Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Toyota, Tokyo Motor Show
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Toyota has made it clear that they aren’t interested in building anything like the range-extended EV system used in the Chevy Volt. Instead they are continuing to refine the design of their existing hybrid synergy drive system. Toyota Executive Vice President Kazuo Okamoto spoke to reporters in Tokyo for the big Motor Show their and said the next-generation Prius will have a hybrid system that is half the size and cost of the current version. Although no time-line was given for when it be available, Okamoto did confirm it would use an upgraded nickel metal hydride battery rather than lithium ion.
Okamoto also acknowledged that diesels offer superior efficiency to hybrids in highway cruising conditions while the gas-electric systems offer an advantage in urban driving. He did say that future hybrids would close this gap. While Nissan and Honda are both working on new diesel engines that they will promote in the Japanese market, Toyota has no plans to follow suit.
[Source: Reuters]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, Tokyo Motor Show
The all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV is no stranger to us by this point (see links below). Our friends over at Autoblog have snapped a gallery full of pictures of the i-MiEV Sport version that’s on display over at the Tokyo Motor Show - access it here.
Tech-On also brings us news that the i-MiEV has been given the go-ahead for field tests and is now much closer to commercial availability. The revamped i-MiEV is quieter, has lighter powertrain components and could be for sale by 2009 with lithium ion batteries. Details available at Tech-On but I’ll relay these figures: 160 km range from a full charge that takes 7 hours (220V) or 14 hours (100V).
UPDATE: Domenick makes another good catch, found at the Car Connection, which gives slightly different numbers: “A microwave wireless recharging system is used. The transmitter is housed on the garage floor, and a receiver is mounted under the lithium ion batteries. Recharging takes 17 hours at 100 volts input. Using 200 volts cuts the time in half, and an 80-percent charge can be obtained in 35 minutes with a 200-volt quick charger.”
Related:
[Source: Autoblog, Tech-On, h/t to Domenick]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Legislation and Policy
The New York Times editorial page went after corn from ethanol last month. It landed some well placed punches. Corn for fuel means less corn for animal feed and human food products. Lopsided US tax policies (incentives for US farmers, tariffs for Brazilian farmers) are blamed for getting us into this situation. The result: higher prices all around, distorted world markets, and minimal overall environmental benefit. This is important because ethanol production is on the increase in Europe and Asia and it is already a major factor in Brazil.
My view is a bit more moderate. I think it is good to have vehicles on the road than can use large amounts of ethanol - up to the 85 percent ethanol blend in E85. (Most cars can already tolerate up to 10 percent ethanol in gasoline.) Why? Let’s just say “In case of an emergency.” Remember we have ~240 million vehicles in this country and less than 10 million can use E85. Another reason: As long as the ethanol-capable vehicles are out there, investors in ethanol-not-from-corn will keep pushing to bring down production costs and make their product available.
What it comes down to, I fear, is the idea that we still expect to have more energy - more fuel - for our vehicles each year. That doesn’t lower greenhouse gases. So far, green efforts have only lowered the rate of increase of greenhouse gases. While the rest of the world is clamoring to get their first and only car and want to use it, most Americans have two or three vehicles on the driveway. Can we use them less?
Whether it is by hybrids or public transit or EVs or biodiesel or ethanol, the sad fact is that we are supposed to burn less fuel if we want to slow global warming, pollution problems and traffic congestion. We have to go on an energy diet. As for ethanol, I would use some for a hybrid vehicle, and then drink the rest. In moderation, of course.
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: Hydrogen, Chevrolet, GM
GM held the latest in their series of Project Driveway launch events in New York this week where they held informational sessions for media and some of the prospective drivers. Lyle Dennis attended one of the sessions and got to spend some time behind the wheel of one of the fuel cell-powered Chevy Equinoxes. As most people do, he came away very impressed by how quiet the Sequel was, and most electrically-driven vehicles are. Equally impressive was the acceleration thanks to the instant torque of the motor. Check out Lyle’s video after the jump.
[Source: GM-Volt]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors
We know you all need your daily hit of something from San Carlos related to a certain wicked fast electric car. But since we’re short on actual news from Tesla today, we’ll just point you at this promo video for the Roadster that has turned up on YouTube. No new info, just a cheesy bad porn soundtrack and some cool visuals of our little hero in action. Click through the jump, mute the audio and enjoy.
[Source: Tesla]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: Diesel, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily
From January 1st, Germany is banning diesel vehicles without Diesel Particullate Filters (DPF) to enter city centers. Ford is launching an informative campaign along some of Berlin’s main avenues and squares: Frankfurt Avenue, Tempelhofer, Mueller Road and Hohenzollerndamm. People paid by Ford will appear at the side of the streets informing drivers with messages such as the one at the pic above “With filter or on foot”.
Cars will have to include a mandatory windshield sticker stating their pollution levels, according to the Euro xx standards and will be subject of fines if the most polluting ones get to the city center. This is specially important for diesel cars: most of them don’t have DPF installed. DPFs can actually improve the color of the car’s sticker. Red color will be for cars that produce more than 50 mg of particullate per cubic meter of air (Euro I).
The banned areas are established by every municipality. Drivers caught will have to pay a 40 EUR fine and lose one point from their driver’s license. German authorities are helping motorists retrofit their diesels with DPFs through a 330 EUR subvention.
Related:
[Source: Ford (link is in German)]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Posted on October 26th, 2007 by admin under Eco-Diesel/Hybrid/Electric News.
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Santa Monica Alt Car Expo, On Two Wheels
We have already told you all about the $11,000, NiMH-powered two-wheeled all-electric scooter from Vectrix. Now, why not take a closer look at this zero-emission vehicle with a 68-mile range and 62 mph top speed. We caught up with Vectrix at the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo, and I’ve gotta admit, they look like a lot of fun to use as a daily commuter, especially in warmer, drier climates. For that price, though, this isn’t going to be a spur-of-the-moment purchase for most people. Still, would one of these fit well in your garage/budget/lifestyle?
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
