Posts Tagged ‘hybrids’

Back in style again?

SUVs make a come back

Compared to last year US auto sales are up 17 percent and the biggest surprise in that turnaround is the increase in large SUV sales according to recent reports.

Large SUV sales have increased 19 percent. Compacts have picked up share, but sales are only up 14 percent. As of June, hybrid cars, on the other hand, have witnessed a 17.5 percent decline in sales.

Large SUV sales are good for automakers because it’s basically like “printing cash,” says Jim Hall at 2953 Analytics.

Nonetheless, since the gas spike of 2008 cars are still outselling trucks, so automakers – or consumers – appear to be learning how to redefine success in America using more efficient vehicle designs, at least somewhat more efficient designs. Of course, declining interest in hybrid cars during this same period of time demonstrates just how hard significant reductions in oil consumption will be to achieve.

Hybridcarblog

BMW will inveterate that the Gran Coupe Concept will reach production. The design of the Audi A7-rival will be shared with the forthcoming 6 Series Coupe.

Speaking at an event in Munich, Klaus Draeger, an associate of BMW’s Board of Management, said that the GCC will become a 6-Series “four-door coupe”. He implied the car would launch in late 2012.

To be sold as the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe, several engines and models will be offered: two petrols & diesels, a hybrid, and an M variant. So expect a 300bhp (304PS) 3.0 litre 6 cylinder (hybrids will have a 54bhp (55PS) electric motor), 400bhp (406PS) 4.4 litre V8 petrol, 3.0 litre diesel with 204bhp (207PS) and 245bhp (248 PS), and a twin-turbo V8 with 555bhp (563PS) to 570bhp (578PS).

Other than talking about the production GCC, Draeger mentioned BMW has designed and built a 6 Series Shooting Brake. It hasn’t been confirmed for production, but market evaluation studies are currently in progress.

Cars Of The Future® Blog

Far more cost-effective than plugging in?

The reality of hybrid cost effectiveness

Sure, we’ve pitted the Chevy Volt against the Toyota Prius in the past, but this time we have some real numbers. Unfortunately, the numbers don’t look good. So, if you think the Volt is set to save America, you might not want to read any further.

Since yesterday, many have compared the Nissan Leaf to the Chevy Volt. I don’t believe in such a comparison. Range anxiety is real and a vehicle like the Leaf will never resonate with the masses unless you can cut the price of the vehicle in half, minimally. The Chevy Volt, on the other hand, could easily convert the masses into plug-in vehicles, as long as the Volt is cost-effective.

Cost Comparison

Today, you can lease a Prius for 9.00 per month, while a Volt lease will soon cost 0.00.

The average Prius drivers spends 5 per year on fueling costs. The difference between Volt and Prius lease payments after a year is 00. Consequently, even if the Volt uses nothing but free electricity, it will still cost 00 more to lease per year. Of course, perhaps if gas prices hit .00 per gallon, then the Volt will be competitive, but considering higher gas prices push the cost of everything higher, will most Americans even be able to afford a new car?

But won’t the Volt cost much less to maintain than a Prius?

Certainly not on a three year lease, and since you can buy two Prius hybrids for the price of one Volt, there isn’t even a reason to compare purchasing cost-effectiveness. When it comes to purchasing, the Prius is a far better deal. Moreover, the battery pack on the Volt will probably not be as reliable, long term, as has been the much cheaper Prius battery pack.

In fact, in terms of maintenance, insurance is easily the biggest cost, and if insurance companies price Volt insurance fairly, it should cost more to insure a Volt than a Prius, a good bit more.

Today, the Volt just isn’t very cost-effective compared to the Prius, and that’s even after a 00 tax credit that some have reported enables GM to reduce lease costs by 0 per month on the Volt’s 3 year lease option, but what happens after the tax credits expire?

While battery costs will come down, will they drop by 00 per car in the near future? Likewise, wouldn’t such battery cost improvements also make the Prius cheaper, lighter and more fuel efficient as the king of hybrids could then switch to lithium?

And, yet, that isn’t even the most disturbing Volt news. After a decade on the market, hybrid cars still account for less than 3 percent of market share. Hybrids, such as the Prius, are just not perceived to be cost-effective by most consumers, and the Volt will even be far less cost-effective and much more expensive.

Hybridcarblog

Hybrids. All about California?

What’s the problem with the king of hybrid cars?

Compared to last year, Toyota Prius sales are down more than 15 percent. Why?

Is it the depressed California auto market still reeling from massive losses in property values? Are buyers simply waiting for plug-in vehicles? Is it gas prices? The recall scandal? All of the above?

Not long ago I heard an auto analyst claim that California auto sales have improved from “horrible to bad”. Since a majority of hybrid cars are sold in the golden state, a drop in hybrid sales isn’t that surprising. Nonetheless, gas is still averaging .51 in the West – almost 75 cents higher than the national average. Coupled with some of the best hybrid deals ever, especially on the Prius, shouldn’t sales be rising, or at least holding their own in California?

Recently, some have argued on this blog that consumers are waiting for plug-in vehicles. Really? Last I heard there were only 10,000 people with 0 deposits on the Nissan Leaf. Likewise, GM has made it quite clear that Volt sales will be very limited by supply for at least the next few years. Can plug-in demand really be behind the lack of Prius interest – and hybrid car interest overall?

Then, of course, there’s the Toyota recall scandal; however, Prius sales haven’t tanked nearly as much as many other hybrid brands. So, a decline in Prius sales is certainly about more than just the recall scandal.

Ultimately, the decline in Prius sales is probably a mixture of all of the above, and even more variables.

The Future

So, what does the decline in Prius sales indicate for the future of hybrid cars and plug-in vehicles?

In recent months both Ford and Toyota have made very bullish forecasts for future hybrid sales, such as at least 20 percent hybrid by 2020. Likewise, Nissan has claimed as much as 10 percent EV by 2020, and the government has claimed 50 percent battery powered penetration by 2030.

What changes so dramatically in the next few years that we achieve such high levels of penetration when after a decade hybrids still can’t overcome even 3 percent penetration?

Certainly, it’s easy to claim that much cheaper battery prices are around the corner, and/or that much higher gas prices are inevitable since both assertions are probably true, at least to some extent.

Nevertheless, commodity prices will limit the downside cost potential of lithium technology at a price that will still be very hard to compete with gasoline and ever more efficient internal combustion engines, suggests a plethora of research. Higher gas prices, on the other hand, would mean consumers have less money to spend up front on transportation according to the studies. Thus, consumers would have to downsize into cheaper and cheaper vehicles rather than hybrids and plug-ins and their greater upfront costs.

In fact, to some extent, that is exactly what has happened since the recession and gas spike. Consumers have downsized into more efficient vehicles, but they have not converted into hybrid vehicles. And with the greater costs and limitations of plug-in vehicles, can a mass exodus from gas vehicles into plug-in vehicles really be expected?

The Toyota Prius has now been on the road for more than a decade. During that time, according to Consumer Reports, JD Power, etc., the Prius has been one of the most reliable and most repeat-buyer-coveted vehicles available. Additionally, many Prius hybrids with old battery packs – less technologically advanced – have survived not just 10 years, but hundreds of thousands of miles without a battery pack replacement. Therefore, newer NiMH-powered hybrids should have even longer life spans. Regardless, in terms of life span, the Prius has proven itself.

Ultimately, the Prius is an exceptionally efficient and likable vehicle, especially for urban commuters – a group of drivers that represents far more than just 2-3 percent of American commuters. And, today, the Prius deals are even better. More important, compared to the 2008 gas spike, for example, Prius buyers are today literally saving several thousand dollars up front on their purchase. (How much gas does several thousand dollars buy for a Prius driver, even at .00 per gallon?)

So, seriously, why are Toyota Prius sales down if the battery is on the brink of revolutionizing the auto industry? Where’s the disconnect?

Hybridcarblog

Electric Vehicle Technology Explained

While the classic battery electric car continues to make only a small impact on the automobile market, other types of electric vehicle, especially hybrids, have made significant and promising improvements. Moreover, small battery electric vehicles such as bicycles and mobility aids are also developing well. Presenting more than 160 diagrams and pictures, this book explains the science and technology behind these important developments, and also introduces the issues that underpin the design and

Rating: (out of 3 reviews)

List Price: $ 160.00

Price: $ 108.92