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Sam Abuelsamid

Ypsilanti, MI - http://sam.abuelsamid.com

Chevy Spark gets driven in Europe, could use some more spark

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 5th, 2009 at 6:10PM

2010 Chevrolet Spark - click above for high-res image gallery

The new Chevy Spark could be the smallest model ever offered by General Motors in North America if the company follows through with plans to bring it here in 2011. Given the continuing upheavals at the tubes, and the questions about the micro-car segment in the U.S., this one is anything but certain. Nonetheless, the Spark is now on sale in other parts of the world and the folks at the UK's Channel 4 recently had the opportunity to drive it.

The Europeans get two four-cylinder engine options in the Spark, a 67 hp 1.0-liter or an 80 hp 1.2-liter. The larger engine takes 12.1 seconds to hit 62 mph while the smaller unit takes 15.5 seconds. Neither is especially refined in doing so, and they struggle climbing grades at highway speeds. They are rated at 49.0 and 46.1 mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined cycle, good but not outstanding especially given the sluggish thrust. A diesel or battery version would probably be a better choice for the city car. It sounds like the ride and handling could use some more tweaking as well.

Gallery: 2010 Chevy Spark


[Source: Channel 4]

Renault EVs to be available for test drives during Copenhagen climate conference

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 5:22PM

Renault Fluence ZE Concept - click above for high-res image gallery

When attendees get to the big climate change conference in Copenhagen next week, they will have an opportunity to sample some of Renault's upcoming fleet of electric vehicles. A sampling of the Fluence ZE sedans and Kangoo Express ZE MPV's will be on hand at the conference and available for test drives. Anyone who wants to drive the battery-powered vehicles will have to set up an appointment to do so. The Fluence sedan will go on sale in Israel, Denmark and parts of Europe starting in the first half of 2011 with a roll out to other markets over time. The Kangoo ZE will be available at the same time in Europe. Renault and its alliance partner Nissan are sticking to a projection that BEVs will account for 10 percent of sales by the end of the next decade. Renault and Nissan are certainly pushing hard to get volume with eight models planned in the next several years and manufacturing in Europe, Japan and the U.S.

Gallery: Renault Fluence ZE concept


Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Renault Twizy, Zoe, Kangoo and Fluence EVs


[Source: Renault]

LA 2009: First Fisker Karmas now expected to hit showrooms in Sept. 2010

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 3:40PM Breaking

Henrik Fisker gives an update on the Karma - click above for high-res image gallery

Henrik Fisker provided an update on his eponymous car company here in LA today. No one but the hopelessly naive will be surprised to learn that production Karma's will not be hitting customers hands by the end of this month (as once promised). For a company that was only founded two years ago, to get an all-new design engineered and produced in 18 months is a near impossibility. The new target for the for the Karma sedan to hit dealers in the U.S. is September of 2010. Fisker has lined up 42 dealers in the U.S. to sell and service the Karma, along with three European distributors that will provide cars to about 100 dealers there.

According to Fisker, the company has applied for over 50 patents on the technology in the Karma. The basic architecture of the Karma remains unchanged as a series hybrid / extended range EV with a 22 kWh battery pack and a 260 hp GM GTDI Ecotec four cylinder. The electric range is expected to be about 50 miles with a 0-60 time of six seconds. Delivery time is a little bit longer.

Gallery: LA 2009: Fisker Karma


[Source: Fisker Automotive]

LA 2009: BMW prices the ActiveHybrid 7, starting at $103,125

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 2:06PM Breaking



Hybrids have always demanded an extra price over their competitors, but that is especially true when we get into the premium segment. Whether it's the Lexus LS600h or the Cadillac Escalade hybrid, it seems automakers are averse to subsidizing the addition of electrically enhanced drivetrains. The same apparently holds true for BMW, which priced its ActiveHybrid X6 at just shy of $90,000. BMW's second hybrid model is the ActiveHybrid 7 sedan which got its North American debut in production form in LA with a price tag starting at $103,125 for the standard wheelbase edition and a whopping $107,025 for the extended wheelbase. That comes up just a bit shy of the 2010 Lexus LS600h's $108,175, but the Lexus is a strong hybrid and includes everything at that price point. BMW gives customers the option to spend many thousands more on options.

[Source: BMW]

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LA 2009: Hyundai confirms turbo and hybrid for new Sonata

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 2:52PM

2011 Hyundai Sonata - click above for high-res image gallery

At the official introduction of the new Hyundai Sonata today at the LA Auto Show, Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik confirmed some additional details that were not in the initial press release. When the 2011 Sonata goes on sale next month the only powertrain option will be the new 198 hp direct injected 2.4-liter four cylinder. Hyundai has opted to forgo a V6, making it unique in the mid-sized sedan segment. When we got a recent preview of the Sonata it certainly appeared that there was enough room in the engine compartment for a V6.

Some of that space will be occupied by new hardware, but it doesn't include more cylinders. Instead, Krafcik told the audience that a turbocharged version of the DI four-cylinder will join the lineup later this year. No information was given about power output but we would guess it will be in the 260-270 hp range, making it comparable to the V6s used in Camrys, Accords and Fusions. If it reaches that level, it would be well above the expected 230 hp output of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four that is coming from Ford later this year.

The other powertrain for the Sonata will be the company's first U.S.-market hybrid. The hybrid system was first shown a year ago here in LA. That system will also be based around the DI engine and will be the first production automotive application of a lithium polymer battery.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata


[Source: Hyundai]

Renault and Key Driving Competences to expand ecodriving training

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 11:01AM

Renault Environment is partnering with a Belgian driver training company to expand the availability of a program targeted at teaching ecodriving. Renault Environment is actually a wholly owned subsidiary of the automaker that focuses on helping other green businesses expand their reach.

Key Driving Competences (KDC) SA has been providing its ecodriving program since 2005 and over 50,000 hours of training have been conducted with 10,000 drivers. The partnership will expand the program to several more countries next year. The techniques taught to students can help reduce fuel consumption by an average of 10 percent.

One of the keys to the program is the short and long-term followups to help reinforce the lessons learned. Drivers come back after three weeks and after one year to review what they learned and how they are doing. KDC uses simulators, telematics and online support systems to get drivers to use less fuel.

[Source: Renault]

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LA 2009: Officially, Official: Golden state to get first dibbs on the Chevy Volt

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:19AM Breaking

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chevrolet has confirmed was has been talked about for some time now: when the Volt goes on sale late next year, it will initially be available only in limited markets. First up will be the state that has pushed hardest for electric vehicles, California. Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District are partnering with GM and EPRI (the electric power research institute) to promote plug-in vehicles including the Volt. The partners will use $30 million from the stimulus bill for a test program to put 100 Volts into fleets for two years of real-world testing.

All new Volts are equipped with GM's OnStar system and the cars will report back vital technical data to the automaker. GM will monitor battery performance in part to validate its own simulation models and test cycles that are used to test batteries. The EV promotion program will also fund the installation of 500 public charging stations.

California is first in line because of its aggressive stance on establishing the infrastructure needed as well as other incentives to make the vehicles more palatable. The state's warm climate also makes it a good locale for using battery powered vehicles. Other regions will be added at a later date.

UPDATE: Utilities will also get a slice.


Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

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VIDEO: Chevrolet to announce Volt color contest winner today

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Dec 1st, 2009 at 10:29AM

Pre-production 2011 Chevrolet Volt - click above for high-res image gallery

The naming contest that Chevrolet has been running for the Volt's new signature silver-green color for the last several weeks officially comes to a close today in Los Angeles with the announcement of the winner during a live webcast. The three finalists – with the names EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule – have been brought out to LA for the event and the winner will get to be the first non-media person outside of GM to actually take the Volt for a test drive.

Bob Boniface and Mike Simcoe, the respective design managers for the Volt and new Cruze, will also be on hand conducting a design walk around of each of their cars to explain what their teams were trying to accomplish. Having now seen the Volt in the light of day and in motion and having driven it, the car definitely looks better than what we saw a year ago when the production design was unveiled. It's not perfect, but on its 17-inch wheels and wide stance it definitely has sportier look than either the Prius or Insight, which some observers have claimed it copies. According to Boniface, the Volt's drag coefficient is also at least 0.02 better than the new Prius. The live webcast starts at 12:15 pm PST (3:15 pm EST) and you can watch it after the jump.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt pre-production prototype

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Live Video: Plug-in ready panel discussion from Los Angeles 6:30pm PST

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Nov 30th, 2009 at 7:58PM



At 6:30 pm PST (9:30 pm EST) this evening General Motors is hosting a panel discussion on the importance of consumer incentives in order to stimulate demand for plug-in vehicles. Andrew L. Shapiro, President & Founder of GreenOrder will be moderating the discussion that will discuss issues like HOV lane access for plug-in vehicles, tax incentives and public charging stations. The panel will consist of Andy Campbell, Senior Energy Advisor, California Public Utilities Commission, State Senator Leland Yee (SF 8th District, author of legislation for CA HOV lane access for plug-ins),
Mark Duvall, Electric Power Research Institute, and Brent Dewar, Vice President of Chevrolet. You can watch a live video webcast of the event after the jump.

[Source: Chevrolet]

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Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Nov 30th, 2009 at 12:58PM Featured

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being developed by General Motors for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Earlier that year, the release of a documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car made the then largest automaker in the world the subject of some well deserved criticism for its handling of the end of the EV1 program. The movie and announcement of the all-electric Tesla Roadster lit a fire under GM to get back into the plug-in electric vehicle game.

What we saw that day in NYC was a description of a new powertrain architecture then dubbed E-Flex. GM folk on hand that day included vehicle line executive Tony Posawatz and former VP for environmental affairs Beth Lowery. They explained that among the biggest lessons learned from the EV1 program were that range anxiety and lack of practicality would make a car like EV1 nearly impossible to sell in the mass market. The engineers went back to the drawing board to address those issues and came up with the extended range electric vehicle, or ER-EV. The Volt concept was approved for production mere months after it was revealed at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. At this week's LA Auto Show, GM is publicly showing the production intent version of the Volt. Before that, however, we were among the first to drive a Volt with its range extender running. Read all about it after the jump.


Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

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