Hybrid News

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

When he’s not taunting Tesla, Dale Vince is pretty focused on building his wind-powered car. The Zero Carbonista project (previous post) is moving along and the fourth (of six) video about the project is new ready for your viewing pleasure. The front of the car is taking shape and now it needs a name. On the shortlist are: The Zero, The Storm and The Nemesis. I think the Zero Storm would be a good compromise, and I think it’ll sound good with a British accent.

In the video, the biggest problem the team is facing seems to be figuring out the fingerprint entry and startup system. What’s more exciting is the torque potential the designers and engineers discuss towards the end of the video. Check it out after the jump and see what the (indirectly) wind-powered Exige is up to these days.

[Source: Zero Carbonista via Treehugger]

Continue reading Dale Vince’s wind-powered car could be the Storm, the Zero or the Nemesis

Dale Vince’s wind-powered car could be the Storm, the Zero or the Nemesis originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, European Union

The European Union has been working on new legislation with the goal of reducing overall carbon emissions to just 130 g/km by 2015. Many believe that electric vehicles are the best way to achieve this ultimate goal, but internal reports may not agree with this assessment, according to the Financial Times. In fact, Jean Syrota, the former French energy industry regulator, is said to have authored a 129-page document that promotes the continued use of the internal combustion engine, albeit ICEs combined with new technology and advanced biofuels. Apparently, the closest that the report comes to suggesting that EVs have any potential is to promote range-extended models that wouldn’t need extremely large capacity battery packs. The report also suggests setting strict speed limits in all of Europe, including Germany.

If rumors are in any way accurate, current President of the EU and the French Republic Nicolas Sarkozy is purposely sitting on the report as it may not agree with his desired intentions for European automakers.

[Source: Financial Times]

EU-sponsored report critical of electric vehicles? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Ethanol, Legislation and Policy, USA

The US Secretary of Energy is not exactly a glamorous position. I mean, go ahead and name the current one. Give up? It’s Samuel Bodman, whose name we’ve had on AutoblogGreen with some regularity and still I needed to Wikipedia the position to recall his name. But the next Secretary might become a bit better known thanks to the issues that he’ll be dealing with as we shift from oil to alternatives. Today, the news is out that President-elect Barack Obama has picked Nobel-prize winning physicist Steven Chu to be his Secretary of Energy. What does Chu believe? Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Chu has said “corn is not the right crop for biofuels” and has personally worked on ways to make ethanol and biodiesel more efficiently.
• As for ways to power all of the plug-in vehicles we hope will become a reality during the first Obama term, coal is realistically going to be a big part of the picture. Chu, though, called coal his “worst nightmare” and is pro-nuclear.
• Chu is a believer in global warming.

So, while the personal beliefs of the Secretary of Energy don’t make national policy, we can at least read the tea leaves for a feel of what we might be dealing with in the coming years. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

[Source: Domestic Fuel]

Anti-coal biofuel researcher will become Obama’s Secretary of Energy originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Ford, USA

Bill Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford himself, is reportedly hedging his bets on green technology for the automaker that bears his name. Ford has spoken directly with President-elect Barack Obama about energy, especially as it relates to the automotive industry, and the Blue Oval exec likes what he hears from our next President. According to Mr. Ford, he’s shared his plans for his company’s future with Obama and has plans to continue to do so. One big issue Bill Ford sees with future automotive tech lies with batteries, but not the actual technology that goes into making a good pack. The problem is that nearly all of the world’s batteries come from Asian countries, and if our cars go electric, the US could be exchanging one foreign dependence with another. According to Ford, “It’s all about fuel economy and energy independence,” he said. “I passionately believe that Ford can and should be part of that solution.” Bailed out or not, Ford plans to improve the fuel efficiency of its cars, definitely a good thing to hear.

[Source: The New York Times]

Bill Ford to turn automaker into “Green Oval”? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

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: Cadillac, GM, GMC, Legislation and Policy, USA

There’s no doubt that the President of the United States needs a safe vehicle to be transported in. Various assassination attempts prove that case rather easily. President-in-waiting Barack Obama will be getting a brand-new armored “car” that will look like a Cadillac, but will really be based on the positively gigantic medium-duty GMC Topkick chassis. Nobody is quite sure what kind of armament the First Car will be equipped with, but let’s just assume that there is plenty, including up to five inches of glass and ceramic ballistics materials. That should make this one heavy vehicle. In fact, a couple of heavy vehicles, as General Motors is likely building multiples so that decoys can be used. With all that weight to move around, we’d expect GM to use a version of its diesel engine (running perhaps on biodiesel? No?) and Allison transmission from its line of heavy-duty trucks. Alternatively, Obama could make a green splash by using GM’s 2-Mode hybrid system. Just a thought.

[Source: The Boston Globe]

Obama to be transported in GMC Topkick “Cadillac” originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Honda

While other manufacturers, notably Ford and General Motors, have been canceling programs to develop new V8 engines, Honda may be yet again be hearing the beat of a different drummer. Automotive News is reporting that Honda’s Takeo Fukui has confirmed that the next-generation Acura RL will be powered by the company’s first production V8 engine. Even in with high fuel prices, Acura and its dealers apparently feel that that a V8 is necessary to compete with other German and Japanese luxury brands. Acura sales are down over 15 percent in 2008 and the current RL with a 3.7L V6 has never been a strong seller despite having competitive performance. It is believed that the image a V8 projects is necessary to compete in this segment. In all likelihood, if Honda has produce a V8, they will do something different with it that will set it apart and provide better fuel efficiency. Perhaps Honda will do a small displacement V8 (3.0-3.5L) with its IMA hybrid system.

Nonetheless, General Motors canceled plans earlier this year to produce a new Ultra V8 for Cadillac to replace the current aging NorthStar. Cadillac general manager Jim Taylor explained the reason as falling demand for V8s with increased sales of six cylinder engines. It will be interesting to see if Honda has made a mistake here.

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

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, Green Daily

We’ve reported on hybrid taxis in NYC, Sydney and Dubai, but the trend isn’t limited to places that also happen to be tourist hot spots. On my way to the airport yesterday, I tried a new taxi service in Lansing that exclusively uses hybrids in their fleet. OK, make that a hybrid in the fleet of one. Woodrow Campbel, the owner/dispatcher/driver, said that people don′t call him because he’s the green taxi in town, but he’s pretty sure that his reputation will grow. In the meantime, weekend bar traffic is enough to keep his new business running he started just two weeks ago and the money he makes taking the drunk college kids home is enough to make cleaning their vomit worth it.

Another example of hybrids in hired car action comes from Iowa City, where the Black & Gold Cab company just added a second Toyota Prius to the fleet. Owner Chris Griffin sent a note in to AutoblogGreen saying that, “To our knowledge, we have the first two hybrid taxis in the state of Iowa.” Neither of these two business will be saving the planet singlehandedly, but every little bit helps.

[Source: Black & Gold Cab]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Etc., Hybrid, Transportation Alternatives

Above: One of Paul Moller’s past projects, a flying hovercraft

Moller has designed another car which will never, ever see the light of day. This time, it’s a hybrid flying car which uses both gas and electric power for its eight fans, which would theoretically provide liftoff. Moller claims that its car has been fully designed already and has been tested in small scale. So, why not just go ahead and continue on with the project? Money, or lack thereof. It seems that the company, which envisions a future where crowded highways are a thing of the past as cars lift off into the sky, is in some serious debt and is in danger of closing down entirely. The hybrid flying car has so far been funded by a wealthy business man from Russia who wanted to escape the traffic he encounters daily when driving to Moscow from his country home. When he found out it would cost more than $5 million to continue the project, he bailed. Too bad, a flying hybrid car is just what the world needs, no?

[Source: Sacramento Business Journal]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Volvo

Click to view a hi-res gallery of the Volvo C30 Green Racer

In the campaign to make racing greener, the World Touring Car Championship has been a leader. Following the example set by its sister company Audi at Le Mans, Volkswagen’s Spanish subsidiary Seat began taking race wins in the WTCC in diesel-powered Leons. But the series has announced it is beginning to phase in ethanol, and of all the carmakers in the world, Volvo has stepped up to the plate.

We brought you initial news of the C30 Flexifuel Green Racer when it was unveiled for the local Swedish Touring Car Championship, in which it has already been winning races against fossil-fuel regulars. Volvo has now revealed, however, that the Green Racer is heading to the top-tier World Touring Car Championship. The event will be a one-off demonstration for the time being, as the Volvo won’t be eligible for points and will only compete in the one race, next weekend at Brands Hatch. For both Volvo and the WTCC, however, it should be an interesting exercise. Check out the press release after the jump and the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo Green Racer takes on the World

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Original post by Noah Joseph

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in

As it seems that Li-Ion batteries are the way to go for hybrid vehicles, because not only have two companies - FiFe and Enerize - announced they have teamed up to mass-produce them but they also include information on their developments in the product.

The agreement includes Fife’s use of Titanium Oxide (TiO2) batteries and Enerize’s high conductivity/high tap density Magnesium Oxide (MnO2) together with modified natural graphite to manufacture these in factories. Both companies also announced that they will use other lithium-ion technologies such as electrolyte additives which guarantee cycle stability (so the batteries have a longer life), plus a new electrode coating process that delivers more power on-demand.

Moreover, their additions to the technology include new non-destructive testing methods, so they can be used for better quality control. Their aim is to produce higher quantities at lower cost so the batteries can be used widely in the battery industry, in all sorts of hybrid and/or electric vehicles.

Related:

• ISE Corp and Altair Nanotechnologies developing lithium batteries together
• Li-Ion may be confusing, but what’s the deal with all the lead acids around?

[Source: FiFe Batteries and Enerize Corporation]

 

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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 Xavier Navarro

Filed under: Ford, Fiat

We’ve been seeing this little machine covered in camoflage for months now, but here it is in bare painted metal. The second-generation of Ford’s Ka will be showing up at European dealerships later this year wearing the smallest iteration yet of “kinetic” design. The first gen Ka was based on a shortened version of the old Fiesta platform. This time around Ford has teamed up with Fiat and the Ka shares its underpinnings with the new 500. That means propulsion will be coming from 1.2 and 1.4L gas engines or a 1.3L diesel. Unfortunately, we probably won’t be seeing the Ka on American roads anytime soon. The Fiesta will likely remain the smallest U.S. Ford unless mini-cars really start to take off here.

[Source: AutoExpress]

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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 Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, European Union, Th!nk (Think)

Åslaug Haga is not only the Petroleum and Energy Minister in Norway, but she is also the chief of the ruling Center Party. As such, she is a powerful politician in a country known both for its progressiveness and a large oil industry. Perhaps it is only a little surprising then that her latest car purchase was a Th!nk electric vehicle. Not that a politician can′t be an environmentalist. And indeed, during this election season, we here in America have been made well aware of the hybrid choices of some our own Presidential hopefuls. It could be that Ms. Haga, who doesn’t have the greenest of reputations amongst the folk of the fjords, is spending a her hard-earned kroner on both transportation and public relations. The Norwegian government no longer supplies its ministers with cars since a little brouhaha over the issue a couple of years ago.

According to Cobos over at the Tesla Motors Club forum, from whose post I originally learned of this story at Oblad.no, since Haga is buying one of the first Th!nks off the line, the minister is receiving a certificate numbered 0001from the EV Association of Norway which says, “all EVs in Norway run on hydroelectric”.

Whatever her motivation, I sincerely hopes she enjoys her new coal- and oil-free EV.

[Source: Oblad.no via user Cobos at Tesla Motors Club forum]

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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 Domenick Yoney

Filed under: Ford, Th!nk (Think)

Greentech Media reports that Think Global will announce a deal with a large automaker next week concerning the development of a car. At the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco Tuesday, Think chairman Jan-Olaf Willums said the new car will be larger than the car we know from Think. Greentech Media theorizes the automaker could be Ford, which purchased and then sold Think a while back. My guess is GM because there is talk GM may open up E-Flex to other companies. Stay tuned for further developments.

[Source: Greentech Media]

 

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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 Lascelles Linton

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Th!nk (Think)

Danny Fleet is a Londoner with an interest in electric cars. His attituce should come as no surprise given that EVs can avoid the city’s congestion charge. Currently, Danny happens to drive one of the ever-popular G-Wiz quadricycles. Danny was lucky enough to be in the area when one of the new second-generation Th!nk city electric cars arrived fresh from the factory in Norway and he got to check it out as soon as they unloaded it from the truck. He recorded video of his tour and his first drive and came away very impressed.

The Th!nk has some pretty decent specs, starting with the fact that it’s actually type approved in Europe as an actual car not a quadricycle. To get that type approval it has to be crash tested and meet safety requirements, something quadricycles don’t. Th!nk claims the lithium polymer battery will provide a range of 125 miles on a charge and the top speed of 65mph. It’s fitted with safety equipment like air bags, seat belts and even ABS. Th!nk will be selling the car in the UK for £14,000 and charging and extra £100 per month for a battery rental. If the charge capacity of the battery falls too low, they will replace it as part of the rental deal. Check out Danny’s videos here and here.

[Source: Danny’s Contentment]

 

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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 Sam Abuelsamid