Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Racing

Power Racing Series - Click above for high-res image gallery
One of the highlights of this weekend's first Detroit Maker Faire was the Michigan premier of a new grass-roots racing event, the Power Racing Series. This new competition class was conceived by Jim Burke and, like the LeMons series, the machines have budgets limited to just $500 (not including safety equipment). The vehicles for this series are based on Fisher-Price Power Wheels or Little Tykes toys that have been modded to support the mass of adult drivers and larger 12-volt lead acid car batteries.

This weekend's competition included three individual events: a drag race, a 15-lap road race and a one-hour enduro on Sunday afternoon. The drag race was won by Royce Pipkins, president of the Milwaukee Maker Space in his Grave Digger. When the 15-lap event began on Saturday afternoon, the #3 car built by the crew at the I3 Detroit hacker space clearly had more speed than any other vehicle. Unfortunately, about halfway through the race, the car ground to a halt. A key that was connecting the rear wheel to the axle had sheared the soft metal of the axle. The crew repeatedly tried pounding in new keys but the car would only run another lap or two before running into trouble again. Ultimately, Pipkins had the durability and speed to finish 15 green flag laps before anyone else. Look for the Power Racing Series at a parking lot near you soon.



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

Maker Faire Detroit 2010: Power Racing Series, as grassroots as it gets originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in

Amick A2 - Click above for high-res image gallery
One of the makers that we encountered setting up of the Maker Faire Detroit on Friday afternoon was Douglas Amick. Amick was unloading the A2, a three-wheeled, battery-powered, wind-assisted tandem-two-seater. The A2 was originally built by Amick's late father James. The elder Amick devised the aerodynamic arch on the rear of the vehicle which is claimed to help propel the vehicle forward in cross-winds. Apparently, airflow coming in at an angle to the vehicle will swirl around as it passes through the arch actually applying force to the rear of the vehicle giving it some boost. We'll have to check with some contacts with aerodynamic expertise on the veracity of this claim, but the vehicle is kind of cool looking. Apparently, it originally had aluminum air batteries installed but they are no longer functional.



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

[Source: AmickGlobal.com]

Maker Faire Detroit 2010: Amick A2 wind-assisted electric spaceship vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in

EcoVElectric LSEV - Click above for high-res image gallery
Richard Marks spent twenty-five years as an engineer at General Motors, finishing out his tenure there working on the EV1. Following the demise of that project, he went on to work for some suppliers before setting out to build a low-cost electric vehicle. It's not clear who would win a drag race between Marks' EcoV and Big Dog, but we're guessing those pedaling the taller machine might have more fun.

While the EcoV isn't likely to win any design competitions, it does embody the DIY spirit of Maker Faire. Marks has a partnership with automotive supplier Energy Components Group (ECG) of St. Clair, MI to produce the EcoV starting in early 2011. ECG has a facility in a renewable energy renaissance zone that will be reconfigured to produce this four-seat electric vehicle with a top speed of 25 miles per hour and a range of 25-40 miles. The tubular steel space frame carries a rack full of deep-cycle, sealed lead-acid batteries.



Photos Copyright (C)2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: EnVironmental Transportation Solutions]

Maker Faire Detroit 2010: EcoVElectric low speed electric vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Saab 9-3 - Click above for high-res image gallery
During a media launch for the 2011 Saab 9-5, company executives revealed plans to introduce a test fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the upcoming 9-3. As Inside Line reports, Saab execs confirmed that the test fleet of EVs will roll out in early 2011 and will be deployed at various locations across the globe, including Saab's hometown of Trollhattan, Sweden.

Saab's "100 percent electric vehicle" test fleet is a joint effort between the automaker, lithium-ion battery producer Boston-Power, electric propulsion systems manufacturer Electroengine and the Swedish Energy Authority. Saab Automobile AB managing director Jan Ake Jonsson said: The main purpose is to draw technology from this test fleet, technology that we can then incorporate quickly. The key target short-term is to drive fuel consumption down. You can electrify certain portions of the vehicle. When prodded about a target release date for a mass-production EV, Jonsson ducked out by stating:
Everybody is looking at that question. Nobody has an answer. It will take some time.
Without official word from Jonsson, we'll have to fall back on the previous comments of Saab's chief executive officer Victor Muller, who suggested that 2016 is the year the company will go for electrification.
Gallery-3856%
[Source: Inside Line]

All-electric Saab 9-3 test fleet to launch in early 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Chevrolet Cruze compact has plenty of advantages over its peers, but the competitive clock is ticking fast, says Dan Neil.

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

During his stop today at the General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the production Chevrolet Volts will soon roll off the line, President Obama did something unusual for a president: he got behind the wheel of a car and went for a drive. It was a short one - just ten feet - but that's what happens when you need not only GM's permission but also the Secret Service's to drive a not-yet-in-production, new-technology Chevy Volt in black. We won't be geting a full-length review from the President, but he did give his initial impression after stepping out: "I'm telling you guys, pretty smooth."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said after the event that Obama has driven at a Secret Service training facility this past April and also piloted a Dodge Charger at a closed-press event. Other than these two times, Obama hasn't driven since getting Secret Service protection in early 2007.

Gallery: President Obama drives the Volt

[Source: ABC | Images: AFP/Getty Images, Jim Watson and AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais]

Obama drives the Volt... all of 10 feet originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dan Neil says the nimble Porsche roadster saves weight but adds frustration with a complicated new ragtop—and air conditioning is extra.

President Obama travelled to Detroit today to tout the success of the auto bailouts and federal stimulus program in reviving the American automotive industry. At General Motors's Hamtramck facility, Obama told workers that the $62 billion dollars the government spent to keep Chrysler and GM in business had saved 1.1 million jobs, and resulted in the strongest year of hiring that the industry has seen since 1999.

The speech comes one day after the administration released a new interactive map detailing the investments that have been made in new car and battery factories across the country and the resulting jobs created at each plant. The graphic shows particularly strong growth in Indiana and Michigan, which were two of the states hardest hit by the automotive crisis. Most of new job sites will produce green vehicles and components, with grants going to lithium ion battery, truck and bus hybridization, and electric vehicle factories. A handful of other projects include fuel cell research and manufacturing, biofuels, and natural gas and propane vehicle development.

The White House has released a new interactive map detailing investments that have been made in new car and battery factories across the country.

According to information provided by the administration, 55,000 new automotive jobs have been created in the last year, with more on their way in the near future as a series of new plug-in cars hit the market and carmakers add workers to help produce more next-generation, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Department of Energy loans have been awarded to new production facilities for the Nissan LEAF, THINK!, Fisker, and a $465 million renovation of the old NUMMI plant in California, which will someday produce the Tesla Model S electric sedan. The stimulus bill also provides grants to 30 battery and component factories across 19 states. By 2015, the White House says that the U.S. will have the capacity to build 500,000 electric vehicles per year, with 40 percent of the world's lithium ion battery production occurring domestically as well.

read more

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors

Any AutoblogGreen reader who lives by a Tesla Motors store - or goes near one on vacation - has probably set foot inside and experienced the high-tech, open sales boutique (oh, and the cars). While the eight stores currently open across the U.S. do a fine job of showing off the Roadsters, the road to getting them in place hasn't always been an easy one to pave.

The challenge comes from the auto dealer laws in the U.S. In Colorado, for example, Tesla needed to get licensed both as a manufacturer and a dealer. Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, spoke to Automotive News (sub. req.) and said he'd been to Tesla's Boulder store and that, "It has a very fashionable feel to it. We wish them a lot of luck." He also said:
Have we scrutinized all the issues behind what they're doing? Not really. My feeling is that a manufacturer-owned store as a business model violates the spirit of the state law here. But not a single person is complaining about it, and it's kind of a back-burner thing for us. I imagine that if we start getting complaints from our membership, we would move it up to a front-burner thing. In Texas, Tesla admits, state laws might not be able to sell its cars to consumers there, but there's no definite decision on this. The company wants to have a larger number of stores fully operational for the Model S when it arrives in 2012, and who knows what the landscape will look like then.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Tesla learning new rules as retail stores expand into more U.S. states originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever since the surprise debut of the Porsche 918 Spyder at the Geneva Auto Show this year, many of us have been salivating at the prospects of its eventual production… and for good reason. With a 0-60 time of around 3 seconds, a lithium-ion battery that can take the car 16 miles on battery power alone, a maximum fuel efficiency of about 78 mpg, and a combined 718 horsepower, this plug-in hybrid supercar seems to have it all.

Porsche has said in the past that all they needed was 1,000 firm orders to before they’d start production, and as of this week they have more than 2,000 non-binding submissions of interest. Yesterday Porsche’s Supervisory Board reportedly approved the vehicle for production as a way to show Porsche’s commitment to next generation vehicles and support the German economy.

(more…)

The workhorse of taxi fleets across the U.S. is the Ford Crown Victoria. Also popular as a cop car, the Crown Vic is known for its body-on-frame design (easy to repair) and impressive cargo and interior space. One area it does not excel in is gas mileage, as the big V8 engine aren’t all that efficient to begin with. Task them with the stop-and-go nature of city driving, and gas mileage plummets.

New York City has been trying for several years to force taxi owners to switch to hybrids. A recent ruling by a Federal judge backed up an earlier ruling  that barred the city from mandating hybrid taxis.

(more…)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM, Legislation and Policy, USA

President Obama toured the General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the automaker will build (can we say "is building" yet?) the Chevrolet Volt today, and as any good PR person will surely agree, you can't let an opportunity like that go by without making an announcement of some sort. So, GM has something to say and it's big news, too: GM will increase Volt production capacity by 50 percent in 2012.

Details are as follows: Instead of making 30,000 Volts in the U.S. in 2012, GM will now make 45,000. These numbers are lower than production numbers we heard rumors of in years past, but they're good news for fans of plug-in vehicles. Is the increase a response to positive reaction to the Volt's $33,500 after-tax-rebate price tag? Maybe. GM said in a statement that, "In the past few weeks, more than 25,000 people have joined the Chevrolet Volt enthusiast list."

The news is good for the President, too, since the White House is pushing The American Auto Industry: A Comeback Story message this week. Part of that is an interactive version of the White House map showing places where the government has supported automakers, which you can find here.



[Sources: General Motors, WhiteHouse.gov]

Continue reading GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012

GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz Vito E-Cell - Click above for high-res image gallery
Mercedes-Benz has just launched series production of its Vito E-Cell van for the European market. The Vito is claimed to be the first electric drive van produced by an automaker at its factory rather then converted off-site like the Smith Electric Vehicles products. About 100 E-Cell vans are scheduled for production by the end of this year with another 2,000 coming in 2011.

The Vito is powered by a 70-kilowatt peak (60 kW continuous) synchronous AC motor with 207 pound-feet of torque. Since this is primarily intended as an urban delivery type vehicle, maximum speed is capped at about 50 miles per hour. A 36 kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack is installed under the cargo floor and 32 kWh is available for propulsion. That's enough energy to move the Vito about 80 miles under nominal conditions. In addition to the battery, the motor and power electronics are also liquid cooled, which should help optimize the durability of the drivetrain.

The vans are equipped with a communications system that allows dispatchers to check battery state of charge when determining which vehicles to send where. The first batch of 100 vans will be going to operators in Berlin and Stuttgart this year.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Vito E-Cell

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz introduces new Vito E-Cell van

Mercedes-Benz introduces new Vito E-Cell van originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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California prides itself as being a green mecca, inviting inventions and high technology and grooming early adopters with special HOV lane access and tax credits on alternative fuel vehicles. Well, mostly. It seems like California has soured on hybrids in HOV lanes, recently revoking the Prius’s access to this less-traveled road.

At least the Prius was allowed in for a time though. In a rather shocking turn, California has not only denied the Chevy Volt access to the HOV lane, it also won’t get any state tax credits. Zing!

(more…)

I haven’t quite made my mind up on the Volt. I like a lot of things about the Chevy super-eco-car, like its many standard features, emphasis on technology, and the fact that it can be an every day car. I don’t like the $41,000 starting price (which comes down to $33,500 after Federal tax credits… still pretty expensive).

Know what else I don’t like about the Chevy Volt? Premium fuel only. Seriously GM?

(more…)

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

Chevrolet Voltage video - Click above to watch video after the jump
Chevrolet Voltage released its latest clip, titled "What makes the Chevrolet Volt a better electric vehicle?", which unsurprisingly promotes the Volt as a better electric vehicle (EV) than the competition. This prompts our first question: since when did the Volt become an EV? Last time we checked, the Volt was still more of a typical plug-in hybrid than a full-blown EV, but whatever. The video provides a one-sided look at the Volt's claimed superiority over competing EVs such as the Nissan Leaf. The video touches on the Volt's long-distance cruising abilities, its extensive battery warranty and its hot/cold weather abilities.

While General Motors is quick to point out the Volt's advantages, we'll provide some balance by presenting its obvious disadvantages: the Volt costs significantly more than the Leaf and it still gulps gasoline, albeit at a lesser rate than most other vehicles. Quibbles aside, we applaud both companies for their breakthrough vehicles and wish 'em luck. Hit the jump to see why GM believes that the Volt outshines its electric competition. Hat tip to Greg!

[Source: Chevrolet Voltage]

Continue reading Video: GM releases short clip touting Volt's superiority over other electric vehicles

Video: GM releases short clip touting Volt's superiority over other electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels

Off-road racing fans will no doubt be familiar with the name Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart, winner of 17 Baja 500s and three Baja 1000s over his 37-year career. Apparently, even an iron man can only take so much pounding and Stewart has decided it's time to ride off silently into the sunset.

Stewart has decided to auction virtually all of his off-road racing memorabilia, race truck building business and vehicles. Instead of pounding dirt, Stewart will be peddling electric bicycles out of a new shop in San Diego, California.

The Ivan Stewart Electric Bike Center will sell, service and rent battery-powered bicycles from an initial shop in downtown San Diego, followed by two additional stores in La Jolla and Del Mar to the north.

[Source: San Diego Union-Tribune via PickupTrucks.com]

Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart rides away from off-road racing on an electric bike originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Larry E. Hall

Chevrolet’s Cruze is, well, Cruisin’. Since its launch in Europe in the spring of 2009, Chevy’s first global compact car has racked up a total of 270,000 sales in more than 60 countries. Add another 70,000 sales with versions from Holden in Australia and Daewoo in South Korea.

Is 40 MPG A New Trend?

The Chevy Cruze Eco and Ford Fiesta could be leading the way to economical fuel economy.

U.S. dealerships will begin sales in September and all models will be produced in Lordstown, Ohio. The Chevy Cruze will be one of the few compact cars built in the U.S. for the 2011 model year.

Pricing starts at $16,995 for the LS model with a long list of standard safety features, including 10 air bags, electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control and anti-lock brakes.

read more

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

It has long been apparent that the more successful a talk radio host is, the less relevant the facts become. Case in point is this week's apparent tirade by Rush Limbaugh against the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. No doubt the Volt's sticker price came in higher than most of us had hoped at $41,000, and Limbaugh may have had a slight point there. However, suggesting that the federal $7,500 tax credit for plug-in vehicles like the Volt and the Nissan Leaf was there as an admission that no one wants these vehicles strikes us as disingenuous at best, especially when you recall the tax write-offs that were available to people buying Hummers and other large SUVs just a few years ago. As far as we know, Limbaugh also made no mention of the more palatable $350-per-month lease deal available for the Volt.

The Detroit Free Press reported that Limbaugh also ripped into the Volt's 40 mile range, implying that the 40 miles of range from the battery is all that is available. He was either unaware of or chose to ignore the fact that in charge-sustaining mode, the car's onboard engine-generator can keep the battery going for another 300 miles on a tank of gas. If you don't have time to sit around while the battery charges, you can just take a couple of minutes to fill the tank and be on your way again, just as you would in a normal car.

Perhaps we should just give Limbaugh the benefit of the doubt and assume his cochlear implant was on the fritz.

*Update: When this story was originally posted, we were unable to find a transcript online. After reviewing the transcript post-publication, it's clear that the Detroit Free Press took Limbaugh's comments out of context just as much of the media did last week in the case of Shirley Sharrod. Limbaugh is clearly aware of the range-extending capabilities of the Volt powertrain, although he didn't make any mention of the lease deal.

Until a caller informed Limbaugh of the Department of Energy-funded Charge Point America program, he was apparently unaware that over 4,000 free home 240-volt chargers would be available. However, the reality is that the Volt can be charged from a standard 110 volt outlet in 8-10 hours because of its smaller capacity batteries. Speaking of its range, the continual harping on the 40 mile range neglects the fact that for the vast majority of trips that will be perfectly adequate and the car can continue on after that on gasoline essentially without driver input.

From where we sit, comparisons of the Volt (and other EVs) to the Apple iPhone are also flawed. At launch, the iPhone did not have a carrier subsidy from AT&T and while it did well, sales didn't really take off until a few months later when the service provider cut the cost. Those subsidies have been more than recovered by AT&T (and other cellular companies) through very expensive smartphone service plans. The groundbreaking aspect of the iPhone was its software, not its hardware which was not significantly more expensive than other phones. While it remains to be seen if battery-powered vehicles can change the game, there is no argument that they are currently substantially more expensive to manufacture. As long as the United States has significantly lower gasoline prices than other countries, EVs are unlikely to thrive at their true cost.



[Sources: Detroit Free Press, RushLimbaugh.com]

Report: Rush Limbaugh tears into Chevy Volt, fails to understand how it works [*Updated] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Biodiesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, UK

Smart ED - Click above for high-res image gallery
When the UK's government changed hands back in May, the previously promised subsidy of $7,800 (U.S. at the current exchange rate) for ultra-low carbon vehicles was immediately called into question. Even the UK's current business secretary, Vince Cable, boldly stated that the new government "moved on from the era of subsidies." With a high likelihood that the subsidy would never come to fruition, the UK stood at risk of becoming one of the few remaining major nations to not offer assistance for purchases of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.

The automotive industry, environmentalists and eager green car buyers sighed in relief on Wednesday when the UK's government unexpectedly announced that the subsidy was approved intact, starting next January. As Transportation Secretary Philip Hammond remarked: The coalition Government is absolutely committed to low carbon growth, tackling climate change and making our energy supply more secure. We are sending a clear signal that Britain is open for business and that we are committed to greening our economy. This will ensure that the UK is a world leader in low emission vehicles. The $7,800 subsidy mainly applies to the purchase of plug-in hybrids, EVs and fuel cell vehicles. The Office for Low Emissions Vehicles will release additional program requirements that will be posted on its site at a later date. The subsidy has been approved through March of 2012 and will be up for review and possible adjustments the prior January. Now, we can officially add the UK to the ever-growing list of countries that offer substantial monetary assistance for advanced technology vehicles. Follow the jump to read more about the UK's commitment to ultra-low carbon vehicles.

Gallery: Smart ED

Photos copyright (C)2010 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Department for Transport]

Continue reading UK approves $7,800 incentive for ultra-low carbon vehicles

UK approves $7,800 incentive for ultra-low carbon vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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