In the truck market, Balqon Corporation introduced a heavy-duty electric truck for short haul applications, the Mule M-150, in late September, while Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp started assembling electric trucks in Kansas City, Missouri, in October. See the Think press release, the Balqon press release and Mule M-150 Web page; and the press release from Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp.
Organizations are also preparing for the coming electric vehicles - the Society of Automotive Engineers released a standard for an EV charging coupler in mid-January. The Tennessee Valley Authority, the Electric Power Research Institute, and DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working together to test and deploy solar-assisted EV charging stations across the state of Tennessee. A prototype charging station will be built in Knoxville this spring, followed by a second prototype in Oak Ridge, with plans to install additional stations in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville over the next few years. See the press releases from SAE and TVA.
Honda, Toyota Unveil New Hybrids at Detroit Auto Show
Honda and Toyota unveiled new hybrid vehicles on January 11 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan.
The 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe, set to go on sale in the US in late summer, is powered by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder i-VTEC engine paired with a 10-kilowatt motor to deliver up to 122 horsepower. The two-seater introduces a three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between sport, economy, and normal driving modes. The coupe comes with a six-speed manual transmission, but a continuously variable transmission is also available. Honda expects the CVT-equipped CR-Z to achieve 36 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. See the Honda press release and the Honda NAIAS Web site.
Toyota unveiled the FT-CH, which is 22 inches shorter than the Prius. While the automaker didn't divulge the new model's fuel economy, it noted that the FT-CH would be lighter and even more fuel efficient than Prius, with a lower price point. It said the addition was part of its strategy to offer a wider variety of hybrid choices. It plans to begin introducing plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in 2015 in global markets. See the Toyota press release.
This year's Detroit Auto Show "Electric Avenue" displays about 20 EVs. China's BYD Auto exhibited its all-electric five-seat crossover, the e6, which uses the BYD ferrous battery to achieve a 205-mile range. They expect to sell the car in the US starting this year. BYD also displayed the newest version of its F3DM plug-in electric sedan, which includes a 1.0-liter gasoline engine and a solar panel on the roof.
BMW unveiled its Concept ActiveE EV, which achieves a range of 100 miles using a liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery pack. GM displayed the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept, which pairs a 3.6-liter V-6 direct-injection engine to a plug-in hybrid system to achieve 350 horsepower.
