News

Expanding HEV Universe

A capsule of trends and developments that point to the future of hybrid and electric propulsion.

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November 2009

Ford Includes BEVs in Forward Planning Menu

Ford of Europe will begin the roll-out of its 21st century BEV market fleet (on the C-sized global vehicle architecture platform) with a lithium-ion battery (tri-metal)-equipped Focus developed to participate in the UK Government's "Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles" initiative (discussed in a prior 'Update'). Fifteen prototypes will participate in the Hillingdon/London-based demonstration. Battery capacity for this Focus is rated at 23kWh maximum power from a permanent-magnet electric traction motor, with maximum speed and range of 100 kW, 85 mph (137 kph), and 75 miles (120 km), respectively. Charging time is 6-8 hours on the UK's 230-volt grid. The units' internal climate control system incorporates technology elements of Ford's successful North American hybrids.

Sanyo Pedelec Offering to USA

The eneloop bike, a three-sped hybrid pedal-assist full-size two-wheeler from Sanyo that features regenerative braking over three assist modes (standard/power-up/auto), hits the USA market at independent cycle dealers and specialty retailers late this month, offering up to 40 miles (65 km) per charge in "auto" mode whilst automatically optimizing the amount of power assist depending on terrain. Suggested retail price will start at US $2,299.

Smith Newton Electric Truck Receives Award in Ireland

The Smith Newton was named Green Commercial (Vehicle) of the Year in the electric vehicle section of the Fleet Transport Irish Truck of the Year Awards 2010. Three years ago, there were no twelve tonne electric trucks on Irish roads in any capacity to rival diesel vehicles. Fully powered by lithium-ion batteries, and with restricted top speed of 50 mph and range of up to 100 miles on a single 6-8 hour recharge, the award-winning truck is available in three model sizes of 7.5, 10 and 12 tonne GVW.

Electric Cars Must Abandon Heavy Diet of Coal

Electric cars will not be dramatically cleaner than autos powered by fossil fuels until they rely less on electricity produced from conventional coal-fired power plants, USA-based scientists said on Monday. "For electric vehicles to become a major green alternative, the power fuel mix has to move away from coal, or cleaner coal technologies have to be developed," said Jared Cohon, the chair of a National Research Council report released on Monday called "Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use." About half of U.S. power is generated by burning coal, which emits many times more of traditional pollutants, such as particulates and smog components, than natural gas, and about twice as much of the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Nuclear and renewable power would have to generate a larger portion of U.S. power for electric cars to become much greener compared to gasoline-powered cars. Currently, the health and environmental costs of making electric cars can be 20 percent greater than for conventional cars, and manufacturing efficiencies will have to be achieved in order for the cars to become greener, the report said.

Phoenix Gets Hybrid Taxi Fleet

Clean Air Cab, a Phoenix-based taxi company, has become the second taxi cab fleet in the USA to rely solely on hybrid cars. The first was EnviroCAB, in Washington, D.C., using a fleet of hybrid Toyota Priuses, Camrys and Highlanders and Ford Escapes. Clean Air Cab is offering slightly lower rates than other area cab companies, according to a press release. The company says that the Ford Crown Victorias used by most cab companies release 160 percent more emissions than its Priuses. As of now the company has 26 cabs, with plans to eventually expand its hybrid fleet to 200 vehicles.

California Electric-Cars Push May Raise Power Costs

Southern California Edison, PG&E Corp. (owner of Pacific Gas & Electric Co.), and Sempra Energy's San Diego Gas & Electric have said in filings with the state utilities commission they’ll have to make infrastructure investments related to plug-in hybrids, without proving specific figures. Expenses will start next year for plug-in "readiness efforts, and will require a reasonable process for seeking recovery of these costs," Edison said in its filing. Mark Duvall, director of electric transportation research at the Electric Power Research Institute, noted at an event in San Francisco that wear on distribution and charging equipment will raise costs and make rates go up a bit, and that California utilities will need to undertake near-term investment in order to achieve long-term benefit.

Toyota Prius wins Japan's Car of the Year Award

Toyota's new third-generation Prius hybrid has won the Japan Car of the Year prize. The award, timed to coincide with the Tokyo Motor Show, was made in recognition of the latest model's advances in performance and fuel economy. Toyota reports that the Prius has been the best selling model in Japan for the last five months – 31,000 units were sold there in September alone – and it is becoming more popular in other national markets too.

October 2009

BEVs Return to Prominence at Frankfurt

Electric car technology has re-emerged as one of the dominant themes of recent auto shows, especially in the big Frankfurt (Germany) exhibition in September. Renault unveiled an array of four electric cars it plans to bring to market at affordable prices within three years: the Twizy ZE (zero-emission) Concept (city car); the Zoe ZE Concept (compact car); the Fluence ZE Concept (5 passenger sedan); and the Kangoo ZE Concept (electric van). Volkswagen rolled out the E-Up! compact electric car, due to go into production in 2013, a 3+1- seater driven by an electric motor with top speed of 84 mph. Peugeot introduced the BB1 electric concept—a vehicle only 2.5 meters long though capable of seating four people and fitted with two electric motors in the rear wheels and two lithium-ion batteries providing a range of 75 miles. Audi showcased the all-electic e-Tron R8, touting it as to one of the first all-electric vehicles that delivers a driving experience normally associated with performance cars. According to Audi, the high-performance two-seater sports car accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and the lithium-ion battery enables a range of approximately 154 miles.

Also at Frankfurt, Toyota debuted its 2010 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept, and plans delivery of 500 of these vehicles by the end of 2009, of which 150 will be placed with USA vehicle leasers. The strategy for placement distribution revolves around establishing performance and acceptance parameters for development of the company's next generation of electric propulsion, featuring batteries planned to go "beyond lithium."

San Diego to be Showcase for USA Transportation Electrification

The U.S Department of Energy has awarded a US $99.8 billion stimulus grant to a partnership of public and private entities in San Diego, California to implement the largest transportation electrification project in USA history. A total of 5,000 electric vehicles with associated charging infrastructure will be deployed throughout the San Diego metropolitan area, a propagation that will rely heavily on the use of Nissan's new Leaf EV, for which the company expects to receive at least 20,000 orders nationwide.

Toyota Worldwide HEV Sales Top 2 Million

Toyota Motor Corp. has announced that its global cumulative sales of hybrid models (Prius, Camry, RX400h/450h, Kluger/Highlander, Estima, Crown, and Harrier) have exceeded 2.01 million as of 31.8.09, with over 1.4 million of the total having been sold outside Japan.

Army Tank Command to be a Platform for Deployment of Ground Vehicle Electrification

Combining eight development laboratories, including its Hybrid Electric and Fuel Cell Labs, into one, the USA Army's Tank and Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) is creating the Ground System Power and Energy Laboratory (GSPEL) to develop the next generation of advanced ground vehicle power and energy solutions. Efforts will focus on fuel efficiencies for combat vehicles, auxiliary power requirements, and field sustainability issues.

France to Invest €2.5 Billion for Electric Car Launch

France's Energy Minister has announced that the nation will invest 2.5 billion euros ($3.6 billion) over 10 years in research, subsidies and infrastructure development for electric cars, with emphasis on pilot projects, battery production, and bonuses for carmakers building green cars, but also to cover the biggest cost: adapting the electricity grid to allow for the creation of a million charging points by 2015 and over 4 million by 2020. Around half the charging points of the new infrastructure would be in private homes and offices, plus 75,000 "back-up" charging points in streets and car parks.

Utilities Make Big Bets on Electric Vehicles

Duke Energy Corp. and FPL Group Inc., two of the USA's largest electric utilities, have announced plans to transition their entire automobile fleets to plug-in hybrid and full-electric vehicles, with all new vehicles purchased as early as 2020 being hybrid plug-in or all-electric models. The joint commitment, announced in New York, represents more than 10,000 automobiles. In setting this target, the utilities intend to send a strong message to vehicle manufacturers that if they will build those cars, there will be a guaranteed market for them.

Almost Half of Consumers in Survey Interested in Purchasing Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

According to a new survey from Pike Research, prospective consumer interest in plug-in hybrids is solid, with 48% of respondents stating that they would be "extremely" or "very" interested in purchasing a PHEV with a 40-mile range on a single charge. In the responding group, 82% drove 40 miles or less per day, with an average daily driving distance of 27 miles—almost ideal for what a PHEV can offer.

Chinese Auto Company BYD to Offer Small Number of All-electric Sedans in USA Next Year

Chinese auto company BYD, part-owned by investor Warren Buffet, plans to offer in 2010 a few hundred of one of its most advanced cars in the U.S., the five-seat e6, which takes seven to nine hours to fully charge and has a 250-mile range. The $40,000 car will first be available to "government agencies, utilities and maybe some celebrities" in a specific region. Part of the goal of this introduction is to raise brand awareness of BYD with American consumers, according to a company statement.

September 2009

Ford Motor Co. Pursuing V-to-G and "Smart Grid" Solutions for PHEVs in USA

Ford Motor Company has developed an intelligent communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that would enable the vehicles to communicate with the USA's electric grid via smart meters provided by utilities through wireless networking. The new vehicle-to-grid (V-to-G) technology, according to the company, allows a vehicle operator to program when, for how long, and at what utility rate to recharge the vehicle. Ford and its utility partners, including American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio, are testing the intelligent system in a project during which all 21 of Ford's fleet of (prototype) plug-in hybrid Escapes will be equipped with the V-to-G communications technology.

First Land Rover Hybrids to Debut

Off-road vehicle manufacturer Land Rover is scheduled to release its first hybrid vehicle in 2011. The LRX Hybrid, which is based on the company's Freelander platform, a compact SUV known as the LR2 in the USA and whose concept was shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, will make its official debut on June 17th of next year with mass production scheduled to begin in early 2011. According to Autocar UK, the rear wheels of the LRX will be driven by battery-only power up to an estimated speed of 20 mph, enabling exclusive all-electric power at low speeds.

New York Says "EVs, yes;" Federal Judge Rules "Hybrid Cabs for Boston, no"

In response to the influx of electric vehicles expected in the next 10 years, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week announced the city has included an electric vehicle study, to be conducted by McKinsey & Co. Consultants as part of PlaNYC, the city's sustainability plan, which will evaluate how rechargeable electric vehicles can be integrated into an urban environment. PlaNYC calls for a 44 percent reduction in transportation emissions by 2030, and city officials hope that New Yorkers will be "early adopters" of electric car technology. Electric vehicle technology must be adapted for city dwellers, as most do not have a driveway or private garage where they can recharge their vehicles; they instead park on the street or in large lots or garages not currently equipped with power outlets at each space. The study will address this issue and find a way for owners to conveniently recharge their vehicles, possibly at public sites. In future, the city may offer rebates to drivers who purchase an electric car. Meanwhile, in a setback similar to the ruling in New York several months ago, a federal judge has struck down a Boston city rule requiring all taxi owners to purchase hybrid vehicles by 2015, finding the city's requirement infringed on the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, thus conflicting with Congress' prerogative to set fuel-economy standards.

ARRA Grant Opens Door for More Mid-size Commercial Hybrids across USA

The nation's largest deployment of commercial hybrids to date has been enabled by a $45.4 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will help produce plug-in hybrid electric systems for 378 class 2–5 commercial vehicles (such as trucks and shuttle buses) to be deployed in more than 50 utility and municipal fleets nationwide. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (CA) will work with other companies including the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), Ford Motor Company and Southern California Edison to implement the deployment. Eaton Corp., which asserts that the technology will provide fuel economy improvement of up to 70% compared to a standard utility vehicle with similar reductions in emissions and noise, will participate in adding the hybrid systems to trucks as well as providing the infrastructure for electrical charging of the vehicles.

August 2009

Tesla Extends Sales Presence

Tesla Motors, manufacturer of the first commercial EV marketed for its sporty high-performance characteristics, has opened its first European store in London and plans near terms addition of dealerships in Munich, Monaco, and Toronto. Tesla has already opened USA stores in California locations, Chicago, Miami, New York, and Seattle, and is planning a Washington DC shop in the near future. The company's stated objective is to build by 2011 a coast-to-coast outlet network in the U.S. and a high-visibility presence in Europe.

USA Stimulus Programme Brings Electric Propulsion under the Tent

President Obama has announced $2.4 billion in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (matching a total $2.4 billion cost share) for 48 new competitively-selected advanced battery and electric drive projects in over 20 states. These projects are intended to accelerate the development of U.S. manufacturing capacity for batteries and electric drive components as well as the deployment of electric drive vehicles whilst creating tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. battery and auto industries. They represent the single largest investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles ever made.

Kia Debuts its First HEV in Korea

Now available as a 4-door sedan or sportier coupe in the South Korean auto market is Kia's Forte Liquid Petroleum Injection (LPI) Hybrid, the company's first foray into commercial HEVs. With many features of full parallel hybrids now on the market (including CVT, idle-off, regenerative braking, and “Eco-Drive” optimization with driver instruction), the Forte will boast impressive composite fuel efficiency of 17.8 km/liter (42 mpg) on the Japanese cycle, as well as SULEV (Super Low-Emitting Vehicle) classification by U.S. EPA's metric.

Lithium-ion Battery System a Go for Th!nk City EVs

Th!nk EV's USA partner EnerDel has successfully integrated its lithium-ion battery pack into a Th!nk City EV at its Indianapolis, IN production facility, beating a previously-announced deadline by several months and raising the possibility that volume production of the Th!nk City in Norway will be underway by year end.

Mercedes-AMG to go Head-to-Head with Tesla for European Performance EV Market?

Mercedes-AMG GmbH has announced plans to introduce an all-electric drive zero-emission sports car with swing-wing design, the SLS AMG, into the European market. With four electric motors positioned near the wheels linked to a 400-volt (48 kWh, 40 Ah capacity) battery, this model will achieve 0 to 100 km/hr (60 mph) speed in about four seconds at combined peak output of 392 kW and 880 Nm maximum torque.

GM Moves PHEV Introduction Timetable Up to 2011

General Motors (GM) will debut its two-mode plug-in hybrid technology—originally intended to appear in a Saturn VUE—in a new Buick crossover vehicle in 2011 as the "first commercially available plug-in hybrid S.U.V. produced by a major automaker." GM has selected LG Chem—the supplier of cells for the Chevrolet Volt—to supply the Li-ion cells for the new Buick PHEV. These cells can be fully recharged in four to five hours with a USA standard 110V household electrical connection.

EV Cargo Trucks from British Manufacturer to Hit USA Roads

Smith Newton electric delivery trucks, made by Smith Electric Vehicles of the United Kingdom, have been purchased by and are going into service for the USA corporations Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Coca-Cola, Staples, Frito-Lay, AT&T, and Kansas City Power & Light. The li-ion-powered vehicle, which has a 120kw electric motor and top speed of 50 miles (80 km) per hour with range in excess of 100 miles (160 km) on a full charge, is the largest commercial EV on the road.

July 2009

The United Kingdom is an IA-HEV Contracting Party as of June 7, 2009.

U.S. – Canadian Corporate Partnership to Propel Development/Evaluation of Commercial PHEVs

A North American-wide partnership to support more demonstration and research into PHEVs, with special emphasis on integrating these vehicles into the electric supply grid, has been announced by Hydro-Québec, Ford, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The province of Québec is especially interested in this issue because, with 98% of its electricity is produced from renewable sources, the extra "clean" backup generating capacity and reduction in carbon-intensive transport offered by significant fleet penetration of PHEVs could achieve substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The principal PHEV mode that will be subject to scrutiny during the period of the three-year partnership is the Ford Escape hybrid, which can achieve 120 mpg gasoline fuel economy when driven on surface streets.

Hybrid-HFC Technology Moving into European Transit Buses

Later this year, the streets of Prague, Czech Republic will be the setting for the world's first rollout of hybrid fuel cell technology in a 12-meter transit bus application. Proton Power Systems of Germany has announced that the partnership of Skoda Electric, UJV Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc of the Czech Republic, and Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH will manufacture the first passenger bus with a triple-hybrid fuel system. The bus has no combustion engine, running exclusively off of fuel cells, batteries and ultra-capacitors. It saves up to 50% of the energy consumption of a conventional diesel, with no tailpipe emissions, at a nominal propulsion output of 120 kW/163 hp and maximum speed of 65 km/hr with range of 250/km per tank of 350-bar hydrogen (20 kg).

More EVs for UK Grocery Chain

UK retailer Sainsbury's Online, which uses electric vans for home shopping delivery in London, is ordering another 50 electric vans for its fleet in conjunction with efforts by the Mayor of London to encourage wider use of commercial electric vehicles. Sainsbury's, the UK's third largest supermarket chain, was an early adopter of electric vehicles (EVs) and now has the largest fleet of new technology electric delivery vans in Britain. Another early commercial EV adopter, TNT Express, has 100 delivery vehicles in service. Sainsbury's and TNT will work to help other organizations across London embrace the Mayor's plans to make London the electric vehicle capital of Europe by delivering 25,000 charging points in an integrated network across London by 2015 and adding 1,000 EVs to the Greater London Authority fleet whilst retaining congestion charge exemptions for EVs.

U.S. DOE Muscles-Up "Green Car" Funding to Established Players

The U.S. Department of Energy will lend $5.9 billion to Ford Motor Co. and about $2.1 billion to Nissan Motor Co. and Tesla Motors Inc. in a government-industry partnership to build green cars. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the three automakers would be the first beneficiaries of a $25 billion fund to develop fuel-efficient vehicles. The loans to Ford will help the company upgrade factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio to produce 13 fuel-efficient vehicles. Ford had already announced plans to invest $550 million to convert its Michigan Assembly Plant production platforms to Focus sedans and (by 2011) BEVs. Nissan will receive loans of $1.6 billion to retool its plant in Smyrna, Tenn., to build electric vehicles and construct a battery manufacturing plant. Tesla will get $465 million in loans to build electric vehicles and electric-drive powertrains in California.

June 2009

New Insight Tops Monthly Car Sales Figures for Japan

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. announced that its redesigned (second-generation) 5-door hatchback Insight hybrid has managed with its April 2009 sales of 10,481 units to rank as the best selling car in Japan for that month. This is the first time ever that a hybrid vehicle has appeared anywhere in the world on a best sellers list, let alone ranking as number one for the month. The first generation Insight was produced from 2000 to 2006 as a three door hatchback, but experienced total worldwide sales of only about 18,000 units. The new Insight went on sale in Japan in February 2009 and made its North American market debut on March 24.

Biofuels-to-Electricity Pathway Superior to Internal Combustion

Research performed at California universities published in the journal Science reports that, of several transportation fuel pathways investigated, converting biomass to electricity generation (and subsequently to electric propulsion) beat fuel ethanol production in use with respect to both total energy consumed and pollutants, including greenhouse gases, generated. Compared to ethanol used for internal combustion engines, calculations showed that bioelectricity used for battery-powered vehicles would deliver an average of 80% more miles of transportation per acre of crops while also providing double the greenhouse gas offsets to mitigate climate change. Researchers performed a life-cycle analysis of both bioelectricity and ethanol technologies, taking into account not only the energy produced by each technology, but also the energy consumed in producing the vehicles and fuels. For the analysis, they used publicly available data on vehicle efficiencies from the US Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations. Bioelectricity was the clear winner in the comparison of transportation-miles-per-acre of biomass production, regardless of whether the energy was produced from corn or from switchgrass, a cellulose-based energy crop. For example, a small SUV powered by bioelectricity could travel nearly 14,000 highway miles (22,500 km) on the net energy produced from an acre of switchgrass, whilst a comparable internal combustion vehicle could travel only about 9,000 miles (14,500 km). On combined city/highway driving, the bioelectric SUV could achieve 15,000 mi (24,000 km) compared to 8,000 (12,800 km) for an internal combustion vehicle.

US President Announces New Tax Credit for PHEV Purchases

USA President Barack Obama has announced the inclusion among his administration's broader economic stimulus initiatives (from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) of a national income tax credit of up to US $7,500 for purchasers of plug-in hybrid vehicles. This incentive complements the approximately $1.5 billion (thousand million) in PHEV production grant availability to USA manufacturers, $500 million in grants to producers of EV components, and $400 million to demonstrate and evaluate PHEVs and other electric infrastructure concepts, such as technician training and truck stop electrification.

Southern California ZEV Partnership Suggests BetterPlace™-style Programme

Nissan Motors, one of the partners in the BetterPlace™ electric vehicle initiative now being implemented in several countries, will partner with San Diego Gas & Electric Co. of southern California to expand over the next three to five years both the electric recharging infrastructure and EV population in the san Diego metropolitan area. In the interest of expanding so-called "zero-emission mobility," the two companies will also collaborate on the implementation of education and training activities promoting electric propulsion. Nissan has also announced a partnership with Europcar, Europe's leading passenger vehicle rental company, to make electric vehicles available for customer rentals starting in 2010. EVs will initially be available for rental in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Hyundai Elantra LPI HEV Debuts

Touted as the world's first liquefied petroleum injection engined-hybrid and the first to use lithium-ion polymer propulsion batteries, the Hyundai Elantra LPI hybrid made its initial public appearance at the Seoul (Korea) Motor Show. Hyundai's design is that of a mild hybrid somewhat derivative of the Honda IMA scheme, but the combination of the 1.6-liter engine and 15kW electric motor, incorporated with an Atkinson cycle and 12:1 (15% increased) compression ratio, delivers a better than 40 percent fuel economy improvement over the conventional 1.6-liter Elantra with automatic transmission.

May 2009

Th!nk Reviving; Moving to USA

Despite the disappointment and last decade's sales downturn resulting from the cancellation of the California ZEV mandate and the subsequent lack of a policy push from Washington favoring electric propulsion, Norway's Th!nk EV manufacturer has announced plans to open a new manufacturing plant and technical center in the USA, possibly in the (economically-depressed) state of Michigan, that will manufacture its revived Th!nk City plug-in EV that features a 112-mile (180-km) range per full charge. USA production is expected to begin in 2010 as part of Th!nk's effort to play a small but significant role, in its own words, in "reinventing the U.S. auto industry."

San Francisco's Hybrid Taxis Prove Their Worth

San Francisco's first 15 hybrid taxis, introduced in 2005, have made it to the 300,000-mile mark, nearing the city's official taxi retirement age—and demonstrating that hybrid technology is more durable than previously imagined. The vehicles, all Ford Escapes, have saved drivers up to US $9,000 a year. The retiring hybrid cabs have also shown that, even on San Francisco's notorious hills, the regenerative brake system's brake pads last far longer than non-hybrid brakes. When the Ford Escape was unveiled five years ago, customers feared that the batteries wouldn't last and would be expensive to replace, but all units have outlasted their original warranty period. Today, 14% of San Francisco's 1,438 taxis are hybrids.

American Honda and Kenworth Make Class 8 Hybrid News

Peterbilt Motors Co. has delivered a EPA SmartWay™ -certified hybrid electric Class 8 heavy-duty diesel truck (the Model 386, incorporating Eaton Corp.'s patented parallel hybrid system) into evaluation fleet service based at Honda's USA parts center at Alpharetta, GA, whence it will transport service parts to Honda dealerships under control of Honda's truck fleet partner, UPS Freight Truckload. Both a hilly and a flat over-the-road route will be incorporated into the one-year evaluation of this hybrid in regular service. Honda had already announced the order for a Class 7 (medium-duty) hybrid from Peterbilt for both its Irving, TX and Alpharetta facilities. Meanwhile, Kenworth Truck Company has received an order from Coca-Cola Enterprises for 150 T370 diesel-electric tractors and 35 T370 Class 8 hybrid delivery trucks: the tractors are to go to Coke's distribution centers in 20 North American cities, while the trucks will join a fleet of 120 already placed in service in ten other locations.

Toyota Rolls Out Hybrid Lift Truck at 2009 Equipment Shows

Toyota Material Handling has unveiled a hybrid forklift truck which appears destined for production. The hybrid system and its associated hydraulics were developed in Japan, and couple an IC engine to a generator and nickel metal-hydride battery. The battery is responsible for 100% of driving, while the hydraulics are connected via a driveshaft from the IC engine to the hydraulic pump. The controller can sense a heavy load and reverse the generator, effectively turning it into an electric motor powered by the battery. This power is sent through a clutch when needed. If sold in the USA, such a unit would need to be capable of fuelling with propane.

UK Can Welcome Big Increase in EV, PHEV Populations

A substantial medium-term rise in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles would have a much lower impact on the United Kingdom's national power grid than has previously been estimated, according to the results of recent simulation studies. The Range Extended Hybrid Electric Vehicle (REHEV) project, a private-public partnership in sponsoring and conducting research, focused on a range of vehicle charging scenarios and levels of market penetration in order to predict the likely increase in national energy usage. Assuming a 10% market penetration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and pure electric vehicles into the UK vehicle population (a proportion representing approximately 3 million passenger and light goods vehicles), the study showed a daily peak increase in electricity demand of less than 2% (approximately 1 gigawatt) for the scenario of uncontrolled domestic charging—the 'worst case' in terms of peak power demand. None of the cases analyzed yielded a larger demand spike than this, including that of uncontrolled domestic on- and off-peak as well as uncontrolled (single phase AC) public charging, rather than "smart" domestic charging, that would occur throughout the day—for example, by commuters who recharge their vehicles while at work.

April 2009

New Offerings, Concept Announcements by Tesla, Mazda, Opel

Tesla Motors, the luxury market leader in electric vehicles, has announced that it will begin production in 2011 of the Model S, a four-door battery-electric sedan and the company's second overall vehicle offering: a car having an initial price of $57,400, top speed of 130 mph, and a Li-ion battery pack supporting a 160-mile range. Battery pack recharge time is 45 minutes under rapid (high-voltage) charging. The company plans to produce 20,000 models a year. Meanwhile, as the first automaker to do so, Mazda has commenced commercial leasing of the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, with the first units to be delivered during 2009. This first of its kind hydrogen hybrid features a series-hybrid drivetrain combining Mazda's hydrogen rotary engine with an electric motor, boosting the vehicle's range on hydrogen fuel to 124 miles. In other alternative fuel hybrid news, GM's European brand Opel and the University of Stuttgart's Institute for Combustion Engines and Motor Vehicles have developed a CNG-hybrid version of the popular Opel Astra Caravan, combining an all-new 1-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged natural gas-powered engine with a Bosch electric motor used as an acceleration booster.

Big Incentives for PHEV Development and Deployment announced for France, USA

Toyota Motors and European energy company Electricité de France (EDF) have upped the ante in their joint road test trials, increasing by 100 the next-generation lithium-ion battery-equipped PHEVs to be leased to select companies in the Strasbourg area for three years beginning at the end of 2009. The vehicles will use an EDF charging system that enables safe charging, communication between the plug and the vehicle, identification of the vehicle, and invoicing of energy. The project received financial support from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency. Toyota also plans to deploy the program in Japan and the U.S. from the end of 2009. On that side of the pond, President Barack Obama has announced the availability of $2.4 billion in funding (up to $1.5 billion in grants to U.S.-based manufacturers to produce batteries and their components; up to $500 million in grants to U.S.-based manufacturers to produce other electric vehicle components; and up to $400 million to demonstrate and evaluate Plug-In Hybrids and other electric infrastructure concepts for next generation PHEVs, batteries, and battery systems) as a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. "This investment will not only reduce our dependence on foreign oil, it will put Americans back to work," President Obama said.

Porsche Cayenne HEV to Validate Low kW (hp) Demand in Highway Driving

Many drivers of fully hybrid cars have discovered that, thanks to a combination of low-drag body design and smooth operating conditions, they can travel significant distances at highway speeds either "coasting" or on electric propulsion only, exploiting the low horsepower demand. Now Porsche will commercialize a product that actually takes specific advantage of this low-kW requirement: the Cayenne S hybrid, to be rolled out in 2010, will apply a parallel full hybrid design with electric motor between the combustion engine and transmission to achieve what Porsche's hybrid technology engineers have already experienced: speeds up to 86 mph (140 km/hr) without engagement of the combustion engine. Two additional gear ratios above sixth (top speed) gear position will support the highway coasting properties. The result is a fuel consumption rate on the New European Driving Cycle of nine liters of fuel per 100 km (about 42 mi/US gallon), even with its standard-equipment, relatively powerful Audi 3.0-liter V6 engine delivering 333 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque (at 2,900 to 5,300 rpm).

Ford to Deliver on PHEV, EV Commitments

Ford Motors executives are scheduled at the 2009 New York International Auto Show to detail the company's fuel-efficient car strategy and demonstrate an all-electric Focus and a hybrid Fusion sedan. Having announced the 2010 release of its all-electric commercial Transit Connect van, with projected range of 100 miles and top speed of 70 miles per hour, Ford aims to introduce an all-electric compact sedan in 2011: a Focus-sized vehicle also able to go 100 miles on a charge and get about 70% better mileage than non-hybrid models. The year 2012 will see the release of a plug-in version of one of Ford's current hybrid vehicles. At present, Ford expects to price all of these vehicles at a slight premium to current hybrids, but the initial sales success of the "budget-priced" Honda Insight hybrid may alter that strategy.

March 2009

The Green Race is On in Europe

Carmakers gathered at the annual Geneva Motor Show have prominently labeled their new cars with performance ratings expressed in terms of carbon dioxide emissions per kilometer, reflecting the 130 g/km target emission goal agreed last year to be phased in starting in 2012, with full compliance by 2015. The current EU-wide average is 158 grams. Carmakers are under pressure to comply or at least come close because the upshot would be a fine on every gram of excess. Although most European brands, the long-time leaders in diesel technology, are relying largely on "clean" diesel engines, many of the major automakers have joined Japan's hybrid leaders in exploring the engine-electric motor option, which Toyota Motor says is the most effective and versatile green technology.

Hybrids "Too Quiet"

Researchers at the North Carolina State University have reported out the results of a study of pedestrian attitudes toward hybrid vehicles, and a general consensus was that the quiet approach of hybrid vehicles operating solely or predominantly on electromotive propulsion poses a pedestrian collision risk, especially for the sight- and motor-impaired. Participants in the study rated automotive engine sounds by far the preferred category of artificially-created noise for an approaching vehicle; white noise and hum trailed well behind as choices. Already, Lotus Engineering has been addressing this issue by introducing its "Safe and Sound" add-on feature that mimics the (preferred) combustion engine sound when a vehicle is operating in electric-only mode.

Hybrid Tugboat Goes into Service

Foss Marine has built and introduced into service in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (CA) the first true hybrid tug for waterborne towage. The hybrid power management system utilizes diesel combustion available at load, but the greatly increased portion of operation that can be spent in all-electric mode will significantly reduce currently-experienced emissions per tug of NOx, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and carbon.

First Production Prius PHEVs to Appear Late This Year

Toyota Motor Corp. has announced it will go forward with plans to deliver globally 500 lithium-ion powered Prius PHEVs beginning at the end of this year. Thirty percent of these will go to lease fleets in the USA. The batteries will be produced at the Toyota-Panasonic joint venture battery plant in Japan. The 500 vehicles are to be considered a test fleet for obtaining real-world feedback on performance and durability from lease-fleet customers.

Ford Hybrids Continue to Earn USA Federal Tax Credits

Despite reaching in late 2008 the 60,000 hybrid vehicle sales threshold identified in USA tax legislation as the cutoff point for full tax credits to a purchaser, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid will still be able to take advantage of a US $3,400 tax credit for 2009 through March 31 of this year. Not since the Toyota Prius lost its full credit eligibility a few years ago has the value of a credit for a specific model been so high. Meanwhile, the Ford hybrid SUVs Escape and Mercury Mariner can earn a $3,000 credit, still the highest for any SUV. As of 1 April, the value of these credits drops by 50 percent, and expire altogether at the end of March 2010.

February 2009

Toyota Prius III, New Luxury Lexus Hybrid and 2010 Honda Insight Presented

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan USA was the scene of several notable rollouts of new product for the electric and hybrid vehicles market. Toyota showed its new generation Prius, which shares much of the styling features of its Generation 2 predecessor but has achieved an EPA 50 mpg overall fuel economy rating while boasting a larger and more powerful (98 hp @ 5,200 rpm) 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine. When operating at low rpm, this engine actually uses less fuel that its predecessor. The battery pack remains NiMH, but the inverter, motor, and transaxle taken together are 20% lighter than previously. Lexus unveiled its HS 250h sedan model for 2010, a true luxury hybrid with 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle engine, 187 total system horsepower, and 85% recyclable materials. It offers the best combined fuel mileage of any luxury vehicle sold in the U.S. Honda Motors debuted its 2010 Insight with integrated motor assist technology yielding 41 mpg combined fuel economy, a driving range of over 400 miles, and a driver-activated ECON module that optimizes control of the (continuously variable) automatic transmission, engine, and powertrain parameters for improved fuel efficiency under a wide variety of operating conditions.

Chinese Hybrid Entries for 2011 U.S. Market

Also at the North American International Auto Show, BYD Auto of China announced plans to introduce a line of BEV and PHEV models to the U.S. market beginning in 2011. The offerings will include the F3DM plug-in hybrid sedan (battery-only range: 100km/62 mi.), equipped with lithium iron phosphate batteries, and the all-electric e6, a five-passenger crossover featuring up to 400 km (250 mi.) per charge. Price points will be announced later, but current selling price for the F3DM is US $21,700 equivalent.

Ford First with Electric Vehicle

True to their word, Ford Motor Company has become the first of the big three to announce plans to introduce to the North American market in 2010 a pure battery electric-powered light commercial vehicle, the Transit Connect. Moreover, during the next four years, Ford will commercialize in North America a new battery electric small car (2011), next-generation hybrid vehicles (2012), and plug-in hybrid versions of these (2012). The Transit Connect commercial platform is well suited to battery electric power/ conversion with a unique combination of car-like driving dynamics and large 800kg (1760 lb) cargo capacity. Transit Connect has been designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe on a dedicated global commercial vehicle platform, and the combustion engine version of the Transit Connect is currently sold in 58 countries. The electric van configuration will offer an expected maximum range of 100 miles at a top speed of up to 70 mph on a single charge.

Enterprise Expands Hybrid Fleet—Adds 5,000 New Hybrids

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is planning a massive expansion of its nationwide hybrid fleet by adding 5,000 new hybrids and designating almost 80 rental locations across the country as 'hybrid branches'—featuring a high concentration of hybrid vehicles. This latest addition of gasoline-electric hybrids doubles the number of hybrid vehicles available in what is already the nation's largest fleet of fuel-efficient rental cars. The new hybrids will be available in 24 major markets across the country, including the 10 busiest airports for business travelers in the U.S. Customers will be able to choose from several makes and models, including the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima, Ford Escape and Toyota Camry.

Volkswagen Teams with Toshiba to Develop Electric Car

Volkswagen AG will team up with Toshiba Corp to develop an electric-powered version of its subcompact Up! concept car, VW, Europe's largest carmaker, said. Its statement read, "The objective is cooperation for the development of electric drive units and the accompanying power electronics for Volkswagen's planned new small (car) family. Furthermore, Volkswagen and Toshiba are planning the development of battery systems with a high specific energy density for the next generation of electric vehicles."

January 2009

Hybrid Sales Nose-dive with Economy; Toyota to Shelve New Prius Plant

With sales of all new vehicles generally plummeting as the global recession gains strength, and 2008 Prius sales in particular down some 45,000 from 2007 in the United States alone, Toyota is suspending completion of its newest plant near Tupelo, Mississippi. Toyota so far had dedicated $300 million to building the plant, now 90% complete. The facility, originally targeted for producing Highlander SUVs, shifted to planned Prius production last summer amid rising gas prices that pushed up sales of the most fuel-efficient gasoline-electric models.

New PHEV Introduced to China Market

Chinese company BYD, which stands for "Build Your Dream" and is partially-owned by billionaire investor (and hardly misty-eyed dreamer) Warren Buffett, has released the first plug-in hybrid car in China. BYD's F3DM model operates in either full electric or gas-electric modes, with an electric battery that can be charged at a regular plug or at a recharging station. Capable of up to 100 kilometers of battery range, and equipped with a back-up gas engine, the vehicle allows drivers alternate between the two power modes by flipping a switch.

Transport for London Continues Addition to Hybrid Bus Fleet

By the end of January 2009, the number of full-size hybrid buses in England's capital city will more than quadruple to 56, making it the largest fleet of hybrid buses in Britain. This milestone will be well on target to achieving the ultimate goal by 2011 of 300 single and double-deck hybrid bus models on the city's streets.

Fuel Cell Cartridge Concept for Recharging EVs, PHEVs

SFC of Germany has introduced its EFOY Pro fuel cell kit as a retrofit option for any EV or PHEV to provide automatic on-board recharging of the propulsion battery at any time. EFOY fuel cartridges weigh only 8.4 kg, and two are installed from each kit. Each offers an energy density of 1,350 W/kg, which beats the current density of lithium-ion batteries by a factor of about 12. SFC estimates that the combined dual-cartridge power of 22 kWh would enable a light EV (such as a city-EL) to achieve up to 400 km of range without the need for a plug- in.

US Military to Pick up Pace of EV Acquisition

The U.S. military newspaper Army Times reports that all U.S. military branches plan to buy from a variety of electric carmakers thousands of electric cars and light trucks for on-base transport, including delivery of 800 EVs next year and 4,000 more over the next three years. The Army has estimated that it can reduce its $24,000 in annual fuel costs to run a gas-powered car to an average of about $400 (grid electric) for a comparable EV, for total annual savings across the 4,000 electric-powered units of 11.5 million gallons of fuel.

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