Nissan Expects 20,000 Pre-Orders of the Electric Leaf

Autonews is reporting Nissan expects 20,000 pre-orders for the Nissan Leaf when it goes on sale next spring.

“We are confident we will have 20,000 reservations for the Leaf by the time it goes on sale,” Carlos Tavares, Nissan’s chairman for the Americas, said today.

Autonews was there at a breakfast meeting in Nashville. Nissan sales and marketing headquarters are located just outside of Nashville, Tenn. The Leaf will also be built in Smyrna, Tennessee. Nissan has the production facilities there to build 150,000 units a year, along with 200,000 lithium-ion batteries sometime in 2012. At first, the Leaf will be imported.

Nissan expects Tenn to be a key market, with the state building a recharging grid that links Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tenn.  Sales will be limited to those cities and regions that have signed agreements with Nissan to pursue installation of EV charging networks.

The meeting was part marketing, as Tavares was encouraging the audience to consider buying fleets of Leafs for their business and to build their own recharging systems.

Toyota Sai, Sister to HS 250h

Toyota announced they will be building a new hybrid sedan, the Toyota Sai. The Sai will be the sister model of the Lexus HS 250h and will boast a more powerful engine than the Toyota Prius.

The hybrid Sai will come witha 2.4 liter engine, like the HS 250h, but the interior and exterior will be differentiated from the HS 250h. This despite being built on the same platform and using the same drivetrain.

This will be the second dedicated hybrid in the Toyota brand, and the third dedicated hybrid from Toyota and Lexus.

The Sai will go on sale on October 20 in Japan. It's unknown right now if the Sai, or a version of it, will come to the US. Pricing is also unknown right now.

Source: Toyota gets new hybrid sedan, sibling to Lexus HS 250h - Automotive News

Toyota Recalls Millions of Cars Due to Floor Mat

Toyota is issuing a safety recall on 3.8 million vehicles due to a possible unsecured or incompatable driver's floor mat. The floor mat may move out of position, causing the accelerator to become stuck in the full open position.

Toyota recalled vehicles back in 2007 for the same problem, but the NHTSA has said they are still hearing from consumers.

Models involved in the recall

• 2007 - 2010 Camry
• 2005 - 2010 Avalon
• 2004 - 2009 Prius
• 2005 - 2010 Tacoma
• 2007 - 2010 Tundra
• 2007 - 2010 ES350
• 2006 - 2010 IS250 and IS350

With the accelerator stuck in the wide open position, Toyota points out that it may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

The safety campaign is aimed at owners. Toyota is asking them to remove any removable driver's floor mat and NOT replace them.

If you should face this problem while driving, Toyota recommends the following.

Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, this could be an indication of floor mat interference. If this occurs, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions:

First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.

Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.

If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost.

-If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.

-If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.

In the event owners choose not to remove their floor mat, Toyota strongly recommends that they ensure that the correct floor mat is being used, that it is properly installed and secured, that it is not flipped over with bottom-side up, and that one floor mat is not stacked over another. Information on proper floor mat installation can be found on http://www.toyota.com and http://www.lexus.com.

Owners with questions or concerns, are asked to please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800 331-4331) or Lexus Customer Assistance Center (1 800 255-3987), or consult the information posted at http://www.toyota.com and http://www.lexus.com.

Worried About HOV Access in California?

If you're one of the 85,000 with solo access to the HOV lane in California, it seems you should be worried.

Solo hybrid drivers may lose carpool lane privileges -- latimes.com

The stickers granting that privilege to 85,000 hybrid owners are set to expire Jan. 1, 2011. There are proposals in Sacramento to extend the deadline, but they would exclude most of the vehicles that originally qualified for the program, such as the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic hybrid and the original Honda Insight.

New Rules for Higher Gains
The proposals grant solo access to hybrid cars, but only if you get over 65 mpg or better. That's not possible with today's mass manufactured cars. The Chevy Volt and other plug-in hybrids will meet or beat those numbers, however.

In the meantime, if the stickers do expire for current hybrid car owners, it's going to mean several things.

First, you will have to get back in line with all the other solo drivers in California, which can mean you're going to be tacking on hours to your daily commute.

Second, the value of your hybrid car is about to go down. One of the quirks of the program is the sticker stays with the vehicle, not the driver. Having a sticker on your car could mean a thousand or more when you went to re-sell it. It also prompted a small boom in crime, as there were reports of people stealing the stickers.

No Longer a Need for Incentives?
There's also the wider picture. If this program was designed to encourage hybrid buyers, policy makers in California are no longer willing to push for 'normal' hybrids. In other words, hybrid cars are being recognized as mainstream vehicles. Instead, lawmakers want to encourage the next step, either all electric or at least plug-in hybrids.

And they have been feeling that way for a while now.  Once the number of stickers sold was capped at 85,000, it no longer became an incentive for new hybrid car buyers.

Other Incentives Are Likely to Fade Away
It's likely that other states will follow in California's footsteps and start dropping the HOV and other privileges.  So, if you're in the market for a hybrid car right now, you may want to keep that in mind.  If you want the state tax break, for instance, now is the time.  Not only will the HOV access be going away, but the state tax breaks are sure to follow.

One other thing.  Part of the reasoning behind cutting out the hybrids from the solo access for lawmakers is to ease some of the congestion in the HOV lanes.  It's unlikely hybrids are either the cause or the solution to the problem, however.  At 85,000 stickers, the numbers just don't add up.  Cheaters do more to congest the lanes.

Pros and Cons of Diesels

With the new 'clean diesels' coming in greater numbers, I thought it would be a good time to discuss diesels, and throw in a few comparisons to hybrids and see what happens.

Pros of Diesels

• Efficiency!
• Fuel Economy
• Lower emissions (CO2)
• Higher Torque / More Power
• Engines last a long time
  

The biggest pro when it comes to diesels is the efficiency of the oil burner.  The engine is actually simpler (as long as we don't worry about the emissions, and more power can be derived from a given gallon of fuel.  That means we can get higher torque and better fuel efficiency out of a diesel than we can get in a gasoline engine.

And the higher fuel efficiency means you get lower carbon dioxide emissions, which you would think would mean environmentalists and lawmakers would jump at the chance to promote diesels.  But it's not that clear cut when it comes to emissions, but I'll talk more about that later.

In fact, diesels can be more efficient than hybrids on the highways, which is why you see some recommend diesels over hybrids when you have long highway commutes.  I've seen guidelines range from 25-40% of fuel economy gains over conventional gas engines.  Or if you plan on towing or loading heavy loads, you are more likely to want a diesel engine.  That's why diesel-hybrids are the choice of the rail roads.

Also, the engines tend to be sturdier.  Just look at the recommendation for boating engines and you'll see that they can last a long, long time.

Cons of Diesels

• Emissions (Soot)
• Oil to Gallon 
• Sound (not so bad anymore)
• Availability
  
• Cost
• Cost of Engine
• Cost of Fuel
• Cost of Clean/Filters
  

The cons when it comes to diesels look an awful lot like the pros sometimes.

First, the emissions.  The lower carbon dioxide emissions is a good thing, but it's not the only thing.  Unfortunately, oil burners tend to emit more soot.  Soot can cause all sorts of issues for human beings and emitting more soot is something to be avoided.

Clean diesels are much better than diesels about emissions, and in order to be sold in the US, diesels have to meet stricter guidelines as to their emissions than they used to.  Most of that comes from the filters they install in the engines.

The second con is how much oil is actually used to create a gallon of diesel vs. a gallon of gasoline.  Despite higher fuel efficiency, since the amount of oil used to create a gallon of diesel is higher, the advantage from a national perspective isn't as much as you would hope for.  Importing oil into the US is a costly and dangerous business.   Diesel beats out gasoline here, but not by as much as most people think when all they look at is the fuel efficiency of the respective vehicles.

The third con is sound.  But that's not so much of a con anymore.  No, diesels aren't as quiet as gasoline engines, but the difference isn't really noticeable (unlike 20-30 years ago).  Of course, you can't beat out the hybrid, which turns off the gasoline engine when you come to a stop.  But still, sound isn't much, if any, of a con any more.

Also, diesel fuel is not available at every gas station.  You would have to search for the locations, and you wouldn't be guaranteed an easy find if you took it on a longer trip.  This isn't much of a con, because you would just have to be a little more careful about filling up.  


The fourth con, which may be the worst one, is cost.  Diesel engines cost more to build and install (those filtering systems aren't cheap).  Diesel actually costs more than gasoline right now (it's pretty even, but still the edge goes to gasoline).  That frays some of the cost savings you would expect from higher fuel efficiency.  And, those filtering systems add to the cost to maintain.  The urea systems need to be refilled at regular intervals.


Why Not Hybrid Diesels?
Good question, if you were wondering that.  The problem with diesel hybrids comes down to cost again.  Let's say a hybrid engine cost $X thousand more than a conventional car, then the diesel engine costs $Y more than the gasoline engine.  Then a diesel hybrid costs $X+Y more than the conventional car.


You do get higher torque, better fuel economy, and a lot of other bonuses.  But selling US buyers on a hybrid electric was probably hard enough.  Selling them on a higher cost to buy a diesel-electric would have been extremely hard to do. 


But  plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) or extended range electric vehicles (E-REV) are a much better fit for diesel engines.  The higher fuel efficiency, coupled with the likelihood of long ranges of all electric power, could be a fuel efficiency maniac dream.  And the reasons for making diesel-electric engines for trains come into play when you look at E-REVs.

Add in the fact that plug-ins are going to be expensive in the first place, and the added cost of a diesel (vs a gas) engine mated to the electric motor, and the added expense isn't really all that much (percentage wise).


Conclusion
Diesels, like everything it seems, just aren't clear cut winners.  The clean diesels are a much better sell, but the cost differential may be hard to overcome.  If diesel (the fuel) prices were to come down a little, the difference in fuel efficiency would be become readily apparent to most consumers.  Without it, however, and the average consumer is going to stick with gasoline.

Overstock Giving Away Toyota Prius

Overstock.com is giving away a Toyota Prius as part of their 10th Anniversary celebration. From October 1st - 10th, Overstock will be giving away one prize each day to random visitors who follow the clues.

Press Release follows:

Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSTK) today announced its ten day "Decade O' Deals" online contest to celebrate Overstock.com 10th Anniversary, with prizes to include a 2009 Toyota Prius Hybrid as the Decade O' Deals Grand Prize Award. The contest runs October 1st through October 10th with huge prizes awarded each day.

In addition to the Toyota Prius Hybrid Grand Prize, customers will have the opportunity to win a home theater system, a $5,000 jewelry package, a moped, a smart phone package, luxury watch, one year's free gas, a residential room makeover worth $5,000, a $5,000 shopping spree on Overstock.com, and a dream vacation package worth $5,000.

Sweepstakes participants can visit www.overstock.com to find a link to the contest page where contestants are given one clue each day to the "Daily Dig." The daily clue will guide them to search and find a specific product on the Overstock.com site. That day's specific product page will feature a 10th Anniversary logo with a link to enter to win that day's prize. Also on the contest entry page, participants can share the contest with friends and family.

"We are grateful to our customers for helping us achieve this milestone event at Overstock.com, and we wanted to give them a chance to win some great prizes to help us celebrate," said Overstock.com Chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne.

From all correct entries, one winner will be selected each day at random. Winners of daily prizes will be notified and posted within 72 hours of the day's contest. Participants are eligible to win only one prize. Non-winning entrants from each day will remain eligible for the grand prize of the 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid with the grand prize winner being announced on October 11th.

2010 Toyota Prius Price Change

The base price on the 2010 Prius has been increased by $400.  The price difference affects models II, III, IV and V. 

Vehicle/
    Model                           Body             MSRP     NEW     MSRP %
    Number    Grade         Doors   Style     Trans  Increase MSRP    Increase
    --------  -----         -----   -----     -----  -------- ----    --------
    PRIUS
    -----
      1223    II              5     Hatchback  CVT   $400     $22,400   1.8%
      1225    III             5     Hatchback  CVT   $400     $23,400   1.7%
      1227    IV              5     Hatchback  CVT   $400     $26,200   1.6%
      1229    V               5     Hatchback  CVT   $400     $27,670   1.5%

The price increase will take affect on October 18, 2009.

The Prius I pricetag of $21,000 was set to compete with the Honda Insight.  It will not see any change to its price.  The Prius I is the most basic model, without cruise control, touch tracer display, smart key, EV mode, rear wipers, rear tonneau cover, heated mirrors, satellite radio, rear armrest, rear door speakers, rear heater duct, passenger-seatback pocket, foldable rear headrests and underbody spoilers and spats.

The MSRP does not include the delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $750 for passenger cars.

JD Powers Predicts September Will Be Back to Normal

Which may not be a good thing, since normal right now is still down.

"Low inventories and reduced incentives, combined with the effects of CARS pull-ahead sales, spell tough conditions for September," said Gary Dilts, senior vice president of global automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates. "September's retail SAAR is projected to be the lowest selling rate in 2009. However, improving consumer confidence and credit conditions in the months ahead are likely to help to rebuild the retail industry."

In other words,  September total light-vehicle sales are being projected at 29% below September 2008 sales.

At the same time, the sales mix will also return to normal.  The Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program had compact car sales up to 28% in August.  In September, JD Powers predicts it will drop back down to 19%, which is consistent with the sales mix pre-CARS.



Does this mean that the Cash for Clunkers program had a negative affect or a null affect?  If sales are down 28%, that puts it at about the level it was pre-CARS, making the short term affect null.  But it may be that sales are down because of low inventories brought on by the rush to sell by CARS.  In that case, we'll see a rebound as inventories come back up in the next month or two.

In other words, it may be too soon to tell.

Volvo Will Have Plug-in Hybrid by 2012... in Europe

Volvo has decided to introduce their own plug-in hybrid car in 2012.  Although it will take five hours to fully charge the battery pack, the average commuter (in Europe) will be able to drive fully on all electric power.  And if needed, the diesel engine set to recharge the battery will extend the range for up to 1200 km.  Volvo estimates that 75% of European drivers would be able to drive on all electric all the time.

The all-electric range based on a full charge for the lithium-ion battery pack is 50 km.

Volvo points out the diesel electric plug-in hybrid is going to be expensive, based on the costs related to the battery.  But they believe that a certain segment of consumers will still opt for traveling on electricity, rather than diesel (this is Europe), even though the fuel savings will not make up for the original cost difference.

Press Release Follows:

Volvo Car Corporation to put plug-in hybrids on the market in 2012



Volvo is introducing a series-produced plug-in hybrid as early as 2012. Pure electric power from the battery will cover the daily transport needs of 75 percent of European drivers. For longer distances, an efficient diesel hybrid engine automatically takes over. The combined range is about 1200 kilometres. Carbon dioxide emissions will average out at 49 grams per kilometre, with fuel consumption of 1.9 litres per 100 km.



Volvo is convinced that in the future, customers will continue to want safe, comfortable cars with good driving properties and generous load-carrying ability. Irrespective of whether they are powered by electricity or other fuels.

Plug-in hybrids are an attractive car type offering the user the best from both electric power and conventional drivelines: extremely low fuel consumption and CO2 levels, combined with a long range and high performance.

"The new Volvo plug-in will be a truly enjoyable car to drive, featuring Volvo's high safety and comfort standards. At the same time, CO2 levels and fuel consumption will be as low as half that available on the market today." says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Volvo plug-in hybrid advantages:
* Fuel consumption, running costs and CO2 emissions are very low
* The car is a "normal" Volvo, with all its customary good properties
* It is conveniently recharged at home via a regular wall socket
* It is an enjoyable car to drive, offering high performance

Electric power with CO2 levels close to zero

Electricity is highly suited as a car fuel. The electric motor has a high efficiency rating and consumes about one-fifth as much energy as a corresponding engine running on fossil fuel. Volvo's plug-in hybrid cars will be propelled by a robust electric motor that receives its power from a lithium-ion battery. What is more, additional electricity is generated every time the car brakes.

The battery is conveniently recharged at home via a regular wall socket. Electricity as a fuel is far cheaper than petrol or diesel, which results in low operating costs. The battery will take about five hours to recharge.

The range will be about 1200 kilometres, just like in a conventional diesel car. It will be able to be driven up to 50 kilometres on pure electric power and when running on the battery, emissions from the exhaust pipe will be non-existent. If the battery is recharged using electricity from renewable sources, the net emission of CO2 will be close to zero, even in a lifecycle perspective. Volvo's dealers will offer customers who buy a plug-in hybrid a special contract for the supply of renewable energy. This agreement has been created in cooperation with the company's partner, Swedish electricity supplier Vattenfall.

Efficient diesel engines as a complement

As a complement to the electric motor, one of Volvo's fuel-efficient diesel engines will also be fitted under the bonnet. It will be optimised to run on renewable synthetic diesel and will meet the tough forthcoming exhaust emission requirements.

The diesel engine can be run separately or in combination with the electric motor for optimal power and energy utilisation. For example, the diesel engine can support or replace electric power at high speeds or when the battery charge drops, while the electric motor can offer additional torque at low engine revs. Being able to combine these two power sources makes it possible to offer high performance and trouble-free use by the owner.

Most car trips cover short distances, to and from work. This means that the forthcoming Volvo plug-in hybrid will cover the transport requirements of most people. For longer distances, the diesel engine starts up automatically, giving the car the same properties and range as a conventional diesel car.

According to the standardised NEDC certification driving cycle, CO2 emissions from Volvo's plug-in hybrid will be lower than 50 grams/kilometre. Cars with emissions below 50 grams of CO2/kilometre will probably have the most favourable incentives in many European countries. In addition to tax relief, these countries will offer a discount of about 5000 euros on the purchase price, a move that is expected to set the standard for the rest of Europe too.

"We are focusing strongly on plug-in hybrids in order to meet the demands for low CO2 emissions and to provide sustainable road transportation. We naturally expect that the relevant authorities will offer subsidies to boost developments, speeding up the creation of a market for this type of car," says Stephen Odell.

Today's electricity capacity covers requirements

Plug-in hybrids consume less electricity than most people believe. The fact is that a single medium-sized wind-power station can produce renewable electricity to cover the annual consumption of 1000-2000 plug-in hybrids in normal use. Even a large number of plug-in hybrids on the roads would be able to be supplied within the framework of the electric grid's existing capacity. If 15 percent of Europe's cars consisted of plug-in hybrids, this would mean that total electricity requirements would only increase by between 1 and 3 percent.

Through simple household energy savings, for instance by switching off the PC and TV overnight and using low-energy bulbs, the total energy requirement would probably be able to be kept at current levels. To put this into perspective, the energy-efficiency improvements that Volvo Cars has implemented in its factories in Ghent and Göteborg over the past four years correspond to the annual electricity consumption of 15,000 plug-in hybrid cars.

Plug-in hybrids - market potential

The purchase price of a plug-in hybrid is expected to be considerably higher than for a conventional diesel car since the batteries are still expensive. Fuel costs on electric power will be about one-third compared with driving on diesel, and this partially compensates for the higher purchase price, although not fully.

Volvo Cars assesses that plug-in hybrids will be commercially viable for certain customer categories in 2012, gradually widening in appeal as battery price and performance continuously improve.

Skipping stages in technological development

For the time being, Volvo Cars is postponing its plans to produce what is known as a full-hybrid based on a diesel engine.

The strategy that Volvo is adopting to start series-producing plug-in cars as early as 2012 is to exploit already existing, tried and tested platform architecture for major components such as the body and engine. Instead of waiting for an entirely new generation of car models, the company is saving time by using innovative solutions to install the battery and electric motor beside a conventional driveline. In this way, the new technology will get out to car buyers that much sooner.

Plug-in hybrids the result of industrial cooperation

In January 2007, Volvo Cars and energy supplier Vattenfall launched a joint project with the aim of testing and developing plug-in technology. A new company was founded, V2 Plug-in-Hybrid Vehicle Partnership, as a result of this cross-border initiative.

The formation of the joint company with Vattenfall creates entirely new preconditions for developing next-generation green technology in a highly efficient way. Working in partnership is something that the company regards as an absolute necessity in the drive towards a sustainable future.

HK Motors to Build Hybrid Car Plant in Bay Minette, Alabama

HK Motors (Hybrid Kinetic Motors Corp. ) announced plans to build a new automotive plant in Bay Minette, Alabama.  The plant will have the capacity to build 300,000 hybrid cars a year.

Governor Riley made the announcement, noting the company expect to create 5,000 hi-tech, green, high paying jobs.

HK Motors will be investing $1 billion, initially, to build on the 3,000 acre industrial site.

The company is still seeking investors and conducting research and development, the source said. A series of "triggers" must occur before negotiations about incentives begin, and no taxpayer money will be committed until "real" milestones are achieved, the state official added. Source: al

Cash For Clunkers Top 20

I know about how statistics can lie, but it seems that numbers can mislead just as badly. The government, when it released its numbers on the Cash for Clunkers program, kept touting the top 10 vehicles being sold.

Too bad they didn't emphasize they were splitting up the two-wheel or four-wheel drive models. To be fair, the lists released did have FWD on them, but it's still misleading.

The choice they made to split up FWD and AWD tended to keep any trucks, as opposed to cars that don't have the options, down the list. Well, the numbers were released and the Detroit Free Press put together the list for us to see.

Top 20 models sold under the U.S. government’s cash-for-clunkers program, according to a Free Press analysis of data released this weekend.

1. Toyota Corolla 29,488
2. Honda Civic 28,456
3. Toyota Camry 27,137
4. Ford Focus 22,388
5. Ford Escape 21,894
6. Honda CR-V 20,106
7. Hyundai Elantra 19,797
8. Chevrolet Cobalt 16,724
9. Chevrolet Silverado 16,330
10. Nissan Versa 16,300
11. Ford F150 16,263
12. Honda Accord 15,922
13. Nissan Altima 15,426
14. Toyota RAV4 15,255
15. Toyota Prius 15,013
16. Ford Fusion 13,415
17. Honda Fit 12,361
18. Nissan Sentra 12,158
19. Chevrolet Aveo 11,557
20. Toyota Tacoma 10,692

As you can see, the Prius, which the government had at number 7, is actually number 15.  And the top 10 vehicles purchased using government money includes the Escape, CR-V, and Silverado.  And don't forget the F150 sitting at number 11.

Fuel economy definitely went up for the trade-ins, although the long term impact of the program will probably be minimal from a national standpoint.  But it's little things like this that make you wonder why they couldn't just release the numbers as the program was progressing?

Fisker Recieves $528 Million in DOE Loans

Fisker Automotive has been approved to receive $528 million in low-interest loans from the Dept of Energy (DOE) as part of the $25 billion dolloar loan program set up by the federal government.

$169.3 million will be used to finish development and production of the plug-in hybrid sedan Karma which is due out next summer. The Karma is being sold at $87,900 a piece.

The rest of the loan will be used in Project NINA. NINA is part of Fisker's plant to bring a family oriented, user friendly plug-in that will cost $47,400, or $39,900 after tax credits (if you qualify). Fisker is targeting Global sales are predicted to exceed 100,000 units annually starting in 2012.

Fisker estimates the loan will help create or save 5,000 US jobs among auto suppliers and thousands more to manufacture a plug-in hybrid in the US.

NINA comes from the trip by Christopher Columbus, and "is symbolic of the automobile industry’s transition from old world to new"

The $528.7-million low-interest loan "is another critical step in making sure we are positioned to compete for the clean energy jobs of the future," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Tesla received $465 million from the same loan program.

Virginia Installs First Plug-in Station

Virginia will be setting up charging stations for plug-in hybrids in selected rest areas. The first one has already been installed at the westbound New Kent Safety Rest Area on Interstate 64. It can charge up to four vehicles at a time.

At 120 Volts, it's going to take a long time for a car to recharge, but I suppose if you have half an hour, it can't hurt to plug in.  Also, use is complimentary.

Virginia plans to upgrade to 240 Volts for faster charging.

Funding for the installation comes from Dominion Virginia and is not coming from the state.

"I am pleased to work with Dominion to provide clean fuel alternatives for the citizens of Virginia and implement another recommendation of my Climate Change Commission," Governor Kaine said. "The charging stations will help promote hybrid electric vehicles, meet the future needs of our vehicle fleet, and help budget conscious Virginians in a tough time."

Stimulus Funds for Diesel-Electric Hybrid Buses

Chicago and Albany will soon be getting hybrid buses, courtesy of the Stimulus package.

Chicago is receiving another $3.5 million in funds to help purchase 20 diesel hybrid buses. The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) in Albany, N.Y. had already received $2 million back in May. The overall cost is expected to reach $10.6 million.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) received and have already placed in service 58 hybrid buses. That brings their total up to 208 'articulated hybrid buses' in their fleet. $50 million (out of a total of $241 million in stimulus money) was used to buy the buses.

The CTA expects to save over $7 million in parts, labor and fuel from their hybrid buses.

According to the press release, the 60 foot buses can transport 125 riders and are 30 percent more fuel efficient and emit 60 percent fewer emissions. They are also replacing smaller buses, which could only transport 80 riders.

The buses can be plugged in overnight to keep the batteries charged. The batteries also keep the auxiliary heater running, eliminating the need to idle buses for startup.

Volkswagen Toureg Hybrid to Show in 2010

The Volkswagen Touareg will launch in the US next year, with the debut occuring at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January (Source: Volkswagen considers bringing an electric vehicle to the United States: AutoWeek Magazine).

Which is exciting news for anyone who wants a hybrid Volkswagen. Autoweek also quotes officials promising an electric version of the E-Up!, introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show, will be appearing in Europe sometime in 2013. The US version will be larger and appear later.

The E-Up! has a range of about 70-80 miles on all electric power.

Volkswagen had thought to bring a hybrid Jetta, but figures a hybrid Touareg will be easier to recoup their cost.

Hybrid Dinghy Pusher for RV

Alrighty then. File this one under interesting but strange. A father and son (a former faculty member and researcher and UA associate professor, respectively) teamed together to develop a hybrid dinghy pusher for their RVs.

It seems the cost of gasoline has been pushing them to reduce the amount of time they spend on family trips, so they set out to hybridize their RV. But hybrid engines for vehicles the size of RVs are expensive (just ask your local bus companies how expensive). So, they decided to use a hybrid SUV to push the RV uphill instead, thus the hybrid dinghy pusher (HDP) was born.

The modified hybrid SUV is attached to the back of the RV. When the vehicles travel downhill, the hybrid motor charges the battery pack in the SUV. When the tandem RV and hybrid SUV travel uphill, the SUV will help push the RV using the electric motor. It will not engage the gas engine at all. The stored energy can also be used to accelerate quickly or just in driving down the street.

And once you get to your destination, you have the hybrid SUV to drive around in. Other advantages of implementing such a system are improved gas mileage, reduced rate of wear on brake components, and improved mobility for users of RVs and the dinghy.

Source: New Hybrid Vehicle Concept For RV Travelers Developed

Working with UA’s Office for Technology Transfer, the Shepards are currently in the process of securing a development partner to bring this cutting-edge technology to the market. The team has filed a U.S. provisional patent.

Nissan Altima and Maxima Safety Recall Notice

Nissan is recalling certain 2009 and 20101 model year Maxima and Sentra.  The upper front strut insulators may have been manufactured out of specification resulting in a potential for the strut insulators to crack.

If the strut insulator is cracked, there is the potential for the strut rod to come out of its mounting position, which could affect vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash.

I'm not sure if this involves any of the hybrid Altimas but I thought you should know.

Check out the info at NHTSA.

Prius Family

Rumored for years, it looks like Toyota is finally moving ahead with creating a family of vehicles under the name 'Prius'. Toyota is looking to create a sub-brand name out of the popularity the Prius has had so far.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda, at a Las Vegas meeting, told top dealers in the US to expect a new family of cars to sell, but not a new brand name (like Scion).  This was confirmed by Irv Miller,  Group Vice President.

The Prius name is "an industry leader and has got such great brand recognition," said Peter DeLongChamps, a vice president at Group 1 Automotive Inc., a national dealership chain. The expansion plan "makes sense."

Mr. Miller, the Toyota spokesman, said "it is not inconceivable that Prius could outsell the Camry," the midsize car that is Toyota's best-selling model.

It's unclear how soon such a family of vehicles (larger and smaller than the current Prius, plus a plug-in model) would appear in the market. Right now, there's a limit on how many Prius can be built at any one time given the limited supply of batteries and hybrid motors.

Fisker Plug-in Hybrid Wake Up Call For GM

Earth2tech caught an investor who let the cat out of the bag on Fiskers future plans.  It seems they want a plug-in hybrid in production by 2012.  The kicker is, they want to price it at $39,000.

That's very significant.  The Chevy Volt is supposed to go on sale at around $40,000 a pop.  GM will also have the Volt out 2 years sooner than the Fisker model will appear.  And it looks like none of the other major automakers will have their own plug-in on the road sooner than GM will.

Which, I'm sure, makes GM very happy.  After noting the success of the Toyota Prius, and realizing that like everyone else, they can't beat or match the price/fuel efficiency/image of the Prius, GM looked to leapfrog the competition by building up the Volt.

But it looks like that leapfrog is going to be a lot smaller jump than they wanted.  If Fisker, a small niche automaker can get a plug-in hybrid in to production at about the same price range, what does that say for the possibility that Honda, Toyota, or Ford could do the same and possibly for less?

And, while GM should be happy they are going to be first, that doesn't give them the head start they wanted.  Look at the Insight and the Prius.  One took off, while the other stagnated.

No, if I were GM, I'd be a little bit worried about the Fisker plug-in.

If they are to succeed with the Volt, they are going to have to look at the plan Toyota followed to make the Prius a success.

One, they need to take the long view.  The Prius was not an overnight success.  It took a decade for it to really catch on and become a cultural phenomenon.

Two, they have to keep the price tag down as much as they can.  The Prius was not sold for a profit for years.  Can GM afford to wait until they can sell even one Volt and say they made money off of it?  Can they afford not to?

Three, push hard to make the Volt as good as they can at first, then push hard to simplify.  The Prius was made as fuel efficient as they could using the technology they could.  It was also made as well as they could.  You didn't hear about massive battery failures, or the electronics failing or the brakes failing on huge numbers of cars.  Toyota also included some luxury and tech items which, I'm sure, kept the losses up for Toyota, not down.  But the buyers who eventually made the Prius a success wanted those items.  Prius buyers were older, more conservative and more affluent than you might expect.  GM should expect Volt buyers to be the same, if not more so given the price they're going to have to pay.

Four, diversify the product, but at reasonable levels.  Use the research and technology and place it into other vehicles.  Test out some options.  Toyota now has more hybrid models than anyone else.  Not only does that help to spread out the cost, it also helps you test out different types of models.

But don't do it like Honda has done it.  Honda deliberately tries something very different every time, while Toyota looks to try subtle differences each time.  They focus on fuel efficiency, but after that anything goes but only in small doses.  Luxury, power increase, etc...  Honda has emphasize in each of their hybrid models extremely different things.  The first was a two-seater, but very fuel efficient.  Then the Civic was the mainstream model.  Then the Accord was the muscle car, with not enough muscle.  Then the Insight II was the cheaper version of the Prius.  Two of those models are already gone by the wayside.

Or GM could model itself after Ford and spread the Volt across the same model, just different brands.  Ford created the Escape Hybrid, rolled it out to Mazda (barely) and Mercury, and left it at that.  They continued refining the process, but at the same time, they limited the number of sales and production.  That kept them from losing too much at any one time.  Then, once they got the cost down, they rolled it out to the Milan and Fusion.  But that's a cautious approach and one that will leave GM in second or third place in the new plug-in hybrid world, something they seem desparate to avoid.

And finally, focus in on fuel efficiency at a practical size.  The Toyota Prius wasn't the most fuel efficient vehicle.  Nor was it the most luxurious hybrid.  Nor was it the largest hybrid.  No, it's just the most fuel efficient hybrid at just the right size.   That's why the Prius has beat out all the others.  That's how it became the image of fuel efficiency, despite not being the most fuel efficient.

So, can GM do all that in the post bailout world?  Can they afford to lose money on the Volt for years?  Can they figure out fuel efficiency first?  Can they spread out the technology even as it loses money?  Can they keep the price down as much as they can, while still building the Volt as well as they possibly can?  We'll just have to wait and see.

Hybrid Ferrari

The hybrid Ferrari may not be due out for another 4 years, but Ferrari promises it will be what you would expect. In other words, the Ferrari Hybrid will most likely mate an electric motor to a V12. (Source: First Ferrari hybrid will be a V12 - Autocar.co.uk)

Why the wait? Ferrari says they are waiting for the battery technology to improve.

In the meantime, expect start-stop in the California next March.

Photo from flickr by tonylanciabeta.

Tesla Raises Another $85 Million in Funding

Tesla received another $82.5 million in funding from Daimler, Fjord Capital Partners, Aabar and other undisclosed investors. That brings the total investment to $783.5 million.

The most recent round of funding will go to accelerating the new retail locations in Monaco, Washington DC, South Florida and Toronto.

Source: Tesla Puts Another $82.5 Million In The Tank
Techcrunch notes that "Tesla has been on a roll recently" what with the recent fund raising, the government loans and another $50 million in equity that set their value at half a billion.

Car Pool Lane Priviliges Extended in California

For those worried about the hybrid car pool lane sunsetting on September 30 in California, there may be good news.
Source: Roadshow: Hybrids can use carpool lanes until Jan. 1, 2011 - Inside Bay Area

I have carpool stickers for a Prius and was told by a DMV technician that the expiration date for using these stickers will be Sept. 30 because of a new federal law. After this time, hybrid owners would not be allowed to travel in carpool lanes. Is this true?

John Fritch

A: No, but I've been getting bombarded with worries like this and here's why: Sept. 30 is indeed the sunset date for current federal law allowing some single-occupant hybrids to use California carpool lanes. Without an extension of the federal law, this privilege would have ended. But an extension is in the works that would allow solo hybrid owners with stickers to use the carpool lane until Jan. 1, 2011. So you're good until then.

So, it's looking good for an extension.

Is This Misleading or What?

It's stories and quotes like this that prove the point that some have been making about switching from mpg to gallons per mile (gpm). 

Consumer Reports

The Honda Insight hybrid showed the largest drop in fuel economy—over 15 mpg going from 55 to 75 mph
...
Vehicles with lower fuel efficiency had the smallest drop. The V8-powered Mercury Mountaineer has a fuel economy of 23.8 mpg at 55 mph and that drops to 21.2 mpg at 65 and 17.8 at 75 mph..

That is just so misleading.  In gallons per mile, the Insight drops from 1.93 gallons per 100 miles to 2.74 gpm.  That's a difference of 0.81 gpm.  The Mountaineer drops from 4.20 gpm to 5.62 gpm, a difference of 1.42 gpm.

So not only are starting off at twice the inefficiency, you end up losing almost twice as much.

This is exactly the misleading nonsense a switch from mpg to gpm would fix.

If Toyota Refuses to go Lithium-Ion

If Toyota refuses to go to lithium-ion battery packs, what will that mean for the battery industry?  The biggest hybrid car maker by far, Toyota makes up 3/4 of the hybrid market.  The Prius alone accounts for one out of every two hybrids sold.

And if Toyota is not sold on lithium-ion because of either price or durability, that's going to be hard on bringing the price of lithium-ion battery packs down.

At least, at first.  Other car makers are making the switch as they move to E-REV or plug-in hybrid technology.  And the Prius plug-ins are using lithium-ion battery packs.

So maybe, Toyota means to say, they won't be switching over for their 'conventional' hybrids.  But once you move into plug-in battery packs that require a lot more juice to get you where you're going, Toyota is using lithium-ion.

But if Toyota won't adopt lithium-ion for their already mass-marketed hybrids (especially the Prius), prices are going to take a lot longer to come down.  Which may be a good thing from Toyota's perspective.  If they feel the Volt is going to take center stage in the plug-in world, making sure the Volt price tag remains at twice the cost of a 'conventional' Prius is probably good strategy.

The 133 Most Fuel Efficient Cars for 2010

Once again, it's time to list the most fuel efficient cars, trucks (if there were any), SUVs, station wagons, sedans, hatchbacks, coupes, etc...  In the past, I've created lists for the most fuel efficient cars for 2009,  2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005. As with those previous lists, I rank the vehicles based on their combined miles per gallon (45% highway and 55% city).

Not surprisingly, the top four spots are taken by hybrids, but diesel engines are filling quite a bit of the top rankings.  Oil burners have better gas mileage (mpg), but oil burners are expensive to buy, just like hybrids.  Also, diesel still costs more to purchase (for now).

Smaller cars tend to rank higher, as do stick shifts.  Note that types of engines (4-cylinder vs. 6-cylinder or stick vs. manual) makes a big difference in fuel economy.  The list of vehicles shows the make, model and engine type.  So keep that in mind when you see the Golf or Jetta for what seems like the tenth time.

The list of top gas mileage vehicles is longer this year, with 133 models qualifying.  To qualify for my list, you need to get over 25 mpg.  If you notice a model missing from the list of most fuel efficient vehicles, please let me know in the comments.  I'll make the fix ASAP. 

			MPG
Ranking	Category	Vehicle	City	Highway	Combined
1	Family Sedan	Toyota Prius 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	51	48	50
2	Small Car	Honda Insight 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	40	43	41
3	Family Sedan	Ford Fusion Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	41	36	39
3	Family Sedan	Mercury Milan Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	41	36	39
4	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt XFE Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	35	37	36
5	Small Car	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Diesel	30	42	35
5	Hatchback	Volkswagen Golf 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Diesel	30	42	35
5	Hatchback	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Diesel	30	42	35
5	Station Wagons	Audi A3 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Diesel	30	42	35
5	Station Wagons	Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Diesel	30	42	35
6	Small Car	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Diesel	30	41	35
6	Hatchback	Volkswagen Golf 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Diesel	30	41	35
6	Hatchback	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Diesel	30	41	35
6	Station Wagons	Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Diesel	30	41	35
7	Upscale Sedan	Lexus HS 250h 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	35	34	35
8	Family Sedan	Toyota Camry Hybrid 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Hybrid, Regular	33	34	33
9	SUV	Ford Escape Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	34	31	33
9	SUV	Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	34	31	33
9	SUV	Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	34	31	33
10	Small Car	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	29	36	32
10	Hatchback	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	29	36	32
11	Small Car	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	29	35	32
11	Hatchback	Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	29	35	32
12	Small Car	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 5-spd, Regular	28	35	31
12	Hatchback	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 5-spd, Regular	28	35	31
13	Small Car	Hyundai Accent 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	27	36	31
13	Family Sedan	Kia Forte 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 5-spd, Regular	27	36	31
14	Small Car	Hyundai Accent 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	28	34	31
15	Small Car	Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Small Car	Chevrolet Aveo 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Small Car	Pontiac G3 (5-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Small Car	Pontiac G3 (3-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Small Car	Suzuki Swift x 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Hatchback	Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Hatchback	Pontiac G3 (5-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Hatchback	Pontiac G3 (3-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
15	Hatchback	Suzuki Swift x 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	35	31
16	Small Car	Pontiac G5 XFE 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	37	30
16	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt XFE Sedan 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	37	30
16	Coupe	Chevrolet Cobalt XFE Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	37	30
17	SUV	Lexus RX 450h 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Automatic (S6), Hybrid, Premium	32	28	30
18	Small Car	Toyota Corolla 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	26	35	30
18	Family Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Blue 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	26	35	30
19	Small Car	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic (S5), Regular	27	33	30
19	Small Car	Scion xD 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	27	33	30
19	Small Car	Scion xD 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	33	30
19	Small Car	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	33	30
19	Hatchback	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic (S5), Regular	27	33	30
19	Hatchback	Scion xD 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	27	33	30
19	Hatchback	Scion xD 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	33	30
19	Hatchback	Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	27	33	30
20	Small Car	Toyota Corolla 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	26	34	30
20	Small Car	Nissan Sentra 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	26	34	30
20	Family Sedan	Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	26	34	30
20	Family Sedan	Hyundai Elantra 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	26	34	30
21	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	35	30
21	Small Car	Pontiac G5 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	35	30
21	Small Car	Pontiac G5 GT 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	35	30
21	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	35	30
21	Coupe	Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	35	30
22	SUV	Lexus RX 450h AWD 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Automatic (S6), Hybrid, Premium	30	28	29
23	Small Car	Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Small Car	Chevrolet Aveo 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Small Car	Pontiac G3 (5-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Small Car	Pontiac G3 (3-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Family Sedan	Hyundai Elantra 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Family Sedan	Kia Forte 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Family Sedan	Kia Forte 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Hatchback	Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Hatchback	Pontiac G3 (5-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
23	Hatchback	Pontiac G3 (3-Door) 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	34	29
24	Family Sedan	Ford Focus FWD 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	24	35	29
25	Station Wagons	Pontiac Vibe 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	26	32	29
25	Station Wagons	Toyota Matrix 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	26	32	29
26	SUV	Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	30	27	29
26	SUV	Mazda Tribute Hybrid 4WD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	30	27	29
26	SUV	Mercury Mariner Hybrid 4WD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	30	27	29
27	Small Car	Mazda 3 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	25	33	29
28	Family Sedan	Ford Focus FWD 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	34	29
29	Station Wagons	Kia Soul 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	26	31	28
29	Station Wagons	Kia Soul 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	26	31	28
29	Station Wagons	Pontiac Vibe 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	26	31	28
30	Small Car	Suzuki SX4 Sedan 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	25	32	28
30	SUV	Saturn Vue Hybrid 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	32	28
31	Small Car	Mazda 3 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S5), Regular	24	33	28
31	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	33	28
31	Small Car	Pontiac G5 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	33	28
31	Small Car	Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	33	28
31	Coupe	Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	33	28
32	Family Sedan	Ford Fusion S FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	23	34	28
32	Family Sedan	Mercury Milan S 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	23	34	28
33	Station Wagons	Toyota Matrix 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	25	31	28
34	Small Car	Volkswagen GTI 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Premium	24	32	28
34	Small Car	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Premium	24	32	28
34	Hatchback	Volkswagen GTI 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Premium	24	32	28
34	Hatchback	Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (S6), Premium	24	32	28
35	Small Car	Suzuki SX4 Sedan 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Regular	23	33	28
36	Small Car	Nissan Sentra 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Regular	24	31	27
37	Small Car	Pontiac G5 GT 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	23	32	27
37	Small Car	Suzuki SX4 Sport 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 6-spd, Regular	23	32	27
38	Family Sedan	Toyota Camry 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Manual 6-spd, Regular	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Chevrolet Malibu 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), Regular	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Chevrolet Malibu 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), FFV, Gasoline	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Saturn Aura 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), FFV, Gasoline	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Saturn Aura 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), Regular	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Pontiac G6 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), Regular	22	33	27
38	Family Sedan	Pontiac G6 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), FFV, Gasoline	22	33	27
38	Coupe	Pontiac G6 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), Regular	22	33	27
38	Coupe	Pontiac G6 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (S6), FFV, Gasoline	22	33	27
39	Small Car	Suzuki Swift x 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	30	27
39	Small Car	Nissan Sentra 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	24	30	27
39	Hatchback	Suzuki Swift x 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	30	27
39	Station Wagons	Kia Soul 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	24	30	27
39	Station Wagons	Kia Soul 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	24	30	27
40	Family Sedan	Kia Forte 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic 5-spd, Regular	23	31	27
40	Family Sedan	Subaru Legacy AWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	23	31	27
40	Family Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Touring 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	23	31	27
40	Hatchback	Dodge Caliber 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	23	31	27
40	Station Wagons	Dodge Caliber 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular	23	31	27
41	Family Sedan	Kia Forte 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Manual 6-spd, Regular	22	32	27
41	Family Sedan	Toyota Camry 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (S6), Regular	22	32	27
41	SUV	Chevrolet Equinox FWD 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	22	32	27
41	SUV	GMC Terrain FWD 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	22	32	27
41	SUV	Chevrolet HHR FWD 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, FFV, Gasoline	22	32	27
41	SUV	Chevrolet HHR Panel FWD 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd, FFV, Gasoline	22	32	27
42	Small Car	Mitsubishi Lancer 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	23	30	26
42	Small Car	Suzuki SX4 Sport 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	23	30	26
42	Small Car	Volkswagen Golf 5 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	23	30	26
42	Family Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Touring 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular	23	30	26
42	Upscale Sedan	Audi A4 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Premium	23	30	26
42	Hatchback	Volkswagen Golf 5 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic 6-spd, Regular	23	30	26
42	Coupe	Audi A5 Cabriolet 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Premium	23	30	26
42	Station Wagons	Suzuki SX4 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular	23	30	26

All the data comes from fueleconomy.gov.