Up and Coming Electric Cars

Just as the major car companies were crushing their electric car programs in 2004 and 2005, the perfect storm was brewing on the horizon: Hurricane Katrina, growing acceptance of global warming, runaway Prius sales, oil price spikes, green marketing galore…The major auto companies went right back to the drawing board and emerged with big plans for electric cars.

Just as the major car companies were crushing their electric car programs in 2004 and 2005, the perfect storm was brewing on the horizon: Hurricane Katrina, growing acceptance of global warming, runaway Prius sales, oil price spikes, green marketing galore…The major auto companies went right back to the drawing board and emerged with big plans for electric cars.

BMW Megacity

BMW is working on a small electric car that could launch in 2012. The Megacity is a low-slung three-door four-seat hatchback coupe. The car is smaller than the Honda Fit, and will have a projected range of 100 miles. The BMW Megacity, which could be sold either as a BMW or Mini, is not much more than a concept at this stage, but pressure on BMW to meet California's zero emissions vehicle requirements might bring the car to life—albeit in small numbers.

BYD E6

If China’s BYD can deliver on its big promises for the E6 all-electric crossover, then it could take the US by storm. (Investment guru Warren Buffet is betting that BYD will come through.) Unlike the small city-oriented electric runabouts on slate from established carmakers, the E6 is a five-passenger wagon capable of carting a typical American family. Moreover, the E6 has a range of 200 to 250 miles and boasts a 0 to 60 mph time of less than 10 seconds. Top speed is 100 mph. The vehicle can be fully charged in about 10 hours by plugging into a standard household outlet. BYD says that it takes only 10 minutes to charge to 50 percent capacity and 15 minutes to the 80 percent level. BYD has been in the battery business only since 1995, and started building cars in 2003. Considering that the company maintains an R&D department with 8,000 engineers, it’s not surprising that the initials BYD stand for “Build Your Dreams.”

BYD showed the E6 at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show along with its F3DM and F6DM plug-in hybrid sedans. It announced plans to sell the F6DM in the US within a few years, although it didn’t set a firm schedule for any of its electric-drive vehicle—probably wise, since the cars have not yet been certified for sale, and face questions on quality, crashworthiness, and equipment.

Coda (Electric Sedan)

Southern California automaker Coda Automotive announced plans to bring a new electric car to the US from China in 2010. The all-electric sedan is based on an existing gas-powered four-door car, known as the Hafei Saibao 3, built in Harbin, China. Re-engineered with a lithium ion battery, the Coda sedan promises a driving range of 100 miles. The MSRP for the Coda sedan will be around $40,000. The scrappy California company may be the first start-up to offer a practical and affordable electric car to mainstream buyers.

Ford Focus EV

The Ford Focus EV, due out in late 2011, is the first electric car designed for the generic aisle of the dealership. Ford’s plans for the Focus EV are not aimed at buzz and sizzle. Instead, the company is focused on addressing the biggest obstacle between EVs and the mainstream: cost. By choosing an existing platform—the Focus—and using technology developed by auto supplier Magna, Ford will save the expense associated with developing a unique design. The Ford Focus EV is targeted to have a range of 100 miles between charges, courtesy of a 23 kWh battery pack.

Ford Transit Connect Electric

With the introduction of the Ford Transit Connect Electric, unveiled at this week’s Chicago Auto Show, Ford may have produced the first green halo truck. When you combine car-like driving dynamics, cargo capacity and accessibility with the the built-in marketing opportunities for small businesses to emblazon the large exterior panels with green slogans such as “Zero-Emissions” and “100 percent electric,” it makes for a compelling package. The vehicle has a 75 mile per hour top speed and can drive up to 80 miles on a charge—perfectly fine for the needs of a local delivery cycle.

Mercedes BlueZero

In late 2008, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its BlueZero concept vehicles—the core idea is to build electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel-cell cars on a single platform. Daimler had previously announced that its next generation FCV fuel cell cars will be built on a subcompact (B-class) chassis in 2010. Migrating to the BlueZero would only be a minor adjustment. Daimler’s future electric cars could also shift to the BlueZero—because the guts of its electric cars already fit in the smaller Smart and A-Class. Sharing platforms and technology architectures could allow Daimler to telescope development and production timelines, and save money on rolling out new electric models. At this stage, it’s still a concept.

Mini E

The limited edition Mini E car is based on the Mini Cooper platform. The car's 380-volt battery is comprised of 5,088 individual cells, and can be recharged using a standard 110-volt electrical outlet. The battery pack has a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours. BMW will offer a specialized high-amp wall-mounted device that will allow a full replenishment of the battery in less than three hours. The Mini E will have a cruising range of 150 miles. Approximately 500 cars are slated for production and lease to select customers in Southern California and the New York area. Pricing, as well as production beyond the first 500 units, is not yet determined.

Mitsubishi iMiEV

Mitsubishi began delivering the all-electric iMiev to Japanese customers in 2009. Production numbers are slowly ramping up from the current target of a few thousand per year. The small EV uses a single 47 kW motor and 16 kWh lithium ion batteries—to yield about 75 miles of range and a top speed of 80 miles per hour. The vehicle is a four-seater with a real but cramped back seat.

Nissan Leaf

Nissan is calling its new electric car—the Nissan Leaf—the "world's first affordable, zero-emission car." And they could be right. Unveiled on Aug. 2, 2009, the Leaf is a medium-size all-electric hatchback that seats five adults and has a range of 100 miles. Pricing was not announced (although the company previously hinted at a price around $30,000.) The Nissan Leaf’s closest comparable future all-electric car is the Ford Focus EV. The distinguishing characteristic between the two vehicles could be design—pitting the established look of the Ford Focus against the purpose-built Nissan Leaf, which will go on sale in late 2010.

Pininfarina Blue Car

Legendary Italian sports car designer Pininfarina will begin production of its small all-electric four-seat five-door Blue Car in 2010. The Blue Car is powered by a 50 kW electric motor getting energy from a lithium polymer battery pack with 150 miles of range. The company began accepting reservations from European customers in spring 2009. The lease will be about $500 per month. The body of the car is designed as an elastic shell resting forcefully on the four wheels, providing more room than the average city car. Techno-goodies include solar panels on the roof, and the ability to use a smart phone to monitor battery state-of-charge, and to start AC or heat from a distance. Pininfarina will start slow, only in Europe, and aim to ramp up production up to 60,000 units per year by 2015.

Renault Fluence

Patrick Pelata, executive vice president, said that the all-electric Renault Fluence will launch in 2011, starting with at least 20,000 units in the first year. (The gas-powered Fluence debuts in 2009.) The company will produce a smaller compact electric car in the following year. No more details at this time, although its sister company Nissan will introduce its yet-to-be-named electric-only model also in 2012. That’s probably not a coincidence.

Smart ED

Despite considerable media buzz for Daimler’s Smart ForTwo, microcars have not taken American roads by storm. Perhaps consumers may be more forgiving of the lack of size and power if the Smart is offered with an electric drive. The first models will likely go to Europe in about 2010. Availability in the US is uncertain. The car will provide 70 miles of range and 70 miles per hour on the freeway. Recharge time from 30 to 80 percent capacity is about three and a half hours. The gas version of the Smart ForTwo has earned low marks for handling, especially at higher speeds.

Subaru R1E

The Achilles Heel of electric cars has been the limited range they can travel between charges. The Subaru R1e could help change that. The diminutive two-seater, about 20 inches longer than a Smart ForTwo, has a top speed of 65 miles per hour and a range of 50 miles. More importantly, the time to recharge the 346-volt lithium ion battery pack has been reduced to about 15 minutes. Here’s the hitch: To get the faster charging time, you need a special stationary charger. Using the onboard standard charger puts the electricity refueling time back to about eight hours.

Toyota FT-EV

Toyota introduced the FT-EV electric concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, hinting that it might offer an urban all-electric commuter vehicle in the next few years. The FT-EV concept shares its platform with the company’s Japanese and European minicar, the Toyota iQ. The iQ is larger than the quintessential minicar, the Smart Fortwo, but not by much. Its wheelbase is a little more than five inches longer, and on the whole, the car is only about a foot longer than the Smart—11.4 inches to be exact. The electric version on display at the Detroit Auto Show, the Toyota FT-EV concept, offers driving range of 50 miles, according to Toyota. The company is expected to launch 10 new hybrid gas-electric models globally by 2012, but has not made firm commitments to bring a full battery-electric car to market.

Tesla Model S

What makes the Model S so cool? First of all, the visual design is gorgeous. Second, it seats five—or seven if you count the two side-facing rear seats for small children. There are killer features, like the 17-inch touch screen that provides all of the vehicle’s interface components such as climate control and entertainment, but also offers 3G or wireless connectivity. But most importantly, the Model S is way more affordable than the company’s $109,000 Tesla Roadster. The current price target for the Tesla Model S is $57,900 (minus a $7,500 federal tax credit)—still not in range for most mainstream buyers but moving in the right direction. The Model S is planned for release in late 2011.

The following companies have announced intentions to produce electric vehicles, but have not discussed specific vehicle details: Volkswagen and Peugeot Citroën.

Could Honda CR-Z Be The World's First Sexy Hybrid

Honda’s new CR-Z hybrid coupe is schedule to hit dealerships in the UK and USA at about the same time this summer. But while the Honda CR-Z has so far remained under the radar in America, the small sporty hybrid is garnering a lot of positive press on the other side of the pond.

We can’t imagine that Honda Motor Europe’s project in group filmmaking, Live Every Litre, is the reason for the extra attention. The marketing effort—hypothetically designed to promote the CR-Z as hip—yielded a set of YouTube road trip vignettes that induce equal parts confusion and boredom. Nonetheless, a trio of British auto reviewers recently reported a much better time from behind the wheel of the CR-Z.

Quentin Willson of The Mirror was nearly ecstatic about the car. He wrote that the CR-Z “is set to become one of the most desirable cars on the planet.” Willson added, “Looking like nothing else on the road, with a wonderful swooping roofline, it's a lulu to drive.”

He praised the CR-Z’s handling and steering. “This is one of Honda's best cars yet, and the world's first truly sporting hybrid coupe…Sustainability never looked sexier.”

Jason Barlow of BBC’s Top Gear—usually no fan of hybrids—agreed with Willson. “By sticking the Insight's hybrid tech into something that doesn't look like a slapped arse,” Barlow quipped, “Honda might finally have made eco motoring sexy.” Barlow also praised the CR-Z for its handling. “It's proper fun to drive,” Barlow wrote.

Andrew English of The Telegraph was generally positive, but not as effusive as the others. English dinged the CR-Z for poor visibility in the corners and through the back, for limited space in the rear seats, for braking that feels “wooden,” and for too much body roll. Yet, he granted the CR-Z as “sporting by hybrid standards” and concluded that it’s “a likeable little car.”

Small and Sexy in America As Well?

Meanwhile back on home turf, American Honda Motor Co.’s John Mendel, executive vice president of sales, said the CR-Z will appeal to tuners, who modify and tweak their rides for maximum performance and individual style. He told Automotive News that Honda research showed that tuners are excited about the CR-Z because it’s reminiscent of the old Honda CR-X, one of the ultimate tuner vehicles.

In other words, the CR-Z might inadvertently create a whole new market of hybrid buyers. Forget about the traditional hybrid puritans, who have expressed disappointment in the CR-Z because it averages merely 37 mpg. The people most likely to buy the car probably won’t give a damn one way or the other if it’s hybrid. It just looks cool and is fun to drive. Full stop.

As far as we're concerned, anything that adds pizzazz and sex appeal to hybrids is a step in the right direction.

2010 Hybrid Cars - The Year Ahead

The first hybrid gas-electric car in the United States, the original Honda Insight, reported its first 17 sales in December 1999. One decade and 1.5 million hybrids later, the auto industry is ready to embrace hybrids and other green cars like never before.



What are the major trends we expect as hybrid cars boldly move into the first year of their second decade? Read on and prepare for the green car movement to shift into warp speed.

Plug-ins Finally Arrive

In 2010, the Fisker Karma will become the first plug-in hybrid on the market.

The very first plug-in hybrids and mainstream all-electric cars will start to roll out in 2010. The first car out of the gate will be the 2011 Fisker Karma. Originally expected to go into production in late 2009, Fisker is now aiming to produce and sell its first units in mid-2010. The gorgeous sleek Karma is, in many ways, cut from the same expensive cloth as the Tesla Roadster. In other words, it’s pricey at $87,000 and will be produced in low numbers. But like Tesla, Fisker has its eyes on a bigger prize—a second more affordable model still a couple of years away. First things first: Let’s see how Fisker’s first customers respond when they get behind the wheel of the Karma, which promises a unique blend of high-performance, style, and 50 miles of all-electric range.

News of the Fisker Karma will get drowned out by Chevy Volt Mania 2010. Bob Lutz, GM’s Volt executive sponsor for the Volt, promised a media blitz for the company’s green car poster child. In September 2009, Lutz said that once GM has about 200 preproduction Volts in stock, it will “pull out the heavy artillery and get Volt buzz.”’ So, much of 2010 will be an extended drum roll for the Chevy Volt until the first production models roll off the line around November. All indications suggest the Volt will be worth the wait, notwithstanding low production numbers, limited availability mostly in California, and a price tag north of $40,000.

The pre-production Chevrolet Volt engineering test drive along I-80 near Toledo, Ohio Tuesday, October 13, 2009.

Not to be undone, expect Nissan to shout the praises of the all-electric Leaf while it prepares five mid-size test markets—Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Nashville, and San Diego—for the first 5,000 models and the accompanying charging infrastructure in late 2010.

GEM Peapod Neighborhood Electric Vehicle

As cute as a pea in a pod, GEM’s Peapod Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) gets its name from its pod-like design. With many of its components made from recycled and recyclable materials, the Peapod runs on six 12-volt batteries that take 6 to 8 hours to recharge, and it gives you a driving range of 30 miles on a single charge. Able to cruise neighborhoods and local streets at top speeds of 25 mph, this GEM NEV seats four passengers and its roof is windowed, so you can let the sun in. Other cool features include an iPod dock, colorful instrumentation and plenty of trunk space. The price is estimated to be around $12,000 when it hits the streets in October.

Toyota Auris Hybrid (2010): new spyshot

Toyota showed off its Auris Hybrid Concept at this autumn's 2009 Frankfurt motor show – and here's the finished version testing in Europe ahead of launch in autumn 2010.

This will be Toyota's first mainstream hybrid; the Prius has pioneered the petrol-electric technology in a standalone bodystyle, but now the Japanese want to roll out the Hybrid Synergy Drive across its entire volume model range. So the Auris is first of many more Toyotas to wear the HSD hybrid badge of honour.

The 97bhp 1.8-litre petrol-electric drivetrain of the Auris Hybrid is largely shared with the Prius, giving this five-door hatch sub-100g/km CO2 emissions married to 0-62mph performance in around 10sec.
What's new on the Auris Hybrid?

Like on the Prius and Honda's Insight, there are numerous aero tweaks to make the Auris cleave the air more efficiently. Not surprising, as BMW engineers told us this week that the aero wheels on the new ActiveHybrid 7 alone save 2% off fuel consumption.

So there are changes at the front end, and the rear bumpers visible in this spy picture are flatter. They make the car look wider, but are in fact designed to optimise airflow and reduce turbulence and drag. The car sits 20mm lower, has a new rear spoiler and a drag figure of around 0.28cd.
Is the Auris Hybrid really green then?

It should be compared with conventional Auris models - and because it's a full hybrid, it can run on battery power alone in zero-emissions mode. There will be several driving modes selectable by the driver: Eco for maximum efficiency; Power for more performance; EV mode for full electric running for 2km at up to 31mph.

The Auris Hybrid production car scooped here will be built in the UK's Burnaston factory and go on sale in the second half of 2010.