Hybrid News

Filed under: Solar, GM, Opel

Well, it’s not exactly a solar car, but it’s a start, right? By now, everyone is aware that General Motors is in a bit of financial trouble at the moment, and those U.S. problems will definitely have an impact on the European automakers also owned by GM, including its Opel subsidiary. A German power company called SolarWorld has made an extremely odd offer to the General to purchase the Opel brand for 1 billion euros, or about $1.26 billion in U.S. funds. Um, not gonna happen, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are the provisions demanded by SolarWorld for the sale. For starters, the German company suggests that each Opel worker get a payout, which would cost somebody, presumably General Motors itself, a total of… about a billion euros. Plus, nobody knows where SolarWorld would get the funding from. It seems that SolarWorld is looking to get a bit of press by making the offer to create “first green European car company,” as they call it. It’s worked. Thanks for the tip, Kenneth!

[Source: AFP via Yahoo]

SolarWorld offers to purchase Opel, kind of originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: GM, Natural Gas, Opel, European Union, Germany

Do you need to haul kids in a zippy van and you don’t want it in diesel? Here′s a good option for Europeans: the Opel Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo. We heard not long ago that the Zafira minivan would get the turbo option - the standard 1.6-liter is a little sluggish at 86hp - and now we learn that the production version will be introduced at the upcoming Bologna Motor Show, Italy, in December. The new Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo ecoFLEX has an output of 150 hp and a top speed of 200 km/h (115 mph) but consumes only 5.3 kg of natural gas per 100 km in the MVEG cycle, emitting just 144 g/km of CO₂. As with most European CNG models, the Zafira can run on gasoline too: it’s got a small additional tank good for 14 liters (about 3.6 gallons). The Zafira has a range of about 370 km (220 miles) when running only on CNG. Find the full press release after the jump.

[Source: Opel]

Continue reading Opel Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo: Full details on the first Turbo-charged CNG minivan

Opel Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo: Full details on the first Turbo-charged CNG minivan originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, GM

One of the questions I get most often, especially from people I meet who don’t follow the green car industry all that closely but have some idea of what’s out there, is, “Is GM serious about actually producing the Volt?” I respond with some variation on the idea that we won’t have too long to wait to find out, but that every sign I’ve seen points to yes.

One more example to show that the Volt isn’t just a piece of vaporware is yesterday’s announcement by Buehler Motor, Inc. that it will provide auxiliary water pumps to GM to use in the Volt and some GM hybrids. The only details that Buehler is giving out (as you can see for yourself after the jump) is that the company will sell GM “custom 12W and 50W auxiliary water pumps for the Volt and GM hybrid vehicles. … The two companies have been working together in a technology partnership since mid-2007 to customize the water pump technology necessary to circulate coolant through the Volt’s subsystems.” We recently saw how difficult it can be to keep those big batteries cool. So, next question?

[Source: Buehler Motor, Inc.]

Continue reading Chevy Volt gets an aux water pump supplier in Buehler Motor

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hybrid, Mercedes Benz

A week after Mercedes-Benz announced details of its first hybrid, battery supplier Continental Automotive has launched production of the battery packs. Mercedes will be the first manufacturer to mass produce a hybrid vehicles with lithium ion batteries. Continental spent €3 million to build the battery manufacturing facility in Nuremberg. The first batteries that being produced weigh 55 lbs and have a volume of just under 0.5 cu. ft. When the Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid launches in mid-2009 with this 120V battery pack it will be installed in the engine compartment in place of the standard 12V lead acid battery.

Since this is the first mass market automotive application of a lithium battery, Mercedes and Continental are being extra careful. The battery is designed to last a minimum of 10 years and 100,000-150,000 miles so Continental has developed a sophisticated monitoring system to make sure that it operates within normal operating parameters. Each individual cell is monitored to keeps loads balanced and ensure even charging and discharging. Continental had to develop special processes to weld the copper bus bars that act as cell interconnects. The whole battery is enclosed inside of a laser-welded stainless steel case. The initial production capacity of the factory is 15,000 units a year and that can easily be doubled.

[Source: Continental]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: MPG, BMW, Legislation and Policy, European Union, UK, USA

BMW’s North American CEO, Jim O′Donnel has ended the rumors of a new BMW four-cylinder engine option. It’s true. And it sounds great. Not only will the new turbocharged engine outperform the current inline-six, it will get better fuel mileage and produce fewer emissions. Perfect! When is it coming? Could be soon for Europe. The United States, though, reportedly won’t learn its fate until the upcoming Presidential election is complete. Um, sorry… what?

You’re telling us all about this great new engine and how it’s going to outperform the current engines, and then tell us that you’ll only bring it here if the Feds force you to? That doesn’t sound so good, especially for an automaker that is so proud of its “Most Sustainable” title. If the automaker has a good engine, we want it. It really is just that simple, and this includes those great diesels we’ve been taunted with.

[Source: BimmerFile]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, European Union, Germany, USA

There used to be lots of motocross parks in Europe where you could ride your dirt bike around banked turns and over carefully crafted jumps to your heart’s content. In recent years, though,the issue of noise pollution has really taken the air out of the knobby-tire fun. With the advent of clean and quiet electric bikes like those from Quantya, those days may be coming back. Hans Eder, businessman and motocross trainer, thinks that “Quantya Parks” are about to become really popular and has plans to open somewhere between 50 and 70 of the tracks in Germany and Austria. That’s a lot of parks!

One of the first Quantya parks has already opened in the Bavarian town of Siegsdorf and because of the lack of noise, town officials allowed it to be built beside some tennis courts close to a residential area. Would-be riders don’t need to bring their own wheels to take on the challenging track. They can be rented onsite for &euro15 ($22) per 15 minutes and if folks like them as much as we did when we took it for a test drive, you better bring some serious plastic. But you don’t have to go all the way to Europe to enjoy a Quantya. According to Quantya’s American website, the bikes are now shipping to the U.S. and Canada.

[Source: Spiegel Online]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: MPG, Chevrolet, USA

Chevrolet apparently has a hit on its hands in the form of the new XFE model of its Cobalt compact car. Relatively easy tricks such as revised gearing, low rolling-resistance tires and some computer reprogramming was enough to boost the XFE to 36 miles per gallon on the highway, up from the standard model’s 33 mpg. GM says it took just eighteen months to make this new version a reality, and rumors indicate there could be more XFEs on the way.

Nancy Libby, a spokeswoman for Chevrolet, says that demand for the car surprised the automaker, as it had estimated that the XFE would make up just two to three percent of Cobalt sales. In actuality, the XFE model accounts for eight percent of sales and sits on the lot for just eighteen days on average — lowest of any Cobalt model. Perhaps the best news of all is that other automakers are observing the success Chevy has had with the XFE, and the concept is spreading across from GM to both Ford and Chrysler.

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

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Honda, New York Auto Show, North America, USA

Click image for a photo gallery of the ‘09 JDM Honda Fit

The redesigned Honda Fit is ready to hit the US as an ‘09 model, and Honda will give it a big Broadway debut at the New York Auto Show next month. Okay, okay — it’s more like a big 11th Avenue debut, but you get the point. The overhauled Fit essentially blends the shape of a Prius with the face of a last-gen Civic Si. The end result is a subcompact with midsize-level interior room. It should do well at the pump, too. Don’t look for the 98-horsepower Japan-spec 1.3L base engine to make the trip to the US, however. Instead, we′ll probably get the 1.5L i-VTEC that makes 118 horsepower. That’s a 9-horse jump over the current car, and it’s capable of achieving a maximum fuel economy rating of 46 mpg under the Japanese test cycle. We’ll have to wait and see how it rates under the EPA’s program. AutoblogGreen will be there when Honda drives the car onstage in the Javits Center, and we’ll provide full coverage from New York. In the meantime, if you want more info on the Japanese-market version, check out our October post on the topic.

[Source: Honda]

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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 Alex Nunez

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Geneva Motor Show, Green Daily

Following weeks of sketches and hints, the carrying case (by which I mean the vehicle) for the unique hydrogen fuel cell system in the Pininfarina Sintesi has been officially unveiled. The striking Pininfarina design - note the crazy-big windshield and the double side windows - houses an electric-hydrogen hybrid system that features little fuel cells peppered throughout the vehicle. The Autoblog team will be in Geneva next week and we look forward to some live pics of this engaging concept. Thanks to Simon for the tip!

[Source: Pininfarina via Autoblog]

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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: Carbon Offset

Delivery services like DHL are very efficient operations that get your package from point A to point B at the lowest possible cost, but the company’s mega-fleet spews CO₂ by the truckload. In the Asia Pacific region, DHL has started Gogreen Express to give environmentally conscious shippers the ability to choose carbon-neutral package delivery. Using Gogreen Express is as simple as paying an additional three percent fee on top of the cost of the overall bill. DHL then invests the money into green projects like vehicle technology, solar panels and reforestation. It’s definitely not electric-powered delivery vehicles, but at least it’s a start. There is no word at this time whether the option will be offered here in the U.S.

[Source: Times of India]

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Original post by Chris Shunk

Filed under: Etc., Ford, Natural Gas, USA

In some countries, LPG (liquified propane gas) is an increasingly common fuel for automobiles due to its comparatively low cost and 15-20 percent lower emissions compared to gasoline or diesel fuel. Though some are against the practice, a few governments encourage the use of LPG through lowered taxes. In America, propane for automotive use is usually limited to large fleets, where the specialized pumping equipment can be cost effectively purchased. As we mentioned before, Roush has decided to tap into this fleet market with a new LPG version of the popular Ford F-150.

Using Ford’s 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton[TM] V-8 engine, Roush promises the same performance as the gasoline version. Available in available in Regular Cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew cab styles with XL, XLT, STX, & FX4 trim along with all three different bed lengths and two different sized LPG tanks, we’d imagine that no matter what your needs may be, Roush has an LPG-equipped truck that will suit you. According to the press release after the break, Roush is currently taking orders for the new pickup, which can be ordered, delivered and serviced through a network of select Ford dealers across the nation.

Press Release:

LIVONIA, Mich. (March 28, 2008) - With so much talk these days about reducing emissions, lowering one’s carbon footprint, and going “green,” ROUSH(R) has created an excellent fleet option by developing a Ford F-150 pickup powered by propane. ROUSH has long been considered as Detroit’s foremost Tier 1 advanced powertrain engineering company.

According to research commissioned by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and conducted by Energetics, Inc., propane’s emissions have lower carbon content than gasoline, diesel, heavy fuel oil, and ethanol. Even when upstream emissions - those released as a result of extracting and processing energy - are factored into the equation, propane is still one of the best fuel options from a greenhouse gas (GHG) perspective.

When fuel is burned at a 99 percent combustion rate, on-site emissions estimates of the amount of carbon dioxide released per Btu heavily favors liquid propane gas which releases only 62.7 kg CO2/million Btu^. Ethanol, commonly known as E85, releases 66.6 kg^, and gasoline falls in at 70.5 kg^. Diesel fuel is the worst of the group at 72.5 kg.^

The exhaust emitted from a properly maintained propane-fueled engine contains virtually no toxic compounds. And because the boiling point is 44 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, propane vaporizes instantly when released into the atmosphere. It degrades rapidly when exposed to the light, and no contamination will result from spills or leaks.

Additionally, propane does not have the contaminants of some other fuels like diesel, and has less criteria pollutants across many applications. Propane’s portability, storability, and environmental benefits also qualify it to serve the unique needs of several applications, such as fueling a fleet of pickup trucks.

The ROUSH F-150 Liquid Propane Injection truck is designed and manufactured to operate solely on propane while providing the same horsepower, torque and drivability of an F-150 equipped with a gasoline-powered 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton[TM] V-8 engine.

ROUSH has begun taking orders for the propane-powered F-150. The 2008 model year truck can be ordered, delivered and serviced through a nationwide network of select Ford dealers.

The ROUSH F-150 is available in Regular Cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew cab styles with XL, XLT, STX, & FX4 trim and all three different bed lengths. The liquid propane injection system option includes dedicated propane fuel lines, fuel rail assembly and fuel tank. Additionally, the vehicle’s computer has been re-calibrated to provide optimum performance and fuel economy.

[Source: Roush]

 

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Hybrid, Lexus, Toyota, Green Daily

Photo by OrangeLimey. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Starting in a few weeks (mid- to late-May) a Prius will cost you $400 more than it used to. Toyota announced across-the-board price increases to 2008 and 2009 Toyota and Lexus models today (Scion were “adjusted″ back in April), and all Toyota models included in the list are up between $100 (the Tundra) and $500 (the Highlander hybrid). The price of the 2009 Camry hybrid has been upped $300 to $25,650. As for the smiling icon, the 2008 Prius’ MSRP’s new base price is $21,500 or 1.8 percent higher than before. On the Lexus side, the RX 400h is now $300 more and will cost you $41,580. As our friends at Autoblog point out probably won’t slow down sales: in April 2008, 53.8 percent more Priuses were sold on average per day than in April 2007. Full list of price increases after the jump.

Press Release:

Toyota Announces Mid-Year Pricing on Certain Toyota and Lexus Vehicles

May 2, 2008 - Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced new manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) today for certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles, effective mid- to late May 2008.

Toyota Division
At this time, pricing for the all-new 2008 Sequoia full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV), the 2008 Tacoma pickup truck, the all-new 2009 Corolla compact car and all-new 2009 Matrix crossover utility vehicle pricing remains unchanged.

The base MSRP for 2008 Yaris sedan will receive a new price of $12,425, an increase of $200, or 1.6 percent. The 2008 Yaris liftback will list a new base MSRP of $11,550, an increase of $200, or 1.7 percent. The MSRP for the 2008 Prius will carry a new base price of $21,500, an increase of $400, or 1.8 percent.

The 2008 Camry Solara coupe and Solara convertible increase by $250 or 0.9 percent and gain new base MSRPs of $20,180 and $27,440, respectively. The 2008 Avalon will post a new base MSRP of $27,325, an increase of $250, or 0.8 percent.

The only 2009 model year Toyota vehicle to receive a price adjustment is the Toyota Camry. The gas model increases $200 or 0.9 percent and carries a new base MSRP of $18,920. The hybrid model, which was introduced as a 2007 model in late 2006, increases by $300 or 1.1 percent and carries a new base MSRP of $25,650.

The 2008 RA͠ compact SUV price increases by $250, or 1.1 percent, and will receive a new base MSRP of $21,500. The Highlander midsize SUV gas model posts a price increase of $200, or 0.7 percent, and will carry a new base MSRP of $27,500; and the hybrid model posts an increase of $500, or 1.3 percent, and will have a new base MSRP of $34,200.

The 2008 FJ Cruiser MSRP increases by $500, or 2.1 percent, with a new base MSRP of $23,045. The 2008 4Runner carries a new starting MSRP of $28,415, which represents an increase of 1.3 percent, or $400. MSRP increases by $900, or 1.4 percent, for the all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser, with a new base price of $64,100.

In the full-size truck category, the 2008 Tundra increases by $100 and will carry a new base price of $22,390, an increase of 0.3 percent. Pricing for 2008 Sienna increases by $100, or 0.4 percent, and will have a new base MSRP of $24,440.

Toyota MSRPs do not include a delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $660 for passenger cars and $685 for light trucks. DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

Lexus Division
Lexus also announced new MSRPs for select 2008 model year luxury vehicles and the 2009 RX 350 luxury utility vehicle. Currently, pricing for 2008 Lexus IS F high-performance luxury sports sedan remains unchanged.

The IS entry luxury sport sedans will increase 0.9 percent overall, or $300. The IS 250 rear-wheel drive model with a manual transmission will carry an MSRP of $30,855, while the IS 250 rear-wheel drive automatic will have an MSRP of $32,025. The IS 250 all-wheel drive and the IS 350 models will have MSRPs of $34,485 and $36,305, respectively.

The ES 350 entry luxury sedan MSRP will increase 0.9 percent, or $300, to $34,120.

The GS 350 and GS 460 luxury sport sedans will increase 0.9 percent overall, or $400.The GS 350 rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models will carry MSRPs of $44,550 and $46,500, respectively. The GS 460 will carry a base price of $53,020. The GS 450h hybrid model will increase 1.6 percent, or $900, to $55,800.

The MSRP for the LS 460 flagship luxury sedan will increase 1.4 percent, or $900, to $62,900 for the LS 460 and $72,900 for the LS 460 L. The MSRP for the LS 600h L hybrid will increase 0.9 percent, or $900, to $104,900.
The SC 430 luxury hardtop convertible will increase 1.4 percent, or $900, to $66,355.

The RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle MSRP will increase 0.7 percent overall, or $300, to $41,580 for the RX 400h front-wheel drive model, and $42,980 for the all-wheel-drive model. The 2009 RX 350 luxury utility vehicle MSRP will increase 0.5 percent, or $200. The front-wheel-drive RX 350 will have an MSRP of $37,700, while the RX 350 all-wheel drive will carry a base price of $39,100.

The GX 470 luxury utility vehicle will carry an MSRP of $47,315, an increase of 1.1 percent, or $500.

The LX 570 luxury utility vehicle will increase 1.2 percent, or $900, carrying an MSRP of $74,700.

Lexus MSRPs do not include a delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $765.

Scion
Scion recently announced price adjustments for 2009 model year xB and tC on April 11, 2008. Additional pricing information on 2009 Scion xD will be announced in summer 2008.

[Source: Toyota]

 

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota, UK

Click above for a high-resolution gallery of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 UK Customer Satisfaction Index Study, produced along with What Car?, indicates that owners of the Prius are rather happy with their cars. For the second consecutive year, the second-generation of Toyota’s iconic green machine, the Prius, has won the award as the highest scoring model in the U.K. on the Customer Satisfaction Index Study, setting the gold standard with a score of 901 of 1,000 possible points. Owners reported high quality and reliability when polled.

Miguel Fonseca, Managing Director for Toyota in the U.K., said: “We place a high emphasis on customer satisfaction in every aspect of the ownership experience. For us, the findings of the J.D. Power and Associates study and the award for Prius are a vindication of the work done throughout our company and our center network to support great products with exceptional service. I view this as an endorsement by customers of hybrid technology as a powertrain for today as well as the future.” So, not only is the vehicle an excellent choice because of its green credentials, but also for its reliability. Score one for Toyota.

[Source: JD Power / What Car?]

 

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota

For the eighth time in the last five years, the powertrain of the Toyota Prius has been recognized by jury of the International Engine of the Year competition as one of the best. This time around Engine Technology International magazine replaced the previous best fuel economy category with Best Green Engine. The change was done to recognize the desired for both reduced fuel consumption and emissions. The Prius engine and hybrid transmission combo achieves tank-to-wheel efficiency of 34 percent compared to 14-15 percent for most internal combustion engines. The Prius has also been rated at 104g/km of CO₂ on the European driving cycle. The 76hp 1.5L four cylinder combines with a 67hp electric motor/generator to achieve these results. The points spread from the 65 member jury of automotive journalists from 32 countries was actually pretty close for the top two spots with the Prius getting a narrow victory over BMW’s single turbo 2.0L diesel with start/stop capability.

[Source: UkipMe.com, via Toyota Open Road]

 

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, AFVI Show, Green Daily

click to enlarge

Remember the big deal it was when the “Here & Now” version of Monopoly came out and there was a Prius pawn inside? Well, there’s Monopoly Prius standing guard at the entry way to the AFVI expo hall here in Las Vegas this week. The hybrid is totally decked out in Monopoly money decorations and has landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Seattle Space Needle painted on it. Aside from being a good conversation piece, the display takes care to note that the Prius is the first car in space - since the game’s updated tokens were sent into orbit on the Space Shuttle at some point. Is this display a big deal? Not really, but when I get home from this trip, I’ll post another batch of pictures I took a few months ago, just for fun. Who knew there was more than one person who wanted to decorate their car in Monopoly money?

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco