Australian Car Advice | News Blog

Read more…

It said that it is well into the development of advanced, production-intent electric vehicles, and that it will apply electric-drive technology to its front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms in the next several years.

At its World Headquarters today, Chrysler revealed its electric-drive prototypes – Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV – and demonstrated the driving performance and capability of each.

“We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC.

“The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market.”

The development of Chrysler’s electric vehicles and range-extended electric vehicles is led by ENVI – representing the first four letters of “environmental” – the company’s in-house organisation that was formed to focus on electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technologies.

The company said the development of electric-drive systems for future Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles is maturing quickly.

“ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations,” said Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President – Chrysler LLC.

“With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring electric vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient range-extended electric vehicles to market.”

The Dodge EV development electric vehicle is a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive sports car that marries high performance with zero tailpipe emissions.

“The Dodge EV sets a new standard for what can be expected in electric-drive vehicles,” said Lou Rhodes, Vice President – Advance Vehicle Engineering, and President – ENVI.

“The electric-vehicle technology enables a fun-to-drive performance sports car and helps redefine the vision of an environmentally responsible vehicle for the Dodge brand.”

The electric-drive system consists of three primary components: a 200kW electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery and an integrated power controller.

The 200kW electric-drive motor generates 650 Nm of torque. The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor delivers outstanding performance, accelerating the Dodge EV to 100km/h in less than five seconds, with 400 metre times of 13 seconds.

The Dodge EV has a top speed of more than 210km/h.

The Jeep EV development vehicle is a range-extended electric vehicle that provides a glimpse into the future of a “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” vehicle with renowned Jeep Wrangler capability.

The Jeep EV combines Wrangler’s unmatched off-road capability with the ultimate “Tread Lightly” mindset by providing nature ambassadors with the ability to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time.

The Jeep EV range-extended electric vehicle uses an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery system, and a small petrol engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed.

The 200kW electric motor generates 400Nm of torque. With approximately 36 litres of petrol, the Jeep EV has a range of 644 kilometres, including 64 kilometres of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.

“We are also exploring four-wheel-drive, in-wheel electric motors to demonstrate the full reach of ENVI’s advanced electric-drive technologies,” said Mr Rhodes.

The Chrysler EV development vehicle is a range-extended electric vehicle that demonstrates another possible application of ENVI electric-drive technology in the segment-leading Chrysler Town & Country, known in Australia as Chrysler Grand Voyager.

“With the Chrysler EV, we are able to blend seven-passenger capability and the luxury of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan with electric-drive technology, demonstrating family practicality with zero compromise,” said Mr Rhodes.

“ENVI’s electric-drive development vehicles showcase our accelerated application of electric-drive systems into a wide range of vehicles in Chrysler’s future product portfolio.”

The Chrysler EV combines the electric-drive components of an electric vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional electricity to power the electric-drive system when needed.

This provides all of the positive attributes of an electric vehicle and extends the driving range to be equivalent to today’s petrol-powered vehicles – without compromises.

The Chrysler EV uses a 190kW motor, producing 350Nm of torque, providing 0-to-100km/h acceleration in approximately nine seconds. The Chrysler EV range-extended electric vehicle can drive 64 kilometres on all-electric power, and boasts a range of 644 kilometres on approximately 36 litres of petrol.

Chrysler says this makes the Chrysler EV the perfect fuel-efficient family vehicle.

Hide It

Read more…

The reason behind the push? Both companies are getting worried that Nissan and Mitsubishi will become the leaders in the next generation of electric-cars, which many view as the only sustainable future of automobiles.

Speaking of Nissan, the company has previously made clear plans to launch an electric vehicle in the US by 2010. Mitsubishi is not far behind with plans of a 2010 launch of its electric iMiEV in Japan, followed by Europe and the US.

Nonetheless, Toyota is still concerned about the performance of electric-only cars. The company has previously stated that an electric car is limited by battery performance and the company’s R&D chief Masatami Takimoto said the electric vehicle’s range would be limited by the performance of today’s batteries.

“For the time being, the most realistic approach is to use pure electric vehicles for short-distance travel,” Takimoto said. “So in the early stage of the 2010s, we would like to offer a compact, very small electric vehicle on a small scale basis.”

Subaru will be basing next year’s electric car on the ‘Stella’, a tiny 660cc minicar currently only sold in Japan. The design will not change much on the outside, still seating four, but the car will now run on lithium-ion batteries.

If you remember, we previously mentioned Automotive Energy Supply, a joint venture between Nissan, NEC and NEC Tokin. The company will provide the lithium-ion batteries to the Subaru electric car, which is so far quoted as being able to cover 80km on a single charge.

The car’s battery can be recharged in eight hours through a regular household socket. Not feeling very inspired? Think of it this way, if you used your car to get to and from work on a daily basis, would you really cover more than 80km?

“This is the best we can do with today’s technology at a reasonable cost.” Subaru spokesman Shinichi Murata said.

We would like to know how many Ks you drive on a daily basis and whether an 80km-a-day limit would suffice if it meant no trips to the pump.

Hide It

Read more…

Reports from the U.S. today indicate that while Chevrolet is showing-off the new electric powered Volt, Toyota has gone as far as to raise concerns about the special-treatment promised for the Volt by new proposed legislation.

GM is hopeful that the new Volt will be given generous tax credits, a move which Toyota is fighting to stop. A Toyota executive recently told a congressional committee that the government should not enact laws that benefit only one plug-in hybrid design.

“(pending legislation) redefines plug-in electric vehicles to seemingly eliminate consumer tax credits for all but one plug-in vehicle design. Toyota believes this approach is counterproductive. It will discourage manufacturers from developing and consumers from purchasing ‘blended’ plug-ins that are affordable to the greatest number of consumers.”Robert Wimmer of Toyota said.

Toyota has been repeatedly delayed with the launch of the new Prius. No longer the only real hybrid on the market, the next-generation Prius has a lot to live up to. What we know, is that the Japanese giant has added to the new Prius’ battery pack, making it capable of running longer in all-electric mode.

 The company plans to unveil the new Prius by 2010. Perhaps, right before the Volt, which is also scheduled to go on sale in 2010.

 The difference between the Volt and the new Prius? The Volt is a true electric car, using a battery pack rated at 16 kilowatt hours, the vehicle is capable of running on electricity alone for about 60km, something even the new Prius can’t do.

Yes, it does have a conventional petrol engine, but that is primarily to recharge batteries and extend range. The Volt’s battery pack is larger than that of the existing Prius and the one being developed.

The new laws proposed in the U.S. will give tax credits to plug-ins with at least 6 kilowatt-hours of electric power. Credits would reach $7,500 for light-duty vehicles.

Is Toyota scared of the Volt? Should it be?

Meanwhile, General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz wrote a lengthy defence of the newly unveiled Chevrolet Volt on his GM fastlane blog yesterday.

Here is a copy of the posting:

We’ve weathered a lot of skepticism since the Chevrolet Volt concept was introduced at the 2007 Detroit show. The Volt has been called “vaporware” by some members of the media. We’ve heard executives from other manufacturers tell the press that the battery technology won’t work. We’ve even been accused of using the Volt to “greenwash” our image.

Well, as everyone knows now, the Volt is real, and the covers have come off. And it represents nothing less than the first step in the reinvention of the automobile.

The vehicle’s design has come under some criticism, most of it, to me, unwarranted. The challenge to the designers wasn’t to design the most beautiful car imaginable and accept the compromises you have to make to do so. It was, make no compromise to fuel efficiency and electric range, and then do the most beautiful design possible, around those aerodynamic dictates.

When you look at the exterior of the Volt, you might notice certain aerodynamic shapes and design elements of some other cars you might see on the road. But beneath the skin, it shares very little with any other car that’s ever existed. So I submit that while it’s typically design that makes an emotional connection with buyers, in this case, the Volt is going to be bought for emotional reasons, but it will be for the emotion tied to the technology contained therein.

The Volt means a lot to General Motors, and to the industry, on a variety of levels. First of all, this is solid technology that is going to be proven reliable. It’s a practical way that we can electrify the automobile and drastically reduce our dependency on imported petroleum. It’s also important to GM to help reinforce and continue its proud history of technological innovation, and to help restore the image of leadership that accompanied that history.

In terms of the impact of Volt on the automobile industry, I think you’ll see lithium-ion technology filter out to the rest of the industry, even to our competitors who initially said it wouldn’t work. I think they’ve figured out that we may well be onto a winning formula here, with 40 miles of driving powered by electricity from a battery and a small engine — powered by gasoline or E85 — to create additional electricity to power the vehicle for several hundred additional miles. I suspect most of our competitors will have vehicles with technology similar to the Volt within four or five years.

What does that mean for society at large? I think it can have an enormous benefit. Our statistics show that 78 percent of Americans drive 40 miles a day or less. That means that nearly 80 percent of Americans can commute powered by electricity from the grid, never using a drop of gas.

When we achieve substantial production, and if our competitors do as well, and the public takes to this new way of driving — and there’s no doubt in my mind they will — we will drastically reduce gasoline and/or diesel consumption and we will simultaneously be drastically reducing our dependency on oil. This puts the country in a much more comfortable place geopolitically and also helps the environment. So at this point, I think it’s very hard to overestimate the importance of the Volt for GM, for the industry and for society in general.

The production version of the Volt represents our progress, and our commitment to seeing that all become a reality in short order. We’d like nothing more than to see everyone drive a Volt and stop going to the gas pump so often to fill up on ever-more-expensive fuel imported from an ever-more-unstable part of the world.

With the Volt, you go home, you plug it in, and you’re done. And for roughly 80 cents’ worth of electricity, you’ve got a fully-charged battery, ready to take on another forty miles of gas-free and tailpipe-emission-free driving. If that’s greenwashing, then come on in — the water’s fine.

Related stories:

• GM to show production ready Volt
• GM confident Chevrolet Volt will succeed

Hide It

Read more…

For years we, amongst many others, have criticised Honda for trying to compete with the Toyota Prius, a dedicated Hybrid, with a variant of the company’s popular Civic. Thankfully, Honda has listened, and the new Insight will heralds the return of a dedicated hybrid to the Honda model line-up.

The company says the Insight is the first of three new hybrid cars expected from the Tokyo based manufacturer over the next four years.

As pointed out by our readers previously, the Insight does appear to have taken many hints from the Prius, to deliver a halo hybrid car that is not only different in styling but also a practical and flexible family car with enough space for both passenger and luggage.

Honda is still tight-lipped about the fuel economy figures, though we should expect full details from Paris next month. Of course, we suspect it will offer Prius beating fuel-economy and do it with lower emissions.

Reports from the States suggest the Insight will sit below the Civic Hybrid and be priced less than both its hybrid brother and the Toyota Prius.

Don’t be fooled by Honda’s emphasis on Hybrid cars however, the Japanese company continues to work on Hydrogen Fuel cell cars and has stated publicly that the future of Honda cars is with Hydrogen technology while current hybrid cars are only a solution for the medium term.

Hide It

Read more…

The styling has been dramatically evolved from the initial Volt Concept whilst still retaining a futuristic appearance.

Unlike conventional hybrids, the Volt is driven solely by its electric motor, with an onboard combustion engine powering a generator which in turn feeds the Lithium-ion battery.

Hide It

Read more…

Recent news regarding the Volt suggest it will not cost $10,000 USD more than originally anticipated, making it a rather niche vehicle, a halo car so to speak, a sign of things to come fro the old general.

A source inside GM is quoted as saying the production ready volt is “somewhat different from the concept versions.” We are hoping however that it’s not that different, given how well treated the concept has been.

The plan is to have preproduction models built mid-late next year and 2010 before the Volt goes into final production by late 2010. A European (and perhaps Australian) version will follow in 2011.

“Everything is looking good, we have quite a few running around now in old Chevy Malibu bodies, so we can modify the engine and battery configuration.” Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of global product development, said,

The Volt is based on GM’s next-generation global compact architecture which will be shared with the Holden/Vauxhall/Opel Astra and the Chevrolet Cruze. So far there are 33,000 prospective buyers on an unofficial waiting list.

The Volt was originally planned to debut for about $30,000 USD, but that price has now gone up to closer to $35,000. We suspect that will equate to around $50,000 AUD by the time it arrives.

The question we would like you to answer is whether or not Holden should bring the Volt to Australia?

Hide It

Read more…

Honda Australia has built and is now operating an experimental ‘Home Energy Station’ which is actively generating hydrogen from natural gas for use in fuel cell vehicles. It also happens to supply electricity and hot water to the home to which it’s attached to.

Okay, so not only does Honda make cool cars (and ever cooler bikes), but soon, they will power your home with electricity and supply the warm water you shower in. Ambitious, but we like it.

The company says that by developing innovative approaches to sustainable energy, it’s reducing the environmental impact of the automobile.

How does the Home Energy Station work? Using Solar power. Oh yes, we know what you’re thinking. “But the production of solar panels create more pollution than they offset…” Correct, but not these ‘new’ Honda built, highly efficient photovoltaic cells.

Honda’s solar subsidiary in Japan, Honda Soltec Co, has been producing photovoltaic solar cells that incorporate copper, indium, gallium and selenium, as opposed to traditional panels produced from silicon. What does that mean? For a start they can capture significantly more energy making their production more worthwhile.

Honda plans to use the thin film solar cells to power its own fuel cell vehicles – like the FCX Clarity (pictured) – in a completely carbon free energy system.

The Japanese giant is also developing next-generation refueling stations that would use solar power to produce hydrogen from water for powering its fuel cell vehicles.

The big question, will this science-fiction-sounding technology ever see the light of day? Honda Australia’s Managing Director, Yasuhide Mizuno, thinks so. He recently confirmed the Home Energy Station technology will be seen here in the future.

“Honda has long been conducting research into the development of hydrogen production and supply systems for a hydrogen-based society of the future,” Mr. Mizuno said. “To have the Home Energy Station available locally is a really exciting prospect and would see Honda leading the way and launching emission free cars, like the Honda FCX Clarity, in Australia.”

If Honda built the Home Energy Stations like they build their cars, they will last a few decades and never breakdown, so the prospects are making us a little too excited but the reality and practicality and of course, the cost of the technology is still uncertain.

Nonetheless, would you consider a Home Energy Station from Honda to not only power your new FCX, but also provide your house with electricity and hot water?

Hide It

Read more…

The REVA (G-Wiz in some markets) as its called, is an Indian electric car made in Bangalore, India.

The previous generation was powered by eight 6 Volt lead acid batteries wired in series to create 48 V. Interestingly, all the batteries are situated under the front seats!

Altogether the G-Wiz only has 4.8 kW of power, but the manufacturer says the motor can go as high as 13.1 kW.

The latest model shown here, uses AC rather than DC motors, which has allowed the G-wiz to increase its top speed 70 km/h whilst having an additional 40% torque for better acceleration.

The G-wiz can get around for about 80 km on one charge, although if one was to say, turn on the heater, that range is reduced by a quarter!

Hide It

Read more…

One does have to wonder, why do electric cars always have to look so out of place!

Our photographer spots a semi-normal looking one.

Click through to the next page for a more comprehensive gallery of electric cars.

Hide It

Read more…

“More than ever, it’s important to consider not only the car’s ticket price but also its ongoing running and environmental costs,” Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said.

On average, a Holden Commodore will cost $2430 in petrol to run per year and will put out 3.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide doing so. The Ford Falcon does the same distance costing $2272 in fuel and releasing 3.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The most surprising news however, was the Mazda 3, which came third, costing $1845 in petrol. Meanwhile Australia’s most popular car, the Toyota Corolla came fourth with a $1672 yearly petrol cost.

 Out of all the cars tested, the Green Vehicle Guide recommends the Toyota Yaris as the cheapest option for getting around (not including hybrids). The Yaris costs $1350 a year.

The Prius was the cheapest hybrid car to run, with a total bill $990 in fuel each year. CO2 emissions for the ‘revolutionary’ Prius where half of the Commodore’s at 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

For more information you can check out the Green Vehicle Guide at www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au (which ironically, is currently off-line with “Server too busy” errors).

CarAdvice recently conducted a fuel economy test with a new VE SS Commodore to find out if the era of big V8s is coming to an end. The results will be released before the end of next week.

Hide It

Read more…

General Motors plans to complete its production version by as early as August to be unveiled on the world stage by September to coincide with the automakers 100th Anniversary of its founding.

Following GM stocks hitting a 54-year low in the past week, the centennial launch of the Volt is aimed at shifting the focus of its investors and consumers from the current sales slump and moving toward the development of more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The campaign trail is set to begin with a very special cameo by the Volt along with many other GM cars in the upcoming blockbuster Transformers sequel scheduled for release next year, the same platform which launch the concept version of the yet-to-be-released Camaro in 2007.

The Volt is designed to achieve a range of roughly 64km on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet.

As well as capturing energy from braking, the Volt will also incorporate an on-board engine to power the battery on longer trips.

GM is currently in a race with Toyota to be the first to introduce a plug-in car to the marketplace, and is currently in negotiations with various suppliers to provide the all-important lithium-ion battery.

Korea’s LG Chem - who will provide the batteries for Hyundai’s LPG hybrid - and German auto parts supplier Continental AG are the front runners competing for the Volt battery contract.

Hide It