Audi believes it can sell 20 to 25 percent of its vehicles in the United States with diesel powertrains. The company is pushing a political message—reducing foreign oil dependency by driving diesel—with ad and marketing dollars, but its executives aren't sure if it will pay off.
The list of automotive brands showing electric or plug-in hybrids at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show reads like an auto industry A – Z: Audi, BMW, Citroën, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Smart, Toyota, Volvo, Volkswagen…Are plug-in cars the latest fashion for an industry needing to green-up its image? Or is the EV revolution off and running?
Fisker Automotive will make a $39,000 plug-in hybrid, according to a report on Earth2Tech.com. Ray Lane, managing partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, which invested in Fisker, said the start-up carmaker will make an official announcement in the next week or two.
By the end of the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, Volkswagen will have unveiled as many as nine world premier vehicles. What’s the common denominator? “Maximum efficiency," according to VW. The coolest in the bunch is the L1, a two-seat hybrid concept that could get hundreds of miles per gallon, and the E-Up! all-electric minicar. With these concepts, VW is pointing to small innovative platforms, new levels of aerodynamic design, and electric or hybrid drive.
Toyota believes that lithium batteries do not justify the higher cost, and that current hybrid battery technology—nickel metal hydride—is best suited for conventional hybrids. The company came to that conclusion after conducting three years of “secret tests” on 126 Priuses equipped with lithium ion batteries, according to Bloomberg. “The problem with lithium is that it was overhyped,” said Jack Lifton, an expert in the raw materials that go into batteries.
Toyota will unveil the new Auris Hybrid and gas-electric Lexus LF-CH at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show, signaling the direction of the company’s hybrids for European customers. With its small and sporty concept hybrids, Toyota aims at the biggest part of the European market. Five-door hatchbacks are the best selling type of car in Europe.
The growing list of part- or pure-electric cars to be displayed at next week’s Frankfurt Auto Show establishes a new litmus test for green cars at auto shows: Cars without plugs are behind the times.
China will soon overtake America as the world’s biggest car market. The country will need consumer incentives to boost its nascent market for hybrid and electric cars. Japan's hybrid market is booming, largely supported by generous consumer tax breaks for green cars. To further accelerate its hybrid market, Japan's newly elected government is expected to set much tougher goals for reducing auto emissions.
The 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show won’t start until September 17, but Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company is already establishing itself as the company with perhaps the boldest vision for a green car future. Vehicles with Hyundai and Kia badges on display in Frankfurt will include hybrid city cars, a hybrid crossover SUV concept, an all-electric city car, a plug-in hybrid, diesel vehicles with micro-hybrid stop-start technology, and mid-size lithium-battery-powered sedans running on liquid petroleum gas.
China is its tightening grip on its rare earth metals, which may derail production of hybrid and electric cars, according to The New York Times and Bloomberg. But auto industry and metals experts believe hybrid production will continue with minimal delay because new North American production of rare earth metals will come on board, and auto engineers will develop alternative approaches.
