Hybrids leading the way to global embrace of EVs

For years the marketing and advertising from government and car companies alike have boldly stated that it was only a matter of time before electric vehicles took over the car industry. Now, electric vehicles, in the form of hybrids that combine both gas and electric motors, are finally beginning to do just that.

As a result, the world populace is accepting hybrid electric vehicles and giving them equal weight as an option in their car purchases, according to "Electric Vehicle (EV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Markets Worldwide," the latest report from leading energy market research firm SBI Energy.

The report examines the natural progression occurring in the marketplace from hybrid electric vehicles to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to battery electric vehicles. Each stage won't likely be picked up by consumers in mass quantities until the previous technology has matured and reached a significant portion of the market.

"The hybrid electric vehicle has been accepted into the automotive scene like no other type of electric vehicle before," says Shelley Carr, publisher of SBI Energy. "And what's truly impressive is how well hybrids are doing compared to regular passenger vehicles."Global sales of hybrid electric vehicles rose 33% in 2009 with 700,000 vehicles sold in an unfavorable climate that saw the overall auto market plunge worldwide. SBI Energy calculates that sales of hybrids accounted for 99% of all electric vehicle sales in 2009 worldwide. Sales of hybrid electric vehicles exploded in Japan during 2009, with the production of hybrids by domestic manufacturers for domestic sale reaching 334,000 cars, essentially tripling production compared to 2008.

Overall, Japan garnered almost half of all global hybrid sales, followed by the U.S. with 42% of global sales.

SBI Energy's analysis of the market indicates that buying a hybrid in the U.S. is still very much about making a statement concerning oil use and environmental conservationism. In Japan, however, environmental sentiment along with a personal sense of responsibility to do something about environmental issues is much more pervasive.

According to SBI Energy, future growth of the electric vehicle market on a global scale will depend on three key motivators:

• government incentives to consumers to purchase fuel efficient vehicles;
• any increase in the price of crude oil and gas prices at the pumps;
• a reduction in the price differential between hybrids and non-hybrids.

"Electric Vehicle (EV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Markets Worldwide" analyzes the manufacturing and sales of electric based passenger vehicles throughout the world with a particular emphasis on the United States and Japan as the leading markets for electric vehicles. The analysis includes definitions, current product offerings and market detail on: passenger hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV).

Source : SOA World, February 22nd, 2010

Stimulus funds for clean energy largely unspent

Making a “tremendous down payment on the clean energy transformation” of the United States was a top priority of the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package – but, despite some notable accomplishments, it remains mostly a promise at this point.

Most of the funds from the stimulus still haven’t been spent, and the clean-energy down payment is a long way from being completed. Its impact so far on those jobs has only been lightly felt in pockets across the nation, economists and others watching its impact in their regions say. “It’s fair to say the stimulus is a down payment, but I wouldn’t call it a tremendous down payment at this point,” says Joan Fitzgerald, an expert on economic development at Northeastern University in Boston, who has analyzed the stimulus’s impact on the wind-power and other clean-technology industries.

Overall, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or stimulus bill, has seen $263 billion (33.4%) spent of the $787 billion available by the end of last year. As a result, the US economy is now employing about 1.5 million to 2 million more workers, the President's Council of Economic Advisors recently reported – and other independent economists agree. But so far, just one-third of the roughly $90 billion ($60.7 billion in direct spending and $29.5 billion in tax incentives) targeting the clean-energy sector has actually hit the street – to fund wind-farm development, solar plants, battery factories, high-speed rail, and home weatherization, among many other projects. As a result, just 63,000 of the jobs directly created or saved by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by the end of last year were clean-energy jobs, the president's economic council reports.

That so-far modest impact should become much more significant as the US Department of Energy ramps up its approval process and spends the remaining billions by September, David Sandalow, assistant secretary of energy for policy and international affairs, said at a press conference Wednesday. Over the next two years, the $90 billion spent on clean energy is expected to create 720,000 job-years of employment. In addition to jobs, some 16,000 megawatts of wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy capacity propelled by the stimulus will power about 4 to 5 million homes. “Each one of [these jobs] is doing work made possible by the recovery act,” Mr. Sandalow said. “The recovery act has been crucial to unlocking financing” for new wind, solar, geothermal power projects. High-speed rail construction in Wisconsin, new-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle battery factories in Detroit and wind farm turbines sprouting across the US landscape last year – all would not exist without the stimulus passed by Congress last year, other observers agree.“Some folks on one end of the spectrum say the stimulus hasn’t done a darn thing,” says Rob Sargent, who tracks clean-energy for EnvironmentAmerica, a Washington-based advocacy group. “If you look around and see – it has led to investments in clean energy of a magnitude we’ve never seen.” Other expert watchers agree.

“Broadly speaking, the stimulus has helped an enormous amount,” says Alex Klein, research director for Emerging Energy Research, a market research company based in Cambridge, Mass. “Treasury grants have helped expedite wind development, manufacturing incentives have jump-started battery manufacturing – and kept wind and solar manufacturing in the US alive.” The stimulus has expedited both project development and helped to build local supply chains, Mr. Klein says. But some note that the stimulus, while keeping the wind-power and other renewable industries from tanking in 2009, has not worked a miracle on US clean-energy manufacturers’ competitiveness. “We’re not competitive yet with other clean-energy export nations,” says Kevin Book, managing partner with ClearView Partners, a Washington energy research and consulting firm. “There’s an argument to be made that we could become the next big manufacturer of clean tech, but we’re not the most compelling candidate right now. China and Germany are ahead of us."News reports highlighting Texas wind-farm projects that purchased Japanese-made turbines – and others with plans to purchase turbines from China – have had congressmen throwing up their hands in protest.So is Bob Lloyd, plant manager at Clipper Wind Power’s Waterloo, Iowa, manufacturing plant. His plant had layoffs a year ago and is still operating at less than half its capacity.“We’re trying to build this product,” he says. “ 'Hey, we're paying taxes, and we don’t want to pay taxes to bring in foreign-made products' – that’s the feeling of folks around here.”Clipper and General Electric are America’s only domestic wind-turbine manufacturers. But while Clipper’s business is picking up, their plight highlights a conundrum: Until US demand for clean energy grows, it will be hard to develop domestic clean-energy manufacturing that can out-compete overseas companies on price as well as quality, experts say.The stimulus support can't produce an overnight transformation for US clean-energy manufacturers, Mr. Book says. What’s needed is a “natural demand” for clean-energy, or a “legislative demand.” And yet, a cap-and-trade climate bill that would do just that, by putting a price on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, is stalled in Congress.“Unless natural demand for clean energy develops in the US – or it can become a competitive exporter to markets overseas, the spending won’t have succeeded,” he says. “We have to have a price on carbon.”

Source : C.S. Monitor, by Mark Clayton, February 18th, 2010

Electric Cars Need Infrastructure

For electric cars to achieve widespread adoption in the years ahead, two things have to happen:

1- a charging infrastructure needs to get built

2- people need to buy electric cars.

Of these, the hype surrounding the Detroit Auto Show, a veritable electric-car-apalooza, seeks to overcome problems associated with the second while making noises about the first. Who’s making the noise? None other than the Ford Motor Company’s very own...William C. Ford, Jr.:

“'We don’t know what the market is going to be for electric vehicles,” ...Ford’s executive chairman, said. 'A lot will depend on the ability of people to charge them at home, at work, at the mall. But we will be ready for the demand whatever it is, whether it becomes 10% of the market or 90%.'

At home many potential EV customers will be able to handle. Work and mall are another story and the key to EVs occupying more than 10% of the market. As for 90%, well, that may never happen, as we may be ready to begin a switch from EVs to hydrogen-powered cars before all the gas-burning cars are wiped out. In 30-40 years, it will probably be apparent that our oil supplies are dwindling, although we may at that time only be seeing the serious downward slide on the peak oil curve. An orderly conversion to EVs, while we increase the efficiency of internal-combustion engines and hybrids, should buy us enough time to, at mid-century, make an easy transition to truly sustainable mobility.

Source : The Washington Post, by Matthew DeBord, January 13th, 2010

Survey hints at strong demand for EVs

Plug-in electric cars have technology geeks and the well-heeled excited, but how will they play in Peoria?

Ernst & Young on Thursday released results from a survey of 1,000 licensed U.S. drivers that found 10% of drivers would consider purchasing a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle. That represents about 20 million American drivers, enough demand to sell out 2010 and 2011 electric vehicles.

Automakers are betting the electrification of power trains is the future of the auto business, as was clear from this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. But even as automakers prepare to produce tens of thousands of these cars, big questions remain over how strong the demand will be.

Some argue that there will be rapid uptake in certain regions, much the way the well known Toyota Prius hybrid has been adopted. The Boston Consulting Group forecasts that 25% of new auto sales in 2020 will be hybrids or electrics, with the bulk being conventional hybrids.

Yet there are still clear barriers to consumer adoption, including range, cost, and availability of charging stations at home or public places.

Ernst & Young found that 34% of respondents were willing to subsidize local charging stations. At the same time, their top reason for considering buying an electric or plug-in hybrid is to save money on fuel.

Source : GreenTech, by Martin LaMonica, January 14th, 2010

US Green Engagements

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. On this trip, Members of Congress are seeing first-hand the innovative technologies the auto industry is investing in to create the jobs of the future and to ensure our national competitiveness.

Over the last three years, the New Direction Congress has taken a series of steps to spur innovation in the auto industry, strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and create the jobs of the future. Beginning with the Innovation Agenda and the 2007 energy bill, through the auto industry rescue, and this year with the Recovery Act, Cash for Clunkers, and the Omnibus spending bill, this Congress has worked to spur an economic turnaround for the auto industry, U.S. manufacturing and Michigan. In 2010, more will soon be delivered through the Recovery Act along with key legislation in progress. Congress is committed to continuing to preserve our manufacturing base, which is essential to our economic and national security.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS (2007-2009)

AMERICA COMPETES ACT
Bipartisan legislation to promote high‐tech jobs, expand math and science education, and boost research and innovation. Signed into law on August 9, 2007.

INNOVATION AGENDA
This year, the federal government is investing $31 billions in science, technology, innovation, math education, and workforce training. This includes $125 million for Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to assist small and medium-sized manufacturers with cutting-edge technologies and product innovation to help them thrive in the global economy, and $70 million for the Technology Innovation Program to fund high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national need done by U.S. businesses, colleges and universities, and national labs. Signed into law on December 16, 2009 in the omnibus spending package.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007
The landmark energy law increased vehicle fuel efficiency for the first time in more than 3 decades, to 35 miles per gallon (6.7l/100 km) in 2020, while offering crucial flexibility to automakers and ensuring that we keep American manufacturing jobs and continue domestic production of smaller vehicles. Contained key incentives to encourage domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles and the next generation of vehicle batteries and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Expanded use of American-grown biofuels, by increasing requirements for the amount of renewable fuels produced and used in motor vehicles, and investing in cutting-edge research to develop new processes for turning farm products into biofuels. Signed into law on December 19, 2007.

RETOOLING OLDER AUTO PLANTS FOR THE FUTURE
Congress funded a new Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program that it created in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, which provides $25 billion in low-interest loans to retool older auto plants for the production of advanced technology vehicles. Retooling these plants will prevent plant closures, save thousands of Michigan jobs, and protect our U.S. manufacturing base here at home and lead American manufacturing into the 21st Century. These loans were finalized this fall. It became law on September 30, 2008.

CASH FOR CLUNKERS
To jump-start the U.S. auto industry, Congress provided consumers with up to $4,500 to trade in an old vehicle for one with higher fuel efficiency – spurring the sale of nearly 700,000 vehicles – the greatest share of which were made or assembled here at home. Created or saved over 60,000 American jobs, including those at auto manufacturers, suppliers, and dealers, boosted economic growth by up to $6.8 billion, spurred a 58% increase in the fuel economy for these new cars and will reduce fuel consumption by roughly 33 million gallons per year. First $1 billion appropriation signed into law on June 24, 2009; second $2 billion appropriation signed into law on August 7, 2009.

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT
Emergency legislation enacted in the first month of President Obama´s term, to jumpstart our economy, create and save 3.5 million jobs, give 95% of American workers a tax cut, and begin to rebuild America´s road, rail, and water infrastructure. Makes historic investments of more than $69 billion in clean energy to nearly double renewable electricity over four years: modernizing the grid to make it more efficient and reliable; tax incentives to spur energy savings and create clean energy jobs, including the tax credit (up to $7500) for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to support the goal of putting one million plug-ins on the road by 2015; and a significant commitment to clean energy research, and to develop advanced battery technology. Signed into law on February 17, 2009.

Among the Recovery Act investments announced, the following highlights a few of the key investments for the auto industry, the U.S. manufacturing base, and Michigan.

U.S. Production of Advanced Batteries. As part of an unprecedented $2.4 billion investment in manufacturing of advanced batteries and electric vehicles, Michigan will receive more than $1 billion in grants for 20 Michigan projects involving research and development of batteries and vehicles designed for the 21st Century, the most of any state in the country. These investments in vital home-grown technologies and job creation in a new industry are essential to jump start development of a U.S. manufacturing base for batteries and to accelerate development and commercialization of safe and affordable electric drive vehicle systems. America must lead the way and Michigan has the people and resources to become the world´s leader in advanced battery storage and technology, with the nation´s 4th-largest high-tech workforce and the country´s 3rd-highest engineering graduate population.

Smart Grid. Over the last three months, Recovery Act investments for smart grid and meter technology have been announced for Michigan, including $83.8 million to install over 600,000 smart meters, $19.3 million to help develop smart household appliances that schedule energy use for efficiency and cost-savings, and $5 million to upgrade the electrical grid, save energy and create jobs.

Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit. For the first time ever, companies that domestically manufacture advanced technologies used for the production of renewable energy (including batteries) are receiving a manufacturing tax credit of 30% for the cost of building factories in the Recovery Act package. This will support the building and equipping of new, expanded, or re-tooled factories that manufacture wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles needed to power the green economy. On Friday, over $230 million in awards for Michigan companies for facilities producing components for wind turbines and solar panels were announced.

Worker Training for Clean Energy Jobs.

The Recovery Act package includes $500 million for grants to assist workers in transitioning to green jobs in renewable energy, advanced technology automobile manufacturing, and other green-related industries. On January 6, the Labor Department announced $5.3 million in job-training partnership grants for green jobs to train nearly 600 workers in Michigan. These grants can be used to train workers as hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists, wind and energy auditors, and solar panel installers, for example. Nearly $28 million of the $100 million just announced will support projects in communities hurt by auto industry downsizing.

Weatherization. Michigan received more than $243 million from the Recovery Act, which will weatherize more than 30,000 homes, which on average reduces heating bills by 25 percent.

Broadband. Michigan is part of a national broadband-mapping project to further the goal of expanding high-speed Internet to unserved and underserved areas with a $1.8 million Recovery Act grant to fund a partnership between the Michigan Public Service Commission and Connected Nation.

AUTO INDUSTRY RESCUE
In December 2008, with the auto industry on the brink of collapse and with 1 in 10 American jobs related to auto manufacturing, the House took the tough vote to pass emergency legislation to aid the auto industry. The legislation included strong accountability measures to ensure the long-term viability and competitiveness of the auto industry, and to protect taxpayers. With some exceptions, this legislation formed the basis of the Bush Administration's rescue of the automobile industry, with use of funds from TARP, which Congress approved in October 2008. On top of the direct loans for GM and Chrysler and their financial arms, the federal government took steps to ensure consumers can access credit to buy cars and have their warranties honored; that dealers can get loans to finance their inventories; and that suppliers can get paid for their parts. A year later, Ford, GM, and Chrysler are well under way in major restructuring efforts designed to transform them into energy-efficient and globally competitive companies with signs that these efforts are paying off. The automobile industry´s annualized selling rate has been rising steadily for several months, ending 2009 at around 11 million vehicles; the electric Chevrolet Volt expected to launch in 2010 is being hailed by car experts as "impressive, progressive and potentially game-changing; " and General Motors (GM) has announced that it will repay more than $1 billion next month, years earlier than required.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
Provides for a 10% increase for investments in clean renewable energy, energy efficiency, research and technological development, and paves the way for fiscally responsible legislation to spur clean energy and energy independence. Passed the Congress April 29, 2009.

ENERGY IMPROVEMENT & EXTENSION ACT OF 2008
Legislation extending and expanding tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy and fuel from America´s heartland, and plug-in hybrid cars, is critical to creating and preserving 500,000 American jobs in wind and solar industries. President Bush threatened to veto these provisions; signed into law October 3, 2008 in Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.

FOOD, CONSERVATION, & ENERGY ACT OF 2008
The Farm Bill made historic commitments to American biofuels including $320 million in loan guarantees for commercialized advanced biofuel production plants. President Bush vetoed, but Congress overrode that veto to become law on June 18, 2008.

FAIRNESS FOR AUTO DEALERS
Auto dealerships that lost their franchise agreements during bankruptcy proceedings for Chrysler and General Motors will have the opportunity to argue their cases in a transparent arbitration process. In this process, the arbitrator must balance economic interests of dealerships, company and public when considering reinstatement of canceled dealership agreements. Signed into law on December 16, 2009 in the omnibus spending package.

WORKER, HOMEOWNERSHIP & BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACT
To boost the economy and create jobs, Congress passed an extension of unemployment benefits for Americans hit by the recession, extended and expanded 1st-time homebuyer tax credit, and enhanced small business tax relief—expanded to all struggling U.S. businesses. Signed into law on November 6, 2009.

RECOVERY ACT
More Recovery Act investments to spur innovation to create jobs are still to come as 40% of the grants, loans and contracts are still to be awarded, including those for high-speed rail to transform the nation´s transportation system and create jobs and the National Science Foundation.

ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ACT
Bipartisan legislation championed by Rep. Gary Peters, which invests in a diverse range of near-term and long-term vehicle technologies to improve fuel efficiency, support domestic research and manufacturing, and lead to greater consumer choice of vehicle technologies and fuels. Passed by House on September 16, 2009.

AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT OF 2009
Historic legislation to launch a new clean energy economy—to create millions of American jobs; help reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil by 5 million barrels per day; and invest in new clean energy and efficiency technologies. This would double loan guarantees for development of advanced technology vehicles that are 25% more efficient than fuel-economy standards to $50 billion through 2012. It would also provide $20 billion for improving vehicle efficiency and developing and deploying electric vehicles, with incentives to those manufacturing advanced technology vehicles, incentives to retool factories to make electric vehicles or batteries for electric vehicles, and funding for state and local electric vehicle deployment programs through 2025. Passed by House on June 26, 2009.

JOBS ON MAIN STREET ACT
Key legislation to create and save jobs with targeted investments to boost small business, to build and modernize highways and transit, and to hire and retain teachers, police, and firefighters; fully paid for by redirecting TARP funds from Wall Street to Main Street; with economy-boosting emergency aid (unemployment benefits, help with health benefits) for those hit hardest by the recession. Passed by House on December 16, 2009.

Source : The American Chronicle, Congressional Desk, January 16th, 2010

UK won't lack vehicle to grid infrastructure

The UK government has denied claims that it is not performing enough to help support the introduction of electric vehicles in the country.

In a significant visit to the UK this week, Ivan Hodac, Secretary-General of European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, said that the money used to fund North East’s electric vehicle infrastructure was not fully supported across the UK.

His recent outspoken accusation to the UK government has offended ministers who have allotted millions of pounds just to support electric vehicle projects.

Hodac informed that Nissan’s Sunderland car assembly plant, which employs over 3,000 workers, is currently competing against a factory in Portugal to produce Nissan’s LEAF electric car.

He warned that the Portuguese government’s initiative to install charging points nationwide for electric vehicles is progressing much faster than the UK.

Opposing Hodac’s statement, a Department for Transport spokeswoman earlier stated that the North East is considered as the UK’s first ‘Low Carbon Economic Area’. The UK government is also claiming to have raised £30 million (U$48 millions / 33 million €) to install charging points for plug-in hybrid and electric cars.

Another UK government spokeswoman informed that over £400 million (U$645 millions / 445 million €) has been invested to support the development, manufacturing and use of green vehicles. The support is also being targeted to generate jobs in the UK automotive sector and to reduce the carbon level emitted from the UK’s land transport.

A Nissan spokesman said that the automaker is continuing to make partnerships with organizations and governments that will help advance the introduction of electric cars. He further informed that LEAF, the world’s first inexpensive mass-marketed electric car, will be available late 2010 in Europe, Japan and the US.

Source : Electric.co.uk, by Justin Becks, January 15th, 2010

Plug in, turn on, drive out

With the promise to be greener and cheaper to operate, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are creating quite a buzz in the auto world. PHEVs have been converted by installing an additional storage battery that allows the car to operate more in electric mode and less with the gasoline engine.

Full-scale, commercial production could happen as early as next year. And when they do hit the marketplace, you will be able to charge your car at plug-in stations in Raleigh. PHEVs from Toyota and GM are slated to hit the market in 2010. And if all goes according to the Obama administration's plan, there will be 1 million PHEVs in the American fleet by 2015. Part of the reason that PHEVs haven't made it to the showroom is that old electric-car nemesis: expensive batteries.
Another obstacle is the limited mileage availability between chargings. Those mileage numbers have improved: The Chevy Volt reportedly gets 40 mpg on the battery power alone. The cost is coming down, too. If mass produced, batteries would add $2,000-$3,000 to the price of a regular hybrid.

It may be a while before you see a new PHEV on a street near you, unless you live in one of five American cities that have already signed on to install plug-in stations. Think of them as powerful wall sockets in street side and in parking garages. The original three were Raleigh, Indianapolis and Portland, Ore., and were later joined by Denver and Houston in an initiative named Project Get Ready.
Project Get Ready is the brainchild of the Rocky Mountain Institute, an organization focused on sustainability and innovations for energy and resource efficiency. By 2010, when PHEVs are expected to start trolling city streets, Raleigh plans to have six charging stations near downtown and N.C. State. Progress Energy, a partner in Project Get Ready, is paying for the stations. Meanwhile, several converted PHEVs are being driven downtown, including a city-owned Prius.

Source : IndyWeek.com, by Steve Luxton, November 4h, 2009