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I’ve never understood the Accord Hybrid given that even the 4 cylinder Accord feels ill equipped to handle the torque its 2.4L I4 produces. Apparently shoppers didn’t get it either with just over 6,000 units sold last year, well below the projections of 20,000 units.

Honda’s announced there will be no replacement for the Hybrid version when the Accord is redone this fall, odd given the Altima and even Aura now compete with the Camry Hybrids.

New York Mayor Bloomberg recently announced a plan to convert the city’s entire fleet of 13,000 taxis to hybrid vehicles by 2012. This change will greatly assist in the mayor’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030. As of mid-2007, hybrids comprise only 375 of the 13,000 vehicles used as taxis in New York. And of those 375 hybrids, the majority is the Ford Escape Hybrid. The Escape Hybrid was the first hybrid to be used in taxi fleets across the country. The bulk of Escape Hybrids are serving in New York, and they have been holding up remarkably well, given the extremely harsh conditions faced day in and day out. Ford reports that the first batch of vehicles have accumulated around 175,000 miles (since late 2005!) and have had no major mechanical problems. City EPA estimated mileage for the Escape Hybrid is 34 mpg, compared with 14 mpg for the Crown Victoria. We expect the Escape to be chosen as the most popular model in the fleet. Whichever model prevails, the savings in fuel costs alone will be significant… – Automobile

Mini is fitting every car in its range with stop-start technology that switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary, and an alternator that charges the battery during braking. Cars fitted with manual gearboxes will also be fitted with a display that tells the driver the best gear to use for optimum economy.The additions will come at no extra cost and have no impact on top speed or acceleration figures. They improve fuel consumption by 6.9% on the Cooper, 10.3% on the Cooper S. – What Car?

Isn’t the media fascinating? BMW’s had a fleet of hydrogen powered 7 series cars whooshing around since well before this generation of 7 was released, and all of a sudden the press – no doubt clued in by a release sent from BMW’s PR department – is rushing to cover the technology, the same way they all parrot Hybrid as some sort of cure all.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from folks asking what I think of all of this. I’ll spare you the long version, quoting instead from a piece in Car and Driver:

Powering the Hydrogen 7 is a 256-hp 6.0-liter V-12 (the same engine in the 760Li makes 438 hp). The 7-series isn’t light to begin with and saddled with an undisclosed amount of additional weight, the V-12 is said to deliver its driver to 62 mph in a leisurely 9.5 seconds, regardless of which fuel is being used. That’s some four seconds off the pace of a 360-hp 750Li… getting a pound of hydrogen into its liquid form takes roughly six kilowatt hours of electricity. If that electricity comes from a coal-fired plant, it creates as much carbon dioxide as burning half a gallon of gasoline (which contains the same amount of energy as that pound of liquid hydrogen).

You don’t hear much about the Toyota Highlander Hybrid either in print or on TV. It’s as if Toyota decided to funnel all of their marketing money into the Lexus RX Hybrid, despite the fact that the cars have indetical powertrains, acceleration and fuel economy numbers, etc.

Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that the Highlander retails for about $10,000 less than the RX. Read the rest of this entry »

As the old saying goes, “people buy power but they drive torque” and this is especially true when your engine is teamed with an automatic transmission. This fact, when combined with rising fuel prices have made many including myself portend that the modern turbodiesel rather than the hybrid is what America needs right now. Reading a piece like this comparison of a 2.5 liter gas engine and 3.0L turbodiesel you’ll see why.

Here’s an excerpt:

Maybe it’s torque that adds excitement… This is more fun; press the accelerator and this BMW just thrusts forward, usually without bothering to change down, because there’s no need and the gearbox knows it… More urge, less effort. And here’s the clincher; the engine is almost as smooth as the 325i’s. It emits hardly any diesel rattle, and it has a voice. A proper note; deep, authoritative, six-cylinderish. This is not just a great diesel. It’s a great engine… this isn’t about buying a diesel to save money and suffer pain. It’s about buying a diesel because you’ll have more fun with it.

But just as diesel prepares for its walk onstage and play up its efficiency advantage, engineers are finding ways to squeeze even more power and efficiency out of gasoline engines, and strangely enough its by mimicing certain aspects of the diesel such as direct injection and high compression ratios.

That’s what BMW is set to do with their engine line in the coming years… The VALVETRONIC technology quietly introduced in this generation of engines will soon be augmented by direct injection. The twin turbocharged engine in the 335i coupe is the first to get the technology, but it will make it into the normally aspirated engines soon…

The result:

Peak output for the new DI engine is up from 265bhp to 272bhp… the new engine has real bite and punch, feeling a touch more aggressive than today’s 330i unit despite the official figures. At this stage of the development there’s a subtle but clear change in engine note, too. It’s less of a turbine hum and a tad gruffer – put it down to the new injection system… relaxed driving in stop-start conditions would return around 40mpg – virtually the same as offered by the diesel 330d. – Autocar

It’s true what they say: competition does improve the breed…

NOTE: At this point in time its not the engines but the fuel that’s a limiting factor – both technologies require lower sulphur content than we currently have available.

I recently stumbled upon an article I wasn’t aware I had been quoted in over a year ago. The topic: the prospect of Porsche building a Cayenne Hybrid using Toyota technology and the potential of an 5 hybrid. Here are the excerpts…

According to [the] founder of auto research firm carcounsel.com, the Cayenne already suffers an identity crisis. “It’s no secret Cayenne is a way to make a quick buck, a necessary evil so Porsche can afford to further develop their performance cars without having to become mass market, as BMW is doing,” he said. “But from a company that claims there is ‘no substitute’, it’s difficult to imagine where a Toyota-powered Cayenne fits in.”

“BMW has a tradition of waiting to learn from the mistakes of first generation products rushed to market by other companies,” Chanduwadia said. “Witness the X5 itself – it trailed the Mercedes Benz ML to market but made it look antiquated in comparison.” He said he expects BMW, with its “more long-sighted approach” to put hybrid technology in the next generation of the X5 model [at earliest].

AutoExpress reports the next Prius’ Hybrid Synergy Drive will combine a 1.8L turbocharged lean-burn engine and lithium ion batteries… The ability to plug in and top off the battery pack is also rumoured.