10. Fiat Returns to America

As another calendar year draws to a close it’s time to take a look back at the top 10 biggest stories of the year in the auto industry. It’s been a busy 12 months, starting all the way back in March when the Fiat 500 officially went on sale, marking the return of the brand to America. The last time an Italian car was sold here that didn’t cost six figures (or close to it) was 27 years ago. Since then, Fiat has introduced the 500C convertible model and most recently the Fiat 500 Abarth, aimed at enthusiasts.

The jury is still out on the Fiat brand’s success in North America, although the first year has failed to live up to expectations, with Fiat predicting sales of 50,000 units, while according to automotive data firm GoodCarBadCar only 17,444 have been sold in the first 11 months of the year (add 5,000 more if you include Canada). Some of this may be the result of Fiat’s marketing initiative with several ads featuring Jenifer Lopez, which the Fiat faithful rejected and many believe cost the brand boss Laura Souve her job. Getting the Fiat dealer network up and running also proved a challenge.

With more models coming, and Alfa Romeo set to return in 2013, Fiat is here to say. More importantly, perhaps, is the Fiat connection to Chrysler – a company it saved from bankruptcy and which it is now slowly rebuilding back into a profitable automaker.

After the Chevrolet Volt’s battery fire hazard debacle, electric vehicles have received intense scrutiny over the integrity of battery cells. To answer these concerns, Nissan has stepped forward to address the strength of its Leaf electric vehicle without the direct mentioning of controversies.

Nissan reported that while approximately 20 Nissan Leafs were damaged during the Japan earthquake and tsunami in March, some destroyed beyond recognition, none experienced a battery fire.

In a written statement, the Japanese Automaker said, “The Leaf battery is installed in a triple layer safety structure to mitigate the battery’s exposure in a crash.” The first layer of protection is the Leaf’s turtle shell-like vehicle body. What’s more, the battery is located under the floor. The second layer of battery protection is a battery case frame structure that surrounds the battery case. Lastly, a steel battery case wraps around and encloses the battery modules and controls.

After the much publicized Chevrolet Volt fires, authorities raised questions and concerns on whether the Volt is adequately protected. While GM assures customers that the Volt is safe to drive, training for emergency workers are offered as a precaution so that electricity can be drained in the event of an accident. In contrast, Nissan says its batteries do not have to be drained after a crash. “The Leaf is designed with battery systems that disconnect the high voltage from the vehicle in a severe crash.”

Currently, Nissan is heavily invested in plans to expand its EV offering. Nissan is set to have a Tennessee facility to assemble the batteries as well as to produce a great volume of cars beginning 2012.

[Source: Forbes]

In the 1960′s there was the muscle-car wars, and in the 1980′s it was all about who can sell the most minivans. Now its time for the green-car wars, to see who can sell the most plug-in hybrid or fully electric cars.

The two biggest rivals at the moment are the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt. While the Leaf is a fully electric vehicle, the Volt in a plug-in hybrid, so when the battery dies, you can still keep moving, provided you have some gasoline in its tank.

These two vehicles have been going head to head all year, and in America, it is the Leaf that is winning by quite a margin. Nissan has moved 8,720 Leafs thus far, while Chevy had moved just 6,142 Volts in the U.S.

North of the border, there is a different story developing. The Volt is actually outselling the Leaf. Chevy has moved 243 Volts thus far, while only 111 Leafs have found homes in Canada.

Part of the reason the Leaf is having a harder time selling in Canada is because there are only 27 Leaf Certified Dealers in the country, and even they will only sell a car to someone who lives within 42-miles from one of those dealers. The Volt on the other hand is sold through all Chevrolet dealers.

Chevrolet has been dealing with a lot of negative publicity regarding the Volt in recent weeks due to its battery issue, which could result in a fire. This little sales victory in Canada might give the bow-tie boys something to cheer about.

[Source: Auto North]

While Chevy‘s Volt is having to battle some major negative press, Nissan‘s Leaf is celebrating its first birthday with over 19,000 owners who have given the world over 32-million gas-free miles.

To celebrate its first birthday, Nissan employed the assistance of electrical sockets to sing the Leaf its birthday song. Dubbed “Singing Sockets”, the video/commercial wishes the first and only mass-produced electric car a very happy birthday.

Nissan will also be taking to Facebook and Twitter (follow #LEAFBday) to celebrate with their owners, looking for videos, photos and memories from the Leaf’s first year of existence.

Check out Nissan’s Singing Sockets video after the break.

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It’s been one year since the Nissan Leaf hit North America, and to celebrate, the automaker is going to expand this EVs availability into new U.S. markets.

If you live in Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, you’re in luck – Nissan has re-opened reservations and has begun taking orders for the 2012 Nissan LEAF (this brings the grand total of states that will selling the LEAF up to 50). These locations can expect deliveries of the LEAF in the spring 2012.

“Nissan LEAFs have been on the U.S. roads for one year now, and thousands of drivers have become living proof that a 100-percent electric, zero-emissions vehicle fulfills the daily needs of drivers from all walks of life,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, NNA. “We are seeing already-strong interest in the LEAF continue to grow across the country. This market expansion brings us one step closer to true, nationwide availability.”

While the Chevrolet Volt has struggled a bit to get traction in the marketplace, Nissan‘s all-electric Leaf is well on pace to sell 10,000 units in the United States, meeting its initial sales targets.

60 percent of all Leafs sold are in California (no surprise there), but we’ll get a better regional breakdown sometime later this week. Globally, the Leaf will have sold about 20,000 units in a year. Check out our review here and you’ll see why the car’s been so successful – it’s a blast to drive (for the right kind of driver, that is).

New car reviews are often carefully crafted pieces of prose. They’re well thought out with plenty of reflection by the author about the vehicle’s relevance, its target audience and how it stacks up against segment rivals. What they lack, however, is a sense of authenticity that comes from unfiltered opinion and reaction. Where you can get that, in 140 characters of less, is Twitter.

Recently AutoGuide.com Editor-in-Chief Colum Wood (@ColumWood) had on-loan a Nissan Leaf electric car as a press tester. If you’re a follower then you already know this as he tweeted incessantly on the car. For everyone else, we thought a journalistic experiment might help, compiling all the relevant tweets into a diary of sorts, documenting life with an electric car and running here, on the much more conventional medium of a News Blog.

See below for a look at what really goes on before a review is published and follow @ColumWood for immediate reaction on the latest car news.

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10. 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE: 43/39 MPG

The Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient cars have been named for 2012 by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA (those guys that come up with the official ratings for cars) has compiled the list, which is dominated by Japanese automakers. Those remaining two are domestic vehicles, although with one being a commercial van, it almost should count. On the list are electric and hybrid vehicles only, with no diesels or pure gasoline engines.

In 10th spot is the first of three Toyota models and the first of four if you count the larger Toyota company and Lexus. The Toyota Camry Hybrid LE is officially rated at 43 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. With a combined rating of 41-mpg, it’s the only true mid-size sedan to achieve an average of 40-mpg or better. And these numbers don’t come at the expense of performance either, with 200-hp on tap. Of note, XLE models, which have more content and are heavier, are rated at 40 mpg city and 38 mpg highway.

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Toyota Camry Review here

Behold, the new bar for fuel economy: 126 highway miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). Which car is championing these figures? The Mitsubishi i electric vehicle.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Guide ranked the Mitsubishi i electric vehicle at the top for fuel consumption. The competing Nissan Leaf stacks up 13 MPGe lower at a still impressive 99  MPGe. The Mitsubishi i beats the Leaf in city and highway fuel economy, making it the most efficient car on the road.

Yoichi Yokozawa, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) said the company was pleased to be rated at the top of the EPA’s Fuel Economy guide.

“With 17,000 i-MiEV-based units produced for various international markets, we look forward to providing North American consumers with an exceptionally well-engineered electric vehicle that has proven itself to be reliable, safe, efficient and very affordable in overall price and cost of operation,” he said.

The Annual Fuel Guide, published in cooperation by the EPA and  Department of Energy, offers consumers information far beyond what appears on a car’s window sticker. They also offer advice on how to improve fuel efficiency.

The Mitsubishi i isn’t available at the moment, but MMNA expects to start releasing them in North America late this month.

Among the current obstacles facing EV owners, one of the biggest is often charging the thing. In many cases, using standard 120 volt current can take up to a full day to charge the vehicle and DC quick chargers,(which can replenish battery packs in under an hour) are often few and far between.

They ‘re also exorbitantly expensive in many cases, which is why, so far you don’t see that many of them.

Nissan, in conjunction with Sumitomo Corp, is hoping to change that, by launching a lower cost DC quick charger next year, which will be distributed in the US through AeroVironment, Nissan North America’s preferred home charging station partner.

The new quick charger will come in two different versions, one designed for indoor use, primarily designed for EV fleets, such as rental cars or shuttles and another for outdoor use, such as public parking spaces, corporate offices or retail locations. The new DC quick charger can support all plug-in vehicles capable of quick charging on the CHAdeMO standard, including the Nissan LEAF which is available to U.S. consumers equipped with an on-board quick-charging port.

The new charger, which operates on a 480 volt electric current, can reportedly charge the LEAF to 80 percent capacity in under 30 minutes, yet is half the size of current models on the market. It’s also much cheaper. At a projected cost of some $9,900, it’s around three times less than existing DC units. As a result, Nissan is betting that the price factor alone will accelerate demand for these units, meaning they’ll become much more widespread in the next few years, thereby somewhat alleviating another major issue concerning all-electric vehicles; range anxiety.

Nissan and Sumitomo have already begun a pre-ordering process for the new DC quick chargers and will bolster that with an online ordering option early next year.

There’s a new kid in Los Angeles, BYD. The Chinese battery and electric car manufacturer opened its California office today.

BYD says it will bring 150 green-collar engineering and management jobs to the city. The event highlight, however, is a deal between BYD and Hertz to provide airport shuttles to the rental agency. This could prove to be a key time for the company to move into the California electric car market.

Their opening is hot on the heels of the California government deciding to limit HOV lane benefits to electric cars in an effort to encourage greener transportation. BYD has a chance to get a jump on the electric car market considering the only EV’s available to consumers are the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Roadster.

Things may not all be bright though, BYD saw their profits drop by just over a third between 2009 and 2010 and lackluster sales in the first half of this year aren’t boding well either.

Their financial woes are largely due to poor car sales in China, where they failed to meet even half of their projected numbers.

Their push into the North American market could prove to be a good source of revenue, but BYD Vice-President Michael Austin admitted earlier this year to the Glendale News-Press that “the paradigm of driving a Chinese car in the U.S. is going to be hard to break.”

[Source: Auto Observer]

California told 85,000 hybrid drivers to move over, literally. Now everyone is feeling the sting.

Starting last July the yellow stickers allowing hybrid owners to drive alone in the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane expired. The move came in preparation for an anticipated increase in electric vehicles on the road that will be allowed to retain the privilege. Though it may be the case that EVs are gaining popularity, pushing hybrids into regular traffic is causing problems for everyone.

According to a study released Monday by the University of California-Berkeley, the change had the effect you might expect: regular traffic speeds decreased and HOV speeds went up.

That isn’t all though, traffic actually slowed in HOV lanes at points where drivers try to merge back into regular traffic because of the slowdown. In other words, drivers in both lanes are noticing new slowdowns.

The report was based on six months of roadway sensor speed and congestion data, and written by Michael Cassidy, a civil and environmental engineering professor, and Katae Jang, a doctoral student in that department.

Cassidy said there is still plenty of space for hybrids in the HOV lanes, even with the new EVs on the road.

The only new production cars available that meet the standard are the Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf. The Chevy Volt doesn’t qualify because of a specific California emissions law, though Gm says it will be addressing the issue soon.

If they don’t, they may find fierce competition. Toyota will be releasing the 2012 Prius Plug-In soon, which qualifies for the sticker. So does the 2012 Fisker Karma.

[Source: Green Car Reports]

If your cell phone has ever run out of battery power midday, you know how frustrating it can be to charge on the go. Imagine having to do the same for your car.

Driving an electric vehicle (EV) means you’re always thinking about when and where you can charge next. At current charging times that can be significant - DC fast-charge systems on the market today need 30 minutes to achieve an 80 percent charge.

Nissan’s Leaf is one of the EVs available on the market today, and thanks to a recent tech development the automaker hopes to change charging times for the better.

According to a report, researchers at Japan’s Kansai University working with Nissan engineers sped up the charging process by tweaking a capacitor using tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide instead of the usual carbon. The result— a 10-minute charge.

The faster charging process allowed the capacitor to retain almost the same capacity and voltage as lithium ion batteries and appeared to retain durability during charging and discharging tests.

In light of their latest achievement, the same researchers hope to alter the capacitor’s structure to further decrease charging times to three minutes. If they can achieve their goal, charging times will be on par with average fueling times for gasoline vehicles.

The same report also mentioned that while this development will help bring such technology to consumers faster, it probably won’t be widely available for another decade.

[Sources: PaulTan.org and cnet.com]

If you’re a fan of the Nissan LEAF, you’ll want to bookmark the EV’s new blog, “Go Electric.”

The official Nissan LEAF blog was launched at the end of September and it’s a place where Nissan LEAF drivers and enthusiasts can share words, photos, and videos of about the EV.

The GO Electric owner’s blog will allow you to actively discuss your experiences on online forums and in Nissan social media communities, as well as keep up to date on what other LEAF owners are talking about. Weekly content from 14 Nissan LEAF owners who will share their personal experiences of owning a 100-percent electric vehicle will also be a feature of the blog. You can also share your two cents by commenting on blog posts and by liking or disliking what they have to say.

Be sure to drop by the Go Electric blog regularly for new stories, pictures and videos about the Nissan LEAF.

On a mission to fast track electrified transportation, Nissan has joined forces with GE, signing a two-year research contract in order to accelerate the development of smart charging infrastructure that is accessible to everyone.

GE and Nissan will be focusing its efforts on two key areas in regards to its research efforts: 1. The integration of electric vehicles with homes and buildings; and 2. The dynamics of electric vehicle charging and what will happen to the grid in the future once millions of electric cars are on the road.

It will be interesting to see what this arrangement produces. GE generates or distributes more than 25 percent of the world’s electricity, so the expertise it brings to the table will be a valuable asset. GE is also an expert on power grid infrastructure, which will definitely be an important advantage to the project. On the other side is Nissan, bringing the electric Leaf into the mix. The technology that the automaker has already developed will help accelerate mass market adoption of electric cars, as well as the successful integration of these vehicles into the grid.

“As the U.S. and world move toward electric vehicles, the automotive sector is forming new industry connections that extend well beyond the traditional OEM space,” said Mark Little, Senior Vice President and Director, GE Global Research. “One of the biggest connections being made is with companies that generate and provide electricity. As a major provider of power generation equipment and energy services, GE is in a great position to help the automotive industry bring millions of electric vehicles onto the grid.”

And this new partnership isn’t wasting anytime – it has already spawned several projects that address the two focus areas. In one project, the companies are studying how electric cars can be incorporated into GE’s overall concept for a Smart Home. In another, researchers are analyzing the effect millions of electric cars could have on the electrical distribution system.

Limousines often symbolize wealth and celebrity status. To travel in one means that you’ve either arrived or are celebrating a special occasion, which, usually calls for a little more excess than normal.

So, when you take a car like, say, the Nissan Leaf, that’s been conceived as an example of motoring frugality, saving both fuel and reducing the impact on the environment, does it really pay to make a stretched limousine out of it?

Springfield, Missouri based Imperial Coachbuilders Inc. thinks so and believes the idea will strike a cord, particularly with enviro-conscious fleet customers, which is why it’s hatched plans to build such a vehicle. However, the traditional methods of cutting and stretching cars don’t exactly apply here.

The Leaf’s lightweight construction and relatively large lithium-ion battery pack presents unique challenges, so in order to get around the problem, Imperial has teamed up with UK based Liberty Electric Cars, an EV conversion firm that will add a second lithium-ion battery pack to help compensate for the extra weight, while retaining the car’s existing 80 to 100 mile driving range.

Will it be successful? Difficult to say at this point, though Imperial’s director of marketing, Tom Catterson remains optimistic. “It’s going to make a great limo,” he said.

[Source: Automotive News]

Earlier this week at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Infiniti released teaser sketches of their upcoming Nissan Leaf-based Infiniti electric sedan concept.

As if that wasn’t enough to stir the press, Nissan’s global communications chief Andy Palmer informed the media of an upcoming Infiniti mid-engine electric sports car as well. The car will use many of the technologies found in the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC, which was on display at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. Elements in the Leaf Nismo RC that may be applied include a full carbon fiber tub and a rear-wheel drive layout.

As far as powertrain is concerned, the concept coupe is likely to use a range extender application where although the wheels will be driven by electric motors, a hyper-compact petrol engine will be a source of energy generation (similar to the Chevrolet Volt).

Last but not least, Red Bull Racing, the Formula 1 team sponsored by Infiniti, will likely lend its experience with KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) for the concept’s development as well.

Expect to first see the Infiniti electric sports car concept at the next Geneva Auto Show. The production car is aimed for 2014, released alongside of the upcoming Infiniti electric sedan.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Last weekend, Nissan Canada officially began the reservation process for the all-new electric Leaf. Within two hours, all Leaf inventory was reserved.

On August 27th, Canadians attended one of 27 Nissan Leaf certified dealers and were invited to reserve the electric vehicle for a refundable $99 deposit. Judy Wheeler, Nissan Canada’s director of marketing, said, “Response from Canadians since we first revealed the Nissan Leaf in 2009 has been astounding, so we’re not surprised that our first inventory of 40 model year ’11 cars were snapped up so quickly”.

Nissan says that Leaf deliveries will begin sometime in September for Canadians that reserved the vehicle. Nissan will also be selling 600 units of the 2012 model year Leaf sometime soon.

If you are a driver, you are well aware of the rising gas prices, and this trend is not looking to reverse anytime soon. This is effecting the way people buy new cars, and according to Pike Research, more than 5-million electric and hybrid vehicles will be sold globally by 2017.

Also according to this report, the largest manufacturer of these vehicles will be the United States, followed by Japan, while the largest consumer of such vehicles will likely be China.

Currently conventional hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight (among many others) are on sale, but as far as plug-in electric vehicles go, you have to pick between the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster. Soon, the market will see cars such as the Fisker Karma, Ford Focus Electric and the Mitsubishi i go on sale later this year.

So will the world be taken over by electric cars now? If petrol prices don’t change, people’s buying habits will change very quickly to save their pocket books, while also helping save the planet.

[Source: Auto Observer]

Do you miss your Nissan Leaf the moment you walk away from it? Now, you can stay in touch with your Leaf no matter where you are at any time, thanks to the new Nissan Leaf app.

Available for use on Blackberry and Android operating systems (the app has already been available on the iPhone since the car’s release in 2010), the Leaf app lets Leaf owners manage and control tons of vehicle features right from their smartphone. To get this app, all you need is a Leaf (of course) and an active CARWINGS subscription. Even if you don’t own a Leaf but want to know more about it, you can download the app. It’s a handy tool that lets you check the state of the battery charge or begin charging. With the app, you can check when battery charge is complete, see estimated driving range or turn the climate control system on or off.

“Nissan understands that telematics and other communication services are important for consumers,” said Trisha Jung, director, Vehicle Connected Services, Nissan North America. “By providing accessibility and functionality to the Nissan LEAF through all major smartphone platforms, we are truly delivering ‘Innovation for All.’”

If you want to download the app for free, you can get it at the Android Market or BlackBerry App World.

A new Harvard study has found that electric vehicles won’t be accepted by the American public until gas hits $4.50 per gallon. The study also found that surprisingly, over the life of the car, plug-in hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt cost $5,377 more than gas powered cars. The story is the same for the Nissan Leaf which is $4,819 more expensive.

The aim of the study was to determine if Americans will buy electric cars and the study concluded that the answer was “yes-but only if the electric vehicles are competitive with conventional cars on cost, range and fueling convenience.”

The U.S Energy Information administration is predicting that gas in 2012 will cost around $3.65 per gallon and that $4.50 per gallon is not a likelihood in the near future.

The study was released just before President Obama is to outline higher fuel economy standards. Ultimately, the standards are expected to reach 54.5 mpg by 2025. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the following on the White House website, ”This program, which builds on the historic agreement achieved by this administration for model years 2012-’16, will result in significant cost savings for consumers at the pump, dramatically reduce oil consumption, cut pollution and create jobs,”.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]

Do you feel that your electric vehicle isn’t clean enough because it uses power from the grid to charge up your car, and the grid could be run on fossil fuels?

To make your green motoring even greener, Nissan and 4R Energy has teamed up to develop a new EV charging system, that makes use of solar power.

This system combines the solar power generator system with high-capacity lithium ion batteries to re-energize your car. Testing with this new system has begun today at Nissan’s HQ in Yokohama, Japan.

The system uses solar power to generate power, and it then stores the acquired energy in lithium ion battery packs. So when a Leaf wants to get charged up, it can take use of the stored energy in these battery packs. A quick charge will take 3-hours, while a normal charge requires an extra hour. Nissan believes this facility will be able to charge 1800 LEAF’s annually.

The added benefit of this set-up is having energy to charge your car with green energy, at anytime of day or even during bad weather.

Currently this is just a test project, but if successful will lead to more such stations for public and fleet services.

The Mitsubishi i is $13,000 less than the Volt and $5000 less than the Leaf. The i will cost $27,990 for the ES model before a federal tax credit of $7,500 making the i the least expensive mass produced EV in the U.S. The i can be preordered now with the first shipments available in early 2012.

In the battle of hyped EVs, it appears that Nissan‘s Leaf is so far winning, at least on the sales front. Despite a slow start to production and difficulties in acquiring cars for US consumers, the Leaf appears to be taking off. So far this year, 3,708 of the lithium ion powered cars have been delivered, versus some 2,745 Chevy Volts during the same period.

As Japanese automakers get back on track and resume normal production levels, following the March 11 Earthquake and Tsunami, Nissan hopes to shift around 12,000 Leafs by the end of the year. Al Castignetti, Nissan Nice President for US sales, said, “we’ve been telling you we’d grow every month, and now you’re seeing more normalized production flow.”

GM has said it plans to sell around 12,000 volts by the end of 2011.

Nevertheless, despite growing demand, overall sales are still small and for most consumers, the vehicles remain relatively expensive purchases – the Leaf selling for $33,000, the Volt $41,000, though government incentives ease sticker shock somewhat.

Analysts including George Peterson of consulting firm AutoPacific, based in Tustin, California, say that while electric vehicle sales are growing, don’t expect them to have a significant impact on overall car sales anytime soon. “From a sales standpoint, Nissan and Chevrolet have been very cautious, wanting to make sure these vehicles are as bulletproof as possible, taking time to thoroughly inspect and check everything.”

He went on to say that sales of such rechargeable vehicles might rise to around 3 percent of total volume but “we’re not going to see hundreds of thousands of these on the road.”

[Source: Bloomberg]