Hybrid News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, LA Auto Show, Renault

At the keynote speech this morning at the LA Auto Show, the president and CEO of Nissan/Renault, Carolos Ghosn, announced a new alliance with the start of Oregon to bring electric vehicles there in 2010. The deal will see “a supply” of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) available to the city of Portland, Oregon and to support a network of EV charging stations. Ghosn said, though, that he believes making the cars is more important than getting the infrastructure out. After all, when the very first cars were sold over 100 years ago, there was no infrastructure for them. To that end, Ghosn announced that Nissan/Renault would sell ZEVs the U.S. and Japan in 2010 and they’d be available globally two years later. More details after the jump.

Two things to think about buying an EV in Oregon: first, the state is working on creating a $5,000 tax credit for electric cars and, second, there is no state sales tax in Oregon. Are all other states about to get pwned in the EV race?

Toyota recently announced a partnership with the city of Portland to test old RAV4 EVs there. We also got a tip from AutoblogGreen reader Littlejohn this morning that said: “Portland’s mayor-elect Sam Adams told our class tonight that we have been selected as a city for testing of 26 minute (220v) charging electric autos from Toyota, Honda and BYD.” We′ll be following up on this later.

Related posts:

• Nissan’s EV forays leading to wireless recharging?
• Nissan’s EV to cost same as conventional car… before leasing batteries
• Renault working on three different EVs starting in 2011

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading LA 2008: Nissan announces electric car partnership with Oregon

LA 2008: Nissan announces electric car partnership with Oregon originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily

An old Chevy S10 that’s missing it’s engine - but has a bank of batteries and an electric motor in its place - has turned up on eBay. The converted S10 has a 27 HP motor (well, that’s what the seller thinks it is, anyway), 20 6V DC batteries and the original 5 speed transmisson. The seller put the batteries in last year and, with the included 30 amp, 220V charger, will charge the truck in about eight hours. This charge is good for about 40 miles and, understandably, the seller has been using this vehicle as an errand runner.The auction ends tomorrow. Current bid is $2,225 but the reserve hasn′t been met. Buy it now price is $8,000.

This isn′t the only S10 converted to run on electrons. Stanly Community College converted one as part of their EV truck series.

[Source: eBay via EcoModder]

eBay find of the Day: electric Chevrolet S10 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

Neil Young suggests that we “turn the page″ in the drama that is the Detroit 3′s history of producing automobiles by cutting out all internal combustion engines. The rock star says that the automakers “should only get [a bailout] if they agree to stop building autos that contribute to global warming now.” That’s a tough one. How does Young suggest that the American auto companies put an instant end to cars powered by fossil fuels? Keep building the same cars and trucks that are currently being assembled, minus the drivetrain. Interesting… cars that can′t power themselves coming from Detroit - Young calls them Transition Rollers. What next? Each of the Detroit automakers would need to convert one factory to “repower” the rollers to “self charging electric vehicles.”

Mr. Young’s idea is novel to say the least, but entirely impractical. As Young himself has proven with his Linc Volt electric car, it is possible to create electric vehicles that are powered by motors and batteries, but there are simply not enough batteries around to power every new car sold. Plus, Young’s idea of a “self charging” electric car needs a little work, as no such thing currently exists with known technology - including with on-demand hydrogen. We happen to be proponents of alternative powertrains, but we also understand that such a drastic switch in our automotive manufacturing is impossible.

[Source: Huffington Post via Autofiends]

Neil Young offers advice for ailing Detroit 3 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan

Imagine a world where you don’t buy cars any more and none of the cars that we do drive emit anything. Unlike the present, where no one buys Nissans Carlos Tavares believes not buying cars at all will eventually happen as a result of moving to car sharing. Such a system might be similar to what we see today with the likes of ZipCar, just on a much larger scale where customers pay for access to cars on an as-needed basis. Long before we get to that point though, Nissan plans to start selling electric cars to the public, beginning in 2010 in markets like Israel and Denmark before moving globally a couple of years later. At the Automotive News Green Car Conference, Tavares told the audience that company’s first EV would have a similar price to other current small cars. Considering what lithium ion batteries cost, this might come as a surprise. However, that’s because as with the toys you buy your kids at Christmas, batteries are not included in the box. The batteries will be leased separately and Tavares believes that even with this extra expense the total cost of ownership over the life of the car will be lower than a gasoline equivalent. Exactly what that cost will be has not yet been revealed.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req′d]

Nissan’s EV to cost same as conventional car… before leasing batteries originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Pacific Region

The Bolwell Nagari that we looked at a few months back is finally ready for production. Using a carbon-intensive composite chassis and body, the new supercar weighs just over one ton, so its 295 horsepower Toyota-made 3.5-liter V6 should move it all along quite nicely. That engine is paired with a paddle-shifted transmission, all of which sits in the middle of the car and powers the rear wheels.

Initially, all Nagari’s will be powered by the lone naturally aspirated engine, but the company would like to offer a hotter supercharged version in the future. Even better, the rumors of an electric version of the new Australian sportscar are still alive and well. We don′t have any real details on what kind of motor or batteries would be used, or what the price would be. For what it’s worth, the standard model is slated to go on sale for just under $200K in Australia, about $130,000 in U.S. dollars.

[Source: Go Auto via World Car Fans]

Bolwell Nagari supercar going into production, may get electric drivetrain originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Zap, On Two Wheels

The often-maligned three-wheeled Zap Xebra is getting some upgrades, after shipping a record number of vehicles last quarter, that could make it a much better vehicle overall. We don’t think that anything has been changed that would potentially give the Xebra more range or more power, but an all-steel body definitely is an improvement over the old model’s fiberglass unit. Another big change is the addition of a hatchback at the rear of the vehicle, which will make loading objects into the vehicle quite a bit easier. To go along with the hatch, the rear set of seats now folds flat so bigger items can be loaded inside. The interior also sees a bit of freshening and now includes power door locks and reclining seats.

Also new is the Zapino electric scooter, boasting a top speed of 30 miles per hour and a range of 30 miles. We’ve pasted a video detailing the upgrades to the Xebra along with the introduction of the Zapino for your viewing pleasure after the jump.

[Source: ZAP]

Continue reading ZAP Xebra finally gets some upgrades

ZAP Xebra finally gets some upgrades originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Solar, UK

We’d imagine that the UK Petrol Retailers Association would have a vested interest in making the business model of the tried-and-true gas station survive. So, we aren’t all that surprised to read about the group’s suggestion that future gas stations should carry solar roofs that feed power into electricity dispensers, especially now that the Prime Minister has pledged large sums of money for EV development. The alternative, of course, would be to charge your electric car’s battery right at home while it’s not being used. If you wanted to go renewable, you could set up your own solar or wind-powered charging station right in your garage. Still, there are a number of individuals who don′t have a place to store their cars, let alone its associated charging gear, so the idea of stand-alone charging stations definitely has some merit. Whether or not these solar stations deserve any government help is another matter entirely.

[Source: Auto Express]

UK Petrol Retailers Association suggests solar-powered EV stations originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, USA

It seems that Neil Young is looking to convert more classic Detroit iron from gas-guzzling V8-powered “hogs” to electric powered “swans.” Young’s quest has already begun, with the rock star converting his own 5,000-pound 1959 Lincoln into an electric vehicle known as the Linc Volt. That car has seen its internal combustion engine yanked in favor of an electric motor from UQM Technologies. We’re a bit sketchy on exactly what else is currently being done to the original Linc Volt, and we’ll write another post about our findings in a bit. In the meantime, we’ve discovered that Young has reportedly started a new company called Linc Volt Technologies with the goal of performing more EV conversions.

According to Mr. Young, “Our main focus is on developing the technology. We can tell people how to do it. Or, we can do it for you.” Marc Benioff, a friend of Young’s, is set to be the newly-created company’s first customer, getting his Ford F-150 truck converted to electric. A documentary film of the Linc Volt’s conversion is currently being filmed.

[Source: SF Gate]

Neil Young has Heart of Gold, will make you a Linc Volt originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Flex-Fuel, Hybrid, Ford, SEMA Show

When it comes to all things pickup truck related, Mike Levine is the go-to guy. Mike has been continuing to investigate the back story on the PML F-150 Hi-Pa that will making its debut at the SEMA Show next week. It turns out that PML didn’t build this truck single-handedly. They teamed up with DST Industries and Ford on the project. The V8 powertrain has been completely stripped out in favor of the electric drive system. According the PML the motors are good for over 150 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque… each! That’s over 600 hp cumulative and 2,000 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. PML’s wheel motors pull electrons for drive from a 40 kWh lithium ion battery pack that sits under the rear part of the cab and the bed where the gas tank normally sits. The motors, of course, also provide regenerative braking capability although the hydraulic friction brakes are also retained.

The truck is currently electric only which means it has a range of only 75-100 miles. Early next year, PML is planning to add an engine and generator to transform it into a series hybrid. The company wants to use an existing emissions-certified engine, preferably a flex-fuel example. PML CEO Craig Knight told Mike that there are no current production plans for the Hi-Pa F-150 although it could be built by 2011. Mike tells ABG that PML doesn′t plan to build motors but would rather license the designs to a tier 1 supplier that will work with automakers.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

New information on the electric Ford F-150 Hi-Pa coming to SEMA originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, UK

What better way for a young British automotive company to gain recognition for itself and demonstrate its engineering prowess than to enter a revolutionary vehicle into one of the oldest of motorsports, hillclimbing? Perhaps none. And so it is that heretofore unknown Bee Automobiles will be contesting the 2009 British Championship with the Bee.four ERV in the “unlimited class.” Before you start with the skepticism and the humming of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” please note that the single-seater electric race car has been designed by Lotus Formula 1 notable, Martin Ogilvie, and will be driven by two-time British Hillclimb Champion Graeme Wight Jr. One might also note that Wight finished off the ‘08 season with a win in V10 powered “Predator” also designed by Ogilvie. Details about this new car are still quite slim, though it is said that it will feature one motor per wheel to give it a total of 700 bhp and will begin testing at MIRA facilities in early 2009. This bhp number is suspiciously reminiscent of the figure given for another fast future-car, the Lightning GT, and we wonder aloud if it will also feature the in-wheel Hi-Pa Drive[TM] motor from PML Flightlink.

If the initial plans of the fledgling company seem high-reaching, its future aspirations are far more ambitious. According to their website, Bee Automobiles not only has a reasonable electric four-seater, called the Bee.one, on their drawing board but also an exotic-looking road-going Tesla-Roadster-beating two-seater version of their race car, the Bee.four, in the works. If they can actually achieve a sub 3 second 0-to-60 time with their gas-free roadster, they could hold the car-to-beat standard for some years. The official announcement of the Bee.one and Bee.four is expected to occur during the 2009 edition of the Geneva Auto Show in March.

[Source: CAR keys / Bee Automobiles]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid

One of the key functions necessary to maximize the capability of hybrid and electric vehicles is regenerative braking. For those who haven’t been paying attention, regenerative braking uses the property of electric motors where mechanically driving the motor causes it to act as a generator producing electric current. In order to facilitate this, a brake system that can monitor the driver’s braking request and then seamlessly blend the maximum amount of regenerative braking with a corresponding amount of friction is needed. All of the major electronic braking system suppliers including Bosch, Continental Teves and TRW have developed such systems. TRW’s system, dubbed Slip Control Boost (SCB) had its first production application on the General Motors two-mode hybrid SUVs and the fuel cell Equinox that is being used for Project Driveway. Because hybrids and EVs don’t necessarily have a vacuum source available for brake boost, the SCB system incorporates a hydraulic brake booster and a high pressure accumulator to supply brake pressure on demand. SCB also provides full slip control functionality, including ABS, traction control and stability control. TRW has just announced a second-generation version SCB2 that is 25 percent smaller and lighter than the original. The SCB2 system can also be used on diesel vehicles to replace the vacuum pump or hydraulic assist systems for the brakes. This should also be a lower cost which will contribute to automakers reducing the costs of their hybrid and electric vehicles.

Full disclosure: prior to becoming a full-time writer last year, I worked as a controls software engineer at TRW and worked on the original SCB system.

[Source: TRW]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Renault, China

Nissan and Renault have been making a lot of hay about plans to introduce electric cars by 2010. The Franco-Japanese partners have teamed up with Better Place in countries like Israel and Denmark to establish a charging and battery exchange infrastructure. The companies are also working directly with governments in Portugal and elsewhere. The latest step in the electric effort will come from China, where Dongfeng Nissan, the alliance’s affiliate, will start producing electric cars in 2012. Nissan and Renault are aiming to leap-frog rival Toyota which is so far taking a go-slow approach to lithium ion batteries. It will be interesting to see how electric vehicles are accepted in China, especially given the higher cost.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, First Drive

Click above for high-res gallery of Tesla Roadster v1.5

Last January we landed an exclusive first drive of the Tesla Roadster. We were impressed, but well aware that the particular two-gear model we drove that wet afternoon wasn’t identical to the version set to land in customers’ hands later in the year. Last week, we were invited back to briefly test drive a genuine production model with the latest transmission and software updates (aka “powertrain 1.5″). Check out our round-two impressions after the jump.

Continue reading Driven: 2009 Tesla Roadster v1.5

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Original post by John Neff

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily

Following in the footsteps of our friend Andrew Angellotti, another teenager has taken it upon himself to convert a vehicle to fun on electric power on his own time. This time, the story revolves around 17-year-old Lucas Laborde, who took an old Bradley GT II kit car and put in about 150 hours to swap the engine for an electric motor and a set of batteries providing 96 volts. Luke’s father bought him the $5,000 vehicle on eBay and then spent another $5,700 on the parts needed to make it run on electricity, according to the AP. One problem he had was that the 640 pounds worth of lead-acid batteries caused the frame to warp and the doors to not close. The windshield wipers don′t work yet and the car has a top speed of just 45 miles per hour, but it’s clear from the article that none of these shortcomings make Luke any less proud of his work. Congrats, and if anyone′s got pictures, send ‘em in.

[Source: AP via Green Daily]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy

The county passenger fleet in Broome County, New York (halfway between Buffalo and NYC) used about 191,000 gallons of fuel, at a cost of $468,000, in 2006. While the county cut back and used 6,000 fewer gallons in 2007, the total cost for the fuel went up (we all know why) by $5,000. With numbers like these, it’s easy to understand why county government officials were excited to see the Vantage Vehicle electric van last week. Government employees were able to test drive the Vantage and a peek at the county’s 2008 numbers suggests that they′re probably excited to give electric drive a shot. The county has already spent $497,00 on about 150,000 gallons of fuel in 2008. They expect to use about 200,000 before 2008 the year up.

The EVan was brought to Broome County by CleanVehiclesNY, a company that distributes EVs from Miles Electric Vehicles, Vantage Vehicles, Star Electric Vehicles, Bravo Electric Vehicles and EVS Electric Vehicles.

[Source: Go Broome County]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco