Originally Syndicated via RSS from hybrid car - Google News

Originally Syndicated via RSS from hybrid car - Google News

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) signed a five-year agreement to promote large-scale deployment of next-generation efficiency vehicle technologies in the two countries, specifically focusing on electric, hybrid-electric, fuel cell, and alternative fuel technologies.

This agreement falls under the umbrella Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology between the US and Chinese governments, and implements a Protocol for Cooperation in the Fields of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technology Development and Utilization between DOE and MOST. DOE’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch and MOST’s Director General Zhang Zhihong signed the accord on vehicle efficiency.

As part of this agreement, DOE and MOST will focus their cooperation on: advanced batteries, alternating current motor control systems, fast-charging batteries, advanced materials for vehicle systems, and vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure.

The two countries will work closely with national laboratories, automotive industries, and private industry organizations involved in energy efficient transportation.

The countries’ cooperation will include:

• Technical Information Exchanges, Experiences, and Visits to address research and development programs, technical and economic evaluation, maintenance and operational procedures relating to vehicle technologies.

• Joint Economic, Environment, and Policy Studies to enhance understanding of appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote rapid adoption of electric vehicles in an environmentally and economically sound manner.

• Technology Demonstrations to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of advanced vehicle technologies.

• Professional Training to develop advanced vehicle and supporting technologies.

The US is the largest consumer and producer of cars in the world, and in 2006, China became second largest consumer of, and the third largest producer of, vehicles in the world. According to a projection of Chinese motor vehicle growth by DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, by 2030, China could have more highway vehicles than the US currently has. China currently has approximately 9 million passenger cars on the road and by 2030 it is expected to have between 115-147 million passenger cars on the road.

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Green Car Congress

Toyota plans to make vehicle efficiency indicators standard in all of its vehicles, hybrid or non-hybrid. In a post on its Open Road Blog, Toyota said that in conventional, non-hybrid vehicles, these indicators will be called Eco Driving Indicators.

We’re making this move because we’ve found that when hybrid drivers use their Hybrid Vehicle System Indicators, their driving habits change as the system provides feedback on efficiency. And as driving habits change, drivers could experience estimated improvements of from 5% to 10% in fuel economy.

The current plan is to include Eco Driving Indicators on all next-generation Toyota, Lexus and Scion models after the launch of the next-generation 4-Runner in Aug ‘09. Just what the Indicator will look like in each model hasn’t yet been determined.

But generally, the Eco Driving Indicator would include an Eco Zone Display, which would indicate the throttle opening and whether the driver is driving efficiently. It also would include, for automatic-transmission-equipped vehicles, an Eco Lamp that would illuminate if the driver drives efficiently enough to stay within the “Eco Zone,” and that would, for manual-transmission-equipped vehicles, illuminate at the optimal shift point. Finally, it would include an Average Fuel Consumption Meter to provide the average fuel-economy number since the vehicle’s last fueling or system reset.

The Hybrid Vehicle System Indicator would include the same basic functions as the Eco Driving Indicator. But it also would include a Power Meter to display system output and regeneration power levels, and a Consumption Display that would include information such as Energy Collection, Average MPG, Instant MPG and Cruising Range.

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Green Car Congress

Sample fuel economy gauge (for the Infiniti). Click to enlarge.

Nissan Motor announced that all future new models will be equipped with a fuel efficiency gauge to give drivers more information on how their driving style directly relates to fuel economy. The fuel efficiency gauge will also be equipped in current models scheduled for minor product freshenings, including the Skyline, Lafesta and Atlas in Japan, and the Altima and Infiniti G35 in the US.

The gauge provides the driver with both instant fuel-efficiency and average efficiency readings. For example, by accelerating, the driver would instantly see an increase in fuel consumption reflected on the gauge.

Based on Nissan’s trials, drivers have tended to improve their eco-driving habits over time, prompted by the real-time fuel-efficiency readings. Driving improvements also included smoother acceleration and braking, which potentially could lead to an average 10% improvement in fuel-efficiency, based on internal testing at Nissan.

Sample gauge for HDD navigation system, which is compatible with CARWINGS. (Fuel consumption here in l/100km.) Click to enlarge.

In January 2007, Nissan introduced the eco-driving information service through its CARWINGS navigation system to promote more economical driving habits. (Earlier post.) Through the installation of the fuel efficiency gauge on the instrument-cluster as a standard feature on all new models, Nissan says it will extend the awareness of eco-driving to a wider driving audience.

Nissan says that its introduction of the fuel efficiency gauge is in line with the company’s overall efforts to launch a wide range of environmental technologies under the Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental action plan.

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Green Car Congress

Sketch of the Toyota 1/X plug-in hybrid.

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) will exhibit eight concept and 13 other vehicles at the upcoming 40th Tokyo Motor Show. Among the concepts is the 1/X, (pronounced “one-Xth”), a vehicle that maintains an interior space on par with that of the Prius, with a targeted fuel efficiency that is double that of the Prius and a weight reduced to 420 kilograms (about one third the weight of the Prius).

The 1/X features a 500cc flex-fuel engine and a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Built of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) throughout the body frame to ensure superior collision safety, it sports narrower pillars for a better field of vision.

Other hybrid concepts that Toyota will feature at the show are:

• Hi-CT. The Hi-CT also is a plug-in hybrid concept, with a AC100V accessory socket that enables stored electricity to be used for a variety of applications.

• Crown Hybrid Concept. The Crown hybrid concept implements THS II with a two-stage motor speed reduction device that helps achieve higher fuel efficiency, lower CO2 and reductions in other exhaust emissions.

• FT-HS. A next-generation hybrid sports car, the FT-HS features a hybrid system with a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine.

• LF-Xh. A specialty Lexus SUV, this concept applies the Lexus Hybrid Drive with a V6 engine in an all-wheel drive powertrain.

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Green Car Congress

The Canadian government has proclaimed into law the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act (MVFCSA).

Under the MVFCSA, fuel consumption standards will be established for light-duty road motor vehicles. These standards will come into force following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the auto industry and the Government of Canada in 2010 and will be implemented for model year 2011.

The government will develop the new MVFCSA standards with input from stakeholders. The standards will be designed for Canada to maximize its environmental and economic benefits, will be achievable within the integrated North American market and will be benchmarked against a stringent, dominant North American standard, according to the government. The new standards will be published by the end of 2008.

The proclamation of this act is good news for Canada. Setting mandatory fuel consumption standards will lead to sustained improvements in fuel efficiency and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles purchased in Canada.

—Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources Canada

The Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act provides that:

• All motor vehicle fuel consumption values must be registered with Transport Canada;

• Each motor vehicle must bear a fuel consumption label and a national fuel consumption mark;

• Company Average Fuel Consumption (CAFC) standards will be set for specific classes of motor vehicles;

• Each vehicle maker or importer must submit the data required to calculate their CAFC values for comparison against the standards;

• Fines will be set for each vehicle maker or importer whose CAFC value for a particular class of motor vehicle is higher than the standard for that class; and

• CAFC credits will be recorded for each vehicle maker or importer whose CAFC value for a particular class of motor vehicle is lower than the standard. If a penalty year occurs, credits may be taken from any or all of the three years before or from the year following the penalty year, to reduce the fine.

Background. The Canadian and the US motor vehicle manufacturing industries have grown increasingly integrated since the 1965 Auto Pact, which reduced barriers to the flow of automotive trade and investment between the two countries. In 1976, the Government of Canada established voluntary Company Average Fuel Consumption (CAFC) targets. These targets, by agreement with the motor vehicle industry, were set to represent an equivalent level of vehicle fuel-efficiency as provided by the then recently-enacted CAFE standards in the US

In 1982, Parliament passed the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act (MVFCSA), providing for mandatory fuel consumption standards. The Act establishes the legal authority to regulate fuel consumption for prescribed classes of motor vehicles. However, the government did not proclaim the act due to the voluntary commitment by manufacturers to continue to provide vehicles that meet US standards. The voluntary commitment was broadly consistent with the framework and authorities established by the Act.

In 2005, the Government of Canada and the Canadian automotive industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stipulating that the Canadian automotive industry would take actions to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of new vehicles in Canada. The agreement called on the automobile industry to cut GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles (cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks) so that by 2010, annual emissions reductions will reach 5.3 megatonnes (Mt).

In October 2006, the Government of Canada announced, under a Notice of Intent to Regulate, that it intends to regulate the fuel consumption of road motor vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act after the expiration of the MOU between the auto industry and the Government of Canada. This was confirmed in April 2007, under the Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions. (Earlier post.)

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Green Car Congress

Originally Syndicated via RSS from hybrid car - Google News

Originally Syndicated via RSS from hybrid car - Google News

Originally Syndicated via RSS from hybrid car - Google News