The Energy Blog

Volt Status Update

GM released some more information on the status of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid last week in meeting with journalists and analysts at its battery research labs and design studio near Detroit. No real news to those of you who are following the Volt closely.

A Reuters article summarized the information quite well, also see this post in GCC. The main points are:

• Executives are still committed to launching the Volt by November 2010, calling it the "No. 1 priority project"
• GM has started testing of two 16 kWh, 170 kg battery packs, one from a subsidiary of Korea's LG Chem and the 2nd suppled by Continental AG using A123 Systems technology.
• The goal for the battery is to  be able to run at least 150,000 miles, last 10 years, provide 60-mph acceleration in less than 9 seconds and provide an all electric range of 40 miles.
• Testing some Volt-like technology in a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu began last year and battery testing in the Malibu will begin this month.
• Relatively small aerodynamic improvements have increased the electric range by more than half a mile.

Volt Price Tag to Escalate Initially

GM has confirmed reports that the first Chevy Volts will cost $35,000 not the $30,000 that they had claimed previously.

Canada.com first published the report, that includes the following statements:

GM has found it can't re-engineer features such as windshield wipers and high-powered audio systems fast enough for the all-electric car, so it will be forced to put expensively redundant systems into the first-generation Volt.

The redundant systems will be eliminated later, probably in the second generation of the Volt, after engineers have had time to rework them for the new world of electric propulsion. "It's starting to look like it's going to be close to $35,000," Dee Allen, a spokesman for GM, said of the first-generation Chevy Volt.

In a later post Wired confirmed these statements, and quoted Allen as saying ". . . if it comes in closer to $35,000 and it means meeting the 2010 deadline, that's the direction we're going to go."  Wired also added air conditioning to the list of accessories adding to the cost. Wired also made this statement:

GM has no doubt it will solve the problem, but not in time to meet the 2010 deadline. The first-generation Volts will have workarounds GM called "redundant systems." Allen couldn't tell us anything more about that, but said second-generation Volts will be "more refined."

It seems to me that knowing how much energy these systems would use and from what source it would come should have been a basic part of the design concept, which leads to the thought that GM has not been as forthcoming as they implied.  Air conditioning and wipers should be standard features in a modern car. A 10 speaker audio system should be an option in my thinking. I wouldn't need such a system for my commute to work or for someone to drive around town shopping, which would be two of the main uses for the Volt. And I would think that most of the initial buyers would be more concerned with economy rather than creature comforts.  I know many people desire such an option, but perhaps it should be a feature that reduces the 40 mile range or becomes a relatively expensive option. I didn't realize that wipers used much power. Would an extra battery solve the problem for air conditioning and wipers? The direct cost for an additional Li-ion battery should be around $1,500. But then maybe the gas engine isn't quite large enough . . .   

Latest on the Volt

Jan 31 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp plans a strong production run for its plug-in Chevy Volt, according to a senior executive on Thursday who also urged Congress to approve tax incentives to help spark demand.  . . .

"As volume (of batteries) scales up, you will move down this curve to see better economics going forward. You can't get hung up on the economics of the first unit or the tenth unit," Jon Lauckner, GM vice president for global program management, told an energy forum at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.  . . . 

Lauckner said GM still hopes to start production of the Volt by the end of 2010 and said the company is planning a healthy roll-out.

"We're talking about large numbers -- in the tens of thousands," he said. "It's not a niche market."  . . . more

GM-Volt.com Reaches Major Milestone: Waitlist for Chevy Volt Climbs to 10,000

GM-Volt.com claims to be the definitive source of real-time news, information, and discussion about the General Motors Chevrolet Volt plug-in vehicle and related topics. 

A key component of the site is the Chevy Volt waiting list. People who are interested in purchasing the car are signing up. Even though the expected production date is November 2010, as of 1/26/2008, the waiting list passed the major milestone of 10,000 prospective buyers.

This is not an official waiting list, but the names on the unofficial waiting list, on GM-Volt.com, will be given to GM when the time is right.

Wal-Mart in Discussion on Possibility of Selling HEVs and PHEVs

(Bloomberg) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott said he held talks with automakers on the possibility of selling gasoline-electric hybrid cars and plug-in automobiles at the retailer's stores.

" Maybe there isn't room for Wal-Mart in this right now, but something tells me that there may be some role for us in the future."

-- H. Lee Scott

Don't hold your breath until this happens, but it would revolutionize how cars are sold, their pricing and bring these cars to the attention of the general public.

GM Forms New Organization for Hybrids, Plug-ins and Advanced Batteries

General Motors has formed a new engineering organization especially dedicated to implementing hybrid and extended- range electric vehicles (E-REV) and advanced battery technology. The global team will be led by Robert Kruse, executive director of vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicle and batteries.

"The future of automotive transportation will be based on electrification of our vehicles," "By having a vehicle engineering team in place and focused on delivering the technical aspects of hybrids and E-REVs, we can accelerate these programs and get them into production quickly and efficiently."

-- Jim Queen, GM group vice president of Global Engineering

GM's newest vehicle engineering team will develop vehicles using a variety of propulsion systems including gas-electric hybrids and GM's innovative E-Flex architecture. Vehicles that will be engineered by this team include the production E-REVs based on E-Flex architectures; Chevrolet Tahoe and Silverado 2 Mode; Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid; Saturn Vue 2 Mode Plug-in; Saturn Vue and Aura Hybrid; GMC Yukon and Sierra 2 Mode; and the Cadillac Escalade 2 Mode.

This should be great news for the affected technologies.  GM seems to be recognizing the importance of these technologies.  The Volt is not mentioned, I believe they already have a separate organization for it. It uses a different and hopefully more advanced technology, which is quite far along in development. It seems they want some common design elements in the mentioned vehicles.  I hope this is a step foreword and not just a bureaucracy for the sake of the media.

Noted in Passing: GM Starts New Design Studio for Volt

CNN Money Reports:

GM has taken another step toward bringing its Volt plug-in electric car to market by opening a new studio where work is being done exclusively on its next generation of electric vehicles.

The studio, made from a former management training center on the grounds of GM's Warren Technical Center, has clay and vinyl models of the next generation Volt.  . . .

Designers using computer and small clay models already have cut 30 percent from the wind drag of the original concept, said Ed Welburn, vice president of global design.

Toyota's Own Plug-in Prius

EV World had a recent article confirming that Toyota has been testing its PHEVs for at least three years, longer than most have believed and that the diagnostic codes on recent Prius models have become more complex, making it more difficult to make aftermarket conversions to plug-ins. . . . here.

I am experimenting with a few very short posts, like this one, referring to posts on other sites with articles that should be of interest to visitors to my site. Let me know what you think about this.

Latest on the Volt: Lutz Sees 60,000 to 100,000 the First Year, First Battery Delivered

In an interview  published in the Detroit Free Press on October 31, 2007, General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said he continues to be increasingly confident that GM will bring the range-extended Chevrolet Volt to market by 2010.

"We got our first experimental battery pack today" from LG Chem, Lutz said. The battery pack doesn't yet have a cooling system, he said, but doesn't need one for the stage of testing GM and LG Chem are in.

GM expects to receive an experimental battery pack in December from A123Systems, the other battery supplier with which it has a contract, Lutz said.

By the first quarter, GM expects to be running the E-Flex operating system in late model Malibus for testing purposes, he said.

Lutz said the first-generation production version of E-Flex will appear in a vehicle that will look much like the concept car shown at the 2007 Detroit auto show, but with a more traditional front end.

"The engine-motor configuration didn't work. ... Now it has a more classic-looking front end. ... It will be called the Chevrolet Volt."

Lutz said the company has not determined how many Volts it will make in the first year, but said he believes "it's a very safe bet that it will be produced in the tens of thousands" in its first generation.

"This is not sanctioned, not an official GM number, but in the first full year of production I would like to see between 60,000 and 100,000 and then go up from there," Lutz said.

Bob Lutz's Latest on the Volt

In an interview in the September 20 issue of the New York Times in David Pogue's column here are a few exherpts to give you some of his latest takes on the Volt.

Do you really believe in it?

Yeah, I firmly believe it. A lot of us see it as the most interesting and most fascinating technical challenge of our whole careers. I mean, this car means more to me than anything else I’ve had anything to do with in the 42 years that I’ve been in the business. I think this is because it’s transformational.

Technical issues?

Well, the problem is nobody has done a lithium ion battery pack this big. But our battery suppliers say, “Hey. Stop saying that. We’re telling you the battery’s going to be OK.” We get the first experimental packs from our two developmental suppliers in October. And then we can start bench testing.

Price?

My personal target still is to bring this car into the market at, you know, nicely below $30,000.

The latest on the Volt

A September 29 article in the Wall Street Journal reported that the Chevrolet Volt, General Motors Corp.'s electric-plug-in concept car, will be built at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, begining production in 2010, according to a tentative contract agreement reached between GM and the United Auto Workers union.

This is the most definitive report I have seen on a production schedule for the Volt.

EnerDel Lithium-ion Battery for Plug-ins will cost $1,500

According to Michael Kanellos of cnet NEWS.com:

EnerDel says it will come out with a lithium-ion battery for plug-in hybrids that will cost $1,500, a development that could go a long way to making these cars palatable in terms of price.

The Indianapolis-based company, which recently received a $6.5 million grant from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), hopes to deliver the battery to car manufacturers for their 2010 lineups, according to Charles Gassenheimer, vice chairman of the company. The 2010 model cars will start coming out in September 2009, he said. ...

Competitor Altair Nanotechnologies uses a similar chemistry.

EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, Inc. (OTCBB: ENEI) was one of five battery companies that received awards from The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). They received a $2.5 million contract over two years for plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) research. The award is for the development of cells for 10- and 40-mile range PHEVs using nano-phase lithium titanate coupled with a high voltage Nickel-Manganese cathode material. The total DOE/industry cost share will be $2.5 million and the DOE will fund its share of $1.25 million.

This comes on top of a 18-month contract, valued at $6.5 million, that was awarded on September 18, that was the second of a three-phase USABC program and requires a 50 percent cost share. EnerDel successfully completed Phase I in June. EnerDel's Phase II contract involves development focused on scaling up to a production caliber cell, extensive lifetime testing and evaluation, as well as demonstrating the technology in battery modules.

New Opel Flextreme Concept Car Includes Pair of Segways

Rüsselsheim/Frankfurt - Opel Flextreme is the name of the concept vehicle that marks a milestone in the development of the electric car: with its completely new, environmentally friendly E-Flex electric propulsion concept most commuters in Europe could travel everyday without producing any CO2 emissions. The car only needs to be charged for a relatively short time through the mains outlet after traveling 55 kilometers. If required however, the Flextreme can travel up to 715 km without stopping to recharge or refuel thanks to its small turbo-diesel engine. According to the European test cycle (ECE R101), this unit’s emissions are expected to be less than 40 g CO2/km. With the dynamic IAA monocab coupé concept, Opel also highlights others innovative solutions – including the electric personal transporters under the FlexLoad® load floor.

The Opel Flextreme uses GM’s E-Flex architecture and represents the company’s strategy to develop vehicles that reduce CO2 emissions and the automobile’s dependency on oil, thereby supporting global diversification of the energy mix. This also includes using the mains electricity network as an energy source. At the concept’s heart is an electric motor that takes its power from a large lithium-ion battery. The difference to conventional hybrid propulsion systems is that the E-Flex system’s 1.3-liter diesel engine is not connected to the wheels. It is purely on board to produce additional electricity to charge the battery and provide a greater operating range. It always operates in the optimum rpm range and its cylinder pressure-based closed loop technology controls the combustion process, further reducing the vehicle’s emissions.

Volvo Introduces Plug-in Concept

Volvo Cars is introducing the Volvo ReCharge Concept, a serial plug-in hybrid  with four electric wheel motors based on the Volvo C30, at the Frankfort Auto Show, September 13 - 23, 2007.

The car can be driven about 62 miles (100 kilometres) on battery power before the car's four-cylinder Flexifuel engine kicks in to power the car and recharge the battery.

The September 6 press release goes on to say:

"A certain proportion of electrical vehicles will be necessary to meet the CO2 emission demands of the future. Since the Volvo ReCharge Concept combines an excellent battery range with a backup combustion engine, it is a very interesting concept," said Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

When driving on electric power only, operating costs are expected to be about 80 percent lower than that of a comparable petrol-powered car. When driving beyond the 100 km battery range, fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 5.5 litres per 100 km depending on the distance driven using the engine.

"This plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66 percent lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today. Emissions may be even lower if most of the electricity in intended markets comes from CO2-friendly sources such as biogas, hydropower and nuclear power," said Jonsson.

GM Considering Leasing Batteries for Volt

According to an article in Drive by Richard Blackbuon of The Sydney Morning Herald on September 5, GM is considering leasing batteries to customers, rather than asking a prohibitive price for the new technology. The leasing plan would result in customers paying a weekly rental, offset by the huge fuel savings.

"It looks as if it is going to cost a lot more to buy a car like this, however the fuel economy is enormous," Nick Reilly, the president of General Motors Asia Pacific, said.

"People won't buy a full car. They will buy a car and rent or lease the battery and the cost of leasing the battery will be the same as, or less than, the cost they're paying today for petrol. So the motoring costs of an electric vehicle don't necessarily have to be much higher than the cost of today's vehicles," he said.

Mr Reilly said the leasing approach could speed up the adoption of hybrid vehicles. "Before we were saying it will be an awfully long time before we can get the costs down so people can afford it, but actually if you offset the fuel costs, people can afford it," he said.

This certainly sounds like the way that GM could get the Volt to market the soonest, without having to worry as much about the life of the battery.

Sprinter Plug-in to Get JCS Li-ion Batteries

Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) and Dodge have announced that a fleet of Dodge Sprinter plug-in hybrid delivery vans soon will be operating within the United States powered by Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.

The vans will be powered by Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries developed by Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions (JCS). The Dodge Sprinter plug-in hybrids will be placed in multiple locations within the U.S., exposing the technology to different drive cycles and to aquire information that can be used to develop the next generation of Lithium-ion batteries.

"Advanced battery technology is the single most important enabler in making all types of electric vehicles practical," said Mary Ann Wright, who leads the JCS joint venture and is vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls' hybrid battery business. "Plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will benefit from Lithium-ion technology. Johnson Controls-Saft is determined to deliver state-of-the-art batteries to power advanced, environmentally friendly vehicles,"

According to Wright, the Dodge Sprinter is an ideal vehicle to carry a large battery pack and still have ample room readily accessible for use as a delivery vehicle. Fleets of Sprinter plug-in hybrids were put into service in Los Angeles, New York and Kansas City in 2006 during the first phase of Chrysler and Daimler's plug-in hybrid development program. Powered by Johnson Controls-Saft nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and Li-ion battery packs, the Sprinter vans have provided valuable data to accelerate the development of future battery technology.

Bodman Speaks on Transportation Fuels

In an interview on CNBC a few minutes ago, U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman responding to a question about what he saw for the future supply of power for the transportation market said that he saw solar power, wind power, plug-in hybrids using solar and wind power, and biofuels such as ethanol and butanol as being the future power sources.

I view this response remarkable in two respects 1) the mention of plug-ins with such importance and without (the apparent need for) any attempt to explain what they were and 2) the mention of butanol as an important biofuel.  This represents a change in the administrations attitude over the past couple of years as plug-ins and butanol were not in their vocabulary before that.  This points out the success of the efforts of CalCars (California Cars Initiative) and Plug in Partners in promoting plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as the efforts of the various biofuel advocate groups.

Japan certifies Toyota Plug-in for Use on Public Roads, Toyota Releases Specifications

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced on Wednesday that it has developed a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Plug-in HV, and is the first manufacturer to have such a vehicle certified for use on public roads in Japan.

The PHEV is a 5 passenger vehicle with a cruising range of 8 miles (13 km) in the all electric mode with a top speed of 60 mph (100 km/hr).  It is equipped with 2 - 6.5Ah nickel-metal hydride batteries powering a 67hp (50kW)/1,200-1,540 rpm synchronous electric motor with a maximum torque of 400N-m(40.8kg-m) @ 0-1,200rpm.  The 1,496cc gasoline engine has a maximum output of 75 hp (56kW) @ 5,000 rpm and a maximum torque: 110N-m (11.2kg-m) @ 4,000rpm. Maximum output using both the engine and the battery is 134 hp (100 kW).  Charging time for the battery is 1-1.5hrs @ 200V and 3-4hrs @ 100V.

Increased battery capacity gives it a longer electric-motor-only cruising range and a battery-charging device, distinguishes it from previous hybrids and allows users to replenish the batteries using household electricity. These features enable the vehicle to run more often in gasoline-free, electric-only mode, such as on short trips in city driving. The resulting fuel efficiency improvements mean lower CO2 emissions and less fossil fuel consumption and, therefore, less pollution. Also, charging the battery with less-expensive nighttime electricity lowers total running costs, providing an economic benefit to owners.

Report: Environmental Benefits of Deploying PHEVs

PHEVs Curb Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Potential for Improved Air Quality

Plug-in hybrid cars (PHEVs) could cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 500 million tons a year by 2050 without taxing the electric grid, according to a report issued Thursday by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Among study's key findings were:

• Widespread adoption of PHEVs can reduce GHG emissions from vehicles by more than 450 million metric tons annually in 2050 -- equivalent to removing 82.5 million passenger cars from the road
• There is an abundant supply of electricity for transportation; a 60 percent U.S. market share for PHEVs would use 7 percent to 8 percent of grid-supplied electricity in 2050
• PHEVs can improve nationwide air quality and reduce petroleum consumption by 3 million to 4 million barrels per day in 2050

According to the press release the analysis is the first to combine detailed models of the U.S. electric system and transportation sector with sophisticated atmospheric air quality models -- accounting for the future evolution of both sectors in technological advances, electricity load growth and capacity expansion.

Researchers used detailed models of the U.S. electric and transportation sectors and created a series of scenarios to examine assumed changes in both sectors over the 2010 to 2050 timeframe of the study.

Plug-ins vs Coal-to-Liquids

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce (2007) is considering enacting policies to subsidize the production of transportation fuel from coal-to-liquid projects (CTL), which would enhance national security by lowering oil imports. However encouraging plug-in hybrids is a less costly policy that also reduce oil imports and does more to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A paper, by Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center (CEIC), compares GHG emissions of CTL gasoline to the emissions of plug-in hybrid vehicles powered with electricity generated with coal as well as various fuel usage scenarios. A life cycle approach was used so that all stages of the life cycle of each fuel, from production to use, are included.

Why Not Plug-in Hybrids Now?

CalCars testified before the California Air Resources Board's review of its historic Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate. Part of their testimony, which represents their proposed way to respond to carmakers reluctance to use today's batteries to build a demonstration fleet of PHEVs, was as follows:

If left on their own, an unknown number of years from now, one or more carmakers might begin to produce some quantities of PHEV passenger vehicles.

Why not sooner? They're waiting for affordable, 40-mile range, life-of-vehicle batteries. Yet the best way to test and evolve systems is to put them on the road. What if California said to carmakers, "We'll make it easy for you?" Please don't scrimp on safety -- but on the other factors, we'll go all out to help you get started." (By the way, we're in a race. If we don't act, we hope Washington State, Texas, or the US government will make it happen...) ...

The first large demonstration fleets will give carmakers market research from drivers and help them "get PHEVs right" by improving other aspects of the car. They will help ensure that the public has realistic expectations about PHEVs. Meanwhile, the ARB will be able to address in parallel issues involved in PHEV certification for mass-production cars. And while carmakers get ready for volume production, given the rapid changes in the energy storage industry, they may have even better battery choices in as little as two years. ... more

Maybe their testimony makes clearer the position advocated by The Energy Blog for some time.

Volt is Real Production Vehicle! (for now)

AutoWeek and several other sources reported last week that GM has taken major steps to develop a production version of the Volt plug-in electric hybrid car. They quoted Larry Burns, GM's vice president for R&D as saying "We are doing the production engineering on the Chevrolet Volt, it is a formal product program within our company, just like the Chevrolet Malibu is a product program."

Burns listed the steps in the program that GM is taking:

• They have allocated funds for development. and several other sources
• Engineering work has been started.
• They have selected the next-generation Delta platform for the vehicle.
• They have decided to develop both a ICE version and a fuel cell version.

GM has not revealed a production date for the Volt, but they generally need about 36 months to bring a vehicle to production once the design is frozen which could mean that the Volt could appear as soon as 2010. The Volt has the support of GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz who introduced the Volt and his backing should help keep the schedule on track.

225 mpg XR-3 Plug-in Hybrid Kit

Robert Q. Riley Enterprises, LLC, in Glendale, Ariz., will introduce its XR-3 plug-in hybrid kit, a sleek two-passenger, three-wheel sports car that is expected to generate up to 225 miles per gallon and have a battery-only range of up to 40 miles, in June 2007.

Its clam-shell canopy and three-wheel platform boldly differentiates the XR-3 from conventional passenger cars. The vehicle’s hybrid power system, diesel engine, and low curb weight are the main ingredients of its super-high fuel economy and excellent performance. At just 1300 pounds, with acceleration equal to that of a conventional car and a maximum speed of 85 mph the XR-3 Hybrid is equally at home on freeways and surface streets.

AQMD Orders 30 Plug-ins

The California South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) authorized the spending of $2.6 million for a test fleet of 30 plug-in electric hybrid cars and sport utility vehicles. Contracts were awarded to Quantum Technologies Inc. of Irvine, CA to furnish 20 Escape plug-in vehicles and Hymotion of Toronto, Canada to furnish 10 Prius plug-ins.

The board authorized a contract not to exceed $2.1 million with Quantum to buy and convert 20 of Ford Motor Co.'s Escape gasoline-electric hybrid SUVs. Their contract includes over $1 million for design costs. The Escapes will use batteries from Advanced Lithium Power Inc., a Vancouver, Canada, company in which Quantum is a 20% stakeholder.

Quantum has considerable experience in design, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of gaseous fuel management systems and alternate fueled vehicles. Since 1997 Quantum has produced over 16,000 alternate fueled vehicles.  Quantum is the manufacturer of record with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for GM’s CNG powered Chevrolet Cavalier, full size Van and medium and heavy-duty CNG powered Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks. In 2004, in response to a competitive RFP, Quantum was awarded a contract with AQMD to develop and demonstrate 30 hydrogen-powered Prius vehicles.

GM Volt Due in 2010

A Reuters article in Planet Ark quotes GM's product chief and Vice Chairman Bob Lutz as saying that GM has set 2010 as the target date for introducing the Volt.

Lutz said the major uncertainty facing the Chevrolet Volt, a concept vehicle GM unveiled in January, was whether lithium-ion batteries can be developed to power it economically and safely.

A running Volt prototype is expected by the end of 2007.

GM has said it is aiming for the Volt to be able to run for 40 miles on pure electric power, meaning many commuters would be able to get through a day without using gasoline.

Lutz said GM's initial work had shown that the production version of the Volt would have to shed some of the bold styling cues of the concept, including the extreme front placement of the wheels.

More details about the Volt in this previous post.

The Need for Both Biofuels and Battery Based Vehicles

Based on the response to this mornings post on the governments cellulosic ethanol program, I think some of you may have misunderstood the reasoning behind The Energy Blog supporting this cellulosic ethanol program and some of the basic causes and remedies of The Energy Revolution. Our most pressing energy problem is our decreasing supplies of increasingly expensive oil for the transportation industries. The high use of petroleum products for transportation is one of the primary causes of global warming (the other being coal fired power plants, which will not be discussed in this post), fortunately the solution to the problem of increased use of petroleum products also decreases the emissions of global warming gases.

This is not a short term problem, but one that has taken years to develop and will take years to solve. The timing is hard to pin down. I believe we have passed the peak production of inexpensive sweet crude oil. Each year we are now using larger quantities of expensive (either to harvest and/or refine) oil, whether it be sour oil, very deep offshore oil, heavy oil or perhaps eventually shale oil. At some time, as prices of oil go up, market forces will cause the use of oil to decrease. This would require changes in lifestyle, some of which would be beneficial, as there is much waste and some of which could reduce the the standard of living that we have become used to. More use of mass transportation and driving more efficient vehicles are certainly required. 

Wind Energy to Charge Vehicle Batteries, Reduce Peak Demand

PG&E eyes power grid plan to boost electric cars
Leonard Anderson, Reuters, February 23, 2007

California's biggest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., is considering a plan to charge fleets of battery-powered cars overnight with wind energy and let consumers sell back some of the stored electricity during the day.

In addition to reducing oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from standard cars, the plan could help stoke production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and give power managers more energy capacity on the grid for hot summer afternoons, speakers said at a "clean technology" investment conference in San Francisco this week. ...

A power grid-to-car-batteries hookup, however, is probably at least five to six years away, Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars, said at the cleantech conference. ...

Venture One: 2 Passenger, 3 Wheel Plug-in Hybrid

Venture Vehicles Inc. is introducing the VentureOne a 3-wheel, tilting, plug-in hybrid vehicle. This unique 2-passenger flex-fuel hybrid vehicle will achieve 100 miles per gallon with a top speed of over 100 mph.

Venture Vehicles plans to initially offer two propulsion packages for the VentureOne: the hybrid E50 and Q100, and all-electric Venture EV.

For the hybrid vehicles the propulsion system is of a series hybrid design. The system consists of a small internal combustion engine connected to a 15 – 20 kW generator, two in-wheel 25 kW electric motors, a four gallon fuel tank, and a 3 kWh Li-Ion battery pack. The system is able to take energy normally lost as heat due to braking and return it to the battery, increasing overall system efficiency. The hybrid versions are designed to have a 20 mile “EV only” range. The all-electric propulsion system has two in-wheel 20 kW electric motors, and a 17 kWh Li-Ion battery pack, and also has regenerative braking.

More Hype on the Volt

GM's 30-Person Battery Team; BizWeek Sees Japanese Win on PHEVs

By Felix Kramer, CalCars

A few key clips from the stories, followed by full text:

* The Volt is going some way to persuade cynics that U.S. automakers are finally getting serious about environmental technologies.
* Many industry watchers, especially those in Japan, remain skeptical that the Volt will do much to narrow the gap between GM and hybrid leaders Toyota and Honda.
* While details are scant, Toyota is also working on plug-in hybrids of its own.
* Honda is working on ... plug-in hybrids of its own.
* A breakthrough in Li-ion battery technology...is expected to happen in Japan [from] Sanyo Electric, which supplies hybrid batteries to Honda and Ford, and Panasonic EV Energy, in which Toyota has a 60% stake.   ...

This post, references several articles, full text included, about the GM Volt and the hype it has created, including the speculation that Sanyo will have a battery breakthrough.

Ford Unveils Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle

Tech Trifecta: Ford Unveils Fuel Cell, Hybrid Electric Edge, with a Plug!

Ford press release via Autoblog Ford cut the fuel cell's size, weight and cost in half and said their approach would double the lifespan of the fuel cell's stack. Ford's plug-in hybrid Edge operates in "battery only" mode for the first 25 miles, moving at speeds of up to 85 mph. When the battery is depleted to 40 percent, it seamlessly shifts to the fuel-cell mode, which recharges the battery for 200 more miles of range. ....

Bush's Energy Reduction Executive Order Includes Provisions Requiring Purchase of Plug-in Vehicles

On Wednesday President Bush issued an executive order stating that:

"It is the policy of the United States that Federal agencies conduct their environmental, transportation, and energy-related activities under the law in support of their respective missions in an environmentally, economically and fiscally sound, integrated, continuously improving, efficient, and sustainable manner."

He instructed government agencies to take eight steps to reduce energy consumption, two of which I am focusing on.

1) If agencies operates a fleet of at least 20 motor vehicles 

(i) reduce the fleet's total consumption of petroleum products by 2 percent annually through the end of fiscal year 2015,
(ii) increases the total fuel consumption that is non-petroleum-based by 10 percent annually, and
(iii) use plug-in hybrid (PIH) vehicles when PIH vehicles are commercially available at a cost reasonably comparable, on the basis of life-cycle cost, to non-PIH vehicles

A Chinese Built PHEV?

CalCars has the full text of three stories reporting on Malcolm Bricklin, "a wild card, a high-flyer and a crash-lander," who says he is now working on prototypes for a series PHEV that could cost $25-$30K.

According to the Washington Post, Bricklin, chairman and chief executive of Visionary Vehicles, is tenacious. Bricklin brought Subaru, the gull-winged Bricklin SV-1 and Yugo automobiles to North America from the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Some of his ventures, such as that with Subaru, were bona fide successes. Others, such as that with the Bricklin SV-1 and the ill-fated Yugo, were dismal failures.

According to Reuters the car would use technology similar to that proposed by GM in their Cheverlot Volt concept car, but with a smaller engine. He said a working proof of concept would be built in six months and that the cars would be in production by 2009.

USA Today quotes him as saying that he's in talks with 15 Chinese manufacturers about building the cars in China to take advantage of low wages and modern equipment. "Use the Chinese advantage to make it cheaper" he says, "instead of it being $3,000 more."

GM Unveils Volt Plug-in Hybrid

The new Chevrolet Volt, which was unveiled Sunday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is a new type of plug-in hybrid. The four passenger Volt runs exclusively on battery power, but a gas-fueled engine charges the battery which powers the drive motor. The batteries can also be charged by plugging in to a 110 V power source. 

"Today's vehicles were designed around mechanical propulsion systems that use petroleum as their primary source of fuel." said Jon Lauckner, GM vice president of Global Program Management. "Tomorrow's vehicles need to be developed around a new propulsion architecture with electricity in mind. The Volt is the first vehicle designed around GM's E-flex System."

The vehicle on display at the auto show is a concept car, but GM intends to develop a production version.

New York's Plug-in Hybrid Inititive

New York state has embarked on a $10 million program to convert 574 hybrid vehicles in the state fleet to be plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). The converted vehicles will be able to achieve significantly higher mileage than the hybrids, in the range of 100 mpg. These vehicles operate on emissions-free battery power, for a significant portion of their operating time, with lower emissions of harmful pollutants, including greenhouse gases. This high mileage vehicle plan is part of the governor’s plan to reduce dependence on imported energy.

On December 20 the state showcased the first vehicle delivered under this program, a Prius using A123 batteries that was converted to a PHEV by Hymotion.

The vehicle is the first one delivered in phase one of a two-phase program conducted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Phase One plans call for the conversion of two Priuses, three Ford Escape SUVs and a Honda Civic for technical evaluation.

The second phase of the program will be to bulk-purchase the selected technologies for installation on the remaining hybrids in the State fleet. Phase One, with design and prototyping will cost up to a million dollars; Phase Two involves bulk conversions and is budgeted for up to $9 million.

Plug-in Hybrids Stabalize Electric Grid

Technology Review has a nice roundup on the advantages of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), pointing out how the vehicles could help stabilize the grid if they were charged during low demand periods. Some key excerpts from Technology Review:

Such a system could be further optimized by using smart chargers and other electronics. This system would include a charger that runs on a timer, charging cars only during off-peak hours. Researchers at Pacific Northwestern National Laboratory (PNNL) are taking this a step further with smart chargers that use the Internet to gather information about electricity demand. Utilities could then temporarily turn off chargers in thousands of homes or businesses to keep the grid from crashing after a spike in demand.

The next step would be to add smart meters that would track electricity use in real time and allow utilities to charge more for power used during times of peak demand, and less at off-peak hours. Coupled with such a system, the PNNL smart charger could ensure that the plug-in batteries are charged only when the electricity is at its cheapest, saving consumers money.

But what many experts are excited about now is a concept called "vehicle-to-grid," often abbreviated V2G. ... In this kind of system, each vehicle would have its own IP address so that wherever it is plugged in, the cost of the energy it uses to recharge would be billed to the owner. With the right equipment, the car could also return energy to the grid, giving the owner credit. Mock-ups of such systems have already been tested ...

I know some of this information is repetitive to some of my regular readers, but the importance of plug-in vehicles (and electric vehicles) to relieving our dependence on increasingly expensive liquid fuels is so crucial and the word must be spread to as many as possible. While I have said many times that conservation and use of renewables are very important this technology remains the cornerstone of The Energy Revolution.

Thanks to tip from Tyler at Clean Break. 

PHEVs Have Little Impact on Electric Power System

DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory released a report today, that indicates that idle capacity in the existing electric power system could generate most of the electricity consumed by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. A new study for the Department of Energy finds that "off-peak" electricity production and transmission capacity could fuel 84 percent of the country's 220 million vehicles if they were plug-in hybrid electrics.

Researchers also evaluated the impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, on foreign oil imports, the environment, electric utilities and the consumer.

The study presumes that drivers would charge up overnight when demand for electricity is much lower and that the cars would be driven 33 miles per day, the national average.

"This is the first review of what the impacts would be of very high market penetrations of PHEVs," said Eric Lightner, of DOE's Office of Electric Delivery and Energy Reliability. "It's important to have this baseline knowledge as consumers are looking for more efficient vehicles, automakers are evaluating the market for PHEVs and battery manufacturers are working to improve battery life and performance." Lightner also noted that "the study suggests the idle capacity of the electric power grid is an underutilized national asset that could be tapped to vastly reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

Smart ForFour PHEV Conversion

Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC) (OTC: LTHU) and Zytek Systems have sucessfully converted a Daimler Chrysler Smart ForFour into a demonstration plug-in vehicle.  The vehicle has a fuel economy of over 84 mpg and an all-electric range of 20 miles which is considerably better than the range of HEVs currently on the market.

The Li-ion battery, developed by LTC subsidiary GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke, has an output of 288 V, a capacity of 7.5 Ah (or about 2.2 kWh of energy) and a capability to deliver 25 kW of power. The battery can be charged by either the internal combustion engine (ICE) and by regenerative braking or by plugging into a electric outlet.

The car uses an advanced Battery Management System (BMS) resulting from a combined technology development effort by LTC, Zytek and I+ME. The system is equipped with additional safety features to control the charging of the battery from the mains. The BMS has been designed to communicate with the vehicles’ energy management system to ensure enhanced efficiency and control.

Wagoner Promises to Make a Plug-in

Several articles in the press yesterday (Wednesday) gave significant publicity to GM's chairman and chief executive G. Richard Wagoner Jr. announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show that GM plans to build a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Wagoner called the plug-in hybrid technology a "top priority" for the automaker. Citing technical obstacles, he didn't say when the new vehicle would go on sale. GM is working to put the plug-in hybrid powertrain in a future version of the Saturn Vue. He claimed that timing depends on how soon a suitable battery can be developed for the vehicle. He claimed that affordable battery technology doesn't exist yet.

Wagoner said the new Vue will be the "launch platform for the first front-wheel-drive version of our advanced 'two-mode' hybrid system in 2008." Its first plug-in hybrid will be based on the 2008 Saturn Vue, a redesigned crossover-utility vehicle that goes on sale next year. Eventually, the Vue will be sold in three hybrid versions: as the Green Line that used a mild hybrid system, as a vehicle that uses GM's more efficient two-mode hybrid system, and as the plug-in hybrid.

According to GM, the Saturn plug-in hybrid will include lithium-ion batteries, two interior permanent magnet motors, and a 3.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine with direct injection and variable valve timing. The 2-mode hybrid system will be altered for use with plug-in technology. It maintains two driving modes - one for city driving, the other for highway driving - and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance.

According to some reports, GM is expected to show off a concept plug-in hybrid next month -- dubbed the I-car within the company, or iconic vehicle.

Toyota: Plug-in Vehicles to be Maketable Within Five Years

The Louisville Currier-Journal, reporting on a visit to the company's plant in Georgetown, Ky., last month, by Toyota Motor Co. Executive Engineer Dave Hermance attributed him as saying that Toyota has pushed down the prices on all major hybrid components by raising production volumes, but "we're reaching the end of those efficiencies."

And those cost cuts have done little more than offset skyrocketing prices for nickel based hybrid batteries. The most likely candidate to replace nickel is lithium.

Hermance thinks it will take about three years to make them viable for hybrid vehicles.

GM plans Plug-in

General Motors Corp., losing sales to Toyota Motor Corp., will use some of the $9 billion in savings from cost cuts this year to make vehicles that match the Japanese automaker in technology and fuel efficiency, according to people familiar with the strategy. ...

GM's plans include a hybrid-electric vehicle with a battery that recharges at any outlet, improved gasoline engines, hybrid versions of its Silverado pickup trucks and hydrogen-powered fuel-cell models that emit only water vapor, according to people, who didn't want to be identified because the plan isn't public. ...

The Detroit-based automaker has assigned a team of engineers to help develop plug-in hybrids. The project -- known internally as I-car, for Icon car -- is meant to be the centerpiece of the new strategy, the people said. Plug-in hybrids recharge when the vehicle isn't in use and switch to the gasoline engine when the batteries are drained. ...

CEO Rick Wagoner and Vice Chairman Bob Lutz this month toured GM's hybrid development center in Troy, Michigan, for the first time to let researchers know the company is making such technologies a priority, according to people familiar with the visit. In meetings, Wagoner, 53, has stressed the automaker is now fully committed to hybrid and other technologies, they said. ...

Wagoner will outline the strategy in a speech before the end of the year, one of the people said.

An earlier story reported that the plug-in designs GM is testing may be ready in time for the Detroit auto show in January, the people said. Any commercial production is at least a year away, they said.

Thanks to calcars news for the tip.

GM to Use Cost Savings to Fight Toyota `Green' Cars, People Say, Jeff Green, Bloomberg, Oct. 27, 2006

Assessing GM's Fuel Cell Strategy

A recent article in the MIT Technology Review "Assessing GM's Fuel Cell Strategy" supports The Energy Blog's view that GM's plans to introduce a test fleet of 100 fuel cell vehicles is a mistake. Plug-in hybrids are suggested as a more viable alternative. The most critical was Joseph Romm, executive director of the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, and formerly in charge of energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy:

Hydrogen fuel must be extracted from fossil fuels or water--both energy-consuming processes. Once produced, the gas must be compressed or liquefied for distribution, and this process and the distribution itself take yet more energy. By the time the hydrogen has been delivered to the fuel cell for conversion to electricity, then, a significant amount of energy has been lost to these processes.

"Along the way, you've thrown away nearly three-quarters of the electricity. No one in their right mind would do that--if your alternative is to just string a power line from zero-carbon electricity and charge a battery onboard a car,"

Romm goes on to say: "Money for research and development of fuel-cell vehicles and their related infrastructure is going to waste and the GM approach is "insane." He adds: "Hydrogen is the last thing you would do, only if everything else has failed."

In Favor of the Plug-in Hybrid Diesel

"Google Tech Talks September 20, 2006" has an excellent presentation, Better Than Ethanol? BTL in plug-in hybrid diesel vehicles, by Reed Benet a PhD student at UC Davis, Institute of Transportation Studies, that makes a strong case for the plug-in hybrid diesel vehicle.  The plug-in is combined with biomass-to-liquid diesel fuels, (versus ethanol, cellulosic or otherwise) and is presented as the best medium-to long-term solution for our dependence on foreign oil and our transportation accelerated global warming. Benet also provides a whirlwind historical and prospective tour of transportation, vehicles, fuels, infrastructure, business models, motivations and options.

The presentation emphasized that the diesel is 30% more efficient than the gasoline engine, that the net energy balance for gasification/Fischer-Tropsch process is 10x vs much lower values for conventional biodiesel or ethanol and that the technology is much closer to reality and less costly than hydrogen/fuel cell cars. The added expense of the vehicles can be justified by the V2G capability of the vehicles and the fact that they can be charged at night using off-peak power.

Nissan to Produce Plug-in for Release in 2010

From the Daily Yomiuri Online, Japan, Sept. 23:

Nissan Motor Co. will develop a new hybrid vehicle technology on its own, which would end a joint agreement with Toyota Motor Corp., sources said Friday.

The independently produced low-emission and fuel-efficient models will be released on 2010, the sources said. ...

The new compact car models will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery system and include a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can be recharged at home.

Hymotion Plug-in Hybrid

On top of the recent announcement by HybridsPlus, Hymotion, a manufacturer of conversion systems for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), announced that it had delivered one of its L5 Prius Plug-in Hybrid systems to HOURCAR, a car-sharing program that serves the Twin Cities, MN.

The Hymotion L5 plug-in system claims to double the already admirable fuel efficiency of Toyota’s Prius hybrid. The Hymotion system boasts 100 mpg at speeds of 70 mph, for the first 30-35 miles and an amazing 250+ mpg in the city at speeds up to 35 miles. To recharge the battery system, you simply plug it into a regular household electrical outlet.

Prius PHEV Will Have V2G Capability

A new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, capable of 125 mpg and receiving electricity from or sending it to the grid, has been acquired by the Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation (OEMC) as part of a NREL program. HybridsPlus, Inc. converted a 2006 Toyota Prius into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) for demonstration purposes.

HybridsPlus, based in Boulder, Colorado, is the newest company offering to convert Priuses to plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV).

A Plug-in Hybrid car can be fueled by electricity from an electrical outlet or by gasoline. Initially, a PHEV uses less gas than an hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), because it can draw energy longer, from its larger battery. For example, a Toyota Prius' 50 mpg efficiency can be improved to about 100 mpg when operated as a PHEV. Eventually, when that storage of electrical energy is depleted, a PHEV is no more efficient than an HEV.

Google Starts Philantropic Organization, to Devlop Plug-ins

CalCars reports that the founders of Google have set up a philanthropy, called Google.org, giving it seed money of about $1 billion and a mandate to tackle poverty, disease and global warming. Unlike most charities, it will be a for-profit company, allowing it to fund start-up companies, form partnerships with venture capitalists and even lobby Congress. The organization is called

According to the NY Times one of the initial projects will be to develop an ultra-fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid car engine that runs on ethanol, electricity and gasoline; they are consulting with hybrid-engine scientists and automakers, and have arranged for the purchase of a small fleet of cars with plans to convert them to plug-in vehicles.

According to CalCars this information was released prematurely and Google issued this statement to them:

"As Google.org is committed to helping to address global warming, we are interested in encouraging the rapid development of cleaner and more efficient energy solutions, such as advanced hybrid flex fuel vehicles. While we have no plans to announce at this time, we look forward to joining with others working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by investigating and investing in new approaches and technologies that could have the potential to reduce this global threat."

EnerDel Installs Production Line

EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1,Inc (OTC BB: ENEI.OB) in which Delphi holds a minority interest, has announced that it has installed its first mass production line for lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery electrodes at the company's Indiana facility. EnerDel is developing a Li-ion battery solution that they claim will improve the performance, fuel efficiency and cost of Hybrid Electric Vehicles. EnerDel expects to succeed at being the first company to cost-competitively mass-produce a Li-ion battery in the United States.  With this capability EnerDel can now demonstrate its production approach and expertise to automotive companies and OEMs, as well as begin their required qualification process to mass produce batteries for their future HEV models.

EnerDel is now testing manufactured prototypes of battery cells and related manufacturing equipment.

The new production line is capable of producing the electrode equivalent of 5,000 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) batteries (25KW) per month.  EnerDel's production line includes two Hirano Tecseed Coaters, because, from a quality control standpoint, it is vital to have two coating lines to allow the coating of anodes and cathodes separately to avoid any contamination.

Will CalCars Start a Company?

Cal Cars is concluding that their goals can best be achieved through a for-profit company.  In todays post on HybridCars.com Felix Kramer, founder of The California Cars Initiative discusses the process and the reasoning as to why he has come to this conclusion.  The following are some selected excerpts from his post:

It took us four years to make largely unknown PHEVs a recognized path for automotive development. We built awareness and enthusiasm. Our open-source-style PRIUS+ conversions proved what's possible.

We became PHEV evangelists and helped catalyze a national movement. In a great cross-country policy stunt, our prototypes showed up at the U.S. Capitol.

So why have car-makers remained reluctant to embrace our technology, and try to make a bundle off it? They’re reactive, work in long product cycles. and don't believe people will pay more up-front. And they can't see beyond resolveable technical concerns, especially on batteries. 

AFS Trinity/Austin Energy, Plug-in Partners in PHEV Agreement

AFST has signed an accord with Austin Energy giving Plug-in Partners (PIP) first access to 250 MPG Extreme Hybrid (XH) cars. The AFST/Austin Energy (AE) memorandum of understanding (MOU) sets the stage for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) to be put into the participating fleets of the Plug-in Partners (PIP) consortium of utilities and municipalities. Ricardo, a world’s leading automotive engineering firm, is to assist with first XH cars.

The MOU sets the stage for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) to be put into the participating fleets of the Plug-in Partners (PIP) consortium of utilities and municipalities.

"The deal we signed gives PIP participants the opportunity to be among the first to order AFS Trinity Extreme Hybrid™ vehicles. PIP's job is to encourage our members to lease these vehicles. AFS Trinity's objective is to complete development of the prototype and involve an automotive OEM as a development partner. All of these things must be accomplished for the agreement to work." said Roger Duncan, the Deputy General Manager of Austin Energy which is the founding participant of PIP.

Mini QED PHEV

The Mini QED is a demonstration vehicle that showcases the Quad Electric Drive, a four wheel motor in wheel drive, plug-in electric vehicle, developed by PML Flightlink and its partner Synergy Innovations and unveiled at the British Motor Show.  The QED has an all-electric range of 200-250 miles (333-417 km) and has a total range of about 932 miles (1,500 km). The car accelerates from 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds. Two vehicles have been produced to demonstrate what can be achieved using the companies in wheel motor technology.

Some key features are:

Independent Quad Electric Drive

Traction control and anti skid built into each wheel

Regenerative braking recovers almost all energy

Blistering acceleration and high top speed

Around 80 mpg via onboard engine / generator

No need to recharge ( although you can if you wish)

Seriously attractive and feature rich in car display