LincVolt - Repowering the American Dream

PROGRESS

Meantime, Lincvolt's second rotary engine will be set up for further tuning and fuel blending next week. As we make efficiency gains, we will apply them to the onboard rotary, which is now being programmed into the Lincvolt system.

Thanks for your support!

Take your foot off the Gas America

GENERATOR INSTALLED IN LINCVOLT

Lincvolt is feeling good. Now an ethanol fueled, turbo-charged, single rotor engine turning a UQM 75KW generator is in place under the hood. Next week the Lincvolt battery enclosure will be built in Wichita, KS. A lot of progress has been made and we are ready to place the electrical components. We will keep you posted.

ELECTROMOTIVE

Lincvolt now has a single rotor engine running on renewable fuel to turn a 75 KW generator. The engine is controlled by Electromotive's WinTEC 3. Beginning next Monday tuning and fuel blending experiments will continue.

Stay tuned. Thank you for your support.

SAE 2009: FEV PROPOSES WANKEL ROTARY AS RANGE EXTENDER

by Sam Abuelsamid, Autoblog.com, April 22 2009

As more automakers are working on extended range electric vehicles, the issue of NVH is becoming even more of an issue than in existing parallel hybrid vehicles. With vehicles that operate predominantly in electric mode minimizing the impact of starting up the range extender or auxiliary power unit is critical. Companies like General Motors are working hard to make sure the range extenders operate as quietly and smoothly as possible, but small piston engines inherently have some degree of vibration.

Engineering services company FEV has been studying the problem and has decided to propose an unusual solution. FEV has built an experimental range extended electric version of the Fiat 500 that uses a small Wankel rotary engine as the APU. The Wankel has a number of potential advantages, including much higher power density than piston engines and virtually vibration free operation. The high specific power output means that a very small engine can be used that reduces weight and adds packaging flexibility. The downside is that Wankel's traditionally aren't very fuel efficient. However, FEV feels that most ER-EVs will be driven predominantly in EV mode and the limited use of the range extender will limit the effect of the lower engine efficiency. New Wankel engines can also be made more efficient through the adoption of technology like direct fuel injection. It remains to be seen if anyone will adopt a Wankel range extender in a production vehicle, but it's an interesting idea.

RUNNING LATE

Lincvolt is being updated with a new battery configuration and the drive train is in place ready to test on a chassis dyno. The new Lincvolt Battery Management System (BMS) is scheduled for installation the week of October 12. Wiring will be re-routed to accommodate the new battery configuration and BMS. New components will be waiting to be installed and tested with the generator running, looking for spikes that have somehow gotten around the filter in previous tests and caused damage to previous components.

The rotary motor that will turn the generator is still causing problems for the team. We are working on our fifth rotary motor with tuning set to commence again on October 6. We are attempting to turn a 75 KW UQM motor with a single-rotor engine that gets about 65 HP. Three weeks of attempts by Uli Kruger and Johnathan Goodwin have not been able to attain the results we are looking for. The rotary program has been plagued with failure since the beginning and now, after 18 months of experimenting with different fuels, we think we are finally on the verge.

At the recommendation of Roy Brizio, we have brought in a professional tuner who will start on the 6th at Brizio's Street Rods in South San Francisco, California. Uli Kruger will be on hand to describe the goals of our testing for the tuner. This will be a "make or break" for the rotary. Since the car is completely set up for a rotary we may have to fall back on a naturally aspirated gasoline powered rotary to use as a placeholder while we finish the rest of the Lincvolt system. The rotary type motor we have chosen to turn the generator may be the wrong one and we will find another approach if that is the case. We may have to proceed with the naturally aspirated gasoline powered rotary in the meantime. This will enable us to completely tune in the rest of the car. We are all excited about that!

Team member Paul Perrone will be on hand when Lincvolt moves onto a chassis dyno this month newly rewired, reconfigured, and with a working generator system. Paul is an expert in robotics, and will be programming the cycling of the generator system, i.e. programming the onboard intelligence that decides when the generator starts up and shuts down with the car in motion. This has to be done on a chassis dyno. The Lincvolt team is ready for this next stage to begin.

Needless to say, we are running late. We are still weighed down by simple problems that seem unrelated to the tuning process and we have been unable to complete the task of experimenting in a meaningful way with different fuels. If you have been watching us, it is easy to see how frustrating 18 months of pursuing the rotary motor concept has become. But it is just starting to get really interesting!

Yet, we still remain optimistic that we will succeed. We have seen a lot of indicators that the rotary motor holds some great possibilities for fuel economy.

The week of October 5-12 will be critical to making a run at our scheduled trip to Las Vegas on November 2. Stay tuned.

In the event that we do not make the trip, we will continue with the development until we are satisfied that we have exhausted all of our alternatives.

The Goodwin Young Lincvolt team thanks you for your support.

TEST RUN

We are targeting a test run from San Francisco to Las Vegas at the first of November. We will be attempting a run with no plug-ins, recharging while under way with the latest Lincvolt generator system. In preparation for this, we will be tuning the generator motor for maximum efficiency. This begins with Uli Kruger and Johnathon Goodwin doing the tuning at Brizio Street Rods. When that is complete and the rotary is installed in Lincvolt, we will be running the car on a chassis dyno to further tune the charging system, calibrating the run times and KW settings. During this time a Battery Management System and new safety components will also be installed and tested with the Lincvolt intelligent dashboard.

Shakey Pictures will be covering the tuning process over the next 6 weeks or so. The web cam will be active and we will resume our live updates as the process evolves. We are behind on our schedule as originally envisioned, yet we are enthusiastic and optimistic about our chances for success! As we move ahead, thank you for your continued support.

The Goodwin Young Lincvolt team.

SILICON VALLEY SAYS DETROIT MUST START OVER TO SURVIVE

September 19, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- For those who think billions of dollars in federal money has saved the American auto industry, Silicon Valley's venture capitalists have a different view to share.

The U.S. auto industry, they warn, can never become competitive again. It remains too wedded to a dying business model and too out of touch with the sources of innovation, they say.

Instead, they look for a new group of upstart companies to shoot to prominence and profitability, overtaking the automakers once known as the "Big 3" just as Google Inc. came from nowhere a decade ago to eclipse established technology companies.

"I do not believe that the U.S. auto business can be competitive," said Ray Lane, a managing partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. "I don't see any of these new car companies based in Detroit."

Lane is backing plug-in hybrid carmaker Fisker Automotive, which is planning to launch a $39,000 model. He"s also slated to be chairman at V-Vehicle Co., an auto company unveiled in June that plans to build "environmentally friendly" vehicles in Louisiana with backing from billionaire T. Boone Pickens.

Detroit has lost its entrepreneurial spirit, Lane said. "For years they have been led by accountants and lawyers, not engineers and entrepreneurs," Lane said. "That's OK if the industry isn't changing."

"Start over"

So what do Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group need to do to regain marketplace dominance?

"Start over," said Marc van den Berg, managing director of VantagePoint Venture Partners, which backs upstart electric carmaker Tesla Motors and electric-vehicle infrastructure firm Better Place.

The U.S. auto industry has been hit hard by high fixed costs from health care obligations and 27-year sales lows in the past year. After demand did not reach 10 million units in the first half of the year, the cash-for-clunkers program brought July's light-vehicle sales rate to 11.1 million units and August's to 13.7 million. But 2009 sales remain down 28 percent.

GM and Chrysler have restructured in federally sponsored bankruptcies, receiving $60 billion in government funding. Even Ford, which has avoided federal emergency aid and bankruptcy, is counting on government support in the form of nearly $6 billion in low-cost U.S. loans to develop fuel-efficient vehicles.

Business model redesign

But the only way the Detroit 3 can succeed is by completely overhauling the business model, moving beyond just designing attractive cars, Silicon Valley venture capitalists say.

"There is room for business model innovation and technology innovation," said Vinod Khosla, managing general partner of Khosla Ventures.

Khosla said U.S. automakers need to embrace innovation at all levels. He pointed to Better Place, which is building charging infrastructure and battery-swapping stations for electric vehicles.

"Better Place is saying, 'Don't let the consumer buy the batteries,'" Khosla said. "That's a business model innovation."

"There's lots of such innovation possible," he said.

The Silicon Valley financiers have high stakes in the transportation sector and are looking to herald the next wave of innovation in cars. Khosla, co-founder of computing company Sun Microsystems, is backing a number of biofuels makers, including Coskata.

His former firm, Kleiner Perkins, a prolific fund that backed now-household names such as Google and online retailer Amazon, has set its sights on the green technology sector with bets like Fisker and fuel-cell maker Bloom Energy.

Kleiner Perkins' Lane said the success of Google and Amazon stemmed more from their unique business models than their technology.

"It was nifty technology that Google had developed, but there were 10 others that had technology," he said. "It was innovation in the business model that produced the value in Google."

New names

Raj Atluru, managing director of another Silicon Valley venture capital fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, said big carmakers will continue to exist. But new names will herald change in the industry.

"Tata Nano is going to change the entire supply chain. They are changing the economics," Atluru said. "Chery has gone from a start-up automotive company to $6 billion in revenue."

Chery Automobile Co. is among the growing ranks of Chinese firms to have held talks with European or U.S. brands without making any commitments, while India's Tata Motors has made headlines with its $2,500 Nano small car.

Draper Fisher, which has brought industry-changing companies like Internet phone company Skype and e-mail firm Hotmail to the marketplace, is betting on low-cost Indian electric-car firm Reva.

Kleiner Perkins' Lane said a number of changes in the auto industry, including efficiencies in power train and electrification, "will set us up for the next 50 to 100 years in a totally different industry than the one that was created in the last 100 years."

GM SAYS NEW VOLT TO GET 230 MPG IN CITY DRIVING

By Kimberly S. Johnson And Tom Krisher, AP, August 11, 2009

WARREN, Michigan - General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 miles per gallon (98 kilometers per liter) of gasoline in city driving, more than four times the current champion, the Toyota Prius.

The Volt is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile (65-kilometer) range. After that, a small internal combustion engine kicks in to generate electricity for a total range of 300 miles (480 kilometers). The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.

GM is marketing the 230-mile (370-kilometer) figure following early tests using draft guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for calculating the mileage of extended range electric vehicles.

The EPA guidelines, developed with guidance from automakers, figure that cars like the Volt will travel more on straight electricity in the city than on the highway. If a person drives the Volt less than 40 miles (65 kilometers), in theory they could go without using gasoline.

Highway mileage estimates -- which are generally higher than city ones -- for the Volt have yet to be released using the EPA's methodology.

"We are confident the highway (mileage) will be a triple-digit composite," GM CEO Fritz Henderson (pictured at left) said.

If the figure is confirmed by the EPA, which does the tests for the mileage posted on new car door stickers, the Volt would be the first car to exceed triple-digit gas mileage.

EPA said in a statement Tuesday that it has not tested a Volt "and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM." The agency said it applauded "GM's commitment to designing and building the car of the future -- an American made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs."

GM has produced about 30 Volts so far and is making 10 a week, said during a presentation of the vehicle at the company's technical center in the Detroit suburb of Warren.

Henderson said charging the volt will cost about 40 cents a day, at approximately 5 cents per kilowatt hour.

Most automakers are working similar plug-in designs, but GM could be the leader with the Volt, which is due in showrooms late in 2010.

Toyota's Prius, the most efficient car now sold in the U.S., gets 48 miles per gallon (20 kilometers per liter) of gas. It is a gas-electric hybrid that runs on a small internal combustion engine assisted by a battery-powered electric motor to save gasoline.

Although Henderson would not give details on pricing, the first-generation Volt is expected to cost near $40,000, making it cost-prohibitive to many people even if gasoline returns to $4 per gallon.

The price is expected to drop with future generations of the Volt, but GM has said government tax credits of up to $7,500 and the savings on fuel could make it cost-effective, especially at 230 miles per gallon (98 kilometers per liter).

"We get a little cautious about trying to forecast what fuel prices will do," said Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle line director for the Volt. "We achieved this number and if fuel prices go up, it certainly does get more attractive even in the near-term generation."

The mileage figure could vary as the guidelines are refined and the Volt gets further along in the manufacturing process, Posawatz said.

GM is nearly halfway through building about 80 Volts that will look and behave like the production model, and testing is running on schedule, Posawatz said.

Two critical areas, battery life and the electronic switching between battery and engine power, are still being refined, but the car is on schedule to reach showrooms late in 2010, he said.

GM is simulating tests to make sure the new lithium-ion batteries last 10 years, Posawatz said, as well as testing battery performance in extremely hot and cold climates.

"We're further along, but we're still quite a ways from home," he said. "We're developing quite a knowledge base on all this stuff. Our confidence is growing."

The other area of new technology, switching between battery and engine power, is proceeding well, he said, with engineers just fine-tuning the operations.

"We're very pleased with the transition from when it's driving EV (electric vehicle) to when the engine and generator kick in," he said.

GM also is finishing work on the power cord, which will be durable enough that it can survive being run over by the car. The Volt, he said, will have software on board so it can be programmed to begin and end charging during off-peak electrical use hours.

It will be easy for future Volt owners living in rural and suburban areas to plug in their cars at night, but even Henderson recognized the challenge urban, apartment dwellers, or those that park their car on the street might have recharging the Volt. There could eventually be charging stations set up by a third-party to meet such a demand, Henderson said.

Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Co. and Daimler AG are all developing plug-ins and electric cars, and Toyota Motor Corp. is working on a plug-in version of its gas-electric hybrid system. Nissan Motor Co. announced last month that it would begin selling an electric vehicle in Japan and the U.S. next year.

LINCVOLT UPDATE

July 25, 2009

The proof of concept stage is complete now and we are moving into the road-ready stage. This is the work that will make our cross-country trip safe.

Lincvolt is currently undergoing re-design and install of some drive train components, most notably the independent rear suspension. These tasks are now being performed at Roy Brizio Street Rods in South San Francisco California by the excellent staff there.

Fine-tuning of the rotary engine system will be done in August at the Brizio facility. Johnathon Goodwin will be accomplishing that important task when he arrives from Wichita.

New custom wheels are being designed and built for Lincvolt by Alan Budnik of Budnik Wheels. These new wheels will improve Lincvolt's safety and stability for the long trip ahead.

The electric power system is being improved with a new battery pack and management system to allow for complete control of the batteries and safe operation. We hope to be making an interesting announcement related to the batteries in the near future. Additionally, some wiring is being upgraded to automotive standards for the long-range journey.

As we move forward and achieve our safety and performance goals, we will be announcing a new schedule for the Lincvolt tour of America.

The Lincvolt team thanks you for your continued support.

LINCVOLT WITHDRAWS FROM X-PRIZE

We have withdrawn Lincvolt from the X-Prize because of the conflict between providing the energy and resources required to develop a viable business plan for the Lincvolt technology, a requirement for X-Prize contestants, versus providing the resources and time required to focus on our main goal.

The development of Lincvolt technology is ongoing. We have always been in a race against Time, not a race against other contestants to win a cash prize.

The Goodwin Young team thanks the X-Prize for the valuable support they provided during the last year. Good luck to all of the contestants!

-- The Goodwin-Young Lincvolt Team.

RENAULT-NISSAN TO ADD PHOENIX TO EV SUPPORT PLANS

By Lindsay Chappell, Automotive News, April 16, 2009

NASHVILLE -- The Renault-Nissan Alliance has added Phoenix to the list of U.S. cities and states that have agreed to develop an electric-vehicle infrastructure to support Nissan EV marketing plans.

Nissan and its French partner Renault plan to market lithium-ion-powered electric vehicles around the world starting in 2010 and have been creating partnerships with government and utility groups to lay the groundwork for vehicle recharging services.

The U.S. list now includes both the Phoenix and Tucson areas of Arizona, San Diego and Sonoma County in California, and the states of Oregon and Tennessee. Earlier this month, the Alliance added Ireland to a list of partnerships that includes the U.K., France, Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal, Israel and Monaco.

Nissan North America said Wednesday night that by adding Phoenix as its sixth U.S. partnership, it hopes to help create an EV-charging corridor that links Phoenix and Tucson, 115 miles away.

Nissan plans to begin selling EVs to commercial and fleet customers starting next year, and to the general public starting in 2012. But the automaker recently said it could launch U.S. retail sales earlier than 2012 if an infrastructure takes shape.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has said that Nissan's EV fleet will consist of several models.

The new Phoenix agreement is with the Maricopa Association of Governments, a government planning and policy entity that represents 31 municipalities and communities around Phoenix.

Building an EV infrastructure will require communities, utility companies, businesses and highway agencies to create public recharging stations along roads and in parking areas. It will also require utility companies to make it easy for consumers to install vehicle-recharging systems in their homes.

NEIL YOUNG'S LINCVOLT HYBRID VISITS VIR

Danville, VA - Famed rocker Neil Young's motor coach and car collection includes a 'series hybrid' vehicle - a 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible. Young and his team recently stopped by VIRginia International Raceway to utilize the Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research's (VIPER) chassis dyno to work on the car's generator engine.

Using VIPER's instruments to fine-tune the single-rotor Wankel engine driving the generator, the stop helped to improve the car's efficiency. Dyno staff led by Victor Seaber helped the team test the generator engine and electric motor output on the chassis dynamometer at VIPER's lab in VIR's North Paddock.

Explaining why he chose to center this project around the huge '59 Lincoln, Young says: "the reason we're using this car is because the car doesn't go against the flow... my theory is you go with flow and then the change will happen quickly. People want big cars. Let's build a big, smart car. What's the problem?"

Young is truly a man who lives his convictions - set about to build a "big American car" that will go down the road in comfort and safety while delivering up to 100 miles per gallon. LincVolt, the name of his car, is the result. "We don't have to change the things that we want to be smart. You can be smart and have the things that you want. Doesn't mean you have to give everything up. [This] is America. Its road's are big. It's a big country. This car's a Continental. It says Continental. That's what it wants, maybe drive to Las Vegas, across the desert, drive to California, pull a trailer."

Young said that with Compressed Natural Gas (CNS) "we got 65 miles per gallon; we switched to gasoline to see what we could do with gasoline." After the engine is warmed up, "we introduce the vaporizer - the vaporizer injects hot fumes into the rotary and since the rotary doesn't go up and down, it goes around, once we get it going on vaporized gasoline fumes, we get better efficiency out of the fumes." To generate hydrogen, LincVolt uses a water-cooled electrical control box to manage the electrical demands. The single-rotor engine drives a 75 kiloWatt UQM electric motor running in reverse, generating power to charge the batteries as neded. LincVolt's engine "runs at only one rpm - it runs at a sweet spot," explained Young, a feature that enhances engine efficiency. The engine is being tested to run on multiple fuel sources, with gasoline, CNG, plus "water gas" -- hydrogen produced via electrolysis from water carried on board.

Pointing to a water-cooled cylinder under the vast hood of the LincVolt, Young described the hydrogen generator: "this thing called a 'slog' - this converts water to a gas through electrolysis. We're working with this gas made from water, which you don't have to refill. It just creates a gas out of water. It's displacing an unknown amount of fuel at this time and that's one thing we're going to figure out here [VIPER]. We've had estimates that it's displacing up to 70% of fuel at this time, but we really don't know. But we know we can get more out of it than we're getting now," explains Young. "The big pie-in-the-sky goal is to eliminate the fuel. 80% of the cost of a gallon of gas comes from distributing and refining it. The cost of making oil to work in a car is what's expensive. So if people had something they could use from home, they wouldn't have to have this distribution system."

Young is not doing this project for commercial reasons: "commercializing is for other people," he says. The LincVolt is entered into the 2010 Automotive X Prize competition, where it must demonstrate fuel efficiency of 100 miles per gallon, Young's ultimate goal.

The LincVolt's performance is impressive for a car of its size and weight, regardless of power source: "we're not as fast off the line as an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) engine is," Neil admits, "but we are fast when you get going - like five to ten miles an hour, you put your foot in this thing and it's just scary."

While working on the car during their three-day stay at VIR and VIPER, Young and his crew enjoyed a lunch buffet with VIR Club members at a club driving day and then had a quiet dinner one evening at the Oak Tree Tavern, VIR's on-site restaurant. During his visit, Young commented to track General Manager Josh Lief that "a lot of love has gone into this place," referring to VIR.

ENGINES FOR HYBRIDS TAKE A SUPPORTING ROLE

By Don Sherman, New York Times, March 12, 2009

ELECTRIC cars, in one form or another, are taking an increasingly important role in the future of personal transportation. That does not mean the internal combustion engine, our faithful power source for more than a century, is on its way to the scrap heap anytime soon.

But the familiar petroleum-fueled engine is being reconfigured for a considerably different role in the electric propulsion era.

This change will be especially evident in cars like the Chevrolet Volt, a hybrid whose gasoline engine only powers a generator to charge the battery pack -- the engine has no mechanical connection to the wheels. The engine is tuned to operate over a narrow speed range, using the least gas and producing the smallest amount of pollutants.

That is a change of direction from recent developments in engine design aimed at improving power and performance. Conventional methods of raising power output -- adding camshafts and valves to let the engine breathe easier, for example -- have been employed alongside refinements in electronic control systems. Modern engines develop more power, over a wider range of speeds, with little sacrifice of drivability or fuel economy.

But eventually, all the power and flexibility so carefully engineered into today's engines will not be needed. Instead, tomorrow's engines will wait patiently until their services are required to extend an electric car's range. After starting, they will hum quietly while assisting the new heroes of hybrid propulsion, electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries.

Automakers have already begun previewing the engine of this electric-car future. The 2010 Toyota Prius has no rubber belts under its hood to drive external accessories. All of the accessory equipment, including the air-conditioning compressor and the power steering, is powered by electric motors.

One engine strategy used by the Prius and other hybrids is the Atkinson combustion cycle, which sacrifices some power to gain efficiency. The electric motor's torque more than makes up for the slight reduction in engine output.

While General Motors won't reveal the details of the .4-liter 4-cylinder planned for use as a range-extender in the 2011 Volt, John Bereisa, whose many roles at G.M. include directing advanced engineering and technology development strategy, did offer an overview of the engine that will power this car's generator.

"All we need is 67 horsepower, enough to maintain the batteries' charge when the car is cruising at highway speed," he said. "Since there wasn't time to design an engine from scratch, we looked for the smallest existing engine capable of supplying 67 horsepower, which turned out to be G.M.'s Family Zero design used in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East."

Mr. Bereisa continued: "When you map an engine's power versus r.p.m. versus fuel consumption, the resulting chart looks like the Rocky Mountains. In conventional cars, you're driving all over that map. But in the Volt, we're able to keep the engine operating in what I call its happy valley, where it delivers the power that's required while consuming minimal fuel."

The borders of that valley, Mr. Bereisa said, are still under development, but they may range from a low of 2,000 r.p.m. to a high of 3,000 r.p.m, enough to maintain the battery pack's charge.

Pressed to speculate about how electric car engines will further evolve, Mr. Bereisa acknowledged that G.M. engineers are already considering a clean-sheet design for the car he calls Volt II.

"We'd select a smaller displacement engine for the future, probably less than 1 liter," he said. "We'd position the catalytic converter and route the coolant lines to minimize heat losses."

"The engine for the next Volt will definitely be as simple and as light as possible."

GENEVA AUTO SHOW -
EVS: LIMITED RANGE, UNLIMITED BUZZ

GENEVA - Electric vehicles were everywhere here at the auto show, ranging from tantalizing roadsters to stubby microcars. But for all the buzz, automakers still have no solution to the longstanding problem of limited range.

EVs arriving in the next few years will be limited-range "city cars."

Whether electric cars will move beyond that small market segment is unclear.

But automakers very much want zero-emissions electrics in their lineups.

Last week, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally said his company will emphasize EVs. "In 10 years, 12 years, you are going to see a major portion of our portfolio move to electric vehicles," Mulally said at a conference in California.

Industry attention has turned to two proposed solutions: quick battery recharging and battery-swapping stations.

"In the beginning when the infrastructure isn't anywhere, EVs are going to be predominantly in the city," said Andy Palmer, senior vice president of Nissan Motor Co. "But once you've got the fast-charging stations or the swap stations in place, I don't see them being any different from gas-fired cars, to be honest."

Other executives remain unconvinced. One Daimler executive, for instance, decries quick-charge claims as "fantasies."

Too quick?

Quick-charging advocates say widespread installation of commercial chargers would remove consumers' worries about dead batteries. Nissan, which plans to introduce an electric vehicle for fleets in the United States in 2010, says recharging could restore 80 percent of a battery's energy within 30 minutes.

But Herbert Kohler, Daimler vice president for group research and advance engineering, said quick recharging would cut the 10-year life span that Daimler plans for battery packs.

"Don't believe those kinds of fantasies to say it could be in a few minutes," Kohler said, referring to recharging time.

"Two hours, maybe one and a half, in order to be sure that the lifetime of the battery will stay as announced. Otherwise you will ruin the battery, and those kinds of lifetimes we discussed are never to be realized."

But Nissan's Palmer said that if carefully controlled, "fast charging doesn't have a detrimental effect."

Swap batteries

Battery swapping - promoted by Shai Agassi, founder of the company Better Place - envisions stations where a driver could pull in, have a depleted battery replaced and drive away. Better Place is testing the concept with Renault-Nissan.

Bart Sloep, product group manager for Mitsubishi Motors Europe, said the variety of automotive battery packs poses a major obstacle to swapping.

"It's so complex to have a battery swap system for a large number of cars," Sloep said. "It's impossible because of how many battery packs you will have to keep in stock."

Battery packs weigh 200 kilograms (440 pounds) or more, he said, making replacement difficult. And today's batteries likely will soon become obsolete.

"The current technology in batteries is progressing so fast - what is the residual value of a battery pack in five years?" Sloep said. "Who wants to put money in that?"

Sloep said Mitsubishi, which will launch its i MiEV in Japan in June, sees electric vehicles as city commuter cars: "There will not be an electric car for every situation."

Thomas Weber, Daimler's management board member for group research, said Mercedes-Benz tested battery swapping in fleets of electric prototype cars in the 1970s, but it has rejected the idea for the current generation of electrics.

Despite the uncertainty about bringing electric vehicles into the mainstream, interest is intense.

Supplier Magna Steyr built a concept electric vehicle for Geneva to attract customers for its contract manufacturing plant in Graz, Austria.

Erwin Bair, Magna Steyr's chief engineer for powertrain, said automakers constantly ask about electrics.

"Every customer is talking about it," Bair said. "Every one."

Reuters contributed to this report

ENERGY INEFFICIENT

From plug-in cars to carbon capture to wind farms linked to "intelligent" power grids, many of the solutions pitched to restructure the country's energy system and confront global warming rely on a faith in high tech: we expect, or at least hope, that an Apollo project, the energy equivalent of the dot.com revolution or some other burst of creative genius will engineer the problem away.

Obviously, game-changing technologies will play a big role in cutting America's consumption of fossil fuels. They will also be essential to achieving the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that most scientists think will be necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. But as it frames its strategy to deal with both problems, the Obama administration cannot overlook the low-hanging fruit -- the gains to be had from making existing technologies more efficient.

The plain truth is that the United States is an inefficient user of energy. For each dollar of economic product, the United States spews more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than 75 of 107 countries tracked in the indicators of the International Energy Agency. Those doing better include not only cutting-edge nations like Japan but low-tech countries like Thailand and Mexico.

True, energy efficiency has improved, especially in states like California. But American drivers, households and businesses still use more energy than those in most other rich countries to do the same thing. The United States spends more energy to produce a ton of cement clinker than Canada, Mexico and even China. It is one of the most energy-intensive makers of pulp and paper, emitting more than three times as much carbon dioxide per ton as Brazil and twice as much as South Korea.

Per-capita carbon dioxide emissions by households in the United States and Canada are the highest in the world -- in part because of bigger homes. And the energy efficiency of electricity production from fossil fuels is lower in the United States than in most rich countries and some poor ones, mainly because of the higher share of coal in the mix.

Transportation tells the same story. The United States uses the most energy per passenger mile among the 18 rich economies surveyed by the energy agency. In 2006, the American auto fleet used, on average, a little less than five gallons of gas to travel 100 miles. The Irish went the same distance with under four gallons, the Italians with less than three, basically because they use smaller cars that get better mileage.

The Union of Concerned Scientists points out that switching from an S.U.V. that gets 14 miles per gallon to one that gets 16 would save the same amount of fuel as swapping a 35-mile-a-gallon car for a 51-m.p.g. new generation gas-sipper. This is not an argument for more S.U.V.'s. It simply shows that we can wring savings from modest efficiency gains in products we already use.

A study by McKinsey & Company last year argued that most of the carbon abatement needed between now and 2030 could be achieved with existing technologies, things like insulating homes, improving fuel efficiency, and switching to concentrated laundry detergents to reduce packaging and transport costs. Merely improving transmissions would vastly increase fuel economy.

A quantum jump in energy efficiency will still require political leadership. Cheap energy has kept America from making the necessary investments. Yet they must be made; neither the country nor the atmosphere can wait for high tech to ride to the rescue.

ONTARIO READIES FOR ELECTRIC CARS

TORONTO -- Ontario is taking its first baby steps to position itself for the coming revolution in electric cars by backing a California high-tech company that plans to build battery recharging stations.

Better Place, based in Palo Alto, will unveil a pilot project at a news conference in Toronto today to build a recharging station in Ontario, sources said.

This will be the first foray into Canada for the company, which is working with partners to build recharging stations in the United States, Israel, Denmark and Australia. Better Place is setting up shop here just as the embattled Detroit auto makers are betting their futures on hybrid and battery-powered vehicles, which will arrive as soon as next year.

Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister of International Trade Sandra Pupatello will be on hand for the announcement to signal the province's support for ventures aimed at getting the next generation of cars onto the province's roads. While there will be no government money attached to today's announcement, sources said that will come at a later date.

The McGuinty government has earmarked a total of $1.15-billion in funding for ventures that will help the province weather the economic downturn by creating jobs of the future. Better Place is an ideal candidate for funding because much of the government's focus is on encouraging the auto sector to build cars that are more environmentally friendly.

Better Place, which was founded in 2007 to help the auto sector reduce its dependence on oil and its carbon footprint, would allow drivers to exchange a depleted electric vehicle battery at one of the company's stations for a fully charged one. Its first recharging station is slated for San Francisco, where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has made a big push for cars with lower emissions.

Plug-in hybrids, or extended-range electric vehicles, run mainly on battery power with a small gasoline engine for backup if the battery runs out of juice before the vehicle reaches its destination.

They were the main focus at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week as the car companies unveiled future vehicles. But persuading consumers to pay the thousands of dollars more for these cars will be a tough sell. The batteries alone can cost as much as $8,000.

The Detroit Three car makers and their rivals unveiled fleet after fleet of gas-electric hybrids or battery-powered cars. Ranges vary, but General Motors Corp. is aiming at a 60-kilometre distance for its Chevrolet Volt, which is due out late next year.

A new completely battery-powered compact from Ford Motor Co. is designed to have a range of about 160 kilometres and will run on lithium ion batteries that can be recharged overnight from home electricity outlets. Ford has formed a strategic alliance with Canadian parts maker Magna International Inc. to develop that vehicle and aims to have 10,000 of them on the road in 2011.

PASSENGER JET DOES TWO HOUR JOURNEY ON VEGGIE OIL!

Cool break for biotechnology!

On Tuesday, an Air New Zealand airplane successfully completed a flight that used a hybrid veggie oil fuel.

This biofuel could lower airplane emissions and cut costs, according to airline reps.

One engine of a Boeing 747-400 airplane was powered by a 50-50 blend of oil from jatropha plants and standard A1 jet fuel.

There's been a real push this year for alternative fuels by airlines, which were slammed by super high oil costs earlier in the year.

Coupled with the massive economic crisis at hand it's not surprising that cost-saving innovations are being embraced.

An Air New Zealand rep couldn't say if the veggie oil blend would be cheaper than standard jet fuel, since jatropha is not yet produced on a commercial scale.

Biofuels were once dismissed for use in aviation because most freeze at the low temperatures up in the skies.

But this new test shows jatropha, whose seeds yield an oil already used to produce fuels like biodiesel, has an even lower freezing point than jet fuel.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Rob Fyfe said to the media, "Today we stand at the earliest stages of sustainable fuel development and an important moment in aviation history."

The company has also stated that their goal is to become the world's most environmentally sustainable airline.

We hope they reach that goal and that the others follow suit!

FOUR WAYS FOR DETROIT TO SAVE ITSELF

These days, as we contemplate the future of the automotive industry, we would do well to remember the words of Henry Ford: "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."

For Detroit, there is plenty of failure. But there are also plenty of opportunities to begin again. In fact, there are many new technologies to make cars safer, cheaper, cleaner and more convenient. All these could be adopted by the automobile industry in the near future and without too much trouble.

Here are just four technologies that could be put on the road in the next several years. These technologies -- some of which we invest in -- are win-wins. They have the potential to improve energy efficiency, cut down on accidents, reduce pollution and make commuting more convenient. They might even help put the American car industry back in the driver's seat.

TOYOTA SECRETLY DEVELOPING SOLAR POWERED GREEN CAR

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. is secretly developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy in an effort to turn around its struggling business with a futuristic ecological car, a top business daily reported Thursday.

The Nikkei newspaper, however, said it will be years before the planned vehicle will be available on the market. Toyota's offices were closed Thursday and officials were not immediately available for comment.

According to The Nikkei, Toyota is working on an electric vehicle that will get some of its power from solar cells equipped on the vehicle, and that can be recharged with electricity generated from solar panels on the roofs of homes. The automaker later hopes to develop a model totally powered by solar cells on the vehicle, the newspaper said without citing sources.

The solar car is part of efforts by Japan's top automaker to grow during hard times, The Nikkei said.

In December, Toyota stunned the nation by announcing it will slip into its first operating loss in 70 years, as it gets battered by a global slump, especially in the key U.S. market. The surging yen has also hurt the earnings of Japanese automakers.

Still, Toyota is a leader in green technology and executives have stressed they won't cut back on environmental research despite its troubles.

Toyota, the manufacturer of the Lexus luxury car and Camry sedan, has already begun using solar panels at its Tsutsumi plant in central Japan to produce some of its own electricity.

The solar panels on the roofs add up in size to the equivalent of 60 tennis courts and produce enough electricity to power 500 homes, according to Toyota. That reduces 740 tons a year of carbon dioxide emissions and is equal to using 1,500 barrels of crude oil.

Toyota is also likely to indirectly gain expertise in solar energy when its partner in developing and producing hybrid batteries, Panasonic Corp., takes over Japanese rival Sanyo Electric Co., a leader in solar energy, early next year.

ELIICA EIGHT-WHEELED ELECTRIC CAR

Is the Tesla Roadster not exotic enough for you? Does the six-wheeled Covini C6W have two few wheels? Try a four-door eight-wheeled electric car. It's called the Eliica and it may be heading for production.

The Eliica -- short for Electric Lithium-Ion battery Car - is an impressive eight-wheeled beast of a ride that outnumbers the Covini C6W on the weirdness scale. Powered by eight in-wheel electric motors producing 60 KW or roughly 80 hp each, the Eliica will sprint to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and will power on to 100mph in just 3 seconds more. That's faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo! And with four doors! Unfortunately all this power costs some dough and you'll be able to pick up your very own Eliica for $255,000 pending development sponsorship.

Currently only two of these Japanese arachnids exist, but with the help of just a little more corporate sponsorship, the Eliica team can build 200 of them. That's enough for at least two in the Jalopnik garage and one for yours!

Initially developed in 2003 by environmental engineer, Hiroshi Shimizu, the Eliica uses lithium-ion batteries to reach an estimated top speed of 250 mph and a range of 200 miles. Shimizu developed his first electric car over 20 years ago by converting a gasoline-powered sedan to electric drive.

We're crossing our fingers for the Eliica to receive sponsorship because we really want to take it for a spin.

More here, including video of the Eliica.

INFANT ALGAE INDUSTRY MAKES ITS CASE AS ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCE

WASHINGTON - A 75-gallon tank of goo was one of the stars of last summer's Farnborough International Air Show in England.

As airlines ordered hundreds of planes worth billions of dollars at the world's largest air show, the tank, or bioreactor, was a near-perfect breeding ground for what could become the fuel of the future: the lowly algae.

Aerospace companies and airlines are betting that algae -- simple organisms that come in some 30,000 species, many of which can be genetically modified -- will prove to be a green fuel that can power jet planes. Algae also could be blended into diesel and gasoline, and perhaps could even replace petroleum-based diesel and gasoline one day.

As the infant industry organizes, algae must make their case for the kinds of tax breaks, market incentives, loans, and research and development backing that other biofuel sectors have. Though corn and soybean growers long have lobbied in Washington, the Algal Biomass Organization is a new kid on the block.

On Monday, the organization will meet in the nation's capital to discuss how to convince Congress and the incoming Obama administration that algae are much more than the film inside your fish tank, the scum blooming in the neighborhood pond or, in one of their most complex forms, seaweed.

"We are up against formidable opposition from competing interests," Jason Pyle, the chief executive of Sapphire Energy, said of resistance from ethanol and biodiesel groups during an algae industry meeting in Seattle earlier this fall.

Sapphire, a San Diego company, already has made a type of gasoline using algae that meets fuel quality standards, is compatible with current gasoline-manufacturing infrastructure and achieved a 91 octane rating.

Pyle said that current policy favored such alternative fuels as corn for ethanol or soybeans for biodiesel and provided only limited assistance to algae-related products. He said that one of the top priorities for the new Congress and the Obama administration in their first 100 days would be to write a comprehensive energy bill. Pyle said it was crucial that the algae industry make its presence known.

"The train is moving ... it hasn't left the station yet," Pyle said in urging the algae industry to make a concerted lobbying effort. "But we are approaching the final opportunity ... to grab a seat on the energy train."

In addition to algae, biofuel researchers have looked at jatropha -- a bush that grows in arid environments, needs little water and yields more oil than corn -- and halophytes, salt-tolerant plants such as seashore mallow.

Virgin Atlantic -- which is a member of the Seattle-based Algal Biomass Organization along with Boeing, Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines -- successfully tested a green aviation fuel based on jatropha on a 747 flight from London to Amsterdam. Air New Zealand plans a similar test.

Though jatropha has attracted a lot of attention, Darrin Morgan, who heads Boeing's effort to develop biofuels and is one of the Algal Biomass Organization's chairmen, said algae might be the best bet in the long run.

If algae-based fuel can be certified for commercial use and large enough quantities can be produced, Morgan said, it's realistic that it would be used in commercial aviation in three to five years.

"It would be possible to fly on 100 percent (algae), but most likely it will be a blend," he said.

The Department of Energy studied algae as a fuel source as far back as the 1970s but abandoned the research in 1996 to focus on ethanol. Last year's energy bill required the department to report to Congress on the feasibility of algae as a biofuel.

NASA has been looking at algae as a jet fuel and for other uses in outer space.

"It's hard not to get excited about algae's potential," said Paul Dickerson, the chief operating officer of the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

While most of the interest in developing algae farms has focused on southern California and Arizona, where it's sunny, or near coal-fired generating plants, where carbon dioxide emissions could be used as plant food, it's possible to grow algae anywhere. They can flourish in salt water, fresh water, brackish water or wastewater.

WAIT! THERE IS A GOOD REASON TO KEEP YOUR BIG GASOLINE ENGINE!

Ladies, gentlemen, start your engines. But only after you've loaded them up with sausages, chicken, crabs, Cajun shrimp and plenty of vegetables.

Car engine cooking will change the way you take road trips, forever. As I've stated in the past, I love to get extra use out of the products I buy. Around 15 years ago, I saw a documentary on British television about a guy who had wrapped some sausages in foil, placed them on a strategic part of his engine, and then took a 40 minute drive to his friend's house. When he got there, the sausages were perfectly cooked and a great end to a small journey.

How cool, I remember thinking. But as I couldn't drive at the time, I forgot all about it. Until last week. For some reason, sitting in my car at a red light smelling the grilling chicken of a nearby Chipotle reminded me of that story. And now I'm pleased and proud to present you with Car Engine Cooking, brought to you by the one and only source I could find on the subject...a wonderful book called Manifold Destiny.

More at WiseBread.

OBAMA STARTS FILLING ENERGY TEAM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President-elect Barack Obama will nominate Steven Chu, a Nobel physics laureate and advocate of alternative energy research, as his energy secretary, a Democratic aide said on Wednesday.

Chu, who would be the first Asian-American to lead the department, would work closely with former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner, who will head a new council coordinating White House policy on energy, climate and environmental issues.

Obama, who has said energy and environmental matters would be important to his administration, is filling out the team that will oversee them.

He wants to spend billions of dollars to promote alternative energy sources and create millions of green energy jobs.

Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, will also be nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency, a Democratic aide confirmed. She would be the first African-American to lead that agency.

Earlier, a Democratic official said Obama had chosen Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles, to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Browner, a principal at global strategy firm The Albright Group LLC, heads Obama's advisory team on energy and the environment. During President Bill Clinton's administration, she became the longest-serving EPA administrator.

Chu, whose appointment requires U.S. Senate confirmation, shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics for developing methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light and has been director of the Energy Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California since 1994. The laboratory's website said Chu was an early advocate for finding scientific solutions to climate change and had guided the laboratory on a new mission to become the world leader in alternative and renewable energy research, particularly the development of carbon-neutral sources of energy.

A spokesman for the Lawrence Berkeley laboratory said of Chu's selection: "We don't really know about it. Whatever contacts the Obama people have had with Steve Chu, he kept it offline from the laboratory." Chu could not be reached for comment. He is traveling in Asia and Europe and will be back at work on Monday.

Jackson was New Jersey's environmental protection commissioner until she became the governor's chief of staff this month. She previously worked at the federal EPA for almost two decades.

FORD DEALER TO ALABAMA SENATOR:

As I watch the coverage of the fate of the U.S. auto industry, one alarming and frustrating fact hits me right between the eyes. The fate of our nation's economic survival is in the hands of some congressmen who are completely out of touch and act without knowledge of an industry that affects almost every person in our nation. The same lack of knowledge is shared with many journalists whom are irresponsible when influencing the opinion of millions of viewers.

Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has doomed the industry, calling it a dinosaur. No Mr. Shelby, you are the dinosaur, with ideas stuck in the '70s, '80s and '90s. You and the uninformed journalist and senators that hold onto myths that are not relevant in today's world.

When you say that the Big Three build vehicles nobody wants to buy, you must have overlooked that GM outsold Toyota by about 1.2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Ford outsold Honda by 850,000 and Nissan by 1.2 million in the U.S. GM was the world's No. 1 automaker beating Toyota by 3,000 units.

When you claim inferior quality comes from the Big Three, did you realize that Chevy makes the Malibu and Ford makes the Fusion that were both rated over the Camry and Accord by J.D. Power independent survey on initial quality? Did you bother to read the Consumer Report that rated Ford on par with good Japanese automakers.

Did you realize Big Three's gas guzzlers include the 33 mpg Malibu that beats the Accord. And for '09 Ford introduces the Hybrid Fusion whose 39 mpg is the best midsize, beating the Camry Hybrid. Ford's Focus beats the Corolla and Chevy's Cobalt beats the Civic.

When you ask how many times are we going to bail them out you must be referring to 1980. The only Big Three bailout was Chrysler, who paid back $1 billion, plus interest. GM and Ford have never received government aid.

When you criticize the Big Three for building so many pickups, surely you've noticed the attempts Toyota and Nissan have made spending billions to try to get a piece of that pie. Perhaps it bothers you that for 31 straight years Ford's F-Series has been the best selling vehicle. Ford and GM have dominated this market and when you see the new '09 F-150 you'll agree this won't change soon.

Did you realize that both GM and Ford offer more hybrid models than Nissan or Honda. Between 2005 and 2007, Ford alone has invested more than $22 billion in research and development of technologies such as Eco Boost, flex fuel, clean diesel, hybrids, plug in hybrids and hydrogen cars.

It's 2008 and the quality of the vehicles coming out of Detroit are once again the best in the world.

Perhaps Sen. Shelby isn't really that blind. Maybe he realizes the quality shift to American. Maybe it's the fact that his state of Alabama has given so much to land factories from Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes Benz that he is more concerned about their continued growth than he is about the people of our country. Sen. Shelby's disdain for "government subsidies" is very hypocritical. In the early '90s he was the driving force behind a $253 million incentive package to Mercedes. Plus, Alabama agreed to purchase 2,500 vehicles from Mercedes. While the bridge loan the Big Three is requesting will be paid back, Alabama 's $180,000-plus per job was pure incentive. Sen. Shelby, not only are you out of touch, you are a self-serving hypocrite, who is prepared to ruin our nation because of lack of knowledge and lack of due diligence in making your opinions and decisions.

After 9/11, the Detroit Three and Harley Davidson gave $40 million-plus emergency vehicles to the recovery efforts. What was given to the 9/11 relief effort by the Asian and European Auto Manufactures? $0 Nada. Zip!

We live in a world of free trade, world economy and we have not been able to produce products as cost efficiently. While the governments of other auto producing nations subsidize their automakers, our government may be ready to force its demise. While our automakers have paid union wages, benefits and legacy debt, our Asian competitors employ cheap labor. We are at an extreme disadvantage in production cost. Although many UAW concessions begin in 2010, many lawmakers think it's not enough.

Some point the blame to corporate management. I would like to speak of Ford Motor Co. The company has streamlined by reducing our workforce by 51,000 since 2005, closing 17 plants and cutting expenses. Product and future product is excellent and the company is focused on one Ford. This is a company poised for success. Ford product quality and corporate management have improved light years since the nightmare of Jacques Nasser. Thank you Alan Mulally and the best auto company management team in the business.

The financial collapse caused by the secondary mortgage fiasco and the greed of Wall Street has led to a $700 billion bailout of the industry that created the problem. AIG spent nearly $1 million on three company excursions to lavish resorts and hunting destinations. Paulson is saying no to $250 billion foreclosure relief and the whole thing is a mess. So when the Big Three ask for 4 percent of that of the $700 billion, $25 billion to save the country's largest industry, there is obviously oppositions. But does it make sense to reward the culprits of the problem with $700 billion unconditionally, and ignore the victims?

As a Ford dealer, I feel our portion of the $25 billion will never be touched and is not necessary. Ford currently has $29 billion of liquidity. However, the effect of a bankruptcy by GM will hurt the suppliers we all do business with. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy by any manufacture would cost retirees their health care and retirements. Chances are GM would recover from Chapter 11 with a better business plan with much less expense. So who foots the bill if GM or all three go Chapter 11? All that extra health care, unemployment, loss of tax base and some forgiven debt goes back to the taxpayer, us. With no chance of repayment, this would be much worse than a loan with the intent of repayment.

So while it is debatable whether a loan or Chapter 11 is better for the Big Three, a $25 billion loan is definitely better for the taxpayers and the economy of our country.

So I'll end where I began on the quality of the products of Detroit. Before you, Mr. or Ms. Journalist continue to misinform the American public and turn them against one of the great industries that helped build this nation, I must ask you one question. Before you, Mr. or Madam Congressman vote to end health care and retirement benefits for 1 million retirees, eliminate 2.5 million of our nation's jobs, lose the technology that will lead us in the future and create an economic disaster including hundreds of billions of tax dollars lost, I ask this question not in the rhetorical sense. I ask it in the sincere, literal way.

Can you tell me, have you driven a Ford lately?

- - Jim Jackson, Elkins Ford, PA