Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy

Now that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency have established fleet fuel economy standards of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, the government agencies are hard at work on the next phase of increases that will stretch out to 2020 and beyond. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act mandated 40 mpg by 2020 as a minimum, but the standards could actually be set higher. That’s exactly what the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) want.

A report from CFA declares that the technology exists to raise fuel economy standards to 60 mpg by 2025 and estimates that doing so would add about $2,600 to the cost of new cars and $3,200 to light trucks. CFA’s analysis indicates that, at the equivalent of $3.50 per gallon in 2025, the payback period for the extra costs would only be five years. While the technology definitely exists to produce 60-mpg vehicles, the real problem is consumer behavior, and most American consumers probably won’t buy the kinds of small cars required to meet those standards at current fuel prices - particularly with that much cost tacked on to their MSRPs.

Hitting 60 mpg while maintaining the size and capability Americans currently buy would doubtlessly cost substantially more. In order to get people to buy such vehicles, critics suggest there will need to be significantly higher prices at the pump. The idea of a revenue-neutral petroleum tax (whereby other taxes would be cut to compensate) that establishes a floor price of at least $4 per gallon could be a good place to start on the way to 40 mpg. Getting people into 60-mpg vehicles would probably require an even higher floor - perhaps $5/gal or more.

[Source: Green Car Advisor, Consumer Federation of America]

Continue reading Consumer Federation of America calls for 60 mpg CAFE standard by 2025

Consumer Federation of America calls for 60 mpg CAFE standard by 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

With its launch slated for the second half of 2011, Kevin Wale, president and managing director of General Motors China, promises that the Chevrolet Volt will be priced to compete in China’s fledgling alternative technology car market. The selling price of the Volt will not be officially unveiled until the vehicle launches in China, but as Wale spoke at a news conference in Shanghai recently, the words “I believe the pricing will be competitive” resonated throughout the room.

Priced at $41,000 in the U.S., the Volt is not exactly a bargain and, at nearly $8,000 more than the Nissan Leaf, naysayers suggest the Volt is simply too expensive. While we’d disagree with the notion that the Volt is way overpriced, the Chinese market is ripe with hybrids and plug-ins that will undercut Chevy’s breakthrough model by tens of thousands of dollars. For example, BYD’s F3DM plug-in hybrid starts at a very reasonable price of $22,000 before incentives, yet it still struggles to rack up a meaningful amount of sales.

So, what is a competitive price for the Volt in China, exactly? Does GM hope to compete on level terms with the $22,000 F3DM? Doubt it. Will The General aim for a $41,000 price tag? Probably not. We’re inclined to believe that GM will shoot for a target price that’s pretty squarely in the middle, but we’ll have to wait for official word to see what “competitive” actually means to GM.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Reuters, The Truth About Cars]

GM to offer competitive pricing on Chevrolet Volt in China originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Phoenix, Spy Shots

Years ago, in 2007, Phoenix said it would build a plug-in hybrid vehicle with UQM Technologies, but with all of the trouble Phoenix has been through since then, we thought the project died out. When Phoenix rose from the ashes of bankruptcy earlier this summer, Bryon Bliss, Phoenix Motorcars’ vice president of sales and marketing, told AutoblogGreen that the company’s sole focus was on an all-electric sports utility truck. The plug-in powerplant - and the SUV version Phoenix was talking about in the past were done. Bliss said in June:

The SUV was always more of a consumer product. As we are delaying a consumer launch we are choosing to direct focus on the available product, the Phoenix SUT.

But, AutoblogGreen reader Scott L. sent us an email this week saying the following:

I have pictures taken 8/31/10 in Rancho Cucamunga of the underside of Phoenix Motorcars vehicle showing a muffler for an ICE.

We’ve looked the pictures over and this does appear to be the case. A few things could be going on here. This might, indeed, be a mule for plug-in hybrid development. Or, since Phoenix uses bodies from SsangYong (the SUV seen above is the SsangYong Actyon), the exhaust might just be a remnant of its ICE past. In any case, we’ve asked Phoenix for clarification and we’ll update this post once we hear back. Thanks, Scott!

Spyshots: Is Phoenix Motorcars still working on a plug-in hybrid? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) can be derived from one of the many existing chemistries, including lithium-ion, nickel metal hydride and lead acid. Despite the chemical choices, most all of the available battery technologies utilize similar components: separators, electrolytes, anodes and cathodes. As demand for hybrids and electric vehicles rises, so, too, does the need for these components.

Some analysts are now wondering if the rapid growth in the EV market could outstrip supply of these components. Frost & Sullivan’s report, titled “Global Opportunity Analysis for Chemical and Material Suppliers in the Electric Vehicle Batteries Market,” finds that “the EV battery chemical and materials market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 125 per cent from 2010 to 2016.” But many analysts doubt that this growth is enough to support the expected explosion of EVs.

Robert Outram, Frost & Sullivan’s global program manager for transportation chemicals, notes that:

All the major automotive manufacturers are developing EVs — considered the next generation of vehicles and a means for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to differentiate themselves to stay ahead of the competition. Escalating oil prices and environmental concerns are driving governments to grant incentives and encourage zero emission vehicles, further endorsing the importance of EVs and stepping-up the demand for EV batteries.

With production of EVs expected to rise, Outram believes that the lack of battery chemical and materials suppliers will create a bottleneck in the industry. Seeing the possibility of a downward spiral, Frost & Sullivan blames the upcoming potential shortage on the past failures of EVs. These failed attempts led suppliers to take a “wait and see” approach, but now that the EV market has materialized, many suppliers are years away from producing critical battery parts. Great, huh?

[Source: Frost & Sullivan]

Continue reading Frost & Sullivan: EV production could be hindered by shortage of battery parts

Frost & Sullivan: EV production could be hindered by shortage of battery parts originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

Coulomb Technologies has installed its first ChargePoint networked electric vehicle charging station in Michigan under the $37-million ChargePoint America program. The charger, located at the NextEnergy headquarters in downtown Detroit, is the first of hundreds of free public and home charging stations that the ChargePoint America program will install in the state of Michigan. Installation was carried out by Coulomb distributor Shocking Solutions (now, that’s a great name for an electric car charger company).

The ChargePoint America program aims to install nearly 5,000 charging stations in nine selected regions across the United States: Texas, Detroit, MI, Los Angeles, CA, New York, Orlando, FL, Sacramento, CA, the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area, Bellevue/Redmond, WA, and Washington DC. Partially funded by the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act and supported by partners Coulomb, Ford, General Motors and Smart, the ChargePoint America program promises to:

accelerate the development and production of electric vehicles to substantially reduce petroleum consumption, reduce greenhouse gas production and create jobs.

More corporate-approved PR after the jump.

[Source: ChargePoint America]

Continue reading Coulomb unveils Michigan’s first ChargePoint America charging station

Coulomb unveils Michigan’s first ChargePoint America charging station originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Chevrolet, Paris Motor Show, Holden

The long rumored Chevrolet Cruze hatchback was unveiled today by Holden, General Motors‘ Australian division. The five-door Cruze was designed and built at Holden’s Port Melbourne design studio and will be shown publicly at the Paris Motor Show at the end of the month.

The hatchback features a forward sloping rear glass and a shorter rear overhang than the existing four-door sedan but significantly better access to the cargo space. The new body style is labeled as a global model - just like the sedan - but General Motors has not announced if it will come to the U.S. market. If the Cruze hatchback does make it to America, it will be the first C-segment hatchback from Chevrolet since the first-generation Cavalier ended production way back in 1988. GM will no doubt be watching the sales mix for the new Ford Focus, which is being offered as both a sedan and hatch in North America, before deciding. Holden will launch production of the Cruze hatchback down under in late 2011.

Update: Chevrolet has told AutoblogGreen that there are no current plans to offer the hatchback in the U.S. market.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading General Motors Australia reveals new Chevrolet Cruze hatchback

General Motors Australia reveals new Chevrolet Cruze hatchback originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Lotus, Paris Motor Show

In addition to the pair of Evoras being introduced at this year’s Paris Motor Show, Lotus will also be unveiling two front-engine hybrid vehicles, in keeping with the automaker’s promise to offer more gasoline/electric sports cars. Green Car Advisor reports that one of these hybrid cars will be a four-door hatchback and the other will be a two-door coupe.

Lotus debuted its hybrid concept earlier this year in the form of the Evora 414E Hybrid (pictured), but unlike the mid-engine concept, the two front-engine models will utilize a 47-horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine specifically designed to provide power to electric-drive hybrids. We’ll have the full details direct from the Paris show later this month, so stay tuned.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Less than four months ago, Tesla Motors entered the Japanese market by shipping a dozen or so right-hand drive Signature Series Roadsters across the pond. The base Roadster, which starts at a rather shocking price of 12.8 million yen ($151,500 U.S. at the current exchange rate) has now been approved for the Japanese government’s Clean Energy Cash Rebate program and is available at a deeply discounted price.

Qualifying for the cash rebate program means that the Roadster’s price will be slashed by an astounding 3.24 million yen ($38,000 U.S.), which certainly makes Tesla’s high-performance sports car more appealing. But, with an after-rebate price that remains at $113,500, the Roadster is still a far cry from what we would consider affordable. But hey, it’s that way here in the States, too. The Tesla Roadster joins the plug-in Prius hybrid as the only two standard-sized vehicles to qualify for Japan’s rebate program. Follow the jump for more on Tesla’s raging deal on its Roadster in Japan.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla Roadster eligible for $38,000 clean energy rebate in Japan

Tesla Roadster eligible for $38,000 clean energy rebate in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Coda Automotive

Hawai’i is an appealing place to operate and drive electric vehicles (EVs) for four main reasons: range anxiety isn’t a huge issue, there are a lot of eco-minded citizens there (some of whom have spending money), gasoline costs an arm and a leg compared to most of the rest of the U.S., and there is a lot of solar energy potential. Of course, this all means that more than one company has announced it would like to sell and promote EVs there, like Phoenix and Better Place, and some estimates are that there will be 10,000 EVs in the islands by 2015. The latest company to try and get into the game is Coda, which announced today it will launch the Coda Sedan in Hawai’i in the third quarter of 2011.

The Sedan will be available to both fleet and regular buyers in Hawai’i, and Governor Linda Lingle said in a statement that having another EV option is important to reducing the amount of oil the state uses every year (most of which comes from Malaysia - PDF):

Coda Automotive’s all-electric vehicle is another important addition to Hawai’i’s efforts to transition to a clean energy economy. The State of Hawai’i recognizes new electric vehicle technology and the electrification of the transportation sector will play a critical role in helping Hawai’i reduce its dependency on the use of fossil fuels and achieving our 70 percent clean energy goal by 2030.

This is all fine and good, but neither Better Place nor Phoenix are offering cars in a Honolulu dealership just yet. Will Coda beat them to it? We’ll find out in around 12 months. Oh, and what’s the story with the first electric car in Hawai’i? It’s right here.

[Source: Coda Automotive]

Continue reading Coda will sell electric sedan in Hawaii in late 2011

Coda will sell electric sedan in Hawaii in late 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Ford

When the Ford Focus Electric debuts late in 2011, it will now have a feature in common with the Chevrolet Volt besides the LG Chem lithium polymer cells. Ford has confirmed that the Focus will use a liquid cooled battery pack with automatic thermal management just like the Chevrolet.

Ford has opted for the active thermal management in order to help maximize the lifespan and performance of the battery. By stopping the battery from overheating, the system can help prevent the cracks that develop in the electrodes. Those cracks eventually reduce the pack’s ability to hold a charge. Conversely, warming the cells when cold will improve the pack’s winter performance. When the vehicle is plugged in, the thermal management will use grid power to precondition the battery before charging actually starts.

So far, Nissan and Mitsubishi are the only major EV manufacturers that are sticking with passive air cooling for plug-in vehicles. Nissan has committed to an eight-year warranty, but it remains unclear how well the battery will hold up in regular use in differing climates. Elon Musk certainly doesn’t think very highly of Nissan’s pack.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus Electric to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery

2012 Ford Focus Electric to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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