Archive for Hybrids, Electric vehicles, fuel cells, alternative fuel

When GM first announced the Chevrolet Volt project, Bob Lutz said the production version could end up being priced somewhere in the high US$20,000s. That’s not so bad. The car is Cobalt-sized and a Cobalt starts at just under US$15k and tops out at US$23k. For about US$29k you can get a fully loaded up Chevy Impala. So I suppose you’ll be trading an upsize in vehicle class for the advanced EREV powertrain. But not any longer. It turns out the price tag was a big underestimation.

Apparently now the realistic price tag for the Volt hovers at somewhere around US$43,000. For that kind of money you can buy a fully loaded top of the range 3-Series, or even a basic BMW 5-Series. A Prius starts at just under US$22k. And how did Lutz end up with high US$20k range in the first place? “I just thought if a conventional car of that size with a four-cylinder engine can go for US$15k-16k, add US$8k for the battery and we’re at US$25k,” admitted Lutz.

But of course the Volt is more than a regular inline-4 car with a battery. Yes, the battery did end up being US$8,000, supplied by Korean company LG Chem. But you also have to add the electric motor, ECU and various controls for the motor and battery charging systems, as well as equip the car with new auxiliaries that can continue to work via other methods rather than draw power from an internal combustion engine via an aux belt. The Volt also ended up using many one-off parts which does not benefit from economies of scale from use in other GM cars.

Even at the US$43k to the customer price tag, GM will also have to sell the car to the dealers at a loss. They are banking on warranty costs being much less than they provisioned and for technology advancement to reduce the costs of the Volt’s components halfway down the road to make the car profitable.

It was last reported that our neighbours up in Thailand north will be getting it beginning 2011, and who knows, maybe we’ll get it too, albeit if that happens it will probably be only as a halo model of some sort because of the kind of price tag it will have. Even in Thailand it is estimated to be priced at nearly 3 million Thai baht (roughly RM300,000), because of Thai import duty structures.

Related Posts:
Production Chevrolet Volt Hybrid Car Revealed!
New official details on the Chevrolet Volt

Click here to read the rest of The Chevrolet Volt’s biggest problem: its cost

BMW’s Project i will be launched under the BMW subframe not unlike the BMW M badge, said its CEO Norberg Reithofer earlier this week.

We’ve already seen a modern BMW electric car with the trial-basis MINI E, and speculation was arife on whether BMW would start a new fourth brand for its electric cars, market the cars under the BMW brand, or sell them all as MINIs, since the MINI E is a MINI. The first car under Project i is commonly referred to as the MegaCity and will be released in the first half of the next decade, which is within 5 year’s time.

Lithium-ion batteries for Project i will be sourced from a Korean joint venture between Bosch and Samsung SDI called SB LiMotive. SB LiMotive also owns Cobasys, the company which supplies batteries to GM for its Volt.

BMW is said to be in talks with PSA Peugeot Citroen to expand its technical collaboration to electric cars as well. PSA already had some sort of deal with Mitsubishi though, with Mitsubishi set to supply the Mitsubishi i electric car to the French company to be sold in Europe under the Peugeot and Citroen badges.

It’s finally here, the first of the production Nissan electric vehicles that they’ve been shouting about for the longest time now. The new Nissan Leaf is a mid-sized hatchback powered by a lithium-ion battery that can go about 160km on a full charge.

The name Leaf in relation to the car’s zero-emissions nature – according to Nissan: just as leaves purify the air in nature, the Leaf purifies mobility by taking emissions out of the driving experience.

The whole car has loads of blue themed in it. The introductory colour is called Aqua Globe. The interior (which at first sight looks Civic-like thanks to the format of the dual-level dash) features blue backlighting for the various displays. On the outside, the headlamps have a blue internal reflective design and are lit up by LED in order to be more energy efficient.

The Nissan Leaf’s lithium ion pack (installed under the passenger area under the seat and floor) produces 90kW and supplies power to the AC electric motor which produces 80kW (107 horsepower) and 280Nm of torque. It’s definitely not going to be a scorcher – it’s likely that due to gearing limitations, the top speed is limited to just over 140km/h and there is no 0 to 100km/h acceleration time given.

Different sockets for a regular wall plug and a quick charger

The 160km rated range is based on the US LA4 mode driving cycle. Nissan claims that this range satisfies the daily driving requirements of over 70% of the world’s drivers. At the end of the day, the Leaf can be charged overnight from a 200V power outlet in about 8 hours, or via a DC quick charger in under 30 minutes. The charging port is in front where the Nissan logo is.

Pricing for the new Nissan Leaf will only be announced later but according to Nissan, it will be priced about the same as a well-equipped C-segment car. The Leaf itself is well within the size of a typical C-segment hatch, with a wheelbase of 2,700mm. The Leaf is 4,445mm long, 1,770 mm wide and 1,550mm tall.

This means a Leaf could potentially be priced about the same as a Nissan Sylphy in Malaysia, which could put it well in reach for a sizeable amount of Malaysians, if only the government can revamp their various engine displacement based taxation systems.

Once that is settled there shouldn’t be a problem having one in Malaysia as Nissan has a right hand drive version pretty much ready. Look after the jump for a full photo gallery as well as 3 videos of the Nissan Leaf.

Click here to read the rest of Nissan LEAF: 160km range production electric car

Suzuki has officially revealed the 2010 Kizashi mid-sized sedan, that is offered in both front wheel drive and all wheel drive forms. Based on the Kizashi Concept that was previewed two years ago, the mid-size sedan is treated to a large prominent grille up front with curvaceous design lines under the projector beam headlights, which is also evident at the rear end. There are two exhaust tailpipes as well, on each side. The Kizashi also sits on the ground with 18-inch alloy wheels, treated to a multi-spoke design.

Inside, you can choose between cloth or premium leather seats. With the latter, you will get three-stage heating and memory function. Both material options are finished with French seams, hard cover rears and low fatigue foam. More features include, key-less entry (with start/stop button), iPod connectivity, Bluetooth (optional) and a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system (optional). There is also a three-spoke steering wheel, in front of a two-gauge (with chrome outline and light blue lighting) instrument panel, with an LCD display.

Now to what is under the hood. Before I can continue, I must say that Suzuki has neglected to mention official performance figures of the Kizashi, along with the engine output numbers as well. We do know that it is powered by a 2.4-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder, mated to either a 6 speed manual or a CVT transmission. With the CVT, buyers will get steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.

The engine includes an aluminum block and cylinder heads, aluminum pistons with low tensile force rings, dropped-forged connecting rods, rotating on a forged steel crankshaft and a balancer shaft that delivers improved engine balance and reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

Suspension wise, the Kizashi with a rigid steel unibody features MacPherson struts in the reinforced front suspension, while the rear is treated to a multi-link setup, which is constructed with embedded aluminum to improve handling. As mentioned earlier, the Kizashi is also offered with an all wheel drive system, which is Suzuki’s first for its sedan segment. The system’s torque split remains dependent on several factors, including wheel slippage and throttle input.

Safety wise, it comes with eight airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD and a tire pressure monitoring system. You can also go home with Suzuki’s synergetic vehicle dynamic control, which allows you to have more fun with the car, with minimal intrusion from the ESP. The auto maker also revealed that it is developing a hybrid variant of the Kizashi, and that it will be added into the line-up in the future. Expect the new sedan from Suzuki to hit US showrooms by December. Continue reading to view an image gallery and to watch a half-hour long video.

Click here to read the rest of 2010 Suzuki Kizashi officially revealed! Hybrid model coming soon

Nissan previewed its electric vehicle powertrain a few days ago and used a Nissan Latio as a demonostrator vehicle. The EV system uses an in-house developed electric motor that can produce 107 horsepower and 280Nm of torque, matched with a 24kWh laminated compact li-ion battery pack.

With the demonstrator, the battery pack is placed under the vehicle floor for better packaging – this reduces intrusions into the cabin or cargo space. It can be quite tricky to mate an electric powertrain to a normal chassis that was designed for an internal combustion engine as the requirements in terms of size, shape and other factors of an electric vehicle system can be quite different from a regular car’s. An additional frame is added to the battery pack to improve the platform’s rigidity.

Thanks to the 24kWh and a regenerative braking system, the electric Latio can go over 160km on a full charge, based on the US LA4 mode driving cycle.

Nissan will also be adding a remote control and monitoring function to its electric cars. All Nissan EVs will communicate with a central IT system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alerts can be sent to your mobile phone. With the system, users can check the car’s current charging status and current range capacity. A map can show the current available driving radius so its easier to visualize where you will be able to drive.

You can also control the air conditioner to turn on or off at predefined times, and charging can also be set to be done only within certain timeslots even though the car is plugged in so that you can take advantage from cheaper night electricity rates in some countries.

Click here to read the rest of Nissan exhibits EV system in a Nissan Latio

It may be different for the enthusiast but say the word hybrid to the layman and he’ll automatically associate it with the Toyota Prius. And now, the third generation is here, and slated to be launched in Malaysia next month. Let’s have a look at the new iconic hybrid Toyota that you’ll be able to buy at showrooms before the end of the year.

Click here to read the rest of 3rd generation Toyota Prius: first impressions

Lexus has recently launched the new HS250h hybrid car in Japan with a monthly sales target of 500 units per month. The Atkinson cycle 2.4 liter engine mated to an electric motor managed to achieve 23 km per liter based on the Japanese 10-15 life cycle, and on the new JC08 test cycle, it managed 19.8km per liter.

The central LCD screen system which was a main feature and attraction of the 2nd gen Prius cabin that went missing in the 3rd gen is now back in the HS250h and renamed the Harmonious Driving Navigator. It monitors and provides information on the car’s hybrid system, fuel consumption, and brake energy regeneration as well as awards “points” for environmentally (and wallet) considerate driving. These points can be used by a Lexus owner to make donations to charities registered with Project Mirai Isan, which is managed by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.

The 2AZ-FXE 2.4 liter engine makes 150 PS and 187Nm of torque, supplemented by a 143 PS electric motor with 270Nm of torque, backed by a NiMH battery. An e-CVT combines the two power sources up to a maximum of 190 PS at any one time.

Nothing really that interesting about the engine as its the same one found in the Camry Hybrid but as if to make up for it, there are a few interesting techy bits about the HS250h. The Lexus HS250h also has LED headlamps as well as tail lamps. It has a heads-up display system which can display various info such as speed, lane information and warnings.

A Pre-crash Safety System using millimeter-wave radar detects whether driver’s eyes are properly open and also determining direction of driver’s face. If risk of accident is determined, system warns driver with buzzer and automatic braking. If there is a risk of a crash, the hazard lights flash, and if the risk is even higher, headrests are shifted to the appropriate positions to reduce strain on the neck and chances of whiplash injury.

There is also a telemetry system that reminds me of BMW Assist or BMW ConnectedDrive. The Lexus take on such services is called G-Link (called Lexus Enform with Safety Connect in the US). You will have access to a concierge that help you out in various ways. If you meet an accident, G-Link communicates with the remote Lexus center to contact the police and fire department. The call center will then call you to check if you are safe. If there is no answer, an ambulance will be called. The call centre operator can also help you with finding a location and can send GPS coordinates to your on-board GPS unit automatically. If there is an intrusion while the car is parked, the owner can be notified via phone and email.

G-Link also monitors various car components such as the brakes and engine and can assist with booking a service appointment with your Lexus service center. Of course all of this costs money and G-Link is only free for the first 3 years if you buy the car new.

Look after the jump for a photo gallery with some new photos of the HS250h, some videos, as well as the previously published photo gallery of the HS250h dedicated hybrid.

Click here to read the rest of More juicy details on the Lexus HS250h

Click for a larger diagram

After rumors emerged that Mercedes will be producing an electric version of the upcoming SLS AMG Gullwing sports car, the auto maker has now officially announced that such a car will go into production.

Called the Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing with electric drive, this emissions free sports car will have a total of four electric motors positioned near the wheels, with one transmission per axle that will transmit the power. With this arrangement there will not be any transmission losses, according to Mercedes.

The Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing with electric drive can produce up to 526 horsepower, with a massive torque figure of 880Nm which is mind blowing! This allows the electric Gullwing to hit 100 km/h in just 4 seconds flat, up to an unspecified top speed.

According to Mercedes, the 4-second sprint figure rivals the figure offered by the 6.3 liter V8-powered Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing that develops 571 horses. Power is derived from a 400-volt battery pack (with an energy content of 48 kWh and a capacity of 40 Ah), that can be recharged via plug-in, as well as via regenerative braking.

Mercedes also revealed that the handling and driving characteristics of the Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing with electric drive will match its carbon fuel-powered sibling. The auto maker also mentioned that the electric car will have an optimum weight distribution, which is achieved by placing parts of the batter pack in front of the firewall, in the centre tunnel and behind the seats.

Both Mercedes and AMG will be producing the electric Gullwing, and will have Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. (a joint venture between Daimler AG and Evonik Industries AG) to provide the battery technology required in future. The auto maker did not reveal any information regarding production schedule of the electric sports car in the press release.

Toyota has announced that it will be making a hybrid version of the Toyota Auris from mid-2010 onwards, and production for this new model will be set up in the UK at Toyota’s Derbyshire plant. No further specifications have been revealed at the moment, and it’s not known whether Toyota will fit their current 1.8 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive, or the older 1.5 liter from the 2nd generation Prius, or a totally new Hybrid Synergy Drive system perhaps based on the new 1.33 liter dual VVT-i engine. We’ll probably get more news at one of the upcoming motorshows. I wonder if a Corolla Altis Hybrid could be offered sometime in the future, since the Auris is effectively a Corolla hatchback.

Proton previewed an all-electric version of the Proton Saga sedan in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang during the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar organized by SAE International earlier this week. The “Proton” name would definitely make sense on this particular car!

You might expect this plug-in electric vehicle to have been co-developed with Detroit Electric which have a deal to produce electric cars based on the Proton GEN2 and the Proton Persona for certain overseas markets under the Detroit Electric brand. But on the contrary, what you see above is an in-house project done with the help of unnamed suppliers and partners.

This means that unlike the Detroit Electric e46 (based on the Proton Gen 2) and the Detroit Electric e63 (based on the Proton Persona), the electric Saga (officially called the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept for now) is probably being considered for the local market, although the auto maker is very tight-lipped about possible launch dates. It could take years.

The emissions-free Proton Saga EV on display features a 125kW (168hp) brushless DC electric motor, mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. It has a 20kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack (12 separate batteries stored in the trunk). Because of the batteries, truckspace is pretty much non-existent but this is quite normal with concept electric cars based on a chassis that was originally designed to take a regular combustion engine and fuel tank. A production car would ideally have neater integration of the batteries.

According to Proton, the Saga EV can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, up to a top speed of 161 km/h, with a driving range of 109 kilometers over a full charge. Both the Detroit Electric e46 and e63 will feature a 150kW Axial Magnetic Flux motor instead.

There is more! The “green-mobil” also features re-generative braking and an electric power steering, apart from a built-in Batter Management System (BCMU), a plug-in charger (with a household power outlet), air conditioning as well as an In-Vehicle display screen that displays various information pertaining to the electric vehicle functions. Sources also revealed that Proton has plans to built an electric Exora MPV, and, is currently working on some hybrid vehicles as well, for research and development.

Since Proton took the trouble to produce a fully functioning Saga EV Concept, I am sure it is a matter of time till we actually see Proton-built electric cars on the road, but it doesn’t end at just producing such emissions-free vehicles. There has to an infrastructure ready to accommodate charging in the outdoors, which is something that will involve the government, apart from the private sector.

Continue reading to view an image gallery.

Click here to read the rest of Proton previews the Proton Saga EV Concept