General Motors Shifts Production to Small Cars, EV’s and Hybrids

GM Closing 4 Trucks and SUV Plants, Betting More on Smaller Cars

The latest statistics from the Federal Highway Administration show that Americans are driving less. They are also buying smaller cars as the transportation sector shifts into a different gear. This is particularly obvious in the US where fuel prices have been relatively low compared to most of the rest of the world for a long time. Read more

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Tesla Confirms Model S Plug-in Hybrid

Tesla has confirmed that it has started work on a second model, the follow up to the long-awaited all-electric Roadster. The car, a family-sized four-door sedan which previously had the working name “Whitstar” now has a name: Model S. Read more

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Honda Fit Hybrid Will not be sold in United States

No Honda Fit Hybrid Fit for USA

Honda spokesperson Sage Marie has said that the Honda Fit hybrid wouldn’t be sold in the US, at least not for a while.

Honda probably has a good business case for that. They have found that North-Americans seem to prefer dedicated hybrid models like the Toyota Prius, and because of they are selling all the Fits they can make, it makes more sense to sell Fit hybrids in Japan where they are better received, and slightly more profitable. American drivers will still get Honda’s upcoming dedicated hybrid (2010, about $19,000) which is based on the FCX Clarity, and a sporty hybrid coupe based on the CR-Z concept, but those who want more choices of affordable high-mileage vehicles in North-America will be disappointed.

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Chrysler Begins Hybrid Electric Vehicle Production

Chrysler has started production of hybrid electric vehicles at its Newark assembly plant in Delaware, US.

The company said that it is offering a two-mode hybrid powertrain on both the vehicles being built at the plant, the Dodge Durango and the Chrysler Aspen.

There are some other components associated with hybrid electric vehicles production that are installed at the plant including 300V battery, two-mode transmission, torque power inverter module, electric air conditioning, auxiliary power module, high-voltage cables, and hydro-electric power steering pump.

The company claims that that its advanced two-mode full hybrid system, developed in partnership with General Motors, Daimler and BMW, integrates automatic transmission technology with a hybrid-electric drive system to deliver the world’s first two-mode full hybrid.

Joe Ozdowy, plant manager of Chrysler’s Newark assembly facility, said: “The implementation of this new manufacturing process was done intelligently, with both quality and cost in mind. I would like to congratulate and thank the team for their dedication while bringing these important new products to market to help satisfy the changing needs of our Dodge and Chrysler customers.”

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Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Review

We just got our hands on the upcoming hybrid version of the Porsche Cayenne. It felt just like a regular Cayenne, but unfortunately doesn’t look any better. The four-door SUV is expected to be on the market by the end of the decade, the Stuttgart-based automaker said, a major move for the company in an increasingly carbon-conscious world.

The technology has been engineered so as not to compromise the Cayenne’s SUV abilities. Unlike the Lexus RX400h, which is not supposed to go off-road. The Cayenne Hybrid can still wade in 20 inches of water, it can still tow 7000 pounds. There’s still a full-size trunk above the battery compartment. The six-speed auto transmission also feels the same. It still accelerates like a regular Cayenne V-6 — in fact faster to 60 mph by about half a second. And with better torque, thanks to the electric motor’s contribution.

But gas mileage is about 20 percent better than usual. The prototypes are achieving 24.4 mpg in the US FTP cycle, versus 17.9 mpg for the standard V6 Cayenne. Porsche hopes to get this to 27 mpg by the time of production. Which will be about two years from now, following validation and durability testing.

The hybrid system is being engineered in concert with VW and Audi, and will also show up on their Touareg and Q7 SUVs, as well as, likely, future VW group sedans. The system is modular, so as to be installable in a range of platforms.

Crucially, it will also give Porsche a V6 hybrid Panamera sedan, which will allow it to claim a green version to compete against the upcoming wave of German high-performance clean diesels.

The system, which adds about 300 pounds in all, uses a donut-shaped 34-kilowatt electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the six-speed Tiptronic transmission. Between the electric motor and the V-6 is a clutch, operated automatically, to allow the engine to stop while the electric motor carries on. The battery — twice the size and power of a Prius’s, but a similar nickel metal hydride type — is under the trunk floor, in the spare wheel well. There’s also a transformer/inverter wedged under the hood.

Porsche’s hybrid principle of operation is pretty simple compared with Toyota’s. The electric motor turns at the same speed as the V-6, except for periods when the automatic clutch is open and the engine is stopped. If there’s enough charge in the battery the car can go along at highway speed on electric power alone, but the V-6 cuts in when charge gets low, powering the car and, because the motor becomes a generator when torque is applied to it, charging the battery at the same time. For max acceleration, the motor and engine both push the car in unison.

As the hybrid’s engine has no starter motor of its own, the clever bit is that the control electronics can start the V-6 by engaging the clutch, without a huge thud. To do that it has to engage the clutch while disengaging the torque converter lock-up, while adding fuel and spark to the engine, then dropping the power to the electric motor to compensate for the incoming torque from the V-6. It doesn’t sound simple, and it’s nowhere near as simple as it sounds. But in our test ride, the engine-starting process was as smooth as, say, a part-throttle upshift in the transmission.
As with all full hybrids, the motor also acts as a generator when you brake, charging the battery. This regenerative braking effect is strong enough in the Cayenne that driving smoothly through town you’ll hardly use the disc brakes at all. Clever electronics integrated in the ESP system split the braking effort between discs and regeneration, so all you need do is press the pedal as normal. Regeneration is the “free” energy that a full hybrid recovers, instead of using the brakes to turn kinetic energy through friction on the discs into wasted heat.

The battery is a nickel-metal hydride type, but Porsche is also working on a lithium-ion version. This would give better storage and a greater ability to absorb and deliver high current, implying further gas savings. But they don’t believe it can yet be made to work under the whole range of heat and cold. Porsche engineers concede that their hybrid system doesn’t save quite as much gas as the Toyota design or the GM/DCX “dual mode” when in town, but that, because of lower frictional losses in the system, it more than offsets this by being more efficient at highway speeds.

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Ford Fiesta ECOnetic gets 64 mpg

Ford showed a road-ready car at the auto show in London on July 25th that gets 64 mpg. That’s better than a Prius or Civic Hybrid and nearly twice the fuel economy of Ford’s best low mpg car in the U.S. - the Ford Focus. It will go on sale in Great Britain this year, but so far there are no plans to bring it to the U.S.

Ford yesterday announced it will now go forward with a plan to bring some of its European cars and technology to the U.S. between now and 2012. But I’m waiting to hear if THIS technology can be exported to the U.S.

This is what happens when a company drags out restructurings and net losses for years and years. When a company is losing money year after year after year, bold and risky business cases that might initially lose money (re: the Toyota Prius) but pay off big later don’t get done.

But don’t blame Ford entirely.

It also shows how we would benefit by aligning some air quality and fuel efficiency rules with Europe’s to make it easier for automakers to bring the very best technology to U.S. shores without costly Federalizing for a whole separate set of regulations and standards.

Part of the issue from the standpoint of Ford’s advanced planning is the screwed up approach to diesel fuel in the U.S. we have. We are way behind Europe in the adoption of clean diesel technology and distribution. It also reminds me of how far behind Europe we are in providing quality healthcare. The U.S. just doesn’t get it.

If this car were on sale in the U.S. now, Ford would be held up as a technology leader. But, then again, if the regulatory stage had been properly set, other automakers would have similar technology on sale as well.

Ford is launching the Fiesta in the U.S. in 2010. Here are the details on this version of the car: Powered by a specially-calibrated version of the 90 PS (66 kW, 89 hp) 1.6-liter Duratorq TDCi, combined with coated Diesel Particulate Filter, the Fiesta ECOnetic offers fuel consumption of 3.7 L/100km (63.6 mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 98 g/km. Extra-urban highway fuel consumption is 3.2 L/100km (73.5 mpg US). The Fiesta ECOnetic accelerates from 0-100 kph in 12.3 seconds and has a top speed of 178 kph (111 mph).

The Fiesta uses similar approaches to fuel efficiency as applied in earlier ECOnetic models, with improved aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tires and enhanced lubrication. Lowered ride height and aerodynamic details such as wheel covers and wheel deflectors build on Fiesta’s drag co-efficient (Cd) of 0.33.

The low rolling resistance tires in a 175/65 R14 profile, a longer final drive gear ratio and special lubricants support efficient powertrain performance, especially in highway cruising. In conjunction with BP, Ford has developed low-viscosity transmission and low-friction engine oils for ECOnetic models.

New Fiesta ECOnetic will be on sale across Europe later this year and completes an initial trilogy of models in the company’s European vehicle range that also includes a 139 g/km Ford Mondeo ECOnetic and a 115 g/km Ford Focus ECOnetic.

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Fiat Bravo Multijet Eco gets 62mpg

The Fiat Bravo range is being improved with new engines featuring high’ish performance, very low environmental impact and ultra-low maintenance costs; together with a raft of exciting and innovative ideas.  Well that’s the official line anyway, the reality is that the Bravo uses the usual tricks for these cars - longer gearing, low-rolling-resistance tyres, revised ECU settings - all of which add up to a super-impressive 62mpg, and only 119g/km of CO2.

Prices have recently been announced for the range’s economical new Euro 5-compliant 1.6 MultiJet-engined cars. With a starting price of just £13,595 OTR for the Active 1.6 16v MultiJet 105 model, the new engine range boasts fuel economy of up to 62.7mpg on the combined cycle, and low CO2 emissions, starting at just 119g/km.

An ideal car for the company vehicle driver who wants family size transport with minimal Benefit in Kind tax bills, the 5-door Bravo 1.6 MultiJet – which comes in 105bhp and 120bhp forms – is available in Active or Dynamic trim levels, both of which offer numerous comfort and safety features as standard. These include power steering, air conditioning, ABS anti-lock brakes, electric windows, plus driver, passenger and side airbags.

Sparkling performance, outstanding torque, increased noise suppression and lower running costs are all features of the new Bravo 1.6 MultiJet, and the unique eco-packaged 105bhp version uses special measures such as optimised aerodynamics, lower rolling resistance tyres and ‘taller’ gears to help return its outstanding fuel economy figures.

New ideas
But, regardless of engine choice, a series of bright new ideas being introduced by Fiat will take the Bravo to greater heights, with more drivers encouraged by the promise of even higher quality, reliability and exceptional driveability. What is less acceptable is the ride quality. The ordinary Bravo doesn’t exactly ride well, and, because of the new tyres, this one is possibly slightly worse. There’s too much feedback over broken surfaces, and the Bravo never really settles. This despite the fact that the wheels are only 16-inchers, which should be small enough to allow the soft sidewalls to absorb a lot of the crashiness.

An unprecedented combination of extended 48-hour test drives, a satisfaction guarantee and notably attractive finance offers are being rolled out. And all of this is being backed by a five year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty.

Fiat is already the top performer in Europe for having the lowest average CO2 emissions, at 137.3g/km, according to the latest figures published by Jato Dynamics, a world leader in automotive research and information.

The Fiat Bravo range starts at £10,995 OTR for the entry-level 1.4 model, rising to £16,355 OTR for the top-of-the-range 1.9 16v MultiJet 150 Sport.

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Hyundai Plans First U.S. Hybrid in 2010

Hyundai will introduce it’s first hybrid cars into the US using cutting-edge lithium-ion battery technology in 2010, an executive said on Wednesday. John Krafcik, vice president for product development at Hyundai, said the automaker would offer a hybrid version of the Sonata sedan for American consumers and would unveil a prototype of the vehicle in November of 2008. Read more

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Peugeot to Unveil RC Hybrid Concept at Paris Show

Peugeot will unveil a new performance hybrid concept known initially as the RC at October’s Paris Motor Show. It will be a GT, which the French car maker says will be a four-door, four-seat coupe with ‘highly innovative hybrid architecture’. Read more

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Cheap Gas Stunt Sells Electric Cars

Milton Grin is a gas station owner who wants to get out of the petrol business and into something a little more eco-friendly. Something like electric cars, but how does he attract attention for his new business? Read more

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