Honda Adding 120 EV Chargers to Torrance Campus

Driving an electric car to work just got a lot easier for Honda corporate employees in California. That’s because the company recently committed to installing 120 new EV chargers at its Torrance, California HQ in an effort to encourage EV use and complement the efforts of California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Action Plan.

That seems like quite a lot of chargers for a company that doesn’t really offer a whole lot in terms of PHEVs beyond the Accord Plug-in model (and even that seems to have been discontinued after the 2014 MY). It’s anybody’s guess, then, what EVs all these Honda employees will be driving to work in the near future.

Lucky for us, you’re anybody! So, today’s assignment is to go into the comments section and let us know what sort of plug-ins you think will be available in Honda’s near future. On your way down the page, check out Honda’s official press release, below.

Honda to Add 120 EV Chargers to Torrance Campus

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• includes a publicly accessible 50kW DC “fast” charger to support the local community
• Expansion will increase electric vehicle miles traveled by Honda associates
• Activity complements California’s ZEV Action Plan

TORRANCE, CA — In an effort to increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles by its associates for daily commuting, and to prepare for a new generation of plug-in vehicles set to arrive by 2018, Honda is adding 120 new electric vehicle (EV) chargers on the Torrance, CA headquarter campus of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. The new chargers will be installed in two phases, the first of which has already begun. Ultimately, Honda estimates that the chargers will enable hundreds of associates to use an EV for their daily commute.

To support the local community in conjunction with the project, Honda is installing a publicly-accessible DC “fast” charger on Harpers Way, adjacent to its campus, which will enable Torrance residents to rapidly refuel EVs equipped with DC charging capabilities. The fee-based DC Fast charger will open in early 2016 and will support both the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo standards.

“Making workplace charging ubiquitous and accessible is the cornerstone of an effective public charging strategy that supports the maximum number of vehicles,” said Steven Center, vice president of Honda’s Environmental Business Development Office and Product Regulatory Office. “This expansion will make commuting in an EV a convenient option for the vast majority of Honda associates in Torrance, including those without access to charging at their homes or apartment buildings.”

Funding for the project was provided, in part, by a California Energy Commission (CEC) grant. Honda’s announcement coincides with its participation in “Drive the Dream 2015,” an event hosted by the California Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative and attended by Governor Jerry Brown to encourage businesses across the state to install workplace charging.

Honda will offer several next-generation, advanced powertrain vehicles, including a new fuel cell vehicle (FCV) set to launch next year, followed by a new battery-electric model and a new plug-in hybrid model by 2018. The new EV chargers on the Torrance campus will complement existing refueling options on-site, including compressed natural gas and hydrogen refueling stations.

Source | Images: Honda.

FEV displays Ford 1.0L EcoBoost engine at SAE World Congress; provided early development support

FEV, Inc., is showing the 1.0L I3 Ford EcoBoost at the SAE 2012 World Congress. (Earlier post.) FEV provided early development stage support for the engine in the area of design and CAE, combustion development, and engine build for 36 engines. We have been very fortunate to have supported Ford Motor Company in the development of this breakthrough powertrain. This is a prime example of FEV’s business model, which is designed to integrate its expertise into the development process for customer propulsion systems on an as-needed basis. The EcoBoost engine represents one of the recent trends in the automotive industry, a move towards downsized and highly boosted engines that deliver higher power and better fuel economy than the larger engines they replace. And these engines are capable of doing that with very low exhaust emissions levels. —Gary Rogers, president and CEO of FEV The three-cylinder engine is designed for Ford vehicles such as the Focus, the B-MAX and the C-MAX. The engine will initially be offered with power ratings of 73.5 and 92kW (98 and 123HP, respectively), providing the power of the 1.6L four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine in the Ford Focus. Both versions will deliver 170 nm (125 lb-ft) of torque between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm, which is an improvement over the 1.6L engine. The smaller power plant also provides an overall weight reduction of approximately 20 lbs. According to Ford, the Focus with the 73.5 kW engine achieves CO 2 emissions of 109 g/km. Source: Green Car Congress

First East Coast Shipment of 2012 Mitsubishi i Electric Vehicles Arrive at the Port of Baltimore

PRESS RELEASE

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) has received the first shipment of 2012 Mitsubishi i electric vehicles to the eastern United States. These units will be delivered to Mitsubishi Motors dealerships for use as demonstration vehicles.

This initial delivery of the Japanese auto manufacturer's groundbreaking 100% electric-powered vehicle to the Port of Baltimore – recently named by the EPA as the #1-ranked most fuel-efficient vehicle available in the United States – marks the debut of the fun-to-drive, efficient and proven 2012 Mitsubishi i to most of the eastern seaboard.

"With so many vehicles sold in different parts of the globe, Mitsubishi's 100% electric-powered vehicle has a proven record of reliability, safety and ease of use," said MMNA President & CEO Yoichi Yokozawa."And as the #1 selling electric vehicle (EV) in Norway, the Mitsubishi i should have no problem adapting to American households in the cold-climate northeast corridor."
Customer and fleet deliveries of the 2012 Mitsubishi i began last December on the west coast (California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii). The vehicle will be available to test drive at participating dealerships throughout the northeast, Virginia and Illinois beginning in March and will be available nationwide by this summer.

With a starting net value of $21,625* for the well-equipped entry-level ES model (the premium-grade SE version begins at $23,625*), the 2012 Mitsubishi i is the most affordably-priced mass-produced electric vehicle (EV) available in the United States and is the first of several new advanced, alternative-fuel production vehicles that the Japanese auto manufacturer plans on bringing to the North American market in the next few years.

For more information on the 2012 Mitsubishi i, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com and i.mitsubishicars.com.

* ES $29,125 MSRP less $7500 federal tax credit = $21,625 after tax credit; SE $31,125 MSRP less $7500 federal tax credit = $23,625 after tax credit

About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of approximately 400 dealers. In November of 2011, MMNA launched the battery-powered electric vehicle Mitsubishi i as part of a corporate mission to offer consumers more environmentally responsible modes of transportation. This battery-powered electric vehicle technology addresses the need for vehicles that produce zero tailpipe emissions and support a growing agenda for sustainability. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.

Smith Electric Vehicle Orders Enova Drive Systems for DOE Funded Program

Press Release:

TORRANCE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enova Systems, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: ENA) (AIM: ENV) (AIM: ENVS), a leading innovator of proprietary hybrid and electric drive systems, confirmed today that they have moved toward large scale production supply of its all-electric drive system for the Smith Newton, the world’s largest battery-electric-powered production truck.

“Smith Electric shares our commitment to innovating zero-emissions vehicle technologies, and to making these technologies more readily available as well as economically viable. We look forward to moving our partnership, and clean vehicle technology forward.”

Smith has placed an order for 50 units of Enova’s 120kW drive system. This order follows two from earlier in the year, totaling 120 units year-to-date, and will be installed into the Smith Newton truck in Kansas City.

“Enova’s drive systems offer the ideal technology for our Smith Newton vehicles,” said Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith. “Enova has engineered their drive systems to easily and non-invasively integrate with our vehicle. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Enova via a long term supply agreement that will allow us and our suppliers to maximize penetration and cost effectiveness through high volume orders.”

The order for 50 Enova 120kW drive systems is on track to culminate in a total order of over 250 by year end. Smith Electric U.S. was recently awarded a $32 million grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which is being used to offset the cost of future vehicle development and to incentivize customers to participate in a vehicle demonstration program. “Enova is pleased to partner with Smith in this major milestone toward greening our nation’s commercial trucks. We are enthusiastic that the funding and recent visit by President Obama validate our confidence that the market is about to grow rapidly,” said Enova CEO and President Mike Staran. “Smith Electric shares our commitment to innovating zero-emissions vehicle technologies, and to making these technologies more readily available as well as economically viable. We look forward to moving our partnership, and clean vehicle technology forward.”

Powered by the Enova 120kW drive system, the Smith Newton all-electric trucks will provide a host of environmental and economical advantages for fleet operators and drivers. These include:

• Ease of use and significantly reduced maintenance requirements.
• 6 to 8-hour battery recharge achieved via a simple 220 volt outlet.
• Zero greenhouse gas emissions.
• Savings related to reduced fuel consumption.
• Energy independence from foreign sources of oil.
• Ideal application for commercial trucks with depot-based drive cycles and stop-and-go driving conditions.
• Quiet, comfortable operation.

“This award recognizes Smith’s leadership role in building the foundation for an all-electric commercial truck industry in this county,” said U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), who announced the DOE award in March. “Their leadership is creating next-generation jobs and developing new green technologies that will benefit our nation.”

About Enova

Enova Systems (http://www.enovasystems.com) is a leading supplier of efficient, environmentally friendly digital power components and systems products. The Company’s core competencies are focused on the development and commercialization of power management and conversion systems for mobile applications. Enova applies unique ‘enabling technologies’ in the areas of alternative energy propulsion systems for light and heavy-duty vehicles as well as power conditioning and management systems for distributed generation systems. The Company develops, designs and produces non-invasive drive systems and related components for electric, hybrid-electric, and fuel cell powered vehicles in both the “new” and “retrofit” vehicle sales market. For further information, contact Enova Systems directly, or visit its Web site at http://www.enovasystems.com.

Additional Information:

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to Enova Systems and its products that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,’’ “could,” “project,” “plan,’’ “seek,” “intend,’’ or “anticipate’’ or the negative thereof or comparable terminology and statements about industry trends and Enova’s future performance, operations and products. These forward-looking statements are subject to and qualified by certain risks and uncertainties. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Enova Systems’ periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Enova’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.

About Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. Corporation

Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. Corporation (www.sev-us.com), a Delaware corporation, is an all-electric zero-emissions commercial truck manufacturer. The company licenses its proprietary technology from the Smith Electric Vehicles business in the U.K., the world’s largest manufacturer and industry leader of commercial electric vehicles. Smith U.S. produces the Smith Newton – the world’s largest battery-electric-powered truck.