Fisker Karma

Here is a list of the top 10 electric vehicle, EV, hybrid, HEV and plug-in hybrids, PHEV for 2010.

The gist is that 2010 is shaping up to introduce great EVs, HEVs and PHEVs, with an accent on the latter.  Here is the top 10 list for 2010.

From the current to the soon to be released we will see on the roads in 2010, we have to start with the obvious Tesla Roadster.

1. Tesla Motors Roadster
2. AC Propulsion eBox
3. Nissan Leaf
4. Ford Focus EV
5. Ford Focus Transit EV
6. Mini E
7. Fisker Karma
8. Ford Fusion Hybrid
9. Tesla Model S
10. Aptera 2e

Number 1 speaks for itself, when anyone talks about an electric car, the Roadster is first on their minds.  While number 2 might not have the same press coverage as 1, it does have a few tricks up its sleeves.  It is a real 5 seater with room for luggage and plenty of performance.  It is for many of us here, the quintessential EV.  The Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus EV had a tight race and will be what mainstream car makers will offer as far as pure EVs.  Why the Ford Transit EV for number 5?  The Transit is a truly multi-purpose van.  Great for small businesses with short range area, it can double up as a weekend getaway for families.  We hear Mullaly is using one personally (confirmation anyone?).

The Mini E makes sense as a number 6.  It is easily recognizable and BMW drummed up the interest enough.  Let us see what they do with next.  Fisker’s Karma had to be included in the top 10 as number 7.  A beautiful, sleek coupe with plenty of performance and does not send the world into smog hell.  Ford’s Fusion hybrid deserves a number 8 since it proves hybrids can be good quality sedans and not Prius stereotype.  Tesla’s Model S redefines what an electric sedan should be, sexy, sleek, have plenty of seating and towing capacity.  At that price, it is starting to make EVs look good to anyone.  Lastly, the Aptera 2e.  While we still do not know what is happening with Aptera, we hope the 2e will come out this year, as announced.  Like the design or not, it is smart, aerodynamic and will be unlike anything else on the market.

So why not include the Volt?  The Volt came in at #11.  While it is a great car technically, it has been over-hyped already and the PHEV versus extended range electric vehicle, EREV has confused people more than made the car stand out.

That’s it for the top 10 in 2010.

Ford

Ford surprises the U.S. this Monday morning with a surprise record profit of $1 billion this last quarter.

The gist is that Ford was the only one of the Detroit trio that kindly declined the government’s help of affordable owns attached with strings.  The reason why Ford was in a somewhat better financial situation than its competitors was because it had taken a loan two years ago.  Was it luck?  Was it foresight?  It is hard to say.

A Revamped Portfolio Of Cars.  The loan the company took helped it revamp its aging line up of cars that were not meeting customer expectations.  Ford did have a steady, albeit quiet hybrid, HEV winner with its Escape SUV that gets an honorable 34mpg in city driving but never fully capitalized on it.  The car that put Ford into the limelight and showed the company was serious was the Fusion hybrid.  After test driving it, it is easy to see why the Fusion gets positive reviews.  It is on par with European sedans and shows the level of quality Ford can do when it sees the light.

Ford Focus e

Seeing The Light.  And seeing the light is what really happened to Ford.  In our talk with Neal Schloss, VP and treasury at Ford, the company realized about a year ago that its image did not fit what it was after.  Going from an SUV/pickup truck builder image to that of quality yet efficient sedans is no easy task but the company managed well.

Ford Transit EV

What Happened? The main reasons for this incredible turn around are a pick up in the U.S. market share gains, cost cuts and quality improvement, with the help of the Cash for Clunkers program.  Those four things surely have worked in Ford’s favor.  To put it into perspective, the company lost more than $14.6 billion last year and did not post a full-year profit since 2005.

Ford Fusion hybrid

What To Look For In The Future.  Looking into the future, three things jump to mind.  The production of the Ford electric Transit should cement the future of the company as a key player in the electric vehicle, EV field.  Of course, the electric Ford Focus is what will bring EVs to the mass.  Finally, Ford sees itself becoming completely profitable by 2011.

Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid

Ford is obviously on the correct road to recovery and has worked hard for it.  Its product show it is eager to change its image and the latest Fusion and Taurus reflect quality, comfort and at least in the case of the Fusion hybrid, impressive fuel efficiency.  Congratulations Ford.

Via: AP.

Tommy Kaira Prius

Yes, you can pimp your Prius ride but let us see what else is happening in the world of EVs.

• Fords Shoots For 10-25% EVs By 2020.  A bold move from Ford that set a goal of making 10% to 25 of its fleet being electric vehicles, EV by 2020, according to CNET.  This represents between 800,000 and 2 million cars, according to Nancy Gioia, the news EV chief at Ford.
• Chris Ravana’s Electric Blindspot Cycles.  Welcome a new electric motorcycle shop with Chris Ravana and his Blindspot Cycles, which is now making electric motorcycles from from salvaged bikes, according to Coloradoan.  This is a double whammy intelligent move, by using already made motorcycles, he reduces the carbon footprint by not manufacturing new bikes.  Kudos!
• Some Volt Questions Answered.  There is a lot of questions around the Volt and CNN Money answered a few of them.  Whether the battery is depleted or not, the car will still have the same performance.  40 miles on electricity alone depends on weather.  A good read.
• Volvo No-Nonsense Plug-In Hybrid.  Leave it to Volvo to bring out a no-nonsense plug-in hybrid, PHEV with their diesel C70 PHEV, as according to TheGlobeAndMail.  The PHEV C70 is not groundbreaking but a very practical car that might less “responsive” than its gas counterpart but cheaper to use in the long run and less polluting.
• Ford Hybrid Sales Strong In September.  Ford has posted strong September sales with their hybrids, according to BNET.  This is mostly due to their Fusion hybrid and equivalent Milan versions.

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

AltCar Expo

By now, it should be obvious I am pretty exited about AltCar Expo.  So here is the conclusion about the exposition and why you should attend them.

Ford Fusion hybrid

The Ford Fusion hybrid has received positive reviews.  After test driving it, this is a sedan America can be proud of.  Is the U.S. rekindling with quality products, safety and for once fuel efficiency?  The Ford Fusion hybrid seems to.

The gist is that not too many current U.S. sedans are frankly enticing.  Ford has done a tremendous job changing its image from bloated pickup trucks and questionable SUVs to building quality cars.

Test Driving The Fusion Hybrid.  The Fusion inside feels like a quality European sedan.  The car is comfortable, with well positioned instruments arranged in a tasteful way.  The hybrid starts smoothly and you can ride it on electricity alone to above 40mph.  Anything above, or anything with a frank accelerator kick will wake up the engine.  The stop and go internal combustion engine technology is smooth and you can hear or feel no vibration when it kicks in.

Handling.  In the handling category, the car is heads and shoulder above its competition.  There is no noticeable roll at most speed and it conveys a sense of safety.  At higher speed, the Fusion is equally at ease as a highways cruiser as comfortable in city traffic.

Technically Speaking.  With a combined 191hp, the car’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle ICE makes 156 hp with 136 lb-ft of torque and is mated with two nickel-metal-hydride, NiHm battery pack that deliver energy to the electric motor to a continuously variable transmission.

What will truly make this car a winner for many is how much consideration Ford has put into safety.  With visible crumple zones and a profuse amount of air bags, one gets a sense of being well protected.  Yes, Ford has a winner with its Fusion and the hybrid’s fuel efficiency makes it a clear winner in the mid-size sedan market.  As for the price, from around $28,000 to a fully loaded about $33,000, it will play nicely in its league.  If no local production car caught your attention for a while now, this one is worth a second.

Note: I receive no compensations, nor any other gifts from Ford.  I also test drove its Taurus SHO, as well as its new Fiesta.

For more info: Ford, Electricnick.

The gist is that a few months ago, not too many people would have forecast a recovery from the beleaguered Ford company.  Although it is not out of the woods yet, it has made an amazing comeback, at least in the press.

Fusion And Focus.  The Ford Fusion hybrid has received some great reviews, with attached to glory, a challenge that squeezed over a 1,000 miles on less than a tank of gas.  The car looks better in white that it did at the Los Angeles Auto Show in green, as we noted in a previous post and the interior is appealing.  But if the Fusion is still only a hybrid vehicle, HEV, the electric Ford Focus is a pure electric vehicle, EV and really perked our interest.  Started under a Magna project to electrifying a natural, the Ford Focus makes for a serious electric car contender, up there with the Nissan EV-02.  And chances are, we should actually see it hit the road in a few years.

The Other Electric Transit.  Finally, the electric version of the already popular Ford Transit was exactly what the company needed.  A mid-size van that makes sense for small and mid-size businesses where a full one would be too much.  And the results have been very positive.  Click here for a post we did on comparing the electric Transit to the Renault Kangoo.  The electric Transit can handle 1,760 pounds of cargo to a maximum range of 100 miles.  It will be a welcome relief for some businesses in the U.S..

Ford has a good line of hybrid and electric cars coming up.  Let us not forget that it already has the only hybrid SUV that beats even most hybrid cars in city driving with its Escape HEV SUV that gets 34mpg.  The hybrid Escape already has a strong following, most of whom are already looking forward to pure electric solutions.

Does it mean Ford is out of the woods?  Certainly not.  It does mean the company has finally put all its ducks in a row.  While not completely switching to the electric drive, the company realizes it first needs to squeeze a little more life out of its internal combustion engines, ICE through the use of smaller, more fuel efficient engines.  This could not come at a better time as gas price rises and the public interest with electric vehicles has taken the world by storm.  If Ford continues to play its cards well, it could end up well in front of its heavily backed competitors, GM and the Chrysler-Fiat merger.

• UPDATE: Quantya and Zero Motorcycles.  Here is the result from the Las Vegas AMA/Maxxis MiniMoto Supercross race electric motorcycle post test between the U.S versus Europe, Quantyas edged out Zero Motorcycles.  Hoping this will prompt a good spirit competition and further the cause.  Also to be fair, the Quantya riders were ex-pros.
• Solar Energy Earnings.  Here is a James Rickman reports on solar companies on Seeking Alpha.  First Solar raised its net income by about $0.50 per share, despite a slight decrease in quarter-to-quarter profits.  Solar Power posted an unexpected net loss.  The rest of the article is good round up of other alternative energy companies.
• NY Police Turns To Nissan Altima Hybrid.  In a effort to cut down on costs and pollution, the NY City police force has acquired 40 Nissan Altima hybrids, according to DailyTech.
• Ford Fusion Hybrid Could Create More Hypermilers.  It had to happen but according to AllCarsElectric, Wards Auto predicts the eco-fuel gauge display on the Ford Fusion hybrid will create even more hypermilers.
• A Little More On The Model S In NY.  Great post from DailyGreen covering the introduction of the Tesla Model S in New York City.  Check out the video below.

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

The gist is that Grand Prix are the best places to show off new technologies for mainstream car makers.  So what technology did they show?  It might not have been very avant-guard, mostly regular hybrids, HEV and one plug-in hybrid, PHEV.

Ford Fusion Hybrid.  If the Ford Fusion HEV didn’t enthuse us at the Los Angeles Auto Show it was because the dark green just didn’t do it justice.  But in white, the car is metamorphosed.  Judge for yourself.

And as far as the famous dash that has been winning “awards”, there it is.

Toyota, Showing Off It’s Variety.  The Long Beach Grand Prix is the Toyota GP and of course, Toyota cars were there.  First and foremost the 2010 Prius.  Strangely enough, the plug-in hybrid, PHEV version of the Prius was shuffled back, hidden away next to the even more hidden fuel cell project.  It makes you wonder why Toyota is not showing the PHEV more prominently considering the acclamations.

The Green Lap.  One of the most interesting part of the weekend was the green cars that showed up for a lap around the course.  Aptera made it with one of its cars and we had a great talk with Tom Reichenback, its Chief Engineer.  We got to test the seating position of the car which was low and very comfortable.

A Tesla Roadster, a Commuter Cars Tango as well as Michael Kadie’s electric Daytona Coupe took part of the lap.  Unfortunately, Zero Motorcycles didn’t make it in time and our Electric Cutie friends weren’t allowed on the track in order not to offend Toyota since they had a Mazda, according to unconfirmed sources

Conclusion Of This Weekend.  This race is different from others as it draw your usual Indy Car spectators and opens them to the virtues of the electric drive.  We heard an electric sports prototype is dues to race next year and that Zytec has been working on an hybrid version.  It was fun and we will be there next year.

• More Small Vehicles and Hybrids On The Road Soon.  The market for ultra-cheap automobiles should increase annually by 24% to 14 million units in 2020.  The compact car market grows to 38million units, 2.5x the 2007 market, according to the Korea Automotive Research Institute, based on data from international consultancies, AT Kearney and Boston Consulting.  Source, Chosun.
• Super Dense Capacitors, A Boon For Electric Cars.  EVs and laptops will benefit from denser capacitors, capacitor can deliver energy at a speed typical of electrostatic capacitors, with a prototype squeezing out of a kilogram, about 2.2Lbs to deliver a megawatt, enough for 10,000 100-watt light bulbs. Source, NewsPostOnline.
• NEVs In Paradise.  Enough of electric vehicle, EVs in harsh weather?  How about a story on Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, NEVs in the Cayman Islands?  Source, CayCompass.
• British Super EV.  Jeremy Clarkson has been a boon for EVs with his less-than-stellar review of the Tesla Roadster which prompted a few British motorsport engineers, commissioned by Ecotricity wind power company chief Dale Vince last August to prove that electric cars can be quick to develop, beautiful to look at, cheap to run, and run entirely on wind power.  Source, The Guardian.
• Heuliez Planning Launch Of Friendly.  A while back we talked of the Friendly concept from Heuliez, it looks like it is getting ready for production.  Source, The GreenCarWebsite.
• Ford Fusion Getting Closer To You In The U.S..  Ford is starting to ship out its Fusion Hybrids, so hurry up to get your $3,400 tax credit.  Source, AutoBlogGreen.

That’s it for now.  See you tomorrow as we round up some interesting interviews on the MDI compressed air cars.

You have to hand it to Ford.  This is one company that can make anyone raise an eyebrow.

The gist, we were happy to see a Ford Fusion Hybrid coming out in 2009, strangely tagged 2010 but none the less with good performances, about 39mpg average.  And according to the Fool: “Ford Fusion Hybrid won’t be saving many U.S. jobs because the car is built in Mexico, right next to the Chevy Silverado and Aveo plants and Chrysler’s new fuel-efficient Phoenix Motors plant. In fact, the Big Three have 13 plants in Mexico that turn out 50% of Mexico’s auto production, and, according to the Mexican Auto Industry Association, Mexico exports 75% of all production, of which 70% heads to the U.S.”  So let’s not get into the patriotic debate.

Aesthetics apart, it will be a good car when it hits the road and a great update to the great Escape SUV Hybryd.

Image from MyRide.com

So we are a little puzzled that in the midst of the cry out for fuel efficient cars, Ford is giving us a self parallel parking car.

Catering To Parking Challenges.  If you are parking challenged, you are in luck since the next 2 Lincoln MKS sedan and MKT crossover-utility vehicle will be offered with this option, according to MarketWatch.

Confusing? Hard to say but when so much of your investments are on infrastructures that build gas cars, it’s hard to go cold turkey. Still we wonder if this is what the public wants to see from an ailing car company…  cars that automatic paralel park.