With strong public interest in the Chevrolet Volt, General Motors (GM) has decided to ramp up production of the range extended electric vehicle.

The company is expected to increase production capacity by 50 per cent – from 30,000 units to 45,000 units – in 2012.

The news broke as part of US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the Volt is being produced. The site received $336million in new investment to prepare for production of the Volt.

Dealerships this week began to take customer orders following the release of retail and lease pricing (see article) with GM also announcing it would increase the number of US launch markets from three to seven.

According to reports, more than 25,000 people have joined the Chevrolet Volt enthusiast list in the last few weeks alone.

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So far only the odd eccentric has taken to using old chip fat as fuel. A messy process of filtering and the need to go begging to chip shops probably stop many people from pursuing this route to alternatively fuelling their cars. But now, researchers at the University of Leeds may have found a way to make this smelly fuel clean and pure.

Scientists at the university have found a new way to produce hydrogen fuel from the waste product. The new method promises to be cleaner and require less energy input than conventional forms of hydrogen production too. According to the team behind the research, not only does the new process generate some of the energy needed to make the hydrogen gas itself, it is also essentially carbon-neutral.

Hydrogen, traditionally, is steam-reformed from fossil fossil fuels, like natural gas. This process requires high temperatures of around 800 degrees, making it inefficient, expensive and still means reliance on a fossil fuel source. Traditional forms of hydrogen production from more complex fuels like waste vegetable oil require even higher temperatures to allow the effective release of hydrogen molecules, making it an expensive and environmentally unsound process.

But now Dr Valerie Dupont and colleagues at the university have perfected a two-stage process that is essentially self-heating. To begin, a nickel catalyst is blasted with air to form nickel oxide – an ‘exothermic’ process that can raises the starting temperature of 650 degrees by another 200 degrees, reducing the energy needs to reach the correct temperature. The chip fat fuel and steam mixture then reacts with the hot nickel oxide to make hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

“We are working towards a vision of the hydrogen economy,” said Dr Valerie Dupont, who is leading the Leeds-based project. “Hydrogen -based fuel could potentially be used to run our cars or even drive larger scale power plants, generating the electricity we need to light our buildings, run our kettles and fridges, and power our computers. But hydrogen does not occur naturally, it has to be made. With this process, we can do that in a sustainable way by recycling waste materials, such as used cooking oil.”

The researchers also added a special ‘sorbent’ material to trap all the carbon dioxide produced, leaving them with pure hydrogen gas. This trick eliminated the greenhouse gas emissions and also forced the reaction to keep running, increasing the amount of hydrogen made.

The researchers have shown that the two-stage process works well in a small, test reactor. They now want to scale-up the trials and make larger volumes of hydrogen gas over longer periods of time.

“The beauty of this technology is that it can be operated at any scale. It is just as suitable for use at a filling station as at a small power plant,” Dr Dupont said. “If we could create more of our electricity locally using hydrogen-powered fuel cells, then we could cut the amount of energy lost during transmission down power lines.”

Details of the work will be published in the journal Bioresource Technology.

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Visitors to Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX Experience website (www.ecoflex-experience.com) have the opportunity to download a voucher entitling them to a free ecoFLEX Fuel Efficiency Check at the carmaker’s participating MasterFit retailers.

Those wishing to take advantage of the offer just need to log on, print the voucher and present it to their nearest participating MasterFit retailer.

The ecoFLEX Fuel Efficiency Check includes an inspection of the vehicle’s tyres for signs of reduced efficiency caused by abnormal wear and verification that inflation pressures are at an optimal level. The air conditioning system is also assessed and the driver given advice and tips for improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions while driving.

Vauxhall MasterFit Manager Andréa Caumon commented: “The ecoFLEX Fuel Efficiency Check voucher offers motorists an opportunity to gain expert help in minimising their fuel bills and environmental footprint completely free of charge. The ecoFLEX approach to efficiency is a reminder that we can all make a contribution to emission reduction simply by servicing and maintaining our cars on a regular basis.”

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Most people who own a motor vehicle are aware that they produce toxic emissions which can harm the environment. Many people however are not aware that the amount of emissions produced by a car varies depending on its make and model. Car emissions are made up of a combination of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide which contribute to air pollution. The amount of these emissions produced is directly related to the amount and type of fuel that the vehicle uses.

The good news is that those cars which are more fuel efficient are not only better for the environment but also better for your wallet as you will not have to refuel less often then those who drive the bigger gas guzzlers. If you are looking to buy a new car it is worth researching the fuel efficiency of the different models and makes before you make your decision, as this will help you determine which cars will be more environmentally friendly. The best way to reduce the amount of emissions that your car produces is to drive it less. If you can reduce the amount of journeys you make by car you will not only help the environment but may also be able be able to reduce your car insurance premium, saving you a little more money.

If you need to use your car on a regular basis then consider the amount of weight you carry in your car. The heavier your vehicle the more fuel it will consume which in turn will increase the amount of emissions it emits. Driving a smaller vehicle will mean you require less fuel to complete the same journey than a larger vehicle. If you do need a large car even reducing the amount of things you carry in your car will affect its weight and thus the amount of fuel required. It is important to know that a vehicle’s weight has more affect on the amount of fuel that it requires than even its engine size. The type of fuel that a vehicle uses will also affect the amount of emissions that it produces.

Cars that run on petrol use more fuel than those who run on diesel and can produce up to ten percent more carbon dioxide. Cars that use LPG give out less toxic emissions than Diesel and pre Euro IV petrol engines but tend to require more fuel overall. Diesel cars have good fuel efficiency but the fuel costs more at the pumps and the cars themselves can be more expensive to buy. Modern cars are becoming more and more advanced and are utilizing technology which helps reduce the amount of harmful emissions that they produce. European standards have been agreed for the production of new vehicles which sets out the emissions requirements that cars need to meet. These standards are updated fairly regularly to take into account advances in technology. Therefore if you need to buy a new car you should try and purchase the newest model that you can afford, as this will not only help the environment but should also save you money at the pumps due to increased fuel efficiency.

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Nissan has confirmed that order books for its electric Leaf model will open to UK customers on September 1, ahead of the first deliveries set for March next year.

The Japanese carmaker confirmed the date as the order books for the all-electric car open for customers in Portugal and Ireland.

The move means that Portuguese, Irish and UK customers will be first in Europe to receive the vehicle dubbed ‘the world’s first affordable electric car’, when it launches early next year. LEAF deliveries begin in Portugal in January, Ireland in February and the UK in March 2011.

Since March, nearly 12,000 customers in Europe have signed up for regular updates on Nissan LEAF’s introduction, and in the US and Japan pre-orders have exceeded 23,000 units since online reservations began in April.

The demand has been so high, that the carmaker has had to delay the launch of the battery-powered model until slightly later than planned in the Netherlands. Sales in the country are now expected to start in June 2011, with pre-orders opening to customers in October this year.

To make a reservation, customers in these initial launch markets simply need to go to their local Nissan consumer website and place their order (for UK customers: http://www.nissan.co.uk/leaf). A fully-refundable deposit of €300 (£257) is required to place an order. These ‘early adopters’ will also be given an opportunity to test-drive Nissan LEAF thoroughly by December, at which point they will need to formally confirm their order.

The price of Nissan LEAF after government incentives is €30,250 in Portugal, €29,995 in Ireland and £23,990 in the UK including the battery. While buyers might be concerned about the high price tag, the Japanese carmaker is confident that buyers will be seduced by the low operational expense. Running costs are anticipated at less than €1.05 per 100 km in Portugal, less than €1.20 per 100km in Ireland and less than £1.59 per 100 km in the UK.

The car’s AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of more than 90 mph.  The electric motor is ‘fuelled’ by a laminated lithium-ion battery with a power output of more than 90 kW.

A full charge delivers a potential range of 100 miles which will satisfy the daily driving demands of most customers. Global research indicates that the average daily mileage for 80 per cent of the world’s population is under 100 km: with the figure in Japan and the UK even lower at under 50 km for 80 per cent of the population.

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Volkswagen has garnered a good reputation for reliability over the years, but the results of some customer satisfaction surveys and reliability studies sometimes undermine the company’s good name in this department. However, Volkswagen came 11th in the league of manufacturers in the most recent JD Power customer satisfaction survey, with the Passat 50th in the table of the 104 most popular cars. Warranty Direct, though, scored the Passat as lower than average in its Reliability Index, with average repair costs of £413.78. Perceived build quality matches the standards we’ve come to expect from Volkswagen. The body looks solid and sturdy, and the cabin is still comfortable and practical, despite being slightly more minimalist in order to save weight. Softer-touch plastics are used on the on the upper surfaces of the cabin, with the harder ones fitted to surfaces on the lower reaches, where they’re likely to have to contend with rougher treatment.

The initial purchase price of £20,955 isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s certainly competitive with other cars in its class (however, the 1.6-litre engine is smaller than the 2.0-litre units most rivals are fitted with). As we mentioned earlier, the Passat Estate Bluemotion’s running costs should be lower than its similarly sized rivals, thanks its excellent fuel economy and low emissions. An official figure of 64.2mpg on the combined cycle is superb for a car this size – and it is achievable in the real world (we actually managed to beat it, albeit by driving very slowly and carefully on a mix of rural and urban roads). Likewise, CO2 emissions are a best-in-class 114g/km, so vehicle excise duty will cost just £30 a year. Passat residuals tend to be pretty strong compared to rivals, with the Volkswagen brand values helping them to remain high: Bluemotion models, with their low running costs, are in even greater demand, so this Passat variant should retain even more than the rest of the range.

Read the full Volkswagen Passat Estate Bluemotion 1.6 TDI road test

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Just how much of an impact will electric vehicles have on the fleet of one of the world’s leading car manufacturers? Ford believes it has the answer.

According to the company’s director of global electrification Nancy Gioia, speaking at Plug-in 2010 in San Jose, California, Ford expects hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles to represent two-five per cent of its global fleet by 2015 and then rapidly increase to 10-25 per cent of its global fleet by 2010.

Hybrids are expected to make up the majority – around 70 per cent – of the 2020 numbers with plug-in hybrids contributing a 20-25 per cent share and battery electric vehicles accounting for the remainder.

Miss Gioia stated that electrification is a core part of Ford’s product portfolio and is embedded into the fabric of the company along with other technologies.

Ford is currently electrifying its highest volume platform including the likes of the Focus, the Transit Connect, the C-MAX and the S-MAX and hopes that by electrifying the platform and building the vehicles down the same assembly lines it will be able to seize on an opportunity during a volatile period.

The company’s approach with plug-in hybrids is to use the parallel power split architecture of its standard hybrids, which allows identical parts to be used including traction motors and power electronics.

Battery technology was also earmarked as the key to cost improvements with Ford expecting four cycles of battery chemistry improvement over the next 10 years.

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The Clean Energy Jobs 5 and Oil Company Accountability Act of 2010 has given a significant boost to both natural gas and plug-in vehicles.

There will be up to $3.8billion in rebates for buyers of natural gas powered vehicles; while $400million will support the deployment of plug-in vehicles in targeted communities. The addition of the provision for electric vehicles was said to be a last minute decision.

As part of the bill, the Department of Energy establishes a Natural Gas Vehicle and Infrastructure Development Program that includes the $3.8billion rebate program for qualified owners that convert or repower a conventionally fuelled vehicle to operate on compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas or to a mixed- or bi-fuel vehicle.  

In general, the rebates target medium- and heavy-duty vehicles with not more than 25 per cent to be used to provide rebates to qualified owners to buy alternative fuel vehicles.

The plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment programme, meanwhile, will assist with the introduction of plug-in vehicles in an effort to reduce the use of petrol and reduce the number of greenhouse gas emissions.

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As the large scale introduction of electric vehicles edges ever closer, this week’s Plug-in 2010 conference and exhibition in San Jose, California, saw several infrastructure companies appear prominently and make announcements.

Let’s take a look at each of the major players and update you on their progress:

- Aerovironment: Already selected by Nissan North America to supply electric vehicle home charging stations and installation services for the introduction of the LEAF, the company has also been selected by Plug In Carolina to install public electric vehicle stations in seven South Carolina cities.

- Better Place: Best known for its battery swap model it was displaying level two charging stations at the event.

- Coulomb Technologies: Has a number of industry partners including Leviton, Siemens and Aker Wade and has established a ChargePoint Network which provides station owners with a complete set of business applications and drivers with electric vehicle charging applications.

- Eaton Corporation: Its quick chargers can recharge the i-MiEV to 80 per cent capacity in just 25 minutes. It displays its electric vehicle charging stations at the event.

- Ecotality: Took the opportunity to unveil a flagship electric vehicle charging station known as Blink. The unit includes a networked touch-screen that allows drivers to choose the most convenient time to charge and to programme the device for when rates are at their lowest.  

- Evatran Plugless Power: Has now developed a level two inductive charging system and plans a commercial roll-out in 2011. It is expected that vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF will be able to use the system with an adapter.

- Ingeteam: The Spain based company has manufactured its first EVSE systems.

- Leviton: Has now developed the evr-green home charging station line and is the largest privately held global provider of electrical wiring devices.

- Liberty Plug-Ins: Provides levels 1-3 charging stations with metered parking with customers paying for both parking and electric vehicle charging at a pay station which then generates an authorisation code printed on the customer’s receipt. The customer then returns to the vehicle and enters the code into the charger and plugs in the connector. The process is complete when either the charge time is elapsed or when the car reaches maximum charge.   

- Schneider Electric: Its solutions will include Square D smart charging stations and smart grid technology including level I and II stations in residential settings; level II in commercial settings; and fast charging for customers needing a quick charge.

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Registrations of alternatively fuelled cars in the UK doubled in the first six months of 2010 compared with the first half of 2009, the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show.

The figures also reveal that CO2 emissions from new cars continue to decline as average CO2 rating of new cars bought fell 4.7 per cent in the first half of the year compared with the first six months of the previous year.

Much of the increased uptake in alternatively-fuelled cars (which includes hybrids) is accredited to a recovering economy and increasing market availability of such vehicles. Meanwhile the overall rate of improvement in new cars bought in the UK has cooled following the withdrawal of the Scrappage Incentive Scheme, which boosted the sales of small, fuel efficient models.

"Continued vehicle manufacturer efforts to improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions has further reduced average CO₂ output during a better than anticipated first half of 2010," said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.  "The remainder of the year is set to be challenging, especially post the scrappage scheme.  All manufacturers are committed to offering ever more efficient products through the introduction of increasingly efficient engines and alternative technologies."

The average new car CO₂ figure has fallen every month in 2010 so far while registrations of alternatively fuelled cars have more than doubled to 11,468 units in the first half of the year. In June alone they grew by 157.4 per cent, the same month in which Honda released its new hybrid model, the CR-Z. 

Registrations of ‘signposted’ eco-models (models badged by the carmaker as a greener model) rose by 141.4 per cent in the first half of 2010 to almost 74,000 units and by almost 850 per cent on the first half of 2008.

Some of the most popular ‘signposted’ eco-brands include Mercedes-Benz blueEFFICIENCY, Vauxhall’s Ecoflex and Volkswagen’s Bluemotion.

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