Toyota Using Noise-Cancellation On Crown Hybrid
July 16, 2008
Toyota is using “active noise control” in its Crown Hybrid model. The system relies on three microphones embedded in the vehicle’s interior to detect noise coming from the engine. When engine noise is picked up, three speakers emit sound waves that are 180° out of phase to the noise, providing effective cancellation. This technique is commonly used in noise and echo cancellation.
The always-on system provides an overall interior noise reduction of 5dB to 8dB, and was deemed necessary after the vehicle’s engine proved noisier than expected. The system is tuned to provide optimal cancellation at ear-level.
The Crown Hybrid and the Lexus GS share the same hybrid system, but the Crown Hybrid’s engine operates at a lower rotational frequency in low-speed driving. The adjustment gives the Crown Hybrid better mileage but creates more interior noise.
Source: Gizmag
Photo: Toyota
Nissan To Have All Electric Vehicle On The Market By 2010, ZEVs By 2012
July 14, 2008
Nissan confirmed its plans to build an all-electric vehicle for sale in US dealerships by 2010. The company also pledged to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2012. The company and its partner, Renault SA, have also made plans to market electric vehicles in Denmark and Israel.
The vehicle, based on Nissan’s Cube (sold in Japan) will not be a long-range electric vehicle. The Nissan vehicle destined for the US is thought to use lithium-ion batteries. To support its all-electric venture, the company is in talks with railway stations and parking lot owners to install recharging stations near commuter stations. In Japan, most commutes are short-range – about 12 miles per day.
Subaru and Mitsubishi are planning all-electric vehicles with a range of 80-100 miles between recharges, and Mitsubishi plans to test its electric vehicle in the US in 2009. GM plans to bring its mass-production Volt to market in 2010, and Honda will lease a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in California.
Source: Detroit News
Photo: Nissan
GM Says Volt Won’t Carry 2015 CAFE Requirements
July 11, 2008
GM is cautioning Federal regulators that the Volt and similar vehicles planned by other automakers will not have a profound impact on average fleet mileage by the NHTSA-established deadline of 2015. Citing high production costs and complex manufacturing requirements, GM says it will not be able to produce the Volt in numbers large enough to impact CAFE standards.
GM estimates that in the best case, fewer than 500,000 Volts will have been sold by 2015. Further, it remains to be seen whether the Volt will be a commercial success, given that the vehicle will carry a price tag between $30,000 and $40,000. Other manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles are facing the same challenges: high production costs push the sticker price of each vehicle upward, making it less attractive to entry-level consumers. In addition, several manufacturers, including GM and Toyota, are contending with serious battery supply and reliability problems, which have significantly reduced the number of vehicles each company can produce in relation to its maximum production potential.
GM’s comments follow earlier statements made by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which recently asked the Federal government to ease tougher proposed CAFE standards scheduled to take effect in the 2010 model year, which the group labeled as technologically unfeasible and that would come only at the cost of more than 80,000 auto industry jobs. Members of Congress have already indicated that they would like to see even tougher fuel economy and emissions standards put into place in the near future.
Public Welcome to PHEV Exhibition In San Jose
July 9, 2008
The public is invited to the Plug-In 2008 Exposition and Conference, July 22, 2008 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Tickets are $10 each and will permit entry into the exhibit hall to see plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and PHEV technologies. Also on the agenda are speakers who will discuss PHEVs, PHEV technologies and the public’s role in bringing them to the market. The exhibition is part of a three-day larger conference event, scheduled July 22-24, 2008.
The three-day event will feature automotive manufacturers and their technology suppliers, state and Federal officials, members of the business community and representatives from the electric utilities discussing PHEVs, their current and potential impact on the automotive industry, and their potential to help consumers worldwide.
Exhibits will include state-of-the-art PHEVs, PHEV batteries, powertrains and other technologies that enhance or support the PHEV ownership experience. Exhibits will also showcase vehicle-to-home technologies and potential vehicle-to-grid applications. The event is the only portion of the conference that is open to the public. Regular conference attendees are comprised of professionals in industry organizations, governmental and non-profit groups and students. Registration for the three-day event is $675, with discounts for non-profit, government, university and student attendees.
More information about the event can be found at http://plugin2008.com
Automaker Alliance Asks Feds To Lighten Up On Proposed NHTSA Regulations
July 3, 2008
Automakers from the US, Japan and Europe are encouraging the Federal government to reduce its mandate to increase fuel economy standards by 4.5% each year through 2015. The current proposal offered by NHTSA would require automakers to adhere to fleetwide averages of nearly 36 mpg for passenger cars and nearly 29 mpg for light trucks starting in 2011.
In a 77-page response crafted by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, automakers called the regulations excessive and said that they go beyond what is technologically and economically practical. The group, which consists of GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Daimler AG, BMW, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen, says that implementing the proposal would result in the loss of about 82,000 jobs and would reduce vehicle sales by nearly one million units through 2015. The response also indicated that it would cost the alliance about $29 billion to implement by 2015 and would increase the consumer cost of a light truck by $4,000.
NHTSA released the proposed standards in April and acknowledged that the implementation costs would be high, but estimated that the move would create 8,000 jobs. The report was also based on the assumption that gas prices would remain constant at about $2.50 per gallon. By adjusting the report to use higher fuel cost estimates, NHTSA would need to make its proposal even tougher.
To meet the existing CAFE regulations, automakers are introducing hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles to their fleet, at a significant premium over non-hybrid models. While some consumer segments are not cost-sensitive, less than half of all auto buyers would be willing to pay $5,000 more for a hybrid vehicle, according to a recent JD Power and Associates study. Automakers are concerned they will need to increase the number of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, which would increase the overall average cost for their fleet and reduce buyer interest across the board. The increased cost of a new vehicle may also spur consumers to keep older, less efficient vehicles that produce greater carbon emissions on the road longer and would serve to delay, rather than accelerate, the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Source: Detroit News
Ford Won’t Jump Into PHEV Production
June 30, 2008
A senior manager at the Ford Motor Company confirmed that the company is not currently planning to develop a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for the consumer market. Although the company is testing PHEVs in a joint project with Southern California Edison, Ford will wait to see if there is a real demand for PHEVs before committing its production facilities to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
The strategy will provide more research and development dollars to put toward conventional hybrid designs. Currently, Ford offers just three hybrid models: the Escape, the Mercury Mariner and the Mazda Tribute. It also plans to bring the Fusion Hybrid and the Mercury Milan hybrid to market in 2009. GM and Toyota are actively developing plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Earlier this month, Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas, called for government subsidies that would fund the development costs of PHEVs, and at the same time suggested that the US automakers would not compete effectively in the EV and PHEV markets without a domestic supplier for battery packs.
Most automakers have admitted that hydrogen propulsion is the long-term goal for their products, but hydrogen-powered vehicles won’t be cost-effective for the ordinary consumer without major changes in the world’s fueling infrastructure. Currently, hydrogen is expensive to produce and cannot be reliably and indefinitely stored in fuel tanks for more than a few days at a time.
USDOE Works On Li-Ion Battery Safety, PHEV Technologies
June 29, 2008
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been experimenting with a modified plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius that gets an equivalent mileage of 100 miles per gallon and uses solar energy to recharge its batteries. The car also features a Li-ion battery pack that is six times more powerful than the OEM nickel-metal hydride batteries that Toyota uses to power the vehicle.
Several auto manufacturers are working on plug-in hybrids that are meant for volume production, including GM, Toyota and Nissan. Toyota already has a plug-in hybrid Prius model that it plans to introduce in 2009.
The NREL is part of the US Department of Energy and is working with Li-ion battery maker A123Systems to improve the safety of Li-ion cells. The lab is concentrating on improving the thermal safety of the batteries, which can experience catastrophic failures if the battery’s interior membrane breaks down. It’s also looking at ways to reduce the loss of energy capacity that occurs as Li-ion batteries age.
The NREL is working with a single plug-in Prius conversion but plans to take delivery on another one soon. The rooftop solar panel generates 165 watts, enough for a five-mile drive. The plug-in researchmobile can go 50 miles between charges, which lead scientist Tony Markel says should be sufficient for about three-fourths of US drivers, who travel less than 40 miles per day.
Source: Wired
Photo: Sarah Barba, Courtesy of NREL
Subaru Introduces New Plug-in Electric Concept At Hokkaido G8
June 27, 2008
Subaru introduced a new electric concept vehicle at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido. The vehicle is being called the Plug-In Stella Concept and is based on the R1e that the company has been testing for nearly a year. The four-seat Plug-In Stella offers a top speed of 80 km/h and a range of 80 km on a single charge, and is powered by a 40 kW electric motor.
The Plug-in Stella features the quick-charge Li-ion batteries that were developed for the R1e, and enables the batteries to be charged to 80% capacity in about 15 minutes. The batteries do not develop a memory and will not be damaged by receiving a less-than-full charge. Drivers can plug the vehicle in for about eight hours to receive a full charge, and the car’s charging system ties into regular household current.
Last Fall, Subaru introduced a zero-emission electric concept at the Tokyo Motor Show that featured a 65mW electric motor and a range of about 200 km. That concept, the G4e, also featured the quick-charge Li-ion batteries borrowed from Subaru’s R1e development platform. The G4e, which seats 5, eliminated side-view mirrors in favor of rear-view cameras to reduce drag on the vehicle and increase the vehicle’s range.
Source: Motor Authority
Photo: Subaru
PennDOT Inks Deal To Put Ten Hybrid Buses On The Road In 2008
June 26, 2008
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has placed an order for ten hybrid buses. The gas-electric hybrids seat 18 passengers each and will take delivery of the vehicles in 2008. PennDOT has an option to purchase an additional 15 buses.
The Aztec/StarTrans Citibus offers a 40% increase in fuel efficiency and a 30% reduction in carbon emissions. The CitiBus uses stop-start technology, which cuts the engine when the vehicle is idling, and features regenerative braking technologies that recharge the vehicle batteries by recapturing energy from the vehicle when the brakes are applied. Air conditioning, power steering and braking are all still supported while the engine is off at idle.
As an added benefit, the hybrid power train also reduces engine maintenance by 25 percent and brake maintenance by 75%. Overall maintenance costs can be reduced by as much as 30%. The CitiBus has passed its 200,000 mile test regimen, and qualifies for federal funding programs.
The first ten buses will operate in York County, PA and will be used to augment PennDOT’s ride-share program. PennDOT has not indicated where the other 15 buses will be deployed, should it exercise its option to buy them.
Source and Photo: Azure Dynamics
US Driver Interest In Hybrid Drops When Technology Premium Is Factored In
June 26, 2008
US drivers are looking for ways to increase fuel efficiency, but a recent survey conducted by JD Power and Associates shows that while nearly three-fourths of potential new car buyers were interested in purchasing a hybrid vehicle, one third of respondents said they were no longer interested in hybrid vehicles when the cost difference between a conventional model and a hybrid exceeded $5,000. While the overall cost of operating a hybrid vehicle drops as the price of gasoline rises, consumers are still sensitive to the impact of a vehicle’s cost on their bottom line.
In the same survey, consumers also noted that they were interested in in-vehicle entertainment systems and advanced safety technologies. JD Power and Associates noted that there was a sharp increase in interest for in-vehicle electronics among respondents under 30 years of age. Blind-spot detection, backup assist and navigation were indicated as the features respondents were most interested in.
At the same time, buyers in this age range were most concerned about the price of vehicles, leading to speculation that the most popular vehicles for this segment would be those that offered the most number of built-in electronics at the lowest price.
Source: JD Power and Associates
