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.
Hybrid sales were nearly 50 percent higher than a year ago, compared to the overall car market which was up by only 1 percent. The Cash for Clunkers program, which helped the Toyota Prius so much in July, had less of an effect in August. The Honda Insight showed new life, boosting sales by 84 percent compared to last month. Sales of the Nissan Altima Hybrid boomed, making Nissan's only hybrid the third most popular hybrid in August, despite being offered in only eight states.
Major car companies are working on ways that plug-in cars will communicate with the electric grid. Ford, Nissan and Volvo have displayed their visions. We spoke with Greg Frenette, Ford manager of battery electric vehicle applications, to learn which driver controls are essential and feasible—and which charging technologies are more fantasy than reality.
The number of hybrid gas-electric vehicles offered by Japanese car companies will multiply in the next few years. That’s evidenced by a list of upcoming hybrids reported by the trade publication Automotive News this week—providing a plausible scenario for specific hybrid models coming to the United States around 2011.
“It’s the sports car of the future, the way BMW imagines it.” That’s how Adrian van Hooydonk, director of BMW’s group design, describes the “BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics” two-door concept vehicle to be unveiled at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. Think of it as a showcase of the many fuel-efficient technologies that BMW has in various stages of development.
As automakers race toward bringing hybrid and electric cars into the mainstream, environmentalists worry about the ability to properly recycle the batteries that power those cars. Most industry analysts believe that we are a decade or more away from needing to recycle nickel or lithium auto batteries in significant volumes. Yet, the first lithium battery recycling plants are already being established.
General Motors is working hard to establish itself as a leader in the market for high-tech eco-friendly vehicles, but its actions since coming out of bankruptcy raise doubts about the depth of the company’s environment commitment. The "New GM" is technically a new company cleared of legal responsibilities for cleaning up its legacy toxic sites and safely recycling products containing mercury. But the company could face greater scrutiny in the court of public perception.
Industry analysts believe micro-hybrids—the most practical and affordable form of gas-electric technology—will exceed all other forms of hybrid technology. In 2010, more than 1 million vehicles could use micro-hybrid technology, which offers about a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy. But the technology has been ignored in the United States.
The price of oil reached $75 a barrel on Tuesday, its highest level in 10 months. While the steady increase in oil has had a minor impact on prices at the pumps, it serves as a reminder of the volatility in fuel prices—which is perhaps the biggest influence on the prospects for alternative fuel-efficient auto technologies, such as hybrids and electric cars.
Diesel is and will remain the solution for auto emissions in Europe. That’s the implied message based on the long and growing list of diesel debuts at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show. Here’s our quick rundown of announcements so far.
