AutoblogGreen

Plug-in vehicle drivers often get lower insurance rates

Danny King — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:13:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, USA, Middle East

Plug-in vehicle drivers are probably less likely to get cited for shredding rubber or doing 80 in a 50 zone and, apparently, insurance companies are taking note.

Drivers of vehicles like the Nissan Leaf battery electric and Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in hybrid pay, on average, lower insurance premiums than their conventional-vehicle counterparts, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Companies like Hartford Insurance have started offering a five percent discount for U.S. electric vehicle drivers, apparently taking into account statistics that show that these drivers tend not to speed or rear-end other folks, the publication reported.

Of course, there are some insurance companies that charge more to insure plug-ins because of their higher price tag, compared to gas-powered vehicles of a similar class. Still, on average, EV drivers appear to be paying less. Specifically, a typical Leaf driver pays about 15 percent less than a driver of a Nissan Maxima, whose base price is about 15 percent less than the Leaf's.

Plug-in vehicle drivers often get lower insurance rates originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 24 May 2012 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas may hit $6 mark, or maybe pump prices have peaked

Danny King — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG, Legislation and Policy, USA, Middle East

Might want to buy some stock in whatever company you think makes the most fuel-efficient cars.

The price of U.S. gasoline could hit the $6 mark if international sanctions are imposed on Iran and shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil is shipped, the Chicago Tribune reports, citing remarks made by IHS chief economist Nariman Behravesh at an event sponsored by the National Automobile Dealers Association and IHS.

Sudan, Syria and Yemen are among countries where there have been oil-supply disruptions, driving up the price of gas to its current levels. And, with 20 percent of the world's oil coming from the Persian Gulf and fears of Iran supply disruption, there's about a 20 percent chance gas prices will approach the $6 a gallon mark, and that could happen by early next year. According to Behravesh, such a jump could cause alt-fuel vehicle sales to spike and, with General Motors unlikely to be able to ramp up production of its Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in vehicle, Nissan Leaf battery-electric sales may surge.

Gas prices are a subject that elicit about as many opinions as presidential prospects. Earlier this month, USA Today quoted Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst for GasBuddy, saying that gas prices may have peaked at about $3.92 a gallon and would drop to $3.70 by the end of the month. U.S. drivers had been hoping that 2011 would've been the worst year for gas prices for a while, as average prices surged about 27 percent to more than $3.50 a gallon and hit the $4 mark last May.

This year, U.S. gas prices have jumped almost 60 cents a gallon to about $3.90 a gallon, according to AAA, and consumers are responding. Last month marked the third-consecutive monthly record when it came to fuel economy figures for new cars, whose gas mileage averaged 24.1 miles per gallon, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). As a result, both the Volt and the Toyota Prius hybrid had record monthly U.S. sales.

Gas may hit $6 mark, or maybe pump prices have peaked originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker reaches out to Middle East; DOE reaches for loan consultant

Danny King — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:52:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, Africa, USA, Middle East, Fisker

Fisker Automotive may not exactly be chummy with the U.S. federal government these days, but at least it's getting some love from the Middle East.

The California-based extended-range plug-in vehicle maker reached an agreement with Al-Futtaim Group to distribute its cars throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Al-Futtaim sells Lexus, Volvo, Jeep, Toyota and other vehicles throughout the Middle East. The distributor will open a Fisker dealership in Dubai this year.

As for the U.S. government, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which has $193 million in loans out to Fisker, is working with Los Angeles-based investment bank and restructuring expert Houlihan Lokey to keep tabs of Fisker's attempts to raise its own cash, Bloomberg Businessweek reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the situation.

The DOE, in an e-mail to Bloomberg, copped to hiring consultants to tracking companies that have received its loans, but didn't specifically comment on Fisker. The DOE, which slated $529 million in loans for Fisker, froze the credit line after distributing less than $200 million because of production delays related to the Fisker Karma. Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and John Thune (R-SD) are among the members of Congress that have questioned the DOE's decision to grant a loan to Fisker.

Last week, ex-Fisker Chairman Ray Lane went as far as blaming Mitt Romney for the loan-distribution issues, saying that the Republican presidential candidate is using the issue for political gain. Meanwhile, Fisker is still deciding on whether it will use a former General Motors plant in Delaware to build its upcoming Atlantic (formerly Project Nina) sedan.

Continue reading Fisker reaches out to Middle East; DOE reaches for loan consultant

Fisker reaches out to Middle East; DOE reaches for loan consultant originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla stock sale nets Abu Dhabi $113 million

Danny King — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, Middle East

Talk about hedging your bets.

Abu Dhabi National Energy (TAQA), which is majority owned by the emirate, netted $113 million from selling its seven percent stake in Tesla Motors recently, Arab News reports.

Abu Dhabi, which gets most of its wealth from oil, doubled its investment in the Bay Area-based electric-vehicle maker. TAQA gained the shares in late 2010 when they were transferred from the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority. TAQA said it planned to reinvest the proceeds in Middle East energy-production opportunities.

Tesla shares are up 16 percent so far in 2012 and have jumped 25 percent in the past 12 months. Earlier this year, the company forecast that it would triple its 2011 sales in 2012 and would sell 5,000 Model S sedans. The new car goes on sale this summer. Tesla recently said it was "almost ready" to deliver the Model S, which starts at $57,400 before government incentives.

Abu Dhabi, through its Aabar Investments, is the largest shareholder in Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG, according to Arab News.

Tesla stock sale nets Abu Dhabi $113 million originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentagon report says U.S. pays $400/gal for gas in Afghanistan [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, USA, Middle East, Videos

Fed up with the price of gas? We feel your pain. Depending on what state you live in, gas is likely to be found for somewhere between three and four dollars per gallon - and make no mistake, that figure is enough to amount to a sizable chunk of the average American's monthly paycheck.

A new Pentagon report obtained by The Wall Street Journal suggests that American motorists should consider themselves lucky to have such affordable fuel: U.S. military operations stationed in Afghanistan are paying a lot more than that... up to $400 per gallon of fuel delivered to troops on the ground - 100 times what we are asked to shell out. Yikes.

The astronomical cost of fuel is due in part to how it must be delivered: by parachute. Huge military cargo planes operated by the Air Force fly to a remote drop zone and send dozens of pallets to the ground, containing items like food, water and, of course, fuel.

There's more bad news. Due to the dangers of setting up ground-based supply convoys, the military fully expects that air-drops will be increasingly necessary in the coming months and years. And that means our military's fuel bill is only going to get more and more expensive.

Check out a couple of video reports explaining the issue after the break.

Continue reading Pentagon report says U.S. pays $400/gal for gas in Afghanistan [w/video]

Pentagon report says U.S. pays $400/gal for gas in Afghanistan [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pike Research predicts 68% jump in global CNG vehicle sales by 2016

Eric Loveday — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:46:00 EST

Filed under: Natural Gas, India, USA, Middle East

Annual worldwide sales of natural gas vehicles will jump 68 percent to 3.2 million vehicles in 2016 from 1.9 million in 2010, according to Pike Research. The surge, says Pike, will be driven mainly by fleets looking to cut petroleum dependency and reduce operating costs.

In the U.S., annual natural gas vehicle sales will almost quadruple to 33,000 vehicles in 2016, up from an estimated 8,400 in 2012. Among individual countries, India will overtake Iran as the world's leading user of natural gas vehicles by 2016. Oil-rich Iran will apparently turn more and more to natural gas as a fuel because using petroleum means that the nation would turn less profit from selling the crude to foreign countries.

Even if the U.S.' use of natural gas does quadruple, it will continue to account for a near-meaningless percentage of worldwide natural gas vehicles. This, says Pike, is due to a lack of infrastructure. As of September 1, there were an estimated 946 operational natural gas fueling stations in the U.S., compared to 3,200 public-access electric vehicle charge points and nearly 125,000 gas stations. Lack of infrastructure aside, the fact that only one production passenger vehicle sold in the U.S. is capable of burning natural gas - the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas - is quite a bottleneck.

Continue reading Pike Research predicts 68% jump in global CNG vehicle sales by 2016

Pike Research predicts 68% jump in global CNG vehicle sales by 2016 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Touring the Better Place Visitor Center in Tel Aviv

Noah Joseph — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:53:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Renault, Middle East, First Drive, Better Place

A quick spin in the Laguna EV at the epicenter of the Better Place project

Ask any addict why they don't quit, and they'll probably tell you it comes down to one sticking point. The addiction could be to caffeine or cocaine, but whatever the excuse - from work stress and social factors to depression or a general lack of willpower - addicts always have something to blame for their continued use.

The same could be argued for oil addiction. Because when it comes down to it, there really is only one sticking point that prevents a world dependent on petroleum from switching to electric vehicles. It's not about availability, because as any economics student (or drug dealer) will tell you, supply always catches up to demand. It's not about the source of the electricity, or the production and disposal of batteries. More than any other reason, oil addicts blame range anxiety.

For drivers used to getting into their cars and hitting the open road, range is a commodity we're just not willing to give up. While battery technology is constantly improving, it's still a long way from matching the range you can get on a full tank of gas and an endless chain of pump stations. But there's one company that says they've found the solution... or at least a stop-gap. One that could get the world's drivers off of gasoline and on the road to electric propulsion. We headed out to Tel Aviv to see what they were up to. (Continue reading...)

Gallery: Renault Laguna EV - Better Place Visitor Center - Tel Aviv

Continue reading Touring the Better Place Visitor Center in Tel Aviv

Touring the Better Place Visitor Center in Tel Aviv originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Project Better Place taking heat on its home turf

Mark Sumner — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:06:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, Middle East, Better Place

Better Place is headquartered in Israel and the battery-swapping EV enterprise has been held up as an example of that nation's high-tech capabilities. So, seeing the company take a beating in an Israeli newspaper may seem surprising. But that's just what journalist Dan Rabinowitz did in Haaretz:

Better Place's electric car network was supposed to bring us glad tidings of an innovative high technology that would preserve the atmosphere and the environment, redeem us from our dependence on oil and, above all, save us money.

But it is very doubtful that the electric car will indeed reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in Israel. And now that the full costs and the technical specifications have been revealed, there are equally serious questions about how much consumers will save.

According to Rabinowitz, the economics of Better Place don't work out for Israeli consumers or for Israeli tax payers. Instead, he calls the company's plans a "gimmick" whose only real value as a company is what it generates from the "monopoly it received from the state on building and operating charging stations." Ouch. It the company really more intent on scamming shekels from Israeli EV owners than it is on swapping batteries? At least one person seems to think so. Do you?

[Source: Haaretz]

Project Better Place taking heat on its home turf originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High oil prices see sheikhs on supercar-buying binge

Autoblog Staff — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Middle East

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport L'Or Blanc - Click above for high-res image gallery

Bloomberg is reporting that the sale of high-end and exotic cars in countries like the United Arab Emirates may swell by as much as 20 percent this year. The reason? Civilized countries just can't seem to kick their thirst for gasoline, and as a result, the price of a barrel of crude oil continues to hover at around $100 per barrel. All that cash is flowing straight into the bank accounts of aristocrats like Sheikh Hamad, who happens to own over 200 vehicles housed in a pyramid-shaped garage. Among his collection are a 16-foot-tall Dodge Power Wagon and what Bloomberg calls a "see-through disco car."

The exotic car take rate in the Gulf states is more than double the industry average, thanks in part to the fact that buyers in those areas are more comfortable with displays of wealth than their American or European counterparts. Fiat, for example, says that thanks to demand in the U.A.E., the company may run low on Maserati models. Buyers in the country face a three-month waiting list for the Porsche Cayenne while fetching a 911 takes somewhere in the neighborhood of seven months.

As you'd imagine, fuel economy doesn't even appear on the list of concerns for these particular buyers...

[Source: Bloomberg]

High oil prices see sheikhs on supercar-buying binge originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McDonald's to use its deep-fryer oil to fuel delivery trucks in UAE

Eric Loveday — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Middle East

Over in the United Arab Emirates, McDonald's will fuel up its delivery trucks with waste oil from its own deep fryers. This is not the first time that McDonald's has turned to its own vats of grease for fuel and likely won't be the last.

Dubai-based Neutral Fuels has announced that it struck up a deal to convert McDonald's used oil into biodiesel to fuel the hamburger joint's trucks over in The Emirates. Neutral claims it has sufficient capacity to crank out one million liters (264,172 gallons) of biodiesel a year at its Dubai facility and can double that amount if need be. Furthermore, Neutral says all of the more than 80 McDonald's in the UAE will turn to 100 percent biodiesel to fuel their trucks.

McDonald's says the waste-to-biodiesel initiative is part of its grand renewable energy scheme in the UAE. Among other things, McDonald's has partnered with the region's main environmental watchdogs, Emirates Environmental Group.

[Source: Solar Feeds via IOL Business Report | Image: Todd Huffman - CC 2.0]

McDonald's to use its deep-fryer oil to fuel delivery trucks in UAE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. to release 30 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Eric Loveday — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, USA, Middle East

On Thursday, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the U.S., along with its partners in the International Energy Agency, has decided to release a total of 60 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves within the next 30 days. This move is to offset the disruption in oil supply caused by continued unrest in the Middle East. For its part, the U.S. will release 30 million barrels of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). According to the DOE, the SPR currently has 727 million barrels of oil.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu had this to say of the U.S. government's decision to tap into the SPR:

We are taking this action in response to the ongoing loss of crude oil due to supply disruptions in Libya and other countries and their impact on the global economic recovery. As we move forward, we will continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to take additional steps if necessary.

The situation in Libya, according to the DOE, causes a loss of roughly 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. Some say soaring gas prices here in the U.S. are a direct result of the turmoil in Libya so, in theory, tapping the SPR should drive down pump prices. That's not how these things work, as we'll probably find out in, um, around 20 days.

[Source: U.S. Department of Energy]

Continue reading U.S. to release 30 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve

U.S. to release 30 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan Leaf likely headed to UAE in 2014

Eric Loveday — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:53:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Middle East

2011 Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery

Electric vehicle enthusiasts in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will likely have to wait until early 2014 before they can buy a Nissan Leaf locally. The battery-powered hatch, already available in the U.S., Japan and Europe, won't be offered in the Middle East until an ample amount of charging stations are installed near the region's highways, according to an official at Arabian Automobiles - a local Nissan dealership.

Arabian Automobiles recently had one Leaf shipped in so it could display the electric hatch at an industry event, but according to the dealership, a large-scale commercial launch in the UAE is still years away. Michael Ayat, chief executive officer of Arabian Automobiles, told the Gulf News that the Gulf "is not a priority at the moment."

Not everyone is willing to wait and, apparently, some electric vehicle aficionados in the Middle East have attempted to import the Leaf. This has lead Nissan to issue the following statement:

Nissan strongly recommends customers not to purchase the Nissan Leaf through any unauthorized channels.

Now you know.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan LEAF

[Source: Gulf News]

Report: Nissan Leaf likely headed to UAE in 2014 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Saudi prince worried over increasing fuel economy standards and technology

Jonas Dalidd — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Legislation and Policy, Middle East

This may sound surprising, but Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal has gone on record saying he wants the price of oil to decrease. Why's that you ask? It's all about the long-term game, says the Saudi Royal Family's stock market and real estate magnate. In a recent interview with "CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS," Al Waleed admits:

We don't want the West to go and find alternatives, because, clearly, the higher the price of oil goes, the more they have incentives to go and find alternatives.

Talal goes on to say that he thinks the price of oil should be closer to $70 to $80 a barrel instead of the current $100/barrel rate. With such high oil and gasoline prices, Talal fears that new technologies are being pushed ever harder to squeeze more and more miles out of each gallon of gas. Further, Talal worries that U.S. efforts to increase its Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 35.5 mpg by 2016 and anywhere from 47 to 62 mpg by 2025 (along with automakers' burgeoning plug-in vehicle strategies) could eventually lead to reduced or eliminated dependence on Saudi oil.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: Nestor Galina - C.C. License 2.0]

Report: Saudi prince worried over increasing fuel economy standards and technology originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better Place announces pricing for Renault Fluence Z.E. in Israel

Eric Loveday — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Renault, Middle East

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

Ahead of its official launch scheduled for the end 2011, Better Place has unveiled a complex pricing structure for the Renault Fluence Z.E. in Israel. The base version of the electric sedan will hit the market at a price of ILS 122,900 ($34,265 U.S. at the current exchange rate), not including Better Place's service fees. The up-level Fluence Z.E. will start at ILS 129,900 ($37,274 U.S.). That's roughly in line with the cost of a new, traditionally powered vehicle.

Better Place's four-year service package includes installation and maintenance of an in-home charging station, free access to Better Place's public chargers and its network of battery swapping stations, computer support, navigation services and more.

Better Place says that for drivers who travel less than 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles) a year, the service package will cost ILS 1090 ($313 U.S.) a month. For those that drive more, Better Place offers a service package that can take you up to 30,000 km (18,641 miles) at a monthly rate of ILS 1,599 ($459 U.S.). According to Better Place, its electric vehicle service packages will somehow reduce annual maintenance costs by 20 percent. YMMY, of course, but we can see that gas costs around $7 a gallon there now.

It's unclear if buyers will be able to adjust or terminate their four-year contractual agreement if dissatisfied with their plug-in vehicle purchase or Better Place's service, but one thing that is clear is that going electric is not going to be cheap in Isreal. Hat tip to Sammy and Jacob!

Gallery: Renault Fluence Z.E.

[Source: Globes via Google translate]

Better Place announces pricing for Renault Fluence Z.E. in Israel originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eternity Technologies opens Persian Gulf region's largest industrial battery plant

Eric Loveday — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Middle East

Late last week, the United Arab Emirates inaugurated the Eternity Technologies' industrial battery manufacturing plant in Al Jazeera Al Hamra. Owned by the UAE-based Al Dobowi Group, the facility is being hailed as the Persian Gulf region's largest industrial battery plant and was established with an initial investment of Dh200 million ($54.6 million U.S. at the current exchange rate). Eternity Technologies will use the site to design and develop motive batteries for industrial machines such as fork lifts, trucks and personnel transport vehicles.

At the launch event, His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi (pictured), Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah claimed that the UAE has the "geographical advantage of being a gateway to a market of more than two billion people, presenting an opportunity for companies basing their operations in the UAE." With annual capacity pegged at one million cells, Eternity Technologies says that, along with shipping cells to neighboring Gulf countries, it will export 85 percent of its output to markets including the U.S., Europe and Asia.

[Source: Eternity Technologies]

Continue reading Eternity Technologies opens Persian Gulf region's largest industrial battery plant

Eternity Technologies opens Persian Gulf region's largest industrial battery plant originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saudi Arabia increases oil output to compensate for shortage from Libya

Eric Loveday — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:49:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Africa, Middle East

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Saudi Arabia has boosted its oil output to compensate for shortages in global crude supply caused by the unrest in Libya. Reports confirm that Saudi officials have met with European refiners to discuss the amount of oil required to fill the shortfall, estimated to be 1.2 million barrels of oil per day. An IEA spokesman released a statement claiming that there's "every indication that increased volumes are now being made available to the market".

Prior to the onset of the Libyan protests, Saudi Arabia claimed it retains sufficient spare oil capacity to crank out four million barrels of crude per day. Not everyone is certain this capacity actually exists, but Ali Naimi, the nation's oil minister, made it known that Saudi Arabia is standing by to use this excess capacity:

We have done this so many times, responding to emerging crises on the side of supply. We have enough credence to tell you that we will meet any shortage. I want this to be transmitted to the markets so people can sleep tonight.

Oil crisis averted... at least for now.

[Source: Financial Times | Image: nestor galina - C.C. License 2.0]

Saudi Arabia increases oil output to compensate for shortage from Libya originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diane Rehm talks oil prices, Middle East unrest and plug-in cars

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:07:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, Africa, Middle East

If you're interested in hearing how the turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East is connected to the recent spike in gas prices, we hope you've got an hour to spare. That's how long it'll take to listen to today's Diane Rehm Show, which is a great "where are we now" piece on a lot of the factors that connect the demonstrators in Libya with Saudi Arabia, the U.S. gas tax with biofuels and more.

Some callers to Rehm's radio program wondered why the price can climb so quickly when there's trouble somewhere (man-made or natural), but the gist of the wide-ranging answer is that the future is uncertain, and that's what is causing gas prices to climb. The U.S. average today is $3.189 a gallon, up almost a nickel from last week.

Rehm's panel this morning included author and Foreign Policy contributing editor Steve LeVine, the Center for American Progress' vice-president for energy policy, Kate Gordon, and Lucian (Lou) Pugliaresi, the president of the Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRINC). It's kind of interesting to hear Publiaresi play Wormtongue to the oil industry's Saruman throughout the discussion but we expect most readers to disagree with his proposals. Click here to listen to the broadcast. We think you'll be happy you did.

[Source: The Diane Rehm Show]

Diane Rehm talks oil prices, Middle East unrest and plug-in cars originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Iran converts Jatropha into biodiesel; a first for the nation

Eric Loveday — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:07:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Middle East

Though producing biodiesel fuel by extracting oil from the Jatropha curcas plant is relatively common in some nations, Iran has, for the first time ever, managed to successfully convert Jatropha into biodiesel. Iranian scientists cultivated the Jatropha curcas plant, a species that's native to tropical subtropical regions, in Southern Iran.

Peiman Yousefi Azar, a member of Iran's Scientific Forestry Assocation, told Fars News Agency that:

Iran produced biodiesel fuel through extracting oil from Jatropha plant which was grown in Bandar Abbas in a pilot [project].

Azar claims the advantage of using biodiesel fuel to power vehicles and commercial machinery is that it can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85 percent. Producing useable fuel from the the Jatropha curcas plant is relatively simple. The Jatropha seeds are crushed and the residual oil is subject to a transesterification process, which results in biodiesel.

[Source: Fars News Agency | Image: Reinhard Henning - C.C. License 2.0]

Report: Iran converts Jatropha into biodiesel; a first for the nation originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masdar City rapid transit auto-pods are here [w/video]

Jonas Dalidd — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Transportation Alternatives, Middle East

Masdar City trackless Personal Transportation System - Click above to watch the video after the break

Nothing says 'the future' quite like auto-pods, except maybe flying cars, but those aren't here yet. What are here are Masdar City's rapid transit auto-pods. Claimed to be the world's first trackless Personal Transportation System (PRT), the four-seat pods will theoretically be able to take you wherever you want to go in the city, sans driver. We say theoretically because Masdar City isn't really a city just yet (more like a collection of a few buildings, with mostly researchers and students living there), and therefore the pods only go on one route with a stop at each end (about 1600 meters round-trip).

Another big change in the works is the PRT system will no longer be underground. Due to the global financial crisis, Masdar's audacious (and expensive) plans to make itself a floating city 25 feet (7.5 meters) above the ground got scrapped, forcing the pods above ground. While its nice to see some progress from when we last reported on them, these pods (and the city itself) have a long way to go before they can be declared a success.

Check out a video of the Masdar City trackless Personal Transportation System after the break.

[Source: Marc Gunther]

Continue reading Masdar City rapid transit auto-pods are here [w/video]

Masdar City rapid transit auto-pods are here [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wikileaks: U.S. believes Saudi Arabia is running out of oil

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:19:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Green Culture, Middle East

Peak oil, according to Wikipedia, is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. Opinions vary on when the world will actually reach a peak oil scenario, but a new report detailed by Julian Assange's infamous Wikileaks website indicates the United States believes it's staring us right in the face - as early as 2012.

Maybe that's what the Mayan calendar is on about?

It may not exactly be the end of the world as we know it, but if the report is accurate, it could mean death to a number of popular vehicular segments; namely the gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle, heavy-duty pickup truck and possible even the mainstream performance car. Electric and hybrid Mustang and Camaro models might not look so bad in the very near future, eh?

This revalatory report centers around a meeting between Sadad al-Husseini, a geologist and former head of exploration at Aramco (the state-owned national oil company of Saudi Arabia), and U.S. officials. Husseini, an expert on the subject, suggested that Saudi Arabia doesn't have as much oil left as the country wants us to believe and that it is unlikely to continue producing its current rate of 12.5 million barrels per day.

None of this is to say that the world has run out of oil - far from it, in fact - but it does mean that Saudi Arabia, the largest country in the Middle East and the country that's thought by experts to hold about one-fifth of the world's proven total petroleum reserves, won't be able to provide enough oil to keep the world operating as it does today.

If nothing else, this report gives us reason to believe that oil prices won't stay nearly as low as they currently are, and that large-scale price increases could happen sooner rather than later. Thanks for the tip, Glenton!

[Source: Yahoo News | Image: Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty]

Wikileaks: U.S. believes Saudi Arabia is running out of oil originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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