How Much is Your Charge Charging You? OnStar's new EcoHub connected app shows cost of Volt charging

PRESS RELEASE

AUSTIN, Texas – OnStar is testing an app capable of telling Chevrolet Volt owners how much it costs to charge their battery – and compare the Volt's energy use with the total energy consumed in their home by day, month or year.

The new app, called EcoHub, will initially be tested with and available to residents of the Pecan Street demonstration project, a smart grid living community in Austin.

"For the first time we're able to put one of our Smart Grid solutions into the hands of actual consumers, thanks in part to our partnership with Pecan Street," said Paul Pebbles, global manager, Electric Vehicle and Smart Grid Services. "Down the line, we hope this app can be a beneficial tool for all drivers of electric vehicles."

The EcoHub app works by pulling overall home energy usage data, provided by an energy data source, such as a utility or smart meter company. The app also collects Volt charging information from OnStar subscribers and Volt owners who opt in for EcoHub. The energy use data is then aggregated to show vehicle owners exactly how much energy is being used on a daily, monthly or yearly basis, while showing what percentage of that energy went to charging the Volt. Based on electricity rates, the data is broken down to show the cost of both total energy usage and Volt charging energy use.

The 2013 Volt can travel an average of 38 miles on one full electric charge before its onboard gas-powered electric generator seamlessly switches on.

"We've found that Volt owners love to keep track of and compare their personal driving stats, like electric miles driven for example," said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet Volt marketing director. "The EcoHub app is another great example of using the vehicle's embedded technology to provide Volt owners with useful information."

In addition, the EcoHub app will include a "Ticker" screen that shows drivers the national values for Total Miles Driven, Total EV Miles Driven and Gallons of Fuel Saved.

"The 'Ticker' screen is a nice addition because it allows drivers to see that they are part of a national effort to reduce fuel use by contributing to the growing number of electric miles driven." said Pebbles.

While the app will be tested with and only be available to Volt drivers in Pecan Street project at first, OnStar hopes to make the app available for all Volt owners in the near future.

OnStar's Smart Grid research is made possible by the U.S. Department of Energy.

About OnStar

OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the global leading provider of connected safety, security and mobility solutions and advanced information technology. With more than 6 million subscribers in the U.S, Canada and China, OnStar is currently available on more than 45 MY 2012 GM models, as well as available for installation on most other vehicles already on the road with OnStar FMV. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.
About Pecan Street Inc.

Headquartered at the University of Texas at Austin, Pecan Street Inc. is the country's first non-profit research and development consortia focused on energy, wireless and consumer electronics technology. Its demonstration project in Austin's Mueller community is testing cutting edge energy and consumer products, including rooftop solar, home energy storage and electric vehicles, in real homes, with real customers on a real electrical grid. Learn more at www.pecanstreet.org.

Subaru Mild-Hybrid System: With Tokyo Concept, New Details, Gallery 1

Subaru outlined a potential direction for a next-generation C-segment (Impreza-sized) wagon in its Advanced Tourer Concept from the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show this week.

But somewhat concealed within a rather far-out looking concept wagon—with its gullwing doors, appearing no closer to production than the last Hybrid Tourer Concept shown at Tokyo in 2009—were more details for a hybrid system that’s production-bound, yet several years away.

According to a official with Subaru in Japan (and confirming what we reported last month), the system in the Tourer Concept is a mild hybrid system, employing a single thin electric motor packaged between the gasoline engine and Lineartronic CVT, with two clutches—one on either side. Yet information in a release on the concept confirms that this will be one of the strongest mild-hybrid systems, capable of startup and low-speed operation in its electric-only mode, which would make it considerably stronger than the mild-hybrid systems offered by Honda in the 2011 Civic Hybrid, CR-Z, and Insight. During deceleration, the motor turns into a generator and charges the lithium-ion battery pack.

The new hybrid system is not a technology-share in any way and was developed in-house at Subaru, the official confirmed. In the concept, the Lineartronic CVT—similar to what’s currently offered in the Legacy, Outback, and Impreza, and also developed by the automaker—has been bolstered for higher torque capacity.

From such a system it’s likely that city ratings could be well above 30 mpg, while highway ratings could hit 40 mpg or higher. In the 2012 Impreza, with Lineartronic and the standard AWD system, EPA ratings are 27 mpg city, 36 highway.

While we're still not sure which of Subaru's vehicles might be getting the new hybrid system, and when, the automaker did emphasized that downsized direct-injection turbocharged engines—such as the one being introduced in the new 2012 Subaru BRZ sports coupe, as well as in this concept—will be a principal technology for the automaker’s lineup in the future.

Source: Green Car Reports