CARB chair calls all this hydrogen/battery fighting "madness"
While the California Air Resources Board has certainly played a huge role in putting cleaner vehicles on the road over the years, some plug-in vehicle advocates have a bone to pick with Chairman Mary Nichols (pictured here during the 2007 Alt Car Expo ). During the recent UC Berkeley Energy Symposium, Nichols said she had a problem with plug-in proponents as well. Well, not just with them, but with advocates who push one type of technology and have no room in their green motoring vision for another. Specifically, Nichols said that: “There is one thing that has really frustrated me in the last couple of years…it has been the ideological, I would almost say theological, debate between the people who think that hydrogen fuel cells are the answer and the people who think that only battery electric vehicles are the answer. Each of them do their best to trash the credibility, viability and good faith of the other side. … From the point of view of a regulator, this is madness.” Car Blog Greenmore of Nichols’ statement, and why she is certain that we need both technologies, over at Green Car Congress [Source: Green Car Congress ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hydrogen , Green Daily CARB chair calls all this hydrogen/battery fighting “madness” originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:05:00 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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CARB chair calls all this hydrogen/battery fighting "madness"
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Leave a comment$2 billion? Nah, more like $12.5 billion for plug-in cars in the stimulus bill
When the big stimulus bill was passed this week , the number that rose to the forefront was a $2 billion investment for plug in vehicles. But, if you add in all the additional plug-in help for things like infrastructure, the actual plug-in stimulus package is closer to $12.5 billion, according to Plug In America’s legislative director Jay Friedland. We’ve taken a look at some of these monies before, but Friedland made a nice list of exactly how much money is available for what. For example, the $6 billion in loans that was approved in EISA (Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) for the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturer Grant Program was finally funded in the stimulus bill. Other funds, like $1.7 billion for “advanced energy investments,” don’t necessarily need to go to plug-in vehicles, but could be used that way. You can see Friedland’s full breakdown of the $12.5 billion after the jump. When taken together, it sure makes the stimulus bill look much more PHEV-friendly than before. Thanks to Friedland and Plug In America for sending this over. [Source: Plug In America] Continue reading $2 billion? Nah, more like $12.5 billion for plug-in cars in the stimulus bill Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Legislation and Policy , USA $2 billion? Nah, more like $12.5 billion for plug-in cars in the stimulus bill originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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$2 billion? Nah, more like $12.5 billion for plug-in cars in the stimulus bill
Posted in Auto Green | 12-5-billion, a-for-sending, a-friend-via, a-nice-list, after-the-jump, america, entry, pia, plug-in-hybrid, plugin, pluginvehicles, stimulus, stimulusplan, usa | Leave a commentToyota: Plug-in Prius returning 65 mpg in testing
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , MPG , Toyota According to Toyota, its plug-in Prius hybrids are averaging 65 miles per gallon in real world testing. This is an improvement of 15 mpg over the recently-unveiled 2010 Prius . The secret to the big fuel mileage increase is a battery with the capacity to store much more energy than the unit in the standard Prius. This means a lithium ion technology and a much greater expense. So far, Toyota has not committed to a date when you’ll be able to actually purchase a PHEV Prius for yourself, but it does plan to bring in another 150 test cars for testing. Bill Reinert, Toyota’s U.S. alternative-fuel vehicle manager, points out that this 65 mpg figure is from drivers who were instructed to pilot the test car the same as any other vehicle, so there are no hypermiling techniques required to achieve the mileage boost. Of course, the car must be plugged into an outlet to recharge its battery pack and fuel but mileage and range are still mostly determined by the driver’s right foot. This is one reality that affects any car, including hybrids and fully electric machines. [Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd] Toyota: Plug-in Prius returning 65 mpg in testing originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Feb 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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Toyota: Plug-in Prius returning 65 mpg in testing
Posted in Auto Green, Hybrids | entry, Hybrids, phev prius, phevprius, plug in hybrids, plug-in-hybrid, plugin, pluginhybrids, toyota | Leave a comment2009 Green Car Vision Award winner announced tomorrow
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Green Daily , Washington DC Auto Show , Fisker Click on the image above for a gallery of the Fisker Karma The Fisker Karma will make an appearance in Washington, D.C. this week for that city’s auto show. While there, the car is up for a starring role in the Green Car Journal’s 2009 Green Car Vision Award. We won’t know until later in the week (tomorrow, actually) which actor vehicle lands the lead, but it’ll either be the Karma or one of these other finalists : Mitsubishi iMiEV, the Honda FCX Clarity, Chevy Volt, and MINI E. Green Car Journal editor and publisher Ron Cogan says that these five vehicles, “each inspire in important ways with their advanced powertrains, use of cleaner or more sustainable fuels, vastly improved efficiencies, or a combination of these attributes.” OK, fine, but which one do you think will win the award? Gallery: Detroit 2009: production Fisker Karma [Source: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.] Continue reading 2009 Green Car Vision Award winner announced tomorrow 2009 Green Car Vision Award winner announced tomorrow originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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2009 Green Car Vision Award winner announced tomorrow
Posted in Auto Green | fisker-karma, green car journal, greencarjournal, Hybrids, image, plug-in-hybrid, plugin, pluginhybrids, toyota | Leave a commentEEStor and GM up a tree, t-a-l-k-i-n-g? [w/VIDEO]
Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , Etc. , EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , GM , USA Once again, the internetz are abuzz with rumors and speculation concerning EEStor . This time the hubbub concerns the exact nature of their relationship with General Motors . If you’re the last person on the planet who hasn’t heard of them, EEStor is a company headquartered in Austin, Texas that claims to have the Holy Grail technology of the electric car industry. Namely, an ultracapacitor that can hold lots more energy than a lithium battery, doesn’t degrade over time and will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Since they haven’t shown the world any sort of tangible proof of this black box, skepticism abounds. The latest round of excited whispers involves a conversation held between GM’s advanced battery boss, Denise Grey, and GM-Volt.com blogger, Lyle Dennis, in which the association between EEStor and the automaker was discussed. Hank Green from EcoGeek happened to be standing nearby with a camera, happily, and captured the exchange on video, which we have for you after the break. The most provocative part of the brief exchange was Ms. Grey’s reply to Lyle’s query as to whether she had seen a working prototype. She replied, “… I probably shouldn’t say if I’ve received parts or not, that’s kind of confidential.” While it may sound in print as though she might possibly know something, the video makes clear to us that it’s more likely she doesn’t. Hit the jump to watch it for yourselves. [Source: GM-Volt.com / EcoGeek ] Continue reading EEStor and GM up a tree, t-a-l-k-i-n-g? [w/VIDEO] EEStor and GM up a tree, t-a-l-k-i-n-g? [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
Posted in Auto Green | black, denise grey, fisker-karma, green, lyledennis, plugin, pluginhybrids, time, time-the-hubbub | Leave a commentCARB puts off plug-in hybrid conversion warranty, emissions decision
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Green Culture , Hybrid , Legislation and Policy , Green Daily , USA Click above for high-res gallery of Kim Adelman’s Plug-in Prius The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has decided to take another look at rules it is currently mulling over that would have required PHEV conversion shops to follow the same rules for emissions tests and warranties as the automakers. When word of this decision got out, some voices were raised that it would kill the growing plug-in conversion community . CalCars was one such group and issued a statement Friday that thanked CARB for pushing back the deadline to make a decision on this issues and therefore “keep alive the possibility that an industry of converters of both hybrid and non-hybrid vehicles can grow and flourish, helping to reduce greenhouse gases in cars that are on the road, creating new local jobs, and further motivating the auto industry to mass-produce plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles.” Activists were not used to CARB being so attentive to citizen complaints andCar Blog Green, and CalCars’ Felix Kramer said the reprieve will give the automakers and connected parties a few weeks or months to come up with a better solution. Gallery: EVS23: Kim Adelman’s Plug-in Conversion Prius [Source: CalCars ] CARB puts off plug-in hybrid conversion warranty, emissions decision originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:09:00 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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CARB puts off plug-in hybrid conversion warranty, emissions decision
Posted in Auto Green, Hybrids | a-few-weeks, follow-the-same, phev, plug in prius, plugin, pluginhybrid, pluginprius, plugins, resources-board | Leave a commentNew CARB rules could put an end to PHEV conversions
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Legislation and Policy Chris Duffey – East Bay Express The California government agency charged with protecting air quality in the Golden State appears set to kill off a burgeoning industry that is trying to protect the same air. As companies such as 3ProngPower pop up to convert existing hybrids to plug-in capability, they could be snuffed out by having to follow the same rules as the automakers. The California Air Resources Board will be deciding next week on new rules that would require conversion shops to do the same emissions tests and offer the same warranties that automakers do. Under CARB rules, parts that affect emissions have to be warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles. 3Prong Power is using lead acid batteries that only last 2-3 years and a 10-year warranty would be economically impossible. The other issue is emissions tests. In order to pass the emissions cycle, the catalytic converter must be working properly. The catalyst doesn’t really function until it warms up, meaning that cold starts produce most of a vehicle’s emissions. Automakers calibrate their hybrids to keep the engine running after the initial start until the catalyst warms up and then run it periodically to keep it warm. Tampering with the controls of the vehicle by adding plug-in capability could cause a problem with this, preventing the catalyst from ever warming up. Thus, if the engine runs for short periods you could end up with far more emissions than a conventional car. [Source: East Bay Express ] New CARB rules could put an end to PHEV conversions originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:50:00 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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New CARB rules could put an end to PHEV conversions
Almost 70 plug-in vehicles will take part in Inaugural Parade West
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Green Culture , Green Daily When Plug In America first announced their ” Inaugural Parade West: Plug In, America! ” that’s taking place in Santa Monica this weekend, they were hoping about 30 vehicles would take part. They underestimated interest. An update PIA sent out this week says that 68 vehicles are now confirmed to roll through Santa Monica on Saturday, all broadcasting the message that there are a lot of people out there who want plug-in vehicles. The vehicle line-up is pretty much a who’s who of currently (and previously) available electric cars: RAV4 EVs, Tesla Roadsters, an eBox, an iMiEV, a PHEV Escape, and a Porsche and a Geo Metro converted to run on battery power, plus more. Surprises include SUTs from Phoenix (we don’t see these out and about much) and an electric Chevy S-10. Celebrity guests/speakers include “Who Killed the Electric Car?” director Chris Paine and California State Senator Fran Pavley. Click past the jump for details. [Source: Plug In America] Continue reading Almost 70 plug-in vehicles will take part in Inaugural Parade West Almost 70 plug-in vehicles will take part in Inaugural Parade West originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Almost 70 plug-in vehicles will take part in Inaugural Parade West
Michigan man creates electric Bug, hopes to commercialize
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Volkswagen , USA We’ve seen electric Bugs before, and we’re likely to keep seeing them in the future for a variety of reasons. First, the platform is cheap and VeeDub sold so many of the little rear-engined buggers that there are lots of them to be had. Second, the air-cooled drivetrain is dead simple and is contained all in one little place, making conversions a relatively simple affair. Last, but certainly not least, the Beetle’s light weight – much of which is due to its unique body-on-pan construction – makes for an excellent platform for an electric car. The latest such Bug EV is called the Lightning Bug and comes courtesy of an aftermarket golf cart manufacturer from Michigan named Dale King. With the recent business slowdown, King has had enough time to concentrate on the electric vehicle project and has reportedly spent just $13K to create a vehicle that’s capable of hitting 70 miles per hour for distances of up to 100 miles. Those are pretty good specs for a conversion, but we’re left wondering what kind of motor, batteries or controller are being used. Whatever the case, King would like to begin commercializing the product, so we may know more in time. Thanks for the tip, Steve ! [Source: MLive ] Michigan man creates electric Bug, hopes to commercialize originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:16:00 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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Michigan man creates electric Bug, hopes to commercialize
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