Earlier this month we reported that ‘green cars are the Kia for Hyundai future‘, with Hyundai-Kia group planning to pour $1.1 billion into research and development of green cars. Now further details have come to light about Korea’s plans to join the list of countries at the forefront of green car production.

Korea will now launch a large-scale government and civilian project that will allow it to join the four leading countries in the development of green cars. Under its plans, Hyundai Motor, three domestic battery makers - Samsung SDI, LG Chem and SK Energy - the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and the Korea Automotive Technology Institute will join together to sign a memorandum to jointly develop lithium-ion batteries for use in plug-in hybrid cars.

This is notably the first time that an alliance has been formed between domestic conglomerates to develop batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are seen as the future of motor vehicle technology due to their vastly superior capabilities in comparison to nickel-hydride batteries - allowing for faster speeds and a greater range on electric vehicles.

The government will offer huge financial backing to the project with plans to pour in around W8 billion each year for five years, while the companies themselves will invest W1 billion each.

 July 1998 was an eventful time for our world - France beat Brazil to win the World Cup on their home turf, the Monica Lewinsky scandal raged on at the White House, the UK banned the importation of landmines and the smart fortwo, a vehicle with true cult status, was born.

It’s fair to say a few eyebrows were raised when the two-seater smart fortwo made its first appearance with its distinctive design and a promise to be a more intelligent driving solution. However, with sales of the vehicle approaching the one million mark it’s difficult to argue with its success.

One of the key reasons the smart fortwo has broken out is because of its success as a green car. According to smart it is the ‘world champion’ for low CO2 emissions.

The smart fortwo cdi’s 33 kW/45 hp two-seater consumes an average of 3.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and can travel for about 1,000 kilometres before having to be refuelled. With CO2 emissions at 88g/km smart claims that the fortwo has the lowest CO2 emissions of a series production vehicle in the world.

Despite its success the company is not resting on its laurels. Last year it launched a pilot scheme in London with selected fleet customers testing 100 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles to determine how they perform under every day use. Currently the manufacturer is working on an electric-drive vehicle with lithium-ion batteries which it plans to launch in 2010.

So happy birthday smart - and here’s to many more successful innovations for the future.

 With the overwhelming success of the Prius and the Yaris, some would say that Toyota is already the world’s leading green car producer. However, for the Japanese automaker there are major plans ahead to stay at the forefront of environmentally focused technology.

Toyota is setting up a new division to develop battery technology in an effort to enhance future plug-in hybrid vehicles. It wants to develop what it describes as ‘next generation batteries’ by 2030 with the aim being to produce more energy than both lithium-ion batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries, which are used in hybrid car production today. The firm will begin implementing lithium-ion batteries - the latest technology - from 2009 onwards for production in its vehicles during the following year.

Nevertheless lithium-ion batteries still have issues, which have prompted Toyota to look more closely at the technology. For example, they are prone to overheating, which is why Toyota is looking at metal-air batteries and all solid state batteries.

Company president Katsuaki Watanabe told the Toyota Environmental Forum: “There will be no future for automobiles unless we solve the energy and environmental issues.”

The Toyota Prius was the first mass produced hybrid car in the world and the Toyota Yaris was named ‘Green Car of the Year’ earlier this year.

“We foresee lithium ion-battery as a durable power source with great potential. This would become a magnificent breakthrough for high performance environmental vehicles such as hybrid and electric vehicles. Along with talented young colleagues with innovative ideas and great enthusiasm, we work day and night, striving to achieve a breakthrough.”

“In 1990, a carmaker made an announcement about lithium-ion batteries. The next day we launched an investigation into the source of lithium-ion batteries. It took about six months for us to discover that these batteries have real high potential in terms of performance. Lithium-ion batteries have an incredible amount of energy, and at the time of our discovery, we thought that the power we could extract would be almost limitless. From this starting point, our research has resulted in us being able to draw a great amount of energy from lithium-ion batteries.”

Hideaki Horie - Electronics and Power Electronics Engineering Division EV Energy Development Department Next Generation Battery Development Group

USA Today reported recently that two manufacturers are planning to lease batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles in the US in response to consumer concerns about the longevity of these expensive commodities.

Think Car USA plans to lease the batteries for its City electric vehicle which will go on sale next year in the US. They go on sale in the UK later this year yet there are no reports of a similar leasing schemes over here.

Nissan are also reported to be following suit when they launch their hybrid cars available from 2012 onwards.

The longevity and safety of lithium-ion batteries and the resale value of hybrids and electrics may for the immediate deter consumers these alternative vehicles. Signs are that manufacturers are eager to dispel our fears, and until the hybrid market is better established, leasing of batteries may become more widely available. While the US automotive market has been slower and more reluctant than the UK market to green up its act, it is possible that similar leasing scheme could start here too, in a bid to bolster the market for electric vehicles even further. TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk will keep you up to date with any battery leasing schemes if they become available in the UK.

USA Today news: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-06-19-hybrid-battery-lease_N.htm

FHI Showcases Its Subaru Plug-in STELLA Concept, a New Prototype Electric Vehicle, at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit

Tokyo, June 27, 2008 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced the successful development of its Subaru Plug-in STELLA Concept model, a prototype electric vehicle (EV). FHI will provide five units of the Plug-in STELLA Concept for use at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit to be held July 7 through 9, 2008. Four of the five will be used to transport government officials and other participants at the summit, while one vehicle will be displayed at the Environmental Showcase, an exhibition and demonstration area in the International Media Center, and it will also be available for a test drive.

In addition, FHI will provide one STELLA Concept model to the Japan Post group for use in mail collection and delivery in the vicinity of Toyako during the summit.

The Subaru Plug-in STELLA Concept combines the EV system employed in the R1e with the mini car, Subaru STELLA. The resulting vehicle represents an optimized model that features the compact packaging and superb utility that the STELLA offers to meet a wider array of market needs. FHI plans to use the Plug-in STELLA Concept in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of EV in Japan in the near future.

FHI has jointly developed the Subaru R1e with Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TEPCO), a leading utility in Japan, and the vehicle’s performance has been tested since June 2006. Forty units of the R1e model, equipped with lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries, have been used by TEPCO as part of its corporate fleet and by the Kanagawa Prefectural Government, providing performance results that further advance FHI’s EV development work. Such data collected under real-world conditions have helped FHI to refine the concept of the next-generation EV and make further improvements in convenience and comfort under everyday driving situations.

FHI has placed emphasis on its mission to pursue the perfect integration of a pleasant and reliable driving with environmental considerations. While seamlessly improving the power units design and introducing such cleaner engines as the Horizontally-Opposed diesel engine in Europe (available since March of this year), the company has positioned EVs as another viable solution for environmental preservation, and it plans to accelerate its EV development work.

 So if we all agree that green cars are the future, how about we take a look at the future of green cars? Here’s a glimpse of five of the best vehicles to look forward to along ‘Electric Avenue’…

• Nissan Mixim - The Mixim concept car was unveiled at the Frankfurt Show and is basically a compact vehicle for young drivers. It’s powered by an electric motor/generator, uses lithium-ion batteries, and is expected to cost around $15,000.
• Nissan Pivo 2 Concept Car - You’ve probably heard about this electric car already - Nissan say it is fully functional but too expensive to hit showrooms at this point. It looks like a bubble car and is powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries with the ability to travel about 78 miles on a single charge.
• The NmG PEV - NmG or ‘No more Gas’ does exactly what it says on the tin - it’s a three-wheel electric with a battery charge that lasts around 30 miles, the ability to achieve speeds of 75mph and with a price tag in the region of $36,000.
• Smart Fortwo bionic cabrio - An electric car straight out of the Smart mould, this two-door, two-seat convertible has a top speed of 70mph and is set for production delivery in 2010.
• Tara Tiny Series - It sounds like a new children’s show, doesn’t it? But no, the Tara Tiny Series is actually a group of electric cars to be released this July and set to do battle with the Tata Nano. There are four variants - the Tara Tiny, the Tara Titu, the Tara Shuttle and the Tara Carrier. The company should also release a number of electric bikes around the same time.

So there you have it. Have any of these or other green car concepts grabbed your imagination? If so, tell us about them here.

 Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the greenest of them all - hybrid cars or diesel cars? What’s that, diesels you say? Surely not!

According to an environmental website, diesels do have the edge over hybrids in the race to be declared the ultimate green car. The site found no significant CO2 advantage when pitting a select group of hybrid cars against similar diesel models.

Among the cars that went head to head, were the Toyota Prius and the Jeep Patriot - with the Prius narrowly producing a better efficiency rating at 39.9mpg compared to the Jeep Patriot’s 38.9mpg. The remaining hybrid cars didn’t have so much luck however, as the Honda Civic IMA, with 40.2mpg, was resoundingly beaten by the Ford Focus ECOnetic at 52.7mpg; and the Lexus GS 450h with 28.5mpg was ousted by the BMW 535d at 30.6mpg.

There are additional implications to superior fuel efficiency too - it was posited that the three diesel cars also produced lower CO2 emissions because of this superior efficiency.

So can we conclude therefore that diesels are better than hybrids?

Clearly, it’s not quite that simple. At the moment there only a limited number of hybrid vehicles on the market and the technology is still being developed. The next generation of hybrids should include plug-in technology with advanced lithium-ion batteries. When these become available, around 2010, they should far surpass their diesel rivals.

Nevertheless, for now, British drivers are perhaps as well off, if not better off, picking up a conventional but efficient engine and looking towards hybrids in the future.

Mitsubishi Motors will provide ten i MiEV electric vehicles for official use at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. The electric vehicles will be used for transportation of visiting world leaders and members of the media. Also, the vehicles will comprise one part of an on-site display and test drive.

MMC hopes that through its small contribution, attendees of the G8 Summit will find a new appreciation for the advanced practicality and environmental viability of electric vehicles.

MMC will take the i MiEV electric vehicle to market in Japan 2009 as part of its design to help decrease climate change and decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

The i MiEV is based on the ” i ” minicar, and utilizes a large-capacity lithium-ion battery and a compact, high-output electric motor in place of the traditional powertrain.  At present, MMC is conducting fleet tests in co-operation with several domestic electric power companies, in order to make electric vehicles a customary sight on Japan’s roads in the very near future.

Plans are also under way to start fleet testing of the i MiEV at more than one U.S. power company as early as this autumn.  Data about the effects of local climate and driving preferences, gathered in the aforementioned tests, will allow MMC to make meaningful progress toward bringing the i MiEV to market.

Nissan has confirmed that its futuristic, environmentally sound, rotating 360 Pivo will make a rare appearance at The Science of Survival at the Science Museum, London from Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June 2008.
The Nissan Pivo is a concept car, powered by a lithium-ion battery, which generates no emissions compared to normal road-going vehicles. The car’s cabin rotates 360º, removing the need for a reverse gear and making parking simple. Pivo’s design incorporates large doors, windscreens and windows and reduces driver blind spots by displaying the exterior surroundings on screens inside the vehicle. This is a rare opportunity for the UK public to see the Pivo in action.
The Science of Survival is a new, hands-on, family exhibition, which uses the latest environmental research to challenge visitors to create their own sustainable city of 2050. The exhibition highlights possible ways of changing and adapting how we live to ensure that we will be able to survive in 2050. The Science of Survival runs at the Science Museum, London until 2 November 2008, before touring internationally.
Simon Sproule, Corporate Vice President of Nissan said, “We are proud that Pivo will be taking its place alongside some of the wonders of human invention in the Science Museum. Pivo is an imaginative demonstration of the potential for advanced zero-emission vehicles that we believe represent a major breakthrough for clean personal mobility.”
The Science of Survival runs at the Science Museum until 2 November 2008. Go to www.scienceof.com/survival for more information.
Simon McBride