For those Americans who are still employed and have to drive to work every day, the continuing low pump prices for gasoline have been a boon. The current national average of $2.68 a gallon for regular is equivalent to an inflation-adjusted $1.01 per gallon in 1980. While that's certainly good for household budgets in a struggling economy, it doesn't provide much incentive to buy fuel efficient vehicles at a price premium. With the new Chevrolet Cruze starting at over $16,000 and the soon-to-launch new Ford Focus likely to cost at least that much, high-mpg cars could face a tough road in the market unless fuel prices rise soon.

Similarly, the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and next year's Focus Electric will no doubt appeal to the early adopters, but each of those vehicles needs to find a broad mainstream audience if they are to succeed. Even with tax incentives, each of those vehicles will command a significant price premium. Unless gas prices start to go back up toward $4 a gallon, the huge investments the auto companies made in those vehicles will be very hard to recoup. Of course, the chances of Congress raising fuel taxes any time in the foreseeable future are virtually nonexistent. Sigh.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req'd]

Amid escalating concerns over Lance Armstrong's possible violation of cycling's anti-doping policy, Nissan is saying it will stick with the seven-time Tour De France champion as the Leaf's official spokesperson. Speaking with Ad Age, Nissan's new marketing boss, Jon Brancheau, admitted that although Armstrong has received a significant amount of negative press, Nissan will support the cyclist while continuing to keep an eye on things. Ad Age prodded Brancheau with this question:

Nissan has made a pretty big bet on Lance Armstrong -- he was featured in the first Leaf commercial, is displayed prominently on your website and you even sponsor one of his cycling teams. Now, there's a ton of scrutiny around him with regards to doping claims. Does that worry you?

To which Brancheau responded:

This is something we'll continue to monitor, but the claims are all unsubstantiated up to this point. He's iconic, and he's almost the epitome of innovation when you think about athleticism. We're well connected with [Lance] and we continue to support him and the team. He's backing down to some degree from cycling in future years but we expect him to be actively engaged in a lot of different athletic events, especially marathons and things of that nature. So we're staying the course and continue to support him.

Let's hope that Lance survives this sticky situation, but if he's dropped by Nissan, we'll gladly step in for him and take delivery of the first Leaf. Hit the jump to watch Nissan's Leaf commercial featuring Lance Armstrong.

[Source: Nissan-Leaf, Ad Age]

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In recent years, China's Chery Automotive has displayed a growing fondness for electric vehicles (EVs). From the company's Riich M1, to the S18, its Tiggo 3 and even the QQ, Chery's focus on delivering EVs to its customer base is really unmatched by any of its Chinese competitors. The company's lineup of EVs, none of which are particularly strong sellers, continues to grow on a regular basis. With Chery's battery-powered focus in mind, it's not at all surprising to learn that the company has formed a joint venture (JV) with BenQ to develop lithium-ion battery technology.

Under terms of the 50:50 JV, Chery and Taiwan-based BenQ Corporation will construct a production plant in Wuhu in east China's Anhui province. Construction will begin in 2011 and, once complete, the facility will produce lithium-ion battery separator films. Before going full-scale, Chery and BenQ plan to construct a laboratory and experimental lines to test the properties of its thermal insulation separators. Monetary terms of the JV have not been released, but we'll update this story if any additional info comes our way.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

We recently got the following query from reader Felipe about electric vehicles (EVs) and we thought the answer would be of interest to many readers who are considering purchasing or leasing one of the upcoming crop of plug-in vehicles:

Hi, do you have any info for EV performance in hill terrain (paved roads). I believe all MPG testing is done on flat roads, and where i live most of the roads are high slope streets, so an underpowered engine is less efficient than a big one.

Felipe's assumption about mileage testing on flat ground is essentially correct. The standard drive cycles used in various countries all simulate acceleration, braking and steady-state driving on a flat surface. It's also true that running a smaller engine at its upper limit can result in lower efficiency than using a larger engine working at the sweet spot of its operating range. Read on after the jump to learn about the effects on EVs.

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China-based Foton Motors and Texas-based Freescale Semiconductor will combine their collective knowledge to open the Foton-Freescale Automotive Joint Lab. The lab will focus on developing software and system-level solutions for use in upcoming Foton vehicles. Both companies will collaboratively work towards developing relevant electronic control technology for applications that included hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs). By focusing on electronics and, more specifically, on software development, the Joint Lab hopes to introduce technology that can reduce vehicle emissions while also increasing the "economic performance and comfort of vehicles."

Speaking on behalf of Foton Motors, Wu Xeubin, the company's vice president and director of engineering research said:

Foton Motor has been committed to promoting energy and environmental technology in the automotive industry, and has proved continuous breakthroughs in new energy-driven vehicles over the past years. The opening of the joint lab will provide wings for Foton Motor products to fly into a promising future.

Wings and flying? We're not exactly sure what this statement implies, but it seems that the Joint Lab will be trying to help Foton Motors reach new heights.

[Source: Freescale Semiconductor]

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Just days ago, Los Alamos County took delivery of New Mexico's first hydraulic hybrid refuse truck. Like the four hydraulic hybrid recycling vehicles that recently started work on the streets of Ann Arbor, MI, the Los Alamos refuse truck is powered by Eaton Corporation's hydraulic launch assist system (HLA). The refuse truck, a Peterbilt Model 320 equipped with the HLA system and a Wayne Curbtender side loader, will be used for residential garbage pickup and is designed to withstand the rigorous collection routes that require up to 1,200 stops per day.

The hydraulic launch assist (HLA) system utilizes a pair of accumulators to store energy captured while braking and releases it during acceleration. The Model 320 with Eaton's HLA is said to save more than 1,000 gallons of fuel per year while also reducing emissions by 20 percent and extending brake life by 300 percent compared to its conventional (non-hybrid) counterparts. This lone refuse truck is expected to save Los Alamos County $18,250 in fuel costs over its 10 year useful life. Hit the jump for more info on New Mexico's first hydraulic hybrid garbage truck.

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General Motor's attempt to trademark the term "range anxiety" is generating some critical heat. The first to attack was Tesla Motors, which basically told GM to go ahead and associate itself with the term. Later, the global marketing director for Think EV, Michael Lock, told AutoblogGreen that:

While I have no interest in bashing GM, it is clear that their technology is limited and their car can only travel about 40 miles without the need for a gasoline engine. This is patently not what the environmentally motivated customer wants. It's classic defensive marketing to try and divert attention away from your weaknesses and this is typical of the battle cry, 'the best defense is offense'.

However, the early adopter end of the market is well educated and, as you may see from the blogs, are already decrying this. It may frighten some of the mass market, but they are not going to build the market over the next 12-18 months anyway and it may actually cement their view that GM is not enthusiastic or invested in pioneering this new market. I think that's a big risk.

Our marketing of the Think brand starts in earnest over the next 6 months and we are confident in the technology and the message. If anything, this presents a great opportunity for us to differentiate from the legacy manufacturers earlier and clearer than we had hoped for.

Lock also issued a statement to the media that said:

At Think, we are, frankly, a little bemused by GM's recently released 'range anxiety' campaign. It strikes me as 'kindergarten marketing' and can only be designed to confuse the public at a time when we should all be concentrating on education. The flaw in the GM Volt is that their hybrid arrangement carries enormous excess weight by needing both a power generation and a bulky power storage device.

For many customers, it is a bogus argument that the 100 mile range, in a Think City for example, will cause the driver to run out of charge on the way home from work. Most work commutes are comfortably within that range and new 'fast-charging' technology that enables a 0-80% charge in 15 minutes debunks the myth that a pure EV car is a limited niche option for America's needs. We welcome the late entry by giants like GM to the clean tech debate, but are hoping for a more positive contribution.

No interest in bashing GM, indeed.



[Source: Think]

Early in 2006, director Chris Paine first screened his film Who Killed the Electric Car at the Sundance Film Festival and turned the media spotlight on General Motors and its decision to scrap the EV1 electric car. GM was, of course, well aware of the impending movie and at just around the same time, a small group of engineers and designers began work on a new concept car. The following January, Bob Lutz drove the Chevrolet Volt onto the stage at the Detroit Auto Show and a star was born.

Before long, the launch of the Tesla Roadster and the decision to produce the Volt convinced Paine to begin work on a sequel, Revenge of the Electric Car which is due out next year. This time, instead of a funeral, Paine got to film the birth of a car. He and his crew recently went to the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant to catch the build of the 100th pre-production Volt. By the time the film comes out, Chevrolet will have delivered several thousand Volts to customers and Nissan will have done the same with the Leaf.

[Source: Revenge of the Electric Car]

As we've said before, the islands of Hawaii appear to be ideally suited for electric vehicles (EVs). The picturesque beaches, sparkling blue water and breathtaking mountain ranges are a sight to behold. EVs, often tagged as zero-emissions vehicles, are believed to have less environmental impact than other vehicles types and appeal to people in Hawai'i for a variety of obvious reasons, which are discussed in detail here.

Nissan, a self-proclaimed global leader in electric vehicles, has teamed up with the state of Hawaii to promote zero-emissions mobility there. The partnership marks Nissan's first definitive agreement with any state in the U.S. and will, as the company states, "help foster the adoption of electric vehicle technology." Hawaii has taken an active approach towards promoting battery-powered vehicles by offering a $4,500 tax credit towards the purchase of EVs and an additional $500 incentive on home charging stations. Combining Hawaii's $4,500 credit with the federal government's $7,500 incentive, drops the price of the Leaf to a more-than-affordable $20,780.

Hawaiian Senator, Daniel Inouye, outlined of the importance of bringing EVs to the island:

This partnership personifies Hawaii's commitment to a future powered by clean, sustainable sources of energy. In order to change the energy consumption patterns of our population, we have to offer drivers alternatives to vehicles that rely on imported fossil fuels. More than 90 percent of the fuel and energy we consume in Hawaii is the product of imported oil. Given our unique access to clean, renewable, energy sources, Hawaii should serve as a model of what is possible when government and business collaborate to plan a path forward into an energy efficient future.

The Leaf's arrival in Hawaii is set for January 2011. Hit the jump to read more about Nissan's partnership with the island state.

[Source: Nissan North America | Image: Jordan Emery – C.C. License 2.0]

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We've obviously laid eyes on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV on numerous occasions, but the modified Euro-spec version has remained unseen. That is, until now. If you gander at the image above you may notice the slight tweaks that differentiate the Euro-spec i-MiEV from its Japanese counterpart. What, you can't see the differences? Okay, well maybe a long, drawn-out stare will lead you to discover that this Euro-spec models sports revised front and rear bumpers that meet EU regulations. Those revised bumpers are the only exterior changes that are required to make the i-MiEV Euro-ready and the only tweaks that you will find on the outside.

Turning out attention to the interior, the Euro-spec i-MiEV features a re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel and, according to Mitsubishi, improved passenger comfort. On the safety front, all Euro-spec i-MiEVs feature a stability control system and side curtain airbags as standard equipment. Pricing for the European i-MiEV will vary by country, but its expected to cost under €35,000 ($44,400 U.S. at the current exchange rate) in all 14 European countries that Mitsubishi targets for sales. Hit the jump for more on the Euro-spec i-MiEV.

[Source: Mitsubishi Motors]

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