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Chrysler Free of E.N.V.I.

November 14, 2009 in Uncategorized by kristen | No comments

Chrysler’s ENVI division was responsible for creating electric vehicles like the sporty Dodge Circuit EV we saw at the Detroit Auto Show last year, along with electric minivans and Jeeps.

But fear not, domestic electric car fans. While the ENVI program is no longer a stand-alone entity, the work its done for the past few years will not be forgotten. The program will become part of the normal vehicle development process, with just as many — if not more — people working on the projects, according to the Detroit News.

Chrysler’s new electric vehicle plan, in conjunction with its new partner Fiat, includes:

2010 Dodge Ram two-mode hybrid pickup
2011 Dodge Ram plug-in and minivan hybrid – test fleet only
2011 (or 2012) Fiat all-electric commercial van

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.

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.

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.

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.

Daewoo Rocks the Minicar World

August 25, 2009 in Uncategorized by kristen | No comments

Whenever I think of Daewoo, I think of the “Mad TV” skit with Bobby Lee as Tank, the wannbe tuner boy with the yellow Daewoo. GM, Daewoo’s parent company, is hoping I’ll take another look at the company and its cars by introducing a new electric car, called the Matiz Creative, on September 1.

The Daewoo Matiz Creative is small — actually, it’s in the mini car segment, making it Smart-car-like in stature. It’s a “global car,” which means it will be sold even in the U.S., as soon as it meets crash test standards, which Daewoo expects to pass with flying colors. As befits a cute little car, it’s available in three trim levels called Pop, Jazz, and Groove, with Groove obviously being the most swank.

Here’s the basics:

1-liter 4-cylinder engine
4-speed automatic transmission (manual will be available in the future)
Meets Korea’s Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle standard
Air bags and crumple zones integrated in the design
40 mpg or so
Will likely start around $8,000

Electric Vehicle Drag Racing – Now with KillaCycle!

July 28, 2009 in Uncategorized by kristen | No comments

2SSIC vs Tesla

I spent the weekend at the Wayland Invitational, an electric vehicle drag racing event held at Portland International Raceway and sanctioned by the National Electric Drag Racing Association. Didn’t know they had such a thing, did you? Well, they do, and the electric cars repeatedly beat the pants off the gasoline-powered competition. Even the little Tango surprised the fans by beating a souped-up Mustang.

The weekend’s big (and little) draw was KillaCycle, Bill Dube’s electric-powered drag motorcycle. He built it to do one thing: go fast in a straight line. And it does just that. It’s the fastest electric vehicle in the world, and I saw it turn in quarter-mile times in the 8-second range. In contrast, the Teslas that drove down from Seattle turned in consistent 12.9-second times — and they were hitting 100 mph pretty regularly.

KillaCycle also wowed the crowd by racing against a miniature version of itself. A remote-controlled electric scale model of KillaCycle lined up on the track against the monster drag bike and did its best to hold its own. Do I need to tell you that the big bike won? It did. But it was fun to watch, in any case.

KillaCycle, Tesla, and every other electric car that took the track were there to prove one thing: green doesn’t have to be slow and boring. There were a lot of surprised newbies to the EV scene in the stands who flocked to the electric race cars in the pits after their runs to find out just what the hell was going on with these battery-operated cars, and found drivers and builders happy to tell them all about it.

Cash for Clunkers Final Details Released

July 27, 2009 in Consumer News, MPG by kristen | 1 comment

Okay, you’ve heard about the U.S. Government’s “Cash for Clunkers” deal for weeks now; how can you, savvy green consumer, take advantage of the program? First, you should know that it’s official name is CARS, or Car Allowance Rebate System. Clever, no? And you should know that there’s an entire web site devoted to CARS that can answer almost any question about the process you might have.

In a nutshell, though, here are the points you need to know if you’re considering trading in your old car for a bright, shiny new one — with better mileage and, one supposes, cleaner emissions from the tailpipe.

Cars must be purchased between July 1, 2009, and November 1, 2009, or until Congress runs out of rebate money
Combined fuel economy of the clunker must be a combined 18 mpg or less according to the EPA ratings — not according to your own actual mileage
The clunker can’t be more than 25 years old (that’s 1984 or later)
The clunker must be driveable as well as registered and insured for at least the year before you trade it in
The new car can be purchased or leased, but you have to lease it for at least 5 years
If the new car’s fuel economy is 4-9 mpg better than the clunker, you get $3500. If it’s 10 mpg or more better, you get $4500 toward your new car
The new car has to be new, not used
The clunkers have to be destroyed and never returned to the road

The Department of Transportation/NHTSA documentation for the program says there is an interactive tool at CARS.gov for determining if your car is eligible and how much your rebate would be, but as of today, that tool isn’t showing up. Maybe it’ll be there later this week; after all, the program went live three weeks before anyone knew exactly how it would even work.

Top Ten “Cash for Clunkers” Cars

July 3, 2009 in Consumer News, MPG by kristen | 3 comments

You’ve heard about the “cash for clunkers” legislation that allows U.S. car buyers to get up to $4,500 in cash vouchers for replacing gas guzzlers with fuel efficient vehicles. If you’ve got an older car or pickup truck with rotten gas mileage, you can replace it with a new car getting 22 mpg or better or a new pickup getting 18 mpg or better and receive a break on the price courtesy of your government.

Which cars should you be looking at? Marketing service Autobytel complied a list of auto makers that have vehicles that qualify for vouchers, and even figured out how many of the cars in each automakers fleet were eligible. Every vehicle offered by Mini and Scion, for instance, could get you some cash toward a new car if you trade in a clunker.

Here’s Autobytel’s top ten cash for clunkers cars, with the percentage of each maker’s fleet that qualifies for a voucher when you buy a new car:

Mini 100%
Scion 100%
Honda 94%
Saturn 93%
Subaru 88%
Suzuki 85%
Pontiac 79%
Mazda 74%
Hyundai 73%
Volkswagen 73%

Honda doesn’t receive perfect marks probably because it has that massive Ridgeline pickup truck in the fleet. And Volkswagen all the way down at number 10 was a surprise. Also, keep in mind that Saturn’s future is a bit shaky these days, and Pontiac has received an official death sentence as part of GM’s restructuring.

First Mini E Tester Gets Himself a Blog

June 2, 2009 in EVs, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

The first person in the U.S. to take delivery of the Mini E electric car, Peter Trepp, was kind enough — and smart enough — to set up a blog to satisfy our curiousity about his experience. Trepp picked up Mini E number 111 on May 24, and he gets to keep it for real-word testing for exactly one year.

After 81 miles, he’d charged the car twice (saying it was “very easy”), but was coy about his top speed. He does say he’s getting 95-100 miles per charge, which is impressive compared to many of the EVs on the road today. Trepp says he can do better, though, once he smoothes out his driving and stops driving like a guy with a new car.

Mini/BMW asked Trepp to make himself and his tester available for the media, and he’s doing just that. It’ll be interesting to keep reading his blog when the newness of the E wears off and he starts experiencing whatever quirks come up in using it as a daily driver.

No More Gasoline in Norway?

May 4, 2009 in Biodiesel, Bioethanol, EVs, Hybrids, Hydrogen, New Tech, PHEVs by kristen | 1 comment

Norwegian Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen has proposed to ban all gasoline-powered cars from Norway by 2015. Hybrid gasoline-electric cars would still be allowed, as would extended-range electric vehicles like the Opel Ampera (that’s Chevy Volt to us Americans). Biofuels would make the cut, too.

Halvorsen has no intention of busting down garage doors in the middle of the night to take away gasoline cars. The new rules, if enacted, would apply only to new cars sold in 2015 or after. Her idea is to push car companies to make cleaner-running cars, not to wreck the Norwegian economy–even though Norway is the sixth largest oil exporter in the world, according to Reuters. On the other hand, Norway is home to electric-car upstart Think.

Chrysler + A123 = 1 EV in 2010

April 9, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

On Monday, Chrysler announced that A123 would supply the lithium-ion batteries for the forthcoming line of EVs from its ENVI division. There are five vehicles in the lineup, including a Lotus-based sports car and a minivan, but there’s no word yet on which one will be the bell of the EV debut ball next year.

One of the partnership’s selling points is that both companies are U.S.-based, making it easier for early adopters to buy American when it comes to alternative fuels. Of course, the viability of Chrysler will have an impact on whether any of the ENVI project can move forward, but forging this kind of alliance and promising to bring an EV to market by 2010 show chutzpah on Chrysler’s part.

Photo of the Dodge Circuit EV at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Obama Raises Fuel Economy for 2011

April 7, 2009 in Biz News, Consumer News, Future Cars, MPG by kristen | No comments

On March 26, President Barack Obama pushed new fuel economy regulations for 2011 through the Department of Transportation. The regulations give some teeth to an initiative begun by the Bush administration to reduce emissions and our dependence on foreign oil.

The new standards were drafted quickly to give automakers time to retool production lines to meet the requirements. The 2011 model year was targeted so that the accelerated standards could be implemented quickly while not affecting the aggressive plans Obama has for future fuel economy and emissions standards.

Here’s how the mpgs will play out in 2011:

Passenger cars (sedans, compacts, etc.) must average 30.2 mpg
Light trucks (pickups, SUVs, etc.) must average 24.1 mpg
National fuel savings: 900 million gallons
Cost to the auto industry: $1.4 billion

These are small increases — smaller even than in the Bush proposal — that are expected to be met with little drama by embattled U.S. auto makers. Keep an eye on California, though, as it’s allowed to set its own fuel economy standards in the next few months, along with any other state that should fancy cleaner air and less time at the gas station.

Hybrid Mazda Minivan in Limited Leasing Program

April 3, 2009 in Biz News, Hybrids, Hydrogen, New Tech by kristen | No comments

When automakers have a new technology, they like to test it in the real world with real drivers — who pay for the guinea pig privelege. A few dozen cars are built and leased to forward-thinking drivers, usually in L.A. Those people will try anything. The EV1 was a disastrous example of this; the Honda Clarity hydrogen vehicle a more successful one (so far).

Mazda is giving the guinea pigs a shot at its new hybrid minivan, the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, to corporate fleet customers in Japan. The RX-8 is Mazda’s rotary engine, which has in this instance been modified to use gasoline or hydrogen fuel at the flick of a switch. It’s the first leased vehicle in the world to be able to use either type of fuel, according to the company.

2009 Honda Fit: The Fuel Economy Test Drive

March 18, 2009 in MPG, small cars, test drives by kristen | 3 comments

2009 Honda Fit

The 2009 Honda Fit five-door sport is indeed go. I had a Revolution Orange number this week, and I tooled around town quite happily. There was enough punch for merging onto the highway, and it was as easy to park as a Mini Cooper. It was also impossible to park it in, though a UPS truck tried its hardest outside the coffee shop. Those short, rounded front corners can skirt just about anything.

The test car I had was fitted with a nav system that flipped open to reveal the slot for the CD player. Creature comforts were few, but it did have power windows and door locks. I’m not sure the little wing at the top of the hatchback kept the rear tires stuck to the road, but it added to the car’s sporty looks.

Surprisingly, the car didn’t live up to its EPA fuel economy estimates while it was in my hands. I’m not a crazed driver, but I also didn’t make an effort to drive in a fuel-friendly way (the Fit doesn’t have the eco-nanny feature that the new Insight has). There was an mpg minder in the dash, but it was small and I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it.

Honda Fit Speedo and MPG

After a week of mostly in-town driving, I got 22.1 mpg. The EPA estimates the car a 27 mpg city, 33 highway. I fell far short of its combined rating of 30 mpg, probably thanks to the 30-minute traffic jam I ran into outside Adidas headquarters. All that idling wrecked my mileage.

2009 Honda Fit Sport
As tested, $19,430, including destination charge
1.5L gasoline engine rated 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway
6.1 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually

Images by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

This car was provided for review by the manufacturer at no cost to the reviewer.

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.

“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:

Honda Civic GX (liquid natural gas)
Toyota Prius (gas-electric hybrid)
Honda Civic Hybrid
Smart ForTwo convertible/coupe
Toyota Yaris
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Mini Cooper/Clubman
Chevrolet Cobalt XFE/Pontiac G5 XFE
Honda Fit
Chevy Aveo/Aveo 5
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Kia Rio

Meanest:

Hummer H2 FFV (flex-fuel vehicle)
Lamborghini Murcielago coupe and roadster
GMC Yukon 2500
Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
Maybach 57S/62S
Lincoln Navigator FFV (flex-fuel vehicle)
GMC Sierra K2500
Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab
Chevrolet Suburban K1500
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.

Chrysler Green with ENVI at the Detroit Auto Show

January 26, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Dodge Circuit

Chrysler, one of the not-so-Big Three, brought several cars from its ENVI extended-range electric car program to the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, including a Lotus-designed sports car and an electric concept car.

Lots of companies had new green technologies to show off, though, (except for Ford, which only brought a slide presentation of its plans to build electric cars in the future). Chrysler set itself apart by thanking the government and the American people at its press conference for the bailout money and acknowledging that it had a new responsiblity to consumers who had granted them the loan “just in time.”

Part of this responsibility, in Chrysler’s view, is to build cars that answer our energy and creature-comfort needs. It’s working on it. The company owns GEM, the golf-cart-like NEV company, and it brought three ENVI electric vehicles, including two Jeeps and minivan with a 40-mile electric range.

But it was the ENVI concept cars that stood out. Here’s the skinny on these new EVs:

Dodge Circuit

EV sports car shown in Tangerine
Designed by Lotus — and looks like it
0-60 in under 5 seconds, top speed of 125
150-200 mile range from lithium-ion batteries

Chrysler 200C

Interior made with organic materials
In-car Wi-Fi hotspot from Mopar
Microsoft-powered on-board computer includes a Facebook-like app, music downloads
0-60 in 7 seconds, 268 hp
40-mile electric range; 400 miles with range-extending gasoline engine

Detroit Day One: What’s New

January 11, 2009 in Bioethanol, Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, New Tech, PHEVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

I’ve attended about a half-dozen press conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit today — enough to give you an idea of what’s to come. I’ll have pictures and in-depth information on the models mentioned here in the next day or two.

GM: To emphasize the company’s commitment to greener powertrain technology, the Volt led the GM parade. The much-hyped range-extended electric vehicle should be market-ready by the end of 2010. The Chevy Beat microcar concept will be produced worldwide as the Chevy Spark in 2011. The surprise of the conference was the all-electric Cadillac Converj concept (nice spelling, eh?) It’s based on the Voltech system, as the company is calling it, and should have a 40-mile range.

Lexus: Toyota’s luxury arm debuted a dedicated hybrid, the HS 250 h. The “entry-level luxury vehicle” has plant-based eco-plastics, according to Lexus, throughout the interior, which is 30% recyclable. The car overall is 85% recyclable, including the batteries. It’ll be on sale in late summer 2009, but no price was announced yet.

Ford: Ford was all about its new EcoBoost engine, which is an option for the Flex right now and will be available on 90% of Ford vehicles by 2013. Bill Ford Jr. announced plans to bring four new high-mileage battery vehicles to the market by 2012, declaring it “not a test program,” but a business strategy.

Chrysler: Chrysler execs were grateful for the government bailout and weren’t afraid to show it. They brought their GEM low-power electric vehicles, plus the three ENVI electric prototypes they debuted in 2008. They also brought the new Patriot EV (the second Jeep to get the EV treatment) and the Chrysler 200c EV concept, which is packed with more hi-tech bits than an iPhone.

Bentley: The high-luxury car maker made available its corporate plans to move to flex fuels in its massive sedans and convertibles. It also announced a new biofuel car that would debut in Geneva this March. Oh, and they brought champagne. Yum.

Mini: Mini brought its E electric car and talked about its program to get a fleet of 500 test cars in Los Angeles and New York City, and it debuted a new convertible that is more fuel efficient and emits less carbon dioxide than the previous model.

That’s all for now. More press conferences tomorrow, including a new plug-in hybrid sports car concept from Fisker.

The Good Green Cars Glossary

December 24, 2008 in Consumer News by kristen | 3 comments

An ongoing and occasionally updated list of green car terms and acronyms.

B20, B100: Seen at diesel pumps, these designations indicate the amount of biodiesel blended with petroleum-based diesel. So B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% low-sulfur diesel, while B100 is 100% biodiesel.

Biodiesel: Diesel fuel made at least partly from non-petroleum sources, such as used restaurant grease. Most diesel-powered vehicles can use biodiesel without conversion or alteration of the engine.

Bioethanol: A vehicle fuel based on starchy plant materials, commonly corn in the U.S. It has a lower emissions rating than petroleum. Also known as ethanol.

CAFE Standards: Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Each automaker must average the mileage of every vehicle it builds. The standards were enacted in 1975 to increase overall fuel efficiency. The standard for 2009 is 27.5 mpg for cars, 20.7 mpg for light trucks, and 23.1 mpg for trucks under 8500 pounds.

Diesel: A petroleum-based fuel that gets higher fuel efficiency than gasoline. It tends to have more tailpipe emissions, but technological innovations in the past decade have nearly erased this concern and dropped diesel emissions to near gasoline levels.

E85: A fuel blend that contains 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline.

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency. Together with the Department of Energy, the EPA issues mileage and emissions ratings for all cars sold in the U.S. See FuelEconomy.gov.

Extended Range Electric Vehicle: A type of PHEV where the car drives entirely on electric power, but there is a small gasoline engine on board that runs a generator to provide electricity for the batteries and electric motor. The addition of the gasoline engine allows the electric motor to go further on a charge.

Ethanol: A high-octane, low-emissions fuel long used in racing. Now it’s made from renewable plant materials and can be used in regular vehicles, though it gets lower fuel economy ratings than gasoline.

EV: Electric Vehicle. These cars have only batteries and an electric motor–no gasoline or other fuel required, and no emissions are released into the air. They are refueled by plugging the batteries into an outlet.

Flex Fuel: A vehicle that can accept regular gasoline or an ethanol blend, such as E85.

Fuel Efficiency: Using the least amount of fuel to drive the farthest number of miles. This can be measured miles per gallon, which is standard in the U.S., or in gallons per mile, which is more common in the rest of the world.

Hybrid: In the automotive sense, this is a vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and an electric engine that work together to deliver better gas mileage, usually 40+ mpg. The batteries are recharged by systems like regenerative braking. The 1999 Honda Insight was the first commercially available hybrid; the Toyota Prius became the first popular hybrid car.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell: These cells use hydrogen gas and air to create an electrical current to power a vehicle, with only water as a byproduct. Creating an infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations has been an obstacle to the manufacture of hydrogen-powered cars.

ICE: Internal Combustion Engine. The same old gasoline-powered engine we’ve been driving all our lives.

Liquified Natural Gas: Natural gas that has been cooled to form a transportable liquid. Vehicles that run on LNG cannot use any other type of fuel with major modifications.

Lithium Ion: A type of battery used in cell phones, laptops, and electric cars. These batteries store a lot of energy for their weight.

LNG: Liquified Natural Gas.

MPG: Miles per gallon. The number of miles a car can travel on one gallon of gasoline or other liquid fuel.

NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA administrates the CAFE Standards, based on fuel efficiency data from the EPA.

NiCd: Nickel Cadmium, sometimes called NiCad. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.

NiMH: Nickel Metal Hydride. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.

PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. See Plug-in Hybrid.

Plug-in Hybrid: A vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and a bank of batteries that can be recharged by plugging them into an outlet. These vehicles usually use the electric motor for 40 or so miles, then the gasoline engine as a backup. The supposedly forthcoming Chevy Volt is a PHEV.

Vehicle to Grid: Technology that allows electric utility companies to reclaim small amounts of energy from plugged-in EVs. Boulder, Colorado, has a pioneering VtG program.

Water Car: Proponents of the idea of running a car on water say it’s a similar energy conversion process to hydrogen fuel cells. The conversion of energy, though, seems to lose a lot along the way, making any benefit null.

Electric Cars OK in Winter

December 22, 2008 in EVs by kristen | No comments

In honor of what seems to be a national snow day (I don’t even want to hear from my in-laws in southern Florida right now), I wondered how the EVs of the world were faring in cold, icy, and snowy conditions. Again, I turned to the helpful members of the Oregon Electric Vehicle Association to answer my questions.

A few of the problems with EVs in winter:

Some, especially conversions, don’t have a heater
The locks on older cars used for conversions can freeze up
Lead acid batteries left in the cold lose 10-20% of their range

A few benefits of EVs in winter:

They don’t have to warm up – “instant on” no matter the temperature
Newer lithium, NiCd, and NiMH batteries lose less power than older lead batteries
All batteries can be charged in a toasty garage with minimal power loss

One OEVA member said his ZAP car drives fine in the snow for his short commute, and another has a factory-built Chevy S10 pickup with a little diesel-powered heater, so he does fine. One guy mentioned that he’d put so much time into his conversion that he couldn’t bear to drive it in questionable conditions, so he drives his “store-bought” car when it’s snowy out, but one other guy said he’s got a battery-powered quad that he plays with in the snow.

So it looks like EVs aren’t much better or worse in the snow and ice than gasoline-powered cars. But the EVs can plug in overnight rather than take a trip to the gas station, and they emit zero pollution. So they do have that going for them.

Top Ten Hypermiling Techniques for the Masses

December 15, 2008 in Consumer News, MPG by kristen | No comments

The New Oxford American Dictionary has chosen “hypermiling” as its 2008 word of the year, beating out such other neologisms as “staycation” and “frugalista.” The word was apparently coined in 2004 by Wayne Gerdes, who runs the web site CleanMPG.com.

In honor of hypermilings achievements as both a word and a lifestyle in 2008, here are the top 10 hypermiling techniques:

Do not idle. Shut the engine off if you’re going to be waiting for 30 seconds or more.
Do not accelerate quickly. You’ve heard it before: no jackrabbit starts from stop lights.
Properly inflate your tires. Keeping air in your tires reduces friction and increases fuel economy.
Take ‘er easy. There’s a reason the feds set the speed limit at 55 during the gas crisis of the 1970s — it’s the best speed for the best mileage on the highway.
Clear out the car. Every pound counts, so clear out anything that isn’t needed, especially if it’s on the roof, where it can create drag.
Keep it in tune. Oil changes, regular maintenance, and the like will keep your mpgs as high as possible.
Ride the ridges. In bad weather, drive with your tires on the higher center of the road and the white line to stay out of the rain- or snow-filled ruts. Be careful with this one.
Make a trip chain. Don’t run six separate errands; do one trip with six stops to keep the engine warm.
Make right turns. Do like UPS does: plan your route to have as many right turns as possible to minimize idling time while waiting for traffic to clear for your left turn.
Hybrids only: Maximize the electric motor. Start slow and keep the car running under electric power for as long as you can, usually up to 35 or 40 mph.

Trucks Gain Sales as Gas Prices Fall

December 12, 2008 in Consumer News, MPG, small cars by kristen | No comments

Oh, Americans, when will we ever learn? We the people freaked out during the spring and summer of 2008, when gas prices hit $4 a gallon, and bought small, low-gas-mileage, low-emissions, Earth-friendlier vehicles by the boatload. Small cars that had languished on dealership lots for months were snapped up in seconds as the price of gasoline climbed. And heaven forbid you had a Mini Cooper or hybrid on your shopping list. They were scarcer than hens’ teeth.

In the wake of this fuel economy frenzy, articles were written (including one by me) about the plight of the large truck. Pickups and SUVs were left on the lot by new-car buyers, despite deep discounts and dealer incentives to get these things to go away and make room for the smaller cars people wanted.

But now, though we all talk a good eco-game, truck sales are inching back up. This despite the fact that all signs point to the current low-ish price of gas being an anomaly. Not to mention that whole reducing the ol’ carbon footprint idea. Here are the top five vehicles ranked by sales in May and November, according to industry publication Automotive News, with city and highway mileage plus the annual carbon dioxide output numbers from the EPA:

May 2008

Honda Civic (53,299 sold, 25/36, 6.3 tons of CO2)
Toyota Corolla (52,826, 26/35, 7.3 tons of CO2)
Toyota Camry (51,291, 21/31, 7.3 tons of CO2)
Honda Accord (43,728, 21/31, 7.7 tons of CO2)
Ford F series (42,973, 14/19, 11.4 tons of CO2)

November 2008

Ford F series (37,911)
Chevy Silverado (29,534, 15 city/20 hwy, 10.8 tons of CO2)
Toyota Camry (25,224)
Toyota Corolla (21,807)
Honda Civic (17,690)

Ford Escape Hybrid: The Fuel Economy Test Drive

December 5, 2008 in Consumer News, Hybrids, MPG, test drives by kristen | 1 comment

Ford Escape Hybrid

When I got back to the States after my vacation in diesel-clogged Buenos Aires, I had a Ford Escape Hybrid waiting for me to test drive. I don’t think I’ve even been so happy to see a low-emissions vehicle in my life.

Before we get to the mpg, a note on space: The Escape fit all of our suitcases, camera bags, backpacks, and whatever else in the back seat and cargo area, with plenty of space for a regular-sized driver (me) and a six-foot-plus passenger. It was far less crammed than the airline seats we had just happily left, and we had satellite radio.

On Indicator

When the Escape is started, the gasoline engine comes on, so there is an audible cue to let the driver know when to stop turning the key. In case that’s still too quiet for you, there’s the little green car-shaped light with a double-ended arrow under it in the dashboard to let you know the vehicle is ready to go. (This comes in handy when stopped at very long red lights and the gas engine drops out. The electric motor is silent, but ready to do your bidding at the green light.)

The home screen of the display has a little map, radio information, and an mpg meter. For more detailed mileage information, you can call up the HEV screen, which shows a diagram of the engine, electric motor, the battery, and the front wheels. A green outline shows which elements are in play at any time, and the status, i.e., “Idle with Charging,” is spelled out at the bottom of the screen.

HEV Screen

The Escape doesn’t have the pep of the Mini I tested a few weeks ago, but I did take it on a variety of roads — surface streets, interstates, and state roads. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get my average fuel economy to budge from 30 mpg. Wait — I did get it to 29.9 mpg while I was passing a string of trucks. This is less than the EPA combined rating of 32 mpg, but still good for an SUV. The EPA also gives it an 8 out of 10 emissions rating.

That kind of mileage and low emissions come at a price, though: the Ford Escape Hybrid starts at $29,305. Hybrids are still hard to find on the lot, as they are expensive to build and popular to buy, so price breaks and dealer incentives are going to be equally as scarce for the Escape hybrid. But if you can find and afford it, the Ford Escape hybrid is a great SUV.

This car was provided for review by the manufacturer at no cost to the reviewer.

L.A. Auto Show Green Car Round-Up

December 3, 2008 in Consumer News, EVs, Hybrids, MPG, diesel by kristen | No comments

The Los Angeles Auto Show just came to a close, and not surprisingly, manufacturers brought a lot of green cars to the event. There were high-mpg gasoline cars, electric cars, clean diesels, and more. (Ferrari and Bentley also brought expensive gas guzzlers, but I’m willing to bet the market for those is pretty small.)

Here, then, is the Good Green Cars round-up of the enviro-friendly autos that were at the L.A. Auto Show.

Ford hybrids: Ford brought the all new 2010 Fusion hybrid and 2010 Mercury Milan hybrid to L.A. The cars are nearly identical but for a few styling cues and trim levels, and they share the new lighter hybrid system found in the current Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs. The cars can go 47 mph on electric power only, according to Ford.
Hyundai Blue Drive: This isn’t a new engine technology; rather, it’s Hyundai’s strategy to reach a fleet average of 35 mpg by 2015. It includes the 2010 Sonata hybrid, high-mileage “Blue” versions of the 2009 Accent and Elantra, and a future crossover with a gasoline direct-injection engine.
Lexus hybrid SUV: The 2010 Lexus RX 450h gets its first update since its introduction, with more horsepower and better exhaust-heat recovery. It also gets its own distinctive grille. No further word yet on whether Lexus could be Toyota’s all-hybrid brand in the future.
Mini EV: The Mini E plug-in electric vehicle made its official debut in L.A. Only a handful will be available anytime soon, and those will be tested by private and corporate customers in California, New York, and New Jersey. The Mini E can go 150 miles on a charge, with a top speed of 95 mph.
Volkswagen diesels: VW expands its clean-diesel TDI technology to the latest Touareg SUV, which means it passes California’s stringent emissions laws. The EPA rates it at 25 mpg, and it will be available in all 50 states. This is the same technology that earned the Jetta TDI the “Green Car of the Year” award at the show.

EPA Ranks Low-MPG Cars for 2009

October 27, 2008 in Consumer News, Hybrids, MPG, diesel, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

The Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized its list of the top low-mpg cars for the upcoming model year. It doesn’t restrict itself to merely small cars or green cars with hybrid systems or alternative fuels, oh no. The EPA lists the most fuel-efficient cars, from minicompacts, like the Mini Cooper, to midsized station wagons, like the Kia Rondo.

The overall winner in the mpg race was–hold on to your hats–the Toyota Prius, with a rating of 48 mpg city and 45 mpg highway. Here’s the top ten, in case you’re in the market for a brand-new car. The kicker is that these cars, with their low fuel usage and emissions, are the hottest cars on the lot these days. Finding one at a reasonable price may be tricky.

To see the full list, visit FuelEconomy.gov.

Toyota Prius, 48/45
Honda Civic Hybrid, 40/45
Smart ForTwo convertible and coupe, 33/41
Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen diesels, 30/41
Toyota Yaris, 29/35
Mini Cooper manual, 28/37
Nissan Versa, 26/31
Mini Cooper automatic, 25/34
Hyundai Sonata, 22/32
Honda Accord, 22/31

And for you glass-half-empty, hell-in-a-handbasket types, the EPA lists the cars with the worst mpg as well. That list tends more toward the Lamborghini/Ferrari/Bentley end of the spectrum, though I was suprised to see the Saab 9-3 on the worst list.

Mini Cooper: The Fuel Economy Test Drive

October 22, 2008 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, MPG, small cars, test drives by kristen | 2 comments

2008 Mini Cooper

In my capacity as an automotive journalist, I have driven the Mini Cooper before. Several times, as a matter of fact. But when the red 2008 Mini with black stripes was delivered on Friday, I had a mission in mind. I was going to put its EPA fuel economy estimates to the test.

The Mini Cooper in my possession for a few days had a standard 1.6-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine that could turn out 118 hp. It may not sound like much, but in a car this small, it’s enough. It also had a six-speed manual transmission, which would help in the mpg department. The test car did have sport suspension and 16-inch wheels, rather than the regular 15-inchers, but I didn’t think that would affect the fuel economy much. The EPA estimated 28 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

The morning the Mini Cooper appeared in my driveway, I was already late for lunch. I grabbed the keys, reset the mpg counter, threw the car in reverse, and tore off in the direction of the restaurant where I would meet a few friends. I did not drive responsibly. Safety was, as always, my priority, but speed came in a close second. I was surprised, on reaching the restaurant a few miles away, that I had still averaged over 32 mpg, even driving like a jerk.

Over the next few days, I drove in a much more sane way around Portland. Lots of in-town driving, some freeway, some stop-and-go traffic at 5:30. It never dipped below 30 mpg. As you can see, after five days of normal driving, I averaged 33.7 mpg. This is above the EPA’s combined rating for the Mini Cooper of 32 mpg.

Mini Cooper Fuel Economy

I have to give the car back, and it’ll be a while before I get another. BMW, which owns the Mini brand, is pulling back on its press loaners for now. In the meantime, we can all look forward to those precious few electric Mini E models coming to the States for real-world testing.

This car was provided for review by the manufacturer at no cost to the reviewer.

Honda’s Online Insight

October 12, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, Future Cars, Hybrids by kristen | 1 comment

Now that the new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid has made its Paris debut, like any model worth her skinny jeans would do, the company has launched two new online outlets for the car.

“Latest Insight” is a blog that follows the car from debut to dealership. The design seems to be final with only the manufacturing step left to go, so I’m not sure what “journey” the bloggers at Honda will be following. You can count on posts and pics from every event and auto show the car graces, though.

Honda also launched a mini site, “Words of Hybrid,”* that showcases all of its hybrid vehicles, including the original Insight and the forthcoming CR-Z. There’s a link at the bottom of the list for a Jazz Hybrid that can’t be clicked. (The Jazz is the name of the Fit in Europe and the Middle East.) U.K. site What Car says the hybrid Jazz could reach the European market by 2010.

*You can also reach the Honda mini site by visiting Honda’s world hybrid site and clicking “Launch.”

Spooky photo of the Insight courtesy of Honda.

The Chrysler/GEM Peapod EV

October 1, 2008 in EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Fuel-efficient small cars like the Smart ForTwo and EVs like the Zap Xebra have a built-in cuteness due to their diminutive size. But the 2009 GEM Peapod acutally made me say, out loud, “Oh! They’re adorable.”

Like the Xebra, the Peapod is a neighborhood-electric vehicle, or NEV, so it can’t do highway speeds or ferry your family to Yellowstone for vacation (unless you live less than 30 miles from Yellowstone and have a very small family). Surprisingly, the Peapod is longer and taller than the Smart ForTwo, and even has rear seats. But the NEV’s top speed is 25 mph, where the gasoline-powered ForTwo can do a highway-capable 90 mph.

The Peapod comes from those eco-innovation lovers over at Chrysler’s ENVI outfit, the same folks who brought us the Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge EV designs in late September. The design of the latest little EV is completely new, unlike, say, the Jeep or the Town and Country minivan EVs, and features a lot of glass and a shape straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I’ve blogged about GEM before, back in the dark ages of EVs (early 2008). With the advent of the Peapod, though, the decade-old, North Dakota-based subsidiary of Chrysler got a new-ish name, GreenEcoMobility. Whatever they call themselves, this is a big improvement over GEM’s glorified golfcarts of old. And by old, I mean six months ago.

Paris Preview: Green Cars at the Auto Show

September 28, 2008 in EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, Hydrogen, diesel, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

October 4 is opening day at Mondial de l’Automobile, or the Paris Auto Show to most Americans. Europe has long had more small cars that get better gas mileage than what we can buy in the U.S., and a wider array of clean diesel cars. We can certainly expect to see more of these kinds of autos in Paris this year; the difference is that now we want them, too.

Here’s a list of debuts and concepts to look for at Mondial de l’Automobile as the reports start filling the blogosphere next month.

Debuts

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, 65 mpg and not U.S.-bound
Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, with lithium-ion batteries
Nissan Pixo minicar, one foot shorter than the Chevy Aveo

Concepts

Citroen Hypnos hybrid
Honda Insight hybrid, poised to battle the Prius
Lexus LF-Xh hybrid, based on the concept LF-X SUV
Nissan Nuvu EV minicar
Opel Insignia EcoFLEX sports tourer, clean diesel on sale in Europe next spring
Peugeot hybrid
Renault Ondelious diesel mild hybrid
Suzuki SX4-FCV fuel cell vehicle, already certified in Japan

Chrysler Green with ENVI Electric Vehicle Team

September 26, 2008 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, MPG by kristen | 1 comment

Chrysler unveiled three EVs this week, one from each of its divisions. There’s a Jeep SUV EV, a Chrysler minivan EV, and a Dodge sports car EV, all slated to go on sale in the U.S. in 2010 as 2011 models. If the automaker can hit that mark, Chrysler’s EVs will beat the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt to market. I bet that fact didn’t escape Chrysler execs.

Chrysler’s EV development team, ENVI, promises that these vehicles will allow drivers to go about their merry way without making major changes to their driving style. The Jeep, for instance, will be a body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicle, while the sporty Dodge will be rear-wheel drive.

The vehicles don’t have names yet, but Chrysler has published specs:

Dodge EV:

200 kW = 268 hp
0-60 in under 5 seconds
Top speed 120+ mph
150-200 mile range

Jeep EV:

200 kW = 268 hp
0-60 in 9.0 seconds
Two- or four-wheel drive
400 miles (with help from a small gasoline engine)

Chrysler EV:

190 kW = 268 hp
0-60 in 8.7 seconds
Seats seven
400 miles (with help from a small gasoline engine)

Photo courtesy of Chrysler LLC.

Ike Closes Larget Biodiesel Plant

September 19, 2008 in Biodiesel, Biz News, Consumer News by kristen | 1 comment

While the headlines are filled with the effect Hurricane Ike had on oil refineries in Texas — and the speculation surrounding oil prices that drove gasoline prices wild — green fuel took a hit, too. GreenHunter Energy, Inc. said its Houston biodiesel refinery, the largest in the country, would be out of commission for six to eight weeks due to damage sustained during the storm.

The Green Car Advisor reports that the zero-emissions Texas plant can produce 105 million gallons of biodiesel on its 20-acre site. When Ike came ashore, the plant suffered flood damage, and its power was knocked out. The utility company said it can restore electricity and natural gas service to GreenHunter in six to eight weeks. The company will use diesel- and gas-powered generators in the meantime.

GreenHunter officials stated that the damage to the main equipment seemed to them to be minimal, and that the company would be back up and running ASAP. The second-largest biodiesel refinery is the Imperium plant located in Grays Harbor, Washington, which refines 100 million gallons of biodiesel per year. Here’s hoping they, along with the smaller plants around the country, can pick up GreenHunter’s slack until the Houston location comes back online in November.

BMW Tops Sustainability List

September 12, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, MPG by kristen | No comments

The 2008 Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes have been released, and the Automobiles crown goes to Miss Germany: BMW. The report is labyrinthine and multi-partite, so I’ll try to break down the auto section to give GoodGreenCars readers an idea of what makes BMW so sustainable.

The review is produced annually by Dow Jones Indexes and SAM, a sustainability investment specialist. They analyze corporate economic (i.e., risk management), environmental (climate change mitigation), and social performance (labor practices) in 57 industries. BMW scored well enough in all three categories to be the leader in the Automobiles sector.

SAM and the DSJI aren’t in it for the love — they’re in it for the money. And the money says that investors are demanding sustainable practices from industries.

But this is not an endorsement of BMW vehicles as particularly green. The popular 3-series gets about 21 mpg combined and emits a middle-of-the-road 8-9 tons of CO2 annually, while the company’s MINI lineup is rated at 29 mpg and 6.3 tons of CO2 annually. At the other end of the spectrum, the top-of-the-line M6 gets 13 mpg and releases 14.1 tons of CO2 annually (it also starts at $101,000).

BMW has complained loudly about how difficult it will be for it to meet the new CAFE standards in the U.S., and has paid millions in fines for CAFE violations in the past few years. So while their manufacturing processes may be sustainable enough for the Dow Jones, they’re a little lacking where the rubber meets the road.

12 Unexpected Gas-Saving Cars

August 20, 2008 in Consumer News, Hybrids, MPG, diesel, small cars by kristen | 5 comments

The NY Times reported last weekend on a dozen autos you might not expect to get such great gas mileage. Among their picks was a Corvette, which I can tell you first-hand gets better gas mileage than you’d expect, at 26 mpg on the highway — if you drive it reasonably and responsibly. But who does that in a Corvette?

Here’s the Times’s list with combined miles per gallon, but you’ll want to read the whole list on the newspaper’s Web site. Reporter Lawrence Ulrich includes everything from tiny econoboxes to full-size SUVs and pickups. He purposefully left out the obvious, like the Prius and Honda Civic, to focus on overlooked models in broad categories.

Toyota Camry Hybrid, 34 mpg
Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 33 mpg
Mini Cooper, 29 mpg
Nissan Versa, 27 mpg
Honda Accord coupe, 24 mpg
Toyota RAV-4, 24 mpg
Mazda 5, 23 mpg
BMW 328i, 22 mpg
Toyota Tacoma, 21 mpg
Chevy Corvette, 19 mpg
Ford Flex, 19 mpg
Mercedes-Benz GL320 Bluetec, 19 mpg

Mitsubishi’s i MiEV in U.S. Later This Year

August 11, 2008 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

Mitsubishi announced that it has partnered with Pacific Gas and Electric to test the new all-electric i MiEV in California at the end of 2008. The utility company will test the four-passenger cars in the “real world,” and gauge the impact charging a fleet of EVs will have on the grid.

Similar testing with seven electric utility companies in Japan went so well that the company stepped up its EV program and will offer the i MiEV in Japan next summer. Global sales expectations for the car are so high that Mitsubishi has plans to build a lithium-ion battery factory that will open in April 2009. The plant will produce enough batteries to equip 10,000 vehicles.

The i MiEV is based on the Japanese-market i-series mini car, but its 47-kW motor is said to have better acceleration and performance than the 64-hp engine in the gasoline-powered version. Though a quick conversion shows 47 kW to be equal to 64 hp, electric motors have 100% torque available as soon as you press the throttle, making it seem quicker.

Keep an eye on PG&E and Mitsubishi to see how these cars play with California traffic and how soon they might reach U.S. consumers.

Air-Powered Electric Vehicles on the Way?

August 5, 2008 in EVs, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Toyota’s researchers in Japan are working on using zinc air batteries for powering EVs. That’s right — batteries that create electricity out of thin air.

When oxygen from the air around us is introduced into a battery cell, it reacts with a zinc electrode to create electricity. The materials to build these batteries are cheap, and they have high energy density. So why aren’t these things powering your Mini already? Because not even a Mini is small enough to be powered by zinc air batteries. Right now, the most common use for zinc air is in hearing aids.

Despite the small size, Toyota hopes that the move from lead-acid and even lithium-ion batteries to zinc-air will blow open the doors of the EV market, providing the range and speed consumers want from a daily driver. There is a lot of possibility here — it wasn’t that long ago that li-ion batteries were only found in cell phones and laptops, not 100+ mph supercars like the Tesla Roadster.

Smart Goes Electric, Nano Goes Diesel

July 29, 2008 in EVs, Future Cars, MPG, diesel, small cars by kristen | No comments

Now that Mini is going electric, everybody wants a piece of the action. Smart has a test EV running around in Europe right now, and while Tata has long had plans to introduce an electric car, they’re going ahead with a diesel this year.

The electric Smart ForTwo, known as the Smart ed, has a 41-hp electric motor and sodium-nickel-chloride batteries. It gets about 70 miles per charge, and has a maximum speed of 70 mph, which makes it a reasonable commuter EV, even if your commute involves highways. Price and market haven’t been announced, but they do expect it to go on sale in 2010. Cross your fingers that it comes your way — and you can afford it.

While we may have to wait a while for the EV version of the Tata Nano, the diesel version will hit the Indian market in October. The hatchback will go a rocking 50 mph from its little 33-hp, 2-cylinder diesel engine, but it gets 52 mpg city, 61 highway. The added efficiency will drive up the regular Nano’s price of $2,500 to about $4,200.

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