Hybrid News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, MINI, LA Auto Show, First Drive

For three days before and during the media previews for the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, BMW had about a dozen electric MINIs available for evaluation drives. We finally got our crack at one Thursday morning at the LA convention center. The 6.5 mile loop that BMW laid out was both a terrible route to drive and perhaps the ideal route for an electric car. I don’t know what downtown LA streets are like on weekend mornings, but 9 a.m. on a Thursday it’s the last place in the world I′d want to be in a car. The 6.5 mile loop took us nearly 45 minutes to complete thanks to what passes for traffic flow in the area. Why anyone would actually want to drive in Los Angeles is a mystery to me, but by the time we were done it was easy to see why Priuses are so popular here. Since you spend more time in hurry up and wait mode than actually driving, an appliance like the Prius is perhaps the ideal choice. But I′m sure you already know that and would rather hear about the MINI E, something you can do right after the jump.

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading ABG Quick Drive: Battery powered MINI-E w/VIDEO

ABG Quick Drive: Battery powered MINI-E w/VIDEO originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, MINI, LA Auto Show, First Drive

For three days before and during the media previews for the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, BMW had about a dozen electric MINIs available for evaluation drives. We finally got our crack at one Thursday morning at the LA convention center. The 6.5 mile loop that BMW laid out was both a terrible route to drive and perhaps the ideal route for an electric car. I don’t know what downtown LA streets are like on weekend mornings, but 9 a.m. on a Thursday it’s the last place in the world I’d want to be in a car. The 6.5 mile loop took us nearly 45 minutes to complete thanks to what passes for traffic flow in the area. Why anyone would actually want to drive in Los Angeles is a mystery to me, but by the time we were done it was easy to see why Priuses are so popular here. Since you spend more time in hurry up and wait mode than actually driving, an appliance like the Prius is perhaps the ideal choice. But I’m sure you already know that and would rather hear about the MINI E, something you can do right after the jump.

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading ABG Quick Drive: Battery-powered MINI-E w/VIDEO

ABG Quick Drive: Battery-powered MINI-E w/VIDEO originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, MINI

In conjunction with the official unveiling of the MINI E a the LA Auto Show, AC Propulsion has confirmed that it has produced the electric drive system for the car. When BMW first released some of the details on the new battery powered MINI E a few weeks back we speculated based on the description of the drive system and battery pack that perhaps Tesla was the supplier. In fact, the Tesla system was originally based on the work of AC Propulsion. The ACP tZero prototype was the car that inspired Martin Eberhard to get the Tesla ball rolling.

ACP provided over 500 complete sets of hardware to BMW for installation into the new MINIs. The full system consists of the 150 kW motor, a 35 kWh battery pack, charger and all the electronics. The charger is capable of operating at 120V, 208V and 240V with automatic switching and bi-directional capability. That latter element is important because it means that the charger can send power out from the battery to the grid for ͞G capability. The AC Propulsion press release is after the jump.

[Source: AC Propulsion]

Continue reading LA 2008: Confirmed - AC Propulsion provided the electric drive systems for the MINI E

LA 2008: Confirmed - AC Propulsion provided the electric drive systems for the MINI E originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: MPG, Infiniti, Nissan

It may not seem like much, but the single extra mile per gallon that Nissan plans to extract from its Versa subcompact will surely be appreciated by its purchasers. After all, every little bit of fuel savings helps when buyers are shopping for small cars, often with the specific intent on downsizing and saving gas. So, since the Versa is down a bit when compared to its closest rivals, the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris, Nissan decided it needed to do something to stay in the hotly contested race, upping its 2009 figures to 27 mpg city and 33 highway. How did they do it? Apparently, the automaker re-tuned the continuously variable transmission in the Versa. A CVT has no traditional gears and it relies on computer software to change its ratios, so the automaker was able to reprogram its innards for an extra mile per gallon.

Infiniti, which is Nissan’s upmarket division, will bestow its G-Class model (18 mpg city/26 highway) with a new seven speed automatic to replace the previous six speed unit. That change is expected to yield two additional miles per gallon on the highway, one in the city. Apparently, Infiniti buyers don’t care as much about its efficiency in Nissan’s eyes, but the new auto unit is likely to improve performance a bit as well. Sounds like a win-win scenario.

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

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Volkswagen, Lightweight

Despite the fact that the sixth-generation of VW’s insanely popular hatchback has yet to hit the driveways of actual customers, speculation on gen-seven is already well underway. Number-six continues the tradition of enlarging each successive model-year, but that trend is set to come to an end after this redesign. Europe is currently working on legislation to limit carbon emissions and the U.S. is set to cap manufacturer’s fuel efficiency at a much more stringent rate that what we have now. Therefore, the Golf, or Rabbit in the States, should shed a few pounds in its Extreme Makeover and will likely get some smaller entry-level engines. We′d imagine that Volkswagen is hard at work on diesel engines, especially considering the buzz surrounding the Jetta TDI these days, as well as small gasoline engines with forced induction. Whatever happens, expect efficiency to take top priority as the years pass by.

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

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Hybrid, Nissan, European Union

Nissan is going to the 62nd Hannover Motor Show with a new hybrid model aimed at the freight market: the mid-series Cabstar. This truck gets a hybrid powertrain by adding a lithium-ion power pack (codeveloped with NEC) to the standard 3.0-liter ZD30 150hp diesel engine. The coupling of the motor and the engine was developed with ZF. According to Nissan, this powertrain saves up to 30 percent of the diesel fuel required to move a standard truck, depending on driving habits. It’s got stop & start technology that saves fuel by not idling at stops and regenerative braking. ZF also supplies a new 6-speed double clutch transmission for all Cabstars.

[Source: Nissan]

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Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: Diesel, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Legislation and Policy, USA

Click above for a high-res gallery of the M𒨠 BLUETEC

We already knew that purchasers of VW’s new clean diesel-powered Jetta for 2009 would be eligible for a tax credit of $1,300, and now more models from Germany get the same treatment from the Internal Revenue Service. All Mercedes-Benz models equipped with the BLUETEC emissions treatment technology will get a rebate. The 2009 G𒨠, R320 and M𒨠 BLUETEC are expected to go on sale beginning in October of this year, which should give prospective buyers plenty of time to get ready to prepare for the savings on their taxes. Each of the vehicles will get a different rebate ranging from $900 for the ML to $1,800 for the GL due to the process the IRS uses to determine how much fuel will be saved by the vehicle. As with other similar systems, each manufacturer is limited to 60,000 units sold before the rebates come to an end.

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

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Mercedes Benz, Germany, USA

Plans for Mercedes to release the ML 450 hybrid in 2009 may very well be canceled. The maker of the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries that was to provide the energy storage component for the SUV, Cobasys, seems to be refusing to begin production of the essential part. It appears the company’s parent firms, Chevron (who just posted a $5.98 billion 2nd quarter profit) and Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) have “pulled funding″ from the battery supplier, preventing it from meeting manufacturing commitments agreed upon last year.

No stranger to accusations of conspiracy when it comes squelching green-tech batteries, Chevron is again facing the charge in a lawsuit filed last week by Mercedes that claims the company colluded with ECD and Cobasys to keep the imminent sale of the distressed battery maker a secret to prevent the German firm from canceling the battery deal. The suit also alleges that Cobasys refused to begin production in case the terms of the contract were not seen as favorable to the new owners. This situation should make for interesting reading in the months to come and, we suspect, give folks yet another reason to dislike oil companies.

[Source: Information Week]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: Hybrid, Mercedes Benz

Click the S400 hybrid prototype for a high-res gallery

An attentive Autoblog reader spotted what appears to be a prototype Mercedes S400 Hybrid in a Houston Texas parking lot the other day. The test car’s badges were all taped over, but the S400 and hybrid badging on the trunk lid seems to match the show concept. The S400 was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show last fall and will launch into production in mid-2009 at about the same time as the ML450 Hybrid. While the SUV will use the Two-Mode hybrid system developed with GM, Chrysler, and BMW, the S400 will use the mild hybrid system created with BMW. The mild hybrid uses a 15kW motor sandwiched between the transmission and 3.5L ͢. The Mercedes mild hybrid system is likely to be the first mass production hybrid with a lithium ion battery. At the auto show introduction, Mercedes claimed that the full-size hybrid luxury sedan will achieve nearly 30 mpg.

[Source: Chris N]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, Mercedes Benz

When Mercedes-Benz new compact SUV the GLK starts assaulting eyeballs on American roads next spring it will only have a 3.5L gasoline V6 under the hood. However, at the recent US press introduction of the GLK a Mercedes official revealed that it wouldn’t stay way for long. Mercedes will add its new 2.2L turbodiesel four cylinder to both the GLK and the C-Class sedan perhaps by 2010. The engineers in Stuttgart are adding BlueTec emissions controls to the four cylinder diesel to make it clean enough to meet Tier 2 Bin 5 standards. In the GLK the 167 hp, 295 lb-ft diesel should yield real world mileage in the mid-30 mpg (US) region. If Mercedes follows through on this plan the GLK and C would join the company’s large SUVs and the new E-Class next year with diesel power. Now if only they would put the camo back on until they do something about that styling.

[Source: Inside Line]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Mercedes Benz, USA

Click above for more shots of the A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY

The move to smaller cars in the United States will cover nearly all vehicle classes, even touching such luxury car stalwarts as Mercedes-Benz. Fortunately for MB, the automaker already has a few small vehicles which it can consider selling in the States, and new rumors indicate that the automaker could be considering launching its A-Class subcompact and B-Class compact cars here. Buyers who associate the three-pointed star with luxury alone may be surprised by the A-Class, which is most certainly an economy car, albeit one of high quality. Interestingly, though, the B-Class was initially planned for the U.S. market but was dropped shortly before launch due to the poor Euro-to-Dollar ratio. That particular situation has only gotten worse, but the rising price of gasoline may prompt Mercedes-Benz to reconsider that decision anyway.

It would be pure speculation, but we wonder if Mercedes has some excess capacity at its SUV plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. If so, the automaker could retool the plant for the new small cars, a move which could alleviate some of the poor exchange rate issues. We’ll cast our official vote for the A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY that gets 52mpg (U.S.). In any case, don’t expect to see the new models in the U.S. until 2011 or so.

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

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

What about today’s hybrid vehicles?

The US House of Representatives has passed the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, H.R. 5351 that, if enacted, would provide tax credits for plug-in hybrid vehicles. The base credit would be worth $4000 for PHEVs with at least a 5 kWh battery pack. An additional $2000 in credits could be claimed by those with larger battery packs. Each kWh beyond 5 is worth an extra $200, up to an extra $2000.

The only problem, where are the plug-in hybrid vehicles?

Such a credit might push a few more hybrid owners towards converting their hybrids into plug-in hybrids, but wouldn’t the best path towards PHEVs and significantly more fuel efficient vehicles be getting as many hybrid cars on the road today? Wouldn’t tax credits for the Toyota Prius, for example, make more automakers address Prius success today, not 2 years from today?

Original post by Dahcredyns

Hybrid embryos containing both human and animal material could be created in British laboratories within months.

Original post by george_douglas@nrel.gov

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Green Daily

Ever justified buying something you know you shouldn′t have purchased? Getting the fries instead of the salad for an extra dollar because you’re hungry and, hey, it’s just a buck? Or maybe you bought a way-too-big house because the ARM was so affordable (emphasis on the “was”)? Well, you’ll have your work cut out for you if you want to spring for the DiMora Natalia SLS 2. The price? A cool two million dollars.

Obviously only intended for the insane - wait, I meant insanely wealthy - the Natalia SLS 2 should be out next year and the justifications have begun. Described by My Desert as “the first eco-friendly, hand-built, $2 million production automobile″ (let’s hope there isnt’ a second), celebrities like Willie Nelson and Larry Hagman are ready to tell us just how good this car can be for the environment. Willie’s usually a pusher for biodiesel, not ethanol, but he was excited about the flex-fuel capability of the Natalia SLS 2. He didn’t say anything about the car itself. We can guess that’s because it’s got a V-16 that displaces 14 liters for 1,200 horsepower, which certainl doesn’t sound green. Still, DiMora Motorcar says its flagship vehicle will get “excellent gas mileage.” Oh, and it’s got some nifty windshield wipers.

Look, if you’re thinking of blowing $2m on a car, go get help. Better yet, buy a spaceship and head for the stars. We don’t need your kind here. If you want to impress your neighbors, buy a Tesla or a Fisker or convince Honda to sell you an FCX Clarity or something. Green cars are smart, but two million bucks for a sedan is just dumb.

[Source: My Desert via Ecorazzi]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Carbon Offset, Green Daily

Another airline has decided to give passengers the option to offset your carbon emissions when purchasing plane tickets. The latest carbon offset entrant is clickair, a low-cost company based in Barcelona, Spain. The story is that, due to Barcelona’s airport placement between two lagoons and a protected area, the airline’s carbon offsets take place close to El Prat de Llobregat airport, in a reserve by the Llobregat river.

Prices start at very acceptable levels (€ 3) and with low expectations: clickair expects to plant 250 trees through this program which will cover at least a little bit of the effects of its fleet of ten Airbus Ｈs.

[Source: Clickair]

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Original post by Xavier Navarro