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When Porsche's new four-door Panamera goes on sale this fall, it will have two powertrains available: a 4.8-liter V8s with and without turbochargers. The only other powertrain Porsche has committed to is the hybrid system that will debut in the Cayenne next year. Two other options are likely to appear in the Panamera as well. A gasoline V6 is probable, most likely the new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that is debuting in the Audi S4 and A6 this year.

The other option may well be a diesel from within the Volkswagen Group. The 3.0-liter TDI V6 is launching in the Cayenne this year and is the most likely candidate for the Panamera. Given the Panamera's performance capabilities, it could also get the 4.2-liter TDI V8 that's used in the European Audi Q7 and A8. The choice of diesel or hybrid Panameras would help Porsche meet upcoming CO₂ emissions regulations in Europe and the USA.


All photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: AutoCar]

Iceland is a gorgeous place. Just take a look at these Flickr submissions from the island. The country's finances aren't quite so pretty these days, and the reality of the financial crisis is dramatically slowing down the country's attempted shift to a hydrogen economy. Iceland has been testing hydrogen-powered vehicles for years, and the first hydrogen fueling station opened there in late 2007. One reason for the move to hydrogen is that the island country can fairly easily use geothermal energy to make hydrogen from water. The New York Times says that the shift to get all ground transportation vehicles and some boats to hydrogen power "have been set back at least 10 years and may have to be altered to allow for electric cars." The problem? The cost of fuel cells and the down world economy. A professor of chemistry at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik told the Times:

In the past years, teams from all the big car manufacturing companies visited us and said they intended to market fuel cell-powered hydrogen cars shortly after 2010. Of course, because of the current world crisis, there will be a delay.

Those of you rooting for electric vehicles to win out over H₂, don't forget that the Mitsubishi iMiEV is currently undergoing testing in Iceland. Of course, a busted economy can sink all ships, so don't enjoy the schadenfreude too much.

[Source: New York Times]
Photo by Neate Photos. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Toyota FT-EV concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's not terribly surprising that Toyota – the automaker often credited for creating the first modern mainstream hybrid automobile – would seek to continue establishing its marketplace dominance in hybrid automobiles. The Prius alone has sold well over a million units since its inception in 1997 and is undoubtedly the vehicle that defines the eco-friendly automobile market. With that in mind, don't expect the Japanese automaker to make any wholesale changes to its plans for world hybrid domination in favor of electric cars or diesels. Toyota spokesman Curt McAllister said:

One of the obstacles of the diesel is the aged perception that the diesel is smoky and stinky. It's hard to change the mind-set of consumers. Hybrid technology has such a clean halo to it.

In a separate interview, incoming President Akio Toyoda added:

Electric cars' battery life is limited, and that has not been solved. We would like to utilize our hybrid technology because we have accumulated quite a bit of knowledge about battery usage for hybrid cars. Depending on how electric cars are used or how they are found to be valuable, for the time being Toyota would like to focus on hybrid technology.

[Sources: AutoWeek, GM-Volt.com]

For a guy who allegedly wants a lot of the credit for creating Tesla Motors, Elon Musk certainly doesn't seem to like the job of being its CEO. As part of Daimler's investment deal with Tesla, Musk needed to commit to staying on as Tesla's CEO at least until the Model S launches in 2011. Musk told Reuters:

I didn't really have a choice. This was a requirement of Daimler that I remain CEO of Tesla through the Model S launch and then continue to be part of Tesla in a chairman role beyond that. It's flattering, but at the same time it's golden handcuffs.

Well, that sure makes it sound like fun, doesn't it? It's clear that Musk has always been interested in projects other than EVs (e.g.: electric planes and SpaceX), but does he have to make running one of the hippest electric car companies around sound like a drag?

Another nugget from the article: one of the reasons the price on the Roadster was raised was to help qualify Tesla Motors for the DOE loan it later received. Musk said, "We did the minimum we needed to do to make the business work."


[Source: Reuters]

With Ford taking on a $5.9 billion loan from the DOE and President Obama in favor of a million plug-in vehicles by 2015, how might the money help Ford put plugs on upcoming vehicles. Ford was quite clear that the DOE money will be used to improve the fuel efficiency of 13 models and get them on roads soon, but the medium-term plans do call for more outlets. Speaking to Reuters recently, Ford's director of hybrid vehicle programs, Nancy Gioia, predicted that "from 10 to 25 percent" of Ford's vehicles will be electrified in some way by 2020. The first step is to convince drivers that plugging in makes sense. For this, Ford is working with utilities around the U.S. to gather data on driver behavior with plug-ins, especially with the Escape plug-in hybrid. As Ford CEO Alan Mulally said last week, "We cannot do it alone."


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Reuters]

In an interview with the German magazine Motor Zeitung, Porsche's R&D director Wolfgang Dürheimer discussed the possibility of electrification of the iconic 911 sports car. Legendary Porsche tuners Ruf first showed a prototype battery-powered 911 called the eRuf last fall and then revealed a second-generation version (pictured)at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The eRuf Greenster was a major improvement over the original and Dürheimer praised the achievement of the smaller company.

Dürheimer doesn't rule out a electrified sports car in the future, but feels the technology is not ready for Porsche yet. The problem is the size and weight of the batteries in their current state. Even discarding the conventional powertrain leaves the Greenster with a deficit of at least 500 pounds compared to a conventional 911 and no luggage space. As battery technology progresses however, we can certainly expect a battery-powered sports car to emerge from Zuffenhausen in due course.


[Source: Motor Zeitung]
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Diesel's near-term prospects in America took a huge hit with the revelation that nine diesel-powered 2010 models are on hold. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have put the kibosh on rolling out more oil burners due to cost and perception issues.

Toyota's obviously on a hybrid run and doesn't want to expelnd the effort or expense of investing in diesel for the American market - and having to overcome America's dirty diesel perceptions. The others, as mass market manufacturers, simply need more justification for the cost and complexity of oil burners in order to make the case for consumers to spend more.

Additionally, diesel's benefits are weighted differently according to EPA or CAFE standards. The EPA mileage numbers present diesels well, but CAFE's differing fuel mileage equation makes gas-hybrids look better than diesels, and CAFE is something all automakers are looking at. However, you'll notice that German brands aren't mentioned - their price premium and European diesel volumes make a worthwhile case for diesels, so those diesel Jetta Sportwagons won't be going away any time soon.


[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

And the battle goes on. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and his company are fighting back in court against ex-CEO Martin Eberhard. Tesla spokeswoman Rachel Konrad sent us copies of two motions filed on June 29 in California Superior Court in San Mateo. In short, the defendants are claiming that Eberhard's claims are utterly baseless. Tesla is proclaiming that Eberhard's action is a SLAPP suit (SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) and is an attempt to intimidate and silence a critic by burdening him with a costly, time-consuming legal defense.

Konrad goes on to explain:

"Please note that this isn't a "counter claim." Rather, Tesla is seeking an "anti-SLAPP motion" to get Eberhard's meritless lawsuit dismissed because:

• Eberhard's lawsuit is a personal attack full of false statements, and it paints a fictitious picture of Tesla's history that is sharply at odds with the truth.
• Eberhard's lawsuit seeks to stifle robust debate and create a "chilling effect" on the right to free speech. As the filing states, "His lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to curb open discourse on matters of importance to the public and to extract money from Tesla in the bargain. He also takes the extraordinary (and hypocritical) step of seeking an injunction that would prevent Musk from exercising his free speech rights in public or private."

Interestingly, the motions were filed and copies were sent to ABG before Eberhard had received them or they had been posted on the court web-site. You can read the two Tesla motions here and here.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Is the Detroit News becoming a home for anti-electric vehicle advocates? Last week, the News published a mostly confusing article by Manny Lopez that criticized the DOE loan that Tesla received. Another column, this one by Neil Winton, is titled, "Electric cars attract hype, but reality is less exciting" and gives Winton's European perspective on the EV market. Winton makes more coherent points than Lopez, but he still comes down pretty hard on EVs, citing range issues and price as the two big hurdles. This is certainly something we've heard before, and Winton isn't convinced by EV supporters who say things will work out just fine if governments give the cars one more push (tax break, R&D funding, etc.). As a warning, Winton points to the Wankel rotary engine and its rise and fall in the 1960s.

Winton relied on a market forecast by CSM Worldwide for some of his predictions. CSM found that " enthusiasm for electrification has lost all contact with reality," according to Winton. CSM's numbers predict that, globally, there will be just 132,000 plug-in vehicles (pure EVs and hybrids) from major automakers in 2015. Previously, CSM has declared that microcars won't play a big (pardon the pun) role in the U.S. market.


Coda sedan photos Copyright ©2009 Mike Levine

[Source: Detroit News]

When President Obama signed the Cash-for-Clunkers bill into law back on June 24th, the Transportation Department was given 30 days to set the official rules and regulations for the program that put the actual plan into motion. According to the official CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) site, the NHTSA intends to get the deed done a day early by July 23rd. Although the paper the President signed stipulated that consumers may be eligible for the program starting on Wednesday, July 1st, the Transportation Department is warning dealers not the jump the gun:

Interested dealers and consumers may want to wait until all of the detailed issues that must be addressed in the implementing regulations are resolved. If a dealer chooses to structure a transaction before the final rule is issued, they will bear the risks associated with later demonstrating that the transaction meets all of the specifications of the final rule.

Dealerships who violate the official rules and regulations may be subject to fines of up to $15,000. Still have questions? Click here to see the complete list of FAQs straight from the NHTSA.

[Source: CARS | Photo: kudzuplanet CC 2.0]