ElectriClub News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, Green Daily, Paris Motor Show

We've obviously laid eyes on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV on numerous occasions, but the modified Euro-spec version has remained unseen. That is, until now. If you gander at the image above you may notice the slight tweaks that differentiate the Euro-spec i-MiEV from its Japanese counterpart. What, you can't see the differences? Okay, well maybe a long, drawn-out stare will lead you to discover that this Euro-spec models sports revised front and rear bumpers that meet EU regulations. Those revised bumpers are the only exterior changes that are required to make the i-MiEV Euro-ready and the only tweaks that you will find on the outside.

Turning out attention to the interior, the Euro-spec i-MiEV features a re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel and, according to Mitsubishi, improved passenger comfort. On the safety front, all Euro-spec i-MiEVs feature a stability control system and side curtain airbags as standard equipment. Pricing for the European i-MiEV will vary by country, but its expected to cost under €35,000 ($44,400 U.S. at the current exchange rate) in all 14 European countries that Mitsubishi targets for sales. Hit the jump for more on the Euro-spec i-MiEV.

[Source: Mitsubishi Motors]

Continue reading Paris Preview: Mitsubishi to debut Euro-spec i-MiEV

Paris Preview: Mitsubishi to debut Euro-spec i-MiEV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

Intensifying price competition from South Korean battery manufacturers has driven Sanyo Electric Co. and GS Yuasa Corp. to dissolve their long-standing lithium-ion battery joint venture (JV). According to a joint announcement, the liquidation of the Sanyo GS Soft Energy Co. JV was inevitable as the venture had posted net losses for two years running. The decision to dissolve the JV may hinder Sanyo's ability to collect loans valued at 4 billion yen ($47.5 million U.S. at the current exchange rate) and will force GS Yuasa to report a special loss of 3 billion yen ($35.6 million U.S.). Neither Sanyo nor GS Yuasa intends to modify their projected earnings outlooks for 2010.

GS Yuasa's numerous JVs with automakers such as Honda and Mitsubishi imply that the company has no intentions of leaving the li-ion battery industry. Meanwhile, Sanyo's split with GS Yuasa will not effect its existing deals with automakers and battery producers, nor should it impact Sanyo's long-term goals of increased li-ion battery production. In the automotive industry, mergers and breakups are inevitable and we're sure that neither Sanyo nor GS Yuasa will shed tears over dissolving this money-losing JV.

[Source: Nikkei]

Sanyo, GS Yuasa dissolve money-losing li-ion battery JV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in

By now we're all aware that the environmental impact of cars and trucks goes well beyond the emissions produced during operation. There is the energy used to produce and dispose of the vehicles and their components, for example, and the cost of getting the fuel for the vehicles out of the ground and into the tank. The impact of making nickel metal hydride batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) was the center-piece of a controversial study published by CNW several years ago. That study claimed that a Hummer H2 had less of an environmental impact than a Toyota Prius in large part because of pollution resulting from nickel mining in Canada.

A new life cycle study conducted by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) has come to a very different conclusion after evaluating the latest lithium-ion batteries developed specifically for automotive applications. These new batteries only account for about 15 percent of the total impact of an electric vehicle over its lifespan when the mining, refining, manufacturing and disposal are factored in. The vast majority of the vehicle's overall energy footprint results from actual operation of the vehicle; in the case of an EV, this mostly means how much it takes to charge the battery.

If an EV is charged by the typical mix of nuclear, coal and hydroelectric power found in Europe, an internal combustion vehicle would need to achieve between 59 and 78 miles per gallon to have a comparable impact. There are several diesel-powered small cars available in Europe that already hit those kinds of numbers, including the Ford Fiesta ecoNetic and Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion. If the electricity production mix shifts more toward coal, the energy balance gets significantly worse for a plug-in car, while an generation profile with a larger percentage of hydro or other renewable sources clearly improves the picture in the EV's favor. Still, a baseline target of 59 to 78 mpg is a good one for liquid-fuel vehicle fans to consider.

[Source: Science Daily]

Study: Modern li-ion batteries have little effect on life cycle impact of electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does the 2011 Nissan Leaf leave you feeling uninspired? Does the 2011 Chevrolet Volt appear too aggressive? Is the 2011 Tesla Roadster just too sporty? Do you long for classic looks, big wheels and great all-round visibility? This weekend an electric car will be sold at an Indianan auction house that will attract admiring glances where ever it...

The newest electric aircraft to take flight is a tiny airplane from a big airplane company. The Cri-Cri, developed by Airbus’ parent company, EADS, made its first flight Thursday at Le Bourget airport near Paris.

The Cri-Cri is based on an existing design that uses two small gasoline engines. EADS swapped the gasoline engines with four small electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. The plane, which was unveiled in June, was airborne only seven minutes, but pilot Didier Esteyne is looking forward to more adventurous flights.

“We are still at the beginning and have a lot to learn,” he said in a statement after the flight. “We are allowed to start aerobatic manoeuvres only after five hours of flight and 15 landings.”

The Cri-Cri is being used as a systems test bed to support future electric and hybrid power systems. The company expects the plane will be capable of flying for 30 minutes at nearly 70 mph or for 15 minutes during aggressive aerobatic flying at speeds topping 150 mph.

Photos: EADS

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.

Gallery: Chevrolet Volt in 'Victory Red'

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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I have survived Southern California’s horrendous traffic jams, though just barely. How anybody could stand to sit in traffic for hours on end, day in and day out, is beyond me. People do it though, and it seems to have bred a special kind of patience in the residents of Southern California. California also is a bastion of green living, and there are many advantages to owning a hybrid car in the state, like use of their HOV lanes.

While California recently announced that the Nissan LEAF would have access to HOV lanes immediately, the Chevy Volt was shunned. That has changed though, as Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill allowing the Volt to use HOV lanes… starting in mid-2012.

(more…)

The Peel P50 was built on the Isle of Man in the 1960’s and powered by a 49cc gas engine that pushed the car to a 40 mph top speed and delivered more than 80 mpg. It was the smallest production automobile ever built, and—despite only 70 examples being produced —has become wildly popular in microcar circles, especially since appearing in a 2007 segment of the BBC’s hit show TopGear.

This new-found popularity and BBC visibility has breathed new life into the Peel concept, and new investment dollars mean that Peel is back in business!

More, including the hilarious TopGear sketch, after the jump.

(more…)

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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With the shuttle fleet due to retire and the Constellation program — which was going to give NASA an option in deploying personnel to orbit and beyond — entirely scrapped, all eyes have been on what...

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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. Tesla's Elon Musk certainly doesn't think much 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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Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, North America

If our post about Motive Industries hemp composite electric car had you jonesin' for more info, not to worry. We've just scored more straight dope on the green machine that we're only too happy to pass a bong along.

All joking aside, the more we learn about the Kestrel, the more excited we get. The concept embodies a great many of the qualities sought after in an electric vehicle, and with government and private industry supporting the project, it just might become Canada's first domestic automobile since the Bricklin.

At just 850 kg (1874 lbs), the hemp composite construction fulfills its light-weight promise and allows the four-passenger three door to get away with using only 16 kWhs worth of lithium battery to achieve an estimated range of 160 kilometers (100 miles). With a top speed of 135 km/h (83.89 miles per hour), it should have no problem handling the highway either.

We're already diggin' the look of the hemp body panels as shown in the render above and look forward to seeing the Kestrel concept in a couple weeks at the EV 2010 VÉ Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver. If they stick to their schedule, we should see a production prototype next summer and actual production vehicles as soon as 2012. Hit the jump for the official press release as well as a bit of video from a couple years back featuring Motive Industries president Nathan Armstrong discussing his background, his company's focus and prior projects. Very impressive.

[Source: Motive Industries]

Continue reading Motive doesn't Bogart cannabis car info, passes us more details

Motive doesn't Bogart cannabis car info, passes us more details originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I’m going to go out on a limb and assume most of our dear readers are fans of fuel efficient cars. I too, like my gas-sipping 4-cylinder Mustang, mostly because it saves me a lot of money compared with the rest of my gas-guzzling fleet. Other people are just trying to lessen their carbon footprint, and common sense suggests that an electric car would have a smaller footprint than any fossil fuel-powered car, right?

Not according to one Swiss study. Compared to diesel-powered cars that get over 60 mpg, electric vehicles may have a larger environmental impact… especially if the electricity comes from non-renewable sources.

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Picture the scene: You arrive home after a long day at work. The lights are on, the dinner is waiting for you in the oven and the kids are watching TV. Before leaving the garage, you plug in your 2011 Nissan Leaf and switch the charger on. And the whole neighborhood goes dark. Your EV was the straw that broke the camel's back, the grid already...

It’s not a secret that Hawaii is keen to become the most electric car-friendly state in the whole of the U.S. And now two more electric car companies are laying a claim to the electric vehicle market in the island state. Earlier this week at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo, the state of Hawaii announced it has signed a...

Small but interesting nugget of news out of Ford, which says it will use a liquid-cooled and heated battery in the Ford Focus Electric we’ll see late next year.

Ford is still developing the car, but the prototype we drove had a 23 kilowatt-hour lithium ion pack, which makes it about the size of the air-cooled pack in the Nissan Leaf. By using active thermal management, Ford says it will maximize battery life and range and optimize charging by heating, or cooling, the pack to the best temperature before pulling juice from the grid.

“Extreme temperatures impact a battery’s life and performance, making it crucial to have an effective cooling and heating system to regulate temperature for these demanding applications,” Anand Sankaran, head of Ford’s energy storage systems team, said.

The closed-loop system will use an undisclosed liquid — General Motors uses ethylene glycol in the Chevrolet Volt — to cool the pack under hot conditions and warm it under cold conditions. Plug the car in to charge it and the system will “precondition” the pack to the optimal temperature before allowing it to accept a charge.

There’s nothing terribly unusual in any of this, as GM uses a liquid-cooled pack in the Chevrolet Volt and Tesla Motors uses the technology in the Roadster. Nissan and Renault, on the other hand, feel air cooling is sufficient for the Leaf and Fluence Z.E.

Photo: Jim Merithew / Wired. A prototype Ford Focus Electric on the streets of San Francisco.

Today I made my first two 3D prints with my own printer – CupCake CNC. They turned out to be not supergood but hey – they are the first prints after all Hopefully I’ll be able to print my own EV parts and cases someday… It’s looking good now though.

We’re jealous of the folks who get to drive the Zerotracer. It’s a sporty, two-seat, enclosed motorcycle that weighs less than 1,400 pounds, can do zero to 100 km/hr (62 mph) in less than 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 150 mph.

The Oerlikon Solar Zerotracer is among the cool zero-emission vehicles competing in the Zero Race, an 80-day around-the-world race without tailpipe emissions. As cool as the race may be, it’s the vehicles running in it that fascinate us.

We plan to catch up with all of the teams and run down their vehicles. First up is the Zerotracer.

“When you are driving the Zerotracer, it feels like you are flying half-a-meter above the ground,” said Tobias Wülser of the Swiss design firm Designwerk and one of the guys who designed and engineered the vehicle. “You forget that you are in a fully enclosed motorcycle. The vehicle is fast and has great acceleration.”

Zerotracer is a bona fide EV with a 400-volt, 21-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery pack. It’s good for 217 miles and reportedly recharges in less than two hours. Although the team obviously has to charge up along the way, it is offsetting any CO2 emissions generated by the local power plant by using solar power at Oerlikon Solar’s headquarters.

Not every hour of the Zero Race is spent behind the wheel, obviously. The race is as much about PR as it is about competition.

Wülser says the team wakes up around 6 a.m. each day and drives 120 miles or so, before showing off the car and answering questions at the first scheduled stop of the day. Yesterday, for example, they did a photo op with a few politicians in Berlin.

“We tend to set up all the vehicles in a centralized location in each city, so that people get the opportunity to see the Zerotracer and other vehicles, take photos, ask us questions and learn more about zero-emissions transportation,” Wülser said.

After another 120 or so miles on the road, the teams rest and the cars recharge — unless, of course a team member is already well-rested after catching 40 winks in the Zerotracer’s comfy backseat.

“The passenger sitting in the back seat can stretch his legs out, and also take a nap comfortably, which we do often,” Wülser said. “There is also luggage space where the driver and passenger can store items, and we currently keep our kits back there. It’s a smooth ride, and the Zerotracer design makes it aerodynamic.”

Wülser says reaction to the EV has been positive throughout Europe, and the team is looking forward to showcasing it in Russia and China.

“The Zerotracer is like a magnet,” he said. “People are very amused by the vehicle, especially with the design and how it looks. When we stop at different cities along the race route, people ask us many questions, and we provide information on the Zerotracer’s speed, acceleration and other technical details to the car. Average folks are the ones that are looking at it.”

This kind of vehicle isn’t entirely unheard of. The Peraves MonoTracer similarly blurs the line between car and motorcycle, but it uses a BMW motorcycle engine instead of an electric motor.

Nissan came up with a similar concept called the Land Gider. Although the funky EV has four wheels, it leans like a motorcycle.

Should anyone decide they want a Zerotracer of his or her own, they may have the chance next year — provided they have the funds.

“Right now, the Zerotracer is the only one of its kind, but it is a vehicle that the daily driver can potentially use,” Wülser said. “Our idea is to produce the Zerotracer for mass consumption starting next year.”

According to Wülser, the vehicle will be tuned for a broader audience and will retail for between 60,000 and 80,000 euros — around $76,000 to $102,000 at current exchange rates.

Photos: Oerlikon Solar Racing Team

See Also:

• What It’s Like Going 307.7 MPH in an EV
• MonoTracer Blurs the Line Between Motorcycle And Car
• Nissan’s Wild Land Glider EV May Yet Fly
• VW Redefines ‘Car’ With 170-MPG Diesel Hybrid

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, Green Daily

Matthew Dieckmann, president of Santa Rosa-based Electric Race Bikes and known by friends and neighbors as the "local electric motorcycle entrepreneur," was involved in a fatal crash in Santa Rosa, CA late Monday morning. Dieckmann was piloting an electric motorcycle near the Coddington Mall when he collided with a Toyota Prius. Though the Prius driver suffered no injuries, 29-year-old Dieckmann did not survive the crash.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Doug Schlief stated that Dieckman's motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Prius. Investigators are still attempting to determine who might have been at fault, but some witnesses suggest that either Dieckmann or the Prius driver turned left at the intersection without yielding to oncoming traffic. The intersection was closed for five hours for investigation.

Family members say that Dieckmann was piloting one of the electric motorcycles that he developed for Electric Race Bikes. Dieckmann was known as a pioneer in the industry and strongly promoted electric motorcycles. Most well known for his developmental work on the EGP, an electric motorcycle that captured third place at a TTXGP competition in May, Dieckmann will be sorely missed by many. But his innovations, which have made an impact on the electric motorcycle industry, will surely live on.

[Source: Clutch & Chrome, SF Gate]

Electric motorycle entrepeneur killed in car accident originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Electric Vehicles is a little known company based in the U.S. that manufactures all sorts of electric modes of transport including boats, ATVs and now street-legal roadsters. The company’s latest effort is the new Torq three-wheeler, which kind of looks like an edgier, stripped down version of the Tesla Roadster. Not much info has been...

Tuesday saw the first day that the order books opened in the United States; now it is the UK’s turn for pre-orders. For Europe, Nissan bills this as the “first step in securing a place on the...

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Viridity Energy said Monday that it has been awarded a $900,000 grant by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to build a system that will capture the energy from Philadelphia subway cars as...

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From among 81 teams and 10 countries across Asia, Thailand and Singapore emerged tops, setting new fuel-efficiency records at the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon Asia, held at the Sepang F1 circuit in...

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Pike Research has announced a new report that looks at the growth of the battery power electric (BEV) and plug-in electric hybrid vehicle (PEHV) market over the next five years from 2010 to 2015 and...

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, GM, Tesla Motors

For coming up with a clever marketing response to General Motor's attempt to trademark the term "range anxiety," we have to give Tesla Motors some credit. GM will (is already?) come out swinging against all-electric vehicles, and it'll take some judo-like moves from smaller companies and electric vehicle fans to turn GM's energy against itself, if we want the intra-plug-in community fighting to continue. Here's Tesla's stab at GM's trademark attempt:

By all means, GM can have "range anxiety." To Roadster owners, the term is as irrelevant as "gas stop" or "smog check." We are, however, looking into trademarking "Tesla grin."

You might thing that quote came from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who's been known to offer us an eyebrow-raising remark or two. But no. This one comes from Tesla vice president of communications Ricardo Reyes, indicating that the company is officially behind this line of attack. Will it work? For some, it probably already has.

[Source: Tesla]

Tesla bites back at GM's trademark attempt: you can have "range anxiety" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Despite a slight delay, Nissan is now accepting orders for the Leaf, a breakthrough electric vehicle that promises to bring battery-powered cars to the masses. On August 31st, Nissan opened the floodgates, allowing up to 200 lucky individuals to place their orders for the Leaf. The ordering process, as we've outlined before, is rather simple and as Nissan told the folks over at the Nissan-Leaf site, the company is "doing everything it can to insure a fantastic ordering experience."

Right now, Nissan will only accept Leaf purchases from those who have a confirmed August order date. In the coming weeks, Nissan will reach out to the thousands of additional buyers who hold September order dates. Reservation holders will receive an email from Nissan indicating a specific ordering date. Once the order is placed, Nissan will issue Leaf buyers an estimated delivery date.

Nissan has now tallied more than 18,600 pre-orders for the Leaf and is drawing ever so close to its targeted 25,000 reservations by December. As ordering gets underway, we'll turn our focus to the buying and delivery process of the nation's first mass-produced battery-powered vehicle.



[Source: Nissan-Leaf, Green Car Advisor]

Nissan now accepting orders for Leaf; thousands expected in coming weeks originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy

Prospective owners of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf shouldn't get too excited about driving in California carpool lanes as soon as they take delivery. Late Tuesday night California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 535 into law, extending access to the high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes to certain very low and zero emissions vehicles. This new class of vehicles known as Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (enh-ATPZEVs) and includes plug-in hybrids like and battery electric vehicles like the Leaf and Toyota's Prius PHEV.

Unfortunately, there are some caveats. SB 535 doesn't take effect until January 1, 2012 and even then only 40,000 of the special stickers needed for HOV access will be made available. In order to qualify, the vehicle has to be rated as an enh-ATPZEV, which brings up the second problem for Volt drivers. A General Motors spokesperson confirmed that the 2011 and 2012 Volt will not be enh-ATPZEV certified. The requirements to earn the enh-ATPZEV label are significantly tougher than the standard ATPZEV. Given the escalated development of the Volt, GM didn't have enough time to calibrate and verify that the plug-in hybrid would meet the standard over a 10-year/150,000-mile period.

That's also why the Volt battery only has the eight-year/100,000-mile warranty required for the non-enhanced ATPZEV. GM spokesman Rob Peterson verified that the Volt will be updated to enh-ATPZEV in mid-2012 when the 2013 model is introduced. In the meantime, you'll just to make sure to bring a friend if you want to ride in the carpool lane.

*UPDATE: Plug In America's Jay Friedman pointed out to AutoblogGreen that the Leaf is not an enhanced ATPZEV. Pure electric vehicles are not covered under SB 535 and are instead subject to AB 1500, a separate bill, and are in the pure ZEV class. AB 1500 extended HOV access for all ZEVs (including all pure electric vehicles) and CNG vehicles, which was supposed to end this year, until 2015. Therefore, he writes:

SB 535 does not include electric vehicles in the 40,000 HOV sticker cap and AB1500 takes effect immediately extending the sunset date from 12/31/10 to 1/1/15 (which is very important vs the start date for SB535 which is 1/1/12).

[Source: General Motors]

Chevrolet Volt will not be eligible for HOV-lane access until mid-2012 *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fear is a powerful motivator. It has been used in the past to start wars, persuade kids to study at school and of course, sell life insurance. But now GM appears to be gearing up to use the fear of running out of electricity to give the extended-range 2011 Chevrolet Volt a competitive edge over purely electric cars. In a move which will not...

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

Cruising down the Trans Canada Highway, a sharp-eyed Reddit user (nupogodi) noticed an unusual sight: a Mitsubishi i-MiEV pulled off to the side of the road. This particular vehicle was engaged in the Clean Across Canada tour, a cross-country trip designed to showcase the i-MiEVs abilities. The i-MiEV, tailed by a large gasoline-powered pickup truck, was parked for a much-needed charge. But rather than being docked at a charging station, as we might expect it to be, this i-MiEV received its electrical current from a diesel generator towed by the support truck. We smell hints of that hydrogen road tour from last year.

While a lack of photos prevents us from authenticating the story (we've asked Mitsubishi for confirmation or a comment), this reported sighting leaves us both shocked and intrigued. For one, we're shocked that Mitsubishi might actually have the audacity to charge its "zero-emissions" vehicle from a diesel generator pulled by an inefficient gas burner, even thought one Reddit user pointed out that, "it looks like more of a fail than it is" and we are all well aware that energy for electric vehicles is not free. At the same time, we're intrigued by the possibility that an electric vehicle, let's say a Nissan Leaf, could tow or perhaps carry a small generator to increase its range during long distance trips. After all, that's pretty much what the Chevrolet Volt does all the time, right? Hat tip to Spin Cycle!

*UPDATE: Mitsubishi Motors responded to our request for confirmation on the charging status of its i-MiEV. Mitsubishi's public relations manager, Lara Brown, wrote to AutoblogGreen:

You are correct, the Clean Across Canada Tour and our i-MiEV are utilizing a DC Quick Charger provided by Eaton Canada for our remote charging requirements. The tour was developed to educate and promote our Electric Vehicle and has obstacles due to the limitations of electric charging station infrastructure.

Our tour logistics and powering requirements have been transparent from the beginning and have been shared with the public and media since the launch of our program.

On a daily basis our drive team charges our i-MiEV off the power grid but when traveling in rural and remote areas of Canada the Eaton Quick Charger is required. The i-MiEV travels at a distance of approximately 120 km's with fluctuation based on conditions and driver technique. In the evenings and at events the charge is drawn off the power grid.

Our partnership with Bullfrog Power minimizes the tour's environmental impact by purchasing clean carbon credits based on our pre tour, tour and post tour charging requirements. Supporting green electricity for the tour complements Mitsubishi Motor's commitment to environmental responsibility.

[Source: Reddit]

Report: Epic fail? Mitsubishi i-MiEV gets it charge from diesel generator during cross-Canada tour * UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With several big electric vehicle launches due over the next few years and order books filling up quickly, we're sure to start seeing more of them on the roads. Research agency Pike Research has announced that combined sales of full-electric (battery electric, or BEV) vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will take off over the...

Filed under: EV/Plug-in

Electric vehicles (EVs) may be dramatically less mechanically complex than their traditional internal combustion counterparts, but that's where the simplicity ends. The battle that began with Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla over direct vs. alternating current continues to this day, the battlefield has just shifted to the EV powertrain. Electrochemical batteries can't store alternating current, the electrons will only flow directly in or out.

That means an interface is required between the battery and the highly efficient AC traction motors/generators as well as the electrical grid used for charging. That interface handles the transformation between AC and DC.

Despite the fact that the pretty much the whole world uses alternating current, countries can't even reach consensus on voltages, currents and frequencies for electric power. As a result, automakers design chargers to be installed on-board EVs to regulate the power flow to the battery to prevent over-charging or heating. Think of the grid as the water main coming into your home. The vehicle charger behaves like a combination flow-restrictor and anti-scald device on your shower head or bath tub faucet. Read on after the jump for more on the hidden complexities of EVs.

[Source: Plugin Cars]

Continue reading Electric vehicle charging times will depend on both the charging station and the car

Electric vehicle charging times will depend on both the charging station and the car originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Dieckmann believed the future is electric, and he died hoping to prove it.

Dieckmann, the 29-year-old founder of Electric Race Bikes, was killed Monday following a collision with a car in his hometown of Santa Rosa, California. He reportedly was testing a new electric motorcycle at the time.

We met Dieckmann, pictured above on the left, at Infineon Raceway during the first TTXGP electric motorcycle race of the season and found him incredibly passionate about the sport. He loved motorcycles and he loved racing, but he was troubled by the pollution. He felt there was a better way and thought he’d found it in electric motorcycles.

“He was re-inventing them to make them better,” his grandmother, Betty Hiebel, told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

Dieckmann designed the battery pack in the EGP, the converted Yamaha TZ250 that Mike Hannas rode to third place at Infineon. The bike fared well throughout the season, with Electric Race Bikes finishing fourth in the constructors’ championship and Hannas third in the riders’ championship.

Dieckmann was competitive, but he also worked for the good of the sport, offering advice and helping other teams when they needed a hand. He also was working with entrepreneurs in India to help bring electric motorcycles to that country.

“He was a truly inspiring figure and popular in the paddock and with so much promise,” TTXGP officials said in a statement. “Always offering support or a friendly hand, Matt touched all who met him with an infectious laugh and a glowing smile. He will be sorely missed and our hearts and condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.”

Photo: Chuck Squatriglia / Wired.com

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, UK

Speaking from behind the wheel of a (supposedly) quickly depreciating i-MiEV, the former Red Dwarf actor points out that Mitsubishi's assertion is largely speculative, since depreciation is generally based on re-sale values and that the Japanese jellybean hasn't yet been sold to begin with. Yes, we know that it is actually for sale in some territories but as buyers were asked to pay as much as $50,000 for it, they aren't likely to be trading it in any time soon.

Llewellyn also brings up falling battery costs, rising fuel prices and Paul Scott's RAV4 EV into the equation before turning his attention to motivation for creating the story to begin with. While he's at a loss to explain why the BBC publishes many seemingly anti-EV pieces, he muses that Mitsubishi, having wasted it significant head-start in the EV arena, is engaging in a little competitor undercutting. Feel free to engage in your own motivation speculation after checking out the Fully Charged video posted after the break.

[Source: Fully Charged]

Continue reading VIDEO: Fully Charged takes on BBC, Mitsubishi for i-MiEV depreciation story

VIDEO: Fully Charged takes on BBC, Mitsubishi for i-MiEV depreciation story originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, GM

Think of the oft-discussed term "range anxiety." What company comes to mind? Is it General Motors? Well, that's exactly what GM apparently wants you to do, based on its recent trademark request filing for those exact words. Why does GM want this trademark? The filing, which you can find at Jalopnik, says it's for "promoting public awareness of electric vehicle capabilities." Um, right.

GM has forever (well, since the Chevrolet Volt was originally announced, which seems like forever) said that its plug-in hybrid is better than a pure electric car because you can charge as you go using (premium) gasoline. So, if you were wondering exactly which "capabilities" GM will be promoting, we already know. As Joel Ewanick, GM's vice president of U.S. marketing, told Jalopnik:

[Range anxiety is] something we need to be very aware of when we market this car. We're going to position this as a car first and electric second... people do not want to be stranded on the way home from work.

Well, most people won't be stranded in their electric cars because they'll know how to use them. Of course, GM wants the Volt to sell beyond the early adopters, and using fear has long worked in major marketing campaigns. For all the fresh, new ways GM has been pushing the Volt thus far, it looks like some things will never change. Thanks to Greg B. for the tip!

[Source: Jalopnik via Wired]

GM trying to trademark "range anxiety" to tell you about "electric vehicle capabilities" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Nissan, Legislation and Policy, Natural Gas

California commuters will either celebrate or curse SB 535, a new law that extends hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles' usage of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in the Golden State.

Introduced by Sen. Leland Yee and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new law expands the ability for hybrid, electric and natural-gas powered vehicles fitted with the ubiquitous yellow bumper stickers to drive solo in the carpool lanes during designated hours. Additionally, it increases the number of permits to 40,000 and widens the eligible vehicles to include the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle (*UPDATE: see this clarification post).

Some lawmakers opposed the bill, citing that California's carpool lanes are already congested with alt-fuel vehicles and additional permits will exacerbate the issue. And this shouldn't come as a surprise, but General Motors sponsored the bill. Plug In America says it "worked tirelessly" to support the bill and cheered its passing, as you can read after the jump.

[Source: LA Times]

Continue reading Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf allowed to use California HOV lanes *UPDATE

Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf allowed to use California HOV lanes *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, LA Auto Show

General Motors confirmed this morning that November 11, 2010 has been set as the official Job 1 date for the Chevrolet Volt. The news initially reported by Translogic was verified to AutoblogGreen by GM spokesman Rob Peterson. November 2010 has always been the targeted production launch timing for the Volt, but a specific day couldn't be set until other development milestones were met.

Now that development and testing is virtually complete and certification testing is underway, production and customer deliveries will soon start unless there are any showstopping issues. Generally, dealer deliveries start about three to four weeks after Job 1, so those early models should be rolling off trucks and onto dealer lots in early December.

However, with California being one of the launch markets for the Volt, we would be surprised if GM doesn't hold some kind of event to deliver the first customer car in conjunction with the press days for the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 17-18. Between now and November, the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will continue building the pre-production units that are going into GM's captured test fleet for use by employees for real-world evaluation.

[Source: Translogic, General Motors]

Official: Volt production begins November 11 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

China's previous experiences with the Chevrolet Volt has been limited to peeking at concepts and prodding non-drivable versions, but that's all about to come to an end. General Motors has just delivered two drivable Chevy Volts to the Shanghai Expo Bureau in China. The extended range plug-in vehicles arrived just in time for the World Expo 2010 and will shuttle VIP guests to and from Shanghai's Expo Park.

General Motors firmly believes that China will be one of the hottest markets outside the U.S. for its upcoming Volt. Chasing sales, GM has selected China as one of the initial markets outside of the U.S. that will receive the Volt prior to its widespread release. The Volt should hit select Chinese dealerships next year and will be available with GM's advanced OnStar in-vehicle safety, security and communication service there. Hit the jump for more info from GM on the Volt's first real trip to China.



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

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM delivers first drivable Chevrolet Volts to China

GM delivers first drivable Chevrolet Volts to China originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While prototypes of the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt have been running around the streets of America for the past several months, the first customer delivered car won’t be built until production officially kicks off on November 11, 2010. The information comes from people familiar with the Volt's launch activities and was confirmed to...

The EV’s of “ThorMacEV” are aimed at the EV buyer who will not compromise comfort & speed for simply “being green”. Thor Johnson realizes EV’s are not likely to enjoy great market penetration if they are limited to the stereotypical econo box look and performance.  Here we’ll take a look at Thor’s Porsche Boxster EV conversion.

Name, Age, Location ?

Thor Johnson, 35, Atlanta, GA

Primary occupation ?

Electrical Engineer / CTO

Its not necessarily just the green aspect you’re interested in with electric cars is it?

Yes, I like the idea of being able to choose the power source for my car (and not be locked into oil from the middle east), but the existing “green” cars were too much to stomach:

1.       NEV – Limited to 30 MPH, and usually only have 30 mile range…. I live in Lawrenceville (NE Atlanta) and  work in Kennesaw (NW Atlanta).  With a NEV, I wouldn’t be able to even make it there, much less make it back.  And limiting the speed to 30 MPH would kill freeway operation so I couldn’t even run downtown to meet my friends in the city!

2.       Prius Gen 1 – Still a gas-eater, and when running in electric mode, anemic.  For much of my driving I’m not even sure it would do as well as a normal gasoline car since the majority of my mileage is highway driving.

Our stated motto is “Purveyors of Proper Electric Vehicles”; this means that the default goal in a conversion is to not change your relationship with your car:

A.    It will have similar or better performance compared to the original car

B.     It will have adequate daily range (our target with the Boxster is 100 miles)

C.     All systems will work (including power steering and air conditioning!)

Is this conversion your first of its kind ?

This is the first Lithium conversion we’ve undertaken. Mac Quillian has done other conversions for the DOD at Warner Robins ALC. From this, we are creating plans for future Boxster conversions as well as finding ways to step-up the quality and performance of the conversions.

The next steps are to find like-minded individuals and propose custom conversions for them, keeping with the ThormacEV motto.

Why did you choose the Boxster as your starting point ?

We chose a Boxster because we deemed it a worthy car, and we loved the idea of a sporty convertible electric vehicle. For the range we desired, the amount spent on the conversion would be close to the same regardless of whether we started with a Corolla or a Boxster, so we chose the sexier, more sporty option.

What where your goals for the project, was range your top priority ? how did you balance this with other concerns or aims ?

 The funny thing about range vs performance is that when you get to the amount of energy required to move the car 100 miles, the performance almost comes naturally. With our 400V, 32 KWh battery pack, we can draw 100-300A (40-120 KW) without too much strain on the batteries.

Our other concern is that the car be Proper; ie, the rest of the car works properly. The AC, power steering, convertible top, and spoiler all work on the car. We did not want to be stuck in Atlanta traffic sweating because the air conditioning was a “waste of energy.”

Where did you source the majority of the parts ?

Our components come from several places to get the best performance value that we could muster. As we innovate and design our own parts (for example, the accessory drive/transaxle mount that you see in the picture), we expect to sell our parts to others who want their conversions to “just work.” Our batteries are from EvComponents; they are Thundersky LiFePO4 cells.

During the conversion process how did you anticipate and deal with the possibility of added weight ?

The electric drivetrain adds only 300 lbs to the Boxster. We have made it a point to keep our conversion aligned with the spirit of the Boxster (low polar moment to enable quick handling, etc).

Panasonic Corp. and Samsung SDI Co., the world’s two largest makers of rechargeable batteries, may deepen price cuts this year as overproduction worsens a glut in the industry, analysts...

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At long last, Nissan begins taking actual orders today for the first next-generation fully electric car from a major automaker, the Leaf. More than 18,000 people who plunked down $99 to stay on...

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

While it's been debated that the majority of electric vehicle (EV) owners will find little need for public chargers and will instead choose to juice their EVs up at home each night, a study from the clean technology market research firm Pike Research indicates that chargers are coming anyways. Tons of them. Even Pike's own study reveals that at-home charging will be the norm, but that won't stop vendors, municipalities and utility companies from installing all those public charging stations.

Funded mainly by government dollars, Pike is predicting the U.S. will have more than one million public chargers by 2015, the vast majority of which will offer low-fee or free charging. Pike Research also suggests that retailers will install charging stations in an effort to draw in consumers by alluring them with the offer of free charging while they shop. Coincidentally, the number of chargers predicted by Pike Research line up with many studies suggesting that the U.S. could have more than one million EVs scattered across our roadways by 2015. If you add in all of the million or so home charging units, it seems like we could end up with a charger overload. Follow the jump for more on the predicted expansion of our EV charging infrastructure.

[Source: Pike Research]

Continue reading Study: More than 1M EV chargers coming to U.S. by 2015

Study: More than 1M EV chargers coming to U.S. by 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

BYD's E6 electric taxis have been roaming the roads in China for quite some time now. The company began with 40 taxis, expanded the electric chauffeur program to 100 and hopes to add several hundred more by year's end. Right now, the taxis only tool around on the streets of Shenzhen, China, but the program's reach may be extended in the future. BYD's goal is to electrify ten percent of Shenzhen's taxi fleet and hitting that mark would require that at least 1,500 of the company's E6s to take to the streets.

The U.S. launch of BYD's E6 has been pushed back and then moved forward on several occasions, so it's quite difficult to determine when this battery-powered vehicle will actually be available here. Consumer test drives and purchasing may be months or perhaps years away, but here's your chance to see what the E6 has to offer. Hit the jump to ride along as the E6 taxi takes to the streets of Shenzhen, but disregard the bit of useless video found after the 2:50 mark. Hat tip to Matthijs!

[Source: You Tube]

Continue reading Video: Ride along in BYD's E6 electric taxi

Video: Ride along in BYD's E6 electric taxi originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

Four battery-powered Ancillary Power Vehicles (APVs) produced by Canada-based Rapid Electric Vehicles (REV) will soon be ready for active duty with the U.S. Military. REV was recently awarded a contract to build four of its APVs, which are battery-electric light-duty vehicles that combine proprietary propulsion, power management and mobile communication technologies for the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research Development Engineering Center (TARDEC) Micro-Grid project at Wheeler Air Base in Hawaii.

REV will supply the military with three 300ACXs and a lone 300AZX. The ACXs are loosely based on the current Ford Escape while the single 300AZX is built off of the Ford F-150 platform. The vehicles will be powered by a 125 kW permanent magnet AC motor and gearbox drive systems that deliver 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels. In addition, REV will supply the U.S. Military with four Coulomb ChargePoint docking stations and a 200kWh stationary energy storage system from Valence Technology. Though electric vehicles have yet to fully prove that they can capably perform in grueling real-world settings, the military is apparently impressed enough with the technology to give them a try. Hit the jump for more on REV's converted military vehicles.

[Source: Rapid Electric Vehicles]

Continue reading REV awarded contract to build four converted, battery-powered vehicles for U.S. military

REV awarded contract to build four converted, battery-powered vehicles for U.S. military originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

For years, Paul Scott has been promoting electric vehicles (EVs) as a co-founder of Plug-In America, but he'll soon be promoting one EV a bit more than others in his new job as a Nissan Leaf salesman. Yes, after a private lunch with Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in June and discussions with his local Nissan dealership (Santa Monica Nissan) through the summer, Paul will soon be the go-to guy for anyone who is interested in buying a Leaf in the area. It's sort of poetic that, after years trying to convince legislators and the public to back EVs, Paul can now literally sell them one (he will also keep selling solar PV systems from SolarCity). On his blog, Paul wrote:

I came to the conclusion that I wanted to personally help Nissan get the car into driver's hands. One by one, I want to replace those filthy internal combustion engines using 60% foreign oil, with clean, powerful motors using domestically-produced, renewable kWh generated from sunlight and wind. ... I intend to be the number one Leaf salesman in the world. When you are ready for yours, look me up.

CalCars founder Felix Kramer offered his congratulations:

Kudos to you, Paul: You're turning that oft-criticized occupation, 'salesman" into a badge of honor. When you have great products, you can help people understand and buy them. My Leaf will come in Northern California, or I'd be at your desk tomorrow. I'll send everyone I know around LA to you.

Everyone's happy for Paul, and with good reason. But Nissan got a pretty good deal here, too, don't you think? See what we mean in these stories about him in the ABG archives.

[Source: EVs and Energy]

Electric vehicle advocate Paul Scott "intends to be the number one Leaf salesman in the world" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors has sought a trademark for the term “range anxiety,” providing a glimpse into how it might market the Chevrolet Volt.

“Range anxiety” refers to the nagging concern you’ll be stuck miles from home with a dead battery, and it could be an impediment to the widespread adoption of cars like the Nissan Leaf. The Chevrolet Volt, which rolls into showrooms at the end of the year, avoids this by using a gasoline engine as an on-board generator. When the 16 kilowatt-hour battery goes dead after 40 miles, the engine drives a generator that keeps electricity flowing to the wheels.

Jalopnik discovered GM has sought to trademark the phrase “range anxiety” for the purpose of “promoting public awareness of electric vehicle capabilities.” In other words, marketing. Jalop’s Justin Hyde suggests GM will play on people’s fears of being stranded by their EV to make the Volt — which will cost $33,500 after the EV tax credit — more attractive than, say, the Leaf.

Joel Ewanick, GM’s vp of U.S. marketing, seemed to suggest just that in an interview with Hyde.

“It’s something we call ‘range anxiety,’ and it’s real,” Ewanick said. “That’s something we need to be very aware of when we market this car. We’re going to position this as a car first and electric second… people do not want to be stranded on the way home from work.”

Ewanick did not respond to our request for comment. GM spokesman Rob Peterson confirmed the company “has investigated” trademarking the term “range anxiety” but was not aware of any plans to use it to market the Volt. He said the term “has been part of our vernacular since November, 2006,” when Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the Volt, used it while briefing journalists. The term stemmed from customers’ concerns about the range of the EV1.

It’s interesting that Ewanick would mention “people do not want to be stranded on the way home from work.” In explaining the 40-mile range of the Volt’s battery, GM consistently has said most Americans commute less than 40 miles per day. It would stand to reason then that the 100 mile range of a car like the Leaf would be sufficient.

It may be, Peterson said. But “a driver in the Volt will use 40 miles of electricity and have no concern when they hit the 41st mile. You know with confidence that you will go where you need to go. If you’re in an electric vehicle and you’re driving down the road knowing 100 miles is a finite number, there is a threshold you do not want to cross. At some point that threshold plays on the consumer’s mind, either in the purchase process or the ownership experience.” It’s a legitimate concern, as K.C. Colwell of Car & Driver learned when he ran out of juice while driving a Tesla Roadster. (You can read Tesla’s rebuttal to that post here.)

A recent survey by the Consumer Electronics Association found 41 percent of Americans are willing to test drive an EV, but 71 percent of them worry about running out of juice. Fifty-nine percent worry about the limited range. Those numbers jibe with the results of a survey of 1,000 people by Cars.com.

Those concerns might be overblown.

Mark Vaughn of AutoWeek has been driving a Mitsubishi i-MiEV around Southern California since early July. He’s got a model built for the Japanese market, so range tops out at 75 miles. But he’s found it adequate for his needs. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and Renault, has said 95 percent of the world’s population drives less than 100 kilometers (62 miles) daily, so the Leaf’s range of 100 miles is sufficient for most consumers.

And there is some evidence suggesting people don’t need as much range as they think they do. Tom Turrentine, director of the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Center at the UC-Davis, surveyed 150 people who leased the Mine-E electric car from BMW. He found the car’s maximum range of 80 to 100 miles was sufficient for their needs.

So General Motors is right — range anxiety is an issue in consumer’s minds. But whether it’s an issue in their lives remains to be seen.

UPDATE: 4:15 p.m. Sept. 1: Tesla Motors sent us a completely unsolicited response to GM’s effort. We found it funny, so here you go:

“By all means, GM can have ‘range anxiety.’ To Roadster owners, the term is as irrelevant as ‘gas stop’ or ’smog check.’ We are, however, looking into trademarking ‘Tesla grin.’”

UPDATE: 8 p.m. Sept. 2: Tesla posted in the comments a rebuttal to Colwell’s Car & Driver story, so we’ve included in the post.

Photo: General Motors. A pre-production Volt charges up in San Francisco.

See Also:

• It’s Official: Chevrolet Volt Will Cost $41000
• Chevrolet Volt: Let the Gouging Begin!
• Chevrolet Volt Sure Drives Sweet
• Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle Is Surprisingly Affordable
• Nissan’s Leaf Ushers In the Electric Era

Don't want a 2011 Chevrolet Volt or 2011 Nissan Leaf? Fear not - there are a raft of other EVs waiting in the wings to satisfy your desire for something different. If you live in the U.S. though, you'll have to wait until late 2011 to get your hands on Mitsubishi's 2012 i-MiEV. For EV fans in 14 European markets, potential buyers will be getting...

In a week where many mainstream media outlets are claiming electric cars are prohibitively more expensive to own than gasoline counterparts, a team of Swiss researchers have released conclusive data showing that the environmental impact of the electric car is much less than most gas cars. As any EV advocate will tell you, electric vehicles are...

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

According to a report from Bloomberg, a looming price cut stemming from oversupply in the rechargeable battery industry, may make electric vehicles more affordable, but could drive small-scale lithium-ion battery producers right out of the market. Panasonic Corp. and Samsung SDI Co., the world's largest producers of rechargeable batteries, are expected to engage in a price war as oversupply of li-ion batteries continues to worsen.

"Lithium-ion battery prices may tumble 19 percent in 2010, the biggest drop in five years," one industry analyst told Bloomberg, while another noted that "the worsening oversupply may push prices down as much as 25 percent." This drop indicates that some of the big players in the li-ion market are willing to sacrifice profit for market dominance. With sales of electric vehicles expected to take off soon, lithium-ion battery demand could explode to triple its current volume in just six years time.

Mitsushige Akino of Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co. offered this insight into the future of the li-ion industry:

Battery makers will probably go through a tough time with falling prices. The business may become lucrative only for a couple of companies with dominant market share. Others may never be able to make money.

Which companies are expected to gain a dominant market share? Well, the South Korean battery makers such as Samsung and LG Chem, with their ability to source cheap materials and quickly increase production capacities, should hold the upper hand over Japanese rivals like Panasonic. But, we wouldn't drop the Japanese companies from the list of dominant battery makers just yet. Akira Kadota, a spokesman at Osaka-based Panasonic, outlined the company's commitment to compete with South Korean battery producers:

We anticipate the harsh price competition with South Korean makers will continue. We are reviewing our production process to strengthen our cost competitiveness so that we can win the battle.

Oversupply, price wars and fierce competition could rip apart the industry, leaving just a handful of battery producers around. This game of constantly lowering prices is eroding profitability and will eventually cease, but which companies will survive?

[Source: Bloomberg]

"Lithium-ion battery prices may tumble 19 percent in 2010" (or how 'bout 25%?) originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are four of us who will be involved in the project of building this EV. Last night, three of us – Scott, Cory, and myself – managed to get together for a little bit and dig in.

We managed to get all of the electronics off of the treadmill. The motor I had previously taken out; however, the controller(s) and power supply were still attached. With everything yanked out, we took stock.

Power came in from the AC wall outlet to the power supply, which made DC for the user interface board and the SCR motor controller. Our goal was to determine if the SCR board ran on straight DC, and if we could power it directly from a battery. Yes it does! No, we can’t use it! A total bummer, but it was nice to spend time in good company not worried about life, school, or other concerns.

SCR works by chopping up the sine waveform of AC power and feeding on portions of the wave to the motor. DC doesn’t have waves like AC does, so it didn’t work when it was plugged in on battery only. So now, we’re still in search of another treadmill that has a PWM controller. PWM functions by turning on and off the DC power (called a Pulse) and adjusting (modulating) how long the power is on for (width). Once we have one of those in our possession, we’ll be able to make REAL progress.

Filed under: Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Ford, Legislation and Policy

It doesn't matter which party is in power in Washington (or state capitals, for that matter), companies that are spending billions of dollars to develop new products and technologies will spend at least a fraction of that amount to lobby politicians for policies that give them a leg up in the market. That's just what Ford, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and countless others are doing when it comes to "green vehicle" technology.

Ford reportedly spent $1.42 million in the second quarter of 2010 on lobbyists. The main targets of Ford's lobbying efforts have been twofold: promotion of electric vehicles as it gets ready to launch several plug-in vehicles over the next three years and ending texting while driving. Ford is pushing legislators to withhold federal road funding from states that don't ban texting from behind the wheel. Of course, Ford's motives aren't entirely altruistic - the latest generation of its Sync technology allows drivers to use voice commands to respond to text messages that are read by the car. Automakers as a group also spent $1.45 million through the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to promote their views on clean air, aftermarket repairs, fuel economy and safety standards.

Meanwhile, industrial agriculture firm ADM spent a chunk of its $340,000 in the second quarter lobbying to maintain or increase subsidies for corn ethanol production and use.

[Source: BusinessWeek, KOAT, Associated Press via Canadian Business]

Automakers, suppliers lobby Washington to promote green efforts originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This weeks episode of FullyCharged with Robert Llewellyn is a bit of a rant about the BBC story we examined over the weekend. The bottom line is, the BBC writer Brian Milligan calculated both...

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Americans are using less energy overall and making more use of renewable energy resources. The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more...

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When Doug Small started drawing up plans for a homebrew electric car, he wanted to start with something lightweight, easy to work on and stylish. Naturally, he decided on an MG TD.

Purists needn’t worry, however, as no British roadsters were harmed during the construction of this electric car. This is a replica TD, a mere fiberglass shell atop the remnants of a Volkswagen Beetle.

Small, who lives in East Moline, Illinois, chose an old VW as a donor for the same reason so many Beetles end up battery-powered: They’re cheap, they’re easy to work on and they weigh almost nothing. While the replica body looks great, the primary reason for the Anglification was the 800 pound weight savings that came from replacing a Beetle’s steel body with a fiberglass shell that has neither roof nor pillars.

Small started planning the conversion four years ago and started construction in September, 2008. He did all the work himself.

“I started with a complete frame-off restoration from the chassis up,” he said. “The frame was infused with a new suspension, brakes, shocks, etc. The body was sanded, primed and repainted. The interior was pretty rough, so I completely started from scratch.”

Small crafted new door panels, trim and a wood dashboard, using aircraft switches and turned aluminum for an authentic look. Next up came the drivetrain, which consists of a rebuilt VW gearbox driven by the 40 horsepower D&D Electric DC motor, twelve 6-volt 240-amp lead acid deep cycle batteries and a few other easy-to-find parts.

“Everything was readily available online,” Small said. “The most difficult challenge was figuring out the battery layout. There was a bit of trial and error, but I finally found optimal battery positioning.”

The car has a range of 20 to 25 miles and the batteries take 6.5 hours to recharge. That’s not very far and not very fast, but Small says it’s ideal for a quick summertime jaunt along a country road. Top speed is 55 mph, though Small says it’s a fun car to drive at any speed.

“The performance is equivalent to a 40-horsepower Volkswagen Bug, but without the noise, oil leaks or gas consumption,” he said.

If it’s the looks that catch people’s attention, it’s the lack of that characteristic four cylinder engine note that holds their curiosity.

“The amount and types of looks the car receives is astounding,” he said. “There are many double takes and I think that the car might confuse people when they don’t hear an expected engine noise.”

Two weekends ago, the car got a second look from the judges at the Quad Cities British Auto Club who awarded the TD EV first place in the Special Interest category at the 2010 Autofest. We’re not sure if it’s in that category because it’s a replica, or because it was a British car without an oil leak.

Photos: Doug Small

Proterra today announced the first major deployment of its EcoRide BE35 zero-emission, fast-charge battery-electric transit buses by Foothill Transit, a premier public transport provider that...

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