EnviroHop - A Greener Commuting News and Information Portal.

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota

The fall-out of yesterday's Toyota Prius unintended acceleration incident in California - a car got up to speeds of over 90 miles per hour in a 20-minute event - now includes an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA has dispatched two investigators to look into what happened, while Toyota is sending three technicians. The car was towed to a Toyota dealership today after being held overnight by the California Highway Patrol. One new bit of information reported by the AP is that the car had "a little hiccup" with the accelerator a few weeks ago. The driver claims that the floormats were not a cause of either acceleration.

We certainly don't think that this incident is like a new OJ moment for hybrids or green cars, but we can only imagine the discussion inside of Toyota HQ about the rumors and hype surrounding the troubles. Earlier today, for example, we heard that the second-gen Priuses had been recalled. This hasn't happened (yet), and Toyota is working on a fix for the thousands of hybrids included in the 4.36 million vehicles recalled last November. How yesterday's incident fits into the picture remains to be seen.

[Source: AP]

Report: Feds probing Prius' unintended acceleration incident, no new recall issued originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Green Culture, Green Daily

2011 Chevrolet Volt - click above for high-res image gallery
2010 might only be a few months old (wait, it's already a few months old?!?), but Treehugger is ready to declare the best of the year with their 2010 Readers' Choice Awards. In the Cars & Transportation category, there are some interesting possibilities, like the Best Upcoming Electric Car (choices include: the Nissan Leaf, the Mitsubishi i MiEV, the Tesla Model S, the Chevrolet Volt or the Ford Focus EV). We have a more difficult time deciding who is the Best Agent of Change:

• Steven Chu (Secretary of Energy)
• Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla Motors, chairman of SolarCity)
• Carlos Ghosn (CEO of Nissan and Renault)
• Steve Fambro (Aptera)

We think Chu is certainly making a difference with the DOE loans, but Ghosn (a recipient) is putting words into action. Thoughts?

Oh, and there's a Best Transportation Website category, too. AutoblogGreen is in the running, along with Green Car Congress, HybridCars.com, Gas2.0 and EcoModder. We're not too proud to beg, so please go vote for us! See all the categories here.

[Source: Treehugger]

Do it for the kids us: vote in Treehugger's 2010 Readers' Choice Awards originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Asia

In September, the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) demonstrated the technical concept for the On Line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) using individual cars (which were really kind of cute - see them here). Today, the KAIST launched an actual prototype electric train that draws energy through non-contact magnetic charging from power strips embedded in the road. The train, with three cars, is now in use at an amusement park in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. The power strips are only required in 400 meters of the 2.2-kilometer (1.4-mile) route, or about 18-20 percent of the total distance. KAIST will build a larger system in Seoul for buses if the technology in the train proves successful.

Why is all this important? Because, by drawing energy from the road as it moves along, the train can use a battery that is only 20 percent as large and powerful as would otherwise be required. There's a serious cost reduction as well - with the cost shifted to installing the power strips into the road. Overall, the total cost for electric vehicles is about a third of what standalone electric vehicles cost. KAIST president Suh Nam-Pyo had high praise for the technology:
The potential for application (of this technology to public transport systems) is limitless. I dare say this is one of the most significant technical gains in the 21st century. Thanks to Roy B. for the tip!

[Source: Physorg]

KAIST's On Line Electric Vehicle draws energy from the road, now in use in S. Korea originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Hydrogen

Ballard fuel cell forklift - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Ballard Material Products has received the bulk of $6.2 million in Department of Energy funding for research work into fuel cell materials aimed at cutting the cost and improving durability of the electro-chemical energy generators. Ballard Material Products is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Ballard Power Systems. Ballard will be looking at the causes of material degradation in fuel cells and ways to reduce or eliminate it.

While a fuel cell stack itself has no moving parts (aside from the pumps and compressors feeding and scavenging it) the coatings on the plates do get damaged during use by reactions with impurities in the hydrogen. Water collecting and freezing within the stack can also cause damage. Computer modeling of the gas and water flows may lead to new designs that help to improve the efficiency and durability of stacks. Ballard's work will be targeted at non-automotive applications such as stationary power generation and material handling systems.

Gallery: Vancouver 2009: Fuel cell forklift

[Source: Ballard Power Systems]

Continue reading Ballard gets $6.2M in DOE funding for non-automotive fuel cells

Ballard gets $6.2M in DOE funding for non-automotive fuel cells originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, UK

Ever wonder what it is really like to own an electric car? Before rushing out to buy that new Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi i MiEV (or what have you) it might be a good idea to know what to expect. And what better way to learn about the advantages and drawbacks of living with a battery-powered vehicle than to read a book written by someone who not only has a couple, but who has spoken with many other owners about the experience as well as manufacturers. Owning an Electric Car by Michael Boxwell is that book.

In just under 200 pages, Mr. Boxwell covers everything from dealing with range fixation to exactly how "green" an electric is when it's charged from a coal-powered grid. You can also learn which new vehicles are coming to market or what to look for when if your potential purchase is previously owned. To get a sneak peek at the first chapter, learn a bit about the electric vehicles and even ask him a question directly, check out the book's website. Bonus video of the author conducting an environmental efficiency test with his two electrics awaits you after the break.

[Source: Owning an Electric Car]

Continue reading Owning an Electric Car prepares and enlightens

Owning an Electric Car prepares and enlightens originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Ford

Ford Transit Connect Electric - Click above for high-res image gallery
The all-electric Ford Transit Connect Electric utility van became available for ordering during the recent Chicago Auto Show and Azure Dynamics, the company in charge of converting and selling the trucks, has announced that AT&T will be the vehicle's "Lead Customer" with an order for two units.

AT&T announced about a year ago that it would spend up to $565 million to introduce 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles to the company's fleet over the next decade, starting with CNG vehicles. AT&T's first electric vehicle, a Smith Electric Vehicles Newton, joined the fleet last November. For the run-down on the Transit Connect Electric, including our first drive report, read this.

Gallery: Ford Transit Connect Eletric at Chicago Auto Show

[Source: Azure Dynamics]

Continue reading AT&T agrees to buy at least two Ford Transit Connect Electric vans

AT&T agrees to buy at least two Ford Transit Connect Electric vans originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Natural Gas, Europe/EU

Fiat Qubo Natural Power - Click above for high-res image gallery
Vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG) have been gaining in popularity in Europe in recent years, largely because of the reduced operating costs. Natural gas is much less expensive in Europe than either gasoline or diesel fuel. It also has an advantage over the liquid fuels in that it burns cleaner with almost no particulates.

One downside to CNG is that, like ethanol, it has a lower energy content than gas or diesel which tends to hamper the range and increase consumption. American owners of the Honda Civic GX are familiar with the range limitations. Also like ethanol, it has a higher octane rating; CNG is rated at 130.

Manufacturers are now designing and tuning engines specifically to optimize them for CNG use. Many of the newer CNG engines, like those from Volkswagen, are turbocharged. By running higher boost levels and using direct injection, the engines can get more of the energy out of the fuel, allowing down-sizing, better efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions. In addition, European-market CNG vehicles are typically bi-fuel, retaining their gasoline fuel systems. This allows drivers to keep going even when there isn't a CNG filling station nearby.

So far, the only significant interest in CNG in the U.S. has been for commercial and transit uses where the vehicles operate out of central depots where they can be filled up.

Gallery: Fiat Qubo Natural Power

[Source: Ward's Auto World]

Turbocharging helps grow CNG vehicle market in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota

Amid all of its other problems recently, Toyota is trying to figure out what, exactly, is wrong with the brakes on the Prius. An incident on the San Diego County freeway makes it look like the second-generation Prius might (repeat, might) be involved in the unintended acceleration issue that has affected other Toyota brand vehicles. At this early stage and without much information, no one can say for sure what happened, but James Sikes, the driver, claims:
I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny... it jumped and it just stuck there. As it was going, I was trying the brakes...it wasn't stopping, it wasn't doing anything and it just kept speeding up. The car got all the way up to 94 miles per hour before a combination of emergency braking, pushing the brake pedal all the way down and a steep incline allowed Sikes to turn the car off and coast to a stop with the assistance of a California Highway Patrol officer.

Sikes said he recently took his second-gen Prius to the dealer, but was told it wasn't on the recall list (which is true, although the third-gen is). He told the local news that he's taking his car to the dealer again and won't drive it any more until he gets some answers about what happened. Toyota has sent a field technical specialist to investigate. You can watch a local news report on the incident here. Thanks to Tohe for the tip!

*UPDATE: NHTSA is also investigating.

[Source: AP]

Second-gen Prius involved in unintended acceleration incident in CA *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

It's not an original Electrovair, but it is a 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa that was converted to all-electric drive and it is currently up for auction on eBay. We're not sure what the performance specs for this car are, but it looks good, thanks to fresh marina blue paint, a new interior and replated bumpers, among other visual enhancements.

Under the hood, the car has a 144V AC 24 conversion kit made by Electroauto. That kit alone costs around $10,000, without batteries. The car for sale has 18 eight-volt lead acit batteries "mounted as low as possible for good balance." We don't know how far or fast the car can go (the seller is worryingly quiet about these numbers), but Electroauto says its conversions can often reach 90 miles per hour and have a range of 50 miles (depending, of course, on duty cycle, configuration and battery pack).

Whatever the car's final cost might be, the seller if offering to take $1,500 off if you don't want the Hurst wheels with redline tires and opt for stock rally wheels. The seller also says the car has just 200 miles on it, which we take to mean since the conversion. The car is located in Fullerton, CA, but we can pretty easily imagine parking it in our garage (and upgrading those cells!). With about a day left in the auction, the bids are up to $10,900. The Buy It Now prices of $39,000 remains unused. Thanks to Dutch for the tip!

[Source: eBay]

eBay find of the Day: all-electric 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa conversion originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan

Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery
According to BusinessWeek, Renault-Nissan's CEO Carlos Ghosn said recently that his company has 56,000 orders for the Leaf in the United States. The car will be available late this year, and Ghosn said that real mass production will start in 2012, when the alliance plans to have capacity to 500,000 electronic vehicles in Japan, Europe and the United States. Ghosn, who is totally bullish on electric vehicles, told BW that:
Frankly, I mean so far there is no competition. Let's be serious. It's not because someone is coming with a prototype and one car that this is competition. The question is how much capacity are you building. We know that Nissan is pushing hard to get electric vehicles onto the road and that people are excited for the Leaf, but we can't help but wonder if something got lost in translation somewhere with that 56,000 pre-order number. Just a month ago, Nissan announced that 50,000 people had signed up to be on the reservation list and that pre-orders would not start until April. That list allows people to move to the head of the line when it comes time to order the Leaf, but it's not an official intent form.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan LEAF

[Source: BusinessWeek via Treehugger]

Report: Nissan has 56,000 pre-orders for all-electric Leaf originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: MPG, Volkswagen

German testing and certification company TÜV NORD Group has recognized Volkswagen for its development of the TSI engine family. The TSI engines were one of the first widespread applications of engine downsizing through direct injection and turbocharging.

The award is based on a total lifecycle analysis of the engines in comparison to the larger engines that they replace. Compared to the older, larger engines, the TSI engines use less fuel while producing similar levels of power and significantly more torque.

The TSI engines take advantage of the charge cooling effect of direct injection to use higher compression ratios and more boost. The extra boost and compression helps the engines produce more torque across the rpm range so they are more drivable. The 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter TSI engines are available in a variety of power levels and are used across the model range in cars like the Polo, Golf, Touran and others. Ford is now using a similar approach with its new Ecoboost engines.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen gets recognition for efficiency of its TSI engines

Volkswagen gets recognition for efficiency of its TSI engines originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily

We've been chronicling the world of more efficient vehicles for almost four years now, but we're still the new kind on the block compared to long-time organizations like CalCars and that group's leader, Felix Kramer. At a recent meeting of the Electric Auto Association (of which CalCar is also a chapter) in Palo Alto, CA, Kramer took a look back at what CalCar has accomplished over the last eight years or so and, in doing so, created a slide show of the recent history of the plug-in vehicle movement and industry.

Beginning with an emphasis on plug-in hybrids (as opposed to pure electric vehicles) and then on converting hybrids to plug-in hybrids, Kramer said CalCars has done what it set out to do:
In October, we declared victory on plug-in hybrids! We wanted to put them on the map and we wanted to get them mass-produced -- and it's happening. There are going to be cars on the road. That doesn't mean we don't have a lot to do, but we were really happy to be able to say, after seven years, "We've won!" A small group of people changed the whole auto industry -- that's an incredible accomplishment. Kramer ended his talk with a short and effective personal message. We recommend reading it here and you can find a PDF of the slides that were accompanied it here.

[Source: CalCars]

A short history of recent plug-in vehicles, courtesy of CalCars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, New York Auto Show, USA

BMW ActiveE concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
There was news last week that BMW's upcoming lease program for the BMW ActiveE concept, an all-electric 1 Series, would be limited to 200 units in the U.S. BMW would like everyone to know that final distribution numbers for the ActiveE program have not yet been decided, but that there will be at least twice that many here. BMW announced today that the ActiveE fleet "will be at least as large as the MINI E fleet which is currently in operation. There are 450 MINI Es on the road in the US right now."

The point BMW is trying to make is that it is totally committed to electric drive vehicles. For example, drivers of the Mini E who are enjoying their vehicles - something BMW says is common - and want to extend their leases by a year will be able to do so. The Mini E will be "prominently featured" at the upcoming New York Auto Show, and we'll see if we can't track down more details about the upcoming ActiveE program at that time.

Gallery: BMW Concept ActiveE

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW: Actually, we're planning on more than 200 ActiveE units for the U.S.

BMW: Actually, we're planning on more than 200 ActiveE units for the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Audi

Audi A1 e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Seeing the Audi A1 and A1 e-tron concept at this year's Geneva Motor Show provides proof that the quad-ring automaker is putting a much larger focus on its small car offerings. With that in mind, new rumors are cropping up about a possible successor to the A2 - the quirky little hatch that never came to the U.S. and only had minor success in Europe.

"There's clearly room for another product and another concept between the A3 and A1," Audi CEO Rupert Stadler told AutoWeek during the Geneva Motor Show. The new A2 would likely be A1-based and use an electric powertrain, possibly sourced from the A1 e-tron concept. European media has reported that the A2 successor is expected to debut by 2014, and no word has been given about a possible U.S.-spec version. However, with Audi keeping the A1 away from American soil, it's likely that the A2 would be a Europe-only affair, as well.




[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Audi working on successor to A2 with electric drivetrain? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight

Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery
Aston Martin builds some of the fastest, most desirable and undoubtedly most beautiful cars in the world by following a very simple formula. Front engine, rear-drive coupes (and sometimes sedans) powered by the biggest, most powerful engines available. As you would expect, fuel efficiency has historically been of very little concern.

Nowadays, though, that formula for success has a major flaw in that a line-up full of gas-guzzling machines doesn't make the populace (well, at least large portions of it) or the government particularly happy. Hence, Aston Martin has decided to offer another kind of vehicle entirely, one that hopefully will allow it continue merrily selling its favored line of supercars. Explains Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez:
First, we need a more sustainable product line-up... Second, we need to satisfy demand where we know it exists... Thirdly, we need to bring the company's fleet carbon emissions down. The Cygnet is perfect for that. This is just a small, stylish and efficient runabout: it doesn't need batteries or flywheels to be that way. So it's not pretending to be something it's not. Is that a good strategy? Well, the matter certainly up for debate. Feel free to do just that in our comments.

Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet

[Source: Autocar]

Aston Martin: Cygnet helps us offer a "more sustainable product line-up" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Hybrid, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid - Click above for high-res image
Amid the begging and smack talk - excuse us, the glitz and glamor - of the Academy Awards last night, Mercedes-Benz decided to premiere its new advertising spot called "Tree of Innovation." The spot is designed to highlight the S400 Hybrid and the brand's "expanding repertoire of environmentally oriented vehicles," but mostly it's just Mercedes images hanging around a beautiful old tree.

Featuring the voice of Mad Men's Jon Hamm - Mercedes-Benz USA says he will be the "new 'voice' for MBUSA's advertising" - the ad mentions the S400 as well as Mercedes' BlueTEC clean diesel vehicles and it upcoming fuel cell vehicles. The S400, of course, will be the first production hybrid from a major automaker with lithium-ion battery packs. If you missed the ad while you were crying because Avatar didn't win, you can watch it after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz USA]

Continue reading Mercedes picks Oscars to roll out S400 Hybrid ads

Mercedes picks Oscars to roll out S400 Hybrid ads originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily

We expect the advocacy group Plug In America to constantly remind us of the benefits of plug-in vehicles. That's their reason for being, after all. Sometimes, impassioned pleas make a good argument; sometimes, taking a fresh look at what might be considered a boring topic does the trick.

Plug In America co-founder and actress Alexandra Paul has written a guest blog post over at In The Driver's Seat that follows the second path, and the topic is electricity rates. American are quite aware of the price of gasoline - we have things like the Gas Price Heat Map, and consumer and governmental gas price reports, after all - but we're not as conscious of the price of electricity. With the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs) becoming a reality this year, wouldn't this be a good thing to know? Paul notes that electricity rates don't fluctuate nearly as much as the price of gasoline does, which might be a reassuring thing for drivers thinking of making the switch to a plug-in vehicle. Aside from the steadier price, EV drivers who will need to rely on the grid (i.e., most everyone except those lucky enough to have a lot of solar or wind energy generated at home) can take comfort in the fact that electricity is often a local issue, unlike the global oil market. So, while "range anxiety" might be a real thing, "energy cost anxiety" is not.

[Source: In The Driver's Seat]

How do fluctuating gas prices compare to electricity costs? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Mercedes Benz, USA

2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class - Click above for high-res image gallery
Here in the United States, Mercedes-Benz's product portfolio starts off with the C-Class sedan. Those familiar with the alphabet may realize that there are at least two available letters before 'C' that would theoretically allow the German automaker to offer something a bit less expensive before graduating up the ranks to the likes of the E-Class and S-Class, in all their assorted variations.

Wouldn't you know it, Mercedes has seen fit to fill those two pre-C-Class slots with an A- and B-Class across the pond, and we've been hearing rumblings for quite some time that one of these models might make its way Stateside before too long. Those rumors continue today with this report from Automotive News, which suggests that a compact car and a small SUV may soon be in the offing in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz plans to launch the next version of its B-Class in Europe in 2011, and that's the likely candidate for conversion to be sold here in the States. Included amongst the powertrain options will reportedly be some kind of fossil fuel alternative, perhaps either an electric version or one powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

So, when might we expect all this to go down? Depends. Says Joachim Schmidt, sales and marketing chief at MB, "The behavior of Americans depends on fuel prices. Nevertheless, we see a trend also toward fuel-efficient cars."



[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

Report: Mercedes to launch B-Class-based hatchback, CUV in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, PSA, Phoenix, Citroen, Peugeot

Peugeot iOn EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen have finalized a supply deal that will see the Japanese automaker provide 100,000 electric vehicles to the French company over the life of the agreement. How long said agreement lasts hasn't been publicly announced, but Mitsubishi is due to start building the French-badged cars this October.

The re-badged iMiEV electric cars will be sold under the Peugeot iOn and Citroen C-Zero brands in Europe. Aside from the left-hand drive and slightly different fascias, the cars will be essentially unchanged from the iMiEV that is already on sale in Japan. Mitsubishi quotes a range of 100 miles but real world results are likely to be in the 60-80 mile range. Peugeot and Citroen have not yet announced pricing for the European market.

Gallery: Peugeot iOn

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Continue reading Mitsubishi and PSA finalize deal for 100,000 electric vehicles

Mitsubishi and PSA finalize deal for 100,000 electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, At Witz End

Research study says EVs have a tough road ahead

Those of us who love smooth, silent, energy-efficient volt-powered vehicles would love to see them capture a major share of new-car sales ASAP. Only one thing stands in the way:

The battery.

Lithium-ion batteries appear to be on track to power growing numbers of electric vehicle (EVs) from mainstream makers beginning when Nissan's electric Leaf and Chevrolet's range-extender Volt hit the road later this year. Li-ion carries four times the energy of lead-acid (pbA) and twice what nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) can carry. But li-ion is young and unproven in vehicle-size packs, competing chemistry variations offer different trade-offs, and it's expensive.

The Volt has long been rumored to retail for about $40K, and the Leaf will likely come in at a hair under $30K (now that Nissan has decided it will be sold battery included). The Volt should run about 40 miles on its 16 kWh pack - using just half its stored energy to head off safety issues and preserve its life - before its thrifty IC engine kicks in to keep it going. The Leaf promises "up to" 100 miles from its 24 kWh, depending (as always) on temperature, terrain, time of day, speed and driving style.

The going OEM rate for li-ion packs today is an estiimated $1,000-1,200 per kWh. At the lower end of that range, Volt's pack is a $16K bill and Leaf's $24K -- 80 percent of (my) estimated price for the car. Both companies insist they will not pay anywhere near that much, especially once they're building their own packs, but lop that in half to $500/kWh, and it's still $8K and $12K! Continue reading after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Leaf

Continue reading At Witz' End - It's the Battery, Stupid!

At Witz' End - It's the Battery, Stupid! originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments