Hybrid News

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

President-elect Barack Obama was on 60 Minutes last night and talked to Steve Kroft about the Presidential transition, the economy (including the auto bailout) and his family. Oh, and SUVs. Obama said what a lot of other people are saying, that Americans have a very short memory, and that the current sub-$60 price on a barrel of oil isn’t helping the country shift to alternatives. This isn’t exactly news to anyone, but this is the next President who’s saying it, which could be a big deal.

Watch the video after the break. Thanks to Caleb P. for the tip!

[Source: CBS]

Continue reading Obama says filling up our SUVs isn’t progress

Obama says filling up our SUVs isn’t progress originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: SMART, USA

When smart first decided to offer its diminutive fortwo in the United States, the automaker and Penske, the U.S. distributor, pegged a goal of 20,000 sales for its first year. That mark has come and gone, a full two months ahead of schedule. In early August, we heard that Penske had raised its sales expectations to somewhere between 24,000 and 27,500, a mark that shouldn’t be hard to hit considering that over 7,000 units have been delivered in the last three months. This is the first year that the city car has been available in the States, but the brand has actually been around for about ten years. Our understanding is that the automaker could sell way more units in the U.S. if units could be built fast enough. Dave Schembri, president of smart USA, was on hand for the historic event. The car was delivered to Patrick Zipper in Dallas, Texas. Next question: Will the sales success continue on into 2009?

[Source: smart USA]

Continue reading smart USA sells fortwo number 20,000

smart USA sells fortwo number 20,000 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: SMART, North America

The 3,152 smart fortwos that Daimler has sold this year in Canada through the end of September represent a gain of 46% over the same period last year. That is the single largest year-on-year gain ever recorded in Canada. There are a number of reasons for the sales increase, with high fuel prices and the smart’s low cost of entry being definite highlights. Additionally, the smart fortwo is the only non-hybrid car that qualifies for a rebate from the Canadian government’s ecoAuto program (which expires after this year), something that certainly doesn’t hurt.

“If somebody else would try to develop technical solutions which are as good, practical solutions which are as good, and to develop a brand which is as credible, then I say good luck,” says Marcus Breitschwerdt, president and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz Canada. Perhaps luck won’t be necessary. The time will come soon when the smart gets its first real microcar competitor in North America in the form of the Toyota iQ. The new Japanese entry (technically) seats twice as many occupants as its rival, though the smart does have a bit of a head-start in the market. It will be interesting to watch the two little cars fight it out on the sales floor. Thanks for the tip, Lee!

[Source: Fiancial Post]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Pacific Region, Holden

It sounds as if the Australian market will be the third - behind the United States and Europe - to get a version of the Chevy Volt. In Europe, the Volt will be sold as either an Opel or a Vauxhall and in Australia it will be known as a Holden. The Volt, in its current Chevrolet guise, was shipped to Sydney for the Motor Show, which is where the announcement was made that it would make the trip to Australia by 2012.

The Holden Volt will join the Toyota Camry hybrid and the Honda Insight as fuel-saving cars with internal combustion engines that use an electric motor to achieve their fuel efficiency. Unlike its two rivals, the Volt will use only its electric motor to power the wheels, with the engine used solely to charge the batteries when needed. Officials from Holden say that the Volt will go for 60 kilometers before a single drop of petroleum is used. Hey, that’s about 40 miles. Imagine that.

[Source: The Age]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Lotus, Lightweight

Lotus is increasingly building on its 60 year history of creating more with less with all its recent efforts on electric and hybrid drive cars. Besides the powertrain work, Lotus has plenty of experience with lightweight structures. The latest evolution of that is the architecture of the new Evora sports car that debuted at the London Motor Show this summer. Lotus has now won an award for the aluminum chassis of the Evora at the Aluminium 2008 trade fair at Messe Essen in Germany. The Lotus architecture is comprised mainly of aluminum extrusions combined with some casting. The components are in part riveted together but are primarily joined by adhesive bonding. Lotus developed much of the technology while creating the Elise and has created structures with greater strength and lower weight. With the combination of aluminum structures and the expertise that Lotus also has in advanced composites, car makers can tap into a lot of technology to help reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus garners award for new aluminum chassis of Evora

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Etc., USA

By the time I was old enough to care, pedal cars were decidedly out of favor. Instead, the venerable Power Wheels electric riders had a firm grasp on this particular youth’s fantasies. It wasn’t until I was a bit older that I realized the merits of pedaling for myself, and by then I was on two wheels. Now, though, I can look at the old pedal cars that were popular when my parents were kids and appreciate them, especially the kind seen in the gallery below, which will be auctioned off by RM along with the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) alongside the Kruse Hershey Auction in Pennsylvania. There are eleven self-powered cars in total and we have pics of six of them, each built atop the bones of a classic replica. Take a good look at some of the craftsmanship that went into these little machines. It’s hard not to be impressed.

[Source: Hemmings Auto Blogs]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors

A couple of weeks ago we told you that Tesla was talking to the producers of Top Gear about having Jeremy Clarkson try out the Roadster. At the time Darryl Siry told us nothing had been finalized yet and we don’t know if that has changed. What we do know is that the “other British car show,” Fifth Gear, has already driven the Roadster. During the Goodwood Festival of Speed last July, Fifth Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson strapped on a Roadster for the big hill climb event. Much like everyone else who has driven the Roadster, she was impressed with the immediate torque and the silent operation. I can’t wait to see the Stig take this to the track. Check out the video after the jump. Thanks to Andy for the tip!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: While Top Gear waits, Fifth Gear runs Tesla at Goodwood

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Etc.

Click on the image for more shots of RCA’s Eco-Cars of the future

To celebrate forty years in business, the Royal College of Art’s fourteen graduates this year have undertaken the challenge of designing a future eco-friendly car for the 2008 Pilkington Automotive Vehicle Design award. Of course, some of the concepts are pretty far “out there,” though others, like Sergio Loureiro Da Silva’s Phoenix concept actually seem plausible. The Phoenix is a bit of a mixture of a motorcycle with sidecar and a normal four-wheeled automobile; it looks awfully futuristic. Pierre Sabas won the competition with his Airflow concept, which features electric motors directly integrated into the wheels. This technique is currently being explored by multiple companies for production cars, so the design doesn′t seem to stray too far from reality.

The Nereus concept by Ceri Yorath, on the other hand, strays a bit from normality with its fuel cell powertrain and transformable body panels, which shape themselves based on how you are driving. Still, Jung Hoon Rhee’s Noah concept seems the furthest from reality, as its “wave seats” were meant to “duplicate the lightness of being immersed in water.” Right. Take a look at all of the concepts in our gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: Inhabitat, Wallpaper.com]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: SMART, Green Daily

We have our own little smart history here on AutoblogGreen, a collection of all the posts about the iconic car (recent exaples: stuffing 13 people into a fortwo or the London Met Police testing the all-electric smart ed). But the smart has been around longer that the two and a half years that we’ve been here and Daimler is celebrating the 10th Birthday of the little city car this month.

Since Job 1 came from the factory in July 1998, Mercedes has sold over 900,000 fortwo vehicles in 37 countries (including the U.S. starting this year, thank you very much; China will get a real chance at the fortwo in about twelve months). Still, for many green car enthusiasts, it’s the future that is most exciting about the smart vehicle lineup. 2010, after all, is when the all-electric smart is due.

Quirky at its launch - and today - the fortwo was the right move for Daimler, as chairman Dieter Zetsche said in a statement: “Had we not invented it ten years ago, we would have to do so now.” You can read the rest of Daimler’s look back at the first decade of the fortwo after the break.

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading smart fortwo turns ten

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, European Union, USA

Long-term, the automotive propulsion future belongs to either pure electric cars or hydrogen-powered vehicles. On this, most of us can agree. How and when and all sorts of other nit-picky details will take about as long to work as it does for Apple to release this dang SDK for the iPhone. One important step along the way will be the rollout of a smart grid, an enhanced version of the current power grid where our houses and cars can talk to the grid in various ways.

If you’re interested in smart grid news, then you might want to sign up for the free Smart Electric News, a new newsletter focused on smart grid tech in Europe and the U.S. I got an invitation email this morning, and the website makes it look like anyone can sign up now to receive the first issue of the smart grid newsletter sometime soon. Check out the welcome email after the break.

Text of introductory email:

In this issue…

In the inaugural newsletter we’ll be giving you an overview of the industry before moving onto hard hitting issues such as finance, technology updates, project analysis, obtaining projects budgets and so on in subsequent editions. Essentially the “how we make smart grids a reality” angle.

…and in the future…

But this newsletter is not meant to be a me talking to you piece. We actively encourage your involvement and we’re looking for the following to help build a Smart Electric Power Distribution community:

* Article submissions on the issues causing the industry most pain
* Topic suggestions - what do you want to hear about most?
* Case studies and analysis you are keen to share or hear more information on
* People you would like to see interviewed
* Press releases on financing, technology updates, acquisitions etc…

Why?

Because we are independent we have no affiliation to a particular technology or point of view. WE are just looking to provide timely, relevant information to a rapidly expanding community (indeed this email - our first - will go out to over 1000 people). So pass this email on to your marketing and comms departments as well.

How?

Send information and questions to Smart Electric News at:

e. info@smartelectricnews.com
t. +44 (0) 207 375 7558 or 1800 814 3459 (US only)

The Electric Utility of the future…

The European Commission’s 2006 Green Paper “A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy” stressed the fact that Europe has now entered a new energy era - the way you respond to the implementation of the Smart Grid is now business critical. No one is saying this will be easy but major industry changing projects are already underway. So, how will your business respond to technological challenges and opportunities for integrating new technologies into European electricity grids?

The overriding objectives of European energy policy and practice will be sustainability, security of supply and competitiveness, which means implementing a logical and reliable set of policies and measures to achieve them.

The need to renew Europe’s electricity networks, meet growing electricity demand, enable a trans- European electricity market and integrate more sustainable renewable resources are all major challenges to the industry today. In this context, much research and development
has been done - now is the time for implementation. The European electricity networks of the future must be:

* Adaptable: to meet consumer needs whilst having the capacity to respond to unforeseen challenges
* Accessible: particularly for renewable power sources and high efficiency local generation with zero or low carbon emissions
* Secure: assure and improve the security and quality of supply
* Cost-effective: provide best value through innovation, be energy efficient and ensure fair competition.

Why do we need to take action now?

New technologies are flooding into the market which provide new tools for generation, networks, energy storage, load efficiency, control and communications. All providing opportunities for your business to develop and implement future proof strategies. This means that each decision you make is even more vital if you are to reap the true benefits of an integrated demand management system, and how to benchmark your current projects against those of the industry leaders.

Challenges the industry faces:

* Changing European and national policies will encourage lower carbon technologies and will require the implementation and integration of renewable energy sources into the grid
* How to manage and prioritise the technological challenges and opportunities for integrating new technologies into grids
* Finding new ways to invest in obsolete grid systems to better provide the networks for the next generation of operation
* Assessing how to reduce uncertainty and risk to businesses making investment decisions relating the intelligent utility of the future - and how to sell the business case to those at the top
* Identifying the technologies that deliver both short and long term wins at a reasonable cost
* The need to drive forwards interoperability agreements to help the industry as a whole
* Selling the vision of the intelligent grid to an economy creeping towards recession

Moving beyond the planning phase pilot projects are starting to deliver with the Smart Grid Facilitation Act 2007 in the US leading the charge and notification of the GridWise initiative (completed by the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Lab.) findings that consumers will reduce their energy use based price signals are key indicators that progress is being made.

So how far are we down the route to the Smart Electric Power Distribution grid of the future? Well, we’re definitely making headway but it’s going to take some serious work and certainly don’t expect this to be a quick turnaround. But the recent report released by Platts and Capgemini indicated that the majority of those surveyed are embracing new technology to improve grid performance and in an industry that has seen little change in the last 50 years it really is a key indicator that things are changing.

So what will we get from Smart Grids?

Well, there’s a great deal of hype out there and indeed cross industry argument about whether it will be BPL or some other solution which will drive forward the Smart Grid revolution. However, the intentions are (among many others) that we’ll be able to deliver high quality, reliable electricity to an increasingly power hungry consumer, improve grid reliability, manage load demand more effectively and benefit the consumers pocket through efficiency gains.

How much do we need to invest?

EU Member States need to invest at least 400-450 b€ in transmission and distribution infrastructures over the next three decades according to a statement from the European Commission. Depending upon distance between new generation and a robust grid (e.g. off-shore wind, concentrated solar power), a further 10 to 25% share of connection costs may add to the global grid investment.

Thanks for taking the time to read the first Smart Electric Newsletter. We trust you found it useful. Over the coming weeks we’ll be looking to provide you with even more information from this rapidly emerging industry that will fundamentally change Electric Utility operations.

Want to carry on receiving the Smart Electric Newsletter?

You can subscribe for free by clicking here. You’ll receive regular updates on all the latest news and developments in the Smart Grid industry. Over 1000 of your peers have already signed up and we hope you’ll join us.

Get involved!

This newsletter is not meant to be a me talking to you piece. We actively encourage your involvement and we’re looking for the following to help build a Smart Electric Power Distribution community;

* Article submissions on the issues causing the industry most pain
* Topic suggestions - what do you want to hear about most?
* Case studies and analysis you are keen to share or hear more information on
* People you would like to see interviewed
* Press releases on financing, technology updates, acquisitions etc…

Why?

Because we are independent we have no affiliation to a particular technology or point of view. WE are just looking to provide timely, relevant information to a rapidly expanding community (indeed this email - our first - will go out to over 1000 people). So pass this email on to your marketing and comms departments as well.

[Source: Smart Electric News]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Green Culture, MPG

Sweden is one of the leaders (besides Brazil of course) in promoting the use of biofuels, particularly ethanol. The Scandinavian country’s latest environmental effort involves trying to address the biggest variable of all, the driver. Since the start of this year, new drivers have been required to learn some techniques that help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Stockholm driving instructor Lars Rembjer teaches his students techniques like waiting until first gear has been engaged and the parking brake released before cranking up the engine. There are also the obvious things like driving in the highest practical gear and using the engine for braking. Finland and the Netherlands may soon follow Sweden in adding eco-driving to their licensing tests. The beauty of eco-driving is that it can be equally applied to any all vehicles no matter how old or what fuel it runs on. There is no additional cost and the payback is immediate.

[Source: Planet Ark, via The Truth about Cars]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hydrogen, Mercedes Benz

click photo to enlarge

Testing fuel cell vehicles is all the rage these days, and Mercedes isn’t missing out on the action. The latest hydrogen vehicle tests from the three-pointed star company took place in wintery Sweden. Wouldn’t want to coddle a car or anything.

Daimler recently took a B-Class hydrogen car using an optimized fuel-cell system based on the stack in the F 600 HYGENIUS from 2005 through its paces. According to the company, the vehicle worked well in some real world cold situations, was able to hold the road, and in general passed the tests “with flying colours.” The road handling issue is extra important, Daimler says, because electric motors (in this case, powered by the fuel cell) don’t govern speed the same way as traditional ICEs. Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member with responsibility for Research and Development at Mercedes Benz Cars, said the tests showed the drive concept is on the right track. More tests will be done on the fuel cell B-Class in the coming months in preparation for small-series production in 2010. Read more from Daimler after the break

Press Release:

B-Class with fuel-cell drive proves its worth during winter testing in Sweden

• Comprehensive low-temperature tests under the toughest conditions
• Another milestone on the road to production standard

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class with fuel-cell drive has passed its winter testing in northern Sweden with flying colours. At double-digit, below-zero temperatures, the zero-emission drive showed what it could do in the comprehensive test programmes. For example, cold start behaviour was subjected to thorough scrutiny. Although Daimler Research had already found a technical solution to the fuel cell’s start capability at -25 degrees Celsius, the engineers’ focus here was on the interaction between the different components under real-life winter conditions. A further focus of the winter tests was on roadholding. This meant adapting the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the special requirements of a fuel-cell vehicle. A special feature in this context is that an electric motor exhibits different speed governing behaviour to that of standard combustion engines.

Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member with responsibility for Research and Development at Mercedes Benz Cars, drew positive conclusions from the testing: “The results of the winter tests proved that we are on the right track with this innovative drive concept and have taken another important step on the road to reaching production standard. As with the standard test programmes for conventional vehicles, we will be subjecting the B-Class F-CELL to further rigorous testing over the next few months.”

First small series from 2010
Mercedes will be launching the first series vehicle with a local, zero-emission fuel-cell drive in the summer of 2010. Small-series production of the B-Class F-CELL will commence in early 2010. A new generation of fuel-cell drive will be used to power this innovative vehicle. It is much more compact, while at the same time offering greater performance and is completely suitable for everyday use.

The optimised fuel-cell system that Mercedes-Benz presented in 2005 in the F 600 HYGENIUS research vehicle forms the technical basis. This extremely compact fuel-cell system operates much more efficiently than previous generations. The newly designed “stack″, the fuel cell module, is roughly 40 percent smaller, yet generates 30 percent greater power, along with a 16 percent reduction in consumption compared to the F-Cell A-Class. The system also demonstrates a good cold start capability, thanks to innovations such as the electric turbocharger for air supply, and the new humidification and demisting system.

Compared to the F-Cell A-Class, a refined, more compact, yet more efficient system is used in the F-CELL B-Class. The electric motor develops maximum output of 100 kW/136 hp and a maximum torque of 320 newton metres. This means that the B-Class F-CELL offers extremely high roadholding standards that surpass those of a standard two-litre petrol engine. At the same time, the zero-emission fuel-cell drive in this family-friendly-design compact vehicle uses the equivalent of just 2.9 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 kilometres - and all that with zero-emission.

Daimler AG’s fuel-cell fleet has now covered around 3.8 million zero-emission kilometres, giving the company more data, expertise and experience than any other manufacturer. With approximately 100 vehicles, it operates the largest fuel-cell vehicle fleet in the world. Its concept vehicles, passenger cars, vans and Citaro city buses are tested by customers under everyday conditions.

About Daimler
Daimler AG, Stuttgart, with its business units Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses, is a leading global supplier of premium passenger cars and the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Daimler Financial Services offers a comprehensive range of financial services, including financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management. Daimler markets its products in virtually every country in the world, and maintains production facilities on five continents. Company founders Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz made history from 1886, with the invention of the automobile. As a pioneer in motor vehicle construction, Daimler considers it both an aspiration and an obligation to meet its responsibilities towards society and the environment, and develop mobile solutions for the future that are both safe and sustainable - with groundbreaking technologies and high-quality products. As well as Mercedes-Benz, the highest-valued automotive brand in the world, Daimler’s portfolio today includes the brands smart, Maybach, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company shares are quoted on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, New York and Stuttgart (stock exchange abbreviation DAI). In 2007, the group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed more than 270,000 people. Revenues were approximately 99.4 billion euros, and EBIT 8.7 billion euros. As a company with the ambition of always delivering top performance, Daimler strives to achieve sustainable growth and profitability while maintaining its leadership in the industry.

Further information from Daimler is available on the Internet: www.media.daimler.com

[Source: Daimler]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

Colorado Capitol. Photo by Cpt. Spock. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

We know that 18 states are getting serious with legal action against the EPA on a national level, but local emissions fights in state legislatures also bear watching. Harry Stoffer, writing in Automotive News, describes how a “top industry lobbyist″ and president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Dave McCurdy, is going around to statehouses to work against state-based CO₂ rules. In three states - Minnesota, Colorado and Montana - McCurdy’s efforts seem to be paying off; those states are retreating from efforts to implement stricter emissions laws. It’s no secret that the automakers are against a patchwork of state laws that - gasp - might result in a cleaner environment but would put pressure on automakers to make vehicles that are even cleaner than federal law requires. McCurdy issued a statement against the ruling of a Federal Judge in favor of states regulating greenhouse gases, for example. Still, the next time we talk to Charles Territo or someone else in the Alliance, we’ll be sure to ask about all this.

[Source: Harry Stoffer / Automotive News]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

Colorado Capitol. Photo by Cpt. Spock. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

We know that 18 states are getting serious with legal action against the EPA on a national level, but local emissions fights in state legislatures also bear watching. Harry Stoffer, writing in Automotive News, describes how a “top industry lobbyist” and president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Dave McCurdy, is going around to statehouses to work against state-based CO₂ rules. In three states - Minnesota, Colorado and Montana - McCurdy’s efforts seem to be paying off; those states are retreating from efforts to implement stricter emissions laws. It’s no secret that the automakers are against a patchwork of state laws that - gasp - might result in a cleaner environment but would put pressure on automakers to make vehicles that are even cleaner than federal law requires. McCurdy issued a statement against the ruling of a Federal Judge in favor of states regulating greenhouse gases, for example. Still, the next time we talk to Charles Territo or someone else in the Alliance, we’ll be sure to ask about all this.

[Source: Harry Stoffer / Automotive News]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, UK

The UK treasury is going to remove the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) exemption on older cars (in this case, “older cars″ means those registered between March 2001 and March 2006). When the exemption was instituted, the intention was to avoid economic damage to owners who already owned cars that polluted more than 225 g of CO₂/km. However, the Treasury now says that it would be good for these cars to be off of British roads and is encouraging owners to purchase more fuel-efficient cars. Therefore, good-bye exemption.

However, the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) states that this measure will not be effective, because owners of such cars will face difficulties when they try to sell these cars. Older, dirtier vehicles will be unattractive to potential buyers, and so will have lower trade-in values. This will make these cars more likely to be scrapped than sold, thus not really reducing the UK’s CO₂ output figures, NFDA claims.

[Source: Retail Motor Industry Federation]

 

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Original post by Xavier Navarro