Hybrid News

Filed under: SMART, LA Auto Show

The smart fortwo BRABUS, unveiled today at the LA Auto Show, looks pretty sweet in person. I can do without the BRABUS name stuffed everywhere - floormat, hand brake, gas cap, etc. - but if you’re willing to fork out the $17,990 for the coupe (or $20,990 for the cabriolet), then you probably want your passengers and attentive passersby to know it. And, becuase we’ve got a nice gallery of high-res images of the new model (in black, the silver version wasn’t displayed today), you can decide for yourself if the new look of 41 mpg (highway) is too much or just right. These cars will be avaialable in limited numbers starting next year, but not for just anyone. For now, purchasing the smart fortwo BRABUS will be something only people who already have a fortwo on order can do. Do you have your name on the list?

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading LA 2008: Brabus smart fortwo revealed

LA 2008: Brabus smart fortwo revealed originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hybrid, SMART, UK

The micro hybrid drive (mhd) smart fortwo (see previous post) has been upgraded. Oh, it’s still micro, don’t worry, but now the start-stop system will come standard on the 61hp and 71hp versions of the fortwo in the UK. Why is this a good thing? Well, the mhd models use up to 24 percent less fuel than previous versions and emit just 103 grams of CO₂ per kilometer. When activated (it’s optional, but why you wouldn’t want it operating is beyond me), the mhd system shuts off the engine not just when the fortwo is halted, but when the car is going slower than 5 mph and brake pressure is applied. Push on the gas and the engine automatically restarts. Inside, the new fortwo mhd gets a refreshed instrument cluster with not one but two eco lights. How’s that for progress? Prices for the mhd start at £7,060 OTR.

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Micro hybrid drive (mhd) smart fortwo gets upgraded

Micro hybrid drive (mhd) smart fortwo gets upgraded originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Etc., SMART, Green Daily

What you see above is part of Daimler’s new smart-branded gifts for the holiday season. Specifically, it’s the “smart ‘winter magic’ diorama” that brings us 75 percent of the way to the full collection of the “four seasons” series. You know, the one that also includes “Summer idyll” and “Autumn impressions” (we’re still waiting on “Spring awakening” coming early next year). The two active Nordic types in the diorama, who apparently can′t get enough of skiing and snowboarding on flat ground, are seen next to a 1:87 scale model of a smart fortwo coupé. There’s also a snowman and some coneys, but you’ll have to click on the large version of the picture to see it all. There will be plenty of good pictures or real cars coming from the LA Auto Show this week, but do yourself a favor and click on this one now, just to get into the habit. Other items in the smart holiday collection include an old-school digital watch and, wow, a pen. Who said the economy’s in trouble?

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading These Smart accessories cross some sort of line, I’m sure

These Smart accessories cross some sort of line, I’m sure originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: SMART, Green Daily

I think there are now more smart fortwo versions than there are types of iPods. I mean, c′mon, there’s the Batsmart, the smart ed, the edit10n; and those are all from the last two months. But, a glut does not stop the flow, and Carlsson Tuning would like to present us with their special version of the fortwo. Carlsson will “personalize″ a fortwo with some 16- or 17-inch 1/11 Evo BE alloy wheels, aerodynamic styling additions through a new front spoiler and sport springs that lower the ride height by 25mm. On a petrol-powered fortwo, Carlsson will also upgrade (?) your exhaust to deliver a “deeper, more prominent note.” On the inside, there are options galore, including “special leathers and fabrics” and an aluminum pedal set. Pricing was not announced.

[Source: Carlsson]

Continue reading Carlsson tunes the smart fortwo for more “oomph”

Carlsson tunes the smart fortwo for more “oomph” originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hydrogen

Is it just me or has there been a lot less hydrogen news coming out recently than usual? Finally, though, the drought has ended and we have ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Company to thank for bringing it up again. The news is that ExxonMobil will be getting a supply of hydrogen from Air Products (they of the mobile hydrogen refueling station) via a hydrogen pipeline network in the West Gulf Coast. ExxonMobil refineries in Baytown, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana will get the hydrogen product starting in April 2010. The two companies also have a hydrogen deal in Joliet, Illinois. More details after the jump.

[Source: Air Products]

Continue reading ExxonMobil will get hydrogen from Air Products in Gulf area

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Hybrid, Ford, USA

Let’s get one fact straight right off the bat: no current vehicles on American roadways were designed from the start to serve as taxis. Sure, the Crown Victoria from Ford may be the most often used vehicle for taxi service around the country, but it and its Fox platform were not specifically designed to be used as a taxi. We’re not suggesting that the Crown Vic doesn’t make a good people-mover, but its origins are as a vehicle for public consumption, a family car if you will. Why do we care? The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT) has made claims that hybrid taxis are unsafe and has asked manufacturers to certify their vehicles for taxi use. For obvious reasons, the OEMs are a bit hesitant to do so.

Honda has flat out denied the request, stating that it never designed the cars to serve as taxis and Toyota has so far chosen not to respond. Automakers like Nissan, Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors have suggested that it’s not their responsibility to ensure the safety of a modified vehicle. Because the city of New York requires a partition between the passengers and the driver, the car’s inherent safety and safety features may be compromised. Note, this has nothing to do with the hybrid drivetrain of any specific vehicle. Perhaps a dedicated vehicle would be best. It will definitely be interesting to watch how this plays out, as New York Mayor Bloomberg announced that the entire fleet would become hybridized by 2012. We’ll see.

[Source: Huffington Post]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Green Culture, Hybrid, Lexus, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, UK

Lexus doesn’t have a good history with the ads for its hybrid SUVs in Europe. Not too long ago, Toyota got into trouble for running the slogan “HIGH PERFORMANCE. LOW EMISSIONS. ZERO GUILT” in reference to its Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUV. The marque is back in the Advertising Standards Authority’s doghouse for another ad for the same vehicle. Here’s the wording that got banned: “THE LEXUS RX 400h. PERFECT FOR TODAY’S CLIMATE, (AND TOMORROW’S)” Under that text, it says, “Driving the world’s first luxury hybrid SUV makes environmental, and economic, sense.”

Four complaints brought the ad to the ASA’s attention, and the body deemed that Lexus was misleading customers into thinking that the vehicle has low emissions in comparison to all other vehicles. Toyota claims, though, that it was only comparing the SUV with other vehicles in its class. No dice. Because the RX 400h sports 192g/km of carbon emissions, it ain’t helping the climate any. The ad was banned and subsequently revised, as you can see in the picture above.

[Source: The Guardian]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

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

Few companies manage to stay in business for 100 years, but for the second time this decade (Ford reached the milestone in 2003) an American based automaker has hit that threshold. Tuesday marks the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of General Motors with a celebration at its world headquarters in Detroit. Automobile Magazine’s Don Sherman takes a look at GM and it’s chances for future success with electrified vehicles in the New York Times. With a price tag that has crept upward by 30 percent from the original target, and styling that departs significantly from the highly regarded 2007 concept, the chances for success of the Volt are being increasingly questioned. The need for aerodynamic efficiency has left many feeling that the sporty vision we saw last year has morphed into another Prius clone. Sherman quotes several industry observers who doubt that lithium batteries will be able to meet the vehicle lifespan requirements that are needed and they may well turn out to be right. At this point it’s simply too early to tell. GM is conducting accelerated durability testing, but until they have years of use in the real world, we simply won’t know if the models are accurate enough. Meanwhile stick with us on Tuesday morning when we bring you live coverage of the official reveal of the Volt production design from Detroit.

Related:

• BREAKING: Is this the production Chevy Volt in Transformers 2?
• EPA vs the Chevy Volt: Hybrid or electric car? 48mpg or 100mpg?
• Production Chevy Volt photos leak out!

[Source: New York Times]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Green Culture, HUMMER, SMART, Green Daily, USA

Despite the fact that Hummers are really no worse on gas than many other full-size, off-road oriented SUV, there is no arguing that the brand has come to represent all that is wrong in the state of the auto scene. As gas prices began rising, Hummer sales began sinking. In contrast, sales of hybrids, MINIs and smarts have gone through the roof. For its part, Penske, the American importer of the smart brand, has raised its sales outlook for the year. It’s telling that one of the nation′s largest Hummer dealers - located in Sin City no less - is closing its doors, despite the fact that the owner drives a Hummer and is still fond of the brand. Sales are just too slow, even in a city where people sometimes have more money than they know what to do with. In a rather unique twist, the ex-Hummer dealer’s owner will soon be opening a smart dealership. How’s that for irony?

[Source: Wall Street Journal / Photo: debcll, CC 2.0]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Ford, USA

Many people in the States still make their living using good ‘ole fashioned pickup trucks as their main method of transportation. For those people, the sky-high price of fuel is putting a serious dent in their profit margins, especially when that truck is used day-in and day-out to move heavy objects from one place to another. It’s dirty work, but somebody’s got to do it, as they say. For these gasoline-weary individuals, Ford, makers of the best-selling pickup truck in the world, is diligently working on its upcoming 4.4L diesel ͤ powerplant, which should improve on the bread-and-butter 5.4L Triton gasoline engine’s mpg figure by 20-percent while delivering an extra shot of torque.

While we′ve seen the engine sitting by itself earlier this year at Ford’s national dealer conference in Vegas, PickupTrucks.com has managed to get its hands on a few shots of the engine under hood of a new F-150 mule. We can clearly see that it’s a tight fit in there with all the associated emissions plumbing, turbocharger and intercooler. Take note too that the engine wears the Power Stroke moniker, though the mill is not made by Ford’s traditional diesel supplier, Navistar. Instead, this engine is derived from a diesel engine used by Land Rover in Europe and will be manufactured in Mexico. Those looking to save a few bucks on a fill-up can look forward to a hopeful debut at the ‘09 Chicago Auto Show with a production release sometime later that year.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Volkswagen, Geneva Motor Show, Natural Gas

Click the Passat for a high res gallery

At the Geneva Motor Show next week, Volkswagen will be premiering a new natural gas-fueled version of the Passat that they are calling the EcoFuel. Unlike most natural gas-fueled cars, which tend to be down on power compared to their gasoline equivalents, the Passat EcoFuel uses one of Volkswagen’s turbocharged direct injected TSI engines. The TSI engine has been optimized for running on CNG and has an output of 150hp and fuel consumption of 5.2l/100km (45 mpg U.S.). The EcoFuel Passat goes on sale in Europe around the end of the year.

[Source: Volkswagen]

 

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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: Diesel, Hybrid, Volkswagen, European Union, UK, Germany, USA

We are extremely pleased that Volkswagen was able to achieve such phenomenal fuel mileage and emissions numbers from their Golf TDI Hybrid. As a refresher, the machine uses a 1.2 liter three-cylinder diesel engine paired with a 26 horsepower electric motor and returns 69 U.S. mpg and 89 g/km of CO₂ emissions in the EU combined cycle. As we′ve reported, the car is slated for production in Europe, but what about the U.S.? Don’t we need cars that deliver high mileage and low emissions here too? Of course we do, but the question that needs to be asked is whether American drivers are ready to pay for the technology required to make these numbers a reality.

The Toyota Prius has set the standard for what consumers expect from green cars, and it is priced rather well - less than $25 grand, well equipped. Diesel vehicles have never sold as well in the States as they do in Europe, despite their fuel mileage increases. This is due, partly, to the added cost that comes with a diesel vehicle in order to meet emissions requirements. Keith Price, a spokesman for VW USA says,”From a consumer standpoint, it comes down to ‘What kind of compromise do I need to live with to enjoy all this wonderfulness?’” Price is one compromise that is hard to get around, as VW’s diesels already cost about $2,000 more than gasoline models. Add in what the hybrid system will cost on top of that and the Golf… um, I mean Rabbit TDI Hybrid may price itself out of the market. We sincerely hope not.

[Source: CNN Money]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Ford

Wind-power is proving a popular choice for automakers in their quest to curb costs and present an environmentally-aware public face. Nissan has eight turbines at its Sunderland plant, Toyota has one planned for its Flintshire, Wales factory and even Chrysler is investing in a wind project at its Chelsea Proving Grounds in Michigan.

While that may seem like a decent effort they will have to do better than that if they want to match the initiative of Ford at its Dagenham Diesel Center. Already supplied with 100 percent wind-generated electricity for its existing operations, expansion plans for a 1.4/1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine line means they’re adding a third wind turbine to supply the extra needed power. The new installation will be handled, as before, by Ecotricity and should produce 1.8 megawatts. Check out the press release from Ford for all the details after the jump.

Press Release:

THIRD WIND TURBINE FOR FORD DAGENHAM’S LOW C̘ ENGINE PLANT

DAGENHAM/COLOGNE, April 4, 2008 - Ford will add a third wind turbine at its Dagenham engine manufacturing plant (London, UK) to reduce further the CO2 emissions from its European operations.

The extra turbine enables Ford’s Dagenham Diesel Centre to remain 100 per cent powered by wind generated electricity, following installation of a new 1.4/1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine line. The engine goes into Ford of Europe’s popular Fiesta, Fusion and Focus models.

“This initiative marks another cornerstone in our ongoing efforts to implement a broad portfolio of measures across our European plants, aimed at further reducing the CO2 footprint from our manufacturing operations,” said Dr Wolfgang Schneider, vice president, governmental and environmental affairs, Ford of Europe.

“Earlier this year, we announced we are sourcing renewable electricity for our Cologne plant where Fiesta and Fusion models are assembled. Now follows the announcement about the installation of the third wind turbine at Dagenham where the engines for those models are manufactured. Both initiatives show our progress in minimising CO2 emissions of our vehicles during their entire life cycle,” he added.

Ford/Ecotricity wind turbine partnership for Dagenham
By using the existing two wind turbines - provided by London-based energy company Ecotricity - Ford Dagenham has avoided the emission of over 6,500 tonnes of CO2 a year since 2004. The third Ecotricity turbine - which is subject to planning approval, would have the capacity to produce 1.8 megawatts of green electricity for Ford’s Dagenham Diesel Centre - the equivalent of powering 1,000 homes.

Ford/RheinEnergy renewable electricity partnership for Cologne
Ford is also investing in environmentally sensitive manufacturing in its other European manufacturing sites. The company is sourcing renewable electricity for its Fiesta/Fusion production and car engineering facilities at Ford Cologne in Germany. The green electric power is generated by three hydro-power plants in Scandinavia and provided to Ford through Cologne-based energy infrastructure service provider RheinEnergy. Through this initiative, the company will reduce its C̘ emissions by 190,000 tonnes per year.

Global commitment
Globally, Ford continues to reduce the environmental footprint of its manufacturing operations. Since the year 2000, Ford has reduced its global operational energy use by 27 per cent overall (12 per cent per vehicle built), CO2 emissions by 31 per cent (16 per cent per vehicle built), and water use by more than 25 per cent (11 per cent per vehicle built).

Renewable or “green” power supplies about three per cent of Ford’s energy needs worldwide, through the use of hydro, solar, wind and geo-thermal power, landfill gas and waste gases.

[Source: Ford]

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Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, European Union

We already mentioned PSA’s plans to downsize engines in an effort to improve fuel efficiency. The French company will showcase the progress its making during PREDIT (National Program for Terrestrial Transport Innovation), which is taking place this week in Paris. PSA will show a prototype co-developed with Valeo and IFP (the teams behind the low-carbon Smart). The prototype is a Citro&eumln C2 with a two-cylinder engine, 8 valves and a mild-hybrid system with Stop&Start and regenerative braking. This allows the sub-subcompact to use 3.8 l/100 km (62 mpg U. S.) and emit just 90 g/km of CO₂. The “regular” ʠ featuring a 1.1 liter I4 engine uses 5.8 l/100 km (40.5 mpg U.S.) and produces 138 g/km of CO₂. The ʠ in the gallery below is the sporty version.

[Source: Autoplus (h/t to Dominique for the tip)]

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Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Japan

After backing interesting electric vehicle projects such as Better Place in Israel and a joint-venture with NEC to produce new-generation batteries, Nissan is now talking about bringing EVs home. Nissan and the Prefecture of Kanagawa have announced a project to study the feasibility of getting more than 3,000 EVs running in the prefecture by the end of 2014 using a local-designed charging network and appropriate incentives.

According to Shigefumi Matsuzawa, the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, should this project have a positive result, it could be extended to the rest of Japan. Just remember that Nissan has promised an EV for the U.S. and Japan in 2010 and mass-market EVs globally by 2012. The choice of Kanagawa Prefecture seems appropriate, because that’s where Nissan has a “green Engineering” center.

[Source: Nissan]

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Original post by Xavier Navarro