Hybrid cars are either a complete waste of money. Or the best example of how Detroit is finally producing the fuel-efficient cars that consumers want. These dueling views on hybrids—from columnist Manny Lopez and US Rep. John Dingell—played out in today’s Detroit News.
Aptera, which had planned to deliver its three-wheeled electric car to customers last month, has now postponed the production launch for almost a year. Production models of the Aptera 2e (formerly known as Type-1), an all-electric vehicle with a range of 100 miles, were to have been delivered by the end of 2008. The company now expects to launch volume production in October 2009.
That Bible for smart shoppers, Consumer Reports tested a Toyota Prius that had been converted to a plug-in hybrid. Did the no-nonsense, grimly methodical magazine give the plug-in a thumbs-up? “At almost $11,000,” the magazine noted, “the plug-in conversion clearly won’t save consumers money overall”—though they deigned to declare the plug-in technology “viable.”
Due to a deepening global financial crisis and plunging auto sales, Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will freeze production at all 12 of its Japanese assembly plants for a total of 11 days during February and March.
Lotus is the latest carmaker to announce plans for a high-performance electric vehicle. If the British carmaker can deliver on its plans, it will compete directly against the Tesla Roadster and Dodge EV, two electric sports cars for which Lotus already supplies a chassis.
Annual sales of hybrid vehicles fell by 10 percent in 2008 compared to last year. This marks the first year that hybrid sales dropped since gas-electric cars were introduced in the United States in 2000. In the first half of 2008, hybrid sales were on pace to exceed 2007 numbers—but the impact of the economic recession, tight credit markets, and a sharp decline in gas prices took a toll.
New research from Kajima, a Japanese company, and Tokyo University, suggests that microbes from human waste could be a good source of energy for hydrogen fuel cell cars. This follows a number of recent reports about the potential to use methane as an energy source.
Indian carmaker Tata Motors will offer a micro-hybrid version of the Nano—its ultra-affordable small car—according to a leading Indian business television channel. Micro-hybrid technology allows a vehicle to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by about 5 to 10 percent. With the micro-hybrid Nano, Tata will attempt to use the auto industry’s least expensive hybrid technology in the world’s least expensive car.
Toyota is secretly developing a car powered by solar cells mounted on the vehicle’s roof, according to a report today from Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. The report said the automaker hopes the vehicle will eventually be totally powered by the solar cells—but that would take many years.
Fisker has announced a new concept vehicle called the Sunset or Karma S, which appears to be a plug-in hybrid convertible. It will debut at the Detroit Auto Show.
