February 2009

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Bentley Continental Supersports Concept Called Green

February 27, 2009 in Bioethanol, Consumer News, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Bentley Continental Supersports

The Bentley Continental Supersports edition will debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March. And though it’s the fastest, most bad-ass Bentley ever built, it’s laying claims to green fame as well. The Continental Supersports will be a FlexFuel vehicle.

As part of Bentley’s commitment to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 15% across the range of its cars, the Continental Supersports will be able to run on E85, gasoline, or a combination of the two. The company claims that this reduces “well-to-wheel” emissions by 70%. (By well-to-wheel, they mean from the moment the fuel is sourced to its refinement and delivery to when it burns in the combustion engine and releases emissions from the tailpipe.)

Bentley is basing its green claims on the hope that second-generation biofuels from 100% renewable sources like crop waste will become widely available by the time the Continental Supersports concept becomes a real, live car.

And, you know, it’s got a W12 engine that kicks out 621 bhp and has a 204-mph top speed. If you’re into that kind of thing.

Smart “edition limited three” to Debut at Geneva

February 25, 2009 in Consumer News, MPG, small cars by kristen | No comments

Smart ForTwo limited three edition

Smart announced today that it will debut the Smart ForTwo edition limited three car with standard micro hybrid drive for spring at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in early March. MHD is basically start/stop technology, where the engine shuts off when the brake is applied and the car slows to under 8 km/h (5 mph) and restarts as soon as the brake pedal is released. Parent company Daimler says mhd can improve fuel economy by up to 20% in around-town driving.

But the special-edition Smart isn’t just green on the inside. The exterior is covered in metallic melon green paint with a silvery sweep behind the doors. It has limited three logos on the mirrors and alloy wheels, and an exclusive brown interior with more silvery trim.

No word on how limited this limited three edition is, or if any of the examples will roll off the line and across the Atlantic to U.S. dealerships. We do know the coupe price will be just under $20,000 and the cabriolet will go for about $23,500.

Image courtesy of Daimler.

2011 Dodge Circuit Rumored to Be a Roadster

February 23, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

Dodge Circuit

At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January, Chrysler showcased its ENVI-program EVs, including the electric-orange Dodge Circuit. No definite dates were set for any of the range-extended electric vehicles, but buzz was high and Chrysler seemed close to ready to put at least one of them into production.

Last week, Chrysler and GM were required to file their restructuring plans with the government to receive the next round of cash. GreenCarReports.com found buried on page 135 a mention of an “EV roadster” to be produced in 2010 for the 2011 model year. The site extrapolates from this one word that the first EV from the embattled company won’t be the Lotus-bodied number they’ve parading all over town, but instead an open-topped car based on the 2007 Dodge Demon concept.

Of course, the “roadster” thing could have been a mistake, or just a typo. Really, though, if they can bring in an EV sports car at a decent price, would you care if it was a hard-top Lotus-derived body or a drop-top Miata-style mini monster?

2007 Dodge Demon Concept

Demon image courtesy of Chrysler. Circuit image by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Mitsubishi Reveals Two EV Prototypes in Geneva

February 20, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

Mitsubishi will reveal two electric vehicle prototypes at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March: the Prototype i MiEV and the i MiEV Sport Air concept.

Mitsubishi Prototype i MiEV

The first car will introduce features that inch the little EV closer to Euro-spec readiness, including left-hand drive. All of the electric Mitsubishis on the road right now in their first phase of testing are Japanese-spec right-hand models, even the few in the U.S. The potato-bug of a car gets a wider stance and longer overhangs for Europe as well.

Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport Air Concept

The i MiEV Sport Air concept is expected to have a more powerful electric motor and a solid driving feel, due to the weight of the in-floor battery packs. It also will feature a “clear cutaway” top, which in Mitsubishi’s sketches looks like a sweep of glass from the windshield to the rear window.

Images courtesy of Mitsubishi.

Swedish McDonald’s to Charge EVs

February 18, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs by kristen | 2 comments

Swedes will soon be able to offset their guilt at supporting big agribusiness and cultural hegemony by charging their electric vehicles while they eat at McDonald’s.

The company is buying bright-yellow curbside charging stations with the red-and-gold arches logo for customers to use, though the system will be run by the national grid. Each charger supplies 230 volts, which is enough power to charge up one of the EVs currently on the market in under an hour.

The first McPowerstation, as I’m sure they are not called, will be installed in the next few months. No word on how much — or if — customers will pay for the electrons fueling their cars.

Tesla Model S Four-Door Sedan Likely in 2011

February 16, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

Tesla Recharging

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk blogged last week about the latest member of his electric vehicle family: the Tesla Model S, a four-door sedan. The company has its collective fingers crossed that the U.S. Department of Energy will approve its $350 million loan to work on the new family-friendly car; if it all works out, production could begin in 2011.

Musk had a slew of good news to report, in addition to the high hopes he has for the Model S:

  • The faster, performance-tuned Roadster Sport will be available in June 2009
  • Two new sales and service locations will open in Chicago and London, with more in the pipeline
  • The company is expected to turn a profit by mid-year (but who knows how many high-level personnel changes there’ll be in the meantime)
  • He reiterated that Tesla has partnered with Daimler to supply the batteries and chargers for the electric Smart car

Ford’s First EV Available in 2010

February 13, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | 2 comments

Ford Transit Connect

Ford announced last December that it would have an EV on the market in 2010, and we now know that this EV will be the light-duty delivery van called the Transit Connect.

The gasoline version of the van hits North America this year, with a sticker price of $21,475; there’s been no word on how the battery-electric vehicle version of the Transit Connect will compare, price-wise. The same van will be available worldwide, part of the company’s “One Ford” initiative to stop making thirty versions of one model for different markets around the globe.

The electric powertrain will come from Smith Electric Vehicles, the European leader in converting commercial vehicles to battery power. The little van that could is expected to have a range of up to 100 miles per charge, and to cater to stop-and-go delivery driving situations.

Image of the gasoline-powered 2010 Ford Transit Connect at the 2009 Chicago auto show courtesy of Ford.

ZAP Alias Debuts, Enters the X Prize Race

February 11, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, MPG, Uncategorized by kristen | No comments

The Zap Alias three-wheeled EV, which made its debut at the North American Auto Dealers show in New Orleans last month, has been accepted as an X Prize competitor, along with nearly 40 other teams of alternative-fuel vehicle builders.

The winner of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize will meet several criteria:

  • Achieve 100 MPGe — the energy equivalent of 100 miles per gallon of gasoline
  • Be affordable (no six-figure pricetags here)
  • Meet market standards for safety and performance
  • Be production-ready

In a nutshell, these high-efficiency cars have to work and real people have to be able to buy them.

The Zap Alias, a two-seater electric vehicle, is competing in the “alternative” class. It requires two seats (check) and a 100-mile range, which Zap says the Alias will be able to do. The alternative class encourages new designs, which Zap took to heart when coming up with the three-wheeled Alias. It’s more than a motorcycle, but not quite a full-fledged car, with an other-worldly, sci-fi flair. Which may be just the ticket for the $1 million prize purse.

If you’re into the Alias and want one regardless of its chances at the X Prize, Zap is taking deposits of $1000 for the car. There will be a limited number of Signature Series examples sold in 2009.

Check out the 30-second video to get a glimpse of the Alias.

EV Ownership: A Hybrid Technologies Update

February 9, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, New Tech, small cars by kristen | No comments

Last week, I wrote about the LiV Wise electric car from Hybrid Technologies. A member of the Oregon Electric Vehicle Association had taken delivery of one of these Toyota Yarises with the combustion engine ripped out and replaced by lithium batteries and an electric motor. He shared his excitement about the car — and the fact that he’d put 1000 miles on it in his first month of ownership — and I shared it with GoodGreenCars readers.

But lest you think EVs are absolutely perfect, he did write in that he’s had a few minor issues with his LiV Wise:

  • A software glitch had the computer beeping at him, but that can be updated
  • When plugging in the car, metal contacted metal (”completely my fault,” he said), which created a spark that tripped the breaker in his garage
  • The battery management system screen no longer comes on when charging without the key, so he may have blown a fuse in the car

“So we’ll see how idiot-proof the car is,” said the owner in an email. He also mentioned that Hybrid Technologies’ “customer support has been awesome so far,” a necessary attribute in a company whose products are on the bleeding edge of automotive technology. If you’re going to take the $40,000-leap, you want to know that the builder of your car has got your back.

Would you like to see more reporting about real people living with the latest in automotive technology? Let me know in the comments.

“Greenest” Cars of 2009 – and “Meanest”

February 4, 2009 in Consumer News, Hybrids, MPG, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

The American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington D.C. non-profit, has released its environmental ratings for 2009 vehicles, including the top 12 “Greenest” and bottom 12 “Meanest” cars you can buy.

The list is in its twelfth year, and the results aren’t terribly surprising. The greenest 12 are small, alternative-fuel cars with great mileage; the meanest 12 are large trucks and high-performance sports cars that drink gasoline by the bucket. What is a little shocking is that the meanest car on the road is a flex-fuel vehicle, the Hummer H2.

Scores are based on tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and emissions of gases that cause global warming. Without further ado, here are the big winners and losers:

Greenest:

  1. Honda Civic GX (liquid natural gas)
  2. Toyota Prius (gas-electric hybrid)
  3. Honda Civic Hybrid
  4. Smart ForTwo convertible/coupe
  5. Toyota Yaris
  6. Nissan Altima Hybrid
  7. Mini Cooper/Clubman
  8. Chevrolet Cobalt XFE/Pontiac G5 XFE
  9. Honda Fit
  10. Chevy Aveo/Aveo 5
  11. Toyota Camry Hybrid
  12. Kia Rio

Meanest:

  1. Hummer H2 FFV (flex-fuel vehicle)
  2. Lamborghini Murcielago coupe and roadster
  3. GMC Yukon 2500
  4. Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
  5. Maybach 57S/62S
  6. Lincoln Navigator FFV (flex-fuel vehicle)
  7. GMC Sierra K2500
  8. Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
  9. Jeep Grand Cherokee
  10. Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab
  11. Chevrolet Suburban K1500
  12. Ford F-250

Hybrid Technologies Does All-Electric Conversions

February 3, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Hybrid Technologies LiV Wise

Don’t be fooled by the name — the cars converted by Hybrid Technologies are zero-emissions electric vehicles. The company uses existing cars like the Toyota Yaris and Mini Cooper and swaps the gasoline engine for lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor.

I heard about Hybrid Technologies from a very happy new owner here in Oregon. It was six months from the day he placed his order for the Yaris-based LiV Wise to the day he took delivery, and according to him, it was worth every minute (and every penny of the $41,000 he paid). He has gone 70 miles on one charge at 55 mph or more, and got an additional 25 miles when he was in the city. He’s reached 75 mph, but that kind of speed cuts down on the range.

His LiV Wise has every option available for a 2008 Toyota Yaris — air conditioning, power locks and windows, rear wiper, fog lights. He even claims his new EV is “funner than my ‘01 Corvette to drive,” and has put 1000 miles on it in a week. Looks like you don’t have to give up good times to go green.

Here’s the specs for the LiV Wise from the company. They also do a sports car called the LiV Rush, which does 0-60 in 5 seconds, and a couple of EV motorcycles.

  • Range over 120 miles
  • Top speed over 75 mph
  • 0-60 in 12 seconds
  • Charges in 6 hours with 110v or 220v

More specs from the new owner, for the more tech-minded reader:

  • 327 volts when fully charged
  • Kocam lithium-ion batteries from Korea
  • Asujra Dmoc controller
  • Proprietary battery management system

Image courtesy of Hybrid Technologies.