Hybrid Cars

Cumulative natural gas vehicles in use by segment, world markets: 2013-2020. Source: Navigant Research. Click to enlarge. In a new report, Navigant Research forecasts that the number of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) on roads worldwide will reach 34.9 million by 2020. The increase is largely driven due to a combination of low-cost natural gas and sustained higher prices for gasoline and diesel in many countries, Navigant suggests. Natural gas is about 41% the cost of gasoline, Navigant says, noting that compressed natural gas (CNG) equipment adds between 10% to 40% to the cost of the vehicle due to the CNG cylinders and engine equipment, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) adds 60% to 80% due to the more expensive storage tanks. The differential in the cost of the fuels determines the payback on this additional equipment (currently between 2.5 and 6 years, depending on the vehicle). Other factors, such as increased vehicle availability, a shortage of oil refining capabilities, tightening emissions restrictions, and increased energy security, are also fueling growth within specific countries. Light duty vehicles (LDVs) account for almost 95% of NGVs on roads today, but trucks and buses are growing at a faster rate and are anticipated to account for 9% of the total fleet by 2020. Asia Pacific leads in terms of annual sales of NGVs, with 1.2 million sales expected in 2013. While China and Pakistan are the largest markets, Thailand and India are the fastest growing with compound annual growth rates of 18% and 12%, respectively, between 2013 and 2020. The combination of availability of inexpensive CNG, vehicle availability, and strong government support are contributing to growth in these countries, Navigant says. North America is the fastest growing region with 17% CAGR anticipated. NGV passenger cars are growing at the slowest rate (14% CAGR) due to the limited availability of both vehicles and refueling infrastructure; meanwhile, buses and medium/heavy duty trucks are growing at the fastest rates (22% and 19% CAGR, respectively). Italy and Ukraine, the largest markets, are slowest growing (3% and 4% CAGR, respectively) due to their relative maturity. Germany is growing rapidly (30% CAGR), and Navigant expects NGV sales in the country to climb from 7,331 in 2013 to 46,275 in 2020 due in large part to increased availability of refueling stations (surpassing 1,000 stations in 2018). LNG trucks are also seeing significant—although geographically limited—growth. Asia Pacific is the largest market for LNG trucks; Navigant forecasts a CAGR of 25%, reaching 11,245 units. North America, led by the United States, is also seeing significant interest in LNG trucks and is expected to reach 4,128 sales in 2020, making it the second largest market. New LNG infrastructure is helping to promote the truck market in both North America and Asia Pacific.

ECOtality, Inc. has closed its previously announced private placement of common stock and warrants to certain institutional investors. Gross proceeds from the issuance were $8.2 million and will be used for general corporate and working capital purposes. We are making good progress to advance our Blink Network and monetize our EV solutions. This capital raise helps us continue our operational momentum as we execute on our strategic initiatives to expand our diversified business lines and continue to build our business.—Ravi Brar, CEO of ECOtality "" The private placement resulted in the issuance of 5,123,423 shares of ECOtality’s common stock priced at $1.60 per share. In addition, each participating investor received a warrant to purchase a number of shares of ECOtality’s common stock equal to 50% of the total number of shares of ECOtality’s common stock purchased by such investor at the closing of this offering. The warrants will be exercisable for a five-year period beginning six months after the date of issuance at an exercise price of $2.04. ECOtality intends to file a Registration Statement covering the resale of the common stock underlying the shares and warrants on or before 18 July 2013. Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC acted as the sole placement agent for the offering. ECOtality provides three primary product and service offerings: Blink, Minit-Charger and eTec Labs. ECOtality offers electric vehicle charging stations under the Blink brand and provides a turnkey network operating system for EV drivers, commercial businesses and utilities. Minit-Charger manufactures and distributes fast-charging systems for material handling and airport ground support vehicles. eTec Labs is a research and testing resource for governments, automotive OEMs and utilities.

Robert Bosch GmbH and the Japanese companies GS Yuasa International Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation have agreed to work together on the next generation of high-performance lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are fundamental for future forms of mobility, such as plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicles. The three companies intend to set up a joint venture for joint research and development, and to support their parent companies in sales and marketing activities. Operations are planned to start in the beginning of 2014. The headquarters will be Stuttgart/Germany. The establishment of the joint venture is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities. Bosch intends to hold a 50% stake in the joint venture, with GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi Corporation each holding 25%. The composition of the board of management and supervisory board will reflect these shareholdings. The companies aim to use advanced cell management and progress in electrochemistry and materials to significantly increase energy content. This will reduce weight and space requirements, and increase the range of electric vehicles. In September 2012, Bosch and Samsung SDI disbanded their South Korea-based SB LiMotive JV for Li-ion batteries. (Earlier post.) Samsung SDI paid Bosch $95 million for Bosch’s 50% stake in the venture; in turn, Bosch acquired SB LiMotive’s US and German subsidiaries for $38 million, for a net payment to Bosch of $57 million. Bosch took over the subsidiary SB LiMotive Germany GmbH. Based in Stuttgart, it focuses on systems engineering, battery management systems, prototyping, marketing, and sales. At the same time, US-based Cobasys will be integrated into Bosch. This subsidiary, which is important for the US market, has locations in Orion (MI) and Springboro (OH). For the new joint venture, Bosch says it will contribute its know-how in production processes and quality management relating to the large-scale series production of complex products. With its competence in the area of battery packs and battery management systems, Bosch specializes in the monitoring and control of cells and complete battery systems, as well as in integrating them into vehicles. In addition, Bosch will support these joint activities with its entire portfolio of components for electromobility. GS Yuasa will contribute its many years of experience in manufacturing lithium-ion cells with high energy density for a longer range, as well as its expertise in materials systems and electrochemistry. As an established manufacturer of automotive and non-automotive lithium-ion battery cells, GS Yuasa has a strong engineering team and modern production lines with a high level of automation. Mitsubishi Corporation will contribute its worldwide marketing network and expertise as a global integrated business enterprise. Mitsubishi Corporation will apply its strengths in building global value chains, covering natural resources, material, sales and take advantage of their synergy to advance this business.

Four college teams achieved more than 1,000 miles per gallon in specially designed vehicles during the SAE Supermileage event held June 6 and 7 at Eaton’s Proving Grounds in Marshall, Michigan. This is the 34th year for the competition, which challenges teams to build a one-person, fuel efficient vehicle based around a one-cylinder, four-cycle engine. “It is truly amazing what these student teams were able to accomplish,” said Tom Stover, chief technology officer, Eaton Vehicle Group in Galesburg, Michigan. “The Supermileage competition helps them develop practical engineering, team building and leadership skills that they can use to succeed in their careers, including making tomorrow’s cars and trucks more fuel efficient.” A team from Penn State University’s Behrend College was the overall winner of this year’s Supermileage competition. The team received a total score of 1,656 (1,290 mpg plus its Design Report score of 366) and won $1,400. Brigham Young University finished second with a score of 1,592, which included the best overall fuel economy run of 1,331 mpg, followed by Northern Illinois University’s tally of 1,423 (1,173 mpg plus 250 points for its Design Report). These schools received $1,100 and $900, respectively. Rounding out the top five were teams from, the University of Massachusetts – Amherst with 1,283 (1,010 mpg plus 273 Design Report points) and École de Technologie Supérieure in Quebec, Canada, with 1,225 (935 mpg plus 290 Design Report points). Eaton said a team from the Milwaukee School of Engineering won the Design Report portion of the competition with a score of 385. Central Connecticut State University’s team won the best Newcomer Award and was voted to have the Most Visually Appealing Vehicle. The University of Nevada – Reno was selected by the event organizing committee to have the Best Demonstrated Overall Team Attitude. Hosted by Eaton since its inception in 1980, the Supermileage event is designed to generate public awareness of high-mileage fuel economy and to promote automotive engineering as a career choice for students. Participants are encouraged to use advanced materials and technologies, as well as their design creativity and imaginations, to get the most out of their vehicles over the 9.6-mile course – six times around Eaton’s 1.6-mile test track. SAE International is a global association with more than 128,000 member engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle industries. Eaton’s partnership with SAE in Supermileage stems from the company’s broad portfolio of technologies designed to improve the efficiency of specific systems and a vehicle’s overall fuel economy. The post “Supermileage” College Teams Top 1,000 Miles per Gallon appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Nissan and Rio de Janeiro are studying the possibility of producing, selling and charging zero-emission vehicles in Brazil. Nissan said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed today among Rio de Janeiro State Government and leaders from Brazil’s public-private sectors to accelerate zero-emission transportation in Rio de Janeiro. The partners for this deal are the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Petrobras Distribuidora, Light, Ampla and Rio Negócios. As part of the MoU, the parties will study the possibility of producing electric vehicles in the state, as well as the entire infrastructure necessary for running such cars. The project is part of the Rio Capital Energy Program, coordinated by the State Department of Economic Development, Energy, Industry and Services of Rio de Janeiro. “We want to make sure Rio de Janeiro will be a world’s reference in energy for the twenty-first century, repeating the vocation that Rio already has in the area of traditional energy,” said the Secretary of the State Department of Economic Development, Energy, Industry and Services, Julio Bueno, commenting on the program. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are currently rolling out pilot programs that use the Nissan Leaf as part of the cities’ taxi fleets. To date, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold nearly 100,000 zero-emission cars, more than all other major automakers combined. “Renault-Nissan is in the vanguard of electric vehicles. This new initiative reaffirms our global commitment to offering sustainable urban mobility that is fun to drive,” affirmed Carlos Ghosn, the Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO during this morning’s announcement. Nissan said Petrobras Distribuidora is in charge of the feasibility studies for the implementation of the recharging infrastructure at Petrobras’ service stations in Rio. “Therefore, we remain faithful to our position as market leaders, in the vanguard in terms of technology and sustainability”, declared José Lima de Andrade Neto, president, Petrobras Distribuidora. Rio Negócios will take part in the workgroup for the EV development, representing the Municipality to promote the city as a business destination in the emerging technological and industrial sector. Its mission is to identify project opportunities and portfolios, and develop the industry to consolidate the intelligence of this new activity in the country. “We accelerate projects and facilitate the installation of businesses in the city, serving as a liaison between the public and private sector. In terms of investments for the EV technology, Rio will be at the forefront of industrial innovation”, said Marcelo Haddad, President, Rio Negócios. Light is an electricity distribution and retailing company with 4 million customers in 31 cities of the Rio de Janeiro State. It will also back the development of this project and contribute to promote feasibility studies aimed at the implementation of the recharging infrastructure. Ampla is a company controlled by Endesa Brasil (Enel Group). It will study the implementation of a technological and innovative infrastructure to ensure a sustainable supply of energy. The post Zero-Emission Vehicles To Be Built In Rio De Janeiro? appeared first on HybridCars.com.

After the first day of practice, all three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars are at the front of the field. Frenchman Loïc Duval managed to beat the best time from last year by almost 1.5 seconds. The diesel-hybrid race cars with the four rings, which have been undefeated in the current season so far, dominated on the 13.629-kilometer track in Western France on Wednesday right from the beginning. The three diesel-hybrid Audi racecars are followed by the three gasoline-hybrid Toyota racecars. In free practice and in qualifying, Audi maintained the top three positions. The fastest in both qualifying sessions was the number ‘2’ Audi R18 e-tron quattro driven by Loïc Duval (France), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland). The best time of the day of 3m 22.349s was achieved by Loïc Duval shortly after qualifying started at 22:00. The Spaniard Marc Gené, who is sharing the number ‘3’ Audi R18 e-tron quattro with Lucas di Grassi (Brazil) and Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain), achieved the second-fastest time of the day (3m 24.341s). Trailing them in third place were last year’s winners and current World Endurance Champions Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), André Lotterer (Germany) and Benoît Tréluyer (France). The fastest lap of car number ‘1’ was driven by André Lotterer in 3m 25.474s. But Audi said that none of the three squads was mainly focused on the chase for fast lap times on Wednesday. Following the predominantly rainy pre-test on Sunday before last, Audi Sport Team Joest continued the test program that had been started then, focusing on tire tests and a perfect race set-up of the three R18 e-tron quattro cars. In addition, all drivers tried to do the mandatory laps at night. All, except for Marcel Fässler, who was stopped twice by red flags, managed this. Unfortunately, both the free practice and the first qualifying sessions were stopped early after incidents in which the guard rails of the race track were damaged – qualifying even ended as early as after 65 minutes of the originally scheduled two hours. “Still, we basically completed our work tonight as planned,” said Loïc Duval. “Our plan was to reel off a real qualifying lap on a dry track as well – you never know what the weather will be like tomorrow. I caught a lap without traffic. But our car isn’t perfect yet simply because the track conditions aren’t so conclusive yet. At this point in time, the outcome after the final qualifying session on Thursday is still completely open.” Two further qualifying sessions are scheduled after which the final grid positions will be determined. To date, Audi has started from the pole position seven times at the Le Mans 24 Hours, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, and has won the world’s most important endurance race eleven times in 14 runs. Qualifying 1 results: 1 Duval/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 3m 22.349s 2 di Grassi/Gené/Jarvis (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 3m 24.341s 3 Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 3m 25.474s 4 Wurz/Lapierre/Nakajima (Toyota) 3m 26.676s 5 Prost/Jani/Heidfeld (Lola-Toyota) 3m 30.423s 6 Davidson/Buemi/Sarrazin (Toyota) 3m 30.841s The post Audi’s Diesel-Hybrids Dominating Le Mans’ First Round Of Qualifying appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Lexus’ LS flagship luxury sedan received the highest score among all models in the 2013 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS) With 59 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), the LS shows the lowest average problem level among all models in the study. This is the sixth year in a row the LS has had the highest score in the industry, and includes the whole LS range, including hybrid. The LS was redesigned for the 2013 model year with dynamic, fresh styling that Toyota said gives it a greater road presence and stronger brand identity while heralding a significant improvement in driving dynamics, responsiveness and handling. The most technologically advanced vehicle in the Lexus lineup, the LS features an array of safety features, including the industry’s most advanced Pre-Collision Safety System (A-PCS).  The LS had May 2013 sales of 996 units, up 117.9 percent on both a volume and DSR basis compared to the same period last year. Part of the success are the Lexus Delivery and Technology Specialists available to Lexus owners. In today’s fast-paced, connected world, customers demand the latest and greatest advanced technology features in their vehicles.  This has challenged all automakers to make these features as safe and user-friendly as possible. In 2012, Lexus made a major proactive move to stay ahead of the technology education game with the establishment of two new dealership positions – Lexus Delivery Specialists and Lexus Technology Specialists. Lexus Delivery Specialists customize new car deliveries according to the wants, needs and time preferences of the new owner. Lexus Technology Specialists have no sales responsibilities and are dedicated to helping Lexus guests get the most out of their on-board technology. Lexus Technology Specialists are available by appointment or walk-in at Lexus dealerships nationwide. The post Lexus’ LS Flagship Ranks Highest In Initial Quality appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Solar Sydney's University of New South Wales Sunswift team has worked on a number of solar-powered cars in the past, enough that they call themselves "Australia's premier solar car racing team." The team is headed in a new direction now, though, with the Eve, which dispenses with the ultra-efficient design meant to win races and instead moves a bit into "normal" car territory. Project director Sam Paterson said in a statement that the Eve is intended to be more mainstream. "This year's vehicle, unlike some of our previous models, has four wheels, doors and is designed to be safer and more practical. It departs from the typical spaceship design of most solar cars and looks like an actual car," he said. Actual performance details for the Eve are not yet available, but we expect we'll hear more when the car is officially unveiled on August 9th. If you're in Australia, or want to go, you can get tickets to the event through the crowdfunding site Pozible, where the team is collecting pledges to try and build the Eve. The team set a $20,000 (Australian) goal and is currently sitting at $15,390. For added geekiness, the Pozible page is full of Eve-centric memes. The Sunswift team is made up of students from a variety of courses at UNSW (engineering, business, science and industrial design are the examples listed) and has been going since 1995. The Sunswift Eve is the team's fifth-generation solar powered supercar. Since the official Sunswift website loads sloooowly and causes an "unresponsive script" for some of the Autoblog team, we recommend connecting with UNSW over on their Facebook page. A short (30-second) video of the Sunswift Eve being unloaded is available below.Continue reading Sunswift Eve is a solar car for everyone, maybe [w/video]Sunswift Eve is a solar car for everyone, maybe [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Legislation and Policy, China Electric cars might soon be easier to acquire in China. The Denza electric car, built by a 50-50 joint venture between Daimler and BYD Co., may be sold through one of China's largest dealer groups. The holding company, Shenzen BYD Daimler New Technology Co., plans to announce its alliance with Zhongsheng Group Holdings, which would add Denza dealers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen by the end of July. BYD has been selling its B6 electric car under its own brand and the joint venture announced in April that it expects to begin deliveries of its first Denzas in mid-2014. Under the joint-venture agreement, Daimler is providing knowledge in EV architecture and safety, and BYD is bringing batteries and the e-drive system to the Denza EV. The dealership alliance is a step forward for BYD Daimler. The two automakers joined forces in 2010. The companies plan a lineup of EVs under the Denza brand, starting with the E6 built on the platform from the first-generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Like other parts of the world, sales of EVs in China have been slow, even with government incentives. Yet, the competition is growing. SAIC Motor Corp., China's largest automaker, launched its Roewe E50 electric car in November and SAIC will be rolling out other EVs with its foreign partners. China's third-largest automotive group, Donfeng Motors, has been through fits and starts bringing its Fengshen E30 EV (a localized Nissan Leaf) to market. It will be competing directly with the Roewe E50. The race is on.Denza EV coming to big dealerships in China originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan When it comes to green branding, Nissan went downright General Lee this year, vaulting over a host of companies - jumping 16 spots - to reach No. 5 in Interbrand's annual "Best Global Green Brands" survey. Increased sales for the all-electric Leaf, high safety ratings for the battery electric and Nissan's recent partnership with Ford and Daimler on the development of hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain technology all helped boost Nissan's image among the environmental set. Of course, the Interbrand list was topped by car companies. Toyota, Ford and Honda finished 1-2-3 among green-brand rankings, followed up by Panasonic and then Nissan. Having cut the Leaf's price earlier this year, Nissan through May almost tripled sales from a year earlier to 7,614 units. Check out Interbrand's write-up here and watch Nissan's video on the subject below.Continue reading Nissan's green-brand image takes a leap thanks to LeafNissan's green-brand image takes a leap thanks to Leaf originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments