Hybrid Living

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Mitsubishi, New York Auto Show, North America, Japan

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsuibshi i MiEV (22 photos)

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/environment/AutoblogGreen_drives_Mitsubishi_s_electric_i_the_i_MiEV’; I drive a Ford Mustang GT; I’m Autoblog’s resident HUMMER aficionado; and I think my favorite car in New York this year is a Japanese-market all-electric kei car. What is going on?

My dirty little secret (if you could even call it that) is that I’m very much into kei cars. Often endearingly wacky-looking, the little city cars are packaging marvels, boasting roomy interiors despite their compact footprints — and I love them. This year, the New York Auto Show is home to keis (the Mitsubishi i and Subaru R1e) and another JDM favorite, the Nissan Cube. What’s interesting is that each one is on display as an all-electric vehicle. What’s especially interesting to me is that the electric i MiEV (it’s pronounced “eye-meev”, incidentally) was actually available for journalists to drive. So I did. Read about it and watch video of it after the jump.

All “live” photos Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsuibshi i MiEV (22 photos)

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/environment/AutoblogGreen_drives_Mitsubishi_s_electric_i_the_i_MiEV’; I drive a Ford Mustang GT; I’m Autoblog’s resident HUMMER aficionado; and I think my favorite car in New York this year is a Japanese-market all-electric kei car. What is going on?

My dirty little secret (if you could even call it that) is that I’m very much into kei cars. Often endearingly wacky-looking, the little city cars are packaging marvels, boasting roomy interiors despite their compact footprints — and I love them. This year, the New York Auto Show is home to keis (the Mitsubishi i and Subaru R1e) and another JDM favorite, the Nissan Cube. What’s interesting is that each one is on display as an all-electric vehicle. What’s especially interesting to me is that the electric i MiEV (it’s pronounced “eye-meev”, incidentally) was actually available for journalists to drive. So I did. Read about it and watch video of it after the jump.

All “live” photos Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.

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Filed under: Ford, New York Auto Show

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Transit Connect Taxi

The Ford Crown Victoria makes for a seriously great taxicab. It’s durable and comfortable, but that V8 engine no longer meshes with the direction many cities are taking when it comes to their taxi fleets. Greener is better, but the trick is to improve without sacrificing utility. Ford will use New York, the ultimate Big City, as the backdrop for the premiere of the Transit Connect Taxi concept. With a 2.0L four-banger motivating things, the Transit Connect is fuel efficient (19 mpg city) with 90% lower tailpipe emissions than many of the traditional cabs prowling the city streets today.

If you thought the Crown Vic was spacious, this thing must be like riding in a mobile racquetball court. The tall roof is augmented by large glass panels that add a sense of airiness to the passenger cabin. The clear partition between driver and passengers is also home to a 13-inch infotainment/payment system powered by the Ford/Microsoft Work solutions system, and while. Decked out in yellow and charcoal gray, the transit taxi certainly looks the part, and if it can handle the relentless punishment cabs endure daily, it looks like it could be an attractive alternative. A hybrid system would make it even more so. Ford, you listening?

[Source: Ford]

PRESS RELEASE:
FORD TRANSIT CONNECT TAXI CONCEPT OFFERS NEW PERSPECTIVE ON URBAN TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

• Ford reveals fuel-efficient, nimble Transit Connect Taxi concept in the taxi capital of America – New York City.
• A cavernous, easy-to-access interior marries the maneuverability and fuel efficiency of a small car, showing how perfectly suited Transit Connect is for carrying people and cargo through congested city streets.
• Transit Connect provides another example of how Ford is leveraging its global product lineup. Transit Connect is designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe. It was named International Van of the Year when launched in 2003.

NEW YORK, March 19, 2008 – Ford, the leading provider of taxis in North America, is offering a fresh take on taxis at the New York International Auto Show.

“Taxis are an important part of the urban landscape, and the Transit Connect Taxi concept represents a potential game-changer, given its small footprint, comfortable, spacious interior, fuel-efficient engine and affordability,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. “We’re interested to see how people react.”

Ford has been a leader in the taxi business for decades. The Ford Crown Victoria is the leader in the taxi market in cities throughout the U.S.
Ford also was the first manufacturer to introduce gas-electric hybrid-powered taxis into North American fleets with the launch of the Ford Escape Hybrid in San Francisco and New York City in early 2005. Today, New York’s Escape hybrid fleet has grown to more than 800, including the original 18 that joined the fleet in 2005, still running with the original nickel-metal hydride batteries intact.

The Transit Connect Taxi concept offers a new perspective on how to move people and their gear through congested city streets – more cleanly, efficiently and with new technology that could revolutionize the taxi industry.

Built on a dedicated, commercial vehicle platform and tested to Ford’s toughest truck standards, Transit Connect is specially made to meet the extreme demands of taxi service.

With its standard, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission, Transit Connect delivers estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city – a more than 30 percent improvement in fuel economy and nearly 90 percent lower tailpipe emissions than many of today’s traditional taxis.

A Small Footprint with Big Potential
Transit Connect blends well into cityscapes. Its smart, vertical stacked design is able to accommodate three rear-cab passengers and 75 cu. ft. of parcels – in part because it emulates the city skyline that surrounds it.

“When cities ran out of horizontal space at the turn of the 20th century, architects started to build upward,” said Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas. “The Transit Connect Taxi concept brings that same idea to the streets, changing the shape of the space, making it taller with a smaller and narrow footprint.”

In addition to its new shape, the Transit Connect Taxi concept’s paint scheme and expressive graphic treatment lend it unique personality.
Designers didn’t abandon iconic yellow paint – but they did change the formula to a more modern hue that contrasts with deep gray, molded-in-color fender flares as well as front and rear fascias that serve dual duty as impact-resistant bumpers.

Most noticeable up top is a futuristic interpretation of the yellow “taxi bubble.” The space-age looking flat-panel unit, mounted horizontally above the Taxi concept’s roof, is lit on all four sides – green if the cab is available, orange if it’s occupied.

Easy Access to a Spacious, Tech-Laden Interior
The Transit Connect Taxi concept gives “curb service” new meaning. With 6.5-inches of ground clearance, passengers step easily through the sliding doors and into the cab, instead of sliding down into the back seat.

The concept’s standard high-roof van offers ample headroom, accentuated by a vista roof that brightens the three-person passenger compartment and provides views of the urban architecture.

The Taxi concept also features a new electronic infotainment and navigation system that shows passengers their accumulating cab fare, and a scrolling news, weather, sports score and stock ticker. Using the 13-inch diagonal touch screen, passengers also can select their choice of video and music channels, follow the taxi’s journey on a map or scroll through a list of points of interest along the route – including restaurants, museums and shops.

Once at the destination, the screen displays the fare with options to pay via cash, credit or debit. Cardholders can swipe their card, enter a pin number for debit, calculate the tip and complete the transaction right from their seat. Cash-paying passengers can use “Sputnik,” a rotating billet aluminum softball-sized orb that replaces the outdated sliding ashtray used on today’s taxis.

Ahead of the partition, the driver’s area comes with a fold-flat passenger seat that doubles as a work station. The Transit Connect Taxi concept is equipped with a special version of the Ford Work Solutions integrated computer.

The in-dash computer, powered by Microsoft Auto, provides full high-speed Internet access via the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and works with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. Thanks to Garmin navigation, the system features real-time weather and traffic information, allowing drivers to find the most trouble-free routes.

A History of Strong Products
In addition to taxi leadership, Ford has made a name for itself across the Atlantic for vans such as Transit Connect that people can rely on to get the job done. Transit Connect is designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe.

Launched in 2003, Transit Connect was named International Van of the Year its first year in-market. Transit Connect will come to the U.S. in summer 2009, as a brand-new offering for small business owners seeking fuel-efficient, flexible transportation with plenty of room to fit their needs.

“Transit Connect provides another example of how Ford is leveraging its global product assets,” Fields said. “Small business owners have told us how eager they are to see this product come to the U.S. next year, and it will be interesting to see how many other types of customers might want a Transit Connect in their garage or driveway as well.”

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, New York Auto Show

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Nissan Denki Cube concept

Yesterday, the Financial Times reported that Nissan will unveil its electric Denki Cube concept in New York. Based on the standard Cube minicar, the Denki (Japanese for “electric”) shows that Nissan is also looking at the market viability of EVs. It’s not alone, as Subaru will be showing its R1e and Mitsubishi will display its i MiEV along with the i MiEV Sport concept.

We don’t yet have official details on the Denki Cube, but photos tell a lot of the story, and as is the case so often in the runup to auto shows, those photos have hit the web this morning. The Super Nissans forum has accelerated the unveiling schedule for Nissan, breaking the embargo and posting the shots you see here. Visually, the Denki Cube is finished in white with lightning-pattern grillework, dressed-up headlamps, and hole-punch patterns on the front and rear bumper covers (the taillamps show through those rear openings). Solid wheel covers with square centers complete the exterior makeover. Inside, the standard interior gets a swanky new instrument panel, but the layout is essentially unchanged. Yellow seats and trim highlight the otherwise white cabin.

We’ll bring you live shots and complete details following the car’s official unveiling tomorrow! A series of customized Cubes will also be unveiled for the first time, and we’ll be on hand to provide full coverage.

[Source: SuperNissans.net]

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Subaru, New York Auto Show

Click image for a gallery of the Subaru R1e in New York

That Subaru R1e caught driving the streets of Manhattan over the weekend foreshadows the expansion the car’s field-test program to the United States. Subaru is expected to make a formal announcement within the next hour or so, but we can preview it for you here now. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will receive two R1e vehicles to pilot in the same way the cars are being used in Japan.

To recap, the R1e is a full-EV version of the Japan-market R1 microcar. Powered by a 40 kW Li-Ion battery pack, the R1e is being field-tested by employees of both the Tokyo Electric Power Comany and NEC Lamilion Energy, Limited. The Japanese government lauded this effort last year. There are currently forty of the cars in service in Japan and Subaru hopes to bump that number to one hundred. When connected to a quick-charger station that’s also part of the pilot testing, an 80% charge can be achieved in just 15 minutes. When plugged into a standard household outlet, the car will fully recharge in 8 hours or so. Operating range, according to Subaru, is 50 miles and the car boasts a top speed of 65 miles per hour.

The R1e will be on display at the 2008 New York Auto Show starting this weekend, and we’ll update this post with Subaru and NYPA’s formal announcement as soon as it hits the wires.

UPDATE: Official Subaru announcement has been added after the jump.

PRESS RELEASE:
SUBARU TO EVALUATE QUICK CHARGE ELECTRIC CAR

WITH NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY

What: Subaru of America, Inc. will Subaru will begin evaluating its R1e electric vehicle (EV) in the United States this summer in conjunction with the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The plan will be officially announced at Thursday, March 20th at 12:30 PM at the New York International Auto Show.

Subaru will provide two Subaru R1e electric cars to NYPA for evaluation. The Subaru R1e will be on display at the New York International Auto Show, from March 21-30 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

The Subaru R1e employs state-of-the-art, fast-charge lithium ion battery technology that eliminates typical lithium ion battery issues of charge memory loss, allowing partial charges and quick charges that do not decrease battery life. The two-seat Subaru R1e is capable of driving at speeds up to 65 mph with a range of up to 50 miles, making it an ideal urban commuter. The Subaru R1e can be “quick-charged” to 80 percent capacity in only 15 minutes using quick-charge technology.

A typical charge cost less than $2 dollars. The vehicle can be fully charged overnight (eight hours) while connected to a standard household electrical outlet. The R1e uses an AC permanent magnet synchronized motor producing 40 kW. The new lithium ion batteries are also designed in layers that allow for simple recycling at the end of their 10 year life.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Subaru, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, New York Auto Show

Click image for photo gallery of the Subaru R1e in NYC

Well, this is cool. Not only is Mitsubishi bringing the iMIEV to New York this week, Subaru will also go electric in Manhattan with the R1e. How do we know this? Well, Autoblog reader Ciao was on his way to grab a slice of pizza when the EV microcar drove up the street next to him. As has been reported numerous times, the R1e (like the iMIEV) is undergoing field testing with the employees of a Japanese power company. Subaru hopes to expand the fleet of R1e vehicles from forty to one hundred later this year. We’ll fill you in on what the car’s like in person when we check it out this week. Thanks Ciao!

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Filed under: Etc., Green Culture, Carbon Offset, European Union

Photo: Stephane De Sakutin, AFP/Getty Images

In addition to making great music (OK Computer remains one of this blogger’s favorite listens), Radiohead tries to make a difference from an ecological standpoint. The band is going to great lengths to reduce the carbon emissions associated with its concert tour. In addition to refusing to fly unless absolutely required and investing in equipment like solar-powered generators, the group carefully considers where they choose to perform. Specifically, if a city doesn’t have a solid public transit infrastructure, it likely won’t be a tour stop. As lead singer Thom Yorke points out, the largest CO₂ producers associated with Radiohead are its legions of fans and how they transport themselves to and from shows. If they can get them out of cars and onto more efficient transportation systems by choosing show locations that encourage this behavior, then it’s a green “win.” Radiohead can essentially sell out any venue it wants, so credit them for being picky. Choosing locations because the surrounding infrastructure passively encourages greener fan behavior is a lot more meaningful than just selecting the biggest venues and preaching environmentalism from the stage while thousands of cars clog the surrounding roads and parking lots. As you all know, talk is cheap. Yorke and Radiohead make their green impact through considered, thoughtful planning and by sweating the logistical details so their fans don’t have to. Good for them.

[Source: AP via Forecast Earth, Photo: AFP/Getty Images]

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Subaru, Geneva Motor Show

Click image for hi-res photos of the Subaru’s EV display at Geneva

While the Legacy Boxer Diesel was technically the big showpiece for Subaru at Geneva, a glance at the automaker’s booth showed that electric vehicles were given equally prominent billing. The R1e was set up alongside the G4e concept that made its debut at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The R1e is an all-electric variant of the Japan-only R1 microcar. Right now, 40 of the Pokemon-looking EVs are in service with Tokyo Electric Power Co. in Japan, where they’re being field-tested by employees. When connected to a quick charger, its battery power can be replenished in just 15 minutes. Fully charged, it has a 100-kilometer operating range. Next year, Subaru hopes to increase the test fleet to 100 cars. The G4e represents Subaru’s longer-term goals. Equipped with Li-Ion battery technology, the lightweight 5-door EV concept should offer double the range of the R1e. In his remarks to the assembled media, Fuji Heavy Industries president Ikuo Mori said, “Subaru’s goal is to become the leading brand in the electric vehicle market.” He then added that the automaker would continue its EV development programs with an eye towards creating the ultimate zero-emissions car for urban commuters. Something like that G4e with a legit 125-mile range would look mighty attractive with oil prices being what they are today.

[Source: Subaru]

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Subaru, Geneva Motor Show

Click image for hi-res photos of the Subaru’s EV display at Geneva

While the Legacy Boxer Diesel was technically the big showpiece for Subaru at Geneva, a glance at the automaker’s booth showed that electric vehicles were given equally prominent billing. The R1e was set up alongside the G4e concept that made its debut at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The R1e is an all-electric variant of the Japan-only R1 microcar. Right now, 40 of the Pokemon-looking EVs are in service with Tokyo Electric Power Co. in Japan, where they’re being field-tested by employees. When connected to a quick charger, its battery power can be replenished in just 15 minutes. Fully charged, it has a 100-kilometer operating range. Next year, Subaru hopes to increase the test fleet to 100 cars. The G4e represents Subaru’s longer-term goals. Equipped with Li-Ion battery technology, the lightweight 5-door EV concept should offer double the range of the R1e. In his remarks to the assembled media, Fuji Heavy Industries president Ikuo Mori said, “Subaru’s goal is to become the leading brand in the electric vehicle market.” He then added that the automaker would continue its EV development programs with an eye towards creating the ultimate zero-emissions car for urban commuters. Something like that G4e with a legit 125-mile range would look mighty attractive with oil prices being what they are today.

[Source: Subaru]

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Filed under: Diesel, Geneva Motor Show

Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Škoda Superb GreenLine

The latest version of the VW Passat-derived Škoda Superb is making its official debut in Geneva this week, and the Czech marque’s flagship will also be offered in the eco-themed GreenLine trim. Many of Volkswagen’s BlueMotion lessions are applied here, meaning a redesigned, more aerodynamic fascia, lowered ride height, reduced weight, taller gearing and an efficient engine underhood. In the case of the Superb GreenLine, power is derived from a 1.9L TDI PD DPF with a diesel particulate filter good for 103-horses and around 184 lb-ft of torque. End result? 46 U.S. mpg (5.1 l / 100 km) in the combined cycle and carbon dioxide emissions of 136 g/km. And no, we don’t think you need to take the giant leaf graphic as part of the deal.

[Source: Škoda]

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Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

Photo by foxypar4. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Biodiesel made from pigs. Using methane to make gas. Getting hydrogen from cow plop. Using waste, some from animals, to generate power is not a new idea. In California, though, methane captured from cow manure is being used to created power that people are using today. This is real, it’s happening, and I want to drive an EV powered this way.

The Vintage Dairy Biogas Project, built by BioEnergy Solutions, might soon power up to 1,200 homes around Riverdale, CA that get their energy from PG&E. Considering that Vintage Dairy has 5,000 cows, that’s about four cows to power one home. Not bad. California rules state that 20 percent of the electricity generated in California needs to come from renewable sources by 2010. PG&E says that it’s already at 14 percent. There are almost two million diary cows in California and other farmers are interested in using their methane to generate power. The potential is enormous.

[Source: Reuters / Nichola Groom]

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