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[DOE's David Sandalow defends Obama's auto record]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/does-david-sandalow-defends-obamas-auto-record/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/does-david-sandalow-defends-obamas-auto-record/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/02/03/does-david-sandalow-defends-obamas-auto-record/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

david sandalowOne of the differences between the Washington Auto Show and car shows in other cities is the almost overwhelming appearance of politicians and government officials. Whether they come to learn or to lecture (or both), these folks create a well-worn trail from the Hill to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center every January.

One such official who spoke at the show last week was David Sandalow, assistant secretary for policy and international affairs at the Department Of Energy. His main point? That "this [auto industry] revival wasn't destined to happen," and only happened because of the "difficult" and vital choices that the Obama Administration made to save the auto industry, choices that are now paying off with jobs and an improving economy. From here on out, he said, we have to keep things humming by supporting innovative technology that makes our cars cleaner and better.

Sandalow, who also wrote "Freedom From Oil," said he was amazed at how fast technology has evolved in the last 15 years, the lifetime of his teenage daughter. "It's an incredibly exciting time," he said. "Technological innovation is sweeping the globe."

To that end, the DOE is supporting a lot of different research avenues, including light weighting, fuel cells, plug-in cars and biofuels. "Advanced batteries is a particularly important area that we're investing in," he said, citing the Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies Program at Berkeley National Lab as one strong example.

As a plug-in car driver himself, Sandalow said that, "One of the advantages of electric vehicles is that we have a widespread electricity infrastructure." Of course, building out a Level 2 network will require "some investment," he said, adding that the research shows that most people will charge their vehicles where they currently they park their vehicles: at home at night.

On this point, he told a story about a panel discussion on clean car technology that he saw a few years ago. Two auto execs (he declined to name them) were discussing the potential of introducing plug-in vehicles to the U.S. market. One of the execs said that plug-in cars aren't worth it because only half of U.S. drivers park where they can plug in at night. The other one said his company was very excited to introduce plug-ins here because half the people can charge up at night. Apocryphal or not, that right there tells you all you need to know about people who lead and people who follow.

DOE's David Sandalow defends Obama's auto record originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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dc auto show vw jetta with bikes

2011 was a good year for VW - the best since 2002 - said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, and this gives the company a license to think outside the car. Thus, at the Washington Auto Show, Volkswagen announced support for another type of pedal power: for the next two years, VW will sponsor Bikes Belong, a national organization that works to get more people on more bikes more often, as part of the automaker's expanding Think Blue campaign, which was launched in the U.S. last May. In D.C., Browning said that the Think Blue initiative is about "delivering sustainable mobility on all fronts," and that now includes two-wheeled, human-powered bicycles. It should go without saying, but the benefits of biking include reducing traffic congestion while improving health and lowering travel's impact on the environment. It's good to see VW embracing this alternative in a real way. Previously, VW showed off the bik.e, a foldable bike concept that fits into a spare wheel well.

VW's Bikes Belong sponsorship will include these three major areas:
  • Peopleforbikes.org: A way to get people to publicly promote bike riding. The goal is to get a million riders together to "urge policy makers to endorse cost-effective legislation that improves bike paths, lanes and trails nationwide."
  • Safe Routes to School National Partnership: Sort of a "hey, let's have kids walk and bike to school" program. Also known as being sensible.
  • Bicycling Design Best Practices: An effort to "create more bike-friendly communities across the United States by helping cities adapt the world's best bike facility models, policies and state-of-the-art designs."
Browning called the sponsorship, "a perfect example of our Think Blue initiative," and Bruno Maier, vice president of Bikes Belong said that VW "complements our mission." The automaker "understands that when people ride bikes, great things happen," he said.

Continue reading VW announces two-year partnership with Bikes Belong

VW announces two-year partnership with Bikes Belong originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bikes belongthink bluevolkswagenvwvw bicycleSat, 28 Jan 2012 08:40:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20157321/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20157321/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/28/vw-announces-two-year-partnership-with-bikes-belong/20157321/article-detail.xml 20157321 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/dc-auto-show-vw-1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/dc-auto-show-vw-1.jpg <![CDATA[Ford C-Max Energi wins 2012 Green Car Vision Award]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/ford-c-max-energi-wins-2012-green-car-vision-award/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/ford-c-max-energi-wins-2012-green-car-vision-award/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/26/ford-c-max-energi-wins-2012-green-car-vision-award/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



For the second year in a row, Ford drove off with the Green Car Journal Green Car Vision award at the Washington Auto Show, this time with the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle. In 2011, Green Car Journal (GCJ) editor Ron Cogan handed the award to Ford's Sue Cischke for the Focus Electric. This year, the retiring Cischke was on hand once more to accept the award (look at this picture compared to the one above. It's déjà vu all over again), a fine cap on a long and ambitious career.

GCJ's decision will likely not sit well with our readers, who overwhelmingly picked the Tesla Model S to win this year. Our unscientific poll had the Model S winning with 83.6 percent of the vote, followed by the BMW i3, (6.5 percent), the Cadillac ELR (5 percent), C-MAX (2.9 percent) with the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell picking just 1.9 percent to take up the bottomw spot out of the five nominees.

Each year, GCJ's Green Car Vision award goes to a "green vehicle" that is not yet available on the market, but does show a possible way forward to increase fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions or in some other way have a lower environment impact. The 2010 Green Car Vision award was won by the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt won in 2009. Speaking at the press conference today, Cogan said the C-Max can meet the utility requirements of a wide variety of drivers because the interior space and powertrain are both versatile.

Ford C-Max Energi wins 2012 Green Car Vision Award originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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autoline dc

If you can't be at the Washington Auto Show today but want to know what's going on, join John McElroy and the crew of Autoline in just a few minutes for the skinny.

Starting at 12 p.m. EST, Autoline will be broadcasting from the floor, interviewing a few industry execs about the automotive political goings on in the nation's capitol. The expected list of participants includes Margo Oge, director of the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory at the EPA; Roland Hwang, transportation program director, National Resources Defense Council; Jake Jones, executive director, external affairs and public policy, Daimler, and Phil Murtaugh, CEO of Coda Automotive.

You can watch the stream, live, after the jump starting very soon. If you'd like to get particular questions answered, use this link to submit them.

Continue reading Autoline goes live from the Washington Auto Show

Autoline goes live from the Washington Auto Show originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla's Model S, the BMW i3, the Cadillac ELR, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell and the Ford C-MAX Energi are the finalists for Green Car Journal's 2012 Green Car Vision awards. The winner of the award, which is given to the most innovative "green vehicle" that's either in its demonstration phase or nearing its public launch, will be named at the Washington Auto Show on January 26.

Of the finalists, two - the Tesla and the BMW - are pure battery electric vehicles that are scheduled to be available for the 2013 and 2014 model years, respectively. The C-MAX is a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle slated for the 2013 model year, while the Cadillac - expected as a 2014 model year - uses an extended-range plug-in hybrid powertrain similar to that of the Chevrolet Volt. The F-Cell hydrogen fuel-cell electric, which has been available in limited numbers for lease in Southern California, is slated for a 2014 model year debut.

"It's no surprise that electric drive continues to dominate the thoughts of automakers as they look to the future," writes Green Car Journal, which hands out the award. "While all five finalists integrate electric drive, they power their motors in distinctly different ways."

Last year's Green Car Vision award was won by the Ford Focus Electric, while the Nissan Leaf won in 2010. The Chevy Volt won in 2009. Who should win this year? Take our poll after the jump.

Continue reading Tesla Model S, BMW i3 among 2012 Green Car Vision finalists

Tesla Model S, BMW i3 among 2012 Green Car Vision finalists originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsbmw i3cadillac elrFord C-Max energigreen car journalgreen car visionmercedes-benz f-celltesla model 5washington auto showFri, 13 Jan 2012 11:50:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20147765/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20147765/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/13/tesla-model-s-bmw-i3-among-2012-green-car-vision-finalists/20147765/article-detail.xml 20147765 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/cadillacelr_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/cadillacelr.png <![CDATA[DC 2011: Novozymes wonders how far you can drive on a ton of corn biomass]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-novozymes-wonders-how-far-you-can-drive-on-a-ton-of-cor/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-novozymes-wonders-how-far-you-can-drive-on-a-ton-of-cor/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-novozymes-wonders-how-far-you-can-drive-on-a-ton-of-cor/#commentsFiled under: , ,



dc auto showHere's a question. Take that one-ton bale of biomass (specifically, corn cobs and stalks) in the picture above, turn it into cellulosic ethanol and mix it into E85 (so, dilute it with a bit of gasoline). Now, pour it into the flex-fuel Ford Fusion parked before it and start driving. Once you leave the DC Auto Show, where we came across all of this, how far will you be able to go?

This is the question that Novozymes is asking auto show attendees, and we're reproduced the company's possible answers in a poll below. You can't win a prize by playing this way, but you can take a stab anyway. Novozymes declares two assumptions. First, that the flex-fuel Fusion will get 20 mpg the entire way. Second, that a ton of corn stover can make 100 gallons of ethanol. As you can see in the poll, 2,000 miles is not an option. Novozymes will announce a winner, chosen randomly from all the right answers, February 7.

What else did Novozymes share with people in DC? Amy Ehlers, Novozymes's government relations manager, said:

It will take a strategic desicion in this country to move to a flex-fuel transportation infrastructure to provide market choice for consumers and energy security to our nation. We need to keep moving forward with continued support from the federal government and key strategic technology partnerships like the one we have with Poet.

Poet is the largest producer of ethanol in the world, with 27 plants in seven states. The company makes about 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 9 billion pounds of animal feed a year. It also has a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant.

Novozymes has gotten government assistance in the past. Then-President Bush visited the company in North Carolina in 2007 and Novozymes received $2.2 million in DOE grants 2002 and $12.3 million in 2008. Last year, Novozymes brought two ethanol-powered vehicles - a Chevrolet HHR and a flex-fuel Ford F-150 to the DC Auto Show with the theme of government waste. The twist was that the vehicles were refueled with ethanol made from government office waste paper and waste cardboard. Get it?


View Poll

Continue reading DC 2011: Novozymes wonders how far you can drive on a ton of corn biomass

DC 2011: Novozymes wonders how far you can drive on a ton of corn biomass originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>novozymesnovozymes e85novozymes ethanolpoetpoet ethanolFri, 28 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19818601/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19818601/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/28/dc-2011-novozymes-wonders-how-far-you-can-drive-on-a-ton-of-cor/19818601/article-detail.xml 19818601 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/novozymes-corn-stover-dc-auto-show_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/novozymes-corn-stover-dc-auto-show.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2011: Baltimore Grand Prix wants to be "most sustainable" race in U.S.]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-baltimore-grand-prix-wants-to-be-most-sustainable-rac/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-baltimore-grand-prix-wants-to-be-most-sustainable-rac/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/28/dc-2011-baltimore-grand-prix-wants-to-be-most-sustainable-rac/#commentsFiled under: , ,



dc auto showThe American Le Mans Series calls itself "the global leader in green racing," and it's got over five years of working with the DOE, EPA and SAE to earn that title. Currently, there are eight manufacturers racing with the ALMS, all trying to "improve the breed" by increasing efficiency in a harsh environment before the technology hits the production line, as ALMS president and CEO Scott Atherton said at the DC Auto Show. The yellow Corvette pictured above, for example, was a test-bed for green technology on the track before it moved over to road-going cars (orange infused tires, for example). The Mazda Dyson LMP1 (which stands for LeMans Prototype 1, also pictured above) ran on isobutanol fuel, and ALMS has also used ethanol (made from corn and cellulosic sources).

The latest addition to the green race track will be the Baltimore Grand Prix, which announced in DC that it has signed a five-year contract to host ALMS races starting this Labor Day. BGP President Jay Davidson said that the BGP is shooting to be the "greenest motorsport event in the U.S." The broad steps BGP will take to reach that goal - including solar lighting, hybrid support vehicles, clean water runoff and more - will take time, but by the end five years, that's the goal. See the full list of announced green efforts in the press release after the jump. Davidson said that, since the Grand Prix races through the heart of downtown Baltimore, being sustainable is even more important than it would be on an oval somewhere.


[Source: Baltimore Grand Prix]

Continue reading DC 2011: Baltimore Grand Prix wants to be "most sustainable" race in U.S.

DC 2011: Baltimore Grand Prix wants to be "most sustainable" race in U.S. originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ed welburnToday, General Motors basically told the U.S. government: we're doing fine. It did this by withdrawing its $14.4 billion loan request from the Department of Energy (DOE) through the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVMP). The withdrawl request was conveyed to the DOE this morning.

The president of GM North America, Mark Reuss, was trapped in Detroit thanks to a big snowstorm, so Ed Welburn, the vice president of GM Design North America, stepped in to deliver the keynote address at the DC Auto Show. Afterwards, we asked him to explain why GM has cancelled the loan request. He said it wasn't because of the delay the program is experiencing. He said:

We don't want to have those kinds of debts to deal with. I think it says a lot about the financial health of the company. We will not back off on the work that we're doing, the development of technologies, the development of new vehicles. In fact, if anything, that is accelerated.

If GM is against big debts now, why did it apply for the loans in the first place? Welburn said, "We're in a very different position today than we were then." GM's Greg Martin told AutoblogGreen that asking for the loan was, "the only viable option as the time." Martin added that the DOE did not give any guidance about withdrawing the loan.

dc auto showThe old GM asked for a $10.4 billion loan in the fall of 2008 and the new GM re-submitted a $14.4 billion request in late 2009 (which supplanted the first request). We'll never know how much GM could have received, since one of GM's competitors, Ford, asked for $11 billion but only got $5.9 billion. Now that GM won't take (more) government money, does that give the company a marketing advantage compared to Ford? "I would certainly say that the American public would feel better about [us not taking the loan]," Welburn said.

DC 2011: GM on DOE loan withdrawal: "It says a lot about the financial health of the company" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atvmpatvmp loandoe loandoe loansed welburnThu, 27 Jan 2011 19:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817950/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817950/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/27/dc-2011-gm-doe-loan-withdrawal-financial-health/19817950/article-detail.xml 19817950 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ed-welburn-in-dc_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ed-welburn-in-dc.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2011: Bosch says diesels really show you the money]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-bosch-says-diesels-really-show-you-the-money/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-bosch-says-diesels-really-show-you-the-money/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-bosch-says-diesels-really-show-you-the-money/#commentsFiled under: , ,

bosch at dc auto show

dc auto showCuba Gooding Jr. would be proud. Carnegie Mellon University released a new study today that shows that people who drive modern diesel vehicles can get financial benefits from their oil-burning rides. The numbers work out like this:

The average price premium for a diesel compared to a gas-powered vehicle is around $1,800 (the premium is around $4,300 for hybrids). Using national averages for driving styles and fuel prices, the study found that drivers of a diesel passenger car can save up to $3,600 over three years. People in a medium-duty diesel truck can save up to $3,100. That puts the return on investment for the diesel powerplant at around 18 months, which is incredibly fast. It'll only get faster if fuel prices continue to go up.

The study looked at initial purchase prices and and resale costs, as well as cost of ownership. Instead of relying on book values, though, the study looked at actual transaction costs. Bosch's Lars Ullrich said that, "For a long time, we have understood that real world data is important for consumers to understand."

The study was underwritten by Bosch, which says it is technology neutral. While we often see the company promoting diesel technology, it does supply other types of powertrain components to OEMs.

Carnegie isn't totally down on hybrids, saying that "Volkswagen clean diesel technology vehicles and the Toyota Prius retain a greater percentage of their initial purchase price than conventional gasoline vehicles." We don't know if the study compared a diesel to a car as efficient as a Prius, but we'd like to see those numbers, too.

[Source: Bosch]

Continue reading DC 2011: Bosch says diesels really show you the money

DC 2011: Bosch says diesels really show you the money originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boach dieselboschcarnegie melloncost premiumdieseldiesel premiumdiesel priceThu, 27 Jan 2011 15:55:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817797/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817797/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/27/dc-2011-bosch-says-diesels-really-show-you-the-money/19817797/article-detail.xml 19817797 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/bosch-at-the-dc-auto-show_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/bosch-at-the-dc-auto-show.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2011: Green Car Summit tones it down, looks ahead]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-green-car-summit-tones-it-down-looks-ahead/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-green-car-summit-tones-it-down-looks-ahead/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-green-car-summit-tones-it-down-looks-ahead/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

green car summit 2011

dc auto showThe 2011 Green Car Summit didn't have quite the fireworks that the event has had in the past, even with the addition of the Center for American Progress' Joe Romm, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. One key quote from Romm, said in a set-up to his explanation why the price of oil and global warming will create a difficult-to-predict shift in the market: "The new Congress might be people who don't believe in science, but nature does." Getting politicians to come to a consensus on tobacco science took many decades, he said, and climate change is following that same road.

The panel featured:
  • Jim O'Donnell, President, BMW North America
  • Susan Cischke, Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company;
  • Michael O'Brien, Vice President of Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America;
  • Donald G. Hillebrand, Director, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory;
  • D. Hunt Ramsbottom, CEO, President and Director of synthetic fuel producer Rentech;
  • Arun Banskota, Senior Vice President, President of EV Services, NRG Energy;
  • Dr. Joseph Romm, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Read more about the panel after the jump.

Continue reading DC 2011: Green Car Summit tones it down, looks ahead

DC 2011: Green Car Summit tones it down, looks ahead originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dc auto showgreen car summitjoe rommThu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817212/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817212/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/27/dc-2011-green-car-summit-tones-it-down-looks-ahead/19817212/article-detail.xml 19817212 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/green-car-summit-2011_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/green-car-summit-2011.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2011: Ford Focus Electric wins Green Car Vision Award]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-ford-focus-electric-wins-green-car-vision-award/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-ford-focus-electric-wins-green-car-vision-award/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/dc-2011-ford-focus-electric-wins-green-car-vision-award/#commentsFiled under: , ,

ford focus electric green car vision award

dc auto showWell, we knew it was going to be an electric car that would drive away with the Green Car Journal's Green Car Vision Award for 2011, we just didn't know which one.

At the Washington Auto Show today, the Green Car Journal announced that the Ford Focus Electric won the title, which is given to a vehicle that vehicle "best envisions the future of transportation" but is not yet available in production form. The Focus also won our informal poll of AutoblogGreen readers that included the five finalists. The other finalists this year were the Honda Fit EV, the Mitsubishi i electric vehicle, the Toyota RAV4 EV and the Volvo C30 DRIVe. For the past two years, a plug-in vehilcle has wont the award, the Nissan Leaf won in 2010 while the Chevy Volt won in 2009.

[Source: Green Car Journal]

DC 2011: Ford Focus Electric wins Green Car Vision Award originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingelectric vehicleford focusford focus electricgreen car journalgreen car vision awardThu, 27 Jan 2011 11:53:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817177/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817177/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/27/dc-2011-ford-focus-electric-wins-green-car-vision-award/19817177/article-detail.xml 19817177 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ford-focus-electric-green-car-vision-award_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ford-focus-electric-green-car-vision-award.jpg <![CDATA[General Motors withdraws $14.4B loan request from DOE]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/general-motors-withdraws-14-4b-loan-request-from-doe/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/general-motors-withdraws-14-4b-loan-request-from-doe/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/general-motors-withdraws-14-4b-loan-request-from-doe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

ed welburn dc auto show chevy volt

Earlier today, General Motors announced that it is withdrawing its request for $14.4 billion in direct loans from the Department of Energy's (DOE) $25-billion program aimed at retooling factories for the production of fuel-efficient vehicles. GM's chief financial officer Chris Liddel, outlined the automaker's choice to cancel its loan request, stating:

This decision is based on our confidence in GM's overall progress and strong, global business performance. Withdrawing our DOE loan application is consistent with our goal to carry minimal debt on our balance sheet.

Speaking at the DC Auto Show, GM's Ed Welburn said, "This decision will not affect the strong investment we are making in new technologies and design."

For the past several months, The General had debated canceling its request for DOE loans, which the automaker first submitted in late 2008. Last week, GM's board of directors approved the decision to withdraw the application. However, GM's ongoing commitment to develop and produce fuel-efficient automobiles can be seen in vehicles like the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt and the 40-plus miles per gallon Cruze Eco.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading General Motors withdraws $14.4B loan request from DOE

General Motors withdraws $14.4B loan request from DOE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advanced technology loansatvmpatvmp loanbreakingdoe loaned welburnelectric vehiclegeneral motorsgmplug-in hybridvoltThu, 27 Jan 2011 10:58:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817832/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19817832/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/27/general-motors-withdraws-14-4b-loan-request-from-doe/19817832/article-detail.xml 19817832 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ed-welburn-dc-auto-show-chevy-volt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/ed-welburn-dc-auto-show-chevy-volt.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2011: Rep. Levin announces bill to raise plug-in vehicle tax credit cap to 500,000]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/26/dc-2011-rep-levin-announces-bill-to-raise-plug-in-vehicle-tax/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/26/dc-2011-rep-levin-announces-bill-to-raise-plug-in-vehicle-tax/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/26/dc-2011-rep-levin-announces-bill-to-raise-plug-in-vehicle-tax/#commentsFiled under: , ,

sandy levinThis'd be a sweet deal for automakers. At a kick-off event for the DC Auto Show today, Representative Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak, MI, pictured) said he will introduce a bill to increase the limit on how many plug-in vehicles an automaker can sell before the $7,500 (max) tax credit expires from 200,000 to 500,000. Sander's younger brother, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) will introduce the bill in the Senate.

Sander is the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Carl talked last fall about the possibility of eliminating CAFE standards all together in favor of a "longer-term approach that gets us to a better result."

Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden expanded on President Obama's State of the Union plug-in vehicles plans during a visit to battery maker Ener1 today. As we already noted, the Obama Adminisration wants to changes the tax deduction to an on-the-spot rebate. Obama also proposed increasing federal subsidies for "vehicle technologies" to almost $590 million, an increase of about 90 percent

[Source: Detroit News]

DC 2011: Rep. Levin announces bill to raise plug-in vehicle tax credit cap to 500,000 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingelectric vehiclelevinplug-in hybridplug-in vehicle tax creditsander levinsandy levintax creditWed, 26 Jan 2011 14:49:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19816518/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19816518/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/26/dc-2011-rep-levin-announces-bill-to-raise-plug-in-vehicle-tax/19816518/article-detail.xml 19816518 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/sandy-levin_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/sandy-levin.jpg <![CDATA[2011 DC Auto Show Preview: Will the good times continue at the Green Car Summit?]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/25/2011-dc-auto-show-green-car-summit/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/25/2011-dc-auto-show-green-car-summit/http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/25/2011-dc-auto-show-green-car-summit/#commentsFiled under: ,

de auto showThe 2011 Washington Auto Show starts this week and we're getting out recorders ready for the annual highlight: the Green Car Summit. In the past, the summits have been engaging discussions about the cleaner side of the auto industry (you can all about the 2010 Summit here and the 2009 event here). We're ready for the 2011 edition, which will feature:
  • Jim O'Donnell, President, BMW North America
  • Susan M. Cischke, Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company;
  • Michael O'Brien, Vice President of Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America;
  • Donald G. Hillebrand, Director, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory;
  • D. Hunt Ramsbottom, CEO, President and Director of synthetic fuel producer Rentech;
  • Arun Banskota, Senior Vice President, President of EV Services, NRG Energy;
  • Dr. Joseph Romm, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Long-time AutoblogGreen readers will probably note that last name, since Romm is theoretically still waiting for time to go by to see if he wins his bet with hydrogen-vehicle proponent Greg Blencoe (the wager was if fuel cell cars will make up one percent of the new car market by 2015 or not). We doubt that particular topic will come up, but this looks like it'll be another great panel.

We'll also be checking out the presentation by the Consumer Federation of America, which is calling for CAFE standards to be raised to 60 miles per gallon by 2025. Another highlight will be the keynote speech by Mark Reuss, General Motors's president of North America. At the 2009 D.C. Show, GM announced the first places where the Chevy Volt would be available. In 2010, the company said that D.C. would be the car's third retail market. We're hearing that some sort of confirmation about increased production numbers will be announced this year. Stay tuned.

Continue reading 2011 DC Auto Show Preview: Will the good times continue at the Green Car Summit?

2011 DC Auto Show Preview: Will the good times continue at the Green Car Summit? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 dc auto showdc auto showgreen car summitwashington dc auto showTue, 25 Jan 2011 10:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19801327/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19801327/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/25/2011-dc-auto-show-green-car-summit/19801327/article-detail.xml 19801327 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/dc-auto-show-logo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/dc-auto-show-logo.jpg <![CDATA[2011 Green Car Vision Award finalists include five pure electric cars]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2011-green-car-vision-award-finalists-include-five-pure-electric/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2011-green-car-vision-award-finalists-include-five-pure-electric/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/2011-green-car-vision-award-finalists-include-five-pure-electric/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The 2010 Green Car Vision Award winner, the Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Washington Auto Show is known for its focus on policy, but it is also the site of the annual Green Car Vision Awards, the future counterpoint to Green Car Journal's Green Car Vision Award. The 2011 finalists were announced today, and the list includes:
One thing to note is that all five of this year's finalists are pure electric vehicles. EVs have been on the list before - the Focus BEV makes a second appearance on the finalists list and the Mitsubishi i was previously represented by the i-MiEV in 2009 - but they've always shared the list with fuel cell or vehicles with a partial gas powertrain (i.e., the Chevy Volt). This year, only the Volvo C30 DRIVe burns any sort of liquid fuel, and that's just for heat. This list is a good representation of where the auto industry is in 2011 and, well, the future.

You can see all of the 2010 finalists here (the Nissan Leaf won) and the 2009 finalists here (the Volt won). The 2011 winner will be announced on January 27.


View Poll



[Source: Green Car Journal]

Continue reading 2011 Green Car Vision Award finalists include five pure electric cars

2011 Green Car Vision Award finalists include five pure electric cars originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 green car vision awarddc auto showelectric vehiclefit evfocus electricgreen car vision awardmitsubishi iplug-in hybridtoyota rav4 evvolvo c30washington dc auto showTue, 28 Dec 2010 13:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19778994/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19778994/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2010/12/28/2011-green-car-vision-award-finalists-include-five-pure-electric/19778994/article-detail.xml 19778994 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nissan-leaf-dc-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/nissan-leaf-dc-630.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2010: EDTA president Brian Wynne: "This is not your father's automotive business"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/29/dc-2010-edta-president-brian-wynne-this-is-not-your-fathers/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/29/dc-2010-edta-president-brian-wynne-this-is-not-your-fathers/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/29/dc-2010-edta-president-brian-wynne-this-is-not-your-fathers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Brian Wynne, president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), was a busy man at the Washington Auto Show/EDTA Conference this week. Considering all of the attention being focused on the industry his association represents, this isn't a big surprise. But, after almost six years with the EDTA, does he see the recent intensity change in plug-in vehicles as more of a revolution or an evolution? A little bit of both, and it's playing out in a lot of ways. "There is a real acceleration going on right now, not only of product announcements but also partnerships forming to support a really good consumer introduction," he told AutoblogGreen.

The acceleration Wynne is talking about takes shape in the natural technological progression from hybrids to plug-in hybrids, as well as the political shift from, say, biofuels or hydrogen vehicles in years past to plug-in support today. The change isn't as dramatic as it might look from the outside, Wynne said:
I frame [political support] in terms of challenges that we're trying to address, because that's what a Congressman cares about, that's what President Obama cares about, that's what's important to the country. In that context, the electrification of transportation is a stand-alone topic and there are lots of subtopics that are important to educate people about. There's a ton of opportunity here.
And what about the change in products announced by automakers that obviously trend more toward plug-in vehicles and not so much toward hydrogen fuel cell vehicles? Wynne said that, "There isn't a single manufacturere that isn't looking at electric drive," and some see a different path than others (i.e., fuel cells vs. pure electrics), depending on the company's market strengths. "This is not your father's automotive business any more," he said, "and that's the fun part."

DC 2010: EDTA president Brian Wynne: "This is not your father's automotive business" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian wynneBrianWynneedtaelectric drive transportation associationElectricDriveTransportationAssociationwynneFri, 29 Jan 2010 11:05:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19335784/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/19335784/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/29/dc-2010-edta-president-brian-wynne-this-is-not-your-fathers/19335784/article-detail.xml 19335784 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/edta-logo-1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/edta-logo-1.jpg <![CDATA[DC 2010: EVA/DC displays tasty home-brewed electric car collection *UPDATE]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/dc-2010-eva-dc-displays-tasty-home-brewed-electric-car-collecti/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/dc-2010-eva-dc-displays-tasty-home-brewed-electric-car-collecti/http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/dc-2010-eva-dc-displays-tasty-home-brewed-electric-car-collecti/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EVA/DC booth at EDTA 2010 - Click above for a high-res image gallery

What you're looking at in the picture above is not an early Aptera prototype. Nope. What this is, is the Solar Aztec, an old solar race car built by MIT that the members of the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, D.C. (EVA/DC) group have restored and are displaying at the Washington Auto Show/EDTA Conference this week. The car sits next to a converted 200 Plymouth Neon EV, a bright red 1985 Mercedes 190E, a 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV and a 2000 Ford Ranger Electric.

These are vehicles with a lot of love in them. Just look at the wear on the EVA/DC sticker that graces the Aztec. We spoke with Michel Bonard, who converted the Neon, who told us that he spent $16,000 on his project. The group doesn't make EVs for profit, he said, but to show off that it's possible to drive electric today. EVs from the big automakers are coming, but they're certainly nothing new. Learn - and see - more in the gallery below.

*UPDATE: Our friends at EVCast have some fun with the Aztec. Watch the video after the jump.


Gallery: DC 2010: EVA/DC converted electric vehicles


Photos copyright (C)2010 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.
Our travel and lodging for this media event were provided by the Auto Alliance.

Continue reading DC 2010: EVA/DC displays tasty home-brewed electric car collection *UPDATE

DC 2010: EVA/DC displays tasty home-brewed electric car collection *UPDATE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We heard from Ford CEO Alan Mulally yesterday about his company's overall work with the U.S. government on energy policy. He's not the only Ford representative at the show worth talking to at the Washington Auto Show, though, and we got to sit down with Nancy Gioia, Ford's director of global electrification, for an update on the company's plug-in vehicle projects.

On the Focus Electric: Gioia said, "It's progressing very well. Between the analysis and the simulation and the production parts, the program is on track for a 2011 launch. We're really pleased with the way it's coming together." Even though the car's most visible promotion - the race track on Jay Leno now-cancelled prime-time show - is over, losing that channel was not a setback for the program, she said:
It was fun to see and have a little fun. What that did was it gave people an external view that, hey, these things can be fun. That it's not a golf cart, it's a regular car. We were able to demystify the car a little bit and update people's thinking on it. There are going to be lots of opportunities going forward.
Ford's contract was with the network, not just the show, and NBC is still deciding whether or not the cars will make it onto Leno's new show or not.

On the Escape Plug-in Hybrid: All 21 of the Escape PHEVs are out and about gathering data at various utilities in the U.S. Gioia said:
The Escape plug-in program has exceeded my expectations. Not only do we have the vehicles all gathering data and providing feedback between our company and a group of utilities, the Department of Energy and EPRI, we've really progressed our thinking about what does it take when you start to plug in.
Read more after the jump.

Continue reading DC 2010: Ford's Nancy Gioia talks electrification progress, status of Leno's Focus Electrics

DC 2010: Ford's Nancy Gioia talks electrification progress, status of Leno's Focus Electrics originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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During one of the sessions at the Electric Drive Transportation Association meeting here alongside the Washington Auto Show, our friend Felix Kramer from CalCars got an answer to a question that's been on his mind for a while: just how much will large-format lithium-ion batteries cost in five or ten years?

It's not that Kramer doesn't have his own estimates based on reading lots of reports and studies, it's just that, a while back, the Committee on Assessment of Resource Needs for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies put out a report with the help of the National Academies of Science (NAS) that said that li-ion batteries would go from $1,000 per kilowatt hour (kWh) today to maybe $400/kWh by 2020. This is higher than a lot of other estimates (that the cost is closer to $600 or maybe even $500 per kWh today, for example), but with the NAS imprimatur, the high cost got a lot of play in the media. More importantly, the Department of Energy is likely to trust a report from the NAS, and if the number is too high, it could have a big impact on future funding and legislation.

Yesterday, Kramer asked A123 Systems, Ener1, Electrovaya and Johnson Controls-Saft how much their kWh cost is today and what their response was to the NAS study. The short version: there was broad consensus among the battery makers that the NAS numbers are too high, with Sankar Das Gupta, CEO of Electrovaya, saying that, "there are a lot of crazy reports out there." A123's Ric Fulop said that he expects his company's packs to sell for less than the NAS' 2020 price as early as 2012. Cheap packs are coming, and soon, is the message from the battery makers. Read Kramer's full report of the exchange here.

[Source: CalCars]
Our travel and lodging for this media event were provided by the Auto Alliance.

DC 2010: NAS' li-ion battery cost predictions are too high, battery makers say originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Secretary Chu announced the closing of Nissan's $1.4 billion Advanced Technology Vehicle Loan Program loan (originally, the amount was for $1.6 billion) today during the Washington Auto Show. As expected, this money will used to kick off production of the Leaf in the U.S.

While the news, such as it is, is about the all-electric Leaf and the 1,300 jobs this loan is expected to create in Smyrna, TN, Chu's speech touched on all sorts of advanced vehicle technologies, from cleaner gasoline engines to biofuels (e.coli making biofuel FTW!). Chu's statement about hydrogen, which part of the DOE's $13 billion advanced vehicle technology budget, was "longer in the distance, but we're still in there."

While discussing some of the other projects the DOE is funding, Chu somewhat surprisingly called the Fisker Karma "not a high-end cost vehicle," depending on who you are, and said that the Chevrolet Volt and the Tesla Model S were examples of "strong electric vehicle projects."

You can listen to the Secretary using the player below of download the MP3 here (5 MB, 15 minutes):




Read more after the break.

Continue reading DC 2010: DOE Secretary Chu announces closing of Nissan's $1.4 billion loan for Leaf electric vehicle

DC 2010: DOE Secretary Chu announces closing of Nissan's $1.4 billion loan for Leaf electric vehicle originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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