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July 04, 2009
- Henrik Fisker distances his company from Tesla, GM
Fisker Karma - Click above for high-res image gallery
Considering the two fledgling automaker's past history, it's not terribly surprising that Henrik Fisker would want to distance his company from Tesla Motors. Recall that Fisker had originally been tasked with penning the design for the Tesla S electric sedan but later unveiled the Karma after being dismissed by the Silicon Valley automaker. There was a lawsuit, which was ruled in Fisker's favor by an arbitration court.
Speaking at a meeting of the Western Automotive Journalists Assoction, Fisker said, "The full-electric car [like the Tesla Roadster] is a niche market. Plug-in hybrids have a much bigger market." Of course, not everyone agrees that PHEVs are the way to go. Fisker goes on to say that his company's latest business plan will lead to profits at just 5,000 annual sales, though the goal remains 15,000 sales per year.
What about the Chevy Volt, which uses a similar range-extended electric architecture as the Fisker Karma? Somewhat disparingly, Fisker suggests that GM's future EV won't really be competition for the Fisker, saying only, "It's a Chevy." He's got a point, though, as the Volt is likely to cost about half what Fisker plans to ask for the Karma and surely won't fit into the same luxury category as Fisker's green machine.
[Source: Hybrid Cars]Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid
Henrik Fisker distances his company from Tesla, GM originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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source: (AutoblogGreen)
July 03, 2009
- BMW building more MINI Es for European testing
MINI E - click above for high-res image gallery
The popularity of BMW's MINI E test program in the United States has evidently prompted the company to expand production beyond the original 500 cars and add a smaller test fleet in Europe. The original plan, as announced last fall, was for 500 of the battery-powered MINIs to be made available in the U.S. and split between Southern California and the New York/New Jersey area. According to MINI USA spokeswoman Nathalie Bauters, there will be 450 of the cars in the U.S. with an additional 105 cars in Europe. Of the European fleet, 50 will go to the German capitol of Berlin, 40 to the British capitol in London and the last 15 will be used in and around Münich, hometown to BMW. That makes a total of 555 electric MINIs in a year-long (and controversial) field test. In all likelihood we will be hearing something about the next phase of BMW's electrification plans within the next 12 months, possibly at the LA Auto Show this fall where we first saw the MINI E last year.
[Source: BMW, Bigblogg.Motoring]Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, MINI
BMW building more MINI Es for European testing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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source: (AutoblogGreen) - REPORT: Japan could require hybrids to emit sound
2010 Honda Insight - Click above for high-res image gallery
Now that hybrid cars have taken the top sales spots in Japan for the last few months, that country's Transport Ministry is reportedly launching an investigation to determine if it's wise to require hybrid automobiles to emit an artificial sound when operating with the internal combustion switched off. The thinking is that hybrids may be more dangerous to the blind due to their quiet operation under electric power.
According to an unnamed official, the government's 13-member panel - consisting of a diverse group of scholars, vision-impaired groups, consumers, police and automobile industry officials - "decided to consider introducing a sound-making function" on all hybrids at its first meeting on Thursday, July 2. The panel hasn't yet decided what sound hybrids should make. We'll cast our unofficial vote in the direction of cowbells.
The issue is well-known in America, where the government has launched Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Acts in each of the last two years to study the supposed problem. Naturally, there is some opposition to artificial noise generators on hybrids. "On the other hand, we should pay attention to residents (along roads) as hybrids are excellent in reducing noise," added the Transport Ministry official.
[Source: AFP via Google]Filed under: Hybrid, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, Japan
REPORT: Japan could require hybrids to emit sound originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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source: (AutoblogGreen) - Yokohama dB Super E-spec orange oil-infused tires now on sale
Yokohama debuted its new ADVAN ENV-R1 orange oil-infused racing tire at the Porsche GT3 Challenge at Sebring a few months back. At the time, the company promised to have new tires using the eco-friendly technology on the market for consumer use in short order. Apparently, that time is now. According to Dan King, Yokohama vice president of sales:The eco-focused dB Super E-spec mixes sustainable orange oil and natural rubber to drastically cut the use of petroleum, without compromising performance. It also helps consumers save money at the gas pump by improving fuel efficiency via a 20-percent reduction in rolling resistance. With these innovations, the dB Super E-spec could very well be the most technologically-advanced tire ever produced.
At launch time, the new green orange tires will be available in four sizes. Not coincidentally, those sizes will fit popular hybrids like the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid/Civic GX NGV, Toyota Camry Hybrid and Honda Accord Hybrid. Click past the break for the official press release.
[Source: Yokohama]Continue reading Yokohama dB Super E-spec orange oil-infused tires now on sale
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc.
Yokohama dB Super E-spec orange oil-infused tires now on sale originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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source: (AutoblogGreen) - UK funds Low-Carbon Buses with £30 million
The British Department of Transport has announced a new £30 million fund to help bus operators purchase low-carbon vehicles, like the new GM-Allison Two-mode hybrid system (pictured). A Low Carbon Emission Bus (LCEB) is defined as one that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent compared to a current Euro 3 diesel bus of the same total passenger capacity. These buses should also deliver at least Euro V emission standards. The fund also welcomes EV buses, but thus far, few options are available. The fund will be distributed on a very granular scale by giving operators 6 pence for each kilometer operated with such vehicles. Getting more LCEBs on the road is important because, despite improvements in fuel efficiency in bus technology, the Department of Transport found that CO2 emissions from buses have increased significantly over the last 10 years.
[Source: Department of Transport]Filed under: Transportation Alternatives, Legislation and Policy, UK
UK funds Low-Carbon Buses with £30 million originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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source: (AutoblogGreen)
