Following Audi CEO Rupert Stadler's declaration that the German automaker would be building an EV within the next decade, things seem to be moving along inside the VAG group. Although a pilot project, Audi has signed an agreement with Japanese supplier Sanyo to develop batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. The automaker intends to use the lithium-ion batteries in the second and third generation of Sanyo's technolgy. The upcoming Q7 Hybrid will have nickel-metal batteries supplied by Sanyo.
The project is eventually expected to reach €1 billion, but the scope is developing the technology for the highest number of models possible, including small cars (VW Up, Audi A1). Sanyo will benefit from a solid project after three years of restructuring the company.
Despite Europe's love affair with diesels, which seems to have largely kept Europeans away from embracing hybrids, most trips are less than 40km, a territory where hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs have a lot to say.
The BlueMotion moniker is the denomination that Volkswagen gives to its low CO2-producing models. Such a label might not seem appropriate for a 7-seat minivan, but that didn't stop the Sharan BlueMotion from making its introduction at Geneva in February. Now, the Sharan BlueMotion is on sale in Germany. The BlueMotion designation means CO2 emissions of 159g/km compared to the 177g/km from the regular model. Average fuel consumption of the new van is 6 l/100 km (38mpg U.S.) which is quite impressive for a seven-passenger vehicle of this size. The Sharan is propelled by a 140hp 2.0L TDI engine with a diesel particulate filter at the exhaust. Prices start at €32,200.
In the name of increased efficiency, and quite possibly playing the game of automotive one-upmanship, luxury automakers such as Mercedes Benz, BMW and Lexus have been adding more and more gear ratios to their automatic transmissions. By allowing a computer to choose the most appropriate ratio for any given scenario, the vehicle's engine is required to only make as much power as absolutely necessary, potentially saving fuel in the process. ZF, one of the largest transmission makers in the world, claims that their new 8-speed unit boasts an efficiency increase of eleven percent over its older 6-speed unit. The transmission giant has just developed a new modification, though, which could increase the overall vehicle efficiency even further. By adding a hydraulic impulse storage unit, the new ZF unit can support stop/start functionality, which they claim can result in an additional five percent reduction in fuel consumption.
At the INTERMOT show in Cologne, Germany, running from October 8-12 this year, there will be a special section at the Innovation Centre which will showcase alternative drive two- and three-wheelers. The show will include vehicles that are already on the market, like the Vectrix scooter and electric E-Max scooter, and future vehicles, like a natural gas-powered Suzuki and hybrid Piaggio MP3, on display. A solar-powered test track powered by Salon AG will be on-hand for visitors to test out some of the latest electrically-driven machines and to recharge spent electric vehicles.
INTERMOT organizers believe that now is the time to put alternative energy on display, and they are intending to highlight the fact that environmentally friendly does not necessarily equal low performance. Besides alternatively-powered vehicles, the exhibit will also display eco-friendly parts, accessories and clothing related to the two-wheeled industry. The entire list of all INTERMOT exhibitors can be found at this link.
Audi has announced a minor mid-cycle refreshment for the 2009 European A3 models. The updates include light improvements, a redesigned tailgate and day-time running lights made standard, as well as new additional LED lights. We're most interested in the engine updates. Audi announced that the European A3s will include five gasoline (one flex fuel) version and three diesels. The 1.6 unit develops 102 hp, the 1.4 TFSI 125 hp, the 1.8 TFSI 160 hp and the 2.0 TFSI 200 hp, while the 3.2 quattro with its six cylinders churns out 250 hp. As for the diesel powertrains, the 1.9 TDI delivers 105 hp and the 2.0 TDI 140 hp or 170 hp, depending on specifications. The two latter diesels also have the newest piezo-electric injectors technology.
The 1.6 gasoline engine can be ordered in an E85-compatible version and the 1.9 TDI has an "e" version with fuel consumption of 4.5 l/100 km (52 mpg U.S.). Audi also claims that friction in the 1.8 and 2.0 TFSI engines has been reduced to improve fuel efficiency. Check out the full press release after the jump.
Click to view more of the Gumpert Apollo in hi-res
Endurance sportscar racing continues to lead the way in green motorsports, as independent German automaker Gumpert prepares to campaign a hybrid version of its Apollo supercar at the upcoming 24-hour race at the Nurburgring next month. Known as "the green hell," the Nurburgring Nordschleife makes a rather fitting debut for the hybrid race car.
The Apollo hybrid will use a 100kW electric motor – charged under braking – to supplement the gasoline-burning 630hp twin-turbo V8, and will be driven by former F1 pilot Heinz-Harald Frentzen alongside Dirk Muller. Gumpert noted that with the upcoming kinetic energy recovery system being instituted in Formula One and its star F1 driver, it hopes to spur the development of green racing when the hybrid Gumpert lines up on the grid on May 24 alongside such alternative-energy racers as the Audi R10 TDI and Peugeot 908 HDi. View the images in the gallery by clicking the thumbnails below and read the press release after the jump.
Although The Great Race has been postponed due to the recall of travel permits through China, the show will go on. According to the official website, "Great Race Sports owners, executives and participants are dedicated to honoring the history of this illustrious race." We think that the race, assuming it does take place, could gather a great deal of attention the world over. We've been keeping an eye on the race with posts on the E85-powered 1967 Aston Martin DB6 that will take part and other ethanol participants. This bears watching.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has inaugurated the "first refinery of second generation" biofuels in Freiberg. The plant, owned by Choren, which partners with car companies VW and Daimler and the Shell oil company, produces BTL (biomass-to-liquid) fuel from any kind of biomass, such as wood chips, straw, weeds or leftover milk rejected by the agrofood industry.
The plans is to have the plant produce 18 million liters of Choren's Carbo-V (a type of biodiesel). Choren's Carbo-V is obtained through a sophisticated 3-step process (gasification, gas treatment and hydrocracking) which transforms any kind of biomass into a biodiesel-like fuel ready to be used in diesel vehicles without further modification. If successful, Choren will spend 1 billion euros in a bigger plant to produce 200,000 million liters of BTL fuel per year.
It seems so often the case that proposed regulations start out quite high and are then bartered down when the affected parties complain loud enough. This could again be the case with European Union legislation targeting automobile emissions. When the laws were first being considered, the bar was set at 120 grams of C02 per kilometer for an entire automaker's fleet of vehicles. First, we heard news that German car companies may be able to negotiate a break on these requirements, and now we hear that the entire industry could get a few more years via a graduated scale to bring their offerings in line with the law. After all is said and done, we wonder what the legislation will look like, if it ever goes through at all.
Just a few years ago, the idea of driving a diesel cabrio was somewhat outrageous as it was, basically, impossible to get one. But diesels have evolved a lot, and modern powertrains almost match gasoline cars in terms of sound-proofing and comfort while keeping fuel consumption down. The only issue is that these models, and correct me if I'm wrong, are only available for Europeans, where taxes on fuels and purchase schemes based on CO2 emission levels.
So if you wanted to have a look at these diesel options for European consumers, follow us after the jump. There's a little something for everybody, from the Jeep to the Smart.
Even though we heard a report to the contrary just yesterday, government sources in France and Germany have told Thomson Financial that they are not about to reach a deal on CO2 emissions. As you might know, French automakers are not putting up as big a fight over low-CO2 emissions the way the dirty German automakers are. After all, it's Daimler, BMW, Porsche and Audi, after all, who have the most to lose should penalties of 20 euros per gram of CO2 over the 120 limit kick in in 2012 (it could climb to 95 euros in 2015)
The governments are fighting the proxy battle in the EU over changes to the emissions regulations being proposed by the European Commission. While Reuters said there was "progress" in the discussions, Thompson reports that German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his French counterpart, Jean-Louis Borloo, cancelled a meeting to discuss the issue without rescheduling. Oh, and that compromise that might have been reached by the mid-June EU summit? That now looks unlikely.
Few would argue that Germany is known for its cars, as well as for their high-speed roadways. Manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche have a well-deserved reputation for building awe-inspiring cars ... which also emit plenty of polllutants into the air. Keeping these facts in mind, we have a hard time imagining German politicians riding around in hybrid cars, let alone bicycles. Still, "It's just embarrassing when all parties preach climate protection and then drive around Berlin in fat luxury cars," says Winfried Hermann, the Green Party's transport spokesman. In order to make the transition from Porsche's to pedals, the Green Party wants the Bundestag (those with seats in Parliament) to trade in their current cars for hybrids and to have access to the rental bicycles available in cities across Germany.
Like other companies, Ford has released a note stating that all Ford cars in Germany can run on E10. This blend of 10 percent ethanol into 95 RON unleaded gasoline will be standard in all German pumps starting in January 2009. There is, however, one exception: any Ford Mondeo 1.8 SCis built between 2004 and 2006. These models featured direct-injection technology that can't cope with the ethanol blend. The note was released so that Ford owners feel comfortable when they're at the pump. While adding a small percentage of ethanol to gasoline is a common thing in the U.S., it isn't in Europe, and so motorists there have expressed hesitation with the biofuel.
We are extremely pleased that Volkswagen was able to achieve such phenomenal fuel mileage and emissions numbers from their Golf TDI Hybrid. As a refresher, the machine uses a 1.2 liter three-cylinder diesel engine paired with a 26 horsepower electric motor and returns 69 U.S. mpg and 89 g/km of CO2 emissions in the EU combined cycle. As we've reported, the car is slated for production in Europe, but what about the U.S.? Don't we need cars that deliver high mileage and low emissions here too? Of course we do, but the question that needs to be asked is whether American drivers are ready to pay for the technology required to make these numbers a reality.
The Toyota Prius has set the standard for what consumers expect from green cars, and it is priced rather well - less than $25 grand, well equipped. Diesel vehicles have never sold as well in the States as they do in Europe, despite their fuel mileage increases. This is due, partly, to the added cost that comes with a diesel vehicle in order to meet emissions requirements. Keith Price, a spokesman for VW USA says,"From a consumer standpoint, it comes down to 'What kind of compromise do I need to live with to enjoy all this wonderfulness?'" Price is one compromise that is hard to get around, as VW's diesels already cost about $2,000 more than gasoline models. Add in what the hybrid system will cost on top of that and the Golf... um, I mean Rabbit TDI Hybrid may price itself out of the market. We sincerely hope not.
BMW is going to start selling the 316i in Austria this month. The vehicle's small engine, mated to the Bavarian marque's "Efficient Dynamics" package, makes the 3-series' entry car a competent performer. The 1.6 liter engine puts out 122 HP while using 5.9 liters of gas per 100 km (that's about 40 mpg U.S.). Regarding CO2 emissions, the car produces 142 g/km. According to the press release, "the BMW 316i scores not only by its low entry price, but above all by moderate maintenance costs." How much? From 26,950 EUR in Austria.
At the INTERMOT show in Cologne, Germany, running from October 8-12 this year, there will be a special section at the Innovation Centre which will showcase alternative drive two- and three-wheelers. The show will include vehicles that are already on the market, like the 
