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Featured Threads Archive
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Audi mild-hybrid systems
Looks like Audi's jumping on the mild hybrid boat: Green Car Congress: Audi’s mild-hybrid systems: 12V for 4-cylinders, 48V for 6- and 8-cylinders
First off is that they're apparently moving almost... -
Buick eAssist
After five years with Chevette, a rented GEO Metro, watching the EV1 fiasco, and Saturn, I am not a fanboy of GM but they have occasionally done good:
Light Electrification Leads 2018 Buick LaCrosse Updates
DETROIT — The Buick LaCrosse expands its technological credentials by adding eAssist light electrification for the 2018 model. The combination of an electric motor with Buick’s latest 2.5L four-cylinder engine delivers quiet, refined and spirited efficient performance backed by the value and customer experience expected of Buick.
This new eAssist system, when coupled with the four-cylinder engine, has a 19 percent increase in city fuel economy compared to the LaCrosse’s advanced V-6 and leverages a compact lithium-ion battery pack to provide select benefits found in fully electric vehicles, such as torque-assisted launch,...bwilson4web Jun 6, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 2,750 Likes: 1 Replies: 11 -
Dashboard summary May 2017
Model 05/15/17 04/15/17 03/15/17 02/15/17 1 Prius Liftback 6064 5802 5798 5418 2 Fusion Hybrid 5671 4509 5865 4939 3 Transit Diesel* 4830 4025 4258 3621 4 RAV4 4070 3516 3497 3080 5 Niro Hybrid 2660 2939 2704 2143 6 Accord Hybrid 1976 1787 1843 1867 7 Prius Prime 1908 1819 1618 1362 8 Golf Sportwagon Diesel 1819 1417 9 Volt 1817 1807 2132 1820 10 Model X* 1800 900 2500 800 11 Ioniq Hybrid 1752 1297 327 1 12 Camry Hybrid 1711 1513 1658 1333 13 Model S* 1700 1200 3100 1700 14 Bolt 1566 1292 978 952 15 Highlander Hybrid 1514 1663 1587 1339 16 Leaf 1392 1063 1478 1037 17 Passat Diesel 1147 769 18 Prius C 1121 1161 1385 1372 19 Fusion Energi 1000 905 1002 837 20 C-Max Energi 950 720 662 639 21 Jetta Diesel 937 637 22 Prius V 929 926 960 892 23 C-Max Hybrid 880 720 671 676 24 Sonata 848 1115 1082 1471 25 CT200h 825 794 841 458 26 RX 400 / 450 h 747 615 713 507 27 Colorado Diesel 666 753 722 663 28 MKZ 588 509 605 570 29 i3* 506 516 703 318 30 Malibu Hybrid 493 409 372 534 31 3-Series Plug in 475 260 365 144 32 ES Hybrid 467 356 448 330 33 X5 433 291 397 275... bwilson4web Jun 2, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 1,799 Likes: 2 Replies: 16 -
EVs continue to get cleaner.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has updated their paper on how clean EVs really are in each region in the U.S.
New Numbers Are In and EVs Are Cleaner Than Ever - Union of Concerned Scientists
This one has a fun active map where you can compare the previous update with 2012 data vs 2014 data.
In MN, the average EV runs as cleanly (Greenhouse Gas wise) as a car that gets a combined 51mpg!
Being a Minnesota resident, I was very happy to see this and hope to see continued improvements.
Interestingly, a couple of regions actually lost ground.
Weighted by sales data, EVs have reached about 73mpg (CO2-wise) in the U.S. -
Ceres Power - Solid State Electrolyte Fuel Cells
A word of caution after the YouTube:
I am reminded of how NiMH batteries became a dead-end because the patents were held too tightly. Available for data centers, NiMH licenses all but banned them for transportation. Yet Toyota managed to get in before the curtain came down to the success of the Prius. Unintended, this increased the efforts in LiON batteries which are rapidly relegating NiMH to a footnote of history.
The problem is "Ceres" is limiting who can get access to their technology. In the USA, Cummins who also have a significant investment in ICE powered systems. Cummins advertises their interest in this technology for data center power ... the same grave of NiMH battery systems.
If history repeats itself, it means inspiration and investment of other, natural gas fed, fuel cell technologies. Trying to partner with "big companies" is the death of the technology until it become irrelevant. Here is the CEO of Ceres reading their last...bwilson4web Jun 2, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 946 Likes: 0 Replies: 2 -
Novel idea from the Hyundai Ioniq
Novel idea. Wish our Prii had this feature:
"If you should accidentally leave a light on or something plugged in and the battery gets drained, there's no need for a jump-start. Just push a button on the dash and the car's big onboard battery pack will quick charge the 12-volt portion of the battery. No more calling AAA for a jump or dragging out jumper cables and hoping for a kind Samaritan to help you, and no replacing the heavy 12-volt battery every couple of years." - from cars.com websiteMarine Ray Jun 1, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 5,199 Likes: 2 Replies: 37 -
Automotive Grade Linux in 2018 Camry
Might Toyota consider activating Android Auto & Apple CarPlay? Looks like a step in the right direction.
"Because Toyota was one of the first to work on the project, it's had a heavy influence in AGL's development and direction." -
Daimler Battery Plans
Source: Daimler Spends $1.15B Building Two EV Battery Plants | TheDetroitBureau.com
With investments in electric vehicles and batteries continuing to climb in the industrial world, Germany’s Daimler AG has broken ground for a new 500-million-euro battery factory near Dresden that is being described as one of the largest and most modern plants of its kind in the world.
. . .
“The battery factory in Kamenz is an important component in the implementation of our electric offensive. By 2022, we will have more than ten purely electric passenger cars in series. We also continue to drive forward the hybridization of our fleet. Under the EQ brand, we are creating a holistic ecosystem for e-mobility,” said Zetsche, who was accompanied to the ground-breaking ceremony by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
. . .
Moreover, Daimler has assumed that the proportion of electric...bwilson4web May 24, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 5,654 Likes: 0 Replies: 57 -
Curious EV economics
Source: UBS: Chevy Bolt Powertrain $4,600 Cheaper Than Thought, Tesla Model 3 Likely To Be Profitable | CleanTechnica
The UBS team found that the powertrain for the Bolt was $4,600 cheaper to produce than originally thought, “with much cost reduction potential left.” It also found that the electronics built into the car cost about $4,000 more than those in a conventional car, not including the cost of the battery. But they say GM is losing money on every Bolt they sell. “We estimate that GM loses $7,400 in earnings before interest and tax on every Bolt sold today, mainly due to a lack of scale.”
The same analysts say they expect Tesla to lose $2,800 on entry-level versions of its soon to be introduced Model 3 but think customers will opt for extra cost options that will raise the average selling price to $41,000 — $6,000 more than the base...bwilson4web May 23, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 1,262 Likes: 0 Replies: 1 -
1st ¼Year's EV Sales at 2.7% in CA
With low gas prices & mediocre economy - not too shabby, as Cali is the largest plugin market in the U.S.
Looking forward to Toyota jumping into the fray & giving both Tesla & the Bolt a run for their money. Maybe get electrics up over 3% of market share !!
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Motortrend: Prime vs Volt (and other alt. vehicle comparisons)
Finally saw an article that seems fair in it's evaluation of the Prius Prime! This writer not only covers the theoretical aspects of each car, but then goes into SOME of the real-life advantages of Prime over Volt.
Future Car Special: Comparing Hybrids, Plug-Ins, EVs, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars - Motor Trend
Yeah! One for our team[emoji16][emoji16][emoji23][emoji41]
.HPrimeAdvanced May 22, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 11,059 Likes: 4 Replies: 91 -
U.S. Shale Is Immune To An Oil Price Crash In 2017
Source: U.S. Shale Is Immune To An Oil Price Crash In 2017 | OilPrice.com
Since OPEC announced the production cut deal at the end of November, industry analysts have been warning that rising production from producers outside the deal—U.S. shale in particular—is effectively capping the oil price gains from that agreement.
Four months after the OPEC/NOPEC deal took effect, oil prices droppedto the levels preceding the agreement, amid concerns over still stubbornly high inventories and rising U.S. output.
. . .
Since December 2016, oil output in the Lower 48 states, minus the Gulf of Mexico, has been on a continuous expansion, with 430,000 bpd growth so far. The growth from the average level in the fourth quarter of 2016 to May 2017 is around 340,000 bpd, Rystad said....bwilson4web May 20, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 1,527 Likes: 0 Replies: 6 -
Motoring New Zealand: Long-Term Prius Plug-in Hybrid Test
New Zealand does not officially import the Prius PHV (either generation) but it does import used Japanese-spec cars and brings them up to NZ specifications (like replacing the Japanese head unit with a local NZ one).
Edit: It now imports the Prime.
The first 100 ks in our long-term Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid | Stuff.co.nz
The first 1000km in our Toyota Prius PHV | Stuff.co.nz
Why are people so uber-rude about our long-term Prius plug-in? | Stuff.co.nz
Long-term Prius PHV report, with special guest star...Tideland Prius May 19, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 2,316 Likes: 0 Replies: 5 -
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Marine Ray May 17, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 3,810 Likes: 0 Replies: 29
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Toyota Canada Prices 2017 Prius Prime!!
Toyota Canada has finally released Canadian info!!
Major points:
- Launches exclusively in Quebec on June 1, 2017
- Base: $32,900 MSRP ($35,204 under Quebec's all-in pricing law)
- Technology: $38,565 MSRP ($40,779 under Quebec's all-in pricing law)
Colours:
Blizzard Pearl
Magnetic Grey Metallic
Hypersonic Red
Titanium Glow
Blue Magnetism
Launching exclusively in Quebec in response to Quebecers’ leadership in the adoption of hybrid and electric cars, the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime goes on sale June 1 at a price that’s sure to please | Toyota Canada
Prius Prime - Toyota Canada
@PrinceD11 @EddyCurrent...Tideland Prius May 16, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 5,386 Likes: 1 Replies: 20 -
MPG Testing is a bit of a Mystery
Source: MPG Testing is a bit of a Mystery: How does your car rank? - Torque News
Ok, I found this article has solid facts and data but a little light-weight in some of the finer details. Of course some of would only be happy with 2-5,000 word essay with charts, graphs, formula, and data. ... You know, what I keep trying to post. <GRINS>
This article is more about plug-in metrics but lets see if anyone wants some boring Bob follow-up posts.
Bob Wilsonbwilson4web May 13, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 3,035 Likes: 1 Replies: 23 -
What Drives Us Podcast - #230 When A Mommy And Daddy Unicorn Love Each Other… - What Drives Us
Russell Making carz iz hard Mark The Workhorse Group of Ohio show and drive the W-15 Electric Pickup Truck russell Opinions are like…6 things about hybrids On again, off again, make up your smart mind russell UPS deploying fuel cell delivery trucks in Sacramento
Read more about this episode on WhatDrives.Us -
NVIDIA and Toyota collaborate to accelerate market introduction of autonomous cars
I like this collaboration very much:
Green Car Congress: NVIDIA and Toyota collaborate to accelerate market introduction of autonomous cars; new Volta GPU architecture
NVIDIA and Toyota Collaborate to Accelerate Market Introduction of Autonomous Cars | NVIDIA Newsroom
NVIDIA Launches Revolutionary Volta GPU Platform, Fueling Next Era of AI and High Performance Computing | NVIDIA Newsroom
Looks like we will soon see next improved version of TSS.
P.S. Interesting name for their new processor: NVIDIA® Tesla® V100 data center GPU -
Volkswagen CEO to Tesla
Source: Volkswagen CEO: 'Anything You [Tesla] Can Do, We Can Do Better'
Though Tesla is years ahead of VW’s plans for electrification, and the Silicon Valley automaker plans to be producing 500,000 cars a year by the end of next year, and perhaps one million by 2020, VW believes it will win. Volkswagen brand boss, Herbert Diess, said at a recent press conference: "Anything Tesla can do, we can surpass."
Unsaid,"Ve just chose not to anything."
I've noticed a lot of 'concept' cars including an electric microBus but no product.
Bob Wilsonbwilson4web May 10, 2017 Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News Read More Views: 1,705 Likes: 0 Replies: 13
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