AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com AutoblogGreen http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 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[Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/nissan-announces-production-of-funky-e-nv200-electric-van/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/nissan-announces-production-of-funky-e-nv200-electric-van/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/nissan-announces-production-of-funky-e-nv200-electric-van/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nissan e-NV200 concept

There are two ways automakers can go when producing a vehicle with electric propulsion - be it a hybrid or an outright EV: make it look the same as any other car, or make it stand out. Like Toyota (for example) did with the Prius, Nissan made the Leaf look (for better or worse) unlike a conventional sedan. But while Toyota answered the call for more space with the equally "distinctive" Prius V, Nissan has gone a different route in producing a bigger brother for the Leaf.

That route is called the e-NV200, pictured above in concept form. And while the nose, unique shade of blue and electric powertrain are conceptually borrowed from the Leaf, the rest is nearly identical to the existing NV200 van that is being rolled out in New York as the city's new taxi of choice.

Nissan has just announced the production of the e-NV200, set to start next year at the same plant in Barcelona, Spain, as the conventionally-powered NV200. As a result, Nissan will hire 700 more workers at the plant and invest some €100 million (U.S. $126 million at today's exchange rates). Details like projected cost and annual capacity are not to be found in the press release below, but Nissan does say the electric van will be built starting some time in fiscal year 2013. That means some time before the end of March 2014.

Continue reading Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van

Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 23 May 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barcelonae-nv200leafnissannissan e-nv200nissan nv200nv200productionspainWed, 23 May 2012 13:58:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20243648/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20243648/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/23/nissan-announces-production-of-funky-e-nv200-electric-van/20243648/article-detail.xml 20243648 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/nissan-env-200-concept-stock-05_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/nissan-env-200-concept-stock-05.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla Model S deliveries will start June 22; crash testing returns five stars *UPDATE]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/22/tesla-model-s-deliveries-will-start-june-22-regen-brake-level-n/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/22/tesla-model-s-deliveries-will-start-june-22-regen-brake-level-n/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/22/tesla-model-s-deliveries-will-start-june-22-regen-brake-level-n/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The early delivery hints were spot on. Tesla's vice president of worldwide sales and ownership experience, George Blankenship, has declared June 22 - just one month away - as the day when the first Model S will be delivered. He wrote on the official Tesla blog today that, "We are ahead of schedule and can't wait to put our first Reservation Holders behind the wheel!" We're sure the buyers feel the same way.

Perhaps most exciting, the Model S will now feature adjustable regenerative brakes, which is something we certainly like to see in our EVs. For highway driving, having the brakes grab hold each time we take our foot off the accelerator is annoying, so we look forward to seeing just how much "coasting" the Model S will allow. Blankenship writes that, "Having less Regen means you will likely get less range, but some people still prefer the feel of their car with less Regen." We can't wait until some inspired hypermiler decides to test this for him- or herself. The resistance in the steering wheel and the car's suspension can also be adjusted.

As we learned during the Detroit Auto Show, Tesla's Fremont factory (the former NUMMI plant) has been quite busy preparing to make the Model S. The picture above shows plant employees with the first customer Model S body. 2012 production of the Model S is sold out, but Tesla is still out there trying to drum up sales with Model S promotional tours stops on the west and east coasts of the U.S. as well as a five-city tour of Canada.

Befitting a 21st Century automaker, Tesla says it will webcast the first Model S delivery on its website. Leading up to June 22, Tesla will also post a weekly video about Model S production. So, there's more to come.

*UPDATE: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has Tweeted the following: "Major Tesla milestone: All crash testing is complete for 5* (max) safety rating. Cars can now be built for sale to public!"

Continue reading Tesla Model S deliveries will start June 22; crash testing returns five stars *UPDATE

Tesla Model S deliveries will start June 22; crash testing returns five stars *UPDATE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehiclegeorge blankenshipjob onemodel snummiteslatesla model stesla model s deliveryTue, 22 May 2012 11:47:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20242595/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20242595/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/22/tesla-model-s-deliveries-will-start-june-22-regen-brake-level-n/20242595/article-detail.xml 20242595 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/tesla-model-s-body-in-white_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/tesla-model-s-body-in-white.jpg <![CDATA[Ford ready to triple EcoBoost engine production in Europe]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/ford-ready-to-triple-ecoboost-engine-production-in-europe/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/ford-ready-to-triple-ecoboost-engine-production-in-europe/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/ford-ready-to-triple-ecoboost-engine-production-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ford EcoBoost future demand

Ford keeps boldly moving forward with the old standby: gasoline. Just a little less of it.

Today, Ford announced it will increase production of EcoBoost-powered vehicles in Europe three-fold in the coming years. In 2011, Ford made 141,000 EcoBoost engines and this number will jump to 480,000 in 2015. To meet expected demand for greener vehicles, Ford started making the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine production in Craiova, Romania today. That's the engine that will make up the bulk of the EcoBoost vehicles: roughly 800,000 of the 1.3 million units Ford will build for Eurpoe between 2012 and 2015. In Europe, the number of Ford models that will have EcoBoost will go from five to ten by 2015.

EcoBoost is Ford's first step in greening up its fleet, as you can read all about here. The gist of the strategy is to start by improving ICE vehicles while slowly adding in hybrid and electrified components until something between 10 and 25 percent of Ford's global volume is electrified some time after 2020. In the meantime, the EcoBoost engines burn less fuel than most regular ICEs by using turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing.

Continue reading Ford ready to triple EcoBoost engine production in Europe

Ford ready to triple EcoBoost engine production in Europe originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 May 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.0-liter ecoboostecoboostecoboost europeford ecoboostmpgromaniaWed, 09 May 2012 18:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20234951/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20234951/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/09/ford-ready-to-triple-ecoboost-engine-production-in-europe/20234951/article-detail.xml 20234951 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/ecoboostfuturedemand_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/ecoboostfuturedemand.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Why LA is the right place for this year's biggest electric vehicle conference]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/evs-why-la-is-the-right-place-for-this-years-biggest-electric/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/evs-why-la-is-the-right-place-for-this-years-biggest-electric/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/evs-why-la-is-the-right-place-for-this-years-biggest-electric/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium is taking place in Los Angeles, CA this week and the biggest news items are the details on the new Toyota RAV4 EV and the SAE-approved DC fast charging combo plug. But there is much more here on the show floor, and things got off to a good start during the opening session hosted by EDTA president Brian Wynne.

Wynne claimed EVS26 is the largest EVS ever held in North America. That's not all that surprising, since it's been many years since the last time an EVS was held on this continent (EVS23 in Anaheim in 2007). Since then, EVS has traveled to Norway and China, and moves on to Barcelona, Spain next year and Seoul, Korea after that. As that Wynne made clear, electric vehicles are a global movement. Nissan has sold more than 28,000 Leafs worldwide (including 1,000 in Norway, where EVS24 was held). Other signs Wynne mentioned that EVs are making inroads into the public consciousness are China's ambitious plan to sell five million EVs by 2020, the Ford Focus Electric acting as pace car for NASCAR and BMW's huge fleet of plug-ins at the Olympics in London this summer.

EVS organizers then gave an E-Visionary award to the city of Los Angeles and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (pictured). The mayor said he was glad to receive the award, but quickly added that Angelinos still need to be encouraged to do more. "If we're the car capitol of the United States, we should be the electric vehicle capitol of the United States," he said. To that end, he talked about how BYD and Coda Automotive are located in the city, then announced that Boulder Electric Vehicle will establish a west coast manufacturing facility in a state enterprise zone in the city. From there, the company will be able to make up to 1,000 clean trucks a year, with an eye to exporting vehicles to Asia.

Then there was a wide-ranging panel on the state of the electric vehicle industry called "Electrified Transportation: A Path to Economic Prosperity and Energy Security." This was moderated by Chris Woodyard of USA Today and featured Ted Craver, the chairman, president & CEO of Edison International, Daryl Dulaney, president & CEO of Siemens Industry, Tony Posawatz, the vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt, and JB Straubel, the CTO of Tesla Motors. You can listen to or download the whole thing down below.

Continue reading EVS: Why LA is the right place for this year's biggest electric vehicle conference

EVS: Why LA is the right place for this year's biggest electric vehicle conference originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 May 2012 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evsevs26jb straubeltony posawatzWed, 09 May 2012 15:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232763/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232763/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/09/evs-why-la-is-the-right-place-for-this-years-biggest-electric/20232763/article-detail.xml 20232763 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/la-mayor-antonio-villaraigosa-at-evs26_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/la-mayor-antonio-villaraigosa-at-evs26.jpg <![CDATA[Lithium ion battery 'overcapacity' could arrive by 2015, would push prices way down]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/lithium-ion-battery-overcapacity-could-arrive-by-2015-would-p/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/lithium-ion-battery-overcapacity-could-arrive-by-2015-would-p/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/lithium-ion-battery-overcapacity-could-arrive-by-2015-would-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Too many lithium-ion batteries? That's not something battery makers want to hear, but it's music to our ears. It's also the prediction of Munich-based Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

Over the next few years, as battery makers like AESC, LG Chem and A123 Systems ramp up for what's expected to be a surge in electric-drive vehicle purchases, we could be awash in li-ion batteries. Global lithium-ion battery sales will total $9 billion by 2015 and will be marked by what the consultants say will be "massive overcapacity." While about four million hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles will be produced worldwide that year, battery supply will be about twice as high as demand, potentially driving battery costs down to less than 200 euros ($261 U.S. at current exchange rates) per kilowatt hour.

Either way, AESC, LG Chem, Panasonic/Sanyo, A123 Systems and SB LiMotive will control about 70 percent of the global market by 2015, when light-duty vehicles will account for more than 85 percent of the world's lithium-ion battery demand, according to RBSC.

Batteries are said to account for 25 percent or more of an electric-vehicle's total costs, making the subjects of lithium-ion battery capacity and costs particularly important to the overall EV market. Last month, Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported that lithium-ion battery-pack costs fell 14 percent during the past year and have declined 30 percent during the past three years because of technical advancements and higher production capacity. Specifically, EV battery costs dropped to $689 per kilowatt hour during the first quarter from $800 a year earlier, BNEF calculated.

Continue reading Lithium ion battery 'overcapacity' could arrive by 2015, would push prices way down

Lithium ion battery 'overcapacity' could arrive by 2015, would push prices way down originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 07 May 2012 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen are among the eight U.S. and German automakers that will demonstrate a single-port fast-charging system for electric vehicles at the Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 (EV26) in Los Angeles starting next week.

Audi, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and Porsche will also show off the so-called DC-fast system, which will be able to recharge most battery-electric vehicles in as little as 15 minutes.

With a combination AC and DC charging capabilities, the DC-fast system is supposed to start sales by the end of the year and will enable U.S. and German plug-ins to be able to be recharged at most public charging stations while also accommodating high-powered fast-charging stations. The International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has officially tapped the system as the standard for fast-charging.

Electric-vehicle proponents consider the establishment of a fast-charging standard to be an important key to plug-in vehicle adoption because the availability of publicly accessible fast chargers that can recharge a vehicle in minutes instead of hours makes range anxiety a moot point. Pike Research said last year that annual revenue generated by makers of electric-vehicle charging equipment will increase more than tenfold between 2011 and 2017 to about $4.3 billion.

Still, the fast-charging issue is far from settled because a separate fast-charging standard - CHAdeMO - has been proposed by the Japanese automotive industry. Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries are all partners in the CHAdeMO Association.

Continue reading U.S., German automakers will demo fast-charging system at EVS26

U.S., German automakers will demo fast-charging system at EVS26 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 May 2012 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audibmwchademocharging stationschryslerdaimlerdc-fastelectric vehiclefordgmporschevolkswagenFri, 04 May 2012 09:59:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20230451/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20230451/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/04/u-s-german-automakers-will-demo-fast-charging-system-at-evs26/20230451/article-detail.xml 20230451 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/dccombined_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/dccombined.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota looking for high-volume Prius assembly in U.S. by 2015]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/#commentsFiled under: , ,

toyota prius

Rumors that Toyota would some day build the Prius in the U.S. have bounced around for years, with a location in Mississippi often being cited as the most likely candidate. After that plan was officially scrapped in 2008, a new version of the same story returned in 2010 when a Toyota executive vice president said Mississippi Prius production could start up in 2016. Given the on-again, off-again history of the story we weren't surprised when not much was officially said about the matter in the last two years. That changed today.

Koei Saga, senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain R&D at Toyota, told Automotive News that Toyota is now thinking of making the Prius in the U.S. by 2015 and wants to get hybrid drivetrain components - motors, inverters, batteries (likely lithium-ion packs, Saga said) - from North American suppliers. The base fourth-gen Prius will probably still use nickel-metal hydride batteries, but the batteries made in the U.S. might be li-ion.

A 2015 timetable means it is likely that America would make the fourth-gen Prius model, which is due around that time. The reason this story keeps coming back is because it makes sense to build the Prius in the U.S. Sales are strong here and expected to grow, so extra production somewhere is needed to meet demand. Plus, a strong yen means that Prius vehicles built in America would likely come at a lower cost to Toyota.

Toyota currently makes the Camry hybrid in the U.S. at its plant in Georgetown, KY. The question of whether the U.S. Prius would be made there, at Toyota's Mississippi plant, at Tesla's plant in Fremont, CA (formerly known as NUMMI) - where rumors about Toyota and the electric car automaker building electric cars like the RAV4 EV have also floated around in the past - or somewhere else completely will need to be answered at another time.

Toyota looking for high-volume Prius assembly in U.S. by 2015 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>priusprius georgetownprius mississippiprius nummiprius productionprius salestoyota priusu.s. production toyota priusMon, 30 Apr 2012 10:21:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20227135/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20227135/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/20227135/article-detail.xml 20227135 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-toyota-prius-628f_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-toyota-prius-628f.jpg <![CDATA[General Electric CEO says electric vehicles will reach 'tipping point']]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/25/general-electric-ceo-says-electric-vehicles-will-reach-tipping/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/25/general-electric-ceo-says-electric-vehicles-will-reach-tipping/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/25/general-electric-ceo-says-electric-vehicles-will-reach-tipping/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

red chevy volt front three-quarter

True belief or wishful thinking?

That's the question some may ask about General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt and his statement that electric vehicles will become more than a just niche market in the U.S.

Immelt, speaking at a Detroit automotive conference on Tuesday, said GE will continue to invest in battery-electric vehicle technology with the belief that lower costs and improved performance will allow EVs to reach "a tipping point," Reuters reported. Immelt stressed the fact that GE's decision was based on his belief in what will be a substantial market, adding that "novelties don't work."

Last year, electric-drive vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in and Nissan Leaf battery-electric accounted for less than one in 500 new cars sold. By comparison, hybrids account for about one in 50 new cars sold.

GE was an early supporter of electric-drive vehicles, agreeing in November 2010 to order 12,000 Volts and work with its fleet customers to purchase 10,000 more electric-drive vehicles by 2015. GE said at the time that electric-drive vehicle adoption could create $500 million in revenue for the company during the ensuing three years.

General Electric CEO says electric vehicles will reach 'tipping point' originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electric-vehicle lithium-ion battery-pack costs fell 14 percent during the past year and are down 30 percent from three years ago because of technological improvements and increased production capacity, Bloomberg News reports, citing a study from its sister entity Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

EV battery costs fell to $689 per kilowatt hour (kWh) during the first quarter, down from $800 per kWh a year earlier. Bloomberg New Energy Finance also estimates that the battery industry has the capacity to supply as many as new 400,000 battery-electric vehicles this year, and that number may jump to almost 700,000 by the end of next year. Global vehicle makers sold about 43,000 EVs last year.

Lithium-ion battery costs are important because they can account for 25 percent or more of an EV's total costs, and estimates have varied widely. Last month, green-technology firm Pike Research estimated that lithium-ion battery costs may fall by about a third to $523 per kWh by 2017, while the battery pack for the Nissan Leaf EV has been reported to cost as little as $375 per kWh. The U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium has said battery costs will have to fall to about $150 per kilowatt hour for EVs to be price-competitive with conventional vehicles.

Advanced vehicle battery costs dropped 14% in the past year; down 30% since 2009 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battery costsbloombergelectric vehiclekilowatt hourlithium ionlithium ion batterymanufacturingplug-in hybridpricesTue, 17 Apr 2012 16:04:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20217795/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20217795/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/17/advanced-vehicle-battery-costs-drop-14-in-the-past-year-down-3/20217795/article-detail.xml 20217795 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/a123-1334688376_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/a123-1334688376.jpg <![CDATA[More layoffs at Fisker; Delaware plant is 'absolutely empty']]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Fisker Atlantic - New York reveal - front three-quarter view

Last we heard, Fisker Automotive was still "committed" to building the recently revealed Atlantic sedan at the former GM plant in Delaware. A few years ago, Fisker announced that site would be the company's new domestic production home (the Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in hybrid is made by Valmet in Finland). Still, Fisker did say that any definitive statement on the Atlantic's production location would not come until the end of the summer.

So we were interested to read new reports from local media that show more signs that the Atlantic might not ever be built in Delaware. On Friday, Delaware Online reports, 12 more workers - including engineers and maintenance technicians - were laid off at the plant, leaving "only a small maintenance team" left there. One of those let go was Jeff Garland, who had been working on community affairs and business development efforts in Delaware. He said the plant is currently "absolutely empty." This is because Fisker has taken out the old GM equipment but has not yet installed the machines it would need to build the Atlantic. As Garland told Delaware Online, "I think what happened was the budget numbers are so tight right now and they're working so hard to preserve as much cash as they can that something had to give. We're not making a car in Wilmington right now, so given that situation it was an obvious place to make a cut."

Fisker spokesman Russell Datz said that the company has flexible plans, and will hire people when "we ramp up the project again." Production of the Atlantic is being delayed, at least in part, because of issues with Fisker's DOE loan. You can read more about that here.

Then there's news that some of the components that Fisker and Ford will use in hybrid and all-electric cars are now being made by Magna E-Car Systems in Michigan. The inverters Magna makes are used in the Karma and this new production does not in any way predict a shift of Atlantic production to Michigan.

More layoffs at Fisker; Delaware plant is 'absolutely empty' originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlanticdelawareelectric vehiclefiskerfisker atlanticfisker delawareplug-in hybridTue, 17 Apr 2012 13:48:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20217507/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20217507/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/20217507/article-detail.xml 20217507 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/fisker-atlantic-reveal-10-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/fisker-atlantic-reveal-10-opt.jpg <![CDATA[GM downplays effect of battery-pack accident on plug-in sales]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/gm-downplays-effect-of-battery-pack-accident-on-plug-in-sales/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/gm-downplays-effect-of-battery-pack-accident-on-plug-in-sales/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/gm-downplays-effect-of-battery-pack-accident-on-plug-in-sales/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



What, we worry?

A General Motors executive is downplaying the potential effects of last week's explosion of a prototype battery pack in Michigan on sales of plug-in vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in, saying that high gas prices will continue to fuel sales momentum.

Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet's global marketing efforts, said at a Detroit charity event that the battery involved was subject to extreme stress testing unlikely to be replicated in real-world driving and didn't involve a battery that would be used in a Volt, according to The Detroit Bureau. The explosion injured six workers at a GM plant in Warren, Michigan, according to the publication.

Additionally, Design News interviewed a number of engineering experts who said the public shouldn't assume that the accident indicates that the batteries are explosive, noting that the accident was closer to a "fire" than an "explosion" and that the batteries themselves were intact after the accident.

GM's hoping the incident doesn't curtail the Chevrolet Volt's hard-earned sales momentum. Last month, GM sold a monthly-record 2,289 Volts, which was more than three times the numbers from a year before. Higher sales are causing GM to shorten a previously scheduled production shutdown of the Volt to four weeks from five.

Last year, Volt's sales were likely hampered by a vehicle fire that took place weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted a crash test on the car. NHTSA said earlier this year that plug-in vehicles don't pose a greater fire risk than gas-powered cars.

GM downplays effect of battery-pack accident on plug-in sales originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentbatterychevroletchevrolet voltchevy voltelectric vehicleexplosionfireinjurieslithium ionmichiganvoltwarrenMon, 16 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20216900/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20216900/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/16/gm-downplays-effect-of-battery-pack-accident-on-plug-in-sales/20216900/article-detail.xml 20216900 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/gm0412explosion_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/gm0412explosion.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan Leaf getting upgraded looks, more range in Europe; lower price likely]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/nissan-leaf-getting-upgraded-looks-more-range-in-europe/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/nissan-leaf-getting-upgraded-looks-more-range-in-europe/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/nissan-leaf-getting-upgraded-looks-more-range-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 nissan leaf

Nissan has been exporting all-electric Leaf vehicles from Oppama, Japan to both the U.S. and Europe for over a year, and that's been putting a ceiling on sales numbers and a limit on how low the price can go. To minimize these barriers, the Japanese automaker is getting factories ready in both Smyrna, TN and Sunderland, UK to serve the U.S. and European markets, respectively. Over in Europe, local production, which is scheduled to start in February, 2013, will also bring a few changes to the car.

Colin Lawther, vice president of Nissan engineering in Europe, recently told Automotive News that, "We'll fine tune the car for the European customer from a design point of view." Those fine-tunings include a longer range, better acceleration and a slightly different look. Oh, and the price should change, too. Nissan told AN that building in the UK will reduce costs by "about" a third, thanks to lower import taxes and less of an impact from a strong yen, but the price for the local EV has not yet been set.

As we learned recently, the U.S. version of the Leaf is also going to get some upgrades, including a better heater that can offer more miles from the battery pack. The same sort of cost reductions that will help the European Leaf will have an impact here once Nissan's Smyrna plant starts making the EV, but it's anyone's guess what the Tennessee-built Leaf will cost.

Nissan Leaf getting upgraded looks, more range in Europe; lower price likely originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 nissan leafelectric vehicleeuro-specleafnissannissan leafsmyrnasunderlandThu, 12 Apr 2012 20:03:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20214634/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20214634/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/12/nissan-leaf-getting-upgraded-looks-more-range-in-europe/20214634/article-detail.xml 20214634 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-nissan-leaf-red8_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/2012-nissan-leaf-red8.jpg <![CDATA[Lithium-ion battery costs will still be about $400/kWh by 2020]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/lithium-ion-battery-costs-will-still-be-about-400-kwh-by-2020/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/lithium-ion-battery-costs-will-still-be-about-400-kwh-by-2020/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/06/lithium-ion-battery-costs-will-still-be-about-400-kwh-by-2020/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Count Lux Research among the pessimists when it comes to the costs of lithium-ion battery packs.

Lithium-ion battery costs will fall to about $400 per kilowatt hour by the end of the decade, more than double the $150 per kilowatt hour the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium says will be required for battery-electric vehicles to be affordable to most of the car-buying public. So says a new report from Lux Research.

Not enough EV batteries will be made to create the economies of scale required for a substantial cost reduction, while few technologies aside from the current lithium-ion process, such as Li-air and solid-state batteries, will be developed in time to make much of an impact by 2020, according to the report.

The report is the latest to weigh in on how far battery costs will fall as automakers hope to ramp up on EV production to meet progressively more stringent greenhouse-gas emissions requirements both in the U.S. and abroad. Green-technology firm Pike Research said last month that lithium-ion battery costs may fall by about a third to about $523 per kilowatt hour by 2017, while global revenue for transportation-oriented lithium-ion batteries will jump to $14.6 billion in 2017 from about $2 billion in 2011.

Estimates of battery costs have varied as automakers and tech analysts have looked into ways to make them cheaper. The Nissan Leaf EV's battery pack has been reported to be as cheap as $375 per kilowatt hour, while Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said last month that battery costs may fall to less than $200 per kilowatt hour "in the not-too-distant future."

Continue reading Lithium-ion battery costs will still be about $400/kWh by 2020

Lithium-ion battery costs will still be about $400/kWh by 2020 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battery packcostselectric vehiclelithium-ion battery packlux researchmanufacturingFri, 06 Apr 2012 10:35:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20209545/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20209545/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/06/lithium-ion-battery-costs-will-still-be-about-400-kwh-by-2020/20209545/article-detail.xml 20209545 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/a123_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/a123.jpg <![CDATA[Fisker may change plans on Delaware production, details Karma troubles]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/fisker-may-change-plans-on-delaware-production-details-karma-tr/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/fisker-may-change-plans-on-delaware-production-details-karma-tr/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/fisker-may-change-plans-on-delaware-production-details-karma-tr/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Fisker Atlantic - New York reveal - front three-quarter view

Fisker Automotive may drop plans to use a Delaware factory to build its upcoming Atlantic sedan and is looking at "other options," Automotive News is reporting, citing an interview with company CEO Tom LaSorda. The company, in an online meeting with owners of the Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in sedan, spelled out some of the issues that have been plaguing the car.

Fisker will hold off on deciding on the Atlantic's production site until the end of summer, which will delay the debut of the model. LaSorda maintains that Fisker will be able to produce the Atlantic with or without Department of Energy funding, Automotive News reports. Fisker's director of corporate communications, Russell Datz, tells AutoblogGreen that the company remains "committed to Delaware" but admits that if the rest of the company's DOE loan money does not come through, the plan to build the Atlantic in Delaware could change.

Scroll down to continue reading...

Continue reading Fisker may change plans on Delaware production, details Karma troubles

Fisker may change plans on Delaware production, details Karma troubles originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 fisker karmaa123a123 systemsatlanticfiskerfisker atlanticfisker batterieskarmaninaplug-in hybridproject ninaThu, 05 Apr 2012 19:40:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20209511/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20209511/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/05/fisker-may-change-plans-on-delaware-production-details-karma-tr/20209511/article-detail.xml 20209511 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/fisker-atlantic-reveal-10-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/fisker-atlantic-reveal-10-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Improving Chevy Volt sales leads GM to shorten summer shutdown]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2011 Chevy Volt in profile

Just the other day, we heard that General Motors might extend its traditional two-week summer shutdown to three weeks for the Chevrolet Volt. But, after record Volt sales last month, we wonder how the calendar looks in Hamtramck now. We wonder because we are hearing reports that the current shutdown - originally scheduled to run for five weeks, from March 19 to April 23 - will be shortened by a week. GM originally decided on the hold to reduce supply that had grown too large because of soft demand.

Don LaForest, the chairman of the United Auto Workers bargaining committee at the Hamtramck plant where the Volt is made, told Talking Points Memo that GM is "adding a week of production back in." The Detroit News reports that GM President of North America Mark Reuss said the same thing Wednesday during the New York Auto Show. Reuss said, "We're doing it because we sold a lot."

Increasing sales numbers (GM sold 2,289 Volts in March - well over double February's 1,023-unit total) come at a time when some of the right-wing attacks on the plug-in hybrid appear to have calmed down. LaForest told TPM that his union workers have been confused about these criticisms. "I don't think Newt or Mitt have said a single negative thing about the Nissan Leaf," he said. "They're attacking our car to get at the President. But our car is going to change the way America does business. It's a breath of fresh air."

Improving Chevy Volt sales leads GM to shorten summer shutdown originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In this case, the federal government sneezes, and central Ohio catches a cold.

That's the take from the Columbus Dispatch on the decision by electric-vehicle maker Coda Automotive to shelve plans to build a Columbus, OH, battery factory.

Coda said about two years ago that it would build the factory, which would've supported more than 1,000 jobs in the area. It said at the time that "Construction of the facility is contingent upon finalizing an incentive package with the state of Ohio and the approval of an application for a Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan (ATVM)." Guess what didn't happen?

Los Angeles-based Coda has been hamstrung on the proposed investment because the DOE has not yet responded to the loan request, which was filed around two years ago. Parts for the Coda Sedan are made in China, while the EV is assembled in Northern California.

Earlier this month, Coda sold its first models to California buyers. The company, which opened its Los Angeles headquarters late last year, sold its first Sedan ten days ago and was recently given an official range of 88 miles from the EPA.

Coda shelves plans for Ohio battery plant because of DOE inaction originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batterycodacoda automotivecolumbuscolumbus ohioelectric vehiclefactoryfederal governmentloanohioplantThu, 29 Mar 2012 16:08:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20204252/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20204252/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/29/coda-shelves-plans-for-ohio-battery-plant-because-of-doe-inactio/20204252/article-detail.xml 20204252 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/coda_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/coda.jpg <![CDATA[Despite rumors, Volvo not ceasing electric C30 production plans]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/despite-rumors-volvo-not-ceasing-electric-c30-production-plans/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/despite-rumors-volvo-not-ceasing-electric-c30-production-plans/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/despite-rumors-volvo-not-ceasing-electric-c30-production-plans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

volvo c30 electric

Dutch website NU recently reported that Volvo expects low demand for its C30 Electric, and therefore it decided to stop building the mostly electric car (it has a small, ethanol-burning heater to keep passengers warm). The original source for this information was a story in the Belgian newspaper The Age that cited Volvo's government affairs director, Anders Kärrberg. Turns out, this isn't quite right.

First, Volvo has always said the C30 Electric is a limited program. When the company started making the attractive EV in last summer, the public plan was to make just 250 units. So, the fact that the automaker is getting ready to finish up building the 250 units and then reevaluate the situation is not a surprise.

We asked Volvo's Malin Persson about the situation, and she told AutoblogGreen that "[it has] never been our aim to continue with production of C30 Electric for a longer period of time." She added that:
  • [Volvo Car Corporation] will not end the production of the C30 Electric - but it has always been a project limited in numbers and time.
  • Approximately 200 cars have been built from the first generation, another 50 remain to be built before summer.
  • In the second generation, starting after the summer, 100 cars will be built in cooperation with Siemens and with Siemens technology.
  • The know-how and experience VCC has gained and will gain from the C30 Electric project will be extremely valuable when taking decisions about the way forward when it comes to electric cars.
So, instead of reporting that Volvo is stopping C30 Electric production, the reality is that 100 vehicles has been added to the build order. How aggressively Volvo continues to push on with electric technology beyond its C30 program - in something like the XC60 plug-in hybrid - remains to be seen. Kärrberg told The Age that Volvo thinks EVs will only make up one percent of the market in the next eight years, thanks to expensive batteries and a hodgepodge of government incentives.

Despite rumors, Volvo not ceasing electric C30 production plans originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When we last asked Toyota representatives about the production capacity of the 2012 Prius C, we were told the company's Iwate, Japan plant could make up to 30,000 units each month. That sounds like a lot, but Toyota is currently sending just 20 percent - 6,000 a month - to the United States.

Back in December, when the car went on sale in Japan, the company received 120,000 orders in the first five days it was on sale. As we noted last week, Toyota also sold 1,200 Prius C units in the first three days it was on sale in the States. The baby Prius may not be as popular here as it is at home, but 6,000 a month sure doesn't seem like it's enough.

The C is made at just one plant, one run by Toyota's Kanto Auto Works Ltd. affiliate in northern Japan. A strong yen and all those Japanese orders means that the C models that do get made are mostly delivered to the home country instead of exported. Toyota originally planned to produce just 20,000 Cs a month, and is now looking to go over even the 30,000 level. By increasing efficiencies at the plant and moving production of non-Prius C models (specifically, the not-available-in-the-U.S. Toyota Ractis) from Iwate to other plants, the unspecified increase should be in place by the middle of this year. Thus far, there is no official talk about making the C at other plants.

Toyota increasing Prius C production to meet high demand at home and abroad originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The cost for lithium-ion batteries used in electric-drive vehicles will fall by about a third between now and 2017 as battery-production technology improves, lithium supply increases and battery packs are sold in higher volumes, green-technology research firm Pike Research said in a report released this week.

Lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles will fall to an "installed price" of about $523 per kilowatt hour, Pike predicts. Meanwhile, the firm estimates that global revenue from lithium-ion batteries specifically used for transportation will jump to $14.6 billion in 2017, up from $2 billion last year.

"The market for Li-ion batteries will be driven primarily by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles, which require much larger battery packs than hybrids," said John Gartner, research director at Pike Research, in a statement.

Lithium-ion batteries present a classic chicken-or-egg issue with electric-vehicle adoption because battery costs need to decrease in order to yield the lower sticker prices that will entice more shoppers to consider buying EVs and hybrids. Conversely, battery packs need to be produced in high volumes in order to get costs to fall.

Even so, demand for electric-drive vehicles is expected to rise over the next few years as fuel prices increase and automakers offer a wider choice of plug-ins. Pike Research optimistically predicted last year that cumulative global sales of plug-in vehicles will reach 5.2 million units in 2017, up from 114,000 vehicles in 2011.

Estimates of battery costs have varied as automakers and tech analysts have looked into ways to make them less costly. The Nissan Leaf EV's battery pack has been reported to be as cheap as $375 per kilowatt hour, while Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said last month that battery costs may fall to less than $200 per kilowatt hour "in the not-too-distant future."

Continue reading Lithium-ion battery costs to fall by a third by 2017 as demand jumps

Lithium-ion battery costs to fall by a third by 2017 as demand jumps originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan will increase the number of European car dealers carrying Leaf electric vehicles tenfold - to 1,000 - by the end of the year and will sell the car in two dozen European markets by 2013, all part of the Japanese automaker's plan to boost Leaf sales overseas.

Nissan, which sells the Leaf in 14 European markets and will have 700 dealers selling the car by the end of April, will also install charging stations in all 1,000 European dealers and will give 400 quick-charging stations to various communities in an effort to broaden the EV-charging infrastructure throughout the continent. Such quick-chargers, which cost about 10,000 euros ($13,260 U.S. at today's exchange rate), can recharge a Leaf to 80 percent capacity in about a half hour.

Nissan will also start Leaf battery production in the U.K. by this June and will work with sister company Renault at developing a system where Leaf owners can resell their cars' batteries so that they can be used in a so-called "second life" as power-storage devices for the grid.

The company said earlier this week that it would almost double the number of workers at its Tennessee factory within the next year in part to accelerate production of both Nissan Leafs and battery packs. Last year, Nissan sold 9,674 Leafs in the U.S., just missing its target of 10,000 units for its first full year of domestic sales. Europe accounted for about 696,000 Nissan vehicle sales last year, or 15 percent of the 4.67 million vehicles the company sold worldwide in 2011.

Continue reading Nissan will expand Leaf dealer network in Europe tenfold this year

Nissan will expand Leaf dealer network in Europe tenfold this year originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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