Month: August 2010

Shell’s new $12 Billion Investment in Sugarcane Ethanol with Cosan

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Shell and Cosan, one of the world’s largest sugarcane ethanol companies based in Brazil, signed binding agreements to form a $12 billion joint venture for the production and commercialization of ethanol and power from sugarcane. The JV would be the third largest ethanol producer in the world with 4,500 retail stations and annual production 440 million gallons. Sugarcane is the currently the most efficient feedstock for larger scale ethanol production. While corn ethanol delivers little more energy output than the total energy necessary to grow, process, and transport it; sugarcane ethanol delivers eight times the energy output as lifecycle energy input.

Better Place Moves Ahead with 100,000 Electric Cars

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An entire nation will be covered in 2011 with electric car charge stations. One car company has received a non-binding order for 100,000 electric cars. The company managing the entire project is Better Place, headquartered in Silicon Valley USA. Israel is the nation that desperately wants to end its dependency on oil from hostile neighbors. Renault is the French company supplying up to 100,000 vehicles. The advanced lithium-ion batteries are made by AESC, a joint venture of Nissan-NEC.

Ford Focus Electric Cars from New Green Michigan Plant

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Ford’s new Focus Electric Car and Plug-in Hybrid will be built in one of the auto industry’s greenest manufacturing plants. Ford is working with Detroit Edison to install a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system at Michigan Assembly. Clean Fleet Report predicts that in 2012 an all-new Ford Focus family will be offered with choices that include a gasoline-sipping EcoBoost engine, a Focus Hybrid, a Focus Plug-in Hybrid, and Focus Electric.

Will Hyundai Beat Toyota and Honda in Lithium-Ion Hybrids?

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March 2009 I asked myself: Why Toyota and Honda dislike lithium? My short answer to that question was: Because it was in their interest. Both created the conditions for a very profitable niche market, the hybrid electric vehicle market. So they had much to gain from delaying the arrival of the real electric car revolution since this would help them make more profits out of a rather obsolete but still commercially viable battery technology until the new emerging battery technology is finally introduced into the market.

Think City EV Test Drive

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The THINK City EV for the U.S. is a 2 seat, 2-door hatchback. THINK got adequate acceleration on city streets, even in its range extending Eco mode. My brief test drive did not include steep hills or entering a freeway. Acceleration did not come close to my Mitsubishi iMiEV test drive; on a freeway, I would have acceleration concerns. THINK already has 1,700 of its new generation EVs on the road in northern Europe. As THINK prepares for U.S. manufacturing, it is in discussions with a number of U.S. fleets.

5,050 Electric Car Charging Stations for SF Bay

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The San Francisco Bay Area will add over 5,000 electric car charging stations (EVSE) in the next 2 years and continue as one of the nation’s leading areas for electric cars. The Bay Area’s 7 million people live in cities that have adopted hybrid cars, like the Prius, faster than in 99 percent of America. The San Francisco Bay Area already has about 8,000 electric cars on the road from Tesla Roadsters to Prius Plug-in Hybrids to light EVs limited to 25 miles per hour. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board of Directors approved $5 million to support further development of a regional electric vehicle charging infrastructure program in the Bay Area.

Enterprise Orders 500 Nissan LEAF Electric Cars

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Enterprise Rent-A-Car will be renting the Nissan LEAF electric car next year in key locations. In January it will start taking delivery of the LEAF with plans for 500 by the end of 2011. This is the first phase of its plans to offer electric vehicles (EVs) at select offices throughout its neighborhood network of more than 5,000 U.S. locations. I had breakfast with Lee Broughton, director of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo Rent A Car, National Car Rental, and WeCar Sharing. Enterprise Holdings owns and operates the world’s largest fleet of passenger vehicles.

Chevrolet Volt – Test Driving Extended Range Electric Vehicle

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My test drive of the Volt demonstrates this plug-in hybrid is a winner. I settle behind the steering wheel, feel comfortable in the bucket seat, and am impressed with the display behind the wheel, and the 7-inch navigation screen. While driving, I was able to try the three modes of the car with a push of the button. In Normal mode, the Volt always stayed in the quiet electric mode that gives this 4-door sedan a 40 mile electric range before engaging its 1 liter gasoline engine to provide 300 extra miles of range, depending on driving conditions. In Sport mode, the Volt goes 0 to 60 in 8 seconds.