Peugeot EX1 Concept EV Breaks It’s Own Records In China

Well, this is my first official post with regards to anything Peugeot....
At the 2010 Paris Motor Show French automaker, Peugeot, revealed it’s EX1 concept car in celebration of it’s 200th anniversary. Now the 250 kilowatt car, powered by two electric motors (one per axle) which produces 340 horsepower is breaking records again. Records already set by the EX1 in France back in September.

Chinese blogger, Han Han, and French explorer, Nicolas Vanier, whom set the initial records, were each behind the wheel at China’s Chengdu military airport in the province of Sichuan. But it was Han Han whom broke the September records with new times of 7.0862 seconds in the eighth-mile sprint and 12.6754 seconds in the quarter-mile run.

The EX1 also established an unofficial time of 3.49 seconds in the sprint from 0-to-100 kilometers per hour (0-62 miles per hour). Both record times set by Han Han have been certified and will be reportedly approved by the Chinese Auto Sports Federation, which assures accuracy of the measurements.

The EX1 has come to be a record setting EV.

Auto Tech: What is a Hybrid?

Here's a interesting read....
With all the interest in electric, plug-in electric, hybrid electric and hybrid vehicles, perhaps it is time to take a step back and just look what all these names mean. They are not all the same, yet some different technologies share the same names and sometimes similar technologies use different names. A lot of it seems to depend on the marketing the manufacturers are using for a vehicle, so let’s try to clear up some of the confusion surrounding types of systems and terminology when it comes to alternate energy sources for vehicles.

First, the term Hybrid can have several meanings. It could even be a conventional engine that uses two different types of fuel such as gasoline and natural gas, although popular use lately has been referring to these as bi-fuel vehicles. When most people hear “hybrid”, they think of gasoline/electric combined powertrains – Toyota’s Prius is the most recognizable symbol of this technology.

You may here the term “mild hybrid”. This was made popular with the introduction of the Saturn Vue hybrid and is now used on the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. This system uses an electric motor/generator that bolts onto the engine in place of the conventional charging system. During acceleration, the unit adds power to the conventional gas engine and during deceleration, the unit becomes a drivetrain-driven generator to recharge the auxiliary battery pack. Much of the fuel economy savings from any hybrid system come from the energy during vehicle deceleration by the generator unit.

Another major feature of hybrids is their ability to stop the gasoline engine while the vehicle is sitting at a stop light and then restart it again instantly when the driver wants to move the vehicle. Even the mild hybrids have this capability to save fuel.

Some vehicles use what may be called a “medium” hybrid system, such as the Honda Civic or Insight, although you won’t hear Honda referring to it with that term. Honda calls it an Integrated Motor Assist, where the electric motor is used in place of the flywheel in a conventional transmission. This electric motor can assist the gas engine during acceleration and recharge the battery pack during deceleration just like the mild hybrids but does so much more efficiently and provides more power. Honda has made many improvements on the system since it was first introduced over a decade ago and when combined with intelligent valve control systems, is now almost equal to what we traditionally call a “full hybrid.”

Toyota’s Prius is the best known example of a “full hybrid,” a vehicle that can operate on electric power alone for some distance. It does this with a transmission that contains two motor/generator units. The design of this transmission allows the engine to remain off while one electric motor moves the vehicle. If you need more power or the battery charge is low, the gas engine will also start up to work in combination with the electric motors. Today several vehicles use a hybrid system that will operate on electric power by itself. Toyota has the Prius, Camry and Highlander, while Lexus has a full range of hybrids. Ford has the Escape and Fusion Hybrids, while GM and Dodge are using a similar system in rear wheel drive configuration in their hybrid sport utilities. GM also is using it in pickup models.

The yet to be produced Chevy Volt is also a hybrid but with a different concept. This vehicle operates on electric power all the time. When the battery pack becomes discharged, a small gas engine turns on to operate a generator, which recharges the battery pack. The gas engine never directly powers the wheels, yet this vehicle is also considered a hybrid.

Plug-in Hybrid is a new term, where the vehicle can be recharged by plugging it in to either 110-volt of 220-volt electrical outlets. This type of vehicle will operate on electric power most of the time but could still use a gas engine to supply energy for extended trips.

Electric vehicles are just what the name sounds like. They operate on Electric power only. Golf carts are a popular example, but several manufacturers are introducing electric passenger vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf or the Mitsubishi iMIEV. Toyota has announced plans for a fully electric small car similar to the FT-EV2 concept car will go on sale in 2012. Recharging these vehicles at home or work will become common practice, although already MacDonalds has announce they will offer free-to-use charging stations at some facilities and already opened the first one this past July in the U.S. In Japan, they are already working on infrastructure for electric car battery swap stations, where you pull in and exchange your leased battery for another in less time than it takes to fill a conventional car with gasoline.

While conventional gasoline powered vehicles will still dominate the marketplace for a long time, there are alternatives on the marketplace, and that is good for the future of the automobile.

Jim Kerr is a master automotive mechanic and teaches automotive technology. He has been writing automotive articles for fifteen years for newspapers and magazines in Canada and the United States, and is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/01/27/auto-tech-what-is-a-hybrid.htm

Honda speeds up Insight update

Honda is fast-tracking an upgrade to the Honda Insight to counter the threat posed by the new Toyota Prius.

With the Prius now trumping the Insight’s 85mpg with 107mpg in the same Japanese test cycle, sources in the cars’ home market say Honda engineers are being put under pressure to improve the Insight and close the gap.

While economy will take priority, it’s believed that Honda will also take another look at the chassis to try to refine the Insight’s unsettled low-speed ride.

In the sales race, the Insight got off to a roaring start in Japan in the early part of this year. The Honda even became the nation’s best seller with 10,481 units in April, the first hybrid car ever to achieve that position in Japan.

However, things move fast in the fad-driven Japanese market, and the arrival of the new-shape Prius in May had a dramatic effect on the Insight’s sales, which fell to 8183 units. The car is also being outsold by the Fit (Jazz), 13,016 of which were sold in June.

Source;
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Honda-Insight/241724/

Honda Plans Hybrid Push

DETROIT – Fueled by the new Insight and at least two more models in the pipeline, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. hopes to boost annual hybrid sales to 500,000 units in 2015.


In 2008, the auto maker sold 57,000 units, mostly Civic Hybrids, with several hundred Accord Hybrid.




If Honda achieves its target, hybrids will account for an estimated 10% of its global sales, says Yasunari Seki, the Insight’s chief engineer.


Seiki reiterates in an interview the auto maker plans to introduce a hybrid sports car in 2010. Then, probably in 2013 – although he would not confirm a launch date, Honda will follow with a hybrid version of the Fit, which may or may not be sold in North America.


The sports car will be based on the CR-Z concept unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Seki notes the production model will be equipped with the same motor and battery as the Insight but boast a more powerful engine, most likely displacing 1.5L. The Insight has a 1.3L engine. The CR-Z powerplant will not be turbocharged, he says.


Seki indicates the Fit Hybrid will employ the same single-motor system as the Insight, although most likely an improved version.


In developing the current model, Honda reduced hybrid system size and cost 30% and 40%, respectively, from that of the Civic Hybrid. The auto maker’s 5-year development target is for a further 25% size and cost reduction.


Including the Insight’s 101-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, the Insight’s integrated motor assist (IMA) hybrid system weighs 128 lbs. (58 kg), 20% less than the Civic Hybrid system at 158 lbs. (72 kg).


Seki doesn’t confirm the cost of the Insight’s hybrid system, but does concede it is in the range of ¥100,000-¥150,000 ($1,000-$1,500).




The chief engineer notes the Insight’s model life will be five years and that Honda will have five hybrids in its lineup by 2015, meaning the Insight is likely to undergo another model change in 2014.


Meanwhile, he says no decision has been reached regarding Honda’s plans to switch to a lithium-ion battery pack from NiMH. But by making that move, he says, the auto maker would be able to cut battery size and weight in half, as Li-ion has twice the energy density of NiMH.


Bringing down battery costs is another matter, according to Seki, and will depend in part on increasing production volume.


On April 1, Honda entered into a joint venture with a subsidiary of GS Yuasa Corp. to develop and manufacture Li-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles. GS Yuasa says production startup is scheduled for 2013.


The battery will be based on GS Yuasa’s EH6 unit rated at 6 ampere-hours with energy density of 67 watt-hours per kg.


Separately, Tomohiko Kawanabe, a senior managing director at Honda R&D Co. Ltd., notes engineering targets for Li-ion batteries are between $500 and $800 per kWh, down from current $1,000-$2,000 levels. “I think $50 is necessary, but it is difficult to say when that can be achieved,” he says.


Seki also confirms Honda is developing a 2-motor hybrid system – although not necessarily the same concept as used by Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius. However, the auto maker has no immediate plans to introduce such a model.


Nevertheless, the chief engineer believes 2-motor systems hold potential for larger vehicles, such as the Ridgeline pickup or Odyssey minivan. “We think the technology is good for fuel economy,” he says.


But a 2-motor setup is less viable for smaller cars, such as the Fit, Insight or Civic, due to packaging constraints, Seki contends. The Prius battery and motor-generator are 2.5 times larger than that of the Insight, he notes.


Concerning mild hybrid stop-start systems, Seki hints Honda is considering such technology for its minivehicle lineup – currently comprising such 0.66L models as the Life, Acty, Vamos and Zest. He gives no timeframe for such a debut, however.


Honda does not include stop-start systems in its hybrid sales forecasts.


Seki is confident Honda will meet the Insight’s 2010 sales goal of 200,000 units, although last December Honda CEO Takeo Fukui cast doubt on whether the target would be reached. And while Seki predicts North America will be the Civic Hybrid’s main market, he believes the Insight will make inroads into Europe, where Honda is projecting 2010 sales of more than 30,000 units.


In addition to Europe, Honda hopes to sell 100,000 Insights in North America (including 90,000 in the U.S.) and 60,000 in Japan.




Turning to the Insight’s suppliers, Seki confirms Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. is producing the model’s battery pack. The unit, which like the Civic Hybrid’s 53-lb. (24-kg) pack employs 12 cylindrical cells per 14.4-volt module, weighs only 33 lbs. (15 kg), or 38% less.


The weight savings was achieved by using fewer modules – seven, compared with 11 for the Civic Hybrid. Power also was reduced as a result, from 158 volts to 101 volts.


In a technical paper presented at the SAE World Congress in April, Honda engineers say weight and volume of the power control unit was reduced 31% and 10%, respectively, by integrating the inverter, DC-DC converter and electronic control unit into a single package.


Specifically, the Insight’s inverter is 36% lighter and 35% smaller than the Civic Hybrid unit. The DC-DC converter is 46% lighter, largely the result of making the heat sink smaller, while the auto maker trimmed motor weight 15% by downsizing the stator and rotor yoke.


Other suppliers include Keihin Corp. (battery ECU, engine and transmission ECU and motor power drive unit), TDK Corp. (DC/DC converter) and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (motor inverter).
Honda produces the Insight’s Multimatic S-CVT continuously variable transmission at its Hamamatsu, Japan, plant.


The auto maker assembles the hybrid’s 1.3L gasoline engine, motor and intelligent power unit on sublines in its Suzuka, Japan, facility.


A new motor line, which began operation in November, has capacity for 180,000 units, raising total motor production capacity on the plant’s two lines to 250,000.


Seki notes the auto maker has tripled motor production speed by improving winding operations and other processes.


Honda also manufactures the Insight’s regenerative braking system in-house, although sources say the car’s main braking system is from Continental AG.


The auto maker estimates 36% of Insight components are carried over from the Fit, Civic Hybrid and other models.



Source;

http://wardsauto.com/ar/honda_hybrid_push_090601/

2009 Honda Civic 4DR Hybrid

We've said in the past the best thing about the Honda Civic Hybrid is that it's a Civic, and that's still true. The best thing about hybrids, of course, is that they don't require any changes to the current infrastructure. We don't have to have different fuel tanks, or put electric charging facilities in new or existing fueling stations. We just stop and pump in ten or 12 gallons of 87 octane unleaded and we're good to go.

And that is one HUGE advantage hybrid cars and trucks have over nearly all of the other "alternative" energy sources. Hydrogen requires specialized storage, at least, until someone comes up with a viable (including cost-effective) way to convert water carried in tanks on the car or truck into hydrogen as needed.

Solar? You have to be kidding. Our best use of solar for cars at this time might well be to use it to power some of the onboard gadgets or even to power the air conditioning compressor. Mazda used some small solar panels to power a fan to keep the interior cool when the car was parked that could also be used to charge the battery. It was both a gimmick and a chance to work with solar technology and make enough solar panels to lower their cost.

Take the Civic Hybrid. One feature is an "Auto Stop" control that turns off the engine while you are stopped at a stop sign or traffic light, and then turns it back on when you release the brake. It's a trick several new cars use, and they keep things like the power steering and air conditioning running by powering them electrically instead of using engine power to do it.

Until now, everything on the car was run, directly or indirectly, by engine power. The battery is a storage battery, used to re-start the car after you've turned the engine off. Once it does that, it normally charges itself back up (which takes a few seconds) and then waits for the next time you need to start the car or until some other electrical malfunction disables the charging system (alternator). If the normal charging is interrupted, the battery will run the electrical systems until it goes dead.

Which means you are using engine power to run the radio, the power steering system, the air conditioner and so on. The battery isn't doing anything most of the time. But it could. Small solar panels can continually charge the battery and the power used to run all the added electrical gadgets (and we do love our gadgets).

How important that might be depends on the future cost of fossil fuels and how fast alternatives can be developed. Right now, automakers are using combinations of other fuel sources or means of saving fuel to make fairly large gains in fuel economy. But the technology to do it isn't cheap.

Honda's Civic costs around three to five thousand dollars less than the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the hybrid version does get better fuel economy. We made our usual run down to South Texas and recorded a solid 42 miles per gallon overall, running at 70 miles per hour, reasonably close to the 45 mpg the EPA expects from the Civic Hybrid. In the city if was closer to 35 mpg, which is still pretty respectable.

Our test Civic was equipped with just about everything, including a navigational system and leather seats, plus a satellite radio. It used a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and had all the usual power everything, making one wonder why they don't sell even more of them, as it has everything you need.

Of course, you could buy the lower priced non-hybrid Civic and get all that for much less, but you wouldn't be quite as kind to the environment; it just depends on your priorities. With the Civic, you get hybrid in a proven car, with the only drawback a bit stiffer ride, even though the Civic Hybrid weighs only about 80 pounds more than the standard version.

We also wonder what changes in battery technology might bring before the battery pack needs changing. Perhaps we'll see a much more efficient battery pack, even a more efficient electric motor so the Civic could run longer and faster on the batteries alone.

In the meantime, the Civic Hybrid has the edge it has always had, now in a more up-to-date package: it's a Honda, and it's a Civic.

Source;
http://oakhillgazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=109&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=2144&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1846&hn=oakhillgazette&he=.net

Rumormill: Nissan 370Z Hybrid for 2011?

File this one under the old saying...."Things that make you say....hmmmm...." -I can hear Arsenial Hall now.
We're expecting Infiniti to launch its first hybrid sometime in either 2010 or 2011, likely based on the M35 luxury sedan. Unlike past hybrids from Nissan, parent company of the Infiniti brand, this new technology will not be a licensed version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. Interestingly, reports out of Japan indicate that this new hybrid tech could filter on down the line to find itself under the shapely hood of Nissan's new 370Z.

Lending further credence to these rumors is an image of a blue 370Z with a hybrid emblem on the front fascia.

If these rumors are accurate, expect the fuel-saving sportscar to be equipped with a lithium ion battery from corporate partner NEC that feeds power to a lone electric motor sandwiched between the Z's 3.7L VQ V6 engine and transmission. The dual-headed powertrain is reportedly expected to achieve 35 miles per gallon on the mixed cycle, though those are likely Japanese figures that don't often jive with U.S. EPA numbers.

Source;
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/05/rumormill-nissan-370z-hybrid-for-2011/

Hybrid War Heats Up in Japan

Honda's new Insight went on sale in hits homeland about a week ago, and already it's under attack. Before it hit the market, there were rumors that it would be much cheaper than the Toyota Prius. Toyota, however, has other ideas. The Insight is 1.89 million yen ($18,853 USD) in Japan, which is the same price as the current Prius. Toyota then priced the coming third generation Prius at 2.05 million yen ($20,437 USD) to keep it close to the Insight. Then Toyota said it would keep the second-generation Prius on sale in Japan, and there have been rumors that Toyota is also working on a cheaper Prius costing around 30% less than the current one. That would pit three Prius models against one Insight, all similarly priced.

In response, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said Honda will not lower the price of the Insight. Said Fukui, "I think that is something we can't do right now. We have to carefully examine the new Prius to know whether it is necessary for us to take certain measures. We have to think about the balance between cost and effectiveness." If Toyota does come out with three Japan-market Priuses, Honda will be thinking long and hard about those issues.

Unlike Toyota, though, Honda does have the CR-Z hybrid coming, which could give Honda some sporting hybrid credentials that Toyota doesn't yet have. Honda also said it is expanding its research and hybrid push into large sedans instead of counting on clean diesels for its bigger cars. Fukui feels that clean diesels are too expensive to develop be practical.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/03/honda-ceo-says-insight-price-wont-be-reduced-further/

Dacia Duster Hybrid Crossover Concept To Debut In Geneva

.Dacia, an automaker with Romanian origins and is now subsidiary of Renault, will be unveiling its first concept at this year’s 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Dacia Duster concept is a crossover coupe that has one-door on one side and two-doors on the other side. So while it can be pitched as sporty crossover, it can also come in handy as an MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle).
The Dacia Duster crossover concept is powered by a 1.5 dCi engine making 105-hp. Mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, the Duster can run from 0 to 62 mph in 9.6 seconds while returning a fuel-economy of 53 mpg (44 mpg in U.S. terms). No word on whether Renault and Dacia will put Duster into production but it sounds like a good idea for the European market…..”
from:

Honda says to raise Insight output as orders climb

TOKYO, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co plans to produce more of its new Insight hybrid cars from April, having received orders for almost three times its monthly sales target for the gasoline-electric model it launched on Feb. 6 in Japan, a top official said on Tuesday.

Honda plans to launch the Insight, its first attempt at a low-cost, high-volume hybrid, in Europe and the United States over the next two months.

Japan's No.2 automaker is targeting global sales of 200,000 Insights a year, with half of that in North America and 60,000 in Japan, hoping to rival Toyota Motor Corp as a leader in the hybrid segment.

"The response has been overwhelming," Hiroshi Kobayashi, deputy chief operating officer for Honda's domestic operations, told a small group of reporters at a test-drive event in Tokyo.

"We will have to increase production plans," he said. But he stopped short of saying how much it could expand output given possible supply limits for hybrid components.

Customers in Japan will have to wait at least one month for an Insight if they ordered one today, he said.
Honda is positioning the Insight as its fifth "global car" alongside the Civic, Accord, Fit and CR-V cars, which collectively make up about two-thirds of its car sales.

Kobayashi said half of the Insight sales so far were to customers switching from other brands, including premium import brands and Toyota's hybrid leader, the Prius. The Insight starts at 1.89 million yen ($19,980) in Japan.

"What's unique about the Insight is that we're attracting a broad range of drivers, from (660cc) minivehicles to sedans to minivans," Kobayashi said.

While cautioning that the Japanese car market remained tough -- total vehicle sales in January fell 20 percent from the year before -- Kobayashi said Honda aimed to sell as many cars in the business year from April as the 570,000 to 580,000 units he expected it to sell in the 12 months to March 31.

Toyota is due to launch its third-generation Prius in May, pricing it slightly higher than the current version, which starts at 2.3 million yen in Japan. Local media have reported widely that Toyota would take the unusual step of selling the current model at a discount alongside the new version to compete with Honda's Insight.

A Toyota spokeswoman said the company had made no such decision yet. ($1=94.59 Yen) (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source;
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUKT37087520090224?sp=true

Honda Insight handily outselling projections in Japan

So far, all indications are that Honda has got a hit on its corporate hands in the form of its new Insight hybrid hatchback. The automaker had been hoping to get 5,000 orders per month in its home market of Japan for the new Insight, but that sales target was eclipsed after just over a week on the market. According to Honda, there were already 5,000 advance requests for the car before it was even available to order.

This early sales success may bode well for Honda, which will be launching the new Insight in Europe in March and in the United States in April. When it finally does reach dealerships, the Insight will cost well under $20K, undercutting its primary competitor, the Toyota Prius, by a few thousand dollars.

It's no secret that we're in a tough market and it could have been a case of very bad timing to launch a brand new global vehicle line. Fortunately for Honda, this seems like the right car at the right time. It will certainly be interesting to watch Toyota roll out its new 2010 Prius hybrid later this year.

Source;
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/17/honda-insight-handily-outselling-projections-in-japan/

Honda's New Hybrid Information Site; Honda Words

The site details the storied history of Honda's gas-electric vehicles including the original Insight which was the first hybrid mass produced for the U.S. market. The "Words of Hybrid" are all connected, but they float around whimsically as you move your cursor through the page.

The new Insight takes center stage on the page with numerous photos and specs. There are tabs for the future CR-Z and Jazz (which U.S. readers would call the "Fit") hybrids, but little information is provided about either model. Regardless, the new site is worth a visit.

Source;
http://world.honda.com/HybridWorld/index.html

Via;
http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1018649_hondas-self-loving-new-website--words-of-hybrid