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

AutoblogGreen reader Lennon went down to the opening of the new Tesla Motors store in New York City today and sent us a series of pictures so that those of us who were not able to check out the Apple-like showroom and fancy fruit plates (and, of course, the swag) in person can still see what it was like. More interested in function than fashion? Lennon provides us with shots of the Roadster’s EPA sticker and the store’s future floor plan. Go ahead and gawk a while. Thanks to Lennon for the pics!

Fresh from NYC: pictures of Tesla Motors’s new store originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily

Ever wonder about your friend who’s been converting an old Ranger to battery power? He’s a nut. Or the lady who runs Electric Cars Are For Girls? Off her rocker. This is according to MSNBC, which wrote recently that electric cars have, until recently, been the domain of the “lunatic fringe.”

In an article that talks about the bright near future for electric vehicles, MSNBC uses the terms “fanatics,” which can be kind of charming, and the “lunatic fringe,” which is less so. MSNBC says that, “while everyone won’t be propelled by electrons anytime soon, for the first time, everyone can at least consider that as an option when the buy their next car.” Guess the lunatic fringe is making its mark.

We learned about this little bit of name calling from our friend Chelsea Sexton, who’s probably as responsible as anyone for giving EV fans their crazy edge. Good work, Chelsea.

[Source: MSNBC via Chelsea Sexton]

MSNBC: Early electric car adopters are the “lunatic fringe” originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Green Daily

Facebook just wasn’t enough, apparently. General Motors has unveiled a new social media site dedicated to the Chevrolet Volt. Called VoltAge, the site brings together all sorts of Volt-friendly, GM-approved social media aspects onto one page. You’ve got your reader forum, your GM blog posts and Tweets, your pictures, your polls, and a video or two. U.S. Chevy vice president Ed Peper describes the site’s intent as:

To inform and engage concerned individuals about the movement toward alternative transportation energy sources and to provide a behind-the-scenes view of how one manufacturer, Chevrolet, is working to bring its advanced extended range electric vehicle to life.

We’re not sure how long GM intends to keep the site running (it was started this week), but Peper says that discussion and perspectives will be shared “over the next weeks and months.” The site’s first video, showcasing the building of the Volt prototype, is available after the jump.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Chevrolet Voltage]

Continue reading Chevrolet VoltAge mashes up tweets/blogs/web2.0 into one site [w/VIDEO]

Chevrolet VoltAge mashes up tweets/blogs/web2.0 into one site [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Green Daily

Conventional wisdom is that hybrid vehicles reduce our dependence on foreign oil and emit fewer environment-hurting CO₂ emissions. When comparing a hybrid to a conventional gasoline-powered model on a mile-by-mile basis, there’s some logic to this argument, provided the pricing disparity between the two models isn’t too broad. However, a new study by Quality Planning shows that hybrid owners drive much more than non-hybrid owners, potentially negating the benefits of the added battery pack and electric motor.

Quality Planning studied nearly 360,000 vehicles throughout 2007 and 2008 to analyze driving habits, and some of the study’s findings are pretty surprising. According to the survey, hybrid and non-hybrid drivers have statistically similar commutes, but hybrid owners drive their vehicles 25 percent more (2,000 miles) in non-commuting scenarios.

Dr. Raj Bhat, president of Quality Planning, thinks part of the reason for these findings has something to do with the fact that high mileage drivers are typically more interested in hybrids than infrequent drivers.

What we don’t know is whether owning a hybrid vehicle encourages people to drive more miles each day or take more pleasure trips. High-mileage drivers appear to be attracted to these vehicles, so insurers should take steps to verify the intended use of hybrids and validate actual miles driven wherever possible.

The study also shows that hybrid owners are significantly more likely to receive traffic tickets. According to the survey, Toyota Prius owners received .38 tickets per 100,000 miles driven, versus a non-hybrid average of .23 tickets per 100,000 miles. That’s a 65 percent differential. One possible explanation for the ticket disparity has to do with where hybrid owners live. Quality Planning found that hybrid owners are more likely to live in an urban setting, where tickets are more frequently issued.

If you really want a hybrid and you don’t want to hear any more bad news, you should stop reading. QP also found that repair costs are significantly higher for hybrid owners. The Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, costs 31 percent more to repair than the gasoline-only model, while repairing the Toyota Highlander Hybrid will reportedly add 45 percent more cost. A recent report by IntelliChoice that found that, in the long-term, hybrids and diesels are actually cheaper than gasoline-only vehicles.

The text below illustrates how much on a per dollar basis hybrid repair costs for collision and comprehensive coverage versus one dollar for a non-hybrid. The disparity is shrinking every year, but according to QP, hybrids still cost more to fix. Hit the jump to view the Quality Planning press release.

Collision Comprehensive
Coverage Coverage
2006 Hybrid Models $1.16 $1.75
2007 Hybrid Models $1.09 $1.35
2008 Hybrid Models $1.13 $1.17

[Source: Quality Planning via Marketwire]

Continue reading STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets

STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

Yesterday, we asked where government spending for plug-in hybrid conversions is at? In the discussion that followed, some readers said they preferred to see higher gas taxes instead of a move by the government to take sides and try to figuring out which technology would best help us move off of gasoline. We’ve heard support for a higher gas tax from executives at Ford and AutoNation, and the Wall Street Journal says bumping up the taxes are one way to save GM.

Exactly how to implement this is tricky. One idea was to raise fuel taxes by 25 cents every year in order to make it clear that the increases are coming, and a gradual plan makes a lot of sense. Of course, the political will required to implement such an increase is almost too amazing to expect out of anyone looking for re-election, but we’re not running for office here. We’re trying to find the best way to reduce the amount of gasoline used, and it seems like the gas tax is the leading option. But someone’s got to be against it. I get that it’ll hurt people’s pocketbooks, but the economic argument might not be as valid a reason as it appears at first blush. So tell me, what good reasons are there to not raise the gas tax?

Photo by mandj98. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Why not a higher gas tax? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily, Europe/EU

It may not be flashy – or an EU Star Wars vehicle with a similar name – but the Cargohopper is saving fuel over in the Dutch city of Utrect. This little electric train – pulled by a tractor that is powered by a 48 Volt 28 hp electric motor – can move three metric tons and “is able to do the work of 5 to 8 regular (European sized) vans.” WIth all three trailers attached, the Cargohopper is 13 meters (43 feet) long. The Cargohopper can only go 20 kilometers an hour (12 mph), but that’s OK because it is used solely as the last step of packages intended for downtown Utrect. The idea was based on tourist trains that look similar and are used in other European cities.

Here’s how it works: On the outskirts of town, the trailer containers are loaded at operator Hoek’s distrubution center and then brought to the border of the inner city via standard truck. From there, the EV loads the containers on its wheeled wagons and then trundles off to the shops where the goods are needed. On its way back to the outskirts for more goods, the Cargohopper carries recycling materials from businesses. The operators claim that the Cargohopper removes up to 100,000 Van kilometres from Utrect’s inner city streets and saves about 30 tons of CO₂ per year by displacing roughly 20,000 liters of diesel fuel. Not bad for a little train. Thanks to Stefan S. for the tip!

[Source: Cargohopper via Minds In Motion]

Cargohopper, a tiny electric “train,” does deliveries in the Netherlands originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Green Daily

Using Facebook to promote your cause (or yourself) isn’t exactly bleeding edge, but it certainly is de rigueur to have a FB page. Audi uses the site to help the Nature Conservancy, and there are ecodriving pages for Zimride and EcoSharing. Lo and behold, the Chevy Volt can indeed be befriended on Facebook; over 2,300 people have already done so (actually, they’ve said they’re fans). One fan, someone named Mike, created the image used above that modifies one of GM’s official advertisements to make it clear that plugs are powerful.

GM representatives can interact with fans through the Facebook page. One fan asked about what happens to “summer gas” that might sit in the gas tank all the way until winter. Phil (from GM) posted a response by Andrew Farah, the Volt’s chief engineer, who said that:

In order to meet strict evaporative emissions requirements the Volt has a fully sealed fuel system. This will cause the fuel to age slower. The real issue is seasonal fuel blends that can affect starting and driveability as outdoor temperatures change. Rest assured, we’ll have a solution by launch.

And some people say Facebook is only used to goof off at work.

[Source: Facebook via Inside Line]

Need a friend? Find the Chevy Volt on Facebook originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Green Culture, Hybrid, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize

We got to meet the West Philly Hybrid X Team’s Hybrid Attack at the New York Auto Show last year. Now, the students at the inner-city public high school West Philadelphia High School Academy for Automotive and Mechanical Engineering are being called a “top-10 contender in Progressive Automotive X Prize.” Not sure who’s doing the ranking, but the phrase comes from America.gov, which is launching “Recharging Transportation: Green Technology Education” series with a video about the school and the car.

The hybrid Attack burns biodiesel and gets about 60 mpg, according to 16-year-old Sowande in the video. That leaves 40 mpg to go to reach the AXP’s 100 mpg target, but this is still an impressive effort from high school students. Learn more about the car here.

[Source: America.gov]

Continue reading West Philly X Prize team’s Hybrid Attack on the street [w/VIDEO]

West Philly X Prize team’s Hybrid Attack on the street [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Green Daily, USA

Need further proof that interest in hybrid and diesel vehicles is directly linked to the average price for a gallon of gasoline? According to CarMax, the largest retailer of used cars in the States, searches for hybrid vehicles on its website are up four percent in June over May while diesel are even hotter with a seven-percent increase. Further, the used car retailer reports that visits to its Fuel Economy section are up by 17 percent.

Not coincidentally, fuel prices – while still down considerably from their plateau last summer of over $4 per gallon – rose rapidly in the lead-up to the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Click here for a week-by-week chart of average fuel prices in America. Ann Yauger, director of Carmax.com, said in a statement:

Online searches for hybrids and diesels indicate that customers are searching the CarMax inventory for the vehicles that have historically offered the best gas mileage.

Not surprising, but good to see nonetheless. Popular vehicles from CarMax’s inventories include the Toyota Prius, Lexus RX400h, Honda Civic Hybrid and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: CarMax]

Continue reading CarMax: interest in hybrids and diesels on the rise

CarMax: interest in hybrids and diesels on the rise originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Green Daily

We’ve heard a few snippets about Global Green Cars, a new electric and plug-in hybrid automaker down in Kentucky, earlier this year. Back in April, the company was giving out test rides in a converted Geo Metro right after announcing plans to build EVs in the Bluegrass State. The company has now put images of three new vehicles on its website that it plans to produce, should additional funding come through.

First up is the G-1 (pictured), which currently only exists in pictures (as far as we can tell) and will start at $18,000. Top speed is 100 mph and range is dependent on options. 100 miles is offered in the base model, 160 miles will cost $25,000 and 250 miles will run you $30,000. The other vehicles are not nearly as exciting. The G-2 is an SUV with a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 90 mph. Global Green Cars calls it “the most convertible Electric Vehicle ever built,” but we can’t quite figure out what that means. MSRP is $26,950. Lastly, the G-3 is a little plug-in hybrid pick-up truck-like vehicle with a range of 150 miles (depending on how you drive) and a top speed of 85 mph. The GGC tagline for this vehicle: “It is the most American-made small pickup in America.”

These are ambitious specs for a company that hasn’t been on the radar long. Green Car Advisor says that the company has already received $15 million from the state to build the vehicles and is asking for another $24 million from the feds. Thanks to Elwood for the tip!

[Source: Global Green Cars, Green Car Advisor]

Global Green Cars unveils plans for three new models: two all-electrics and a PHEV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Mercedes Benz, Green Daily

The marquee fact about Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming new S-Class hybrid, the S 400, is that it will be the first series production hybrid to use a lithium-ion battery pack. Daimler, however, would like us all to know that there is more to the car than its battery. Take for example, the automatic stop/start system, the regenerative brakes, and plenty of reused and recycled materials used in the vehicle (including coconut and flax fibers). Daimler says that there are 45 components like wiring ducts and underbody panels that weigh a total of 21.2 kilograms that “are made from recycled, high-quality plastics.”

Daimler even incorporated a recycling process for the li-ion battery into the design of the vehicle, so when the car reaches its end-of-life, that big and expensive pack won’t die with it. All these features mean that Daimler calls the new S400 hybrid “the most economical luxury saloon with a petrol engine.” The German TÜV Süd agency has recognized the “comprehensive environmental commitment” of the vehicle.

The S 400 hybrid gets 30 mpg (U.S.) on the European combined cycle and emits 186 grams of CO₂ per kilometer. Not great, but it certainly could be worse. Performance numbers aren’t slouchy: a 0-62 mph time of 7.2 seconds and a top speed of about 155 mph. The S 400 should reach the U.S. later this summer.

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz S 400 hybrid: 30 mpg and 47 pounds of recycled goodness

Mercedes-Benz S 400 hybrid: 30 mpg and 47 pounds of recycled goodness originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

Fact 1: Over the last few months, we’ve seen the federal government spend all sorts of money to try and reach the twin goals of economic resurrection and a cleaner/greener society. In the auto industry, we have the CARS program, the ending (or not?) of the DOE’s hydrogen vehicle program, the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVMLP) – which gave $5.9 billion to Ford, $1.6 billion to Nissan and $465 million to Tesla – and, of course, the bailout of GM and Chrysler. This is a big pile of cash.

Fact 2: President Obama, when he was campaigning for his current job, said that he wanted a million plug-in hybrids on the road by 2015. His proposal, at the time, was to give companies about $4 billion in loans and loan guarantees to develop the plug-ins and to offer consumers a $7,000 tax credit to purchase these vehicles.

Fact 3: 2015 is just over five years away, and there are currently zero production PHEVs available for purchase. The road to getting a million of them out the door in 60 months is not going to be easy.

We have an idea for how to reach – or at least approach – Obama’s goal: spend some real money on plug-in conversion technology. We’ve put some details after the jump.

Continue reading Where is the government spending for plug-in hybrid conversions?

Where is the government spending for plug-in hybrid conversions? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Green Daily

It may sound a bit like something from a Dr. Seuss book, but it seems “green gasoline” is indeed on its way to a pump near you. Terrabon, a Texas-based company specializing in biofuels, reports its alternative fuel is completely compatible with gasoline and can be produced using nearly any kind of organic material, including sewer sludge.

Terrabon uses a fermentation process called MixAlco, which was developed by researchers at Texas A&M University, and it’s thought that this type of second-gen biofuel could replace ethanol as the gasoline alternative of choice within the next decade or so since its use would require no special modifications to automobiles or the current energy infrastructure.

Last fall, Terrabon completed work on a $3.5 million facility that’s capable of putting out 300 gallons per day of green gasoline from chopped sorghum. If all goes to plan, a much larger second plant will be built with backing from Valero, the nation’s largest oil refiner.

[Source: Houston Chronicle via Green Car Advisor]

Green gasoline: Coming soon to a pump near you? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, GM, Green Daily

General Motors’ current crop of midsize hybrid sedans are rarely mentioned in the same breath as hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima – let alone the standard-bearing Toyota Prius and its main competitor from Japan, the Honda Insight. According to The General, much of the blame for the slow sales of the Chevy Malibu and Saturn Aura hybrids is due to the small mileage improvement of the mild hybrid powertrain compared to a standard four-cylinder and six-speed automatic transmission. No kidding, right?

Fortunately, GM apparently has a plan to address its midsize hybrid shortcomings. Speaking to GM-Volt.com, Chevrolet head Ed Peper said:

What we are trying to work towards is ‘Yes,’ we will have other hybrid vehicles (besides the Volt) but we are trying to work towards a dedicated hybrid… We think that’s probably a better way for us to go longer term.

And now for the fun part: Speculation. If GM were to develop a new dedicated midsize hybrid model, it seems likely that it would use its sophisticated 2-Mode Hybrid system in lieu of the mild belt-alternator-starter system currently employed in the Malibu and Aura hybrids. The first production instance of the 2-Mode system in a front-drive application is expected in either the Cadillac SRX or the Chevy Equinox, possibly in 2011. A dedicated hybrid sedan could soon follow using the same drivetrain.

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: GM-Volt.com]

GM working on new dedicated hybrid sedan? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Green Daily, Fisker

When Ford announced its tie-up with Magna International to build an electric vehicle earlier this year, there was a lot to learn about how the auto industry as a whole can benefit from these kinds of partnerships. Now, in a three-part series (I, II, III) about Fisker Automotive’s strategy, writer Nicolas Zart looks at the method by which Fisker will bring its Karma to the market.

Aside from using a very familiar picture and repeating himself at the top of each article in the series, Zart’s article is worth reading for identifying some key differences between how the automotive start up is designing and building the car and how the many failed auto companies of the 20th Century tried to do it. One of those differences is that Fisker is using an Apple/Nike strategy and focusing on the design and the selling and not on owning or operating factories. Instead, as Henrik Fisker proudly told us in Detroit earlier this year, Fisker is partnering with Valmet Automotive in Finland to build the vehicles. Zart’s point is that this strategy means Fisker has a good chance at success where so many others have failed through the years. Of course, Fisker is moving towards having its own factories here in the U.S. for future, cheaper models (see also, Tesla), so we’ll soon have a chance to see if growing to be a bit more like the big boys is a good or bad move.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Examiner.com]

Will Fisker’s outsourcing produce results where so many others failed? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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