Yahoo has alternative fuel automotve site

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Yahoo is launching a new alternative fuel automotive site. The new site is focused on social media (i.e. forums and other interactive social media) and alternative fuel autos such as hybrids, E85, biodiesel, etc…

Press Release follows:

Las Vegas, NV – Nov. 1, 2006 – Yahoo! Autos, one of the most comprehensive automotive resources on the Internet, today announced the launch of the new Yahoo! Autos Green Center http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center. The new Green Center provides consumers with the most comprehensive, unbiased source of information, resources and community about alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), including hybrid, flex fuel/E85, bio-diesel, compressed natural gas and others. The Green Center brings together industry information from expert partners as well as consumer-generated content from Yahoo!’s leading social media properties, Yahoo! Answers, del.icio.us and Yahoo! Groups.

Yahoo! Autos, in partnership with Environmental Defense, the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to cost-effective solutions to society’s most urgent environmental problems, has also developed a proprietary Green Rating which determines the environmental impact of any vehicle on a scale of 1-100. The Green Rating factors in tailpipe pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy and the manufacturing process to give consumers a quick way to gauge the environmental friendliness of a car. Users can also quickly access the green rating through a new shortcut in Yahoo! Search by typing any vehicle model name plus “green rating.”

“Yahoo! Autos new Green Center is at the confluence of two large, growing trends – green going mainstream, and the explosion of social media on the Web,” said Jennifer Dulski, general manager, Yahoo! Autos. “According to a Yahoo! survey, one in every two people is interested in learning more about alternative fuel vehicles, which signals clear consumer demand for a product like the Green Center.”

The new Green Center allows users to:

- Research the pros and cons of available alternative fuel technologies

- Access federal and state incentive programs and alternative fuel station locations.

- Tap into the knowledge and experience of current AFV owners and other interested buyers through Yahoo! Answers, del.icio.us and Yahoo! Groups.

- Watch expert video reviews of alternative fuel vehicles.

- Find the latest news about alternative fuel technology

- View any vehicle’s Green Rating, or compare any two vehicles’ environmental impact using a gas mileage impact calculator.

New Survey Shows Green is Not Just a Fad

In a recent Yahoo! survey, respondents indicated strong concern for the environment as well as high interest in AFVs. The survey was fielded in Oct. 2006 to a random sample of nearly 1,000 people on the Yahoo! network.

- 78 percent of respondents believe we need to act now in order to save the environment for future generations.

- 85 percent of people believe the U.S. is too dependent on foreign oil.

- 76 percent believe AFVs can help lower U.S. energy consumption.

- 54 percent of people surveyed are interested in learning more about AFVs

- 42 percent of respondents plan to purchase an AFV within two years

- The top three reasons people are interested in purchasing an AFV are to do their part to save the environment (77%), to lessen country’s dependence on foreign oil (67%), and to save money on their gas bills (67%).

Yahoo! Uses Alternative Fuels

In a demonstration of the viability of alternative fuels, Yahoo! Autos, along with Orange County Rod & Custom, will attempt to set a land speed record with a custom built, grease-powered vehicle. On Nov 12, 2006 at the Southern California Timing Association sanctioned event at the El Mirage Dry Lake bed, Yahoo! Autos will attempt to pilot a six cylinder, 3500 hp, twin turbo, grease-fueled diesel to a new land speed record.

Additionally, to help balance its carbon-footprint, Yahoo! has converted its employee commuter shuttles that travel from San Francisco to its Sunnyvale and Santa Clara campuses to run on bio-diesel, significantly reducing harmful emissions.

About Yahoo! Autos

Yahoo! Autos (http://autos.yahoo.com) is one of the most comprehensive sources of automotive information on the Internet, delivering resources for researching, buying, maintaining and communicating with others about vehicle decisions and purchases. Now, with the launch of the Yahoo! Autos Green Center, consumers have a one-stop resource and forum for all their automotive and alternative fuel concerns, including the latest news on alternative fuel vehicles, what others are saying about them and how your next automotive purchase can be an environmentally-friendly one. Yahoo! Autos also is the home to one of the leading enthusiast community sites, Yahoo! Autos Custom (http://autos.yahoo.com/custom), bringing together the entire automotive specialty equipment industry and consumers, delivering powerful online community tools that enable enthusiasts to gather inspiration, share ideas and find parts and service online.

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Not only the Cayenne, But The Panamera May Go Hybrid

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Autoblog has the scoop on Porsche and their efforts at going hybrid. With Europe passing stricter guidelines (limit of 130 g/km), Porsche may need to go hybrid in their Panamera even sooner than they had first thought.

They were hoping to get the Cayenne a hybrid powertrain by 2009, but now they are saying 2010. And this is falling back from their initial goal of a hybrid Cayenne by 2008.

Bosch and Audi are partnering up with Porsche to bring the gas electric hybrid to market.

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EPA reveals a new UPS hybrid hydraulic delivery truck

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The US Environmental Protection Agency has been helping develop a new hybrid truck for UPS along with Eaton, International Truck and Engine and teh US Army. The EPA revealed the new truck today. They replaced the trucks transmission with hydraulics and combining that with a low emission diesel engine.

The result: 60 to 70 percent savings on fuel use. Which means UPS will take less than three years to recover the $7,000 premium to outfit its trucks with new hydraulic hybrid system. Those savings come not only from reduced fuel costs, but savings on brake wear as well.

Hydraulic hybrid technology stores energy normally wasted in braking (a type of regenerative braking).

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Ford Hybrid sales increase over 100%

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ford sales of the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid have increased in April. With incentives, gas price increases, and a major marketing push, sales of Ford hybrids had their best month ever, with 3420 units sold

The best sales month previously for Ford hybrids was September, 2005 when Ford sold 1808 Ford Escapes. Prior to that, they sold 1705 Ford Escape hybrids in April 2005. This month, Ford sold 3039 Ford Escape Hybrids and 381 Mercury Mariner Hybrids, an increase of 100% in the number of hybrids sold by Ford.

Sales of hybrids followed a similar pattern last year, with increases from month to month starting in January. But, the incentives seemed to have made a significant difference, propeling an increase in sales by over 100% from last month as well.

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Chevy Aveo Beats Out Hybrid Cars in Cost to Own Study From Edmunds

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Edmunds, in their latest study, makes the obvious point that, if you’re just looking to save money on a car, a small, cheap car is your best bet. Hybrids, since they are more expensive, aren’t the ‘best value.’

Does anyone really buy a hybrid because they believe they are going to be saving money? I think they buy them because 1) they are green and/or 2) they use less gasoline and 3) they get to buy a larger car than they expected and still do 1 and 2. No one buys a hybrid because it is going to save them money.

In the end, very few people buy a new car in order to save money.

If you really wanted the best value, you would buy a used, small, cheap car and drive it until it died. Then replace it with another small, cheap car that you can drive into the ground.

I can’t really emphasize this enough. If you’re buying a hybrid car, you’re getting more for less. Now, since not all hybrids are built for fuel efficiency, I can’t say you’re necessarily getting more fuel efficiency, but I can say you’re getting a car that’s more efficient. It all depends on what the manufacturer wants to emphasize.

But, anyways, back to the Edmunds study. The best car to buy, if you are worried about the value, is the Chevy Aveo. Edmunds ‘True Cost to Own’ study “incorporates projected model-specific average vehicle ownership costs, consisting of depreciation, financing, taxes, fees, insurance premiums, fuel costs, maintenance and repairs.”

If you factor in all these, the Chevy Aveo will cost you under 43 cents a mile to own. The Prius costs you 50 cents a mile to own, putting it 34th on the list. It was surpassed by the Honda Civic Hybrid, which costs just under 48 cents a mile. That puts the Civic Hybrid in 14th place on the Edmunds list.

Not surprisingly, all hybrids were not built equal, and so the cost to own a hybrid varies wildly. From the aforementioned Civic Hybrid right down to the Lexus RX 400h (which was built for luxury and performance, not primarily for fuel efficiency) which ranks 260. The Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUVs do very well, coming in at 94 and 102, respectively.

The really nice thing about this study is they even take into account the federal tax credit, where applicable.

The following are the 10 least expensive hybrid vehicles to own (all 2008 models):

¹ The Edmunds.com study takes into account the federal tax credits when applicable.

Edmunds calculations make the following assumptions:

• Ownership expenses are for a five-year time span
• Vehicles are driven 15,000 miles per year
• Vehicles are financed using traditional financing and not leased
• Buyers pay 10 percent down on the vehicle
• Buyers are in the “Gold” credit tier for the purpose of determining the finance rate
• The loan term is 60 months
• Buyers represent the average demographic in their state for insurance rates

The data is available at no charge to visitors, and provides ownership costs regionally for both new and used vehicles. The tool is available at http://www.edmunds.com/apps/cto/CTOintroController.

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LoJack Announces LoJack for Hybrids

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

LoJack is introducing a next generation Stolen Vehicle Recovery System with a ‘proprietary power management protocol’ allowing the system to be self-powered.

With hybrids and plug-in hybrids relying so heavily on their battery packs (now and especially into the future), LoJack figures this new system is great for hybrid electric cars.

Autoblog is guessing this system is a re-worked version of the system used in trailers, which can work for up to five years.

Press Release Follows (found via autoblog)

Westwood, MA — October 26, 2009 — LoJack Corporation (NASDAQ: LOJN), the company that invented and leads the Stolen Vehicle Recovery category, today introduced its next generation Stolen Vehicle Recovery System based on a newly developed proprietary power management protocol. This self-powered Stolen Vehicle Recovery System does not draw any power from a vehicle’s battery or electrical system, which makes it ideally suited for the vehicles of today and the future, including hybrid and electric cars.

The next generation Stolen Vehicle Recovery System answers the needs of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that are seeking to implement intelligent power management systems in new cars. With the growing number of features and devices installed and utilized in today’s vehicles, there is an increasing need to reduce the draw on a vehicle’s battery to enable maximum vehicle performance and efficiency.

President Barack Obama has called for a million plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles to be on United States roadways by 2015 and this system delivers an energy efficient and proven theft recovery solution for these types of vehicles.

“As we looked to the future of the automotive market and held discussions with OEMs and our international licensees, it was clear that there was a need for a new generation of aftermarket products that are self-powered and optimized for newer vehicles,” said Ronald V. Waters, LoJack Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This new Stolen Vehicle Recovery System directly answers that market demand and places LoJack in a strong position moving forward for the automotive market. As we continue to diversify our business, the new power management protocol will have beneficial applications in future versions of all LoJack products.”

Provides Benefits for All Vehicles Including Hybrids, Electric and Collector Cars
More than one third of all vehicle breakdowns are due to electrical failures caused by too much dependence on the battery. Unlike GPS-based aftermarket products that draw power from a vehicle’s electrical system, the self powered LoJack solution helps retain battery power. It is especially ideal for hybrids and electric vehicles where maintaining battery power is so essential. And, by eliminating the draw on the vehicle battery, it is optimized for collector cars as well because there is no need to connect to the electrical system, which can be a complicated and disruptive process in customized collector vehicles.

System Increases Installation Flexibility and Enhances Covertness
Since the new system does not have to be connected to the vehicle’s electrical system, it provides efficiencies in the installation process and increases the number of locations inside the vehicle where the unit may be hidden—which is especially critical for the company’s licensees in markets where the theft problem is particularly severe. Being even more covert also will help ensure that LoJack’s Stolen Vehicle Recovery System “with its national recovery rate of 90 percent” remains the industry leader moving forward.

Availability
The next generation Stolen Vehicle Recovery System will be available for distribution through the company’s international licensees in the fourth quarter of this year and rolled out in the United States beginning in the first quarter of 2010.

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Plug in Hybrids from Toyota… coming soon?

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Toyotas senior vice president of the company’s North American operations has been quoted saying plug-in vehicles may be here sooner than they thought. Back in March, Toyota was predicting plug-ins in 10 years. Now they hope to have them even sooner.

A plug-in hybrid requires more battery usage and the battery is more likely to fail sooner than in hybrids. With hybrids, the battery is kept in a ’safer’ medium zone which helps the battery last longer. Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) run on the battery alone longer and drain the battery farther. They also get fully charged overnight. Since rechargeable batteries can be very expensive to replace, carmakers are unwilling to produce a vehicle in which the battery won’t last long.

Toyota has new hope for hybrid batteries

On Thursday, however, Cuneo said the automaker is now more hopeful that the batteries could be ready soon. Speaking at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting at the Galt House, he said Toyota believes it could have a plug-in hybrid on the road much sooner…

Toyota executive engineer Dave Hermance said … Lithium-ion batteries are the likely successor, but so far, reliable ones have not been available in the sizes needed.

In March, Hermance said lithium-ion technology could be as many as 10 years away.

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Ford considering producing a plug-in hybrid

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Chief Executive Bill Ford stated Ford is currently considering the launch of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Plug-in hybrids can get over 100 mpg, but have been limited in production and sales. Costs for converting hybrids into plug-ins have been deterring most consumers from buying a plug-in. But, if a major manufacturer builds one and prices it to compete with hybrid vehicles, they should capture a hardcore group of consumers who would be purchasing a hybrid car.

Ford may also be looking to be seen as more innovative, and ‘building better cars’. Toyota, who has attributed its growth to its reputation as an innovator, has reported record sales and profits in the past few months.

Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com

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Want a recap on hybrids?

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Then you’ll want to read this story on hybrids from SA. It recaps the SUVs that are available today and points out all the versions that are coming out soon.

G. Chambers Williams III also points out where the production of hybrids stands today. Despite high demand, the automakers are not making enough vehicles and the reasons for that shortage are many fold.

First, is the lack of nickel-metal-hydride battery packs available. Production of the batteries is picking up, but is still well short of where the automakers would like it to be.

Second is the issue of profit. The hybrids have been expensive to research and build, and as of now, the automakers are not making much (if any) return on their investment. With the introduction of the luxury SUV from Lexus and by making the hybrid available with the more expensive options (leather seating, high tech navigation), they are looking to increase their profits on consumers who want to make a statement about how they feel about the environment.

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Kia Ray

July 8th, 2010 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Kia has released a teaser photo on the new Ray concept. The concept car is supposed to show where Kia will be heading with their future in plug-in hybrid cars.

The Ray was designed by the Kia Design Centre America and will contribute to Kia’s ongoing development of alternate-fuel vehicles.

Of course, it’s not surprising the concept was designed to show that hybrid cars can be good looking and sporty. It’s quite likely that if Kia ever did go ahead with a real product plug-in hybrid, the style would go away and you’d end up with a more standard fare.

The Ray is supposed to debut at the Chicago Auto Show.

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