Now that Toyota’s Prius Plug-in Hybrid has been officially announced, we can begin the comparisons with the other plug-in electric vehicle with an extended driving range, the Chevrolet Volt. The underlying question is which is more important to consumers: electric driving range, or total vehicle fuel efficiency?

The folks at Edmunds.com’s AutoObserver pointed out that the Prius PHEV will earn the right to drive in the HOV lane in California (because of the low total emissions), while Volt owners won’t have that luxury. Conversely, Volt buyers get the full federal tax credit ($7,500) because of the larger battery pack, but Prius PHEV owners get the smaller amount ($2,500). Still, the Prius overall will cost about $2,000 less after you figure in the tax credits.

Winning the hearts and wallets of consumers could come down to one number – but will it be 35 (as in the Volt’s estimated miles of electric range, per the EPA), or will it be 49 (as in the total MPG that the Prius will achieve in hybrid mode)?

At 37 MPG after the batteries are depleted, the Volt ain’t no Hummer or Escalade. And with 14 miles of electric range, the Prius PHEV offers much greater silent driving than the original Prius.

But which vehicle will cost more to drive based on how far you go between charges?

Assuming a gas price of $3.50 and electricity at 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, the Volt’s bigger battery makes it cheaper to operate as long as you drive 70 miles or less between charges. At distances of greater than 70 miles, the Prius PHEVs’ greater fuel economy as a hybrid makes it cheaper to operate.

This is one scenario, and the conclusions may change if the price of gasoline goes up or down, or depending on the cost of electricity in your neighborhood. Also, the calculations for both vehicles assume that the gas engine is not engaged until the full electric driving range is completed, which may not be true depending on driving conditions and driver behaviors.

However, the graph illustrates that for most trips (<70 miles in between charging), primarily driving on electric power makes the Volt cheaper to operate.

John Gartner is a senior analyst at Pike Research and a co-founder of Matter Network.

photo: BrainThought/Wikimedia

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Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corp, promoted his “Prius Family” with the unveiling of the Prius v and Prius c at the Detroit Auto Show on January 10, 2011.

The Prius hybrid came to America in 2000 as “a misunderstood concept struggl[ing] for acceptance”. Now, with nearly 1 million sold, the Prius is just 1 of 30 models of hybrids offered by 13 automotive brands. As more consumers prioritize fuel-efficiency, it makes sense for Toyota to continue their commitment to hybrid technology and the American customer by expanding their offerings.

First up, the Prius v”ersatility”. The Prius v answers consumer demand for a more spacious interior (34 cubic feet or 60% more than the 3rd generation) and commendable fuel-efficiency (40mpg combined). The 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine gallops with 98hp and 105 lb-ft of torque all with a footprint that is 66% less than the average new vehicle. It will be one of the first Toyotas to be equipped with the Entune media system and the first with the option for a moonroof and retractable sunshades. Available for purchase in late Summer 2011.

Toyota added a Lithium-ion battery for approximately 13 miles of electric driving capability. It will reach 60mph and can be fully charged in 3 hours on 110V (100 minutes hours on 220V). The Prius Plug-in “is a perfect car for someone like me who commutes 7 miles a day” said Mr. Toyoda. It will be available to the 14 coastal states that hold most demand for the current model before becoming Nationally available next year.

Over the next two years, this family is set to spawn 7 new models and 4 next generations (including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electrics).

Article by Allison Leahy, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

Related posts:

• Toyota to Launch Six New Hybrid Vehicles By End of 2012
• Toyota to Unveil Secret “Baby Prius” Green Car at Detroit Auto Show
• Prius Plug-in Versus Volt: Which Costs Less to Drive?
• Toyota Tends Gardner with Hybrid Vehicle Patent Win
• Talking to Electric Vehicles

In a previous post, I wrote about patent attorney-inventor Conrad O. Gardner’s infringement suit against Toyota in which he accused the automaker of infringing U.S. Patent No. 7,290,627 (’627 patent).

In that case, Gardner alleged that Toyota infringed the ‘627 Patent by making and selling the second generation Prius, the Camry hybrid and the Highlander hybrid.

The ‘627 Patent is entitled “Extended range motor vehicle having ambient pollutant processing” and is directed to a hybrid vehicle control system which controls the relative contribution of driving force from an internal combustion engine and an electric motor by sensing the vehicle’s speed and transferring the driving force contributions accordingly.

Last year Toyota succeeded in knocking out one claim of the ‘627 Patent, and Toyota has now won the case outright in the district court.

In an order issued last month (gardnerorder.pdf) Judge Richard A. Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted Toyota’s motion for summary judgment of non-infringement of the three remaining claims of the ‘627 Patent.

The court had previously construed two of the patent’s claim terms “motor-generated driving force transfer means” and “engine-generated driving force transfer means” to mean that an engine drives one set of wheels and an electric motor drives a different set of wheels.

The construction of the first term also required (1) the combination of a drive shaft, clutch, transmission, and axle, or (2) the combination of an electric motor direct drive and axle.

The court found that the Prius, the Camry and the two-wheel-drive Highlander do not infringe the ‘627 Patent because in those vehicles the engine and the electric motor both drive the same set of wheels, specifically the front wheels.

The four-wheel-drive Highlander was found to be non-infringing because the separate electric motor that drives the rear wheels is not connected to the wheels through a clutch, nor does it constitute a direct drive.

The court issued a subsequent order (gardnerorder2.pdf) denying Gardner’s motions for partial summary judgment against Toyota’s inequitable conduct counterclaim and invalidity argument.

Gardner has appealed both summary judgment decisions (gardnernotice.pdf).

Eric Lane is a patent attorney at Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps in San Diego and the author of Green Patent Blog. Mr. Lane can be reached at elane@luce.com.

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Capitalizing on the success of its Prius hybrid, Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, has announced that it will introduce six new hybrid models by the end of 2012. Toyota, whose Prius is the top-selling car in Japan, is stepping up its competition in the growing green vehicle market by introducing two hybrid versions of its luxury Lexus brand and four new Toyota models with gas/electric hybrid engines.

Toyota will unveil a fully electric version of its RAV-4 sport utility vehicle this November, and the Japanese automaker announced earlier this year that it is partnering with Tesla Motors to develop a new line of all-electric vehicles. Toyota is hoping that its emphasis on next-generation, fuel-efficient vehicles will help it overcome a drop in sales that followed car recalls earlier this year after reports of safety problems, including uncontrolled acceleration of some Toyota cars.

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• Toyota Tends Gardner with Hybrid Vehicle Patent Win

Green cars are going to be bigger than renewable energy, we heard yesterday. HSBC reckons 8.65m electric vehicles and 9.23m plug-in and hybrid electric vehicles will be sold globally in 2020, up from around 5,000 and 657,000 respectively last year.

But what are these cars actually like to live with? Recently I borrowed Toyota’s latest Prius, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), to find out.

It’s effectively a normal hybrid car – ie it runs on both a petrol engine and electric motor – but as the name suggests, has a plug so you can charge it from the mains too. The bonus is that the plug-in can go for nearly 13 miles on electric-only, far more than the one mile of electric-only the normal Prius manages.

In other words, you can do most of your local journeys in a fashion that’s uber-green – and ultra-cheap. And you don’t suffer from the “range anxiety” that besets electric cars, most of which, even the fancy new Nissan Leaf, manage no more than 100 miles on one charge. A Ford Focus manages around 370 miles on a tank of petrol.

Government studies suggest electric cars have 40% lower carbon emissions than petrol ones, even with UK’s fossil fuel-heavy electricity generation. And at 2p per mile when powered by electricity, versus around 14p per mile for petrol, you can see how driving all your local trips on electric-only could be cheap too.

Driving the plug-in Prius is incredibly similar to the normal Prius, albeit a little slower to accelerate. It’s smooth, quiet, comfy. The only bad bit is the boot, which is noticeably smaller than the normal Prius, due to the raised floor that accommodates the battery – which might put off families .

In London, I dropped some friends off, delivered a parcel and ran some errands on electric-only mode before driving the car off to Oxfordshire – at which point the petrol engine and hybrid battery kicked in automatically. On my return journey I popped into the colossal Westfield shopping centre in West London which with 30 electric car charging points is second in the UK only to the 100 at the Highcross Centre in Leicester.

Plugged in via the leads in the boot, the electric battery was topped up for free in an hour and a half. While Westfield’s developers deserve credit for installing the points in the first place, they also warrant a raspberry for allowing any car to take the charging spaces – they’re not reserved for electric vehicles.

And here lies the only real drawback to PHEVs: there are not enough places to charge them, even in the urban areas where they’re best-suited. Home-charging, in particular, is tricky in cities because of the lack of driveways and garages. Of course, because you have petrol as a backup, you don’t have to panic about recharging as you would with a 100% electric vehicle. But by not being able to charge out and about, you lose the unique environmental and financial benefits.

There are plans to fix this roadblock. The government’s ‘plugged-in places’ scheme is meant to install thousands of points across the UK, but it won’t be confirmed (or cut) until the government publishes its comprehensive spending review on 20 October. Rumblings suggest it’ll survive the axe.

Nevertheless, the Royal Academy of Engineering thinks plug-ins are a likely short-term alternative to the problems faced by fully electric cars. I’m in agreement – provided the car-makers sort out the boot space and the car park owners keep the sockets free.

Article by Adam Vaughan, appearing courtesy Crisp Green.

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• Prius Plug-in Versus Volt: Which Costs Less to Drive?
• Toyota Prius: A Hybrid for Every Humor
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• Toyota to Launch Six New Hybrid Vehicles By End of 2012
• Toyota to Unveil Secret “Baby Prius” Green Car at Detroit Auto Show

In recent analysis of vehicle sales by segment, the differences between traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales and hybrid (HEV) sales show that hybrids are not competitive in several key segments within the U.S. The small car segment accounts for 20% of U.S. sales, but only accounts for 12% of HEV sales (with only 2 models available). While the midsize car segment with the popular Toyota Prius accounts for 68% of HEV sales (a total of 11 models available) compared to 31% for the segment among ICE vehicles. An indication that both manufacturer and consumer acceptance in this segment is strong.

There are several reasons that HEVs may not be capturing the same level of small car market share as the ICE small cars, though price and value are certainly one of the key issues. In this segment, many consumers are inclined to go for solutions that don’t break the bank, such as flex-fuel vehicles or high-efficiency or turbo ICEs. If product plans are representative of an automaker’s opinion, there appears to be some agreement with this strategy as high-efficiency ICEs with improved fuel economy with minimal cost increase seem to be the direction many are headed with new products (for example, the Chevy Cruze and Ford Fiesta).

This leads one to expect that the growth of plug-in vehicles in this segment will likely be niche vehicles, similar to how small luxury cars are niche vehicles within the small car segment.

Beyond cars, consumer demand continues to push the development of trucks, whether that’s crossover SUVs or full-size pickup trucks. Midsize/large SUVs and pick-up trucks combined account for about 27% of the U.S. new vehicle market, while sales of hybrids in these segments combine for about 3% (a total of 4 models, all GM). This mismatch between share of ICEs and HEVs is the result of several factors, cost of the vehicles, fuel economy gains that require many years of use to see payback, and lack of availability.

The prevailing assumption is that most consumers won’t pay for small improvements from HEVs in fuel economy in big truck segments, and that assumption is likely correct. The cost recovery for a $4,000 to $8,000 premium for the HEV version likely takes many years to pay back with fuel economy gains that net savings of $300 to $500/year (based on a 12K miles per year driving cycle and $3/gallon gas price). Even at double the gas price, paybacks on expensive HEVs system are at least 5 years or longer. Additionally, let’s not forget that truck buyers in the bigger vehicle segments are often looking for specific towing or cargo capabilities that HEVs have to live up to, which in some cases may drive the cost of the HEV even higher. The differences between HEV and ICE segment market share point to an opportunity within these segments for other less-costly technologies such as high-efficiency ICEs, start-stop hybrids or turbo-diesel engines.

Article by Dave Hurst, appearing courtesy Matter Network.

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There has been a great deal of talk and excitement about the electrification of transportation that is expected to occur over the next few years. The Prius proved to everyone that electric technology can work as well as or better than only gas power. Now, companies such as Tesla and Mission Motors are proving that high-performance and electric not only belong in the same sentence but that these terms are increasingly becoming synonymous.

How far along are we? Its already common to see Teslas’ quietly cruising around many parts of California and partially electric bicycles are becoming an increasingly regular sighting.

Yesterday, while walking around a residential neighborhood in San Francisco, I noticed a motorcycle that had a slightly different appearance than most bikes and gravitated closer to confirm my initial impression. A sleek white battery casing with the words Zero Motorcycles had replaced the gas powered engine. This all-electric motorcycle, produced by a Santa Cruz, California company and built in Scotts Valley, California is called the Zero-S and is already available and selling for around $9,000.

According to the driver, the motorcycle is capable of two hours of city travel (about 50 miles) on a single charge. Not enough for a long-distance cruise but certainly good enough to get around town or to and from work. The motorcycle is a plug-in and can charge via a 110 volt electrical outlet common everywhere in the US. For a full recharge it takes about 4 hours. For a quicker charge, the motorcycle can also use a 220 volt outlet, the type of outlet commonly used for clothes dryers. Based on the cost of electricity across the US, a recharge will run about $0.40 which puts the cost per mile driven at less than $0.01. To see the full spec sheet, click here.

A quick conversation with the driver of the electric motorcycle revealed that he was new to electric motorcycles but that the ride was not so different from a gas powered bike.

“The power is great for the hills of San Francisco and the acceleration is comparable to what I would expect from a gas-powered bike.”

He also liked the experience of the silent ride where “all you hear is the sound of the tires on the pavement.” His main hang-up with the bike?

“I’ve been riding for a long time and for me, if a bike can’t exceed 150 miles per hour, it doesn’t perform up to my expectations.”

While the Zero S motorcycle does not meet this criteria, it tops out at closer to 55 miles per hour, it is meant to “take on urban environments and encourage the occasional detour.”

For city dwellers or those who do not travel via freeways to work or school, the Zero S will meet or exceed the legally allowable speed limit in just about every city area of the United States. Although some motorcyclists will echo the call for a higher top speed, those who want emission-free, low-cost transportation with a greatly reduced chance of speeding tickets will rejoice that one more option exists for two wheel enthusiasts and that option is available all across the US today.

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Here’s a list of environmental stories which had high impact during the last decade.

This is is in no particular order admittedly subjective and seen from an American perspective.

Please tell us what we’ve missed and take a moment to vote in the poll.

• The environmental movement goes mainstream. This was the decade in which global warming became a household word and environmentalists were no longer viewed as tree-hugging-tofu-eaters. Major corporations now have “going green” programs in place, while terms like “greenwashing” and “carbon footprint” are commonly used.
• Prius Rising. The first commercially viable hybrid became part of the landscape, figuratively and literally.
• Al Gore becomes the face of a movement. This was arguably the most stunning resurrection of a 20th/21st century politician’s career. After winning the popular vote in the presidential election which launched the decade, only to lose the contest in a manner which will forever be hotly debated, Gore appeared to be destined for history’s asterisk bin. Then came “An Inconvenient Truth” and a Nobel Prize.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change establishes scientific consensus. The release of the IPCC report in 2007 determined that, yes, climate change is real and, yes, it’s caused by human activity.
• Extreme weather. The hottest decade on record also included some of the most deadly weather events on record. It’s not possible to say whether the rising temperatures contributed to any of these, but the deadly European heatwave of 2003, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, Hurricane Katrina’s obliteration of New Orleans in 2005, and the 2008 series of killer hurricanes in Haiti were a few notable reminders of the potentially fatal power of nature.
• Climate change gets a price tag. Former World Bank vice president Sir Nicholas Stern released The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change in 2006, which estimated the effects of climate change to have, at minimum, the cost of 5% of the world’s GDP. 
• You are what you eat. While obesity rates continue to skyrocket at alarming rates, even among children, (along with the associated health complications), organic foods have become very accessible in traditionally non-organic settings. It’s common for mainstream grocers to have their own organic labels and the price gap between organics and conventionals is rapidly closing.
• Climate change and American politics, the Bush presidency. This was the first time personnel from the oil industry directly occupied the White House. After campaigning in 2000 to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant, one of the first acts of the Bush presidency was withdrawal of the U.S. from the Kyoto Protocol. What followed was an eight year policy of environmental regression and unmasked disdain for science. Ironically, the tone-deaf response to Hurricane Katrina was one of the events that marked the very public unraveling of the Bush presidency.
• Climate change and American politics, the Obama presidency. Obviously, there are still chapters to be written as this president has been in office for less than a year, but after stocking his administration with the best and brightest scientific and pro-environmental minds, pushing huge green-stimulus funds and job creation programs, and giving the go-ahead to the EPA to regulate CO2, there is reason for hope that was absent during the preceding eight years.

Article by D. Snodgrass, appearing courtesy of Celsias

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Converting hybrid vehicles — particularly the Prius and Ford Escape — into plug-in hybrids has become a profitable niche industry for a few specialty companies. But the net impact of this new mini-industry has been much greater by influencing consumer and industry opinions.

Promoting the technical feasibility of PHEVs has been a significant factor in the auto manufacturers’ decision to develop the dozens of plug-in and all-electric vehicles now scheduled for delivery in the next five years.

But the earliest and strongest voice promoting PHEVs isn’t happy with that limited success. Felix Kramer, the founder of CalCars.org, says that getting to a million electrified vehicles by 2015 won’t do nearly enough to address climate change and energy independence, and now he’s setting his sights on electrifying internal combustion engine vehicles. He’s clearly on to something.

CalCar’s new “Big Fix” initiative wants to electrify some of the biggest emitters and gas-wasters — pickup trucks, SUVs and vans (PSVs). When used in delivery routes that are often well under 40 miles per day, they spend much of their time starting, stopping, and idling, and get among the worst MPG ratings around. Converting one of these vehicles to a PHEV or EV will reduce fuel consumption and emissions to a much greater degree than trading in a Sebring for a Prius.

SPVs, most notably the Ford F-150, have been among the top sellers for more than a decade, creating an inventory of millions of vehicles that could be converted. They also have much more space for battery packs, which makes for a simpler conversion than a compact car. Former Intel CEO Andy Grove and electric vehicle guru Andy Frank are fully on board, lending their considerable credibility to the idea.

The Japanese postal service has already begun converting its fleet of vehicles to EVs, and the U.S. Postal Service wants to do the same with more than 140,000 of its delivery vehicles. The cash-starved agency could save millions per year if the federal government decides to provide assistance, which would be more sustainable than a bailout.

The biggest impediments are the cost and potential resistance from the auto industry. The battery cost can be upwards of $20,000, making for a slow payback period if gasoline stays around $3 a gallon. The economics will improve over time, especially if conversion kits are produced in volume and battery manufacturing ramps up as the technology evolves.

But the harder sell will be convincing the auto industry that keeping vehicles on the road instead of buying new vehicles is a good thing, and that they should be a part of that business. Upgrading existing SPVs could be a multi-billion dollar business, extending the life of vehicles and preserving the energy cost sunk into building them. While Ford, GM and Chrylsler are best-suited to engineer conversions, this mass rethinking of the company would be an even bigger shift than the current change to becoming manufacturers of PHEVs and EVs.

Convincing fleet operators to convert will likely be easier than the consumers, legislators and car companies needed to make it happen. It’s not impossible, but it will take an extensive and well-orchestrated effort.

Appearing courtesy of Matter Network.

[photo credit: Flickr]

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The Smiths have a Ford, and the Johnsons have a Nissan… but how long will it take the Jones to have a Tesla in your neighborhood?

Tesla Motors, along with Ford and Nissan, were recently awarded loans from the US Energy Department, totaling about $8 billion, to help automakers transition to making more fuel-efficient vehicles. Tesla Motors, which produces high performance, consumer-oriented battery electric vehicles, received $465 million to finance the manufacturing plant for their Model S, as well building a powertrain plant. The Model S, an electric sedan, expected to start production in 2011, will cost roughly $49,900, after a $7,500 tax credit.

“Tesla will use the loan precisely the way that Congress intended — as the capital needed to build sustainable transport,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a statement. “We are honored that the U.S. government selected Tesla to be among the first companies to participate in this progressive program.”

Progressive, sure. Eco-friendly, yes. But will it be cheaper overall? I would imagine people would be turned off by the sticker price of nearly $50,000 for the Tesla Model S. The theory behind investing in an electric car is the high cost of purchasing an EV (electric vehicle) will be offset by the amount of money on gas. Also, according to the EPA, the federal government is offering buyers a little something extra: a tax credit equal to 10% (up to $4,000) of the total purchase cost. And those that live in certain states may also be eligible for partial sales tax exemptions, one-time income tax credits, or reduced license and registration fees.

Ford, who received $5.9 billion, will use their loan to retool and upgrade their factories in 5 states to build 13 fuel-efficient vehicles. Ford will also use some of their offerings in other fuel-efficient projects, which will include electric versions of the Transit Connect van in 2010, the Ford Focus in 2011 and more hybrids, including a plug-in, by 2012.

Related posts:

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• Toyota to Unveil Secret “Baby Prius” Green Car at Detroit Auto Show
• EPA Produces MPG-e Ratings for Plug-in Hybrids
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