Hybrid News

Filed under: Hybrid, Honda, Detroit Auto Show

The realities of the economy have taken another bite out of the Detroit Auto Show as Honda has decided not hold a press conference. Unlike Nissan and Mitsubishi, Honda won′t be pulling out entirely. The production version of the new Insight will be appearing on the show floor with the rest of the lineup and Honda executives will be on hand to talk to the media. Honda is just forgoing the expense of have a stage, chairs and lighting and sound set up. Like Nissan, Honda will also take a pass on a press conference the following month at the Chicago show.

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

Honda to debut production Insight at Detroit without press conference originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid, Honda, LA Auto Show

Honda joins Ford in the green dash race with its latest piece of clever technology, the Eco Assist dashboard, which the automaker has revealed here in LA and will come with the 2009 Insight hybrid. There’s an ECON button on the dash that increases fuel efficiency by changing settings on the CVT transmission and air conditioning unit and by increasing regenerative braking capabilities and a more aggressive anti-idling algorithm.

The Insight’s new dash will also change colors between shades of green and blue to tell the driver how they’re driving. There is also an an “economy scoring function″ that keeps track of the way the car is driven and gives eco-scores to the pilot. Ford has taken a similar approach with its new Fusion hybrid, which will be equipped with an LCD gauge cluster called SmartGauge[TM] with EcoGuide.

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading LA 2008: Honda shows off Insight’s Eco Assist dashboard

LA 2008: Honda shows off Insight’s Eco Assist dashboard originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, Etc., Audi

Along with Autoblog lensman Drew Phillips, we did the last leg of the Audi Mileage Marathon in Car #5: an Audi ̱ fitted with a 3.0-liter TDI. Our route lasted four days and took us from Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes, CA, to Monterey for the final ALMS race at Laguna Seca, and then to Los Angeles. Unlike almost every other group there, we weren’t trying to set any mileage records, we wanted to see how the Q would do when driven like we normally drive. After four days of drinking the oil-burning Kool-Aid and hauling ourselves through the Western hinterlands, our verdict: the 3.0 TDI is a fabulous engine, and you’d be crazy not to get it in the Q7 if you’re in the market. Follow the jump for the full story, and check out the gallery of high-res images below.

Continue reading The Last Days of the Audi Mileage Marathon: Vegas to LA

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Original post by Jonathon Ramsey

Filed under: MINI

We got our first look at the MINI’s new crossover in concept form at the Paris Motor Show recently and now it has turned up in production prototype form. The car spotted on the street is wearing a black and yellow pattern that looks like it came right out of a sixties acid trip. Nonetheless, it’s apparent that the odd-ball door arrangement of the concept has been discarded in favor of a conventional forward-hinged four door arrangement. This least miniature of MINIs will use some kind of all wheel drive powertrain and should seat four adults in comparative comfort. Whether the world really needs a higher riding 4Ҵ MINI at all is another question entirely and hopefully the brand will stick to its previous commitment not to go any larger than this car. Perhaps with the electric drive system (including a motor at each axle) that’s coming to the MINI EV, this could be a green CUV.

[Source: NextAutos]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota

What you are looking at here may well be the first unofficial, official image of the third (fourth according to Toyota) generation Toyota Prius. The original hybrid isn’t supposed to debut until we get to Detroit in January, but three images that look like they may well be authentic have turned up on Prius forum. The shape we see here certainly fits with the camouflaged spy photos we’ve seen so far. The basic shape looks much like the current Prius, but the front has been re-shaped. The nose of the car fits in with the look of other current Toyotas but doesn’t seem to carry over much from the Hybrid X concept that appeared at Geneva 2007. If these photos are to be believed the interior unfortunately also carries over the interior concept of the current car with the center mounted gauges. We’ve contacted Toyota for a comment, but we don’t seriously expect anything other than a no comment. If we do learn anything more we’ll be sure to let you know. Thanks to Rafih for the tip!

[Source: PriusChat]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG, Audi, Paris Motor Show

Audi has released the official details on its new ʋ Sportback concept that debuts at the Paris Motor Show. At 13.09 ft long, the ʋ is a couple of inches longer than a MINI Clubman and features a hybrid drivetrain. Power comes from a 150 hp TFSI four cylinder with turbocharging and direct injection. The engine’s output is blended with the output of a 20 kW, 111 lb-ft electric motor and sent through a 6-speed dual clutch S Tronic transmission. The electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and transmission and can provide electric boost as well as electric only drive at low speeds. The lithium ion battery pack has plug-in capability and is claimed to be able to propel the car for 62 miles in electric only mode. The car can acclerate from 0-100 kph in 7.9 seconds and still get 60.3 mpg (U.S.). Carbon dioxide emissions are a mere 92 g/km.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Paris 2008: Officially, official Audi A1 Sportback concept

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, Audi, Paris Motor Show

The leakage leading up to the Paris Motor Show continues as the first pics of the new Audi ʋ Sportback have surfaced. The ʋ Sportback is likely what the production version of Audi’s new small car will look like when it hits the streets in 2010. The ʋ is about a foot shorter than the Golf-based ʍ and if this concept is any indication, it may turn out to be Audi’s first hybrid. The concept uses a 150 hp version of the VW 1.4L TSI engine paired with a 27 hp hybrid system. This appears to be a new mild hybrid system that we haven’t seen before from the VW group. Power transfer to the wheels is handled by dual clutch S-Tronic transmission (known as a DSG at VW). Fuel economy is said to be 60.3 mpg (U.S.) with CO₂ emissions of just 92 g/km. Stay tuned for more details later today.

[Source: World Car Fans]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

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

From the people who brought you the Hinterland 1, that clone trooper eco-tank, comes something with a little less armor: the Energya three-wheeled vehicle. The tadpole-style Energya weighs just 350kg, with particular attention paid in the design period to reducing the weight of non-suspended components (its got an aluminum frame, for example) while “centralizing most of the mass closer to the vehicle center of gravity for enhancing dynamic performances.” Thanks to the three wheels of the Energya, Canadian company Higgins-Aubé Inc. wants to power the vehicle with a motorcycle engine connected to a six-speed manual tranny. Higgins-Aubé is without a doubt playing the it’s-not-a-car regs with the three-wheeled design. From today’s statement announcing the Energya, “Since the vehicle may do without many of the mandatory systems and components required on an automobile, the motomobile may consequently be made lighter, advantageously influencing its performances” (full statement after the jump).

Should the money from venture capitalists or others come flowing in, the Energya could be available within 18 months and, should everything go well “it is envisioned that the Energya[TM] motomobile will be offered as an electric vehicle. This will turn the electric-car stereotype on its head, as the same performance objectives will be maintained.” Bears watching, but what’s with the promo shots with the Energya digitally inserted into real photos?

[Source: Higgins-Aubé]

Continue reading Meet the Higgins-Aubé Energya, your next EV lust

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: SMART, USA

Looks like the decision by Penske Automotive to be the Official U.S. Distributor for the smart brand of cars was… uh, smart. According to reports, smart new car sales are one particular bright spot for the company, which saw sales from other outlets drop somewhat. Used cars also did rather well for the company’s range of dealerships across America. Penske Automotive Group Chairman Roger Penske says, “With the rise in gas prices, we saw a rapid shift in consumer demand to more fuel efficient vehicles.” For the second quarter which just ended in June, 7,731 smart fortwos were delivered, raising the year-to-date wholesale delivery total to 12,646 vehicles.

Sales for the little car are expected to remain strong. Amazingly, some 20,000 advance orders were placed in the months of May and June alone, prompting Penske Automotive to raise the sales outlook from around 20K to between 24,000 and 27,500 units in 2008, smart’s first year on the U.S. market.

[Source: AFP via Google News]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MPG, On Two Wheels, India, USA

A few years ago, Bajaj stopped making their Chetak and Legend scooters, and since then there has been a dinstinct lack of any steel-bodied, manual transmission, 4-stroke scooters on the market. Genuine Scooters has begun selling their Stella scooter again after a short absence and Vespa themselves re-released 500 of the PX150 model to the American market, but both of those machines feature 2-stroke engines. Bajaj made some pretty compelling claims regarding the emissions improvement of their 4-stroke engine as compared to the original 2-stroke powerplants like those used in the Stella and PX150, so scooter riders who feel the need to ride “green″ machines have been forced to scour the used market or buy a newer “twist and go” style model. There are a few rumors circulating, though, which could change all of that. The Stella scooter is made in India by a company called LML, and that same company may begin creating four-stroke, steel-bodied scooters using an as yet unnamed 4-stroke motor ranging from 125cc, 150cc and even 250cc versions.

If LML does start making 4-stroke Vespa PX clones, we can foresee a huge market for them in the States. We would love to see Genuine Scooters offer these models alongside their current range of Stella scooters, keeping the vintage designs in dealer showrooms for years to come.

[Source: 2-Stroke Buzz]

 

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, BMW, MINI, UK

Due to some arcane tax rules in Great Britain, it’s financially beneficial for many companies to provide cars to employees. As a result, a disproportionate number of sales in the UK are to company fleets. Thus, publications like Fleet News get a lot of attention from company fleet managers when they evaluate cars and hand out awards. In the latest list of top vehicles for 2008, Fleet News selected the MINI as the best small car. The MINI D, in particular, combined with BMW’s EfficientDynamics package, even qualifies in the lowest emissions band so drivers will be exempt from London’s congestion charge. The MINI D hatchback is rated at 104g/km for CO₂ emissions while the longer Clubman scores 109g/km. Now if we could just convince BMW to federalize the MINI D and bring it to America.

[Source: BMW]
Small emissions once again make MINI a big winner
03/14/2008

Fleet News has become the latest media outlet to nominate MINI as a green winner. In the publication’s 20th Annual Awards ceremony, MINI was named Best Small Car 2008 thanks to the introduction of new fuel-saving technologies and amazingly strong residual values.
Cost-conscious, practical and desirable motoring topped the awards criteria. The Fleet News panel* cited the new Clubman model as key to the appeal of MINI for business car drivers, with one judge claiming: “There is no other car in the sector that drivers would like to have more.”

MINI’s new range of Hatch and Clubman models shot to prominence in 2007 thanks to technologies based on BMW’s EfficientDynamics systems. With carbon emissions-based taxation a key factor in this week’s Budget announcement, many MINI owners could now actually find themselves in a stronger financial position.

Emitting just 104 and 109g/km C02 respectively, the MINI Cooper D Hatch and Clubman models will be exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty as of 01 April 2009 under the Budget ruling. This follows earlier news from Transport for London that from October 2008, cars emitting less than 120g/km C02 will be exempt from congestion charging.

Company car tax thresholds have also been revised and the Cooper D derivatives are again winners, thanks to the income tax rate cut and reduced 13 per cent taxation on diesel cars emitting less than 120g/km ᨮ.

The Fleet News Environmental Award was claimed by BMW Group. This award recognises the fleet industry’s commitment to reducing its impact on the environment. EfficientDynamics developments, available across BMW and MINI products, positioned BMW Group as the clear winner in a hard-fought category.

22 BMW derivatives and 5 MINI models now emit less than 140g/km C02. From April 2009 every one of these sub-140g/km cars will fall in to VED band E or lower, meaning owners will then pay a maximum of £115 for their annual road fund licence.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, BMW, New York Auto Show

Efficient Dynamics has claimed its first scalps of the year, taking the World Car of the Year Green Award. The three finalists were all Rudolph’s children, being of the diesel variety: the BMW, the smart fortwo cdi, and the Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDi BlueMotion. The specific rationale for choosing the BMW wasn’t given, but the roominess, real world practicality, miserly emissions and fuel needs, and Efficient Dynamics are probably all good suspects. It’s a nifty little car and a well deserved award, so kudos to you, BMW. Now if you could get that diesel Isetta going, we’d really get to cheering for you.

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Original post by Jonathon Ramsey

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, European Union

Europe, 2012: The goal is to have cars that emit an average of 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer.
Europe, 2008: Wha?

Yes, the road to 120 is a tough one, but Reuters is reporting that two of the big players in the EU, France and Germany, are “making progress” on agreeing on how new low-CO₂ legislation should be instituted. As in the U.S., automakers in the EU are fighting for more time before the rules go into effect. The loudest voices come from the Germans (Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz) because, well, they make and sell some pretty dirty cars, comparatively. French automakers, like Citroën/Renault, already have quite a few low-CO₂ vehicles and so don’t mind if the rules kick in earlier rather than later. There’s no word on just what the agreement might be, but environment ministers from the EU will meet in Slovenia this weekend. Perhaps more rumor will trickle out then.

[Source: Reuters]

 

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, European Union, Germany

Even though we heard a report to the contrary just yesterday, government sources in France and Germany have told Thomson Financial that they are not about to reach a deal on CO₂ emissions. As you might know, French automakers are not putting up as big a fight over low-CO₂ emissions the way the dirty German automakers are. After all, it’s Daimler, BMW, Porsche and Audi, after all, who have the most to lose should penalties of 20 euros per gram of CO₂ over the 120 limit kick in in 2012 (it could climb to 95 euros in 2015)

The governments are fighting the proxy battle in the EU over changes to the emissions regulations being proposed by the European Commission. While Reuters said there was “progress” in the discussions, Thompson reports that German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his French counterpart, Jean-Louis Borloo, cancelled a meeting to discuss the issue without rescheduling. Oh, and that compromise that might have been reached by the mid-June EU summit? That now looks unlikely.

[Source: Thompson Financial in Automotive News]

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/ANE02/225390385/1193/

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Solar, On Two Wheels, Germany

At the INTERMOT show in Cologne, Germany, running from October 8-12 this year, there will be a special section at the Innovation Centre which will showcase alternative drive two- and three-wheelers. The show will include vehicles that are already on the market, like the Vectrix scooter and electric E-Max scooter, and future vehicles, like a natural gas-powered Suzuki and hybrid Piaggio MP3, on display. A solar-powered test track powered by Salon AG will be on-hand for visitors to test out some of the latest electrically-driven machines and to recharge spent electric vehicles.

INTERMOT organizers believe that now is the time to put alternative energy on display, and they are intending to highlight the fact that environmentally friendly does not necessarily equal low performance. Besides alternatively-powered vehicles, the exhibit will also display eco-friendly parts, accessories and clothing related to the two-wheeled industry. The entire list of all INTERMOT exhibitors can be found at this link.

[Source: INTERMOT]

 

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski