In this part 2 of the terminology used for hybrids, HEV and electric vehicles, EV, we take a closer look at different systems and what they mean. (more…)
August 31, 2008
An Electric Vehicle Week In Review, Part II
And more news of electric vehicles, EVs to get you going through your weekend.
Solar sunroofs for cars. Clean Technica reminds us how many EV makers are looking more and more into solar roof to capture extra electric energy, whether to facilitate features or extra battery life. Now it seems even the Lightening GT, is interested in it as we have seen here previously.
Ford looks to batteries. TheAge.com.au has reported Ford is concentrating on batteries, it calls key to the technology. The duality in Ford’s approach to the hybrid, HEV and EV market is perplexing. On the one had, it is skeptical about HEVs despite having a very strong contender as its Escape vehicle that gets amazing mileage and at the same time, it has focused on improving its gas engines.
Electric Porsches, what else? Remember that electrically converted Porsche 911 from 1973 found on eBay? Well, someone tackled a newer version, a 1987 electric conversion powered by recycled batteries. After all, it is about the satisfaction of knowing you’re not polluting ass an alternative to gasoline.
If the DOE says so. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is acknowledging that lithium-ion batteries are the most promising energy storage device for electric vehicles, EV, hybrid electric vehicles, HEV and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, PHEV.
Toyota Plug-in Hybrid Prius. They’re not here yet but dealerships are already taking deposits down, according to the Mercury News site. The the dealership has taken $500 deposits not just from its city consumers but as far out as Marin County, Scottsdale, Ariz., and even Cincinnati. Can you spell another blockbuster?
Speaking of Toyota, here is an update of what we convered here a few days ago.
So what are you doing with your next vehicle?
August 30, 2008
GM Pools Its Resource
GM has raised a lot of interest through teaser PR moves on its upcoming Volt hybrid electric vehicles, HEVs.
The gist, GM will develop it all, according to the Oakland Business Review, GM plans to develop and test its key hybrid technology for the Volt by implementing the capability of communicating with 11 other powertrain centers around the world, thus speeding research. This will allow GM to consolidate its wide resource and infrastructure by testing many technologies and research development together with several facilities, as well as develop and test it all in-house. This is a bold move for GM.
After months and months of teaser pitches and shots of what might the Volt eventually look like, many people wondered if they weren’t over-teasing the public and set themselves up for a let down.
By rationalizing its infrastructure, GM picks up a challenge no start-ups could ever dream to match, pooling its facilities together for a live simulation and research lab. The plan is bold and could pay off into the future. If GM can get all its facilities coordinated together, it could have one of the world’s largest virtual automotive lab. While one facility could test the batteries, its findings could be fed directly into the other facility testing the electric engine. Those results could be fed to the facility working on the gas engine to tweak efficiency so as to only use when necessary, so on so forth.
GM’s newest powertrain development center in Pontiac cost $463 million for 450,000 sq-ft and might be one of the best investment the company has done for its future.
GM is an impressive company and though at times might look like it is stuck, will turn around and surprise us with plans as these. Congratulations, we say.
An Electric Vehicle Week In Review, Part I
Whatever your interest lies in electric vehicles, EV, 100% electric, hybrid, HEV, plug-in hybrid, PHEV and even hydrogen, you will always find news to quench your thirst these days. So what happened this week?
Conversions you say? So you love your muscle car and the thought of a hybrid won’t do, how about electrifying that Corvette in your garage? At least this is what Michael Shoop did, according to MotorTrend when he transformed his 1987 Corvette, now known as the VoltVette after soaring gas price were no longer something he felt like indulging with. Don’t have a Corvette? A Sunfire can be tweaked to electricity also.
Speaking of muscle cars, Chrysler wants to let go of its Dodge Viper. Call us enthusiast but they could be sitting on a gold mine with that platform. It could be made to accommodate a complete electric propulsion system and re-balance the cars with batteries. The repercussion on the company would be a fresh star with a new look based on eco-friendliness sports car.
Japan is poised for EVs. Some countries are stalling while others a wheezing along installing infrastructure and creating incentives for users and companies to offer EVs. It’s no revelation that Japan has been working feverishly creating tomorrow’s future for EVs. The postal service is skipping the hybrid and hydrogen phase and going straight to EVs. The government has created incentives for both manufacturers to produce EVs and consumers to buy them. The country is well positioned to be, once again, ahead of others.
Germany makes good on roofed solar power energy. EcoGeeks tells us that the German company, Masdar has installed its first solar panel factory, a $230 million thin-film on the roofs of its plant, generating 140 MW by 2010.
It used to be just a question of build EV and people will buy them but now that the scope of this new segment is coming to light, it is clear many pieces of the puzzle must be in pace first. Utilities are pushing for alternative and renewable energy sources, VCs and car manufacturers, especially start-ups are pouring millions into battery technology and hybrid systems. All eventually come together with more choices, fuel efficiency and performance we never thought would be possible with electricity.
August 29, 2008
Toyota Looking Ahead
With its hybrid electric vehicle, HEV success with the Prius, Toyota tweaks its estimates as consumer demand wanes for bigger cars.
The gist, according to Bloomberg, Toyota is cutting short its SUV and pickup truck manufacturing estimates for 2009 as US sales of its bigger items will be lowered by 10%. Apparently, drivers are less and less inclined to spend gas on them. This is the lowest in the U.S. since 1993, according to J.D. Power & Associates.
Toyota went as far as to halt production of its biggest SUVs and Tundra pickups for 3 months after sales dipped 15% in the first half of the year. Instead, it will build more Prius in the U.S. from 2010.
So what does this mean for HEVs? With a long awaited anticipation of its plugin-hybrid, Toyota will introduce the Prius PHEV by the end of 2009, ahead of its original schedule of 2010, and mass-produce electric vehicles, EV in the early 2010s. As a side note, the Prius PHEV will be the first one available from a mainstream manufacturer to fleet customers to electric sockets to recharge.
So is Toyota correct to stop manufacturing gas guzzling big vehicles and concentrate on smaller ones as well as hybrids? Apparently so, if you consider AutoBlogGreen’s post.
The gist, According to a recent survey 62% of consumers want their next vehicle to be smaller. However, it also seems they want feature and option content. This might be explained by decades of ever bigger and more products being offered to consumers year after year.
This is another monkey wrench that harsh reality of expensive gas has thrown to automakers to deal with.