Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson came to West Philadelphia High School’s auto garage today to see first hand the award-winning cars a group of teenage students are producing.

The school’s Electric Vehicle X-Prize teams are building hybrids that can go from zero to sixty in less than 4 seconds and get 100 miles per gallon. They have already beat companies like Toyota and Honda by building the world’s first hybrid supercar.

Now they’re poised to be a top contender for the X Competition next spring which carries a $10 million prize.

“There’s so much to gain for urban youth and people around the world jumping on the green economy,” said sophomore Azeem Hill. “So many people need jobs.”

The EVX team started 11 years ago as an after-school program. The students have a budget of about $200,000. The big question is, how are they beating companies with millions at their disposal?

“It’s the fact that we’re not a big established company and not complicated,” said senior Eric Yates. “But we’re showing the world that if you understand the basics, look what kids in inner city Philadelphia – and youth all over – can do.”

These humble kids say they’re just trying to drive the market forward and open doors for inner city workers. EPA Administrator Jackson had nothing but good things to say.

“The president has said the green economy has to touch everyone,” she said during her visit today. “This is a great example of the administrators, teachers and sponsors knowing what is needed, and putting kids on the right track.”

SOURCE and VIDEO: ABC Local

SOURCE: Seattle Times

With the Tata Nano finally on the road (in India), first impressions are starting to roll in from all over the web. Here’s the elevator pitch: a rear mounted 623 cc two cylinder engine outputing 33 horsepower to the comically small rear wheels. However, what makes the Nano interesting is that it retails for about $2,000.

So what does the world’s cheapest new car feel like on the road? Check the video to find out.

SOURCE:CarTech

UPS released this video detailing how its hydraulic hybrid trucks work.

Essentially, the system uses its pressurized hydraulic fluid to motivate a pump that turns the wheels, propelling the vehicle forward. Under braking, the same pump is used to re-pressurize the fluid, recapturing some of the lost energy.

Once it drops below a preset level, the gasoline engine kicks in to drive a second pump, which drives the wheels, while re-pressurizing the system.

What’s interesting about this system is that the gasoline engine doesn’t appear to have a direct connection to the drive wheels, relying wholly on hydraulics to transmit the power.

Of course, it all makes sense when you see it in action.

SOURCE:CNET

Ford finally has an aspirational passenger car besides the Mustang. It’s the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

Ford breaks advertising for the new hybrid sedan today on American Idol. The focus of the ads, naturally, is the car’s 41 mpg city fuel economy. According to Ford officials, the fact that the car tops 40 mpg was a huge hot button with shoppers in focus groups and one on one interviews.

It’s a good month for Ford. 70% of its vehicles overall were recommended by Consumer Reports in its annual shopping guide, compared with just 19% for GM and zip for Chrysler.

Honda and Toyota scored above 90%. But in the whole scheme of things, 70% is quite good given Ford’s large fleet. And it is heartening to know that Ford CEO Alan Mulally actually has a target of scoring 100% by 2011. Believe it or not, Ford hadn’t had that target before CEO Alan Mulally arrived in 2006.

Though Ford is as desperate as anyone to sell vehicles, it is being realistic about sales potential in the near-term.

Its new trio of 30-second spots, from WPP’s JWT Team Detroit, is aimed at what the “upper funnel,”—potential buyers down the road. The ads carry the theme “We speak car.”

Matt Van Dyke, Ford’s director-marketing communications, said 40% of Americans are still unaware of the brand, even though the midsize sedan has been on the market since 2005.

The only problem is that hybrids cost a premium over non hybrids—in the case of Fusion, it’s about $3,200—at a time when gas is about $2.20 a gallon or less. Hybrid sales have cooled off since gas prices came down from highs last summer.

There is an idea at team Detroit that by playing up the hybrid, and generating buzz around it, it will help overall sales of the Fusion.
The stakes are high for Ford. The mid-sized segment is about 15% of total sales these days, which is the second biggest segment in the marketplace.

Fusion has been very much a trailer to the Honda Accord and Toyota sales Camry juggernauts. Ford would like to change that, though it has no illusions about passing those models.

Having driven the 2010 Fusion Hybrid, I can attest to the fact that the car can stand tire to tire with Honda and Toyota and get you better fuel economy than either one by a wide margin.

Now, if the Recession would lift, and gas prices go back to $4.00, the Fusion Hybrid would be perfectly timed.

SOURCE: Business Week

Starting Monday, March 2nd, MixedPower.com will be begin featuring random Green Car videos on a weekly basis.

The Green Car mission is to inform and entertain while also encouraging understanding of the exciting and environmentally positive vehicles in new car showrooms today, as well as those soon to come. This is achieved with the same kind of exciting features and technical presentations that Cogan has authored for mainstream automotive and science publications for years. The difference is that here, environmental thinking is always part of the presentation.

Enjoy!