Hybrid News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Africa

The credit crunch is not only playing havoc with plans at Tesla and other green (or not) car companies. Indeed, the effects of the financial crises are global and so it comes as little surprise that Optimal Energy, the South African company that recently showed off it’s all-electric Joule at the Paris Motor Show, is now saying that they expect their car to take a little longer to bring into existence than first suggested. The companys need about $130 million to build an assembly plant and that kind of investment capitol is a little harder to come by than it was even a few months ago.

The CEO of the private company, Kobus Meiring, is optimistic sounding about the future though. He says that although the timing of their launch with the collapse of the market was unfortunate, he feels his company has the kind of value a savvy investor should be attracted to. In his words, “In a sense the market is good and bad. Its bad because a lot of the discretionary part of funds have disappeared and funds have to regroup, but its good … if you are looking for a real-value proposition. From that point of view we will attract investors,” He says they will need to eventually produce 20,000 cars a year to be viable and expects 80 per cent of that production to be shipped overseas. He wants to be in full-volume production by 2015 and has €25,000 ($32,235) as a target for the price tag for the six-seater.

[Source: Guardian]

World financial mess slowing South African electric car plans originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: Hybrid, Citroen, Paris Motor Show

Citroën today became the first manufacturer competing in the World Rally Championship to announce a hybrid drive WRC competitor. The C4 WRC HyMotioѐ adds an electric kinetic energy recovery system to the C4 WRC. A 125kW electric motor generator is geared to the rear axle of the all-wheel-drive rally car while a lithium ion battery pack sits on top of the fuel tank. The motor-generator reduces brake wear and fade by providing regenerative braking capability. When the driver needs bursts of extra power for passing, a button provides instant electric boost. The driver can also enable an electric-only drive mode for use on road sections, particularly in urban or residential areas where noise is a concern. Citroën claims a increased range of up to 25 miles with the hybrid racer and reduced fuel consumption of 30 percent on road stages where the electric drive is used. Because rally cars run under so many different types of conditions all the different operating modes are driver selectable. Citroën hasn′t given any hint yet of when or if they will try to run the hybrid WRC car in actual competition.

[Source: Citroën]

Continue reading Paris 2008: Citroen C4 WRC HYmotioѐ hybrid rally car

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Lexus, Toyota, Detroit Auto Show, European Union, UK, USA, Paris Motor Show

It’s been rumored and alluded to so many times that we just began accepting it as fact, and now it is: Toyota has confirmed that Lexus will indeed get a version of the Toyota Prius. Based on the third-generation of the Prius hatchback that is set to debut in January at the Detroit Auto Show, the Lexus is expected to be a bit less fuel efficient, a bit more sporty and a lot more opulent. We have no idea what Toyota’s luxury division will charge for its new hybrid, but it’ll definitely be sold for a premium over its Toyota sibling.

A second dedicated hybrid model will join the new Lexus Prius. Lexus officials in Paris for the Motor Show have confirmed that it will not be sold in Europe alongside its upmarket Prius, which will show up in Europe in 2010. The reason? Its carbon emissions will be too high, which doesn’t exactly bode well for fuel efficiency. One more salient detail was slipped, the third-gen Prius will emit 92 g/km of CO₂, and a new low-emissions version will have CO₂ emissions of 89g/km, which does indeed bode well for its mileage. We’ll see how all of this translates early next year.

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MPG, Mazda, Paris Motor Show

Mazda is using its new Kiyora city car concept as a platform to demonstrate how it plans to achieve fuel efficiency improvements of 30 percent in the next few years. The Kiyora takes the design themes seen on recent Mazda concepts like the Furai and Ryuga and applies it to a 12.4 ft long 4-seater. The water theme of this design has a drag coefficient 10 percent lower than the recently introduced Mazda2. The 1.3L four cylinder engine features the latest generation direct injection system along with variable cam phasing and valve lift on both cam shafts. Power is transferred to the wheels via a lightweight new 6-speed automatic transmission. Since the Kiyora is designed as a compact city car, an automatic start stop is an obvious addition. This concept has Mazda’s new Smart Idle Stop System that utilizes the direct injection system to get the engine restarted without using the starter motor.

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Paris 2008: Mazda Kiyora city car concept

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, Green Daily

The lead mouth-piece at Top Gear, the incomparable Jeremy Clarkson, has a mixed record when it comes to greener vehicles. He did great with a round trip from London to Edinburgh in an diesel Audi A8, averaging over 33 mpg. However, his more recent encounter with the electric G-Wiz ended less favorably. The UK daily The Independent is reporting that on the next series of the best car show ever created, Clarkson will try again with battery power. This time around he will be going a little more upscale as he is to sample the Tesla Roadster. We checked with Tesla’s SVP Darryl Siry to find out which version of the Roadster that Top Gear would be driving, drivetain 1.5, 2-speed or interim single speed. Siry was unaware of the British report. He confirmed that Tesla had been in contact with Top Gear producers but nothing has been scheduled or confirmed yet. He did tell ABG that “You can bet it will be with our best foot forward,” implying that when the test happens it will be with the upgraded drivetrain 1.5.

Clarkson’s a fairly big guy so it will be interesting to see how he fits in the car when the drive does happen. He will no doubt be pleased with the performance of the Roadster, and it will be interesting to see what kind of range the Top Gear crew will be able to muster when the Roadster is driven in their usual manner. It will also be interesting to see what self-improvement recording the Stig listens to as he takes to the track in the Roadster. Thanks to Jamie for the tip!

[Source: The Independent, Tesla Motors]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Tesla Motors

Tesla’s SVP of marketing Darryl Siry has been on another sales tour of Europe filling in the magazines over there on the company’s future product plans. For the most part there was nothing new that we haven’t already reported on here over the past year. The upcoming Model S (formerly known as WhiteStar) will not be sharing a platform with any existing vehicle. That doesn’t mean every single component of the car will be completely bespoke. It wouldn’t make financial sense to build every single part just for this one car, so parts like brakes, steering hardware and perhaps even some suspension bits will be borrowed from other cars. According to Siry, the Model S design is about 90 percent done.

For the Model S and future programs, Tesla′s engineers have reconfigured the battery pack to make it more practical for different body configurations. The Roadster’s pack is upright and sits in the middle of the car behind the passenger compartment. For the new car, a low-slung pack that fits under the floor will be used. When we contacted Siry he declined to comment on whether Tesla would continue to use the laptop type cells for the new pack or switch to one of the new larger format cells being designed for automotive use. The under-floor setup mirrors the configuration being used by many other EV manufacturers. Continue reading after the jump.

[Sources: AutoCar, CAR, Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla talking about future product plans with Brit magazines, no SUV coming

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Tesla Motors, USA

Tesla Motors has hired Deepak Ahuja away from the Ford Motor Company to serve as its new Chief Financial Officer. This announcement comes right after the automaker’s hiring of Franz von Holzhausen from Mazda to serve as its Design Director. Seems like Tesla is serious about bringing in talent from Detroit to mesh with the Silicon Valley minds it already has procured. Ahuja had previously served as the man in charge of bringing small European-market Ford products to America. Before that, he was the CFO of Ford of Southern Africa and for Auto Alliance International, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Mazda. It sounds as if Ahuja has the right stuff to guide Tesla’s financial future as the company continues the extremely difficult task of launching mainstream electric vehicles before even the established players are able to do so. We’ve pasted the official press release after the break.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla hires Deepak Ahuja away from Ford to serve as CFO

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, USA

Well, we have good news and bad news. The bad news is that a Tesla Roadster, number six it seems, has been crashed in San Francisco. The good news is that the machine is likely not totaled and its battery pack is undamaged. So, the owner of the car hopefully won’t need to go too long without his black beauty. According to eye-witnesses at the scene, the Roadster went rather unnoticed due to its silent operation, which may (or may not, who knows?) have contributed to the accident. This is the first customer car to be involved in an accident, though you may recall that Founders Series car number two, which was to be handed over to Martin Eberhard, was damaged in transit to its new owner. Fortunately, that car was also repaired and has now been delivered.

Though the airbags did not deploy, the unfortunate Roadster was wedged underneath a Mercedes-Benz in front after being rear-ended by a Toyota Camry. The police report has yet to be seen, so we have no idea who was at fault. Thanks to all who sent this in!

[Source: Hey.com - photo: Alex Volkov]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Tesla Motors

Over at the Tesla Motors blog, future Roadster owner Ken Jacobs has written a guest post about his recent visit to England. While he and his wife were in the UK, they hopped over to Hethel, the home of Lotus and primary assembly site of the Roadster. They were given a tour of the factory and the assembly line where Lotus employees take the thousands of bits and pieces that comprise a Roadster and bolt them together. The regular Elise assembly line has been modified to simultaneously accommodate both the Roadster and the Elise. At the moment, Roadsters are still only being started at the rate of around 4 cars per week, although that should increase rapidly later in August as Tesla prepares to switch over to the updated drivetrain. Lotus assembles “gliders″ whose motor and battery get installed once the rolling chassis arrives in California. Tesla is ships the cars by boat from England, a trip that takes several weeks.

[Source: Tesla]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Tesla Motors

Over at the old gray lady, Joe Nocera has cast a jaundiced eye upon the phenomenon that is Tesla Motors and comes away with the conclusion that the Chevy Volt will come away as the winner. In fact Nocera seems very skeptical that pure battery electric cars will be a viable mainstream prospect anytime soon. Certainly based solely on the example of Tesla, it does not seem likely that a start-up will succeed in producing an EV for the masses profitably anytime soon. As I’ve said here many times building an affordable mass market car is actually a lot harder than building a high-dollar sports car, and Tesla has clearly shown that even that is no easy feat. Tesla hopes to build the Model S sedan in about two years at a cost starting at $60,000. The model S is unlikely to match the nominal range of the Roadster at the base price, especially when you consider that it will be a much larger heavier car made of aluminum rather than carbon fiber (over an aluminum structure). Even the Roadster only achieves a little more than half its nominal range of 227 miles when driven hard. Contrary to Elon Musk who thinks hybrids and ER-EVs are a red herring, Nocera feels that the Volt is a far more viable candidate for success.

What Nocera doesn’t touch on is the small Japanese EVs that are coming from the likes of Mitsubishi, Subaru and Nissan. Mitsubishi in particular seems extremely confident about the iMiEV. Only time will tell.

[Source: New York Times]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Porsche, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, UK

Following Porshce’s threat to start a legal process against the City of London for the city’s upcoming increase in the congestion charge, a spokesperson for Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, has issued a response, calling Porsche’s action a “double attack on Londoners.” The two prongs are an attack on Londoners democratic rights and an attack on clean air in the city. The statement ends with, “No one is allowed to throw their rubbish in the street and Porsche should not be allowed to impose gas guzzling polluting cars on Londoners who do not want them.” Doesn’t sound like the city is willing to back down in this fight. More to come, I′m sure.

Related:

• Mayor of London bashed for new congestion charge
• Porsche officially starts legal process against London’s congestion charge

[Source: Transport for London]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, European Union, SEAT

Say hello to the new version of the Seat Ibiza. The Spanish-made subcompact comes with a completely new platform and a complete set of powertrains with green credentials: all gasoline-powered versions produce less than 160 g/km CO₂ while all diesels are below the 120 g/km figure. Missing from this list are the CUPRA and Ecomotive versions and, of course, hybrid powertrains.

The new platform makes the car larger and wider, which improves comfort, but SEAT has reduced weight wherever possible. This mean better fuel consumption for the redesigned Ibiza. Safety measures have also been improved and the marque expects the highest rankings possible in the EuroNCAP tests. Erich Schmidt, SEAT’s CEO, believes that, “The new Ibiza puts your emotions up while putting your emissions down.” Presentation video and full press release after the jump.

Press Release:

The new SEAT Ibiza

# New technical basis
# New design
# Added safety and comfort
# Lower fuel consumption and emissions

SEAT is unveiling the new Ibiza this Wednesday at its development and production facility in Martorell near Barcelona, Spain. Sportiness and design, as well as SEAT’s customary high-quality precision, are the essential traits of the newcomer to the SEAT family.

Chairman of the Board of Management, Erich Schmitt, describes the company’s latest addition as follows: “The new SEAT Ibiza is the car for the young and the young-at-heart - people who appreciate design, sportiness and quality, yet are also environmentally aware.”

The SEAT Ibiza featured today especially benefits from a new technical basis, with a longer wheelbase and greater track width, which result in enhanced dynamic qualities. At the same time, the Ibiza expands its comfort and safety specification with parking sensors and cornering light function, as well as newly developed airbag systems.

The new SEAT Ibiza combines comfort and safety with a reduced vehicle weight. The lower weight, the efficient engines and the reconfigured transmission ratios all add up to reduced fuel consumption and emissions. All of the petrol-powered models emit less than 160g CO2/km, while the entire diesel range keeps CO2 emissions below 120g/km.

As Schmitt remarks: “The SEAT Ibiza is intended to heighten emotions and lower emissions.”

The looks of the SEAT Ibiza are moulded by the new “Arrow Design” concept. Its newly designed front-end and the distinctly contoured lines running lengthwise reinforce the vehicle’s dynamic, modern statement, while tremendous attention to detail makes the sporty Spanish model more than street-ready.

Customers can catch their first glimpse of the new Ibiza after April 2, 2008, when specially equipped trucks will be displaying the cars in prime locations across Europe. The roadshow schedule and further details can be found by visiting: www.newseatibiza.com

The new SEAT Ibiza will be making its debut motor show appearance in Madrid on May 22, 2008, after which it will receive its European market launch.

[Source: SEAT]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: Biodiesel, Etc., Green Daily

It used to be that restaurants had to pay to have their waste oil taken away. Then, with the boom in homemade biodiesel, people were willing to schlepp it away for free, which made everyone happy. I ‘, pretty sure there are some areas today where biodiesel groups are paying to take the oil away. But, with the high gas prices and the easy-to-understand value of waste oil, said oil is disappearing from restaurants in Wichita, Kansas, reports KWCH-TV. As Healy Biodiesel owner Ben Healy tells the station, “Oil is really the life blood of our company and if we don’t have oil, there’s nothing for us to do here. Every gallon of oil that is stolen from us is a gallon of oil we can’t sell.”

[Source: KWCH]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Biodiesel, Green Daily, USA

Photo by Paul Keleher. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Yesterday, driving around the Detroit suburbs, I saw a man holding up a sign along the side of the road that read, “We buy gold inside Kroger.” (Kroger is a large grocery store chain). It seemed to me that the man making (I’m guessing) minimum wage to hold a piece of cardboard alerting people that they can hawk their jewelery at the local grocery store for quick cash is one of those sure signs that the economy is failing (necklace for noodles, anyone?). Another sure sign in my eyes are the increased incidents of people stealing waste grease from restaurants.

This isn’t new, and folks have been stealing standard fuel, too. But the New York Times reports that grease bandits are more active now than ever before, trying to steal waste grease to supply biofuel providers and move our vehicles. Part of the reason is that this stuff is a commodity, trading at around 33 cents a pound this week, up from under eight cents in 2000, thanks to biodiesel producer demand. To help prevent thieves from taking gas straight out of the tank, vehicle drivers can buy a locking gas cap. What are restaurants supposed to do? Buy huge locking dumpsters? Kind of. Some restaurant owners are considering putting surveillance cameras out back to keep an eye on the liquid waste.

[Source: New York Times]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Original post by Sebastian Blanco