Most days when you search for "plug-in hybrid"
media mentions in the last month at Google News,
you get about 200 entries; today, you get 1,200 in the past day.

Below are mostly excerpts with some key developments:
* Associated Press Summary
* Chrysler's 3 Concept Cars: PHEV/FCPHEV/EV
* GM's Saturn Vue PHEV for 2010 not 2009
* Nissan negative on PHEVs
* More on Toyota and BYD PHEVs and batteries
* Johnson Control uses PHEV to show multiple technologies
* Electrovaya batteries for Visionary Vehicles PHEVs
* VC Vinod Khosla now favors diesel PHEVs

ASSOCIATED PRESS'S ABLE SUMMARY OF VEHICLE TRENDS & IMPLICATIONS
This story covers most of the developments
includes some great quotes about why this is
happening now -- ackmowledging the impact of
popular demand, and how slow carmakers have been
to recognize we're in a changed world.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jTNXOyP-ou59ROVHQCzYw3IVRRmQD8U5U8R01
Automakers Roll Out Plug-In Concepts
By JEFF KAROUB ­ January 14, 2008
Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas and Auto
Writers Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler LLC on Monday rolled out
three plug-in concept cars at the North American
International Auto Show, the venue where rival
General Motors Corp. made a splash one year ago
with its Chevrolet Volt electric concept. Not to
be outdone, GM announced production may begin as
soon as 2010 on a plug-in hybrid electric version
of the Saturn Vue Green Line, which it expects to
be the first regular production plug-in hybrid
electric vehicle. And Toyota said it plans to
test hundreds of plug-ins with fleet and
commercial customers worldwide by the same year.

It's an electrifying race with many entrants, but
one analyst says it's more of a public relations
scramble right now for an industry that's lagged
on drivers' demand and desires for alternative
power. "The automotive industry is trying to have
this green image, but I don't see a true
commitment ... where a company is taking a
leadership role," said Thilo Koslowski, an
automotive analyst for Gartner Inc. "The concepts
trickling down are primarily based on consumers
demanding them. ... From the initial perspective,
we see a lot of talk about concepts. It doesn't
mean you can actually realize those ... for the mass market."

Chrysler's entries in the concept race are
Chrysler ecoVoyager, Dodge Zeo and Jeep Renegade.
Officials say consumer demand isn't generated
solely by technology. It also needs to come with
distinctive designs — in other words, no
one-size-fits all approach. Frank Klegon,
Chrysler's product development chief, said the
Zeo concept, which is completely electric, is
designed to maintain Dodge's tradition of
performance. The ecoVoyager, coupled with a fuel
cell, is meant to convey Chrysler's reputation as
an "iconic American brand." And the Renegade,
combined with a low-emission diesel engine, is
envisioned as a vehicle that could "go anywhere"
and "go green." Still, he said, they are purely
concepts with no production guarantees. "With
emerging technologies, you don't really know
which one is going to be the right solution, or
something else that leapfrogs in the meantime,"
he said. "That's one challenge for us as an industry and a company."

GM hopes to have the Volt on the market by 2010
but is setting no firm date. This year, it's
showing a similar plug-in hybrid concept that's a
collaboration between Saturn and Opel. GM also
will extend its hybrid lineup, releasing a new
Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid, which is expected to
boost fuel economy by about 50 percent when it
hits showrooms later this year. And it predicts
the Vue plug-in hybrid will be the first regular
production vehicle of its kind.

Ford Motor Co. has a partnership with Southern
California Edison to develop a small fleet of
plug-in hybrids. The automaker delivered its
first plug-in to the utility late last year. "The
intention there is for us to learn with them what
are the opportunities for a workable business
model for batteries of plug-in hybrids because
there is still a significant cost associated with
batteries," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's head of global product development.

The auto show also features Toyota's plug-in
hybrid prototype, which, like the current Prius,
switches from pure electric to gas engine to a
blended gas electric mode. But the plug-in has a
second battery pack that allows it to store
greater levels of electricity and is capable of
operating in pure electric mode for longer
periods of time and at much higher speeds.
Company officials said that when the plug-ins
make it to showrooms depends a lot on their
ability to mass produce the batteries and the
usage by fleet and commercial customers.

Even upstarts are getting in on the act.
California-based Fisker Automotive announced
Monday it will begin producing a plug-in sports
car in late 2009. The Fisker Karma will cost
around $80,000, with projected sales of 15,000 per year.

Chinese automaker BYD, which is also one of the
world's top battery suppliers, said it will begin
selling a plug-in hybrid sedan in China by the
end of this year and wants to bring the vehicle
to North America in three to five years.

Many automakers say this time, the market is
ready for electrics. The 1990s and early 2000s
saw the rise and fall of GM's EV1 and offerings
from Toyota and Audi. Koslowski, who worked for
Audi, said it's true that there wasn't as strong
demand then. But he also blames the automakers
for not promoting the technology or accepting
lower profit margins in the short term as they
boosted investment in batteries and other
technology necessary to make it happen. "Why
didn't we do this before? The simple answer is
nobody really forced the automakers to make these
changes," he said. "The fact that we haven't had
changes over the past couple of decades is shameful."

Troy Clarke, GM's North American president, said
that GM fully understands the technological
pitfalls of electric vehicles, such as the
limited range of the batteries. He said the
technological timing is right, and comes at the
convergence of three trends: concern over climate
change, the need for U.S. energy independence and
the high costs of oil. "You don't really need
anybody to convince you that this is the right
time to start doubling down on your bets with
this type of technology," he said.


GM'S SATURN VUE PLANNED FOR 2010 NOT 2009
Up until now we'd been hearing 2009 from the
company (well before the Volt's hoped-for time).
Now we'll see the 2009 Saturn Vue Green Line
Two-Mode Hybrid SUV perhaps in 2008, followed by
the PHEV version considerably later.
Also at the Auto Show, GM showed its Saturn
Flexstreme Plug-in Concept, a diesel version of
the E-Flex system Opel Flexstreme shown in Frankfurt in 2007.
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1441672720080114
GM's Saturn Vue plug-in could precede Volt
Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:05pm EST By Jui Chakravorty Das

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp could
launch a plug-in version of the Saturn Vue
crossover in 2010, possibly making it the first
commercially available electric vehicle, a GM
executive said on Monday. "It could precede the
Volt," GM's head of North American operations,
Troy Clarke, told reporters at the North American
International Auto Show, referring to GM's
much-touted concept electric car, which it hopes
to produce by the end of 2010. "For the Volt we
are re-engineering an entire vehicle to be
optimally designed to support the architecture,"
Clarke said. "At the Saturn Vue we are adapting
an electric drive system to an existing
architecture. It's a quicker way to do it."


CHRYSLER'S "ENVI" SHOWS CONCEPT PLUG-INS
Chrysler is playing catch-up and has no production plans.
GREEN CAR CONGRESS:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/01/chryslers-three.html
The Jeep Renegade. The Renegade concept also uses
also an electric vehicle with the common 40-mile,
16 kWh lithium-ion battery module, but uses dual
200 kW motors­one on each axle­for
four-wheel-drive capability. Driving range is
extended by an electric generator coupled to a
1.5-liter, 3-cylinder BLUETEC diesel engine.
Renegade has a 400-mile combined range, and is
capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 mpg.

POPULAR MECHANICS:
Chrysler’s New Electric Brain Trust Takes on GM With Three Concepts:
Live From the 2008 Detroit Auto Show (With Three Videos and Interview)
[the videos are all colors, lights and applause -- no info!]
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4244912.html

DETROIT — When it comes to plug-in and alt-fuel
cars, Chrysler isn’t going to let General Motors
steal all the headlines this year like it did in
2007. Last year at this very show, GM launched
the Chevrolet Volt plug-in, and said it would be
a production model by 2010. That was a big deal
then, and continued to be as GM unveiled a
version of the Volt’s E-Flex series hybrid
architecture with different propulsion systems in
concept cars around the world.

Now, as more 2010 plug-in promises spill in for
the Toyota Prius and Saturn Vue Green Line
series, Chrysler is attempting to make a splash
of its own. Coming off its big sale last year,
Chrysler decided it needed one team to mastermind
its next-gen programs, just like the E-Flex group. Enter Envi.

For this new electric vehicle brain trust,
Chrysler rounded up some of its best and
brightest from within late last year, installed
Lou Rhodes as Envi president, and hustled to show
the first results of the team’s effort with three
concept vehicles introduced at the Detroit this
year. [Check out video of all of them here; story continues below ...]

With the ecoVoyager using hydrogen fuel cells,
the Jeep Renegade employing a BlueTec diesel
engine and the Dodge ZEO running purely electric,
Chrysler has shown it will explore numerous
avenues. “Envi’s basic goal is to make electric
drive a viable business for Chrysler,” Rhodes
says, “no matter the source for extending the range.”

Rhodes called the tech involved in all three cars
“modular,” stressing Envi’s flexibility in moving
toward production in sync with ever-evolving
technology. In other words, Chrysler can plug the
power behind these concepts into various
platforms. Not that they don’t have a lot of
power already: Rhodes told PM that all three
carry a heavy-duty, 200-kW electric
motor—compared to 30 to 50 kW for most hybrids
and their shorter EV range parameters.

Chrysler and Envi will focus on lithium-ion
battery technology, but that doesn’t mean they’re
naming their pack supplier just yet. “The battery
technology is emerging quickly,” Rhodes says,
“and what is state-of-the-art today will become
common place in the next three or four years.”

The company was quick to insist that all
automakers ultimately get their tech from the
same pool. In other words, it’s unlikely that one
supplier will produce that Holy Grail li-ion pack
for just, say, one of the Big Three. It’s more
likely that many suppliers will solve the safety
and longevity issues associated with the batteries at about the same time.

Chrysler didn’t officially announce plans to
actually produce any of the three concepts shown
here on Monday. But by creating an entirely new
electric coalition, the company is obviously
committed to bringing the technology to market in
the near future. Will they beat GM to the
showroom with a plug-in? Time will tell. —Ron Moorhead


MORE FROM TOYOTA ON PHEVS & BATTERIES
Toyota lays down hybrid gauntlet
Pivotal battle with GM on horizon; Toyota says it will beat CAFE deadlines
Mark Rechtin at mrechtin@...
Autoweek| January 14, 2008 - 12:01 am EST
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080114/FREE/394386099/1056

DETROIT - In an escalating war of green-fuel
rhetoric, Toyota Motor CEO Katsuaki Watanabe laid
forth several bold moves for the automaker in the
next several years. In a speech delivered here
Sunday evening....“I have asked my engineers to
come up with plug-in hybrid not at end of 2010,
but earlier than that,” Watanabe said.

In a subsequent interview Monday morning,
Watanabe cautioned against assuming that
lithium-ion battery performance is scalable. “As
of today in the lab, the small volume of
lithium-ion we have already developed is closer
to the level we are satisfied with, but that is
only in small quality. There is a huge difference
between small volume and mass production of lithium-ion,” Watanabe said.

Added Masatami Takimoto, Toyota executive vice
president in charge of r&d and powertrain: “It is
most difficult related to mass production,
whether stable performance is assured. Unless you
have a plant that can produce a large quantity of
lithium-ion batteries, we cannot verify if we have good tech or not.”

These comments could be interpreted as a direct
shot at General Motors recent alliance with
small-time battery maker A123 Systems of
Watertown, Mass. GM is relying on A123 to deliver
the lithium-ion technology for its Chevrolet
Volt, but A123 has yet to develop a mass production assembly line.

Toyota’s plant expansion with Panasonic EV Energy
in Japan will include a separate assembly line
for lithium-ion only batteries. That will be in
addition to an expansion of the Prius battery
pack line, from 500,000 units to 600,000 units.

MORE ON BYD'S CHINA PHEV
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/BUSINESS03/801150318/10\
02/BUSINESS
Cautious start for Chinese hybrid
By Justin Hyde, Detroit Free Press Washington Staff, January 15, 2008
<snip>
Glenn Mercer, director of the International Motor
Vehicle Program, an industry research group, said
it was unlikely a Chinese automaker would gain
significant U.S. market share before the middle
of the next decade. "Until a Chinese automaker
has a value proposition other than 'we're
cheaper,' they'll have a tough time," Mercer said.

"Everyone else in the world is going to China to
take part in their market." Of the three
automakers, the most ambitious is BYD, a
120,000-employee firm. The company unveiled its
F6DM, a midsize plug-in hybrid it said can travel
60 miles on electric power alone, and 250 miles
on just over five gallons of gas.

Micheal Austin, vice president of BYD America,
said the sedan is able to reach those numbers
thanks to a new battery technology developed
entirely by BYD that does not involve lithium or
nickel, the two most common designs.

For its American drive, BYD Chairman Wang Chaung
Fu steered the F6DM forward about a foot, then
backed it up. Austin said BYD plans to put the
F6DM into production late this year with a price
of $20,000 to $30,000 in China, with the battery
pack and hybrid system accounting for $6,000 in
cost. The F6DM could hit the United States in
three to five years, "when we share our
technology leadership with North American
customers," Austin said. "We really want to carve a niche here."

BYD didn't offer any independent evaluation of
its statistics for the F6DM. Menahem Anderman,
president of Advanced Automotive Batteries, a
consulting firm that tracks the hybrid vehicle
market, said he was unaware of BYD's technology.


NISSAN SCRAMBLING ON HYBRIDS BUT NO ON PHEVS
Nissan says it'll have own hybrid in 2010
by Joe Guy Collier Detroit Free Press Business Writer January 15, 2008
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/BUSINESS03/801150383/10\
02/BUSINESS

Nissan Motor Co. is developing a hybrid for 2010
that will provide better acceleration and fuel
economy than hybrids on the road today, said
Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Nissan executive vice
president of research and development. Among
full-line automakers, Nissan has been near the
back of the pack in bringing hybrids to market.
Last year, it began selling an Altima hybrid that uses Toyota technology.

In 2010, Nissan will launch a new hybrid using
its own system, said Yamashita, who was in
Detroit this week for the North American
International Auto Show. The automaker has not
said which car will get the system, but it will
be a rear-wheel drive vehicle, he said. Nissan
also is designing the hybrid to use more electric
power than current hybrids, extending the range
that can be driven without using the gas engine,
Yamashita said. Toyota has been successful in
marketing the Prius, but the contest is not over,
he said. "This is just starting," Yamashita said.
"We still don't know who will be the winner eventually."

Although Toyota and General Motors Corp. are
promoting plug-in hybrids as the next stage,
Yamashita said he has doubts about this
technology. Plug-ins require even more battery
capacity, the most expensive part of the hybrid
system, he said. "Putting a more expensive
battery on top of the battery ... that's not a good solution," he said.


JOHNSON CONTROLS PHEV CONCEPT
Johnson Controls is a partner with SAFT in
developing batteries that may be used in the Saturn Vue PHEV.
See Edmunds for more about the car's features:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=124309
Johnson Controls Rolls Out I3 Plug-in Hybrid Concept Car
http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=17187

DETROIT, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to
delivering innovative systems and products for
current and future vehicles, Johnson Controls is
committed to enhancing safety, comfort, and
sustainability. Reflecting this commitment, the
company today unveiled the I3 concept at the 2008
North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in
Detroit. The I3 -- which offers innovations in
"Ingenuity, Integration and Interface" --
includes "industry first" technologies for
vehicle interiors and battery systems -- all in a
flexible, comfortable and user-friendly package.
The I3 concept targets the fast-growing,
crossover-utility-vehicle (CUV) segment, and also
addresses the growing market interest in plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as a sustainable mode of transportation

In developing the I3 concept, Johnson Controls
designers and engineers zeroed in on the needs of
CUV consumers, who seek individuality and
flexibility; vehicles that serve work -- and
leisure -- time needs; and interiors with a
harmonious ambience. New seating solutions in the
I3 give a spacious feel and allow enhanced room
for storage. A variety of electronic innovations
promote comfort and convenience based on a unique
Johnson Controls approach to interior packaging
and integration called "Human Machine
Interaction" (HMI). An advanced lithium-ion
battery is the technology enabler of the concept
vehicle's PHEV propulsion system, one that offers
substantial fuel economy and security benefits.
Also reflected in the I3 concept is another
important goal of the Johnson Controls design
team -- to leverage global synergies and sustainable solutions.

Integrated into the vehicle's trunk is an
advanced lithium-ion battery that has been
specially designed for plug-in, hybrid-electric
vehicles. PHEV batteries are one element of the
company's advanced energy solutions portfolio
that targets the full range of hybrid
applications, from micro-hybrids to full hybrids.
Advanced battery technologies from Johnson
Controls support low-emissions HEVs, and help to
reduce consumer dependence on fossil-fuel
resources. Compared to nickel-metal hydride
batteries, the lithium-ion battery from Johnson
Controls takes up one-third less space and weighs
50 percent less. It has a service life of
approximately 10 years. When regularly plugged
into the electric grid at night, the PHEV
drivetrain can yield fuel economy performance
that is nearly double that of the conventional drivetrains.

To ensure safe and reliable performance, the
battery system is engineered with multiple
"layers" of protection against abusive operating
conditions. This layered approach complements the
cell electrochemistry and container design with
system-level software and hardware features to maintain functional integrity.

The battery is not the only sustainable feature
onboard the I3 concept car. Overall, the I3
concept is designed to fulfill the requirements
of the 2015 ELV (End of Life Vehicles) directive
in Europe. This directive mandates 95 percent
recyclability for all new-vehicle systems, components and materials.


PROGRESS FROM VISIONARY VEHICLES PHEV STARTUP
Electrovaya and Bricklin’s Visionary Vehicles to
Establish JV for PHEV Batteries
Green Car Congress 14 January 2008
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/01/electrovaya-and.html#more

Electrovaya has signed a non-binding Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with New York-based
Visionary Vehicles (VV) to establish a joint
venture to develop, manufacture and provide
Electrovaya’s Lithium-Ion SuperPolymer batteries
and intelligent battery management systems for
use in Visionary Vehicles plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles (PHEVs). More details at
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=809755

Last year, Electrovaya introduced its“MN-Series”
Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery technology. The
MN-Series, which is a Lithiated Manganese
Oxide-based system, offers up to 50% higher
energy density and comparable safety
characteristics to Electrovaya’s Phosphate-Series
chemistry. Electrovaya’s proprietary Lithium Ion
SuperPolymer technology is independent of the
composition of the positive electrode active
material. As such, ongoing advances in positive
electrode chemistry, such as the MN-Series, are
expected to enable better technical performance
and safety characteristics at more economical
price-points, according to the company.


VINOD KHOSLA INVESTMENT PROMOTES DIESEL PHEV
Leading venture capitalist Vinod Khosla (Sun
co-founder, former Kleiner Perkins partner),
heavily invested in biofuels, who in mid-December
told a Cleantech conference
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/khosla-calls-plug-in-cars-toys-366.html
"Forget plug-ins. They are nice toys. But they
will not be material to climate change," now favors the idea of a diesel PHEV.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&new\
sId=20080111005646&newsLang=en
Khosla Ventures Invests in EcoMotors to Deliver Efficient Diesel Engines
Low-Emission EcoMotors Engine Targets the 100 Miles Per Gallon Car by 2011

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Khosla
Ventures today announced an investment in
EcoMotors, an automotive company with a focus on
fuel efficiency, low emissions and cost effective
solutions for developing markets. EcoMotors has
developed an innovative diesel engine that is
aiming at delivering 100 miles per gallon (mpg)
by 2011. This investment expands the venture
capital firm’s focus on vehicle efficiency.

Coinciding with this announcement, Vinod Khosla
will address North American International Auto
Show in Detroit on Sunday, January 13, 2008. Mr.
Khosla will share with Detroit his vision for the
automotive industry, supported by anecdotes and
developments from the innovative work coming out
of the portfolio companies that Khosla Ventures has invested in.

There is substantial market opportunity for
EcoMotors’ engine, as evidenced by the following
industry demands and environmental
considerations: * New CAFE Standards * More
Stringent Diesel Emission Standards * The Rising
Demand for Cars in Developing Countries * $100
per Barrel Oil * Flex Fuel Vehicles * The Need
for Better Engines for the Truck Market [and the one we're interested in:]
* Hybrid Vehicles: we believe that serial plug-in
hybrids will be the real solution as opposed to
the parallel hybrid solutions on the market
today. EcoMotors will have serial plug-in hybrid
adaptations of its highly efficient engine for diesel, gas or ethanol

“We’re focused on powering the automotive fleet
of tomorrow with fuel efficient building blocks,”
said Vinod Khosla, Founder and Managing Partner
of Khosla Ventures. “This new investment in
efficient diesel engines from EcoMotors
complements our firm’s other investments in the
engine space. These companies are at the
forefront of forming a serial plug-in hybrid
platform with our multiple investments in new
battery technology,” continued Khosla. “The
EcoMotors founders are experienced with multiple
generations of engine design at top automotive
companies. This experience will apply towards the design of the 100 mpg car.”

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Felix Kramer fkramer@...
Founder California Cars Initiative
http://www.calcars.org
http://www.calcars.org/news-archive.html
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