Report: China could require mild hybrid technology on all new vehicles by 2012

Sounds Good to me....

Why Can't we do this?

 

Doesn't look like any hybrid I know, but more just a stop/start system.

 

Chevy Malibu Hybrid.

At least it is a positive step towards fuel conservation, and isn't very expensive to build.

 

How is stop/start a hybrid technology? Does it assist the car like Hondas IMA or is it purely stop/start?

I guess every little helps, but stop/start is common over here and not well liked. Would it not be better to mandate lower fuel consumption or a lower fleet average consumption?

 

This is great! They can then upgrade to electric A/C in next gen and even electrically assist.

 

Thanks for the article but there are a couple of data points to share:

• GM's BAS systems added nearly $4,000 to the price of their cars for very small improvement:

Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid - Review | Hybrid Cars

I think the Chinese would be better served to put a mileage/emissions standard on their vehicles and 'let the market' respond. Obviously GM figured out their 'mild' hybrids were too expensive and delivered too little value . . . now that Bob Lutz is gone.

Bob Wilson

 

You know I thought they'd stopped selling Smarts. I haven't seen a new one for ages and didn't even realise they sold a hybrid one. They were a great seller a couple years ago but seem to have lost their way lately. Maybe they're concentrating on sales in the US?

I searched for their UK website and there is one but it's almost impossible to find a price of any of their cars! hmmm.

The Hybrids in the UK are the Prius and Auris, the Honda Insight and Civic and a couple of Lexus models inc the SUV. The next big thing is the Nissan Leaf next year. EV's at the moment at the G-Wiz mainly sold in London and then there's the Mitsubishi I-MiEV and Peugeot iOn to come late this year but appear overpriced compared to the Leaf.

Interesting times.

 

GM charge $4,000 for golf cart technology?
Golf Carts do this (Start/Stop)

WOW I'm in the wrong biz....

 

I agree with your 2nd point (let the market decide which way to accomplish the goal), but not so sure about the first ($4K for BAS).
One, is the base vehicle exactly the same as the hybrid, except for the hybrid portion? IOW, does the hybrid have other features/trim level upgrades built into it, like Ford does with their hybrids?

Second, how many hybrid power-trains are they building? If it's not mass produced, they won't have economies of scale on it, but if it's mandated for all vehicles, then it may easily be cheaper.

Given that the Prius has a full hybrid system for less than $4k, basically doubling the mpg over a standard car with similar size and features, I find it hard to believe that it really costs $4k more just for the BAS and an extra 4 mpg.

 

That's embarrassing because Chinese can do it for $147.50.

 

mapleleaf.

 

That seems likely to be an artifact of the EPA city test cycle. It doesn't have much stationary warm idle time, where this feature produces its best savings. In real life I spend much more time sitting at traffic lights.

"Better Mileage Now", Scientific American, Feb. 2010 (written by a Honda executive) shows stop-start as producing a 7.5% fuel economy gain, according to a NHTSA report. Honda and other manufacturers don't release their own estimates.

Don't confuse sticker price with factory cost. I suspect a large portion of the sticker increment was either for the presumed '!!HYBRID!!' market appeal, or for Lutz's strategic purposes.

 

While it shows lots of stops, many of them are momentary, with none of the multiple 100-150 second stops of my commute. The first of only two semi-long stops in the test cycle is while most engines (except GenIII Prius) are still too cold to activate stop-start systems.