Toyota is doubling the number of Priuses allocated for the US in 2005 to 100,000. The announcement coincides with Toyota selling the 100,000th Prius in the US since since the vehicle first went on sale in the U.S. in the summer of 2000. More than one-half of the total worldwide... Read more →

Declaring Minnesota the “renewable fuel capital of America,” Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty announced a series of initiatives focused on increasing the use of biofuels (mainly ethanol, but also biodiesel and biohydrogen) combined with conservation and the use of hybrids. The initiatives include plans and orders: To double the minimum required... Read more →

The Korea Times. The South Korean National Assembly passed a bill authorizing the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) to establish ongoing plans every five years to support the development and commercialization of future cars like electric, solar heat and fuel cell powered vehicles. The ministry will also establish... Read more →

Autoweek reports that a panel of experts at the recent Electric Drive Transportation Association conference said the hydrogen fuel cell won’t be commercially ready for at least 15 years. The panel highlighted hurdles in the following areas: Fuel. The nation has no energy policy that calls for the creation of... Read more →

Ford added to its prototypes that burn hydrogen in an internal combustion engine (H2ICE) today with the unveiling of a new H2ICE Shuttle Bus. The Ford H2ICE E-450 combines a Ford E-450 chassis cab with a shuttle bus body and a modified 6.8-liter Triton V-10 engine fueled with hydrogen. Ford... Read more →

Chevrolet’s prototype hybrid S3X SUV—shown at the Paris Motor Show (earlier post)—is a diesel micro-hybrid. The prototype combines the new GM-Daewoo diesel engine with GM’s Belt Alternator Starter (BAS) system to provide stop-start functionality and regenerative braking. The BAS system enables early fuel cutoff to the engine during deceleration and... Read more →

Lou Ann Hammond provides some perceptions and analysis from the recent California Fuel Cell Partnership rally. She’ll be in Shanghai in a few weeks for the Challenge Bibeundum—I’m looking forward to reading about that as well. Read more →

Ebus is providing four propane-fueled series hybrid trolley buses for Knoxville, TN, and another two to Gatlinburg on a six-month trial. With the series hybrid-electric system, the bus is propelled only by an electric motor, which in turn receives its electricity from a NiCd battery pack. TheNiCd batteries provide 60... Read more →

Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche), the U.S. prescription drug unit of the Roche Group, is buying Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrid vehicles for its pharmaceutical sales fleet as part of a plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent over the next five years. The company is starting with a... Read more →

Jerry Schneider from the Innovative Transportation Technologies (ITT) group at U of Washington, Seattle, proposes the inclusion emerging non-automotive transport technologies into the overall “Green Car” mix. Makes sense to me. Ultimately, the goal is sustainable mobility, and whether the solutions look like a car, a personal pod, or something... Read more →

Engineers from Ford’s Aachen Research Centre in Germany have developed a micro hybrid concept car based on the Ford Fiesta. Although it is currently a research project, the Fiesta micro hybrid potentially could be in production by 2006. Ford’s partner in the development of the system is Valeo, a French... Read more →

Ford today announced the first production of its new Focus hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the Focus FCV-Hybrid. (Earlier post on production of the demo fleet.) This differs from prior demo cars in three ways. First, it’s the most sophisticated, according to Ford. Second, it came off a production line, not... Read more →

San Francisco Chronicle. Three days after California Governor Schwarzenegger signed the CA climate change bill regulating CO2 emissions, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome announced a climate action plan designed to slash the city’s greenhouse emissions by 2012 to a target level set at 20 percent below 1990 emissions. San Francisco—including... Read more →

The Alliance to Save Energy. Congress has restored the alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicle federal income tax deduction to $2,000 for vehicles purchased in calendar years 2004 and 2005. Under current law, the deduction was to drop by 25% to $1,500 this year and then down another 25% in 2005. Read more →

Fortune profiles the work and aspirations of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC): JV partner with both GM and VW, and a growing powerhouse in its own right. The joint ventures have proved a bonanza for SAIC, which has more than doubled in size since 2000. Last year it produced 612,216... Read more →

GM’s Opel used the 60th International Show for Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, Germany (overlapping the Paris Motor Show) for the world premier of a natural-gas-powered production version of its Combo commercial van—Combo 1.6 CNG. Opel currently is the CNG marketleader in Germany, and Opel Special Vehicles (OSV)—the offshoot of Opel... Read more →

As a follow-on to the post and discussion on What’s the “Best” Green Transportation Technology, I’m reproducing some summary charts from the Delucchi study as a view into the varying emissions impact of different fuels. It’s important to remember that these are the results based on this particular model, and... Read more →

Reuters. After two days of hearings, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed unanimously the country’s first air-quality regulations to reduce car emissions linked to global warming. This now implements AB1493 (the Pavley Climate Change bill) passed in 2002. (Earlier post.) The new rules require cuts in emissions of carbon... Read more →

Xinhua. The Belgian government is providing owners of cars that emit less than 105g of CO2 per kilometer a 15 percent tax reduction. The discount will be calculated on the price paid for the car and will see some drivers saving up to 3,280 euros (about US$4,030). Cars with emissions... Read more →

In addition to building and delivering hydrogen fuel cell versions of its Sprinter van (earlier post) DaimlerChrysler is also developing two different diesel hybrid versions: one with and one without a plug-in recharger. A plug-in hybrid is one in which the batteries can be recharged even when the engine is... Read more →

GM is premiering a concept version of its new 7-seat S3X SUV with a hybrid powertrain at the Paris Motor Show. When launched in the market in 2006, the production version of the S3X will be Chevrolet’s first turbo diesel vehicle for Europe, the first to be developed entirely by... Read more →

Ignoring lobbying efforts from Ford chairman Bill Ford among others, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed AB2628 today—the bill allowing single-occupant hybrids meeting certain performance thresholds to use the High Occupancy Vehicle (Carpool lane) on California highways. (Earlier post.) The bill restricts such access to hybrids with an average fuel efficiency of 45... Read more →

More cities are buying buses built using the GM-Allison diesel hybrid powertrain. Louisville, KY, is adding five to its metro fleet. The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) used a $3 million federal grant for the hybrid buses, which are due to be in service by the end of the... Read more →

Welcome to the Propel Project, a new initiative for retail biodiesel in the Seattle area. We need more of this type of work. Read more →

Chinese oil imports have jumped 39% through August of this year compared to the same eight months last year, according to government figures. China reportedly is in talks with Russia to buy a portion of Yukos. One of the best quotes I’ve seen summarizing the energy supply and demand situation... Read more →

Bloomberg. Toyota expects European sales of the Prius to jump 83% to 15,000 units next year. The company has raised its 2004 European target to 8,200 units from an earlier forecast of 5,000—an increase of 64%. Toyota sold 4,872 Priuses in Europe by the end of August this year, or... Read more →

There are many different technology options and possible combinations available and emerging for sustainable transportation, short and long term. The complexity and number of variables makes it difficult for stakeholders to sit down and to evaluate definitively the environmental and energy impact of these systems. For automakers faced with different... Read more →

Kia is introducing a fuel cell prototype of its new Sportage SUV at the Paris Motor Show this week. The Sportage is similar in most aspects to the second-generation Tucson FCEV unveiled by Hyundai earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. Kia is a subsidiary of Hyundai, and although... Read more →

A BMW prototype—the H2R—has set 9 records for cars powered by hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines. The H2R set the records during a series of speed trials at the Miramas Proving Grounds in France, prior to heading to Paris for the start of the Paris Motor Show later this week. BMW... Read more →

A UK company has launched a retrofit diesel hybrid system pack called Epack that can be applied to many different urban vehicles, primarily those in goods and passenger transport, including buses. Epack, which uses a series hybrid design, (Short Field Guide to Hybrids) is designed for inner city and airport... Read more →

D1 Oils in the UK is planning its IPO next month, and hopes to raise £20m on an assessed value for the company of £50m. In June, another biodiesel firm, Biofuels Corporation (BFC), raised £15m in its IPO, with a company valuation of £22m. Bankers are having a tough time... Read more →

Oakland Tribune.The Board of Supervisors of California’s Contra Costa County plans to scrap the county’s use of SUVs. The county would permit some exceptions, based on demonstration of need (sheriff, fire department, etc.). Contra Costa County is on the East side of San Francisco Bay, just north of Oakland, and... Read more →

ABS-CBNnews. The Philippine’s Department of Transportation and Communications is prioritizing natural gas vehicles when it issues transportation franchises for bus operation. (Earlier post on Manila’s move to CNG and the Cummins Westport engines in the buses here.) “We will issue as many franchises for as long as the buses are... Read more →

WorldChanging takes a look at “What Do Upscale Hybrids Portend?”, pointing to information about the upcoming Lexus hybrid as well as the post below. WC’s very rational conclusion: We can approach this situation in one of two ways: we can complain (quite legitimately) that manufacturers are trying to cater to... Read more →

VW is running a H2 fuel cell version of its best-selling Touran compact van in the third annual California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) Road Rally. Other rally participants include the DaimlerChrysler F-Cell; Ford Focus FCV; GM HydroGen3; Honda FCX; Hyundai Santa Fe FCEV; Nissan FCV; and Toyota FCHV. The Touran... Read more →

Honda’s new Accord Hybrid, due to be in dealer showrooms 3 Dec 2004, is a mild hybrid. (See earlier post: A Short Field Guide to Hybrids.) The electric motor in the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) powertrain supports the gasoline engine, but it is never the sole source of motive power... Read more →

Bloomberg. Honda begins selling the Accord hybrid in December and has a sales target of 20,000 units annually in the US. This should bring Honda’s total hybrid sales in the US to some 45,000 next year. Honda will build the Accord hybrid only in Japan. Earlier in the year, Honda... Read more →

The GM giveaway of 276 Pontiac G6 cars on Oprah has marketing mavens all aflutter on the next evolution of product placement. Cost to GM: a $7 million kickoff of a $50 million advertising campaign slated for the G6. My reaction: “What, they have to give them away?” But that’s... Read more →

In September 2003, Cinergy Corp., a $4.4 billion Midwestern energy company, announced a voluntary program to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by five percent below 2000 levels between 2010 and 2012. At that time it committed $21 million to spend on projects between 2004 and 2010 to achieve that goal.... Read more →

Volkswagen has tapped IdaTech to design and manufacture an integrated fuel processor system operating on diesel fuel to be used in a fuel-cell-based Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). Fuel-cell APUs are of increasing interest for cars, vans and trucks that require a great deal of additional electricity (for communications, air conditioning... Read more →

The British Prime Minister last night used the high-profile Prince of Wale’s Business and the Environment Programme lecture as a platform to push the need for response to climate change higher up on the global agenda. Some excerpts: What is now plain is that the emission of greenhouse gases, associated... Read more →

Toyota will assemble the Prius in China next year with FAW Group. This will be the first time the Prius is built outside of Japan. That Toyota chose China for that expansion rather than the US re-emphasizes the rapidly growing strategic importance of the Chinese market. Toyota and FAW have... Read more →

Chemical and Engineering News features the multiple approaches to next-generation nuclear power and provides a useful framework for understanding the differences. (Overview chart at right from DOE. Click to enlarge.) In the US, the longer-term focus seems to be on Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTR)—generation IV systems as compared to... Read more →

The Hummer may have met its match as a symbol. International Truck and Engine has introduced the CXT, proclaimed as the world’s largest pickup truck. Built on the same platform as International’s dump trucks and snowplows, the CXT hauls three times the payload of consumer pick-up trucks, is all-wheel drive,... Read more →

Oil & Gas Journal. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin plans to launch bids before Spring 2005 for construction of four 200,000-ton biofuels production units to be built by 2007. These would triple France’s annual biofuels production capacity to some 1.2 billion tons. The four units will complement eight existing facilities... Read more →

Hybrids and fuel cells are changing more than road transportation. Diesel-electric submarines have been around for years—in some ways, they are excellent examples of a hybrid vehicle. Primary power came from diesel engines; the boat would run either surfaced, or submerged at a shallow depth at which a snorkel could... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz is showing its two latest clean diesel concept versions of the upcoming Sports Tourer line at the Paris Motor Show. This is the line Mercedes has already targeted for a diesel-hybrid version. The latest models move the new line closer to actual production, currently scheduled for Fall 2005. The... Read more →

AutoWeek reports that Ford has delayed the shipment of its newest vehicles—the 2005 Ford Five Hundred sedan, Freestyle sport wagon and Mercury Montego sedan—to dealerships. Ford COO Jim Padilla would not specify last week why Ford is holding on to the vehicles. “When it’s ready, we will ship it,” Padilla... Read more →

American Honda is working directly with FuelMaker Corporation to complete development of a natural gas home refueling appliance. Honda, which has owned almost 20 percent of Toronto-based FuelMaker Corporation since 2000, is working directly with FuelMaker to complete development of Phill, the natural gas home refueling appliance. As part of... Read more →

After 10 years and $20 million dollars of research, IMPCO Technologies is making a push to commercialize its conversion system that allows diesel engines to burn natural gas and propane. The Eclipse Heavy Duty Management System requires taking the cylinder head off the engine, removing the injectors and electronic control... Read more →