Posts Tagged ‘Automakers’

DOA: Chevy Malibu hybrid

Can US automakers compete?

So, Toyota is going to sell 1 million hybrid cars per year within the next few years, but by 2015 at the latest. Obviously, 1 million units of any vehicle per year is a pretty big sale’s number – a number that has to catch the attention of any major automaker.

Will the Big 3 respond to that big hybrid number?

While GM has supposedly leapfrogged Toyota with the Chevy Volt, almost every single forecast available claims that hybrid sales will far outpace plug-in sales through at least 2030. Can any automaker afford to avoid this space?

In the last year or so, Ford has sounded game to challenge Toyota. Of course, we’ve heard such hybrid bullishness from Ford in the past. Fortunately, today’s Ford is a much different company.

Can US automakers watch Toyota sell 1 million hybrids per year, with plans to scale much higher, without a serious hybrid challenge? Or, are the experts wrong and hybrids are already a dead technology?

Hybridcarblog

Would a diesel hybrid resonate in America?

2011 Peugeot 3008 hybrid 4 diesel crossover

Despite better fuel economy, especially in highway driving, diesel vehicles will probably never achieve the kind of penetration achieved in Europe in the US according to most experts. However, could diesel hybrids change that prediction?

Moreover, might the ability to fuel with biodiesel, for instance, make the upcoming Peugeot 3008 hybrid 4 more intriguing to American consumers?

In the Spring of 2011, Peugeot will start selling the 3008 hybrid 4 crossover vehicle in Europe. The all wheel drive, 163-horsepower, 2.0-liter I-4 turbodiesel will be mated to a 37-horsepower electric motor and utilize a NiMH battery pack, resulting in a full hybrid powertrain capable of pure electric propulsion – the key to outstanding urban fuel economy. According to European measurements, the 3008 hybrid 4 will achieve a combined 74.4 mpg, although US EPA numbers would probably be lower.

Certainly, that kind of fuel economy, as well as the sportier driving experience provided by diesel technology, would definitely catch the attention of some US hybrid drivers.

Anyway, while diesel hybrid concepts have been around for many years, most automakers – even in diesel loving Europe – have avoided mass production of these hybrid cars due to production costs. So, it’s still a little hard to measure the potential of such a hybrid until pricing has been released. However, the new 3008 hybrid should prove intriguing for Europe’s urban commuters.

But resonating in the US, particularly since it will cost more than a comparable gasoline hybrid, seems unlikely barring some sort of breakthrough in biodiesel technology. Nevertheless, I’d love to see Peugeot try to sell this new hybrid in the US.

Hybridcarblog

Killing the world one car at a time.

A killer business model

A new study finds that private motorized transportation – think America – is exacerbating the problems of “traffic growth, including congestion, health-harming air pollution, accidents, energy insecurity, and climate change.”

For many decades it has been said that ‘what was good for GM was good for America’. In reality, however, hasn’t GM become one of the most dangerous companies in the world?

“These unsustainable patterns of transport are expected to worsen under the continuous and rapid trend of motorisation,” further notes the study.

Ironically, the best thing for GM today is more auto sales, and that isn’t just GM’s hope for America, but in terribly important emerging markets such as China. Quite soon, if not already, the Chinese auto market will be far more important to GM’s long term survival than will be the American market. Sadly, in many respects, mature automakers, such as GM, are training the world to be just like America and almost as “unsustainable.”

A new GM

Without any question, the government bailout of GM was a good move, at least in terms of jobs and short term economic interests.

Long term, however, is not GM – and a good part of the American economy – still fundamentally built upon an “unsustainable” business model? Sure GM is leaner and more competitive today, but has it’s business model really changed very much? Has it really become more sustainable?

Regardless, the key for the world moving forward is for emerging countries to “leapfrog” current models of personal transportation. Yet, is such leapfrogging possible without major contributions from developed countries, such as America? Would this mean that America funds our competition as America becomes less sustainable and competitive?

Today, the keys to sustainability are usually defined by either carbon and/or electrification. Unfortunately, a plethora of research suggests such keys will be very costly to implement, especially in developed countries, particularly in the US. So, it’s hard to imagine the political support for such pathways will last long enough to achieve competitive effectiveness any time soon.

Consequently, it seems much responsibility could ultimately fall into the hands of supranational corporations like GM to become much better corporate citizens of the world. Can that really be a good thing?

Hybridcarblog

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, GM

Lear Corporation is a company best known for supplying vehicle interior systems, particularly seats. However, like many other major automotive suppliers, Lear has seen an opportunity in vehicle electrification and is branching out into new product areas.

For Lear, that means charging systems and its first customer is General Motors and the Chevrolet Volt. Lear is providing the on-board charger for the Volt as well as the 240-volt, wall-mounted chargers that GM recommends for Volt buyers. In addition to the chargers, Lear is also supplying some of the low-voltage wiring and the main battery disconnect.

Like the design of the car itself, GM tried some new things when it sourced suppliers for the Volt. Traditionally, where the main systems of a vehicle are known quantities, automakers go to suppliers with specifications and a request for quote. Because so much of the Volt was new, GM opted to work with its suppliers earlier on in the process to determine what was needed and develop specifications together.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Lear to produce chargers, parts for Chevy Volt originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Californacation?

Ohh soooo LA

So far this summer, I’ve driven through about 10 states, happily noticing many hybrid cars along the way, even in so-called ‘red states’. Whether it’s a green statement, or a statement against foreign oil, hybrid fans are everywhere.

Of course, in LA there are moments when, judging by all the hybrids, one might believe that real automotive change has already happened, but the facts simply don’t support such a perception.

Perceptual reality

Last night my niece was watching Legally Blond, and as I watched a few minutes of the movie, I thought about how much such shows shape the perceptions many people have of Angelenos. ‘Like, hey dude. Let’s have some sushi and buy some Versace for Freddy the chihuahua.’

But that’s oh so West LA.

On the other hand, I was at party Saturday night in Glassel Park, an East LA neighborhood, (although it’s not really East LA), where one of my friends was showing off his new truck, a giant Ford F250.

“Why such a big truck,” someone asked?

“I just like big trucks.”

“What about gas prices,” another asked?

“I don’t care,” he responded. “I’ll worry about that when it becomes a problem.”

Certainly, there are times, especially in some LA neighborhoods, when it seems like everyone in LA drives a hybrid, but if you really stop and look around, hybrids are everywhere, but still only in small percentages overall. BMWs, for instance, are still much more common. Similarly, in the parking lot of the party I attended Saturday, where a few hundred guests showed up, I only noticed one hybrid. Mine.

Yet, in the next decade, hybrid adoption has been predicted to increase from less than 3 percent today, to over 20 percent in 2020. How? Why?

It seems most automakers can easily achieve upcoming CAFE regulations without adding much new hybrid technology, especially when methodologies for determining fuel economy are so skewed towards highway fuel economy. Porsche, the most impacted automaker in terms of CAFE for example, believes that just 15 percent hybrid is enough to make their gas-guzzling fleet achieve CAFE requirements.

So, what forces 20 or even 25 percent? New regulations? Much higher gas prices? Lithium? All of the above?

Many automakers, for instance, don’t seem to agree with such bullish hybrid forecasts. Instead of a real effort into hybrids, Nissan for instance, seems more content with trying to achieve 10 percent EV penetration, while Chrysler seems focused on conventional, although Euro-styled, compact and micro-cars. Similarly, GM’s continued focus on mild hybrids seems just as hybrid-doubtful, and even after a decade of hybrid sales, Honda seems uncertain if not totally confused.

Of course, hot kid on the block, Hyundai is more in line with hybrid-bullish Toyota and Ford.

Yet, if automakers, powertrain forecasters, battery analysts, energy hawks and policy-makers are studying the same data, why are the forecasts and favored technologies still so diverse?

It seems numerous breakthroughs across many different technologies could force automakers to almost instantly make major changes to their lineups and to their long term plans. Calling Heisenberg!

Inevitably, great change is coming, possibly even sooner than expected. That change, however, probably won’t end up looking anything like being predicted today. Consequently, if there is a skill that seems essential for automakers heading into the future, it seems to be nimbleness. Unfortunately, that skill is lacking throughout the entire auto industry.

Until such breakthroughs, marketing – perception – seems to be automakers’ favored technology.

As for me, I’m heading out for some sushi and then to Rodeo Drive. My dog needs a new collar.

Hybridcarblog