Opel releases official photo of new Ampera ER-EV
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
Miller industries debuts hybrid recovery truck at Daytona 500
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
Car Blog Greenthe original post:
Miller industries debuts hybrid recovery truck at Daytona 500
Posted in Auto Green | 
chevy, chevyvolt, country, eaton corp., eatoncorp., hybrid trucks, hybridtruck, opel ampera, voltecpowertrain | 
Leave a commentGM consulant: Volt may have a halo, but it will not be GM’s savior
Click above for a high res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt At auto shows and gatherings with friends, I’m often asked what I think will happen with GM and if the Chevy Volt will ever really come out. My answer is that while Volts on the sales floor won’t guarantee that GM survives, if GM survives, they most certainly will build and sell the Volt. I certainly don’t know if this is true, but it’s the best I can do with the information I’ve seen and read. It appears that I’m not alone. Rob Kleinbaum, who worked at GM for nine years before taking on a consulting role for 15, wrote a white paper in January called “Retooling GM’s Culture” ( PDF ). In it, Kleinbaum writes: The mainstay belief is that all will turn out well if only they [GM leaders] have the chance to implement their plans, starting with the much heralded Volt. Then they will consider turning their attention to considering these types of “secondary” issues [labor contracts, cost issues, etc.] . Kleinbaum also spoke with HybridCars about his white paper and said that the Volt program is “set up to fail.” The car itself might work as advertised, but, “The way they set it up as saving everything. There’s tremendous risk that it won’t meet expectations. Even if the Volt meets all its targets, GM will not survive unless the entire product line is well executed…GM has shown it can execute world-class products; they just cannot execute a broad portfolio of them.” I guess my answer to the GM/Volt question just got a bit more detailed. Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt [Source: HybridCars ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , GM , Green Daily GM consulant: Volt may have a halo, but it will not be GM’s savior originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
Go here to see the original:
GM consulant: Volt may have a halo, but it will not be GM’s savior
Posted in Auto Green | a-friend-via, chevyvolt, culture, daily, green-daily, have-the-chance, information, rinspeed ichange, superb, volt, white | Leave a commentFiat 500 Convertible revealed!
After a brief tease , the convertible version of the retro-cute Fiat 500 has been revealed before its official upcoming Geneva Motor Show debut. Taking a cue from the Cinquecento of yore , the canvas top slides back to open up a view of the sky yet leaves the outer portion of the roof intact, helping maintain body rigidity. Although the design does appear to limit rearward visibility somewhat, the boot gets to maintain its top-up storage capacity. When it reaches showroom floors in Europe this Spring, buyers will have the same engine choice as the hardtop; a turbo diesel or two tiny gas sippers. It will also keep the ” start&stop ” system that helps it get 40-some mpg in the city. It is not known for sure if the 500C will make it to America but if it does (and the roof doesn’t leak), it is likely to garner a huge following. Full press release after the break. [Source: Fiat ] Continue reading Fiat 500 Convertible revealed! Auto Blog: MPG , Fiat , Europe/EU Fiat 500 Convertible revealed! originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
Posted in Auto Green | a-brief-tease, a-friend-via, america, chevyvolt, city, design, entry, europe, fiat 500c, fiat500c, retro, spring, volt | Leave a commentGM will update the Chevy Volt throughout its life cycle
General Motors has said that it will continually update the software that runs its upcoming Chevy Volt . Unlike more traditional powertrains that center around an internal combustion engine, major parameters that govern how the Volt functions can and will be modified as real-world conditions require, and this process will not be dependent on new versions of the vehicle entering production. This is a big change from what we’re used to today. It might take a few years to introduce an update in engine tuning with a conventional vehicle. With the Voltec powertrain that General Motors is planning to launch with the Chevy Volt, computer software will determine things like when the engine will kick on to recharge the batteries or how much regenerative braking the car uses under various circumstances. When a second-generation of the Volt is finally offered, don’t expect GM to focus on extending its electric-only range. Instead, GM hopes to drastically reduce the size and cost of its battery pack, which should have the extremely desirable effect of allowing the vehicle to be profitable. Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt [Source: Reuters ] Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Chevrolet , GM GM will update the Chevy Volt throughout its life cycle originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
See original here:
GM will update the Chevy Volt throughout its life cycle
Posted in Auto Green | a-big-change, a-friend-via, chevy-volt, chevyvolt, software, voltec drivetrain | Leave a commentChicago 2009: Goodyear and Bose help to boost Chevy Volt efficiency
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Chevrolet , Chicago Auto Show In order for the Chevy Volt to achieve both a 40-mile electric range and the 10 year/150,000 mile battery durability target, every aspect of the car must be optimized to minimize parasitic losses. We’ve already seen the car’s shape change allowing it to slice through the air with less resistance. Now, partners like Goodyear and Bose are stepping up to the plate to help. How much can tires do? Goodyear’s new Assurance Fuel Max tires are claimed to contribute an extra mile of driving range compared to similar performing tires. Goodyear cites a new tCar Blog Greencompound that helps reduce rolling resistance. Even in green cars, modern car owners like to be entertained on the way to wherever they are going. Bose has developed a sound system for the Volt that has more efficient amplifiers and speakers. Digital signal processing circuitry aims to provide concert hall sound while consuming half the energy. Undoubtedly over the next 18 months,we’ll be hearing plenty more about new sub-systems that are designed to reduce the load on the battery pack but this is a good beginning. [Source: GM] Continue reading Chicago 2009: Goodyear and Bose help to boost Chevy Volt efficiency Chicago 2009: Goodyear and Bose help to boost Chevy Volt efficiency originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
Car Blog Greenmore:
Chicago 2009: Goodyear and Bose help to boost Chevy Volt efficiency
First Chevy Volt engines will come from Aspern, Austria
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Chevrolet , Green Daily It’s no longer a surprise that the engine for the first Chevy Volts will come from Europe instead of Flint, Michigan . Specifically, the 1.4L four cylinder engines, part of the “Family 0″ line, will be made at the GM plant in Aspern, Austria . Similar engines will go into Chevrolet Cruze models to be assembled in Lordstown, Ohio. Volt assembly will still happen in Hamtramck, Michigan. Since GM says it has always intended to get the first engines from Europe, the sale price projection for the plug-in hybrid remain the same. Of course, no one outside of GM knows what that number actually is, but apparently it won’t be higher because all the engines need to spend some time on a boat. Related : Tech analysis of GM’s new 1.4L four cylinder engine GM officially announces Flint MI production for Volt/Cruze engines Gallery: GM Flint Powertrain 1.4L engine [Source: Ward's Auto via GM-Volt ] First Chevy Volt engines will come from Aspern, Austria originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
Car Blog Greenmore:
First Chevy Volt engines will come from Aspern, Austria
Posted in Auto Green | chevyvolt, cylinder, daily, entry, europe, family 0, first-organized, green-daily, hybrid race, Hybrids, officially-announces, prius cup, priusracing, toyotapriuscup | Leave a commentBREAKING: GM reportedly cancels construction contracts on Flint engine plant
Auto Blog: Manufacturing/Plants , Chevrolet , GM 2011 Chevy Cruze and its new 1.4L Turbo engine In yet another blow to both General Motors and the hard-hit city of Flint MI, it appears that the automaker has canceled construction contracts on its new Flint MI engine plant. Local TV station WJRT-12 reported the news late last night and we’re still waiting on a comment from GM. The plant was scheduled to produce a new 1.4L four cylinder engine to be used in the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt beginning int 2010. Work on the factory had already been suspended in mid-December in an effort to cut spending. The plant was announced last September just before the financial crisis hit in full force and even sales of small cars collapsed. GM spokeswoman Sharon Basel told the TV station that other facilities are being considered for production of the engines. An existing version of the 1.4L “Family 0″ engine is already being produced overseas and if world-wide auto sales continue to lag over the next 18-24 months, those factories would likely have sufficient capacity to supply engines for both the Cruze and Volt in 2010. We’ll update this story as we learn more. Thanks to Donny for the tip! Related: Tech analysis of GM’s new 1.4L four cylinder engine GM officially announces Flint MI production for Volt/Cruze engines Gallery: GM Flint Powertrain 1.4L engine [Source: WJRT-TV 12 ] BREAKING: GM reportedly cancels construction contracts on Flint engine plant originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
View post:
BREAKING: GM reportedly cancels construction contracts on Flint engine plant
Get Approved!
Recent Comments