's also taken the step of starting his own blog, so you can follow his experience with the car if you like.
In yesterday's entry, he reflects on the handling of his Mini E:
"I could describe in great detail the merits of joining a MINI Cooper S with a high-torque electric motor and how the extra 600lbs is a blessing in that it keeps the tires safely planted on the road, but nothing replaces a first-hand test drive. Virtually everyone I've taken for a test drive comes back feeling like they just stepped off a roller coaster with that "can we go again?" look on their face.
"Here is my simple description of the handling. Lateral motion (e.g. cornering) is much like any well-tuned sports car - tight and fun."
Trepp is a venture capitalist specializing in early-stage clean technology companies, says BMW's press release, which no doubt made him an attractive candidate for Mini's electric car field trial.
Update: Looks like blogging might be mandatory if you lease a Mini E. We've found two more Mini E blogs started by field trial participants who are waiting to take delivery of an electric Mini -- Our 100% Electric Mini E and Robert's MINI E Field Trial.
For the first time in nearly two years, the average price of diesel fuel has fallen below regular gas. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), it's a "traditional" spring inversion that occurs in the U.S., but there's no doubt that BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen will try to take advantage of the new pricing structure.
All three automakers took the plunge and introduced new diesel models in the last year, but apart from strong sales of Volkswagen's TDI cars, sales have been disappointing. As Bill Visnic points out on AutoObserver, several other manufacturers had diesel programs in the works, but shelved them when got prices plunged.
Now that prices have evened out, and stricter CAFE regulations are on the way, there are some incentives to get those programs moving again. Hard to tell if consumers would respnod at this point, but it seems like it's worth another try given refined and quiet modern diesel engines have become.
As Engineering Editor Jay Kavanagh notes in his first drive of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, timing is indeed everything in the auto industry. Had this new luxury hybrid come out last summer, its success would have been virtually guaranteed.
Even though gas prices are slowly rising, the clamor for fuel mileage has subsided significantly. Lexus might have to actually put a little marketing muscle behind this car, but even that doesn't guarantee any measure of succes.
Will it be the next Prius? Or a Honda Accord Hybird that never quite catches on?
Bill Reinert, Toyota's U.S. national manager for advanced technology, told a National Academy of Sciences panel in Washington, D.C., Monday that the success of plug-in hybrids depends on their advantages over traditional hybrids.
"There is a great deal of variation on how current PHEVs perform in real-world conditions," Reinert said.
Although his statements sound like direct shots at cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma, Toyota is also testing plug-in variations of the Prius so he's probably speaking about their own conclusions.
Not sure why GM put out a press release on its Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine program today. There was nothing new to announce and the technology is nowhere near production ready. Can't imagine it has anything to do with looking good for it's new owners.
For those that aren't familar, gasoline-fueled HCCI engines use high pressure to induce ignition much like a diesel. They promise improved mileage along with cleaner emissions. Numerous manufacturers have been working on such engines, but they work much better in a lab than they do out in the real world. In other words, don't expect to see an HCCI on any options list anytime soon.
Earlier this month, Bob Lutz took exception with some comments made by David Letterman about the Volt. Lutz called Letterman misinformed and vowed to show him the wonders of the Chevrolet Volt himselt.
That time has now come, as Lutz has been confirmed as a guest on the Late Show. Stephen Colbert will be there too apparently. Wonder what Lutz will say to him this time?
You know it's serious when the White House lines up the CEOs of nearly every major car company in the U.S. for a press conference. The occasion was the announcement of new fuel efficiency rules that will reset the standards for cars and trucks going forward.
They're much tougher standards that the current rules. We're talking an average of 39mpg for cars and 30mpg for trucks and SUVs by 2016 for a combined average of 35.5mpg.
The White House acknowledges that costs will go up for cars and trucks, but claims that consumers will save at the pump in the long run. There are still many details to be worked out, but this appears to be the basic plan going forward. Think it will work?
In a joint press conference from Stuttgart, Daimler announced that it will take a 10% stake in Tesla Motors in return for help with development of the electric Smart car. Tesla will receive product development help with its upcoming Model S sedan.
With Daimler on board, development of the Model S should accelerate although there are still many questions as to how far the collaboration will go. Elon Musk reiterated the goal of building the Model S out of aluminum, but Daimler's expertise in that area is somewhat limited.
And of course, Tesla shouldn't forget that Chrysler once collaborated with Daimler and we all know how that worked out.
Edmunds' Green Car Advisor's Scott Doggett picked up an interesting story on Darryl Siry, former head of marketing for Tesla Motors, today. In a lengthy entry on his personal blog, Siry writes that the EPA's mileage range estimates for electric cars are way off base.
He points out three big problems with the current methodology:
--Range estimates reflect upper-end limits and don't take into account varying driving styles and conditions. Obviously, this affects cars with internal combustion engines, too, but electric cars are more sensitive to aggressive throttle use. --These range estimates are often developed with a full state of battery charge, something a normal owner will rarely if ever experience. --As batteries age, their maximum charge capacity decreases, resulting in reduced range over the life of the car (or at least the life of its battery pack).
These problems will have to be resolved, says Siry, to avoid widespread disappointment among future electric car owners.
A so called "Cash for Clunkers" bill is currently weaving its way through Congress, but as Bill Visnic points out on AutoObserver, its ability to stimulate car sales is still very much in question.
Why? Like so many other bills in Congrees, the Cash for Clunkers legisation is attemtping to please two different sides of the issue. In this case, it's the car industry and environmental groups. Not surprisingly, the goals conflict, and as Visnic points out, it could end up watering down the bill to the pont of complete ineffectiveness.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is a smart guy. He made a billion or so dollars off of PayPal and started his own rocket company after all. Seems strange then that he would be so misinformed about the Chevrolet Volt.
In this video, Musk dismisses the Volt because he thinks the gasoline engine is too small to propel the car after the batteries run out of power. You would think he would know that the Volt never actually runs on the gasoline engine alone, but apparently he's too busy trying to turn his Model S concept into a reality. Fast forward to the 27:23 mark to hear his comments.
The ol' hydrogen highway just got a little bit shorter. At a press conference today, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu announced a budget that slashes spending on hydrogen research by 59%.
"We asked ourselves, 'Is it likely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will covert to a hydrogen car economy?' The answer, we felt, was 'no,'" Chu said in the briefing today.
GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens used the company's Fastlane blog to reassure hybrid fans that a plug-in hybrid is still in the works. Originally planned for the Saturn Vue, GM's plug-in system is currently being adapted to another similarly-sized vehicle. Looking at GM's new "core" brands, that means either the Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain.
We knew Nissan was looking to get into the hybrid game with its own technology, but we didn't know how far it would go. A report out of Japan unearthed by 370Z.com predicts a hybrid version of the Nissan 370Z by the 2012 model year.
Just a few weeks ago, Japan's Nikkei daily reported that Nissan would offer its first in-house hybrid system in its Fuga luxury sedan, which is known as the Infini M35/45 in the States. The new hybrid system will reportedly use a new lithium ion battery pack that delivers more power and shorter recharged times.
We've been skeptical of the Tesla Model S sedan since day one. It promises the world, but the engineering behind it is still very much a work in progress.
You wouldn't know it from listening to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, however, as he's touted the car as if it's a finished product. He got a nice plug on Letterman recently, and is once again taking the Model S on tour to drum up business.
Not everyone is convinced. Dan Neil from the Los Angeles Times recently got some seat time in the Model S and was hardly overwhelmed.
Nothing you haven't heard before from Mr. Musk, but Letterman's opinions on electric cars and the industry in general hold some entertainment value if you didn't watch last night (although picking on GM and fuel cell cars isn't exactly an intellectual leap). Well, at least it's another chance to get a look at the concept car known as the Model S, right?
A few potential seeds of controversy:
Musk: "Even if 100 percent of the electricity comes from coal, the Tesla roadster, which is a sports car, produces less CO2 per mile than a Toyota Prius."
Letterman: "The Chevrolet Volt has a range of 40 miles [in all electric mode]. That'll get you down the driveway and back. I'm going to go pick up the paper and take the electric car. Call me if there's trouble at the curb."
Letterman: "Those fuel cell cell cars. That's a load of crap, too. Oh, it's going to make its own hydrogen. They're talking about 20 years from now, maybe 20 years from now. These automobile companies, they're just shining people on. If they were actually working on technology that was going to be in showrooms, they wouldn't have to be closing down plants and filing for bankruptcy."
With production still over a year away, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is still very much a work in progress. Our Senior Editor in Detroit Dan Pund recently had a chance to see just how much work has been done thanks to a brief test drive in one of Chevrolet's development mules.
He reports that the Volt does in fact move under pure electric power, and it does so in a way that makes it feel like a properly sorted sedan. No, he didn't go far enough to test the range, or even engage the gasoline-powered generator for that matter, but that's why it's called a mule.
Scoring great mileage figures in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid isn't difficult. It's a full-fledged parallel hybrid that can run on electric power alone if you're going slow enough.
Of course, that didn't bother the folks at Ford who were attempting to drive over 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas. It was all part of a publicity stunt that took place in Washington D.C. to reassure the folks who make all those troublesome mileage laws that Ford is doing its part.
In addition to using every hypermiling trick in the book, Ford's drivers also used the sure fire method of driving really, really slow to maximize mileage.
With all the hype surrounding the new 2010 Toyota Prius and its arch rival the 2010 Honda Insight, a hybrid pickup truck like the Silverado can get lost pretty easily. Without huge mileage numbers to brag about, the Silverado hybrid is left trying to convince a skeptical public that it's worth paying extra to get 20mpg.
Engineering Editor Jason Kavanagh digs into the numbers, and the technology, to see what this truck is all about. His conclusion? Makes more sense from an environmental standpoint than a financial one. Are you surprised.
Tesla will continue its public relations blitz for its proposed sedan with an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman tomorrow night. A noted car enthusiast, Letterman has never had any vehicles on the show because regulations don't allow internal combustion engines inside the studio.
Tesla has been showing off a concept version of the Model S sedan in hopes of spurring interest that might help the company secure government funding to complete the project. Just last month, company CEO Elon Musk said he was close to finding a plant to build the Model S in Southern California.
Yesterday, the District blog posted information that suggests Tesla may be angling for some space at the former Boeing assembly plant in Long Beach, California. Tesla wouldn't confirm the report.
Honda has continually said that plug-in hybrids are an unnecessary step on the road to hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
Now it's changing its tune given the U.S. government's preference for plug-in hybrids as a short-term solution. Green Car Advisor has the full story on Honda's about face.
In a rousing Earth Day memo, GM Vice President of Environment, Energy and Safety, Beth Lowry, sought to reassure outsiders that GM is still committed to its environmental initiatives despite having little money to pay for them.
"I want to assure everyone that despite the current economic challenges and the fact that we are undergoing great changes to reinvent the company, resources for 'green' initiatives are being preserved," Lowry wrote.
Strangely absent was a progress report on the Chevrolet Volt although GM has said numerous times in the past that it was safe from the current cost cutting measures.
A report by Doron Levin at Bloomberg says Toyota plans to cut the base price of the third-generation Prius by $1,000 in a bid to compete with the new Honda Insight. The current base price of the Toyota Prius is $22,000 while the Honda Insight starts at $19,800.
Does this vehicle make any sense? In one way, yes it does. Escalades drink considerable amounts of gas, so even knocking a mere 10% off that amount results in some real world fuel savings.
Is it enough to make a difference to your bottom line? Not really. Then again, Escalades have never really been about value. This is an SUV that's all about image, and when it comes to that category, combining a luxury vehicle with a hybrid drivetrain could be a stoke of genius.
Nissan will unveil a pure electric car late next year that uses lithium-ion batteries to achieve a 100-mile range. Mark Perry, Nissan's Director of Product Strategy, told Green Car Advisor, "It is a dedicated all-new car, not the conversion of something we already offer. You need something that is different enough to let people know you are driving a special car."
Nissan is currently putting on a roadshow to showcase the electric drivetrain that will power the new EV. A Nissan Cube has been retrofitted with the drive system, but Nissan doesn't have any plans to offer such a setup.
Yesterday, Motor Trend reported that the Cadillac Converj concept had been approved for production.
Today, Cadillac officially denied the report to Inside Line News. "There is no change to the status of Converj," said Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell. "It is a concept -- a proposal -- and it's being reviewed, and the review is not completed."
Actually, he called Randall Stross "a huge douche bag" first, then called him an idiot. Why?
Turns out Mr. Stross, a business professor at San Jose State University, wrote a column in the New York Times that was critical of the idea that Tesla should receive government loans. He likens it to a bail out for millionaire investors while taxpayers get nothing in return.
Whether you agree with him or not, it's a legitimate topic of discussion. Musk's response seems oddly harsh and a bit shortsighted. After all, he's the one taking deposits for the Model S, a car that is nothing but a concept at this point. Should its development get delayed of even canceled for lack of money, Mr. Musk is going to be the one looking like an idiot - or worse.
#NYIAS Don't get too excited, it will be awhile before the Mitsubishi i MiEV arrives at U.S. dealerships ready for public sale. At today's press conference in New York, Mitsubishi Motors North America President and CEO Shinichi Kurihara announced that Mitsubishi fully intends to develop its i MiEV electric car for world markets including the United States. Fleet sales of the i MiEV are expected to start in Japan this summer.
The i MiEV slated for Japan is slightly smaller than the vehicle on hand at today's show. A wider track is the main difference. Sources on hand at the show said Mitsubishi is also considering a gasoline version of the vehicle for the U.S. Could be an interesting alternative to the Smart. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
#NYIAS It has gullwing doors and "floating" seats inside, yet the Hyundai Nuvis has more production implications than you might think. As Hyundai continues to move upmarket with cars like its new Genesis sedan, the Nuvis could very well signal its intention to hit the sweet spot of the luxury crossover market currently dominated by the Lexus RX 350.
In the near term, it's the drivetrain of the Nuvis that shows some promise. It combines Hyundai's latest "Theta" four-cylinder gas engine with a 30kW electric motor to create what Hyundai calls Blue Drive.
It's a parallel hybrid system similar to that used in the Toyota Prius, so it can run on pure electric power or both gas and electric power together. For electric power, it uses a 270V lithium-polymer battery that Hyundai claims is superior to both nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries because lithium polymer batteries are more durable and space-efficient.
We'll see if those claims hold up soon enough as Hyundai has announced that it will offer the Blue Drive system in the next-generation Sonata in the United States. No timetable was given, but expect to see more news on this front as early as next year. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
#NYIAS We have always thought that the standard GMC Yukon Hybrid was a little down market. Sure it carries a base price of nearly $51,000, but for that price you only get so much chrome for your dollar.
Thankfully, this year's New York auto show saw the introduction of the 2009 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid. For a mere $59,185, you can ride high on chrome 22s and in ventilated leather seats while showing your commitment to conserving our natural resources. Now that's professional grade. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
At $273,295, the Supersports is the most expensive Continental coupe by a wide margin. For the extra cash, you get unique bodywork, a 621-hp version of the standard twin-turbo W12 and carbon-fiber brake rotors.
Oh, and starting in 2010, the Supersports will be capable of running on ethanol. We hear it's finally going to catch on big next year. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Lexus finally has some competition in the luxury hybrid game, or will starting this summer. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 joins the refreshed S-Class lineup as the company's first production hybrid vehicle. Its drivetrain consists of a V6 gas engine coupled with a 20-hp electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries. Mercedes-Benz claims 29 mpg in combined driving.
Cadillac officials acknowledged today that the SRX crossover, which will arrive in U.S. dealerships in early August, will eventually be fitted with the two-mode electric hybrid system.
It would be the same basic arrangement of parts as used in the full-size pickup trucks and SUVs for the last couple of years. General Motors' plan initially called for the Saturn Vue to be the first mid size crossover withing the corporation to receive a version of that system. Ooooh...yeah, that situation is very much in flux, as they say. Saturn said that it expected the Vue two-mode to be able to do 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds and return 27 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway with its combination direct-injection V6 and twin 55-kilowatt electric motors. It's fair to assume the Cadillac would perform similarly. For comparison, Cadillac estimates that a conventional front-wheel-drive SRX powered by the 3.0-liter direct-injection V6 should return 18/25 mpg, city/highway.
No word on timing for the two-mode SRX but we wouldn't expect it before the 2011 model year. A few main competitors either already offer a hybrid crossover in roughly the same size and price class (Lexus) or plan to within the next couple of years (Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen).
#NYIAS General Motors and Segway are set to announce in a few hours their collaboration on a two-seat, two-wheel electric mobility pod called Project P.U.M.A.
It's called the P.U.M.A. because that stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility and also because that's a cool name. And by putting "Project" with it GM makes it sound roughly as significant as the Manhattan Project. Incidentally, Manhattan (and the Manhattans of the third world) is just the kind of place GM and Segway see something like this pod making sense.
Of course, Toyota and Suzuki have shown their own electro-nubbins over the years and haven't gotten far with the projects. You might also think of the GM/Segway as half of a GEM Peapod neighborhood electric vehicle or a Nissan Pivo (but without all the smoldering sex appeal or the robotic buddy).
The two companies are only 18 months into the project and the vehicle doesn't even have body work yet. We've included an illustration on one proposed body. Anyway, the companies see the P.U.M.A. or whatever it ends up being called (if anything at all) as a low environmental impact way to relieve some of the congestion of the increasingly crowded cities of the future.
Remember Chrysler's ENVI lineup of electric vehicles? They seemed a little farfetched when they were first introduced, but Chrysler has been cranking away trying to make them a reality. The company is one step closer today as it officially announced a battery contract with supplier A123 Systems.
According to the release, "Chrysler LLC and A123Systems have signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply energy storage systems for Chrysler's first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery only Electric Vehicles. A123Systems is an American battery supplier with plans for a Michigan-based production facility.
Note that A123 "plans" to have a Michigan-based plant that will produce the advanced Nanophosphate Lithium ion prismatic battery cells for Chrysler's ENVI vehicles. Like much of Chrysler's future, this whole ENVI thing is a big "if" pending the company's bailout by the federal government.
In a typically long-winded tirade on his monstrously popular talk show, Rush Limbaugh railed against hybrids as nothing more than political pawns.
"The Ford and Honda hybrids due out this month are among dozens planned for the coming years as automakers try to meet new fuel-efficiency standards and please politicians overseeing the industry's multibillion-dollar bailout."
He went on to note that sales are weak, so clearly they are unpopular.
"Nobody's buying 'em," Limbaugh said. "Nobody wants them! The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama! Sorry for yelling. Nobody wants them!"
Hyundai plans to sell a plug-in hybrid version of the Blue Will concept sedan shown this week at the Seoul auto show. Yang Woong-chul, president of Hyundai-Kia Motors' research and development division told Automotive News that the company is targeting the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in that are expected in roughly the same time frame.
According to a report in Automotive News, Toyota has told its dealers in Japan that the redesigned Prius will carry a price very close to the new Honda Insight. At just over 2 million yen, the base 2010 Toyota Prius will have a price equivalent to a mid-level Insight.
Pricing in the U.S. has yet to be announced, but the aggressive numbers announced in Japan are a good sign that Toyota intends to battle Honda head on with its redesigned Prius. Honda is currently touting the new Insight as the lowest-priced hybrid in America.
Forget all the nonsense about the Tesla Model S, it's all vaporware don't you know. For an example of serious mileage and affordability in the real world check out the Project Sipster series on Top Gear USA. They built a car that could not only achieve 70mpg, but could also go from 0-to-60mph in less than 7-seconds. Oh, and their budget was $7,000.
A near impossible task, but Jared and crew attacked it non-stop for two months. They added a new engine, new suspension and some homemade bodywork that may have improved its aerodynamics.
Dave Coleman of Sport Compact Car fame narrates the story, adding his own unique perspective along the way. It's a great read and a good reminder that mileage and speed don't come easy, especially in a '81 Rabbit.
Yes, that's right, concept car. We think it's a more accurate name for the Tesla Model S. It sounds a little confusing given how the company described the car that was unveiled yesterday, but after digging a little deeper, there's more style than substance to the Model S.
The Tesla Model S sedan made its world debut today at Elon Musk's Space X facility in Hawthorne, CA.
In addition to announcing various details on the car, Musk reiterated his confidence in the eventual success of the program. "I have zero doubt that this car will be manufactured," Musk told the assembled press.
Here's a basic rundown of the details that Musk divulged during his questions and answer sessions with reporters:
- Range: approximately 300 miles - Fast charge capability: 45 minutes - Battery pack can be swapped out in less time that it takes to fill a typical gas tank - 0-to-60mph in less than 6.0-seconds. Top speed: 135mph - Approximate weight: 4,000 pounds - Aluminum body panels - Single speed transmission - 7-passenger capacity via two rear-facing seats in the cargo area - Cost: $49,900 after federal tax credit
Digg founder Kevin Rose posted these images of what look like the Tesla Model S sedan on his Flickr account this morning. An official reveal is scheduled for later today in Hawthorne, CA.
We'll have full coverage from the event, but until then this is all we know.
Cadillac has cancelled plans for a small diesel engine that it planned to offer in Europe. And given that diesels are a virtual requirement to compete in the European luxury market, this could be a sign that GM is thinking of pulling Cadillac out of Europe completely.
We already gave you the full low down on the 2010 Toyota Prius, now see how it fares in the face of its new rival, the 2010 Honda Insight. Neither car gets much for style points, but in this matchup it's all about fuel economy and clean emissions right?
Senior Editor Erin Riches gets to the heart of the matchup and ends up with some surprising conclusions. Get all the details in our latest comparison test of these two iconic hybrid hatchbacks.
A report in Japan's Nikkei newspaper says Toyota is developing a Yaris-based hybrid as a low-cost alternative to the Honda Insight. "We are developing a low-priced hybrid vehicle like Honda's Insight," Akihiko Otsuka, chief engineer of the latest Prius told the newspaper. "We are going to compete by expanding our hybrid-vehicle lineup to smaller hybrids, in the class of the Vitz [sold in Japan] and Yaris."
No timetable was given for the for the car's launch, but the paper did mention that Otsuka inferred a 2011 timeframe.
Kia used the Seoul auto show to unveil its first every production hybrid vehicle. The Kia Forte Hybrid, aimed at the South Korean automaker's home market, is slated to go on sale later this summer.
It combines a 1.6-liter liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) engine with a small electric motor-generator, a continuously variable transmission and what the company says will be the world's first lithium-polymer battery pack.
Teased at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show in the Essence concept, Infiniti's hybrid drivetrain will make its production debut in the M sedan next year. The system will combine a V6 and an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries.
No big surprise here. As gas prices go down, so do sales of hybrids. The L.A. Times issued this report today, but our own Green Car Advisor has been watching this trend for months.
Makes for an interesting side note to some recent remarks by a couple titans of the auto industry. Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford, noted in a recent speech that low gas prices push American consumers to larger vehicles. Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, was a little more straightforward, calling for a higher national gas tax to push consumers toward more fuel efficient cars.
Jackson is probably right, but no politician will ever vote for it. Any other suggestions?
Think the new Honda Insight looks affordable at $20,470? Well, don't write that check just yet. Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Toyota is prepping a new version of its upcoming Prius that could cost as low as $20,510. Oh the decisions.
It doesn't look like much sitting in a glass dish, but this new battery material developed by researchers at MIT could revolutionize electric automobiles.
We won't get into the science behind it (mainly because we didn't graduate from MIT), but the end result is drastically reduced charging times for Lithium-Ion batteries. We're talking minutes instead of hours here, an improvement that would make the prospect of all-electric cars that much more viable.
Think you're going to save money on gas with the 2010 Lexus RX 450h? Well, you are, technically, but the up-front cost will render it null and void for the first decade or so of ownership.
So what else is there to like about this new Lexus hybrid SUV? It's more engaging to drive than its predecessor and gets better mileage too. Engineering editor Jay Kavanagh also found the new Remote Touch driver interface quite useful. Then again, he was disappointed with the rear seat accommodations and Toyota parts-bin interior, so not all is perfect in the world of Lexus.
Land Rover hasn't come out and said it just yet, but a recent press release all but confirms a production version of the LRX concept shown in Detroit last year. The release was issued on account of the British government offering up help in the way of a roughly $32M grant for production of a new vehicle.
"We welcome the Government's support for this project, which would form a key part of our future product plans and which we very much want to put into production," said Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover.
Don't have to read between the lines on that one very hard. The only confusion left now is how the vehicle will be positioned in the lineup. "It would be the smallest, lightest and most efficient Range Rover that we've ever built," Phil added. "The compact size, lighter weight and sustainability-focused technologies of the LRX Concept showed how Land Rover is planning to respond to the needs of a changing world."
Not sure what "smallest Range Rover" means, hopefully more than just a really expensive LR2.
Yes, you read that right. It's called G-Oil and according to the American Petroleum Institute (API) the new 5W-30 motor oil made from animal fat is just as good at keeping your engine running as a bottle of Pennzoil.
According to Green Earth Technologies, G-Oil is manufactured from fat from American-bred livestock and boasts that it takes, "three barrels of crude oil to make one barrel of motor oil, but it only takes one barrel of animal fat to produce one barrel of G-Oil."
You might not remember, but Ford builds a couple hybrid SUVs. They're the forgotten stepchildren of the hybrid world despite the fact that they're both practical and quite fuel efficient.
Apparently a few enlightened souls have figured this out as 100,000 of them have rolled off Ford's Kansas City assembly line. Sales of the Escape Hybrid were up 55% in February compared to the month before, so Ford must be doing something right.
Official pricing for the 2010 Honda Insight was announced today and as expected it will be the cheapest hybrid vehicle on the market when it goes on sale later this year.
Of course, Honda will boast that the base Insight LX starts below $20K, but adding the unavoidable destination fee pushes the base price to $20,470.
The higher end Insight EX will run you $21,970. Add navigation and the price tops out at $23,770.
You may have seen the thought-provoking headline, "Hybrids Gather Dust at AutoNation Dealerships," on the Marketwatch website last week. The article describes a recent speech by AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson in which he supposedly said that his dealerships have some 600,000 hybrids "that no one wants."
A frightening number eh? Well, it was to John O'Dell who authors our own Green Car Advisor site as that number would amount to roughly half of all the hybrids ever sold in the U.S. With that in mind, O'Dell called an AutoNation spokesman to get a little clarification.
Turns out, Mr. Jackson didn't say his dealerships had 600,000 hybrids on hand. What they have is a 60-days supply, which according to O'Dell's calculation equates to roughly 34,000 hybrids based on current sales rates. So yeah, slightly less than readers of the Marketwatch article were led to believe.
Auto sales may have collapsed in February, but the market for Tesla Roadsters doesn't appear to have suffered nearly as much. At least that's was a recent Ebay auction seems to indicate.
According to the ad, the orange-on-black Tesla Roadster was due to be delivered within a week. The owner says he ordered it two years ago, but recent declines in his business forced the sale.
The opening bid was $150,000, but just days after the auction started, someone hit the "Buy It Now" button for $160,000. That's a steep price to pay considering the Roadster's $109,000 base price, but apparently someone wanted one now, not 12 months from now.
You probably know the Koenigsegg CCX from Top Gear, and you've read about the 1,004-hp E85 CCXR version. So the idea of Koenigsegg, the Swedish Ferrari, a company that trades in oversteer and tire smoke, building a solar-electric car is a bit weird.
And, actually, the Koenigsegg Quant, is a project commissioned by NLV Solar AG, which specializes in photovoltaic technology. But like all other Koenigseggs, the Quant promises to do everything more quickly than just about every other car out there. Like recharging. It only takes 20 minutes. Supposedly.
Of course, with twin electric motors (one for each rear wheel), there's also regenerative braking going on while you're actually driving the car, helping extend range to 310 miles. A photovoltaic coating on the Quant's body could increase range beyond that, says Koenigsegg.
Is the Infiniti Essence concept the Nissan GT-R twin we've been hearing about for the last year or so? Hard to tell at this point.
Consider this statement from the product planner in charge of its development. "It isn't a teaser for a new model. It is solely dedicated to Infiniti brand promotion, to demonstrate and advocate the Infiniti unique values," said Francois Bancon.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, maybe, but according to the press kit this Infiniti concept also has a twin-turbocharged V6 under its hood that produces 434 horsepower. Not quite the size engine or horsepower as the GT-R, but close.
Oh, and as an added twist, the Essence is also a hybrid thanks to an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission. It's powered by a lithium-ion battery pack in the trunk and is capable of delivering an additional 158 hp -- all of it going to the rear wheels.
So the Essence may not have all-wheel drive or a 3.8-liter V6, but with a combined 592 hp and rear-wheel drive, it would be quite the halo car for the Infiniti brand, not to mention one of the fastest cars ever to leave a Japanese assembly line.
So what do you think? Just a promotion for the Infiniti brand, or an early look at an Infiniti flagship? -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
In addition to his duties running the one-model Bugatti lineup, Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen also heads up Bentley. This meant a repeat performance at tonight's Volkswagen Group event for the introduction of the Bentley Continental Supersports.
We've already told you just about all there is to know about this car in earlier posts, so consider this another chance to admire those shiny black wheels against all that glossy white paint. Did we mention this thing runs on corn? -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Being a former U.S. President has its perks, but unlimited time to do whatever you want is not one of them.
During a recent green technology roundtable in Burbank, California, Bill Clinton said he was looking forward to taking a spin in the Tesla roadster that was on display. A Tesla employee quickly offered Clinton the keys, but Secret Service agents stepped in and denied Bill the drive saying he had to move on to another commitment.
Earlier in the presentation, Clinton called Tesla, "a shining example of the green tech movement," according to a post on the company's blog.
In related news, a report on Valleywag claims that Tesla's former Vice President of Marketing Darryl Siry quit after learning that Tesla was going to start taking deposits for its Model S sedan. The site claims that Siry considered it fraud to take money from customers for a car that existed only on paper. Tesla is counting on Department of Energy loans to fund the development of the Model S and the construction of a factory in which to build the electric sedan.
A recent report by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University concludes that the cost-effectiveness of plug-in electric vehicles is suspect.
"Large-capacity PHEVs sized for 40 or more miles of electric-only travel are not cost-effective in any scenario," the report's authors insist. Yeah, 40 or more miles of travel, you might have heard that figure before.
According to the report that will appear in an upcoming issue of "Energy Policy," the added cost of the systems required to provide long distance electric power outweighs the savings in fuel costs.
"Forty miles might be a sweet spot for making sure a lot of people get to work without using gasoline, but you're doing it at a cost that will never be repaid in fuel savings," Jeremy Michalek, an engineering professor who led the study, told Bloomberg News in an interview.
Most concepts from Rinspeed are nothing more than that -- concepts. No real production value of any kind, just a designer throwing stuff out there to see what sticks in people's minds. The Rinspeed E2 is about as practical a car as you're ever going to see from the Swiss design house.
Like every other automaker on the planet, Rinspeed wanted to pretend like it cares about being environmentally friendly. The solution? A two-mode Fiat 500 more or less.
Yup, in "Highway" mode it produces 160 hp which "transforms the Italian flea into a venerable hornet," Rinspeed says. In that mode, fuel consumption is 7 liters per 100 kilometers.
Then there's "Commuter" mode which drops the horsepower down to 60 hp while fuel consumption drops to just 4 liters per 100 kilometers.
Sounds great. Now how often do you think drivers would choose Commuter mode? Uh yeah.
Lotus is using the 2009 Geneva Auto Show to showcase a new variable-compression engine it calls the "Omnivore." Designed to run on alcohol-based fuels as well as gasoline, the single-cylinder concept engine uses direct injection and a two-stroke operating cycle to maximize its efficiency.
An adjustable puck at the top of the combustion chamber is used to vary the compression and according to Geraint Castleton-White, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Engineering, the Omnivore has potential as a four-stoke, production engine.
"The absence of poppet valves in two-stroke engines makes the incorporation of a variable compression ratio system relatively straightforward. Our research into these systems on four-stroke engines has led us to the conclusion that while thermodynamically it is a desirable technology to incorporate, practically it isvery difficult, particularly taking into consideration production feasibility. This two-stroke engine could solve these practical difficulties and simultaneously permits a much larger range of compression ratio adjustment, with the potential to perform at a much higher efficiency when running on renewable fuels," according to Castle-White.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every one gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we're introducing a new feature on Straightline called "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
Talk about a hybrid that gets no love from the green team. The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is rarely mentioned in the same breath as the Prius or even the Ford Fusion Hybrid despite offering excellent mileage at a reasonable price.
There's a reason for that, of course. The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid isn't a full hybrid like the Prius and the Fusion. In the Malibu, the electric motor is only there to help out the gasoline engine when it needs a little extra power, it can't actually propel the vehicle. It's a simpler system that keeps the Malibu's price down, but it doesn't give the Malibu the big mileage numbers that you might expect from a hybrid.
And how does it perform at the track? Results are after the jump.
How do you make a 5,000-pound coupe "green"? You can't really, but the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports is a fine attempt. It's not only lighter than your typical Continental GT, its 621-horsepower W12 engine is also capable of running on ethanol.
Well, it will be once the EPA approves it for U.S. sales. Bentley doesn't expect that to happen until mid-2010, so until then you'll have to either get by with the 600-hp, gasoline-burning Continental GT Speed or move to Europe.
Other notable changes include a 2-inch-wider track for the rear wheels, standard carbon-ceramic brakes, a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic and retuned dampers.
Thomas Friedman has won three Pulitzers and has a steady job writing columns for the New York Times. Clearly, he is no intellectual lightweight, but his columns don't always support that notion.
His most recent work is typical in its praise of green energy and condemnation of GM. In Friedman's eyes, GM is a loser that doesn't deserve our tax dollars. Instead we should be handing that money to startups in the green energy space.
"I've been traveling all across the country on a book tour, and every evening I return to my hotel with my pockets full of business cards from inventors in clean energy. Our country is still bursting with innovators looking for capital. So, let's make sure all the losers clamoring for help don't drown out the potential winners who could lift us out of this," Friedman wrote.
Well, that may be true, but Mr. Friedman should not forget there are also hundreds of like-minded folks who work for GM and Chrysler and Ford. Leave those companies to die and we'll be stifling the very innovation that Friedman finds so invigorating.
Green energy is promising and all, but in the meantime we still need cars. And not $100,000 electric cars, real cars, that real people can afford and use everyday. You know, the kind the Big Three make.
There are plenty of interesting details buried within GM's latest rescue plan, but one in particular caught our eye. In the "product plan" section, it states:
Planned Chevrolet Volt and two additional models sharing Volt's extended range vehicle technology
Now we know that GM plans to roll out the Opel Ampera at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show next week, but the third vehicle is a little tougher to pin down.
Porsche released more details on its upcoming 2010 Cayenne S Hybrid last week, including a sound-bite producing line about going 86 mph without using the gasoline motor.
Sounds impressive, but don't get too excited about the prospect of zipping up to highway speeds in complete silence just yet.
You see, Porsche said that its engineers "have been able to drive at speeds up to 86 mph without at all using the combustion engine." In other words, the Cayenne Hybrid's electric motor is capable of maintaining the vehicle's speed on the highway. Of course, actually getting up to highway speeds requires the other half of its hybrid equation, namely a 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 sourced from Audi.
Porsche wordplay aside, the Cayenne Hybrid should still put up some decent numbers when it goes on sale next year. A 0-to-60mph time of 6.8-seconds is expected along with highway mileage of around 24mpg.
Think a new transaxle in a GT-R is expensive? Well, pray you don't have any problems with the battery pack in your Tesla Roadster. According to the company, a replacement for the hand-assembled battery pack currently costs about $36,000.
But there's nothing to worry about. Tesla says the Roadster's battery pack "should last approximately seven years or over 100,000 miles under normal use."
Not comforting enough?
Well then, does Tesla have a deal for you. Fork over $12,000 now and you're guaranteed a new battery at that price when it's time for a replacement, you know, in 2016.
In a speech at the Washington D.C. auto show on Tuesday, Tom Bologa, BMW North America's VP of Engineering, confirmed that the company is considering smaller engines for its U.S. lineup. "We are investigating bringing a new generation of four-cylinder engines to the U.S., each with an impressive mix of efficiency, cleanliness and performance," Bologa said.
He also confirmed the development of a pure electric car as part of BMW's Project i plan. The Mini E, which rolls out this spring, is the first leg of the project. "Based on the experience, we intend to bring to market an entirely newly designed vehicle featuring an electric drive system in the first half of the next decade," Bologa confirmed.
As far as hybrids go, Bologa said BMW considers them part of the future, but sees only limited applications. "We do not yet see them as optimum for the way Americans drive and our transportation and living culture."
The 2010 Honda Insight went on sale today in Japan with a sticker price of 1.89 million yen. Convert that to good ol' American dollars and that's only $20,640 at current conversion rates.
Honda has said that the Insight will be the least-expensive hybrid in the U.S. when it goes on sale this spring, so don't be surprised if the American side of the operation finds a way to get that price down to $19,999.
The 2010 Honda Insight is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. on April 22, but Honda officials told us that the company will start shipping them to dealers as soon as the first boatload makes landfall which could happen in late March.
Although the photos of the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 were the much bigger deal, Mazda also announced yesterday that a fuel-miser Mazda 3 i-stop model would be in its booth at next month's 2009 Geneva Auto Show. On the surface, this might not seem very relevant to us, given that idle-stop features are showing up in more and more European-market cars as manufacturers try to comply with tightening EU CO2 standards.
But shutting off the engine at traffic lights doesn't yield a huge fuel mileage benefit (2-3 percent was the number cited when we drove a thusly equipped 2009 Mini Cooper S convertible). So the more significant efficiency change on this Mazda 3 i-stop is likely its direct-injected, 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine (MZR 2.0 DISI).
Mazda hasn't released horsepower or torque figures, but they've got to be a little higher than the 148 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque provided by the normally fuel-injected version in our 2010 Mazda 3.
Silicon Valley gossip blog Valleywag didn't bother mincing words when it came to its latest assessment of Elon Musk's car company. According to Owen Thomas, "Tesla is headed over a financial cliff. The only question is how many customers the electric sportscar maker will take for a ride."
Never one to shy away from hyperbole, Thomas does point out some interesting similarities between Tesla and the ill-fated Tucker automobile company of the late 1940s. Although taking money for production level cars that haven't been built yet is nothing out of the ordinary, Valleywag notes that Tesla still plans to start accepting deposits for its Model S sedan on March 5th. Seems a little optimistic given that the company has yet to secure a location for a production plant.
The 2009 Geneva Auto Show is still over a month away, but Bentley couldn't wait to tell us all about its new biofuel-powered supercar. Well, actually Bentley didn't really tell us much. Instead, it passed along this teaser photo and the promise that it represents the company's "fastest and powerful production car ever". Oh, and it runs on biofuel, so it's a very light shade of green.
Considering that the current Continental GT Speed already has 602-horsepower and a top speed of 202mph, anything faster and more powerful is probably something worth waiting for. We'll see March 3rd.
In case you missed it yesterday, President Obama told the EPA that it should reconsider California's request to regulate its own emissions standards. The EPA was also told to finalize federal fuel mileage requirements that will phase in starting in 2016. The decisions were hailed as forward thinking moves that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but there was little talk of how the new standards would be met.
It won't be easy. The Federal standard would require automakers to achieve a fleet wide average of 35mpg just six model years from now instead of 2020. To put that into perspective, Honda has one of the most fuel efficient lineups in the business yet it only averages 31.3mpg according to the most recent NHTSA statistics, and that's without using the new EPA numbers when calculating its truck fleet efficiency. An AOL Autos report claims the number is considerably lower, around 24mpg.
Clearly, getting to 35mpg is going to take some serious changes, so the question is pretty simple: What sacrifices would you be willing to put up with in order to meet the government's stricter standards?
Less power? Higher costs? Fewer features? Smaller size? It's all on the table and whether you like it or not the changes are on the way.
Set for a world debut at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the Opel Ampera will use the same Voltec powertrain as the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. GM released a teaser shot of the five-passenger sedan and it's pretty obvious that Opel tried its best to differentiate the European sedan from its U.S. counterpart.
Then again, given how large a role aerodynamics plays in a car like this, the Ampera probably won't deviate from the Volt all that much. GM's claims for its fuel efficiency are quite familiar, metrically speaking of course, about 60 kilometers on pure electric and "several hundred kilometers of non-stop electric driving."
No word yet on whether or not GM sees any problem with the fact that there's an electric vehicle called the Aptera being built in the U.S. but we're pretty sure no one will confuse the two, except us maybe.
Lost among all the endless electric car hype at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show was that other alternative energy: Ethanol.
You remember Ethanol right? It's sort of like gasoline except for the oil-pumped-out-the-Middle-East part. It was supposed to help wean us off foreign oil, but so far it's merely been a good way of keeping corn farmers in business.
Lower gas prices and limited availability have left Ethanol on the sidelines, but GM is still aiming to make 50% of its fleet Ethanol capable by 2012. Ford has several flex fuel capable models as well, but as Jim Farley, Ford's executive vice president of marketing communication, told Green Car Advisor, ""...now the mojo is behind electrification technologies."
#DAS09 At the unveiling of 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class at Detroit's Park Cadillac Hotel on Saturday night, Dr. Thomas Weber, a research/design director on Daimler-Benz's board of management, spent a lot of time talking about the company's Concept BlueZero cars. The BlueZero E-Cell, F-Cell and E-Cell Plus concepts are all variations on the electric-car theme and all are built on Benz's B-Class platform.
Though the E-Class isn't on display in Cobo, the all-electric BlueZero E-Cell is in the Mercedes booth, though curiously it's adjacent to an animated display of the SL63's 518-horsepower, 6.3-liter V8 and seven-speed automatic. So electricity is really the future, hmm?
Still, Daimler has announced that it intends to produce lithium-ion batteries in-house, instead of using an outside supplier, so there's a level of commitment here. Also, the sandwich floor structure of the B-Class is apparently ideal for packaging lithium-ion batteries.
#DAS09 As we reported yesterday, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner did indeed announce this morning that GM will open both a battery production plant and a 31,000-square-foot laboratory on Michigan soil later in 2009. He thanked Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and key leaders in the state legislature for their support -- in the form of tax incentives.
Wagoner also announced that LG Chem will supply the lithium-ion battery cells for the Volt, and noted that GM will continue to expand the supplier base, potentially contracting with A123 Systems (as Green Car Advisor has reported) and Hitachi.
In addition, Wagoner says GM will continue to add to its staff of engineers and technicians working on electric cars and series hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt.
Finally, GM is partnering with the University of Michigan to establish a lithium-ion battery lab on the main campus in Ann Arbor. The automaker will also help develop a curriculum to train a future generation of battery-tech engineers.
There wasn't a Volt on stage, but there were Rick Wagoner, Bob Lutz, Peter Kim (CEO of LG Chem), various government officials and a lithium-ion battery pack. Only Lutz's iconic face stood out from the mob. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
GM will use its press conference tomorrow at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to announce the opening of a new lithium-ion battery production facility in Michigan, according to a report in The New York Times. A new advanced battery test facility located at the company's global electric-vehicle engineering center in Warren, Michigan, is also part of the plan. The two facilities will provide battery packs for the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt and possibly a production version of the Cadillac Converj, a two-door coupe that uses the same Voltec propulsion system as the Volt. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line
Today's first real surprise at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show drove onto the Chrysler stand, a midsize rear-wheel-drive electric sedan concept called the 200C EV, a rolling ambassador for the automaker's new Uconnect system.
Built on a modified version of the LX platform, the 200C EV's wheelbase is 4 inches shorter than the Chrysler 300's and the same as the Dodge Challenger's.
Frank Klegon, Chrysler's executive VP of product development says the 200C EV concept is good for 268 horsepower in its current state and is a "palette for powertrains."
Like the other ENVI range-extended electric vehicles, the 200C EV has a 400-mile total range, and a 40-mile all-electric range with zero fuel consumption.
Chrysler hasn't announced whether it plans to build the 200C, but Klegon says the usage of the modified platform creates production possibilities. -- Kelly Toepke, News Editor
#DAS09 Like virtually all other automakers at this year's Detroit show, Ford is big on electric vehicles, partially electric vehicles, vehicles that look, sound or smell like electric vehicles.
Ford, in the person of Mr. Ford hisownself, announced today some details on one of two full-electric vehicles it plans to produce in the coming few years. The first of them is a commercial vehicle for 2010. This you needn't worry about. But the other one is a Ford Focus-based electric the company plans to sell to actual private citizens in 2011. The car, done in partnership with Magna International, will be powered by everybody's favorite future-car battery, lithium ion. Ford is estimating a range of 100 miles and the company says that it will sell only about 5,000-to-10,000 annually in the first couple of years.
The company was offering drives in a prototype car around Cobo Hall. It looks exactly like a current Focus, which is not at all what the real thing will look like. We imagine driving it feels much like driving an electric car. Maybe we'll take Ford up on its offer of a drive later on this very day.
The company also announced that in 2012, it will introduce its next generation of hybrid cars, including a plug-in hybrid. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
You may not have heard much about the Aptera 2e electric car. Unlike the Tesla which gets endless press based mostly on its good looks and billionaire owner, the Aptera 2e looks like a science project and its owners are less annoying. Production of the 2e has been in the works for some time. Popular Mechanics even drove one not too long ago and declared it surprisingly fun.
Whenever some company we've never heard of promises "100mpg!" from any motorized vehicle, we take it with more than just a grain of salt. We pretty much consider it crap.
Not that it's impossible, but given that Toyota's R&D budget hovers around $7-8 billion a year, it seems a tad far fetched to think that one could virtually double the mileage of Toyota's best effort with a simple add-on device installed in a few hours.
Of course, that doesn't stop the believers, and thankfully it didn't stop Consumer Reports from testing the best-selling Prius plug-in conversion kit on the market. It concluded that the system from A123 Systems didn't even come close to its claims and "cost more than you could ever expect to recoup in gas savings." Our hybrid watchers over at Green Car Advisor have more on the story, but needless to say we weren't the least bit surprised.
You've probably seen it a hundred times in the last year. Some talking head on TV saying that if automakers only made more fuel efficient cars, the public would buy them. Really? The 2008 sales numbers are in, and the draw of fuel efficiency doesn't seem to be holding up in the face of lower gas prices.
Our own Green Car Advisor, John O'Dell, looked through the final sales numbers for hybrids in 2008 and it was clear that their green sheen had definitely worn thin.
Well, no one was really expecting a huge showing from the Big Three, but it's the absence of several of the Asian automakers that will really make this year's show seem slow. With nothing from Acura, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan or Suzuki, the show schedule is a little light. Much of the void will be sucked up by some major debuts by Honda and Toyota along with a few interesting additions from Kia and Subaru for good measure.
Well this seemed almost inevitable. After watching Tesla and Chrysler suck up all the glory for electric cars that are basically Lotuses with batteries, the British sportscar builder has announced that it plans to build an electric car of its own. In a report in yesterday's Financial Times, Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley said, "Don't be surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly."
Fisker will be showing their Karma S (for "Sunset") at the NAIAS. Not much is known at this point, other than it's a plug-in hybrid. The automaker claims a 50-mile range from a single charge of the lithium-ion battery, before the gas engine kicks in. Also claimed by Fisker is that the car produces up to 408 hp.
Well, so do I. Mr. Prez-Elect, can I get a bailout too? Oh, pretty, pretty please...
So when is this "I want a bailout" madness going to end?
The Renewable Fuels Association has recently put in a request for $1 billion for financial aid to help struggling ethanol producers so they can finance current operations. In addition, the RFA -- the ethanol industry's lobby -- has also suggested to the incoming administration that it create a $50-billion federal loan guarantee program to finance investment in the ethanol producers' expansion. Give me a break.
Lexus will debut their first purpose-built hybrid at the NAIAS, the HS 250h. It's believed that this luxury hybrid, like other Lexus models, is to be spun off an existing Toyota platform; that being the next-gen Toyota Prius--also to be unveiled at Detroit.
Even with word that Volvo is up for sale, the company just soldiers on. Latest news is that they're working on a C-30-based plug-in hybrid with an electric motor at each wheel, called the ReCharge. A car with this technology will go on sale in 2011. The vehicle, called a "micro-hybrid," will be available with a choice between gasoline or diesel power, and a manual or automatic transmission. It will include a start-stop system plus brake-energy regeneration which is expected to reduce fuel consumption by almost 5 percent. Next Volvo is planning to offer a full hybrid in 2012 with the D5 diesel engine Finally, a plug-in electric is also expected in a few years.
A few highlights:
* Plug-in hybrid with battery-only range of over 60 miles
* 66 per cent lower CO2 emissions than best hybrids available today
* 1.6 Flexifuel engine provides backup and recharge power
Mercedes will be bring three new eco-concepts to the NAIAS, all including the name BlueZero.
Named the E-Cell, F-Cell and E-Plus; and are all variations on the electric vehicle concept. The E-Cell uses a pure-ev design, with lithium-ion batteries and electric motors powering the vehicle. The E-Plus uses lithium-ion batteries and electric motors to drive the wheels. It also features a gas-powered engine to charge the batteries for greater range between charges. Lastly, the F-Cell uses hydrogen fuel cells to power the electric motors.
They're starting to come out of the woodwork folks. Soon everyone and their mother is going to be asking for government financial aid. Tesla is the next to step up to the plate, stating that if they don't get some help, their less expensive electric sedan will be delayed.
"We can't move forward with that without a major amount of capital," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said. "If we don't get any government funding, then what we need to do is we need to wait until the capital markets recover, which could be a year or two years from now."
Thomas L. Friedman, the New York Times columnist, is viewed as either a knight in shining armor, or the devil himself, depending on where you stand. Most in the auto industry think of him as the devil, while those who are convinced Detroit (and the auto industry in general) are the real devils, think of Friedman as someone sent from heaven. Friedman is now calling on this government auto aid package to include this "string" to be attached: it must include the hybridizing of everything (here).
"You want my tax dollars?" asks Friedman in his latest NYT column. "Then I want to see precise production plans and timetables for the hybridization of all your cars and trucks. I want every bailed-out car company to move to hybrid-electric drivetrains, because nothing would improve mileage and emissions more -- and also stimulate a whole new 21st-century, job-creating industry: batteries."
I don't know about you, but I get very nervous when the government (or journalists) who know zip about the auto industry, start regulating as to how vehicles have to be built. Yeah, we have a long history of this happening, and there have been good things that have come from that; but I'm not so sure about what's happening now down in DC, or within the editorial office of Mr. Friedman.
How's an automotive world without any (new) manual gearboxes grab you? Forcing everything to be a hybrid will be the final nail in the coffin for manual transmissions, as hybrids (and pure electric-powered vehicles as well) and 3-pedal gearboxes go together like oil and water. If Friedman's "string" get attached, anyone who enjoys the pleasure of shifting on their own, might as well go find a bridge to jump off of, as life as we've known and loved will be a thing of the past.
One thing that's for certain, with all the new-found emphasis on alternate-fuel vehicles, there's been an outpouring of new ideas, and here's one more. it's called the Scarab, and the designer, David Miguel Moreira Goncalves (here), says it could use a variety of power sources, be it electric, biofuels or fuel cells.
The new Honda Insight hybrid will monitor your driving via a color-coded instrument cluster. Called Ecological Drive Assist, the speedometer will change color as you drive more aggressively. If you're playing by the rules (being good) the background will display green. If, however, you drive with more abandon, the background color will change from green to various shades of blue, depending on how aggressive your driving is.
To those who follow bike racing closely, this may be old news; but for those who don't, or who only occasionally scour for bike news (me), this is new--and really interesting.
The 2009 Isle of Man TT, the oldest motorcycle racing event in the world; one that is still run on public roads, and is arguably the most dangerous racing venue in the world, will have a new class called the TTXGP. This is for racing motorcycles that exhibit clean emission technologies.
...And, here's the world's first electric 2WD superbike 2WD, a bike that will compete in this new race class. It's called the TTX01, and it puts out 86 hp, and has a top speed of 125. The prototype is based on a Suzuki GSX750 frame, and runs two 43 hp Agni Lynch electric motors, presumably one powering each wheel.
Talk about boosting your "street cred" among sports car fans! That's just what happened to the tiny upstart Tesla electric sports car company. It turns out that Porsche is on the waiting list to get one, presumably so they can tear it apart to see what makes it tick.
Are you seeing those sidewalks? They look pretty desolate don't they? No big deal maybe, but that wasn't the case at last year's L.A. auto show. Just 12 months ago, those sidewalks were awash in protestors. They were holding up signs, throwing paint on Hummers and converting Priuses to full electric power right there in the parking lot across the street.
And this year? Nothing. No one. Zippo. OK, there were a few taxi drivers mulling around smoking cigarettes, but saving the environment wasn't the topic of discussion. What a difference a year makes huh?
One of the trends at this year's L.A. show was active fuel economy coaching. Honda showed its FC Sport fuel-cell prototype with its videogame-like eco assist system. The display shows your eco score with blossoming flowers. A similar system will be on the new Insight hybrid. Ford has its own coaching system on the 2010 Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids with EcoGuide (shown below). So if you have to drive a boring fuel sipper, at least you can entertain yourself by making a game out of your hypermiling.
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer
Though the official 2008 L.A. Auto Show unveiling happens tomorrow at the convention center, 100-odd journalists from the U.S. and Europe had a meet-and-greet with the Mini E today on the second floor rooftop of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. We're told a crane was used to hoist the showcar up here. Probably it was a rather sturdy crane, too, as the Mini E is a fatty at 3,229 pounds -- a normal Mini Cooper S lists at under 2,700 pounds.
As we reported in the IL news today, Mini will lease the car to real-live customers in early 2009. The 450 lessees will get to keep the car for 12 months, paying $850 per month. That figure has nothing to do with the actual cost of the car, which packs 5,088 laptop-grade, lithium-ion cells (housed in 48 modules and packed into 3 storage boxes in the hatch area). That monthly payment includes all service visits (every 3,000 miles), insurance and the installation of a 220-volt box in the customer's home -- allowing 2-to-3-hour recharges of the 35-kilowatt-hour battery pack.
The lessee selection process promises much competition and disappointment, as the Mini Es will be doled out to both businesses and private individuals and only to those living in greater Los Angeles and the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area.
Mini officials are keen to emphasize that this is merely a field trial -- and that putting electric drive components in a Mini is a marriage of convenience, rather than an idealized packaging scenario. All drivetrain components (201-hp electric motor, batteries) are sourced from California-based AC Propulsion and then shipped to Munich, where they are installed in a Mini Cooper shipped from Oxford.
"A conversion is always a bad compromise," one BMW engineer told us. "The ideal architecture would be purpose-built. If I had the chance to build an electric car from scratch, to create a car with some performance, I would go for rear-axle-drive."
Later, we got a chance to drive the Mini E. We'll tell you all about it in an upcoming first drive.
Once again, with this electric Nuvu concept, Nissan has shown that their designers take a back seat to nobody. Strange? No doubt. Radical? For sure. Will people hate it? Some--but not me as I LOVE it!
Even more radical than the looks is Nissan's approach to marketing their electric cars, which will begin in 2010. What they're proposing is that you buy the car, but lease the battery pack.
Obviously the question is why? So far there's no clear answer here from Nissan, but I would assume it would be cheaper to do so.
Not exactly earth-shattering news, but that's the consensus that came out of the Green Car Conference held in Detroit.
It's been reported that President-elect Barack Obama is seeking a "point person" for his administration on auto industry issues (Obama considering an 'Auto Czar'), "somebody who would have the authority to bring about reforms that would lead to an economically viable auto industry."
The key question that was asked was what does the auto industry need to make sustainability a workable business model? Here are some (rather predictable) responses from several attendees:
> A "Manhattan-project"-type initiative to drive auto-industry research for fuel efficiency solutions, develop new technologies and create corresponding jobs. --Dave Vieau, president and chief executive of lithium-ion battery developer A123Systems (lithium-ion battery developer)
> A focused and strong national energy policy. --Sue Cischke, Ford Motor Co. group vice president-sustainability, environment and safety engineering
> Invest in research and use incentives to build customer demand for high-efficiency vehicles. --Jaycie Chitwood, senior strategic planner-advanced technologies department, Toyota Motor Sales USA.
> Use the auto-industry crisis as a springboard for fundamental industry change and institute a fuel-economy based CO2-tax modeled on those used in many European countries. --Patrick Oliva, corporate vice president-prospective and sustainable development, Michelin Group
> Develop a "cohesive" energy policy - a complete, broad, universal energy policy from A to Z. And institute a "floor" price for gasoline and diesel fuel to guard against what may be happening right at this moment: plunging fuel prices marginalizing the business case for developing alternative fuels, more-efficient powertrains and alternatives to the internal combustion engine. --Tim Manganello, chairman and CEO, BorgWarner Inc. (presently most famous for innovating the dual-clutch automated manual transmission)
So you think hybrids are only for save-the-earth "greenies," and/or folks who just get their jollies by laughing at gas pumps?
Well then you may be in for a surprise here. It turns out there is a brave new company out there that is appealing to the gearhead-hybrid fan--assuming such a creature exists. If not, Paul Goldman, CEO of JuicedHybrid.com (here), is doing his level best to create such a person and market.
I recently spent some time on the phone with Goldman, and I sense he may be onto something here: that being the "performance" hybrid aftermarket. Yeah, we all know a hybrid, with its all-powerful electric motor can be quick to accelerate, but has anyone thought of "modding" these hybrids to enhance the looks or performance aspect? Well Goldman has, and I suspect he may be among the first of many hybrid-specific performance companies that are bound to sprout up.
Think not? Well consider as hybrids become more and more popular, there are certainly going to be a few folks who will go out and try and have some fun with these until now rather somber vehicles. Hey, that's what's always happened in the past, be it hot rods, sports cars, or muscle cars. Why should it be any different with hybrids?
Now, if only someone can figure out a way to make these 3-pedal vehicles--then I'm in!
