Featured Threads Archive

I guess the FCEV partnership has been working well enough to continue with PHEV's?

"Currently, the two auto companies are jointly developing only fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), but they aim to expand their cooperation into the field of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs), which are seen as the mainstream of next-generation eco-cars."

Honda, GM close to eco-car tie-up - The Japan News

For those who are not familiar with the name, they are a Tesla-ish company backed by the Chinese.

As the best selling plug-in vehicle in the UK, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is an important model for British car buyers. Mitsubishi has just brought out a new version and Next Green Car attended the launch to get a taste of what it's like.

Review by Chris Lilly

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV review | Next Green Car

Excerpts:

I briefly thought about posting this in the 2016 forum but it really belongs here: Volt, Prius, Sonata Triple Green Threat | 2016 content from WardsAuto


It surveys what the Wards editors had to choose from and unanimity that these deserved to be on the list. Of course there are the obvious openings when the cheat-diesels didn't make the grade (and had...

Honda: we won't be able to sell gas-only engines in China by 2025

In an interview with Wards Auto, Honda's chief technology strategy officer Keiji Ohtsu predicted that by 2025, Honda wouldn't be selling any cars with traditional internal combustion engines in the world's most populous country. "In 2025, we don't expect to be able to sell conventional internal-combustion engines [in China]," Ohtsu said, "meaning we will be selling mostly hybrids including plug-in types."

Is LG Chem Creating a Better Battery Business Than Tesla Motors? -- The Motley Fool

An investment risk analysis of LG versus Tesla and who is poised to produce better cheaper batteries.

Not exactly the best title since I certainly interpreted it differently. Basically, just like how Google crowdsources traffic information from your smartphone, Toyota wants to crowdsource street info data from your car.

Toyota to Display New Map Generation System at CES 2016 | Corporate

Nevs Signs Deal For 150,000 Saab 9-3 Electric Cars To Panda New Energy

That's one big order for a car that isn't out yet. Here are some details on the car
First Drive: Saab 9-3 EV

note range goal is 30 mil, or 300 km which is 186 miles, my guess is on the easier nedc test, but that still is a big step above the leaf (200 km on nedc for 2013 model)

This week, Patrick, Mark, Tony and Russell dissect…

• Your car is not impressed by your right to not self-incriminate
  Car calls 911 after alleged hit-and-run, driver arrested | ZDNet
• The blockage is legislative
  Dealers Remain Obstacle to Growth in Electric Vehicle Market | PluginCars.com
• World’s biggest market almost world’s biggest EV consumer
  China On Track to Lead Global EV Sales in 2015 | CleanTechnica
• Local governor thinks legislators need to work harder for semi-mythical company
  Sandoval calls two-day special session for Faraday Future...

I have 30,000 miles on my 2008 and on the last service I was told that the water pump is leaking. I thought this was a bit unusual since the vehicle is garaged in a heated garage when not in use. Anyway, what brand of coolant should I use and what would be the ratio of water to coolant should I use? Thanks in advance for any replies.

Source:
48-Volt Infographic


Source of source: AD #1765 – Chinese EV Startups Flock to Silicon Valley, Suppliers Bet on 48-Volt Systems, Ford GT to Use Gorilla Glass – Autoline Daily

So this is what I posted in the comments:

This week, Russell leads the show with panelists Mark, Paul, and Tony.
Topics include:

• Tesla powertrain failure rates
  http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101153_two-thirds-of-earliest-tesla-drive-trains-to-fail-in-60000-miles-owner-data-suggests
• Green Mountain Power first to sell Tesla 7KwH Powerwalls for $6500
  Vermont utility says it will be the first to install Tesla powerwalls in the US | Ars Technica
• A discussion of model years, patience, and the value of keeping a schedule
  Midwest Deliveries in Februrary | PriusChat
• Fuel cell vehicle goes fast (no, not really)...

We're gaining ground folks!

Prius, Volt and Sonata: Electrics Charge Up 10 Best Engines List | Engines content from WardsAuto

Tesla powertrain failure rates http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101153_two-thirds-of-earliest-tesla-drive-trains-to-fail-in-60000-miles-owner-data-suggests Green Mountain Power first to sell Tesla 7KwH Powerwalls for $6500 http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/12/vermont-utility-says-it-will-be-the-first-to-install-tesla-powerwalls-in-the-us/ A discussion of model years, patience, and the value of keeping a schedule http://priuschat.com/threads/midwest-deliveries-in-februrary.159983/#post-2274213 Fuel cell vehicle goes fast http://voiceherald.com/2015/12/07/hyundai-tucson-fuel-cell-sets-land-speed-record.html Safety in the digital age http://bigthink.com/connected/texting-driving?utm_campaign=Echobox Ontario charging stations http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-to-spend-20-million-on-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/article27641719/?service=mobile

Read more about this episode on WhatDrives.Us

Hyundai introduces IONIQ: compact car with BEV, PHEV or HEV powertrains

World premiere in Korea in January.

Rumours:
Expect the Ioniq to use a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and Hyundai’s compact lithium ion polymer battery back.

Will be interesting to see what comes out of this. For me it comes down to transmission - if it's robotised manual I'm not interested.

Link to a CBC radio Sparks podcast, worth a listen:

Forget snow and ice, autonomous cars will be this winter's new challenge - Home | Spark with Nora Young | CBC Radio

Source: 2016 Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Sedan Production Information | Toyota

What I found interesting:

• 151 HP - max power
• 5 kg (~11 lbs) - hydrogen storage mass
• 192.9 lbs - hydrogen tank weight . . . ~95% of the fuel and tank weight

I'll have to stop here . . . some of the other specs, curb weight, seating, and coefficient of drag. Is this the new standard body????

Bob Wilson

46 THINGS | TNGA これが未来の骨格だ。 | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing


Unfortunately it's 98% in Japanese with a few English words thrown in under the titles of almost each of the 46 items.

You can use the Google Translate app on your phone to take a photo and translate it if you really wanted to but you may get some interesting results.

We're back and after a week of turkey overload, we're rested and cover a crazy range of topics.

• Spy photos of the Chevy Bolt, which will be revealed at CES in January
• Pre-ordering the Tesla Model X
• VW stock located circling the bowl
• Kia's new plug-in hybrid, which is scheduled for release in 2020
• If you have a Kia Soul EV, make sure you get your steering wheel pinion glued back together
  
• Evan defends Tesla's Consumer Reports numbers
• We go off on a rant about speed limits and speeding
• Something about Faraday Future, who has nothing to show for something
• The Audi a3 eTron, a large, low-mileage, plug-in hype machine
  
• We go around the panel and provide winter driving tips.

Enjoy!

Virginia was originally the first state to give clean fuel vehicles free HOV access. This boosted hybrid sales from 2000-2011 in the DC Metro area, and still now, whereas Va. hybrid owners are grandfathered. As long as they own HOV plates, these can be transferred to a new hybrid or plug-in. So we still have 18,000 hybrids/plug-ins with free HOV access.

This year Virginia started converting I-95 and next I-66 to HOV-3 Toll lanes with no hybrid free access. HOV (Clean Fuels) plate users have a couple more years until the new HOT lanes are completed. Most of these projects are private funded by Transurban. Dynamic tolls can be as high as $17 when traffic is heavy.

Car pooling (we call it our "slugging" system) is quite active here. It'll be interesting to see if the new HOT lanes encourage even more car pooling as hybrid drivers lose free access, and other factors.
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