Green Car Advisor
Over Life of Vehicle, Some Diesels May Be 'Greener' Than Electrics - Swiss Study
Green-minded Americans may be licking their chops waiting for the debut of the Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle later this year, but on the other side of the Atlantic, some folks are questioning whether BEVs pose all that much of an advantage for people looking to save some money - or the Earth.
Some fuel-sipping combustion-engine-powered cars have a smaller environmental impact than battery-electric cars because of both the metals and chemical process required to produce lithium-ion batteries and the electricity required to recharge the cars, according to a report by Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, or EMPA.
Cars that get at least 60 miles per gallon, using European fuel-economy standards that are slightly more generous than those of the EPA, create lower so-called cumulative energy demand than EVs, the report said.
While the average diesel-powered car in Europe gets about 42 miles per gallon, some Ford and Volkswagen diesels actually exceed 60 mpg.
"The main finding of this study is that the impact of a lithium-ion battery used in BEVs for transport service is relatively small," the report said. "In contrast, it is the operation phase that remains the dominant contributor to the environmental burden caused by transport service as long as the electricity for the BEV is not produced by renewable hydropower."
The study was released just one day after the BBC reported that operating an EV will cost more than operating a similar gasoline-powered car during the first three years of ownership, predominately because of higher depreciation expenses stemming from the relatively higher costs of a new EV.
The main culprits in the EV's environmental impact are the transportation and raw-material needs to make a battery pack, which includes steel, copper and aluminum. The chemical process involved in making the battery also emits carbon dioxide.
GM Announces Price of CNG Option for Chevy Express and GMC Savana Vans
General Motors today announced that the optional compressed-natural-gas components for the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans will carry a suggested retail price of $15,910 when they become available in the U.S. this fall.
Pricing for the all-inclusive CNG option includes a dedicated CNG system ($14,590), a natural gas-capable Vortec 6.0-liter V8 engine ($1,295), and heavy-duty trailering equipment ($265).
A $240 credit for deleting the spare tire brings the package price to $15,910. So the total cost of either a 2011 Chevrolet Express or 2011 GMC Savana Cargo model, which starts at $25,980, would be $41,890 or more with the CNG option.
The vans come equipped with hardened exhaust valves, and intake and exhaust valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability with gaseous fuel systems.
The vans will meet all Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emission certification requirements, and will be fully compliant with applicable motor vehicle safety standards, GM said in a statement today.
Each CNG Chevrolet Express or GMC Savana van also will be covered by GM's three-year, 36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty and five-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty.
North American Diesel Vehicle Sales to Triple by 2016, Research Firm Says
North American diesel-vehicle unit sales will triple over the next six years as German automakers such as Volkswagen and BMW boost the number of so-called "clean diesel" cars they import to the U.S. in an effort to meet more stringent federal fuel-economy standards, according to research firm Frost & Sullivan.
Automakers will sell about 545,000 diesel-powered light vehicles to North America in 2016, up from 167,000 in 2009, Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Hariher Balasubramanian said on a Webcast earlier today. VW will have about a third of the U.S. diesel market in 2016, up from about 26 percent last year, while BMW's diesel market share will jump to 14 percent from 4 percent.
German automakers are already making progress eliminating some of the negative stereotypes held by American consumers, many of whom associate diesel with the slower, louder, smokier diesels of the 1970s and 80s.
Sales of more powerful, quieter diesels in North America tripled in 2009, and, in December, Audi's clean-diesel A3 TDI hatchback (pictured), which gets an EPA-rated 42 miles per gallon on the highway, was named the 2010 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal magazine at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.
Chevy Volt Arrives in China; Hybrid to Go on Sale There in Second Half of Next Year
General Motors celebrated the arrival of the first drivable Chevrolet Volt in China today, the automaker said in a statement.
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The first drivable Volt in China, outside the China Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai.
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China is one of the initial markets outside the United States to receive the Volt. GM's extended-range plug-in hybrid will go on sale in China next year.
Kevin Wale, president of GM China, said the launch of the Volt, expected in the second half of next year, is key to the carmaker's broader strategy to grow its electric car business in China.
China recently announced it will spend more than 100 billion yuan ($14.70 billion) to subsidize the electric-car industry over the next 10 years.
Wale said the selling price of the Volt in China will only be unveiled when it is officially launched.
"I believe the pricing will be competitive," he told reporters in Shanghai today.
GM marked the celebration by delivering two of the plug-in hybrids to the Shanghai Expo Bureau for use as part of its VIP transportation fleet at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
Chevy Cruze Eco With Automatic Gearbox Gets EPA-Rated 36 Highway MPG - GM
General Motors executives told Edmunds' AutoObserver.com this morning that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given the Chevrolet Cruze Eco version, equipped with an automatic transmission, a fuel-economy rating of 36 miles per gallon in highway driving.
The Cruze Eco with a manual transmission has not been certified yet by the EPA, but GM executives have consistently said they expect it to achieve 40 mpg. They had hoped for 36 mpg in highway driving with the automatic transmission.
The Cruze Eco models are slated to enter production this December and go on sale in the U.S. after the first of the year. GM says the Eco edition will have a base price of $18,995.
Feds Propose New Fuel-Economy Labels for Cars and Trucks, Seek Public Input
By Scott Doggett, Contributing Editor
With the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle and Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle soon to appear in U.S. showrooms, federal authorities today proposed new fuel-efficiency window stickers intended to provide consumers with straightforward energy and environmental comparisons across all types of cars and trucks starting with the 2012 model year.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation are proposing two new label designs for public comment, which can be submitted online over the next 60 days. One label design prominently features a letter grade to communicate the vehicle's fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions.
That design would also provide consumers with an estimate of the expected fuel cost savings over five years compared to an average gasoline-powered vehicle of the same model year.
The other proposed label design retains the current sticker's focus on miles per gallon and annual fuel costs, while new comparison information on fuel economy and emissions.
Both proposed label designs expand on the content of the current label by including new information on fuel consumption, tailpipe carbon-dioxide emissions and smog-related emissions.
And, both label designs would display annual fuel-cost information. However, only the grade-based design would contain an annual cost of fuel compared with the average vehicle.
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Click on the labels and text to enlarge.
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Both new window stickers offer a scan code, that can be read using a smart phone, that allows access to more detailed information. It is designed to assist shoppers while in a dealer's showroom.
For EVs such as the Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV and for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles such as the Volt, the agencies are proposing to show energy use by translating electricity consumption into miles-per-gallon equivalent. The proposed label designs for EVs also include energy use expressed in terms of kilowatt-hours per 100 miles.
Operating Costs of Electric Vehicles Are Higher Than Those of Gas Cars - BBC
An electric-vehicle owner who thinks he's saving money relative to owning a gasoline-powered car because of lower refueling and maintenance costs will be in for a rude awakening when he tries to sell the vehicle.
That's according to a report by the BBC, which said that, at least in the U.K., an EV is about 13 percent more expensive to operate than a similar gas-powered car during the first three years of ownership.
Owners of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric-car (pictured), which debuts in the U.K. early next year, will pay about 10,600 British pounds ($16,391) operating a vehicle that's driven a combined 36,000 miles over the first three years, compared to 9,339 British pounds ($11,834) for owners of a gas-powered Fiat 500 Lounge. And this factors in the 5,000-pound ($6,335) tax credit British EV owners will be getting, according to the BBC.
Additionally, it's worth pointing out that the BBC received such numbers not from a competing car company with no EV plans, but from Mitsubishi itself.
Granted, the higher cost is directly attributed to depreciation of the i-MiEV, whose 28,990-pound ($36,731) sticker price is almost three times that of the Fiat. With both cars losing about half their respective values over the first three years, the i-MiEV's depreciation costs more than offset the 2,848 British pounds ($3,609) in refueling costs the Mitsubishi owners will save over the three years.
CODA Holdings Names Former GE Executive Mark Jamieson Chief Financial Officer
CODA Holdings, a California-based technology company whose advanced battery system will power its soon-to-be-released CODA Sedan, has hired former General Electric and HD Supply executive Mark Jamieson as Chief Financial Officer.
Jamieson will manage CODA's finance, human resources, information technology and recruiting functions.
Jamieson brings 35 years of experience in finance and operations within the consumer, industrial, transportation and energy markets to the CODA team. Prior to CODA, Jamieson served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of HD Supply, a leading North American wholesale distributor serving the infrastructure, energy and specialty construction markets.
Prior to HD Supply, Jamieson was CFO of Ryder Systems, a global transportation and supply chain management company. Jamieson began his career at GE where he spent more than 30 years overseeing numerous domestic and international assignments, eventually serving as CFO of GE Industrial Systems, an $8 billion global business unit.
"Mark's knowledge of nearly every facet of finance and his experience in global manufacturing organizations with highly complex supply chains will be vital to CODA's continued expansion and development," said Kevin Czinger, president and CEO of CODA.
CODA is expected to begin delivery of its first plug-in all-electric vehicle, the CODA Sedan. CODA's claims its 33.8 kilowatt-hour battery system will set it apart from the competition by enabling consumers to travel a dependable 90 to 120 miles in real world driving on a single charge, no matter what season.
With the CODA, "the garage becomes a filling station, requiring less than six hours for a full charge using a 220-volt charger or just under two hours for a short, 40-mile commute," the company said in a statement issued today.
GM's Top Marketing Officer Says Volt Aims at 'Average Human Being'
General Motors plans to highlight the "car" aspects rather than the "electric" nature of the Chevrolet Volt when it introduces the revolutionary extended-range hybrid late this fall, as it attempts to mainstream a new vehicle type whose reception by typical American consumers is in no way assured.
GM's chief marketing officer, Joel Ewanick, tells Green Car Advisor that ensuring auspicious launches of Volt as well as the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze conventionally powered small car are his top immediate marketing priorities.
While Ewanick's most important long-term goal is straightening out GM's overall rickety brand architecture and boosting the individual Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC brands, he says, "We made a conscious decision not to get too fancy about the brand as we launch these vehicles. We don't want to get in the way of ourselves."
Emphasizing Differences
Ewanick is hatching specific plans to deal with two of the most egregious characteristics of Volt: its potential strangeness to car buyers, and its high sticker price.
East Coast Gets First Station in Proposed Privately Built Hydrogen Highway
Toyota Chips In With 10 Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicles for Station Builder Sun Hydro
By Danny King, Contributor
California's version of a so-called hydrogen highway may be languishing in a weak economy, but an East Coast version is getting started with its first fueling station and 10 Toyota hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles.
We here at Green Car Advisor won't quibble with that - we believe there is an important role in the transportation sector for hydrogen-fuel and fuel cell electric vehicles.
SunHydro, which plans to build a chain of self-service hydrogen fueling stations from Massachusetts to Florida, will receive 10 Toyota fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the Connecticut area this fall, SunHydro and Toyota said in a statement.
The vehicles, part of a broader Toyota demonstration plan that will include the deployment of 100 FCEVs in the U.S. over the next three years, will be used by employees of SunHydro and its parent, Proton Energy Systems.
"This is a big step for Connecticut, our country, and the overall evolution of alternative fuels in the U.S.," said SunHydro founder Tom Sullivan, who previously founded Lumber Liquidators.
Automakers, Enviros Demand Congressional Hearing On Ethanol Blend Plan
As the federal EPA gets ready to issue its ruling on the ethanol industry's bid to raise the maximum allowable mix of ethanol into gasoline, a coalition of automakers, engine producers, environmentalists and even a few agriculture groups is demanding Congressional hearings on the issue.
The ethanol lobby says we need to allow a 15 percent ethanol blend to reduce oil dependence - the maximum, or ethanol blend wall, now is 10 percent ethanol - and help achieve the renewable fuels goals that Congress has set.
(There's also that little matter of a 50 percent increase in the amount of U.S. corn that would be grown and sold for ethanol production and the increase in total federal subsidy payments to ethanol blenders, but hey!, who's counting?)
But auto and engine makers say there are still considerable concerns about the damage higher-ethanol fuels can do to engines and fuel systems that haven't been specially prepared to handle to corrosive alcohol, which can pit metal and dissolve some gasket an seal materials,
Environmentalists are concerned about increased greenhouse gases from ethanol feedstock (i.e., corn) production and the manufacture of ethanol, which require copious amounts of water.
Even some fellow farmers are concerned - the turkey growers lobby has told Congress it is worried about the impact rising corn prices (more demand typically creates higher prices) would have on feed prices.
We think our legislators would be wise (yeah, it's a stretch) to listen to opponents of the plan, for all of the reasons cited.
Ethanol has its place in the transportation fuels hierarchy, but it would be counterproductive to raise its profile until it can be clearly demonstrated that its use in increasing concentration to dilute gasoline won't end up costing consumers in engine repairs, reduced fuel economy (ethanol is about 20 percent less efficient than gasoline, so the more of it in a gallon of gas, the fewer miles that gallon will deliver), increased cost of corn-dependent foods, increased greenhouse gas emissions and increased air and water pollution from the fertilizers used to grow the corn and the diesel machinery used to harvest it and transport it to the refineries.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
Contrary to Media Report, GSA Says It Has Plans to Convert U.S. Fleet to Hybrids
NOTE: This article updates one posted Aug. 19 and based on a Federal Times article.
By Scott Doggett, Contributing Editor
A recent article regarding hybrid purchases by the U.S. General Services Administration that appeared in the Federal Times - a Gannett publication that's widely read by government managers in our country's capital - riled quite a few people within and outside the District of Columbia.
The gist of the article was that the General Services Administration earlier this year purchased more than 5,600 hybrid vehicles, but barring another round of stimulus funds, the agency won't likely make another large purchase of hybrid vehicles anytime soon.
That, we have been told, is simply untrue.
Among those who want to set the record straight are GSA Chief of Staff Michael Robertson and Bill Webster, GSA Assistant Commissioner for Travel, Motor Vehicles and Card Services. Both men spoke with Green Car Advisor at length to correct inaccuracies that appeared in the Federal Times article.
For those of you unfamiliar with the GSA, it is an independent agency of the U.S. government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. Outside of D.C., the GSA isn't well known, but it ought to be popular from coast to coast because it exists primarily to save American taxpayers money.
Kia Drops Plan For Separate 'EcoDynamics' Branding in U.S.
Kia motors still plans to bring new clean and green models to the U.S., but its plan to create a separate green brand identity under the EcoDynamics label has been dropped.
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Kia Ray concept features rechargeable electric-drive system. Company is spending billions developing hybrid and all-electric vehicles as it moves to become a global fuel efficiency leader.
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It's the economy - Kia has decided it would simply cost too much to launch a new brand identity campaign to educate consumers about a lineup of EcoDynamcs cars, U.S. product planning director Orth Hedrick told Wards Auto.
We applaud the idea. There are too many brands out there already.
We do hope, though, that Kia comes up with a nice short name and a badging system to identify those vehicles in its lineup that deliver improved fuel economy and cleaner exhaust. Maybe a chrome circle with "EcoD" in green enamel lettering?
Spy Photographers Catch Up With Ram Plug-in Hybrid During Hot-Weather Testing
Chrysler announced last March that it had pulled the plug on retail plans for the 2011 Ram dual-mode hybrid.
But with help from a $48-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the automaker said it would build 140 RAM plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEVs.
That vehicle would use a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, the two-mode transmission and a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, they said.
The company estimated that the Ram PHEV would be able to run 20 miles on electric power alone and said that it would be distributed to utility companies, government agencies and universities.
You'll recall that Chrysler produced two-mode versions of the Aspen and Dodge Durango full-size sport-utility vehicles. They were available to the general public - for a very little while.
Spy photographers this week caught the vehicle being put through hot-weather testing in Death Valley. We thought you might like to see what the dead-on-arrival-for-retail Ram PHEV is looking like these days, seeing as your tax dollars contributed to it.
Note the plug socket is offset from the rear license plate.
Honda Denies Reports It Will Stop Offering Insight and Civic Hybrids in Canada
For at least a week some blogs have been reporting that sales of the Honda Insight (pictured) and Civic Hybrid in Canada have been so weak that the automaker has decided to stop offering the hybrids there.
Not true, the company said in a statement today. While acknowledging there is a six-month supply of the fuel-efficient vehicles on dealers' lots across Canada, the company said that "if there is market demand for Insight and Civic Hybrid, we will bring the appropriate supply."
To put it another way, Honda Canada said it will monitor demand for the two low-emissions models and order more as needed. Honda Canada said it plans to offer both the Insight and Civic Hybrid as 2011 model-year units and has no plans to discontinue either model.
While it is music to our ears that Honda will continue to offer the hybrids in Canada, it's disappointing that they are clearly selling well below the automakers expectations.
Sales there suffer in part because reviews of the Insight have been bland, and because although the fuel economy of both is good (40 mpg/city and 43 mpg/highway for the Insight, 40 mpg/city and 45 mpg/highway for the Civic Hybrid), it pales in comparison with the Toyota Prius (51 mpg/city and 48 mpg/highway).
Better Place to Extend Tokyo Switchable-Battery Trial for Additional Three Months
Better Place today announced that it will extend its switchable-battery electric vehicle taxi pilot program in Tokyo to operate through the end of the year, just as Green Car Advisor said it might in a detailed report on the program earlier this month.
The trial ended four weeks ago. By extending the trial three months starting Sept. 1, Better Place says it will be able to further evaluate and improve the system, including the battery switch station, the EV taxis, battery performance and charging, as well as driver behavior and consumer acceptance.
The pilot project began on April 26, in cooperation with Nihon Kotsu Co., Tokyo's largest taxi operator, and focuses on the feasibility of battery switch as means for taxis to have quick zero-emissions range extension.
"Up to this point, there has been very little information about how an EV battery will perform in heavily used, real-world, taxi conditions," Kiyotaka Fujii, president of Better Place Japan, said in a statement. "This program has provided us with critical insights into the battery performance in a switch model and switch station performance for the toughest customers - taxi drivers."
Fujii said that by extending this program, Better Place hopes to gain further insights into the battery performance and durability of the switch station itself, "which will be invaluable as we move towards commercial launch later next year in Israel and Denmark."
While a comprehensive analysis of the data is still being conducted, some initial data points about the taxi project include that taxi drivers went through the switch station 2,122 times while racking up more than 25,000 miles and that the average switch time took 59.1 seconds.
Ohio St. Students Claim New Two-Way World Land Speed Record for BEV: 307 MPH
Engineering students from Ohio State University claim to have set an average two-way world land-speed record of 307.7 miles per hour for a battery-electric vehicle with their Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2.5 powered by a 600-plus kilowatt A123 Systems lithium-ion battery pack.
The vehicle reportedly eclipsed the previous 245 mph world land-speed record for BEVs, which was set in 1999 by White Lightning, driven by Pat Rummerfield. The new record is pending certification by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, the worldwide motor sports governing body.
The Bullet was required to make two speed runs, one each in opposite directions and within 60 minutes, in order to be considered for the record. While the record is officially determined by averaging the speed of the two runs in the middle of the 12-mile course at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the Bullet exited the flying mile at 320 mph, team members said.
The team (left) anticipated making further tries at besting its time but on Tuesday decided to stop after spending all night trying to replace the vehicle's broken clutch. Too much torque from the electric motor ripped apart the half-inch steel teeth that connect the motor to the gearbox.
The team is supported by French electric-vehicle manufacturer Venturi Automobiles, which lends its 10-year expertise in electric vehicles and significant sponsorship funding to the students.
The Buckeye Bullet 2, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, in 2009 set an FIA-certified world record of 302.877 mph for the fuel cell class. While the original battery-powered Buckeye Bullet set a national record at 314.9 mph in 2004, this record did not meet FIA specifications. That team did, however, set a certified record of 132.129 mph in 2007.
Audi to Offer Fuel-Light A1 Outside Europe, but U.S. Unlikely to See Model for Years
Audi will start selling the new A1 hatchback outside Europe next year and increase production to meet higher demand, Audi sales chief Peter Schwarzenbauer said in an interview with a Bloomberg reporter Wednesday.
Audi decided to expand sales of the fuel-efficient model after a website the automaker set up for the car attracted more than 150,000 interested customers worldwide, Schwarzenbauer said.
The A1, which will compete with BMW's 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the MINI Cooper, will start at 15,800 euros ($20,100) and will enter showrooms in Europe on Friday.
"We will expand our production capacities by 20 percent" for the A1, Schwarzenbauer said in Munich. Audi initially pledged to produce about 100,000 A1s, which can get more than 40 miles per gallon when fitted with the smallest of three offered engines, annually at its Brussels factory.
The A1, originally built to sell only in Europe, will be expanded to markets globally in 2011, with the exception of China and the U.S., he said.
The A1 will be introduced in China at some point after 2011, Schwarzenbauer said. The car will go on sale in the U.S. "at the earliest" with the model's second generation, he said. That likely would not be for at least several years.
Parent company Volkswagen could introduce the A1 "at short notice" in China, he said, adding that a decision on the timing of such a move hasn't been made yet. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have boosted sales this year because of surging demand in China and a rebound in the U.S.
Efficient Oil Pump Helps 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco Achieve 40 MPG on the Highway
By Scott Doggett, Contributing Editor
Fuel-economy improvements related to traditional powertrains aren't so much occurring in leaps and bounds these days as they are in baby steps.
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Right, the variable displacement oil pump improves the Chevy Cruze's fuel efficiency. The pump body pivots (blue lines), causing the vanes (red lines) to move, resulting in just the right volume of oil being pumped. When less oil is pumped, less energy is needed, which saves fuel. The pump is standard on the Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged engine.
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Take, for instance, a story that's splashed all over the blogosphere today, more often than not re-posted verbatim from a news release issued by Chevrolet this morning.
The news release begins: "The oil pump in the engine of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze takes a laid-back approach to its work, delivering the precise amount of oil needed during all driving conditions. That requires the engine to work less versus a conventional pump and ultimately saves fuel."
By lowering the volume of oil GM engineers reduced the amount of energy, or torque, required to pump the oil, without taking necessary lubrication away from the engine, Mike Katerberg, assistant chief engineer for the 1.4-liter engine, explained in the statement.
Remy and MotoCzysz to Bring Advance Electric Drive System to Automobile Market
Remy Electric Motors and design and engineering firm MotoCzysz have to work together bring a revolutionary, new generation electric drive system to market.
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Right, Remy International's HVH motor.
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The announcement comes less than two months after Remy International Inc., the largest U.S.-based supplier of electric motors for hybrid cars and Remy Electric Motors' parent, said it will work with Enova Systems on developing an electric-motor control system.
The unique drive system announced today leverages Remy Motors' patented High Voltage Hairpin (HVH) electric motor technology and patent-pending cooling and integration technology from MotoCzysz, the companies said in a joint statement today.
"The resulting breakthrough is a complete electric-drive system optimized to elicit and manage the full performance benefit of the powerful Remy motor," they said.