Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Official: High-MPG Taylors drive a Volkswagen Passat 1,626 miles on one tank of diesel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/high-mpg-taylors-drive-a-volkswagen-passat-1-626-miles-on-one-ta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/high-mpg-taylors-drive-a-volkswagen-passat-1-626-miles-on-one-ta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/high-mpg-taylors-drive-a-volkswagen-passat-1-626-miles-on-one-ta/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Watch out, Wayne Gerdes, there's a new hypermiling crew in town.

John and Helen Taylor - Volkswagen calls them "mileage experts" and "the world's most fuel-efficient couple" - recently drove a stock 2012 Passat TDI SE all the way from Houston, Texas to Sterling, Virginia without refueling. That's 1,626.1 miles from just 19.3 gallons. Bad with numbers? VW has done the math for you: it's 84.1 miles per gallon (we came up with 84.2, but who's counting?).

The three-day trip happened earlier this month, and it turns out that the Taylors are not new to the high mileage game. They have previously set the "48 Contiguous U.S. States Fuel Economy Guinness World Record." Still, the new Passat TDI record is impressive and it mimics some of the ways that Gerdes runs his hypermiling trips. As you can see in the gallery, the gas tank was filled to the brim with gas (see here) and there was a LOT of documentation going on during the trip. These sorts of things are important, since the Taylors often run workshops on driving efficiently and have, over the years, "collected more than 90 world fuel economy and vehicle-related records from drives around the globe." They run the website Fuel Academy.

Continue reading High-MPG Taylors drive a Volkswagen Passat 1,626 miles on one tank of diesel

High-MPG Taylors drive a Volkswagen Passat 1,626 miles on one tank of diesel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clean dieseldistance recordfuel academyhelen taylorhypermilingjohn taylorpassatpassat tditdivolkswagenwayne gerdesWed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Official: Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Toyota RAV4 EV

Announced almost two years ago, Toyota finally gave us some more details about the was the all-electric RAV4 EV will be sold to the general public during the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles today. The important number? The MSRP for what Toyota calls a "fully equipped" RAV4 EV is $49,800 and will be available before the end of the year.

Toyota says the RAV4 EV's range is 100 miles and that the car will charge from empty in approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The new RAV4 EV has LED and halogen headlights and it has special "environmental blue" color emblems on the outside. The vehicle will be made at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc., plant in Woodstock, Ontario. The first generation of the new RAV4 EV was unveiled back at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. Our First Drive report is here.

With a battery and powertrain designed by Tesla, the new RAV4 EV certainly appears to be one of the new breed of compliance EVs. We had heard that the RAV4 EV will be lease only, but the official press release says the car "will go on sale in late summer 2012 through select dealers, initially in four major California metropolitan markets." Those markets are Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego and the news matches the rumor we heard last year, that sales about be limited to California. In all, Toyota hopes to sell just 2,600 units in the next three years. Nissan Leaf, you've got nothing to worry about.

Continue reading Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800

Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehicleevsevs26msrprav4rav4 electricrav4 evrav4 ev priceteslatoyotatoyota rav4toyota rav4 electricMon, 07 May 2012 17:59:00 EST<![CDATA[BMW recalling 24,000 vehicles over emissions problem]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/bmw-recalling-24-000-vehicles-over-emissions-problem/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/bmw-recalling-24-000-vehicles-over-emissions-problem/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/bmw-recalling-24-000-vehicles-over-emissions-problem/#commentsFiled under: , ,

bmw 335d

BMW wants to take another look at over 24,000 vehicles it's sold in the United States. No, this isn't just to check out how they're holding up in the real world, it's to make sure the smoke coming out of the tailpipe is clean enough.

BMW is recalling a total of 24,340 vehicles from the 2009-2011 model years - roughly 2,740 2011 or 2012 X5 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive50i vehicles as well as 21,600 335d models - because some parts of the emissions system (the DEF mixer, EGR valve and SCR catalyst) can incorrectly calculate the vehicle mileage. This can cause too many emissions to come out of the tailpipe, according to the California emission control rules. The recall will start May 9. Drivers should be on the lookout for letters after that date, a spokesman told Automotive News.

Just two months ago, BMW had to recall 1.3 million 5 Series and 6 Series vehicles from the 2003 to 2010 model years, 368,000 of them in the U.S.

BMW recalling 24,000 vehicles over emissions problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 May 2012 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3 series335dbmwbmw recallcalifornia emissionsdiesel emissionsdiesel recallrecallx5x6xdriveMon, 07 May 2012 14:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: New CAFE rules and a stagnant gas tax mean big deficits for infrastructure]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/new-cafe-rules-and-a-stagnant-gas-tax-mean-big-deficits-for-infr/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/new-cafe-rules-and-a-stagnant-gas-tax-mean-big-deficits-for-infr/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/new-cafe-rules-and-a-stagnant-gas-tax-mean-big-deficits-for-infr/#commentsFiled under: ,

CBO gas tax chart

Oh, the gas tax, always a contentious issue. We've covered it throughout the years but now the Congressional Budget Office is reminding us that the time has come to move well beyond simple discussion and politics: the Highway Trust Fund is not getting enough money to pay for the transportation infrastructure that America needs.

As you can see in the chart above, the Fund has not taken in more money than it spent since 2001, except for one time in 2006. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Highway Fund got money from the General Fund to pay for things like highway repairs and various mass transit programs.

Since the Highway Trust Fund is mostly paid for by the gas tax, that number plays a big roll in how much money America has to build bridges. Before we move on, though, it's time for a question: What was the last year the U.S. gas tax was raised? The answer and more can be found below.

Continue reading New CAFE rules and a stagnant gas tax mean big deficits for infrastructure

New CAFE rules and a stagnant gas tax mean big deficits for infrastructure originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbocongressional budget officegas taxgeneral fundhighway trust fundThu, 03 May 2012 16:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Official: Toyota Prius plug-in sells 1,654 copies in April, beating Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/toyota-prius-plug-in-sells-1-654-copies-in-april-beating-chevy/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/toyota-prius-plug-in-sells-1-654-copies-in-april-beating-chevy/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/03/toyota-prius-plug-in-sells-1-654-copies-in-april-beating-chevy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2012 prius plug-in hybrid

The Toyota Prius, the most popular hybrid in the world, was also the most popular plug-in vehicle in U.S. last month.

Compared to sales of the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, which sold 1,462 and 370 units, respectively, the $32,000 Prius Plug-in quietly sold 1,654 copies in April, reports PluginCars. With such strong name recognition and pent-up demand for a Prius with a cord, this shouldn't really have been a surprise. But it still kind of is.

Toyota sold more Prius models in the U.S. last month than ever before in April (March 2012 was the Prius' best month ever), even though the number of selling days was short. The four members of the "Prius family" sold a combined 25,168 units, an increase of 126.9 percent compared to April 2011 (which was right after the Japanese tsunami). Overall, Toyota and Lexus sold 32,593 hybrids last month, 30,126 of them wearing the Toyota badge, 2,467 of them the upper-class Lexus models.

Last year, Toyota said it expects to sell 16,000-17,000 Prius Plug-in models in 2012. Since Toyota doesn't break out model numbers, we're not sure what the total is for the year thus far, but 1,654 plug-ins a month is enough for the company hit that target. Scroll down below for Toyota's official sales results.

Continue reading Toyota Prius plug-in sells 1,654 copies in April, beating Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf

Toyota Prius plug-in sells 1,654 copies in April, beating Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 toyota prius plug-inhybrid salesplug-in hybridpriusprius phevprius plug-inprius salestoyotatoyota priusThu, 03 May 2012 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Official: 'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/#commentstoyota rav4 ev electric badge

There could not be a more bland teaser for the upcoming all-electric "all new" Toyota RAV4 EV than the one Toyota just released: silver sheetmetal with a badge that simply reads "Electric." To see the rest of the vehicle, we will have to wait until the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS) gets started in Los Angeles next week. Luckily, we will be in LA with a camera or two and will bring you the full details from the show Monday, May 7. For now, all we know is what we've learned about the prototype that Toyota and Tesla have been showing for a while. For example, it will likely only be sold in California. Read our Quick Spin here.

Speaking of EVS, what's kind of surprising is that this year is the 26th edition of the show. Yes, even as we're just seeing the dawn of the modern EV era, some groups have been working on these vehicles for decades. It's a long road to get off of gasoline.

Continue reading 'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week

'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 toyota rav4 ev2014 toyota rav4 evelectric vehicle symposiumevsevs 26evs26international electric vehicle symposiumrav4rav4 evtoyotatoyota electric vehicletoyota rav4 evMon, 30 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Toyota looking for high-volume Prius assembly in U.S. by 2015]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/toyota-looking-for-high-volume-prius-assembly-in-u-s-by-2015/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Toyota Prius - front three-quarter view

Rumors that Toyota would some day build the Prius in the U.S. have bounced around for years, with a location in Mississippi often being cited as the most likely candidate. After that plan was officially scrapped in 2008, a new version of the same story returned in 2010 when a Toyota executive vice president said Mississippi Prius production could start up in 2016. Given the on-again, off-again history of the story, we weren't surprised when not much was officially said about the matter in the last two years. That changed today.

Koei Saga, senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain R&D at Toyota, has informed Automotive News that Toyota is now thinking of making the Prius in the U.S. by 2015 and wants to get hybrid drivetrain components - motors, inverters, batteries (likely lithium-ion packs) - from North American suppliers. The base fourth-gen Prius will probably still use nickel-metal hydride batteries, but the batteries made in the U.S. might be li-ion.

A 2015 timetable means it is likely that America would make the fourth-gen Prius model, which is due around that time. The reason this story keeps coming back is because it makes sense to build the Prius in the States. Sales are strong here and expected to grow, so extra production somewhere will almost certainly be needed to meet demand. Plus, a strong yen means that Prius vehicles built in America would likely come at a lower cost to Toyota.

Toyota currently makes the Camry hybrid in the U.S. at its plant in Georgetown, KY. The question as to whether the U.S. Prius would be made there, at Toyota's Mississippi plant, at the Tesla plant in Fremont, CA (formerly known as NUMMI) - where rumors about Toyota and the electric car automaker building electric cars like the RAV4 EV have also floated around in the past - or somewhere else completely will need to be answered at another time.

Toyota looking for high-volume Prius assembly in U.S. by 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015 toyota priusnummipriusprius georgetownprius mississippiprius productionprius salestoyotatoyota priusMon, 30 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing: Toyota Dear Qin hatch, sedan foreshadow new global FWD models [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/24/toyota-dear-qin-hatch-sedan-foreshadow-new-global-fwd-models-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/24/toyota-dear-qin-hatch-sedan-foreshadow-new-global-fwd-models-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/24/toyota-dear-qin-hatch-sedan-foreshadow-new-global-fwd-models-w/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Toyota Dear Qin hatchback concept - on display in Beijing

Toyota Dear Qin sedan concept - on display in BeijingDetails on the pair of Dear Qin concepts that Toyota unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show this week are sparse, but they do hint at something interesting coming to every market where the Japanese automaker sells cars.

Calling them "global-strategic concepts," Toyota says the sedan and hatchback versions of the Dear Qin models have "a design aiming to attract more people to the user base." With that curious statement in mind, the first promotional video for the Dear Qin models (which you can watch by scrolling below) is both language- and information-free, emphasizing the design of the cars for a global audience. With explosions and lightning, of course.

Reports have said that Toyota is working on a new global, front-wheel drive model that is supposed to be launched in 2013. We can imagine these concepts foreshadowing those cars, and hope we get a pair of highly efficient compacts out of the design process. We'll skip the explosions and lightning, though.

Continue reading Toyota Dear Qin hatch, sedan foreshadow new global FWD models [w/video]

Toyota Dear Qin hatch, sedan foreshadow new global FWD models [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beijingbeijing 2012beijing motor showdear qintoyota concepttoyota dear qintoyota fwd compacetoyota qinTue, 24 Apr 2012 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing: BMW i8 Spyder takes to the stage bearing eDrive name]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/23/bmw-i8-spyder-takes-to-the-stage-bearing-edrive-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/23/bmw-i8-spyder-takes-to-the-stage-bearing-edrive-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/23/bmw-i8-spyder-takes-to-the-stage-bearing-edrive-name/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

BMW i8 Sypder Concept - live on stage in Beijing

BMW has created the BMW i sub-brand for its upcoming production plug-in models, which currently include three concepts: the i3, i8 and the i8 Spyder. After keeping that third model away from our eager cameras at the New York Auto Show, BMW finally showed off the i8 Spyder Concept in the metal at the Beijing Motor Show today.

The car itself we've already learned plenty about, but seeing it on stage shows once again that BMW is serious about putting cars like these on the road (toned down from the concept's style, of course, perhaps with something like this). We're more than ready for the through-the-road, plug-in hybrid that packs a 96-kW (131-horsepower) electric motor in front and a turbocharged three-cylinder gas engine offering 223 hp in back. 0-62 in five seconds and maybe 78 MPGe? Yes, please.

BMW is also making official the "eDrive" name, which is the new catch-all name for all of the electric drivetrain components: motor, battery and motor management system. First hinted at in 2008, the eDrive designation will be used "for the drive technology of all future electric and plug-in hybrid cars," so get used to seeing it a lot.

Continue reading BMW i8 Spyder takes to the stage bearing eDrive name

BMW i8 Spyder takes to the stage bearing eDrive name originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beijingbeijing 2012beijing motor showbms i8 spyder conceptbmwbmw ibmw i8bmw i8 spyderedrivei8i8 spyderplug-in hybridMon, 23 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Official: Diesel sales jump, we ask "how high"? (35 percent)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/diesel-sales-jump-we-ask-how-high-35-percent/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/diesel-sales-jump-we-ask-how-high-35-percent/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/diesel-sales-jump-we-ask-how-high-35-percent/#commentsFiled under: ,

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

It may come as a shock, but diesel cars are doing well outside of their traditional European home. The just-released Mazda CX-5 shows that diesels are selling beyond expectations in Japan, but the real story is that we might be seeing the start of a golden era for diesel-powered cars in the U.S. In fact, clean diesel sales were up 35 percent in the first quarter of 2012 over Q1 2011, a trend - and it is a trend, since diesel sales were up 27 percent in 2011 - that the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) says is due to higher fuel prices pushing people into the efficient oil-burners.

Allen Schaeffer, DTF's executive director, said in a statement that, "I expect clean diesel auto sales to increase further as several new diesel cars are introduced in the U.S. market in the next year."

Right now, it's pretty much all Jetta TDI, all the time.

Once those other vehicles arrive, we'll see how the market shakes out. Right now, it's pretty much all Jetta TDI, all the time. A while back, we spoke with Lars Ullrich, the director of marketing and business excellence, diesel systems North America, for Robert Bosch LLC. He told us that diesel Jettas made up 44 percent of all diesels sold in the U.S. last year, which makes the Jetta sort of the Prius of diesels in America. Last year, Volkswagen had 58 percent of all diesel sales in the U.S.

Does this mean the Jetta TDI is "the" diesel in the U.S.? Ullrich said it depends on how you look at the numbers. About 60 percent of all Audi A3s sold in the U.S. in 2011, for example, were diesel, but the A3 sells in smaller numbers overall than the Jetta. When you have diesels available in high-volume models, he said, you end up selling a lot of diesels.

Diesel-powered passenger cars and medium-duty pick-ups had around three percent market share in the U.S. in 2011.

What does the big picture look like? Overall, diesel-powered passenger cars and medium-duty pick-ups had around three percent market share in the U.S. in 2011. That may not sound like a lot, but compare it to the hybrid market share, which has gone from 2.7 to 2.4 to 2.1 percent over the last three years, Ullrich said. Today, there are 25 clean diesel models available in the U.S. By 2014, that number will double, he said, which gives us an indication of where the market is moving. Echoing Schaeffer, Bosch's prediction is that the U.S. will see diesels grab 10 percent of the market by 2015.

While increasingly popular, diesels are not perfect. There are issues like the $32-a-gallon urea liquid, for example, and a fossil fuel is a fossil fuel. But it's clear that Americans are considering diesel more than they used to. The question is what happens when the diesel Chevrolet Cruze and Jeep Grand Cherokee arrive? Or more of Mazda's Skyactiv-D models? And, further down the line, when we see more merging of electric and diesel powertrains, where the diesel - perhaps renewable diesel - is burned in an efficient generator to generate electricity. That's when things get even more exciting.

High gas prices are helping plug-in vehicles and hybrids do quite well in the U.S., too. The Diesel Technology Forum says hybrid sales increased 37.2 percent while plug-in electrics jumped 323 percent. Overall, vehicle sales were up 13.4 percent. For more number-crunching details, see our monthly green car sales charts for January, February and March of 2012. The DTF has compiled a list of all the diesel-powered vehicles available in the U.S. here.

Continue reading Diesel sales jump, we ask "how high"? (35 percent)

Diesel sales jump, we ask "how high"? (35 percent) originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi dieselcruze dieseldieseldiesel salesdiesel technology forumjeep dieseljetta tdilars ullrichmercedes-benz dieselvolkswagenvw dieselWed, 18 Apr 2012 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Followup: GM battery lab explosion cost could reach $5M]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/gm-battery-lab-explosion-cost-could-reach-5m/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/gm-battery-lab-explosion-cost-could-reach-5m/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/gm-battery-lab-explosion-cost-could-reach-5m/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Last week, a fire broke out at the General Motors Technical Center battery research lab in Warren, Michigan. General Motors has since said the fire was caused by a battery that was being tested under "extreme stress." Engineers were trying to get the pack to fail, which it did, but not to ignite, which it also did when gases leaked out and somehow caught fire.

There's one detail we have not heard yet, and that's how much the fire could end up costing GM: up to $5 million, the The Detroit News reports, based on information that the automaker's representatives submitted in a police report. The local fire department has estimated that the damage could be closer to $3 million, with one million of that due to property loss - at least two labs were damaged - and $2 million worth of damage to the labs' contents. An investigation into the cause and extent of the fire continues.

The battery pack involved was not the same as the one used in the Chevrolet Volt and GM says that the incident has not negatively affected Volt sales. Media reports have suggested the battery is be intended for the Spark EV program and that the prototype battery pack was made by A123 (which has had other battery issues recently). Multiple people were injured in the fire but only one remains in the hospital because of "an estimated four-inch gash to the back of his head."

GM battery lab explosion cost could reach $5M originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a123battery labchevrolet sparkgeneral motors technical center battery research labgmgm battery lab firegm explosionsparkspark evwarren michiganwarren tech centerWed, 18 Apr 2012 14:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: More layoffs at Fisker; Delaware plant is 'absolutely empty']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/more-layoffs-at-fisker-delware-plant-is-absolutely-empty/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Fisker Atlantic

Last we heard, Fisker Automotive was still "committed" to building the recently revealed Atlantic sedan at the former General Motors plant in Delaware. A few years ago, Fisker announced that site would be the company's new domestic production home (the Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in hybrid is made by Valmet in Finland). Still, Fisker did say that any definitive statement on the Atlantic's production location would not come until the end of the summer.

So we were interested to read new reports from local media that show more signs that the Atlantic might not ever be built in Delaware. On Friday, Delaware Online reports, 12 more workers - including engineers and maintenance technicians - were laid off at the plant, leaving "only a small maintenance team" left there. One of those let go was Jeff Garland, who had been working on community affairs and business development efforts in Delaware. He said the plant is currently "absolutely empty." This is because Fisker has taken out the old GM equipment but has not yet installed the machines it would need to build the Atlantic. As Garland told Delaware Online, "I think what happened was the budget numbers are so tight right now and they're working so hard to preserve as much cash as they can that something had to give. We're not making a car in Wilmington right now, so given that situation it was an obvious place to make a cut."

Fisker spokesman Russell Datz said that the company has flexible plans and will hire people when "we ramp up the project again." Production of the Atlantic is being delayed, at least in part, because of issues with Fisker's Department of Energy loan. You can read more about that here.

In related news, some of the components that Fisker and Ford will use in hybrid and all-electric cars are now being made by Magna E-Car Systems in Michigan. The inverters Magna makes are used in the Karma and this new production does not in any way predict a shift of Atlantic production to Michigan.

More layoffs at Fisker; Delaware plant is 'absolutely empty' originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 fisker karmaatlanticdelawareelectric vehiclefiskerfisker atlanticfisker delawarefisker karmakarmaplug-in hybridTue, 17 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Bob Lutz praises Leaf and Volt, says national security requires going electric]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/bob-lutz-praises-leaf-and-volt-says-national-security-requires/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/bob-lutz-praises-leaf-and-volt-says-national-security-requires/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/bob-lutz-praises-leaf-and-volt-says-national-security-requires/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

2011 Chevrolet Volt - front dead-on view

Bob Lutz is not going to take attacks on the electric car lying down - the closest he'll come to that is doing push-ups on The Colbert Report. After spending a few of his Forbes columns laying into right-wing pundits for their attacks on the Chevrolet Volt, he is switching to a positive message about how plug-in cars can help with American national security. It is not surprising that Lutz, a former Marine, co-authors the article with two former U.S. Marines commandants and the CEO of FedEx (the three are all members of Securing America's Future Energy's (SAFE) Energy Security Leadership Council). The gist? Well, here's part of the opening paragraph:

When ... threats exist because the United States is the protector of the world's global oil supply lines, it is a clear illustration of how our nation's over-reliance on a single, globally priced fuel impacts our national and economic security.

America's addiction to gasoline costs the government billions of dollars a year, an estimated $80 billion, in fact, to guard the sea lanes, including one little area by Iran:

From a national security perspective, the U.S. military is forced to protect the world's vital oil infrastructure. The single greatest chokepoint is the Strait of Hormuz, through which 17 million barrels of oil per day passed in 2011 - 20 percent of global supplies. Protection of the sea lanes of commerce has become an American burden and will remain so, costing the United States Treasury an estimated $80 billion per year while taxing our military, which is already engaged on multiple fronts.

It's arguments like this that have made the recent right-wing criticism of the Volt such a mystery. If we use less gasoline, we can spend fewer lives and less treasure importing the fuel (of course, we don't lose many lives at the Canadian border, which is where most of our imported oil comes from). The Army says that today's soldier uses an average of 22 gallons of gasoline a day.

Lutz and his co-authors are quite clear that high gas prices are hurting Americans' pocketbooks, "essentially" wiping out tax cuts that Presidents Bush and Obama put into place. That's why, they say, "government action is needed to mitigate the risks of oil dependence, because there is no free market for oil." This intervention contains both expanded domestic production and - surprise - plugging in our light-duty transportation fleet as much as possible and feeding our big trucks lots of natural gas. To that end, they write:

Regarding electrification, the beauty of plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf is that they are powered by electricity, which can be generated from many sources: nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables. Best yet, these are all domestic energy sources, meaning OPEC won't be able to corner the market. And the retail price of electricity is far less volatile that the price of oil.

Hard to disagree with that. There's more at Forbes.

Bob Lutz praises Leaf and Volt, says national security requires going electric originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 chevrolet volt2012 nissan leafbob lutzchevroletchevrolet voltenergy independencegmleafnational securitynissanplug-in hybridstraights of hormuzvoltTue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Toyota announces service campaign to fix exhaust on 28,000 Prius V hybrids]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/toyota-announces-service-campaign-to-fix-prius-v-exhaust-problem/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/toyota-announces-service-campaign-to-fix-prius-v-exhaust-problem/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/toyota-announces-service-campaign-to-fix-prius-v-exhaust-problem/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Toyota Prius V - front three-quarter view

Toyota engineers have worked hard to get the emissions that come out of the tailpipe of the Prius V down to a low level, but that doesn't mean everything is copacetic with the car's exhaust system. To fix a known problem, Toyota has announced a service campaign for the Prius V, both in the U.S. and Japan.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the problem is with "weak actuators-control mechanisms" in the exhaust-heat-recovery systems that can end up leaking engine coolant, which will then force the car into a "safe" mode. Some second-gen, 2004-07 standard Prius models were affected by a similar problem in the past.

The new issue affects about 8,000 vehicles in Japan and 20,000 in North America. Prius V owners will get the problem fixed for free.

Toyota announces service campaign to fix exhaust on 28,000 Prius V hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 toyota prius2012 toyota prius vpriusprius vprius v recalltoyotatoyota recallMon, 16 Apr 2012 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Followup: Five people hurt in GM lab explosion, A123 battery reportedly responsible]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/five-people-hurt-in-gm-lab-explosion-a123-battery-reportedly-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/five-people-hurt-in-gm-lab-explosion-a123-battery-reportedly-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/five-people-hurt-in-gm-lab-explosion-a123-battery-reportedly-re/#commentsFiled under: ,

GM Warren Tech Center explosion aftermath

More details are filtering in about yesterday's explosion at the General Motors Technical Center battery research lab in Warren, Michigan.

First, the number of people injured has climbed to five, with one taken to the hospital and four treated at the scene. The local deputy fire chief said none of the injuries were life-threatening. The fire department also told the local mayor that it was fumes from hydrogen sulfide that caused the explosion, but GM declined to comment on that aspect. We learned yesterday that a battery under "extreme testing" caused the explosion.

According to The Detroit News' David Shepardson on Twitter, "Chemical gases from the battery cells were released and ignited in the enclosed chamber. The battery itself was intact" and, "All areas of the Alternative Energy Center except for the battery lab and adjacent offices will operate normally on Thursday."

Unnamed sources have told the media that it was a prototype battery pack made by A123 that caused the fire. Fox News says that pack was being tested for use in the Chevy Spark EV and other all-electric vehicles. Batteries made by A123 were recently involved in a $55 million replacement effort in the Fisker Karma.

Five people hurt in GM lab explosion, A123 battery reportedly responsible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batterybattery firebattery testingchevroletchevrolet sparkchevrolet spark evchevy sparkelectric vehiclegm technical centerli-ion batteryspark evThu, 12 Apr 2012 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Bob Lutz wins push-up contest on <em>The Colbert Report</em>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/10/bob-lutz-wins-push-up-contest-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/10/bob-lutz-wins-push-up-contest-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/10/bob-lutz-wins-push-up-contest-on-the-colbert-report/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Bob Lutz takes on Stephen Colbert in a push-up contest

Former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz went bicep-to-bicep with "America's ballsiest pundit," Stephen Colbert, last night - and came out ahead. Ostensibly, Lutz was on Colbert to talk about his new book, Car Guys Vs. Bean Counters, but as one might expect, the discussion veered into Mitt Romney vs. President Obama territory pretty quickly.

The actual car industry part of the discussion, though, revealed more potential good news for the Chevrolet Volt, the car that Lutz is obviously trying to make his legacy and called "a huge success." Sure, Colbert talked about what his friends over at Fox News have been saying, but Lutz responded by predicting that sales would be "about 3,000 a month from here on out." This would not only set a new record (Volt sales for March 2012 were 2,289, the highest so far) but would also put GM's plug-in car into the 36,000-a-year range. That's commendable, but still not where GM CEO Dan Akerson said last December things would be this year. Of course, Akerson's 60,000 number could have included the Opel Ampera and its Vauxhall twin. In any case, things are looking up for the Volt, and that's something Lutz is more than happy to tell Colbert or anyone else. Watch the video - including an impromptu push-up contest between the two - right now by scrolling below.

Continue reading Bob Lutz wins push-up contest on The Colbert Report

Bob Lutz wins push-up contest on The Colbert Report originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 chevrolet voltamperabob lutzchevroletchevy voltcolbertcolbert reportlutzstephen colbertvideovoltTue, 10 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Study: One and Done: Study says most hybrid drivers don't buy another]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/one-and-done-study-says-most-hybrid-drivers-dont-buy-another/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/one-and-done-study-says-most-hybrid-drivers-dont-buy-another/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/one-and-done-study-says-most-hybrid-drivers-dont-buy-another/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Toyota Prius C hybrid - front three-quarter view, orange

How much do hybrid drivers really, truly like their cars? According to R.L. Polk, not all that much - at least not in 2011.

Polk has released a new hybrid loyalty analysis that concludes that only 35 percent of people who bought a hybrid bought another one last year. The data comes from car purchases made in 2011, and Polk found that Toyota Prius drivers are the most loyal, both to the gas-electric technology and to Toyota itself. Sixty percent of Toyota hybrid owners bought another vehicle from the automaker, even if it wasn't a hybrid. A recent J.D. Power Customer Retention Study found that the average brand loyalty was 49 percent, but that doesn't take powertrains into account.

According to Polk, forty-one percent of Toyota hybrid drivers choose to buy another hybrid (from any brand). Interestingly, when Polk took out these Toyota buyers from their results, hybrid loyalty rates dropped to "under 25 percent. However, in our book that's kind of skewing the numbers, since most hybrids sold in the U.S. are built by Toyota. When looking only at Honda hybrid drivers, for example, 52 percent bought another Honda and "just under 20 percent" purchased another hybrid (from any brand). The in-brand loyalty, says Brad Smith, director of Polk's Loyalty Management Practice, shows that hybrids "can certainly give a brand a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new customers."

What's perhaps most interesting is that changes in gas prices, "had little impact on hybrid segment loyalty," according to Polk. In the company's quarterly hybrid analysis from 2008 through 2011, loyalty rates ranged from 26.4 to 41.8 percent, but spent most of the time in the 30s. See more details of the study in the official Polk press release by scrolling below.

Continue reading One and Done: Study says most hybrid drivers don't buy another

One and Done: Study says most hybrid drivers don't buy another originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 toyota priushybridhybrid buyershybrid loyaltyhybrid saleshybrid sales loyaltyowner loyaltypolkpolk loyaltypriusrl polktoyota priusMon, 09 Apr 2012 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[New York: Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/delorean-electric-surprises-in-new-york-will-cost-95-000-in-20/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/delorean-electric-surprises-in-new-york-will-cost-95-000-in-20/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/delorean-electric-surprises-in-new-york-will-cost-95-000-in-20/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



First announced last October, the reborn, all-electric Delorean has made a surprise appearance at the New York Auto Show this year. It's a surprise because not even Delorean Motor Company president Stephen Wynne knew he was going to be here until a few weeks ago, when show organizers called with an invite.

With a prime spot near the EV ride along track - the DMCev is sadly not involved - Wynne said he's been getting good attention, even though said track is in the basement. We asked Wynne what's been going on with the car since last fall's announcement and the short answer is that this is one EV concept that's going into production.

The target date for fans to buy the DMCev is early 2013, but a lot has to happen between now and then. Right now, all the company has is the converted DMC-12 to show off the technology. To create this, the designers had to add 200 pounds of stuff, and the production version is going to be either the same weight as the gas version, or a few pounds less, in order to improve both performance and range. The car is powered by a 32-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack and has a 125 mile per hour top speed with a range of 100 miles. Published specs claim a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds, but Wynne said the target is now under six seconds. Price for all this fun? $95,000.

DMC will assemble the car in Houston, TX with a lot of help from Louisiana's Epic EV, the company working on the Torq and Amp vehicles (not the Amp conversions). These two companies are testing different motor/inverter combinations for the electric Delorean, and Wynne said they are looking for a "proven product" from a company that has at least "several hundred" units on the road. The current prototype also uses a DC motor, but the production will use AC for better range, performance and regenerative braking ability. The old-school dashboard is also due for an upgrade

Those are the details we could glean in New York. Can you believe we made it through this entire post without a Back To The Future reference? The DMCev can't do it, though, with a license plate that reads "Gas? Where we're going we don't need gas" and a battery that carries the "Flux Power" nickname. For more, you can watch a video of Translogic going for a ride in the DMCev down below, where you'll also find a related press release.

Continue reading Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013

Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deloreandelorean electricdelorean evdmc-12dmcevelectric vehiclenew yorknew york 2012new york auto showstephen wynneThu, 05 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Improving Chevy Volt sales leads GM to shorten summer shutdown]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/05/improving-chevy-volt-sales-leads-gm-to-shorten-summer-shutdown/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

2011 Chevy Volt in profile

Just the other day, we heard that General Motors might extend its traditional two-week summer shutdown to three weeks for the Chevrolet Volt. But, after record Volt sales last month, we wonder how the calendar looks in Hamtramck now. We wonder because we are hearing reports that the current shutdown - originally scheduled to run for five weeks, from March 19 to April 23 - will be shortened by a week. GM originally decided on the hold to reduce supply that had grown too large because of soft demand.

Don LaForest, the chairman of the United Auto Workers bargaining committee at the Hamtramck plant where the Volt is made, told Talking Points Memo that GM is "adding a week of production back in." The Detroit News reports that GM President of North America Mark Reuss said the same thing Wednesday during the New York Auto Show. Reuss said, "We're doing it because we sold a lot."

Increasing sales numbers (GM sold 2,289 Volts in March - well over double February's 1,023-unit total) come at a time when some of the right-wing attacks on the plug-in hybrid appear to have calmed down. LaForest told TPM that his union workers have been confused about these criticisms. "I don't think Newt or Mitt have said a single negative thing about the Nissan Leaf," he said. "They're attacking our car to get at the President. But our car is going to change the way America does business. It's a breath of fresh air."

Improving Chevy Volt sales leads GM to shorten summer shutdown originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 chevrolet voltchevroletchevychevy voltdon laforesthamtramckvoltvolt productionThu, 05 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New York: Carlos Ghosn: Still bullish on battery electric vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Carlos Ghosn is not backing down.

Giving the keynote speech at the 2012 New York Auto Show today, the president and CEO of Nissan said that he stands behind his prediction that EVs will make up 10 percent of the market by 2020 in the places they are available. He also said that he expects Nissan to sell 1.5 million zero emission cars by 2016.

Ghosh brushed off a question about somewhat slow Leaf sales by pointing out that the Leaf is still constrained by supply, given the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year as well as the strong yen. Leaf production in the UK and U.S. that will start in the near future (later this year for Tennessee, early 2013 for Sunderland) will make the car more available to more people. "I don't want you to take a one-month or two-month sales result in one particular market to try to make your opinion about the evolution of a very important technology for the industry," he said. "I think the electric car will hold its promises. All the stars are lining up to make it a very important segment. ... I am not at all changing my bullish approach."

Ghosn has reason to be bullish. Nissan has sold 27,000 Leafs worldwide since introducing the car in late 2010, and 11,000 of those sales were in the U.S. And, he added, "The Nissan Leaf has had no quality problems."

Looking forward, Ghosn also said that the challenge is to reduce the cost, size and weight of the battery and "we have to do it fast" because government incentives will not last forever. Luckily, the industry has changed enough in the last half-decade to make this possible. He said:

One of the biggest evolutions we are seeing in our industry is the battery. As you know, when we started our electric car goals, it was in 2006, there were not a lot of battery makers in the world. Fortunately, with our drive and with the drive of other carmakers, the number of battery makers and companies investing in batteries has really been impressive. Today, you can find very good batteries, extremely competitive, in Korea, in Japan, in the United States. The Chinese are investing in batteries. ... The life of the battery is going to be longer than the life of the car.

Carlos Ghosn: Still bullish on battery electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnelectric vehicleleafnew yorknew york 2012new york auto shownissanWed, 04 Apr 2012 10:52:00 EST