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GM responds to Carnegie Mellon study

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:11:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt After reading through the recent study from Carnegie Mellon University that suggested the best compromise between price, performance and environmental benefit would put a 3kWh battery in plug-in hybrids – enough for about 7 miles of electric-only travel – Jon Lauckner, GM’s Vice President Global Program Management, decided that he should weigh in with his own analysis of the situation. The big problems that GM has with CMU’s study are its suppositions on the cost of large-scale battery packs and the omission of the federal tax credits that plug-in hybrids like the Volt will be eligible for. A vehicle that only allows for a 7-mile EV range would not qualify for any credits while the Volt would earn the full $7,500 allotment due to the capacity of its lithium ion battery. What’s more, GM says that CMU is overestimating the cost of the pack that GM will be using for its Voltec powertrain. The Chevy Volt’s 16 kWh of capacity should provide an electric range of about 40 miles, which GM believes will be sufficient for nearly 80 percent of the population to get to work and back on an average day. If the Volt were primarily driven under this 40-mile limit, GM says drivers could recharge the car at night when electricity is cheap and plentiful. After already holding back on hybrid technology once due to cost considerations, GM’s not about to make that mistake again. Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt [Source: GM Fastlane ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Chevrolet , GM , Green Daily GM responds to Carnegie Mellon study originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:11:00 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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GM responds to Carnegie Mellon study

Geneva 2009: Pininfarina and Bolloré now accepting orders for all-electric B0

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:26:00 +0000

Click on picture for a complete high-resolution gallery of the B0 concept If you’re a fan of Pininfarina’s B0 concept , go and join the list. The two partners in the car, Pininfarina and Bolloré, have officially opened their registration list for a €330 per month lease for the car. The lease includes 24 hour roadside assistance. Vincent Bolloré announced during the Geneva Motor Show that the first orders will be delivered in about a year, and future buyers will be able to test-drive one of the 15 current prototypes before that. The car will first be leased in six European countries (France, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain and Switzerland) and the B0 will also someday reach U.S. and some Asian markets. You will be able to lease the car online, and the marque is planning to create dealer networks to distribute and repairing the car. According to Bolloré, B0 is able to go 100 kilometers for €1. It’s got a 50 kW (68hp) motor, a 250 km (155 miles) range and is able to run for 30 km (20 miles) on a charge of “a few minutes” (a full charge is achieved after 5 hours plugged into any wall socket). Bolloré also mentioned that the car will be built at Pininfarina’s site in Turin, Italy, with planned production rates of 10,000 cars in 2010, 20,000 in 2011 and 30,000 units in 2012. Two additional production sites are also planned in Quimper and Montreal and, depending on lithium reserves, one could be installed in Bolivia . Gallery: Pininfarina B0 [Source: Le Blog Auto ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Europe/EU , USA Geneva 2009: Pininfarina and Bolloré now accepting orders for all-electric B0 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:26:00 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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Geneva 2009: Pininfarina and Bolloré now accepting orders for all-electric B0

Geneva 2009: Opel goes Voltec, Ampera coming in late 2011

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Ampera concept General Motors Europe boss Carl-Peter Forster began this morning’s press conference in Geneva with an acknowledgment of the dire financial straights that the entire industry is experiencing right now. Forster also candidly admitted that GM is currently investigating all options when it comes to changing its relationship with Opel , including outside equity investments. Once he got past all the bad news, however, he introduced the production-intent version of the Opel Ampera. If it looks familiar, it should. If it doesn’t, well, what rock have you been hiding under for the last two years? The Ampera is the Opel badged variant of the Chevrolet Volt . It uses the same Voltec powertrain as the Volt, as well as most of its body. The main differences are the markedly more aggressive front and rear fascias and the black (rather than white) interior. Like the Volt, most of the front fascia is closed off to optimize aerodynamics. The styling of the nose is a mix of the 2007 GTC and Flextreme concepts, and we rather like the bold new look, particularly the chevron-like forms that grow downward from the headlamps. The Ampera is planned for production in late 2011, about one year after the Volt. A right-hand drive Vauxhall version is scheduled to launch a year after that. Gallery: Geneva 2009: Opel Ampera reveal Gallery: Opel Ampera Continue reading Geneva 2009: Opel goes Voltec, Ampera coming in late 2011 Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Chevrolet , GM , Geneva Motor Show , Opel Geneva 2009: Opel goes Voltec, Ampera coming in late 2011 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Geneva 2009: Bentley goes flex-fuel, new powertrain in 2012

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports Bentley CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen promised an all-new more efficient powertrain for his lineup in 2012 but declined to give details. In the meantime, he acknowledged that bio-ethanol is an important stepping stone to a greener future as is lighter weight. To that end Bentley introduced its latest model today in Geneva, a project that started 24 months ago as an exercise in mass reduction. That part of the effort yielded savings of 242 lbs off the portly Continental coupe. Under the hood the usual flex-fuel bits have been added to the twin turbo W12 bringing the output up to a massive 621 hp. That’s enough to push the Continental Supersports to 204 mph. Although Paefgen didn’t say what the new 2012 powerplant would be he did mention that he didn’t feel that plug-in hybrids would make a significant impact on the market for at least 5-10 years. Plug-in hybrid technology is being developed elsewhere in the Volkswagen group and it would make sense to apply it to luxury vehicles like Bentleys allowing them to silently cruise around town, while still having massive performance when desired. Gallery: Geneva 2009: Bentley Continental Supersports Continue reading Geneva 2009: Bentley goes flex-fuel, new powertrain in 2012 Auto Blog: Ethanol , Flex-Fuel , Hybrid , Bentley , Geneva Motor Show Geneva 2009: Bentley goes flex-fuel, new powertrain in 2012 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Opel releases official photo of new Ampera ER-EV

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Click to enlarge Last week, Opel staffers foolishly left the new Ampera parked outside its Russelsheim, Germany headquarters in plain view of a photographer. There were of course no real surprises in the resulting shots, sincee the Ampera is essentially a Chevy Volt with new front and rear fascias. Opel has now released the first official image of the Ampera ahead of its reveal at the Geneva Motor Show this week. It’s clearly visible that the Ampera gets a face inspired by the GTC concept of a couple years back along with a different wheel design from its American sibling. GM sources tell us that the Ampera will have a somewhat more upscale interior as well. Under the skin, though, the hardware remains the same with a 40-mile plug-in range, 300-mile total range and a 1.4L range extender. Gallery: Opel Ampera [Source: Opel] Continue reading Opel releases official photo of new Ampera ER-EV Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Geneva Motor Show Opel releases official photo of new Ampera ER-EV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Miller industries debuts hybrid recovery truck at Daytona 500

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:30:00 +0000

The racers competing on the track in NASCAR events may still be the cars of yesteryear when it comes to technology, but there was one bit of green on the track for the season opener at Daytona last week. Miller Industries provided a flat-bed race recovery truck with a hybrid drivertrain. The International DuraStar 4300 chassis was equipped with Eaton’s heavy duty diesel electric drive system. This is the same system that’s been installed on a variety of trucks and buses around the country in the last couple of years. The engine has an automated clutch that feeds into the electric motor/generator and then into the automated transmission. This was the first application of the Eaton hybrid system on a towing and recovery vehicle. The short distance, low speed duty cycle of this application makes it well suited to the hybrid system. Miller will be adding the hybrid truck to its fleet of vehicles that support NASCAR races around the United States. [Source: Eaton] Continue reading Miller industries debuts hybrid recovery truck at Daytona 500 Auto Blog: Hybrid Miller industries debuts hybrid recovery truck at Daytona 500 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt Electric vehicle proponents never like to hear news like this, but another study has indicated that plug-in vehicles with longer battery ranges are going to be too expensive to be cost-effective, even though they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The problem is that the cost of the batteries required to support a 40-mile electric-only range far outweighs the incremental benefit compared to a shorter range plug-in or non-plug hybrid. The cost of a battery pack for a car like the Chevy Volt is estimated to be as much as $15,000, although no one at General Motors is talking about the specific number publicly yet. While there are certainly people who are willing to go plug-in regardless of the cost, the reality is that most people simply cannot afford to do so no matter how much they might like the idea of helping the environment. Beyond the up-front cost of batteries there also remains the issue of durability. Tesla Motors, for example, is offering a $12,000 battery replacement plan for the Roadster – which has a battery pack that costs around $30,000. General Motors officials have repeatedly expressed confidence that the battery management systems they have developed for the Volt will allow them to meet the 10-year/150,000-mile durability target for the battery. However, accelerated testing in the lab can only tell so much about battery life. Until these vehicles are in the field and exposed to the wide range of conditions that occur over a number of years, no one can be certain. Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt [Source: Bloomberg , Carnegie-Mellon University ] Auto Blog: Etc. , EV/Plug-in CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:04:00 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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CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective

Geneva Preview: More information on the 2010 Chevy Spark w/VIDEO

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:28:00 +0000

Auto Blog: Chevrolet , Geneva Motor Show Click the Spark for high res images It’s less than a month until the Geneva Motor Show and the unveiling of the 2010 Chevy Spark. For those of you that have been paying attention for the past two years, the Spark is the production version of the Beat concept that debuted at the 2007 New York Auto Show. Compared to the Beat, the Spark has grown two extra doors but otherwise looks very much like the original. The Spark is following the lead of other mini-cars by using a more upright stance and pushing the wheels out to the corners to maximize interior room. Inside, the design of the instrument panel appears to be a simplified evolution of the twin cockpit look that has been appearing on other contemporary Chevrolets, including the Malibu, Traverse and Equinox. Under the hood, buyers in Europe will get a choice of 1.0 or 1.2L four cylinder engines driving the front wheels when the Spark goes on sale early next year. At the Detroit Auto Show, GM announced that the Spark will indeed be sold in North America beginning about a year after its European debut. A video design overview with Dave Lyon is after the jump. Gallery: 2010 Chevy Spark [Source: General Motors] Continue reading Geneva Preview: More information on the 2010 Chevy Spark w/VIDEO Geneva Preview: More information on the 2010 Chevy Spark w/VIDEO originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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AMG: Direct injection and Stop&Start in 2010

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:38:00 +0000

Auto Blog: Mercedes Benz , Germany As you may recall, Mercedes’ performance division, AMG, recently put up the white flag on the speed wars . This basically means that they are now looking for more efficiency rather than more brute horsepower. Their previous focus on power came at the expense of fuel economy, natürlich . How will the efficiency shift play out? AMG is welcoming direct injection and Stop & Start (micro hybrid) systems, which will be installed in all 2010 models, two years earlier than expected . The new piezo-electric injectors are the same as the ones fitted to the BlueEfficiency models. Thanks to these technologies and weight reduction, AMG expects to reduce fuel consumption by 30 percent without losing any character at all. Diesels and hybrids will also become part of the offering soon. [Source: Le Blog Auto ] AMG: Direct injection and Stop&Start in 2010 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:38:00 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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Peugeot confirms 2 908 HDi racers for Sebring

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Auto Blog: Diesel , Hybrid , Acura , Audi , Peugeot , Racing The top LMP1 class is shaping to be a real battle royale at next month’s 12 Hours of Sebring. Peugeot has confirmed that it will be campaigning two of its diesel-powered 908 HDi coupes at the American Le Mans Series season opener. The Peugeots will be taking on at least four brand new race cars in this warm-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi will be unveiling a pair of its all new R15 TDI vehicles at Sebring and Acura will have the first race outing for its P1 class ARX-02a. Corsa Motorsports is also expected to debut its new hybrid-powered Zytek racer. The diesel Peugeots have shown tremendous speed at the last two Sebring races but the cars have proven fragile on the bumpy Florida track. It will be interesting to see this evolutionary car can take advantage of its experience against the new cars. [Source: American Le Mans Series ] Peugeot confirms 2 908 HDi racers for Sebring originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:52:00 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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Peugeot confirms 2 908 HDi racers for Sebring