Autoblog

The Chevy Volt isn't quite ready to be unleashed on the public, mostly because its powertrain is entirely different than anything General Motors -- or any other automaker -- has ever produced. An extreme amount of testing is required, especially for the batteries, before GM is ready to put its Volt into dealerships. Having this extra time before pushing the car out has its advantages for the design team, which is free to make small, incremental changes to bits of the Volt that may have needed a little tweak here and there. For instance, Bob Boniface and his crew have revised the production car's center stack with an altered LCD screen perched up top with a hood that matches the one over the gauge cluster. The new screen has smoother edges and looks more integrated into the dash. Boniface says that many people thought the old screen design was movable, which it wasn't.

There are also new vents positioned vertically on either side of the iPod-like central cluster that hold all of the Volt's controls. Those buttons now offer a more tactile sensation in the form of "pill-shaped targets" on each control. Also included in the revision are new audible that sound when buttons are activated. While all of these alterations seems rather minor, we appreciate each of them and think this equals a big improvement over an interior that we already liked.


[Source: GM-Volt.com]

Everyone's got advice for Detroit these days, from President-elect Barack Obama to Neil Young. Meanwhile, GM is still trying top get a 100 mpg sticker for the Volt and the Auto Alliance says fuel efficiency takes a back seat to OEM survival. Don't forget to follow AutoblogGreen on Twitter for the green side of the LA Auto Show this week.

• Obama says filling up our SUVs isn't progress
• Chevy tweaks production Volt interior
• LA Preview: hydrogen fuel cell Passat Lingyu
• NY Times analyzes how the Volt might get that 100 mpg sticker
• Neil Young offers advice for ailing Detroit 3
• Auto Alliance: fuel efficiency takes a back seat to survival
• Possible reasons A123 lost the Chevy Volt contract
• Rendered speculation: Fiesta-based Ford B-Max mini-MPV
• AMG confirms that it will launch high-performance diesel by 2011
• Will the battery in your plug-in hybrid only last 25,000 miles?
• Chery-based Dodge Hornet dead for now
• Drag racing White Zombie gets some Oregon Public TV love
• Got Twitter? Follow AutoblogGreen at the LA Auto Show this week
• EPA ups America's Renewable Fuel Standard to 10.21 percent for 2009
• Waste Management tries out hydraulic hybrids
• Volvo starts production of low-CO₂ DRIVe range

Rocker Neil Young has managed to create his own electric car out of an old Lincoln convertible. That's awesome, and we congratulate Young on the amazing accomplishment. But as far as his ideas on how to fix Detroit, it seems that the singer's plan has a few loose screws. Mr. Young suggests that the Feds give Detroit the money it needs to survive on the condition that the three remaining automakers stop building cars with gas-powered engines... right now. This, as you would imagine, presents a problem, considering that cars aren't all that useful if they can't provide actual transportation. Young's got a solution to that problem too: each automaker must convert one plant to assemble "re-power kits" that would allow these cars to be retrofitted as "self charging electric vehicles."

That sounds nice, doesn't it? The only problem is that "self charging" EVs don't exist. Batteries need power from somewhere, generally an outlet that gets its juice from the electrical grid. Furthermore, Young's plan doesn't actually account for how the car's would be charged or where all the "transitional rollers'" batteries would come from. It's a nice thought, but one that is entirely impossible at the moment.

[Source: Huffington Post via Autofiends]

Left to Right: Carlsson smart fortwo, the Twill Wicked, a design from Local Motors. What we're not showing you is the insanely impractical SpeedFit and another modified fortwo, this one from Hermes.

• VIDEO: Drag race between Dodge Challenger and Dodge EV
• VIDEO: Is the SpeedFit a human powered vehicle or stupid fitness machine? Both
• Ford says product first, "you can't cut your way to profitability"
• AMPLE's first highway-speed plug-in hybrid visits Singapore
• Local Motors tries to rewire automotive design and building processes
• MINI executives talk about the MINI E
• GM-Volt founder pens open letter in support of GM aid package
• Twill Wicked wouldn't be so mean to the environment
• U.S. cars still polluting tons more than Europe or Japan
• X Prize Chevy Blazer is back, now with regenerative shocks
• Too sexy for CO₂? Try the Hermes smart fortwo

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Dodge EV in the wild

While a lot of the legwork was done for them by Lotus, we still have to give Chrysler a little credit for getting an electric vehicle prototype on the road so quickly. When we first saw the Dodge EV a couple of months ago, it looked like it was ready to roll, with a Tesla-like blend of Lotus platform and electric powerpack. Soon after we heard that the car was likely to make it to production, with a delivery date that would challenge the Chevrolet Volt. While it had appeared that Chrysler was way behind its domestic rivals in developing an electric car, we know that through their GEM subsidiary, Chrysler has actually accumulated a lot of EV expertise and become the nation's leading electric car seller in the process.

The Dodge EV is essentially a Lotus Europa, but uses lithium batteries and a 268 hp electric motor in place of the standard 2.0L four cylinder engine and transmission. It promises a range of 150-200 miles and a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds. It's a full-blown, plug-in EV, just like the Tesla Roadster, and should require a 4-hour recharge from a 220V outlet or 8 hours on a 110. To help launch Chrysler's new ENVI electric car division, the Dodge EV has been traveling the show circuit, but today we spotted it at one of our favorite local cruise-ins.

It attracted quite a crowd. Not surprisingly, many folks at the show mistook it for a Lotus until they saw the Dodge badges. Even then a lot of people figured it was some type of joint venture between the two firms. Most were amazed to learn the car might be in Dodge showrooms by 2010. Try as we might we couldn't wrestle the keys from the Chrysler reps. Hopefully the car and the company make it through our current economic crisis so we can sample one when they hit the streets.


Photos copyright ©2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Back in July we told you that Fisker had tabbed Valmet Automotive to build its upcoming Karma. Now we get word that all of the contracts have been finalized and production looks certain. Valmet will be doing all of the engineering and manufacturing for the Karma, that sexy new four-door plug-in hybrid sports sedan designed by ex-Aston Martin designer, Henrik Fisker. Production should start about a year from now, in late 2009. The first cars should show up Stateside, with European deliveries following soon after, in early 2010. The companies are planning an annual production of about 15,000 cars worldwide.

The $80k sedan uses lithium ion batteries, and owners should expect about 50 miles of driving before the gas engine ever kicks in. Range should rival the Chevy Volt at 350 miles per charge. Unlike the Volt, however, the Karma will have a top speed of 125 mph, and a 0-60 time of about 5.8 seconds. Even with the price of gas plummeting, we think Fisker should have little trouble selling 15,000 of these beauties a year, even at $80k. Full press release after the jump.


[Source: Valmet Automotive]

Toyota has been scrambling to right its financial ship after cutting its profit forecast by 63% in the face of dismal US auto sales. The Japanese automaker set up an emergency committee to look at areas to cut costs, and all programs are said to be on the table. Though Toyota has announced nothing specific to this point, Japan's Nikkei Business Daily is announcing that the first US-built Priuses may not be produced until 2011. That would mean a one year delay of the opening of Toyota's Mississippi plant, which has already seen a product shift and cost overruns. The new 2010 Prius, which will initially only be built in Japan until the Mississippi plant comes online, is scheduled to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

Toyota is currently denying that Prius production at the Mississippi plant has been delayed. We're a bit skeptical of the Nikkei report anyway considering the Prius is still in high demand despite the economic downturn.


[Source: Reuters Associated Press]

Hermes has decided to continue its recent trend of modifying iconic cars and celebrating their birthdays. First it was the Bugatti Veyron Fbg by Hermes, followed by a special commemorative edition of the Citroen 2CV for its 60th anniversary. Now, Hermes has taken on the smart fortwo, issuing a special edition of the diminutive city car, which has now been on the market for a decade. As you'd expect, the Hermes fortwo sees its interior swathed in leather along with a special canvas called Toile H. These two unique textures cover everything from the seats to the car's tridion safety cell. On the inside, the Hermes signature orange is a nice color option, as are nine others including indigo, gold, lime and, uh, pink. High fashion never comes cheap, and the Hermes Smart is no exception coming in at $48,500 in U.S. dollars or 38,000 euros and on sale now in both hardtop and convertible versions. Hey, at least you get a standard umbrella. Thanks for the tip, JW!


[Source: Sybarites]

Remember when you were a kid and wanted that shiny new radio-controlled car from Toys 'R Us? The fine print at the bottom of the package almost always read, "Batteries Not Included." If Nissan's current plans go forward, that little saying may come back to haunt you when Nissan's electric vehicle goes on sale sometime after 2010.

Carlos Tavares, Nissan Motor Co.'s executive vice president for product planning and design, believes that in the not-so-distant future, we'll all be driving zero-emissions cars powered by electrons. When you make your way into the dealership to sign the paperwork, you'll be presented with two forms; one to purchase the car and one to lease the battery. Before we all get too upset about paying separately for our power packs, remember that filling up with gasoline will be a thing of the past as well -- in this particular vision for the future, at least -- so Tavares assures us that the overall cost to the consumer will actually be lower than it is today.

Another possibility presented by Tavares is car sharing, which is already taking place around the world on a very small scale. Instead of owning your own vehicle, you'd merely have access to one, time-share style, that would allow you entry into a garage full of vehicles from which to choose for your particular day's needs. To which we say, yeah... we'll see.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The three cars in the image above are all battery powered, and are all incredibly hard to get. First off, on the right we have a DIY 1970 VW Bradley GT electric car (this one's the easiest to buy, because it's on eBay). Second, with the big SOLD tag, is the $100,000 electric Super Car from Sam's Club. Third, as you might already recognize, is the Brabus Tesla Roadster. Yumz.

• Obama to be transported in GMC Topkick "Cadillac"
• Sam's Club finds buyer for $100,000 electric Super Car package
• BYD: Gas for developing countries, EVs for developed countries
• Brabus tunes the Tesla Roadster - yes, you can get neon with that
• eBay Find of the Day: 1970 VW Bradley GT electric car
• Once you can charge up your ride anywhere, what happens?
• Hardball duo completely fumble American green car discussion
• Petroleum-free liquid crystals the next big thing in lubricants?
• Why we care: Dirty air in California kills more people than car crashes do
• LA Preview: Volkswagen unveiling Touareg TDI Trophy Truck
• Minnesota congressman wants to see E15 nationwide
• Rumors of a hybrid Le Mans racer from Toyota pop back up
• Fisker and Valmet finalize Finnish production deal
• Pro-hydrogen blog collects Toyota and Honda executives criticizing plug-in cars
• Toyota iQ wins Japanese Car of the Year