In today's News Brake: The Gold Digger is a Ridler winner; a fast Focus is on the way; and Pininfarina wants to revive the Alfa Duetto ... But Wait, There's More!

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) Businesses that have tried to capitalize on a perceived demand for zero emissions cars in the last few years are finding their lot in life to be just as difficult, if not more so, than as those selling traditional vehicles. In 2007 and 2008, as gas prices steadily climbed north of $4 a gallon, numerous entrepreneurs decided to try their hands at selling electric vehicles (EVs), including Marc Korchin who opened Green Motors in Berkeley, California. Korchin tried to sell the Zenn neighborhood electric vehicle. However, the limitations of these low speed EVs generally only made them suitable as second or third vehicles for private owners. When the economy took a dive in 2008, consumers found it increasingly difficult to justify such an expenditure, no matter what their environmental leanings. Korchin has now lost his investment, as have many others in the same business, including dealers of Zap Xebras and other similar vehicles. Several manufacturers of NEVs have also gone bust or gotten out of the business in the last couple of years in including American Electric Vehicles and Zenn. With full function electrics coming to market later this year, life is going to get even tougher for those selling NEVs. [Source: San Jose Mercury News ] A canary? CA electric vehicle dealership closes as market gets tough for NEVs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

Filed under: Diesel , Hybrid , Mercedes Benz 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 - Click above for high-res image gallery It is being reported that Mercedes-Benz will launch its first diesel hybrid vehicle late this year when it kicks off production of the E300 Bluetec hybrid . Until now, automakers have shied away from diesel hybrids because of the high cost of adding electric drive to the existing diesel premium. Instead of using a power-split hybrid like the two-mode system used in the ML450, Mercedes will use the modular mild hybrid system found in the S400 sedan. The 15 kilowatt electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and transmission while a compact lithium ion battery resides under-hood in place of a lead-acid starter battery. The engine will be the 2.2-liter inline-four cylinder diesel already found in the European-market E250. The diesel hybrid combination could hit 47 mpg (U.S.). There's no indication yet if the diesel hybrid will come to the U.S. market, but we wouldn't hold our breath. [Source: Autocar ] Report: Mercedes-Benz to launch first diesel hybrid this year originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Geneva Motor Show , Fisker Fisker Karma Aluminum Space Frame - Click above for high-res image Fisker Automotive has finally taken the digital wraps off of the advanced aluminum space frame that the Karma plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will be built around. In lieu of enjoying a new concept vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show this week, Fisker fans will have to make due with this peek at the bones of the Karma, the part that gives the luxury car its "new levels of rigidity and strength that will give the world's first premium plug-in hybrid electric vehicle world-class ride and handling characteristics." The frame is made with 5,000- and 6,000-series aluminum alloys, which the all-knowing Wiki says are "suitable for cryogenic applications and low temperature work. However is susceptible to corrosion above 60

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Green Daily Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery There are a lot of unknowns concerning the upcoming plug-in vehicle market expansion, but we don't often hear that we might have too many lithium-ion batteries in the coming decade. Nonetheless, that's what a new report from Roland Berger Strategy Consultants called " Powertrain 2020: Li-ion batteries - The next bubble ahead? " suggests. Specifically, RBSC believes that the U.S. and Japan are building so much li-ion battery making capacity that, between 2014 and 2017, we'll see "significant overcapacity" relative to the demand. RBSC writes: Given the announced investments, capacity in 2015 will already reach 200% of the demand projected for 2016. In addition, not all investments have been announced; as-yet unknown investments by key players will lead to further overcapacity, and national subsidies will stimulate even more investments . Who'da thunk it? All of this overcapacity, RBSC says, will severely decrease the number of battery manufacturers that will be able to survive. In fact, RBSC predicts that just six to eight "global battery manufacturers" will survive through that timeframe, out of about 60 today. [Source: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants via Green Car Congress ] Will there soon be "significant overcapacity" in global lithium-ion battery market? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Hydrogen , Mitsubishi , Tesla Motors , Legislation and Policy , UK Would-be buyers, both individuals and businesses, of certain low emission vehicles in the UK will be offered a sweet incentive starting in 2011. How does 25 percent off the purchase price, up to

Filed under: Legislation and Policy , Green Daily , USA As we said the other day, even with the debate over health care reform sucking the media's attention, the U.S. Senate is busy with a lot of non-HCR items. There's the debate over the EPA's endangerment finding with regards to greenhouse gases , for one. Another bit of transportation-related news is the Senate's passage of the HIRE Act , which Wired considers the Senate's "first major piece of legislation in 2010." While the bill is most concerned with jobs (HIRE stands for Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act), there are a lot of transportation infrastructure items in the language. Most importantly, the HIRE Act extends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users and recapitalizes the Highway Trust Fund, which means highway funds will keep flowing. Yes, we're still a car-loving nation, but the bill does have a bit of love for cleaner transportation. For example, it says: The HIRE Act would extend funding for the Metropolitan and Statewide Planning; Urbanized Area Formula Program; Clean Fuels Grant Program; Fixed Guideway Modernization; Bus and Bus-Related Equipment and Facilities; Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities; Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program; Job Access Reverse Commute; New Freedom; Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks Program; National Transit Database; Alternatives Analysis; Growing States and High Density States; Over the Road Bus Accessibility Program ; Research Programs, including University Centers at the 2009 authorized levels through December 31, 2010. The HIRE Act would extend Capital Investment Grants and FTA Administration at the FY 2010 appropriated levels through December 31, 2010. We admit we can't really understand all of that, but any piece of legislation that talks about clean fuels and bus programs can't be all bad, can it? Wired explains that the real benefits of this bill could come a little later this year as a result of the sausage-making that was required to pass the HIRE Act. Get the details here

Infiniti's 5-series rival used to be a nice, but anonymous car. After hooning it through Southern California's canyons, that's no longer the case. Now, the 2011 Infiniti M is Japan's Jaguar. More

Pininfarina will unveil at the Geneva auto show a modern interpretation of the most famous car it produced for Alfa Romeo: the 1966 Duetto spider.

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Chrysler For those of you who can't wait for a factory-built electric vehicle, and can't swing the cash for a Tesla Roadster, a seller on eBay is offering up a recently converted 2001 Chrysler Sebring. This is the previous-generation Sebring, before the design went from plain to hideous. As this is written, there are still five day left to bid on this Sebring and the price tag is at $4,276. While this may seem like quite a deal, potential bidders might want to read the whole description before proceeding. The car was converted by ATC of Texas just a few months ago. The current owner has only put 100 miles on the car and blames tough economic times for selling. We can't help but suspect a bit of buyer's remorse as well. The engine compartment and trunk are stuffed with 24 6-volt flooded lead acid batteries. That is enough to yield about 20-30 miles of realistic range. You can apparently push it 45 miles in some circumstances, but that's not recommended since it shortens the battery life. No trunk space is left and the back end of the car rides pretty low as a result of all that weight. Since it looks like the suspension has not been upgraded to cope with the mass, this thing will probably ride pretty rough.