Hybrid Cars

A vehicle journey of just over 22 miles hasn't really been cause for celebration since the dawn of the motor car itself, when low speeds and unpaved roads made it more arduous than it would have been on the equine alternative. But transpose that figure to another planet and well, it starts to look a bit more impressive. That 22 miles is how far...

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) 2013 research plan includes a project that will comprehensively characterize the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) market, with the ultimate goal of increasing consumer purchases of ZEVs. The proposed project will investigate the factors that influence sales of ZEVs in California (e.g., price, vehicle range, infrastructure). The project is intended to support the planned upcoming mid-term review of California’s Advanced Clean Cars program (earlier post), coordinated with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To support that mid-term review and Executive Order B-16-2012, which establishes goals to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by improving Californians’ access to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, ARB has already initiated research that will quantify the electricity-powered miles driven by advanced technology vehicles; analyze the charging behavior of electric vehicle drivers; explore how new car buyers’ perceptions of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) influence their vehicle purchase decisions; develop methods for measurement of low levels of particulate matter emissions so that compliance can be reliably determined; and quantify the potential emission benefits of vehicle load reduction. Research in these areas will also be coordinated with US EPA and NHTSA. “Although the ZEV-owning population is currently relatively small, evaluating recent ZEV purchases will help us understand the future market.” —ARB FY2013-2014 Research Plan ARB notes that while the California Energy Commission has conducted several studies in the past on consumer response to alternatively fueled vehicles and incentives, these have relied on stated preference responses to hypothetical future vehicles. Additionally, research from the EV Project and the California Center for Sustainable Energy (administrator of the State’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program) has been able to evaluate real-world consumer response. However, these studies have been limited in geographic scope, vehicle types, and/or sample size. ARB’s existing research project on consumer valuation of ZEVs focuses on the general new car buyer’s perception, not only owners of ZEVs. This project would complement these existing efforts by evaluating the ZEV market in detail from a more holistic perspective and provide a measure of the representativeness of survey and interview respondents to the overall ZEV buying population.—ARB FY 2013-2014 Research Plan In the proposed project, researchers will merge monthly ZEV registration data with census tract data in order to correlate the factors that influence ZEV sales across California using econometric methods. The study will consider: Policy-driven factors such as purchase rebate levels and access to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes; Market conditions, such as gasoline and electricity prices and the attributes and diversity of vehicle offerings; Geographic factors, such as proximity and availability of electric chargers, local built environments, and neighbors purchasing similar vehicles, and demographic characteristics; and The attributes and diversity of vehicle offerings. ARB will use the results to describe the current ZEV market and to refine future estimates of ZEV market potential in California.Proposed funding for the project is $265,000. Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The research plan also proposes two projects to address several key research issues related to low carbon fuels: The future of drop-in fuels: life cycle, costs and environmental impacts of bio-based hydrocarbon fuel pathways. Feasibility of renewable natural gas as a large scale, low-carbon substitute.

The Government of Victoria (Australia) is inviting more Victorian car fleets to participate in the Victorian Government’s Electric Vehicle Trial. (Earlier post.)This is the final expression of interest for fleets to take part. The Government is seeking expressions of interest from companies, not-for-profit organisations and government bodies. Applications are accepted until 31 May. A key component of the Electric Vehicle Trial is providing Victorian organizations with the opportunity to trial an electric vehicle within their car fleets, including as part of car-sharing schemes. The Government said that in this round, it is particularly interested in seeing proposals that offer something different from the 35 fleets already in the trial. In particular, it seeks ideas that could see electric vehicles help deliver ‘mobility solutions’ as alternatives to traditional models of car ownership.

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Transportation Alternatives, USA The automotive industry is getting more evidence that it's time to expand product offerings or switch over to another business. A new study by the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) says the "driving boom" is over. While Baby Boomers loved their cars, their kids - aka Gen Y or Millennials - have different idea. From 2004 until 2012, the total miles traveled remained about the same, but the amount, per capita, decreased by one percent each year. The numbers tell the story, and the total miles driven, per capita, in the US has been declining. While gasoline price spikes and the Great Recession play a role, the numbers have been dropping gradually since 2004. That marks the end of a 40-year driving boom that started up in 1964, according to the PIRG report. The number of miles driven by Americans increased each year an average of 2.5 percent per capita and 3.8 percent total during that time. From 2004 until 2012, the total miles traveled remained about the same, but the amount, per capita, decreased by one percent each year. Urbanization appears to be causing some of the trend, and use of mass transit and carsharing has been increasing. On top of that, boomers are aging and will be driving less and Millenials don't like to drive as much. Automaker executives have been voicing concern that young people are much less interested in driving and owning cars then their predecessors. The PIRG report's authors are concerned that highway system authorities have been too focused on expanding the nation's roads rather than accurately gauging the landscape.Another study shows young people not so keen on driving originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 18 May 2013 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

At PCIM Europe 2013 in Nuremberg, Infineon Technologies AG launched its new EconoDUAL 3 IGBT modules, which are fully qualified according to automotive standards. The new offering addresses demanding applications in commercial, construction or agricultural vehicles where extended reliability is a key. Automotive qualification means that the modules provide significantly increased thermal cycling and thermal shock capability, while a new soft diode improves the EMI behavior. Infineon’s new EconoDUAL 3 Power Module. Click to enlarge. The optimized design and assembly technology of the new automotive-qualified EconoDUAL 3 modules enables a more than three times higher thermal cycling capability, while the thermal shock capability is increased by a factor of ten compared to the industry standard. The modules of the EconoDUAL 3 series offer the highest power density (up to 600A/1200V) available within this module footprint. The modules provide superior switching performance while copper wire bonding leads to a reduced internal lead resistance, the company says. With the use of copper bonding technology as well as an improved DCB the output power can be increased by up to 30% when compared to the related 450A version.

In April, sales of new passenger cars in Europe grew for the first time (+1.7%) since September 2011, according to figures from the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA). The region counted on average two more working days compared to the same month last year, which would account for the increase, ACEA said. In absolute figures, April 2013 was the third lowest level of new registrations for a month of April, with the historic low for April reached in 2012 (1,021,358 units). A total of 1,038,343 units was recorded in the EU in April this year, or 1.7% more compared to the low level of April last year. Four months into the year, new car registrations amounted to 4,026,946 units, or 7.1% less than in the same period a year ago. In April, results were varied across markets. Germany (+3.8%), Spain (+10.8%) and the UK (+14.8%) expanded, while France (-5.3%) and Italy (-10.8%) faced a downturn. From January to April, the UK remained the only major market to post growth (+8.9%). Spain (-6.7%), Germany (-8.5%), France (-12.3%) and Italy (-12.3%) all saw their demand decline, leading to an overall 7.1% decrease in the EU.

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, USA It's tough to know for sure how many plug-in vehicles have been sold throughout the US, but if anyone has been keeping count, it's the fine folks at Plug In America. And, according to them, somewhere in America this weekend, maybe, someone will buy the 100,000th electric car. PIA says it expects the "historic milestone" to happen by Monday, May 20, 2013. This isn't counting golf carts or GEMs or any of the old-school EVs, things like the EV1 or the first-generation RAV4 EVs. No, PIA is only tracking vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and Tesla Model S that have come along in the last two years or so. We know Nissan has sold over 25,000 Leafs in the US and the Volt has sold more than 36,000 as of the end of April. That leaves 40,000 more from the likes of Tesla, Fisker, Ford and all the others we write about all day. PIA is promoting the event with the #PIA100K hashtag and notes that plug-in vehicles are approaching 48 percent annual growth, so the next 100,000 can't be too far away.Continue reading This weekend, someone just might buy the 100,000th electric car in the USThis weekend, someone just might buy the 100,000th electric car in the US originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 17 May 2013 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

General Motors is joining the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University (CARS). The Center for Automotive Research at Stanford is a community of faculty and students from a range of disciplines aimed at discovering, building, and deploying critical ideas and innovations for the next generation of cars and drivers. CARS provides shared resources for research, teaching, student project teams and new educational initiatives across many research centers, including the law and business schools. This membership fortifies GM’s long-standing relationship with Stanford; Mary Barra, GM senior vice president of Global Product Development, is one of many GM leaders to have earned a degree from Stanford, which is one of GM’s key engineering and business recruitment institutions. GM is dedicated to helping develop the next generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics professionals and advancing the industry. The Center for Automotive Research at Stanford offers us not only the chance to contribute to the education of future leaders, but also cultivate new and creative vehicle technology solutions.—Mary Barra

Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Ford Ford is waiting to see if it will be facing several class action lawsuits over its mileage ratings - three of which were filed in late April. Suits filed in federal courthouses in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and California claim Ford is overstating the average mileage ratings for its 2013 Ford C-Max and Fusion Hybrids. Marianne Cibeu, a Massachusetts resident, filed for a federal class action lawsuit claiming she's only getting 32 miles per gallon in her Ford C-Max hybrid despite the EPA/Ford rating of 47 mpg. As you can see in the complaint filed in a US District Court, the suit is asking for $5 million in damages for Cibeu and all Massachusetts buyers of 2013 C-Max and Fusion hybrids. "Plaintiffs purchased a Fusion Hybrid or C-Max Hybrid, only to be stuck with under-performing, less valuable vehicles that inflict higher fuel costs on their owners." In California, two law firms combined their cases against Ford for making "false and misleading" claims. When we first reported on the case, back in December, there were reportedly hundreds of C-Max and Fusion Hybrid owners who'd joining the lawsuit. Not much later, Consumer Reports conducted extensive tests for both hybrids and found their performance to be significantly worse than the US Environmental Protection Agency mileage ratings. A similar case has been filed in US District Court in Philadelphia. "Plaintiffs are some of the tens of thousands of consumers who purchased a Fusion Hybrid or C-Max Hybrid, only to be stuck with under-performing, less valuable vehicles that inflict higher fuel costs on their owners," according to the complaint. So far, the wave of lawsuits hasn't hurt sales of the C-Max or Fusion Hybrid, though it's still early in the legal battle. The EPA, which determines (sort of) the mileage numbers Ford and other automakers put on window stickers, says that it's confident the ratings of both Ford vehicles are sound but will review them. Both Ford and the EPA have emphasized real-world mileage results are completely dependent on how the driver operates the vehicle. That hasn't gone over well with people filing class action lawsuits.Ford hit with another lawsuit over C-Max, Fusion Hybrid mpg claims originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 17 May 2013 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Honda Any old codger wondering if our future's in good hands should check out what Juan Ehringeras is doing with his Honda S2000. The high school senior is rebuilding the two-seater as an all-electric vehicle, and seems to be having fun with the process, according to Motor Authority. Ehringeras, who chose the car because it was cheap (hey, it was damaged) and lightweight, has built his own battery packs and has gone genius on a bunch of other little features for his new ride. Ehringeras didn't talk single-charge range but did say the electric motor will be able to deliver about 780 horsepower. You read that right. For a kid in a two-seater. The student appears to be continuing a tradition of young gearheads putting their own spin on the modern EV. West Philadelphia High School made news a couple of years back with its entrees in the Automotive X-Prize alt-fuel vehicle competition. And way back in early 2008, we reported on then-high schooler Andrew Angellotti turning his 1988 Mazda B2200 pickup truck into an all-electric green machine. Check out a short video of the S2000's test drive below. Yes, youth is served.Continue reading High schooler electrifies Honda S2000High schooler electrifies Honda S2000 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 17 May 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments