Mon 05 January, 2009

The good ole days, at least for hybrid sellersChange. Talk about what a difference a few months makes.
Just six months, you couldn't find a Toyota Prius on a dealer lot. In December, however, Prius sales fell 45 percent according to the AP. But it isn't just hybrid cars that are getting hit hard, but fuel efficiency in general, as Toyota and Honda posted bigger sales declines than their US competitors.
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New hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs by 2012We've heard it before. Ford was going to become a hybrid leader, then they weren't. Of course, now there is also a new sheriff in town with new rules and new plans.
Ford's new CEO, Alan Mulally, achieved much success striving for efficiency while at Boeing. Can he do the same with the only US automaker not to yet need any government loan help thanks to Mulally's restructing efforts after taking over Ford's helm?
That's what many are wondering thanks to a recent statement Ford made when it announced new plans for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs by 2012, which are to be elaborated upon at NAIAS.
In the past, I would have poooh-pooohed such news as just greenwashing, but considering the engineering success of the Ford Fusion hybrid and its new hybrid powertrain, there is reason to be hopeful.
Still, is this all just PR and congressional-pointed propaganda, or do you think Ford is ready to become a real leader in hybrid and EV technology? And, I define real leadership as not just technology, but significant sales. Can Ford become a hybrid sales leader within the next five years?
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Filed under: Renault, Frankfurt Motor Show, European Union
If you think that the current generation of the Renault Twingo - a fairly low-polluting car and quite useful on crowded European cities - isn't that much of a looker, take a look at this first image of the Twingup. I happen to like to first-gen Twingo, but can appreciate that Renault has taken some inspiration from the converted Honda CRX convertibles for its new Twingo-based roadster.The Twingup's manually-adjusted roof can be stored in the trunk, and Renault expects that this solution will lower the price of the car so as it will compete against similar cars such as the Micra C+C, the Peugeot 207 CC and the Opel Tigra, which have electrically-operated foldable roofs. The Twingup should appear during the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2010.
[Source: Autointernationaal]
Renault to unveil a Twingo-based roadster originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Hybrid, Hydrogen, Honda, Toyota, Green Daily

We've already taken a look at the 2,555 hybrids that GM sold in December and the 14,439 hybrid vehicles it sold in 2008, but what about the other major automakers? Not every automaker reports their sales the same way (most don't break out hybrid numbers, for example), but we can still compare GM's results to Honda's and Toyota's.
Toyota reports that, for all of 2008, it sold 15,200 Lexus RX 400h luxury hybrid SUVs and 19,391 Highlander Hybrid gas-electric mid-size SUVs. For the year, Toyota and Lexus sold 241,405 hybrid vehicles. That includes 158,884 Priuses, compared to 181,221 in 2007. That 12.6 percent drop in hybrid sales is better than the drop in overall sales in the industry.
There is something interesting going on with the Honda numbers. The sales numbers say that 1,036 Civic hybrids were sold in December (31,297 in all of 2008) compared to 3,223 in December 2007 (32,575 in all of 2007). That was expected. The discontinued Accord hybrid managed to sell 198 units in 2008 (vs. 3,405 in 2007). The interesting part comes in the FCX Clarity section. Apparently, Honda sold five of them in 2008. I thought the only way to get an FCX Clarity was to lease one.
[Source: Toyota, Honda]
Toyota, Honda hybrid sales drop in 2008; 5 FCX Clarity models sold originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Toshiba Corp., which got into the electric-car battery business three months ago, said it now has launched a photovoltaic systems…
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Mitsubishi Motors has found a fan in Japan for its battery-electric i-MiEV city car.
The Lawson convenience store chain, which…
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By Scott Doggett, Contributor
It would appear that Daimler not only views electrification of the automobile is the key to sustainable…
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As concerns about global warming, energy independence and plain old traffic congestion grow and the automobile continues to be demonized,…
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It can sometimes be a little unclear (especially at the start of a new year) how the previous year changed…
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China's BYD Auto will showcase the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at next week's Detroit auto show, according…
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Photo: Flickr
The Good Ol’ Book is Back in Vogue
When green advocates talk about product service systems (PSS), many might be…
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Photo: Lotus Evora
Lotus Electric Car in the Cards
These words were recently spoken by Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley, making us think…
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Want to keep track of what’s happening money-wise in clean tech during 2009? A new website called TheFunded.com presents a…
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photo: Dominic Alves
With the honeymoon phase of support for first generation biofuels (those derived from food crops such as corn,…
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By Scott Doggett, Contributor
It would appear that Daimler not only views electrification of the automobile as the key to sustainable mobility, but it also views the shift from gasoline- and diesel-powered cars and trucks to electric vehicles as an opportunity for the Stuttgart automaker to compete head on with major automotive parts suppliers.
In an interview today with the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Chief Executive Thomas Weber (pictured) said Daimler -- parent company of Mercedes-Benz and Smart -- intends to compete directly with German automotive parts supplier Robert Bosch and other companies in selling high-performance lithium-ion batteries to third parties.
Weber's comments follow the joint announcement last month by Daimler and German chemical, energy and real estate company Evonik Industries that the two companies had partnered to develop lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and hybrids, with the first publicized target for the new batteries being the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid due out this year.
Diamler and Evonik made that announcement less than a week after Mercedes-Benz disclosed plans to unveil a trio of BlueZero electric-drive concept vehicles at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, which starts next Monday, and Daimler's announcement to expand its test program of electric-drive Smart Fortwos from London and Berlin to the Italian cities of Rome, Milan and Pisa.
According to industry forecasts, the market size for high-performance lithium-ion batteries will exceed $13 billion within the next decade. Clearly, Daimler and Evonik Industries want a chunk of that market, as do Toyota, Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan, all of which have recently partnered with battery-makers.
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Globe and Mail | 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid vs. Camry Hybrid, Altima Hybrid, and ... Car and Driver, MI - We test four hybrid family haulers that eke more miles from every gallon. BY PATRICK BEDARD, PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON KILEY Like the price of sea bass on the ... Nissan Altima: An Advanced Technology Hybrid Car A lofty goal First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid |
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Hydrogen fuel cells have a lot to recommend them. Fuel cells consume air and hydrogen and produce nothing but water and electricity. They provide a mechanism to get an electric vehicle with the type of range that drivers have come to expect along with the rapid re-fueling they are used too. Unfortunately, they have some serious drawbacks, namely the problem of distributing and storing the hydrogen as well as the high cost of the fuel cells themselves. A major factor in the cost is the need for precious metal catalysts to trigger the reaction that causes the electrons to be stripped off the hydrogen atoms. The precious metals are needed because of their ability to survive the acidic environment created by the presence of ionic hydrogen. Lin Zhuang of Wuhan University in China has developed a different fuel cell using a nickel catalyst on the anode. This catalyst triggers the generation of hydroxyl (OH) ions which are alkaline. Unfortunately, the current polymer membranes can't conduct these hydroxyl ions so the Chinese researchers developed a new membrane material that can pass these ions. The team also added chromium to the nickel to help prevent oxidation of the catalyst. So far, the power outputs being achieved are low but this is definitely a research path that has some potential for reducing the cost of the cells. Thanks to Martin for the tip!
[Source: Technology Review]
Chinese researchers develop nickel catalyst fuel cell originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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2010 Honda Insight Hybrid: Official Euro-Spec Production Model ... Jalopnik, MI - Overall the translation from show car to production has served Honda’s earth-saving hybrid well. We’ll bring you the full story on the US market car in a ... Leakage: Euro-spec 2009 Honda Insight |
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Toshiba Corp., which got into the electric-car battery business three months ago, said it now has launched a photovoltaic systems business to take advantage of what many analysts see as a growing solar energy market.
While Toshiba's initial aim is to develop large solar power generating systems for utilities and industry, the new unit also would give it another avenue into the electric vehicle business if solar-powered EV recharging stations ever catch on commercially.
Toshiba already makes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for use in EVs.
The company said that its new photovoltaic division intends to tap into a utilities and industry market that analysts expect to generate almost $24.5 billion in global sales by fiscal 2015. The company said it hopes to secure a $2.2-billion slice of the market by then.
Not Alone
Toshiba's announcement comes at the same time U.S.-based Solar Power Inc., a manufacturer of solar systems, said it has signed a deal for Chinese photovoltaic cell maker JA Solar to supply it with up to 60 megawatts of solar cells over the next year.
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Filed under: Hybrid, Honda, Detroit Auto Show, European Union, UK

The world can be a leaky place, especially since the internet makes it easy to spread any early information in an extremely rapid manner. Such is life for automakers at the moment. The latest victim (or beneficiary, if you consider a leak to be free advertising) is Honda, which saw a Japanese brochure for its upcoming Insight hybrid hatchback leaked out to the internet just last week. This was followed up by the leak of what appears to be a European brochure that offers us tons of sneak peeks at details such as the new Euro-spec Insight's head lamps, tail lights, grille, wheels and dash. Overall, the car looks pretty similar to the concept that was introduced last year in Paris, gaining cleaner lines overall and losing unnecessary show car bits in the process. As much as we all like to see these early shots, we only have a short wait until January 11th when the car will get its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show. Until then, enjoy these early teasers.
[Source: Carscoop]
European Insight brochure leaks out originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Hybrid, GM, HUMMER, Green Daily

All things considered, it appears that we think of GM's 2,555 hybrid sales in December a success. GM's press release (posted after the jump) certainly makes it all smell like roses. The 2.5k deliveries are up from the 1,957 hybrids the General sold in September. At that time, GM was averaging about 1,000 hybrids a month for 2008, and the trend has been upward since then, and for all of 2008, GM sold 14,439 hybrid vehicles. Here's how December's hybrid sales broke down:
- 981 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 442 GMC Yukon
- 306 Cadillac Escalade
- 454 Chevrolet Malibu
- 34 Saturn Aura
- 338 Vue
For those of you keeping score against the HUMMER brand, sales in 2008 were down 50.9 percent compared to 2007. The General sold 55,986 H1, H2, and H3 models in 2007 and 27,485 in 2008 (including just 692 units of the new H3T model).
[Source: GM]
Continue reading GM sold 2,555 hybrids in December, HUMMER sales cut in half
GM sold 2,555 hybrids in December, HUMMER sales cut in half originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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![]() TweakTown | MSI to show hybrid-storage netbook at CES TG Daily - By Wolfgang Gruener City of Industry (CA) – MSI this morning confirmed that its much anticipated Wind U115 and U120 netbooks will be on display at CES. ... Laptops and notebooks: MSI's SSD and HDD notebook MSI launches hybrid netbook 6:10PM, Monday 5th January 2009 CES2009: MSI announces Wind netbooks with SSD/HDD and WiMAX/3.5G |
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I warned you not to hold your breath on that solar-powered Toyota. A recent story from Reuters indicated that the Japanese automaker was developing a solar-powered car although a plug-in car would be an intermediate step along the way. In spite of the excitement from some of our commenters, It now looks like this car might be even further out than I surmised. The comparatively low power density of photovoltaic cells severely limits the type of vehicle that could be built and powered this way. Toyota is apparently aware of these limitations and spokesperson Jana Hartline told AllCarsElectric "we're not aware of any such vehicle, planned or otherwise." So there. [Source: AllCarsElectric]
Toyota denies plans to build solar car originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Hybrid, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

How cool is it when you pull up to a parking space that's close to where you need to be and you're one of the few people allowed to park there? This privilege is most often reserved for handicapped persons and pregnant women, but the perk has been extended towards hybrid owners in a growing number of cities, communities and offices. Not surprisingly, there are both proponents (those with hybrids, obviously) for the system and opponents, most often people who choose fuel efficient vehicles that don't happen to be hybrids. This clash has led Fresno, California, to rescind its hybrid parking passes and the city of Ferndale, Michigan, to create its own special parking privileges to drivers of any car that get at least 30 miles per gallon in EPA testing.
The more reasons people have to choose a fuel efficient car, the better. Now that fuel prices have fallen so far, the ability to use HOV lanes and park in designated spots may help move the fuel-efficient metal.
[Source: USA Today - Photo: rscottjones CC 2.0]
The parking fairy loves hybrid drivers originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boston Globe | Hit the Brakes: US Auto Sales Keep Tumbling in December, Even Hybrids Wall Street Journal Blogs, NY - But the same dismal economy spells even worse news for more expensive, fuel-efficient hybrid cars. Honda sold just over 1000 hybrids in December, ... US auto sales plunge whopping 36 percent in Dec. Toyota Ends 2008 Down 15.4%; Toyota Brand Surpasses Chevy Toyota Reports 2008 and December Sales |
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Mitsubishi Motors has found a fan in Japan for its battery-electric i-MiEV city car.
The Lawson convenience store chain, which operates 8,000 locations in Japan and has a fleet of 1,500 company-owned vehicles, says it will start replacing them with EVs next year.
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Composite photo shows i-MiEV parked in front of one of Japan's Lawson stores.
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The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbum reported last week that Lawson will acquire 150 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs when the automaker begins marketing them to the public -- in Japan only, we're sorry to say -- this summer.
Lawson also said that it is contemplating installing electric-car charging stations at some of its stores at the end of the year to see if that will help boost consumer interest in battery-electric vehicles.
The chain store operator told the newspaper that it hoped to improve its corporate image and cut its fuel bills by becoming an early adopter of EVs In its fleet. It said that if all goes well it would like to convert its entire fleet to electric-drive vehicles over time.
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Hydrogen Hybrid, Corp. Selects EquityGroups.com to Create ... CNNMoney.com - Hydrogen Hybrid will be featured in the renewable energy hydrogen stocks section and will appear as a banner ad on various pages of EquityGroups.com. ... |
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![]() iLounge | Elgato rolls out improved EyeTV Hybrid, updated software iLounge, CA - By Charles Starrett Elgato has announced its new 2009 EyeTV Hybrid USB TV Tuner Stick for North America and version 3.1 of its EyeTV software. ... |
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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Hybrid, Green Daily

Many of the people in Plug in America were excited by Barack Obama's win in the US presidential election. So excited, in fact, that they applied to be part of the Presidential Inaugural Parade that will take place later this month. Well, with 1,300 other groups having the same idea, PIA's electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) contingent was not selected to take part in the Washington, DC event. Undeterred, PIA has announced their own "Inaugural Parade West: Plug In, America!" which will cruise through Santa Monica, CA on January 17. So far, PIA expects over thirty "EVs and PHEVs, including Teslas, numerous RAV4s (with tens of thousands of miles on each), Vectrix bikes, Chevy S10s and conversions." Chris Paine and his film crew will be on hand as part of their work on the sequel to "Who Killed The Electric Car?" As for major automaker participation, PIA said that, "We've invited GM to bring a vehicle. That will be the next news update. Or miracle? Hey, they brought a Volt to AltCarExpo...." (see above).
[Source: Plug In America]
Continue reading Plug In America will host West Coast Inauguration parade with 30+ EVs
Plug In America will host West Coast Inauguration parade with 30+ EVs originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Husqvarna(R) Showcases New Automower(TM) Solar Hybrid at the 2009 ... MarketWatch (press release) - CHARLOTTE, NC, Jan 05, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Husqvarna's Automower(TM) Solar Hybrid is a fully robotic lawn mower partly powered by the sun and uses no ... |
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Developers of greener autos seek DOE aid The Wenatchee World Online, WA - By Deborarh Jian Lee AP Business Writer NEW YORK — The Department of Energy has received the first applications for $25 billion in low-interest federal ... |
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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chrysler, Dodge, Detroit Auto Show

Chrysler made a really big deal about its three electric vehicle concepts that were first introduced to the public in September of last year (still not used to that, huh?) and was sure to mention at every opportunity that it planned on introducing at least one of these three vehicles, or at least a variation of the general theme, by 2010. There are quite a few skeptics - we ourselves are taking a "wait and see" attitude towards the situation - but the big loans that the automaker just got mean that it'll at least be around long enough to show the concepts at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show later this month.
Don't expect to see a lavish display like we saw last January from Chrysler, when it trotted out an entire herd of cattle through downtown Detroit for the launch of its 2009 Dodge Ram pickup. Although Chrysler's not talking about it quite yet, the fact that we've seen spy shots of an electric Dodge Roadster already, our best guess is that the Lotus-based electric sportscar is the best bet to see production.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Chrysler still bringing EV concepts to Detroit originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Local professor makes 'hyper-hybrid' WWMT, MI - WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Hybrids are probably the future of the auto industry, and a local professor is helping to jump-start the movement. ... Converting Prius to plug-in doubles gas efficiency Longer Road To Breaking Even |
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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Green Daily, Th!nk (Think)

Just a quick update to Saturday's post about Th!nk's ever-increasing rescue potential. We wrote that Google translated the Norwegian of the original article as, "There will be no cars on the market in January." Our friend Leif wrote in to note that "the real translation should be 'There will be some cars on the market in January.'" So, that's positive. Leif has more information over at Electric A!d (he posts there as Leif Richard), where he and other are part of "Operation Th!nk," a grassroots effort to collect money for Th!nk. The idea is to use the donations to support "the only EV-Manufacturer in the world who has an electric car that is commercial[ly] available today." Sure, there is an asterisk to note that the rich can buy a Tesla, but I'm not sure how GEM and Miles and all the others feel about being left out. The Th!nk City has more oomph than those NEVs, but they are indeed EV that are available today.
[Source: Electric A!d]
Think gets grassroots, some new electric cars should be ready in January originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, BMW, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen

Following the terrorist threats that caused the cancellation of the 2008 Dakar Rally, the race is back on for 2009. This time, even though the name remains, the battle has moved from the Sahara desert to South America. This year's event kicked off Saturday in Beunos Aires, Argentina. The 436 competitors will follow a 9,574 km route heading south to Puerto Madryn, and then over to Chile for a stop over in Valparaiso before they make their way back to Buenos Aires. So far, after two days of competition, the "car" class is being led by diesels from Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, and BMW.
Two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz won day two and leads overall in one of the VW Race Touaregs followed by another Touareg, a Mitsubishi Lancer, a BMW X3 and a second Lancer rounding out the top five. The four Mitsubishi Lancers are all running on non-food sourced biodiesel. You can check out a summary video of day 2 after the jump.
[Source: Dakar.com]
Continue reading VIDEO: VW, BMW and Mitsubishi diesels lead the way in 2009 Dakar Rally
VIDEO: VW, BMW and Mitsubishi diesels lead the way in 2009 Dakar Rally originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Plenty of supply nowHybrid cars and electric vehicles. They are the future, right?
Sure, I think even hybrid haters accept the reality of the electrification of the automobile, but when will the majority of vehicles sold in America be electric?
Not for decades, at least in America, if fuel prices don't rise significantly. Instead, for decades, such vehicles will be a minor niche.
In November, hybrid sales were down 50 percent, as trucks and SUVs regained some market share. How bad will sales be this month when automakers release their monthly sales? I don't know, but I drove by my local Toyota dealer yesterday. With dozens of Prius hybrids on the lot, an even bigger crash in hybrid sales wouldn't be surprising.
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China's BYD Auto will showcase the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at next week's Detroit auto show, according to a report in China Automotive Review.
The five-year-old automaker began selling the dual-mode hybrid in China last month -- at least a full year before rivals General Motors and Toyota bring electric-powered vehicles to market. BYD Auto has said it plans to sell the F3DM PHEV in North America in two or three years.
The F3DM, which was unveiled to reporters at BYD's headquarters in Shenzhen last month, can travel 62 miles using only batteries, BYD Auto claims. After that, a 1.0-liter all-aluminum gasoline engine comes on to generate electricity for the vehicle's battery pack, which in turn powers the vehicle's 75-kilowatt electric motor.
The midsize sedan sells for about $21,700. BYD Auto attributes its ability to offer the F3DM at about half the estimated price of GM's comparable Chevrolet Volt PHEV, due out in 2010, to a breakthrough development in battery technology.
Parent company BYD, which is the No. 1 supplier of lithium-ion batteries for cell phones, is now able to produce a high-performance ferrous-based lithium-ion battery on an industrial scale, company Vice President Lian Yubo said.
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Filed under: Biodiesel, South/Latin America
The potential to make biofuels from camelina and mustard is well known, and they might be two good choices for additional oil sources to make biodiesel besides jathropa. The University of Concepción, in Chile, along with nearby agricultural conglomerates, have funded research to discover the potential of camelina and mustard as sources of oil to produce biodiesel. Camelina proved to be a great source of oil, yielding 25 quintals per ha (about 40 bushels/acre) of which half can be extracted into oil to make biodiesel. The better news is that camelina needs little fertilization and is able to survive in harsh weather. Mustard studies were also promising, yielding 40 quintals per ha (60 bushels per acre), from which they obtained 45 to 50 percent in oil for biodiesel. Now, let's roll the puns about a mustard-powered biodiesel weinermobile![Source: Chilean Fundación para la Innovación Agraria via Econoticias]
New biodiesel from mustard and camelina developed in Chile originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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EZ STREET Unveils Its Hybrid Technology at NPE West 2008 ForConstructionPros.com, MD - By Pavement Staff Attendees at NPE West had the opportunity to be some of the first contractors to see EZ STREET's newly unveiled Hybrid Technology for cold ... |
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