The United States Army began testing GEM cars in April 2008 at its garrison in Grafenworh, Germany to see if the vehicles would be a worthwhile addition to its fleet of on base vehicles. Unfortunately, the small neighborhood electric vehicles did not pass muster and the Army will be discontinuing the trial and will not pursue expanding their electric vehicle fleet.

“During the trial, soldiers used one of the electric cars, which featured a pick-up truck-style flatbed, for on-post inspections of trash sites. Another car was used for mail runs on base, while the last was used for housing area checks.” (Source: Stars and Stripes)

The Army was dissatisfied with both the range of the vehicles and the reliability of the product stating that the vehicles broke down too often. This does not signify an end of the use of electric vehicles for the Army, as they are not swearing off EVs in the future. This is merely an end to the use of Chrysler-owned GEM cars.

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Filed Under: Europe, electric vehicles

The North American International Auto Show has been plagued with dropouts and scale backs but Fisker Automotive, creator of the Karma luxury plug-in hybrid sedan, will be unveiling its newest concept car in Detroit.

The new concept is rumored to be a convertible coupe version of the Karma – the Fisker Sunset. Early details about the Sunset suggest that the convertible version will be available for purchase in 2009 and will likely share the Q-Drive Powertrain technology that is used in the Karma.

Fisker Automotive is receiving a healthy dose of media coverage after the Karma was named as one of the finalists in the 2009 Green Car Vision Award. The winner of the Green Car Journal’s Green Car Vision Award will be announced on February 3, 2009 at the Washington Auto Show.

The Fisker Automotive press conference on January 12, 2009 will feature the debut of the concept. In the interim, Fisker has left us with a teaser photo.

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Filed Under: Auto Shows

Ford Motors enthusiastically announced that its newest hybrid, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, would come with an official EPA fuel efficiency rating of 41 mpg (city). This tops its competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, by eight miles per gallon and exceeds Ford’s estimation by three miles per gallon.

The exciting fuel efficiency rating is being overshadowed now by an announcement about a battery shortage for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

In an online chat with employees last week, Ford Americas President Mark Fields said, “We are constrained by the amount of components, including batteries, that the supply base can provide us.” (Source: HybridCars)

That is a significant constraint in my opinion. You cannot meet your sales goals if you cannot supply this vehicle with its hybrid cattery system. Evidently, this is not the first time that a battery shortage has altered car manufacturers’ plans - the same thing happened in the summer of 2008 with the Ford Escape.

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Filed Under: Ford

Earlier this month I posted about a Fleetwood RV Hybrid Concept that was making an appearance at the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association trade show in Kentucky. At the time, I didn’t think I’d be writing about another green RV any time in the near future but much to my surprise (and delight), a green recreational vehicle will be on display at the 2009 Florida RV SuperShow in January 2009.

“The Green RV uses six solar panels and a wind turbine. It also captures and stores rainwater for use later as fresh, sanitary water. The RV has everything found in today’s homes: complete kitchen, queen-sized bed, full bath and entertainment center. It even has walls that slide out at the touch of a button.” (Source: PR Newswire)

The appearance at the Florida show will be the start of an 11 month North American Tour - “Conservation through Exploration.” The owner of the RV, Brian Brawdy, has received national media recognition and has appeared on Good Morning America and The Early Show.

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Filed Under: Auto Shows

Kelley Blue Book’s website, kbb.com, is a fantastic tool for consumers that need to research a new or used vehicle. The KBB site launched a section dedicated to green motoring topics earlier this year and now the site has released its top 20 list of most researched new cars in 2008. When looking back at the insane gas prices that the nation faced this summer, it is not surprising to see that several fuel-efficient models made the list.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic was the most researched new vehicle on KBB in 2008. The website garnered more than 140 million unique visitors in 2008 and the Honda Civic takes the top spot as the most researched out of those millions of visitors. The site did not differentiate between the various models but even the non-hybrid Civic is relatively fuel-efficient.

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius was the seventh most researched new vehicle on KBB this year. In the first half of the year, the Prius was a highly sought after vehicle and several areas of the country and even fetched a premium. Unfortunately, the Prius did not end the year with a great sales record do to the rapid decline of gas prices.

Toyota Yaris

The fuel efficient Toyota Yaris made its first appearance in the top 20 this year with a 11th position rank. The Yaris also made it on the KBB list of 2009 models that are expected to have the best resale values.

Volkswagen Jetta

The Volkswagen Jetta squeaked on to the top 20 list coming in at number 20. The Jetta base model is not a picture of fuel efficiency but the Volkswagen Jetta TDI has been topping lists left and right and was ultimately named the 2009 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal.

“The year’s roller-coaster fuel prices reflect many shifts in the 2008 list versus last year’s list in 2007, with smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles seeing more traffic than in years past.” (Source: PR Newswire)

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Filed Under: Volkswagen, honda, toyota

Toyota has teamed up with eBay Motors to allow potential car buyers to search through their local Toyota dealership’s certified used vehicle inventory including the popular Toyota Prius model.

“The TCUV program combines the confidence of purchasing a new vehicle with the value of a used vehicle to provide a “like new” ownership experience. Toyota certified used vehicles offer consumers a smart alternative to traditional used car options and give them the peace of mind they seek in a used vehicle. TCUV posted sales of 253,855 vehicles this year through November, an increase of 1.5 percent over the same period last year.” (Source: PR Newswire)

A quick search in my area came up with 10 certified pre-owned Prius out of 110 for sale. The vehicles that are part of the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) program come with a much higher price tag than their non-certified counterparts have. This is to be expected, however, as dealerships have a much higher overhead than private parties.

There are several items listed in the “Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Advantage” document but the biggest seems to be if you plan to finance a used Prius. Customers purchasing a certified used Prius are eligible to receive new car financing rates. Other benefits of a certified used Prius are a 3 month/3,000 mile warranty, a 160-point inspection and a CARFAX vehicle history report (which you can order for yourself separately).

The program is convenient for a customer that requires a certified used vehicle but if you are looking for a Prius at a great rate, you may want to skip over the factory certified vehicles and save yourself a few thousand dollars.

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Filed Under: Used Cars, toyota

Warren Buffet-backed BYD Autos has officially released the BYD F3DM for purchase in China. The model uses a dual mode hybrid system with a driving range of 62 miles on a charge, which is significantly greater than a Toyota Prius.

“As China’s first mass-produced electric hybrid car and BYD’s latest flagship model, the F3DM will be attached with a new blue BYD label specially designed for BYD new-energy cars. The electric hybrid F3DM has been approved for production and sale by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) - the state regulator of China’s auto industry. The Chinese government is encouraging automakers to make clean-energy vehicles.” (Source: BYD Autos)

The vehicle is priced nearly twice that of an average vehicle in China but it is still expected to sell relatively well. The company will be appearing at the 2009 North American International Auto Show and plans to bring the F3DM to the US in 2010 – just in time to compete with the much-anticipated Chevy Volt.

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Filed Under: BYD Autos

Russian actor and racecar driver, Nikolai Fomenko, unveiled his newest venture, a hybrid super car. Russian may not be known for its contributions to eco-friendly motoring but Fomenko hopes to put the country on the map with the creation of his new company – EMM.

“The company’s first project will be the rather stunning Marussia sports car, which features an environmentally friendly hybrid drivetrain. On top of that, Fomenko hopes that the company will produce a completely electric car, possibly something similar to the Tesla, later on. For now though, hybrid technology is a lot more viable.” (Source: NextAutos)

There aren’t many solid details about the car other than that it will be built using borrowed technology so nothing new and exciting will be implemented – aside from the Russian super car aspect. Although this vehicle is not groundbreaking news on the technological front, it is great to see other countries get in on the green vehicle movement.

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Filed Under: General

The Toyota Prius is a fantastic choice for a hybrid vehicle with stellar fuel efficiency, room for five plus cargo and a solid network of Prii owners. The vehicle is not just an eco-friendly way to get around town though; it can also be used as a backup generator.

The Northeastern United States has been inundated with winter storm after winter storm these past few weeks and record numbers of residents were without power in many states. An ice storm left many residents in Harvard, Massachusetts relying on backup generators for power last week. One ingenious resident, John Sweeney, used his Toyota Prius as a generator.

“Around the corner at Madigan Lane, John Sweeney, a member of the town’s conservation-minded Heat Advisory Committee, took a characteristically green approach to powering his home during the storm. He reported his achievement in an e-mail, saying it was no big deal, but that his wife thought it an impressive tale worth sharing: Sweeney ran his refrigerator, freezer, TV, woodstove fan, and several lights through his Prius, for three days, on roughly five gallons of gas.” Source: Harvard Press

A power inverter allowed the Prius owner to convert 12v DC to 120v AC and voila, an emergency power source for about $10 (assuming the area has $2/gallon gas).

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Filed Under: toyota

Mitsubishi’s entry into the electric vehicle market is the four-passenger i MiEV and Southern California Edison (SCE) will be fleet testing the vehicle. The i MiEV is two years in the making and is one of five finalists for the 2009 Green Car Vision Award; the winner of the award will be announced on February 3, 2009 during Public Policy Day at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, DC.

“The i MiEV electric vehicle, which is based on Mitsubishi’s i” gasoline-powered mini car already on sale in Japan, adapts a zero-emissions state-of-the-art electric drivetrain. A durable 330-volt lithium-ion battery system is located under the floor deck and powers a permanent magnet electric motor. With this packaging, the i MiEV is able to offer the same level of interior utility and space as the gasoline version while lowering the center of gravity for more stable handling. The 47 kW electric motor offers improved performance and quicker acceleration over the 64-hp gasoline version.” (Source: Mitsubishi)

Southern California Edison will extensively test these vehicles as part of their fleet lineup and provide valuable feedback to Mitsubishi on the EV’s performance.

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Filed Under: Mitsubishi, electric vehicles