September 2009

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KillaCycle Sets a New Electric Motorcycle Record

September 30, 2009 in EVs, Two Wheels, racing by kristen | No comments

Bill Dube’s Killacycle has been setting electric motorcycle speed records on the dragstrip for quite some time now, but Dube emailed me this morning to make sure I knew about his latest zero-emissions feat: 7.864 seconds at 169 mph. How fast is that, exactly? As fast as a Porsche Boxster convertible with the pedal pressed all the way to the floor. And it’s fast enough to make KillaCycle the fastest electric vehicle in the world.

If that’s not fast enough, Dube reports that the KillaCycle team has got its hands on the most powerful batteries on the planet. They’re also reducing the weight of they bike and increasing horsepower to 560 hp — more than a Ferrari F430.

Congrats to the KillaCycle team on raising the bar for EVs even higher.

Photo of Scotty Pollachek riding KillaCycle at Portland International Raceway in July 2009 by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Arcimoto’s Three-Wheeled Electric Pulse

September 29, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

Arcimoto of Eugene, Oregon, revealed its three-wheeled electric vehicle last week, called the Pulse. It may look like low-speed neighborhood electric vehicles of recent years, but this little guy can go a bit fast and a bit farther than many three-wheeled EVs.

The Arcimoto Pulse is a two-seater with a range of 50-100 miles, depending on terrain and speed, and a top speed of 55 mph. It can charge at a standard U.S. 110-volt outlet in six hours.

The car isn’t quite ready for the road yet, but Arcimoto is taking preorders. $500 will hold a place in line for a car that’s expected to come in under $20,000 when it rolls off the assembly line in Eugene in Fall 2010. If you take a look at the Pulse and decide it’s not for you, the company will refund $450 of the deposit. If it is for you, and you want to trick it all out with more power and a schmancy radio, they can do that, too.

House of Representatives Gets a Hybrid

September 28, 2009 in Biz News, Hybrids, emissions by kristen | No comments

The U.S. House of Representatives took delivery of its first hybrid today, and what do you think it was? A Toyota Prius? A Honda Insight? A Ford Fusion? None of the above, it turns out. They got a Peterbilt Model 330 Hybrid Electric Truck.

The big, bad Peterbilt will be used to haul furniture and office supplies around the Washington, D.C., metro area with 30% better fuel efficiency and reduced tailpipe emissions. The truck is built in Texas, making it a home-grown green-power win. The plan, according to Daniel Beard, Chief Administrative Officer for the House, is to replace their aging fleet with newer, low-emissions vehicles.

Frankfurt 2009: Reva NXG and NXR Electric Cars

September 23, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

The 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show was filled to the brim with electric cars, it seems, though it also seemed that only a few of those cars were destined for American shores. Case in point: the two new electric cars from India, the Reva NXR and NXG.

The Reva NXR will see production first, probably as soon as next year. It comes with either an expensive but range-extended lithium ion battery pack or a cheaper but shorter-distance bank of lead-acid batteries. With the li-ion battery, the NXR can hit 65 mph and travel as far as 100 miles; the price is a pretty reasonable $21,000 or so in Europe. The lead-acid version has a 50-mile range and a top speed of 50 mph, and a price tag around $14,000.

The Reva NXG will be a 2011 model, with a top speed of 80 mph and a range of up to 125 miles. No prices were reported yet, but he car will have a targa top to let in a little sunshine.

Frankfurt 2009: Renault’s Four Electric Cars

September 22, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, New Tech, emissions, small cars by kristen | No comments

Renault successfully out-greened everyone else at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show last year, with the debuts of four electric cars in its booth. These vehicles are slated to start appearing as soon as 2011, though a gasoline version of the Fluence will be in European showrooms this fall. Here are all four electric Renaults  in a nutshell:

Renault Twizy Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Two-seater, with the passenger behind the driver
  • Developed for city driving
  • Performance comparable to a 250-cc motorcycle

Renault Zoe Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Optimized climate control for better fuel economy
  • “Hydrating,” “detox,” and “active scent” functions for the interior climate

Renault Fluence Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Designed for families
  • 100-mile range

Renault Kangoo Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Based on an existing model
  • Made for business use

Frankfurt 2009: Volkswagen L1 Diesel Hybrid Concept

September 21, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, diesel, small cars by kristen | No comments

Volkswagen L1 Concept

The Volkswagen L1 diesel hybrid concept created quite a stir at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show — which despite a slew of high-end exotics was more green than ever this year. Volkswagen says its one-liter concept car would be the most fuel-efficient car in the world. Actually, they say it is the most fuel-efficient car in the world, but I’ll withhold that title until the car leaves the “study” stage and reaches production.

The L1 is light, thanks to a carbon fiber body; compact like a VW Fox, and short, with a height similar to the low-slung Lamborghini Murcielago, according to Volkswagen. The hybrid has an electric motor and a teeny diesel-powered engine, plus start-stop technology for further fuel savings.

The VW L1 Concept by the numbers:

  • 837 pounds
  • 12.5 feet long; 3.75 feet wide
  • 170 mpg combined

Jay Leno Puts Stars in Green Cars

September 19, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Jay Leno’s new nightly show will have a regular-ish feature called the”Green Car Challenge.” He’ll get guests like Drew Barrymore to take a turn on the track in an electric Ford Focus specially built for Leno. The drivers will try to out-drive each other for the best times of the season.

The idea is to show America that electric cars aren’t weird — they look just like the other cars in the mall parking lot, for better or worse — and they aren’t poky little puppies. They have a lot of torque, if mashing the pedal at stop lights is your thing, and their light weight can make them pretty zippy if they’re supplied with enough juice at the factory.

The car being used in the show will go on sale to the public in 2011, according to the New York Times. The one on the show has an extra battery for power, plus a roll cage and a five-point harness for safety.

Spain Might Convert Phone Booths to Charging Stations

September 17, 2009 in EVs by kristen | No comments

In their efforts to install 500+ electric car charging stations throughout Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, the Spanish government is looking into converting 30 public phone booths to recharge EVs. The booths are close the curb, making it a short stretch for a charging cord, and they’re already wired for electricity to power the phones.

It may cramp Superman’s quick-changing style, but the phone booths in Madrid weren’t fully enclosed anyway, making them even easier to adapt for charging. Nothing’s official yet, but it would be a sweet spot monetarily and ecologically if Madrid can repurpose its existing infrastructure for new technologies.

Electric Vehicles to Star at Frakfurt Motor Show

September 16, 2009 in Uncategorized by kristen | 2 comments

Everybody’s buzzing about the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, but it’s not the flashy, expensive cars that are getting all the love — it’s the next wave of electric vehicles.

Only one electric vehicle on the show floor is ready for production, a Renault hatchback that won’t be sold in the States any time soon. But check out this list of things to come, all of which will make their debuts as concept cars this week:

  • Audi R8 electric sports car
  • BMW Vision EfficientDynamics plug-in hybrid sports car
  • Mercedes SLS AMG electric sports car
  • Peugeot RCZ electric coupe
  • Peugeot 3008 electric minivan
  • Renault electric small car
  • Renault Megane electric car
  • Renault Kangoo electric small car
  • Volkswagen electric car

There will also be a 1-liter diesel-powered small car concept from Volkswagen, which while not electric, would get something like 230 mpg.

Germany to Set Up Hydrogen Fuel Stations

September 15, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, Hydrogen, emissions by kristen | 2 comments

Mercedes-Benz reported last week that several companies have partnered with the German government to set up a hydrogen infrastructure for electric cars with on-board fuel cells. The H2 Mobility initiative, as it’s called, will have a hydrogen fueling station network in place by 2011, they say.

Infrastructure has been a stumbling block for the clean-emissions hydrogen fuel vehicles. No one wants to buy a hydrogen-powered electric car if there’s no place to refuel it, but no one wants to install hydrogen fueling stations if there aren’t any cars to fill up. Germany has decided to end the stalemate by partnering with businesses like Daimler (Mercedes’ parent company) and Shell, plus the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology to expand the hydrogen fueling network by 2011, with further expansion and the introduction of consumer-ready hydrogen-powered EVs in Germany by 2015.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche with the Mercedes-Benz B-Klasse F-CELL – image courtesy of Daimler.

Fisker Karma Emissions and Fuel Economy Numbers Released

September 14, 2009 in Consumer News, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, emissions by kristen | No comments

In advance of its German debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Fisker announced that its Fisker Karma will have lower carbon dioxide emissions than any other production car on the street today. The company also released estimated fuel cost for the plug-in hybrid.

Here are the Fisker Karma numbers you need to know:

  • 67 miles per gallon
  • 83 grams of CO2 per km
  • 3 cents per mile in Stealth (electric-only) mode
  • 7 cents per mile in Stealth and Sport (gasoline) mode
  • 2010 launch date

Paris Plugs In Its Car Sharing Program

September 10, 2009 in EVs, emissions by kristen | No comments

On the heels of its successful Velib bike sharing program comes Autolib, the all-electric car sharing program in the city of Paris.

The locations of the cars — rumored to be at about 1400 parking stations — membership costs and participation process will all be announced this fall, when city officials are back after summer break. One-way trips will be possible, as they are with Velib, and the cars will be able to be picked up and dropped off at any Autolib station. No word yet which electric cars will be used for the program.

By the way, it’s pronounced Auto-LEEB, as it’s the words for car (automobile) and freedom (liberte) smashed together in one marketable word.

Tell GM What You Want in a Green Car at The Lab

September 9, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, MPG, New Tech, diesel by kristen | No comments

One of the many criticisms of GM in the past couple of years, as the U.S. auto industry crumbled under its own weight, was that it didn’t listen to what consumers wanted today and instead built and sold what buyers wanted a while back.

No more! GM has launched The Lab, a site where your feedback on its eco cars of the future is taken into account. Right now, the discussion is centered on two vehicles: the Bare Necessity Truck and Bare Necessity Car. It turns out the people want a no-frills, fuel-sipping platform that can be customized by the buyer.

Users who create a profile can log in and volunteer for focus groups, leave comments, and let GM know what you want in a greener car or truck (small diesel engine, anyone?) and what you’ll pay to get it.

Panic! Hybrids Using Up Rare Earth Elements

September 8, 2009 in Consumer News, Hybrids by kristen | No comments

It’s been all over the news lately, including Forbes.com, that hybrid vehicles are causing a shortage of rare metals. What? Is the era of greener driving over before it’s begun? Let’s take a look.

First, it’s not rare metals that are involved; it’s rare earth elements, which aren’t that rare. These elements, of which there are 15 on the periodic table, aren’t often found by themselves in nature. They’re usually in other elements, and it’s these other elements which are scarce. The rare earth elements are pretty common in trace amounts throughout the earth’s core, according to Popular Science.

Which rare earth elements are we talking about? Here’s a list:

  • Neodymium: part of an alloy used in magnets in electric motors in hybrid cars and wind turbines
  • Terbium and dysprosium: used to keep the neodymium magnetic at high temperatures
  • Lanthanum: used in hybrid car batteries

Most of these metals currently come from China, though California and Canada are looking into mining for them as well. What’s a well-meaning green driver to do? Remember that everything comes from somewhere, and think before you ditch the old for the shiny and new.

Competition to Build a Zero-Emissions Snowmobile

September 7, 2009 in Biodiesel, Bioethanol, emissions by kristen | 1 comment

The Society of Automobile Engineers, better known as SAE International, has issued a new challenge to college students studying engineering: build a better, cleaner snowmobile.

The rules for the competition have been recently posted, and the goal is to get better fuel economy. Entries can run on biodiesel, ethanol, or, in the zero-emissions category, on electricity. The snowmobiles will be rated in categories like emissions, noise, and acceleration.The idea is to make internal combustion snowmobiles suitable for use in fragile natural areas, like in national parks. The quieter and cleaner a machine is, the less it will disturb both plant and animal life.

The goal for the zero-emissions category is even more specific: make a snowmobile that won’t skew the research being done at Summit Station in Greenland. Scientists there are working to understand the absorption of atmospheric gases by the ice cap, and any emissions from fossil fuels burned at the site can mess up the results of their measurements.

Can we expect to see any of these in the local Sno-Cat dealership? Probably. The SAE seems to expect that the biodiesel and ethanol versions would be pretty cheap to build for retail sale, and that they’d do pretty well on the showroom floor. Hybrids aren’t allowed in this competition for just that reason — the system is too expensive to be worth it for manufacturers or buyers at this point.

Mercedes Plug-In Hybrid Gets Closer to Production

September 3, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

The Mercedes BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS inches ever closer to the real world, according to the company’s latest press release. The concept appeared at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show as the electric-only BlueZERO E-CELL; engineers have been working on an extended-range version ever since.

The E-CELL PLUS combines a bank of lithium ion batteries and a gasoline-powered generator to extend the car’s range to about 375 miles. It can travel about 60 miles on electric power alone, where the electric-only E-CELL can go about 120 miles before needing a recharge.

The company said that in addition to its range of electric vehicles, it will produce a small batch of fuel cell vehicles in 2009. A small batch of the battery-only vehicles will follow in 2010. No word on when any of these cars might hit showrooms, or how much they might cost.

Image of the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS courtesy of Daimler AG.

The Future of Fuel-Efficient Japanese Cars

September 2, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, diesel, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Automotive News, and industry publication, recently did a rundown of the upcoming cars from Japanese manufacturers. Here’s the latest in green cars from the Land of the Rising Sun (and Rising Fuel Economy):

Honda:

  • Rumor has it that an electric vehicle from the company could be unveiled this fall and see production in 2015
  • The hybrid version of the Honda Fit has been canceled
  • The CR-Z hybrid sport coupe will go on sale in Spring 2010

Infiniti:

  • The company may introduce a diesel engine in the U.S., like it sells in Europe
  • We’ll see an Infiniti hybrid in 2 or 3 years,probably in an M-class sedan

Lexus:

  • The Lexus HS dedicated hybrid debuted in January this year, and goes on sale this month
  • A hybrid version of the ES will be added in 2012

Mitsubishi:

  • The U.S. will get the I-MiEV electric car in 2012
  • A larger I-MiEV II with more cargo space could debut in 2012, too

Nissan:

  • “By the middle of the next decade, or 2015, something on the order of 10% of our volume will be EV,” said Brian Carolin, senior VP for North American sales and marketing
  • The all-electric Leaf will go on sale in 2011, and be built in the U.S. in 2012
  • The 370Z sports car might get a hybrid version for 2012

Scion:

  • 2011 iQ: The tiny, gasoline-powered car is expected to get 60 mpg and go on sale in the U.S. in fall 2010

Subaru:

  • Has neither a hybrid nor a clean diesel in its plans for the next few years

Toyota:

  • A two-door Prius could see production in 2012 or 2013
  • Toyota is considering hybrid versions of the Yaris, Avalon, and Corolla
  • The Sienna minivan will get a hybrid version in 2012

Image of the I-MiEV by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Lithium Batteries Can Be Recycled

September 1, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, New Tech by kristen | 1 comment

Two Japanese companies are gearing up to collect lithium from electric and hybrid vehicle batteries for recycling, making green alternative fuels even greener. And the U.S. Department of Energy granted several million to Toxco  to build the first lithium ion battery recycling plant in this country. Toxco already recycles lithium in British Columbia, Canada.

Lithium recycling is pretty small potatoes right now. Most of the hybrids on the road use lead-acid batteries, which are cheaper (so far) but less energy dense. Lithium ion batteries are used in many small electronics, like MP3 players and iPhones, and they’re gaining traction in electric vehicle manufacturing. As more battery power is required to run cars, and as more cars run at least partly on batteries, lithium recycling is likely to be big business.

According to HybridCars.com, the lithium recyclers will go online as soon as 2011 in one case, with the others soon to follow.