Some drivers love large luxury sedans sedans. What’s more, there’s nothing that denotes luxury quite like the largest car from a premium brand. They might be impractical in some European cities, but that’s for the chauffeur to worry about. For the green-minded baron, though, there are always concerns about high fuel consumption and, well, sometimes you can do the job with a smaller car. However, for those times when we just need to be driven in a big sedan, let’s see what the European market has to offer. After the jump we have a list of luxurious sedans ordered by CO 2 emissions. And for once, this is a list - despite the inclusion of a few diesels - that includes many players from the American market as well. Click past the jump for the complete list. Gallery: Geneva 2009: biofuel Bentley Gallery: Detroit 2009: Cadillac Converj [Source: Auto News ] Continue reading Luxurious and green: Europe’s (relatively) low-CO 2 luxury sedans Filed under: Etc. , Audi , Bentley , BMW , Cadillac , Chrysler , Honda , Jaguar , Maybach , Mercedes Benz , Rolls Royce , Europe/EU Luxurious and green: Europe’s (relatively) low-CO 2 luxury sedans originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , UK Pick up trash, turn it into electricity, power the truck that goes out to pick up more trash. Repeat. That’s the idea behind a new Smith Edison Transit electric garbage truck that has just starter service in Huddersfield in the UK. The truck picks up the rubbish and brings it to a nearby Energy from Waste recycling center. The garbage is burned and used to generate electricity that is then fed into the truck’s batteries - oh, and also into the grid. This is not nearly as cool as a Mr. Fusion-like system that would generate power on-board, but it is much more practical and is realistic now in 2009. We’ll see if Ford decides to add a workplace garbage-fuel option to their new Transit Connect EV . [Source: Register Hardware via Gizmag ] So, what’s all this (garbage-powered electric truck), then? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: MPG , Audi Audi has just added a new transmission option to European-market versions of the A4 and A5. The company’s 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox is now available with the 2.0L TFSI four cylinder. The A5 picks up 0.3 seconds in the 0-60 run and cuts 1g/km of CO 2 emissions with the new gearbox. In the sedan, the mileage is unchanged at 31.8 mpg compared to the 6-speed manual. Here in the U.S., the A4 2.0L currently comes standard with a CVT while manual and conventional automatics are optional. Related : First Drive: 2008 Audi A4 3.0 TDI Quattro Gallery: ABG First Drive: 2008 Audi A4 3.0 TDI Quattro [Source: AutoCar ] Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. Audi adds dual clutch S-Tronic to Euro A4 and A5 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Ford , Chicago Auto Show Click the Transit Connect for a high res gallery Ford has now confirmed that the new Transit Connect small van will form the basis for its first new battery electric vehicle that will launch in the second half of 2010. Ford is very excited about electric vehicles and we first learned that Ford planned to introduce a Transit Connect EV when the company’s viability plan was submitted to Congress in December. Since then, speculation has been rife about which vehicle would form the basis for the new EV, with most indicators pointing at either the Transit or Transit Connect. Part of the reason for that is that Smith Electric Vehicles of the UK has already developed battery-powered versions of both of those models. At a background briefing prior to the Chicago Auto Show, Ford’s VP of product development, Derrick Kuzak, revealed that Ford was working with Smith to bring the Transit Connect EV to market next year. While Kuzak declined to provide much detail on the vehicle specs, volumes or pricing, some hints can be gleaned from the Smith EV website . The model sold by Smith as the Ampere adds a 24 kWh lithiun ion-iron phosphate battery pack to the Transit Connect. The standard 2.0L four cylinder gas engine is replaced by a 50 kW electric motor. Together, these systems yield an expected range of about 100 miles on a charge and a top speed of 70 mph. The Ampere also has a payload capacity of 1,764 lbs. With that kind of payload, even a likely real world range that is considerably less than 100 miles shouldn’t do much to dampen the utility of such a vehicle for a lot of customers. At least at first the Transit Connect EV will only be offered to commercial operators. The rest of us will have to wait another year for the Focus-based EV . Gallery: 2010 Ford Transit Connect [Source: Ford] Continue reading Ford confirms Transit Connect EV with Smith Electric for 2010 Ford confirms Transit Connect EV with Smith Electric for 2010 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Legislation and Policy Montana could soon become the latest state to adopt California emissions rules if a recently-introduced bill becomes law. California still hasn’t received the go-ahead from the EPA to even regulate carbon dioxide emissions but Montana Senate Bill 180 would make CO 2 a regulated pollutant. If the EPA reverses a late-2007 ruling, automakers will have to achieve a fleet average of 44 mpg by the end of the next decade in order to meet the California standards. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer supports the senate bill and sent a representative to testify at a recent hearing. While Montana would simply adopt the standards set by California, state regulators would have to ensure that automakers meet the standard in the state based on sales. The Montana bill would also extend beyond cars an regulate emissions from commercial and industrial sources. [Source: Green Car Congress ] Montana could follow California on greenhouse gas rules originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Transportation Alternatives , Lightweight , USA Proterra has begun a 10-city “California Clean Bus Tour” with the unveiling of its EcoRide B35 all-electric transit bus in San Jose. The lightweight, composite-bodied people mover features the 10 minute recharge-capable TerraVolt[TM] Energy Storage System, said to be based around batteries from Altairnano , and motors from UQM Technologies . Its regenerative brakes can recapture up to 90 percent of the vehicle’s kinetic energy and help it achieve a range between 30 and 40 miles. Although, like many alternative drivetrains, it has a higher upfront pricetag than its diesel counterparts, the company estimates the difference can be absorbed well before the end of its expected 12-year life through lower energy and maintenance costs. Proterra also has a plug-in hydrogen fuel cell version of the bus that will begin service in Burbank this Spring. California has a mandate that dictates 15 percent of all buses added to fleets after 2011 be zero-emission vehicles. Founder and CTO of the Golden, Colorado company, Dale Hill says, “”The fact is, emissions free transit is not a ‘nice to have,’ it is a must have for clean, healthy communities across California and the U.S.” Indeed it is, Mr. Hill. Full press release after the break. [Source: Proterra ] Continue reading Proterra touring California with fast-charging electric bus Proterra touring California with fast-charging electric bus originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Diesel , MPG , Volvo The guys at Popular Mechanics recently had an opportunity to test out Volvo’s new XC60 crossover in Northern California. When the XC60 goes on sale in the U.S. next month, it will only be offered with a 281 hp turbocharged 3.0L inline six cylinder. For the media drive, Volvo brought over some examples of the European-spec diesel model. The PM crew took one of the 182 hp 2.4L five cylinder diesels out on a 662-mile trip alongside a U.S. gas model. While the gas model proved a bit more responsive than the diesel, the oil burner’s torque proved itself useful climbing the hills when they got into San Francisco. To no one’s surprise, the diesel handily beat the gas version, so much so that even with the higher price of diesel fuel it still came out ahead. The diesel XC60’s 27.3 mpg was 39 percent better than the gas engine and with diesel at $3.00 and gas at $2.30, the operating cost of the diesel was 13.5 percent less. Volvo is expected to debut a new diesel engine at the Geneva next and rumor has it they may offer it in the U.S. [Source: Popular Mechanics ] Volvo XC60 diesel beats gas over 662 miles in Northern California originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , USA Click on the Smith Newton for a hi-res gallery After scuttling an earlier plan to build trucks in the U.S. , a new Tanfield Group announcement reverses that reversal. The company has just incorporated Smith Electric Vehicles (SEV) US Corp. and expects them to begin building copies of the Newton (above) in the U.S. sometime this year. In a shrewd move, Tanfield will hold 49 per cent of the company, thereby allowing the new U.S. majority-owned entity to qualify for government funding and other benefits. Before it can begin building vehicles for the American customers that it is already in discussions with, it will have to have a plant. SEV US has received “firm expressions” from two States already and a site is expected to be announced soon. The Smith Newton is based on the Avia truck chassis and is the equivalent of U.S. Class 5 and 6 medium duty trucks. Though not stated, we expect that the trucks will be powered by lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) batteries from Valence Technologies of Austin, Texas. Official announcement to investors after the break. Gallery: EVS23: Smith Electric Truck [Source: Tanfield Group PLC via Green Car Advisor ] Continue reading Tanfield American spinoff to begin building trucks this year Tanfield American spinoff to begin building trucks this year originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Legislation and Policy , Japan Buyers of hybrid and electric vehicles in Japan could soon get a new break on the taxes they have to pay when buying a new car. Normally, buyers have to pay acquisition taxes that are a percentage of the purchase price and the weight of the car. A bill currently under consideration would completely waive those fees for hybrid/EV buyers and partially eliminate them for buyers of other fuel efficient vehicles. Sales of all cars have been lagging recently in Japan, just as they have in most other regions, so such incentives could help to stimulate sales. The Honda Insight just went on sale in Japan . [Source: Green Car Congress ] Japan looking at new tax incentives for hybrids and EVs originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in Remember how we were all excited when the picture above first appeared ? It was our first official (if leaked) look at the production version of the Chevy Volt, and I bet a lot of people were saying to themselves, “Man, if that dude in the picture would just get out of the frakking way, we’d be able to see the car more.” Well, that guy there is Tony Posawatz, the vehicle line director for the Chevy Volt, and he was just named co-chairman of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA). Posawatz replaces Honda’s Ed Cohen, who was co-chair since early 2004; Cohen is still a part of the board. The other co-chair is John Bryson, the retired chairman & CEO of Southern California Edison. More details after the jump. [Source: EDTA] Continue reading GM’s Volt line director, Tony Posawatz, becomes new EDTA co-chairman GM’s Volt line director, Tony Posawatz, becomes new EDTA co-chairman originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments