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plug-in hybrid

Where Did All the Coda EV’s Go?

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Ever wonder where the 100+ electric vehicles that Coda delivered ended up? Well, I found five of them in a warehouse in Davis, California. Efficient Drivetrains Inc., a company with plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and continuously variable transmission technology bought five of the Coda all-electric sedans for a China-related project. Full disclosure: I do some business development work for EDI.

EDI is doing some other interesting China-related stuff as I discovered when I visited a few weeks ago. It seems all manner of Chinese companies and even research institutes are looking to benefit from the government’s electric vehicle policy. As I discuss in a blog I’ll post after this one, however, some elements of that policy are not very well-thought out.

But I digress. EDI’s warehouse is filled with vehicles in various stages of having some form of electric drivetrain or CVT installed. Imagine my surprise to see some familiar faces on the lifts! EDI has been asked by the Dongguan Research Institute to produce some pure electric vehicles that also have CVTs. This research institute, contained within one of Dongguan’s many universities, is surely owned by the local government.

EDI procured the five Coda’s for this project. Why? “They are cheap,” said Andy Frank, EDI founder and chief technical officer. Frank explained that the Institute wants an EV that is inexpensive but also shows good performance (doesn’t everyone?). It “wants to design something different than the conventional EV manufacturer,” said Frank. “They have to show some uniqueness.”

Pure electric vehicles aren’t the ideal application for CVTs, admitted the engineers at EDI. A CVT allows a car to change gears without steps, and electric vehicles do that anyway, I believe…. But the Research Institute is the customer, so EDI will install a CVT in the Coda sedans’ pure electric drive, which will add cost. EDI has a cost-cutting strategy, however: Source parts from China.

Coda sourced most of the components for original EVs from multinational suppliers. Think UQM motors and Borg Warner transmissions. EDI is replacing those high-cost components with less-expensive components sourced in China. EDI will then add its secret sauce — software and a management system that will make all the parts work together in a superior way.

The replacement CVT is from Hunan Jianglu Rongda.Vehicle Transmission Co. On the company’s website is a Chinese saying that, according to Rongda’s English translation says: “Ocean holds precipitation; acceptance makes greatness.” A better translation might be “The ocean accepts a hundred rivers, and that makes it great.” It is a saying that urges tolerance for diversity because diversity produces greatness. I guess that is meant to promote acceptance for a CVT. And it is a play on the characters in Rongda’s name.

Rongda is China’s only volume CVT manufacturer. Since its CVT can be bought off the shelf, EDI is using one in the prototype. How good are the Rongda CVTs? “We don’t really know; we have to build one and test,” said Frank. “In order to get real economics (in fuel economy) we (will) have to design a special CVT for this application,” he added. If the vehicle goes into volume production, EDI will design a CVT specifically for the vehicle, either on its own or with Rongda, said Frank.

The motor will come from Beijing-based Jing-Jin Electric. The company, founded by a General Motors China alum, supplied motors to the ill-fated Fisker Karma. It produces motors of all sizes for electric vehicles, said Frank. And its motors may show up in the Fisker-based car that Wanxiang produces.

Another interesting project in the EDI garage was a Ford F550 truck that is a PHEV with exportable power being produced for Pacific Gas & Electric. In a blog last year, I talked about how exportable power is what PG&E, one of the largest utilities in the U.S., really wants in its PHEV trucks. It can use that power, said Dave Meisel, director of transportation for PG&E, to light up a neighborhood while it does repairs, or during emergencies such as hurricanes when power has been lost.

I talked with Meisel recently about the PHEV that EDI is producing for PG&E. It has exportable power, it seems, and a lot of it. PG&E will test it soon. Why has EDI apparently been able to achieve levels of exportable power that others haven’t, I asked Meisel? “It is technology related,” he said. “EDI’s software and onboard management system has done a really good job.” I guess we will know if that proves true in a few weeks as PG&E is planning to test the EDI truck then.

China could certainly benefit from some exportable power. Although the brown-outs that were common when I lived in China in 1984, and even when I was there in the early 1990’s, they aren’t so common now. The grid in China is strained, however. Imagine if a fleet of trucks could serve as power plant in a pinch.

So that’s what I saw during my EDI visit. I’m still laughing at the Coda sedans. Never thought I would run into them in such a place. And they’re going home! The body came from China, after all, and now the components will, too. Is the fact that such disparate entities – such as a research institute — are looking into producing electric vehicles good news for China? Or is it a waste of resources? Will it produce innovation that doesn’t emerge from the big automakers? That is what China is hoping. The government thinks that by giving non-automotive entities licenses to produce EVs, a Chinese Tesla could emerge. That seems a stretch. But there may be a Chinese Elon Musk out there.

08/26/2014 0 comment

Clean Transportation

There’s No Reason To Wait for Next-Generation Electric Cars

written by CleanTechies.com Contributor

The most popular electric cars available today, like the Nissan Leaf, offer a driving range of between 80 and 90 miles per charge. Many consumers view this range as insufficient—even though U.S. motorists, on average, drive less than 40 miles per day.

Some of these drivers are waiting to buy or lease their first plug-in cars, because they believe an imminent breakthrough in battery technology will soon mean greater driving distances and cheaper price tags. However, a look at new all-electric and plug-in hybrid models expected in the next year or two reveals a different story: if you’re thinking about an EV, the future is already here.

The impressive list of carmakers currently offering an EV includes BMW, Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Smart and Toyota. Plug-in hybrids are available from Cadillac, Chevy, Ford, Honda, Porsche and Toyota. Yes, the list of 15 or so battery-powered cars will grow in the next couple of years—but you should expect those models to have roughly the same electric driving range, and if anything, higher price tags.

That’s because the list of upcoming EVs comes mostly from luxury brands, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Tesla. The two exceptions are the Volkswagen E-Golf and the Kia Soul Electric. Those are welcome additions to the EV market, but the driving range offered by these cars will remain 80 to 90 miles—with prices in line with the existing models. They commonly sell in the mid-$20,000s after incentives, with leases available for around $200 a month. Those are great deals for cars that are fast, quiet, cheap to fuel, and loaded with luxury features—while providing all the range you need for nearly all your driving.

The upcoming Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive, and the recently released BMW i3, simply add choices for the EV buyer, rather than transforming the market. They are stylish capable cars offering distinctive brand features—like German handling and style—for around $35,000 after incentives.

Mercedes will also add an ultra-luxurious S-Class plug-in hybrid, while BMW will put out the outrageously sporty i8 that goes 25 miles purely on electricity before using an efficient 1.5-liter engine to extend range. But these vehicles sell above the $100,000 mark. Audi will offer the more affordable A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid, yet it roughly has the same specs for all-electric range.

As usual, Tesla is the exception that proves the rule. The company stands alone with its big-battery electric vehicles capable of more than 200 miles of range. The Tesla Model X SUV is expected in early 2015—although its price tag (starting around $70,000) will be just as hefty as its current offering, the Model S. Tesla is promising a smaller sedan—to compete against the BMW 3-series—although it will realistically not be available until around 2017.

So, if you are interested in dumping the pump—and enjoying all the benefits of a car that runs on cheap domestic electricity, now is the time to give it a try. As today’s EV drivers have discovered, a battery pack with 85 or more miles of range—with the growth of public EV charging infrastructure—can satisfy all your transportation needs, except for super-long-distance road trips. And the best way to encourage development of tomorrow’s longer-range EVs is to join the 200,000 or so U.S. drivers who have already made the switch.

Article by Brad Berman, appearing courtesy ebay Green Driving.

07/23/2014 3 comments

Clean Transportation

Guide to Buying Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Cars

written by CleanTechies.com Contributor

Is an Electric Car Right for You?

Operating a car without needing to visit a gas station is intriguing idea to many American drivers. After all, the pumps can be a painful place—gas prices have been on a roller coaster ride the past few years. But in the minds of many American, electric cars are nothing more than glorified golf cars incapable of providing adequate daily driving range or sufficient highway speed. In this new era of electrified transportation, those misconceptions need to be tossed aside.

Todays’ electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf, provide all the creature comforts and capabilities of gasoline internal combustion cars. These EVs comfortably seat four or five passengers, offer quasi-luxury features, and serve up smooth, silent and sporty levels of acceleration. But there are a couple of important issues to consider—such as driving range and refueling times.

Are There Drawbacks To Consider?

Except for top-of-the line expensive models like the Tesla Model S, which offers 250 or more miles of range on a single charge, most of the new EVs commonly provide about 80 to 100 miles of travel after receiving a full charge.

Actually, the average distance traveled by commuters in the U.S. is about 30 miles. So EVs provide plenty of range for the most common routes. The limitation only becomes an issue for single-car families or those who regularly go on a road-trip of hundreds of miles. If you are a road warrior who takes long trips all the time—or have a daily commute of more than 60 or 70 miles—an electric car is probably not right for you.

For everybody else, an EV is a refreshing break from the petro-dominated past.

Unlike a gas car that refuels at a gas station in a matter of minutes, an electric car commonly takes a few hours to fully recharge. This is mostly overstated as a concern because your car is almost always parked overnight while you sleep. That’s the perfect time to charge, so that you can wake up with a full 80 to 100 miles of driving in front of you. It’s as easy as pulling into your driveway or garage, reaching for the cord, and plugging it in. This might be challenging for folks without a dedicated parking spot, but for most drivers, charging an electric car is more convenient than making those dreaded trips to a gas station.

What Are the Top Models?

The two top electric models today are the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt. Keep in mind that not all electric cars are created the same. The Nissan Leaf is a pure electric car, while the Chevrolet Volt is what General Motors calls “an extended-range electric vehicle.” This is also referred to as a plug-in hybrid—meaning that the first set of miles, after a charge, are provided by batteries and an electric motor, after which a gas engine is used to extend range by hundreds of miles. Other plug-in hybrids include the Ford C-Max Energi, Fisker Karma, and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid.

Chevrolet Volt
The Chevy Volt is a well-equipped, five-door, four-seat hatchback that operates as an electric car for its first 37 or so miles after a full charge—and then uses gas to extend its range.

Ford Focus Electric
The five-door hatchback provides about 80 miles of range. It features higher speed charging than many competitors—as well as liquid cooled/heated batteries for maintaining range in hot and cold weather. Availability is somewhat limited.

Nissan Leaf
Nissan’s groundbreaking electric car is the most popular EV ever produced. It comfortably seats five adults and is loaded with high-tech luxury-like features. As of summer 2012, the Leaf is available to test-drive and purchase at Nissan dealerships throughout the United States.

Tesla Model S
The full-size Model S sedan has swept awards for Car of the Year in 2012. It’s not only the most capable, comfortable, luxurious, and sporty EV on the road, it beats nearly every gas-powered sedan on all these same categories. Range, with its largest battery pack, is more than 250 miles on a charge. Expect a high price tag, and a wait of at least a few months.

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid’s 4.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack provides 11 or more all-electric miles after a full charge. As a result, drivers with short commutes commonly get more than 100 miles per gallon. After the battery is depleted, the car works just like a conventional hybrid, providing about 50 miles per gallon.

Where Do I Get Fuel?

Electricity is ubiquitous in the United States. So charging an electric vehicle is as close as your nearest electric receptacle. For plug-in hybrids, you’ll only ever really 110-volt charging (using the cord set provided with the car). For pure electric cars with larger batteries, you’ll likely want to install a piece of hardware referred to as “electric vehicle service equipment,” that can provide a 220-volt supply of juice. The public charging infrastructure is in its infancy, but if you live in one of the major markets for electric cars, you’ll discover hundreds of local charging spots.

How Much Does the Fuel Cost?

As a rule of thumb, miles of travel on electricity are between one-fourth to one-sixth the cost of gasoline or diesel. That means returning to the days of (the equivalent of) one dollar a gallon. Some public EV charging is slightly more expensive, but by and large, the price advantage of using electricity as an automotive fuel is dramatic.

Are Electric Cars Green?

Regardless of how your local electricity is produced—whether by coal, hydro, nuclear or renewables—driving an electric car is as green as a motorist can get. That’s because EVs are very efficient, using as much as 90 percent of onboard electricity (stored in batteries) as propulsion for the wheels—compared to gasoline internal combustion engine vehicle that use only a small percentage of its fuel to move the car down the road. The rest of that energy is wasted as heat or, unfortunately, tailpipe emissions.

As time passes, and our electric grids increasingly use renewables, such as wind and solar, the environmental profile of EVs will become even greener. Many of today’s electric cars have home photovoltaic (solar) systems, so they can essentially power their electric cars with sunshine today.

Article by Brad Berman, appearing courtesy ebay Green Driving.

04/28/2014 4 comments

Clean Transportation

Official Statements of Support for China EV Industry Won’t Do the Trick

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Being a China watcher always involves parsing official statements to figure out who has the upper hand in Beijing and, if someone has some clout, what that person’s stand on an issue is. So I have been watching statements by Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang and Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei to figure out where each stands and who might carry the day.

Suddenly, however, a new official – more important than the above two — has burst on the scene voicing strong support for the electric vehicle industry. Alas, I don’t think his support will result in a sudden rush of EV purchases.

The latest official to weigh in on the future of EVs in China is Ma Kei, a vice premier and Politburo member. Let me thank my friend and former colleague Yang Jian for his column in Automotive News China that helped me figure out the impact of statements by vice premier Ma Kai. Yang Jian says Ma is senior to both Miao and Wan and that he was instrumental in convincing the central government to cut purchase subsidies for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by only 5 percent this year rather than the originally planned 10 percent. Ma apparently decided to push for the smaller cut in subsidies after visiting three local companies producing EVs, BYD Co, Jianghuai Automobile Co. , and Chery Automobile Co. , in early January.

Besides urging more central government support for EV purchases, Ma hit on the other key points to putting more EVs on China’s roads: More use in public transportation fleets; more charging stations; less local protectionism. He also suggested waiving the 10 percent new vehicle purchase sales tax for EVs.

A bit of background: Last September, the central government issued a revised subsidy policy for electric vehicles which said that subsidies for various electric vehicles would decrease over the next two years. The 60,000 RMB subsidy for battery electric passenger vehicles was to decrease by 10 percent in 2014 and 20 percent in 2015. Subsidies of up to 35,000 RMB for plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles would fall by the same percentages.

Apparently Ma Kai has managed to get those reductions revised to 5 percent in 2014 and 10 percent in 2015. And government support for the EV industry will continue after 2015, though details weren’t given.

That’s great. But it won’t be enough to get Chinese consumers to buy electric vehicles in any volume. The initial subsidies did not encourage EV purchases in 2013 when some 17,600 plug-in electric vehicles were sold in China, including battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric. Most of those sales were almost certainly fleet vehicles. Chinese consumers still worry about the high price of vehicles that depend on technology they consider risky, not to mention the lack of a charging infrastructure.

Ma’s support won’t change that. What such statements do accomplish in China is to reassure companies that are producing or could produce electric vehicles that the government will still put their money where their mouth is. That will be enough to keep China’s automakers continuing to play lip service to their grand plans for EV production in order to get a piece of that EV subsidy money.

According to a supplier friend of mine, an executive at a large multinational supplier, what he hears from the local automakers is that they will keep trumpeting their plans to produce EVs, and producing some, to show Beijing they are ready to produce a lot of EVs if necessary, to meet stiffer fuel efficiency requirements for example (the U.S. automakers will be nodding their heads). “We do this as long as the government is funding it,” said an exec at one Chinese automaker.

Ma’s statements are still a positive in the overall picture, of course. It tips the scales on the side of optimism. Wan Gang has generally been more positive about EVs than Miao Wei though both talk about EVs as the future. Both worry about a factor that will certainly slow the growth of China’s EV sector and stifle competition and thus innovation – local protectionism.

Said Wan Gang: With the production and sales numbers of new energy vehicles China saw in 2013, “we can’t hope to realize the goal of 500,000” NEVs on the road by 2015. Between cooperation and competition, one is not more important than the other in growing the EV sector, said Wan. “Local protectionism is the biggest obstruction to more growth,” said Wan. Miao Wei also worried about local protectionism but perhaps more realistically ruminated on the need for less expensive technology to truly grow the sector.

Both are right. Ma’s rosy future won’t happen without an end to local protectionism and a technological leap.

Article by Alysha Webb, a freelance automotive journalist and founder of ChinaEV Blog.

04/08/2014 2 comments

Clean Transportation

Electric Vehicles Showing Up at Interesting Places in China

written by CleanTechies.com Contributor

China’s central government has tweaked its approach to growing the country’s New Energy Vehicles segment (see my blog of September 20 on latest NEV policy), but it still aims to have tens of thousands of battery electric and plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles on the road in a few years.

If you don’t think China is committed to EVs for the

11/07/2013 1 comment

Clean Transportation

EDrive a Micro-History of China’s Pursuit of Electric Vehicle Dominance

written by CleanTechies.com Contributor

While the Chinese government may be intent on growing the electric vehicle segment, Chinese consumers are not so keen to buy electric vehicles. But that doesn’t mean companies in China that produce components for electric vehicles aren’t counting on the sector growing. The just-released New Energy Vehicle policy is a big reason for that optimism. Local government support also plays a role.

10/16/2013 0 comment

Clean Transportation

First Drive: The 260-MPG Volkswagen XL1 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid

written by Walter Wang

Quantum leaps in automotive efficiency are often said to be just around the corner—only pending an imminent breakthrough in battery technology…or the discovery of an enzyme for making biofuel…or the development of a new economic model for hydrogen distribution. But the sleek two-seat car I drove yesterday—which can travel 110 kilometers on a

06/27/2013 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Used Fuel-Efficient Cars: Your Eco-Auto Guide

written by Walter Wang

There’s good news for those in the market for a new car who want to buy used and save money on fuel costs over the years. With the popularity of hybrids and electric vehicles increasing, used car shoppers are now able to find fuel-efficient cars at great prices, without having to go through the hassle of buying new.

02/11/2013 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Using Telematics to Attract Gen Y

written by Walter Wang

There’s been plenty of bad news recently in the world electric vehicles, mostly related to start ups like Fisker and Azure. Adding to the mix, Deloitte has released a survey showing that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are not very popular with Generation Y (ages 19-31).

The reasons appear to be multiple, including high

04/23/2012 1 comment

Clean Transportation

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Help the Motor City Get Back in Charge

written by Walter Wang

Detroit’s Big 3 have big plans for hybrid and electric vehicles. The Motor City was founded on the combustion engine and is striving to makes its return using exciting new battery, engine and powertrain technology.

As the world is becoming environmentally conscious, consumers are considering more than price and

04/27/2011 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Sustainable Mobility Seminar Provides Insight, Fosters Questions

written by Walter Wang

What choice will consumers make? After attending the 2011 Toyota Sustainable Mobility Seminar in La Jolla, California (April 4-7, 2011), this is what I walked away thinking. In all respects, Americans are already asking themselves questions like this about the life they live. With regard to the cars we drive it is time to think hard about the way we drive and what we drive.

04/12/2011 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Volkswagen Says the Future is Here and it Gets 235 MPG

written by Justmeans

Tomorrow, the automobile industry will have yet another chance to roll out their latest and greatest concepts when the annual Qatar Motor Show kicks off in the nation’s capital of Doha. While there is no doubt that the show will feature some very interesting automobile concepts, one of the more exciting to debut on the showroom floor is what automobile enthusiasts have taken to

01/26/2011 1 comment

Clean Transportation

EPA Produces MPG-e Ratings for Plug-in Hybrids

written by 2GreenEnergy

It looks like the debate on fuel economy for plug-in hybrids rages on unabated. General Motors just announced that its Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid car will carry a better efficiency rating that the Toyota Prius (long been recognized as the industry leader in the category). The fact that this is like comparing apples with trombones doesn’t seem to be of any major concern to GM, the

11/29/2010 1 comment

Clean Transportation

New U.S. Ratings System Proposed For Vehicle Emissions and Efficiency

written by Yale Environment 360

The Obama administration has proposed adding new labels to showroom vehicles that give letter grades based on their fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. The new labels, which U.S. officials hope to introduce for 2012 models, would provide consumers with more complete information on efficiency and environmental performance, including associated air pollutants. “From electric to

09/01/2010 0 comment

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