In July, we told you Changan would have a hybrid on the market in 2008. Now, Changan Automobile, the fourth largest automaker in China, is showing off the hybrid Jiexun-HEV. The hybrid is expected on the market soon and some will be donated to the Beijing Olympics next year. Here is Xu Liuping, the president of Changan Automobile, at a celebration ceremony, speaking about Jiexun-HEV:

It took us 6 years to develop this hybrid and it marks the beginning of mass production of hybrid vehicles at our company today. ... We will donate 10 Jiexun hybrid vehicles to the Olympics Games next year. ... The volume production of Jiexun indicates that China has grasped core technologies of hybrid vehicles.

Jiexun-HEV is China's first local-brand hybrid vehicle, fuel economy is improved 20 percent (compared to the non-hybrid version) and it meets EU-IV emission standards. Hybrids have not been too popular in China because of the high price but Xu promises the price for the Jiexun-HEV will be sharply lower than the imports and the company will invest 300 million yuan ($40.7 million) into research and getting the car into production.

Changan has also said their hybrids would be available over seas. So, Jiexun-HEV could be on American streets soon. Are you ready for inexpensive, hybrid cars from China?

Related:

• Chinese car company Chang'an to enter hybrid market
• China's BYD Automobile to make hybrid next year
• Chery has huge plans for hybrids in 2008 and beyond
• Rumor: Chinese automaker FAW to release hybrid based on Mazda 6
• Shanghai Motor Show: Chinese domestics jumping on hybrid bandwagon

[Source: Gasgoo via AutoChannel]

In October, we noticed a Prius in an Ener1 video and predicted Ener1 was working on a plug-in Prius. Later, we read in SEC files that Ener1 would show a demonstration car in December and questioned if the Prius was that car. Turns out we were right, almost. That car in the video did use Ener1's batteries but it was not a plug-in and there is a difference.

Ener1 released a press release today that said they were the first to integrate a lithium-ion battery into a HEV (hybrid electric vehicle). The first? What about all those PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles)? Aren't they just HEVs with a plug? I contacted Ener1 and they schooled me on the differences. Jerry Herlihy, Ener1's Chief Financial Officer, explained:

The battery for HEV is very different than PHEV. It requires power rather than energy density; it requires a large number of cycles; it needs to be safe; it requires a high C rate (time to charge and discharge); it needs to cold crank; it needs to operate in low temperatures, etc. And it has to be affordable.

And Ener1 will be affordable. According to the press release, a video tape of the test drive of the Prius will be made available to the press and the video will be at the Ener1 website soon. Third party testing of the batteries' performance in the Prius will be released the first quarter of 2008. The Ener1 battery gives twice as much power to the Prius electric motor and the increase in performance is expected to be substantial. Ener1 will also give a presentation to registered participants at EVS-23 today. AutoblogGreen's Sebastian is at EVW23, so stay tuned for reports directly from the show floor.

Related:

• Ener1 shuffles management in preparation of battery commercialization
• Ener1 and Th!nk sign the largest contract for lithium-ion batteries in automotive history
• EnerDel plans to sell affordable, lithium-ion battery in 2 years
• Video: Enerdel working on a plug-in Prius?
• Everything you ever wanted to know about Ener1's batteries

[Source: Ener1 press release]

Click image for small photo gallery of the new UPS HEV truck

What can brown do for you? It can be more environmentally responsible when its trucks roll up to your doorstep to deliver that Rockford Files Season 2 box set you've been anxiously awaiting. The package delivery company has just added 50 brand-new HEV delivery trucks to its fleet. Coming in two sizes from either Workhorse Custom Chassis or Freightliner, the new trucks will look just like the other big brown vans, but graphics on the bodywork will clearly identify them as being hybrid electric vehicles.

The hybrid system comes from Eaton, and it combines a downsized clean diesel engine, a Lithium Ion battery pack and an electric motor/generator to increase the new trucks fuel economy by a whopping 44 percent over a traditional diesel-powered van. UPS also states that the 50 new trucks could help eliminate 457 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of the year. If you're in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston or Phoenix, you have a shot at seeing one of the vans, as that's where they've been put into service. UPS is not shy about testing alternative-fuel vehicles in its fleet. Last year the company made headlines when it put a hydraulic hybrid delivery truck into service.

[Source: UPS]