Archive for June, 2010

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Green Daily, Fisker

The Fisker Karma has completed its tour across the U.S. and surprisingly, it made the entire trip without either the buying public nor journalists getting behind the wheel for even a single moment. As The Detroit News reports and we concur, the Karma has been delayed once again and is now scheduled to begin rolling off the assembly line in eight months with the debut slated for mid-2011 (well, maybe). Anyways, we find it odd that nobody outside of the company has had any real seat time in the Karma as the debut date draws near. Just recently, Fisker launched a new website featuring a countdown timer. The site lists just days left until the unveiling, which leads us to wonder, the unveiling of what?

Could this be the countdown to Fisker’s official launch of test drives for the Karma? Is the company set to reveal another round of funding? Is Fisker ready to finally unveil its updated rollout plans for the plug-in hybrid? Or maybe a few of those testers will finally hit the roads. As you may have guessed, we too have a lot of questions for Fisker and remain confused by the company’s flip-flop nature and continued use of hype-inducing tactics. Now, before you get all worked up about Fisker’s countdown, you might want to consider that the timer could simply be ticking off the days left until the debut of a redesigned website. Now that’s exciting stuff.

[Source: Fisker Automotive]

Fisker begins countdown timer for the unveiling of… something originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog Green

Elon Musk talks a good game, according to soundbites attributed to the Tesla CEO during the investor roadshow leading up to the company’s $226 million IPO. Tesla, he’s reported as saying, is a “technology velociraptor”; a company focused on technology and disruption. “Think closer to an Apple, or a Google, than a GM or Ford.” The Tesla Roadster “kicks the ass of any Ferrari except the Enzo.” Having Daimler, the company that invented the automobile, ask Tesla to supply it with battery packs is “like Gutenberg saying ‘can you make a press for me?’”.

It’s all great stuff. Only problem is, the reality is somewhat less impressive than Musk makes it sound. (For a start, no fewer than six Ferraris will spank a Tesla Roadster to 60mph, according to our own test numbers.)

There are some other Tesla home truths buried in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the IPO. As of March 31, Tesla had sold just 1063 of its $100,000-plus, Lotus Elise-based Roadsters, and had just 110 outstanding orders for the car. The documents also reveal Tesla’s contract with Lotus locks it into buying a total of 2400 Roadster chassis — ‘gliders’ in Tesla-speak — by December 2011, or risk paying a penalty.

The documents also show Tesla has only one running prototype of the Model S, the vaunted $57,400 EV hatchback it says it will deliver in 2012. To quote directly from page 26 of the SEC filing: “We… do not have a full production prototype, a final design, a built-out manufacturing facility, or a manufacturing process.” To be that far behind the curve little more than two years from start of production would be unthinkable for any mainstream automaker.

Of course, Tesla doesn’t regard itself as a mainstream automaker. As Elon Musk likes to point out, its roots are in high-tech, software-centric Silicon Valley, not the grim, gritty rust belt around Detroit. Tesla is fast moving, free-wheeling, innovative, and unconstrained by traditional automaker thinking; a car company founded by computer geeks. (And this is supposed to be a good thing? If I owned a car that was as unreliable and glitch riddled as the computers and software I use every day, I would be filing a lemon-law suit.)

The notion that Tesla is all about disruptive technology, that it has created something the mainstream auto industry hasn’t thought of, is nonsense. The electric vehicle is as old as the automobile itself: EV taxis were used on the streets of Manhattan in 1897, and the first land speed record was set by and EV in 1898. The greater range and instant refueling capability of the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine had relegated the EV to a curiosity piece within two decades, and the fundamental weakness of the EV — that batteries store far less energy a gallon of gas, and take too long to recharge — has not changed in more than a century, despite significant advances in battery chemistry. The owner of an EV in 1910 could expect 50 to 80 miles on a charge. In our experience the Tesla Roadster can go 200 miles, if driven with care.

It’s new government regulations, combined with generous taxpayer-funded incentives to encourage consumers, that are now making EVs (marginally) viable for mainstream automakers, not game-changing technical breakthroughs. As a result, every major automaker now has an EV or partial EV under development right now. Tesla’s USP is evaporating, fast.

So while the Model S is still pretty much vaporware, Nissan has already launched the world’s first purpose-built, mass-produced EV, the Leaf. You’ll be able to buy it in your local Nissan dealership next year. And Daimler has revealed plans to manufacture purpose-built EVs in China with BYD, and is aggressively working on becoming a leader in lithium-ion EV battery production. Despite Musk’s Gutenberg jibe, the Tesla documents admit it is likely to lose the Daimler powertrain business by 2012.

But perhaps the ultimate irony is it’s General Motors, long the Silicon Valley poster-child for all that’s wrong with the auto industry, that’s poised to launch a car that may be more significant than anything Tesla is ever likely to build. The Chevy Volt is a thoughtful, innovative, technically advanced vehicle; the prototypes we’ve driven confirm it cleverly combines the best attributes of an electric motor and the gasoline internal combustion engine. Disruptive technology? Sorry Elon, there’s more at GM than Tesla.

Via MotorTrend Magazine Blogs

Hyundai Motor Company has announced that it has received over 5,000 pre-orders for the all-new, Avante/Elantra compact sedan in South Korea.

Hyundai began taking orders on the 21st June and has since gained remarkable popularity for the newest addition to its line-up. The new Avante made its public debut at the Busan International Motor Show in April.

For the South Korean market, the Avante is available with a single engine; a 1.6 litre GDI (gasoline direct-injection) Gamma 4 cylinder petrol engine that produces 138bhp/140PS and 167Nm (133 lb.ft) of torque. It is linked to either a standard 6 speed manual transmission or a 6 speed automatic.

The new Avante is feature packed with numerous standard features such as 6 airbags, rear parking sensors heated front seats, ambient lighting, colour TFT LCD information display. Optional items include HID headlamps w/ LED tail-lamps, heated rear seats and a 10 way electrcially adjustable driver seat.

Since its launch back in 1990, the Avante/Elantra sold in excess of 6m units worldwide. Expect to see the redesigned Avante to make its North American debut early next year.

Via Cars Of The Future® Blog

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee is still pouring over Toyota’s unintended acceleration issues, and right now the group is looking into older braking systems. Automotive News reports that the committee was told by investigators that an investigation of a 2005 Toyota Camry showed that some older model Toyotas were equipped with brake override systems (although not all newer models have such equipment). Toyota, as you may recall, has promised to equip all 2011 model year vehicles with a brake override system.

The Japanese automaker has also been asked by the committee to detail the work being performed by research firm Exponent Inc. relative to Toyota’s unintended acceleration issues. Exponent has said that it hasn’t found any electronics issues that would lead to unwanted acceleration issues. For his part, Committee Chairman Henry Waxman has told reporters in a letter that Exponent “has not been fully cooperative with the committee’s requests.”

Toyota is reportedly being given until July 6 to contact the House committee, and documents must be provided by July 12. Toyota spokesman Mike Michels has informed AN that the company will cooperate with requests from the committee.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Report: Toyota must share info on brake override system originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog

Filed under: Spy Photos, Paris Motor Show, Crossover, Land Rover

Even though Land Rover’s baby LRX crossover won’t make its public debut until this year’s Paris Motor Show, the automaker will be giving the world an early sneak peek at the production model during a web unveiling tomorrow at 19:30 GMT (that’s 3:30 PM for all of you in the Eastern time zone).

We’ll have the full raft of details at that time, but right now, we understand that both front- and all-wheel drive versions of the LRX will be available, as well as a forthcoming hybrid model. What’s more, while the original LRX spy shots stayed true to the two-door configuration of the concept, we’ve also spotted a four-door variant running around – an additional bodystyle that will doubtlessly expand the crossover’s attractiveness to potential shoppers.

We’ll know exactly what Land Rover has up its sleeve tomorrow afternoon, so stay tuned.

[Source: Land Rover via The Car Connection | Images: KGP Photography]

Land Rover to reveal production LRX tomorrow? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog