GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

I have to admit when I first saw this press release I was taken aback with the paradox of an electric car being rated in miles per gallon. But on careful inspection I realized they are of course not talking about miles per gallon, but miles per gallon equivalent.

The EPA has produced the final fuel economy label for the LEAF and gave it a “best in class” 99 MPGe. The 99 MPGe is the combined city and highway cycles.

MPGe measures energy use of an electric car based on how many miles it could travel on the same amount of energy found in a gallon of gasoline. Gasoline holds 33.7 kwh of energy per gallon.

Specifically the LEAF was rated at 106 MPGe city and 92 MPGe highway.

To determine these numbers the EPA completed 5 cycles of testing.

The label also shows that the LEAF can be fully charged at 240-v in 7 hours.  Of particular note was that based on their testing,  the EPA gave the car an official driving range of just 73 miles in real-world conditions, 27% lower than the 100 miles of range Nissan has been promoting.  Annual electricy costs was estimared at $561.

“We’re pleased the label clearly demonstrates the Nissan LEAF to be a best-in-class option, reflecting that it’s a pure electric vehicle, uses no gas, has no tailpipe and has zero emissions,” said Scott Becker, senior vice president, Finance and Administration, Nissan Americas. “The label provides consumers with a tool to compare alternative-fuel vehicles to those with a traditional internal combustion engine and allows them to make an informed purchase decision.”
The final label is shown above.

We expect the Volt’s more complex but reassuring label shortly.  “Their calculation is a little bit more straightforward than ours, so I suspect they may have gotten through the process a little faster,” GM spokesperson Rob Peterson told the New York Times. “At this time we don’t have a definitive number.”

Asked when GM anticipates the Volt’s label Peterson told GM-Volt, “we’re like expecting grandparents waiting for the call!”

Hey at least it’s not a letter grade.

Source (Nissan)

Honda has finally jumped into the ring with its very own pure EV production offering.

At the LA Autoshow, the Japanese automaker unveiled the Honda Fit EV concept.  The electric version of the popular car will have lithium ion batteries and a 100 mile driving range.  More importantly, Honda is committed to bring the vehicle to market.  It will go into production in 2012 for both the US and Japanese markets.

Styling will be based on the current Honda Fit and likewise has room for 5 passengers and cargo.  The production model will differ in appearance to the concept shown this week.

The vehicle’s high density coaxial motor is the same one that’s used in the Honda Clarity fuel cell vehicle and will offer a top speed of 90 mph.  Honda say the 100 mile EV range is based in the US LA4 cycle and will actually be reduced to 70 miles after EPA adjustment.

The Fit EV has three driving modes; normal, sport and economy which were derived from the settings of the current CR-Z hybrid.  Economy mode will increase range by 17% compared to normal mode, and 25% compared to sport mode.  In sport mode the car will accelerate similarly to an ICE Fit with a 2.0 L engine.

Like other EVs the Fit EV will have a driving  efficiency coaching gauge on the dash and an alert telling the driver to turn off accessory loads like AC for when range become critically low.  The Fit EV will also offer connected features like satellite navigation and a charging station finder as well as mobile apps for remote charge monitoring, notification alerts, and remote cabin conditioning.

Charging from depleted to full is expected to take 12 hours at 120-v and 6 hours at 240-v.

In addition to demonstrating the pure EV, Honda also announced it would begin producing a plugin hybrid as well in 2012.  Though no vehicle was displayed, the drivetrain was outlined.

It will consist of two electric motors, a gas engine, and a 6 kwh lithium-ion battery.  Three driving states are utilized; electric only, combined gas-electric and gas engine only.  The vehicle will be capable of from 10-15 miles electric only, with a top pure electric speed of 62 mph.  The engine is a 4-cylinder 2.0 L Atkinson with CVT.

To support these electrification efforts Honda will begin an advanced technology demonstration program later this year in which Google will be a partner.

Though a little late to the party Honda has finally admitted electric cars are a good idea, a long cry from the CEOs denouncement of GMs plans for the Volt back in 2007.  Now all the top five US market automakers have officially announced production electric car programs, and a world without oil moves closer still.

Source (Honda)

This week BMW took a giant step fully into electrification of the automobile.  The company has gradually been working towards a production electric vehicle program beginning with the MINI E test fleet it leased to 450 Americans starting in 2009.

Next it plans a small scale test program of an Active E electric 1-series.

BMW has just announced, however, that it would be investing €400 million, or $568 million, to bring the third stage vehicle in this program, the Megacity into production.

The money would be for development and to retool and prepare their plant in Leipzig, Germany for electric car production.

The company also announced it would bring to production the rather complex and dramatic Vision Efficient Dynamics electric sports car that is a mixture of pure EV, PHEV, and extended range electric drivetrains.  The car has a 3 cylinder turbo 163 hp deisel engine and two electric motors.  The first motor is situated between the engine and the transmission and produces up to 51 hp.  The second motor is positioned at the rear and can produce up to 139 hp.  Combined, the the powerplants can produce 328 hp, enough to propel the car from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds while at the same time managing over 60 MPG.  The car has a lithium ion battery pack and can also travel up to 31 miles on electricity alone.

This car will be a low volume dramatic and expensive statement that will be available in 2013.

The Megacity electric car will be the bread and butter vehicle.  A design freeze has reportedly been achieved and advanced prototypes will soon begin road testing.  BMW will likely produce tens of thousands of these vehicles starting in 2013.

The Megacity will be marketed as a sub-brand and will likely be a 5-seater similar in size to the MINI.  It will be ultralight weight and made out of carbon fiber supplied by a company in Washington state.

Like GM and Nissan before it, BMW is trying to keep the development open to hook early adopters.

“We have never been this open about an ongoing development process. We sense a hunger for information,” said BMW chief of design Adrian van Hooydonk. “People will see that it’s a BMW, but they will also see that it’s a BMW like no other.”

“By producing the Megacity Vehicle in Germany the BMW Group is demonstrating a clear commitment to Germany as a high-tech location. With this vehicle we are revolutionising automotive design and production, and offering our customers the first purpose-built electric vehicle for urban areas. This will be the world’s first volume-produced car with a passenger compartment made from lightweight CFRP, as less weight enables a longer range,” said BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer. “We made a conscious decision to produce the car in Germany, at our plant in Leipzig – our newest and most cutting-edge facility with the most flexible structures,” he added

Source (New York Times) and (BMW)

Today Indiana-based Electric Motors and Vehicle Company (EMAV) officially launches as a company along with the announcement of its new upcoming product called the Power Regeneration Unit (PRU).

The PRU is a actually a self-propelled diesel generator on wheels that can be hitched to an electric car and towed along as a trailer. It allows the pure electric car to possibly have a similar mode of operation to the Chevy Volt’s charge-sustaining mode, acting as a range-extender that produces electricity on the fly allowing the electric car continuous operation over long distances.  The Device aims to extend the range of any electric vehicle by up to 10x—from an average electric vehicle range of 100 miles per charge to 1,000 miles per charge.

The company and product launch is further accompanied by the announcement of an extension of their partnership with with Mopar to develop the device and bring it to market. EMAV current produces and supplies the Jeep off-road camper/trailer to Mopar which is currently on sale at 2500 Chrysler dealerships in the United States. These units have been road tested for over 300,000 miles, and the PRU is built off of the same chassis.

EMAV says a working prototype will be demonstrated in the first quarter of 2011, and retail sales are anticipated to begin in the second half of 2011.

“For electric cars to be truly viable for a mass consumer audience, we need to bridge the gap between low-range electric vehicles that can travel moderate distances to electric vehicles which can truly become the sole family vehicle,” said Wil Cashen, founder and President, EMAV. “Our goal is to move the marketplace beyond the first generation of electric vehicles to more powerful and rugged cars that also have endurance. This will evolve the electric car paradigm from a supplemental to a primary car for consumers.”

The 1,220 pound device is self-propelled via an on-board 28 hp electric propulsion motor. It uses sensors to match the speed of the car.  This avoids adding any load demand to, and thus power drain from the car. It contains a 6.6 gallon fuel tank and its own lithium ion batteries. It can generate 25 kw of max power from a 4-cylinder 750cc diesel engine.  It also even has room for internal storage.

The cost of the unit is expected to be $15,000 and according to EMAV is designed to work with any electric vehicle. “It will be able to interact with any electric car,” said Cashen. “We are making the technology brand agnostic, and will have fits for all manufacturer’s models”

You may remember what was previously known as the Electric Motors Company and CEO Wil Cashen when he revealed the FLASH all -electric truck prototype in September 2009.  There was hope for DOE funding and a large production workforce that never occurred.  That company apparently failed.  As to whether this new device will make it to market, we’ll have to wait and see.

About EMAV, from their Press Release:

ELECTRIC MOTORS AND VEHICLES COMPANY, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EMAV COMPANIES , is a global technology and product development company focused on rugged and sustainable electric vehicles, and electric vehicle technologies. The company offers power systems and all-terrain vehicles of various models with powertrain options that include electric, hybrid electric, alternative fuel, gasoline, and diesel drive systems. EMAV provides essential research and development, engineering, design, production, warranty, and customer support for various automobile partners, including Mopar – Jeep, a division of Chrysler Group, LLC, for which EMAV has developed and manufactures the Mopar – Jeep and RAM Camper – Trailer products. EMAV is currently in development with numerous patent-pending electric vehicle technologies, including its proprietary PRU™: a power regeneration unit which extends the range of electric vehicles, expected to be available for sale in early 2011.

Founded in 2010, EMAV is located in Wakarusa, Indiana. For more information, visit www.emavco.com

Late Thursday night, the very first LEAF was being assembled in Oppama, Japan.  It rolled down the line, much like any other car.  In fact,  just like the Chevy Volt which will be built in Michigan,  the LEAF occupies the same production space as some of  its peers, in this case the Nissan Cube, and the unexpectedly very hot (even to Nissan), the Juke.

A good portion of the assembly line has been converted for the LEAF’s special needs.  For instance, the stage of production where the Cube would be getting its fuel tank installed, the first LEAF was diverted to mount the battery pack; and where the engine is being installed in the Juke, the LEAF made a slight detour to get its own motors and inverters put in place.   (Video of the entire production process is below)

Incidentally, Nissan has configured the engine bay of the LEAF to still give the familiar appearance of a small 4 cylinder engine to customers when they pop the hood.

As the first LEAF reached the end of the line, it picked up Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and ushered him out to an audience of his workers (all very uniformly dressed as you would expect in a Japanese auto factory-navy shirts and gray slacks for everyone!).

Mr. Ghosn made a quick, previously memorized speech in Japanese,  first praising the workers and saying that the “Oppama plant will serve as the mother plant for pure EVs in our global production network” (LEAF production comes to Smyrna, TN in 2012 and Sunderland UK in 2013), before moving onto the significance of the event itself, “This is a significant milestone, not only for Nissan and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but also for the entire automotive industry.”

In that regard, he is correct.  The significance is not in the ‘where’ it was built, or in the ‘how’ it was built, the significance is that it ‘was’ built at all.

Despite the fact that this LEAF was born in Japan, it  represents (as does the upcoming Volt  ’Job 1′  in Michigan in about 3 weeks time) many nations intense desire to rely less on oil, and to make a decisive effort to have a healthier environment in which to live.

So at least for today with the LEAF-built by Nissan…and soon with the Volt-built by GM, we should celebrate the fact that for the first time since the mid-1930s, true mass production of the electric vehicle has returned to these institutions. And there is still plenty of room for many other visions of what the electric car should be.

Let there be wars between the Mustang and Camaro, and the Corolla and the Civic for ultimate supremacy.  For now, lets give anyone who has the fortitude to produce a electric car whatever support we can, and let the wars begin when petrol vehicles are in retreat.

/in my driveway, there is room for both a LEAF and a Volt

(Nissan)

Editor’s note:  Statik aka Jay Cole, writes and is the founder of Nissan-LEAF.net.

I test drove an early Ford Focus Electric prototype at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. At that time and for most of the time since, Ford has said it would bring the car into production in 2011, lagging slightly behind the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF. Ford also said it would begin producing a plug-in hybrid SUV in 2012, and low volumes of an electric Transit Connect utility van late this year.

Not a day goes by that one can’t find a flurry of news and media about the Nissan LEAF. Ford not so much.

In fact the automaker recently confirmed that the Focus Electric launch would be delayed for all practical purposes until 2012.

“We had always said 2011, which we’ll still do, but I think you’ll see more of the concentrated volume in 2012,” Sue Cischke, Ford VP of Environemnet told the Detroit News. “Right now, we’re getting ready to provide a little bit slower entry.”

She would not specify the exact number of cars that would hit the roads in 2011 except to say “some.”

Cischke also said Ford intended to meet the same production volume as the Volt and LEAF in 2012. GM will build 15,000 Volts in 2011 and Nissan will build 20,000 LEAFs. “I think it’s going to be somewhere between the two when we first start out,” she said.

She did note that Ford could ramp up from there if demand called for it. “Certainly, if it was very popular, we’d be able to get more batteries and do what we need to do,” she said.

The Ford Focus Electric is expected to get a nominal 100 miles of range, same as the LEAF, though she did admit ranges would be less and there will be problems in cold climates. ”The Northern states are going to be more of a challenge — just because of the cold weather,” she said.

Cischke weighed in on the recent “Voltgate” transmission details saying the Volt “is basically a plug-in hybrid.”

She did admit Ford will take the slower lane to EV’s in part to see how the first wave of Volts and LEAFs fare. “We’ll learn from what they are doing and how they are marketing it,” Cischke said.

Source (Detroit News)