Things are moving along quite nicely with the development of the Chevy Volt. According to Bob Lutz, test mules of the extended-range electric vehicle are now being built atop the soon-to-be-released Chevy Cruze. This is a logical progression since the production Volt will share its Delta underpinnings with the new compact from General Motors when it finally goes on sale in 2010. Prior to these latest mules, the test cars used last-gen Malibu shells that Lutz and the team affectionately referred to as "MaliVolts." Predictably, Mr. Lutz praises the new Delta platform, and we have every reason to believe that it will be leaps and bounds better than its Cobalt forebear, just as that model is light-years ahead of the Cavalier it replaced. Lutz goes on to say that the battery pack, motor and internal combustion engine are all working very well together, even in the freezing cold temperatures around Detroit these days. It all sounds rather promising, though it'd be even better if that first paragraph on the FastLane Blog weren't necessary, right?
Toyota's irritatingly slow leak of seemingly insignificant 2010 Prius teasers has shown us such riveting details as the hybrid car's startup screen, power seat switch and some sort of all-knowing seeing-eye camera. A much more interesting set of leaks has also granted us an early but pixelated peek at the car's external shape, along with detail shots like the rear LED tail lamp assembly and a few different looks at the interior. Now, we've discovered a set of YouTube videos that definitely don't seem to have come from Toyota itself.
In the videos after the jump we see the new 2010 Prius spinning on a rotating stage, we see buttons on the steering wheel that change the digital readouts on the central dash and we see a brief glimpse of the car's generous storage capacity via its hatchback body style - all of it set to wonderfully numbing elevator music. There is one interesting bit that we've recently seen: an air conditioning button on an old-school key fob that allows the climate control to run via rooftop solar panels even while the car itself isn't running. Fortunately, we only have about two more months to wait for the car's official debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. Thank God for small miracles. Check out both videos for yourself after the jump. Thanks for the tip, everyone!
Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma
Fisker Automotive has apparently decided that 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque should be plenty of power to recharge some batteries. Those 260 galloping ponies will come courtesy of the General in the form of its 2.0L direct injected and turbocharged Ecotec four banger, an engine that we've sampled ourselves plenty of times. We feel well qualified, therefore, to suggest that this is an excellent motor, but it really sounds like a major case of overkill for this particular application. Perhaps that's better than "underkill" (if such a word actually existed) as that powerful engine ought to be able to recharge the Fisker Karma's on-board lithium ion batteries at an extremely brisk pace. The faster the internal combustion engine can charge up the battery pack, the quicker the car can revert back to its native electric-only operation. Plus, that engine is a relatively light chunk of alloy, so the Karma's motor shouldn't be burdened by the gasoline-fed boat anchor too horribly under electric power.
We also find it a bit interesting that Fisker chose GM as its powertrain supplier, which means that the Karma and GM's own Chevy Volt are now even closer cousins than before. Both vehicles will sport four doors, lithium ion batteries and an extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain; and with this announcement, both are now slated to share four cylinder engines from GM. This kinda makes 'em second-cousins through marriage, no?
Click above for high-res image gallery of the smart fortwo BRABUS
The BRABUS edition of smart's diminutive little fortwo is, as we like to say, officially official as of yesterday when the brand pulled the wraps off the new-for-USA model. Unlike the Europeans who have had access to BRABUS smarts for the last few years, we won't be getting the force-fed 112-horsepower three-cylinder engine here in the States, but that means we get to keep the 41 miles per gallon efficiency of the standard smart fortwo. You win some, you lose some, right? It's a nice package that definitely stands apart from other fortwo models thanks to its unique alloy wheels, monochromatic paint in either black or silver and numerous BRABUS emblems inside and out. Want one? It'll cost you $17,990 for the coupe or $20,990 for the cabriolet, which initially strikes us as a fairly steep sum considering it comes with the same 70 horsepower engine of the standard smart. As of right now, only those with fortwo reservations are eligible for the new BRABUS, but that seems likely to change in the near future if the model continues to prove as popular as smart claims it has.
There are three main obstacles to making electric cars a viable alternative to those powered by internal combustion engines: the weight, cost and range of the batteries. Internal combustion engines have range limits based on the size of their fuel tank, but it only takes a few minutes to dump 10-15 gallons of liquid fuel in the tank and be on your way. It takes hours to recharge a battery. Fast charging systems are being developed, but they will require new infrastructure for the high currents and voltages required. The cost issue also works against range. You can reduce cost with a smaller battery, but you know what happens then. A battery with more range is both heavier and more expensive. How about a smaller swappable battery? That's one of the possible alternatives that Tesla is considering for the Model S sedan. This brings a whole different set of problems with it. Even smaller batteries will weigh several hundred pounds, making them difficult to handle. There are also safety issues with handling high voltage batteries. You also need a distribution infrastructure for the batteries and automakers have to standardize on common pack formats to make the whole idea viable. It's not like popping into a drug store for a set of AAs for you camera. Tesla's bright idea just goes to show that electric cars have a long way to go before they can replace internal combustion engines completely.
Click above for high-res image gallery of the Braille Battery Nissan Altima Hybrid
On display at this year's LA Auto Show is a Nissan Altima Hybrid racecar aimed at pleasing the eco-radicals of California, and the folks over at Autoblog Green. The car was first released at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, but the LA crowd is really more up its alley. This Altima is a direct result of the team at Braille Battery pairing up with Nissan North America and Universal Technical Institute. The "Hot Rod Hybrid," as it's called, is a construction aimed at competing in the new hybrid/electric class of the Redline Time Attack series. There are also plans to give it a run in the 2009 Cannonball Run/One Lap of America event. We know the car will be in good hands, too. Driver Blake Fuller is experienced with both front- and rear-wheel-drive vehicles, as exemplified by his finishes in the Pike's Peak hill climb and Formula D drifting events.
The Braille Battery Nissan Altima Hybrid is constructed with great attention to detail. The green eco-friendly DuPont paint initially catches your eye, but the best part can be found once the car passes by you. The exhaust outlets are formed out of leaf silhouettes. No environmentally conscious element on this vehicle is left unturned, even the race seats are a new product from Sparco containing recycled materials. The roof is also topped with battery recharging solar cells. To help the car be competitive on the racetrack, the internal combustion engine is tuned to run on E85 ethanol while being boosted by a Vortech electric supercharger. All in all, it is an intriguing experiment. We look forward to seeing how the car fairs under the wear and tear of many Time Attack battles. More details can be found in the press release after the jump. Also be sure to take a gander at the gallery below for SEMA shots provided by Braille Battery, along with those we captured in LA.
Perhaps, with all of the unveilings going on at the LA Convention Center, Miles EV felt they wanted to make a bit of news over in Santa Monica. That's where AutoblogGreen got our hands on the first-ever rendering of the company's new highway speed electric sedan. Grill-free is the way to be, apparently.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Green Car of the Year
There are a few standouts in the emerging green sector of the U.S. auto market that are hitting the market in 2009. BMW's first clean diesel in the United States, the 335d, is one such vehicle that has torque-loving enthusiasts salivating, and General Motors' upcoming Saturn Vue is the first application of the 2-Mode hybrid system in a front-wheel drive vehicle. No green car discussion is complete without a mention of the smart fortwo, which sports the best mileage of any non-hybrid car available. Of course, the new Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid from Ford are shaping up to be real contenders in the green mid-size sedan sweepstakes and they may take a chunk out of Camry hybrid sales when it finally debuts. Still, there is one '09 car that seems to offer the best of all worlds, with a relatively low starting price, excellent fuel economy and refined driving dynamics: The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. For these reasons, the oil-burner from Germany has been selected by Green Car Journal as the 2009 Green Car of the Year. We're not arguing with the decision, but you are, of course, free to make your voice heard in the comments section.
Click above for high-res image gallery of the Honda Insight Eco Assist dashboard
There's more to driving green than just the car you choose. The way you pilot the vehicle makes a huge impact on your fuel mileage, and automakers are now beginning to endow their new wares with technology that teaches you how to drive green. Honda's upcoming Insight is a perfect example, with its new Eco Assist dashboard that keeps tabs on the driver's right foot and relays information back via a color-changing speedometer and and "economy scoring function." Honda aims to make "the hybrid experience more fun and rewarding" with these technologies -- kinda like a video game -- that are activated by a green ECON button on the dash. When pressed, the CVT transmission changes modes and computers adjust the operation of the A/C, stop the engine from idling sooner and increases regenerative braking capabilities.
With this announcement, Honda joins Ford in the eco-dash wars. The Blue Oval recently revealed its LCD gauge cluster called SmartGauge with EcoGuide, which will debut in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid. The tech wars are heating up fast and new innovations such as these green gauge clusters may make driving a rewarding experience for a completely new reason. Progress?
Joining in the massive Autoblog crew at the LA Auto Show, AutoblogGreen saw the show through our green-tinted glasses. The big surprise, natch, was the FC Sport concept but we also oohed and ahhed over the 2010 Lexus RX 450h and the Ford Fusion hybrid. And all these:
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BREAKING: Automaker bailout agreement reached in Senate, still not a sure thing [UPDATE]![LA 2008: 2010 Mazda3 shows its smiling face [w/VIDEO]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/11/01_mazda3_live_la_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
LA 2008: 2010 Mazda3 shows its smiling face [w/VIDEO]
LA 2008: Honda surprises with FC Sport fuel cell sports car concept
LA 2008: Redesigned 2010 Ford Fusion
Officially Official: The new Nissan Cube! (JDM, with U.S. tease)
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP
Knight Rider: The Liveblog -- Season 1, Episode 8
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 HUMMER H3T Alpha
Officially Official: 2010 Ford Mustang!
