Ford's green path

Ford's Executive Chairman Bill Ford closed out SAE World Congress today with an endorsement for the future of electric vehicles.

“All the early cars were electric,” said Ford, great grandson of company founder Henry Ford. “They‘ve been around really for the past century or so, but they really haven’t had mass market appeal.”

But Ford said the automotive industry is rapidly changing. Ford, an ardent environmentalist who worked for years to change the company’s culture so that it would embrace environmental goals, said new technology makes it possible to introduce electric vehicles that can be embraced by mainstream consumers. “It appears that the biggest game changer will be electric vehicles,” Ford said during a speech in Detroit.

“Our plan includes the introduction of five new high-mileage vehicles.” Ford said the automotive industry must introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles in order to meet the challenges of diminishing oil reserves, global warming and a desire by customers to spend less money on gas. “The majority of our efforts are aimed at fuel economy leadership,” Ford said.

“We want to provide affordable fuel economy for million of customers.” Over the next three years Ford plans to introduce a Transit Connect Electric commercial van, a Ford Focus electric vehicle, two new gasoline-electric hybrids and a plug-in hybrid.

Ford also said company is committed to improving the fuel economy of all of its new vehicles. This summer, Ford plans to launch the Ford Fiesta subcompact car. Ford has said it expects the Fiesta will get 40 mpg (5.8 l/100 km) on the highway and 30 mpg (7.8 l/100 km) in city driving. Ford also is introducing technology in the car to help drivers get the most out of their vehicles. Today, Ford announced that the company is adding a new feature for the company’s navigation software called Eco-Route. Eco-Route will map the most fuel-efficient route to a destination and can help drivers achieve fuel-economy gains of up to 15%, the company said. The feature is part of Ford’s MyFord Touch, a new system that controls all entertainment, climate and information systems in the company’s vehicle. These days, Ford has many reasons to be optimistic. The company’s is gaining market share both in the U.S. and Europe. Ford’s stock closed Thursday at $13.76 per share, up 41 cents from its close on Wednesday and more than four times higher than its 52-week low of $3.27 per share. The company, which typically reports first quarter earnings at the end of April, is expected to report a first quarter profit of 30 cents per share, according to survey of 12 by Thomson One Analytics. “Nobody is getting cocky, or over confident,” Ford said. “Because frankly, we’ve only taken baby steps on the long journey to where we really need to go.”

Source: Freep, by Brent Snavely, April 15th, 2010

USA Benefit from Billions in Recovery Act Tax Cuts

The tax cuts in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Obama last February, gave 98% of American working families and individuals a tax cut, and encouraged new job-creating investments by businesses large and small.

Many of these tax credits will transform our economy for years to come, such as in renewable energy and energy efficiency. As Americans are filing their taxes, they’re seeing the results of the Democratic-led Congress and the President working together to enact an array of broad-based tax cuts for working and middle-class families and small business owners—ending an era of Republican tax breaks focused only on the wealthy:
More than one-third of the Recovery Act is tax cuts for the middle class, which is putting money in the hands of families and businesses to spread throughout the economy. Tax cuts in the Recovery Act are immediate; as of the end of March, more than $160 billion of Recovery Act tax cuts has gone out; nearly $100 billion of that has gone directly into the pockets of working Americans.

ecause of the immediate tax cuts, tax refunds are already up nearly 10 percent, pushing the average refund up to a record $3,000 per taxpayer.The Recovery Act contains 25 tax cuts for Americans, including the fastest – and one of the most widely shared – tax cuts in American history: the Making Work Pay Tax Cut in the Recovery Act. The Recovery Act also gives you a tax cut for making your home more energy efficient, buying a home, buying a car, or sending a child to college.

All totaled, the 111th Congress has enacted more than $800 billion in tax cuts, in the Recovery Act, health insurance reform, and other job-creating tax incentives for American business.

And according to a new report by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) this week, tax cuts in the Recovery Act, combined with unemployment benefits and other income support provisions, are responsible for roughly one-half of the up to 2.8 million jobs saved or created by the Recovery Act so far.

Source: The Ethiopian Review, April 15th, 2010

Ontario targets new Volkswagen plant

The Ontario government has set its sights on landing a Volkswagen AG engine or transmission plant as a way of tapping tens of billions of dollars that global auto makers will invest during the next five years to meet stringent new North American fuel economy rules.

Volkswagen is about one year away from starting production at an assembly plant it is building in Chattanooga, Tenn., but is expected to add new engine and transmission facilities later to supply the 150,000 vehicles that will be made there annually.

“We knew if we didn't land the [assembly] plant, that's our next goal,” Ontario Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello said in an interview. The process is still in its early stages, and it is not known exactly how far the government is prepared to go to lure an engine or transmission factory to the province. If government incentives are the only factor for auto makers studying such huge investments, Ms. Pupatello acknowledged, Ontario will lose out to U.S. states. Instead of money, the province will showcase its skilled work force and expertise in innovation, she said.

Volkswagen faces the same expensive and formidable problem as its rivals in North America – making sure their vehicles are about 25% more fuel efficient by 2016 than the cars now on the road. That will require vast amounts of research and spending to refine internal combustion engines. The research will also involve the development of hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines and improving transmissions so they contribute to higher fuel economy.

A greener automotive future represents a potential bonanza of investment and jobs for Ontario and other auto-making jurisdictions battered by the auto crisis that sent Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corp. into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and tens of thousands of workers to the unemployment lines. In the battle for that investment, however, Ontario is at a disadvantage. The province is vying against the U.S. government, which has established a $25-billion (U.S.) fund to assist auto makers in developing new technologies that will improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.

“It just kills me every time I hear about it,” Ms. Pupatello said. “Everywhere I go around the world, everybody knows about the American fund.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said auto makers will spend at least $52-billion to meet the requirements outlined earlier this month by the Canadian and U.S. governments. “I think it's going to be considerably higher than that,” said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Ann Arbor, Mich. “The magnitude of the investment is huge.” Ontario can't match the deep pockets of the U.S. government and individual states. The province made a pitch to Volkswagen for the Chattanooga assembly plant, but couldn't come close to matching the $577-million in taxpayer money Tennessee threw on the table.

So tapping into the green revolution will require a new strategy for the heartland of Canadian auto production, which for decades has relied mainly on winning new assembly plant investments to create and maintain jobs in the sector. New assembly plant investment is expected to be scaled back during the rest of this decade from the heady days of the 1990s and 2000s, when Japan-based auto makers ratcheted up production dramatically in North America. “There does need to be a concerted approach that says, ‘We're going pick certain areas such as powertrain” and lighter weight components, said Steve Rodgers, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association of Canada.

Ms. Pupatello said she has discussed electric vehicles and other advances in technology with every auto maker she has met with in recent years and has made sure government incentives to Canadian parts makers go to those working on ways to reduce greenhouse gases and produce lighter components.

The Tennessee plant marks Volkswagen's return to vehicle assembly in the United States after an absence of several decades and is a centrepiece of its strategy to sell 800,000 vehicles there annually by 2018. That in turn, is part of its ambitious plan to become the world's largest auto maker by that year. Volkswagen has an engine plant in Mexico that supplies its massive operations in Puebla, where it makes the Beetle and other cars. But Volkswagen of America president Stefan Jacoby told an industry conference in 2008 that the Tennessee plant will require new engine and transmission plants to be competitive. He told industry publication Automotive News last year that 80% of the content in the vehicles coming out of Tennessee will be North American. The components that contribute the most to that figure are the engines and the transmissions.

A spokesman for Volkswagen of America said Chattanooga is working with Puebla on sourcing for components, but no final decisions have been made and the focus at the moment is getting the Tennessee plant into production.

Source: The Globe and Mail, by Greg Keenan, April 16th, 2010

Mercedes S-Class PHEV could achieve 81 mpg

Gone are the days when environmentalists shouted themselves hoarse demanding small and mid-sized cars that could give better mileage than luxury sedans. A recent report says that the new Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid could achieve a mind blowing mileage of 81 miles per gallon (2.9 l/100 km) in the European hybrid cycle.

Mercedes development director Dr. Thomas Weber, in an interview with Car and Driver, has said, “Three years ago, everyone thought that there would only be small cars and that there would be no more large cars. But our plug-in concept demonstrated that an S-class could make 78 mpg (3.0 L/100km), so those questions stopped. With the next generation of S-class we are talking 81 mpg (2.9 L/100km), using a new-generation 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine-direct injection and piezo injectors-integrated with a 60-hp (44 kW) electric motor. In pure-electric mode, the car would have a range of just over 20 miles (32.2 km) at speeds of up to 68 mph (109 km/h). It is clear that we will have a plug-in hybrid in the next-generation S-class.”

Apart from talking about the S-Class, Weber also discussed about the SLS AMG e-drive. He said that the company is looking to come up with an electric SLS. Since people don’t normally use SLS for long-distance driving, a range of 125 miles (201 km) is good enough for this car, he reported. He also said that this is the beginning of what the future sports car will look like. “Hybridization doesn’t work because it adds additional weight and we don’t feel that’s right for a sports car. If we have to add weight, then using powerful alternative drivetrains makes sense: with 590 pound-feet (800 Nm) of torque from four wheel electric motors, driving the SLS is a sensational feeling, one without noise. We should continue with such ideas,” he reported.

In spite of all these notable achievements, Weber still sees several hurdles on the way. He said that batteries have very low energy density as compared to diesel or gasoline, along with long charging time. “Batteries are the perfect solution for the inner cities, but not for long distances or for customers who have just one car,” he stated.

Source: NitroBahn, March 11th, 2010

GM Plug-In Hybrid Program Underway

Recent spy shots show that despite delays, General Motors is continuing to develop the plug-in version of its Two-Mode Hybrid system.

While the system is being tested in a discontinued Saturn Vue crossover, it now seems likely to appear in a version of either the GMC Terrain or Chevrolet Equinox compact crossovers. That Two-Mode Plug-In Hybrid should debut next year as a 2012 model.

GM's plug-in hybrid already has a long and convoluted history. It was originally slated for the now-canceled Saturn Vue Two-Mode Hybrid. Then the Saturn Vue was to be re-badged as a Buick, but that idea was quickly quashed after unanimous pans from the press.

Its most recent appearance was in the highly praised Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept shown at January's Detroit Auto Show. That large, luxurious all-wheel-drive sedan, the Two-Mode Plug-In Hybrid system was paired with a 3.6-liter, 350-horsepower direct-injection V-6.Smaller engine, better gas mileage?

The fact that the prototype has a single exhaust pipe may mean that the plug-in hybrid version features a smaller powerplant than the V-6 used in the Cadillac or planned for the standard Saturn VueTwo-Mode.

A likely candidate might be GM's 2.4-liter Ecotec four, or perhaps even the direct-injection 2.0-liter engine GM is also selling for use in the 2011 Fisker Karma.

Or perhaps it retains a V-6, but one modified to run on the Atkinson Cycle that provides maximum fuel economy but little low-end torque--which the hybridsystem neatly compensates for. On this point, only time will tell.

While the 8-kilowatt-hour battery pack in the XTS uses the same type of lithium-ion cells as the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the Two-Mode Plug-In system is a classic hybrid that blends torque from the engine and electric motors to power the wheels.

The 2011 Volt, on the other hand, is not a hybrid but a pure electric car whose wheels are powered only by an electric motor. Its gasoline engine serves just to drive a generator that powers the wheels and slightly recharges the battery pack beyond its 40-mile electric range.

Recharge time for the battery pack in the Plug-In Hybrid is said to be about five hours via a standard household power outlet.

The XTS plug-in hybrid was designed to run electrically while coasting, even at higher speeds, with engine and electric power blended to maximize fuel efficiency under higher loads, such as brisk acceleration. In urban traffic and stop-and-go driving, the plug-in system can be up to twice as efficient as a standard hybrid. While Cadillac didn't specify an electric-only range, it's likely to be roughly 10 miles (16 km). How do we know? Because that's the figure originally cited back when this powertrain was originally developed for the Saturn Vue Two-Mode Plug-In Hybrid.

Source: GreenCarReports, by John Voalcker, March 10th, 2010

ALTe's PHEV F-150 unveiled at Work Truck Show

Putting a bigger battery and a plug-in hybrid powertrain into a pick-up truck isn't exactly a new idea. Of course, sometimes, old ideas are worth keeping around.

At the 2010 National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck Show this week, ALTe LLC, based in Michigan, showed off a Ford F-150 that has a plug-in hybrid powertrain installed. Of course, because everybody's got to make their mark, ALTe calls their system a range-extended electric powertrain (REEP).

File this along with General Motor's extended-range electric vehicle (ER-EV) as a different name without a meaningful distinction. These are all plug-in hybrids.

In any case, the demonstration truck uses a 25 kWh lithium-ion manganese oxide polymer battery pack and 82 kW Remy DC drive motors that provide a 52-mile (84 km) all-electric range. When needed, a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder normally aspirated gasoline engine generates power for the battery. In this charge-sustaining mode, reportsGreen Car Congress, the truck's fuel economy is about 32 miles per gallon (7.34 l/100 km).

The powertrain offers 295 pound-feet of torque and has a towing capacity of 6,500 lb.

Source : AutoBlogGreen, by Sebastian Blanco, March 12th, 2010

Powertrain hybridization; The evolution of the engine

Having honed the modern engine to the point where it is going to take an enormous change (camless valve activation, for example) to further the economy cause, the next logical step is the hybridization of the powertrain.

There are two main types of hybrid systems. The mild hybrid uses the electric side to supplement the gasoline engine. As such, it cannot drive the vehicle on its own. These systems, such as that in the Mercedes-Benz S400 do have a place in the near term.

However, it is the full-on hybrid that is the future of the breed. The fact it can motivate the vehicle using the gasoline engine, electric motor or a combination of both power sources is the key advantage.

A growing number of hybrids share the same basic syste: the Two-Mode hybrid, a system used by BMW, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz. On paper, this system has the potential to cut fuel consumption by 40% in the city and deliver a 20% to 25% overall city/highway improvement when compared with a similar gasoline-only vehicle.

The keys to the Two-Mode system are a large battery and a complex transmission. The latter not only houses two electric motors, it integrates a four-speed automatic with low-and high-speed electric continuously variable transmission modes. Yes, it is a complex piece of engineering, but that does not affect the manner in which it works or, more importantly, how it drives.

While much of the Two-Mode system is more or less common between the various manufacturers, as each developed its own operating logic, the systems have slightly different slants and driving characteristics. In GM's case, the Silverado and its Two-Mode system rely on a 300-volt battery and a 6.0-litre V8 that uses cylinder deactivation (it shuts down four of the cylinders when loads are low) and something called late intake valve closing (also known as the Miller cycle). This cycle is rarely used in conventional cars and trucks because the fuel efficiency gains (between 10% and 20%) come with a noticeable drop in performance. Here, however, the electric side more than compensates for the shortfall– the Silverado boasts a net system output of 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, which gives the 4×4 model a towing capacity of 2,676 kilograms. The fuel economy numbers tell the other side of the story. The Silverado 4×4 with a 5.3L gas-only V8 (315 hp and 338 lb-ft of torque) consumes 14.4 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 9.5 L/100 km on the highway. The Silverado Hybrid returns 9.8 and 9.1 L/100 km, respectively.

Mercedes' take on the Two-Mode system combines a 288-volt nickel metal hydride battery with the Two-Mode transmission and a 3.5L V6 that delays the closing of the intake valve to improve efficiency. The V6 is rated at 275 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque– throw in the electric side and the ML450's net system output is 335 hp and 381 lb-ft of torque. The design also allows the ML to be driven at speeds of up to 55 km/h on electric power alone.The X6, which is BMW's first use of the Two-Mode system, is the world's most powerful hybrid. It marries the complex transmission to a 4.8L twin-turbo V8 gas engine. The net output is 478 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque– now, that's what you call tire shredding. It also gives the X6 the wherewithal to run to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, while returning a claimed average fuel economy of 9.9 L/100 km.

As is obvious, BMW uses the electric power more for performance than outright economy benefits.The advantage of the hybrid has not been lost on Porsche. The Cayenne S Hybrid uses a 3.0L supercharged V6 (borrowed from Audi) and marries it with a full-on hybrid system (very different in nature to the Two-Mode) that can be driven at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Porsche claims an output of 380 hp and 427 lb-ft at just 1,000 rpm. The caveat here is that Porsche adds the electric motor's 47 hp to the engine's 333 hp. As the engine and electric motor do not produce peak power at the same time, the actual output is likely to vary from the published number. Notwithstanding, there's enough power to put the hybrid's performance right up there with the V8-powered Cayenne S but with the fuel economy of a V6 engine. This powertrain will eventually trickle down to the Panamera.

The next step is the plug-in hybrid. Charging the battery overnight increases its electric-only capacity. This combined with larger, more efficient batteries will pave the way to the future.

Any look at the future of the powertrain would not be complete without the Chevrolet Volt. It is not really a hybrid in the strictest sense because the primary power source is the electric motor — the gasoline engine is along for the ride to extend the driving range. When the battery has given its all, the gas engine comes to life and drives a generator, which then powers the electric motor. If the Volt is as successful as it deserves to be, the range-extending hybrid will catch fire in a hurry.

Source : Kelown, March 12th, 2010

LG to build li-ion cell factory in Michigan

LG Chem made it official today. The South Korean manufacturer is moving forward with plans to start production of lithium ion cells in Michigan. LG Chem and its U.S. subsidiary, Compact Power Inc. (CPI), will spend $303 million to build the cell plant in Holland on the west side of Michigan. By 2013, the facility figures to employ over 400 people. Groundbreaking will start this summer with the factory fully operational by 2012.

At full production, the plant will have enough capacity to produce cells for 50,000-200,000 packs depending on the configuration (E-REV vs PHEV). LG Chem already has supply agreements with two major automakers, General Motors and Hyundai-Kia.

Hyundai is using LG Chem cells and battery packs in the Korean market Elantra hybrid along with sister company Kia, which builds the Forte hybrid. Hyundai will be launching the Sonata hybrid in the U.S. market later this year.

General Motors is using LG Chem cells in a pack of its own design for the Chevrolet Volt. It will also use the same cells in packs manufactured by CPI for a plug-in hybrid based on the two-mode system for an as yet unnamed vehicle.

With Volt cell manufacturing moving to Michigan, the majority of the value of the new car will be manufactured within a fairly small geographic area. Along with the $700 million being invested by GM in assembly and systems manufacturing for the Volt in Michigan, this brings the total to over $1 billion. Much of the funding for the plant will come from federal and state incentives including a $151 million grant that CPI received last year as part of the stimulus bill. LG Chem will contribute matching funds to the program.

LG Chem joins A123 Systems and Johnson Controls-Saft (JCS) in manufacturing lithium ion batteries in Michigan. The JCS factory is also in Holland while A123 is setting up shop closer to Detroit in Livonia.

Source : AutoBlogGreen, by Sam Abuelsamid, March 12th, 2010

KB Home to pre-wire homes for electric vehicles

Los Angeles-based home builder KB Home announced it will begin offering an option to pre-wire Built to Order homes to accommodate electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle charging stations to customers nationwide.

“KB Home is building new homes that are relevant to the way home buyers are living -- now and in the future,” said Jeffrey Mezger, president and CEO of KB Home. “This is just one of many innovative and earth-friendly options that homeowners can choose from as part of KB Home’s Built to Order experience. It’s a great feature for home buyers who currently drive electric cars, or for those who want to build their new home to accommodate these cars in the future,” he added.

The company said it is continually surveying the market to better understand what customers are looking for in a home.

Source : Home Channel News, March 9th, 2010

Jaguar Land Rover gets EU clean car loan

Jaguar Land Rover is getting a 340 million pound ($514 million) loan from the European Investment Bank, a lender backed by European Union governments, to help it develop more fuel-efficient cars. The eight-year loan for the British-based car maker announced Tuesday is one of several the EIB is giving European auto producers, who have pleaded for government help as car sales crashed during the recession. Money-losing Jaguar Land Rover has been weighing on its owner, India-based Tata Motors, since it bought it from Ford Motor Co. in June 2008 for $2.3 billion.

Tata Motors stock fell by almost 6 per cent on Tuesday as Daimler announced that it had sold its 5.34 per cent stake in India largest carmaker to the group founders and other investors.

Source : Financial News USA, March 9th, 2010