We Obsessively Cover the Green Scene…

Heather Peters is suing Honda in small-claims court in Torrance, California over the lackluster fuel economy she's gotten out of her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. It isn't really a new lawsuit, it's one that sprung from Peters not signing onto the settlement of an earlier class-action lawsuit brought by one John True, who sued Honda over the same issue. The meat of the claim is that Honda's window sticker attested to an EPA combined 42 miles per gallon figure, but unhappy drivers are getting closer to 32 mpg.

True's suit was settled out of court in 2009 and plaintiffs have until February 11, 2012 to partake of redress that the Attorneys General of 26 states declared "not fair, adequate or reasonable." Peters didn't sign on, taking her own case to small-claims court where cases aren't tried by lawyers. According to Automotive.com, Honda's point man Neil Schmidt didn't appear at the previous hearing, but this time he showed up and provided several dossiers to Commissioner Carnahan. Most of the paperwork submitted into evidence was reportedly "testimony from happy Civic Hybrid owners," which the judge dismissed.

Schmidt first suggested that Peters did not adhere to the right service procedures with her car, then Honda's EPA certification engineer said that Honda had no option but to follow the EPA's testing procedures. While that is correct regarding following testing protocol, Peters argued that automakers have the discretion to use lower fuel economy numbers in their advertising and on Monroneys if they see the need. Peters claims Honda didn't lower the number because it was trying to take advantage of "the green revolution."

Some observers believe the reduced mileage is an effect of a mandatory software upgrade applied to 2006-2008 Honda Civic Hybrids. The upgrade was meant "not just to prolong the life of the battery, [but] it also helps improve the performance." While there were complaints about the mileage before (as there are of a great many cars), it was after the upgrade that forums began to light up with tales of poorer mileage. That could have been because the upgrade reduced the car's reliance on the battery, a fix to allegedly offset the battery deteriorating more quickly than Honda anticipated.

Commissioner Carnahan is expected to rule on the case as soon as next week. Peters hopes it's before the February 11 deadline to participate in True's lawsuit settlement. At stake is not just the $10,000 Peters is seeking, but a figure potentially in the billions as other unhappy owners could flock to lawyer-free small-claims court to fight their cases. In the event of a loss, Honda is expected to appeal, to which Peters says, "I'm ready!"

U.S. plug-in vehicle sales could increase more than fivefold this year to 100,000 units, website CleanFleetReport.com said, citing technology research firm Gartner's calculation of what various auto manufacturers plan or expect for 2012.

Thilo Koslowski, vice president of Gartner's Automotive and Vehicle Practice, confirmed the forecast, which factors in issues such as a wider range of battery-electric models, an improving U.S. economy that will allow consumers to spend more on alternative-fueled vehicles and the Japan earthquake and tsunami last year, which hampered supply from Japanese automakers like Toyota and Nissan. Even though this is what the automakers say is coming, Koslowski thinks this number is rather ambitious and that actual sales for new EV and plug-in vehicle sales in 2012 will probably be between 40,000 and 60,000 vehicles.

Last year, there were about 18,000 plug-in vehicle sales in the U.S., including 9,674 Nissan Leaf EVs and 7,671 Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-ins. Mitsubishi introduced its i EV last November, while Toyota will start selling a plug-in version of the Prius this year while Ford is gearing up to start sales of its all-electric Focus.

Last year, green-technology research firm Pike Research said Americans will buy about 300,000 BEVs and PHEVs in 2015, up from about 50,000 in 2011, while Michigan's Center for Automotive Research projected in early 2011 that U.S. electric-drive vehicle sales will increase to about 140,000 units in 2014. While these numbers are all slightly different, they do all predict that a pretty serious increase in plug-in sales coming soon.

*UPDATE: This post has been updated to reflect that the 100,000 number is not Koslowski's or Gartner's estimate.

General Motors is developing a feature for its OnStar navigation service that will allow Chevrolet Volt owners to better match recharging patterns for the extended-range plug-in vehicles with the availability of renewable energy.

GM is working with utility company PJM Interconnection on the feature, in which OnStar users will know what percentage of a grid's power supply is coming from renewable sources such as wind. OnStar will be able to regulate the recharging activity for Volts according to peak wind time, which according to PJM is generally between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

GM is running demonstrations of the feature this week at the 2012 DistribuTECH Conference and Exhibition in San Antonio. GM will also work with Google at testing the OnStar feature on 17 Chevy Volts at Google's campus in Mountain View, CA. OnStar, which is available on 45 GM models, is used by 6 million subscribers in North America and China.

While there were concerns that the Nissan Leaf might not be a very good vehicle for colder climates, the automaker is ready to demonstrate otherwise. It recently invited a few dozen journalists to have a go in the snow with its signature all-electric on a test course in Shibetsu, Hokkaido in the north of Japan. Informative video ensued.

With a backdrop of a brace of Leafs frolicking about in the white stuff, interviews were conducted with both engineers and journalists and, from them, we learn some interesting tidbits. For instance, the Leaf battery pack can maintain an operating temperature nicely above freezing despite a chilly -9 C (15.8 F) reading outside. Also, Nissan is working on a new, more efficient, heating system for the passenger cabin, which is good since trying to keep the occupants warm has, perhaps, the biggest impact on decreasing winter driving range.

The cavorting journalists seemed impressed and even surprised with the Leaf's driving dynamics in the slippery conditions. With a low center of gravity, even weight distribution and traction control, the car displayed a comfortable amount of well-mannered poise. Of course, we wouldn't dream of pointing out the pylon that gets punched at precisely 18 seconds into the first video, since that speaks as much to the driver's ability as it does to the vehicle's handling.

Anyhoo, without further ado, hit the jump for a very snowy EV encounter. Besides the main video, which gives an overall rundown of the event, we've also included four more clips featuring further footage of the interviews with company officials and participants. Enjoy.

BMW and Boulder, CO-based energy management company Tendril will build a demonstration home designed to power BMW's ActiveE electric vehicle while minimizing the home and the car's carbon footprint, the New York Times reported.

The home, which will be built at BMW's San Francisco Bay Area technology office by this March, will have "smart" thermostats, solar panels and appliances, the newspaper said, citing the companies, which didn't disclose how much the house will cost to build. The home will manage energy delivery to minimize power usage during the costliest times on the grid.

The German automaker is joining Toyota and Nissan among electric-drive car makers that are building demonstration homes geared towards getting data on "smart" energy usage. Last August, Nissan started selling a home system in Japan that allowed the Leaf to be used as backup electricity-storage system for homes. The Leaf, if it starts with its 24-kilowatt-hour battery fully charged, can supply enough electricity to power a typical Japanese home for about two days, Nissan said at the time.

BMW last week delivered its ActiveE electric vehicle to its first U.S. customers, as the German automaker enters the next phase its domestic EV testing after the Mini E. The car will be available in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, New York, Boston and Hartford, CT, at a rate of $499 a month with a $2,250 downpayment. Open enrollment for the program started this week.

Perhaps the biggest reveal of 2012 for fans of luxury performance all-electric vehicles (or, perhaps, anyone automotively inclined with a pulse) is set for the 9th of February when Tesla Motors pulls the shroud from its Model X crossover at its new Los Angeles design studio. And now, we have been given a strong hint of what to expect.

The upstart California startup has just sent out a new version of its invitation to customers, and included on the summons is a partially-silhouetted image of something seemingly very sleek and very sexy. Indeed, it must be the Model X. While there is some of the same design language used in the Model S sedan, the teaser suggests a vehicle with a shorter hood, a taller roof and less-pronounced creases in its sheet metal.

While we'll have a presence at the event, you can witness the unveiling in real time from the comfort of your own home. CEO Elon Musk has tweeted that the reveal will be shown live on the Tesla Motors website at 8:00 pm (we presume that's Pacific Standard Time). He also adds, "Most cars are pretty blah. This is not."

After seeing the image above and adding the "Quicker than a Porsche 911 and roomier than an Audi Q7" statement we've heard previously to the equation, we're going to give him the benefit of the doubt. For now.

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.

Less than a year after everyone with any sort of say in the matter seemed to agree that 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025 was a properly attainable goal, the California Air Resources Board has decided to change things up a bit.

In addition to CAFE requirements of a 54.5-mpg fleet average (using the government's formula, not what you see on window stickers), at least 15.4 percent of all cars sold by any major automaker doing business in California will have to be either fully electric, a plug-in hybrid or be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell by 2025. There are questions about the "over-compliance" section of the bill, which we'll be investigating further.

According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, 15.4 percent is "actually a relatively modest goal, but that's all that we're mandating." Most automakers are on board, says Nichols. "Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry... Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary."

Even if automakers are on board, though, there's still a question of who will actually buy the vehicles. While everyone wants better fuel efficiency, not everyone is willing to pay for it, counters the California New Car Dealers Association, estimating that the plan would add about $3,200 to the average price of a new car or truck. Perhaps to help dissuade such fears, Nichols added that "direct incentives to people who buy these cars (like) rebates and credits" are also in the works.

At least 10 more states are likely to follow California's lead, reports Automotive News. That would put the total number of advanced green vehicles (either with a plug or powered by hydrogen) at around three million total units by 2025, 1.4 million of which would be in California.

Bright Automotive Chief Operating Officer Mike Donoughe invoked President Barack Obama's recent call for U.S. companies to create American jobs while developing alternative energy sources for transportation by requesting that Congress speed up the company's federal loan process.

The company, which is developing the Bright IDEA plug-in hybrid-electric cargo van, is "ready, willing and able" to create as many as 2,500 direct and indirect U.S. job once production is up and running. The hold up? Its loan request from the U.S. Energy Department's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) Program hasn't yet been processed, something that Donoughe said in a statement this week should be done "swiftly."

Bright Automotive said last November that it reached an agreement to make the IDEA at the AM General Corp factory in Mishawaka, IN, where the Hummer H2 was previously built. At the time, the company estimated that about 300 people would be employed there. The IDEA is expected to deliver about 40 miles on electricity, then switch over to gasoline power, giving the delivery van a range similar to that of the Chevrolet Volt.

The company, which was founded in 2008 by the battery specialist who helped develop General Motors' EV1 electric vehicle and spun off from the Rocky Mountain Institute, said late last year that the IDEA may be available for government and fleet purchases as early as 2014. The company had initially planned on having its plug-in truck ready by this year, but development was put on hold during the recent recession and financial crisis.

What's up with the sales, orders and reservations of the Nissan Leaf? Nissan loudly trumpeted the 20,000 reservations it originally collected back in September, 2010 and Nissan's Mark Perry recently told AutoblogGreen that, since then, that number has climbed to around 26,000. Where do things stand today? That's not exactly simple to figure out. Here's what we know:

• Number of accepted Leaf reservations: 26,000
• – Number of Leaf models sold: 10,000
• – Number sold in January: 800 (estimate)
• – Number sold in February: 800 (estimate. Perry recently said these two months were sold out or nearly sold out)
• – Number of people who haven't had a chance to order because they live in a state where the Leaf is not yet for sale: 2,000 (according, again, to Perry)
• – Number of people who cancelled (unknown)
• = 12,400 people or so

Nissan's Katherine Zachary tells Autoblog that the company doesn't share cancellation data, so it's not possible for outsiders to know exactly how many of the 12,400 have raised and then lowered their hands. Zachary added, "We have new people coming into the process every day, so it's really a moving target." Still, somewhere out there, there could be 12,000 people who are patiently waiting to snatch up Nissan's 2012 Leaf production. Even if 50 percent of them cancelled, that still leaves many months of strong sales coming for Nissan in the U.S. this coming year, even as production ramps up.

One thing that Zachary was willing to share were the colors chosen by buyers for model year 2012 Leaf orders. They are:

• Brilliant Silver – 24%
• Blue Ocean – 23%
• Glacier Pearl – 21%
• Cayenne Red – 19%
• Super Black – 14%

Given that Blue Ocean was the Leaf's "Launch Color," we're a bit surprised to see it being outsold by silver, if only just. If you were going to order a Leaf (or if you have), what color would it be? Take our poll below.

At the Washington Auto Show today, Chevrolet introduced a sticker.

Okay, the new Ecologic environmental labels that will be coming to all new Chevy vehicles – starting with the 2013 Sonic – is a lot more than just an adhesive piece of paper. Last year, the EPA revamped its mileage stickers, and GM has realized that many people like more information about the environmental impact of the vehicle they may be buying. GM North America President Mark Reuss said at the show that, "Customers want companies to be honest and transparent about their environmental efforts and sustainability goals, and rightly so." This is why the information on the labels will be verified by the independent organization Two Tomorrows. The label campaign will be backed up with a website that includes "more information on the audit process and environmental features for each vehicle with an Ecologic label."

What's on the labels? Information about the car from its time "before," "on" and "after" the road. This means that environmentally friendly steps that GM uses in the manufacturing process (before), steps taken to improve fuel economy (on) and information on how much of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its life (after). You can see a detailed example of the Sonic sticker by clicking on the picture above. Since Ecologic is going to be on all Chevy models, we'll admit we're interested to see how GM finds the eco side of the Camaro ZL1.

Toyota is working on a method of making electric-drive powertrains without using magnets that require pricey rare-earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium, and may start integrating that process into vehicle production within two years, Reuters reported, citing Japan's Kyodo News.

The world's biggest maker of hybrid-electric vehicles is trying to find ways to cut costs by reducing dependency on rare earth metals, which are expensive and which are primarily produced in China, the wire service said. The Japanese automaker is one of the reasons why Japan accounts for about a third of the world's rare earth consumption.

Finding a way to produce electric motors without magnets that require rare earth metals has become increasingly important, since production and demand of electric-drive vehicles are expected to surge during the next few years. Last year, government officials in China reportedly ordered three rare earth mines in Jiangxi, a province in southern China, to halt extraction. Jiangxi province extracts nearly 40 percent of the country's rare earths. China accounts for more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth production, though its reserves may account for about a third of the world's total, meaning that any reduction in China's rare earth production would likely result in nothing more than a temporary shortage while mines are opened or reopened elsewhere.

Last September, UK-based Sevcon said it would work with Cummins Generator Technologies and Newcastle University's Power Electronics and Drives Research Group at developing next-generation electric-drive systems that do not require rare earth metals. The group is developing a technology that uses steel instead of the contested materials.

Better Place, the Silicon Valley company founded by former high-tech executive and Israel native Shai Agassi in 2007, has delivered the first 100 electric cars to Israeli customers. After years of tests and trial programs, the deliveries mark a big step in the company's efforts to build out an electric-vehicle charging and battery-exchanging network throughout the country.

Better Place has delivered the Renault Fluence Z.E. EVs to Israel, Bloomberg News reported, citing an e-mail from Better Place Israel Chief Executive Officer Moshe Kaplinsky. The company will deliver more EVs to Israel and is planning on rolling out a similar network in Denmark. Better Place said last month that it would roll out the program with Eldan Group, Israel's largest rental car company, and would target private consumers and corporate fleets.

Better Place is looking to promote the concept – based on the cell phone model – that motorists should be able to lease batteries and battery charging time so that buying an electric vehicle does not require them to also purchase a battery pack that can cost as much as the car itself.

The company said late last year that it raised another $200 million in equity financing from companies such as General Electric and UBS AG and that it would use the funds to expand its electric-vehicle battery swapping network throughout Western Europe and other parts of the world. The funding brought the company's total to almost $800 million in equity financing and almost doubled the company's valuation to $2.25 billion since its previous round of equity funding in January 2010.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was sued by an auto-safety firm over the federal regulator's probe into the possible case of unintended acceleration in a 2003 Toyota Prius, the New York Times said, citing legal documents filed by the firm.

Massachusetts-based Safety Research and Strategies alleges that NHTSA withheld documentation that may have proven that the occurrence of unintended acceleration of a Prius owned by a U.S. government official may have been the result of the car's electronic systems, not the floor mats or pedals that have been subject to Toyota recalls, the newspaper reported. Safety Research is seeking documents from a May 2011 visit by NHTSA investigators to the Pennsylvania home of car owner Joseph McClelland, the Times said.

NHTSA confirmed the investigation of the 2003 Prius and the findings stating that there was no proof that the car's electronic throttle system caused the acceleration, the Times reported, adding that McClelland hasn't responded to requests for an interview.

Toyota in September 2009 recalled 3.8 million vehicles – the Japanese automaker's largest ever – because of what the company and NHTSA said were floor mats that caused some of the vehicles' accelerators to get stuck in the wide-open throttle position. The 2003 Prius that's the subject of the Safety Research lawsuit wasn't part of that recall, which included 2004-2010 model year Prius vehicles as well as Camrys, Avalons and other makes ranging between the model years 2004 and 2010.