AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com AutoblogGreen http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[VP Don Butler says Cadillac prefers electric assist over full EVs]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/vp-don-butler-cadillac-prefers-electric-assist-over-full-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/vp-don-butler-cadillac-prefers-electric-assist-over-full-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/vp-don-butler-cadillac-prefers-electric-assist-over-full-ev/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

cadillac elr

One other interesting and timely interview I was offered at this year's Detroit North American International Auto Show was with Don Butler, Cadillac's enthusiastic marketing VP. Why so timely? Because it was right after Cadillac unveiled the production version of its soon-to-come (early 2014) ELR extended-range electric vehicle. Not only is this edgy two-door compact coupe even sexier-looking than Cadillac's slick CTS coupe, it's powered by a slightly upgraded version of the same Voltec series-hybrid system that motivates the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid.

ABG: The ELR is a beautiful car, but - as a 2-door coupe with a tight back seat, it's less practical than the Volt and will be priced much higher. Won't that make it harder to sell?

"First and foremost, we said, 'Let's make a vividly expressive vehicle.' And, yes, some things have to be compromised."

DB: A sedan would have been the practical choice, but the provocative choice was to do a coupe that is a true styling statement. And when it comes to really stunning design, you have to focus on that as your priority. We weren't thinking as much about practicality and utility as in having it act as an icon and a halo for the brand.

First and foremost, we said, "Let's make a vividly expressive vehicle." And, yes, some things have to be compromised. Because of the way it's styled, the interior roominess and the backseat are adequate, I would say, but not roomy.

ABG: Who will be your customer for the ELR?

DB: It will probably not be anyone's primary vehicle. It will be a second, third, maybe even fourth vehicle in the household. We are not after volume with this car, not looking for hundreds of thousands of sales. That's not what this car is about. but it will definitely appeal to design enthusiasts and people who tend to be trendsetters within their spheres of influence and circles of friends. We're looking for those few discerning individuals because they are very important to Cadillac as a brand. Some of our best marketing and advertising will show this car driving down the street, creating a bold presence for Cadillac.

Continue reading VP Don Butler says Cadillac prefers electric assist over full EVs

VP Don Butler says Cadillac prefers electric assist over full EVs originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:55:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20540270/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20540270/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/15/vp-don-butler-cadillac-prefers-electric-assist-over-full-ev/20540270/article-detail.xml 20540270 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/cadillac-elr_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/cadillac-elr.jpg <![CDATA[In deep with Henrik Fisker: Despite floods and fires, "I think we're beating the odds"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/ceo-henrik-fisker-q-and-a/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/ceo-henrik-fisker-q-and-a/http://green.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/ceo-henrik-fisker-q-and-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

henrik fisker with karma plug-in hybrid

Let's be clear: Fisker Automotive had a pretty bad 2012.

Let's be clear: Fisker Automotive had a pretty bad 2012. A flood, fires and recalls continued to dog the start-up automaker. Then, one of the men trying to become President of the United States called the company a loser in a very public setting. For the last three months, the company didn't even make any cars. Still, it takes more than that to rattle a man who lends his own name to a company, especially one who designed the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin DB9.

So, when we sat down with Henrik Fisker towards the end of 2012, we were surprised at just how relentlessly positive he was. His optimism isn't totally unfounded. He pointed out that his company has already beaten many odds that plague start-ups, to say nothing of a company trying to introduce a new kind of powertrain into the luxury vehicle market. Given where Fisker is today, he told us, things are looking up. With the company just starting sales in the Middle East and China, could 2013 be the year Fisker's fortunes turn around? Henrik certainly thinks so, as you can read below.

Continue reading In deep with Henrik Fisker: Despite floods and fires, "I think we're beating the odds"

In deep with Henrik Fisker: Despite floods and fires, "I think we're beating the odds" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehiclefiskerfisker automotivehenrik fiskerkarmaplug-in hybridThu, 14 Feb 2013 19:14:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20394808/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20394808/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/14/ceo-henrik-fisker-q-and-a/20394808/article-detail.xml 20394808 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/henrik-fisker-with-karma-628opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/henrik-fisker-with-karma-628opt.jpg <![CDATA[In deep with Better Place: how to profit while <strike>swapping batteries</strike> selling miles]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2010/11/16/in-deep-with-better-place-how-to-profit-while-swapping/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/11/16/in-deep-with-better-place-how-to-profit-while-swapping/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/11/16/in-deep-with-better-place-how-to-profit-while-swapping/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

better place fluence
Renault Fluence Z.E. - Click above for high-res image gallery

Some of the people who work for Better Place see their job as something bigger than themselves. Take, for example, Jason Wolf, North American vice president, John Proctor, communications and Michael Granoff, head of oil independence policies. AutoblogGreen interviewed these three at the Business of Plugging In conference and they all spoke on top of each other as they answered our questions. So much so that they said they're happy to share quote attributions for this story. It's illustrative for how the company thinks: we've got big problems facing us, so let's work together to solve them.

As the story goes, Shai Agassi, the founder and chief executive of Better Place, wanted to answer one seemingly simple question: "How do you run a country without oil?" The solution he came up with involves electric cars with swappable batteries. From there, he worked in a holistic manner and thought through the issues of overpowering transformers and charge spots, convenience and affordability, and he now has two automakers publicly committed to the strategy and a lot of people unsure that he's on the right track. Does his vision have a chance to work in an era of ever-cheaper batteries and auto companies that use proprietary battery chemistries and styles? His employees sure think so, as you can read after the jump.


Gallery: Renault Fluence Z.E.


[Source: Better Place]

Continue reading In deep with Better Place: how to profit while swapping batteries selling miles

In deep with Better Place: how to profit while swapping batteries selling miles originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Better placebetter place battery swapbetter place battery swappingbetter place electric carelectric vehicleplug-in hybridTue, 16 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19688990/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19688990/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2010/11/16/in-deep-with-better-place-how-to-profit-while-swapping/19688990/article-detail.xml 19688990 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/bp-fluence-plugged-in_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/bp-fluence-plugged-in.jpg <![CDATA[AutoblogGreen Q&A with Transonic Combustion: Can supercritical fluids give a 30% mpg boost?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/26/autobloggreen-qanda-with-transonic-combustion-can-supercritical-f/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/26/autobloggreen-qanda-with-transonic-combustion-can-supercritical-f/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/26/autobloggreen-qanda-with-transonic-combustion-can-supercritical-f/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Given that the traditional four-stroke Otto-cycle engine piston engine only has a thermal efficiency of 25-30 percent, there is clearly still plenty of room for improvement. While most of the green automobile attention in recent years has been focused on electrification, liquid fuels still have about 100 times the energy density of today's best lithium-ion batteries, a difference that probably won't change significantly any time in the near future.

With that in mind, there is still plenty of effort being expended on improving the humble internal combustion engine. These efforts range from completely different architectures like EcoMotors' opposed piston opposed cylinder (OPOC) to new combustion processes such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI). One of the more interesting combustion-related developments comes from a California-based startup known as Transonic Combustion. In 2007, the company was claiming it could get an ICE vehicle to 100 miles per gallon. A lot has happened since then, and we finally have a better idea what the company's technology is. We sat down with CEO Brian Ahlborn to learn more about what the company is working on, and you can read all about it after the jump.


Gallery: Transonic Combustion


Continue reading AutoblogGreen Q&A with Transonic Combustion: Can supercritical fluids give a 30% mpg boost?

AutoblogGreen Q&A with Transonic Combustion: Can supercritical fluids give a 30% mpg boost? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian ahlbornBrianAhlborndirect injecteddirect injectionDirectInjectedDirectInjectionfeaturefeaturedfeaturesmulti-fuelsupercriticalsupercritical fuel injectionSupercriticalFuelInjectiontransonictransonic combustiontransonic supercritical fuel injectionTransonicCombustionTransonicSupercriticalFuelInjectionThu, 26 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19608461/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19608461/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2010/08/26/autobloggreen-qanda-with-transonic-combustion-can-supercritical-f/19608461/article-detail.xml 19608461 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/highspeedscfvsliquid-630-1282775351_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/highspeedscfvsliquid-630-1282775351.jpg <![CDATA[Better Place answers questions about home charging, Obama's interest ]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/23/better-place-answers-questions-about-home-charging-obamas-inte/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/23/better-place-answers-questions-about-home-charging-obamas-inte/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/23/better-place-answers-questions-about-home-charging-obamas-inte/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Over the weekend, we heard a story that the Obama Administration "may be adopting" the Better Place model of powering electric cars. We wanted to know more about what this means, exactly, and got the following from Better Place PR:

Better Place has shared their model with a number of government and industry leaders around the world in the past two years and believe that their model is applicable to the entire US under the right economic conditions. They're hopeful that California and Hawaii will serve as an important blueprint for how the model could work across the entire country.

So, not a lot of confirmation of anything there. But we also had a bit of a backlog of questions we wanted to ask Better place, so we took the opportunity to try and get answers to those as well. Click past the jump to learn about how universal the Better Place chargers are, if you can charge your Better Place car at home and more.

Gallery: Better Place Around The World


[Source: Better Place]

Continue reading Better Place answers questions about home charging, Obama's interest

Better Place answers questions about home charging, Obama's interest originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>better placebetter place hawaiibetter place obamaBetterPlaceBetterPlaceHawaiiBetterPlaceObamaobamaTue, 23 Dec 2008 19:51:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1409492/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1409492/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/12/23/better-place-answers-questions-about-home-charging-obamas-inte/1409492/article-detail.xml 1409492 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/12/moshe-kaplinsky_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/12/moshe-kaplinsky.jpg <![CDATA[Miles EV CEO talks about highway speed electric sedan, company's future]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/miles-ev-ceo-talks-about-highway-speed-electric-sedan-companys/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/miles-ev-ceo-talks-about-highway-speed-electric-sedan-companys/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/miles-ev-ceo-talks-about-highway-speed-electric-sedan-companys/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A little while back, we got our first official peek of the Miles EV highway speed sedan. That picture can now be fleshed out a bit with details on how Miles EV is planning to bring this Chinese-built all-electric car to the US market. Miles EV CEO Kevin Czinger sat down with AutoblogGreen and talked about the branding of this vehicle, who Miles EV thinks the first customers will be, and the estimated 10-year showroom lifespan of this particular model (with variants). More importantly, he gave dates on when the important next steps will be accomplished.

The 49-year-old Czinger comes to the electric vehicle world from the finance industry and legal field (he was a senior exec at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Bertelsmann AG and was a practicing lawyer in his previous business lives). He first started looking at Miles EV in December 2007 and started working as CEO in March. So, what's the plan for 2009? "Over the next year, we're very focused on bringing the highway-speed car, which will be named and branded over the next months, to the market," Czinger said. To find out how and when and where, follow us past the jump.

Continue reading Miles EV CEO talks about highway speed electric sedan, company's future

Miles EV CEO talks about highway speed electric sedan, company's future originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Czingerfeaturedjavlonkevin CzingerKevinCzingermiles evMilesEvxs500Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:40:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1392678/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1392678/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/12/05/miles-ev-ceo-talks-about-highway-speed-electric-sedan-companys/1392678/article-detail.xml 1392678 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/11/miles-hwy-speed-prototype-450_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/11/miles-hwy-speed-prototype-450.jpg <![CDATA[ABG chats with SmartUSA president David Schembri about EVs, diesel, micro-hybrids and more]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/25/abg-chats-with-smartusa-president-david-schembri-about-evs-dies/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/25/abg-chats-with-smartusa-president-david-schembri-about-evs-dies/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/25/abg-chats-with-smartusa-president-david-schembri-about-evs-dies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



One of the newest cars to drop into the US market is the Smart ForTwo. A decade after its European debut, the two-seat city car finally arrived stateside after several abortive attempts by both its parent company Daimler and independent distributors. This time around Daimler worked with a US distributor set up by serial entrepreneur and race team owner Roger Penske to create SmartUSA. At the LA Auto Show last week we sat down with SmartUSA president David Schembri to discuss the company's first year in the American market and where they are going.

When it launched, SmartUSA set a target of 20,000 annual sales in this country. Given that this car is definitely a niche product, that relatively modest goal was probably wise. As it turned out, it was actually fairly conservative. Smart delivered the first US-spec ForTwo to a customer in Manhattan on January 16 of this year and the 20,000th example earlier in November "to a couple in their mid-fifties, empty-nesters," as Schembri described them, in Dallas TX. Not bad for a car that has received decidedly mixed reviews from both media and prospective buyers in this country. Read on past the jump for more of what Schembri talked about.

Gallery: 2008 smart fortwo

Continue reading ABG chats with SmartUSA president David Schembri about EVs, diesel, micro-hybrids and more

ABG chats with SmartUSA president David Schembri about EVs, diesel, micro-hybrids and more originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave schembriDaveSchembrifortwosmartsmart fortwosmart fortwo cdismart usaSmartFortwoSmartFortwoCdismartusaTue, 25 Nov 2008 11:08:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1382134/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1382134/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/11/25/abg-chats-with-smartusa-president-david-schembri-about-evs-dies/1382134/article-detail.xml 1382134 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/11/smart-fortwo-limited-two-fr_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/11/smart-fortwo-limited-two-fr.jpg <![CDATA[Auto Alliance president talks about the <i>other</i> president and changes in Washington]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/auto-alliance-president-talks-about-the-other-president-and-chan/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/auto-alliance-president-talks-about-the-other-president-and-chan/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/auto-alliance-president-talks-about-the-other-president-and-chan/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Following the big change that swept through American politics on Nov. 4, there has been a lot of celebration in a lot of places. Over at the Auto Allliance, the association made up of BMW Group, Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen, president and CEO Dave McCurdy was spending at least some time thinking about what sorts of opportunities and challenges the Obama Administration and a more Democratic Congress will bring to the automakers. AutoblogGreen spoke with him briefly about these issues while he was running around Washington.

ABG: Which parts of Obama's energy policy are most in line with what the Auto Alliance's goals? Where do you see the Alliance disagreeing with the Administration?

McCurdy: President Elect Obama recognizes the importance of the auto industry to the national economy. We look forward to working with his administration to ensure that the auto auto industry is on the leading edge of the new green energy economy.

ABG: Which parts of McCain's energy/auto plans do you think President Obama should consider adopting?

McCurdy: To help enhance our energy security and reduce our dependence on foreign oil we need to take steps to diversify and expand our alternative fuels infrastructure.

Interview continues after the break.

Continue reading Auto Alliance president talks about the other president and changes in Washington

Auto Alliance president talks about the other president and changes in Washington originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allianceauto allianceAutoAlliancebarack obamaBarackObamadave mccurdyDaveMccurdyFri, 07 Nov 2008 18:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1364867/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1364867/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/11/07/auto-alliance-president-talks-about-the-other-president-and-chan/1364867/article-detail.xml 1364867 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/auto-alliance_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/auto-alliance.png <![CDATA[AltCar 2008: Details on the MIIN-AER compressed air Porsche Boxster ]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/09/27/altcar-2008-details-on-the-miin-aer-compressed-air-porsche-boxs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/09/27/altcar-2008-details-on-the-miin-aer-compressed-air-porsche-boxs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/09/27/altcar-2008-details-on-the-miin-aer-compressed-air-porsche-boxs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



As I wrote on Thursday, one of the more interesting vehicles here at the Alt Car Expo is a one-off home conversion of a 1999 Porsche Boxster called the MIIN-AER car. We wanted to get some more information about this thing, so we talked to Glenn Bell, CEO of Air Fuel Auto. Bell talked about why he's in favor of compressed air - wait, actually
the Minimally Intrusive Intensely Pneumatic - Air Energy Recovery (the N in pneumatic contributes its sound to MIIN, not the P) system - and how the powerplant in the air Porsche is quite different than what is used in MDI's AirCar. For the public details on the MIIN-AER system, click here or follow us past the jump, but the basic idea is that compressed air (or nitrogen) is sent through the system based on temperature differences. I'll admit I don't fully get the technology, but Bell said he takes the air Porsche for a lot of test drives, so it apparently works.

What's in the Porsche at the show is phase 1 of the MIIN-AER technology. Bell said that the current specs are 40-45 miles per hour with a range of 50 miles (this differs from the press release's claim of 50 miles at 65 mph).
in phase 2, which is designed but not yet installed, the system will recompress the air and will capture the thermal energy from braking to give better performance. Will have a top speed of 80, phase three will have a speed of 100-120 mph. In each of the phases, the range will increase by "a little bit" until the car can go 100 miles at 50 mph in phase three.

As for why compressed air instead of li-ion, Bell said that the rarity and geographic location of the precious metals required for next-generation batteries have the potential to trade one set of issues (the problems with oil) with another set (the recent increase in lithium and cobalt prices, for example). He didn't give a numerical answer when I asked how much a MIIN-AER conversion would cost. Bell didn't express a lot of confidence in the path that Tesla or GM is on, but I suppose that are plenty of people who don't have a lot of confidence in Bell's strategy, either. Bell said he'd be willing to license his technology, so the proof will be in the pudding. Any thoughts?

Have a listen:




Gallery: AltCar 2008: MIIN-AER, the air-powered Porsche Boxter

Continue reading AltCar 2008: Details on the MIIN-AER compressed air Porsche Boxster

AltCar 2008: Details on the MIIN-AER compressed air Porsche Boxster originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-porschemiin-aermiin-aer-boxstermiin-aer-porscheSat, 27 Sep 2008 13:23:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1326122/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1326122/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/09/27/altcar-2008-details-on-the-miin-aer-compressed-air-porsche-boxs/1326122/article-detail.xml 1326122 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/miin-aer-altcar-1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/miin-aer-altcar-1.jpg <![CDATA[AutoblogGreen on the Radio]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/autobloggreen-on-the-radio/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/autobloggreen-on-the-radio/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/autobloggreen-on-the-radio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Listen in to a fascinating conversation that took place yesterday on green car politics, featured on the radio show, "Your Call." (KALW, 91.7 FM, San Francisco, CA). The show gave me a chance to discuss some of my research on "The Clean Car Movement," and also featured Meghan Sinott (Organizer for the Car Free Cities Conference in Portland, OR), Michou Olivera (Co-Owner of Luscious Garage, San Francisco), and Russ Heimerich (Spokesman for California Bureau of Automotive Affairs Drive Healthy Campaign).

Some of the topics we discussed include whether green cars obscure public transportation alternatives, who defines what a "green" car is, and what alternatives exist today for consumers looking for the greenest possible options. Near the end of the show, Michou Olivera, who also repairs muscle cars on the weekends, gives a strong defense for the continued use of the internal combustion engine. I guess she never drove a Tesla....

AutoblogGreen on the Radio originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>91.7 FM91.7Fmgreen cargreen car of the yeargreen carsGreenCarGreenCarOfTheYearGreenCarsplug-inplug-in hybridPlug-inHybridpluginpluginsThu, 14 Aug 2008 08:49:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1283849/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1283849/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/08/14/autobloggreen-on-the-radio/1283849/article-detail.xml 1283849 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/kalw-logo_thumbnail.gif http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/kalw-logo.gif <![CDATA[AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 3 - Lessons and WhiteStar hints]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/25/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-3-lesso/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/25/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-3-lesso/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/25/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-3-lesso/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In the first two parts of our discussion, Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk described how he came to be a part of Tesla Motors and how he influenced the development of the Roadster. It's important to note that he never described himself as the designer or creator of the Roadster. Rather he considers himself the co-architect of the sports car.

With production of the Roadster now sort of underway and the updated drivetrain hopefully coming soon, it's time to look forward. As the self-declared Product Architect, Musk is playing perhaps an even bigger role with the next product, a sedan that we've known for some time by the code name WhiteStar. We had hoped to see WhiteStar this spring but that obviously hasn't happened yet. In the conclusion of our discussion, Musk gives out some hints about what to expect and what Tesla has learned over the past five years. Read on to learn more about what's coming next.

Make sure you read Part 1 and Part 2.

Continue reading AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 3 - Lessons and WhiteStar hints

AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 3 - Lessons and WhiteStar hints originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskElonMuskmartin eberhardMartinEberhardtesla evtesla motorstesla roadstertesla sedantesla whitestarTeslaEvTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterTeslaSedanTeslaWhitestarWed, 25 Jun 2008 20:02:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1233031/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1233031/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/25/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-3-lesso/1233031/article-detail.xml 1233031 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/elon-musk_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/elon-musk.jpg <![CDATA[AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 1 - In the beginning]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/23/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-1-in-th/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/23/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-1-in-th/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/23/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-1-in-th/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Among the readers of this site, one of the cars that elicits a lot of passion is the Tesla Roadster. The battery-powered Roadster and its provenance have elicited a great deal of discussion over the past nine months, in particular since the demotion and ultimately the departure of co-founder Martin Eberhard. This is a complex tale involving passionate entrepreneurs with that all-too-common but in many ways necessary human frailty known as ego. When humans interact, they often see the same results through their own mental filters.

People can see exactly the same thing and interpret it in many different ways. Unfortunately in today's media landscape, particularly on television, but also in blogs we often see a very cut-down sound-bite version of things. Sound-bites by definition are taken out of context. In and of themselves they often lead to incorrect or at least inaccurate conclusions.

With all of that in mind I was recently contacted by Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk. Musk wanted to discuss his role at Tesla, and hopefully fill in some of the gaps in the story. What follows after the jump is the phone conversion that I had with Musk recently as well as some comments from Martin Eberhard via e-mail exchanges. Eberhard's version of events is italicized.

Update: Just to be clear Elon Musk contacted me immediately after a previous article where I called into question his role in the development of the Roadster. He wanted to clear up what he felt were misconceptions of his role rather than to pitch a story idea about him.

Continue reading AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 1 - In the beginning

AutoblogGreen Q&A: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk Pt. 1 - In the beginning originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskelon-muskElonMuskfeaturedmartin eberhardmartin-eberhardMartinEberhardteslatesla motorstesla roadstertesla-roadsterteslamotorsTeslaRoadsterMon, 23 Jun 2008 20:22:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1232483/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1232483/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/23/autobloggreen-qanda-tesla-motors-chairman-elon-musk-pt-1-in-th/1232483/article-detail.xml 1232483 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/elon-musk_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/elon-musk.jpg <![CDATA[All of Madrid's official vehicles will use clean fuels by 2011]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/all-of-madrids-official-vehicles-will-use-clean-fuels-by-2011/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/all-of-madrids-official-vehicles-will-use-clean-fuels-by-2011/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/all-of-madrids-official-vehicles-will-use-clean-fuels-by-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Madrid, Spain, is currently a very polluted city where 1.8 million vehicles are responsible for 75 percent of the pollutants in the air. Madrid's City Hall has decided that it will switch all its vehicles over to "clean" fuels, that is, they will be all running on electricity, natural gas, biodiesel or ethanol. The city also announced that it will join the BEST (BioEthanol for Sustainable Transport) European project to promote the use of ethanol in cars. Madrid has also worked out agreements with groups like taxi organizations that get up to a 75 percent discount on the road tax, depending on fuel.

[Source: Ayuntamiento de Madrid via Agroinformación]

All of Madrid's official vehicles will use clean fuels by 2011 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 13 May 2008 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bestclean-fuelsmadridspaintaxiTue, 13 May 2008 17:35:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1192677/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1192677/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/05/13/all-of-madrids-official-vehicles-will-use-clean-fuels-by-2011/1192677/article-detail.xml 1192677 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/madrid_cibeles_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/madrid_cibeles.jpg <![CDATA[AVFI 2008: Sitting down for a moment with GM's Larry Burns]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/avfi-2008-sitting-down-for-a-moment-with-gms-larry-burns/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/avfi-2008-sitting-down-for-a-moment-with-gms-larry-burns/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/avfi-2008-sitting-down-for-a-moment-with-gms-larry-burns/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

When Larry Burns, GM's vice president of R&D and planning, spoke at the opening session of the AFVI expo yesterday morning, he stayed on target to bring GM's message to the conference. Before he stepped onto the stage, we had a chance to sit down with him and ask a few question

One thing I wanted to follow up with him about was his recent speech to the Hydrogen Fuel Association where he called for more government support for a hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Burns told me that in the six or so weeks since that speech, he's heard a bit of discussion and seen some movement on this issue. There's nothing to announce, but it seems there are still lots of people in government who listen to what GM wants. As for the customer side of the equation, Burns said that buyers will get excited about hydrogen cars once they have the chance to take a ride or a drive in a fuel cell car. Just take a look at Project Driveway, he said. We also talked about the 1970s Oil Shocks and the problem of reduced oil supply (you can't think of it in cyclical fashion; you need to think long-term, he said). Listen for yourself (12 min)

AVFI 2008: Sitting down for a moment with GM's Larry Burns originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 13 May 2008 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>afviafvi-2008gm-larry-burnslarry-burnslarry-burns-afvilarry-burns-gmTue, 13 May 2008 13:19:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1193683/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1193683/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/05/13/avfi-2008-sitting-down-for-a-moment-with-gms-larry-burns/1193683/article-detail.xml 1193683 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/larry-burns-afvi-side_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/larry-burns-afvi-side.jpg <![CDATA[Earth Day: Top five upcoming green events]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-top-five-upcoming-green-events/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-top-five-upcoming-green-events/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-top-five-upcoming-green-events/#commentsFiled under: ,



As we cover the automotive industry, we run across numerous events which lean, in one way or another, towards our green preferences. Some of these could be very influential on the industry while others are really more for fun. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of our top five favorite upcoming green events for Earth Day. Take a look-see starting with number five (or skip ahead using the list below) and let us know how you feel.

Earth Day: Top five upcoming green events originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>top fiveTop five upcoming green eventstop-fiveTopFiveTopFiveUpcomingGreenEventsTue, 22 Apr 2008 20:08:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1174597/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1174597/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/04/22/earth-day-top-five-upcoming-green-events/1174597/article-detail.xml 1174597 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/top_five_events_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/top_five_events.jpg <![CDATA[Top 20 most exciting green cars we wish we could buy today]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/top-20-most-exciting-green-cars-we-wish-we-could-buy-today/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/top-20-most-exciting-green-cars-we-wish-we-could-buy-today/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/top-20-most-exciting-green-cars-we-wish-we-could-buy-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



When we were brainstorming ideas for Earth Day posts, we thought about featuring the ten most exciting green cars we wish we could buy today. It turns out that there are at least twice as many green rides on the horizon that we'd really like to have today, so the list has expanded. We'd like to note that this list is far from complete; the green sector of the automotive industry is growing in leaps and bounds. Start here and join us for a guided preview of our future garages or jump ahead by clicking on a number below. Either way, enjoy!

There you have it. Take a look at our list and, as always, feel free to share your own favorites in the comments.

Top 20 most exciting green cars we wish we could buy today originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric carelectric-carelectric-carsElectricCartop 10top 20top electric carstop green carstop tentop twentytop-10top-20top-electric-carstop-green-carstop-tentop-twentyTop10Top20TopElectricCarsTopGreenCarsTopTenTopTwentyTue, 22 Apr 2008 13:11:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1173758/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1173758/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/04/22/top-20-most-exciting-green-cars-we-wish-we-could-buy-today/1173758/article-detail.xml 1173758 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/top_20_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/top_20.jpg <![CDATA[New York 2008: Jory Squibb returns with an X-Prize entry]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/new-york-2008-jory-squibb-returns-with-an-x-prize-entry/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/new-york-2008-jory-squibb-returns-with-an-x-prize-entry/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/new-york-2008-jory-squibb-returns-with-an-x-prize-entry/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


click to enter gallery

We met Jory Squibb way back in late 2006 over at the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo. How can you miss a guy driving a tiny, 100+mpg bubble car called the Moonbeam? Jory, from Maine, is now back on the ABG radar with his presence at the New York Auto Show. He didn't have a car with him this time, but he did have the idea for a competition vehicle for the Automotive X Prize with him. His new tadpole-style vehicle (that is, two wheels in front, one in back) is called Dirigo, which is the Maine state motto and means "I lead" of "I direct." The Dirigo's powertrain is based on a 950cc Daihatsu turbodiesel engine that sits in the back and drives the front two wheels. Jory told us the Moonbeam taught him that you really need at least half of your wheels providing power (the Moonbeam was also tadpole style, but only driven by the single rear wheel). Jory's team for the Dirigo, which is now a year old, is made up of about four regular members, some of whom are boat builders and are taking the Dirigo in a wooden direction. Learn more by listening to Jory yourself:



UPDATE: Jory sent in a few thoughts on the Auto X Prize at the New York Auto Show. We've pasted his essay after the jump.

Gallery: New York 2008: X Prize's Dirigo

Continue reading New York 2008: Jory Squibb returns with an X-Prize entry

New York 2008: Jory Squibb returns with an X-Prize entry originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto-x-prizeautomotive x-prizeautomotive-x-prizeAutomotiveX-prizedirigojory squibbjory-squibbJorySquibbmoonbeamnew-york-2008new-york-auto-showMon, 24 Mar 2008 09:47:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1145567/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1145567/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/03/24/new-york-2008-jory-squibb-returns-with-an-x-prize-entry/1145567/article-detail.xml 1145567 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/dirigo-jory-squibb_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/dirigo-jory-squibb.jpg <![CDATA[New York 2008: Motive Industries' muscular X Prize entry vehicle needs a name]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-motive-industries-muscular-x-prize-entry-vehicle/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-motive-industries-muscular-x-prize-entry-vehicle/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-motive-industries-muscular-x-prize-entry-vehicle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Of the 60+ teams that have signed a letter of intent to participate in the Progressive Automotive X Prize, about 15 were on hand at the New York Auto Show. With only four cars on stage, it's easy to calculate that some teams arrived sans vehicle. The group from Motive Industries had just a little folded flyer to show what they've been working on for their entry vehicle. The basic idea for the as-yet-unnamed Motive vehicle is an electric car with an on-board ICE for range extension. The real challenge for Motive will be convincing everyone that "filling up" via quick, robot-aided battery exchanges are the way to go. Four-passenger and full size with biomaterials in the body panels and elsewhere, the vehicle is just now moving off of the design pages. Motive's Darren McKeage and Nathan Armstrong were in New York to give the public a first glimpse of this new car. You can view the flyer in the gallery below and listen to the duo by clicking play.



Gallery: Motive Industries X Prize vehicle

New York 2008: Motive Industries' muscular X Prize entry vehicle needs a name originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automotive x-prizeautomotive-x-prizeautomotivex-prizemotivemotive-auto-x-prizemotive-industriesnew-yorknew-york-2008new-york-auto-showprogressive insuranceprogressive-auto-x-p...ProgressiveInsurancex-prizeSat, 22 Mar 2008 15:25:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146607/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146607/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-motive-industries-muscular-x-prize-entry-vehicle/1146607/article-detail.xml 1146607 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/motive-x-prize_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/motive-x-prize.jpg <![CDATA[New York 2008: Actually, it's <i>not</i> called the Air Car - Q&A with MDI's Guy Negre]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-actually-its-not-called-the-air-car-qanda-with/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-actually-its-not-called-the-air-car-qanda-with/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-actually-its-not-called-the-air-car-qanda-with/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The Automotive X Prize announcer used it. We've been using if forever. And, until recently, MDI and Zero Pollution Motors were still calling their vehicles the Air Car. Now, though, to avoid confusion as much as possible, the preferred term is "Compressed Air Vehicle" (don't look now, but the ZPM website still says Air Car). At the New York Auto Show this week, we finally had a chance to sit down with Guy Negre, the creator of the CAV, and his partner Shiva Vencat (Vencat also provided translation for most of Negre's answers, as I don't speak French) for a talk on what happens next in the compressed air vehicle world.

The CAV team was in New York as part of the Automotive X Prize announcement, and I'm going to have to say that MDI/ZPM seems to be one of the stronger potential entrants into the race. While the design of the vehicle in New York won't appeal to everyone, I think the renderings for the MiniCat (is that what it's called?) could result in a solid X Prize entry. Plus, considering that deals with Tata have already been signed and the air car (whoops) technology has been tested for quite some time, the vehicle won't be bowing out of the race early, I don't think. To hear what Vencat and Negre have to say, listen to the interview yourself.



Gallery: New York 2008: MDI Air Car, X-Prize competitor

New York 2008: Actually, it's not called the Air Car - Q&A with MDI's Guy Negre originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-carair-car-mdiautomotive-x-prizeautomotivex-prizemdimdi air carmdi aircarmdiaircarnew-yorknew-york-2008new-york-auto-showzero-pollution-motorsSat, 22 Mar 2008 09:34:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146289/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146289/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/03/22/new-york-2008-actually-its-not-called-the-air-car-qanda-with/1146289/article-detail.xml 1146289 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/mdi-air-car-uncovered_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/mdi-air-car-uncovered.jpg <![CDATA[New York 2008: Venture Vehicle's Howard Levine on the future of the VentureOne]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/new-york-2008-venture-vehicles-howard-levine-on-the-future-of/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/new-york-2008-venture-vehicles-howard-levine-on-the-future-of/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/new-york-2008-venture-vehicles-howard-levine-on-the-future-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


click to enlarge

When we saw the distinctive shape of the VentureOne under wraps before the start of the Progressive Automotive X Prize announcement, we were pretty psyched. While the appearance of this vehicle on stage does revive our hope that we'll be able to drive one of these high-mpg hybrids one day, the bad news is that this is just a full-scale model. While it looks good, it's not going to get anyone anywhere. Yet.

Venture Vehicles' founder and CEO, Howard Levine, was happy to be back on the AutoblogGreen radar and gave us the rundown on where his company goes from here and how the VentureOne - which is a codename for the vehicle, not the final moniker - will move into production. He explained that the lack of media attention hasn't meant they haven't been working, just that they have been focusing on the vehicle, not on building hype. One of the big decisions the company has made is to offer only a hybrid version at launch, the pure electric option will have to wait until battery prices come down. Want more info? Listen to Levine yourself by clicking play.



Gallery: New York 2008: VentureOne full-scale model


Gallery: VentureOne & Carver three-wheelers

New York 2008: Venture Vehicle's Howard Levine on the future of the VentureOne originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto-x-prizeautomotive-x-prizehoward-levinenew-york-2008new-york-auto-showventureventure-oneventure-vehiclesventureoneFri, 21 Mar 2008 18:13:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146245/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1146245/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/03/21/new-york-2008-venture-vehicles-howard-levine-on-the-future-of/1146245/article-detail.xml 1146245 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/ventureone-model_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/ventureone-model.jpg -1 2