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Toyota Engineers Carbon-Offset Flowers

November 18, 2009 in Biz News, Hybrids, emissions by kristen | No comments

I’m not sure if this is science at its best or a bit creepy: Toyota has created two new species of flower to offset the carbon emissions at its Prius factory in Japan. And that’s not even counting the grass. Or the fact that they planted the flowers in a sunset pattern.

According to Popular Science:

  • The Toyota version of cherry sage absorbs greenhouse gases through its leaves
  • The Toyota version of gardenia acts as a humidifier to cool the factory grounds and reduce the need for a/c
  • The Toyota grass, which used to need mowing three times a year, now only needs a trim once a year

Is Toyota harnessing the power of science for good or evil? Grow your opinions in the comments.

Beauty and the EV: Renault Zoe Z.E.

November 13, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

The Renault Zoe Z.E. is scheduled for production in 2012, but the “spa” concept car has  a curious partner: L’Oreal’s Biotherm skin care department. The Zoe Z.E. is “aimed at people making daily local trips and looking for a car that brings them health and wellbeing,” according to a Renault press release.

The all-electric, zero-emissions car has a roof with an intelligent membrane to insulate against heat and cold (both of which can wreak havoc on a person’s  complexion) and photovoltaic cells to capture the sun’s energy (so drivers can glow with eco-self-satisfaction). And, in case you think I’m making fun, here’s another line from the press release: “ZOE Z.E. boasts the finest in air filtration and purification technology to fully protect the health of passengers and keep their skin young-looking.”

The ZOE Z.E. does have some practical tech bits. Standard recharging takes 4 to 8 hours, depending on the voltage at the socket. It’s capable of fast charging in 20 minutes at special charging stations, and it uses a “Quickdrop” system for swapping out battery packs at exchange stations.

2010 Ford Flex to Use Straw-Based Plastic

November 12, 2009 in Biz News, New Tech, emissions by kristen | No comments

Ford Motor Company announced that it will be using a wheat-straw-reinforced plastic in the interior storage bins of the 2010 Ford Flex. While this might seem like a baby step — and it is — Ford says the change to a 20% wheat-straw plastic will reduce petroleum use by 20,000 pounds per year and CO2 emissions by 30,000 pounds per year. The wheat straw itself is a byproduct of processing the grain.

These numbers are drops in the pollution bucket, but you have to start somewhere. Ford says it will be using the biomaterial in other places and other vehicles in the future. This is in addition to Ford’s soy-based polyurethane seat cushions and headliners, seat fabrics made from post-industrial recycled yarn, and post-consumer recycled resins for underbody covers.

A wee bit of wheat trivia, courtesy of the Ford press release: This isn’t the company’s first foray into the wheat world. In the 1920s, Henry Ford developed Fordite, a mixture of wheat straw from his farm, rubber, sulfer, silica, and more, that he used to make steering wheels.

Do We Even Need Cars Anymore?

October 28, 2009 in Biz News, MPG, emissions by kristen | No comments

It’s no surprise to learn that people are buying fewer cars these days than they have in years. An article in the Sunday New York Times by Micheline Maynard explores why exactly that is, and it’s pretty encouraging. While the expected reasons rise to the top of the pile, like the awful economy and a turn toward the green side of transportation, there are more nuanced reasons in there.

What Ms. Maynard found, in a nutshell:

  • One woman would rather spend her limited funds on health insurance than a car, insurance, and parking
  • Empty-nesters are moving from suburbs to cities and shedding cars as they go
  • Personal transportation like the P.U.M.A. may gain traction among carless commuters
  • And, of course, people have switched to bikes and public transportation for environmental reasons

The article explores the major shift away from car purchases as an emotional, status-based purchase. Have you given up your car? Are you car sharing? Car pooling? Riding a bike, like 8% of Portland, Oregon, commuters? Do you feel like you have to have a car, given your commute or family situation? Tell us your experience in the comments.

Meet the Nissan Leaf Electric Car in Person

October 27, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, emissions by kristen | No comments

Nissan announced dates for its Nissan LEAF (did you know they capitalize that name? Me neither) Zero Emission Tour in the next few months. No test drives — the car on tour is a left-hand drive Japanese prototype — but if you’ve got questions about the car, or electric cars in general, I’m sure the Nissan reps would be happy to answer.

Most of the dates are on the alterna-fuel lovin’ West Coast, with stops in Detroit to rub it in and Tennessee, where Nissan has its U.S. headquarters.

The sked:

Southern California
Los Angeles: Nov. 13-17
Orange County: Nov. 18
San Diego: Nov. 19-21

Northern California
Berkeley/Walnut Creek: Nov. 23-24
San Francisco: Nov. 25-29
Santa Rosa: Dec. 1
Sacramento: Dec. 1
San Jose: Dec. 3-6

Pacific Northwest
Seattle: Dec. 8-12
Vancouver, Canada: Dec. 14-15
Portland, Ore.: Dec. 17-23

Southwest
Phoenix/Tucson: Dec. 30-Jan. 5
Las Vegas: Jan. 6

Midwest/East Coast
Detroit: Jan. 11-13
Knoxville/Chattanooga, Tenn.: Jan. 16
Middle Tennessee: Jan. 19-21
Washington, D.C.: Jan. 26-28
Raleigh, N.C.: Jan. 29
Orlando: Feb. 1-2

Texas
Houston: Feb. 5-6

New York
New York City: Feb. 9-14

Government in Action: Three-Wheeled EVs and Hydrogen Fuel

October 21, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Hydrogen, New Tech by kristen | No comments

These are your tax dollars at work, people. (Unless you live outside the U.S. But your tax dollars are doing something equally worthy, I’m sure.)

Let’s start with the electric vehicles: After Energy Secretary Steven Chu eliminated funding for hydrogen fuel from his budget, the Senate has reinstated it for the department’s 2010-2011 budget. Chu prefers straight-up battery electric vehicles for the future of greener transportation, but he says he’ll work with Congress on hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicles.

Speaking of electric vehicles, you may have noticed that many of the EVs on the road today, especially neighborhood electric vehicles, have three wheels instead of four. Thanks to some heavy lobbying by Aptera and its three-wheeled brethren, Congress has extended research and development loans to manufacturers of safe, high-mileage vehicles, even if they are short a wheel.

Requirements for the loan:

  • Vehicles must be fully enclosed
  • Vehicles must meet all the same safety standards as conventional vehicles
  • Vehicles must carry two adults
  • Vehicles must average 75 mpg or equivalent

Speed Bumps Generate Irritation, Electricity

October 14, 2009 in Biz News, New Tech, emissions by kristen | No comments

It’s no secret that speed bumps are irritating, but it may help to know that driving over them will generate electricity — at least at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. or a McDonalds in New Jersey.

The speed bumps, called MotionPower, are built by New Energy Technologies. According to a post on the New York Times’ Wheels blog, the action of a car driving over the bump sends the energy to a generator. A green light comes on to let you know it’s working.

No word on how much electricity the speed bumps actually generate, but it should be enough to power roadsigns or streetlights. It’ll be on the market sometime in the next couple of years, and cost about $2000. I know a street here in Portland that could power the nearby middle school if it replaced its seemingly dozens of speed bumps with these babies.

The French Get Smart – Electric Smart

October 13, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, emissions, small cars by kristen | No comments

Daimler says that the electric Smart Fortwo will go into large-scale production at a plant in Hambach, France, as early as next month.

The first run of 1000 electric Smarts will be built in November 2009 and delivered to customers by the end of the year (Merry Christmas!). The car will be at full production and in Smart car dealerships by 2012, said Daimler Chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche.

Specs for the new electric Smart Fortwo:

  • Lithium-ion battery housed between the axles
  • 30 kW motor in the rear
  • 88 lb-ft of torque from the get-go
  • 80-mile range
  • 0-62 mph in 6.5 seconds
  • Max speed limited to 100 km/h (62 mph)

Zenn Quits Electric Car Business, Takes on Drive Trains

October 7, 2009 in Biz News, EVs by kristen | No comments

Zenn Motor Company, the Toronto-based electric car company, announced that it will stop building electric cars to focus on supplying its ZENNergy drive electric drive train. The plug has been pulled on the cityZENN electric vehicle project so that the company can pour its resources into developing the ZENNergy drive for other manufacturers to use in their electric cars.

The idea, according to a press release, is to not get swallowed up in a sea of small electric vehicles. Rather, ZENN will develop the powerplants for those cars. They’ll even make the ZENNergy drive available for aftermarket conversions of gasoline or hybrid cars to electric power.

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: 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Think Out of Bankruptcy, Ready to Deliver Electric Cars

August 31, 2009 in Biz News, EVs by kristen | No comments

Like a lot of automakers in the past year, Think had to file for bankruptcy protection in its native Norway. But now the little company has emerged from the bankruptcy tar pit ready to build electric cars for the masses. Production is set to resume “as soon as possible,” according to the company’s CEO, and customers can expect to take deliveries in early 2010.

The Th!nk City (as the company prefers to spell its name) will be the first small electric vehicle to earn safety approval across Europe. Rumor has it that the car will reach American shores next year, too. Here’s what you can expect:

  • Range of over 100 miles
  • Top speed of about 60 mph
  • Dual airbags
  • Inertia OFF switch to cut power in case of an accident
  • Sodium or lithium batteries

Car Companies Put Their Money Where Their Carbon Is

August 27, 2009 in Biz News, emissions by kristen | No comments

Under the proposed cap-and-trade plan, manufacturers would have to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide. For many companies, including auto makers, this is a money issue as much as (or maybe more than) an environmental one.

NSF International and Trucost Plc analyzed the greenhouse gas emissions of 230 businesses in a variety of sectors, including six in the automotive business: Ford, GM, Harley-Davidson, Goodyear, Johnson Controls, and Genuine Parts. Genuine Parts, an umbrella company that includes NAPA, had the lowest carbon emissions per million dollars of revenue. The other five companies all scored in the same neighborhood, as far as CO2 per million dollars goes.

The report puts CO2 emissions into financial perspective for the industry: if you don’t clean up your act sooner rather than later, it is going to cost you money. Not only that, but the report points out that a “dirty” company competing against a “clean” one will lose the public relations battle, too. Another hit to the ol’ pocketbook for spewing greenhouse gases into the air.

Overall, the average auto or parts manufacturer emits 1.3 million metric tons of green house gases each year. Over 90% of those emissions come from the supply chain, not from the manufacture of the product itself. Large companies are going to need to put the pressure on their suppliers to clean up, too. Otherwise, the company that builds the car is going to get dinged for the carbon score of the parts that go into it.

It’s all very complicated, and the report includes a lot of charts. But it boils down to one message for corporations: clean up your act, or you’ll end up paying six ways to Sunday.

Enginer Converts Cars to Fuels of the Future — and the Past

August 20, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, MPG, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Enginer, a company based in Troy, Michigan, has given itself a mission: to make 100 mpg technology affordable. To this end, Team Enginer, as they like to call themselves, has developed two systems. One is on the cutting edge of 21st century technology, while the other recaptures some of the energy of the early days of the automotive age.

First, Enginer has two plug-in conversion kits for hybrids like the Prius that start at $1,995 — thousands less than the competition. It can be installed by a conversion pro or a do-it-yourselfer, though the company is hoping to get manufacturers to install the kits at the factory, which would qualify the car for some fat tax credits. And, of course, radically improve gas mileage.

Second, Team Enginer has a steam combustion engine conversion kit for sale. The kit goes into your existing car, captures waste heat, uses it to warm water, then uses the steam to drive the engine. In case you weren’t aware, around 1900, one-third of the cars on the road were gasoline-powered, one-third were electric, and one third ran on steam. Seems that Team Enginer would like a piece of all those pies, though they wouldn’t mind if the gasoline slice were a bit smaller.

Tesla to Add Sedan, SUV, to Its Lineup

August 19, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Tesla S

I wish I were a bookie, or knew how to put odds on events. Starting a betting pool on Tesla chairman Elon Musk’s plans for the company’s future would be fun. The company is seemingly doing pretty well, despite internal disputes, lawsuits, changes at the top, and who knows what all. Musk keeps on keeping on, though. Tesla’s got a deal with Daimler to help build electric smart cars, and Musk recently announced the addition of an SUV to Tesla’s future lineup and reiterated the company’s plans for an affordable sedan.

During an interview with PBS’s Charlie Rose last week, Musk said the sedan will sell for around $50,000, or half the current price of the Roadster, and be produced in much larger numbers. Like, 20,000 a year, compared to 1,000 for the Roadster this year. An electric SUV and a new, smaller, more affordable car will follow sometime in the future. But you can look for the Tesla S sedan in two years … or can you? Place your bets!

Image of the Tesla S courtesy of Tesla Motors.

Dreams Do Come True: Volvo C30 Electric Car Confirmed

August 13, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

A couple of years ago, Volvo introduced the ReCharge hybrid electric concept; now, it’s taking the idea a step further by giving the little Volvo C30 hatchback an electric motor with a 130-mile range.

A plug-in electric Volvo C30 will debut at the Innovation for Life event just after the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, according to a report in Autocar. Unlike the ReCharge, the C30 won’t have four small electric motors at all four wheels. It will instead have a more conventional single-motor set up.

The New York Times Wheels blog said the car could maybe possibly be part of a small test fleet. Fingers crossed. I’ve driven the gasoline C30, and for a city car, it’s brilliant. Swap out the gas pump for an outlet, and I’ll be in line. I’ll start saving my pennies.

Image courtesy of Volvo Cars.

Chevy Volt Will Get 230 MPG … Maybe. On a Good Day

August 12, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, MPG, emissions by kristen | 2 comments

It’s been a while since we’ve heard any real news about the Chevy Volt, and now GM has captured our green imaginations by claiming that the extended-range electric car will get 230 mpg. Now the EPA, GM, and of course the blogosphere are saying that number may be too good to be true.

GM used the EPA’s new mileage model for electric cars to come up with that massive 230 mpg. There are two problems with this, though: The EPA hasn’t finalized the electric car methodology; and the Volt isn’t purely electronic. Though the first 40 miles are all electric, the Volt has a small engine that uses gasoline and acts as a generator for the electric motor. The engine never powers the car directly, but this is the kind of hiccup that has kept the EPA from giving its mileage equivalency methods the green light.

That doesn’t take into account the Volt’s carbon dioxide emissions, or if the driver is a pedal-smashing speed freak, or if the power comes from a wind farm or a coal plant, or any number of things. Before the EPA could say, “Hey, wait a minute … ” GM had whipped up a 230 logo with a smiling outlet and a green background.

2012 Toyota Plug-In Prius Price Set

July 29, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, Uncategorized by kristen | No comments

Toyota will release a mass-market plug-in Prius in 2010, with a price tag set at $47,000. The car will be able to charge at a 110-volt or 220-volt outlet, both of which are common in American households. Few details are available beyond this basic announcement that the cars are indeed on the way, and that Toyota will build 20,000-30,000, according to a Reuters report. The car will use lithium batteries and may be a direct competitor for the forthcoming Chevy Volt.

World’s Biggest Electric Delivery Truck Coming Tuesday

July 23, 2009 in Biz News, EVs by kristen | No comments

Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. will deliver its first little fleet of big electric delivery trucks next week. The Newton, as the truck is called, can do 50 mph for 150 miles — much farther than most passenger electric vehicles. It also weighs seven and a half tons — about the weight of four Zap Xebra electric trucks.

The trucks are built in Kansas City, but the official hand-off will take place on the steps of the Capital building in Washington, DC, according to Edmunds.com. Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. is an offshoot of Smith Electric Vehicles, the British outfit that also makes the Edison and Amphere electric vehicles.

Which lucky companies get the first round of Newtons? Coca-Cola, Frito0Lay, AT&T, Staples, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Kansas City Power and Light. Find out Tuesday how many Newtons each company receives.

EPA’s SmartWay Transport Program

July 20, 2009 in Biz News, Hybrids, MPG, diesel, emissions by kristen | No comments

I recently bought a new computer, and I noticed that the box the sales associate put in my cart had a sticker reading “SmartWay Transport Partnership.” It had the same leaf-and-road logo as the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay auto certification program, so I thought I’d look into it.

It turns out it’s no big secret, the SmartWay Transportation Partnership. The agency has partnered with the trucking industry to reduce fuel consumption and polluting emissions, including carbon dioxide. The aim is to save 3.3 to 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year, which amounts to about 150 million barrels of oil.

How can they get there? There are a few strategies, some of which are easier to do than others:

  • Limit the amount of time truck engines are left to idle
  • Improve aerodynamics to increase fuel economy
  • Better trip planning to use less fuel
  • Automatic tire inflation systems
  • Use trucks with hybrid powertrains, or at least start-stop technology

The EPA keeps a long list of SmartWay Transport partners, which includes hundreds of trucking companies. If your green business has grown to the point where you need to get product further than the craft fair downtown, this may be a good resource. Consumers like me notice those little SmartWay stickers, you know.

Terrabon Developing “Green Gasoline”

July 16, 2009 in Biz News, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Texas-based company Terrabon is working to develop a second-generation biofuel it calls “green gasoline.” Unlike the ethanol in use today, the fuel would be nearly identical to gasoline and fermented from “anything that rots,” one company official said — including sewer sludge.

The “green gasoline,” officially called MixAlco, was developed by scientists at Texas A&M University, according to the Houston Chronicle. Within a few months, Terrabon plans to be able to produce 300 gallons of the stuff a day. It added that it can produce MixAlco for about $1.75 a gallon, and that it can use existing storage tanks and pumps, unlike the more corrosive ethanol.

Auntie Anne’s Yummiest Electric Car

July 15, 2009 in Biz News, EVs by kristen | No comments

In San Marcos, Texas, you might not be able to hear the little electric car making its rounds, but you can sure smell it. An Auntie Anne’s pretzel shop franchisee recently purchased a neighborhood electric vehicle for making deliveries to and handing out samples at other Prime Outlets locations.

The car has an Auntie Anne’s decal on the door and a menu posted in the window. Lisa Fullerton, the franchisee who partnered with the Texas State University American Marketing Association to buy the car, told QSR magazine that the happy — and green — little car has helped increase her sales by 40% this year.

GM Puts the Brakes on Malibu Hybrid

June 15, 2009 in Biz News, Hybrids, MPG by kristen | No comments

2009 Chevy Malibu

The Chevy Malibu hybrid will see the end of production in 2009, along with the Saturn Aura, as GM slims down its lineup and makes an attempt at building cars people want to buy.

The Malibu and Aura are both mild hybrids, meaning their electric motors cannot power the car alone. The motor can only assist the gasoline-powered engine, which increases the fuel efficiency of the car. The problem is, the fuel efficiency of the Malibu only increased by about 4 mpg — but the hybrid system added $4,000 to the price tag.

According to a report on Manufacturing.net, GM isn’t abandoning gasoline-electric hybrids. It plans on having new models out as soon as summer 2010, but it wouldn’t elaborate on what models or technologies we might see.

GM has affirmed its commitment to building the extended-range electric Chevy Volt/Opel Ampera, despite its economic woes.

Image of the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Honda Fit Hybrid for 2011?

June 4, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, small cars by kristen | No comments

The Internets are buzzing with a quote from an unnamed Honda spokesman who says the company is planning to produce a Honda Fit Hybrid as soon as the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The accelerated timetable for the hybrid model may be a response to the accelerated CAFE standards announced by the White House last month.

Honda will also produce the sporty CR-Z hybrid in 2010 — and that’s a definite. The Fit will follow, Honda says. The current Honda Fit already gets 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway. John O’Dell, senior editor at Green Car Advisor, speculates that the Fit Hybrid could get fuel economy numbers somewhere around 50 mpg and a price tag in the neighborhood of $20,000.

Image of a gasoline Honda Fit by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Daimler Takes a Stake in Tesla

May 28, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler has acquired a 10% stake in California EV upstart Tesla Motors. The two companies have been working together to develop a battery pack for Daimler’s future electrified Smart car, as Tesla chair Elon Musk announced in Detroit earlier this year.

While Daimler is learning from Tesla’s lithium-ion know-how, including the development of battery packs and recharging systems, Tesla is taking advantage of the bigger, older company’s experience and supply chain to develop its own, supposedly less expensive Tesla Model S electric vehicle.

There are already 100 electric Smart cars testing in London. The results of this partnership with Tesla will produce 1,000 second-generation Smart EVs, which will be built at Smart HQ in France and used in pilot European programs.

And Mercedes fans, start saving up now. The company promises to introduce an electric M-B in 2010.

Image courtesy of Daimler AG.

Mercedes to Produce Hydrogen-Powered Cars, Smart EVs

May 20, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Hydrogen, small cars by kristen | No comments

Mercedes announced that it will produce a small number of hydrogen-fuel call cars for real-world testing in Europe by the end of the year. The cars will be small, but not micro-sized like the company’s teeny Smart car.

Speaking of which, the electric-powered Smart cars that Mercedes promised will be in production by the end of 2009, too. Berlin will get to test them first, so hold on a little longer, EV enthusiasts, while the Germans work out the kinks.

Image of the Smart EV at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Bentley Goes Greener, Gets Recycleable

May 19, 2009 in Biodiesel, Biz News, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Bentley, maker of high-end British cars, announced that all of its Continental models will be 85% recycleable (or 95% recoverable). This in addition to its promise to make its entire lineup FlexFuel compatible by 2012.

The company pointed out that it has also reduced gas, water, and electricity consumption by 25% over the past nine years while the number of cars that roll of the assembly line has grown by ten times in the same period.

It may be a moot point, though, this recyclability, as the company also pointed out that 70% of all Bentleys ever built are still on the road. Longevity and the low miles these cars usually rack up may be the greenest things about any large luxury car. That and the green it takes to buy one in the first place.

Photo by theignitionpoint.co.uk.

Tata Nano: Small Car, Big Hit

May 11, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, MPG, small cars by kristen | No comments

The much-anticipated Tata Nano, the world’s least-expensive new car, has already made a splash in its native India, where 203,000 orders have already been placed.

According to the New York Times’ “Wheels” blog, the company is only capable of building 100,000 units in the first run of the Nano. Tata will draw the names of those lucky first hundred thou from the pool of applicants. Surprisingly, only 20% of the orders placed were for the least-expensive model. Half of the orders were for the Nano LX, which for $3,300 adds power front windows, a heater, fog lamps, and exclusive Sunshine Yellow paint.

Image courtesy of Tata.

Two New Lithium Battery Plants in Detroit

April 30, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

Two battery manufacturers with offices in Michigan have announced plans to build factories in the beleaguered state. LG Chem-Compact Power and A123 Systems will build two of the four expected lithium battery plants to come to Michigan in the near future. The other two waiting in the wings are Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions and KD Advanced Battery Group.

The A123 plant will be the bigger of the two, with $600 million in seed money and more than 5,000 positions expected to be filled. Compact Power’s plant gets a $200 million investment to create about 300 jobs. Both companies will recieve $125-million tax credits from the state as a thank-you.

Oregon and Mitsubishi Partners in Charging

April 27, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, New Tech, PHEVs, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Kulongoske and i MiEV

Ted Kulongoski, Governor of Oregon, John Koenig of Mistubishi Motors North America, and Jim Piro, head of electric utility PGE all took the podium on Earth Day to announce Oregon’s partnership with Mistubishi to establish a statewide network of charging stations. Presumably, these stations will be used by Mitsubishi’s i MiEV fleet when they come to Oregon for testing later this year.

Piro and Kulongoski both interated that Oregon is moving away from fossil fuel power, with the idea of emissions-free driving at the source and from the tailpipe (metaphorically, of course. EVs don’t have tailpipes). The region PGE serves is already number one in purchasing renewable power, so it seems hearts and minds of its customers have already been won over.

Kulongoski also said he was working with the federal Department of Transportation on greening the interstates. He’d like to see quick chargers at rest stops along Interstates 5 and 84 in Oregon, and apparently the U.S. government hasn’t shut down the idea completely.

Image of Gov. Kulongoski with i MiEV and charger by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Jaguar’s Big Cat Goes Green

April 21, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

There’s a rumor that Jaguar, which is owned now by Indian motor company Tata, will debut a plug-in hybrid version of its next-generation XJ four-door sedan. According to Autocar, a British magazine, the technology will be similar to the Chevy Volt (or Opel Ampera, if you’re in the European Union), with batteries that can be recharged by either plugging in or by a small, on-board, gasoline-powered engine.

Jaguar was granted a loan of more than 300 million pounds for developing green technology by the European Union. It’s worked with outside engineers on the PHEV project, including Lotus Engineering, to put the car into production by 2011. This dovetails with Jaguar’s plan to reduce its emissions by 25% by 2012.

Fisker Gets Funding, Heads for Green Conference

April 20, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

In its latest round of investments, Fisker Automotive managed to get $85 million in venture capital for the development and manufacture of its plug-in hybrid vehicles. The company’s first production car, the 2010 Fisker Karma, is expected to roll out of the factory and onto the street in late 2009 with a price tag near $90,000 — before tax credits.

The wads and wads of cash come from Eco-Drive (Capital) Partners of New York, which is an investment consortium with members from the U.S. and Europe, and from early Fisker investor Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers.

Company founder and CEO Henrik Fisker will take part in the Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, this week. The symposium will include keynote speaker President Bill Clinton and the “Future of Cars” panel, which is where Fisker will share his ideas on the autos to come, along with Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. and Ford CEO Alan Mulally.

GM and Segway Double the Dork Factor with PUMA

April 16, 2009 in Biz News, Future Cars, New Tech, small cars by kristen | 3 comments

Those few of you who joined me in watching “Arrested Development,” the short-lived sitcom on Fox a few years ago, will remember that magician Gob Bluth’s dorkiness was enhanced by his piloting a Segway around town. Well, GM and Segway apparently didn’t want the Gobs of the world to be alone any longer: they have teamed up to create a two-person Segway concept called the P.U.M.A.

Project P.U.M.A. stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, and it’s been all over the Internets lately. The two occupents of the vehicle are seated, rather than having to stand, and it’s capable of going 35 mph for about 35 miles, similar to many neighborhood electric vehicles.

Here are the P.U.M.A.’s dork credentials:

  • An acronym for a name
  • A small set of front wheels — training wheels, if you will — for stability when stopped
  • Video-game-style steering apparatus
  • Upright pod design (the yellow stripes on the concept do not help)
  • No room for anything but the two dorks inside and their iPhones

As this is an experimental vehicle, no price has been set, and this is likely not its final form (though it’s probably pretty close). GM and Segway hope to bring the P.U.M.A. to market in 2012. God help us.

Now that I have made my feelings clear on what is likely a breakthrough in both technology and heights of dorkitude, make your feelings known in the comments.

i MiEV Has World Domination on Its Mind

April 14, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

The Mitsubishi i MiEV may seem like an cute, innocent, egg-like electric vehicle, but recent events show that it has an iron will inside that adorable shape.

On March 27, Mitsubishi announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the swankiest cities on Earth, Monaco. Beginning in late 2009, the company will provide a fleet of i MiEVs to Monaco’s post office, telecom office, and its famous hotels and casinos. The fleet will be testing the car’s “real-world” usability in Monaco, and will eventually include left-hand drive models. (All current i MiEVs are right-hand drive, since they’re built for the Japanese market.)

On April 6, Mitsubishi and Vancouver, B.C., signed an MoU for one car to be added to the city’s official fleet, and one to be added to the power company’s. The city — Canada’s first to participate in Mitsu’s program — could get more i MiEVs as they become available.

No city is safe from the pint-sized EV’s diabolical plans to clean up the atmosphere, not even my own Portland, Oregon. The State of Oregon signed an MoU with Mistubishi on April 10, while local power company PGE signed a Letter of Intent to test the i MiEV. The company is already working to establish a charging network in anticipation of mass-market electric cars.

These three test fleets are in addition to the i MiEV’s presence in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, California, and Europe. The car will actually go on sale for the first time — after obviously extensive on-street testing — in Japan this summer.

Mercedes Trainees Build Fuel Cell Roadster

April 13, 2009 in Biz News, Hydrogen, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL

Dozens of junior-level Mercedes-Benz employees and students in Germany worked together for a year to create the F-CELL Roadster project, a fuel cell-powered open car. The project was designed to give the trainees hands-on experience with developing alternative-fuel vehicles.

The spoked wheels of the design project reference the earliest Benzes of the late 1800s, while the seats are thoroughly modern carbon fiber with hand-stitched leather upholstery. It’s got a joystick in place of a steering wheel (a hallmark of any “car of the future” destined to never see production) and the fuel-cell system in the rear. The F-CELL has a top speed of 15 mph, but a range of over 200 miles.

It would be a miracle if the F-CELL ever reached the market, as it was intended as an in-house learning experience, but it’s just these kinds of projects that are going to expand the availability and viability of alternative fuels in the near future.

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.

The Tata Nana Is Go! (in India)

April 2, 2009 in Biz News, small cars by kristen | No comments

Tata Nano

After much drama — will it be built? where? can it really be sold for so cheap? what about the rioting workers? the abandoned first factory? — the Tata Nano made its world debut at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai last week. Tata Motors kept its promise of offering the car at a $2000 starting price.

So finally, now that its in production and ready to roll, what will the citizens of India get for their 100,000 rupees?

  • 632-cc, 2-cylinder engine
  • 30 horsepower
  • 1 windshield wiper (for one tiny windshield)
  • 12″ steel rims
  • Optional power steering and power brakes
  • No airbags, ABS, or radio — not even as options

The car will hit showrooms in April, according to a New York Times blog post, where buyers can spend $6 to register to buy the car. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in July. There are plans to bring the tiny car to the U.S., but it would need a LOT of safety upgrades to be street legal here — real bumpers, for example.

Think EV Coming to US

March 26, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

Norwegian EV manufacturer Think has plans to build a factory here in the States that can employ 300 people and roll about 16,000 lithium-ion-powered cars a year off the line, to start. The company hopes to ramp up employment to nearly 1000, including engineers, and make 60,000 cars a year eventually.

Think said in a press release that it is talking to reps from eight states, including hard-hit Michigan, about where to build the plant. It’s also applied for loans from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, but like any government process, it’s a slow one.

Green Car Advisor gave an update on the shaky process, due to Think’s filing for reorganization in Norway in late 2008. A spokesperson told Senior Editor John O’Dell that the company will press ahead with plans to build the cars in the U.S. whether or not its DoE loan goes through, and that it could be building demonstration and fleet cars here in limited numbers next year.

Mitsubishi and Peugeot Work Together on i MiEV

March 2, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

Mitsubishi i MiEV

In a shower of rose petals and confetti, Mitsubishi and Peugeot Citroen signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow the two companies to work together to bring EVs to Europe sooner than expected. (More likely, it took place in an austere office sans confetti, but maybe there was sake and pate for everyone.)

The two companies had both started studies last summer on the feasability of bringing small electric cars to Europe. Rather than work against each other, the Mitsu and Peugeot Citroen agreed to work together on the i MiEV platform. The car will be sold under the Mitsubishi and Peugeot badges in Europe as early as fall 2010.

The press release announcing the Memorandum of Understanding (caps theirs) mentioned that real-world tests of the i MiEV are ongoing in Japan, New Zealand, and the U.S. Japan will see the little EV in dealerships this summer, while “several” U.S. markets could see a version of the car at the same time as the European rollout.

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.

BYD Builds Hybrid Dreams

January 28, 2009 in Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, New Tech, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

BYD F3DM

Thanks to Nissan’s pulling out of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Chinese auto manufacturer BYD (”Build Your Dreams”) got its chance to shine. Last year, BYD was relegated to the basement of the Cobo Center; this year, they were upstairs, between Subaru and fellow Chinese auto maker Brilliance, where the overhead lights could gleam off the company’s hybrid cars.

With a blast of music from the loudspeakers and a substantial investment from Warren Buffet, BYD is setting itself up to take on Toyota, Honda, Ford, and everyone else with a horse in the hybrid race. BYD began in 1995 as a battery producer, so building the car around the power system was a cinch. Like most other manufacturers with a new technology to sell, BYD brought a cutaway car to showcase its dual-mode hybrid system.

BYD’s first car, the F3DM, went on sale in China in December 2008. The company plans to bring its cars to the U.S. by 2011, and eventually to build them here, too. The next BYD car to reach showrooms will be a “family-sized” sedan, also dual-mode, called the F6DM. Both dual-mode cars have a 1-liter gasoline engine, an EV range of 68 miles, and a not-too-shabby 0-60 time of 10.5 seconds.

The BYD e6 is an all-electric vehicle with a 250-mile range and a 0-60 time of 8 seconds. It also features a “quick-charge” capacity that can restore 50% of its power in 10 minutes.

quick charge port

In all its cars, BYD promises safety, quality, affordability, and environmental responsibility. It’ll be interesting to see how they fare against the IIHS crash tests and EPA mileage machines.

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

Chevy Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Test Drive

January 23, 2009 in Biz News, Consumer News, Future Cars, Hydrogen, New Tech, test drives by kristen | No comments

I mentioned that the Mitsubishi iMiEV was one of the most popular cars to test drive on the basement track at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The other was GM’s Chevy Equinox SUV powered by hydrogen fuel cells. I waited my for turn at the wheel and did a few 10-mph laps with a GM rep in the passenger seat to fill me in on the technology.

The most notable thing was that the hydrogen-powered motor was as quiet as an EV, and drove like an EV, since it basically is an EV being powered by hydrogen rather than energy stored in, say, lead-acid batteries. GM has a fleet of these Equinox SUVs on the roads right now, and customers have asked engineers to leave in the “whine” on acceleration, rather than making the vehicle perfectly silent.

Though I couldn’t test it on the 700 feet of impromptu track inside the Cobo Center, the Equinox can do 0-60 in about 12 seconds, which is similar to a Prius. The hydrogen fuel generates zero emissions, and the current generation of the technology operates without any issues from -5 degrees Fahrenheit to 113 degrees. The next generation should be usable in “normal car range,” from -40 to 130 degrees.

GM has the largest fuel cell fleet in the world being tested by consumers right now. What we need is enough solid information from GM and its testers to break the chicken-or-the-egg fuel cell impasse that we’re at now: no one wants to build the cars without fueling stations in place, and no one wants to install the fueling stations without the cars.

Image courtesy of GM.

Tesla to Supply Batteries for Smart EV

January 13, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Tesla RoadsterSmart EV

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced today at the 2009 Detroit auto show that the company will supply the batteries for the forthcoming Smart electric vehicle. Musk had just gotten the go-ahead from Smart parent company and Tesla partner Daimler this morning to make the announcement at the press conference this afternoon — the last auto manufacturer’s press conference of the show.

Musk said Daimler felt Tesla had the best engineering and technology, and so chose the small Silicon Valley electric car maker to supply the batteries for its Smart microcar. The Smart EV will use the same batteries as the Tesla Roadster, but in a smaller pack.

Musk also mentioned that his goal is to bring EVs to the masses, something that could be done through this partnership with Daimler. While the technology is expensive, it goes into expensive cars like the Tesla Roadster (which sells for upwards of $100k and is sold out through November 2009). By working with a large car maker to build EVs in volume, Musk hopes to lower the costs and partner with Daimler to build tens of thousands of cars, instead of the 1500 Roadsters Tesla hopes to build this year.

Tesla likes this partnership model so much that Musk says it’s looking for more deals of the same kind. “The notion of Silicon Valley versus Detroit is completely untrue,” he said.

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.

What to Expect at the Detroit Auto Show

January 7, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids by kristen | No comments

With nine manufacturers out of the picture, I think it’s safe to say we shouldn’t expect much from the 2009 North American International Auto Show, which opens to the press January 11.

While Good Green Cars readers might not mind that Ferrari has pulled out of the Detroit show, you might find it interesting that Nissan/Infiniti has also decided not to bring any cars, and has even asked local dealers not to put up a display. The manufacturer has a hybrid program and plans to introduce electric cars to Oregon in the near-ish future. I was hoping to see those EVs, at least in prototype form, in Detroit this year. I also don’t see Mitsubishi on the press conference schedule, which means no up-close-and-personal time with the adorable iMiev.

What we can expect to see are the new Ford Fusion hybrid, the new Honda Insight, and the new Toyota Prius, all of which have a bunch of buzz surrounding them. Ford is also expected to talk about — but not have on hand — the new EVs it plans to build. I’m sure Chevy will be bringing the latest incarnation of the 2011 Volt PHEV, and that Chrysler will have its lineup of potential EVs on display.

Keep this blog bookmarked for the next week or so, as I report firsthand on the green goings-on in Detroit.

Get the Lead Out: Using Steel Weights to Balance Tires

November 21, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News by kristen | No comments

If you live in the western United States, you know Les Schwab Tire Centers. They’re everywhere. And, thanks to the eco-consciousness of the states were Les Schwab does business, the company is phasing out the lead weights used to balance tires and substituting steel.

Two years ago, Les Schwab started working with suppliers to get the toxic lead weights out of the tires used on passenger vehicles and light trucks. The tires with lead weights will be used first, but the company expects to be fully stocked with steel-weight tires by the middle of 2009. Les Schwab has more than 400 locations in seven western states, so a change there can have an impact on the industry and the environment.

In addition to the steel weights, Les Schwab is a major tire retreader and recycler, as well as one of Oregon Business magazines “Best Places to Work.”

NASCAR Goes Green with Hybrid Pace Car

November 19, 2008 in Biz News, Future Cars, Hybrids, MPG, racing by kristen | No comments

While the Americal Le Mans Series has already had a green race-within-a-race for alternative-fuel vehicles, NASCAR is taking baby steps toward eco-friendliness. The final race of the season on Sunday, November 16, had the series’ first-ever hybrid pace car, a 2010 Ford Fusion.

NASCAR isn’t going all tree-hugger on anybody, but it is trying to reduce its carbon footprint, according to a report on NASCAR.com. Organizers also hope the mere presence of a hybrid on the track will help crack the alternative-fuel ice with the sport’s fans, who tend to favor high horsepower and big trucks. But in a year of volatile gas prices and growing green awareness, even die-hard speed freaks can see the advantages in a higher-mpg vehicle.

The hybrid version of the Fusion, and its nearly identical twin the Mercury Sable, will be available to consumers in spring of next year. The official unveiling of the car will happen at the L.A. Auto Show, November 21-30.

Image courtesy of NASCAR.com.

Electric Smart Car in 2010

October 13, 2008 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

Smart ED at the 2008 Paris Auto Show

One of the most talked-about unveilings at the Paris auto show this month was the all-electric version of the Smart car, called the Smart ED. (That stands for Electric Drive, not the subject of those old Bob Dole commercials.) Parent company Daimler says the cars will go into production in late 2009 for delivery to “selected customers.”

Daimler leased 100 early versions of an electric Smart to Londoners earlier this year to get real-world experience with plug-in vehicles. The second phase of testing, announced last month, will take place in Berlin with another 100 cars.

The updated version seen in Paris at the auto show will have a 90-mile range, which is twice as far as the current crop of neighborhood electric vehicles will go on one charge. No word on if or when the Smart ED will show up at U.S. dealerships.

Honda’s Online Insight

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

2009 Honda Insight Concept

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.

ZAP Orders Up as Auto Industry Tanks

October 11, 2008 in Biz News, EVs by kristen | No comments

Zap Xebras Ready to Roll

Neighborhood electric vehicle manufacturer ZAP reported that its third quarter, which ended September 30, was its best ever, or at least since it launched the Xebra model in 2006. In fact, it shipped 200% more vehicles in the third quarter of 2008 than it did in the same quarter last year.

While this is absolutely good news — the company has even upped its workforce by 30%, something the Big Three couldn’t do this summer — it has to be put in perspective. ZAP is a small company, so a 200% increase in units shipped means 240 went out the door this summer, as opposed to 80 in 2007.

In comparison, the rest of the industry slumped hard in August. Sales were down 15.5% over last year, making it the worst August the auto industry has seen in a decade. GM’s sales were down 20%, Ford was down 27%, Toyota dropped 9% despite the popular Prius, and even steady Honda dropped 7%. But Chrysler had it the worst in August, with a 34% drop in sales.

Bailout Bill Tax Credits: Who Qualifies?

October 8, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

After I posted a synopsis of the alternative fuel tax credits here on GoodGreenCars Monday, astute reader Emily wondered if electric-only vehicles could get the credit, or if this particular sweetener only applied to PHEVs like the Volt.

Here’s the straight dope from the bill, as translated into English from Congress-ese by yours truly.

A New, Qualified, Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle, according to the recently passed bailout bill, means a vehicle that:

  1. Has a battery with at least a 4 kwh capacity (your tax credit will go up with the size of your battery)
  2. Uses an off-board source of energy to recharge the battery (an outlet or generator would do)
  3. Is certified under the Clean Air Act and meets California’s low emissions vehicle standard
  4. Will be put on the road for the first time by the taxpayer
  5. Was bought for use by the taxpayer, not for resale
  6. Was made by a manufacturer — home conversions do not get this credit

So your 6-year-old daughter’s battery-powered Barbie car doesn’t get the credit, nor does my friend Tim’s Porsche 914 conversion. You have to buy the car brand-new and use it yourself, no dealers or used cars allowed. And any plug-in vehicle should meet the emissions standards with flying colors.

If you have further questions, read the text of the bill here (look for Section 205 on page 186 of the PDF).

PHEVs Get a Tax Break

October 6, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, PHEVs, racing by kristen | 2 comments

The bailout bill passed by Congress last week included “sweeteners,” as anyone with a radio, TV, Internet connection, or newspaper subscription has learned by now. What didn’t make the top of the news was the fact that a couple of these provisions to sweeten the Wall Street bailout bill directly affect alternative fuels — in a good way, for once.

Buyers of plug-in hybrid vehicles will receive a $2500 tax credit, plus $417 per kilowatt hour for batteries greater than 4 kwh. This makes the Chevy Volt $7500 cheaper, as GM’s Volt blog was happy to point out. The credit will apply fully to the first 250,000 PHEVs sold, then will be phased out over the next year’s worth of sales after than landmark number is reached. (See Section 205 on page 186 of the bill.)

The bill also extends the 30% clean-burning fuel property tax credit to electricity, and moves the deadline for taking the credit out a year to December 2010. (See Section 207 on page 197 of the bill.)

Since that information, while useful, was dry as sand, here’s  video of a souped up Smart ForTwo beating the pants off a Ferrari in the quarter-mile (38 seconds):


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.

EV Factory in Kentucky Breaks Ground

September 17, 2008 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Franklin, Kentucky, will be the home of new venture Integrity Automotive, which will build the Zap Alias, among other vehicles. The first shovelfuls of dirt were lifted last Friday, and the first cars are expected to roll off the assembly line in a year. Zap brought a protype of the space-age-looking Alias to the groundbreaking.

The 200-acre site is being prepped for a 1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility that will employ 1000 people and produce electric vehicles for Zap’s global distribution. Currently, most of Zap’s electric vehicles, including the popular little Xebra neighborhood electric vehicle, are built in China. Kentucky put together $48 million in incentives to lure Zap to bring jobs to their state instead of farming them out to Asia, and the city of Franklin has pledged $76 million in industrial revenue bonds. Kentucky’s governor, Steve Beshear, also signed an executive order to expand the use of EVs in the state.

The plant is a joint venture between Integrity Manufacturing, one of Kentucky’s fastest-growing businesses, and Zap. The EV builder has had a shaky reputation in the past for following through on its promises, so let’s hope they see this one all the way through.

GM at the Century Mark

September 16, 2008 in Biz News, Future Cars, PHEVs by kristen | No comments

Bob Lutz and the Chevy VoltToday, September 16, 2008, is GM’s 100th birthday, and they’re celebrating over at GMnext with videos, events, podcasts, and more. At 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, the site will host a Future of Transportation Roundtable that should be intriguing, as speakers include members of industry, media, academia, and government. I’m betting (or hoping) they talk about the death spiral of the oil industry and the opportunities for new fuels and clean energy sources.

GM Next Day, as the company is calling it, will also have a global broadcast at 8 a.m. Eastern (I will not be getting up at five out here on the West Coast to listen in, so you’ll have to fill me in using the comments), followed by a series of live chats with executives, including Vice Chairman of Global Product Development, and leader of his own automotive cult of personality, Bob Lutz.

Oh, and don’t forget — today is the official unveiling of the production Volt design, though you’ve probably already seen the slew of photos leaked to the web last week.

Unofficial official image of Lutz and the Volt from Autobloggreen.com.

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.

GM to Go “Landfill Free”

September 9, 2008 in Biz News by kristen | No comments

Speaking of GM\'s Recycling Efforts ...GM reported last week that it’s taken a large stride in its goal of making 80 of its largest manufacturing facilities “landfill free.” Another 33 plants have been added to the roster, bringing the total number of sites recycling 96% or more of their manufacturing waste to 43. In addition to high recycling requirements, the facilities must also convert at least 3% of their waste  to energy.

While recycling and reusing leftover car bits has an undeniable environmental impact, it affects GM’s bottom line, too. Its global scrap metal recycling efforts have reached $1 billion a year, with another $16 million coming from the sale of recycled wood, cardboard, oil, and plastic.

Most of the factories on the list so far are outside the U.S., but so is most of GM’s manufacturing. The original list of 10 landfill-free facilities included five U.S. plants and five foreign. The addition of the next 33 has locations from Bupyeong, Korea, to Wixom, Michigan, and covers everything from powertrains to assembly.

GM said in a press release that it will recycle or reuse 3 million tons of waste this year, and keep 3.65 million metric tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere. Half of the company’s facilities will be landfill-free by 2010, according to the release.

Photo by EuroTraveler.

Tesla’s Model S Aims for 2010

September 8, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Tesla Motors, the fine folks who brought us the all-electric Roadster sports car, are working on a five-passenger sedan called the S. The company plans on bringing the car to market in 2010, after its California manufacturing plant is complete.

While the Roadster was based on a Lotus platform, the S will be completely developed in-house. It will also be a bit cheaper than the $100k Roadster, since its body will be formed from aluminum rather than carbon fiber. According to Autocar, a U.K. site, there will be three models of the S available: a 160-mile range for $60,000; a 220-mile range for $68,000; and a future 300-mile range version that hasn’t had a price pinned on it yet.

Tesla will use the same lithium-ion battery technology that powers the Roadster in the S series, and it expects to eventually sell 20,000 S cars a year. If the California company can pull off building a four-door EV sedan for $60,000, the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt — which still requires gasoline and will likely retail for more than $40,000 — may have a serious challenger on its alternative-fuel hands.

Tesla S concept

The image is obviously from Autocar.co.uk.

Honda’s Insight Returns to Fight Prius

September 4, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, Future Cars, Hybrids by kristen | 1 comment

Honda Insight ConceptHonda has been promising to unveil its new hybrid all week, and today, they’ve done it: the company is resurrecting its original hybrid, the Insight, which died a small death only two years ago. The new version will be a five-door, five-passenger hatchback like the Prius, with a similar starting price in the low $20,000s.

The new car looks more like a Civic or hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity and less like the old Insight, with its covered rear wheels and flat Kamm tail. Though the original only sold 17,000 units between 1999 and 2006, it was the first car to break the 70 mpg barrier. Honda expects the new Insight to sell much better, to the tune of 200,000 cars worldwide, half of which will end up in American driveways. The concept will debut at the Paris auto show, October 4-19, 2008, and be available in U.S. showrooms by April 2009.

Honda already has a hybrid version of the Civic, but the Insight will be smaller and lighter. The company also has plans to add a hybrid Fit to the lineup sometime in the future, along with a sporty hybrid based on the CR-Z.

Ford to Double Number of Hybrids

August 25, 2008 in Biodiesel, Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, Hydrogen, MPG, New Tech, PHEVs, diesel by kristen | No comments

2009 Mercury MilanAt a press event in Portland, Oregon, Dan Kapp, Ford’s director of powertrain research, said that the company has plans to become the number-one hybrid  producer in the country next year. By adding hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan to the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids already on the market, Ford will double the number of its hybrids on the road.

Kapp laid out Ford’s long-term strategy, from today to 2050. The company plans to migrate its advanced fuel-saving technologies, like hybrid systems and the new EcoBoost engine, across the product line by 2012, so at least a few Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles will get a little better gas mileage. By 2020, Kapp said Ford will fully implement current technology and begin to delve into more gasoline-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and more. After that, the plan is to roll out hydrogen fuel-cell cars, biofuel-powered vehicles, and whatever other new technologies have developed by then.

Kapp was eager to point out the advantages of Ford’s new EcoBoost engine, which uses gasoline direct injection and turbocharging to raise fuel efficiency by as much as 20% and lower tailpipe emissions by as much as 15%. The physically smaller engine will be able to deliver the same or greater power as traditional Ford engines, and will be available first in the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan.

Kapp pointed out that while Ford was not pursuing hydrogen-powered cars as quickly as Honda, nor was it chasing Chevy’s PHEV Volt with any conviction, it does have the first driveable hydrogen fuel-cell PHEV in the Edge HySeries. The fleet of 30 cars is still very much in the test stage, and Kapp noted that hydrogen fuel has “monumental infrastructure problems.”

When fielding questions about bringing clean diesel cars from Europe (answer: not any time soon), a fellow journalist mentioned that he ran his diesel-powered Ford truck on B99 every summer. Kapp nearly choked on his coffee when he heard that one of his trucks was being powered by 99% biodiesel a few months out of the year. I was surprised that he was surprised — he was in eco-conscious Portland, after all.

eQocar Offers Hybrid Rentals

August 19, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, Hybrids by kristen | No comments

eQocar\'s homepage

Say you’re spending a week in sunny southern California on business, and you just know you’re going to be mortified driving around in your Chevy Cobalt or similar rental car while Jamie Lee Curtis is tooling around town in her Honda FCX Clarity. Fear not — eQocar is here to help your eco-ego and your carbon footprint.

The three-month-old car rental agency in Burbank has a lot full of hybrids, from the lowly Prius to the massive GMC Yukon hybrid. Prices aren’t cheap — the Prius runs $59 a day, while the Yukon goes for $139. And if only the best will do, the hybrid Lexus LS600 can be had for $650 a day.

The Green Car Advisor blog from Edmunds.com says business is brisk for eQocar, and that it hopes to expand further into California and across the nation. It also wants to add the Volt, Tesla, Aptera, and other cars to its current fleet of 45 as they become available.

Hybrid Peterbilts Deliver Napa Valley’s Finest

August 18, 2008 in Biz News, Hybrids by kristen | 1 comment

image by lanier67

Peterbilt delivered two hybrid Model 335 trucks to VinLux Fine Wine Transport last week for use in the San Francisco area. The medium-duty trucks have a 30%-50% increase in fuel economy and “dramatically reduce tailpipe emissions of hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx),” according to a Peterbilt press release.

The trucks have an electric motor to assist the gasoline-powered engine and regenerative braking to capture energy for reuse on accelerating. Representatives of VinLux expect the savings in gas to make up for the premium hybrid price in the next few years of use, while at the same time getting them closer to their goal of reducing carbon emissions.

Prius to Be Built in the U.S.

August 14, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, Hybrids by kristen | 1 comment

2008 Toyota PriusToyota announced that it’s changing its plans for which models will be built where, including the popular Prius. The company has a plant under construction in Blue Springs, Mississippi, that was supposed to produce gasoline-powered Highlander SUVs, but with the high demand for low-emissions, fuel-efficient cars, it’s changed its mind. Beginning in 2010, the Prius will be built in America — good news for those who’ve found the recent short supply frustrating.

The Highlander will still be built in the U.S. as well, but at a plant in Indiana. The Tundra pickup truck, which currently rolls off two production lines in the U.S., will be consolidated to one factory in San Antonio, Texas. Toyota has also suspended Tundra and Sequoia production from now until November in response to the drop in truck demand.

The Prius will be the second Toyota hybrid built in the U.S.; Camry Hybrids sold in the U.S. come from a factory in Kentucky. Since the Mississippi plant will be producing the 2010 Prius, we can assume it will be the new, redesigned, 3rd-gen Prius expected to debut in January at the Detroit auto show.

Nissan’s New EV and Hybrid

August 8, 2008 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Nissan has commited itself to its Green Program 2010, and it keeps making strides toward meeting its goals. This week, it previewed its EV and hybrid technologies, though not any final designs for the cars these powertrains will power.

Nissan EV PrototypeThe electric vehicle will be based on an array of lithium-ion batteries installed under the floor to allow for maxium passenger and cargo space. Though no one outside the company knows what the EV might look like when it hits the market in 2010, it won’t look like anything Nissan currently offers, according to the company.

The hybrid will carry Nissan’s own, recently developed technology instead of the hybrid tech it’s been leasing from Toyota to power the Altima. The HEV will have regenerative braking and power assist like most hybrids on the road right now. The difference is in its parallel powertrain, which has two clutches to improve fuel efficiency, or so Nissan says.

Delay for Mercedes’ First Hybrid

August 7, 2008 in Biz News, Hybrids by kristen | No comments

In January, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would start building its first hybrid vehicle, the ML-450 SUV in June. But a lawsuit filed in Atlanta recently says the battery supplier didn’t hold up its end of the bargain. Production didn’t get off the ground in June, and may never happen, according to M-B.

Battery manufacturer Cobasys is accused of refusing to honor its agreement to supply the electric power source for the hybrid and of misrepresenting its finances to M-B, according to reporting done by the Tuscaloosa News. The German automaker was slated to begin production of the M-Class at a plant in Georgia this summer, but it says there’s no alternative supplier it can use to get the batteries it needs. For its part, Cobasys says it never agreed to produce the battery pack.

If you’re looking for a winner in this post, it may be GM, whose huge Chevy Tahoe Hybrid currently has a cash bonus of up to $6,000 on 2008 models. GM also builds the Saturn Vue Hybrid, a smaller SUV similar in size to the so-popular-its-hard-to-find Ford Escape Hybrid and the M-Class.

MyGallons Lets You Lock in Gas Price

July 25, 2008 in Biz News, MPG by kristen | No comments

MyGallons.com promises that users can buy gas at today’s price and fill up in the future. Once the service is completely up and running (right now, you can reserve an account but not yet use it), users create an account, receive a MyGallons card, and check the web site for the current price of gas. You’ll be able to click a button to prepay for as many gallons of gas as you like.

The prices quoted on MyGallons are all regular unleaded. If you fill up with premium or diesel, the company will adjust your balance to account for that. If you’re out of town and the price of a gallon of gas is significantly lower — or higher — than your hometown price, MyGallons will adjust for that, too.

A program like MyGallons is designed to hopefully save you money — not gas. Having a prepaid fuel-only card will not improve your fuel economy. You may in fact get worse mileage out of your car if you drive like you know you paid less for that tank of gas.

Something to keep in mind: Tara Baukus Mello, lead analyst for the NADA Guides, told me in an interview that they don’t expect gas prices to rise any more this year, and they may even drop a little. Not a lot, but a little. With the price of gas in such flux, I’d check my crystal ball twice before prepaying for gas.

Nissan Commits to Zero-Emissions Project

July 24, 2008 in Biz News, EVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

Photo of Nissan Versa courtesy NissanNissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says that Nissan has joined forces with the Tennesee Valley Authority to promote zero-emissions vehicles, including EVs. The collaborators expect to have a full-scale electric vehicle project in place by 2011.

Ghosn has previously committed Nissan to introducing zero-emissions cars of one kind or another in the U.S. by 2010 and globally by 2012. The company has made similar deals with Isreal, Denmark, and Portugal as part of its zero-emissions plan. TVA is the largest public power supplier in the U.S., and it seems to be eager to usher in the use of EVs, especially if they can charge overnight during inexpensive off-peak hours.

As a side note, Nissan will be shifting production from trucks like the Titan and Frontier to smaller, more fuel-efficient four-cylinder cars. Sound familiar, Ford? Of course it does. Nissan has a 30-day supply of passenger cars available right now, but a 6-month supply of pickups. They’re aiming to get that balance shifted ASAP.

Ford Drops Trucks, Brings on the Small Cars

July 24, 2008 in Biz News, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic

After a disastrous second quarter, Ford announced that they’re going to build fewer trucks and SUVs and import six small cars that the company’s been selling in Europe. Consumers, and the dealers who can’t move SUVs off their lots, are chomping at the bit to get these more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The Ford Focus and Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks currently on the streets of Paris and London will be available in the U.S. in 2009-2010. At the same time, three truck plants — two in the U.S. and one in Mexico — will switch over to building the small cars that are currently in such short supply. I can’t help but think that a little bit of foresight on Ford’s part could have saved them from their worst quarter ever, which just ended with a total loss of $8.7 billion.

If we’re lucky, we Americans will get the latest Fiesta, the ECOnetic, which debuted in London July 22. It gets the best fuel economy in the company at 3.7 l/100 km, which on this side of the pond is an amazing 63.5 mpg. It also has the lowest CO2 output in its class, at 98g/km, yet it still has a top speed of 110 mph.