Japan, a country known for its small vehicles, including the tiny kei cars, is looking to downsize. The Japanese transport ministry has unveiled guidelines defining a new class of electric cars known as ultracompacts.
In Japan, the ultracompacts span the gap between the kei cars which have engine displacements up to 600cc and motorbikes with engines up to 55cc. They are big enough for only one or two people and in the two-passenger cars being developed, the passenger sits behind the driver, as they would on a motorcycle.
They are small: the Nissan New Mobility, which is based on the Renault Twizy, is fourteen inches shorter than a Smart ForTwo, a car most Americans regard as tiny. The Nissan is also a foot narrower than the Smart; it’s just a tenth of an inch over four feet wide. The Pico, which is being developed by Daihatsu, has similar measurements and fore-and-aft seating arrangement.
They’re also fairly slow; the New Mobility/Twizy takes six seconds to reach 45 kilometers per hour (about 28 mph), just slightly longer than it takes the Smart to reach 30. But that’s probably okay: Japanese officials see the ultracompacts as most suitable for the elderly and tourists.
This new breed of personal transport actually is not yet street-legal in Japan but the ministry believes they will eventually be approved, at least for short trips.
After review of the proposed guideline, the government plans to establish a certification program by next March that will define specifications and safety standards, envisioning the cars will be mass-produced in the foreseeable future.
France will actually deploy an ultracompact before Japan; the Renault Twizy, shown above as it cruised around in downtown New York City, is scheduled to go on sale in Europe this summer.
To watch an interesting video of the Twizy, click here.
Sales of alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrids, electric and clean diesels, took off in April. Total green car sales rose 58.6 percent and accounted for 4.69 percent of total U.S. light vehicle deliveries.
Pure electrics and plug-in hybrids posted a 237.2 percent increase as the new Toyota Prius PHV took the top sales spot in the segment. Sales of the Chevy Volt were up 196.6 percent last month. Sales of Nissan’s Leaf fell 35.4 percent, but the deficit was made up by the BMW Active E and Mitsubishi iEV.
Hybrids reported the largest sales volume: 39,901 vehicles in 34 different models claimed 3.4 percent of the total market. Compared to April 2011, hybrid sales rose 60.9 percent.
Clean diesels from German manufacturers claimed nearly one percent of light vehicle sales in April, up 28.2 percent from last year.
While the overall numbers are impressive, the story continues to be two manufacturers: Toyota and Volkswagen. Toyota’s share of the hybrid market increased to 77.5 percent in April and to 76.5 percent for the first four months of 2012. The Toyota Prius PHV plug-in-hybrid took the top spot in the EV/Plug-in segment. Volkswagen’s share of the diesel market dropped to 70.8 percent from 80.0 percent in April 2011, thanks to strong competition from Mercedes-Benz where diesel sales jumped 142.4 percent, but VW and Audi are still the market leaders.
GM’s hybrid sales were up 679.0 percent, thanks to the mild hybrids from Buick and Chevrolet.
Despite a strong performance from the Civic, Honda’s total hybrid sales fell 59.9 percent last month. Ford’s hybrid sales dropped 58.9 percent.
While the Toyota juggernaut looks to continue its winning ways, overall near-term sales of green vehicles may begin to soften. Nationwide average gas prices are now 25 cents lower than they were at this time last year and oil is trading at prices not seen since before last Christmas.
Ford today announced it is launching a new education program to encourage people to take what the company calls “a more sustainable approach” to life.
The new campaign includes a nationwide education program about electric vehicles combined with a multi-city tour and a 10-film, short documentary series with SHFT.com, an award-winning lifestyle platform.
The documentary, The Big SHFT: 10 Innovators Changing Our World, profiles innovators who are shaping new, sustainable businesses and influencing positive change around the world. Exploring topics from food and fashion to urbanization, technology and design, the series spotlights current game changers. The series was developed with SHFT.com co-founders Adrian Grenier and Peter Glatzer and was directed by Gilly Barnes.
“Sustainability is the biggest issue facing business in the 21st century, and the problem will not be solved by one person or group,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company. “How we answer the challenge of the future of mobility will have a lasting impact on generations to come. By partnering with organizations like SHFT, we are able to inspire people to make smart decisions about the products they choose today.”
This new series is comprised of 10 short films profiling 10 unique innovators and entrepreneurs changing how industries are shaping sustainability. The series will be featured on many platforms including SHFT.com, Huffington Post, AOL and on U.S. Virgin Airlines in-flight entertainment.
“It’s been truly inspiring creating our documentary series profiling 10 incredible visionaries committed to taking on the challenge of sustainability across some of the largest industries,” said Grenier. “This series continues our exciting partnership and allows us to recognize not only Ford Motor Company as an innovator in sustainability but specifically Bill Ford’s leadership on environmental and manufacturing solutions.”
The first two shorts profile Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO and Michael Crooke, former CEO of Patagonia and a professor at Pepperdine University. The films document the changes each has made, from developing smart plastics to establishing the first university-led environmental certification program, and show how inspiring ideas have quickly become reality. The trailer for The Big SHFT series is online at YouTube as is the Tom Szaky film.
Ford teamed up with SHFT.com in November to reach millions of Americans interested in being more eco-conscious. To further the cause, Bill Ford, a committed environmental activist, is joining the SHFT Advisory Panel, joining Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington and others. As a mentor and advisor, Ford will offer guidance on business, innovation and sustainability for SHFT.
Ford offers its customers a range of fuel-efficient vehicles but in a recent national survey, the automaker found nearly half of Americans are confused when it comes to green vehicle options, with 46 percent not knowing the difference between a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle.
Ford wants help end this confusion so it has developed an interactive, online quiz that asks lifestyle-oriented questions and helps consumer identify the right car for their needs. More than 200,000 people have visited the site and Ford is working to increase that by 50 percent this spring. Visit http://www.ford.com/technology/electric/evforme/ to find the right vehicle to fit your lifestyle. (Note: The link to the quiz was checked and was not active; you may wish to try the link later.)
In the interests of complete disclosure, Ford has a significant vested interest in getting the word out as favorably to itself as possible. Sales of Ford’s hybrids were down 45.1 percent in March and were off 35.5 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2012. The company has already abandoned plans for a hybrid version of its Escape. The company launched its all-electric Focus last December with no fanfare at all and has delivered a small number of the $40,000 subcompacts primarily to fleet customers. A larger rollout in selected states, like California and New York, is slated for later this year but Ford will likely face some serious headwinds. Public perception of battery-powered electrics (BEVs) is turning negative as the realities of the cost/benefit of BEVs are becoming known. Calls for more aggressive financial incentives are being met with questions about why taxpayers are subsidizing vehicles purchased almost exclusively by those with above-average incomes.
Despite company reports that it sold more than 2,000 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids in March, General Motors has announced another production cut. The Volt assembly lines, already idled through April 23 to deal with a glut of product in the pipeline, will get an extra week off in July. The company says the normal two-week model break shutdown will be extended to three weeks.
The company says the move is part of its efforts to balance supply and demand.
Colorado is enjoying a bonanza as its improving economy has added much as $150 million to the expected tax revenues. Republicans and Democrats have squared off over how the extra money will be spent: Republicans want a tax break restored to senior citizens; Democrats want to restore funding to public schools. But both sides apparently can agree the state should throw money at electric car purchases.
Colorado residents who purchase or lease a new Chevy Volt, for example, may be eligible for a state tax credit of up to $6,000. That’s on top of the existing federal tax credit of up to $7,500. This means customers doing well enough to owe lots of taxes can shave as much as $13,500 of the car’s price. More than enough to cover the optional leather interior selected by three-quarters of Volt buyers, though still not enough to make the Volt a better buy the a Chevrolet Cruze ECO over a five-year, 75,000 term (see table).
Colorado taxpayers are the latest group to help those in the top six percent by annual household income purchase expensive sub-compact cars. Other states and localities offer their own tax credits, rebates, free charging stations, credits for installing charging stations and even free parking.
“This rebate in Colorado provides an extra incentive for those that want to purchase or drive an energy-efficient and technologically advanced vehicle like the Chevrolet Volt,” said Volt Marketing Director Cristi Landy. “With the available state and federal tax credits, along with the fuel savings that many owners experience by charging daily, the Volt can fit the lifestyles and budgets of many people.”
Volt vs. The World: Colorado
Colorado with state and federal credits
Brand & Model
MSRP
Fuel/Power
Maintenance
Tax Credit
Total
Chevrolet Cruze ECO
$20,615.00
$8,354.55
$1,962.00
$0.00
$30,931.55
Chevrolet Volt
$40,690.00
$4,638.54
$2,218.00
$13,500.00
$34,046.54
Volkswagen Golf TDI
$26,805.00
$8,880.88
$2,564.00
$0.00
$38,249.88
Toyota Prius Two
$24,760.00
$5,514.00
$1,867.00
$0.00
$32,141.00
Colorado with state credit only
Brand & Model
MSRP
Fuel/Power
Maintenance
Tax Credit
Total
Chevrolet Cruze ECO
$20,615.00
$8,354.55
$1,962.00
$0.00
$30,931.55
Chevrolet Volt
$40,690.00
$4,638.54
$2,218.00
$6,000.00
$40,046.54
Volkswagen Golf TDI
$26,805.00
$8,880.88
$2,564.00
$0.00
$38,249.88
Toyota Prius Two
$24,760.00
$5,514.00
$1,867.00
$0.00
$32,141.00
Colorado with no tax credits
Brand & Model
MSRP
Fuel/Power
Maintenance
Tax Credit
Total
Chevrolet Cruze ECO
$20,615.00
$8,354.55
$1,962.00
$0.00
$30,931.55
Chevrolet Volt
$40,690.00
$4,638.54
$2,218.00
$0.00
$47,546.54
Volkswagen Golf TDI
$26,805.00
$8,880.88
$2,564.00
$0.00
$38,249.88
Toyota Prius Two
$24,760.00
$5,514.00
$1,867.00
$0.00
$32,141.00
MSRP is the manufacturer’s suggested list price for comparably equipped models and includes destination charges. Fuel/Power figures are based on EPA estimates for combined city/highway mileage and Consumer Reports observed miles per kilowatt-hour using today’s Colorado statewide average fuel prices as reported by AAA and statewide electric rates from tables compiled by the U.S. government. Maintenance figures are estimates reported by Motor Trend. All fuel, power and maintenance estimates cover a five-year, 75,000-mile term.
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