Unusual “ride-share” program experiment in Washington DC

I don't have a huge respect for GM but this is pretty brilliant.

Unusual “ride-share” program in Washington DC provides a steady source of new test riders.

“Slugging” in Washington is a system of ride sharing so that cars can meet the three occupant requirement for using HOV lanes. Randomness of passengers provided an easy way to get a lot of feedback on the new Malibu - and maybe get some word-of-mouth buzz as well.


HOV Lanes

Cars offering rides and passengers looking for a ride (Slugs) meet at predetermined locations inside and outside the city. The driver announces his or her destination and the first person in line for that destination hops in for the ride. In the evening the process is reversed.

A couple of interns working at Chevrolet’s Northeast Regional office came up with the idea to use the system to obtain first-hand consumer reactions to the Malibu. For five weeks after the Washington DC Auto Show, regional employees joined the Slug vehicle lines in the morning and afternoon, offering complete strangers rides in the new Malibu.

Approximately 800 informal test rides were completed during the five-week program. Slug riders offer an interesting base from which to solicit reaction to the newly redesigned and highly touted Malibu. Because the Slug system is so random, riders get to experience just about every type and model of automobile, truck and whatever else makes its way into a Slug line.


2008 Chevrolet Malibu - a born rental car?

Their opinions could be more valuable than the average person met at a dealership. They certainly provide a much wider basis of comparison when it comes to the ride experience in different cars

According to a report in the Washington Times, John Konkel, Chevrolet’s marketing manager for the region says that the feedback has been very positive. According to Konkel, the riders were very impressed with the OnStar turn-by-turn navigation system and that the vehicle had a 110-volt outlet for their portable electronics.


A GM Executive Manager comments. Stay tuned.

Slugging has existed in the DC area since the early 70s. More information can be found at www.slug-lines.com.

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GM prepared to take loss on Volt

As much as I like to tease the electric car makers, the Chevy Volt is slightly impressive (it just looks so cool). Good luck GM!


Carmaker to stick with plug-in through initial sales; admits mistake in early hybrid strategy.

David Shepardson and Eric Morath / The Detroit News

General Motors Corp. could some day sell more than 500,000 Chevrolet Volts annually worldwide, but the company is preparing to lose money "for years" on the range-extended electric vehicle, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said Wednesday.


This car is so cool.

While speaking to a group of Volt fanatics at the New York International Auto Show, Lutz said it was a mistake that GM didn't beat Toyota Motor Corp. to market with hybrid vehicles even though the Detroit automaker had electric vehicle technology dating back to the 1960s.

He said GM won't make that error again, even if it means losing money on initial Volt sales.

"We won't make a dime on this car for years, and the board is OK with that," he said. GM was hesitant to go to market with hybrids a decade ago because he said the automaker was likely to lose $250 million a year selling such vehicles.

Lutz said being late to the market with hybrids has cost GM billions in sales because it lost its image of having superior technology.

GM's initial estimates of 60,000 to 100,000 annual Volt sales could grow five-fold, Lutz said, adding that the car is a "game changer" on par with the Ford Model T.

More than 100 Volt fans accepted GM's invitation to attend the New York show and meet executives.

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Electric cars start to gain some traction as dealerships sprout up

Alternative car dealers sell alternative power

Ecomotion is not a typical car dealership, reports the New York Times. First, there is the coffee shop just inside the front door. Second, the cars in the showroom are small and shaped a little funny. Some have only three wheels; one is available in a zebra print. All are powered by electric motors.

Ecomotion opened last September and has so far sold about 125 automobiles, including some used hybrids that are kept in a separate showroom. Ecomotion has become one of the top-selling electric vehicle dealerships in the country, selling cars from Zap and Myers Motors.


the ZENN 500 - Powerwheels for a grown-up?

There are now dozens of dealerships in the country selling electric vehicles, including those made by Zap, the Zenn Motor Company and Myers. Many dealerships sell models from several companies.

“Dealerships are what we need more than anything right now,” said Alex Campbell, a Zap spokesman. He said there were about 50 independent dealerships that sell its car, with the majority on the West Coast.


Don't laugh at me please - ZAP Automotive Marketing USA

Though there are E.V. dealerships around the country, many are taking advantage of the West Coast’s fusion of car culture and green sensibilities.

Alternative power once had the alternative lifestyle image of hippie owners driving odd vehicles. Many dealers said that buyers were now people concerned about the environment or Hollywood types looking for eco-cachet.

For celebrities looking to make a statement, Tesla promises that its E.V. sports car will hit the streets sometime this year. The first Tesla dealership is scheduled to open in Los Angeles, possibly in April.


The Tesla Roadster: Very cool - I want one!

Buying a car from an E.V. dealership is similar to buying from a traditional dealer. Many dealerships offer test drives and financing, and service the cars they sell. But there are also differences — they could actually try to talk you out of buying the car.

The dealers said they needed to make sure the car is right for the buyer. The sales staff has to explain that driving a limited number of miles at a limited speed is feasible for most people, but not for everyone. Drivers with highway, hilly or long commutes should buy something else.



The Myers NMG electric car. (this picture might become my icon on some automotive forum. Hmmmm maybe).

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Selling Jaguar won’t end Ford's ties to luxury brands

Technology agreement will tie Ford to brands for several years

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Ford is widely expected to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover brands to India's Tata Group, but the terms under discussion could keep the U.S. automaker linked to the brands for years to come, according to an analysis in the Wall Street Journal.



The deal between Ford and Tata could come as soon as next week, according to a United Kingdom labor official at a union representing Jaguar and Land Rover workers. People familiar with the matter said the timing was likely but cautioned the talks remain fluid. Tata is expected to pay more than $2 billion for the luxury brands and related facilities and technology.

Ford plans to sell its entire stake in the brands. But Tata signaled to British labor leaders last week that, under the deal, it intends to continue using engines and other parts currently built in Ford-owned plants in the U.K. Tata could continue to get the engines from Ford for the next five years, and perhaps longer, one person familiar with the negotiations said.

Tata faces challenges as it seeks to become a player in the global auto industry, particularly in the luxury arena. Purchasing Jaguar and Land Rover will give the company technological know-how and luxury-car expertise. But it can't afford to stumble over technical issues, making relationships with Ford and existing suppliers important.



A Ford spokesman declined to comment beyond saying executives "expect to have a deal early this year."



A Tata Motors spokesman said that only leather from non-holy cows would be used in the Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

"Nobody foresees any major problems now; everything is pretty much done," said Roger Maddison, a national officer for the British union Unite, which represents about 16,000 workers at Jaguar and Land Rover. He said a memorandum of understanding between Tata and Ford could be signed as soon as March 5 or 6.

Ford acquired Jaguar for $2.5 billion in 1989 and Land Rover for $2.75 billion in 2000.

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Jaguar, Land Rover sold to India's Tata Motors

Tata Motors will announce its purchase of Jaguar Land Rover on March 5 or 6.

The dates have been agreed between Tata and Ford, which is selling the two luxury brands, following talks with trade union leaders last week.



We are big machine - Trust us.

Roger Maddison, national officer of Unite, the largest union in the UK auto industry, told Automotive News Europe Tata had agreed to meet guarantees sought by workers' leaders.

He said, " Everything seems fine as far as we are concerned; it's just the lawyers working on it now."

Union leaders spoke with Ford and Tata to resolve final details before the drawing up of a memorandum of understanding for the sale.

In earlier talks with the two companies, unions had been seeking assurances that Tata would continue to source engines, stampings and other systems from Ford's plants in Bridgend in Wales and Dagenham, near London.

All Jaguar and Land Rover engines come from Ford plants, as do many of Land Rover's stampings.


We may or may not buy your engines Ha.


While Ford would not comment officially on the planned announcement date, insiders confirmed to ANE that March 5 or 6 were " not too far off track."

A Ford source ruled out any kind of announcement at next week's Geneva auto show, where the first press day is on Tuesday, March 4.

At Geneva, Ford is launching a new version of its second-biggest seller, the Fiesta small car.


We plan to overshadow the Fiesta with this beautiful, powerful and impresive machine.

The source said an announcement of a deal with Tata would be held back to avoid overshadowing the debut of this key new model.

" The sooner everything goes through, the better," said Maddison. " The workforces are beginning to get anxious."


Why again did we buy Land Rover?
We already have a blatant copy?


Source to original article.

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Electric cars face battery of hurdles

by: Sharon Terlep / The Detroit News

In the rush to deliver an electric car to the masses, General Motors Corp. is finding that the all-important battery might not be the only major hurdle.

The heating and cooling systems, for example, are a challenge because they typically are built to run off a traditional fuel combustion engine. That means new types of air conditioning and heating systems must be built.

GM, in a high-stakes race with Toyota Motor Corp. to turn out an affordable, effective battery-powered car, has found that while the lithium-ion batteries themselves are hitting all the marks on early road tests, a host of other issues are beginning to crop up.


Chevrolet Volt concept

"People tend to believe that if the battery question is solved, everything is solved and the vehicle will work," said Frank Weber, GM's vehicle line executive in charge of the electric car program. "But beyond the battery, the electric vehicle presents challenges that are significant."

A typical modern stereo system, for example, drains too much juice from the battery life. At the same time, there still isn't a supplier base to provide parts for the mass production of electric vehicles.

The quandaries underscore the complexity of what GM and other automakers are trying to achieve in creating an electric car, a feat that involves far more than simply swapping an engine for a high-powered battery cell.

GM executives say, despite the challenges, they still hope to meet a 2010 production goal for their first battery-powered offering: the much-hyped Chevrolet Volt.

The Volt is a variation of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, which Toyota also is racing to bring to market. Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co., too, are working on developing lithium-ion batteries that are more powerful and durable yet smaller than the nickel-metal hydride batteries in current hybrids.

Durable battery is first task

In the case of the Volt, the battery would drive the powertrain, and an onboard fueling system would recharge the battery on the road. GM is working on that fueling system, known as E-Flex, which would run on gasoline, diesel fuel and hydrogen fuel cells.

Unlike gas-electric hybrids on the road today, everything in the Volt would run solely on battery power. The engine's only job would be to recharge the battery.



GM's first task is to produce a lithium-ion battery that is long-lasting, durable and affordable.

Then, the legions of engineers working on the battery face the challenge of putting together all the components -- from tail lights to heaters -- so that they drain significantly less power from the battery. Once those pieces are in place, GM must build a base of suppliers to provide parts on a mass scale.

"The battery is important, but all the other components are electrified as well," Weber said. "There is not an established supplier community for this. It's a very complicated system with known technological solutions. But they've never been integrated in these forms."

Toyota, which also has set a 2010 goal for producing a plug-in version of its Prius sedan, has the same issue. But the Japanese automaker also has the advantage of having pioneered gas-electric hybrid technology and being the world's leading seller of hybrids.

"The accessories can be a huge draw on the battery, and those have to be managed as well," said Jaycie Chitwood, a strategic planner for Toyota's advanced technologies group.

"But in terms of getting the technology in place, it's a secondary issue."

Because of the limitations of a battery, both automakers are likely to find it virtually impossible to deliver a plug-in vehicle that operates identically to a similar size gas-powered car, said analyst Jim Hall, president of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham.



Efficiency needs to improve.

"An automobile with a gasoline engine as the power plant has a lot of energy on board -- so much energy there are things that we never paid attention to," Hall said. "When you're relying on the battery, all these problems stack up and you realize you have to do all these other things to optimize for range."

In many cases, he said, the suppliers will be better equipped than the automakers to improve on the efficiency of vehicle components.

"This is not so much a matter of invention," he said, "as much as it's an application of technology they wouldn't normally do."



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Swiss create the ‘sQuba’ underwater car

Swiss create Bond-like underwater car
‘sQuba’ concept set to make a splash at Geneva Auto Show
Rinspeed says the ‘sQuba’ is the first real submersible car.



GENEVA - OK, so the Swiss have invented a car that runs on land and underwater. But did they REALLY have to make it a convertible?

It’s called the “sQuba,” and conjures up memories of James Bond’s amphibious Lotus Esprit from “The Spy Who Loved Me.” That fictional vehicle traveled on land and, when chased by bad guys in a helicopter, plunged into the water and became an airtight submarine — complete with “torpedoes” and “depth charges.”

But “Q” isn’t responsible for this one.

The concept car — which unlike Bond’s is not armed — was developed by Swiss designer Rinspeed Inc. and is set to make a splash at the Geneva Auto Show next month.

Company CEO Frank Rinderknecht, a self-professed Bond fan, said he has been waiting 30 years to recreate the car he saw Roger Moore use to drive off of a dock.

The sQuba can plow through the water at a depth of 30 feet and has electrical motors to turn the underwater screw.

You’ll have to break out the wetsuit, however.

The car has an open top, meaning that the two passengers are exposed to the elements.

“For safety reasons, we have built the vehicle as an open car so that the occupants can get out quickly in an emergency,” said Rinderknecht, 52.

Passengers will be able to keep breathing underwater through an integrated tank of compressed air similar to what is used in scuba diving.

The sQuba’s top speed on land is about 77 mph, but it slows down to 3 mph on the surface of the water, and 1.8 mph underwater.

Working with engineering specialists, Rinspeed removed the combustion engine from a sports car and replaced it with several electrical motors. Three are located in the rear — er, aft — with one providing propulsion on land and the other two driving the screw for underwater driving.

“We always want to do cars that are outrageous, which nobody has done before. So we thought, ’Let’s make a car dive,”’ said Rinderknecht, whose innovative company has made transparent, flying and voice-activated cars in previous attention-grabbing displays at the Geneva Auto Show.

The company calls the sQuba the first real submersible car. Unlike military amphibious vehicles, which can only drive slowly on a lakebed, the sQuba travels like a submarine — either on the surface or submerged.

The interior is resistant to salt water, allowing the skipper to drive into a lake or the sea.

“Many concept cars introduce important new technology,” said John Cabaniss at the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers in Washington. “Anything to improve the efficiency of a vehicle, streamlining or reducing the weight of materials, while maintaining strength ... is put into concept cars first.”



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