Chinese manufactured hybrids coming soon? Ready for Chinese made vehicles? Of course you’re not, but would a $15,000 Prius -like hybrid, or a $25,000 Chevy Volt -like plug-in – branded by Mercedes Benz – change your mind? Perhaps not, but I’d bet such vehicles could pique the attention of many Americans, and such hybrids and plug-in vehicles are closer to reality thanks to a…

40 miles of EV range the wrong approach? Over that last few years a number of battery studies have suggested that, based on current lithium-ion technologies, small-battery plug-in hybrids offer the most compelling overall case to consumers in terms of performance and cost-effectiveness. Obviously, this flies in the face of not just the Chevy Volt and it’s 40 miles of EV range, but also the government’s entire …

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Two of the Volt’s first test batteries GM’s Brownstown Battery Pack Assembly Plant produced its first lithium-ion battery pack for the Chevy Volt today. GM CEO Ed Whitacre said at the event that a few Volts might be sold before November, when the Volt is to officially go on sale. Overall, Volt production will be limited, at least through the first full year of production, but should eventually reach about 60,000 Volts per

The rubber finally hits the road 2010. Here we come. While 2010 isn’t going to be quite as significant for the hybrid market as I would have expected a few years ago, there are a few interesting stories developing: 1.) Will any hybrid, aside from the Prius , sell 50,000 units in one year?…

A couple of Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery packs So, can lithium-ion batteries make plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles as common as your conventional gas-powered vehicle anytime soon? Probably not. In fact, lithium-ion batteries are just a bridge technology to real EV penetration according to Argonne Laboratories, a …

The king of hybrid cars For years now GM has been on the verge of toppling Toyota’s hybrid cars according to GM’s Bob Lutz. The dual mode hybrid powertrain was to be more sophisticated. The BAS mild hybrid was to be cheaper. Neither has been competitive. Might all that change when the Chevy Volt beats …

Forever a niche vehicle at best? Haven’t had time to fully read the latest plug-in hybrid report by Pike Research , but I just finished CNET’s review. Overall, the report suggests that only 17 percent of US consumers might be willing to pay a premium for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. And, if plug-ins do ‘take off’, they will probably be short …

Better without the plug? Depending upon the poll or survey, between 70 and 80 percent of Americans are interested in buying a hybrid car today. Many of them are interested because they are worried about pollution and global warming. Most, however, are interested in hybrid cars because they help reduce foreign oil consumption. Unfortunately, hybrids are still too expensive, according to these same polls, for most Americans to act upon these various convictions. Most Americans …

Still basically on track Toyota will sell a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius in about 2 years. According to Toyota, the plug-in version will be affordable, and the automaker hopes to sell several tens of thousands of these plug-in hybrids . The new plug-in Prius will offer about 12 – 14 miles of EV range, dependent upon road conditions before needing to utilize its gasoline engine. In …

Are you feeling lucky? Today, as expected, GM announced its investment of $336 million to upgrade its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant for production of the Chevy Volt , bringing GM’s total Volt investment to $700 million. While greats news for Volt fans, you’ll have to be pretty lucky if you want to buy a Volt when it goes on sale in late 2010. According to the DetroitNews…

Unprecedented green movement GM showed off, of course, the Chevy Volt and the Chevy Cruze today. Not a lot of new, groundbreaking info regarding the Volt, although yesterday I learned that the Volt is more aerodynamic than both the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. The Chevy Cruze looks like a real winner. Overall GM's big message was its commitment to green technologies. Sounds great in theory, but can GM…