EV Digest 6190
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(Nissan Altima hybrid to arrive in Canada 2007)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(A Chery bomb: hybrid Chery A5 ISG)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) EVLN(People run out in the streets to stop her Myers NMG EV)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Chinese-made Miles OR70 NEV)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(Chinese-made Miles OR70 NEV)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(Everywhere I go I feel like a celebrity)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(100 hours + $8k + 15 batteries = an EV)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN(Nissan li-ion 125mi EV in 2010)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(European & American carmakers overslept the hybrid trend)-long
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) EVLN(Plug-in hybrids @ 100th LA Auto 10-day Show)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Nissan Altima hybrid to arrive in Canada 2007)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2006/15/c5150.html
Attention Business and Automotive Editors/See CNW Photo Network and
Archive:
2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid to arrive in Canada early 2007
- First-ever Nissan Hybrid Blends Performance, Style, Fuel Economy
-
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 15 /CNW/ - The all-new 2007 Nissan Altima
Hybrid, Nissan's first entry into the hybrid gasoline/electric
vehicle segment will be arriving at Canadian Nissan dealerships
in early 2007.
The new Altima Hybrid offers all the style, convenience, comfort,
quality feel and performance technology features and highlights
of the next-generation 2007 Altima - while offering the added
benefits of enhanced fuel economy and reduced emissions.
The Altima Hybrid's powertrain mates the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
engine and electronic Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT)
with an electric motor and generator that increases fuel economy
while maintaining low tailpipe emissions.
The Altima Hybrid's hybrid system is rated at a net power of 198
horsepower (148 kW), with fuel economy estimated at 5.6L per
100km City and 5.9L per 100km Highway. Pricing will be set below
$35,000 with final details to be released in January. Classified
as an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle
(AT-PZEV), the new Altima Hybrid will be sold in early 2007 in
Canada.
Passionate Driving That Takes Care of the Environment
Nissan's commitment to the environment takes a different form
than might be found at other automakers. While Nissan strives to
offer the most advanced fuel-saving technology available, the
company also believes that drivers should not have to sacrifice
any of the style or performance attributes that remain at the top
of the reasons for buying a new Nissan.
For that reason, the Altima Hybrid is marked with the same
expressive styling as its non-hybrid brethren - inside and out.
The engine and suspension in the Altima Hybrid deliver the same
spirited performance as its more conventional siblings. The
combination of passionate driving and passion for the environment
is what makes the Altima Hybrid the standout in its segment.
Altima Hybrid Follows Nissan Tradition
Altima Hybrid is the latest in a long line of Nissan
environmental automotive initiatives. Nissan was the first
automaker to introduce a partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV)
with its Sentra CA in 2000. In many areas of California the air
leaving the Sentra's tailpipe is cleaner than the air going into
the engine.
Nissan expanded its PZEV offerings to include Altima's 2.5-liter
engine in 2005.
Nissan's Xtronic CVT, introduced originally in March 1992 in
Japan, is now available to increase fuel efficiency in small,
medium and large passenger vehicles. Nissan expects to produce 1
million CVTs annually by the end of fiscal year 2007.
For more information on the 2007 Nissan Altima and other Nissan
products, please visit www.news-nouvelles.nissan.ca.
http://photos.newswire.ca/cnw-bin/cnw_preview.cgi?id=200611150009-Nissan-EN.jpg
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is
available on the CNW Photo Network and archived at
http://photos.newswire.ca. Additional archived images are also
available on the CNW Photo Archive website at
http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members
of the media/
For further information: John Lindo, Manager, Product and
Corporate Communication, Nissan Canada Inc. at (905) 629-6461 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or Alexandra Cygal, Cohn & Wolfe at
(416) 324-2069 ext 4076 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The all-new 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid, Nissan's first entry into
the hybrid gasoline/electric vehicle segment will be arriving at
Canadian Nissan dealerships in early 2007. (CNW Group/Nissan
Canada Inc.)
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Want to start your own business?
Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(A Chery bomb: hybrid Chery A5 ISG)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://espanhol.autoblog.com/2006/11/16/chery-unveiling-first-mass-produced-chinese-hybrid-in-beijing/
Chery unveiling first mass-produced Chinese hybrid in Beijing
Posted Nov 16th 2006 4:28PM by Frank Filipponio
Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, China, Misc. Auto Shows
Can we call this a Chery bomb? Chinese automaker Chery just
dropped a bomb on the 2006 Ninth Beijing International Auto
Exhibition. According to Autoblog Chinese, Chery introduced a
hybrid Chery A5 ISG. The A5 is one of Chery's more popular family
vehicles. This will be the first hybrid to be mass-produced in
China.
[ http://www.a5.hu/kepek/0504auto/050406kinai2501.jpg ]
The Chery A5 ISG is a parallel hybrid, using the gas engine
and/or electric motor to power the vehicle independenty or in
unison. It will use an ACTECO1.3L 4 cylinder, coupled with their
519 5-spd MT gearbox. At low speeds, it will essentially be an
electric vehicle, with the gasoline engine shutting down. When
the vehicle hits higher speeds (usually reach 40km/h above), or
senses the need for more rapid acceleration, the gasoline engine
will start up and supplement the power.
Regenerative braking will also be employed to capture kinetic
energy for conversion into electrical energy. No word on what
type of batteries they'll use, which is a big question mark.
We'll keep our eyes open for additional English information, as
our Mandarin is a bit rusty.
[Source : Chery] All contents copyright © 2006, Weblogs, Inc.
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Cheap talk?
Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
http://voice.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(People run out in the streets to stop her Myers NMG EV)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.theunion.com/article/20061118/NEWS/111180163
'Whatcha Gonna Drive?'
By Jill Bauerle, [EMAIL PROTECTED] November 18, 2006
Betty Westman is getting used to people following her when she
drives. She's said she's even started to welcome the attention.
Ever since the San Juan Ridge resident bought a single-passenger
NmG electric vehicle from Myers Motors (www.myersmotors.com) in
August, the bright red, cartoonish-shaped vehicle has changed her
driving experience in more ways than one.
"People run out in the streets and stop me," Westman said.
"People scream at me. The second time I drove into town, I had a
parade of people following me."
The "No More Gas" [NMG] 3-wheel electric car.
Westman's flashy new ride will be one of about 20
energy-efficient vehicles at The Center for the Arts in Grass
Valley on Sunday during "Whatcha Gonna Drive?," a car and bicycle
show sponsored by the Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy
of Nevada County ( http://apple-nc.org ).
Visitors be able to gawk at Zap Cars (www.zapworld.com), electric
motorbikes and bullet-shaped, three-wheeled motorcycles. They
also can sit in on talks by energy experts on subjects such as
the availability of local biofuels and the finer points of buying
and maintaining electric cars.
APPLE organizers have been working on the show since August with
the goal of bringing a variety of alternative-fuel vehicles to
the public's attention, APPLE spokesman Tom Grundy said.
"The outcome, we hope, will be fewer gallons of gas burned per
person on average in our county," Grundy said.
Jeff Kotowski, of Avian Motors, will demonstrate his two-person,
battery-powered vehicle, the X-cycle (pictured without the body),
at the Center for the Arts on Sunday. The Union photo/Jill
Bauerle
Since APPLE formed about 18 months ago, the group has sponsored
events promoting alternatives to fossil fuels and promote local
sustainability. Powerpalooza, an August event in Nevada City,
focused on solar power and local farming.
As Grundy and other APPLE members started looking for local
energy experts to invite to the event, they discovered a number
of alternative fuel enthusiasts in Nevada County.
One Nevada City developer has been hard at work in his garage
finishing his prototype for an electric three-wheeled motorcycle,
the X-Cycle.
Jeff Kotowski of Avian Motors (www.avianmotors.com) first got the
idea for the X-Cycle more than 20 years ago. After putting the
project on hold for a number of years, he's close to completing a
two-seater that can travel up to 70 miles per hour and drive up
to 200 miles on a full charge.
The X-Cycle's aerodynamic design seats the passenger behind the
driver, making the vehicle more energy efficient. Kotowski said
he hopes to finish the prototype soon and start assembling a
manufacturing team.
Kotowski estimated the vehicle will cost $10,000 to $12,000.
Investors already have expressed interest in the project, he
said.
Kotowski compared the X-Cycle to the Model T, likening his
efforts to produce an affordable electric vehicle to the
20th-century achievement by Detroit industrialist Henry Ford.
"He built a car that everybody could use for $500 when everybody
else was building cars for many thousands of dollars only for the
rich," Kotowski said. "I have a similar vision. With a little
luck, it'll happen."
To contact Staff Writer Jill Bauerle e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
call 477-4219.
[...] see a video about the X-Cycle:
http://tuedit.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?NoCache=1&Dato=20061118&Kategori=MEDIACENTER&Lopenr=61117008&Ref=AR
WHAT: "Whatcha Gonna Drive?" post-petroleum car and bike show
WHEN: Sunday. Cars and bikes on display from 2-6 p.m. Afternoon
workshops run from 2-6 p.m. Evening multimedia program, "Fueling
for the Future," begins at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley,
indoors and outdoors.
ADMISSION: $13 in advance or $15 at the door for all-day pass to
hear presentations ($10 for afternoon or evening-only pass). Car
and bike show is free. For more information, go to
www.apple-nc.org or call 274-3435.
All contents © Copyright 2006 theunion.com
The Union - 464 Sutton Way - Grass Valley, CA 95945
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Chinese-made Miles OR70 NEV)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/BUSINESS/61121016
Chinese electric car could come to Del.
By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal
Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 12:16 pm
It's been described as a "golf cart on steroids." Today, the
owners of the Union Park auto dealership in Wilmington were
kicking the tires on the Miles OR70, one of the first totally
electric cars that charges from an ordinary household electrical
outlet.
It's the first electric car from China that has been approved for
use in the United States. Unlike many prototypes seen in the
United States, this one is set up for mass-market production.
The California-based Miles Automotive Group
[ http://www.milesautomotive.com ] manufactures the car in China.
Its battery charges fully in five to seven hours, and provides 60
to 70 miles per charge. This version goes up to 35 miles per
hour, ideal for city driving, said Michael Hayes of the
automotive group. There are some drawbacks, though. For instance,
the car doesn't have air conditioning.
Hayes was in Wilmington today to show the dealership a test model
and see if it might want to sell the car.
James Ursomarso, the manager at the dealership, said he was
impressed, and was considering selling and servicing the car. If
he did, it would be a ZX40 model that goes up to 25 miles per
hour, in keeping with federal approvals for the vehicle.
Miles is working on a version that can reach speeds of up to 85
miles per hour, Hayes said.
Electric cars cut the toxic emissions that traditional
automobiles give off, and they eliminate the need for costly
gasoline.
The federal government has approved the cars for driving on
public roads, but each state must approve them separately.
Delaware has not yet given its approval, but the cars may be used
on private property.
The company is marketing the cars for corporate and college
campuses.
Contact Aaron Nathans at 324-2786 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
===
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061122/BUSINESS/611220337/1003
Chinese-made electric car attracts interest
Auto dealer, DuPont check out 'golf cart on steroids'
By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal
Posted Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Michael Hayes (left), vice president of dealer sales and
relations for the Miles Automotive Group, takes Frank Ursomarso
Sr. of the Union Park auto dealerships in Wilmington for a test
drive Tuesday in the Miles OR70 electric car. The Chinese-built
OR70 can travel 60 to 70 miles on a charge at a top speed of 25
to 35 mph. [photo] The News Journal/JENNIFER CORBETT
Hayes shows the OR70 to Dawn Rittenhouse, director of sustainable
development for the DuPont Co., which is considering the car for
plant site use. [photo] The News Journal/JENNIFER CORBETT
It's been described as a "golf cart on steroids." On Tuesday, the
owners of Union Park auto dealerships in Wilmington kicked the
tires on the Miles OR70, an electric car that's charged up by an
ordinary household electrical outlet.
The Malibu, Calif.-based Miles Automotive Group manufactures the
car in China, which company officials say can finally help bring
the technology down to an affordable range. Union Park is
considering stocking and servicing the cars.
"We are always looking for a great business opportunity," said
Jim Ursomarso, the manager of the dealerships. "We think electric
cars are the future, or least part of the future."
Environmentalists love electric cars because they do not directly
emit pollutants and eliminate the need for gasoline.
But with an upper limit of 25-35 mph, the car has limited use.
It's mainly for city driving, or in confined areas like gated
communities or corporate campuses, company officials said. And
with its limited battery capability, it doesn't have air
conditioning.
Miles is trying to fill a niche that most observers believe is
there, said Bill Moore, publisher of evworld.com, a Web site
covering the electric car industry. But people need to come to
grips with the limitations of electric cars, he said.
"It's just a matter of us being willing to live with the
understanding these cars don't have the same functionality of a
gasoline car," Moore said. "If I'm going to bake a turkey, I'm
not going to do it in my microwave. But how often do I make a
turkey, and how often do I use my microwave? The electric car's
kind of that same way."
Miles is working on a more powerful model for highway use, said
Michael Hayes, vice president of dealer sales and relations for
the automotive group.
The battery charges in five to seven hours, and provides 60-70
miles of driving per charge.
The basic model sells for $14,800 to $16,900, much less than
models now on the market, Hayes said. He added that the company
wants to produce a highway-use model that sells for less than
$30,000.
Ursomarso said if he stocked the Miles, it would be a ZX40 model
that goes up to 25 miles per hour, in keeping with federal
standards. The state of Delaware would need to approve the car's
use on the road; for now, it can only be used on private
property, he said.
Dawn Rittenhouse, director of sustainable development at the
DuPont Co., visited the dealership Tuesday to take the car for a
test drive. She said DuPont is considering the cars for plants in
New Jersey and Texas.
Miles is just one of several companies manufacturing low-speed
electric cars. They run from small companies, like Zap, based in
northern California, to DaimlerChrysler, which manufactures the
[GEM].
Doug Nelson, a professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia
Tech, said Miles is developing a lithium ion battery, which may
have longer range than older, lead-acid electric car batteries.
But, like most electric cars, the Miles has its limitations,
Nelson said. "Does a vehicle that goes 30 miles per hour meet
your needs? It can, but under limited requirements. If you need
something to go out on the highway, you're going to need a
bigger, faster vehicle. That's hard to do with a pure battery
electric vehicle."
Nelson noted that although the car doesn't burn gasoline, it is
only as "clean" as the source of energy used to create grid
electricity. But most consumers would save money by not having to
buy gasoline, he said.
"Cost has been an issue, a reluctance on the part of car makers,
who have been generally convinced from their research there's
just no market for them. The people who have driven them would
vociferously disagree with that," Nelson said.
Faster electric cars would require meeting high-speed federal
safety standards, including airbags and crash tests, Hayes said.
There are high-performance, highway-capable electric cars, like
the European-made Tesla, but they tend to be on the expensive
side and have not been approved for use in most places, including
the United States, Hayes said.
Contact Aaron Nathans at 324-2786 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Cheap talk?
Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
http://voice.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Chinese-made Miles OR70 NEV)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/BUSINESS/61121016
Chinese electric car could come to Del.
By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal
Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 12:16 pm
It's been described as a "golf cart on steroids." Today, the
owners of the Union Park auto dealership in Wilmington were
kicking the tires on the Miles OR70, one of the first totally
electric cars that charges from an ordinary household electrical
outlet.
It's the first electric car from China that has been approved for
use in the United States. Unlike many prototypes seen in the
United States, this one is set up for mass-market production.
The California-based Miles Automotive Group
[ http://www.milesautomotive.com ] manufactures the car in China.
Its battery charges fully in five to seven hours, and provides 60
to 70 miles per charge. This version goes up to 35 miles per
hour, ideal for city driving, said Michael Hayes of the
automotive group. There are some drawbacks, though. For instance,
the car doesn't have air conditioning.
Hayes was in Wilmington today to show the dealership a test model
and see if it might want to sell the car.
James Ursomarso, the manager at the dealership, said he was
impressed, and was considering selling and servicing the car. If
he did, it would be a ZX40 model that goes up to 25 miles per
hour, in keeping with federal approvals for the vehicle.
Miles is working on a version that can reach speeds of up to 85
miles per hour, Hayes said.
Electric cars cut the toxic emissions that traditional
automobiles give off, and they eliminate the need for costly
gasoline.
The federal government has approved the cars for driving on
public roads, but each state must approve them separately.
Delaware has not yet given its approval, but the cars may be used
on private property.
The company is marketing the cars for corporate and college
campuses.
Contact Aaron Nathans at 324-2786 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
===
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061122/BUSINESS/611220337/1003
Chinese-made electric car attracts interest
Auto dealer, DuPont check out 'golf cart on steroids'
By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal
Posted Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Michael Hayes (left), vice president of dealer sales and
relations for the Miles Automotive Group, takes Frank Ursomarso
Sr. of the Union Park auto dealerships in Wilmington for a test
drive Tuesday in the Miles OR70 electric car. The Chinese-built
OR70 can travel 60 to 70 miles on a charge at a top speed of 25
to 35 mph. [photo] The News Journal/JENNIFER CORBETT
Hayes shows the OR70 to Dawn Rittenhouse, director of sustainable
development for the DuPont Co., which is considering the car for
plant site use. [photo] The News Journal/JENNIFER CORBETT
It's been described as a "golf cart on steroids." On Tuesday, the
owners of Union Park auto dealerships in Wilmington kicked the
tires on the Miles OR70, an electric car that's charged up by an
ordinary household electrical outlet.
The Malibu, Calif.-based Miles Automotive Group manufactures the
car in China, which company officials say can finally help bring
the technology down to an affordable range. Union Park is
considering stocking and servicing the cars.
"We are always looking for a great business opportunity," said
Jim Ursomarso, the manager of the dealerships. "We think electric
cars are the future, or least part of the future."
Environmentalists love electric cars because they do not directly
emit pollutants and eliminate the need for gasoline.
But with an upper limit of 25-35 mph, the car has limited use.
It's mainly for city driving, or in confined areas like gated
communities or corporate campuses, company officials said. And
with its limited battery capability, it doesn't have air
conditioning.
Miles is trying to fill a niche that most observers believe is
there, said Bill Moore, publisher of evworld.com, a Web site
covering the electric car industry. But people need to come to
grips with the limitations of electric cars, he said.
"It's just a matter of us being willing to live with the
understanding these cars don't have the same functionality of a
gasoline car," Moore said. "If I'm going to bake a turkey, I'm
not going to do it in my microwave. But how often do I make a
turkey, and how often do I use my microwave? The electric car's
kind of that same way."
Miles is working on a more powerful model for highway use, said
Michael Hayes, vice president of dealer sales and relations for
the automotive group.
The battery charges in five to seven hours, and provides 60-70
miles of driving per charge.
The basic model sells for $14,800 to $16,900, much less than
models now on the market, Hayes said. He added that the company
wants to produce a highway-use model that sells for less than
$30,000.
Ursomarso said if he stocked the Miles, it would be a ZX40 model
that goes up to 25 miles per hour, in keeping with federal
standards. The state of Delaware would need to approve the car's
use on the road; for now, it can only be used on private
property, he said.
Dawn Rittenhouse, director of sustainable development at the
DuPont Co., visited the dealership Tuesday to take the car for a
test drive. She said DuPont is considering the cars for plants in
New Jersey and Texas.
Miles is just one of several companies manufacturing low-speed
electric cars. They run from small companies, like Zap, based in
northern California, to DaimlerChrysler, which manufactures the
[GEM].
Doug Nelson, a professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia
Tech, said Miles is developing a lithium ion battery, which may
have longer range than older, lead-acid electric car batteries.
But, like most electric cars, the Miles has its limitations,
Nelson said. "Does a vehicle that goes 30 miles per hour meet
your needs? It can, but under limited requirements. If you need
something to go out on the highway, you're going to need a
bigger, faster vehicle. That's hard to do with a pure battery
electric vehicle."
Nelson noted that although the car doesn't burn gasoline, it is
only as "clean" as the source of energy used to create grid
electricity. But most consumers would save money by not having to
buy gasoline, he said.
"Cost has been an issue, a reluctance on the part of car makers,
who have been generally convinced from their research there's
just no market for them. The people who have driven them would
vociferously disagree with that," Nelson said.
Faster electric cars would require meeting high-speed federal
safety standards, including airbags and crash tests, Hayes said.
There are high-performance, highway-capable electric cars, like
the European-made Tesla, but they tend to be on the expensive
side and have not been approved for use in most places, including
the United States, Hayes said.
Contact Aaron Nathans at 324-2786 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
===== Undo Petroleum Everywhere
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Everywhere I go I feel like a celebrity)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061127/GPG0101/611270430/1206/GPGnews
Posted November 27, 2006
Villages undecided on electric car road rules
Vehicle not allowed on some municipalities' streets
By Lee Reinsch [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Small-business owner Tracy Crawford trims her overhead any way
she can.
With two businesses a teddy bear clothing importing company and
an errand-running service she needs to make lots of cross-town
trips. For her, cutting her fuel usage results in major savings.
In the last six months, she's spent a total of $20 on gasoline
for her vehicles.
Crawford owns a Toyota Prius a gas-electric hybrid a moped
and a DaimlerChrysler GEM, an electric vehicle that runs on
batteries.
"I really love it," Crawford said of her Global Electric Motor,
or GEM, car. "It's fun to drive. Everywhere I go I feel like a
celebrity people stop and talk to me about it."
But there's a problem. Crawford can't legally drive it everywhere
she'd like.
Since electric vehicles have been uncommon in Wisconsin, the
state hasn't formally instituted a policy on them, other than Act
329 of the Wisconsin statutes, signed into law last spring. It
says electric vehicles are to be regulated by the municipalities
in which they're used.
So Crawford's been lobbying for the past six months for
permission to drive her GEM around the Green Bay area.
So far, Green Bay, De Pere and Ashwaubenon have given her the
green light.
But smaller jurisdictions, like Allouez, Howard and Bellevue
out of liability fears and lack of guidance from the state have
been stalling.
Act 329 says "the governing body of any city, town or village may
by ordinance allow the use of a neighborhood electric vehicle on
a roadway that has a speed limit of 35 mph or less and over which
the governing body has jurisdiction."
The last seven words of that sentence have left community leaders
at an impasse. Since Brown County has jurisdiction over county
roads that run through a village, city or town, municipalities
like Allouez, Howard and Bellevue want someone of higher
authority to oversee electric vehicles.
Citing questions about upholding traffic ordinances on vehicles
that technically aren't motor vehicles, Allouez, Howard and
Bellevue have deferred to the county.
But the county's been deflecting the responsibility back to the
villages.
"The statute itself clearly puts the authority at the municipal
level," said Brown County Sheriff Department Traffic Capt. Randy
Schultz, adding that he believes the state should develop a new
classification of vehicle the LSV (low-speed vehicle) and
create a policy for handling them.
Crawford's GEM costs 2 cents a mile to run and produces no
exhaust fumes. It has a top speed of 25 mph and has safety
features conventional cars have brake lights, reflectors,
windshield wipers and a windshield defroster.
Crawford bought her GEM for less than $10,000 in Portage earlier
this year. GEMs come in five models two-, four- and
six-seaters, as well as two truck versions. Crawford said people
looking for electric cars can easily find them on eBay for less
than $3,000 for a two-seater.
Crawford is active with an online Neighborhood Electric Vehicle
group on Yahoo!, through which she meets other electric car
owners who network and share concerns.
Her GEM doesn't need oil-changes or tune-ups and costs a fraction
of the cost to insure than a conventional car does $214 a
year.
Sticking points for the villages include the vehicle's slow
speed, potentially impeding traffic even though, as Crawford
points out, she's free to drive her moped practically anywhere
and the fact that the vehicles don't have to be licensed.
"Should they be registered with local municipality?" Bellevue
village Administrator Randy Friday said. "It's a car, yet it's
not, according to the DOT. If they aren't registered as cars,
they aren't subject to those rules of the road. What if the
driver goes the wrong way on the road? Are they ticketable?"
Friday also expressed concerns about safety of rescue personnel
in the event of a crash or accident.
"Your average firefighter doesn't have training with this kind of
vehicle," he said. "It could add even more hours of training to
the hundreds of hours of training fire departments have to budget
in for their crews."
Crawford said her GEM doesn't have an engine that would blow up
or a gas tank to catch on fire.
"My truck is so light they could push it out of the road, so
there would be perks to dealing with my vehicle at an accident,"
she said. "When I hear about a (vehicle) fire, it's usually a
gasoline fire. Since I don't have any gasoline in my vehicle
there would be less to deal with."
-
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
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http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=23053
Missourian NewsNovember 27, 2006
100 hours + $8,000 + 15 batteries = electric car
Ken Albright started with a lifeless 86 Volkswagen and ended
with a car that needs no gasoline By NICHOLE WADE
Ken Albright says his electric-powered Volkswagen is not a
highway car, but it gets him to work and back. (Video by Elena
Chadova)
[
http://columbiamissourian.com/multimedia/2006/video/electric_car.mov
]
[ http://columbiamissourian.com/images/news/112706electric.jpg ]
Ken Albright checks under the hood of his revamped 1986
Volkswagen. He converted the car to run on electricity because of
environmental concerns. (MAGGIE RIFE/Missourian) After turning
off the lights and kissing his kids good night, Ken Albright has
one more chore on his list: plugging in his car.
Albright began gutting his 1986 Volkswagen Scirocco GTX last
December. The car sat empty and untouched until June, when
Albright and his son began working on it again. After about 100
hours of work, the lifeless vehicle was resuscitated.
Its new organs require no gasoline, only electric power.
Except for the Electric metal nameplate that Albright has added
to the back hatch, the car looks like any other gas-guzzling
vehicle. Underneath the hood, however, there are five batteries
and another 10 in the back. All together, the batteries generate
120 volts of power to make the car go.
Albright undertook the project because he worries about the
environment. The idea occurred to him as he was driving about
town. I was sitting in traffic one day, surrounded by huge cars
putting out pollution, he said.
I usually complain, he said, but this time there was a problem
he could do something about.
As soon as the converted car could make it out of the garage,
Albright took it onto the streets.
The first drive was just around the block, he said. At first I
thought to myself, Is it going to blow up? Is it going to run
away?
But the car ran just fine. Everything worked, including the radio
and the heater. Albright said hes yet to have a problem with
it.
It goes as far as I need it to go, he said.
It took time, energy and money to get to this point. Although
Albright acquired the Volkswagen virtually for free, it took
about $8,000, including $1,200 for the 15 batteries, to convert
the automobile.
It definitely wasnt cheap, Albright said. I have calculated it
out, and Im hoping that it will pay itself back in four years.
It costs him about 3 cents per mile to run the vehicle.
Albright said he had considered buying a hybrid vehicle, which
runs on a combination of gasoline and electricity. There are two
types of hybrids: One requires constant energy from the
combustion engine while moving, and the other can run solely on
electricity when the batteries have stored enough energy.
The Ford Escape Hybrid is known as a full hybrid because it can
run without gasoline when fully charged. Another advantage is
that it doesnt need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
It actually charges itself off of the brakes, said Heath
Connell, a sales representative for Joe Machens Ford. Its
better when it is driven in the city because the batteries are
being charged every time the driver stops.
Still, even the Escape Hybrid needs fuel from time to time.
Albright noted that his electric Volkswagen puts out no emissions
at all when running, although generating the electricity does
produce some emissions. In the end, he decided against any sort
of hybrid.
Theyre not doing much for the environment, Albright said.
Besides, I wouldnt have a project to work on, he added.
Albright said his Volkswagen is not only economical but also easy
to maintain, having no need for oil changes or air filter
replacements. Once a month, he checks the water in the batteries,
which have to be replaced every three to five years at a cost of
about $80 per battery.
With other drivers paying $2 or more for a gallon of gas,
Albright finds the idea of an electric car appealing. But not
everyone may be ready for such a radical shift.
You kind of get the feeling youre in a science fiction movie,
Albright said. Copyright © 2006 Columbia Missourian
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http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=26527
Nissan plans to sell electric car within three years...
By Karl Heilman 27 Nov 2006 at 11:34 AM
The Nihon Keizai (Nikkei) business daily reported on Sunday that
Nissan intends to develop and begin selling subcompact electric
cars, which will be powered by self-developed lithium-ion
batteries in approximately three years.
Japan's number two automaker also said it plans to develop and
sell hybrids by 2010 in an attempt to catch up with Honda [...].
===
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=117701
Report: Nissan To Start Selling 125-Mile-Range Electric Car by 2010
Date posted: 11-28-2006
TOKYO Nissan plans to develop and start selling a subcompact
electric car in three years that will be able to travel 125 miles
per charge.
That's about twice the range of the company's 2000 prototype
electric vehicle, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun
newspaper.
The Japanese automaker also plans to develop and sell
gas-electric hybrids by 2010 in an attempt to catch up with Honda
and Toyota. [...]
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http://www.playfuls.com/news_09_1016--Automakers-Bet-On-The-Next-Generation-Of-Hybrid-Vehicles.html
Automakers Bet On The Next Generation Of Hybrid Vehicles
03:08 AM, December 2nd 2006 by News Staff
Even those who strongly believe in advanced gas-electric hybrid
vehicle technologies acknowledge that they have a long way to go.
But that hasn't stopped carmakers from promoting their own
advances in the field - a sort of hype from the international
automobile industry that reflects booming competition for
consumers amid the limited hybrid technology now available.
At high-level auto gatherings in the US this week, it was clear
that major car makers are heavily investing in new hybrid vehicle
technologies - with the world's leading manufacturer, General
Motors, unveiling its plans to bring out three new models.
Toyota, the market leader, has already sold 435,000 of the more-
familiar hybrid cars in the US alone since 1999, including the
Prius, which uses a gas-electric system that recharges the car's
battery while braking.
But now, European and American carmakers, which overslept the
trend set by Toyota while pursuing ideas such as hydrogen fuel
cells and more efficient diesels, are also betting on the next
generation of hybrid cars: a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can
recharge at night in the garage.
But this new technology is still in its infancy, with only a
handful of prototypes in the world. That doesn't mean there's a
shortage of brainstorming.
"It's a hype. One needs visionaries, but it comes to a time, you
might want to hire engineers," said Don Hillebrand, the Argonne
National Laboratory's director of transportation research at the
Electric Drive Transportation Association conference in the
nation's capital.
Hillebrand, who once served as research manager for Daimler
Chrysler and was a scientific advisor in the administration of
former president Bill Clinton, worries about the "battery
efficiency, the weight and especially the cost" of the plug-in
hybrid models.
The plug-ins would have larger, more sophisticated batteries that
could power a car for 30 to 45 kilometres before switching to the
combustion engine. The electricity would be cheaper than gas for
that distance.
While the distance seems small, advocates say that's about the
distance most people drive on a typical day.
"You only have to get gas when you leave town," said an
ecological visionary.
It's not clear what kind of benefit the plug-ins would bring.
Several studies, cited by the environmental group, American
Council for Energy Efficient Economy, show that plug-ins may
reduce emissions by 15 to 30 per cent compared to the
gas-electric hybrids.
But while that may sound like a great benefit to the environment,
the studies warn that the production of the electricity itself -
50 per cent of which is still driven by coal - could undermine
those gains.
But still, no car company wants to miss the new trend, and they
are investing heavily to keep up with Toyota, issuing new models
based on the Prius technology.
While two of GM's planned new models, announced this week at the
Los Angeles Auto Show, would be Prius-like gas-electric vehicles,
the third model would represent the first ever plug-in hybrid to
come off the assembly line.
The irony is that GM has not even introduced any prototypes,
while Daimler Chrysler - which has already been showing off its
four models - has not yet announced plans to manufacture them. In
fact, one of those prototypes is being used to deliver The New
York Times in New York City.
The Daimler-Chrysler model combines a diesel engine with electric
batteries weighing 400 to 700 pounds, with a 30-kilometre range.
"There is a place for plug-in hybrids, but most likely for city
cars," said Hillebrand. Driving heavy and empty batteries across
the country would be neither desirable nor fuel efficient.
The arrival of the gas-electric hybrid was a wake-up call for
European and American automakers - a bell that sounded so loud it
stimulated an unprecedented alliance among rivals.
BMW, Daimler Chrysler and General Motors merged their research
efforts to build a car that could compete with Toyota's
gas-electric hybrid vehicles.
"One company could have not done this so quickly," said Daimler
Chrysler's Nick Cappa, the company's manager of advanced
technology communication.
As a result, Daimler Chrysler will bring out its first hybrid-
electric car in 2008 on the market, the Dodge Durango. General
Motors is planning to produce a Saturn sports utility vehicle
(SUV) and BMW plans a hybrid-electric version of its X5, an
upmarket SUV.
"We are welcoming competition. That makes everyone better," said
James M Gatzke, one of Toyota's alternative fuel vehicle
managers, in Washington.
European car engineers have been drawn reluctantly into the
market. BMW has concentrated on producing a hybrid hydrogen fuel
cell car of its seven series within a few years, and other German
and French automakers are concentrating on diesels, which are
almost as efficient as Toyota's Prius.
Volkswagen, Audi, and Daimler Chrysler, at the Los Angeles Auto
Show, said they would bring new efficient diesel engines to the
US market, called "Bluetec," which would meet even California's
tough pollution standards.
Europe is strengthening its research efforts. The French
government is to invest 158 million dollars next year in Peugot's
hybrid diesel research.
So is the US government, with plans for 96 million dollars for
research on plug-ins over the next two years, one US department
of energy official said.
The Japanese government is spending more than 100 million dollars
on plug-in research, said Hillebrand.
By Juergen Baetz, Dpa © 2006 DPA
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-12/02/content_5422637.htm
Los Angeles auto show kicks off www.chinaview.cn 2006-12-02
11:57:18
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 100th Los Angeles Auto
Show kicked off on Friday at the Los Angeles Convention Center,
with 35 vehicles making their world or North American debuts --
the most in the history of a show first held in 1907, organizers
said.
The show is being held a month earlier than in previous years to
avoid colliding with Detroit's North American International Show.
The earlier date enables automakers to stage more debuts in Los
Angeles, organizers said.
Several manufacturers will use the 10-day show to introduce
hybrid vehicles and those using alternative fuels.
General Motors will introduce the GMC Yukon Hybrid, Ford will
present a hybrid version of the Escape, also a sport utility
vehicle, and BMW 's Hydrogen 7 will make its debut.
GM announced earlier that the company has begun work on a Saturn
Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid that has the potential of achieving
double the fuel efficiency of any SUV now on the road.
"The technological hurdles are real, but we believe they are also
surmountable," General Motors Chief Executive Officer Rick
Wagoner said. "I can't give you a production date for our plug-in
hybrid today. But I can tell you that this is a top priority
program for GM, given the huge potential it offers for
fuel-economy improvement."
The company says a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle will differ
from the non-plug-in version by offering extended electric-only
propulsion -- more than 10 miles (16 km); additional battery
capacity relying on Lithium Ion battery technology; and the
ability to be recharged from an external outlet.
The show's highlights include 21 world debuts from Acura,
AstonMartin, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda,
Hyundai, Lamborghini, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen and 14 North
American debuts from Ferrari, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover,
Lotus, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
Additionally, there will be the world debuts of seven concept
cars --prototypes of vehicles that could someday be available to
the public -- from Acura, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and
Volkswagen.
Also on the program is the presentation of an extensive
collection of automotive accessories, performance products,
mobile electronics, wheels and tires. Editor: Nie Peng
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