Criticisms against the reported fuel economy on Fords C-Max hybrid vehicles has led the automobile manufacturer to restate the cars mileage ratings and issue special payments to people who bought the vehicle. Earlier this year, controversy over inaccurate fuel economy ratings led some manufacturers to suggest the problem is in how the government ratings are calculated. They say the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) labels do not require separate fuel rating tests for vehicles that share the same engine, transmission and weight class, but because of things like aerodynamic design, the fuel economy is not always identical. The mileage can also be affected by driving habits and weather conditions. Continue reading
Tag Archives: hybrids
Slow Sales Stop Chevy Volt Production
General Motors Co. has announced that they will stop production of the Chevrolet Volt hybrid vehicle for five weeks to allow their surplus of inventory to be depleted. This will be the third time that production of the Volt has been stopped for at least a month since the car first went on sale in December 2010. The lack of interest in the Chevy volt is being blamed on several factors:
- A recent NHTSA investigation into battery fires resulting after crash testing.
- The lack of charging stations in some states.
- Electric car technology is still relatively new and problems need to be solved before it can be attractive to the mass market, the biggest complaints being lack of range and performance.
- The production of electric vehicles by other automobile manufacturers.
GM hoped to sell 10,000 Volts last year, but ended up selling just over 7,600. Some feel the promotion of the electric vehicle by the Obama administration has failed. Even as gas prices continue to climb and government incentives are used, it is still not enough to get consumers to buy electric cars. The plant shutdown is expected to lay off almost 1,300 workers, and slow down companies that supply parts and batteries for the Volt.
Electric Car Charging Station Apps
It seems inevitable that the electric car will be a part of our future. With fuel efficiency standards becoming tighter, automobile manufacturers will include electric vehicles (EV) in their line ups in order to meet them. Even though this technology has come a long way in the last decade, auto manufacturers are still looking for additional ways to help the consumer get the most out of their EV’s.
One of the biggest drawbacks of an electric vehicle is the need to charge the battery. Having a charging station at home and at work makes electric car commutes trouble free, but long trips can make drivers uneasy. A new smart phone app hopes to relieve this anxiety by allowing hybrid and electric car drivers to find charging stations wherever they go. The app will let drivers know where the stations are, if they are available and whether the station offers free or paid charging. Some of the apps will even allow you to reserve the charging station, leave comments about the stations, as well as give you a street views through Google Street View. Some of the newest applications being launched include ChargePoint, ECOtality, Recargo, and PlugShare.
Making Hybrid Vehicles Better With Ultra Capacitors
Ioxus, a start up company in Oneonta, N.Y., are experimenting with ultra capacitors in hybrid and electric vehicles in order to make batteries work better and last longer.
In order to improve fuel economy on hybrid and electric vehicles, the engine shuts down when the car stops. When the vehicle starts to move again, a large amount of power is needed. While lithium ion batteries can store large amounts of energy, they are not able to discharge quickly enough to get the vehicle going again. Lead acid batteries can deliver the power needed, but the life of the battery is sacrificed in the process.
Ioxus is using ultra capacitors to work with the battery, allowing the burst of energy needed to get the vehicle going and allowing quick recharging for the next stop. According to Mark E. McGough, the company’s chief executive, this technology could also be used to run an electrically driven power steering system, making hybrid and electric vehicles work even more efficiently. While this technology is not being used commercially on hybrid and electric vehicles, it has been proven to be very effective in turning the blades on wind turbines.
Success in California Market Critical to GM’s Future
Earlier this month General Motors started a new advertising campaign to acquire a larger share of the California market. Californians tend to buy more hybrids and those in other states and are more environmentally conscious. Chrysler, too, wants to grab a share of California’s penchant for small, fuel-efficient car sales which it hopes to fulfill with its partner Italian automaker Fiat. GM has already gotten rid of its high fuel consumption lines of vehicles, in particular Hummer and instead will now focus on more fuel-efficient Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC vehicles. Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC already have gas-electric hybrids in their current 2009 product lines, which include the Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Silverado, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Yukon.
The main focus of GM’s green strategy will be the Chevrolet Volt, an electric hybrid designed to travel 40 miles on one charge, and thereafter have a three cylinder gas engine take over to recharge its lithium-Ion battery pack. The car will be offered for sale in the 2010 model year.
California, in 2008, represented 24.2% of America’s hybrid market which is more than two times the state’s historical share of new vehicle sales in this past decade. Although GM has been steadily losing ground to Toyota and Honda it was still ahead of Ford and Chrysler. In 2008 GM had a 14.2% share of new car sales whereas Ford had an 11.4%, and Chrysler’s was 7.5%. These were significantly less than Toyota’s 25.6% share and Honda’s 13.4% share.
