While much has been made recently of Barack Obama's greening of the US auto-industry and his bailout plans for Detroit's struggling auto-makers, the Chinese government has been quietly moving development of its low-carbon transport sector on apace; the most recent initiative – announced on Chinese state radio last week – being a substantial programme of rebates rewarding those who invest in low-carbon vehicles.

The program comes as part of the Chinese government's planned £20 billion spend on alternative-fuelled transport over the next three years, and will provide car buyers with rebates ranging from 50,000 yuan (approx. £5,000) for purchase of a small hybrid passenger car, to 600,000 (approx. £60,000) for a large fuel cell powered commercial bus.

The scheme will initially only be open to businesses and residents in 13 of China's largest cities, including Beijing and Shanghai; if it proves successful however, it may be extended to cover a greater number of China's 667 cities. Rebates will be offered for the purchase of battery-electric, hybrid and fuel cell powered vehicles, with the dual aim of reducing emissions and developing the country's vehicle manufacturing industry by stimulating consumer demand. Interestingly, despite the availability of the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid in China, less than 1,000 hybrid cars were sold in the country during 2008.

This is likely to change however, as the programme coincides with the recent launch of a relatively low-cost mass-production hybrid vehicle from Chinese auto-maker BYD (Build Your Dreams), to whom the rebate program will certainly come as welcome news. Their new F3DM – a series hybrid capable of a 63 mile range on battery power, 360 miles in hybrid mode, and with a top speed of 100 mph – is now available to buy in 14 Chinese cities, and comes with a price tag of 150,000 yuan (approx. £15,000), significantly lower than its Japanese competitors.

Last week's announcement suggested there would be no restrictions on the rebate scheme, although it is not yet clear whether this means it will extend to vehicles produced abroad. At present BYD are ploughing a lone furrow in terms of the production of alternative fuelled vehicle amongst Chinese manufacturers, although three other companies, including Dongfeng and Great Wall Motors, have announced plans mass-produce electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles in the future.

Also, last week, China's Chery Auto became the second manufacturer (after BYD) to develop an electric vehicle – the S18 – which it showed for the first time. The model uses lithium-ion battery technology, which provides a range of 150 kilometers on a full charge and a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour, although it is not yet clear when production might start or whether the company has secured any firm orders.

The rebate scheme follows a number of other initiatives by the Chinese authorities aimed at reducing transport pollution in major urban areas. In January the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) put forward its plans for a project to place 5,000 hybrid buses, 20,000 hybrid taxis and 5,000 electric vehicles on the streets in 30 cities by 2012, in a project which MOST estimates could save 2.3 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Also, last month officials in Beijing spoke of their intention to implement a car reduction scheme with the aim of reducing high levels of pollution in the city. Under the scheme high-polluting `yellow label` vehicles will be banned from Beijing's roads for one day a week and owners will be fined if found driving in breach of regulations. Beijing residents will also be offered 25,000 yuan (approx. £2,500) to give up their cars during 2009, and transport companies will be provided with dedicated loans to upgrade their fleets to meet lower emission standards.

Sources: GreenChipStocks, Reuters, Physorg, ClimateChangeChina, Reuters (Chery Auto)

Zipcar, in partnership with San Francisco's Mayor, Gavin Newsom, has announced the launch of a pilot program for plug-in hybrid vehicles in the city's Bay Area. The company made the announcement at a press conference where they showcased a converted Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid at a special charging station across the street from San Francisco's City Hall.

Zipcar is supporting Newsom's drive to increase awareness and use of electric vehicles in the city, while aiming to provide a convenient, cost-effective solution to consumer transport needs. The company's legacy of offering clean cars dates back to 2003, when it was the first commercial fleet to widely introduce hybrids in Seattle.

Mark Norman, President and Chief Operating Officer at Zipcar, said: "Zipcar encourages sustainable lifestyles in several ways: fewer personally owned cars, less driving overall, and now the addition of these super efficient plug-in cars... Our members strongly support the notion of adding next-generation clean cars, and this program is an important first step in exploring the potential."

The plug-in hybrid for the San Francisco Zipcar fleet is a Toyota Prius converted with the Hymotion(TM) L5 Plug-In Conversion Module (PCM) provided by A123 Systems – similar in many respects to the UK's Amberjac Prius conversion. The addition of the Hymotion L5 PCM battery provides the Prius with 30-40 miles of electrically assisted driving on a single charge from the grid. During those first 30-40 miles, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 66 percent and fuel economy of up to 100 mpg or greater can be achieved. When the L5 PCM battery is depleted, the Prius automatically reverts to standard HEV operation, so driving range need not be a concern.

"We are gratified to help Zipcar and their members realize the benefits that plug-in technology can provide today," said Sanjeev Choudhary, General Manager of PHEV Systems at A123. "We thank Mayor Newsom and Zipcar for their pioneering efforts in demonstrating this technology in San Francisco."

In a member survey last month, more than 80 percent of the respondents voiced support for the addition of electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and alternative fuel vehicles to the fleet. To meet member interests, Zipcar is looking for ways to increase the percentage of these types of vehicles in the fleet in 2009. The pilot program and partnership with San Francisco's Mayor will provide existing and new Zipcar members with an easy, convenient and cost-effective way to test drive the next generation of clean vehicles.

"Electric vehicles are the future of transportation and the Bay Area is the testing ground for the technology," said Newsom. "We began using plug-in hybrids in the city's fleet last year. Now, for the first time the public can plug-in to the next generation of cars through car sharing organizations and take them for a drive in San Francisco."

Zipcar's has around 250,000 members and 5,500 vehicles in many urban areas across North America as well as in London. To use the service, members reserve a vehicle online or via a mobile device, use a smartcard to open the doors, take their trip, and then return the car at the end of the reservation. A simple hourly or daily fee covers gas, insurance, maintenance, parking and 24-7 emergency service.

www.zipcar.co.uk, WhatGreenCar – Car Clubs

Smith Electric Vehicles, the leading manufacturer of commercial electric vehicles, has announced an electric vehicle development collaboration with Ford Motor Company. The company, a trading division of The Tanfield Group Plc, will work with Ford to introduce a battery-electric light van, the first vehicle in the company's broad electrification strategy for the North American market which was announced at this year's Detroit Auto Show. This vehicle will be based on the European-designed Ford Transit Connect which goes on sale in North America this year.

The vehicle, which Smith will assemble in North America, will have a range of up to 100 miles on a full charge, without compromising the Transit Connect's superior driving experience. It will operate very similarly to a conventional light van, but with smoother acceleration, less noise and zero emissions. The vehicle will be fully branded as a Ford product and will go on sale through selected Ford dealerships in North America in 2010.

Darren Kell, CEO of The Tanfield Group Plc, said: "We are proud to be delivering the first vehicle in Ford's new electrification strategy, with the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect. This enhances the Ford commercial vehicle portfolio with a zero-emission light van that is cost-effective, gets the job done and does not compromise Ford's high standards for exceptional driving experience. It offers fleet owners the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint, improve city air quality and make a positive step towards our national energy security."

Tanfield will be wholly responsible for supplying and integrating the power train, battery pack and control systems into the existing vehicle chassis envelope, with engineering support from Ford. Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president, Product Development, said: "Our collaboration with Smith will result in the first battery-electric vehicle in Ford's electrification strategy and positions Ford at the vanguard of the commercial electric vehicle industry. The collaborative approach adopted for delivering the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect ensures the most efficient route to market, through shared investment and expertise."

Smith already works with Ford in Europe to produce commercial electric vehicles on the Ford Transit and Ford Transit Connect chassis.

Source: Smith EVs Press Release

Volkswagen AG and the Toshiba Corporation have signed this week a letter of intent with the objective of developing electric drive units and the accompanying power electronics for Volkswagen’s planned new small family cars. Furthermore, Volkswagen and Toshiba are planning the development of battery systems with a high specific energy density for the next generation of electric vehicles.

The chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen AG, Prof. Dr Martin Winterkorn, emphasised: "Volkswagen is forging ahead with the development of future drive technologies in many different areas. In order to strengthen our position further, Volkswagen is investing in the long term and is offering cooperation projects to other companies. One of the important components in this context is the cooperation with Toshiba. I am convinced that this will be a major step forwards towards the development of series production electric vehicles for our customers."

Volkswagen's objective, he said, is to be the first manufacturer to provide an emissions-free, affordable and safe large-scale production electric vehicle. "A considerable amount of research and development work still has to be carried out until we can produce the electric vehicle, in the field of lithium-ion battery technology in particular and this is an area in which the Volkswagen Group is working with further potential technological partners alongside Toshiba," stated Prof. Dr Winterkorn.

The letter of intent was signed by Prof. Dr Winterkorn and Atsutoshi Nishida, president and chief executive officer of the Toshiba Corporation. Nishida said: ‘We look forward to building up a mutually beneficial partnership with Volkswagen, a clear leader in the automotive industry, making strong initiatives in the development of environmentally-friendly cars. The combined know-how of the two international technology groups Volkswagen and Toshiba will be an important step towards the drive technologies of tomorrow.’ He continued that this is a good signal for mobility based on ecology and economy.

Newspress.co.uk

The electric car manufacturer, REVA, is building a new assembly plant in Bangalore, with a capacity of 30,000 units per annum, in order to accommodate the increased production of its ever popular G-Wiz.

The new 18,212 sqm state-of-the-environment production facility has a contemporary design and low energy requirements. It is being built to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system standard, which is an internationally accepted rating system and benchmark for evaluating and certifying sustainable sites. The environmentally-friendly facilities will include rainwater harvesting, natural light and ventilation, solar energy harvesting, steel structure technology and a C02 monitor.

The iconic G-Wiz is a world leader, with 2,000 already on the roads of London and Bangalore, and a distribution network steadily building across Europe, South America and parts of Asia. REVA's aim is to launch one new electric car per year from 2009 and working through distributors, will be developing a range of sales and after-sales operating models appropriate to each country.

In Europe the G-Wiz is available in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, France and Norway; plus, distributors in Hungary and Slovenia have just been signed up and a master importer/distributor is being sought for all remaining European countries.

Keith Johnston, president of European operations, said: "The recent European Parliament announcement on its revision of its 2020 renewable energy targets of 10% on renewable fuel now also includes renewable electricity to power cars and trains, where renewable energy used will count as 2.5 times the amount.

"This is a really positive endorsement of electric vehicles and their important role in the future of motoring and we hope that this is now reflected in the policies of governments across the EU. REVA's new production facility will mean that the company will be much better equipped to increase production as demand for electric cars increases."

GoinGreen, REVA