Electric Vehicles

Alternative Energy Funding Drying Up

By Justin Berkowitz
October 21, 2008 -

The New York Times reports that a casualty of lower oil and gas prices: interest in funding renewable energy projects. Among the Times’ laundry list of programs hurting for money: Tesla (duh), corn ethanol (hooray), other biofuels, and wind and solar power. The financial troubles are the consequence of a pretty simple financial concept - that there’s only so much money to go around. And we hear there’s a credit crunch in progress. So with gas and oil coming down in price, renewable energy isn’t where opportunistic investors want to be risking their somewhat-limited resources. The depressing part of the story is this all-too-obvious observation from Times writer Clifford Kraus:

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The New York Times »

Posted in Bio-fuels | E85 | Electric Vehicles | Fuel Economy | Future Vehicles | High Finance | News Blog | 7 comments

Volt Birth Watch 110: Running On Empty?

By Edward Niedermeyer
October 20, 2008 -

Car And Driver is bucking its Detroit-loving rep by running a blog post by Steve Siler that is just a little bit critical of Chevy’s Volt EREV. “With the splashy reveal safely behind us, we’ve taken several opportunities to look more critically at the Volt, studying the design, crawling around inside, and interviewing—make that interrogating—many of those responsible for making it a reality, including Bob Lutz, vice president of global product development, and Jon Lauckner, vice president of global project management. They all promise a game-changer certainly for GM, and over time, possibly the world,” writes Siler. “Still,” run-on sentences aside, Siler reckons that “a reality check is in order.” Siler bemoans the clutchless shift from concept styling to production model, saying ”Bye-Bye, Gangsta-Mini. Hello, Sensible Sedan.” “Frankly, we think (the production model) comes across pretty awful in pictures, but we can attest that it appears well proportioned and convincingly cool in person: the details indeed carry the day,” says Siler. The post goes on to call the Volt’s iPod-ripoff interior “a little gimmicky,” and savages the Volt for not offering enough interior room for a dog. No word though on the Volt’s likely astronomical price-tag or government-subsidized production. Still, even the most mild criticism of the Volt is worth noting when it comes from a publication that’s as Detroit-friendly as C/D.

Posted in Electric Vehicles | News Blog | Volt Birth Watch | 7 comments

Autoblog’s Audi Mileage Marathon Blog Misses the Story Again!

By Robert Farago
October 9, 2008 -

It’s cruel, I tell you, cruel! The moment Autoblog’s Sam Abuelsamid steps out of the office for an all-expenses-paid transcontinuental trek in a diesel Audi, green auto news hits the autoblosphere, rendering his journey something less than interesting. No wait, I mean, important. Or is it both? Anyway, in this case, Audi– the self same company that organized this non-event– have announced that they’re going to build an electric-powered version of their up! up! with people! minicar. “Last week at the Paris Motor Show, management board member Peter Schwarzenbauer reportedly confirmed that again to Britain’s AutoCar magazine.” And who covers this development, and leaves Mr. Abuelsamid’s Day 3 report off its AM Autoblog blogroll? Autobloggreen! When the guys back at the office ignore you on the third day of your story, you know you’ve been SITB. Hey Sam! How about blogging this bad boy for us? I mean if the highest average speed was 51mph, and you’re going from NYC to CA via Chicago, there’s still plenty of time left.

Posted in Diesel | Electric Vehicles | Media | News Blog | one comment

Johnson Controls Focuses on Electric Vehicles

By Edward Niedermeyer
October 8, 2008 -

Alex Molinaroli, president of Johnson Controls’ Power Solutions business, echoes one of TTAC’s ongoing beefs with the U.S. auto industry: Attention Deficit Disorder. Molinaroli tells Automotive News [sub] that “automobile manufacturers are not going to be able to afford to keep investing in all these different technologies,” referring to the “gas-friendly to gas-free” approach to alternative energy vehicles. Molinaroli’s got a prescription for companies who can’t decide whether hydrogen, biofuel, compressed-air, electric or hybrid cars will be the future: hybrid and electric, baby. “You see the long-term r&d effort focused on the electric car. That’s where the real strategic efforts are. People talk about fuel cells, but I don’t really see the kind of energy and effort around that that I see around the electric power train.” Of course it makes sense that Molinaroli would Molina-roll that way; his firm is currently developing Mercedes-Benz’s hybrid S-Class.  Stil, pop those Adderalls boys, the future’s electric.

Automotive News [sub] »

Posted in Electric Vehicles | News Blog | 3 comments

Ford Scores [An Additional] $10m in Taxpayer Money for EV Fleet

By John Horner
October 7, 2008 -

There was a time when $10m seemed like a lot of money.  It still does to me personally, but on the scales of corporate and government finance it is, well, almost nothing. Lest we forget, Ford’s lining-up for its share of $25b in low-interest loans provided by you [via The Department of Energy] to retool its way out of a sea of red ink (in theory). Meanwhile, the AP dutifully reports that Ford’s receipt of a $10m Department of Energy grant to cover half the cost of a planned 20 vehicle plug-in Escape test fleet. “Ford is working on a three-year project to demonstrate the vehicles and understand how they will interact with utilities around the country, a key step in commercializing cars that can be recharged by plugging into a standard wall outlet.”  At one million bucks per test vehicle, they’d better be good!

AP »

Posted in Electric Vehicles | Fuel Economy | News Blog | Taxes | 4 comments

60 Minutes “Race for the Electric Vehicle:” Lutz vs. Musk

By Robert Farago
October 6, 2008 -

Silicon Valley vs. Detroit for THE CAR OF THE FUTURE. Nice story. Geeky David vs. Creaky Goliath. Only building a car is one thing. Building a hundred thousand is quite another. And not only did Tesla fail to build the first customer car anywhere near its oft-delayed deadline, but its production is still a lot closer to single digits than triple. But hey, a Prius is a gas-guzzling hog in comparison with Tesla’s car. Apparently. Anyway, Leslie Stahl applies some serious journalistic chops to the story, reporting that the Roadster travels [an unconfirmed] 200 miles between charges and requires four to thirty hours to rejuice. Hey did GM Car Czar Bob Lutz say Silicone Valley? I’m not sure. But Leslie’s happy to say “crock of shit” on TV– which is more than Maximum Bob was willing to do re: his opinion on gflobal warming. But Stahl’s real F-bomb comes when she glibly provides a reason why Silicon Valley might have the edge over Motown: “But Detroit is broke.” Ethanol industry types must also have choked on their Manhattans when Stahl pronounced corn juice a last big thing. And for what it’s worth, Bob Lutz stakes his reputation on the Volt.

CBS »

Posted in Electric Vehicles | News Blog | 19 comments

60 Minutes: Unintended Hyperbole?

By Robert Farago
October 4, 2008 -

60 Minutes [advance clip of Sunday broadcast] »

Posted in Electric Vehicles | Media | News Blog | 20 comments

Paris Auto Show: A Short Test Drive in the Electric Mitsubishi iMiEV

By Martin Schwoerer
October 3, 2008 -

Take that, GM. Formerly-sick car company Mitsubishi Motors has a working electric car; they’re already testing a fleet of a few hundred units in Japan. The Mitsubishi innovative Vehicle promises a 75mph top speed and a 100 mile range. It’ll take seven hours to recharge the battery using a normal socket (220V). If you’ve got high voltage, figure an 80 percent recharge within 30 minutes. Being a totally new car, the iMiEV benefits from the packaging advantages inherent to electric propulsion. The Li-Ion batteries are located beneath the passenger department, and the small electric engine is rear-midships. Thus, despite a sub-four meter’s length, it’s roomy enough for four. The Innovative Vehicle’s interior is airy but spartan/simple– no expensive materials for a lightweight car that wants to be affordable for commuters. I could only take the Mitsu EV for a few-minutes’ spin in a parking lot, so I can’t verify any of company’s range or speed claims. But acceleration is strong, smooth and silent, the steering is pleasant, and it brakes in a solid fashion. It feels like a proper, developed car, not like a prototype. No magic-year nonsense; commercial sales will begin in 2009. If Mitsubishi can keep their performance promises, this one’s a winner, at least for urban early adopters.

Posted in Alternative Energy | Electric Vehicles | Europe | News Blog | Paris Auto Show | Suppliers | 12 comments

Gary Witzenburg: Professional Detroit Apologist

By Robert Farago
October 1, 2008 -

Back in the day, I mistakenly asked Gary Witzenburg to write for TTAC. The aftermath was… intense. To this day, Witzenburg remains the only [non-spam] person I’ve ever banned from my email account. Even though I knew Gary was wrapped a little tight on the whole stop picking on the domestic automakers deal, I never suspected that the former GM spinmeister would make an entire career out of defending the indefensible. Nor would I have predicted that he would make Autobloggreen his spiritual home. But there he is, and his most recent rant could well be his magnum opus. Witz begins with a long defense– of GM, the EV-1 and his own career– that puts Richard M. Nixon’s “My Mother Was a Saint” resignation speech to shame. And then we’re off into the lazy journalist’s favorite format: Q & A. A highly edited Steve asks “What I cannot fathom is how all three auto manufacturers fell into the big-car trap. This happened before in the 1970s - fuel prices went up and U.S. automakers were left with obsolete product lines.” Gary responds “Come on, Steve, they’re not making sandwiches.” Seriously, this is a fascinating read, on many levels. Just imagine Jack Nicholson playing Gary Witzenburg, insert expletives where needed (everywhere) and you’re there.

Autbloggreen »

Posted in Electric Vehicles | Media | News Blog | PR | People | 10 comments

VW Unveils “TwinDrive” Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

By Edward Niedermeyer
September 30, 2008 -

Warren Buffet’s recent investment in BYD has conferred a new legitimacy on a dual parallel-serial hybrid drivetrain, which combines features from both systems. And now VW has revealed its own PHEV third way called “TwinDrive.” Ohne transmission, VW’s concept car uses a small electric engine– powered by a 350 lbs. Sanyo lithium-Ion battery pack under the trunk floor– to launch its Golf testbed to 30 mph. (At which point the gasoline engine kicks in.) Electric acceleration helps overcome the limitations of a single high gear; reverse is electric-only. And drivers can engage an EV-only mode. Motor Trend reports that VeeDub’s testing the TwinDrive system with diesel engines, but gas-powered TD’s are destined for production. Production ICE is said to be a 100hp  turbocharged 1.05-liter turbocharged triple. A smart navigation-based system will calculate energy use priorities, saving battery capacity if urban driving appears ahead on the planned driving route, thus ensuring battery depletion at the destination and keeping the TwinDrive away from gas pumps unless absolutely necessary). The basic components of plug-in hybrid systems seem to have become fairly standardized. But concepts like the TwinDrive show that there are more development options than simply parallel or serial configurations.

Motor Trend »

Posted in Diesel | Electric Vehicles | Green | Hybrid | News Blog | 20 comments