China controls key ingredient for NiMH batteries, supply may run short as hybrids gain popularity
Filed under: Hybrid, Green Daily
Lanthanides. What are they and why do we care about them? Well, lanthanides are rare-earth metals that are a key ingredient in nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. More specifically, lanthanides make up an entire row on the periodic table which includes 15 elements, some of which are utilized in the NiMH batteries found in hybrid vehicles. Okay, now that the chemistry class is over, why should we care about this metal with a funky name? Well, China controls an estimated 95 to 100 percent of the world’s supply of lanthanides. Yep, you read it right, China may be home to the world’s entire supply of these essential hybrid battery additives.
The real problem revolves around just how much of these materials are available. A U.S. Geological Surveys predicts that total lanthanide reserves are about 99 million tons. Annual usage right now is at 124,000 tons, but that is increasing each year as hybrids gain popularity and regulations demand more efficient vehicles. The Toyota Prius, for example, uses 25 pounds of these rare-earth metals in each vehicle and other hybrids aren’t far behind.
China is no fool when its comes to these rare-earth metals. The country understands its position as the world’s only real supplier and is playing its cards right. As China’s former Communist Party leader Deg Xioping said, “There is oil in the Middle East, there are rare-earths in China; we must take full advantage of this resource.” To take advantage of its position as the world leader in this resource, China is reducing exports and increasing tariffs to convince companies in need of the lanthanides to locate production facilities within the country. China’s reasoning is simple: they would rather become the world’s largest hybrid vehicle production site than just a leading exporter of lanthanides. Can you blame them?
One more thought to ponder, the U.S. has found potential lanthanide sites in several states, but extracting the rare-earth metals from these locations could prove pointless as China has the immediate ability to undercut our price big time. So, what’s the lesser of two evils, relying on oil from the Middle East or lanthanides from China?
[Source: Ward's Auto] Read more…
2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i: The Quiet Achiever
It’s been months since I had any extended wheel time in our somewhat controversial 2010 SUOTY, Subaru’s Outback, but after more than 600 miles this weekend in our Outback long termer a single word kept popping into my head: Honesty. It’s an increasingly rare commodity in the SUV segment, where more and more sport utes are morphing into little more than tall station wagons with testosterone-friendly faux-4WD styling and barely more off-road ability than the Wagon Queen Family Truckster.
I thought about this as Mrs MacKenzie and I watched the guy in the New Hampshire-registered Jeep Liberty come to a wheel-spinning halt as he attempted to negotiate a diagonal washout on a trail in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Southern California. We’d come through the same washout an hour earlier in the Outback without breaking a sweat. The Outback might have looked a bit like a Mini-Me Family Truckster to the puzzled, red-faced Jeep guy as he wrestled with his rig while we patiently watched and waited to go back across the washout, but it had an inch more ground clearance and a more sophisticated all-wheel drive system than his Liberty.
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Suzuki re-starts the free gas spiff, extends offer to full model range
Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Suzuki
2010 Suzuki Kizashi – Click above for high-res image gallery
Last year, Suzuki offered its “Free Gas for Summer” promotion on SX4 Sport and Crossover models. Apparently, it was a bit of a success, since the automaker is not only reviving this campaign, but is spreading the promotion across its full model range (Kizashi, Grand Vitara, Equator and SX4 models). Since fuel prices commonly rise in the summer months, we can see many shoppers becoming excited about any promotion that involves free fuel, and with the hot new Kizashi just now hitting dealers, this incentive could indeed boost sales of the hot new midsize sedan.
Customers who purchase a new Suzuki vehicle between May 1st and August 31st will receive a pre-paid debit card which should, theoretically, pay for one summer’s worth of fuel. The pre-paid cards range in value from $280 to $442, and are calculated based on the vehicle’s EPA fuel economy estimates, and on the Federal Highway Administration’s estimated average of 1,000 miles driven per month. Still, even if owners exceed this mileage, having a couple hundred bucks in free gas is nothing to be upset about. The full details are available in Suzuki’s press release, after the jump.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS
Following BMW, Daimler announces carbon fiber future ahead for Mercedes
Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Mercedes-Benz
2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery
It seem like just a few days ago BMW came forth stating that its use of carbon fiber on upcoming vehicles would become a high-volume deal. Now Green Car Advisor reports that Daimler, never willing to be a step behind, has also announced plans to increase its investment in the material. Daimler has enlisted the help of Toray Industries, a Japanese textile company, to help make carbon fiber body parts for Mercedes-Benz vehicles beginning in 2012. The parts will reduce vehicle weight and help the company meet upcoming CAFE regulations. The first Mercedes product to be adorned with carbon fiber will be the SL-Class.
Daimler choose Toray Industries due to its expertise in carbon fiber. Though not a common name to many, Toray is actually the dominant force in the industry, controlling 34 percent of the global market. This will be Toray’s first venture into making car parts out of carbon fiber. The company’s current automotive-related experiences with the material has been limited to supplying carbon fiber yarns to Ferrari and various aftermarket companies. Daimler and Toray will work together on development of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic body parts and production will be carried out at a Toray facility in France.
Mahindra developing a mini SUV for Indian market
Home grown Mahindra & Mahindra is developing a mini SUV along the sidelines of it Global SUV expected to be launced next year. The mini SUV is being built on the Logan platform and is designed to come under 4m length mark to enjoy the small car benifits.
The engine capacity, of course of the diesel one is kept under 1500cc which is basically the 3 cylinder version of Mahindra’s 2.2L mHawk engine with little modifications. A 1.2L petrol engine will be sourced from outside.
The mini SUV will be positioned under Scoropio with a price tag of Rs 6 lakhs. It will directly be pitted against the lone competitor Premier Rio. A mini SUV was all we wanted, and Mahindra is trying to answer us with its new mini SUV.
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The most expensive car brand in the world
The most expensive car brand at the moment is the BMW company. This conclusion was made by experts Millward Brown, which publishes most expensive brands in the world.
BMW is now worth more than all the automotive world. BMW has been estimated at $ 21.8 billion, which immediately is 9% more than last year. Toyota Company because of the outbreak of the scandal over the recall of vehicles is now $ 21.7 billion is just 27% less than in 2009.
Experts also praised the Honda ($ 14 billion, minus 2%), Mercedes-Benz ($ 13,7 billion, -11%) and Porsche ($ 12 billion – 31%). Followed by Nissan ($ 8,6 млрд), Ford ($ 7 billion), Volkswagen ($ 6,99 billion) and Audi ($ 3,6 billion).
Limited edition Mazda2 Yozora package comes with snow tires
Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Mazda, Canada
Mazda2 Yozora edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
Canadian buyers can now get a Mazda2 with “2″s all over it, since that’s apparently what you’ve been dying for. The Mazda2 Yozora edition wears a suit of black as well as a rear spoiler, short antenna, chrome pipe and special alloys on winter tires summer tires, with an additional set of steel wheels on winter tires thrown in. And a decal theme that looks like it was designed by John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Just five hundred will be made at a starting price of $19,280 ($19,178 U.S.). Follow the jump for the details on its “captivating design,” or go straight to the gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Mazda2 Yozora edition
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