Autoblog

Translogic takes post-mortem spin in Carbon Motors E7 police car

Zach Bowman — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Videos, Police/Emergency

It's a shame Carbon Motors seems to be dead on arrival. The company's E7 Police Cruiser is a purpose-built law enforcement vehicle with plenty of well-executed innovations. Rather than slather a civilian vehicle in gear and call it a day, the company engineered the E7 with law enforcement in mind from the very beginning.

Unfortunately, funding dried up before the company could really get its legs under it, and as a result, Carbon Motors has shuttered the E7 program. Before that happened, our friends at Translogic got the chance to ride along in a fully functional version of the cruiser.

Carbon Motors Vice President Stacy Dean Stephens took the time to show off all of the impressive technology available on the E7, from license plate recognition software to infrared cameras, extensive speed detection hardware and even the unique front seats built to accommodate an officer's utility belt. Check out the video below for yourself.

Continue reading Translogic takes post-mortem spin in Carbon Motors E7 police car

Translogic takes post-mortem spin in Carbon Motors E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors pulls out of Indiana plant, future uncertain

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials, Police/Emergency, Diesel

Three years ago, Carbon Motors chose one corner of a shuttered Visteon plant in Connersville, Indiana as the location to build its diesel-powered E7 dedicated police cruiser. Carbon intended to invest $350 million to start production, providing 1,500 jobs at the same time. That investment, however, relied the US Department of Energy approving a $310-million loan to Carbon through the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, a loan that was ultimately denied.

Without that money, the arrival of the E7 and Connersville's return to manufacturing have apparently been put on hold. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, Carbon's plant development officer wrote the mayor of the city, Leonard Urban, to tell him that he had resigned, and all traces of Carbon Motors have been removed from the plant, including Carbon Drive that leads to it. Urban said he has no idea what the company's plans are, and Carbon hasn't commented.

Carbon Motors pulls out of Indiana plant, future uncertain originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors strikes back with new police truck

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Police/Emergency

Carbon Motors couldn't have picked a better time to get into the police car business with the departure of the Ford Crown Victoria leaving the market wide open, but with its purpose-built E7 police sedan still a few more years away from production, the Indiana-based company decided to launch another vehicle for first responders. There was a big demand to get something out quick, and that something is the TX7. Designed to be more of a multipurpose vehicle, the TX7 is able to fill many roles making it a more practical expense for police agencies.

Unlike the E7, the TX7 is based on an existing powertrain and chassis, which allowed Carbon to develop the truck in less than eight months, but the company has not yet announced where it got these components from. What we do know is that a diesel V8 producing at least 300 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque is under the hood, and it is paired to a four-wheel-drive system and a six-speed automatic transmission.

Referred to as a "multi mission vehicle," the TX7 is designed to be more practical than a standard SUV police vehicle while costing hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a full assault-type SWAT truck. Carbon spokesman Stacy Dean Stephens said that most specialized police vehicles, like SWAT trucks, are not used on a frequent basis, but the TX7's 10-passenger capacity makes it a versatile vehicle for first responders.

"Command post vehicles and SWAT trucks can sit around unused for most of the year," Stephens said. "The TX7 can perform many different tasks while costing far less... including being a command post following natural disasters or acting as a prisoner transport."

The TX7 is not available with the heavier armor meaning it won't be able to be used in all extreme situations, but Stephens also said it's a much less imposing vehicle than a SWAT vehicle, which he says can "scare the community."

The Carbon TX7 is priced at $149,950, and with deliveries taking place during the second half of next year. Scroll down for the official press release.

Continue reading Carbon Motors strikes back with new police truck

Carbon Motors strikes back with new police truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DOE rejects $310M loan for Carbon Motors to build advanced police cars

Autoblog Staff — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, Police/Emergency

Carbon Motors, maker of the purpose-built E7 police car, won't receive the $310 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loans under the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program that it applied for almost three years ago, and said that it's a victim of politics.

"We are outraged by the actions of the DOE and it is clear that this was a political decision in a highly-charged, election year environment," Carbon Motors William Santana Li said in a statement. The company added that it was "actively examining its strategic and financing alternatives."

Carbon Motors says its vehicles will save government entities money because they get better fuel economy and they're purpose-built, meaning that factory vehicles don't need to be retrofitted. Carbon Motors has said its diesel-powered cars may cut law-enforcement fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions by as much as 40 percent, and that building such cars may create as many as 10,000 jobs. The car was to feature a BMW 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine.

The company says it's received about $200 million worth of financial commitments from private and public sources and has taken orders from more than 500 law-enforcement agencies for more than 20,000 cars.

Last December, the company sent an open letter urging the Obama Administration to push the DOE to approve the loan.

The federal loan process has vexed other automotive companies. Bright Automotive, which was to make extended-range plug-in utility vehicles, publicly pleaded with the government to process its application for a $400 million loan in January. Last month, that company went out of business.

Meanwhile, Fisker Automotive, maker of the extended-range plug-in sports sedan Karma, has been fielding questions about its future after the company in early February laid off workers. Fisker has received less than $200 million of the $529 million loan it was slated to get from the DOE.

Continue reading DOE rejects $310M loan for Carbon Motors to build advanced police cars

DOE rejects $310M loan for Carbon Motors to build advanced police cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors petitions for federal loan with open letter to Obama cabinet

Zach Bowman — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Government/Legal, Police/Emergency, Specialty, Diesel

Carbon Motors, the manufacturer of the purpose-built E7 law enforcement vehicle, has sent an open letter to members of President Barack Obama's cabinet urging the administration to approve the company's Department of Energy Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan. Carbon Motors applied for a $300 million ATVM loan two years ago, but has yet to secure the funding. With members of congress eying any and all ways to stem the flow of government spending, there's some concern the ATVM loan program will dry up entirely.

The letter specifically underscores why Carbon Motors deserves its loan on a point by point basis, tackling everything from the environmental impact of the current fleet of law enforcement vehicles to the lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies as they attempt to retrofit retail vehicles for law enforcement duty. The company says that its diesel-powered E7 could reduce law enforcement fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 40 percent, and that building the vehicle could create as many as 10,000 jobs. Hit the jump for the full open letter.

Continue reading Carbon Motors petitions for federal loan with open letter to Obama cabinet

Carbon Motors petitions for federal loan with open letter to Obama cabinet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors claims 14,000 reservations for E7 police car

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Police/Emergency, Diesel

Carbon Motors E7 police car - Click above fore high-res image gallery

In its latest newsletter update, Carbon Motors has revealed that it's received over 14,000 reservations from over 400 police agencies for its new purpose built E7 police car. However, it's best to bear in mind those are just reservations for slots in the production schedule. As of yet, no one has placed a firm order for the E7 because Carbon hasn't even announced pricing. While the concept of a vehicle built specifically to meet the needs of police forces certainly sounds good on paper, the E7 will undoubtedly be expensive.

Besides using plenty of bespoke hardware that won't benefit from economies of scale, it will be powered by a BMW 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine - a phenomenal engine and much more fuel efficient than anything else currently available in the police market, but coming from Munich will certainly elevate the price.

It will be very interesting to see how many reservations get turned into firm orders once pricing is announced. Make the jump for the full details.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7

[Source: Carbon Motors]

Continue reading Carbon Motors claims 14,000 reservations for E7 police car

Carbon Motors claims 14,000 reservations for E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 May 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Carbon Motors still awaiting Fed loan approval, hoping to have first patrols on streets in 2013

Michael Harley — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:38:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials, Police/Emergency, Specialty

Carbon Motors E7 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Carbon Motors Corp. plans to deliver its first police car in 2013 - assuming the company's request for a $310 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy is approved. As we mentioned nearly three years ago, Carbon is diving into the rarefied purpose-built vehicle segment with the goal of delivering thousands of its "E7" police cars to municipalities across the country, powered by a BMW twin-turbo inline-six diesel engine.

Unlike the police cars typically put out by the Detroit 3, built on a modified civilian platform and returned to civilian duty at the end of its life cycle, the E7 will use an aluminum space frame covered in composite panels. Patrol-related hardware and flashing lights are already integrated, and since the body panels will be paint-free, graphics will be applied with vinyl decals. Sold directly to law enforcement agencies (not through a dealer network), the vehicles would be returned back to Carbon Motors at the end of their service life for reconditioning or dismantled for parts.

The automaker reportedly has the buyers lined up. "We have over 13,000 reservations from 350-plus law enforcement agencies in 48 states," says CEO William Santana Li. While the company is funded by private investors, it needs the Obama administration's loan approval to get rolling. The decision is expected over the summer. With the money in hand, Carbon Motors has scheduled deliveries to follow 36 months later.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Carbon Motors still awaiting Fed loan approval, hoping to have first patrols on streets in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors to use BMW diesel in new E7 police car

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, BMW, Police/Emergency

Carbon Motors E7 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in 2007 when Carbon Motors announced it would build the first purpose-designed police vehicle, the spec sheet called for a twin-turbocharged inline-six cylinder diesel engine. As any existing automaker will tell you, certifying a diesel engine to meet current U.S. emissions regulations is no trivial matter, so Carbon Motors would likely have to find a supplier with an engine already certified. But the number of companies currently selling passenger car diesels in the U.S. can be counted on one hand with some fingers to spare.

At a press conference in Washington D.C. on Monday morning, BMW and Carbon Motors announced that the German automaker would supply its highly regarded 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder diesel for these new police vehicles. Carbon has placed an order for 240,000 units of the same diesel engine used in the BMW X5 35d and 335d. In current U.S. emissions legal form, the diesel produces 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque.

Powered by the BMW diesel, the Carbon E7 is expected to achieve up to a 40-percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to current police vehicles. While this diesel-powered E7 will certainly be fuel efficient, it will also be substantially more expensive to buy than current police cruisers. Performance, however, should not be a problem and 0-60 miles per hour in the mid-six-second range should be easily achievable with all that torque. Based on our experience with the 335d, combined mileage in the upper 20-mpg range and highway mileage in the 30s should be easily achievable, making this a potentially very thrift highway patrol vehicle.

Between this, the new EcoBoost-powered Ford Police Interceptor, the Zeta-based Chevrolet Caprice and current Dodge Charger police offering, the cop car market is going to get very interesting in the next few years.

Check out our comparison chart of the upcoming police vehicle offerings here. We'll add the Carbon Motors E7 once we know a few more of its specs.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7

[Source: Carbon Motors]

Continue reading Carbon Motors to use BMW diesel in new E7 police car

Carbon Motors to use BMW diesel in new E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors picks Connersville, IN for new HQ, E7 police car production

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Police/Emergency, Diesel

Carbon Motors E7 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Carbon Motors, soon-to-be makers of a dedicated police cruiser known as the E7, has finally chosen a new place to call home: Connersville, Indiana. Taking up residence in an abandoned plant from auto parts supplier Visteon, Carbon intends on investing $350 million to renovate the 1.8 million square-foot facility that it plans to use for production of the E7. The company could bring 1,500 new jobs to the area and plans to have the E7 into production by 2012.

Now that a production plant has been procured - and assuming there aren't any major snags along the way - it's expected that Carbon Motors will make an application to the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which is intended to help spur the development of new fuel efficient vehicles. Carbon Motors' E7 was developed from the ground-up for police duty and features a 3.0-liter diesel that the company claims could cut police fleet fuel usage by 40% along with a barrage of other high-tech goodies perfect for fighting crime. Click past the break for the official press release.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

[Source: Carbon Motors]

Continue reading Carbon Motors picks Connersville, IN for new HQ, E7 police car production

Carbon Motors picks Connersville, IN for new HQ, E7 police car production originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors reports 10,000 pre-orders for diesel-powered E7 police car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green, Police/Emergency, Diesel

Carbon Motors E7 - Click above for high-res image gallery

As it turns out, there's quite a backlog of pent up demand for a purpose-built police car. Who knew that law enforcement officers were so fed up with their current fleet of Ford Crown Vics, Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Impalas? Apparently, that would be Carbon Motors, which is now reporting an impressive 10,000 pre-orders for its diesel-powered E7 cruiser despite the fact that production isn't schedule to start until 2012.

We can understand the interest. Each E7 will boast an impressive lise of features like 360-degree built-in police-duty LED lights, suicide rear doors with hose-out rear passenger compartment and a separate front compartment with high-tech touches like radar, LoJack, an automatic license plate recognition system, radiation and biological threat detectors and Carbon's exclusive On-board Rapid Command Architecture (ORCA), which features a large touchscreen display and keyboard.

Perhaps the best bit of all is the aluminum-intensive space frame construction with composite body panels, which keeps weight down low enough that the 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine with 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque can propel the E7 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel economy is pegged at 28-30 miles per gallon, which is well above what any current police vehicles are likely to achieve.

Of course, before they can make good on any of those 10,000 pre-orders, Carbon Motors needs a place to build their wares. While the company has yet to make a decision, it has admitted that officials from Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina have approached them with offers. Check out Carbon Motors' official statement after the jump for more details.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7

[Source: Carbon Motors]

Continue reading Carbon Motors reports 10,000 pre-orders for diesel-powered E7 police car

Carbon Motors reports 10,000 pre-orders for diesel-powered E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A New Kind of Cop Car, A New Kind of Business Model - Autoline with John McElroy

John McElroy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Police/Emergency, Autoline on Autoblog

Autoblog has followed the developments at Carbon Motors ever since the start-up unveiled its new police cruiser a year and a half ago. And while the car looks impressively good, what makes this company worth watching goes well beyond the product. Carbon has come up with a business model that could let it carve out a profitable chunk of the automotive market that, up to now, was always controlled by major car companies.

The key is that Carbon is building the first-ever vehicle specifically designed for police work. It's based on research from 2,800 law enforcement personnel from 800 different law enforcement agencies spread throughout the United States. From that, Carbon developed a proprietary list of 101 critical items needed to meet the needs of these customers - like a front seat that can accommodate a cop who is 6'10". As a result, this is not a modified version of some mass-market sedan, or a clever combination of parts from a bin. The Carbon Motors E7 is a clean-sheet design for a purpose-built police car.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading A New Kind of Cop Car, A New Kind of Business Model - Autoline with John McElroy

A New Kind of Cop Car, A New Kind of Business Model - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon E7 police car headed for duty in 2012

Dan Roth — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Government/Legal, Police/Emergency

Click on the image above for a high-res image gallery of the Carbon Motors E7

The Carbon Motors E7, a purpose-built car for law enforcement, is continuing to march toward reality. Carbon Motors has targeted 2012 as the start of production, and cars can already be pre-ordered at the company''s website as a way to raise capital for the start of series production.

We'd love to get our hands on one of these, as the E7's technical details intrigue: a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, aluminum unit-body and performance numbers that leave Ford's old Crown Victorias sucking wind. The media might get a chance to try the E7 within about 18 months, and pricing will be announced at the end of this year. When it does reach local PDs, perps will have something new to fear and officers might finally have a modern vehicle that accommodates police work.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

[Source: Straightline]

Carbon E7 police car headed for duty in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors releases first video of E7 cop car and in-car gadgets

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green, Police/Emergency

Law enforcement officers have more reasons to be excited with Carbon Motors' release of a few more images and a video of its purpose-built Police car. The E7, as it is currently known, looks to be much more capable than the thousands of Crown Vics, Impalas and Chargers currently roaming our streets due to its rather amazing list of specifications and gadgetry. Included are a diesel engine capable of accelerating to 65 in under 7-seconds, composite body panels attached to an aluminum structure, 360-degree built-in police-duty LED lights, suicide rear doors with hose-out passenger compartment and a separate front compartment with plenty of techno-goodies. Radar, LoJack, an automatic license plate recognition system, radiation and biological threat detectors and Carbon's exclusive On-board Rapid Command Architecture (ORCA) which features a large touch-screen display plus keyboard (see above), are all included. We think that this sucker should get the job done rather nicely. Click here for a short video of the E7 in action.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

[Source Fox News Chicago via Jalopnik]

Carbon Motors releases first video of E7 cop car and in-car gadgets originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green, Videos, Police/Emergency

Click above for more shots of the Carbon Motors E7

We haven't heard a peep from Carbon Motors in a very long time, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't been hard at work on its purpose-built E7 police car concept. To prove that it's moving forward, the automaker-to-be has just released two shots of a real E7. What's more, the company will show the car to prospective clients - police officers - at the upcoming 115th Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference and Exposition. Unlike curent cop cars driven by these officers, usually police-spec Crown Vic Interceptors, the E7 was specifically designed just to do police duty. Instead of a 4.6-liter Ford V8 engine underhood, the E7 will feature a clean-diesel engine capable of running on biodiesel. With a cockpit derived from jet-fighter technology that includes built-in radar, radiation and biological threat detectors among other techno goodies, the E7 sounds suitably high-tech for real-life crime fighters of the modern era. To further highlight this point, check out the video, along with the press release, after the break.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

[Source: Carbon Motors via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car

Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calling all cars: Carbon Motors purpose-built police car

Dan Roth — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Police/Emergency

Checker did it with taxi cabs a generation and a half ago, but since then, purpose-built working cars haven't been produced in mass quantities. Carbon Motors thinks it's about time the fuzz get their own purpose-built ride, instead of being forced to modify a civilian car. Law enforcement agencies have kept Ford's Panther platform alive long past its expiration date, but even that is winding down. Carbon's E7 looks to step in and fill the niche that the eventual phasing out of the Panther will provide (nevermind that there's been some adoption of the even tighter quarters of the Chrysler LX cars). Police need cars that are tough and economical to run and maintain. With those criteria, it's easy to see why the Crown Victoria is the Queen of fleet. They take a pounding, they're relatively cheap, and they're big enough to hold the constabulary essentials and leave room for perps, even if there's precious little elbow room for Officer Krupke.

Carbon's got to make a case for a niche application, limited production vehicle with some expensive hardware. A twin-turbo diesel inline six is not as cheap a power unit as Ford's long-serving and robust (let's not talk about valve guides and seals, please) modular V8. The aluminum spaceframe that Carbon designed as the basis of the E7 is also not cheap, but the tradeoff for the high cost componentry is a 250,000 mile durability spec. By the time Crown Vics reach that kind of mileage, they're no longer cruisers - usually having long been handed down to less demanding city departments. The car looks like vaporware currently, though there's plenty of CG eye candy at the Carbon Motors website for dreamers to feast upon. Hey, fire trucks are manufactured by niche producers that charge a bundle for vehicles that serve forever, and it could make sense for police departments, too. It all comes down to how durable the cars actually are, how expensive they are to run and maintain, and how much the initial cost is. You know, just a few minor numbers to run.

[Source: Carbon Motors via Paul Tan]

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

Continue reading Calling all cars: Carbon Motors purpose-built police car

Calling all cars: Carbon Motors purpose-built police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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