High gas prices make most people think differently about driving. Carpooling, driving less, switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles – those are all options many consider. Truck and large SUV sales usually correspond closely with changes in prices. Hybrids are one way to do that, but so are diesels. In the rest of the world, particularly Europe, diesels are by far the largest sellers. They’ve never caught here because in the past they’ve been loud and dirty. Today’s clean diesels have a much different character. The biggest seller of diesels in the U.S today is Volkswagen, with its TDI engines. We rave about it a lot, but the new Passat TDI really does offer an impressive package for those looking for a mainstream, fuel-efficient sedan. But, we digress. Kia has signaled that it is considering adding a diesel engine to its lineup. We hear a lot of about manufacturers adding diesels to their lineups, but it really is beginning to happen. Chevrolet, as mainstream as they come, is preparing a big push with the upcoming Cruze Diesel. It is a pretty forward looking move for them. On Kia’s North American PR Facebook page, they recently posed the question: “Would you drive a diesel?” They did this in response to a post on EfficientDynamics speculating about the possibility of bringing the Optima Diesel over here to the U.S. In Europe, the Optima is only available as a diesel. The engine in question is a 1.7-liter CRDi (Common Rail Direct Fuel Injection) turbo diesel making 134 horsepower and 244 pound feet of torque. 0-60 takes 11.5 seconds. Yikes. A more powerful version of the engine is being debuted by Hyundai though, making 160 hp. That would make a lot more sense. So would having it in the Forte small car. Then, Kia could go directly against the Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. So, what does all this mean? Kia does have the diesel technology and appears to be considering the idea. They’ll probably monitor Chevrolet’s introduction of the Cruze closely before pulling the trigger on anything. If it is successful, a raft of competitors will be sure to follow. No related posts. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts Excerpt from: The Diesels are Coming: Is Kia Next?

The 2012 Lexus HS 250h. Image: Lexus Lexus launched the HS 250h hybrid in the U.S. in the summer of 2009, as a 2010 model. Meant as a fuel-efficient bookend to Lexus’ other entry-level offering, the rear-drive IS sedan, the HS 250h never really took off in the U.S. market. As Inside Line reports, sales in the 2010 model year were acceptable, hitting 10,663 units, but plummeted to just 2,864 units for 2011. The introduction of the less-expensive and more functional Lexus CT 200h had erased any market for the HS 250h, and the CT 200h has now become the fourth-best-selling vehicle in Lexus’ current product mix. Sadly, the death of the HS 250h came with no announcement, but Toyota did admit to Inside Line that “Production of the HS 250h ceased in January, 2012. Lexus continues to monitor sales for each product and we make adjustments to make sure we meet market demand, and the discontinuation of the HS was part of that adjustment.” If you’re looking for a hybrid sedan offering from Lexus in the coming months, you’re still in luck: Lexus will soon launch the ES 300h sedan, which is expected to be both more powerful and more fuel efficient than the discontinued HS 250h. We’ll bet that there are deals to be had on leftover HS models, though.   Continued here: Dismal Sales Kill The Lexus HS 250h Hybrid Go here to read the rest:  Dismal Sales Kill The Lexus HS 250h Hybrid

Here is the full speech of Dr. Norbert Reithofer at the Annual General Meeting of BMW AG. The BMW boss highlights some of the successes and accomplishments in 2011, and what to expect in the future. Ladies and Gentlemen Mobility is what drives us. And this applies to your company too. We not only enable people to move from A to B but we also touch their hearts. Being mobile is and always will be a basic human need. We cannot do without it – in our Western hemisphere, where our mature markets lie. And people in the growth regions are seizing their opportunities for individual mobility – economically, socially and personally. Mobility drives progress. It gives people a sense of freedom and individuality. It brings growth, employment and prosperity. For 96 years, mobility has been the growth driver of Bayerische Motoren Werke Our products stand for motion: automobiles, motorcycles, financial and mobility services. Premium is our business model. And when it comes to premium we are the clear leaders. 1.67 million customers last year – that was more than ever before and more than our competitors. And by we, I mean over 100,000 BMW associates of over 90 different nationalities. They all possess the same passion for mobility and motion. They make our success possible in the first place. They fully identify with our products and with our company. And our customers feel it. They know it is true whenever they purchase a car or a motorcycle from our product range. We are ahead of the competition and we intend to stay there. This is what drives us. We also want to meet your needs and your expectations as our shareholders. Your investment must be profitable. We think and plan long term – just as you do. You stood by us throughout the financial crisis. And you are now with us as we move into a new era of mobility. Your loyalty to this company is appreciated. Mobility today takes on many forms and also faces many demands. The car is now an indispensable element of our daily lives, and this means mobility now encounters new challenges. Just think about the latest Club of Rome forecasts. We ourselves are responsible for the way our world is developing. How can we make it a world worth living in for more and more people? These are all questions we ask ourselves. And all...

Another plug-in related fire is bad news for the plug-in revolution. OK. It’s not dead, but the plug-in revolution is on life support I have one metric in life when it comes to transportation. OK. It’s one metric, but it’s split into two parts. The basic metric — the main part — is simply US foreign oil independence, but the critical first part is OPEC independence, ASAP. If biodiesel can make that happen, I’m in. Batteries, I’m in. Natural gas, etc., I’m in. Ultimately, I don’t care which technology makes it happen, only that it happen. However, one thing is clear. If ending OPEC dependence is dependent upon plug-ins, oil companies can bank on some huge profits over the next few decades because the plug-in revolution is barely alive. And the recent Fisker Karma fire is about to cause even further asphyxiation. Before I go any further; however, let me make one thing clear: Electrification is the future of the automobile, and electrification already makes far more sense than most believe, today. The problem is, consumers don’t make sense. We never have, and we probably never will. In a nutshell, American consumerism is self-destructive. It has been for decades. And it might continue to be forever. Honestly, small electric cars make a ton of sense if all factors were honestly considered. But, today, the same small cars that would make electric cars viable would also wipe out OPEC– as well as huge chunks of overall foreign oil dependence — if the norm today using only ICE at a far cheaper cost than electric ones, at least upfront. Again, it’s not that electric cars don’t make sense. It’s consumers that don’t make sense, and decades of senselessness simply aren’t overturned overnight. Did a Fisker Karma plug-in cause a house fire? No one cares. The association is all that matters, especially before an audience that is already extremely skeptical of plug-ins, that is already mostly nonsensical. The plug-in revolution isn’t dead, but for all intents and purposes — if foreign oil dependence is your metric — plug-ins are dead. Outside of personal foreign oil independence, plug-ins have little to offer. After more than a decade on the market, even hybrid...

How soon can Toyota increase Prius supplies? New hybrids ordered for the growing US market Toyota’s best year of US Prius sales was 2007, when the automaker sold 181,221 units according to Bloomberg. This year, thanks to the growing Prius family, Toyota aimed for 220,000 units. However, the Prius is now on a pace to blow past 250,000 sales in 2012. And Toyota aims to ramp up production to meet this demand. Fortunately and unfortunately, more demand than expected isn’t just a problem limited to the US. Thanks to incentives Japanese demand for the new c hybrid is several months ahead of supplies there as well. Therefore, it’s going to be interesting to see how Toyota responds, and whether or not Toyota is actually capable of meeting demand. Ultimately, I continue to wonder just how much more production Toyota can squeeze out of its NiMH battery supply chains? Throughout the storied history of the Prius, production has always been capped by battery supplies. If lithium Prius hybrids are just around the corner via the 2015 fourth generation Prius , how much more is Toyota willing to expend on NiMH? Even more interesting, might Toyota keep NiMH around for some percentage of hybrid cars? Today, Toyota claims that lithium is still just too expensive compared to NiMH for hybrids. Even as those economics better match up, might it still be advantageous for Toyota to continue NiMH production for some hybrids, such as the C, as a way to make the C hybrid even cheaper? Or maybe NiMH will work for some markets, such as emerging automotive markets? Anyway, can’t wait to see just how much Toyota can increase Prius production. Toyota seems to be at a point of critical mass regarding hybrid penetration. Are they ready to roll with it, or do the technologies still need to evolve a bit more before Toyota will take the full leap of faith into the hybrid future they’ve been predicting? Source: Bloomberg See the rest here: Battery-powered: Prius hybrid sales surging past estimates

A millennial Eclipse over Prius sales Most of their favorite brands don’t even sell hybrids American consumers are a pretty sad bunch. Noble intentions are everywhere. Noble actions are not. For several years now consumer survey after survey demonstrates that a good majority of Americans are interested in buying hybrid cars. Yet, month after month, year after year, only a few percent actually pull the trigger. Fortunately, according to the latest surveys , the kids are different. Younger consumer cohorts, such as millennials, are more ready to stand by their convictions. Unfortunately, the latest sale’s data suggests the kids are even bigger green posers than their parents. Currently, 66 percent of all hybrid sales are made by those 50 years old and older according to a new study by JD Power and AARP. Similarly, a new Edmunds study finds that Toyota — the hybrid king — is a brand that most under 35 don’t really like. In fact the top brand for the under 35 crowd is Mitsubishi, followed by Mazda — two brands not really well known for hybrids. In fact, the majority of the top 10 brands favored by those under 35 don’t even sell hybrid cars. Certainly, those under 50, particularly those under 35, have been hardest hit by the economic slowdown. Still, it appears as if the kids aren’t as altruistic as they want to believe themselves to be. Sources: Chicago Tribune and InsideLine . Originally posted here:  Despite the hype, the kids aren’t buying hybrid cars

Being the only member of the BMWBLOG staff whoʼs a Lap Dog (will explain in a minute) I figured today, the start of the Tire Rackʼs One Lap of America, would be good time to write about what its like to run as a driver. You see, a Lap Dog, is well deserved term given to a veteran of One Lap. First timer? A lap pup of course! History: One Lap of America is the spiritual descendant of Brock Yateʼs insane Coast to Coast Cannonball Run. The Cannonball Run was a highly illegal timed race on public roads from NYC to LA and was run four times in the 70ʼs. Perhaps the best line from any participant was from Dan Gurney: “At no time did we exceed 175mph.” It was so crazy it they made two movies about it in the early 80ʻs, The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II and stared Burt Reynolds. Brock Yates published a pretty cool book about it to, “Cannonball! Worldʼs Greatest Outlaw Race” published in 2003 – a great read. One Lap of American is much different. Itʼs more a marathon eight day non-stop road trip from race track to race track where you get just 5 laps. One warm up/recon lap, three hot laps, and a cool down lap. The three timed laps are all from a standing start, so my 3.2 L M3 was seriously mismatched. The total distance of the 8 day event has ranged from a cumulative distance of 3600 miles to as long as 10,000 miles. The only exceptions to the 5 lap rule is at the skid pad or a drag race. The higher you place the more points you get and the earlier you run. If you have a mechanical issue or donʼt make it to the track in time you donʼt get any points. Whereʼs the tie in to the Cannonball Run? Weʼll Brock Yates and his son Brock Jr run the event! They started it in 1984 and since Brock was at Car and Driver at the time they stepped in to be the title sponsor. Car and Driver sponsored One Lap up until 2006 or so. Tire Rack headquarters in South Bend, IN is where the event starts and ends and they are now the title sponsor. The only points you can earn are from timed events on closed tracks. So no racing on public streets and no points for anything on a public road. The Cars: There arenʼt many rules for the cars except they must be legally able to be on the road. Meaning they must have lights. Windshield wipers are optional. Seriously, if you...

Are natural gas hybrids inevitable? And even greater natural gas supplies seem inevitable While discussing some successful new demonstrations of extracting natural gas from methane hydrates, Energy Secretary Steven Chu claimed that Energy Department investments made in the ’70s and ’80s would decrease natural gas costs 30 percent by 2025. And that apparently doesn’t even include the potential of this new methane hydrate breakthrough. Can hybrid and plug-in cars survive this natural gas revolution? “While this is just the beginning, this research could potentially yield significant new supplies of natural gas,” claimed Chu regarding this new gas hydrate production technology using a CO2-methane exchange structure. For more check out Natural gas 30 percent cheaper by 2025, as supplies explode, reports DOE . If true, how will this impact the development of hybrid cars and plug-in vehicles? A few months ago I heard an energy analyst claim that natural gas then was at a $1.60 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, although it’s hard to know whether that price included taxes, for instance. While I doubt a big move to natural gas would leave natural gas prices at $1.60 per gallon, I’m guessing the price would still be less than today’s gasoline prices, especially with 30 percent price reduction forecasts on the table. Certainly, cheaper natural gas could also make charging electric cars cheaper, but it can’t help electric cars overcome the battery-powered premium, nor range anxiety. Battery prices would still have to come down, significantly. On the other hand, hybrid cars like the Toyota FT-Bh aren’t just supposed to usher in a new era of cheap hybrid cars , but the FT-Bh concept is also supposed to be fuel friendly, meaning the same production system can churn out either natural gas or gasoline powered hybrid cars. That could be significant, assuming the hybrid premium drops significantly, as promised by Toyota’s new hybrid concept. Still, just how cheap would natural gas be? Recently, I was following some coverage of the Maxwell Technologies stock decline. A manager of a green investment fund, that I unfortunately cannot recall, suggested the undeniably growing potential of natural gas was partly to blame....

Will you have to pay more than sticker on a Toyota Prius c? To the highest bidder wins? If you’ve been following the battery-powered scene for the last several years, then I’m sure you remember the sad old days of 2007-2008 for hybrid car buyers. Thanks to the gas spike then dealer markups on hybrid cars were a common occurrence. In the worst case scenario Toyota Prius hybrids were being marked up $5,000 or more above MSRP with an additional $5,000 worth of dealer add-ons. Unfortunately, dealer markups on hybrids and plug-ins appear to be back. While researching the best and worst hybrid and plug-in car deals using pricing data from Truecar.com , I found several hybrid and plug-in cars that were averaging a sale price above MSRP. For the most part, this above-MSRP trend seems to be limited to hot hybrid markets, such as Southern California. The biggest offenders were the Toyota Prius c and the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. However, the Honda CR-Z and Insight hybrids also were selling up to a few hundred above MSRP, as was the Nissan Leaf. Fortunately, most dealer markups were only a few hundred dollars or less, compared to the thousands of dollars of 2008. Sadly, if you’re in the market for a new hybrid or plug-in, you might not be negotiating a better-than-MSRP price, but haggling just to pay only sticker price. Read the original:  Dealer markups are back for some hybrids and plug-ins

Despite more of an emphasis on small cars, hybrids and electric vehicles than ever, performance is still alive and well. In fact, the pony car and horsepower wars have reached a fever pitch. Ford shocked the world at the Los Angeles International Auto Show last November when it unveiled the 2013 Shelby GT500. It was announced as the most powerful Mustang ever, coming stock with 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. Those are absolutely insane figures for a Mustang. Supercar-level power, all in a package that still has a live rear axle and aerodynamics that remain largely the same as the stock car. Not to mention, all that power sent to the rear wheels exclusively rather than through an all-wheel drive system. Look out when these things hit the roads – you don’t have to be a driver with skill to purchase one. As far as power goes, rival General Motors has had a recent history of under-promising and over-delivering on power output figures. We’ve seen this to be the case with the GT500′s rival, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Now Ford is doing the same thing. The Society of Automotive Engineers has tested the 2013 GT500, only to find out it actually makes more power than Ford estimated. Team Shelby reports the SAE has certified the GT500 at 662 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, up by 12 horsepower and an even more impressive 30 pound feet of torque. Te competition has its work cut out for it if they want to match these figures. Where will it end though? This horsepower war is getting pretty insane. The insurance on these things will be through the roof. It’ll be interesting to see what Chevrolet’s next moves are with the ZL1, as well as Street Racing Technology over at Chrysler. Will they be able to resist trying to outdo Ford? Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts Read the rest here: 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Actually Makes 662 HP

Energy density according to Exxon. Hybrids, EVs, fuel cells. Or gas-guzzlers forever? I was cleaning out some bookmarks and came across this graph in an interesting article regarding energy density. The article and the graph come from Exxon , which used the graph to explain why by 2040, 90 percent of transportation would still be fueled by liquid fuels. Now, there are countless arguments to make as to why Exxon is wrong, and I’m not going to make any of them. Instead, I wonder just one simple thing: Where is the auto industry taking us? I’ve written about it many times, but many years ago Anthony Pratt, a JD Power powertrain analyst at the time, forecast that by 2010 sales of hybrid cars would come in just under 3 percent. Now this was in 2004 or 2005, if I recall correctly, and I was fully convinced then that hybrids were going to be closer to 10 percent by 2010 and on the path to mainstream success because of lithium. Turns out Pratt’s prediction was perfect. Why? Because he simply followed the moves of the auto industry, in terms of supplies, manufacturing capabilities and even internal company forecasts. Even if hybrid car demand exploded between his forecast and 2010, it would take years for the auto industry to react in any meaningful way. Today’s battery-powered space, for instance, is a bit different. Today, the lithium battery industry is headed for overcapacity, not under-capacity. Thus, automakers have a bit more power to surprise to the upside in terms of hybrid and plug-in production. But how much? Likewise, automakers can make updates to production and assembly lines on the fly faster than in the past. More upside potential. Nevertheless, Nissan has forecast 10 percent plug-in penetration by 2020, the highest forecast in the auto industry. Thus, it seems that much greater than 10 percent penetration is highly unlikely. By 2020, therefore, at least 90 percent of transportation will still be liquid-fueled, and that’s a best case scenario. Still, that’s 20 years before 2040. Most analysts — think back to Mr. Pratt — have far lower expectations for electric car penetration, and it must be assumed that, like Pratt, their forecasts are also largely based on production capabilities and supply chain realities....

Men need exotic electrification? New study finds women are embracing fuel economy Interesting study about the differences between men and women when it comes to car buying. In a nutshell, in 2011 men still loved gas-guzzling V8’s and exotic sport brands while women liked I-4’s. Even more interesting is the fact that automakers can make fuel efficiency more appealing if they want. For instance, the VW Beetle has traditionally been a chick car, but when redesigning the Beetle, VW made a conscious effort to attract male buyers, and it worked. Currently, around 50 percent of Beetle buyers are men. Kind of makes you wonder about the power automakers have in shaping consumer consciousness. While many blame Big Oil solely for today’s transportation woes — in terms of fuel efficiency and pollution – I continue to believe that automakers are, at least, equally culpable. Anyway, it’d be nice to see automakers play on people’s intelligence, rather than just using their egos for greater profits and increased gas-guzzling. Source: The BottomLine More here: If only women were allowed to buy cars

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. Now that seven-speed manuals and eight-speed automatics have become the “benchmark,” who wants more gears? I don’t, but it seems that the industry soon will have us consider nine-speeds as state-of-the-art. Daimler and Chrysler will be reunited in an odd way, as the leaders of this trend. Chrysler will launch the ZF-sourced 9HP nine-speed automatic in some of its front-wheel-drive vehicles. I now hear that Mercedes-Benz will also offer a nine-speed auto beginning in 2013; the NGS ( Neue Generation Stufenautomatik ), in its W9A and high-performance K9A variations, will be standard on a number of rear-wheel-drive Mercedes vehicles. You can bet several competitors will follow suit in the escalating gear-count wars. It’s interesting to note that Benz is taking pride in its nine-speed slushbox, while—as we’ve reported before—its six-speed manuals will be purchased from ZF in the future. Priorities. Mercedes has released photos of its Citan light commercial vehicle (shown above), which is a rebadged Renault Kangoo. I’ll refrain from comment on the styling, but want to share the company’s official statement that the lower air intake is “a typical styling element of Mercedes-Benz, from compact passenger cars to the Actros.” The Actros, of course, is a brick-shaped heavy-duty truck. If true, this statement explains a lot about Mercedes’ current styling. Diesel Chatter At the New York auto show, I helped present the World Green Car Award to the Mercedes-Benz S250 CDI. A full-size luxury car is an unlikely recipient for this award, but putting a 2.1-liter, four-cylinder turbo-diesel under its hood is worthy of recognition—particularly since this behemoth gets mileage far superior to most hybrids. The award is on its way to Sindelfingen, and there is little chance this car will be offered in the U.S. But the refreshed GLK , a New York debut, will be sold in the States with the same OM651 engine. Mercedes has slowly switched from straight-six engines to V-6 units from the late 1990s, but the inline-six will be back. Beginning...

BYD Daimler Denza electric car China’s EV plans solely dependent upon foreign automakers These days, China seems to be a tale of two countries. On the one hand, there is the rising middle class with money in their pockets buying up Buicks, SUVs, and luxury cars, but not hybrids or plug-ins. On the other hand, there is China’s working poor riding bikes, and if they are lucky, upgrading to e-bikes and three-wheeled electric vehicles. And China’s goals of becoming a major automotive power, led by the battery, are facing significant headwinds. In fact, outside of BYD, few automakers seem ready according to many Chinese observers. “I think it’s more to create a PR bubble or fight for government subsidies,” John Zeng, chief of Asian forecasting for LMC Automotive, a research firm, told the AP regarding the effort Chinese automakers have put into advanced vehicle technologies so far, outside of BYD, which has invested heavily. And Henry Li, BYD’s general manager of its export division echoed that sentiment as well. Regarding other Chinese manufacturers Li said, “there are not many manufacturers with really reliable or commercialized products.” Even the Beijing Auto Show has been anything but a battery-powered auto festival. In fact, the buzz has been regarding luxury cars and gas-guzzling SUVs. Ultimately, if China is going to meet its ambitious goals for electrification, it’s going to be foreign automakers that make the job possible. Or, China might have to rethink personal mobility entirely — along the lines of all those plug-in electric bikes selling there these days. Source: DetroitNews Original post: Chinese dreaming – BYD is China’s only electric car hope

It might be ugly, but its cost and fuel economy will be over-whelming What if every automaker sold as many hybrid vehicles as did Toyota last month? Yesterday was an interesting day. Turns out that hybrid cars are more green than plug-ins in a majority of American markets. And, even where plug-ins offer a significant green advantage, range anxiety and costs remain huge obstacles to widespread plug-in adoption. Unfortunately, those costs and that range anxiety probably won’t be resolved until sometime in the next decade according to another study released yesterday. Even then, the improvements might not be enough for all out mainstream plug-in penetration. Quite simply, plug-ins have a long journey ahead, but for Toyota, mainstream hybrid cars are already here. Almost 20 percent of all Toyota US sales were hybrids last month. That’s a pretty impressive number because there simply isn’t another automaker to compare to Toyota. Now, some might argue that cars like the Ford Focus, the Chevy Cruze and the upcoming Dodge Dart, etc. offer hybrid-like fuel economy. No they don’t. A Toyota Prius offers 50 mpg in the real world. Those cars offer 30, at best. That won’t be good enough when gasoline starts pushing $5.00 or $6.00 per gallon or more. And if Toyota can continue to shave off some of the hybrid premium and push fuel economy even higher, those tiny gas-guzzlers will start losing appeal. That’s no cut on those small cars. They have a role to play, as do plug-ins. There won’t be one dominant solution for decades, but hybrids offer the most bang for the buck if you’re trying to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions — a task which should be job one in this country. They’re just more appealing to consumers than more aggressive plug-in options. Nevertheless, this isn’t about hybrids versus plug-ins. Again, both have a role to play. Nevertheless, despite the obvious long term potential of EVs, that potential is just too long term to have real meaning today. Even if a best case scenario for plug-in adoption over the rest of this decade occurs — 10 percent by 2020 — hybrid vehicles still have a huge role to play through at least 2030, if not much longer. Besides, hybrid cars are a great way...