The gist is that it was easy to predict, while the West looses itself in endless politic debates and is stuck in its lethargy, China has taken the opportunity to become the largest automobile maker on this planet.

Yes, the quality might not be there, but nothing stops it now to improve on it and completely take over the world.  China has also surpassed Germany as the biggest exporter of goods and December’s numbers also show a better than expected GDP.

But let us get back to more important debate.  Elsewhere in the West, the debates still rage about what to do… or not to do… or should be done… or have more meeting about whether or not we should do anything… and have more people create groups to calculate the feasibility of whether or not anything should be besides debating… then we can create more groups to debate whether or not we need to debate about anything at all.  It is a crazy world.

For more reading, the BBC on Chinese car sales takes over the U.S. in 2009.

Washington DC

There is much at stake for the U.S. this year as it tries to disentangle itself from a poor economy and embrace the electric drive.  What lies ahead?

The gist is that the position the U.S. once had globally economy is challenged.  With a new world busying introducing alternative energy and the electridrive, much of the political debate in the U.S. has boiled down to sterile and pointless ideological rhetoric.  What America needs now is union and a will to move on.

Alternative Energy, A Way Into The Future.  Roosevelt transformed the US during the Great Depression, Eisenhower started the interstate highway system and created the car culture.  Microsoft, Apple, Netscape and Google started the information economy and now the new administration has to transform the U.S. into a green economy leader.

However producing green goods, electric vehicle EV, and making the grid a smart one while being a battery manufacturer is no small task.  The real question is can the U.S. catch up with Germany in terms of manufactured products, now bested by China, or with Denmark, a country that derives most of its electricity from alternatives?

Look West Young Man.  The U.S. is still at a stage where it can save the game.  California is still home to automaker research on EVs.  It is home to alternative energy and green cleantech but its economy is in shambles.

The only thing that stands in America’s way is… America.  Politics has dragged debates to a standstill.  Instead of building up to face the competition, both parties fire endless rhetoric while the rest of the world is taking the advantage to move on.  The first few months of this year will probably shape the face of the U.S. for the next few decades.  If it reverts to what once made a strong country, hard work and ingenuity, it can compete again.  If it insists on squabbling, then its place on the global scale will be diminished.

For further reading; ScienceCareers, SydneyMorningHerald.

Pininfarina Sintesi

2009 and the last decade is dead!  Long live 2010 and to the new decade!  So what do we have to look forward to?

The gist is the last decade was chaotic and the new one points to a radical shift in the automobile industry unlike previously experienced.  Whereas the last automobile shift from electricity to gasoline power transitioned slowly, this is fast and furious.

The Rat Race.  So far, we can count on one thing, the race to be in the top spot will entertain us.  We will see casualties and some will surprise us.

Goliath Versus David.  The race between startups and mainstream car companies promises to be interesting.  If startups have seriously challenged established car makers, some car makers have reacted vigorously, while others baffle with their state of denial.  Even within the startup segment, some have gained international prestige and recognition while others with great products are barely known.

Technology.  An important race, however is the technology behind it all.  This is where small, big, research centers, individuals, etc. will play a big role.  Battery technology will become much more energy dense.  Controllers need to operate on even lower energy, as well as heaters, AC and other electronics.  Watch for ultracapacitors playing a bigger role.  Energy management and power, both for cars and for business/individuals will continue to refine effective management and create better cleaner renewable energy sources.  Hopefully, politics will not get in the way.  Regardless on where you stand, we need to develop clean energy sources, period.

HEV, PHEV And EVs.  We should see more hybrids, HEV hit the street but what we truly are on the lookout are more refined HEV designs and especially plug-in hybrids, PEHV until electric vehicle, EV can shoulder 90% of the need.

Finally, consumers will play the biggest role they have.  Companies will vie for consumer wallets, consumers will have to be careful not fall pray to over the top marketing schemes.  The upcoming IPOs, mergers and buy outs will be intense this year.  It already put us in dire straights in the past, hope investors will use caution.

All in all, if 2008 and 2009 were the years that put the electric drive back on the radar, 2010 and beyond will be the definitve foundation for the migration of vehicles to the electric drive.  Happy New Decade indeed.

Ford's Max PHEV

Here is a look at what is happening worldwide with the electric drive.

• Suzuki Swift Gets Electrified.  Great news from another small car maker with great products, Suzuki is electrifying its Swift, according to AutoExpress.  Though not yet a pure electric vehicle, EV, the electrified Swift will be a plug-in hybrid, PHEV using a small 660cc engine only used to recharge the battery pack feeding electricity to the motor rated at 73hp with an expected fuel efficiency of around 100mpg.
• Nissan Leaf Introduced In Mexico By 2011.  According to Auto123, Nissan’s all electric Leaf will be introduced in Mexico City through a government national Green Plan.
• Maxwell Ultracapacitor Press Release.  Maxwell usually has a press release after any other ultracapacitor makes their, reminding the world that the company also has products.  ElectrocPages.
• Jason Harper At Bloomberg Test Drives The Leaf.  Jason H. Harper, over at Bloomberg has test driven Nissan’s all electric Leaf and likes it a lot.  He also talks about the Ford electric Focus, Aptera, Coda Automotive and GM’s Volt.  Did we mention EVs are manistream?
• California Gives Tesla Motors A Tax Break.  Governor Schwarzenegger might push for hydrogen but also is temporarily holding title of $320 million worth of equipment to be purchased by Tesla who will not pay the sales tax on the transaction, according to Reuters.  A welcome break.

Bright Idea cargo

Here is a snapshot at what is happening worldwide with electric cars.

• Tokyo Auto Show.  The Tokyo Auto Show is in full swing as the mostly predominant Asian attendees show off their ideas, concepts and prototypes.  Some will make it to the road, such as Nissan’s Leaf, while others are still at the concept stage but rumored for production.  Unfortunately, there are close to no outside Asian car makers represented.
• The True Cost Of Oil.  While it is difficult to compare the true cost difference between buying and owning a gas car with an electric one, Paul Scott at EVs and Energy is taking a stab at making it clearer.  The gist is that the price of oil is not reflected at your local gas station.
• National Research Council Report.  Global pollution and health dangers are nothing new.  Since the 50′s and 60′s, we have been warned and this latest compilation from the U.S. National Research Council found that pollution accounted for $120 billion worth of damage to human health, agriculture and recreation in 2005 alone, according to WheelsUnplugged.
• U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, Out Of Control.  Something will have to change in Washington D.C. if the U.S. Chamber of Commerce still wants to represent U.S. businesses.  According to Taragana. it has spent a record $34.7 million in the third quarter lobbying against the current administration and its energy policy.  It is especially puzzling as it is loosing more and more key members.
• Make PHEVs Affordable.  Hum, we could have told you that one but with this official survey from the University of Michigan, people want plug-in hybrids, PHEV to be affordable, according to Wired.  id you ever doubt it?

That’s it for now, stay tuned for more.

GE Net-Zero Home

GE is proposing a turn-key product to help consumers efficiently build, consume, manage and generate electricity to enable for an net zero annual energy home.

The gist is that a net-zero home, well design and managed would be a boon for those wishing to reduce their carbon footprint and drive with harvested electrons.  GE’s idea of a net-zero home uses a three-fold approach that pushes the dream a little closer, that is by 2015.

Technically Speaking.  The first part of the approach would be using energy-efficient appliance and lighting products.  The other would be a way to help consumers manage costs and energy consumption in a bid to curb utility peak demand.  This would be done via software.  Finally, the last part would use GE’s solar panels, advanced energy storage, its next generation thin film solar, small wind, as well as new upcoming generation products.  According to GreentechMedia, Silent Power has a solar inverter-battery system that could make the net-zero home a reality.

Why is this important? GE is a household name and a formidable owner of intellectual properties and technologies.  Even if it has not propose a comprehensive “green” goal this last year, the multinational giant is finally taking stock of its options.  GE sits on top of a wealth of companies and technologies and could offer a comprehensive package.  The net-zero home is a possibility and would make a home truly energy efficient.  Now imagine owning an electric vehicle, EV on top of it?

Click here for the Press Release.

Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid

As subsidies for Toyota hybrids ad other car makers end soon, car companies push their hybrids, HEV.

The gist is that for Toyota, it is all about keeping the strategic advantage it has garnered with its Prius and other hybrids, HEV.  With subsidies coming to an end soon, Toyota faces another battle.  After finally making the Prius profitable only a few years ago, it is up against another issue, that of selling its hybrids without subsidies.

With A Little Help From The Government.  Why would government subsidize the sale of any vehicles?  Two reasons jump to mind.  Foremost, to revamp a sagging economy and to appease the cries from environmentalists.  The other less talked about reason is to push car makers to come out with innovative products and make them profitable as soon as possible.

When car makers become too big, as we have witnessed this past year, they innovate less and less, until the company becomes complacent and relies on its active base which eventually dwindles away.  Temporary subsidies jolt car makers to introduce innovative cars and disruptive technologies but also forces to make those cars profitable as soon as possible.

So what will happen as more and more vehicles approach the last mile where subsidies end?  Will buyers still buy?  Have car companies done enough to make their products profitable without subsidies?  Will governments step in again and throw money at the problem?  Or will some models just lay aside and eventually be discontinued?

In the end, car makers need to be profitable in any economy and have to stay on top of innovations.  They cannot rely too much on governments and subsidy help.

Subaru's electric Stella

Here is a scan at what is happening globally with the electric vehicle, EV and other related stories.

• Nissan, From Car Company To Battery Company.  While BYD went from battery manufacturer to car maker, Nissan sees an opportunity in making battery technology one of its core business, according to IndustryWeek.  Notice the trend we pointed a while back?  How will battery makers react?  Also, rumors abound as to a hybrid version of the Infinity M35, according to AsianOne.
• A Look At An Electric Porsche Crew At The Salts.  The Bonneville Salts Flats are a great place to see some of the fiercest world record happening.  Here is one account of an electric converted Porsche 911, called 9Electric, at ExplodingDinosaurs.
• Ultracapacitor Chinese Bus.  We mentioned briefly a Chinese bus that runs entirely on ultracapacitors and regenerates at stopping stations.  Here is more, via TechnologyReview.  More to come on that.
• NASA 360 Team Tackles Battery Technology.  Hold on to your socks, the famous Wrightspeed X1 is being used with the NASA 360 team to improve battery performance as you can see in this exhilarating video…
• Congress OK 3 Wheel DoE Fund.  Congress is going forward by approving a bill that allows three-wheeled vehicle makers to receive funds from the Department of Energy, DoE, according to AutoBlogGreen.

That’s it for now.  Stay tuned for more.

Voltronix USA

Will the hydrogen versus battery technology ever lose its emotional edge?

The gist is that it is easy to forget that it is all about the electric drive and empowering consumers while offering less polluting cars.  Unfortunately, our systems are gangrened with lobbies backs by deep pocket corporations ready to push their vested interests above all other considerations.  And so it goes again with the revived debate with hydrogen powered cars versus pure electric battery technology.

Clearing The Argument.  First of all, we are not against any given technologies but we will ask questions and point out problems.  We believe hydrogen is a great technology but has to answer many things before being practical.  Having said this, burning hydrogen makes more sense, both on paper in practical scenario as the aeronautic industry is heading toward.

Funding Batteries Or Funding Fuel Cells.  While this debate is sterile, BNET laments that the U.S. government is funding more battery research and manufacturing than fuel cell technology.

The problem with these are articles is that they rarely take everything into consideration.  For one thing, hydrogen and fuel cell technology has received more funding over the past decades than pure battery technology has.  Unfortunately, it has little to show for due to its expensive fuel cell manufacturing, hard to produce hydrogen and even more complicated hydrogen stations.  Yes, Shell is making hydrogen with solar panels but feeding 100 cars per stations is a pittance and it still needs a lot of water, something many States in the southwest have little of, not withstanding sunshine.  Car manufacturers have spent billions still have very little to show for, and in GM’s case, are bankrupt and sought bailout from tax payers.

On the other hand, battery research has received very little and has made more progress with actual affordable electric vehicles, EVs on the road.  It is hard to argue against spending money on something that works now, rather than eventually later.

If we step back and take scope of the greater picture, considering the dire global economic state it makes more sense to focus on solutions that work within years than one that might in a few decades.

Unfortunately and doing a great disservice to the hydrogen community, petroleum companies and lobby groups are pushing for government tax payer funds for research and bringing much attention as to their vested interest.  While hydrogen makes sense in certain cases, such as sending the shuttle into space, it is not an efficient energy medium.  Just ask anyone who has left his or her fuel cell car untouched for a month will tell you, the tanks are empty.  Keeping hydrogen at that cool state uses 33% of its own energy, battery depletion is between 3% to 6.  We need to focus on what is at stake not pipe dreams.  When the economy turns around, let private ventures fund decades project, not with tax payers hard earned money.

Tesla Motors Roadster

Want to own a Tesla Motors Roadster?  How about playing video games and entering a sweepstakes?

The gist is that so far, we have only heard once of a company offering a Roadster as a prize, here in this gentleman dating contest.  This time, video game developer Airtight Games and publisher Capcom are offering a Tesla Motors Roadster at their conference to promote a contest for their upcoming game, Dark Void.

But Do Gamesters Like EVs? And this is where the question lies, do video gamers like EVs?  Or even better, how many hard core video gamers have drivers licenses?  Do not get us wrong, plenty of over 18 year young folks play games but it seemed an interesting, if not odd choice to marry these seemingly different crowds.

According to BigDownload, Capcom is giving away a Roadster to anyone who enters the sweepstakes.  It also will give 5 first prizes a chance to test drive it in Las Vegas during CES in January.

So Why A Tesla? Glad you asked.  Nikola Tesla is a character in the game that your player character encounters.  Nikola Tesla and the Tesla Roadster.  Makes sense.

Final Thoughts…  Do not get too exited.  We are rushing out to play video games and register for the Las Vegas CES, as well as try to get our hands on Dark Void and register for the sweepstakes…  In the meantime, you can watch the video promotion.

http://www.gamedaily.com/games/dark-void/xbox-360/game-features/capcom-to-offer-tesla-roadster-in-dark-void-themed-giveaway/