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1. VCs Predict More Cleantech Funding in 2008
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2. The 4 Wildcards for Biofuels
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3. Military EcoTech: Solar Shines on Nevada Air Force Base
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4. Free enterprise wingers attack Vectrix for using a diesel truck
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5. Shai Agassi: Israel will have 100,000 electric cars in 2 years
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6. Ford licensing its soy-foam seat technology
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7. Porsche pushes back Cayenne hybrid delivery date to at least 2010
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8. New refinery to be built in South Dakota to process Canadian crude
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9. GM to launch LaCrosse hybrid in China before Beijing Olympics
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10. UK scientist: Young women can fight global warming by realizing Ferraris don't make a guy sexy
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11. In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2007 BMW 535d. Yes, it's a diesel!
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12. Video: Paris Hilton runs out of gas (and hilarity ensues)
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13. Infiniti to launch high-speed hybrid system in 2011
VCs Predict More Cleantech Funding in 2008
Katie Fehrenbacher - Startups
Folks, it’s getting to be that time again, when the New Year’s predictions start to roll in. An early, and unsurprisingly bullish one for the cleantech industry was released this morning, from the National Venture Capital Association. It says that the majority of NVCA venture capitalists think that there will both be more investment in and more overvaluation of the cleantech sector in 2008. It’s like a New Year’s party that lasts way too long. And yes, this is only according to 170 U.S. venture capitalists.
- 80 percent of respondents said the cleantech sector will attract higher levels of VC in 2008.
- 61 percent of respondents said that the cleantech sector will be overvalued in 2008.
The 4 Wildcards for Biofuels
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
The McKinsey Quarterly is circulating a chart-filled newsletter this morning, highlighting four sticking points that will determine the future success or failure of the biofuel industry. The data is from a report the research firm released earlier this year, but it’s still timely, and we thought we’d give you an overview on their findings. While a lot of this is common sense, it’s convenient to have it all wrapped up in one place, and with nifty infographics: 
1).The Cost and Availability of the Feedstock: If you were ever confused as to why corn prices are sending ethanol producers into a tizzy, check out these stats. As the report notes, feedstocks currently account for between 50 and 80 percent of biofuel production costs, and with every one dollar increase in the price of a bushel of corn in the U.S., the production cost of ethanol rises by 35 cents a gallon. That reduces the producer's operating margin by 20 percent. Happy times. The report also says that from 2003 to 2006, the percent of the total U.S. corn harvest used for biofuels rose to 16 percent from 12 percent. But in order to meet the government’s goal of 35 billion gallons of biofuels a year by 2017, to meet just half of that target it would need to account for 40 percent of that year's harvest.
2).Government Regulation: The report says that regulation could be the greatest uncertainty of all, as states and federal government are still determining their energy legislation. Currently in flux is the question of different states mandating different percentages to blend biofuels with traditional fuels. One way or another, fewer subsidies means fewer profits.
3).Conversion Technologies: Cellulosic ethanol produced via microorganisms is the most talked about next-generation biofuel technology, and new technologies will compete for dominance over the next few years. Since cellulose is found easily in energy crops and plant waste, if we can crack the code of cellulosic conversion, feedstocks will get cheaper. Since different geographies have different cellulosic feedstock specialties, the best technology could also give weight to one region (U.S., Europe, Brazil, China) over another.
4).Fuel Prices: See graph below.
Military EcoTech: Solar Shines on Nevada Air Force Base
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
Solar and defense have a long history, as alternative energy sources can help out in remote locations. (Ironic when you think about securing nations with rich oil reserves.) And this morning a well-known Air Force Base, Nellis, in Nevada, is switching on what the Air Force is calling “North America’s largest solar photovoltaic system” — a 14 MW solar system that will generate more than 30 million kWh per year.
About 12,000 people live on the base, which has five wings and 150 aircraft, and the 140-acre, 72,000 solar panel installation will supply a quarter of the power used. They’re having a grand ole ceremony at the base today. Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, Air Force officials and representatives from solar manufacturer SunPower, which designed and built the system, and solar financier MMA Renewable Ventures will be there.
MMA Renewable Ventures funded the system with financing commitments from Citi, Allstate, John Hancock Financial Services and Merrill Lynch. Utility Nevada Power plans to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) created by the solar system. The Air Force previously told CNET that the project will save the base $1 million a year and about $83,000 a month.
Nellis Air Force Base commander Colonel Michael Bartley said in a press release that the installation would act as “a future test bed for the Department of Defense” to look at similar arrangements throughout the U.S. Nevada’s sun-filled desert climate is a perfect location for such a big project. Michael Yackira, CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources, the parent company of Nevada Power, said the Nellis installation makes Nevada the state with the most solar generation per capita. Last week solar thermal startup Ausra said it would be building a solar thermal manufacturing plant in Las Vegas, the first of its kind in the U.S.
Free enterprise wingers attack Vectrix for using a diesel truck
Sebastian Blanco - bmi
Filed under: Diesel, Etc., EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, Green Daily
Sure, there've been times when diesel gets attacked here on AutoblogGreen, but in general, we're pretty keen on the high-mileage power of the gasoline alternative (see this review of the BMW 535d, for example) while we wait for something better and cleaner. For Nathan Burchfiel over at the "free enterprise" Business & Media Institute, diesel is just an opening to attack Hollywood for its "hypocrisy."
I'm not that familiar with BMI, but whenever I hear someone talking about "free enterprise," I feel the need to get my sodium levels checked. I need to take whatever they say with such a large dose of salt it's not even funny. Why do people insist, in 2007, that "free enterprise" is possible, much less desired? I'll just make the most basic point that no one at BMI could get to work without government-funded roads, roads without which all their economic models would fall into the public sewer system. Anyway, here's how the shallow see Vectrix's attempt at creating greener transportation with an booth at the Hollywood Goes Green conference:
...Vectrix Corporation (SEA:VCX) was displaying its electric scooter. [...] The scooter costs nearly $12,000. Salesperson Tansy Brook said the comparable gasoline scooter would be about $4,000 cheaper, but said that maintenance costs would make up the difference over the life of the scooter. [...] The Vectrix scooter, Brook said, will travel about 40-60 miles on one charge. A full charge takes about 3 hours on a standard electrical outlet. But you might be surprised at how the "green" scooter on display got to the hotel. In typical Hollywood "do as I say, not as I do" style, it arrived in a diesel truck adorned with ads for the "zero-emissions" scooter.
Just one question, BMI: how should Vectrix have transported the scooter to the show?
Related:
- Vectrix home delivery will bring the all-electric scooter to where you live (in CA)
- Alt Car Expo 2007: Vectrix Scooter smiles for the ABG camera (VIDEO)
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Shai Agassi: Israel will have 100,000 electric cars in 2 years
Lascelles Linton - electric-car
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, European Union
Globes is reporting that Shai Agassi, Project Better Place CEO, said Israel will have 100,000 electric cars by 2010. Shai said this at an annual Ministry of Finance budget department meeting speech where he talked about the benefits of electric cars like improved quality of life. Here is Agassi on realizing the potential of electric cars:
If we wait for an unknown science at some university, we might miss the date. ... We must create fourth-generation high-tech. we need to create a new foundation that will give us an advantage and that will last for 15 years. We cannot compete against India in size or demography.
Previously, Shai has said that Better Place's goal is to get 100,000 cars on the road in 2010 but he has never given specifics like location before.
Related:
- Video of Project Better Place's battery exchange system
- Project Better Place working with Renault, to use fuel cells?
- Renault says they might build electric car factory in Israel, partner with Project Better Place
- Israel considering making electric vehicles completely tax free
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Ford licensing its soy-foam seat technology
Sam Abuelsamid - john-deere
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc.
Last July, Ford showed off their newly-developed soy-foam seats. The new seat material has since gone into production in several 2008 models including the Mustang, F-150 and others. Ford has now reached a licensing agreement with John Deere and Sears Manufacturing Company for the soy-foam. Deere will be using the plant-based foam for seats in their tractors. Ford will be offering a variety of their technologies for licensing through Ford Global Technologies, LLC. [Source: Ford]
SOWING SUSTAINABILITY: FORD PIONEERS GREEN SEATING ALTERNATIVE, LICENSES SOY SEATING TO JOHN DEERE
* Ford has licensed Deere & Company and Sears Manufacturing Company to further develop Ford's soy-based flexible seat foam for John Deere farming equipment and other applications.
* The 2008 Ford Mustang debuted the auto industry's first soy-based seat foam, replacing petroleum-based foam. The eco-friendly technology is now featured in the 2008 Ford F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator and will be in the 2009 Ford Escape.
* Ford has a rich history in incorporating soy-based materials into its products that dates back to the Model T.
* Environmental advantages of soy foam include: reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, lower energy to produce, up to 24 percent renewable content and less dependency on volatile energy markets.
DEARBORN, Dec. 11, 2007 - Farmers could soon bring in the harvest using equipment made with their own crops, thanks to collaboration between Ford and John Deere, the world's leading manufacturer of agricultural equipment. The two companies have agreed that Deere will further develop and manufacture Ford's soy-based flexible foam for seating materials in tractors, riding mowers and other equipment.
Ford first introduced soy-based polyol to the auto industry in the seat backs and seat cushions of the 2008 Ford Mustang. The 2008 Ford F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator now also feature this eco-friendly technology, with the next application coming on the 2009 Ford Escape. Meanwhile, Deere has used soy-based products for body panels on some farm equipment.
Ford will work with John Deere and its seat supplier, Sears Manufacturing Company, to bring this greener alternative to traditional seat foam to fields and even backyards nationwide.
"As all of industry faces daunting sustainability challenges, Ford is pioneering renewable solutions and forging strategic partnerships to extend our capabilities and our ability to innovate," said Gerhardt Schmidt, vice president, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. "We are pleased to collaborate with John Deere to continue the development of soy-based foam and research other technologies to benefit both our industries."
Ford's soy-based foam will be developed for use in the seat backs, seat cushions, arm rests and head rests of John Deere equipment, which is used in agriculture, forestry, construction, and lawn and turf care. Sears Manufacturing also will work to incorporate the technology into Class V-VII medium and heavy trucks.
"John Deere's agreement with Ford builds on our shared core values of quality and innovation and our commitment to deliver outstanding products for our customers," said Klaus Hoehn, vice president, Advanced Technology and Engineering at John Deere. "Working together will advance our ability to develop far-reaching solutions for a more sustainable future."
Soy-based foam is just one of the technologies Ford Global Technologies, LLC is making available through licensing to companies such as John Deere for applications outside Ford.
Soy: A Sustainable Alternative Grows from 100-Year-Old Roots
Ford has a rich history in incorporating soy-based materials into its products. The Model T, for example, once contained 60 pounds of soybeans in its paint and molded plastic parts.
Ford again showcased its industry-leading work with soy foams in 2003 on the Model U concept, which featured soy-based seat cushions as well as a soy-based resin composite tailgate.
Now, Ford's Plastics Research team has formulated the chemistry to replace a staggering 40 percent of the standard petroleum-based polyol used in seating materials with a soy-derived material. This breakthrough will make a significant impact on the environment while reducing dependency on imported petroleum.
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, soy-based products have only one-quarter of the level of total environmental impact of petroleum-based products. Most automakers today use 100 percent petroleum-based polyol foam. Each vehicle contains an average of 30 pounds of petroleum-based foam in its seat backs, seat cushions, armrests, instrument panels and headliners.
"As we continue to migrate this green technology across many vehicle platforms, we're improving our environmental footprint by conserving limited resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions," said Debbie Mielewski, technical leader, Ford Plastics Research.
Ford is working closely with the United Soybean Board to bring soy foam to the automotive market. The company is using 2.2 million pounds of soy foam in the 2008 Mustang alone. Just based on that application, this green alternative is on track to deliver a carbon dioxide reduction of 605,000 pounds annually.
With more than 3 billion bushels of soy harvested in the U.S. each year, Ford could potentially use up to 844 million bushels of soy throughout its product lineup annually.
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Porsche pushes back Cayenne hybrid delivery date to at least 2010
Sebastian Blanco - cayenne
Filed under: Hybrid, Porsche, Green Daily
Porsche representatives were pro-hybrid at the recent LA Auto Show, promoting the message that the company's hybrids will go 75 MPH on battery power alone. The news since then has been a little more tepid. Today, Automotive News (subs req'd) is saying that Porsche's skepticism about hybrid sales means that the release of the Cayenne hybrid has been pushed back to 2010. One Porsche manager told ANE's partner Automobilwoche that "Though there is still no decision on the planned introduction date of the hybrid version of our Cayenne SUV, I'm sure we'll only introduce the new system with the start of the next SUV generation in 2010." The possibility that Porsche hybrids in the U.S. is "also apparently smaller than initially thought," ANE writer Henning Krogh says, so all of you waiting for a hybrid Panamera can keep on waiting until 2011 (at least).
Related:
[Source: Henning Krogh / Automotive News Europe]
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New refinery to be built in South Dakota to process Canadian crude
Sam Abuelsamid - hyperion-energy-center
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc., Oil Sands, Carbon Capture
When people think of South Dakota, assuming they think of the state at all, they probably remember the Black Hills, or Mount Rushmore. That may soon change. The largest supplier of crude oil to the United States is Canada and the majority of that oil comes from the oil sands of Alberta. Hyperion Resources has just begun the process of getting approval to build a new oil refinery in Elk Point, South Dakota specifically to process that oil. The first phase of the Hyperion Energy Center is planned to refine 400,000 barrels of oil sands crude per day. The plant will produce ultra-low-sulfur gasoline and diesel fuels.
The refinery is designed to be highly integrated, re-processing many of byproducts of the refining process to produce other necessary inputs. For example, petroleum coke from the distillation process will be used to make hydrogen, electricity and steam. The refinery is also being designed to incorporate the latest pollution control technology as well as carbon capture and sequestration. Construction of the $10 billion facility is expected to start in 2009, with full operation starting in 2014-15.
As advanced as this refinery might be, just imagine what new non-fossil fuel technology could be created with that $10 billion.
[Source: Hyperion Resources, thanks to Mark for the tip]
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GM to launch LaCrosse hybrid in China before Beijing Olympics
Lascelles Linton - buick
Filed under: Hybrid, Buick, GM, China
Here's an update on GM's new hybrid for China. Shanghai GM says they will release a Buick LaCrosse hybrid for the Chinese market before the Beijing Olympics, which will have its opening ceremonies August 8, 2008. The hybrid will be based on the Saturn Aura hybrid and the pricing and mileage difference ($2,500 premium and 25 percent improvement in mileage) hints the hybrid system is mild and not GM's two mode system.
In China, Toyota and Honda currently offer a hybrid for sale. Recently, China's Changan Auto debuted its first hybrid and other Chinese automakers like BYD and Chery said they would offer hybrids next year. In a recent speech, Bob Lutz said China admired the Buick brand over any other GM brand. Currently there are no plans to release a Buick LaCrosse hybrid in the American market.
GM has said they would release 16 hybrids in the next 4 years and the US market already has the Aura hybrid, so a Buick hybrid in the U.S. is possible. Below the fold is a Chinese TV ad for the Buick.
Related:
- Want a Buick hybrid? Move to China, where the LaCrosse hybrid is coming soon
- LA Auto Show video: Bob Lutz confirms GM will release 16 hybrids in next four years
- China's Changan Auto's first hybrid model: Jiexun-HEV
- Chery has huge plans for hybrids in 2008 and beyond
- China's BYD Automobile to make hybrid next year
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UK scientist: Young women can fight global warming by realizing...
Lascelles Linton - ferrari
Filed under: Green Culture, Ferrari, UK
How can young women fight global warming? According to a chief scientist for the British government, Professor Sir David King, they can help out by no longer thinking guys that drive Ferraris are sexy. I will let Sir King speak for himself:I was asked at a lecture by a young woman about what she could do and I told her to stop admiring young men in Ferraris. ... What I was saying is that you have got to admire people who are conserving energy and not those willfully using it. ... As soon as you come to the individual, however, they will buy a Ferrari, not because it is cheap to run or has low carbon dioxide emissions, but because young women think it is sexy to see men driving Ferraris. That is the area where a culture change is needed.
So, what do you think of Sir King's comments?
[Source: Telegraph]
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In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2007 BMW 535d. Yes, it's a diesel!
Sam Abuelsamid - bmw-535d
Filed under: Diesel, BMW, In The AutoblogGreen Garage, Green Daily
Click the diesel Bimmer for a high-res gallery
At the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, BMW was prominently displaying their diesel engine technology, particularly the latest 3.0L twin turbocharged in-line six cylinder. At the time, BMW spokesman Daniel Kammerer told us that BMW would be introducing that diesel engine to the U.S. market later in 2008. BMW still hasn't said which vehicles would get the diesel although it's expected that that the first installations will be in the X5 SUV and 5 series sedans and possibly the new X6 crossover.
Here at the AutoblogGreen Garage we just couldn't wait another whole year to try out a diesel BMW and when we found out that Bosch had one the pestering began. As a supplier of diesel engine fuel and emission control systems, Bosch has a vested interest in the success of diesel engines. To that end, they have brought over a fleet of European diesel vehicles, many of which are expected to be on sale in the US over the next couple of years. Earlier this year we sampled the Chrysler 300 and Smart ForTwo diesels. The Chrysler in particular was very impressive, but this BMW was in a whole different class. Find out how the BMW 535d fared in the ABG Garage after the jump.
Gallery: ABG Garage: 2007 BMW 535d
BMW briefly sold one of their early diesels in the U.S. market in the form of the 524td in 1985-86. That same 2.4L six cylinder turbo-diesel was even offered as an option in the Lincoln Continental of the same period. Like most diesels of that time it wasn't particularly powerful but it was smoky and noisy to compensate. With the passage of two decades, things have changed pretty dramatically. More than half the cars BMW sells in Europe today are powered by a variety of four-, six- and eight-cylinder diesel engines. For our test Bosch turned over a 2007 BMW 535d SE for a week's worth of driving.
The current generation E60 5-series has been with us since 2004 and the styling went a long way toward redeeming Chris Bangle. It didn't have any of the awkwardness of the earlier 7-series or the excessive surface development of the Z4. The muscular proportions look particularly handsome in the dark Monaco Blue of the test car. Starting at the front bumper the bodywork surrounding the twin kidney grille sweeps back to the A-pillars with a pronounced chamfer preventing it from looking too bulbous. On either side of the grille the headlamp clusters sweep back into the front fenders blending into a character line that runs the length of the body. On both sides of the grille and in the rear bumper are proximity sensors for the parking assist system. During low speed maneuvering such as in a parking lot, the screen in the dash displays a plan view of the car showing any objects close to either end of the car. Sitting at a stop sign or traffic light a pedestrian walking in front of the car will set off an alarm if the system is turned on. Below the front bumper is a radar sensor for the adaptive cruise control system. This monitors the distance to the car ahead when the cruise control is engaged. If the car slows down, or someone pulls into the gap, the BMW automatically applies the brakes to maintain a pre-set distance. It then holds the lower speed until traffic ahead speeds up or you pull out to pass.
That same display in the center of the dash also an integral part of BMW's I-Drive system. As new cars kept adding more features and functionality over the last decade, buttons were needed to control it all. In response BMW created a large control knob on the center console that acts as a combination mouse, joystick and all-purpose knob. When it debuted on the current generation 7-series, it was roundly panned as being far more complicated than even having a mass of buttons. More recently, other companies such as Honda and Audi have utilized similar controllers on a variety of models. Having recently tried both the Acura RL and Honda Accord, I can say that the control knob idea can actually be made to work very nicely. It's not the hardware that's wrong in I-Drive. It's BMW's software interface that's absolutely horrendous. They need to completely trash the I-Drive software and contract someone that knows a thing or two about human-machine interface design to create a new GUI.
Thankfully, as bad as the I-Drive software interface is, the rest of the 5-series interior is mostly wonderful. Given the performance capabilities of this car, the front seats are a godsend. If you can't find a comfortable and supportive setup in these seats it's probably because your spine has been tragically contorted by some crippling malady. It might take you a couple of minutes to go through all the adjustments, but it will be worth it. The thigh support is longitudinally adjustable helping to avoid my most common seat complaint, that of too short bottom cushions. The lumbar support is adjustable for both size and vertical position. The lateral supports are adjustable for width to keep you in position during hard cornering. Even the shoulder support is adjustable. 
The 535d arrived just as Michigan was getting it's first snow of the season. Thankfully there was some relief from the cold in the form of heated seats both front and rear. Changing direction was facilitated by a wonderfully thick rimmed steering wheel which framed clear legible gauges. The 5-series features dual zone automatic climate control so that each passenger can select their own comfort level. Fortunately, Bosch swapped the high-performance summer tires for a set of Continental ContiWinterContact tires in a 245/35R19 size. If you've ever driven in winter conditions with proper snow tires, you'll never want to go back to all-season tires. Real winter tires can provide immense grip even when putting down the torque of a monster diesel like the one in this BMW. 
While the diesel engines of twenty years ago were thrifty with fuel, they did earn the reputation which diesels hold among American consumers to this day: slow, noisy and smoky. While that reputation may have been deserved then, nothing could be further from the truth today. The engine in the 535d is a 3.0L in-line six cylinder in the classic BMW configuration. Fuel is delivered directly to the combustion chambers via a Bosch Piezo Common Rail injection system and air is pumped in by a pair of turbochargers. The result of all this high-pressure action is 286 hp and, more importantly, 428 lb-ft of torque at only 1750 rpm. As with all diesels this is not a high revving screamer with the red-line at a relatively modest 5,000 rpm. However the almost flat torque curve combines with a 6 speed automatic transmission to provide fabulous acceleration that never seems to let up. If feels more like an electric motor if you ignore the pleasant exhaust growl. BMW rates the acceleration from 0-62 mph at 6.4 seconds and that was backed up by my informal observations, even on less than dry pavement.Judging from the previous paragraph you might think this review belongs on Autoblog rather than ABG. While it would certainly be well placed there, this sport sedan is here to demonstrate that the refinement of modern diesel engines hasn't sacrificed the fuel thriftiness that old Rudolf's engines are known for. This 3825 lb luxury sport sedan achieved this performance while still going 27 miles on each U.S.-sized gallon of ultra-low-sulfur diesel during it's time on our garage. That's comparable to the much smaller Nissan Versa I drove several months ago and significantly better than the 2008 Scion xB that only managed 23.4 mpg. In fact the only vehicles I've tested this year that did better were the Nissan Altima and Ford Escape hybrids which got 32 and 30 mpg respectively. A significant portion of the driving in the BMW was in the city as well which makes it even more impressive. On the EU highway cycle, the 535d is rated at 43.5 mpg (U.S.).
The engine in this particular car was compliant with current Euro IV standards, meaning it's not fifty-state legal in the U.S. It is equipped with a particulate filter and never emitted any visible smoke or odors. Operation was smooth and quiet enough not to offend anyone. However this Euro-spec car emits too many nitrogen oxides to pass Tier 2 Bin 5 requirements. When BMW does introduce diesel engines to the U.S. they will be equipped with a urea injection system like the one already used by Mercedes-Benz on the E320 BlueTec. BMW hasn't officially announced which vehicles will get diesels other than saying they would come some time in 2008. Expectations are that the 5-series and the X5 will be the first US market BMW diesels since the 524td. So far, BMW has said the new 1-series will only have six cylinder gas engines in the US market. After thoroughly enjoying a week with this 535d, hopefully the new fuel economy regulations will prompt BMW to change their mind and bring the 123d to the U.S. A 123d running on B100 would be some serious green driving fun.
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Video: Paris Hilton runs out of gas (and hilarity ensues)
Lascelles Linton - gas
Filed under: Green Culture, Hybrid
Soon-to-be hybrid owner Paris Hilton ran out gas recently and, go figure, the paparazzi stalking helped out by picking some up for her. The video above is a Jimmy Kimmel Live routine about the incident that includes footage of the entire incident taken by the paparazzi. In the video, we hear Paris say she "has never put gas in the car" to which Kimmel comments "usually when she runs out of gas, she just buys a new car."
Now it all makes sense. I think this video explains the logic behind Paris' statement that she will buy a hybrid: they get good mileage which, ta da, means more time before you have to buy a new car. If that is not funny enough for you, what Paris does with the, well, just watch. What she does proves that the rising price of gas is not a big concern to super-rich heiresses who drive $200,000 Bentleys.
Related:
- Paris Hilton: "I'm buying a hybrid car right now"
- Paris Hilton is getting a hybrid Hummer "designed"
- Paris Hilton gives up her Range Rover for an Escape Hybrid, is scared for the environment
- Video: Paris Hilton in a Prius
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Infiniti to launch high-speed hybrid system in 2011
Sam Abuelsamid - infiniti-hybrid
Filed under: Hybrid, Infiniti, Nissan, Toyota
Even before Nissan introduced the Altima hybrid late in 2006 using a licensed Toyota hybrid system, they started development work on their own in-house system. More recently, there were indications that the Nissan system might first appear on Infiniti models. Now it looks like the system that is being developed will follow the path of Porsche and GM's Two-Mode hybrid system and allow electric assist at higher speeds. What's not known is whether the motor will be able to run along with the engine for extra boost as the two-mode system does, or if it will be able to run solely on electricity at highway speeds as the Porsche system allows. The new hybrid is expected to appear on the next-generation Infiniti FX in about 2011.
[Source: Motor Authority]
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