General Motors has sold 5,000 electric vehicles so far in 2012, compared to 5,000 for all of last year, said spokesman Shad Balach.

“So the market is definitely growing. Public awareness is important. People need to understand how the cars work and operate,” he said. “Once they get behind the wheel, they’re sold.”

KCBS’ Mike Colgan Reports:

Balach and others testified at a State Senate hearing in Fremont Friday about ways the state can support the growing demand for the latest automobile technology.

Just about every major manufacturer either is selling electric model or is planning to bring one to market. Balach said GM, for example, expects to start selling the Chevy Spark next year, and an electric Cadillac by mid-2014.

Sen. Ellen Corbett, the majority leader who chaired the hearing, pointed to the confluence of environmentalism and interest in technological innovation as factors fueling the electric car market in California.

“California is the number one market for these types of vehicles. People buy electric vehicles in California, so we have to have the infrastructure as well, to allow them to plug in and keep driving,” she said, pointing to manufacturers like Tesla Motors as important engines of the Bay Area economy.

Balach said it was important to avoid early mistakes by using standard connectors, and first installing the electric vehicle infrastructure in areas that would be best served.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Article source: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/05/18/car-makers-say-california-electric-car-industry-running-on-all-cylinders/

Holden and ChargePoint recently unveiled the fist electric vehicle (EV) charging station for Holden Volt drivers in Port Melbourne.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Industry and Innovation, the Hon Greg Combet AM MP was the first member of the public to plug into the petrol pump of the future with one of Holden’s first Volt vehicles.

Joining the Minister for the unveiling was Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, ChargePoint CEO James Brown and Holden’s Executive Director Engineering Greg Tyus.

Mr Tyus, whose engineering team is responsible for preparing the Volt for Australia, said Volt would change the way Australians think about sustainable transport and Holden.

The Holden Volt will be on sale in Australia later this year and is a game-changing EV, explains Holden.

With extended-range capacity it can recharge in less than four hours using the dedicated level two, 3.3kW charging station.

Charge point is supporting the launch of the Holden Volt by providing six additional green energy charging stations in Holden’s engineering and design headquarters and at its Proving Ground in Lang Lang for all employees driving the Volt evaluation vehicles and working on the program.

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Article source: http://www.jaxquickfit.com.au/blog/2012/05/holden-unveils-first-electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-melbourne/

Vehicle leasing and fleet management company ALD Automotive surveyed 1,000 business drivers and less than a third (32%) said that they would consider changing to an electric vehicle.

Of those that were positive about the new technology reduced carbon dioxide emissions were cited as being the major factor (73%), with the perceived lower running costs being seen as the other key factor (69%). Only 6% would switch to an electric vehicle immediately.

Even withUKfuel price at record levels, the survey highlighted that manufacturers and the Government still have some way to go in overcoming business drivers’ scepticism associated with running an electric vehicle.

This is despite fleets buying 59% of all electric vehicles sold in 2011 and 93% of those sold so far this year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Recent changes to the benefit-in-kind (BIK) rate could also have a negative effect on the uptake of electric vehicles among business drivers.

At present, business drivers running electric vehicles do not pay any BIK tax, while low-emission hybrids like the Vauxhall Ampera sit in the 5% company car tax bracket.

However, the Government has decided to make business users pay company car tax on low-emission vehicles from 2015/16; both types of vehicle will fall into the 13% band.

The survey also revealed:

• 60% of those drivers who do not want to change to an electric vehicle claim the lack of suitable models on offer today as being the key factor
• 35% of drivers would not change because they are not convinced about overall reduction in life-cycle emissions
• 28% of drivers that would change stated a reduction in noise pollution as a key factor
• 78% of drivers raised concerns about range as a reason not to switch
• 77% of drivers regard a lack of charging points as a significant reason not to change to electric vehicles.

Commenting on the survey results, Keith Allen, managing director of ALD Automotive UK, said: ‘The survey results highlight that whilst some business drivers may consider changing to an electric vehicle in the future, lack of charging points and battery range still need to be addressed by the Government and manufacturers in order to convince business drivers to make that all important switch.’

Article source: http://www.automotiveindustrydigest.com/2012/05/16/electric-vehicle-demand-falls-flat-with-company-car-drivers/

Electric dreams
The electric car is stepping out of its niche as a green product, as numerous new launches from mainstream manufacturers is making the eco choice look increasingly attractive. We take a look at the challenges for the next generation car.

If we want to keep driving we have to get creative, as fossil fuels will not last all that much longer. Running a car from the electric socket is emerging as the next step in automobile evolution, as eco cars are breaking out of the tree-hugger niche and into the mainstream.

“Global trends are changing the automotive environment and causing structural shifts,” says Claire Tracey, manager of Smart operations at Mercedes-Benz UK. The electric mini-car from Smart, which operates under the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler, is a familiar face on the eco car scene. Until now this arena has been dominated by environmentally conscious drivers keen to reduce their carbon footprint, but, says Tracey, the growing market means an increasingly diverse groups of drivers are starting to think electric.

Vauxhall, Renault and Peugeot are just a few of the manufacturers now launching zero-emissions electric cars, most of which can run 100 miles on a single charge. But while choice and range is improving, we are a long way away from electric cars becoming the default choice. Driving 100 miles for £1.25 in electricity is remarkable, but the upfront cost is significant and the battery only lasts about six years. In order to help with this, the UK Government will chip in a good chunk of money to help those keen to make the change, and the number of public charging points is expanding to ease the transition to the plug-in habit.

The big picture
“While the automobile has advanced significantly during the last 100 years, the one factor that has not evolved is the dependence on fossil fuels,” says Bambos Kouyiounta, category manager of electric vehicles at Nissan Motors. “To date, attempts to find alternatives have been rather half-hearted, but with environmental issues now escalating rapidly there is a genuine motivation to develop alternatives.”

Kouyiounta welcomes competition in the electric car arena, as more choice will improve credibility and acceptance. Equally important is how it will help dispel the perception of eco cars as a fad or the purview of the climate brigade; the realities of dwindling oil reserves and the climate change threat are issues that concern us all. Kouyiounta quotes Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn: “Nothing can stop the car being the most coveted product that comes with development, and more efficient conventional engines are not the answer. We must have zero-emission vehicles. Nothing else will prevent the world from exploding.”

Ahead of the launch the 3rd generation Fortwo car this summer, Smart takes a similar big picture view: “Shrinking oil reserves, rising energy prices, a growing urban population, and intense demand for mobility are all factors now driving the transformation of the automotive industry,” says Tracey.

Bridging the gap
“It is still very, very, very early days for the electric vehicle industry as being something that could replace a regular car,” says Gian Avignone, country manager for the UK and Ireland at Tesla Motors. Established in Silicon Valley in 2003, Tesla’s stated goal is to “prove that electric vehicles can be awesome”, and the company certainly managed to turn a few heads with the launch of the Roadster, its zero-emissions luxury sports car.

“Tesla set out to build something a car enthusiast would want to buy. The Roadster is fun and fast,” says Avignone. As a sports car that just happens to be electric, the Roadster appeals mainly to the luxury market, but Tesla’s role in pulling the electric car out of its traditional niche has been valuable: “We are using the Roadster to try and catalyse the broader market, to show that electric cars can be something desirable.”

Most of Tesla’s customers are what Avignone describes as sustainability-conscious but unwilling to compromise on style: “Buying an electric car is both a rational and an emotional decision.” The Tesla Model S, a luxury saloon car, will launch this year, followed later by the Model X, a SUV. Unlike the Roadster, the Model S will be applicable for the UK government grant.

The expansion of the eco car market will see people attracted to electric cars for a variety of reasons, following early adopters who, says Nissan’s Kouyiounta, “are mostly relatively well-off, technologically savvy individuals with a strong sense of social duty”. He expects the financial benefits to become more of a motivator for buyers, however the high upfront cost means people will still need to be driven at least partially by environmental concerns.

The Plug-In Car Grant
Buyers of ultra-low emission cars can get up £5,000 off the sales price through the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Plug-In Car Grant. The funding, guaranteed until 2015, applies to cars with emissions of no more than 75g of CO2/km.

“The DfT has a number of strategies in place to encourage the uptake of low-emission vehicles,” says a spokesperson for the DfT, whose policy is not to provide names of staff below ministry level. “One of these is the Plug-In Car Grant, but we are also funding technology advancements and providing money for the roll-out of the charging network.”

A total of 2,610 electric cars were licensed in Great Britain by the end of 2011, 1,204 of which were registered for the first time last year. The Government has set aside £80 million to support research and development, with £30 million allotted for charging points in public places such as shopping centres and car parks. Over 2500 charge points are now in place, 765 courtesy of the DfT, with 4000 more committed by the private sector to be installed by the end of this year.

“An important point is that we need to change people’s mindsets about how and when they fuel their cars,” says the DfT spokesperson. “People are used to going to petrol stations, but with electric cars they can charge overnight, while at work or while shopping. We will need to think a little differently.”

The range problem
As electric cars now typically run 100 miles between charges, the power problem is put into perspective by considering 70% of drivers travel less than 50 miles per day.

“The problem of charging has been exaggerated a bit, yes,” says Tesla’s Avignone, when asked if this is the case. “But the reality is that the consumer is not yet psychologically ready for a short-range vehicle. A car represents the idea that you can go anywhere you want.”

Nissan’s Kouyiounta concurs: “Infrastructure exists as a problem mainly because of the ‘what if’ scenario. Most people will charge at home and never use public infrastructure, but they still fear finding themselves in a situation where they needed to charge remotely, and there is not sufficient accessible infrastructure to ensure they can get home.”

The technology exists to make cars that can run 300 miles without charging, but cost is preventing manufacturers from pushing forward with these yet. “To do what we do is enormously technically challenging,” says Avignone. “We have made huge technological advancements, and part of our remit is to help other car companies bring their own models to market. By 2015 we should start to see some very interesting cars coming along.”

Steps to the future
PSA Peugeot Citroën, on the market with the Citroën C-Zero and the Peugeot iOn, believes electric and hybrid vehicles could make up 15% of the market by 2020. Consequently, over the next few decades we will likely see a mixture of technologies, with electric cars existing alongside petrol cars, synthetic fuels and vehicles running on alternative technologies such as hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

Fuel cell technology is an interesting possibility for the future, concedes Avignone, but Tesla will focus on near term technologies: “An electric vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell range extender may be the holy grail, but we are a long way away from that. […] We intend to focus solely on building long-range electric vehicles.”

Hybrids will play an important part by bridging the gaps, and Toyota’s contribution to the green car arena is the upcoming launch of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid. This car has a standard engine to supplement the shortcomings of the electric engine. A spokesperson for Toyota said: “We feel this is the answer to eco cars for the short to medium future.”

Bigger manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz are taking a multi-pronged approach. Says Smart’s Tracey: “Mercedes-Benz’s aim is to create an intelligent mix of technologies, to offer the right solution for every mobility requirement from urban commuters to long-distance drivers.” Nissan’s Kouyiounta also expects to see a mix of technologies in the future: “We do not anticipate the new technologies will fully replace fossil fuel vehicles. We expect there will still be a place in the market for high efficiency fossil fuel engines, albeit in much lower volumes than today.”

As the Government subsidises the rollout of low-emission vehicles in the name of battling climate change, there is also a compelling argument for supporting UK manufacturers to ensure they can claim their share as the next generation automotive industry is taking shape.

“Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low carbon revolution in motoring, and as more models come to market we will begin to see sales gather pace,” said Transport minister Norman Baker as the Plug-In Grant was extended to include vans in January. Buyers receive up to £8,000 when buying a van, a significant step to encourage business uptake. Added Baker: “It is radical initiatives like these which will allow us to create a transport system that both cuts carbon and is an engine for economic growth.”

Article source: http://jessicafurseth.com/2012/05/02/electric-cars/

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Dear Friends,

On Friday, I will hold a legislative hearing in Fremont to discuss the development of California’s electric vehicle industry and what we can do to make it successful.

As you know, the Bay Area is a global leader in technological innovation, and many promising green-tech industries are sprouting up throughout the region.

This is good for California’s economy – and good for California’s future.

My hearing will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, May 18 at Mission ROP, 5019 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont. This will feature experts and stakeholders from the electric vehicle community, with manufacturers, industry executives and state and local policymakers serving as panelists.

We will discuss how this industry is progressing. What can we do to make it easier to put electric vehicles on the street? What are the infrastructure challenges? What more can we do to encourage the growth and development of electric vehicles and maximize the environmental benefits? I look forward to getting answers to these important questions.

In addition, a variety of the latest electric vehicles will be on display at the site.

I hope you can attend or watch via the Internet. This hearing will be streamed live on my website, http://sd10.senate.ca.gov.

As always, I welcome your feedback and look forward to working on your behalf in the California State Senate.

Sincerely,

Ellen M. Corbett
Senate Majority Leader

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California State Senator Ellen Corbett – District 10
Web site: http://sd10.senate.ca.gov/
E-mail: Senator Ellen Corbett
Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 313
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4010
 San Leandro District Office
1057 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 206
San Leandro, CA 94577
(510) 577-2310
 Fremont District Office
39155 Liberty St., #F610
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 794-3900
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Source EAASV

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Article source: http://www.4evriders.org/2012/05/usa-fwd-sen-corbett-holds-hearing-friday-on-electric-vehicles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=usa-fwd-sen-corbett-holds-hearing-friday-on-electric-vehicles

People have fretted about when the world’s oil will start to run out ever since M. King Hubbert came up with the idea of “peak oil” back in the 1950s. The American geologist, who worked for Shell, pointed out that we are destined to reach a moment when oil production stops rising and goes into terminal decline. With it, the era of cheap oil that fuelled the post-war economic boom would end. The idea still provokes great debate, and many forecasters are predicting that global production will peak by the end of this decade as supplies dwindle.

Now there is a different view. A small number of analysts forecast that oil production will start to fall by 2020 – not because we are running out, but because we just won’t need it. They argue that the world will wean itself off oil voluntarily, through major advances in vehicle technology. Peak oil will not be a supply-side phenomenon brought about by shrinking reserves, but by motorists buying electric cars and conventional cars with highly efficient engines. If they are right, this shift will start the long-term transition from oil to electricity as the main transport fuel, reduce economies’ vulnerability to spikes in the oil price, and cap greenhouse emissions from crude oil.

It is a bold prediction. Could it be right? Judging by motor industry investment and the number of new models being launched, the prospects for the electric car are brightening. All the major manufacturers are producing cars with varying degrees of electrification, ranging from hybrids, such as the Volvo V60, that run on petrol and electricity to cars such as the Nissan Leaf that are powered entirely by an electric battery (see “Six degrees of electrification” below). There are now about 130 models in total.

Sales so far have proved disappointing, though. Total car sales in the US last year jumped by a tenth over the previous year. But electric vehicle sales rose just 2.3 per cent, according to research firm WardsAuto. Sales of General Motor’s Chevy Volt missed their target by a fifth, and those of the pioneering Toyota Prius hybrid have been falling since 2007. So can electric vehicles really make a serious dent in global oil demand?

Investment analysts at Deutsche Bank in New York argue in a series of reports that the electric vehicle is a disruptive technology and its short-term potential is widely underappreciated. “Transportation is likely to change more in the next 10 years than over the last 50,” says Dan Galves, the bank’s chief car industry analyst. That’s not because of some imminent technological breakthrough, but because he expects that the relative costs of electric and petrol cars will soon be transformed.

Electric cars are far more expensive to buy than their petrol equivalents, largely because the cost of the lithium-ion battery that powers the vehicle is so high – currently about $12,000. But the fuel costs of electric vehicles are already far lower than for petrol-powered ones. In the US, for example, the petrol for an average car costs about 8 cents per kilometre, compared with less than 2 cents for the electricity to power an electric car. In Europe, where fuel tax is higher, the numbers are 12.5 cents and 2.5 cents, respectively. Either way, that is a huge gap. So for electric vehicles to compete on price, battery costs need only fall far enough to be swallowed by that gap, and Galves believes that it is likely to happen sooner than most people think.

First, he expects the costs of batteries to plummet as mass production ramps up – just as they did for laptops – to less than $7000 by 2015. Second, the gap is likely to widen with most analysts expecting oil prices to keep rising. “On a 10-to-15-year view, it’s almost impossible for electrification not to carve out a decent portion of the market,” says Galves, who expects electric vehicles to be economic within a decade even without the subsidies that many governments currently give.

The effect of falling electric vehicle costs will be reinforced by strengthening fuel efficiency and emissions policies in the world’s most important car markets. The policies of the world’s biggest gas guzzler will soon be among the toughest. In 1975, US president Jimmy Carter passed a law forcing vehicle manufacturers in the US to meet average fuel efficiency standards. For cars, that number has languished at around 27 miles per gallon (11.5 kilometres per litre) since the early 1990s, but recent legislation means average fuel economy must double to 54.5 mpg by 2025. The standard has been rising since 1978, and by 2020 the targets become so demanding, says Galves, that car manufacturers will not be able to meet them without selling a significant number of electric vehicles. Galves expects them to make up a fifth of US car sales in 2020.

The impact will be dramatic. Every day, US vehicles guzzle about 9 million barrels of oil – the biggest single element in our daily global consumption of almost 90 million barrels (see chart, top left). Deutsche Bank oil analysts expect US petrol consumption to plummet, almost halving by 2030. The story is the same in the European Union, which regulates carbon dioxide emissions per kilometre rather than miles per gallon. Cars manufactured there in 2020 must reduce their average emissions by more than a quarter compared with models made in 2015. Such standards will especially encourage electrification because they govern “tailpipe” emissions pumped out in the day-to-day running of car engines and not those emitted while they are being built. By this measure, electric vehicles are zero emission. Deutsche Bank expects them to make up 25 per cent of Europe’s car sales in 2020, accelerating the decline in demand for petrol.

Petrol still rules
So much for the world’s richer nations. In China, where the developing car market is booming, the demand for petrol will continue to rise for at least a decade. Yet the global impact will be limited because the size of China’s car fleet is currently just a fifth of that of the US. The Chinese government too is strongly committed to electric vehicles as one way of tackling appalling air quality in the cities and the country’s dependence on imported oil. Deutsche Bank forecasts that Chinese petrol demand will start to fall from 2025, as electric vehicles become more common.

The net effect is that global petrol demand will peak as early as 2015. “From that point forward,” writes Deutsche Bank’s lead oil analyst Paul Sankey in a research note. “We believe gasoline demand will be on an inexorable and accelerating decline.” And as a result, he argues, global demand for crude oil will go the same way in about 2020.

Others disagree with Deutsche Bank’s analysis. The International Energy Agency has long been dismissive about predictions of an early peak in the global oil supply. It is just as dismissive that demand will decline within the next couple of decades. It forecasts that daily oil demand will rise to 107 million barrels by 2035 on the basis of current government policies. Fatih Birol, the agency’s chief economist, believes that there are simply too many cars in the world – about a billion and rising – for electric vehicles to have a meaningful impact in the short term.

Although most governments have policies to encourage electrification, they are very unlikely to achieve their targets. Even if they do, says Birol, the number of electric vehicles on the road in 2020 will be just 20 million – about 2 per cent of the total fleet. Stefanie Lang, a London-based automobile analyst at investment-research firm Sanford C. Bernstein, agrees that electric vehicles will make only limited progress over the next 10 to 15 years. She argues that they will struggle because they will remain far too expensive and will face fierce competition from the incumbent technology – the internal combustion engine.

Even after a century of development, the internal combustion engine has the capacity to make major improvements in fuel economy, says Lang, rattling off three examples. “Stop/start” mechanisms that kill the engine when the car pauses in traffic can produce average fuel savings of 5 to 9 per cent, and will probably come as standard on all European models by 2015. Fitting cars with smaller engines and turbochargers will use 3 to 6 per cent less fuel to deliver the same performance as conventional engines. Injecting fuel directly into a petrol engine, rather than mixing it first with air in a carburettor, can raise fuel economy by another 3 to 5 per cent. “They aren’t headline grabbing technologies, necessarily,” says Lang, “but they are the low-hanging fruit of fuel efficiency and can reduce fuel consumption across the board.” She forecasts that these and other known technologies will lead to an improvement in efficiency of up to 30 per cent by 2020.

The upshot, according to Lang, is that car manufacturers can meet US and European standards simply by investing in incremental improvements to existing models, rather than struggling to sell more electric vehicles. Such investment could still have a dramatic impact on global oil demand. Although cars would still be fuelled largely by oil, another study shows how the increased efficiency of traditional engines would have much the same effect as electric vehicles. Analysts at engineering consultancy Ricardo in London surveyed the energy efficiency improvements being planned by car manufacturers and plugged them into a global model that includes factors such as government policies, demographics and gross domestic product. They were surprised to find that global oil demand would peak by the end of this decade, and could drop 10 per cent by 2035.

Like others, Ricardo concluded that electric vehicles would make little headway this decade, and that improvements in the efficiency of conventional engines would be the primary factor. Despite an 80 per cent rise in vehicle numbers by 2035, oil demand will fall largely because vehicle efficiency will more than double, claims Peter Hughes, head of Ricardo’s energy practice in London. Other factors lower fuel consumption too: the ageing population in key markets, because older people drive less; working from home; and the oil price, even though the model in Ricardo’s research assumes just $100 per barrel to 2035. The factors working against a growth in demand for oil are increasing in number and intensity, says Hughes. “The world is nearing a paradigm shift in oil demand.”

So what does the motor industry itself think lies ahead? That the internal combustion engine’s days are numbered, for one thing. In a recent survey, consultants KPMG asked 200 top executives of car companies how long they thought the traditional engine would continue to prevail over electric vehicles. Some 70 per cent answered 1 to 10 years, but only 18 per cent thought 10 to 20 years.

One reason for the result could be that electrification is now widely seen as the best way to make major reductions in transport emissions, even taking into account the emissions from generating the electricity in the first place. That is because electric vehicles are far more efficient than petrol cars. Take the Nissan Leaf. It is responsible for just 99 grams of CO2 per kilometre, even when charged on electricity generated by the average mix of coal, natural gas, nuclear and renewables. That makes it 40 per cent cleaner than a typical petrol car in Europe. And as electricity generation becomes cleaner, the emissions of electric vehicles will fall further still – unlike those of cars powered by biofuel or natural gas (see New Scientist, 25 February, p 48).

Lang points out that future improvements to the internal combustion engine will become progressively more expensive and less effective, while legally binding standards get tougher. She reckons the turning point will be 2025, when the US fuel economy standard reaches 54.5 miles per gallon (23 kilometres per litre) and Europe’s upper limit on CO2 emissions for new cars could be as low as 70 grams per kilometre. “It’s going to be very difficult to achieve that with low electrification,” says Lang. Both she and Hughes see electric vehicle sales beginning to take off from around that time.

Rebound effect
In one sense it doesn’t matter when electric vehicles supplant the internal combustion engine. As long as the motor industry delivers the expected efficiency gains somehow, the climate will benefit. But what if both sides of the argument are wrong, and neither technology delivers large cuts in oil demand?

Super-efficient engines may fail to change oil demand if their efficiency gains are eroded by the “rebound effect”, by which rising efficiency stimulates increased consumption. Researchers at the UK Energy Research Centre in London concluded that 10 to 30 per cent of the benefits could be lost because efficiency gains make it cheaper to drive, encouraging people to use their cars more.

Economic growth could hamper progress too: one scenario considered by the International Energy Agency indicates that improvements in fuel economy will be overwhelmed by rising vehicle numbers even if governments rigorously enforce tighter rules on energy efficiency. On the other hand, recession and fiscal austerity could hamper progress if governments start cutting back their financial support for electric vehicles.

If the forecasts of Deutsche Bank, Ricardo and Sanford C. Bernstein are anything to go by, the transition away from oil could be far less painful than many expect. But if technology fails to slake our thirst for oil, then supply will struggle to keep up with demand and peak oil may turn out to be a supply-side phenomenon after all, just as Hubbert predicted all those years ago.

Six degrees of electrification

• A micro hybrid has a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) with a “stop/start” mechanism that kills the engine whenever it pauses in traffic. This means it needs a more powerful lead-acid battery and starter motor. Advanced versions use this not just to start the engine, but also to drive the car briefly after it restarts, when running an ICE is at its least efficient. Offered as standard on many new cars, it can deliver fuel savings of 5 to 9 per cent. It is not generally considered to be an electric vehicle.

• A mild hybrid is somewhere between a micro and full hybrid. It has regenerative braking, which uses energy that would otherwise be lost as heat during braking to recharge the battery; a traction battery that is used to power the car instead of just the starter motor and peripherals; and an electric motor. But unlike the full hybrid, its electric motor only ever supplements the ICE and never powers the vehicle entirely by itself – so it is not considered an electric vehicle. One version of the Honda Civic is a mild hybrid.

• A hybrid, or full hybrid, such as the Toyota Prius, has an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a small nickel-metal hydride traction battery. All the electricity is generated on-board by the ICE or regenerative braking. The motors are arranged in parallel, so each can drive the wheels independently. Many combinations are possible, but typically the car will rely on electric power up to about 40 kilometres per hour, when the ICE takes over. The new Prius C can do up to 53 miles per gallon (22.5 kilometres per litre).

• A plug-in hybrid, such as the Volvo V60, has the same configuration as a hybrid, along with a socket to charge the battery from the grid.

• A range-extended electric vehicle, such GM’s Chevy Volt (or Vauxhall Ampera in Europe), is similar to a plug-in hybrid except that the ICE is only there to generate electricity for the battery and electric motor, and never drives the wheels directly. The vehicle travels on grid electricity only for the first 45 kilometres or so, and then switches to electricity from the ICE until the next recharge. The Volt does the equivalent of 40 kilometres per litre.

• A battery electric, such as the Nissan Leaf, has only a battery and electric motor and is entirely dependent on grid electricity and regenerative braking. The Leaf can travel about 160 kilometres on a single charge.

Article source: http://www.davidstrahan.com/blog/?p=1355

Ash came to China at 18 on a whim and never left. Some 10 years later he collected a degree and a family along the way and now focuses his time on watching the Chinese car industry develop. He has witnessed the market change from being minor backyard market in to the world’s biggest and most important market for all car manufacturers. You can contact or connect with him via Linkedin by clicking the ‘Website’ link.

More Posts – Website

Article source: http://www.chinacartimes.com/2012/05/17/china-puts-6-billion-rmb-960-mill-usd-energy-car-subsidies/

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Article source: http://www.4evriders.org/2012/05/usa-electric-vehicle-industry-gets-jolt-from-chargers/

London Leading the Way in Electric Vehicle Mobility but Collaboration is Key to Accelerate the EV Revolution, Says Hertz

PR Newswire — May 16, 2012

LONDON, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

- Everyone has a role to play in encouraging the further adoption of electric vehicles throughout the UK according to industry experts Office of Low Emissions Vehicles, Transport for London, PwC and Hertz – Continued collaboration efforts should focus on education, financial incentives, creating opportunities to trial and commitment to infrastructure development in order to drive EV access for all

The Hertz Corporation (NYSE: HTZ), the world’s largest general use car rental brand, today hosted a discussion with representatives from the Office of Low Emissions Vehicles, Transport for London’s Source London and PricewaterhouseCoopers on the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. Electric vehicles have become a reality in London, which is a leader in advancing a new model for mobility, but the speakers at the event suggested that collaboration will be key to accelerating EV adoption more widely throughout the UK for both consumers and businesses as well as enabling access for all.

Speaking at the event, Michel Taride, President, Hertz International and Executive Vice President, Hertz Corporation, said: “London is truly a leader in electric mobility – once a vision, electric vehicles and a charging infrastructure have now become a reality in our capital city. Our goal at Hertz is to help make smart mobility a viable, global reality by giving customers and communities access to sustainable transportation options along with alternatives to car ownership such as car share. The car rental industry, local and central government, charging station providers, businesses and consumers now need to come together and each play their role in spreading the EV revolution throughout the UK.”

At the event, Fraser Macdonald, Transport for London Project Manager, Source London, commented on the importance of collaboration and partnership: “We are still at the beginning of a journey and hope our story – one of optimizing partnerships, developing policy and aiding private and public sector partners to work together – will change the shape of London, develop a new market and deliver cleaner air for the capital.”

The other participants of the discussion included:

- Richard Bruce, Head of Office of Low Emissions Vehicles who provided insight into the electric vehicle situation in the UK, how charging networks will develop in the future, and Government initiatives. – Mark Avery, Head of Business Services, PwC who talked about the organization’s electric vehicle car solution, delivered in partnership with Hertz On Demand, and the benefits of EV car share as a solution for business travel today and in the future. – Fraser Macdonald, Transport for London, Project Manager, Source London, who provided a strategic overview of Source London and its plans for the future.

Mr. Taride continued: “Vehicle technology has advanced to make EVs a reality, but the network of charging stations to support usage is essential. Like London, cities need to have plans in place to develop EV networks; bringing together stakeholders including EV manufacturers, charging station providers and customers. In addition to on-street charging, corporations should install charging stations in buildings and business campuses to support fleet business cars as well as personal cars.”

Hertz also believes that education is key to encouraging mass adoption of EVs by consumers and businesses and that the car rental industry and government should launch a joint marketing campaign to educate people in the UK on the benefits of the new technologies; collaborating to make the electric revolution happen even faster.

In less than a year, Hertz’s global EV program and strategy, which is part of the Hertz rental offer and Hertz on Demand car share, has grown from a vision to a market reality in more than ten cities across three continents. Hertz offers the most diverse fleet of EVs and plug-in hybrids available in the rental market – from manufacturers including Nissan, Renault, Vauxhall Motors, Chevrolet, GM, Mitsubishi, and Tesla. In London Hertz data shows that the average electric vehicle rental is six hours, with an average journey of 16.81 miles.

About Hertz

Hertz is the world’s largest general use car rental company, operating from over 8,500 corporate locations in 150 countries worldwide. Hertz is in its 93rd year of delivering quality car rental solutions to leisure and corporate customers. Product and service innovations such as Hertz #1 Club Gold, Worldwide Online Check-in, specially designed NeverLost(R) satellite navigation systems, and unique cars offered through the company’s Prestige, Family, Fun/Adrenaline and Green Collections, set Hertz apart from the competition. For more information please go to http://www.hertz.com.

About Hertz Electric Vehicles

Hertz is the first car-rental company to deploy EVs and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric) on three continents — in the U.S. (available to the public in New York, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco), the U.K. (London), and China (Shanghai). As the world’s largest airport general-use car-rental brand, Hertz is introducing multiple groups of consumers – urban drivers, university students, travelers and corporations – to all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. As a result, the company is forming partnerships with automakers, charging-station providers (e.g., GE), municipalities, non-governmental organizations, corporations and other stakeholders to make EVs easily accessible to consumers.

Hertz plans to increase its global EV presence by deploying vehicles in other countries in the coming months. Hertz Global EV will continue to leverage the company’s rental and car sharing locations as bases for vehicles and charging stations, and tap into its technology – including sophisticated fleet management tools and consumer-facing GPS systems, including Hertz NeverLost in the U.S. – to help form an EV grid.

About Hertz On Demand

Hertz On Demand has more than 800 vehicles available to drive from more than 250 locations worldwide, including corporate offices and universities. Hertz On Demand offers vehicles equipped with keyless entry, and benefits covered by the competitive hourly rate including fuel, insurance, 24/7 roadside assistance, 24-hour in car Member Care Center communication. For more information, or to register, visit http://www.hertzondemand.com or http://www.hertzondemand.co.uk, or call Member Care Services at 877-654-4400 in the US or 08708-45-45-45 in the UK.

For more information please go to http://www.hertz.com.

About Source London

- Transport for London, as the Mayor’s transport authority, oversees the delivery and operation of the Source London network. – Membership of Source London allows for limitless re-charging of its publicly accessible network in locations across the city. – For more information or to register with Source London go to https://www.sourcelondon.net

Hertz Press Contacts

Caroline Trotman Dickenson Ketchum Pleon T: +44(0)20-7611-3686 E: caroline.trotman-dickenson@ketchumpleon.com

Luke Campbell Ketchum Pleon T: +44(0)207-611-3835 E: luke.campbell@ketchumpleon.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.120516103736542, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, PC/ticker, PC/ticker.bloomberg, PC/ticker.rics, RE/United_States_of_America, RE/United_Kingdom, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, IN/TRT, IN/GRE, SU/TDS, SU/SVY

Company Codes: NYSE:HTZ, Bloomberg:HTZ@US, RICS:HTZ.N

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Article source: http://ecofriendlytip.com/2012/05/16/london-leading-the-way-in-electric-vehicle-mobility-but-collaboration-is-key-to-accelerate-the-ev-revolution-says-hertz/

Article source: http://aboutmicro-news.blogspot.com/2012/05/chinas-dream-of-electric-car-leadership.html