Obama Unveils $2.4 billion Grant Program To Aid Electric Cars

Obama unveils $2.4-billion grant program to aid electric cars
In Pomona, Obama visits an electric-vehicle testing center and announces a program for companies to compete for grant money. He pledges to put a million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015.
By Maeve Reston
maeve.reston@latimes.com
March 19, 2009

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-pomona20-2009mar20,0,4688845.story

Reporting from Pomona -- On the second day of his tour of Southern California, President Obama highlighted his environmental jobs agenda with a visit to an electric-vehicle testing facility in Pomona, where he announced a $2.4-billion competitive grant program to make the electric vehicles more widely available.

Obama's appearance at the Edison International facility, about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, was part of a broader push for his $3.5-trillion budget, which he has been selling to voters at campaign-style town halls Wednesday and today in Orange County and Los Angeles. Later today, he will make an appearance on " The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

He alluded to recent criticism by Republicans -- some of whom have said his plans are too costly and in some cases misguided -- when he described the California trip as a welcome reprieve from Washington.

He joked to his audience in his opening remarks at Edison that it was "always nice to get out of Washington for a little bit, recharge your batteries."

In his low-key speech before about 100 Edison employees and students from nearby Village Academy High School, Obama highlighted his recovery plan, which he says would create 400,000 jobs in California, and expressed concern about the "devastating impact" of the foreclosure crisis on the state.

But he focused primarily on his proposals to create new jobs in green technologies and to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, noting that the U.S. is importing more oil than it was on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Even as our economy has been transformed by new forms of technology, our electric grid looks largely the same as it did half a century ago," Obama said. "So we have a choice to make. We can remain one of the world's leading importers of foreign oil, or we can make the investments that would allow us to become the world's leading exporter of renewable energy."

The president renewed his commitment to doubling the country's supply of renewable energy over the next few years -- including spending $11 billion upgrading the nation's power grid to ease the delivery of renewable energy across the country, and $15 million to help develop green technologies such as solar and wind power, and new coal technologies.

As a receptive audience of engineers and workers cheered his plans, Obama pledged to put a million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015, and highlighted his offer of up to $7,500 in tax credits for Americans who purchase electric vehicles.

The new $2.4-billion grant program, which would be part of his recovery program, would ask companies to compete for federal money to increase the manufacturing of batteries and parts used in the electric cars.

Before speaking to the crowd gathered on the factory floor of the Electric Vehicle Technical Center this morning, the president spent about 20 minutes touring the facility with Edison International's CEO and a top engineer.

After viewing the company's model for a "garage of the future" -- where an electric car battery would be charged each night with energy drawn from solar panels on the garage roof -- Obama toured the battery-testing center and questioned engineers about what government could do to help advance the technologies.

Just before heading to Los Angeles, Obama met privately with the students from an Advanced Placement Literature class at Pomona's Village Academy High School. The class produced a video about the personal impact the economy and foreclosure crisis had had on their families lives.

The students, with help from the school's public relations firm, drew the attention of the White House after they put the video up on YouTube. Obama mentioned the students in a speech earlier this month.

Before the meeting, Yvonne Bojorquez, a junior who was mentioned by name in Obama's speech, said she was still shocked the video had reached the president and that they would have a chance to meet him.

"I just want to say thanks for listening. That was our first goal from the beginning and it's very awesome to know that he's someone we can actually reach -- that it's not impossible to get ahold of him," Bojorquez said.

Plug-In Cars

Plug-in Cars

http://eartheasy.com/live_plug-in_cars.html

Plug-in Cars offer drivers the fuel-efficiency benefits of hybrid cars with the added feature of being able to plug-in to household electricity when the car is not in use. This leads to increased mileage and fuel savings.

A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle offers extended electric-only propulsion. Drivers can use the electric mode for short trips, and switch to 'blended' mode (combined gas/electric) once the battery runs low, or if higher engine performance is needed.

Plug-ins require larger batteries than normal hybrids, which drives up their cost. Rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMh), used in hybrid vehicles, are bulky but less-expensive, while advanced lithium-ion batteries are smaller and have a higher output of energy, but are very costly. Improvements in battery storage capacity are key to the success of plug-ins.

Plug-in technology is currently in active development by the major auto manufacturers, with working prototypes of both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and plug-in electric vehicles which have small backup gas generators.

The following plug-in cars are currently in development:

Chevrolet Volt

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles (64km)
- extended range: 360 miles (579km)
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6.5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: $30,000 - $40.000
The Volt runs entirely on electricity, with a small on-board gasoline engine 'range extender' which acts as a generator to charge the batteries once the electric power has been expended. This is referred to as a plug-in 'series' hybrid. It is not referred to as a 'hybrid' car because the hybrids run with combined gas-electric technology acting in parallel.

The Volt's electric-only range of 40 miles exceeds the average per trip range of most drivers, and so for most trips the car will use no gas. When the car is parked at home, it is designed to use a common household plug for recharging.


Toyota Prius Plug-in

- battery pack: nickel metal hydride
- range (battery mode): 7 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 62 mph
- recharge time: 4 hours at 110v
- available: 2010
- cost: n/a

The new Toyota plug-in will be similar to the current version of the Prius hybrid. Prototypes of the Prius plug-in are running on NiMh batteries, and the production version may run on the same until problems wih the Lithium-ion batteries are worked out.

The Prius plug-in can run in electric-only (EV) mode for maximum fuel efficiency, or "blended" mode (combined electric/gas) for enhanced performance and longer trips when recharging is not an option.
The Prius plug-in is powered by the current Prius’s 1.5-liter inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with the battery pack, lets the car reach over 60mph in EV mode alone.


Ford Escape Plug-in

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 30 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 40mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: 2013
- cost: n/a
A plug-in version is currently in development for the popular Ford Escape compact SUV gas-electric hybrid. The Escape plug-in has five times as much battery capacity and hardware as the current Escape hybrid to recharge the battery from a standard household outlet.

The Escape plug-in can achieve fuel economy of up to 120 miles per gallon, Ford claims, during the first 30 miles of driving at moderate speeds after a full charge. Ford's Greg Frenette, chief engineer for plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, forecasts 70 to 80 mpg on the highway, where the gas engine works more, and 30 miles of light driving up to 40 mph on a charged battery alone.

Ford Edge, HySeries Drive

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 25 miles
- extended range: 225 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 85mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Edge is the world's first drivable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with plug-in capability. Ford's HySeries propulsion system is similar to that used in GM's Chevrolet Volt, but with one big difference: the HySeries uses a hydrogen fuel cell, not a gasoline engine, as the on-board back-up generator. The fuel cell starts re-charging the battery when the charge level drops to around 40 percent.

Ford claims a plug-in-power-only range of 25 miles before the hydrogen is needed. After that, the Edge with HySeries can go another 200 miles on a tank of compressed hydrogen. Ford estimates the gasoline equivalent mileage of the HySeries Edge at 41 mpg city/highway combined if you drive the full range.


Saturn Vue Plug-in

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 10 miles
- max speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 4 - 5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: under $40,000
The Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in will be a modified version of the Vue two-mode hybrid (due out in 2009). After electric-only propulsion depletes the lithium-ion energy storage system to a specified level, the battery is replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system's electric motors and regenerative brake systems.

The Vue has two driving modes – city and highway – and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time. Saturn projects that combined performance for the plug-in Vue could be a near-50-mpg automobile.


Dodge Sprinter Plug-in

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 20 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6 - 8 hours at 220v
- available: n/a
The Dodge Sprinter Plug-in operates, like other hybrid vehicles, on its electric motor and internal combustion engine combined. However, the Sprinter uses a diesel engine instead of gas. The diesel engine offers added fuel efficiency and more power at low speeds which suits the utility of a van/cargo vehicle.

The Sprinter plug-in is currently being road tested as a delivery vehicle for the NY Times. This is the first fleet test of a diesel plug-in hybrid system. The Sprinter is designed to benefit commercial uses where trips are short and the vehicle returns to its base for recharging.



Jeep Renegade (concept)

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles
- extended range: 400 miles
- max. speed (combined): 90 mph (144km/h)
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
Chrysler has unveiled concept designs for a sporty two-seater all-wheel drive - the Jeep Renegade plug-in. The concept model features two electric motors, one for each axle, and a 1.5 liter, 115hp diesel engine. The frame and body features lightweight aluminum architecture and recyclable materials. Designed for open-air utility, the wireless interior can be hosed down, with interior water channels and drain.

The Renegade plug-in has a low gear mode, locking differentials, and a Bluetec diesel "range-extender" engine that gives it the equivalent of 110 mpg when combined with the electric motors. According to Chrysler, the Renegade is capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 mpg.


Toyota 1/X (concept)

- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (extended): 150 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Toyota 1/X concept car has the same interior space as the Prius, but weighs two-thirds less, coming in under 1,000 pounds. This ultra-light weight lets the 1/X offer twice the fuel efficiency. The car is designed with highly rigid carbon fiber, which is reinforced by a plastic frame to ensure superior collision safety.

The 1/X also features a flex fuel 500cc engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. Toyota quotes fuel efficiency that is double of the Prius in a package that's roughly the same size and seats four. The Toyota 1/X concept car is capable of traveling 150 miles on a four-gallon tank of gasoline.

All Electric Smart Car is Unveiled

All-electric Smart car is unveiled
Daimler shows off battery-powered ED, will test 100 in Berlin
Thurs., Oct. 2, 2008

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26992491/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26992491/print/1/displaymode/1098/

PARIS - Get ready for a new sound — not look — to the tiny Smart cars produced by Daimler. On Thursday at the Paris Motor Show, the company introduced its Smart ED — an all-electric vehicle that makes barely a peep.

The Smart ED — the ED stands for electric drive — can cover about 90 miles without recharging, Daimler said, adding that limited production would start by the end of 2009.

"Welcome to the future of mobility," said Nikos Aliagas, a French TV presenter who introduced the quiet vehicle with zero tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide or smog-forming chemicals.

In a statement, Daimler President Dieter Zetsche said the company has big plans for the small car. "The future will see an ever-increasing proportion of traffic on the roads in urban centers around the world," he said. "Zero-emission electric cars could shape the image of environmentally aware cities because zero local emission motoring is no longer science fiction."

Daimler already produces a diesel Smart that it says has the lowest emissions of carbon dioxide of any production car worldwide.

Daimler has been testing an earlier version of the Smart ED in London since the end of 2007, leasing 100 vehicles to get real-world experience with electric drives.

Last month, it announced additional testing in Berlin, with the help of utility giant RWE. Daimler will test 100 EDs, which run on lithium-ion batteries, while RWE will install 500 electricity charging stations through the city.

"As the capital and Germany's largest city, Berlin is the right place for this project," Zetsche said.

Daimler also plans to use an "onboard unit" that communicates with the charging station. "Among other things, this will contribute to ensuring that the battery is automatically charged with low-priced electricity when the network is not used to full capacity, for example at off-peak times," Daimler stated.

"The development and tuning of the components needed are already well underway," the company added. "At the beginning of next year the system will initially undergo internal testing and optimization. Small series production of the electric two-seater will start at the end of 2009 and Smart will then deliver the first vehicles to selected customers."

Daimler did not disclose longer term plans. It sells Smart cars in 37 countries, including the United States since last January. And it intends to sell its two-seater Smart in China starting in mid-2009.