Most Seat vehicles are based on VW products, like the Golf and Jetta. This means the technology in this prototype could easily be transferred to VW vehicles offered in North America, even though Seat has said there are no plans to put this prototype in production.

Called the SEAT Leon Verde, the prototype is the culmination of a four-year research project designed to facilitate the market introduction of an electric vehicle in Spain

More than 800 professionals from 16 private companies and 14 public bodies in Seat’s home country joined forces for Cenit Verde, which was established to develop sustainable alternatives for automotive energy and infrastructure.

Cenit Verde, which translates as Green Zenith, was headed by Seat’s Technical Center in Martorell with the support of Spain’s Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.

Aside from the development of the Leon-based plug-in hybrid prototype car, the Cenit Verde project saw the development of an innovative smart car charging system. The system can automatically establish when the electricity grid is experiencing low demand, and can charge the car during those times only, using a lower rate.

The SEAT Leon Verde is the embodiment of the Cenit Verde project. Powered VW’s 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine linked to an electric motor.

The car’s electric-only driving range on a full charge is 31 miles; with a full battery and its 40-litre gasoline tank full, its total range is 507 miles.

That equates, according to Seat, to a combined fuel consumption figure of 176.6 mpg and just 36 g/km CO2emissions.

In keeping with its futuristic theme, the Leon Verde is equipped with an advanced Human-Machine Interface (HMI) integrated into a smartphone app. This enables the driver to connect to the car via a wireless network with his or her smartphone to manage functions such as energy consumption, battery status, recharge management (see below), and estimated CO2 savings in electric mode.

Seat said two patents were applied for during the creation of the HMI alone.

In addition, the project has enabled the development of a Driving Cycle Predictor, which analyses and memorizes the routines and driving style of the driver, using this information to optimize energy consumption and reduce CO2emissions.

Seat has taken out a patent for this technology, too.

Management of energy demand

For Seat, the holistic approach to electric vehicle development undertaken by the Cenit Verde project resulted not only in an entirely new electric vehicle, but an entirely new approach to charging infrastructure as well.

In collaboration with companies including Cobra, Endesa, Iberdrola and Red Eléctrica Espana, a system of tariff negotiation and smart energy management has been developed, which effectively allows the car to ‘interact’ with the electricity grid – reducing pressure on the grid and, ultimately, saving the user money.

The system detects when overall energy consumption is low on the grid, and sends an incentive, by way of lower costs, for the car to charge during these times.

If the car is left plugged into a power source between 7pm and 7am, for example, the system will only charge the car at times when it detects the overall demand has dropped, using a recharge manager.

The user can specify whether he or she wishes the system to work this way, paying less for energy consumed when demand is low. Alternatively, a standard quick charge function is also available.

But the Leon Verde can also return electricity to the grid via a Lear 20 kilowatt on-board charger; the Leon Verde allows for two-way connection to the grid, allowing it to feed in electricity.

Ramón Paredes, Vice-President for Governmental and Institutional Affairs for Seat and the Volkswagen Group in Spain, described the project as “the most ambitious research programme carried out by a consortium of Spanish companies in such an important technological sphere as electro-mobility.”

Paredes highlighted the fact that, “funds devoted to the financing of R&D activities constitute key elements in the industrial policy of any developed country, or at least if it wishes to continue being one. Experience tells us that those countries who have been able to go against the flow have managed to emerge from the crisis more rapidly and in better shape.”

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This makes the 1.4-liter TSI the most successful engine in the 15-year history of this international engine technology competition.

In addition, Volkswagen received the coveted “Best New Engine Award” for the TSI technology in combination with automatic cylinder deactivation (ACT). This award recognizes the best engine development of the past 12 months.

Since 2006, Volkswagen has received a total of 12 trophies from the “Engine of the Year” jury for the constantly enhanced 1.4-liter TSI engine with the internal designation EA 211 – seven class victories, two overall victories, two “Best New Engine” awards and one “Green Engine of the Year” award.

The committee, which is made up of 87 international trade journalists, has given the TSI technology a historic string of victories.

At the same time, Volkswagen is launching into a new era of engine production with its latest innovation – the TSI with ACT cylinder deactivation.

The Wolfsburg-based company said it was the world’s first manufacturer to introduce active cylinder management (ACT) in the TSI four-cylinder last year – a technology that until then had been more familiar in large eight- or twelve-cylinder engines. Active cylinder management made its debut in the European market Polo and Golf. Temporary shutoff of the second and third cylinders – in conjunction with an economical style of driving – reduces fuel consumption by over 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers.

Even with two cylinders the 1.4 TSI is said ti run just as quietly and with low vibration as with four active combustion chambers. All mechanical switchover processes take place within one camshaft rotation; depending on engine speed this takes between 13 and 36 milliseconds. Accompanying interventions in ignition and throttle valve processes smooth the transitions.

Altogether, the components of active cylinder management weigh just 3 kilograms. Their actuators, the camshafts and their bearing frames are integrated in the cylinder heat; two low-friction bearings reduce shaft friction.

Important to know: only with the TSI concept – gasoline direct injection plus turbocharging – is cylinder deactivation even conceivable in the form being implemented today.

Compared to its predecessor, fuel consumption and CO2 emission values of the TSI engines were reduced by 9 percent in part also by such measures as reducing internal friction, lowering weight and optimizing thermal management. The savings potential is as much as 15 percent in conjunction with the active cylinder management (ACT) feature.

Volkswagen said it is the global leader in charging strategies for engines with direct fuel injection, and to date it has produced over 3.8 million TSI engines at five production sites worldwide.

The only VW vehicle currently sold in North America with the EA 211 is the Jetta Hybrid.

The post VW’s 1.4-Liter TSI Awarded For Seventh Consecutive Time appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Areas of work being focused on by Volkswagen include the development of a high-performance diesel engine delivering 100 kilowatts per liter of displacement and a new 10-speed dual clutch gearbox that reduces fuel consumption.

Professor Winterkorn said that among the alternative drive systems plug-in hybrids in particular offer great potential.

Winterkorn stressed that over the medium and long-term different drive system technologies would exist side by side. These would range from highly efficient internal combustion engines and natural gas systems all the way to hybrids and electric vehicles.

On this basis the Volkswagen Group is working towards its declared objective of lowering the European new car fleet’s CO2 emission level to 95 gram of CO2/kilometer by 2020.

Winterkorn emphasized that existing internal combustion engines still offer a lot of potential.

“Since the year 2000, we’ve reduced the fuel consumption of our TDI and TSI engines by more than 30 per cent,” said Winterkorn. “I’m convinced that by 2020 we can achieve further increases in efficiency of around 15 per cent.”

Factors making this possible, he said, would include enhancement of the combustion process, intelligent lightweight design, innovative operating strategies and optimization of friction levels and thermal management.

Volkswagen also sees great potential for natural gas drive systems.

“The gas engine is environmentally friendly, economical and suitable for everyday use,” continued Winterkorn. “The technology is fully developed and the vehicles are already on the market.”

Volkswagen stated the best example is the new eco-up! – at 79 gram of CO2/kilometer the world’s most economical natural gas car.

The Volkswagen Group will be systematically rolling out natural gas technology with the Golf TGI BlueMotion and the Audi A3 g-tron.

“We need to make the public even more aware of the benefits of natural gas engines,” said Winterkorn. “Everyone needs to play their part in this: carmakers, politicians and the fuel industry.”

The variety of drive system technologies is growing: the group-wide Volkswagen modular component system and its flexible architecture enable every kind of drive system to be integrated quickly into the new models.

“Over the coming years we will electrify all vehicle classes in this way and help electrically powered motoring to make the breakthrough,” added Winterkorn.

Winterkorn stated that in the medium term the first choice in terms of alternative drive systems is plug-in hybrid technology. This technology enables a purely electric range of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles), a high level of suitability for everyday use by virtue of recharging from a socket at home and also complete flexibility for long journeys thanks to an efficient internal combustion engine.

The Volkswagen Group’s first plug-in hybrids, the Porsche Panamera and Audi A3 e-tron, will shortly be going into full production. They will be followed by the Golf and many other models, such as the Passat, Audi A6 and Porsche Cayenne.

Volkswagen also presented at the symposium new technologies that are finding their way into the modular diesel component system’s future engine generation. These high-performance diesel engines achieve peak power output of 100 kilowatt per liter of displacement and have a variable valve-train assembly, a high-pressure injection system at up to 3,000 bar and combined charging with the innovative e-booster.

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Later this year, the iPhone will interface with the Beetle and Beetle Convertible via a specially developed app and a docking station.

The iBeetle is the first model line from the Volkswagen Group in which the iPhone will become an integrated component.

Volkswagen offers two different ways to acquire the interface between iPhone and Beetle: as an app or as a standard feature of the new iBeetle and iBeetle Convertible.

Both special models will be launched at the beginning of 2014.

The app, docking station and iBeetle made their world debut at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show.

Volkswagen said the newly designed docking station is located centrally on the dashboard of the Beetle: the iPhone simply snaps in to integrate it with the car. Essentially, all iPhone functions can be used in the Beetle; the iPhone can be used to navigate, make calls hands-free, listen to music, and much more.

The Beetle app

When this app is launched on an iPhone, it can either connect the phone to the Beetle via the docking station or wirelessly.

Each option allows for different app functions to be accessed, as described by Volkswagen:

• Spotify: lets users stream media such as new songs, customized playlists or online radio stations into the Beetle. Those who wish can post their favorite music directly to friends. In addition, users in the Beetle can switch between “Spotify” and “iTunes” at any time.
• Expert: offers five functions which make the iPhone an extended on-board instrument of the Beetle, such as a G-Meter (for measuring lateral acceleration), oil and coolant temperature gauges for the engine, a chronometer, and a compass.
• Trainer: can be used to compare driving times, distances, and fuel economy values for different routes between any two destinations. Here, too, tips can be posted via social networks like Twitter and Facebook — such as which route is faster to the office.
• Reader: lists the latest messages from social networks like Facebook, and reads iPhone messages aloud.
• Postcard: Sends the current location of the Beetle to friends as a digital postcard with a map motif.
• Photo: Sends photos taken inside the car to numerous social networks. Simply activate it, and the app does the rest.
• Milestones: Available when the smartphone is undocked. Rewards its users with virtual “milestone stickers” for the Beetle when certain tasks have been completed.

The iBeetle

Volkswagen said the iBeetle is one of the first cars in the world to have a genuine integrative interface for the iPhone that was coordinated with Apple.

As mentioned, the special model will be available as a Coupe and Convertible. The colors and equipment features of the iBeetle are stylistically linked to the Cupertino-based US company, bringing its smartphones into harmony with Volkswagen’s iconic Beetle design.

The iBeetle, which will be available in early 2014, will come with other customized features in addition to the standard iPhone interface.

On the exterior, they include standard features such as 18-inch “Disc” alloy wheels (painted in “Galvano Grey” with chrome wheel covers), door mirror housings and side trim panels (above the sill) in “Galvano Grey”, black door sill plates with the “iBeetle” signature, “iBeetle” chrome badges (on the front fender) and a “Chrome pack” (includes chrome trim strips on the sides).

In a nod to the iPhone’s color scheme, the new iBeetle can be ordered in “Candy White”, “Oryx White Mother of Pearl Effect”, “Black Monochrome”, “Deep Black Pearl Effect”, “Platinum Grey”, or “Reflex Silver.”

Inside, steering wheel accents and the dash pad are executed in “Galvano Grey”. The iBeetle is also upgraded by a customized shift lever grip, black sport seats in “Vienna” leather, and contrasting seams in light “Ceramique”.

The post Apple And VW Create The iBeetle appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The entire Jetta line was revised in 2011, made more distinct from Golf hatchbacks, and the 2013 Hybrid represents the fifth powertrain option for this sixth-generation model range.

Thus far, sales have climbed modestly. In March, its 451 units sold equaled the number of Honda CR-Z hybrids sold, and it should have room to go higher.

As a front-wheel-drive Jetta, it retains the family look and road handling capability, but as a hybrid it returns the line’s highest EPA fuel efficiency rating, boasting low-to-zero emissions as well.

Starting at $24,995 for the special-order only entry level model, and ranging through the SE and SEL trim levels, Volkswagen’s highest Jetta MSRP of $31,180 is commanded for the top-line SEL Premium.

Volkswagen does pack a fair amount in however. The Jetta Hybrid is the only turbo hybrid in the compact class. It features the only dual-clutch automatic transmission and has a more sophisticated suspension than lesser priced regular Jettas.

All combined, it verges on being a sports sedan when you want it to be, or you can mellow out and experience it as a fuel-efficient car that does well against other hybrids.

Much New Under the Hood

The gas portion of the powertrain is a direct-injected, turbocharged, 1.4-liter, four-cylinder; one of VW’s latest EA211 series of small engines. The TSI engine carries little over from the previous E111 generation, and offers improved compactness, torque, and suitability for turbocharging.

It delivers a total of 150 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 184 pounds-feet of torque from 1,600 rpm. To help achieve this, it sports a high 10.5:1 compression ratio, thus requiring premium gasoline as do all of VW’s turbo engines. What happens if you pump in regular gas? The ECU will retard the timing, and power and mileage will likely suffer.

1.4L turbo engine on left, transaxle on right, pancake motor down underneath in the middle. Three clutches are involved in this – two in dual clutch trans, another for electric motor decoupling.

The electric part of the powertrain comes via a 27-horsepower (20 kw) motor capable of 114 pounds-feet of torque. It’s sandwiched between the transaxle and gas engine and can decouple via a clutch to save fuel in all-electric mode at lower speeds, or up to 84 mph such as when coasting down a hill, with foot off the gas, or decelerating. These are tricks Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist cannot accomplish.

The motor gets its power from a trunk-mounted 1.1-kwh battery positioned above the rear axle. The 220-volt, 60-cell pack lets the car travel over a mile on electric power at up to 37 miles per hour. Selecting “E-Mode” lets it travel electrically up to 44 mph with more aggressive accelerator input.

Also available for quicker-paced driving or passing power is a boosting mode in which both the engine and motor work together. This is enabled in the sport mode, manual mode, and under full throttle in drive mode.

The total gas-plus-electric system can deliver 170 horsepower and its peak 184 pounds-feet is not one iota more than torque delivered by the gas engine alone. Why? The electric motor is held back to spare the VW’s otherwise most-efficient DQ200 dual-clutch transmission from excess wear and tear.

So what does the electric torque do then? Aside from contributing to forward propulsion under various circumstances mentioned, it adds torque at lower rpm. With the help of the electric motor, peak is achieved at 1,000 rpm.

Naturally, the system uses regenerative braking in addition to the battery charging the engine-driven motor-generator also provides, and the Jetta Hybrid incorporates stop-start.

All told, VW’s new hybrid system works well. It provides acceleration on par with a 200-horsepower but heavier, larger Camry Hybrid, and it’s definitely quicker than the 44 mpg compact-class Civic hybrid it’s most closely positioned against.

Exterior

The Jetta Hybrid’s exterior shape is the same as regular Jettas but it gets a few aerodynamic tweaks to reduce coefficient of drag to 0.28 from 0.30.

Up front, the main visual cue is a solid grille – accented also by a blue-inlaid VW badge to match one on the rear and silver and blue “Hybrid” logos flanking the sides. The sealed grille controls cooling air through the engine compartment. The front airdam that broaches on being a sports car’s splitter is also mildly revised and out back is a functional decklid spoiler. Also unique are extended side skirts and underneath are trim panels and end plates leading to a diffuser at the rear to reduce turbulence and control air flow.

The result is a merging of semi-sporty aspects into a car primarily designed for high mpg and low emissions. In fact, the Jetta Hybrid is both – an either/or proposition, and it’s this flexibility that will be appreciated by traditional car enthusiasts who may be trepidatious that going green means accepting a gelded car.

That said, the redesigned Jetta does look somewhat plain without pretentious sport-styling cues, swoopy creases, or the like. It does not call excess attention to itself, but a closer look reveals lines that are purposeful and tastefully done.

Interior

Inside the Jetta Hybrid, it is form-follows function – to a point. Instruments and gauges are logically placed. Steering wheel controls lend hands-free operation to several key functions.

That this is a hybrid is soon obvious as there are a total of three possible ways to monitor what the gas-electric powertrain is doing.

Power Meter on left instead of a tachometer.

On the left of the main instrument cluster, in place of an analog tachometer, is a Power Meter. It looks sort of like a tach, but has a green colored zone to indicate regenerative battery charging, such as when off the gas, or on the brakes.

As the needle sweeps in a clockwise direction, above the green is a numbered blue Eco zone indicating back-and-forth gas-electric-charge operation. And beyond that, number six to number 10 on the face indicates engine power alone is being used. Beyond that is Boost which indicates gas-plus-electric are being used.

This nifty arrangement is all well and good, but given the car can be manually shifted, a tachometer would have been nice.

We’d call this an avoidable omission, and an enthusiast will need a good ear to listen to engine note for when to shift, or to memorize shift points by the mph marks on the speedo.

Nitpicks aside, the rest of the interior leaves little to fault. Fit and finish are good, materials are pretty good – a mix of soft-touch vinyl on the dash and arm rest, with harder plastics that have the same appearance down by the shifter, and on the doors.

Room inside the 104.4-inch wheelbase car is respectable also. Front headroom is listed as 38.2 inches; front legroom is 41.2 inches. Rear headroom is 37.1 inches, and rear legroom is 38.1 inches. As a comparison to a benchmark hybrid sedan one size up, the Camry hybrid, the Jetta Hybrid is down a couple inches or so here and there, the Camry’s wheelbase is about five inches longer, but the VW will fit a wide variety of people.

The VW is more comparable to the Honda Civic Hybrid. As a five-seater, it’s definitely good for four, and an occasional fifth, especially if the fifth person in the middle back row is shorter or a child.

Otherwise, the front driver’s seat could be adjusted for my 6-foot-0-inch height, and 34-inch inseam, and I could then hop in back behind the driver’s seat, and have sufficient room.

On the Road

The Jetta Hybrid attempts to be widely versatile, offering something for almost everyone. Do you want to hypermile it and see if you can crest 50 mpg? This is possible. Do you want to carve corners on your favorite back road haunts? You can do that too, if you don’t mind chopping mpg by a third or half.

Starting via a pushbutton on the shifter console, the Jetta Hybrid defaults to standard Electric Mode. It will try to emulate an electric car up to 37 mph, assuming mild accelerator inputs, and suitable conditions. The E-Mode button works as advertised, allowing more aggressive accelerator input at up to 44 mph.

Pressing the gas to the floor of course kicks the engine on. You can always keep track of what’s going on with a choice of the Power Meter, left mounted on the central instrument cluster – or, in the center is a second display that shows the powertrain as it toggles between charging or engine power or electric motor power.

And redundantly enough redundant, on the infotainment touchscreen, a crisp colored graphic shows the energy flow.

Best mileage of course is achieved with judicious operation in Drive mode, and letting the car decide when to shift. The ECU uses the broad torque to short-shift to a conservative-as-possible gear.

If you toggle the shifter right into manual mode, you’ll find yourself in a numbered gear. Even at less than full highway speeds you could be in a relatively tall 5th, 6th or 7th gear. So, once in manual, you can downshift to a higher-revving gear by pulling back on the lever. The ECU will let you shift to as low a gear as possible without redlining. Or, you could upshift by reversing this action.

Shifts are not heart-beat quick, and there is a few millisecond lag time, so this is not a Tiptronic made by Porsche. The shifts are otherwise flawless however.

If you do nothing and drive in manual, the car will linger in a given gear as long as possible before automatically upshifting. It also automatically downshifts. This is a sure fire way to ruin your average mpg score, but VW assumes some drivers will want to have the control for sport driving.

And, for a hybrid, it can be quick, but it’s no ripper with a 0-60 time of somewhere around 7.9 seconds – we’ve seen one magazine that clocked it at 7.2, and VW conservatively says less than 9 seconds. It’s electrically governed to 125 mph, and being designed for the Autobahn, is very comfortable pulling 85 mph or a good bit more all day long.

Dropped by to visit some hobbits. Survey: Nine out of 10 Shirelings approve of VW’s new hybrid.

Coming to a stop, the car’s stop-start function works as it should. You may just take off in all-electric, especially if in E-Mode. Or the gas engine will turn on depending on conditions and acceleration rate. When the engine does start, you hear it, and feel it smoothly feed in power.

Cornering is acceptably controlled with the German-market-spec rear suspension adding to the compliance, and steering input fed through the electrically assisted rack and pinion. The car conceals its 3,312 pounds well, and the battery in back adds to the balance. The ContiContact low rolling resistance 205/55-16 tires on our SEL gripped well, and did not squeal under fairly brisk cornering. Braking similarly is up to the task from the three-channel ABS-equipped, 11.3-inch vented front, and 10.7-inch solid rear discs. Acceptably quick stops are possible with control.

Again, the car is sporty, but not a GLI, and if pushed harder, the Hybrid does have less grip for cornering and braking. While cornering, its spring and damper rates feel softer than would be desired for a pure sports sedan. In undulating roads, the car can get a little wallowy if pushed, but it never feels like it would pitch you off the road unless you did something really ham fisted and careless.

Tip: To optimize it as a sports sedan, an aftermarket A-pillar mounted tach might be sourced, along with sports suspension mods and grippier tires. Mileage may decline a little, but versatility will increase.

Unusual for hybrids, city mpg is lower than the highway. Achieving the advertised numbers, as mentioned is possible but it all depends on how you drive. If you are normally a speeder, like to jam the gas to the floor from a take-off, and are not smooth with the accelerator, expect mpg to plummet into the 30s, even the high 20s. If you have good mpg-enhancing technique, you’ll find Volkswagen did the job right.

Our test car came with around 2,100 miles and it had been driven by a plethora of who-knows-how-many random individuals, with driving styles undoubtedly from mild to wild. Its mileage meter said it had averaged just over 35.2 mpg in its short lifetime.

A Unique Offering

German automakers have in years past resisted hybridization, showing less enthusiasm than, say, Toyota. But the U.S. market and global regulations besides are demanding it.

Higher-line hybrids from Porsche, Audi, BMW and Mercedes, and even VW’s supercharged Toureg Hybrid all show a tendency to co-opt the electric motor into one more speed accessory. Their idea of a hybrid has been to skew the balance of power toward only mildly improved economy, while making a vehicle as fast or faster than all-gas stablemates.

The VW Jetta Hybrid does not utterly abandon this heritage, but its power vs. mpg balance is weighted closer to center and it can deliver competitive mpg when asked.

Competitive also to a point, is its price, which is in range of other similar-level compact and mid-sized hybrids depending on trim and options. The base Jetta Hybrid starts, as mentioned, at $24,995; above that is the $26,990 Jetta Hybrid SE, $29,325 Jetta Hybrid SEL, and $31,180 Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium.

The 200-horsepower mid-sized Camry Hybrid can perform similarly, but it uses a CVT transmission not favored by some enthusiasts and is heavier and softer. The Korean cousins from Hyundai and Kia do come with six-speed automatic transmissions, and are also competitive. Ford’s Fusion Hybrid is also one to consider. The actual direct competitor, priced within a few hundred dollars, the Civic Hybrid from Honda is not as quick, but weighing only 2,870 pounds or so, can hold the road well while returning similar economy.

Volkswagen’s own Jetta TDI is also a contender. It costs a little less to get into, and overlaps in price depending on trim and options. Its torque is strong, but max power is less. It requires pricey diesel versus (pricey but less expensive) premium gas. It will also likely emit more, if that matters to you beyond mpg considerations. The Jetta Hybrid has a gauge to chronicle 30-minute snapshots of its emissions right on down to zero emissions only possible with electric power.

But beyond this, we’d contend this is a highly qualified decision. Some reviews try to whittle it down to a mere dollar-and-cents equation, and while that’s important, numerous other factors should be considered.

In its favor, the Jetta Hybrid with its DCT transmission offers decent levels of fun for what it is. Unknown is how the long-term reliability record will be with three clutches, and all that new hardware packed into a new form factor.

All told, it promises a lot, and we’d say Volkswagen did a great job, and more such hybrids are promised by the people whose slogan is “Think Blue.” While it’s actually a subjective choice, the Jetta Hybrid as delivered is versatile, fun, yet efficient when you want it to be. In our view, that is a unique balance of attributes, and worth a closer look.

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The winner, to be selected among this group, will be announced Friday, April 12 at the Green Living Show, in the Direct Energy Centre at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

The finalists were selected by members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada from a variety of environmentally advanced vehicles nominated by their manufacturers.

The finalists include a plug-in hybrid, three conventional hybrids and a highly efficient internal combustion vehicle.

The finalists are:

- Ford C-MAX Energi

- Ford Fusion Hybrid

- Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

- Mazda3

- Volkswagen Jetta Turbocharged Hybrid

The award, presented by AJAC and Green Living Enterprises, which hosts the annual show, has been launched to recognize vehicles with the potential for strong environmental benefits and to provide consumers with authoritative information about them.

“The judges found the choice difficult because all the entrants are worthy, and they incorporate such differing routes to greener driving,” said Peter Gorrie, chair of AJAC’s Green Car Award steering committee.

The competition placed heavy emphasis on fuel economy and emissions, but also considered other environmental features within each vehicle – for example, use of recycled or naturally sourced materials – and steps each manufacturer has taken to green its operations.  Equally important, it assessed market potential – factors such as build quality, driving experience, overall features, availability, general consumer appeal and price.

“Driving is the most energy-intensive action most people do every day; our hope is this award will shine a light on how folks can improve their health, their planet and their monthly fuel bills, if they have to use a car,” said committee member Michael Bettencourt.

Other nominees included the Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Edge EcoBoost, Ford Focus Electric, Mazda CX-5, Mazda6, Mercedes-Benz B 250 Turbo, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf and Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.

“After all, a car loaded with ‘green’ features will make a difference only if it sells in large numbers and supplants lesser models,” Gorrie said. “While EVs represent impressive technology that focus might have prevented the four battery-electric nominees from making the final five.”

The association said the award ceremony will take place at 9:45 a.m., Friday April 12 at the Green Living Show’s main stage.

The post Canadian Green Car Award finalists announced appeared first on HybridCars.com.

According to Jonathan Browning, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America who spoke to plugincars.com in February, the company plans to “make a decision on that soon,” but he was only talking about maybe 20 cars out of 250 planned for global production.

Volkswagen’s super-aerodynamic 800cc TDI is ultralight at 1,753 pounds, and how it would fare in federal crash tests is very much in question.

If it was able to slip through to U.S. soil legally, it is thought likely that it would do so under some exception to the regulations.

Previously exemptions have been offered to supercars such as a Porsche 959 brought in by Bill Gates under “show and display” rules.

Jim Motivalli, writing for plugincars.com noted such exotics as the McLaren F1 and Jaguar XJ220 had also been given a pass while otherwise not meeting full federal regulations.

As Motivalli pointed out, it would not make a whole lot of sense to import the world’s ultimate fuel sipper, then essentially make it only a showpiece.

But then, maybe it could do some good, possibly raising awareness or – an outside chance – even provoking emulation to one degree or another.

Either way, it could be interesting to see up close whether the cost-is-no-object wundercar is really four to six times more fuel efficient than a Prius.

plugincars.com

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This according to Volkswagen of America’s first annual Clean Diesel IQ Survey released March 28.

The survey found that clean diesel drivers have an overwhelming commitment to clean diesel vehicles and are acutely aware of its benefits, but broad understanding of clean diesel technology remains uneven among non-diesel drivers.

The survey of 1,511 U.S. gasoline, hybrid and clean diesel drivers revealed that 88 percent of clean diesel drivers believe that clean diesels are some of today’s most fuel-efficient vehicles, and that more than half of gasoline and hybrid drivers agree.

For clean diesel drivers, 53 percent listed better mileage as their top clean diesel vehicle attribute. Additionally, more than half of clean diesel drivers who responded to the survey characterize their vehicles as having strong acceleration capabilities.

“Though there is a lack of awareness among non-diesel drivers, current clean diesel owners know that their vehicles are quick, clean, efficient, and fun to drive,” said Douglas Skorupski, Manager of Technical Strategy, Volkswagen of America. “And we know that once a driver experiences a clean diesel vehicle, they become dedicated to the diesel powertrain.”

The Clean Diesel IQ measured the attitudes, opinions and beliefs about clean diesel vehicles among current gasoline, hybrid and clean diesel drivers.

Specific insights from the survey include:

• Clean Diesel Time Warp – There is broad recognition among all drivers that diesels today are better than they were 10 years ago, but gasoline and hybrid drivers still only believe they are “somewhat” better and clean diesel drivers recognize the vast improvements. More than one-third of gasoline and hybrid drivers believe that clean diesel vehicles are noisy and smell bad. Only three percent of clean diesel drivers would describe their vehicles as smelling bad and five percent of clean diesel drivers would describe their vehicles as noisy. Clean diesel drivers understand that they can reach the break-even point between vehicle cost and fuel savings in four years on average. Though clean diesel vehicles are 20 percent more fuel efficient than gasoline cars, gasoline and hybrid drivers believe it takes clean diesel vehicles closer to five years to see the cost and fuel savings.
• Clean Diesel Dedication – Ninety-four percent of current clean diesel drivers would consider a clean diesel vehicle for their next purchase, while only 26 percent of gasoline and hybrid drivers would consider clean diesel. All drivers surveyed recognized that that clean diesel vehicles are more durable than gasoline and hybrid vehicles.
• Clean Diesel IQ Persona – The drivers surveyed fall into three specific personality types when it comes to their diesel knowledge: “Clean Diesel Dedicated;” “Clean Diesel Maligner;” and “Clean Diesel Curious.”

“While clean diesel vehicles are common around the world, the Clean Diesel IQ personas allow us to understand why some U.S. drivers are not fully aware of the evolution of diesel technology,” continued Skorupski. “As the market leader in clean diesel with more than 70 percent of the total passenger market in 2012, Volkswagen has been committed to making the technology accessible and will continue to educate consumers on clean diesel’s wide range of fuel economy and performance benefits.”

The “Clean Diesel Dedicated” are acutely aware of the acceleration, styling and clean aspect of clean diesel vehicles, while less than 20 percent of gasoline drivers and hybrid drivers recognize these benefits.

The “Clean Diesel Malingers” are entrenched in the diesel time warp, with one-in-five gasoline and hybrid owners classifying clean diesel vehicles as being dirty and three-in-five clean diesel owners classify these vehicles as clean.

The “Clean Diesel Curious” are beginning to understand how clean diesel has evolved but have yet to purchase a clean diesel vehicle. These individuals want to see direct fuel economy comparisons of clean diesel versus hybrids, as well as have a better understanding of emissions and environmental impact.

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This decision was put forward once again by Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Executive Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, during the first top-level meeting with Greenpeace Chief Executive Director Brigitte Behrens in Hanover on March 21, 2013.

The meeting focused on a discussion of the Volkswagen Group’s climate protection efforts.

Winterkorn underlined that the Volkswagen Group would reach the emission target set by EU legislation of an average of 95 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer by 2020.

“I guarantee that we will do everything in our power to reach carbon dioxide emissions of 95 grams without any reservations,” said Winterkorn. “However, this will only be possible if customers accept our advanced alternative powertrains. This is of course our objective.”

Behrens supports the targets set by Volkswagen.

“This is a decision in favor of climate protection and a key signal for committing to the protection of the environment and society and the series production of climate-friendly technical solutions,” said Behrens. “We will remain in dialogue with Volkswagen, also as regards mobility concepts for the future.”

The declaration of Volkswagen is also a signal for stricter exhaust emission regulations in the growth markets of the USA and China.

For two years, Volkswagen and Greenpeace have been engaging in what Volkswagen describes as a constructive and in some cases also confrontational dialog concerning the reduction of the CO2 emissions of the entire Volkswagen fleet to an average of 95 grams by 2020.

In connection with this calculation, criticisms have been raised, especially concerning the “supercredits”, which allow manufacturers to count electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles as low-emission vehicles several times over.

Independently from each other, Volkswagen and Greenpeace are convinced that the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in road traffic is a key factor in climate protection.

Volkswagen and the independent environmental protection organization will continue constructive dialogue about further environmental targets to be adopted by the Group and how they are to be achieved.

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To be named e-up!, Volkswagen’s first production electric vehicle will offer a driving range of 93 miles, seat four and will marketed as a city car.

The e-up! will be powered by a 60 kilowatt peak power electric motor, with continuous power of 40 kilowatt.

Volkswagen said this will allow the 2612 pounds e-up! to reach 60 miles per hour in under 14 seconds and reach a top speed of 84 mph.

The lithium-ion battery pack has been placed under the floor and is rated at 18.7 kilowatt per hour.

The batteries chosen can be charged up to 80 percent of its full capacity in 30 minutes.

Volkswagen will offer in option the Combined Charging System (CCS), supporting both AC and DC charging, allowing the vehicle to be charged through many power sources.

The e-up! will be differentiated from the gasoline up! by aerodynamically optimized front end, sills and under body components.

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