We learned just a few months ago that BMW was preparing to build a fleet of 500 battery-powered MINIs that it would unleash for field testing in California. When we spoke to MINI USA VP Jim McDowell in July, the U.S. staff had been caught as off-guard by the announcement as we had and they didn't know any technical details of the new EVs. However, CAR magazine in the UK has managed to snag some photos of what appears to be an electric MINI prototype. The car in the photos has the standard MINI Cooper S rear bumper but is conspicuously missing the dual tailpipes that normally sit in that indentation in the middle. CAR is also reporting that BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer will unveil the MINI EV at the LA Auto Show in November. All but 10 of the initial batch of 500 cars are expected to be leased to the public beginning in mid-2009 with the others reserved for internal company use. BMW still hasn't revealed any technical details of the car, but hopefully we'll know something soon. All we know so far is that the word "Erprobungsfahrzeug" appears on the signage on the doors and tailgate of the car in the photos. We translate that to mean "test vehicle."

UPDATE: German word fixed.

[Source: CAR]

In the video above from the 2007 LA Auto Show, Kia's public relations manager Alex Fedorak was asked if they have plans for alternative fuel vehicles like hybrids in the 3, 5 or 10 year time span? Alex said they have hybrids in Korea but he thinks it's unlikely those hybrids will come to the US. Here is exactly what was said;

Actually, we have hybrids working right now in Korea. Can hybrids come to the US market: I say unlikely.

Alex then said clean diesel may be coming very soon. The working hybrids in Korea are probably the 4,000 we wrote Kia would field test. We are happy to hear the trials have started but they may not be going very well because were originally heard about a 2009 release, but that is before the 3-year time span Alex was asked about in the question.

Related:

• Kia Rio hybrid makes an appearance, should be here in 2009
• Geneva Preview: Kia's Rio Hybrid
• Will America lose the "electric car race" to China?

[Source: NextGear]

Sebastian and Sam are back for episode 15 of the AutoblogGreen Podcast. We start with a recap of what Sam got to see at the LA Auto Show - the Honda FCX Clarity, Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, as well as the GM 2-Mode Hybrid trucks. While in LA, Sam got to take a thrilling ride in a Tesla Roadster with Daryl Siry of Tesla where they discuss Tesla's future plans, and the challenges you face when bringing a viable EV to market. Sebastian had the chance to talk with Jonathan Williams about a "tri-brid"fuel-cell mini-bus that also has batteries and ultracapacitors on board. There will be more on this when Sebastian reports from EVS23 next wee. The podcast clocks in at 57 minutes this week, enjoy!

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In an interview with Kelly Blue Book at the 2007 LA Auto Show, General Motors hybrid vehicle expert Stephen Poulos says GM's "next generation" BAS (belt alternator starter) hybrid system will keep the same architecture but use lithium-ion batteries giving it more voltage, higher power and significantly increased capability. Here is exactly what Stephen said at the end of the interview when asked what can we look forward to from GM on hybrids:

I can tell you that we are going at this with a huge amount of commitment. We are hiring engineers as fast as we can do it in the hybrid area. We see a significant growth in the number of models that will be hybridized over the future. Recently we announced, Tom Stevens announced, head of GM power train, that we will have a next generation of our GM hybrid system that's in the Malibu. It will be a higher voltage, higher power system. Same basic architecture, motor generator with a belt drive. Significantly increased capability using lithium-ion batteries. So that's one hint out there of what's coming ... but those will be going in a lot of places.

Just another hint that GM is serious about new battery tech, as if we needed another one:

• AutoblogGreen Q&A: Denise Gray talks batteries, state of charge and more
• First prototype Chevy Volt battery packs arrive
• GM and Johnson Controls say the government must help develop next-gen batteries

[Source: YouTube]

There was a rumor at the 2007 LA Auto Show that there will be hybrid version of the 2009 Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix. The Pontiac Vibe is a product of NUMMI, New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., a joint venture between GM and Toyota. So, if the rumor is true, GM and Toyota are working on a hybrid together right now.

Toyota wants to license their hybrid technology and GM has worked with other companies on their own hybrid system. I am not a big fan of what-ifs but making a hybrid is not something that's lightly considered and it would explain a lot of things like why has GM not come out with a full hybrid passenger car yet. Of course, the hybrid Vibe might also be a mild hybrid without any real exchange or license of technology.

I guess we find out soon enough; the 2009 Vibe and Matrix go on sale the first quarter of 2008.

[Source: New York Times]

The video above is Wolfgang Durheimer, Porsche's chief engineer, talking about the Lohner Porsche at the 2007 LA Auto Show. The Lohner was invented and patented by Porsche's founder Ferdinand Porsche in 1899, when Ferdinand was just 23, and included in-hub electric motors on all four wheels. The Lohner was the first four wheel drive vehicle, included a battery-charging gas motor as a range extender and when Porsche released their first hybrid in 1901, they gave it a name that translates to "lasts forever."

Below the fold is CNET's look at Hyundai's QarmaQ concept which is made from 900 recycled plastic bottles. CNET's editor-at-large, Brian Cooley, lists the many advantages of a plastic car over on made from metal: safer for pedestrians in an accident, better shapes and lighter weight. SABIC Innovative Plastics, formally GE Plastics, says they are in talks with carmakers; plastic panels may be just a few years away.

[Source: YouTube]

In GM's LA Auto Show press conference, which you can watch above in full, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Development, Bob Lutz says the same thing we reported GM CEO's Rick Wagoner said: GM will release sixteen hybrids in the next four years. Here is the exact quote:

If you want to talk hybrids; we are introducing four more hybrids in the US this year. In fact, counting the new Saturn Green Line, we are introducing sixteen hybrids in the next four years. That's one about every three months.

Bob continues saying that the 16 will include vehicles with GM's full, two-mode hybrids. Before that, Bob said GM has a goal of making and selling the most fuel efficient car in every available category, and mentioned the company already has the most fuel-efficient pick ups and has sold 2.5 M flex fuel cars. GM announced its "strong intent" to be the "world wide fuel solutions leader and undisputed environmental and technological leader in the industry." Bob says they are going to do it across their entire line of cars and not just with a single iconic green car, which Bob says they will have anyway. Bob even hinted at a lot more flex fuel cars coming from GM, whic makes me wonder if some big announcement is coming.

Basically, GM is talking to Toyota Muhammad Ali-style: we are the best and we are going to kick your butt!

[Source: Podtech]

The video above is a very good tour of all the green cars at the LA Auto Show in just 3 minutes. The tour guide has great observations and funny lines like the Volt was missing and he hoped this was not "a shadow of things to come." Below the fold are two more videos from the show and the first is a presentation of GM's hemi hybrid Chrysler Aspen hybrid and Dodge Durango hybrid. The video begins with a joke that you never expect someone to roll down their window and ask "hey, is that a hybrid?" Ha, ha, once again GM reiterates that their hybrids ARE NOT SMALL. Finally, below the fold is a video all about Toyota's fuel cell FCHV, which drove 2,300 miles across Canada.

Related:

• 2007 LA Auto Show videos: Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro, Honda FCX Clarity, Katie Couric
• 2007 LA Auto Show videos: Porsche Cayenne hybrid, Volkswagen Space Up!, Chevy Silverado hybrid

[Source: YouTube]

Here are some more videos from the 2007 LA Auto Show for you. Above is video of the new Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro, a two-door SUV that would have easily made our recent top 10 list of two-door SUVs. Below the fold are two more videos from the LA Auto Show including a video of the Honda FCX Clarity on the road and one of Katie Couric talking about Smart Cars at the LA Auto Show. Katie says Smart already has 30,000 pre-orders for the tiny car. Stay tuned for more videos from the show as they become available.

Related:

• 2007 LA Auto Show videos: Porsche Cayenne hybrid, Volkswagen Space Up!, Chevy Silverado hybrid

[Source: YouTube]

At last year's LA Auto Show, someone from the Rainforest Action Network held a protest which included a giant contract. RAN is back in LA this year, got thrown out again after being caught by a Toyota manager with a fake name badge and RAN put the video on YouTube. In the above video from RAN's YouTube page, Bob Carter, General Manger of US Sales for Toyota, is asked to pull Toyota off the California lawsuit. After taking a breath, Bob says, "Were you with, ah. This is not Dave Schembri. Thank you sir." You then see a hand grabbing the video camera.

According to the Chicago Tribune, after what you see in the video, Bob knocked the camera out of the fake Dave's hand, security guards separated the two men and the fake Dave was escorted out by police. Bob says "For someone to wear a name badge of a friend of mine, I knew something was up. That's not right." Dave Schembri is actually head of Mercedes-Benz's Smart division.

All of this took place after the introduction of Toyota Sequoia 2008 which RAN seems to want to bring attention. Below the fold is a video of protests outside the LA Auto Show. Jim Lentz, president of Toyota's U.S. division, says "We knew we would become more of a target in terms of looking at what we do, good or bad." Irv Miller, Toyota's corporate communications director, says "It's probably on YouTube now. That's freedom of speech."

And he's right, it is on YouTube. Toyota says they won't press charges.

[Source: YouTube, Chicago Tribube]

Feel like you're missing all the good stuff from LA? Perhaps some videos will ease the pain. The video above shows Porsche representatives at the 2007 LA Auto Show talking about hybrids. As we just reported, Porsche says their hybrids will go 75 MPH on battery power. Below the fold are two videos, including one that looks at the modern, clean design of the Volkswagen Space Up! concept. The second video is of GM's green giant (ho, ho, ho!), the Chevy Silverado Hybrid. Stay tuned, as we have many more video round ups from the 2007 LA Auto Show on the way.

[Source: YouTube]

I get the feeling that the Los Angeles Auto Show organizers want to deflect a bit of attention that the Frankfurt IAA is getting. The IAA should be in the news these days, as it's just two weeks away. The LA show doesn't kick off until mid-November, but that didn't stop the promotion company from sending out a press release for the fall event, sort of a "hey, don't forget about us" memo.

Last year, the LA show organizers moved their event to November from January to stand out from the Detroit show. It's not like we'd forget to cover it this year - last year the LA show was where GM announced the plug-in Saturn Vue and this year we're being promised "at least a dozen world premieres of production and/or concept vehicles from nine top automakers" and then there's this: "This year's show will continue its focus on the latest "green" auto technology and anticipates significant alternative fuel vehicle news as well as the announcement of the 2008 Green Car of the Year." - but we need to cover the Frankfurt show first, K? I guess people in LA just want as much attention as possible.

[Source: Los Angeles Auto Show]

As part of the Los Angeles Design Challenge that goes along with next week's Los Angeles Auto Show, a group of designers from GM has created the Hummer O2. Right now this green Hummer is only a set of drawings and will probably never be built, but it's an interesting idea. The body panels are filled with algae that turn absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Since algae only has a limited life span, it would seem like it would have to be replenished periodically, If you've ever cleaned out pond or fountain, you know the algae can get pretty messy, so this might not be a very practical proposal. But at least people are thinking about it.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

There's a lot of hype leading up to this year's LA Auto Show. Not only are we up to 12 confirmations on world debuts, but for the first time it's being recognized by the OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles). In all the glitz and glamor just don't forget about LA's proximity to the design studios of nearly every major automaker as well as the renowned Pasadena Art Center.

For the third consecutive year, LAAS is hosting a design challenge based on environmental sustainability. Among the entries will be a vehicle with fully recyclable body coverings, another that is pedal-powered and one that even implements algae-filled panels. This year's nine entries and entrants are...

• Acura FCX 2020 Le Mans -- Acura Design Center
• Audi Dynamic Space Frame -- Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California
• Honda Extreme -- Honda Research & Development
• Hummer O2 -- General Motors Advanced Design, California
• Kia Sandstorm -- Hyundai Kia America Design Center
• Mercedes-Benz RECY (pictured) -- Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America
  
• Mini BioMoke -- BMW Group DesignworksUSA
• Toyota RLV -- CALTY Design Research
• Volkswagen Nanospyder -- Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California

The judges for this year's contest are include a relatively influential group of names from the design industry: Tom Matano of San Francisco's Academy of Art, Imre Molner of Detroit's College for Creative Studies (CCS), Stewart Reed from Pasadena Art Center and Bill Van Amburg of Calstart (a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing transportation technologies in the fields of clean air and improved energy efficiency). Judging will undoubtedly be difficult, but aren't we really all just excited to see the far-out foresight of each of the concepts?

[Source: LA Auto Show, hat tip to Jacob Gordon of Treehugger]

Two big announcements from Honda recently concerning what the company has in store for the future. As we noted yesterday, the company says ethanol is not efficient, and doesn't see the biofuel as part of its future strategy. So, what is? A new hybrid in, maybe, 2009, and third-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The hybrid, hinted at at the company's 2007 lineup introduction, will be a "high-volume seller with a price and body-size below the current Civic Hybrid", according to Kicking Tires. KT figures this hybrid may get better miles per gallon than the Civic Hybrid. As for the shape, Honda said it will have a "unique body style", so we'll just have to guess and wait.

As for the third-generation fuel cell vehicle, it will be unveiled in Los Angeles at the LA Auto Show in December. The 3rd gen powertrain will be put into the still-in-development FCX, Honda told Edmund's Inside Line. The FCX is a five-passenger luxury sedan unveiled last year. This powertrain won't be the mass-market version, but it's a step closer, the company told IL. Honda had said they plan on producing the FCX for the market in about three to four years.

Related:

• Honda says no to ethanol, says it's not efficient

[Source: Edmunds and Kicking Tires]