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A mix of good and bad news about the Detroit Electric revival story. The good news is that the brand remains alive and sending messages of solid partnership between Malaysian company Proton and European investors. Automotive News believes that the brand would have a large following among European and Asian customers for its all-electric vehicles. However, problems might arise in the U.S. when the company's EVs - a $25,000 model with a 110-mile range and a 200-mile version for $33,000 - go on sale here. The problem is that the Detroit Electrics will have nothing to do with Detroit except the name: the cars will be built in Malaysia, a fact that might be a problem for certain buyers. Also, the U.S. Patent Office has refused Detroit Electric's request for a trademark thus far because the company doesn't have any connection to Detroit. This could be a severe conflict with Detroit-based companies that already produce EVs: Ford, GM and even small companies such as Detroit Electric Vehicles LLC, which sells electric car kits and converts vehicles from gasoline to electric engines.

[Source: Automotive News (subs. req'd)]

The British Department of Transport has announced a new £30 million fund to help bus operators purchase low-carbon vehicles, like the new GM-Allison Two-mode hybrid system (pictured). A Low Carbon Emission Bus (LCEB) is defined as one that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent compared to a current Euro 3 diesel bus of the same total passenger capacity. These buses should also deliver at least Euro V emission standards. The fund also welcomes EV buses, but thus far, few options are available. The fund will be distributed on a very granular scale by giving operators 6 pence for each kilometer operated with such vehicles. Getting more LCEBs on the road is important because, despite improvements in fuel efficiency in bus technology, the Department of Transport found that CO₂ emissions from buses have increased significantly over the last 10 years.





[Source: Department of Transport]

Plug-in hybrids are a hot topic right now. But there are many who question if our electric grid will be able to support a massive influx of EVs and plug-in hybrids? Those who know often say "yes," "yes" and "yes" again. We can now add Stephen Whitley, president of the New York Independent System Operator, to the list of those who say plug ins are a good idea. Whitley has published a report saying that the grids are ready for cars with cords as long as they're recharged overnight. The report focuses on the benefits of using usually wasted off-peak hour electricity to recharge those cars. Whitley notes, like others before him, that the batteries in plug-in cars can also be used to store electricity made from wind power, lessening the need for increased generation from fossil fuel power plants. Whitley's report also estimates that EVs and plug-ins are expected to increase power demand in New York state by two percent by 2030, with 2.5 million such vehicles on the streets then.

[Source: Automotive News (subs. req'd)]

Catalyx Nanotech has announced that they have successfully used landfill gas (LFG) obtained from a closed southern California landfill to produce 0.5 Kg of high-value Platelet Graphite Nanofibers and 2,000 liters of "green" hydrogen. Catalyx previously used natural gas at their Canadian plant to obtain these products, but wants to earn green credentials from using landfill gas despite the more expensive cost. One of the side benefits of using LFG is that it eliminates the extra cost expense of separating nanofibers from byproducts, such as amorphous carbon and soot. Catalyx says that their hydrogen production process proves that H₂ can be produced locally, at competitive prices, while eliminating the hydrogen production carbon footprint.

[Source: Domestic Fuel]

Ever hear of an advertising award given to a piece of software that helps drivers save gas at the pumps? That's what Fiat's eco:Drive recently did, and the organizers of the Cannes Cyber Lions, a major event in the advertising industry, didn't praise the software's ability to analyze driver habits wins but instead the way it established a new kind of relationship between consumer and car. The prize was one of the three Grand Prix awarded during the Cannes Cyber Lions.

Since the eco:Drive concept was the object of praise, the organizers set aside the technological side of eco:Drive, including the way it gathers information from the vehicle and how it has been driven into a USB drive that is then plugged into your computer. Using this information, the system gives a detailed analysis of the driver's performance, along with suggestions on how to improve efficiency even further by changing driving habits. Models like it, too.


[Source: Fiat]

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If you count yourself as a fan of the shortened Kangoo that will become the be bod Z.E., Renault's first widely available electric vehicle, this post is for you. On the other side of the jump you'll find three videos that show the car in motion, the interior and undergoing the recharging process. That last video shows the three options that owners of the Renault EV will be able to choose from to recharge their batteries: a regular slow charge at home (takes 6 hours), fast charging (30 minutes) or battery swap (3 minutes). The swapping video is quite similar to what Better Place showed us in this video.


[Source: Renault via YouTube]

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Following the lead of a similar project in Japan, Nissan has kicked off the Nissan Intelligent Driver Project (NIDP) in Europe. The NIDP combines all kinds of technological aids, including telematics, to help drivers reduce fuel consumption. In Europe, the NIDP is an eight-month study that uses satellite navigation systems, cell phone technology and other communication devices to analyze driving habits and suggest ways of improving fuel economy. Nissan has reason to believe that it works. In Japan, the test led to an 18 percent reduction in fuel consumption.

How does this system actually work? The car's fuel economy is displayed to the driver via the navigation system screen and sent to Nissan Global Data Centre for analysis. There, the data is analyzed and published in a website that can be accessed by the driver. Depending on fuel consumption, drivers are rewarded with Bronze, Silver, Gold or even Platinum status (what, no green?). The site also offers space for the drivers to share their impressions and their driving techniques for hypermiling.

[Source: Nissan UK]

BMW has decided to engage futher the European low-CO₂ market segment with the launch of the BMW 316d. The 316d uses the same powertrain as the 116d and gets remarkably low CO₂ emissions of just 118 g/km. In both cars, BMW uses a detuned version of its 4-cylinder 2.0 liter diesel engine, found in 18d, 20d and 23d iterations, depending on power. The difference between the 318d and the 316d isn't much, just lowered carbon dioxide levels of 5 g/km. That little drop can make a big difference for many European taxpayers, though, because in most countries, cars emitting less than 120g/km qualify for a tax bonus. There's a €700 bonus in France, no registration tax in Spain, and the lower VED B tax band in the UK. Of course, fuel consumption for the 316d is also reduced a bit, down to 4.5 l/100km (52mpg U.S.). What's the downside? The 316d starts at around €30,000 in France.

[Source: Le Blog Auto]

A new project to create a nationwide Hydrogen fueling infrastructure in Great Britain had its kickoff meeting at Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) in Bedfordshire. The project is called UK-HyNet and aims to create a complete infrastructure to support the hydrogen economy by 2015. According to Nissan, the network will help the widespread use of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles (HFCVs), which are expected to become more common by 2015. The project is part of Great Britain's Hydrogen Roadmap. The press release, which you can read after the jump, lumps together the future of both pure electric vehicles and HFCVs by using the term low-carbon mobility. The Brits will be able to compare their H₂ progress with a nearby country, Norway, to see how they're doing.


[Source: Nissan]

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Although the closest thing you can get to an electric car at BMW these days is one with Start & Stop technology, a hybrid (in the near future) or, if you're lucky, the Mini E, BMW has a long history of developing electric cars. For the 1972 Olympic games held in Munich, BMW provided a small fleet of orange-colored BMW 1602 Saloons that used a battery-powered electric motor. The cars didn't have much range, thanks lead-acid technology, a 144 V motor with 32 kw (about 43 hp), but they were good enough to be the support car in the marathon.

Following this, BMW made an all-EV model called the E1 in 1993. This all-electric car offered space for four passengers and their luggage, and used lightweight construction. The body was a combination of extrusion-pressed aluminum profiles with the outer skin made of plastic and aluminum. The E1 concept had a maximum speed of 80 mph and weighed less than 2,000 lbs and used a water-cooled motor. Besides the all-electric car, BMW made a hybrid version of the E1. Its internal combustion engine was a modified version of the 4-cylinder BMW K1100 motorcycle mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. It produced 82 hp at 5800 rpm, and the driver could switch between electric-only propulsion for zero-emission city driving and turning on the ICE on the highway.
We've compiled a large gallery of pictures of these models for your enjoyment. Check it out below.

Gallery: BMW EV historic cars

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[Source: BMW, Conceptcarz]