Cars, trucks and more

The Blue-Will plug-in hybrid
Hyundai is showing off its latest hybrid concept as a sneak preview to the Seoul Auto Show in April. The Blue-Will plug-in hybrid, according to AutoWeek, utilizes used recycled soda bottles for the headlights, as well as biodegradable plastics for the engine cover and interior. Likewise, the panoramic solar-celled roof will help [...]

The key to charging in minutes rather than several hours?
MIT scientists have figured out a way to “charge and discharge batteries in a matter of seconds rather than hours” using conventional battery technology, which could enable not just much quicker charging, but lighter batteries.
While the breakthrough could be commercially available in two to three years, [...]

Too much EV range?
Carnegie Mellon University has finished carrying out an interesting study on the “impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) battery pack size on fuel consumption, cost and greenhouse gas emissions over a range of charging frequencies (distance traveled between charges),” according to GreenCarCongress.
In many driving scenarios, the study finds that conventional hybrid [...]

Is it as simple as just building the cars?
“Plug-in vehicles are a revolution for the consumer and will transform the way we move from place to place, and the way we think about using energy. But each community is unique—they have different commuting patterns, parking concerns, demographics, local businesses, and cultures.”
Thus, the Rocky Mountain Institute [...]

Is plugging it in worth it?
In “real world” driving, Toyota plug-in Prius testers are achieving about 65 mpg when driving exactly as they would in a conventional Prius.
According to Bill Reinert, Toyota Motor Sales, the way you drive has a far bigger effect on plug-in hybrids compared to conventional hybrid cars. “That difference is just [...]

A plug-in hybrid at HybridFest
Ford and Johnson Controls-Saft have agreed to a 5 year partnership where Johnson Controls will provide lithium batteries, as well as “mechanical, electrical, electronic and thermal components” for Ford’s plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The first plug-in hybrids developed under the partnership will hit the road in 2012 and the partnership has a goal [...]

Killing American fuel economy
Ethanol fans can’t talk enough about how ethanol has helped America. Yet, when Congress struck a deal in 1988 to promote ethanol, they devised a tax credit scheme enabling 16 mpg gas guzzlers to have a fuel economy rating of 24 mpg. Thus, through the ’90s, US automakers couldn’t roll out enough [...]

The $80,000 plug-in
The Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid is a hot looking vehicle with an even hotter price tag. At $80,000, the Karma is priced well above what the average consumer can afford, although a $40,000 version is forthcoming. Nonetheless, it will offer the average driver at least 100 mpg according to the company. In fact, [...]

Insight: More realistic than plug-ins?
When it comes to buying a car, sticker price is the most important issue for most consumers. Unfortunately, hybrid cars and plug-in vehicles cost more, which makes it harder for manufacturers to turn a profit on such vehicles.
Thus, while GM has hung its green PR hat on the Chevy Volt plug-in [...]

The Trinity plug-in hybrid at NAIAS
Back in January, I called the AFS Trinity plug-in hybrid one of the “more interesting vehicles at NAIAS”. Using off-the-shelve parts and ultracapacitors, the AFS Trinity promised up to 150 mpg. Of course, this technology had not yet been put through the battery of tests required of OEMs. Likewise, automakers [...]