Gasoline and electric hybrid vehicles and electric cars would play a crucial role in meeting the top range targets, according to the preliminary assessment presented to industry as a starting point for developing fuel standards for 2017 cars and light trucks, including SUVs, pickups and vans.

“We must, and we will, keep the momentum going to make sure that all motor vehicles sold in America are realizing the best fuel economy and greenhouse gas reductions possible,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

The auto industry is wary of any mandates to reduce gasoline use and carbon emissions output that would increase costs or adversely affect vehicle design and production schedules.

A trade group representing the biggest auto companies, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the proposal was based on “very preliminary and incomplete data.”

The group’s chief executive, Dave McCurdy, said the biggest carmakers, including government-owned General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG would closely review the administration’s assumptions on technology, gas prices, and alternative fuels.

Investors want certainty in automaker business plans and cost calculations. To ensure car companies have enough time to make adjustments, the plan by the Transportation Department and the Environmental Protection Agency rolled out a range of efficiency gains to see what would be feasible.”

Read more: Reuters

“The bills, introduced by Senators Dorgan (D-ND), Alexander (R-TN), Merkley (D-OR), and companion legislation by Representatives Markey (D-MA) and Biggert (R-IL), seek to accelerate EV adoption by allowing communities to compete for federal funding to build out regional EV ecosystems, including infrastructure deployment and consumer incentives to switch to EVs. By enabling regional-scale deployment of EVs, the legislation takes an important step forward in building a national effort to speed mass adoption of electric vehicles and put the U.S. into the global race for sustainable transportation.

“We are seeing countries and regions around the world such as the EU and China embracing efforts to aggressively move away from oil dependent transportation, and we are encouraged to see a bipartisan effort emerge in Congress to move the US in the same direction,” said Jason Wolf, VP of North America for Better Place. “Earlier this week we saw President Obama call for the U.S. to transition away from fossil fuels and move towards green technologies. Electric vehicles are essential to accelerating the shift to a more sustainable transportation system, and this legislation answers the President’s call with a deeper national commitment to electrification.”

“We’ve seen the global automakers make strong commitment to electric cars and as a country we’ve made big bets on battery innovation, but infrastructure has been the missing piece of the puzzle. One laudable element of the EVDA is that it represents a technology neutral approach focused on deployment, recognizing that we have the technologies today to make the transition to electric vehicles. The bill also recognizes the role of third party operators in enabling a systemic approach to overcoming barriers to EV adoption: such as range, price and convenience – ultimately creating the best conditions for mass EV adoption.

“By making policy advancements around a national electrification strategy, Congress is helping to strengthen the US position in the global EV revolution. If adopted, this legislation will help to send a clear signal to the world that the US has no plans to be left behind as we move to a transportation system that will take us from a transportation system based on a volatile oil ecosystem to a more sustainable model that creates a market for clean energy and is based on electric cars.””

Source: Better Place

Zapcar - 2008 Xebra

According to the press release, “US electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) and China auto manufacturer Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. announced a commercial agreement to produce electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs), cars and other electric vehicles in China for domestic and global distribution.

ZAP and Jonway partnered on the production of the 5-door Jonway A380 SUV, integrating the latest AC propulsion and lithium battery system technologies to produce a high performance mid-range electric vehicle (EV) that ZAP intends to offer to the fleet market in China. Jonway currently manufactures several thousand units per month of its A380 compact SUV in 3- and 5-door models and is expanding its product line with new model sedans and other automobiles.

The agreement with Jonway is part of a multi-phase business plan ZAP is implementing to target the China electric vehicle market. ZAP chose the Jonway partnership in part because last year Jonway produced one of the first vehicles made in China to meet international standards of quality, including ISO 9000, China Compulsory Certification (CCC) and most recently passing certification for import to the European Union. The Taizhou-based automaker markets and sells vehicles in China through a network of over 600 auto dealerships. Jonway has the capacity to produce up to 50,000 vehicles per year currently at its facilities in Taizhou with capacity and support from the government to expand as the business scales.

ZAP and Jonway believe the partnership will leverage ZAP’s long-standing history in electric vehicles, experience in systems integration and worldwide sales for a broad range of EVs. Under the exclusive agreement, ZAP and Jonway take the electric drive systems designed by ZAP and integrate them into the reengineered EV SUV that will be produced by Jonway. ZAP will perform research and development of the core technology in Santa Rosa, California and license the technology for this partnership. ZAP and Jonway will jointly market and sell electric vehicles in China, North America and Europe to broaden market reach.

In 2009, China overtook the United States as the world’s largest automobile market with sales increasing 46 percent from 2008 to 13.6 million vehicles in 2009, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

ZAP hopes to leverage a stimulus from the government for plug-in forms of transportation. The Chinese State Council General Office announced that it intends to raise its annual production capacity to 500,000 all-electric cars, hybrids and buses by the end of 2011. To stimulate the growth, China’s Economic Construction Department has put in place a 60,000 RMB, approximately US$8,800, manufacturers subsidy per electric vehicle produced and sold in China. ”

Source: Press Release

According to the Press Release, “Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501,hereinafter Hitachi) today announced that Hitachi and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. ,which develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, such as hybrid electric vehicles, have developed ithium-ion batteries for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, a first for the Hitachi Group. These new batteries were developed in response to the growing demand for environment-friendly vehicles resulting from the increasingly strict regulations on automobile exhaust emissions around the world. Starting from the spring of 2010, the company will begin shipping samples to automobile manufacturers in Japan and overseas.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have two running modes: an EV (electric vehicle) mode, in which the vehicle runs on a motor alone, and an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) mode, in which the vehicle is driven by both the engine and the motor. PHEVs offer dramatically improved gas mileage and reduced exhaust emissions, and so are considered a strong contender among environment-friendly vehicles of the future. The newly developed lithium-ion batteries offer the high performance and reliability required for use in PHEVs, achieving both high energy (durability; contribute to gaining cruising distance) and high output (instantaneous force) performance. In the future, Hitachi will make preparations for the shift to volume production, incorporating the expertise that it has accumulated over many years through its Monozukuri technologies and its experience in global markets.

The newly developed lithium-ion batteries offer the following unique features:
First, they have an electric capacity of 25Ah, so can run for about 20 km in EV mode, using the motor alone. This represents 4-5 times the capacity of the lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that Hitachi has been developing up to now.
Third, the batteries incorporate a heat-resistant separator that prevents internal short-circuits and dramatically improves safety. The separator is a key component of lithium-ion batteries that separates the cathode and the anode, and at the same time maintains ionic conductivity. Because the electric capacity of PHEV batteries is considerably higher than that of HEV batteries, consideration for safety becomes even more important. The heat-resistant separator adopted in these new batteries was specially designed and developed for automotive applications, based on ceramic separator technologies.

To accommodate larger battery sizes, a variety of simulation technologies, including structural analysis and vibration analysis, have been utilized to increase battery strength and enhance the collector structure. In collaboration with Hitachi Research Laboratory and the Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, Hitachi has achieved a battery structure with an even higher level of reliability than previous units.

In 2000, the Hitachi Group became the first in the world to begin volume production of safe, high-performance, long-lasting automotive lithium-ion batteries. Since then, it has brought a cumulative total of 900,000 cells to the market, mainly for commercial hybrid buses and trucks, as well as for railway cars and other applications. The lithium-ion batteries being released today will serve to further expand the range of applications, not only in automobiles, but also in the Social Innovation Business, which is a core area of business for the Hitachi Group; for example, in railways, construction and industrial equipment, power storage devices, and other industrial fields. To achieve this goal, Hitachi will provide customers with optimum solutions in the form of battery systems that also incorporate control devices.

Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. (President and CEO: Kunihiko Ohnuma) will undertake sales of these automotive lithium-ion batteries. Hitachi will also display lithium-ion batteries for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles at the 1st International Rechargeable Battery Expo, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight from March 3-5, 2010.

These development activities used some of the results of research contracted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Hitachi has been participating in a national project related to large-scale lithium-ion batteries being promoted by NEDO and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since 1992, and will continue its efforts to incorporate the results of such contracted research into practical applications as quickly as possible.”

Source: Hitachi Press Release

For many, an automobile is the 2nd most important investment after their homes. A car takes one to and from work, as well as on various other trips that can potentially lead to a great and fulfilling life. It is fair to say that the automobile has replaced the dog as man’s best friend, at least in terms of economical practicality.

Honda Insight

The question remains though, who buys hybrids? For many Americans the benefits of having a hybrid car do not outweigh the negatives of having such an auto. The amount of gas spent in a hybrid auto is certainly less (depending on driving style), but besides that, what do you really get? The amount of time it takes to get from 0-60 is often near to 10 seconds in most models, which doesn’t make a hybrid particularly practical for getting up to speed while entering the freeway. The initial cost of a hybrid is far higher than a normal internal combustion car, and the styling on hybrid cars is, without a doubt, some of the ugliest ever created. There are more benefits than previously stated, such as reduced emissions and other eco-friendly advertisement gold, but what does it all come down to? Is the hybrid car a luxury item, just like a fine bottle of wine (wine industry hurt by economic downturn), or perhaps taking a vacation (amount of traveling down due to economic downturn). The answer is, not surprisingly: yes.

The new Honda Insight Hybrid has failed to make any kind of significant dent in the hybrid market, and thus the general automobile market. When a car company tries to make a knock-off of a proven success, the chances of failure are quite high. This is the case with the Honda Insight, which clearly copied much of the Toyota Prius. This is lack of success is a bit surprising however, due to the fact that the Honda Insight is in the same echelon of ugliness as the Toyota Prius but costs $2,000 less than its rival. Yet, the Prius is still outselling the Insight nearly 6 to 1.

This strange development in the hybrid market has induced speculation as to how the General Motors Volt will fare. Due to its extreme amount of gas mileage (53 miles to the gallon), and its certain lack of driving pleasure it should capture a large portion of the hybrid market. Chevy is producing this car, which is set to cost about the same as a Toyota Prius, though it looks far better than the elongated excrement body styling that the Prius has relied on all these years.

Despite the hybrid market growing at a good clip, who is going to spend $32,000 on a car that doesn’t have a shred of performance, sex-appeal or jaw-dropping speed? More to the point, who is going to spend $32,000 on the Chevy Volt when they can spend $10,000 less on a brand new Camaro? Who is going to drive a car that gets 53 miles to the gallon for anything but the amount saved at the pump? The young crowd won’t go for it due to the initial price, the midlife crisis folks won’t go for it because it doesn’t induce any sort of adrenaline rush. Who will want to buy this car is all speculation at this point. But it’s not hard to guess that it will likely be eco-friendly folks with a lot of money who want to “help the environment”. Many hybrid drivers have an annual average income of over $100,000, making the hybrid market a niche one, based solely upon this diminishing economic group. The question of who would buy the Volt having been answered, when are the car companies going to make a hybrid that all of us can afford and actually want to buy? The clock is ticking.

Green, being the word of the day applies itself to every industry due to regulations and consumer demand for cleaner products. In the case of General Motors (GM), the only green they may ever see could be in the form of the grass that is covering their new home 6 feet under the ground in the graveyard of dead auto-makers.

We the people, now own General Motors, thanks to the bailout that brought GM out of bankruptcy. Since the taxpayers now own the company, the question remains: what have they done with our money?

The answer is for the consumer to decide, and they have. GM has been posting an improvement in sales this year over last year. In October, they sold 4% more automobiles then they did in 2008. There has, in fact been an increase in sales across all of the GM brands over last years’ numbers, though that may not come as too much of a surprise. Due to these positive numbers, there is a new sense of optimism, at least in the short term surrounding GM. For they too have begun to push their more environmentally sound autos.

GM offers a variety of hybrid models, everything from sedans, trucks to SUVs. 7 in all, these cars are to represent the future of the GM family in providing a healthier environment. Yet, due to the sales results listed on GM’s website, none of these hybrid models are what have been increasing sales. Instead, there has been a strong focus on the truck, SUV and crossover market. While there are hybrids in both the SUV and truck lineups that GM produces, they received no mention in the current production and sales release. This begs the question: when the future represents tougher emission standards (like those found in California), how much longer does GM suppose they can continue to produce automobiles that don’t match up? Hybrid cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and any other variety of cars are the wave of the future. It seems as though GM cannot let the past be, and instead have chosen to focus on its history for producing autos, instead of its future.

It was only a year ago that Ford’s selling price was a measly $1/share. Naturally this was due to lack of consumer confidence in the entire automotive system that had clearly been failing for at least a decade. Foreign imports were taking away the motor market from the Big 3, imports particularly from the nation of Japan. These cars were popular, built with higher quality, thus lasting longer. In addition, they had better gas mileage than their American counterparts. Yet there is now another shift in the automotive marketplace, towards cars that utilize green energy; a concept that Ford has begun to take to the next level.

Enter the Ford Escape Hybrid, touted by Ford to be the most efficient SUV on the planet. It gets an average of 34 city/31 highway miles per gallon (mpg), and uses no gas when the vehicle is stopped or driving slowly. In addition, the Escape Hybrid uses an innovative braking system to recharge the battery that powers the car while stopped or moving slowly. The heat caused by applying the brakes is captured, and transformed into energy, thus recharging the battery which is stored in the back of the car.
With optional 4WD, the question remains, does the Escape Hybrid live up to the designation of SUV? Sport Utility Vehicle denotes the ability to “escape” from the everyday grind and journey to places where there are no paved roads. The Escape Hybrid allows the driver 8.3 inches of wiggle room under the chassis for that very purpose. While you may not end up driving the Escape Hybrid over boulders or through rivers, it does possess the ground clearance to spice up an excursion to the countryside.

With an improved lineup and semi-restored faith in the U.S. automotive industry, Fords price per share has increased to $8.