After accepting the position of White House chief of staff under Barack Obama, Rep. Rahm Emanuel said, “You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste. It’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.” Emanuel was speaking broadly about the economic crisis, but his statement holds even truer for the crisis facing Detroit automakers.
A Chinese carmaker claims it’s pulled off a coup: This month, BYD Auto will sell the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid. But it’s only offered in China, and will likely stay there until Chinese cars are ready for global primetime.
The automotive world appears well on its way to a lithium-powered future. Yet, as the future of lithium continues to grow brighter, some skeptics are presenting concerns that might give pause to those who see this metal as the ideal path away from petroleum-fueled transportation.
GM today downplayed a report in Automotive News, an industry publication, that it would be cutting off nearly all product development spending for the next two years in an effort to trim as much as $1.5 billion in spending. Several planned hybrids are also likely to be victims of the cuts. But the Chevrolet Volt has been spared at this time.
When you imagine plugging an electric or plug-in hybrid car into the wall to recharge, what do you envision in your hand? A standard orange extension cord? Time to change that picture; production electric-drive vehicles will all use a special cord, with a plug and socket on the car end that’s unlike any you’ve seen before. (Photo by Zevotron via flickr creative commons.)
The green car movement has historically been comprised of many camps, each one arguing that he or she has the winning fuel or propulsion system. Yet the notion that no single solution will solve our energy and environmental problems is now gaining widespread acceptance. A smorgasbord of promising technologies was on display last week at a meeting of the Western Automotive Journalist in South San Francisco.
Volvo loyalists have been wondering for some time now about the Swedish carmaker’s near-term plans for producing an eco-friendly offering within its lineup. The Ford subsidiary has shown several hybrid concept vehicles at various international auto shows, but there have been no formal announcements about taking any green ideas to market. Until now.
The $700 billion bailout bill signed by President Bush yesterday includes tax credits up to $7,500 for US buyers of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. What does this have to do with preventing a financial meltdown in the global credit markets? Not much.
This week’s Paris Auto Show is practically a parade of electric and hybrid cars. It's a chance to see a glimpse of the future. Check out our showcase of the 10 coolest and greenest vehicles from the Paris show.
What will your children drive 20 years or more from now? According to one analyst, many of them are likely to take the wheel of a battery electric car.
