ABC News recently did a segment on the Chevy Volt, calling it "the automotive equivalent of the moon shot." Most of it you've heard before -- GM's in trouble, if the Volt doesn't work then it means more doom, and "industry experts" don't believe the Volt will come out in time. But there was a glimpse of the production model of the car, including the interior.
One intriguing line was, "it will look a lot more like a typical 4-door than the show car concept." The front quarter view you get of the clay model is quite a bit altered from the concept, but still slick. The presenter also calls the interior reminiscent of Apple, but unless he means the fact that there's not a button in sight, it doesn't look much like an Apple. It's got a nice steering wheel, though.
Either way, we really hope GM pulls this one off. But frankly, no one knows if that will happen, and that includes, apparently, GM. So we have to wait until November 2010 to see if Lutz ("Yes!") or the Volt engineer ("We'll see...") is correct. Until then, get your bets in now, folks.
Cadillac recently provided some Detroit-area media an opportunity to drive the new Cadillac Escalade hybrid. From a driving perspective the Escalade is indistinguishable from the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids, which should come as no surprise since it is mechanically identical. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as these big SUVs are the most fuel-efficient of their type. One area where we had hoped to see a difference, however, was in the hybrid signage. When the Tahoe and Yukon launched, their flanks were emblazoned with huge hybrid stickers. They've apparently done little to stimulate sales. Unfortunately, the Escalades on hand for the drive were similarly marked, though the lettering was a bit more subdued. Nonetheless, we asked Cadillac officials, "Will it be possible for customers to order a hybrid without the rocker panel and window graphics?" The response was that all hybrids would be shipped from the factory with the decals. However, at customer request, the dealers can easily remove the lettering with a heat gun. We also learned that some states actually prohibit any stickers on the glass, so vehicles shipped to those states will go without the windshield and tailgate decals from the factory. Even without the sticker package, the Escalade still has prominent hybrid badges on the fender vents, the C-pillar and tailgate, so no one is likely to miss what it is.
If vehicles could be sainted, stained-glass artists all over the U.S. would be busy figuring out the best colors for the Toyota Prius to shine in. Brand new examples of the motorized mollusk that everyone can't wait to buy spend just five days on dealer lots. Last year's model lasts just fifteen days more.
The real coup, however, is in the prices. An unused Prius requires about $26,672 to take home. The used version, with fewer than 10,000 miles, goes for around $27,945. That's right, nearly $1,300 more. More incredible: a 2007 model with more than 22,000 miles will only save you $276 compared to the price of a shiny new 2008. We're not sure you can even call that depreciation.
Toyota is increasing Prius production, but that'll take a moment to be felt on dealer lots. In the mean time, if you absolutely have to have a hybrid, we see a Malibu in your future...
Mainstream automakers are faced with the reality of improving the efficiency and cleanliness of everyday vehicles, but companies like Porsche and Lamborghini say drastic change would effect the underlying character of their products. Ferrari apparently doesn't feel the same way, as the exotic automaker has pledged to cut emissions 40 percent by 2012. Like most other automakers, Ferrari plans on tackling its emissions problems on several fronts. It will improve the efficiency of its current powertrains, add new engines, possibly including a turbocharged V6, and bring a hybrid to market that could incorporate Ferrari's Kinetic Energy Recycling System (KERS) employed on its F1 cars, which uses a CVT connected to a flywheel that stores energy under braking. Prancing stallion president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo told a German newspaper that the hybrid Ferrari would be available around 2015. If anybody can make a hybrid supercar that is entertaining, efficient, exotic, and extremely fast, we're betting on the guys and gals over at Ferrari.
Mercedes-Benz has laid out a long Road to the Future, detailing its efforts to create "fuel-efficient and environmentally-sustainable premium automobiles without the need to forgo the characteristic brand features." That's fancy talk for having your German chocolate cake and eating it, too.
The three areas on which the tri-pointed star wants to focus are fitting vehicles with the latest internal combustion engine technology, including smaller engines, gasoline direct injection, turbocharging, and BlueTEC; improving vehicle aerodynamics, weight, and energy management (BlueEFFICIENCY); adding more "hybrid" technologies like start/stop functions and a fully-electric-capable 2-mode hybrid drive; and creating zero-emissions vehicles.
Mercedes wants diesels as clean as gas engines, gas engines as efficient as diesels, diesel hybrids, lighter cars, better gas mileage, leprechauns, unicorns, and rainbows for everyone. Well, not those last three, but you get the picture. To understand the full sweep of Mercedes' efforts, follow the jump for the full press release.
First Honda said it was going to press the reset button on its hybrid efforts and come out with something bolder than the Civic Hybrid. Then it laid out plans for a number of hybrids that would be priced considerably more aggressively than the Toyota Prius. One of the concepts, the funky CR-Z, has already got people abuzz.
More details have emerged about the first hybrid to appear, a 5-door hatch with unique styling that's based on the Fit, but three inches taller and one inch wider. It will use the Civic Hybrid's Integrated Motor Assist technology and mate that car's 1.3-liter engine with 94 hp to a 15kW electric motor powered by a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. Fuel economy, according to insider predictions, will be somewhere around 71 - 82 miles per gallon, but that's based on Japanese domestic use. Expect a drop for U.S. comparison.
Honda is considering a return to the name "Insight" for its first new hybrid, which we're all for. The Insight was a brilliant little ride, and we never understood why Honda let it go. Though it was low on practicality with only two seats and not much storage, it was a purpose-built vehicle for big mpg numbers. This potential new Insight will be Honda's global hybrid, and the company expects to sell 100,000 of them in the U.S. annually. Add this to the other three hybrids Honda is planning, and Honda's hybrid future -- assuming it delivers as promised -- looks quite bright.
Cars can be dangerous objects, there's no doubt about it. While the most obvious danger is definitely an accident while driving, there are other ways your car could kill you. Exhaust from gasoline vehicles is very dangerous, and diesel soot can get lodged on your brain, so we advise against its inhalation whenever possible. But don't let those environmentally friendly hybrids and electric cars fool you... they can be silent killers, too. There have been many ideas thrown around in an effort to make hybrid vehicles safer for blind people who may have a hard time hearing the stealthy vehicles approach. Some of these ideas are better than others. Take, for instance, the Vibering concept, which is able to sense approaching doom by listening for key sounds made by a car like the Prius or other hybrid model. When worn in conjunction with its companion watch, the Vibering listens and alerts its wearer whenever a vehicle may be coming and how far it is from making impending contact. We're not sure what technology it's using to "listen" for identifying sounds, but the idea is solid. Imagine a government mandate that required all hybrids to emit an inaudible sound that could be detected by seeing eye dogs or a device worn on the wrist.
Last month, a major announcement was made regarding an effort between Nissan and Chrysler to share products. Specifically, Nissan will build a small car for Chrysler and receive a large truck in return. It seems as if the Pentastar brand could use some more help when it comes to offering the types of vehicles that the public wants as quickly as possible. To that end, Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli says, "If we can have similar arrangements ... and it makes financial sense and supports our dealer network relative to what customers are telling them they want, we're going to go do it." What customers want is fuel efficient vehicles, something which Chrysler is not exactly well positioned with at the moment.
In related news, Nardelli also mentions that Chrysler sees hybrids and electric cars as the most viable options moving forward to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The first hybrid vehicles from Chrysler are expected to be the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUV's, which use a version of the dual mode hybrid system that is currently offered by GM on the Tahoe and Yukon.
Toyota announced today that worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota Prius have passed the 1 million mark. While that milestone is impressive, more astounding is the fact that sales of the gasoline/electric hybrid continue to increase year-after-year -- even without a model change.
The Toyota Prius has been sold in Japan since 1997. However, it wasn't introduced into the U.S. market until 2000 (as a 2001 model). The first compact models sold in the States didn't exactly fly out of the showroom (North American sales in 2001 were only 16,000 units), but the innovative vehicles educated customers to the benefits of hybrid technology, and paved the groundwork for the current-generation Prius with its updated Toyota Hybrid System II technology. The current model (pictured above) was first sold in 2005. As owners will boast, it is often recognized as the most fuel efficient vehicle sold in the United States. With fuel prices skyrocketing, the gas-sipping sedan has been hot from day one, regardless of its looks or ergonomics. In 2005, Toyota pushed 109,000 units out the door. Last year, 183,000 found new homes in North America alone and through the first four months of 2008, over 107,000 have been sold. If going green is your thing and the current model doesn't do it for you, Toyota will introduce the 3rd-generation Prius in January at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Toyota lawyers arrived at the U.S. Supreme Court today and were denied an appeal to overturn a ruling originally upheld by a federal appeals court in Washington last year. The case involved a technology patent held by a company named Paice LLC, which contended that Toyota used the same microprocessor developed by the McLean, Virginia-based company on its hybrid vehicles that inputs torque information for both the gasoline-powered engine and the electric motor. The $4.3 million dollar award against Toyota will stand, and Toyota is required to pay royalties to the firm to the tune of $25 for every Prius, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h sold. Ouch. Sometimes the price of success is steep.
