Enrolling two all-electric iMiEVs for this year’s Pikes Peak, Mitsubishi Motors North America is aiming to make history by fielding its first full EV assault with a purpose-built Evolution racer and a production spec version at this legendary event.

The Evolution racer features a unique tubular space frame chassis, and specifically designed carbon fiber bodywork, as well as an advanced version of the firm’s All-Wheel-Control system. It utilizes iMiEV production spec electric motors and lithium ion battery pack. The Evolution racer will be piloted by veteran rally driver Hirosi Masuoka, winner of the 2002-03 Dakar as well as the Italian Baja and UAE events.

Joining him will be Becky Gordon, SCORE series competitor and Baja 1000 racer, who will drive the production i-MiEV up Pikes Peak. This car is nigh to identical to those currently available in Mitsubishi showrooms, save for front and rear spoilers to aid aerodynamics, plus a roll cage and safety harness, along with performance tuned shocks and springs, to better cope with the terrain.

The 2012 running of Pikes Peak started on Tuesday with preliminary procedures and festivities and culminates with the big hill climb August 12. For more information, click this link.

The post Mitsubishi i-MiEVs Get Ready For Pikes Peak appeared first on HybridCars.com.

This week General Motors’ investment arm, GM Ventures, announced a stake in the NanoSteel Company, Inc., an innovator in nano-structured steel material designs that could lead to lighter weight vehicles with improved fuel economy and un-compromised safety.

As the General along with other automakers seeks to meet tough CAFE regulations imposed by the Obama Administration in coming years, it is positioning itself now to benefit from new lightweight materials and manufacturing processes to produce vehicles that outperform their predecessors.

NanoSteel says its new class of steel made through the development of patented alloys more than fits this criteria as it allows automakers to continue working with familiar steel and avoid having to refit a plant for new manufacturing techniques.

“NanoSteel’s new steel design is an alternative to other light-weighting materials which may cost more, require new investment in parts production and have performance limitations,” says NanoSteel.

The 10-year-old company says its nanosteel allows automotive engineers and designers to reduce weight through the use of thinner, higher strength gauges while maintaining the structural integrity needed for safety.

Although GM so far hasn’t disclosed the exact dollar amount of the NanoSteel investment, it does enable the NanoSteel to complete its Series C round of financing and joins previous investments by EnerTech Capital, Fairhaven Capital Partners and five other shareholders.

“We are investing in NanoSteel because of the opportunity associated with their new steel alloy technology,” said Jon Lauckner, GM’s chief technology officer and president of GM Ventures. “Over the next several years, light-weighting of vehicles will be a major focus area to improve fuel economy. NanoSteel’s nano-structured alloys offer unique material characteristics that are not available today, making them a potential game-changer.”

Dave Paratore, president of the NanoSteel Company, Inc., said the company is heartened by an investment by the world’s largest automaker’s investment arm, and said it should be mutually beneficial.

“GM Ventures investment in NanoSteel demonstrates its confidence in our company’s potential to achieve widespread impact on the auto industry through our proprietary steel designs.,” said Paratore . “With the support of General Motors’ automotive expertise and technology leadership, we can accelerate the final phases of development of our nano-structured AHSS in the quest to economically lightweight vehicles.”

The post GM Ventures Invests in NanoSteel appeared first on HybridCars.com.

A few months ago, in China, BYD (Build Your Dreams) hit the headlines when one of its e6 electric vehicles caught fire and burned to the ground after being hit by a Nissan GT-R, killing the vehicle’s three occupants. At the time, the e6’s battery pack was seen as a root cause of the fire and deaths; however, a new investigation by Chinese authorities has revealed the high-speed impact of the accident was to blame and the occupants of the taxi were killed when the GT-R barreled into the e6 at a speed of 110 mph.

The news is a welcome relief for BYD, which has invested heavily in electric vehicle battery technology and saw its share price tumble in the wake of the accident. In a recently issued statement following the investigation, BYD said that the power batteries of the vehicle did not explode, “72 single-cell batteries (accounting for 75 percent of all the 96 power batteries) did not catch on fire.” Furthermore, “the design of the battery system in relation to the installation layout on the vehicle, the insulation protection and the high voltage system are reasonable,” BYD remarked. “No flaws in the safety design of the vehicle were revealed.”

The investigation was conducted by Shenzhen City’s Quality Inspection Office, in conjunction with officers from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, the Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport, the Tianjin Fire Research Institute, the fire department of Guangdong Province as well as the North Vehicle Research Institute.

Reuters via Autoblog Green

The post Batteries Not to Blame in BYD EV Fire appeared first on HybridCars.com.

During a visit to the UK, Toyota Honorary Chairman Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, personally handed over the keys of a Prius plug-in PHEV, to the car’s first fleet customer, Electricity North West, a utility company which provides power to customers in a region stretching from Greater Manchester in the south, to the Scottish border in the north.

The car in question; was accepted by Susan Stockwell, customer service director for the Electricity North West. Upon receiving the vehicle, Stockwell said that, “as the North West’s electricity network operator, we are delighted to be the UK’s first owner of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid. We are working hard to ensure that our network can support electric car charging points to help the country reduce its carbon footprint, so it’s only right that we have our own plug-in vehicle. The short charging time of the Prius was certainly a big selling point for us.”

Ewan Shepherd, General Manager for Toyota/Lexus in the UK, added,” it was an honor for us to have Dr. Toyoda here for the hand-over of a car that is such an exciting and innovative proposition for our fleet customers.”

The Prius Plug-In Hybrid is able to cover a distance of approximately 15.5 miles on pure electric power and can have its battery pack fully recharged in around 90 minutes, significantly less time than most pure EVs.

The post Toyota Delivers First Fleet Customer Prius Plug-In appeared first on HybridCars.com.

For the rescheduled Pikes Peak Hillclimb next weekend, not-for-profit concern, the Fuel Freedom Foundation, is putting its support behind two methanol-powered cars, driven by six-time Pikes Peak winner Paul Dallenbach and his nephew, Wyatt.

According to Eyal Aronoff, co-founder of Fuel Freedom, sponsoring cars competing in the Pikes Peak event is important “because it demonstrates that professional drivers prefer methanol, ethanol and electricity over gasoline. If they are free to choose what fuel they put in their cars, why can’t you have this choice when we drive up to the pump?”

Methanol is already widely used in motorsports circles, including the IZOD IndyCar series and until 1995 was commercially available at California filling stations. It can be produced from various (and widely abundant) waste products such as agricultural and municipal generated effluent and compost, as well as wood pulp, animal feedstocks and natural gas.

Fuel Freedom clearly sees value in promoting vehicles that compete in a highly visible event such as Pikes Peak and recently issued a press statement declaring that “if [regulatory and commercial] barriers [to alternative fuels] were lifted, methanol, ethanol, natural gas and electricity could compete on an equal footing with gasoline. Consumers could have $2-a-gallon fuel and a choice over what they purchase.”

The 90th running of Pikes Peak will also boost another alternative fuel contender, in the shape of Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, who will be running his all-electric racer, the Monster Sport E-RUNNER (Tajima won the event last year driving a highly modified Suzuki SX4, setting a record with a time of 9 minutes 51.278 seconds).

Clean Technica

The post Fuel Freedom Backing Pikes Peak Racers appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Fuel cell London Taxis in use for the Olympic games are being shipped to Swindon, Wiltshire in the western UK, for refueling, amid security concerns in London.

The cabs are loaded onto diesel car transporters and driven to Honda UK’s facilities for refueling, before being driven back and off-loaded, a round trip of 130 miles. Initially it had been planned to use a hydrogen refueling station close to the site of the games at Olympic Park in London, however, that facility has now been closed because of security concerns.

As a result, the Swindon facility in South Marston is now the closest station to London and the games. Nick Rolf, innovation manager for hydrogen systems at gas conglomerate BOC, which operates the South Marston station, recently said in reference to the cabs, “they are going to fill up twice this week, on Tuesday and Thursday or Friday. Our understanding is that they are not driving; they are coming on the back of a transporter. If they drive to Swindon they’re not going to have any fuel left by the time they get back.”

However, considering the amount of diesel fuel required by the trucks that transport the taxis to Swindon and back, some are questioning the expense and need for employing the hydrogen cabs on shuttle duties at all, especially since London already has thousands of diesel powered Hackney Carriages and many cabbies are struggling to find fares during the games, due to route restrictions and a simple lack of customers.

Swindon Advisor, Daily Telegraph

The post Fuel Cell Olympic Cabs Transported by Diesel Trucks appeared first on HybridCars.com.

According to information compiled by consultancy firm Baum & Associates, sales of clean diesel vehicles in the U.S. jumped by 27.5 percent during the first half of 2012.

Diesel sales have seen incremental increases in the last two years, witnessing double-digit gains in 20 out of the last 23 months. Although diesel volume in the U.S. still lags far behind that of Europe, where oil burning cars account for more than 50 percent of the market, the gains represent very significant ones, especially for a nation where, less than a decade ago, diesel was still considered a dirty word by many motorists.

Diesel volume is expected to increase significantly in the U.S., with new models introduced as automakers strive to meeting tightening Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which given current rules, will require a fleet-wide wide “54.5” miles per gallon by 2020. In fact, data from Pike Research indicates that diesels will make up 12.4 percent of the market by 2018.

Among the oil burning vehicles expected within the next 18-24 months included a Cadillac ATS diesel, Chevy Cruze diesel, Ford Transit Connect diesel, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda SkyActiv-D.

Updated versions of diesel cars previously sold here are also on the way, including a new generation VW Beetle TDi and Mercedes S-Class BlueTec.

Autoguide

The post Clean Diesel Vehicle Sales up 27.5 Percent appeared first on HybridCars.com.

In Southern California, Shell has announced the opening of its fourth demonstration hydrogen fueling station in Newport Beach. Those operating hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the area will be trained to use the pump dispensers via personal access codes.

The station will be open 24 hours day and Shell says it expects around 10-12 drivers to use the two pumps on a daily basis.

Matias Sanchez Cane, North American commercial manager for Shell Alternative Energies, said that the “demonstration hydrogen filling stations allow [us] to evaluate a range of different technologies and learn valuable lessons about costs, consumer behavior and how to dispense it efficiently to different vehicles. To reduce costs and achieve its commercial potential, hydrogen requires considerable cooperation between fuel providers, carmakers, equipment suppliers and governments.”

Shell opened its first hydrogen filling station in California back in 2008 and last year, in Torrance, opened its first hydrogen dispensing facility that uses a pipeline feed to supply the gas. Further stations are expected as technology in fuel cell vehicles and infrastructure develops.

The post Shell Hydrogen Station Opens in Newport Beach appeared first on HybridCars.com.

As policymakers and the industry rush as fast as they can into the electrified vehicle future, eyes will be on a number of potential paradigm shifts.

Among these were factors revealed by a recent report by global consultancy firm Frost & Sullivan which predicts a massive increase in EV charging units in the U.S. from just 10,000 or so today to 4.1 million by 2017.

Although public charging units are expected to crest to around 500,000 installations, the biggest growth is likely to come from residential units; 3.5 million according to the report.

What’s more, because of cost considerations, it’s believed most of those residential units will be level 1 charging devices, which– unlike level 2 units – do not require installation by an approved electrician. Level 1 chargers in fact use only 120-volt household current, and merely plug into the standard wall receptacle while providing a cord to reach the vehicle’s charging socket.

For most EV owners this would mean overnight charging at home will be essential for operating their vehicles. In many cases, a full charge will take 10-12 hours.

But, given the emphasis on a modern 24/7 culture, that could pose an inconvenience, although automakers and technology companies are also working to reduce down time via new-generation batteries and improved charging devices.

Utility companies are also keeping their eyes open to prevent over-burdening local grids and it’s believed electricity supply challenges will be met as needed.

The predicted rise in EV charging stations further represents an interesting juxtaposition against conventional gasoline filling stations, which in most Western countries have been on the decline in recent years.

According to data from the National Petroleum News Survey, the number of gas stations in the U.S has been dropping significantly in the last two decades. From 202,878 in 1994, there were 164,292 in 2007 (the most recent year we could obtain figures).

Although it’s still far too early to predict, there is a possibility that sometime in the future, driving an EV could actually prove far more convenient that filling up at the pump.

Green Car Reports via DOE

The post 4.1 Million EV Charging Stations by 2017 appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Chrysler Group has said that alongside the more widespread adoption of 8-speed transmissions, it’s also planning to introduce 9-speed units next year.

Since its restructuring Chrysler hasn’t invested a great deal in alternative powertrains or downsized engines, instead relying on more gears to boost fuel economy. Such an approach requires less of an investment than developing EVs or plug-in hybrids and so far, appears to be working in Chrysler’s favor.

“They’re getting tremendous differentiation from their old product,” remarked Alan Baum, an auto industry forecaster with West Bloomfield, Mich. based Baum & Associates who also collaborates with HybridCars.com on its monthly Dashboard.

The introduction of 8-speed transmission has boosted the popularity of certain Chrysler models, including V6-powered 300 and Dodge Charger sedans, sales of which are up 68 percent in 2012, due to advertised 31 miles per gallon combined fuel ratings from the EPA.

However, some say there are limits to just how much more efficiency Chrysler can squeeze out of transmissions with more gears. The North American president of transmission maker ZF, Julio Caspari said in a recent interview with Automotive News, that there is just an 11-percent differentiation between today’s transmissions and a theoretically “perfect” unit.

With Fiat’s troubles in Europe, CEO Sergio Marchionne’s strategy toward meeting proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets has so far proved to be a prudent one (with $1.3 billion invested in transmission development since 2007).

That said; it will be interesting to see just how far it can go and if it does indeed prove to be a worthwhile option versus heavier investment in EV and hybrid technology, which so far, hasn’t provided significant returns for many automakers.

Bloomberg

The post Chrysler to Introduce 9-speed Transmissions appeared first on HybridCars.com.