GM Invests $325 Million Into Retooling Plant for Electric

GM is going to put $325 million back into their Warren transmission plant, an effort to retool the plant into making electric parts.  This will create or save 418 jobs at the plant, which currently builds transmissions for large crossovers like the Enclave, Acadia and Traverse, as well as the Malibu sedan.

“This investment in the future recognizes the excellent work force and operation of this plant,” said GM Manufacturing Manager Gerald Johnson. “While we aren’t sharing many details about this product, I can tell you that this investment demonstrates how GM, working with our UAW partners, continues to innovate and bring new electrification solutions to our customers.”

The move is part of the current contract with the UAW, which states they will invest in the plant.  It's possible the parts being built will be for a mild hybrid system (start-stop) set for the Malibu next year.

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Volvo Wants to Charge Up Your Car in a Different Way

Image from MotorTrend

Volvo, and nine other corporations, are looking to put the battery pack you might find in a plug-in vehicle (either electric or plug-in hybrid electric into a different place.

By using composite materials, they are examining the possibility of putting the battery into the body of the car.  The fun image they have at MotorTrend shows how much of the body would be taken up.

The composite material consists of carbon fiber and polymer resin.  The material is capable of storing great amounts of electric energy (enough to allow the car to travel up to 81 miles of all electric power (the Leaf goes 100 miles, while the upcoming Volt gets 40 miles of all electric range.  It's also supposed to recharge faster than a conventional battery.

Another advantage is by turning the battery pack into the body of the car, you can distribute the weight.  And the composite material is lighter than conventional building materials, reducing weight by as much as 15 percent.

The questions I'm left with is what if you're in an accident?  I can't imagine the body panels would be cheap to replace.  Also, what about scratches, dings, or outright dents?  Will that impact the cars ability to recharge or retain its charge?

The other partners in this project include the Imperial College London, Advanced Composites Group, Bundesanstalt Fur Material forschung undprufung, Chalmers, ETC Battery, Fuel Cells Sweden, INASCO Hella, Nanocyl, and Swerea SICOMP. The European Union jump-started the endeavor with 35 million Swedish krona ($5.2 million).

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Honda Civic Hybrid Owners Get Software Fix for Battery Pack

Honda Civic Hybrid owners are starting to be notified that their hybrid battery pack could fail sooner than warranted by Honda. Model years 2006, 2007 and 2008 are affected by a software flaw that causes the battery to drain sooner than it should.

Honda did not issue a recall since the flaw does not cause any danger to people's safety, but instead issued a technical service bulletin.

But I'm betting owners aren't too happy to hear they've been driving around with something like this for a while. I would wonder if the software glitch had shortened battery life, even after it's fixed. And will it affect resale values? People are wary enough over how long the battery pack will last when buying a used hybrid.

16,000 units were being fixed in Japan, while around 90,000 units are affected in the US. 2009-2010 hybrid civic models are not affected.

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Mild Hybrids Make a Come Back in 2011

GM is working on a second generation of mild hybrids to be available in the third quarter of 2011. They have a mid-sized sedan (they won't say which) for the US and another in China. The source (via Autonews) was Larry Nitz, GM executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering.

That's great news and important if GM wants to meet the upcoming guidelines on fuel efficiency for their fleet of cars in the US. Not every car can be a hybrid or a plug in the coming years. Mild hybrids give a much smaller boost in fuel efficiency, but the cost to implement it is also a lot lower. A start-stop (gas engine turns off at stop lights) system paired with regenerative braking and a much smaller battery pack and you can boost acceleration using electric power rather than more gasoline.

More than likely, the more powerful part will come from a new generation of battery pack (maybe lithium-ion?). Nitz said the benefit would be about 20% in fuel economy.

GM lost most of they mild hybrid line-up when they dropped Saturn.

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Toyota Settles Lawsuit with Paice

Toyota has finally settled the lawsuit made by Paice LLC, which had a patent infringement case going for six years. The agreement was announced just before the hearing was set to begin in front of the US International Trade Commission.

The agreement says that "Toyota invented, designed and developed the Prius and Toyota's hybrid technology independent of any inventions of Dr. Severinsky and Paice as part of Toyota's long history of innovation."

But according to the news article, Toyota has agreed to license all 23 of Paice's patents.

Toyota had already lost the case, and could not argue in court they weren't impinging on the patent. So, a settlement on their part is no real surprise.

“After six years of litigation, we are pleased to reach a settlement with Toyota,” said Frances Keenan, chairman of the Paice board of directors in a statement. “Toyota has been a leader in the hybrid industry – selling more hybrid vehicles than anyone in the world – and we appreciate and applaud their achievements.”

Paice has already settled with Ford, but that lawsuit was less visible.

If things had gone really badly in court, Toyota may have been forced to stop importing all of their hybrids.

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President Obama Praises the Chevy Volt

President Obama Next to Chevy Volt

President Obama, even as BP finally cuts off the flow of oil into the Gulf (maybe!), was visiting the ground breaking of a battery plant in Holland, MI. The Compact Power (Compact Power is a subsidiary of LG Chem) battery plant will make the battery cells for the Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt will be the first of it's kind, an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV).

The battery plant was partially built using federal funds of $151 million and matched by the company. The plant will create several hundred jobs over the next few years as construction finishes and workers are hired.

Powered by electricity, the battery pack can be recharged by a small gas engine designed only to recharge the battery. So, you can travel for up to 40 miles on electric power, then you can keep on going as gas engine kicks in.

The Volt goes on sale later this year in select states.

According to Obama, the US will have the capacity to build 40 percent of the world's batteries by 2015.

Ford will also be purchasing batteries from the Compact Power plant.

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GM Will Have a Warranty on the Lithium-Ion Battery Pack in Volt

I can't say that the warranty Toyota and Honda put on their battery and hybrid engines was the key to their successful launch of hybrid cars in the US. But I can say this, without them, they would have failed.

Even though we know now battery failure occurs at an extremely low rate, people still ask about it and worry about it a decade later.

Customers would not have lined up to make the Prius one of the top ten vehicles sold in the US if they were worried the battery, which cost thousands to replace, didn't have the warranty.

So, it's no surprise to hear GM knows this and is working on their own warranty plan for the Chevy Volt, their plug-in electric hybrid with lithium-ion batteries. Especially since lithium-ion batteries are a lot more expensive than the batteries found in Toyota, Honda and Ford hybrids.

Details of GMs plan are expected to be announced on Wednesday (DetNews).

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LG Chem to Supply Batteries for Ford Focus Electric

Ford will be using battery packs made by Compact Power, a subsidiary of LG Chem in their Ford Focus Electric due out in 2011. The lithium-ion battery cell production will be built in Holland, MI. The Ford Electric will be built at the Michigan Assembly Plant along with a next-generation hybrid and a plug-in hybrid in 2012.

Press Release Follows:

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) today announced it has selected Compact Power, Inc. (CPI), a subsidiary of LG Chem, to build lithium-ion battery packs for the Ford Focus Electric, which will go on sale in the U.S. in 2011.

The Focus Electric battery packs will leverage CPI and parent company LG Chem's deep expertise in advanced flat format lithium-ion cells and advanced liquid-cooled modules and battery management systems.

"CPI is an emerging leader in the lithium-ion battery field and we are pleased to have them as a strategic supplier as we prepare to bring the Ford Focus Electric to market," said Sherif Marakby, Ford director, Sustainable Mobility Products and Hybrid programs. "We are moving aggressively with our electrification strategy and our work to help make Michigan a center of excellence for a range of electrified vehicles."

CPI, based in Troy, Mich., will begin battery pack assembly for the Ford Focus Electric next year and is finalizing production site selection for the U.S. The lithium-ion cells for the packs will initially be sourced from Korea through LG Chem. LG Chem and CPI will be localizing cell production at their new site in Holland, Mich.

"We are very excited to be partnering with Ford on their new battery electric-powered Ford Focus," said Prabhakar Patil, CEO of CPI. "It tells us we are on track in developing high-power and high-energy lithium-ion batteries that the industry needs as it moves toward the electrification of vehicles that lessen our dependence on foreign oil."

The cells will incorporate LG Chem's proprietary chemistry and its industry-leading safety-reinforced-separator technology that provides unparalleled safety performance.

Focus Electric will have a targeted range of up to 100 miles per full charge with zero tailpipe emissions. It is one of five electrified vehicles Ford is bringing to market in the U.S. in the next two years. These include the Transit Connect Electric, a small commercial van in 2010; Focus Electric in 2011; two new lithium-ion battery-powered hybrids; and a plug-in hybrid in 2012.

Focus Electric, a full battery electric passenger car, will be produced at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., which will begin producing gasoline versions of the all-new 2011 Focus later this year.

Ford previously announced plans to invest $550 million to transform Michigan Assembly Plant from a large SUV factory to a modern car plant to build the new Focus and Focus Electric. The plant also will produce a next-generation hybrid and a plug-in hybrid in 2012. All of the vehicles will be built off the company's new global C-car platform.

This complements Ford's overall strategy to establish a center of excellence in Michigan for electrification of a broad range of vehicles, including lithium-ion battery-powered hybrids, plug-ins and pure electric vehicles. Ford is committed to delivering electrified vehicles as part of its overall vehicle portfolio designed to deliver both the fuel efficiency and the performance customers demand.

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Valeo Turns Off Your Car

Valeo will be providing their stop-start system to PSA Peugeot Citroen. The second generation start-stop system, called i-StARS, will be integrated into the Peugeot and Citroen models with HDi diesel engines. Valeo says that by 2013, a million vehicles will have the system in place.

That's good news. A start-stop system can increase fuel efficiency by up to 15% in congested urban areas according to their estimates. The system turns off the engine when the car comes to a stop, say at red lights or in congestion.

An average decrease of 5g/km in CO2 emissions can be expected.

The Start-Stop system cuts power to the engine as the car slows down, at 8 km/h in an automatic and at 20 km/h in a manual.  Re-start takes 500 msec, is noiseless and with no vibrations.

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Toyota Denied Again in Patent Case by Paice

Toyota was once again denied a reprieve in their patent case with Paice LLC. The US International Trade Commission judge Theodore Essex denied Toyota's request to dismiss the case.

Also, it was once again re-iterated that Toyota could not argue the patent was invalid, since Toyota has already lost that case.

Toyota Loses in Appeal
Toyota loses to Paice
Toyota Sued Again by Paice
Paice vs Toyota summary

Source: BusinessWeek.

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Rotary, Battery Price and Possible Price Drop for the Chevy Volt

Photo from flickr

Inside Line has the latest and greatest info for those interested in the Chevy Volt.  First, they let us know GM is looking at replacing the ICE in the first generation Volt with a rotary engine.  Second, they say GM is hoping the price tag on the battery pack would drop in half (from $10,000 to $5,000) by the time the second generation Volt is ready.

And third, GM is contemplating launching the Volt at around $35,000 to compete with the Nissan Leaf price.  There's been some contemplation on how the Leaf's price would affect other electric vehicles, but this is the first I've seen that GM was looking at dropping their probably price from $40K down to $35K in response.

That's really good news for those who have 'range anxiety' but are still interested in full electric driving.  The Volt will travel about 40 miles on all electric power before having the small gas engine recharge the battery pack.  And you can plug it in to recharge the car overnight, getting the full 40 miles again tomorrow.

But at $35,000, GM is basically subsidizing the sale.  Add in the possible $7,500 credit from the federal government, plus any local credits and the Volt is suddenly costing just about what a Toyota Prius costs.  That could move the early adopters and Prius converts into GM's corner.

BTW, Inside Line says GM is contemplating the rotary engine because of its size.  The rotary is actually less fuel efficient, and produces more vibrations which would require more dampening, but GM may consider those a small price to pay.  Other options include diesel or a two-cylinder motor.

Any of the three make the Volt more of a one-of-a-kind proposition, rather than something they can use in other models.

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Ford Adding to Hybrid Electric Production in Michigan

Ford will be creating a new 'center of excellence' in Michigan to assemble battery packs and electric-drive transaxles. The parts are being designed for the next generation of hybrids from Ford which will be based on Ford’s global C- and CD-car platforms. The next generation of hybrids is expected to begin production in 2012.

Ford will be investing $135 million in the new center. In a statement, Ford's president of the America's Mark Fields said "Electrified vehicles are a key part of our plan to offer a full lineup of green vehicles, and we are building a center of excellence in the U.S., here in Michigan, to keep Ford on the cutting edge."

The Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti will assemble the battery packs beginning in 2012 The Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights will build the H35 electric drive transaxles beginning in 2012 from a supplier facility in Japan. Ford is adding a combined 170 jobs at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke facilities to build these key components.

More from the statement on the Center of Excellence
Ford’s creation of a center of excellence for vehicle electrification in Michigan now includes the design and manufacture of electrified key components as well as total vehicle manufacturing for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles. Ford is adding more than 50 engineers to work on electrification as we bring these technologies in-house. By physically bringing research, engineering and manufacturing closer together, Ford, its suppliers, universities and related industries can drive both innovation and job growth in this evolving form of transportation.

Ford’s in-house team will design and engineer the advanced lithium-ion battery systems powering its next-generation hybrid vehicles. These battery systems will be designed specifically for the company’s next-generation hybrids, including the new global CD-car platform hybrid and the new global C-car platform hybrid, which will be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in 2012.

To launch the new transaxle, Ford will add engineering and production jobs in Southeast Michigan, including about 130 manufacturing jobs at its Van Dyke facility, while investing about $125 million. The investment includes a grant received from the Department of Energy to help create green technology jobs in the U.S. This investment includes manufacturing capital equipment, launch and engineering costs and supplier tooling upgrades, all required to support the production launch of the HF35 transaxle.

Ford's global electrification strategy includes plans to launch five new full electric or hybrid vehicles in the compact, midsize and light commercial segments for the North American market by 2012 and European markets by 2013. This lineup includes:

• The Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle in North America later this year and in Europe in 2011
• The Focus Electric in North America in 2011 and in Europe in 2012
• A Lincoln MKZ hybrid, available this fall in North America
• A next-generation hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle based on Ford's global C-car platform in North America in 2012
• A C-MAX hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric model for Europe in 2013

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Calcars Lists 20 Companies Making Plug-ins

The Companies Who are Making Plug-in Vehicles - Calcars

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the reason you keep hearing about plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) lately is because everyone is doing it.  Calcars put together a list of 20 car makers who are working on their plug-in hybrid technology, and the list just keeps on getting longer.


I love the image they put together (I hope they don't mind my posting it here with attribution to them!).  It really brings home how cars are moving towards electrification.

By merging the best of gas engines and electric cars (in other words, getting rid of range anxiety from electric cars while reducing gasoline usage), car makers are betting that PHEV technology will bring more consumers to the table than all electric vehicles will.  And with more stringent laws about emissions coming, car makers have to increase their fuel efficiency now.


Some car makers are more serious about their efforts than others, with Fisker basing their whole business model on electric options, GM building the Volt, Toyota plugging in the Prius and so on.  Others are just talking about it or building concepts that may or may not become production models.


The good news for you is, the more car makers who opt in, the more choices you have.  The better news is, with more companies working on and building cars with bigger batteries, the sooner the cost on those batteries will come down.


The Nissan Leaf, an electric vehicle with 100 miles range, is going to sell at for over $32,000 here in the US.  And at that price, Nissan is talking about taking a loss.  Over half of that price tag comes from the battery pack alone. The Chevy Volt, with 40 miles of all electric range, plus several hundred more miles of range using the gas engine, is predicted to cost $40,000.  Those price tags put the electric and plug-in electric cars out of the range of most buyers, even with the tax credits from the federal government (up to $7,500).


But with more companies jumping in, the more quickly the prices on the batteries and the technology will drop.  

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