Tag Archives: EVs

April Sales at Toyota Motor up 12%. Honda and Nissan Flat

Posted on 1 May 2012 by Ken Zino

The strong April sales performance at Toyota Motor Sales brought it to within a rounding error to surpass a slumping Ford Motor Company for the Number Two ranking in U.S. auto sales. TMS was only 1,614 units behind Ford Motor, according to numbers from the consultancy AutoData. Continue reading →

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Cadillac ELR Coupe Coming Using Chevrolet Volt Technology

Posted on 24 April 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson announced plans today the new Cadillac ELR luxury electric coupe to China. The announcement of the first extended range electric vehicle from Cadillac in China shows just how significant the world’s largest auto market has become to all automakers. The question now is where the ELR will debut first – the U.S. where it was developed and Cadillac’s home market or China? Continue reading →

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VW E-Bugster Makes Asian Debut in Beijing at Auto China

Posted on 21 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The energy for powering the electric motor is stored in a lithium-ion battery pack whose modules are housed behind the front seats of E-Bugster. The battery’s energy capacity of 28.3 kWh in theory under ideal conditions provides a range of at least 110 miles (180 km) in the urban world, VW claims. At current prices of $800-$1,000 per kWh, the battery pack alone costs the price of a new Beetle. Continue reading →

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DOE Gives EV Supplier UQM More Time on ARRAS Grant

Posted on 18 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The politically contentious American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contained billions upon billions in taxpayer funding to businesses though a number of Recovery Act and related programs, including loans, loan guarantees, grants, contracts and tax incentives, in partnership with the Department of Treasury. In total, CBO estimates that the legislation will increase budget deficits by about $831 billion over the 2009–2019 period. Continue reading →

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BMW and Toyota Sign Lithium Ion Battery Research Deal

Posted on 27 March 2012 by Ken Zino

Current production Toyota hybrids use nickel metal hydride batteries, an older but thoroughly proven technology. Toyota has been reluctant to use the newer, more expensive lithium ion technology, much loved by environmentalist, but shunned thus far by mainstream car buyers. Nevertheless, Toyota is introducing its first generation of lithium ion batteries in the Prius Plug-in hybrid just on sale in the U.S. Continue reading →

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Colorado Volt Buyers Eligible for $13,500 in Taxpayer Subsidies

Posted on 21 March 2012 by Ken Zino

The core environmental problem here is an economic one. The slow selling $40,000 Volt – even with subsidies – remains overpriced and not competitive in the marketplace. No wonder that the Volt plant in Michigan is currently down for five weeks. More troubling is the sales of the smaller Prius c hybrid. In the first three days since the small Prius c went on sale this month it sold 1,201 units, bypassing sales of the much more expensive – two times the price – Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf for the entire month of February. Continue reading →

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Audi Announces U.S. A3 e-tron Electric Vehicle Pilot Program

Posted on 28 February 2012 by Ken Zino

A3 is currently sold to U.S. consumers in gasoline-powered and turbo diesel configurations starting at $28,000 with several thousand dollars in options. The A3 EV – dubbed e-tron – has a 26kWh lithium-ion battery pack and claimed zero driving emissions, if you ignore how the electricity to charge the expensive battery pack is generated. No pricing was given since this is a development not a marketing program. One Audi insider said that eventually an A3 e-tron is “highly likely” here. Continue reading →

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Toyota Prius Plug-In Gets California and Federal Subsidies

Posted on 27 February 2012 by Ken Zino

Prius Plug-in is Toyota’s first application using a lithium-ion battery pack, which it claims increases its overall fuel economy and has charging times of only 2.5 to 3 hours using a standard 120-volt outlet or 1.5 hours using 240v, which would cost at least $1,000 for a home installation.

The largest Japanese automaker, and hybrid technology leader, resisted using lithium ion batteries for years. However, political and marketing pressure, as well as government regulations favoring the controversial technology, has forced Toyota to embrace the plug-in concept, which is years or more from practical use unless you use the new “green math” to justify its steep price. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet Volt EVs on Way to California. Volts now Qualify For HOV Lanes and a $1,500 State Taxpayer Subsidy

Posted on 24 February 2012 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet Volts with a ‘Low Emissions Package,’ which is standard for California Volts, began shipping from the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant this week and will begin arriving at the more than 140 Chevrolet dealerships in California before the end of … Continue reading →

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NHTSA Closes Volt Battery Fire Investigation with No Recall

Posted on 20 January 2012 by Ken Zino

NHTSA also said it remains unaware of any real-world crashes that have resulted in a battery-related fire involving the Chevy Volt or any other electric vehicle. The world’s most prominent auto safety agency set a precedent back in November by opening a safety defect investigation without any supporting data from real-world incidents. Continue reading →

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BMW Delivers First All-Electric Active E in the US

Posted on 14 January 2012 by Ken Zino

The fully electric Active E with its lithium-ion batteries have a claimed a driving range of up to 100 miles on a full charge. With an output of 170 horsepower, maximum torque of 184 lb-ft from a standstill, BMW said Active E accelerates from 0–60 mph in under nine seconds. If the driver is a lead-foot – or is that now lithium foot? and/or the weather is cold – the Bimmer won’t go that far, of course. All such mileage claims await independent verification. Continue reading →

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GM Changes Chevrolet Volt to Protect Battery to Stop Fires

Posted on 5 January 2012 by Ken Zino

It was not immediately clear whether NHTSA would require that Chevrolet Volt EVs be recalled or whether the modifications can be done as a customer satisfaction procedure. There remains at this moment an ongoing NHTSA engineering analysis, which could lead to a recall. GM said it was “optimistic” that no recall would be required, a politically sensitive issue since the federal government still holds a large stake in GM. Continue reading →

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Federal Appeals Court blocks Enforcement of EPA Cross State Rule until Dozens of Power Company Lawsuits are Resolved

Posted on 30 December 2011 by Ken Zino

The rule requires reduction in emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which the auto industry successfully undertook decades ago. The Appeals court will consider the legality of the rule sometime next year. Continue reading →

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GM China Advanced Technical Center Nears Completion

Posted on 19 December 2011 by Ken Zino

GM intends to use Chinese battery suppliers in future electric vehicles – the latest setback for beleaguered U.S. workers who are facing grim employment prospects in the moribund U.S. economy. This is no longer a blue-collar or solely a UAW problem. College level white collar engineering jobs are at stake in advanced technologies touted by politicians as the key to returning the U.S. to global competitiveness. Continue reading →

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BMW and Toyota to Jointly Research Lithium Ion Batteries

Posted on 1 December 2011 by Ken Zino

BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) where the companies will research together the next-generation lithium-ion battery technologies. It is the latest example of automakers trying to decrease the astronomical cost of developing more efficient vehicles mandated by increasing stringent fuel economy or CO2 regulations. Continue reading →

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