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Obama drives the Volt... all of 10 feet
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.
[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. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012
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. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Video: GM releases short clip touting Volt's superiority over other electric vehicles
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Green Daily 
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. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid
Filed under: Hybrid, Porsche, Green Daily 
2010 Porsche Panamera 4S - Click above for high-res image gallery
Buried within Porsche's recent announcement regarding its plans to test three electric Boxsters, the company openly confirmed that the launch of the Panamera S Hybrid is on track for 2011. Though perhaps not as innovative or as those racy electric vehicles, the Panamera S Hybrid still hails from Stuttgart and, therefore, is bound to be one exhilarating ride.
The upcoming Panamera will borrow the hybrid hardware found in the current Cayenne S Hybrid. That means it will sport a 329-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to a 46 hp electric motor. Like the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Panamera's parallel hybrid setup boasts the ability to operate at low speeds under electric power alone. When the production Panamera S Hybrid takes to the streets in 2011, it will become the company's second model to sport a hybrid powertrain, a remarkable achievement considering that few people associate Porsche with fuel efficiency. Follow the jump for more info on Porsche's fuel-saving plans.
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Porsche]Continue reading Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Report: Rush Limbaugh tears into Chevy Volt,
fails to understand how it works[*Updated]
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. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Take the Honda CR-Z on a virtual race with 3 Mode Mania
Filed under: Etc., Hybrid, Honda, Racing 
Got a hankering to waste some of your precious Thursday evening on a video game? Like hybrid cars? Well then, we've got great news for you! Honda has gone ahead and created the online game of your wildest dreams: 3 Mode Mania. Naturally, the subject of the game is the new 2011 CR-Z, and, as is the case with just about every racing game ever created, the goal is to drive along a course as quickly as possible.
There are three tracks to choose from, a bunch of CR-Zs in multiple colors and, as its name suggests, three different modes (Econ, Normal and Sport), each a bit faster and harder than the previous. Give it a whirl. It's certainly not the best automotive video game we've ever played - in fact, it's probably one of the worst - but perhaps it'll give you something to do while passing the time until the So You Think You Can Dance results show comes on... Check it out here.
[Source: Honda via Carscoop]Take the Honda CR-Z on a virtual race with 3 Mode Mania originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Surprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids
Filed under: Etc., Green Culture, Hybrid, MPG, USA 
If it weren't for the somewhat obsessive and frankly narrow-minded love by taxi drivers and police officers for the body-on-frame Ford Crown Victoria, we'd imagine the old Panther platform would have been put out to pasture a very long time ago. As it stands, though, New York cabbies especially seem hell-bent on keeping it around on life support as long as possible.
Interestingly, though, a report from USA Today suggests that cab drivers make more money when operating a Crown Vic than any other automobile, and that supposedly includes hybrids. According to John Shaban, a 27-year-old cab driver, "I don't like the hybrids... Mechanics charge an arm and a leg for them."
Could it be that customers inherently prefer the Crown Vic? Shaban believes so, saying, "People wait for the Crown Vic because it's roomier. They're more likely to get in." Regardless, that's all set to change soon as Ford finally discontinues its long-running rear-wheel-drive people mover. It's expected to be replaced with - you guessed it - a hybrid or some other fuel efficient alternative.
[Source: USA Today | Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty]Surprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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UK approves $7,800 incentive for ultra-low carbon vehicles
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.
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. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Ann Arbor, MI gets first four hydraulic hybrid recycling trucks
Filed under: Hybrid  Ann Arbor hydraulic hybrid recycling truck - Click above for high-res image gallery
This week, the city of Ann Arbor, MI began deploying four of the first 25 trucks equipped with an Eaton Corporation hydraulic launch assist system. Ann Arbor mayor John Hieftje and Clean Energy Coalition executive director Sean Reed presented one of the new recycling trucks at the city's Wheeler service center.
The hydraulic launch assist (HLA) system operates on a principal similar to other hydraulic hybrid systems we've seen. A pair of accumulators store energy captured during braking and release it during acceleration. The HLA is a parallel hybrid with a hydraulic pump motor connected to the drive-shaft through an electronically controlled transfer case clutch.
The system was actually originally developed at the EPA national laboratory in Ann Arbor. Engineers employed there are encouraged to come up with new ideas and patent them. The technology is then shared with privately owned companies for commercialization. Eaton is one of several companies developing hydraulic hybrid technology variants, including series hybrids. The Eaton HLA was first seen on the 2002 Ford F350 Tonka concept and Ford has been evaluating it for use in big pickups and vans, although no production variants have been announced yet.
HLA cuts fuel consumption of the trucks by about 15-20 percent in this type of application that includes frequent starts and stops. The four trucks are expected to save $73,000 in fuel costs over their 10 year useful life, along with $26,500 in reduced maintenance costs. These trucks make an average of about 1,000 stops a day and conventional versions require new brakes every three months or so. The HLA-equipped versions recapture about 75 percent of the kinetic energy of braking and only require brake maintenance once a year. The payback time for the extra initial cost is estimated at two to three years. Future versions could reduce operating and acquisition costs further through the use downsized engines and transmissions.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Ann Arbor, MI gets first four hydraulic hybrid recycling trucks Ann Arbor, MI gets first four hydraulic hybrid recycling trucks originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Toyota celebrates a decade of Prius
Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota, Green Daily  The first decade of the Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
As of 2010, the Toyota Prius has been available in North America for a decade, and it remains by far the best-selling hybrid both here and around the world. Since its Japanese market introduction 1997, drivers have bought more than 1.8 million of the gas-electric dynamos, with about half of those ending up in the United States (and apparently half of those landing on driveways in the San Francisco Bay area!).
The original Prius was a gawky-looking four-door sedan that was slow and often didn't meet up with customer's fuel economy expectations. It wasn't until the second-generation model arrived in 2004 with a new teardop hatchback body style that the Prius really took off. By 2007, cumulative sales topped half a million, with the third-generation model arriving two years later offering improved efficiency and better dynamic performance than ever. This year, Toyota has begun to deploy a test fleet of plug-in Priuses with lithium ion batteries with full series production of those versions coming in 2012.
While we wait for our future corded Prius models to give us even more pull with our eco-minded friends, we'll join Toyota in celebrating the now-iconic green machine by checking out the historic gallery below.
[Source: Toyota]Continue reading Toyota celebrates a decade of Prius Toyota celebrates a decade of Prius originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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