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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Phoenix, Spy Shots

Years ago, in 2007, Phoenix said it would build a plug-in hybrid vehicle with UQM Technologies, but with all of the trouble Phoenix has been through since then, we thought the project died out. When Phoenix rose from the ashes of bankruptcy earlier this summer, Bryon Bliss, Phoenix Motorcars’ vice president of sales and marketing, told AutoblogGreen that the company’s sole focus was on an all-electric sports utility truck. The plug-in powerplant – and the SUV version Phoenix was talking about in the past were done. Bliss said in June:

The SUV was always more of a consumer product. As we are delaying a consumer launch we are choosing to direct focus on the available product, the Phoenix SUT.

But, AutoblogGreen reader Scott L. sent us an email this week saying the following:

I have pictures taken 8/31/10 in Rancho Cucamunga of the underside of Phoenix Motorcars vehicle showing a muffler for an ICE.

We’ve looked the pictures over and this does appear to be the case. A few things could be going on here. This might, indeed, be a mule for plug-in hybrid development. Or, since Phoenix uses bodies from SsangYong (the SUV seen above is the SsangYong Actyon), the exhaust might just be a remnant of its ICE past. In any case, we’ve asked Phoenix for clarification and we’ll update this post once we hear back. Thanks, Scott!

Spyshots: Is Phoenix Motorcars still working on a plug-in hybrid? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Lotus, Paris Motor Show

In addition to the pair of Evoras being introduced at this year’s Paris Motor Show, Lotus will also be unveiling two front-engine hybrid vehicles, in keeping with the automaker’s promise to offer more gasoline/electric sports cars. Green Car Advisor reports that one of these hybrid cars will be a four-door hatchback and the other will be a two-door coupe.

Lotus debuted its hybrid concept earlier this year in the form of the Evora 414E Hybrid (pictured), but unlike the mid-engine concept, the two front-engine models will utilize a 47-horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine specifically designed to provide power to electric-drive hybrids. We’ll have the full details direct from the Paris show later this month, so stay tuned.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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photo: Michael Graham Richard

As most readers have probably heard or read by now, yesterday was a dramatic day at the Silver Spring, Maryland headquarters of TreeHugger’s parent company, Discovery Communications. Early in the afternoon a lone man, later identified to be James J. Lee, entered the building, brandishing a pistol and carrying explosives, and began taking hostages. The situation ended four hours later with the hostages unharmed and Lee losing his…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, Green Daily, Japan

Less than four months ago, Tesla Motors entered the Japanese market by shipping a dozen or so right-hand drive Signature Series Roadsters across the pond. The base Roadster, which starts at a rather shocking price of 12.8 million yen ($151,500 U.S. at the current exchange rate) has now been approved for the Japanese government’s Clean Energy Cash Rebate program and is available at a deeply discounted price.

Qualifying for the cash rebate program means that the Roadster’s price will be slashed by an astounding 3.24 million yen ($38,000 U.S.), which certainly makes Tesla’s high-performance sports car more appealing. But, with an after-rebate price that remains at $113,500, the Roadster is still a far cry from what we would consider affordable. But hey, it’s that way here in the States, too. The Tesla Roadster joins the plug-in Prius hybrid as the only two standard-sized vehicles to qualify for Japan’s rebate program. Follow the jump for more on Tesla’s raging deal on its Roadster in Japan.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla Roadster eligible for $38,000 clean energy rebate in Japan

Tesla Roadster eligible for $38,000 clean energy rebate in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Coda Automotive

Hawai’i is an appealing place to operate and drive electric vehicles (EVs) for four main reasons: range anxiety isn’t a huge issue, there are a lot of eco-minded citizens there (some of whom have spending money), gasoline costs an arm and a leg compared to most of the rest of the U.S., and there is a lot of solar energy potential. Of course, this all means that more than one company has announced it would like to sell and promote EVs there, like Phoenix and Better Place, and some estimates are that there will be 10,000 EVs in the islands by 2015. The latest company to try and get into the game is Coda, which announced today it will launch the Coda Sedan in Hawai’i in the third quarter of 2011.

The Sedan will be available to both fleet and regular buyers in Hawai’i, and Governor Linda Lingle said in a statement that having another EV option is important to reducing the amount of oil the state uses every year (most of which comes from Malaysia – PDF):

Coda Automotive’s all-electric vehicle is another important addition to Hawai’i's efforts to transition to a clean energy economy. The State of Hawai’i recognizes new electric vehicle technology and the electrification of the transportation sector will play a critical role in helping Hawai’i reduce its dependency on the use of fossil fuels and achieving our 70 percent clean energy goal by 2030.

This is all fine and good, but neither Better Place nor Phoenix are offering cars in a Honolulu dealership just yet. Will Coda beat them to it? We’ll find out in around 12 months. Oh, and what’s the story with the first electric car in Hawai’i? It’s right here.

[Source: Coda Automotive]

Continue reading Coda will sell electric sedan in Hawaii in late 2011

Coda will sell electric sedan in Hawaii in late 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, North America

If our post about Motive Industries hemp composite electric car had you jonesin’ for more info, not to worry. We’ve just scored more straight dope on the green machine that we’re only too happy to pass a bong along.

All joking aside, the more we learn about the Kestrel, the more excited we get. The concept embodies a great many of the qualities sought after in an electric vehicle, and with government and private industry supporting the project, it just might become Canada’s first domestic automobile since the Bricklin.

At just 850 kg (1874 lbs), the hemp composite construction fulfills its light-weight promise and allows the four-passenger three door to get away with using only 16 kWhs worth of lithium battery to achieve an estimated range of 160 kilometers (100 miles). With a top speed of 135 km/h (83.89 miles per hour), it should have no problem handling the highway either.

We’re already diggin’ the look of the hemp body panels as shown in the render above and look forward to seeing the Kestrel concept in a couple weeks at the EV 2010 VÉ Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver. If they stick to their schedule, we should see a production prototype next summer and actual production vehicles as soon as 2012. Hit the jump for the official press release as well as a bit of video from a couple years back featuring Motive Industries president Nathan Armstrong discussing his background, his company’s focus and prior projects. Very impressive.

[Source: Motive Industries]

Continue reading Motive doesn’t Bogart cannabis car info, passes us more details

Motive doesn’t Bogart cannabis car info, passes us more details originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: MPG, Chevrolet, GM, Lightweight

Hyundai made some news last fall when it launched the all-new 2011 Sonata with a four-cylinder-only engine lineup. It now looks like General Motors might be following suit for its mid-sizers. By leaving out larger V6 engines as a possibility, Hyundai was able to design a lighter structure while still meeting new safety requirements and maintaining passenger volume. GM has already opted for four-cylinder engines in the new Buick Regal even though it didn’t get any structural weight advantage since the Opel Insignia that it’s derived from is available with V6 engines.

The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu is also expected to eschew V6 engines when it debuts next year and both it and the Regal are likely to benefit from GM’s next-generation mild hybrid system. GM is moving toward down-sized engines across the board with direct-injection and turbocharging for its next generation of vehicles as it strives to meet new fuel economy standards. Given the relatively small percentage of mid-sized cars that are actually purchased with the more powerful V6 engines, it makes much more sense for automakers to design vehicles around the smaller engines and then use turbocharging and hybridization to provide improved performance for the few customers who want it.

[Source: GM Inside News]

Rumormill: GM to follow Hyundai with four-cylinder-only mid-size cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc.

It wasn’t all that long ago that barrels of oil cost around $10. One energy analyst quoted by CNBC, Peter Beutel, the president of Cameron Hanover, thinks that a fresh, crisp Alexander Hamilton is just about what a barrel is worth. His reasoning?

We have so much oil right now, more than we’ve had in 27 years. Why is it 27 years? Because that’s how far our records go back. It’s probably the most in 50 or 100 years. … We’ve got 50 million barrels of crude more than we had two years ago. We have 176 million of distillate. When I started in the business back in 1980 we used to think to ourselves: “Gee, we would love it if we had 140 million barrels of distillates to start the winter.”

The problem?

I honestly think that if there were no investors using oil as an asset that the price of oil right now would be $10 or $15 or $18, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near where it is.

For the record, a barrel is currently valued/traded at around $74.

Now, it appears Beutel is looking at this from a purely economic perspective. If there is excess supply, why aren’t prices dropping? He notes that expectations that the economy will recover are helping elevate the price – more global economic activity means more oil used and thus more demand, it’s as simple as that – but those of us who favor reducing oil use see other reasons for the price to continue to climb. Now, if only alternative energy prices could decline as quickly as oil prices rise. Thanks to Evan for the tip!

[Source: CNBC]

One analyst’s view: oil should cost just $10 a barrel originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photo via JWGA Inc

Sometimes the waterway is both greener and faster than the highway. Though ferries are bigger than cars and usually use more fuel, they can carry hundreds of people and cars at one time. Plus, they are also often the shortest route from point A to point B — meaning a fraction of the mileage that would be spent in a car. In cities that offer commuter ferries to keep rush hour under control, ferries are also a solution to traffic jams — meaning less stress as well as fuel consumption.

From New York and California to Italy and Australia, add thes…Read the full story on TreeHugger