Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Hertz to Offer Smart EV’s for Rental in 2011

Posted: 07 Dec 2010 01:57 PM PST

Try it before you buy it. That seems to be the idea of the relationship between car maker Smart and rental agency Hertz. Hertz will be carrying Smart ED's (electric drive) for rental starting in 2011.

Hertz and other rental companies have already made it plainly obvious that they will start renting out electric vehicles. They will all be stocking up on the Leaf, Volt, and other electric and hybrid vehicles in a bid to bring their customers the most fuel-efficient vehicles (and cutting down on their own maintenance costs). Hertz's deal with Smart will see the rental agency leasing out the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive in San Francisco, New York, and Washington D.C. starting December 15th.

The Smart ForTwo ED has an all-electric range of about 70 miles, with a top speed of 75 mph. It takes between four and eight hours to recharged, and is slated for mass production come 2012. That means if you're considering buying such a vehicle, maybe renting it from Hertz first might not be a bad idea.

I’m not the biggest fan of Smart cars, and the limited range is kind of a buzzkill. Looks like it could be fun with a few modifications though.

Source: Smart USA

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

GM Planning Hatchback, Crossover Volts

Posted: 07 Dec 2010 09:45 AM PST

The first Chevy Volts only just started rolling off of the production line, but GM is already working on a next generation of plug-in hybrids. One loose-lipped executive let slip that a hatchback and five-person MPV would debut around 2015.

Nick Reilly, the head of GM Europe, told the UK’s AutoCar magazine that the second-generation Chevy Volt/Vauxhall Ampera will debut in 2015. By that time, GM will have extended the all-electric range even further (though by how much he doesn't say). Up until then, GM will import the Vauxhall version from Detroit to Europe but by 2015  they expect demand to be up enough to warrant building the Ampera plug-in in Europe.

GM has already previewed a Volt MPV5 concept (above), and Reilly confirmed that GM was indeed working on just such a vehicle. An extended-range electric family mover makes sense for short runs to the store or longer road trips to visit grandma and grandpa. But Reilly says GM is also planning a smaller Volt hatchback based on the Astra. This could be the performance hybrid I’ve been waiting for. Prices are expected to be between $7,000 and $12,000 more than a comparable car, which still sounds like a lot. Consider though that the Chevy Cruze, upon which the Volt is based, has a starting price is $16,275. The Volt starts at $41,000 (or a $350 a month lease). That’s almost a $25,000 difference between the two cars. The Volt would appeal to a lot more people if it was priced at $26,000 without tax credits.

I'm really hoping if they do make the hatchback, they give it some kind of sporty, performance option. Saving fuel is great, but to win the masses, you must make driving an electric car fun too. GM already discussed the possibility of a Volt SS, and instant torque from electric motors is enough to make any gearhead's mouth water.

Source: AutoCar

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Chrysler Planning Ram 1500 Diesel/Hybrid?

Posted: 07 Dec 2010 06:23 AM PST

Chrysler withdrew from hybrid vehicle market before they even really got going. Their masters at Fiat seem to think natural gas is the way to go. And yet here we come across plans and parts for a Ram 1500 diesel/hybrid.

We already knew that Chrysler was working on a Ram 1500 hybrid, though it was supposed to be just for fleet testing purposes and not for sale. However Allpar, my favorite online resource for all things Mopar-related, came across new parts in Chrysler's dealer computer system for a Ram 1500 with a 5.0 liter diesel V8 engine. Light-duty diesel engines have been on my wish list for awhile. Better gas mileage, more torque, and engine longevity in a medium-duty truck are three big reasons.

For whatever reason, no major automaker has offered a diesel engine in half-ton trucks, instead making buyers opt for the heavy-duty trucks that add $10,000 or more to the price of the truck just to get the diesel engine. Ram could be the first to break this cycle, and they stand to reap a lot of sales if they do.

What's more, backing up this 5.0 liter diesel engine is the hybrid-transmission system seen in the defunct Dodge Durango/Chrysler Aspen hybrid SUV's Chrysler sold for just a year. The 5.0 liter diesel engine has an option for four transmission, including a six-speed manual, but it is the four-speed transmission with a hybrid motor that gets my juices flowing.

Think about it; the torque and fuel efficiency of a diesel combined with a hybrid in a half-ton truck. I'll be disappointed if Chrysler can't get at least 25 mpg on the highway and 300 ft-lbs of torque out of that diesel/hybrid setup.

Source: Allpar

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.
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