BMW Investing in EVs

BMW designers, engineers, and production line workers are working on a new generation of EVs. BMW has announced it will invest about US$560 million in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing that will lead to a broader range of EVs.

BMW's hybrid strategy was initiated as “The Vision Efficient Dynamics model” first displayed at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009.

BMW's investments in EVs will create about 800 jobs at their Leipzig plant. By 2013, what BMW describes as its "Mega City Vehicle" will begin rolling off assembly lines. BMW has indicated that it may launch this Megacity electric car under a new brand vision. BMW expects sales for the Megacity will be “sizable” and the model will cost less than 60,000 euros.

The company is designing the Megacity as an electric-only car, saying that a distinct architecture is necessary for battery-powered driving. In addition to 400 million euro for the expansion activities at the company’s Leipzig factory, 530 million euro will be dedicated to a new carbon-fiber facility.

BMW and SGL Carbon SE, the world’s biggest manufacturer of carbon and graphite products, are building a $100 million factory in Moses Lake, Washington, to make the material for the Megacity models. The company claims that the carbon-fiber is employed to enhance the safety aspects, much found in Formula 1 race cars.

The BMW hybrid supercar, is a carbon-fiber, 4-seater with upward opening doors. The car's power-plant include a 3-cylinder diesel engine and twin electric motors. BMW may use a gasoline engine in markets like China and the U.S., where diesel engines aren’t popular.

BMW is scheduled to release its hybrid super car in 2013, this vehicle has an emission rate of 99gms of carbon dioxide/km and CO2 emissions reductions of 30%/km. With a 0 - 100km time of 4.8sec, there is no compromise in the car's performance. The hybrid supercar accelerates as fast as BMW's, 500 bhp V-10 engine powered, M6 supercar.

The car will be priced below the company’s Rolls-Royce models. Dr Norbert Reithofer, the CEO of the company disclosed that the BMW hybrid super car is intended to fill the need for enviro-care.

Reithofer defended its relatively slow development of EVs, by explaining that the move to electric power requires a "radical" redesign. Reithofer predicted that the sale volume of BMW's cars would increase to 2 million in another decade from the current 1.4 million units.

The carmaker targets “significant” sales volumes for the Vision Efficient Dynamics and will make it available on all major markets

BMW's first hybrid supercar is part of a broader effort to create more fuel- efficient vehicles.


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Mercedes-Benz Hybrids and Electric Cars

Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz will offer hybrid versions of its S-, E-, and C-Class models and its off-road vehicles. Daimler is developing vehicles that can be powered with combustion engines or electric motors on the same platform.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid's lithium ion battery pack has a 120-volt battery under the hood. When the driver demands more power to accelerate or pass, the electric motor, which also doubles as the starter motor and alternator, immediately provides 118 pound-feet of torque.

The S400 consumes an average of 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres, compared to the S550 and its 12.4 L/100 km. The car may help its owners to avoid current gas guzzler taxes in some jurisdictions.

The engine in the Mercedes-Benz E300 Bluetec Hybrid on display earlier this year in Geneva is a 2.2-liter diesel four with twin turbochargers that puts out 204 horsepower. That engine is also used in the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E250 Bluetec, shown at last year's New York Auto Show. The company estimated its fuel economy at 28 mpg city, 39 mpg highway.

The Bluetec Hybrid lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor are similar to those used in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid. Its 15-kilowatt electric motor and turbodiesel four have a fuel efficiency of 57.4 mpg on the European test cycle. The car has carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 109 grams per kilometer.

The E300 Bluetec Hybrid also offers electric-only driving for short distances, as well as using the electric motor to boost the engine under acceleration.

Daimler plans to begin using carbon-fiber parts in mass production cars starting in 2012. According to spokeswoman Eva Wiese, an electric version of its SLS gull-wing sports car with aluminum and plastic components will probably be built and introduced by 2013.


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Video Trailer: Revenge of the Electric Car

In 2006, as many as 5,000 modern electric cars were destroyed by the major car companies that built them. Today, less than 5 years later, the electric car is back... with a vengeance.

This video clip is the official trailer from the movie "Revenge of the Electric Car," the much anticipated follow up to the disturbing movie "Who Killed the Electric Car," the story of how big auto crushed the EV.

With almost every major car maker now jumping to produce new electric models, Revenge follows the race to be the first, the best, and to win the hearts and minds of the public around the world. It’s not just the next generation of green cars that’s on the line. It’s the future of the automobile itself.

Revenge of the Electric Car goes behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and Tesla to find the story of the global resurgence of electric cars. This new generation of car is faster and cleaner than ever.

The movie features interviews with Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk, GM’s Bob Lutz, The New York Time’s Tom Friedman, and various other analysts, entrepreneurs and auto makers. The movie will be launched in Spring 2011.

To have the film screened near you go to the film's official site.


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Video: Chevrolet Volt Test Drive

Both Motor Trend and Automobile magazines joined Green Car Journal in naming the Chevrolet Volt the 2011 car of the year. The Volt is touted as one of the greenest cars on the market. This video reviews the efficiency instruments in the Volt. Mobile applications give you remote access to your car, including remote starting and charge monitoring. On the right of dashboard there's a floating ball that glows green when you're driving efficiently then turns a fiery orange when you are taxing the power plant.

A friendly horn, which is quieter than a regular horn, is designed to warn pedestrians who may not hear you due to the lack of noise from the electric engine. While most electric cars have a good deal of low end torque, the Volt has a sport button that delivers more power to provide rapid acceleration (0-60 in 9 seconds). This is considerably faster acceleration than the industry leading Prius.

The Volt has many of the qualities of an electric car, but due to its gas engine, drivers do not need to be concerned about electric refueling.

Although it costs more than a Toyota Prius or a Ford Fusion Hybrid and almost twice the price of the Nissan Leaf, the Volt offers some appealing advantages. The ride feels rock solid, yet it is also light and responsive. While the Volt looks good, some have criticized the fact that it lacks character for such a revolutionary vehicle.


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Video: Chevrolet Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf

The choice between the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf comes down to a vehicle that does not burn fossil fuels and one that does not come with the fear that you will run out of electric charge.

Both are greener cars, but as the Leaf is an entirely electric powered car, there are no emissions and it is therefore more sustainable. Although the Volt is more expensive, it has a gas engine for trips greater than 40 miles. The fear that you will run out of charge is known as "range anxiety," and for the Leaf this is a valid concern.

While the Leaf is a zero emission car and therefore more sustainable than the Volt, for those who need more than the 100 mile range offered by the Leaf, this car will prove impractical.


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Competition in the 2011 Greener Car Market

Hybrid and fully electric vehicles have been steadily growing in popularity and 2011 is going to be the biggest year yet for greener cars. Most major manufacturers have announced plans to electrify their vehicles. Some are designing from scratch, while others are electrifying their gas powered platforms.

The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt may be the two best known 2011 green cars, but they will have to compete with up to three dozen electric or hybrid vehicles that are expected to hit the market by 2015.

There are a diverse assortment of hybrid vehicles for the 2011 model year, including the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, the Lexus CT 200h, the Kia Optima Hybrid, the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, and the Infiniti M35h Hybrid.

Other greener cars include an electric version of Honda's Fit, its popular five-passenger hatchback, which it says will have a range of 100 miles and will fully recharge in six hours. Toyota is making an electric version of its RAV 4. Toyota has also joined forces with Tesla, to provide a sleek new sedan.

Many of these cars are capable of extraordinary performance.The Tesla has breathtaking acceleration that includes a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds. The Touareg has a top speed of 150 mph. Ford’s Fusion Hybrid delivers the fuel efficiency and added performance that define most hybrids, but unlike many of its peers, it can be driven at speeds of up to 75 km/h on electric power alone. These cars also get high mileage and offer low or no emissions.

Electric and hybrid cars are increasingly popular. The electric Tesla roadster is one of the electric cars that you will soon be able to rent from Hertz at airports and in their car-sharing program in New York City, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco.

The diverse hybrid and electric car offerings for 2011 demonstrate that greener cars are becoming mainstream.


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Honda's CR-Z and Second Generation Hybrids

Earlier this year Honda launched the CR-Z hybrid car, and in July it won an award for the best green sports car of 2010. The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are the veterans of the hybrid vehicle market, but the CR-Z is a sleek new coupe specifically geared towards younger drivers.

The affordable CR-Z offers a fuel economy of between 35 and 40 mpg. The new Honda has a 10kW electric motor, a nickel-metal hydride battery and a six-speed manual transmission. What makes this car distinct is the way it handles. Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear make the suspension firm and sporty.

The CR-Z employs Honda's Integrated Motor Assist which uses both gas and electric power all the time. The engine's management system decides when to use the electric motor as a power boost and when to use it as a generator, charging the battery on the overrun and under braking. The car comes with three settings, Econ, Normal and Sport. In Econ mode Honda claims fuel consumption of five litres/100km. The CR-Z's also employs a stop-start system.

The instrumentation includes LED bar-graphs for fuel and battery and a "green-ness" icon. The onboard computer also calculates your "eco-score" at the end of each trip and compares it to your previous trips.

Honda understands that hybrids cannot get by on their green credentials alone. The CR-Z is a well designed, great looking vehicle inside and out. It has a host of features including hill hold, rear parking sensors, shift indicator, stability control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-pressure distribution and emergency brake assist. There are also six crash bags, pre-tensioned seatbelts and active head restraints.

The CR-Z targets a very specific market sector and it is leading a second wave of more specialized hybrids that are now coming to market. Hybrids are coming of age and this second generation reflects a new level of maturity.
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Volkswagen's Dirty Automotive Brands

Volkswagen may be receiving awards for their greener cars, but other automotive brands belonging to the company have large environmental footprints.

Volkswagen owns three of the world's most exotic brands, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley, yet even these gas guzzling car companies are striving to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

The Porsche 918 Spyder, was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. With its three electric motors, Porsche claims that in the "Eco" mode (one of the car's four settings), the Spyder gets an astounding 94.1 mpg and emits just 70g carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer. However in this mode the battery has a range of only 16 miles.

In "Race" mode, the car's power plant is supplemented by two electric motors giving it an extra 218 horsepower. The electric motors also redirect energy lost in braking back to the wheels. Despite the car's dynamic use of mobile electricity, the 918 is primarily powered by a 500-horsepower V8 internal combustion engine. The car is a marvelous feat of engineering, it can get from 0-62 mph in just 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 198 mph, but at these speeds, it is also devours fossil fuels and emits high levels of emissions.

Although Bentley claims it will cut CO2 emissions and fuel consumption 15 per cent by 2012, the Bentley Brooklands emits CO2 at a rate of 465g of CO2 per kilometer. According to the EPA, the company currently makes some of the least fuel efficient cars on the US market. The Bentley Continental GTC, with a 12 cyl, 6 L engine gets only 10 mpg (17 hwy). The Bentley Azure, 8 cyl, 6.8 L and the Bentley Brooklands, 8 cyl, 6.8 L get only 9 mpg (15 hwy). According to the EPA, the only cars with worse fuel economy are manufactured by Volkswagen's other brand Lamborghini.

Despite dropping CO2 emission 20.5 percent in 2010 compared to the previous model, The Lamborghini Murcielago still emits CO2 at a rate of 539g of CO2 per kilometer. The EPA lists Lamborghini as the manufacturer of the least fuel efficient car in the US. The Lamborghini Murcielago, 12 cyl, 6.5 L and the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, 12 cyl, 6.5 L, get only 8 mpg (13 hwy).

Volkswagen is advancing greener car technologies, including cars powered by methane from human waste, but there is nothing green about the vehicles produced by some of the company's other brands. Owning companies that manufacture some of the most environmentally destructive cars on the planet obscures Volkswagen's new brand.
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