Hybrids Straightline Archives

Well, here it is on a race track, that means it's sporty right? Ok, maybe not, but it's going way faster around Suzuka than a Prius ever could.

Categories: Coupes,Hatchbacks,Honda,Hybrids

Another day, another story of an out of control Toyota. This time it was in San Diego and it involved a Prius. You can watch the news report after the jump, but the driver basically claimed that he pressed the gas to pass someone and "then the thing just jumped and kept going."

Thankfully, the Prius was eventually brought under control without incident, but there are elements of the story that left us scratching our heads. In other words, this is BS.
 

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Categories: Hybrids,Toyota,Toyota Recalls

A report in the trade journal Automotive News says that Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler will double its spending on development of various green technologies over the next two years.

The company plans to spend $1.4 billion in each of the next two years for battery, fuel cell and fuel-efficient engine technology. According to the story, in each of the three previous years, the company spent $700 million.

Head of Daimler R&D, Thomas Weber said, "If you want to be market leader, you cannot wait until the supplier sells you these components. It means you push the pedal."

That pedal-pushing could result in pure electric versions of the A-class, B-class and Smart cars in the next few years. Further, the C-, E- and S-class sedans and variants will be offered in either conventional hybrid form or in a plug-in version.

Weber told the paper that the next-generation S-class due in 2014 will use a flexible architecture that could accommodate gas or diesel engines, a hybrid power train or a fuel cell power plant.

Competitor Audi acknowledged at this year's Detroit Auto Show that it would like to expand its "E-tron" electric-vehicle nomenclature to a sort-of sub-brand, as it did with "quattro," and release a full line of electric and/or hybrid-electric vehicles. Its most recent concept offering was the A1 E-tron concept at this year's Geneva Auto Show which used a small Wankel rotary engine to replenish its battery pack, in the same fashion as Chevrolet's Volt. BMW has shown a real interest too in expanding its hybrid offerings, most recently previewed by the 5 Series ActiveHybrid concept vehicle at Geneva and the Concept ActiveE electric concept from the Detroit Auto Show.

Automotive News (subscription required)

Categories: Audi,BMW,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Hybrids,Mercedes-Benz

When the Lexus CT 200h was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show on Tuesday, it wasn't a huge surprise to the European audience. Previewed in lightly disguised concept form last year, the smallish hybrid hatchback seemed like a natural fit for the European market.

What we didn't know was whether Lexus was planning to bring the new hatchback over to the U.S. Lexus delivered the answer when it announced that the CT 200h would go on sale "worldwide" next year.

This could be a risky move as Lexus already sells the HS 250h here. That sedan uses a larger 2.4-liter gas engine while the CT 200h uses the same 1.8-liter setup as the Toyota Prius. Could be confusing to customers who are expected a sportier version of the sedan. Then again, Lexus could be saving the more powerful drivetrain for the U.S. market only.

So, what do think? Does an HS 250h engine with CT 200h styling make for a more compelling package? We'll see around this time next year.
  

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Categories: Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Hatchbacks,Hybrids,Lexus,Luxury Cars

We're scratching our heads over the camouflaged Saturn Vues our shooters have spotted putting around Michigan over the last week. They still have Saturn badging in the back, but what's with the taped over Chevrolet grille and Buick wheels? And then there's the hybrid badging down the side.

This almost certainly suggests that General Motors is considering a two-mode hybrid version of the Chevrolet Equinox, where you'd have a gas engine joining forces with a pair of electric motors built into the transmission.

But we think there's a chance this hybrid might be a plug-in, judging by the camo over the fender vent -- this is where the plug was on the Saturn Vue PHEV. That vehicle debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.

GM officials had said the plug-in Vue would use lithium-ion batteries and go on sale in late 2010, about the same time as the Chevrolet Volt. Notably, though, it was only going to have a 10-mile all-electric range, which almost defeats the point of having plug-in capability.

The other curious thing about the prototypes is that they all have a single exhaust outlet. The Vue Two-Mode Hybrid and PHEV were slated to use a directed-injected version of GM's 3.6-liter V6, and the show cars all had dual exhaust tips. The switch to a single could indicate that GM has decided to use a four-cylinder engine instead -- perhaps the direct-injected 2.4-liter.

We'll have to wait and see how this project develops, but it's clear GM hasn't given up on the idea of building hybrid crossover SUVs.

Update: We've added a photo of another of the "Vue Hybrid" prototypes after the jump. It lacks the Chevy grille treatment (but still has those Buick wheels), but since the shot was taken from the driver side, you can more clearly see the fender-mounted port that would take the charger cable -- not to be confused with the block-heater plug dangling from the front of the vehicle.

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Categories: Chevrolet,Crossovers,Green Tech,Hybrids,SUVs,Saturn,Spy Photos

This isn't the exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the development of the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid concept it purports to be. And the voiceover is over the top. But this second video on the 918 Spyder does offer a few more details about the car.

That said, Editor in Chief Scott Oldham learned the most important detail about the mid-engine, plug-in hybrid this afternoon in Geneva: The 918 has a shot at production.

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Convertibles,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Green Tech,Hybrids,Porsche,Sports Cars

Did you know that 30 percent of Ferrari's factory is covered in trees? No? Neither did we and we've been there. But that's what Luca di Montezemolo said today at Ferrari's press conference.

Then he addressed the big pink elephant in the room, which happened to be a very, very, very green 599. "To see a green Ferrari on the Ferrari stand is something unusual," said Montezemolo in the understatement of the show.

We've showed you some leaked photos of the 599 hybrid car already. What you don't know is how much we gnashed our teeth over whether the shots of an improbably green Ferrari were part of an elaborate hoax. They weren't.

Follow the jump for details and more photos.

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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Ferrari,Hybrids,Sports Cars

According to Porsche's new chairman Michael Macht, the company's 918 Spyder Hybrid concept, which is the talk of the Geneva auto show, just might be more than a concept.

"The car has a fair chance for production," he told Inside Line during an interview today on the show floor. "The car answers questions our Porsche customers are asking."

According to Macht, Porsche's customers are asking for low emissions as well as high performance in their Porsches. They want socially acceptable Porsches, he said.

Later in the interview we asked Macht about the rumor that the production 918 will share its platform with the next-generation Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo. His answer was simple. He just shrugged and said his policy is not to talk about future products.

So then we asked him about the turbocharged four-cylinder Boxster we know Porsche is working on, as well as its coming small SUV, the Panamera coupe and the Panamera convertible. He shrugged a lot.

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Convertibles,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Green Tech,Hybrids,Porsche,Sports Cars

You know all that stuff we were saying about the Mercedes-Benz F800 and how it was an early look at the next CLS sedan? Forget it; we were wrong. When Mercedes rolled the new concept today in Geneva it was clearly too small to be a CLS. In fact, it looked too small to be an E-Class-based vehicle at all.
 
When we asked some insiders at Mercedes, they admitted it was no CLS replacement and after some prying they admitted it was more than just a concept. They said Mercedes was looking at all sorts of ways to utilize the MFA platform, as it's known internally.

You'll remember that we reported months ago that a C-Class coupe and convertible are in the works. Now it looks like a "four-door coupe" model could be added to the range, too, possibly under the CLC nameplate. Also worthy of note is something that Volker Mornhinweg, head of AMG, mentioned to us the day before. He said that AMG is looking to get into the compact performance segment in the future and an AMG-powered CLC would fit that nicely, no?

IL News: Mercedes-Benz F800 Style concept

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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Coupes,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Hybrids,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz,Sedans

Up until now, we've thought of the One Ford strategy of offering essentially the same car worldwide as a way for Ford to bring European-derived models to the United States.

But Ford announced at the Geneva auto show that it will sell five "electrified" vehicles (including pure electric, a plug-in hybrid and conventional hybrids) in the European market by 2013. Each is expected to debut in the U.S. market first.

First up is the Transit Connect Electric, which is expected to go on sale here by the end of this year and in 2011 in European markets. Next comes the Focus electric, slated to go on sale next year in North America and 2012 in Europe. Ford says the Focus electric vehicle will carry a 23-kW lithium-ion battery, will take 6-8 hours to charge and will return a range of about 75 miles.

Further out is a plug-in hybrid that is slated to arrive in 2013 and expected to be based on the same C-segment platform as the Focus. Also in 2013, Ford will release two versions of its next-generation conventional hybrid vehicles. The company isn't saying exactly which models will get the hybrid treatment but acknowledges that they will be based off the C-segment platform that underpins Focus in all its various iterations and the C/D size, which currently means Fusion in the U.S. and Mondeo in Europe.

Categories: Ford,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Hybrids

Remember way back when we said that we would tell you more about the BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid concept when we got a chance to see it on the Geneva show floor? Yeah, well, not so much.

BMW was not getting into the technical nitty-gritty today. BMW says that the vehicle has a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 and a 40-kW electric motor. How much power that combination creates is a mystery, as is the arrangement of those parts and the, well, mostly everything else. It's better, perhaps, to simply think of this concept as a non-specific expression of the company's oft-referenced Efficient Dynamics motif.

We know that, unlike the mild-hybrid system of the 7 Series ActiveHybrid, the 5 Series version can run on pure electric power, at least in theory. And we don't know how long it would run solely on electrons. BMW also mentioned that the 5 Series ActiveHybrid's powertrain can interact with the car's navigation system to provide optimum fuel economy according to the planned route. So, in other words, if your route calls for a long highway run followed by an in-town jaunt, the car could make sure that the batteries would be fully charged just in time for the city drive so that the trip could be completed in pure-electric mode.

Perhaps in this fashion, and with its full hybrid capability, the 5 Series ActiveHybrid could achieve better combined fuel economy than the line of fuel-efficient diesels BMW is already putting into production in the new 5 Series. Maybe. Oh, and the wheels look every bit as silly in person as they do in photos.

Categories: BMW,Concept Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Hybrids,Sedans

It appears the Cadillac Converj project is dead. This was the upscale Chevrolet Volt derivative that debuted in concept form at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. General Motors vice chair said last month that the car would go into production "after 2012," but GM officials never officially confirmed his statements.

Now a report picked up by Edmunds Auto Observer suggests that the Cadillac extended-range hybrid project is dead. At issue, apparently, is the weight of such a vehicle, which would have come with a great deal more luxury amenities than the Volt. Some sources suggest that with all the extra weight of that kit, even achieving a 20-mile all-electric driving range would have increased the price by $30,000. The Volt has a claimed 40-mile all-electric range.

AO's Bill Visnic astutely points out that the cancellation of the Converj appears to dash hopes that GM can reduce production costs associated with the Volt and its expensive lithium-ion battery pack anytime soon. Company officials had argued that having the Caddy version would make it easier to spread costs around -- you know, economies of scale. GM has said there will be at least one Opel-badged Volt derivative, arriving in 2011, but until the automaker successfully launches the Volt itself, even that may not be a done deal. 

Auto Observer: GM Reportedly Axes Cadillac Version of Chevy Volt

Categories: Cadillac,Concept Vehicles,Green Tech,Hybrids

Tonight in Geneva, the ever-growing, all-powerful Volkswagen group threw its annual extravaganza. This year it included one celebrity, nine new cars and several mentions of Suzuki, which VW added to its list of brands recently. It also included Porsche for the first time, which showed a sports car for the ages, the 918 Spyder Hybrid. Other brands showing off rides this year were Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Seat, Skoda and VW.

The celeb I mentioned was pop sensation Justin Timberlake, who drove the Audi A1 onstage and then did a few minutes of uncomfortable banter with the attractive female host. When she asked him why he was there acting as chauffeur for Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, Timberlake, looking like he didn't really want to be there said something like, "Because Rupert pays well." The entire room sorta did a "oh no you didn't." Good times.

Then they rolled out a few more cars. Pics are on the next page.

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Categories: Audi,Auto Industry,Bentley,Bugatti,Celebrities,Convertibles,Diesels,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Hatchbacks,Hybrids,Lamborghini,Luxury Cars,Minivans,Sedans,Sports Cars,Volkswagen

Porsche didn't waste any time. With hours to go before the Geneva press conferences start, there's already a slick video on the 918 Spyder mid-mounted V8, plug-in hybrid concept.

2010 Geneva Auto Show: Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Convertibles,Geneva Motor Show,Hybrids,Porsche,Sports Cars

Just when it seemed there were no surprises left at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, Porsche has gone and shocked the world with the unveiling of the midengine 918 Spyder concept. The car is a plug-in hybrid all right, but it's an open-top plug-in hybrid with a mid-mounted V8. How cool is that?

The  V8 is evolved from the 3.4-liter engine in Porsche's RS Spyder LMP2 racecar. It makes "over 500 horsepower," according to Porsche, and has a 9,200-rpm redline. It joins forces with electric motors mounted in both the front and rear axles that make a combined 218 hp. Porsche's PDK seven-speed twin-clutch automated manual transmission delivers power to the rear wheels, while the two front motors drive the front wheels directly through a fixed ratio.

Get this concept car on a track and you'd be timing it at 3.2 seconds to 60 mph, says Porsche. That's quicker than a Carrera GT and would almost certainly make it the quickest Porsche road car ever. It would also be the most fuel-efficent, as consumption is said to be on the order of 3 liters per 100 km on the European test cycle, which is around about 78 mpg.

A lithium-ion battery pack mounted behind the 918 Spyder's passenger compartment provides juice for the electric motors. In addition to the plug-in capability, the batteries regenerate using KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), the system developed for Formula 1 that recovers energy that would otherwise be lost as heat during braking.

More photos and details after the jump.

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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Convertibles,Geneva Motor Show,Hybrids,Porsche,Sports Cars