Toyota FT-EV
Toyota announced today that it will display the Toyota FT-EV concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, January 11 – 25, hinting that it might offer an urban all-electric commuter vehicle in the next few years. The FT-EV concept shares its platform with the company’s minicar, the Toyota iQ . Toyota introduced the gas-version of the iQ in Japan in November 2008, and plans to roll out the minicar to Europe this month. Plans for North America are undetermined. The iQ is larger than the quintessential minicar, the Smart Fortwo, but not by much. Its wheelbase is a little more than five inches longer, and on the whole, the car is only about a foot longer than the Smart—11.4 inches to be exact. The iQ is a four-passenger vehicle while the Smart only carries two. The electric version on display at the Detroit Auto Show, the Toyota FT-EV concept, offers driving range of 50 miles, according to Toyota. “Last summer’s four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline was no anomaly. It was a brief glimpse of our future,” said Irv Miller, group vice president of environmental and public affairs at Toyota. The company is expected to dabble with pure electric and smaller vehicles like the iQ, but conventional gas-electric hybrids, like the Prius, are considered Toyota’s long-term core powertrain technology. Corporate B-roll footage of the Toyota FT-EV electric city car. read more
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Toyota FT-EV
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Leave a commentFIA president Max Mosley wants electric hybrids banned in favor of mechanical KERS
Filed under: Hybrid , Racing Starting with the 2009 season. Formula One teams are allowed to use kinetic energy recovery systems ( KERS ) to boost performance. Over the course of the 2008 season, most of the teams started testing a few different systems with varying degrees of success. Many of these hybrid systems proved problematic, not to mention expensive, to develop. The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) met in London this week to consider further cost reduction measures in the wake of Honda’s abandonment of the sport . FIA President Max Mosely decided to weigh in with his own thoughts on the matter in a letter sent to FOTA members. Among those was his opinion on KERS implementation. Mosely expressed his feeling that the electrical systems, which are similar in principal to those used on road-going hybrids, should be banned from F1 in favor of purely mechanical systems. Mosely feels the battery technology available right now, primarily lithium ion, is unsuitable for the demands of F1 racing. Mosely doesn’t explain precisely why he feels this is the case. Instead he says he prefers to see the development of mechanical, electro-mechanical and hydraulic systems. Whether any of this will have an effect, or even prompt teams such as BMW and Ferrari to abandon their development of battery hybrid KERS, is unclear at this point. [Source: Formula1.com ] FIA president Max Mosley wants electric hybrids banned in favor of mechanical KERS originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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FIA president Max Mosley wants electric hybrids banned in favor of mechanical KERS
GM Leaks News of Volt-Style Cadillac
Several sources inside General Motors told BusinessWeek auto writer David Kiley that the company will show a Cadillac two-door plug-in series hybrid at next week’s Detroit Auto Show. According to Kiley, the concept vehicle—a new model similar to the CTS sedan although “smaller” and “bolder”—suggests that the company plans to use electric-drive technology, to be utilized in the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, in other vehicles. Detail of Cadillac CTS Kiley writes, “One GM executive says the Caddy’s drop-dead dramatic styling will make “‘people want it regardless of the energy source.’” Kiley’s report is a leak of what might have been one of the biggest surprises of the Detroit Auto Show. GM’s Chevy Volt , a plug-in series hybrid or range-extended electric car, made a big splash at the Detroit Auto Show two years ago, but this year’s show will be dominated by new hybrid and plug-in cars from Honda, Toyota, Ford, Mercedes, Chrysler, and Chinese automaker BYD. The Cadillac concept could bring much-needed attention to the General Motors booth. General Motors is still approximately two years away from releasing the Chevy Volt, which is due in November 2010. GM’s plans to introduce the Volt, and to introduce any other hybrid or electric vehicles, occur as GM is “reeling from billions in losses and needs government loans to stay afloat,” according to Kiley. read more
Posted in Hybrids | a-foot-longer, a-little-more, a-new-model, a-section-for, cadillac, chevrolet, detroit, europe, hybrid-or-range, smart-fortwo | Leave a commentBMW’s new 116d tops 53mpg, rivals hybrids
Rated at 53.4 US mpg, the 116i is as efficient as the Toyota Prius and upcoming Honda Insight The 1-series has been a popular staple among premium small-car buyers in Europe for some time, but it has only hit the U.S. recently. The fun-to-drive and attractive compact has just gained a new sibling in the form of the 116d, powered by an efficient four-cylinder diesel. Unfortunately it’s only available in Europe. Despite the absence from American shores, it’s still a technological feat to appreciate. With its 53.4 US mpg rating in the European combined cycle, the 116d is as efficient as the current Toyota Prius and next-gen Honda Insight hybrids. And at 116hp (86kW) and 192lb-ft (260Nm) it’s just as powerful as the hybrids too – not to mention a good deal better looking. The 116d is highly practical too, available in both three and five-door guises. It’s not a sports car in 116d trim, returning a 10.2 second dash to 62mph (100km/h), but it is low in CO2 emissions at 118g/km and therefore cheap to maintain and operate with Europe’s emissions charging schemes. The future of the diesel BMW in America is still not 100% clear, but the smaller diesels are not as likely as those found in the 7-series and other larger cars due to the cost involved in their production and the low expected sales volumes – both of which eat into already small profit margins. It just isn’t a viable business proposition yet, but as 2008 proved in inimitable style, things change. The 116d goes on sale in Europe in March at an on-the-road price of £17,605 ($26,706) in the UK. SOURCE:motorauthority
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BMW’s new 116d tops 53mpg, rivals hybrids
Survey: Consumers Are Waiting for More Affordable Hybrids
A new survey by Consumer Reports found that 48 percent of consumers said they will continue to wait before making their next vehicle purchase. That’s not surprising considering the dismal slump in new car sales in recent months. What is surprising is the number of people who said they are delaying their car purchase to wait for fuel-saving technologies like hybrids to become more affordable. Nearly one in five—or 18 percent—are holding out for an affordable hybrid. The other chief reasons consumers are waiting, according to the survey: Current vehicle is in good shape (39 percent) Concern over the weak economy (30 percent) Vehicles, in general, are too expensive (30 percent) Interest rates on auto financing are too high (18 percent) Which brands will consumers look for to deliver those affordable green cars? Twice as many car-shoppers associate Toyota with being environmentally friendly as second-ranked Honda. Consumer Reports explained, “That image is probably due to Toyota’s role as a pioneer in hybrid technology and its strong-selling Prius hybrid .” The Prius is the most popular hybrid on the market. Rounding out the top five brands viewed by consumers as green are Ford, Chevrolet and GMC—all are brands that offer hybrids. read more
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Survey: Consumers Are Waiting for More Affordable Hybrids
Bush Passes Final CAFE Decision to Obama
The Bush Administration has decided not to establish the final rules on new stricter fuel economy standards set to take effect in 2011. Though an energy bill mandating an average fuel efficency of 35 miles per gallon for cars and trucks by 2020 was signed by President Bush in late 2007, specific figures and dates were not determined for the phase-in period between 2011 and 2015. President Bush passed the responsibility of determining specific timelines and rules to President-elect Obama. President Bush was initially expected to make a determination before the end of 2008, but that changed when the slumping economy threatened the survival of Detroit’s Big Three automakers. The US Department of Transportation issued a statement: “The recent financial difficulties of the automobile industry will require the next administration to conduct a thorough review of matters affecting the industry,” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had announced its formula to calculate fuel efficiency standards based on the footprint of vehicle lines —rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. But implementation of—and any changes to—those weight-based rules will now be left to Obama. Obama’s admistration will only have until April 1 to come up with the final rules and numbers, adding to the heavy load that is already on the new administration’s “to do” list. The April Fools Day deadline was established because the law stipulates that car manufacturers must receive at least 18 months notice before new standards take effect. As reported by Automotive News , the Bush Administration issued a statement saying that it has “laid the groundwork for the next transportation department to come up with a ruling by the deadline.” read more
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Bush Passes Final CAFE Decision to Obama
Posted in Hybrids | a-with-being, affordable, chevrolet, consumers-look, detroit, final, smart-fortwo, traffic, with-the-final | Leave a commentIndiana Mayor Defends City Purchase of Hummer
“The word Hummer really throws people off, makes you think you’re driving a big automobile. I’m not driving one of those. They’re gas-guzzlers.” Rudy Clay Mayor of Gary, Ind. Rudy Clay, Mayor of Gary Indiana, is defending his decision to purchase a new $30,000 2009 Hummer H3 at city expense—while the City of Gary faces a $30 million budget deficit. Clay got into hot water last year for using the Hummer H3 for his professional and personal use, during a time when gas prices reached record highs. The Hummer H3 is rated at 14 miles to the gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the high. In 2008, Clay was using city funds to pay for gasoline but pledged to begin fueling the vehicle with his own money. On Wednesday, he reiterated his commitment to pay for his own gas. Rudy Clay appearing on Fox News in 2008. read more
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Indiana Mayor Defends City Purchase of Hummer
Posted in Hybrids | affordable, begin-fueling, big-automobile-, chevrolet, defending-his, defends-city, final, hummer, million-budget, news, purchase, vehicle, with-the-final | Leave a commentGet Approved!
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