Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 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[GM fuel cell boss explains that the technology needs to pass final cost hurdle to production]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/gm-fuel-cell-boss-explains-that-the-technology-needs-to-past-the/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/gm-fuel-cell-boss-explains-that-the-technology-needs-to-past-the/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/gm-fuel-cell-boss-explains-that-the-technology-needs-to-past-the/#commentsFiled under: ,

General Motors fuel cell comparsion - click above to enlarge

It's no secret that General Motors remains committed to hydrogen fuel cells as a long term solution to zero emissions transportation. In this cause, GM is in league with many of the largest automakers in the world including Toyota, Honda, Daimler, and Hyundai. Recently we ran an editorial refuting some reports (including one of our own) about the cost of GM's fuel cell system. Charlie Freese, GM's executive director of fuel cell activities, has written a post on the Fastlane blog that expands on some of what we said regarding the cost of the fuel cell system used in the Project Driveway Chevy Equinoxes.

GM has revealed some of the specific details of the latest generation system compared to the four-year-old system used in the Equinox. Freese explains that the fuel cell system is now at a stage where the engineers are working diligently to reduce the cost and bring it to parity with more conventional systems, something that should happen in the next few years.


Gallery: General Motors Generation V fuel cell stack


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: GM Fastlane Blog]

GM fuel cell boss explains that the technology needs to pass final cost hurdle to production originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charles freeseCharlesFreeseFuel Cellfuel cellsFuel-cellFuelCellFuelCellsgeneral motorsGeneralMotorshydrogenhydrogen fuel cellHydrogenFuelCellWed, 11 Nov 2009 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[GM: Volt won't become a brand name]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/06/gm-volt-wont-become-a-brand-name/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/06/gm-volt-wont-become-a-brand-name/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/06/gm-volt-wont-become-a-brand-name/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Chevrolet Volt isn't scheduled to hit the market for another whole year, but there's so much anticipation for the vehicle that some are already asking if The General will try to make a brand out of the Volt name. The answer, according to Brent Dewar, Chevy's chief of global operations, is no:
Our thought is to take the Volt technology to other products... The Volt was the original vehicle that we started, but I wouldn't see that as a brand marketing direction for us.
While other models in GM's lineup are likely to get their own versions of the Voltec powertrain, those vehicles won't fall under the Volt brand name. Toyota, on the other hand, says it is considering extending the instantly recognizable Prius moniker to a whole family of hybrid vehicles that may include a smaller coupe and a larger MPV.



[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

GM: Volt won't become a brand name originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevy volt2011ChevyVoltchevy voltChevyVoltgm voltGmVoltvoltvolt brandVoltBrandvoltecvoltec brandVoltecBrandFri, 06 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mazda Souga Concept from LA Design Challenge 2009 - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's iteration of the annual Design Challenge at the LA Auto Show asks the question: How will a new generation of drivers age 16-23 - raised with cell phones, web cams and online communities - emotionally connect to the automobile in 2030? We don't know the answer either, but at least six designers from some of the world's top automakers decided to give it a go with their own ideas. if you thought the Aptera was futuristic, check these out.

First up are the eSpira and eOra from Audi, which are controlled by thought and by the minutest adjustments to the pilot's body. Next we have the General Motors Car Hero... yes, the name is borrowed from the popular Guitar Hero line of games and the car, as you might imagine, "turns driving into gaming." What happens when the inevitable "Game Over" comes at the end? Moving along, we come to the Honda Helix, a shape-shifting vehicle that borrows actual DNA from its owner. Yuck, we don't want to be a car, we want to drive a car.

Which brings us to the Mazda Souga, easily our favorite out of this crop of concepts. This vision for the future would have each owner design his own car for the low price of $2,000 while paying an additional monthly usage fee that also covers the price of electricity to power the Souga.

Nissan's vision for the future includes cars that get their power from an electrically-charged roadway called the GRID, and the vowel-challenged V2G UNLMTD is quickly hacked into an OFF-GRID transportation device by the next breed of young hackers. Lastly, we have the Toyota Link. According to Toyota, future college students will have nearly no income and will rely on mass transit vehicles like the Link that allow them to interact via their various social networks on their daily commutes. Sounds boring to us, but what do we know?

Be sure to check out all six designs in our high-res image gallery below and hit the jump for the official press release.



[Source: LA Design Challenge]

Continue reading LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs

LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi eoraaudi espiraAudiEoraAudiEspiradesign challengedesign challenge 2009DesignChallengeDesignChallenge2009general motors car heroGeneralMotorsCarHerohonda helixHondaHelixLA Design challengeLA Design Challenge 2009LaDesignChallengeLaDesignChallenge2009mazda sougaMazdaSouganissan v2gnissan v2g unmltdNissanV2gNissanV2gUnmltdtoyota linkToyotaLinkThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Live webchat with Frank Weber and Doug Parks today at 4pm]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/live-webchat-with-frank-weber-and-doug-parks-today-at-4pm/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/live-webchat-with-frank-weber-and-doug-parks-today-at-4pm/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/live-webchat-with-frank-weber-and-doug-parks-today-at-4pm/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Frank Weber and the Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Frank Weber, who has served as the vehicle line engineer for the Chevrolet Volt program for the past two and an half years, is packing up his wife and kids and moving back to Germany next month. Before he leaves, though, he will be sitting down at the keyboard alongside his successor Doug Parks for a web-chat this afternoon. You can pose your questions on the latest status of the Volt program directly to the guys that have been and will be running the show.

Things are moving along rapidly on the program with a recently-completed 1,200 mile development drive and plans to let a contest winner drive the car in Los Angeles next month. Check out (and participate in) the chat after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt


[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Live webchat with Frank Weber and Doug Parks today at 4pm

Live webchat with Frank Weber and Doug Parks today at 4pm originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevroletChevrolet VoltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevy-VoltChevyVoltdoug parksDougParksfrank weberFrankWeberweb chatWebChatMon, 02 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


General Motors has been awarded $2.7 million by the Department of Energy to create a working prototype engine using Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). The idea is for the prototype to use SMA tech to capture heat energy from engine exhaust gasses via an electric generator and transfer that energy to recharge batteries for hybrids or electric vehicles.

SMA tech can also theoretically power electronic devices like power seats and windows in a standard gas- or diesel-powered car, perhaps even replacing the power-sapping alternator. The GM press release, which is pasted after the jump, doesn't go into much depth explaining how memory alloys work, but the basic principle is easy to understand.

"When you heat up a stretched SMA wire, it shrinks back to its pre-stretched length, and when it cools back down it becomes less stiff and can revert to the original shape" said Jan Aase, director of GM's Vehicle Development Research Laboratory. "A loop of this wire could be used to drive an electric generator to charge a battery."

While $2.7 million isn't a lot of coin in the realm of GM finances (the General seemed to shed about $2.7 million every ten minutes pre-bankruptcy) the grant was significant in that it was the only monies awarded by the DOE given to an automaker. GM is working with partners from outside the auto industry to make the concept a reality, a practice that the General says is imperative to get breakthroughs like this to market. No timetable was given as to when GM's SMA concept would see the light of day.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines

GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>department of energyDepartmentOfEnergyelectric generatorElectricGeneratorgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmhybridshape metal alloy heat enginesShapeMetalAlloyHeatEnginessmaMon, 02 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Editorial: Henderson's fuel cell 10X cost comments are out of context]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/editorial-hendersons-fuel-cell-10x-cost-comments-are-out-of-co/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/editorial-hendersons-fuel-cell-10x-cost-comments-are-out-of-co/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/editorial-hendersons-fuel-cell-10x-cost-comments-are-out-of-co/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The other day we reported on an interview with General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson published in the Washington Post. While most of the discussion focused on the bailout and bankruptcy, from the perspective of this site, the main items of interest were Henderson's responses to questions relating the to the cost of the Chevy Volt and hydrogen fuel cells. Much has been made of Henderson saying that the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell used for the Project Driveway program cost 10 times the Volt's approximately $40,000 price.

The problem here is that Henderson's numbers are taken out of context and mean nothing in and of themselves. This is a total apples to oranges comparison. The Volt is expected to carry a sticker price of somewhere around $40,000 at launch. That price will be reduced for customers by a federal tax credit of $7,500 along with whatever state incentives are available. However, that does not necessarily reflect the cost to build the extended range EV, which will likely be somewhat higher than $40k at launch. More important to this discussion is the fact that the Volt is also designed and engineered for mass production meaning that it is cheaper in all respects than the Equinox FCV. Keep reading after the jump.


Gallery: 2008 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell


Gallery: Chevrolet Volt 65% drive

Continue reading Editorial: Henderson's fuel cell 10X cost comments are out of context

Editorial: Henderson's fuel cell 10X cost comments are out of context originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batterybattery vs fuel cellBatteryVsFuelCellchevroletChevrolet VoltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevy-VoltChevyVoltEditorialfeaturefeaturedFeatured StoriesFeaturedStoriesfeaturesfritz hendersonFritzHendersonFuel CellFuelCellhydrogenhydrogen carhydrogen carshydrogen fuel cellhydrogen vs plugHydrogenCarHydrogenCarsHydrogenFuelCellHydrogenVsPlugplug-inplug-in hybridPlug-inHybridplug-insProject DrivewayProjectDrivewaywashington postWashingtonPostMon, 02 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Opel introduces updated Corsa ecoFLEX, now at 98 g/km CO<sub>2</sub>]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/opel-introduces-updated-corsa-ecoflex-now-at-98-g-km-co2/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/opel-introduces-updated-corsa-ecoflex-now-at-98-g-km-co2/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/opel-introduces-updated-corsa-ecoflex-now-at-98-g-km-co2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Opel Corsa ecoFlex - click above for high-res image gallery

Opel has just introduced an updated version of its high-mileage, low-CO2 sub-compact Corsa. The refreshed Corsa ecoFLEX now gets 20 hp more from its 1.3-liter CDTi diesel engine than before, bringing its total to 95 hp along with 140 pound-feet of torque. Despite that boosted output, CO2 emissions drop by 10 percent making the Corsa GM's first sub-100 g/km car at just 98 g/km. The Corsa is rated at 63.6 mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined driving cycle. The ecoFLEX diesels all come equipped with particulate filters to eliminate the smoke.

The performance improvements come through the use of a new variable geometry turbocharger that allows for quicker low speed response and higher flow at maximum speed. The enhanced torque facilitated the use of longer gearing in the transaxle and lower engine speeds. The body has also been lowered by 20 mm, reducing the frontal area and drag. The new Corsa ecoFLEX goes on sale in January 2010.

Gallery: 2010 Opel Corsa ecoFlex


[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Opel introduces updated Corsa ecoFLEX, now at 98 g/km CO2

Opel introduces updated Corsa ecoFLEX, now at 98 g/km CO2 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>opelopel corsaopel corsa ecoflexOpelCorsaOpelCorsaEcoflexSat, 31 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Chevy Volt leader Frank Weber leaving for Opel, reaffirms Volt remains on track]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/chevy-volt-leader-frank-weber-leaving-for-opel-reaffirms-volt-r/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/chevy-volt-leader-frank-weber-leaving-for-opel-reaffirms-volt-r/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/chevy-volt-leader-frank-weber-leaving-for-opel-reaffirms-volt-r/#commentsFiled under: ,

Frank Weber and the Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the main men working to get the Chevy Volt out the door on time, Frank Weber, has announced he will leave General Motors on December 1 for a senior leadership post at Opel. This is the first high-ranking member of the Volt team to leave and told Bloomberg that GM remains strongly committed to the program. He also gave this quote, which we can see getting repeated in the future: "The entire organization [GM] has inhaled what we [the Volt team] do here."

GM is trying to sell the European brand. Weber is currently the global vehicle line executive and chief vehicle engineer for GM's electric vehicle development program and also worked on the Opel Insignia and the Buick Regal. Replacing Weber will be Doug Parks, currently GM's chief engineer of compact-car architecture in Europe.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt


[Source: Bloomberg]

Chevy Volt leader Frank Weber leaving for Opel, reaffirms Volt remains on track originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevy voltChevyVoltfrank weberFrankWebergmopelvoltweber voltWeberVoltFri, 30 Oct 2009 17:06:00 EST<![CDATA[GM CEO: electric cars require teamwork; hydrogen cars 10x more expensive than Volt]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/gm-ceo-electric-cars-require-teamwork-hydrogen-cars-10x-more-e/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/gm-ceo-electric-cars-require-teamwork-hydrogen-cars-10x-more-e/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/gm-ceo-electric-cars-require-teamwork-hydrogen-cars-10x-more-e/#commentsFiled under: , ,



New GM CEO Fritz Henderson has some good words for his competitors. Surprised? It's all in an effort to make sure that plug-in vehicles get the help they need to become cost competitive. Henderson spoke with the Washington Post and said that costs are the big problem holding back electric cars. To bring costs down, he said:

The more companies that actually develop technologies around electric, the more the supply structure will develop, the better off we'll be. . . . We can't carry the load ourselves. GM can't. No way. We need to have more companies. We source most of these things. We don't do them. We're not in the chemistry business.

On the more comment-generating side of things, Henderson also discussed GM's current hydrogen vehicle status. He said that GM isn't putting as many resources into the H2 program as was before. Adding:

We spent through the mid part of this decade a reasonably high portion of our research and our development money on hydrogen fuel cells. We put 100 vehicles into the market. Consumers have tested them . . . We've learned a lot. The vehicles work. The issue is always cost, 100 percent cost. It's still a ways away from commercialization. No question.

Finally, some numbers. Henderson said the Volt will likely cost around $40,000 while a hydrogen vehicle would cost around $400,000. So, comment much?


[Source: Washington Post]

GM CEO: electric cars require teamwork; hydrogen cars 10x more expensive than Volt originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevy voltChevyVoltfritz hendersonFritzHendersongmgm ceoGmCeovoltFri, 30 Oct 2009 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Two-mode hybrid joint development disbanded; Ram hybrid coming in 2010]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/two-mode-hybrid-joint-development-disbanded-ram-hybrid-coming-i/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/two-mode-hybrid-joint-development-disbanded-ram-hybrid-coming-i/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/two-mode-hybrid-joint-development-disbanded-ram-hybrid-coming-i/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



The big joint development program formed several years ago between General Motors, Daimler, Chrysler and BMW to develop the two-mode hybrid system for light duty vehicles is over. With all four automakers now having launched or about to introduce versions of the hybrid system, the joint program is being wound down and the Troy, Michigan office where engineers from each company collaborated will be closed by the end of this year. Most of the joint work actually ended last June and many of the staff have already been relocated to other facilities.

The Mercedes ML450 hybrid and BMW X6 ActiveHybrid are both going into production about now using a version of the two mode transmission built by Daimler.

Chrysler, which briefly built a version of the Durango and Aspen SUVs with the hybrid system last year, remains committed to re-launching the system in the Ram pickups in 2010. At this point however, it looks unlikely the planned light duty hybrid will launch anytime soon in the Ram 1500.

[Source: Detroit News]

Two-mode hybrid joint development disbanded; Ram hybrid coming in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dodge ram hybridDodgeRamHybridtwo modetwo mode hybridtwo mode hybrid towingtwo mode ramTwoModeTwoModeHybridTwoModeHybridTowingTwoModeRamTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/23/posawatz-volt-range-extended-mileage-to-be-better-than-any-con/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/23/posawatz-volt-range-extended-mileage-to-be-better-than-any-con/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/23/posawatz-volt-range-extended-mileage-to-be-better-than-any-con/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



So, plenty of time has passed since General Motors first made the announcement that its Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle would score 230 miles per gallon on the yet-to-be-completed EPA testing procedure for such vehicles. Still, lots of questions remain, such as How many miles per gallon with the Volt achieve after it has traveled the 40 or so miles necessary to deplete its battery pack?

Well, we still don't have an exact answer, which is partly due to the fact that GM hasn't yet finished developing the vehicle's complex software systems. In an interview with Fox Car Report Live, vehicle line directory Tony Posawatz shed some light on the topic, saying that the Volt's sustained mileage will be "better than any conventional car, and we're trying to figure out how close, or if it will actually be better than any hybrids."

To put that figure into perspective, we'd imagine that means the Volt would fall somewhere between the 32 mpg rating of the Toyota Yaris and the 50 mpg rating of the Toyota Prius when running under charge-sustaining mode with an otherwise depleted battery pack. Whatever the case, don't expect this hot-button topic to go away any time soon. Click past the break to see the exchange on video.



[Source: Fox Car Report]

Continue reading Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids?

Posawatz: Volt range-extended mileage to be "better than any conventional car." But what about hybrids? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevy volt2011 chevy volt mileage2011ChevyVolt2011ChevyVoltMileagechevroletchevychevy voltchevy volt fuel economychevy volt fuel efficiencychevy volt mileageChevyVoltChevyVoltFuelEconomyChevyVoltFuelEfficiencyChevyVoltMileageTony PosawatzTonyPosawatzvoltvolt mileageVoltMileageFri, 23 Oct 2009 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive!]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/chevy-volt-color-contest/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/chevy-volt-color-contest/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/chevy-volt-color-contest/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
Take a close look at the Chevy Volt in the photo above. We've seen it a number of times already but we've never said anything about the color. While it's predominantly silver, it does have a green (or more specifically emerald) tint in it. According to General Motors spokesman David Darovitz, this will be one of the launch colors for the Volt and, in fact, will be exclusive to the company's extended-range electric vehicles. Anyone who has ever bought paint, sorted through a box of Crayolas or ordered a car knows that every hue, no matter how subtle, needs a unique name. This Volt color is no different.

GM wants to include Volt fans in the naming process and is running a contest on www.chevroletvoltage.com starting today. Between now and November 4, people can submit their color name suggestions on the site. GM will sort through submissions and pick out three finalists. Between Nov. 16 and Dec. 1 you can then vote for your choice among the finalists. The three finalists will be flown to LA where the winner will be announced on the eve of the LA Auto Show press days. That person will be among the first people in the world outside of GM who actually gets to drive (not just ride along) one of the pre-production Volts. We've include a full gallery of high-res Volt images, so jump in to get your creative juices flowing and start submitting your name ideas! Details are after the jump.



[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive!

GM invites Volt fans to name first color and win a test drive! originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevrolet volt2011ChevroletVoltchevroletChevrolet VoltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevy-VoltChevyVoltgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsname that colorNameThatColorvoltvolt colorvolt color nameVoltColorVoltColorNameThu, 22 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[PEV 2009: GM's Lauckner wishes for bigger incentives to get drivers out of gas-powered vehicles]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/pev-2009-gms-lauckner-wishes-for-bigger-incentives-to-get-driv/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/pev-2009-gms-lauckner-wishes-for-bigger-incentives-to-get-driv/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/pev-2009-gms-lauckner-wishes-for-bigger-incentives-to-get-driv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At this point, it's no secret that the Chevy Volt and other plug-in vehicles are not going to come cheap. The least-pricey full-speed electric vehicle may very well be the Nissan Leaf, which after incentives might drop into the $27-28,000 range before the extra cost of leasing the battery. While the operational costs of these cars should be substantially less than any internal combustion vehicle, customers rarely think that far ahead when signing up for a car loan. That's especially true when gas remains well under $3 a gallon here in the U.S.

Speaking at the Business of Plugging In Conference in Detroit, Michigan this week, GM's VP of Global Program Management told the audience that incentives will need to be increased for plug-in vehicles to start gaining a real foothold in the U.S. market.

Although GM won't announce pricing until its launch a year from now, most observers expect the Volt to run about $40,000. With a $7,500 federal tax credit, it will still be well over $30,000, which is very expensive for a compact car. Unless gas prices get significantly higher or incentives are increased, most buyers are unlikely to find this or other plug-ins to be a good economic proposition.

[Source: Detroit News]

PEV 2009: GM's Lauckner wishes for bigger incentives to get drivers out of gas-powered vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevy volt2011ChevyVoltchevy voltChevyVoltJon LaucknerJonLaucknerplug in hybridplug-inplug-in hybridplug-in-hybridplug-in-hybridsPlug-inHybridpluginPlugInHybridpluginstax incentivetax incentivesTaxIncentiveTaxIncentivesWed, 21 Oct 2009 14:52:00 EST<![CDATA[AM General to build CNG-powered VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vehicle Production Group MV-1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember the Standard Taxi from the Vehicle Production Group? It's now called the MV-1, and production is slated to begin next year at the AM General plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. That's the same assembly location where the Hummer H2 is built, which makes sense since the MV-1 is based on the same GM underpinnings as the behemoth SUV.

According to its makers, the MV-1 is the first purpose-built wheelchair-accessible vehicle in America, and it's able to accommodate up to six adults or two full-size wheelchairs. An ADA-approved ramp that stows under the vehicle's floor and a 36-inch wide side opening are designed to make entry and exit a simple affair.

With its body-on-frame construction made with fully boxed rails, the MV-1 should prove to be a durable people mover and its well-known GM drivetrain components should be easily serviceable. Further, VPG has teamed up with Clean Energy to develop a dedicated compressed natural gas powertrain option that will provide a 250-mile range with significantly reduced emissions.

Styling wise, the MV-1 may not be the prettiest machine on the road, but for those needing to transport wheelchair-bound passengers, this design may just be a thing of beauty. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.



[Source: VPG Autos, Detroit Free Press]

AM General to build CNG-powered VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnStar EV Lab - Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the features that GM is promoting with the Chevy Volt, due late next year, is a completely new level of connectivity for the plug-in hybrid. Well, completely new isn't quite right. The Volt will certainly communicate with the grid and with GM in new ways, but the underlying OnStar technology that will make all of this possible isn't new at all. It's a decade old, and the updates to the ninth-generation OnStar system that will be in the Volt would not be possible without years of testing and development. The system is also helping GM test the Volt and it came in handy during the recent eight-Volt, multi-state test drive. Read on after the jump to find out how OnStar xo's the Volt.

Gallery: OnStar EV Lab


Continue reading GM's OnStar EV Lab opens its doors, loves the Chevy Volt

GM's OnStar EV Lab opens its doors, loves the Chevy Volt originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevy voltchevy volt onstarChevyVoltChevyVoltOnstargmonstaronstar chevy voltonstar evonstar phevonstar voltOnstarChevyVoltOnstarEvOnstarPhevOnstarVoltvoltTue, 20 Oct 2009 19:51:00 EST<![CDATA[GM: Soon, Detroit will earn its nickname as the Motor City]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/20/gm-soon-detroit-will-earn-its-nickname-as-the-motor-city/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/20/gm-soon-detroit-will-earn-its-nickname-as-the-motor-city/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/20/gm-soon-detroit-will-earn-its-nickname-as-the-motor-city/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

What's in a name, anyway? Detroit has been known as the Motor City for longer than this blogger has been alive, but is that moniker actually a misnomer? Well, that depends... are you the type that believes motors are driven by electricity and engines by something else? How does one explain motorcycles, then?

Tony Posawatz, Vehicle Line Director for the Chevrolet Volt, is ready to make the distinction between the engine and motor, as you can see from his latest posting to GM's FastLane Blog. Soon, though, the nomenclature will be meaningless as the Chevy Volt goes into production at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant late next year. After all, the Volt will come equipped with both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.


Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt


[Source: GM FastLane Blog]

GM: Soon, Detroit will earn its nickname as the Motor City originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevrolet volt2011 chevy volt2011ChevroletVolt2011ChevyVoltchevroletchevrolet voltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevyVoltdetroitdetroit hamtramckdetroit-hamtramckdetroit-hamtramck-assembly-plantDetroitHamtramckmotor cityMotorCitythe motor cityTheMotorCityvoltTue, 20 Oct 2009 08:51:00 EST<![CDATA[LG Chem to Build $300-Million Advanced EV Battery Plant in Michigan]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/lg-chem-to-build-300-million-advanced-ev-battery-plant-in-michi/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/lg-chem-to-build-300-million-advanced-ev-battery-plant-in-michi/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/lg-chem-to-build-300-million-advanced-ev-battery-plant-in-michi/#commentsFiled under: ,



A new report is indicating that LG Chem is moving forward with plans to be build a $300 million advanced battery plant in southwest Michigan in the near future. The plant will be used to build lithium ion cells for automotive applications. Although LG Chem has yet to publicly announce anything, the plant is expected to supply cells for use in the Chevrolet Volt as well as the other upcoming plug-in hybrid from GM. This summer, GM announced and then canceled plans to build a new PHEV crossover for Buick based on the outgoing Saturn Vue. Which brand will ultimately get the PHEV is still unknown, but it will use a lithium ion pack supplied by LG Chem subsidiary Compact Power.

LG Chem was one of four battery manufacturers that was announced to receive federal government grants earlier this summer for plants in the U.S. The others were Johnson Controls, A123 Systems and Ener1 with the first two having announced intentions to build batteries in Michigan, along with LG Chem. The LG Chem factory is not expected to be online for start of production of the Volt one year from now. Initial supplies of cells will come from its South Korean factory.

Gallery: Opening of the new GM Battery Lab


[Sources: MLive, GreenCarAdvisor]

LG Chem to Build $300-Million Advanced EV Battery Plant in Michigan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>compact powercompact power incCompactPowerCompactPowerInclg chemLgChemlithium batteriesLithium Ionlithium ion batterieslithium ion batterylithium ion battery manufacturingLithium-Ionlithium-ion-batteriesLithiumBatteriesLithiumIonLithiumIonBatteriesLithiumIonBatteryLithiumIonBatteryManufacturingMon, 19 Oct 2009 16:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Reader spots Chevy Volt prototype parked in a driveway]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/18/reader-spots-chevy-volt-prototype-parked-in-a-driveway/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/18/reader-spots-chevy-volt-prototype-parked-in-a-driveway/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/18/reader-spots-chevy-volt-prototype-parked-in-a-driveway/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



One of our ever-alert readers has been out walking the neighborhood armed with a camera this weekend when he spotted one of the most anticipated cars of the next few years. Sitting in a neighbor's driveway was a Chevy Volt IVER prototype. We know GM has been out running the Volts on public roads including a 1,200-mile, three-day drive from Michigan to Virginia last week.

However, it's unusual a year before production to see the engineers driving these types of pre-production units home for the weekend. That doesn't usually happen until much closer to Job 1. On the other hand, it's also unusual to see such cars running undisguised this far ahead of production. GM has been so open about this program from day one that they haven't bothered with camouflage on any of these prototypes.

The fact that GM has seen fit to allow these vehicles off the proving ground is a sign that they have a reasonable degree of confidence that it is going to work reliably. That's a good sign for Job 1, which should come just about a year from now. Thanks to Eric for the photo!

Reader spots Chevy Volt prototype parked in a driveway originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chevrolet VoltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevy-VoltChevyVoltspy picsspy shotspy shotsspy-shotsSpyPicsSpyShotSpyShotsvoltvolt prototypeVoltPrototypeSun, 18 Oct 2009 19:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Coskata Lighthouse Cellulosic Ethanol Plant - Click above for high-res image gallery

Coskata's newly-opened semi-commercial flex ethanol facility in Madison, Pennsylvania is as small as it can possibly be. Co-located at a Westinghouse facility that also in some fashion uses nuclear energy, the Lighthouse project, as it's called, is running 24/7 to turn wood chips into ethanol. It's also intended to show off just how far Coskata has come since emerging from stealth mode almost two years ago. Oh, and the plant can also be scaled up to fit the needs of cellulosic ethanol producers from coast to coast.

The Lighthouse plant follows the Horizon integrated processing plant that started in 2008 in Warrenville, Illinois and precedes the Flagship plant that is due for 2012 at a location somewhere in the Southeast U.S. that will be announced later. The location for the Flagship plant has been selected, but Coskata will not specify where it is exactly until it can talk more specifically about the financing arrangements involved for the 55-million-gallon-per-year plant that will use forest residue and other woody biomass. Coskata says the Flagship will be "the first commercially-viable, feedstock-flexible ethanol facility." Coskata has not taken any government money to date, but they may apply for DOE loan guarantees for the Flagship plant. Coskata will not expand the Madison Lighthouse facility. In fact, they're only located there as a guest and will leave when the contract is up. The facility is modular and will actually be dismantled and trucked to the Flagship location in the future.

What might this plant offer, both for partner GM and for the U.S.'s biofuel needs? Find out after the jump.

Gallery: Coskata Lighthouse Cellulosic Ethanol Plant


Photos copyright (C)2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth

Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Readers of this site are probably quite familiar with the names of Felix Kramer and Tony Posawatz. Kramer is the founder of the California Cars Institute (CalCars) and major proponent of plug-in vehicles. Posawatz is the vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt and has been part of the team since almost day one. Both Kramer and Posawatz will be speaking at the Business of Plugging In conference in Detroit next week. They will be part of a panel on Wednesday October 21 titled "The Consumer: Who, When and Why?"

Since most of you won't be there, you can pose your own questions to Posawatz and Kramer today at 12:30pm UPDATE: delayed until 3:30 EDT. They will participating in a web chat on ChevroletVoltage.com. The chat will also be available here on ABG (find it after the jump).

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Webchat with Tony Posawatz and Felix Kramer, 3:30pm EST today

Webchat with Tony Posawatz and Felix Kramer, 3:30pm EST today originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business of plugging inBusinessOfPluggingInchevroletChevrolet VoltChevrolet-VoltChevroletVoltchevychevy voltChevy-VoltChevyVoltplug inplug in hybridplug-inplug-in hybridplug-in-hybridplug-in-hybridsPlug-inHybridpluginPlugInHybridpluginsweb chatWebChatFri, 16 Oct 2009 08:54:00 EST