“We’re hoping that by 2011, overall diesel sales will have ramped up in the US,” a source at BMW, who asked not to be named, told HybridCars.com. “If America starts to embrace diesel, it will allow us to market this vehicle with more confidence.” Unfortunately, BMW apparently does not expect a quick change of public sentiment regarding diesel. USA Today reports that BMW executives have been disappointed with sales of clean diesel vehicles to date. The persistent hurdles for diesel have been the higher cost—both for fuel and the vehicles—and a nagging public perception that diesel fuel is dirty, expensive, and hard to find.

BMW and fellow German carmakers, including Audi, Mercedes and Volkswagen, are pushing forward into the US diesel market. Yet, all six of the main US car sellers—General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan—have dropped or delayed plans to introduce diesel cars into the North American market.

BMW currently offers two 50-state clean diesel vehicles—the BMW 335d sedan and BMW X5 xDrive35d SUV, carrying hefty price tags of $44,725 and $52,025 respectively. The 335d, which provides a city/highway average fuel economy rating of 29 mpg, is eligible for an “alternative vehicle” credit of $900. The X5 xDrive35d, with an average rating of 23 mpg, qualifies for a $1,550 tax credit.

Pricing for the BMW X1 has not yet been announced.

Ground-Breaking Mileage, If BMW Goes Forward

The X1, a small five-passenger premium utility, is expected to offer fuel efficiency approaching 43 miles per gallon. The clean diesel X1 would become the only vehicle in either the luxury class or the small SUV segment to offer more than 40 miles to the gallon in the United States.

Although BMW has kept much of the technical details under wraps, the carmaker revealed that the X1 comes under the company’s “Efficient Dynamics” initiative. This means it could feature mild hybrid features, such as stop-start and regenerative braking, as well as lightweight steel chassis components designed to maximize efficiency.

The X1 will utilize Dynamic Stability Control and will come in both rear- and four-wheel drive configurations. Safety features include six airbags and active head restraints. Cargo versatility will be provided by a 40/20/40 split rear seat.

If the X1 does manage to get to American shores, it will most likely be eligible for a federal tax credit as an “alternative” vehicle.

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When the Insight was introduced in early 2009, the automotive press gushed with praise. Reviewers claimed that the Honda Insight is more compelling and fun to drive than the quintessential gas-electric car, the Toyota Prius, which is bigger, faster, and uses a more sophisticated third-generation of hybrid technology. The Los Angeles Times’s Dan Neil described the Insight as “impeccably constructed, well planned and honeyed with high-tech surfaces and materials. Nothing feels cheap or compromised.” Road Track’s Dennis Simanaitis wrote, “The Insight will make a significant contribution to sustainable mobility.” Edmunds.com reviewers said, “Given its impressive talents and attractive price, it’s hard to fault the 2010 Honda Insight.”

But in the past few weeks, a number of critics have found it quite easy to find faults with the Insight—harshly criticizing the car for the very traits that have allowed Honda to keep down the price.

1The Honda Insight doesn’t feel solid.

David Champion, senior director of the Consumer Reports auto test center, said, “The Insight is a noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling that is nothing like the Fit on which it is based.”

2The Honda Insight is underpowered.

Scott Burgess of the Detroit News, wrote, “The Insight can feel underpowered at times, especially on the highway…There are paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel, which can help a driver improve the car’s pickup but can also make the engine scream like a toddler.”

3The Honda Insight’s engine is buzzy.

UK reviewer, Jeremy Clarkson, wrote, “The Honda’s petrol engine is a much-shaved, built-for-economy, low-friction 1.3 that, at full chat, makes a noise worse than someone else’s crying baby on an airliner. It’s worse than the sound of your parachute failing to open. Really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer.”

4The Honda Insight is too small.

Edward Loh of Motor Trend explained, “While the Prius qualifies as a midsize car, the 2009 Insight is a compact: shorter by 2.7 inches overall and 5.9 inches between the wheels. The Insight is also 1.2 inches narrower, with a roof height 2.5 inches lower, which is why Honda tells you its Prius-fighter is the more similarly sized Civic Hybrid.” Dan Edmunds of Edmunds.com, wrote, “Those approaching 6 feet in height will feel the roof and wish for more legroom [in the backseat]. The Insight’s 100.4-inch wheelbase needs an additional inch or two. This, above all, reminds us that the Insight is indeed a compact car.”

Did early praise leave the Honda Insight open to hatchet jobs by contrary reviewers seeking dramatic headlines? Did the initial euphoria about an affordable hybrid wear off? Or did it just take time for the press to narrow in on the Insight’s shortcomings?

In the end, the look and feel of a car is subjective. Consumers shopping for a fuel-efficient hybrid will have to get behind the wheel and pass their own judgment on the feeling of solidity, the sound from the engine, and the ability of a compact car to provide enough space to meet their needs. Meanwhile, the hard numbers speak for themselves: $20,000, a long list of cutting-edge features, seating for five, and average city-highway mileage of 41 mpg.

The post Reviewers Hurl Criticism at 2010 Honda Insight appeared first on HybridCars.com.

“Though the model name has not been officially announced, this is a very real car,” BMW spokesperson, Matthew Russell, told Hybridcars.com. “As of right now, it is internally referred to as just the 7-Series Active Hybrid, and it’s due out some time early next year in the US.” The car will make its world debut at the Frankfurt International Auto Show later this fall.

A BMW Active Hybrid Concept was shown at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. That technology, though still under development, is being integrated into a chassis specific to the 7-series hybrid. The car’s powertrain will be comprised of a 407–horsepower 4.4-liter V8 engine and an AC electric motor that adds another 20 horses. Pricing and fuel economy are not yet available.

The preliminary specs make it clear that the 7-Series hybrid iteration will compete directly with the Mercedes Benz S400 Hybrid and other luxury hybrids from Lexus.

BMW will also be launching a hybrid X6 Sports Activity Coupe in late 2009. The X6 and 7-Series hybrids will provide BMW an entry into the premium hybrid market.

The post BMW Hybrid Spotted in the Wild appeared first on HybridCars.com.

While the company ramps up Japanese production and projects a seven-month wait for new orders, it is now anticipating a similar reaction to the US release of the model and is searching for local capacity to fill anticipated orders.

The hybrid wars in Japan have intensified as the Toyota Prius and the new Honda Insight fight it out for the top spot. Prius won the top spot in May, but all hybrid sales in Japan surged over the last 30 days to levels not seen since prior to the onset of the global economic downturn. The Insight was the best-selling hybrid in Japan in April.

“Demand has shifted from Insight to Prius,” Yoshiaki Kawano, an analyst at auto consulting company CSM Worldwide in Tokyo, told Reuters News Service. “Tax incentives are definitely boosting purchases,” he added, referring to new government purchase breaks, like the waiving of sales tax, introduced to stimulate economic growth.

Customers ordering a Prius in Japan must wait close to seven months for delivery. In order to meet high demand, Toyota moved workers from various factory locations to its Tsutsumi, Aichi facility, which builds the Prius. Additionally, work shifts have implemented overtime in order to produce 50,000 Priuses a month.

Toyota currently does not make the Prius in the US, but that could change, according to Bloomberg News. The California NUMMI plant—a joint venture with GM—was mentioned as one possible location, since it makes the similar Corolla and will halt production of the Pontiac Vibe in August. Another possibility is an early start-up of the Tupelo, Miss., plant, which was originally supposed to produce Highlander SUVs, then switched to the Prius as the market shifted in 2008, then mothballed in December 2008 when the bottom fell out on the auto market. Officially, Toyota is still saying that the Tupelo plant will build the Prius “when demand and this economy turns around.”

The base price of the Toyota Prius was reduced by 12 percent before sales began, in order to compete with Honda’s less expensive Insight. The lower sticker helped Prius post high sales figures in the Japan. Whether the Prius will see a similar level of success in the US remains to be seen.

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Regardless, the Buick in question remains a strong candidate on a roster which includes Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. The unnamed Buick CUV, as well as the all-new GMC Terrain, and Chevrolet Equinox all share the Saturn Vue’s Theta platform. This means the two-mode hybrid system could be easily installed into any of these vehicles without any major technical modifications. Cost-effectiveness is obviously a major concern to automakers these days. Especially since even minor changes to a system like this could cost between 50 and 150 million dollars.

But not utilizing the system altogether could prove to be far more costly; the total tab for research and development of this technology is reported to be in excess of 1.2 billion dollars.

The two-mode plug-in hybrid system is expected to maximize efficiency while giving solid performance both on- and off-road. It will utilize a lithium ion battery that can be recharged by simply plugging into a household outlet.

GM killed plans for the Saturn Vue two-mode plug-in hybrid due to financial troubles last year. Now, the car manufacturer has struck a deal to sell the entire Saturn unit to Penske Automotive. The Saturn Vue is now officially off the table as a future GM hybrid.

The new small to mid-size crossover from Buick was seen on CBS during an interview with GM’s design chief, Ed Welburn. Shown as a full-size clay model, the vehicle seems to take styling cues from Buick’s large crossover, the Enclave.

Two-mode hybrid versions of GM’s large SUVs have been suffering from lackluster sales.

The post Where Will GM's Two-Mode Plug-In Hybrid System Land? appeared first on HybridCars.com.

General Motors cited poor sales of the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid as the reason for cutting the car. Company officials said inventory of the Malibu Hybrid is backing up on dealership lots. When the Malibu Hybrid debuted at the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper said, “The Malibu Hybrid‘s winning package of uncompromising design and fuel economy will help us assert leadership in the midsize sedan segment and meet the needs of Chevy customers.”

Stopping production of the Malibu Hybrid and Buick LaCrosse Hybrid in China, as well as GM’s sale the entire Saturn brand, effectively closes out the company’s existing mild hybrid technology. From the time the company first released details about its mild hybrids, critics questioned the technology that produces only modest gains in fuel efficiency.

GM officials said cutting back on less successful fuel-efficient systems will allow the company to focus on new technologies—including the plug-in series system hybrid underlying the Chevy Volt—which will require a significant investment.

GM’s so-called two-mode hybrids—yet another flavor of hybrid produced by GM—has been applied to large and expensive vehicles and has not been well received by car buyers. Yet, the company has not announced plans to discontinue the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, or its full-size hybrid pickups. However, Chrysler stopped making full-size hybrid SUVs—the Dodge Durango Hybrid and Chrysler Aspen Hybrid—that use the same technology co-developed by the two companies and BMW.

Honda was the first company to discontinue production of a hybrid car, when it stopped production of the Honda Accord Hybrid in 2006. The Honda Accord’s emphasis on power over efficiency and its use of a V6 engine, were cited as the reason for poor sales.

Back to the Drawing Board

GM is now promising a new future mild hybrid powertrain utilizing a lithium ion battery. The system would be introduced in the summer of 2010, but the company has not revealed which vehicles will receive the new hybrid treatment. “It will be more then one vehicle from more then one brand,” a GM representative told HybridCars.com. “But it definitely will not be the Malibu.”

The post GM Cuts Current Mild Hybrid System, Prepares for Another appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The MSRP for the Coda sedan is $45,000, considered a steep price for a Chinese-built vehicle even with the expected $7,500 federal tax credit. That’s three times the cost of the gas-powered Hafei Saibao 3 on which the Coda sedan is based. If successfully launched, the sedan would become the first Chinese-built vehicle to be certified by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and sold in the US. Passing the certification process, and Coda’s direct sales plan—which could be challenged in court because of service requirements that go along with sales agreements in most states—are remaining obstacles.

The development of this vehicle is a joint venture between Coda Automotive—a spin-off from Miles Automotive—and Lishen, a Chinese batterymaker. It will be powered by a 37 kilowatt battery cell, which fully recharges in six hours when plugged into a 220-volt outlet, or about twice that time with a 110-volt outlet. Other components will come from Mitsubishi, and Pininfarina provides the styling.

Coda quotes a top speed over 80 miles per hour, and zero to 60 times in the mid-eight second range, making it capable for highway driving. Miles Automotive currently offers neighborhood electric vehicles.

The Coda Sedan will make its US arrival just months before the official launch of the Chevy Volt. Coda claims that it will be the first all-electric commuter vehicle to reach the United States market. “The Coda sedan is an all-electric vehicle for everyone. It’s a practical revolution for real drivers who need reliable transportation,” said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, Coda Automotive, in a press release. Coda Automotive is planning to sell 2,700 units in 2010.

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The company has announced its intentions to reduce CO2 emissions by about a third in the next six years. Officially, it’s a 35 percent decrease by the year 2015. This will be accomplished via a two-pronged approach: one aimed at vehicle design, the other at modifying manufacturing systems.

First off, Lamborghini is actively researching both hybrid and biofuel alternatives for its vehicle line. And though there are no specific details with regards to either option, it is likely that the Italian automaker will unveil concept versions of one or both technologies by next Spring.

In addition, Lambo designers and engineers are developing ways to decrease vehicle mass, improve aerodynamics, reduce friction, and optimize combustion processes. Some of these efforts have already paid off with the Gallardo LP 560-4, a car that has reduced tailpipe emissions by 18 percent. Without, of course, compromising performance.

In terms of operations, Lamborghini is outfitting their Sant’ Agata Bolognese factory with solar roof panels. Due for completion by the end of the year, the photovoltaic system will reduce CO2 emissions by 20 percent.

Another 10 percent reduction in emissions will be achieved by revamping the heating and lighting systems of the facility, as well as increasing insulation.

Overall, the high-end carmaker will spend roughly 50 million dollars over the next several years to make these improvements.

Lamborghini’s efforts are obviously insignificant in the grand scheme of the automotive world – and beyond. Rather, they help to effectively measure the true span of the green car movement.

The post Lambo Goes Green appeared first on HybridCars.com.

“This is a significant leap compared to our earlier plans of offering a regular full-hybrid on the market by 2012,” Volvo chief executive Stephen Odell said in his presentation.

The new initiative will be a joint venture with Nordic electricity firm Vattenfall, which will help develop the plug-in charged lithium-ion battery. The partnership should fast-track the technology and allow Volvo to begin mass-production within three years.

As a diesel hybrid, the V70 plug-in will recharge either directly from the home outlet, or from a network of charging stations that Volvo hopes will have been established by the time the car becomes available. This infrastructure, however, is highly speculative at this point. The car will fully charge in just five hours, allow almost 50 kilometers (31 miles) on electric-only power, and produce emissions below 50 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. That’s less then half the number produced by the average hybrid currently on the market.

Volvo’s new plans come during a time when the company’s exact future remains an uncertainty. The brand has been put up for sale by parent, Ford, and there are reportedly several interested buyers.

It’s unclear as to where the plug-in car will initially be marketed, and how long it will be before it even reaches U.S. shores. Regardless, Odell calls the effort “a giant step toward offering our customers cars with an even smaller environmental footprint.” Three separate V70 plug-in demonstration models will be unveiled later this summer.

The post Volvo Aims for Plug-in Hybrid by 2012 appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Yesterday, Nascar driver Denny Hamlin gave people rides around Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina to demonstrate the Camry Hybrid’s track prowess.

But the car also had to be put to a test in order to earn the coveted pace car assignment. In order to be approved by Nascar, the Camry hybrid had to take off from a standstill position on pit road and reach 100 miles per hour by the time it got to the second turn of the racetrack. The car was able to hit the magic number and average about 105 miles per hour over multiple laps.

“That’s pretty impressive, considering that we’re talking about a hybrid here. It’s going to help dispel the notion that hybrid cars are synonymous with being slow and underpowered,” said Ben Davis, a track test driver and road test producer for PBS’ MotorWeek.

The Camry Hybrid is built in Georgetown, Kentucky. Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain combines for a total of 187 horsepower. Government fuel economy is 34 miles per gallon, and the car has earned an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) certification.

Featuring hybrid cars in this manner is not only a strong marketing and promotional strategy, but it also serves as a barometer to measure the strength of greener transportation alternatives with regards to both the consumer market and public consciousness, as a whole. The Camry hybrid is slated to run as a pace car in several more Nascar races this year.

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