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Friday, March 16, 2012:
As gas prices climb ever higher, we continue to see talk about the record high gas prices of 2008. With current gas prices having jumped 54 cents since the start of the year to $3.81 per gallon, we're fast approaching the all-time record high of $4.11 per gallon set in June 2008. So what is a key difference between 2008 and now? The number of fuel-efficient vehicles now available on the market is significantly higher due in large part to the 2012-2016 fuel economy standards set by the Obama Administration. According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, average fuel economy has increased 16 percent since 2008. Does this mean Americans - and the automakers who were staunchly criticized in 2008 for not being prepared for the high gas prices at that time - are better equipped to handle this round of pain at the pump? It looks like the skyrocketing-and-continuing-to-rise-gas-prices have resulted in current vehicles sales with the highest average fuel economy ever so not only is the American public keeping more money in their pocket as they purchase vehicles from the increased selection of highly fuel efficient vehicles, automakers are seeing the sales dollars roll in as well. It's a win-win situation ... And with sales of new fuel-efficient vehicles on the rise, the number of jobs created to produce these green machines is also going up. Nissan plans to double the number of workers over the next year at a Tennessee plant that will increase production of its electric Leaf. And as Detroit automakers create thousands of new jobs to keep up with demand for high MPG vehicles, parts suppliers are also adding tens of thousands of new jobs in order to keep up ...
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Friday, March 9, 2012:
Will a recent breakthrough from an American battery maker be enough to make a significant dent in the cost premium of hybrids and electric cars? California-based battery maker Envia Systems announced this week a major advance in lithium-ion cell technology that would not only result in a major boost in the energy density of lithium-ion battery packs to almost three times that of conventional auto cells, it also could reduce the cost of cells by close to 50 percent. And that cost savings could make all the difference to additional sales of hybrid and electric vehicles, especially when it comes to consumer concerns about the potential cost of replacement batteries. The battery maker, which receives financing from the Energy Department, General Motors, and other investors, also says the cells aren't demonstrations or experiments - they could be in automotive production within a year and a half. With more consumers already considering hybrid and electric vehicles due to high gas prices, cost savings in the purchase price could be the push many need to take the electric plunge ...A full one fifth improvement in fleet fuel economy by 2020? It's a lofty goal but Ford is already on its way with the introduction of the Focus Electric, which the company says will get 110 MPGe rating in city driving from the EPA, beating the Nissan Leaf. (The Mitsubishi i remains the 2012 fuel economy leader, achieving 126 MPGe city according to the EPA.) Many of the technologies they will use to improve their lineup are readily available to the market - start-stop technology, turbocharging, direct fuel injection, and weight reduction through lighter materials, to name a few - so let's hope other automakers follow Ford's lead ...
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