This is Hydrogen Future Shell Oil is Betting On

Shell Oil seems to have acknowledged that the car of tomorrow will be powered by an electric motor, but the source of the electrons that power those motors is still a question mark. Shell thinks that the public’s familiarity with “filling up”, coupled to the “range anxiety” being expressed by the hundreds of thousands of car-buyers who chose a Nissan Versa over a Nissan Leaf over the past few years, will make hydrogen fuel cells an easier sell than a pure EV.

To welcome all those car of tomorrow driving- er- futurists, Shell and BMW have partnered up to design the slick-looking gas station you see here.

Shell Hydrogen Fuel Cell Fueling Station

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It’s hard to say whether or not hydrogen fuel cells will be as big as BMW and Shell are hoping they’ll be- but there are other big players involved who are thinking along the same lines. Players like Honda, Toyota, General Motors, and even some of the major players in the convenience store space are betting big on hydrogen and biofuel.

What do you guys think? Are you ready for the big H, or do you find yourself agreeing with the Cleantechnica consensus that hydrogen could create more problems than it solved? Think it through, then let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Source | Images: Shell, via Motorpasion.

2017 Chevy Spark Activ is a Tiny Crossover That Works

With crossover vehicles and tall wagons making up two of the fastest-growing segments in the industry, it’s no surprise that Chevy is trying to get in on that action. Which is why the company just launched the 37 MPG, 2017 Chevy Spark Activ crossover you see here.

That’s right, kids. Despite the fact that Chevrolet dealers already offer the tiny, Chevy Spark-based Trax mini-ute that we drove last year, they’re getting another Spark-based pseudo-SUV. To me, the new for 2017 Chevrolet Spark Activ seems like a brilliant move.

As you can see, below, Chicco’s rear-facing seat fits well enough in the Chevy Spark (Activ or otherwise). The folding stroller that the seat locks into deal fits snugly in the rear, too, along with a decent-sized diaper bag. Stuff fits in a hatchback. That’s not news. Here’s the thing, though: that stuff does not fit in the Chevy Trax.

2017 Chevy Spark Activ | it Will Baby

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  Chevy Spark fits stroller and diaper bag …
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  Chevy Spark has room in the back …

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Basically, if you want to carry any kind of stroller in a Chevy Trax, you’re going to have to fold the seats down, which means this supposedly “smart” SUV is, at best, a 1-kid conveyance. As I wrote about the little city car back then:

In all my years of buying, renting, and test-driving cars, that’s simply never happened. Tiny cars like the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Mirage easily accepted an umbrella stroller. Even cars like the compact Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and even Chevy’s own Sonic and Spark had no trouble fitting an umbrella stroller- or even the bigger strollers!- into the trunk. For the Trax to fail here is totally unforgivable.

It seems like someone at Chevrolet agreed. Agreed enough, at least, to ensure that their dealers had a tiny, SUV-like transportation appliance on the ground to sell to young families, even if the Activ takes a 4 MPG hit compared to the “standard” 41 MPG Spark. Here’s hoping the Spark Activ ends up in my test fleet soon, too- because the last time I drove a Spark around town it was stupid fun!

Source | Images: Chevrolet, via Autoblog.

Audi A3 e-tron Earns 5-Star Euro Safety Rating

Many people focus on the benefits of electric cars in terms of fuel costs, but safety is proving to be a big strong point too. The Audi A3 e-tron is the latest plug-in car to earn the coveted 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating across the board, though the Kia Soul EV didn’t fare quite as well, earning a still-respectable 4 out of 5 stars.

Last month the Tesla Model S earned a 5-star rating in the NCAP test, making it one of just a few vehicles to have a 5-star safety rating, bolstering the argument that electric cars are inherently safer. The Model S battery fire issue seems to have been resolved by the addition of an underbody shield, as has the Volt battery fire non-issue. However the Nissan LEAF, which is based on the Versa, earned a “Poor” rating in the American small overlap crash test, but in 2012 it earned a full 5-star rating in the European testing. Go figure.

As for the Audi A3 e-tron, it boasts a 31-mile driving range and a $50,000 price tag in its native Germany, and the 5-star rating is another bragging right it can boast. One reason plug-in cars seem to fare better in crash testing is the heavy batteries are mounted low, keeping the center of gravity close to the ground. The solid mass of battery also adds to the structural rigidity of the car, so it can better withstand forceful impacts.

Perhaps automakers should play up the safety electric cars offer alongside the environmental and financial benefits.

BMW Enters Holding Pattern On EVs To Gauge Demand

It has taken BMW nearly half a decade to bring its initial electric car concepts into production, and at least in Germany, demand is already strong. Before BMW adds any more cars to its i-line of electrified vehicles, the German company wants to see how the world reacts to its take on green cars.

Despite reported production delays, the first BMW i3 and BMW i8 vehicles are making their way to dealerships and buyers. BMW has reportedly said that demand for both vehicles is strong, and the initial allotment of i8s may already be spoken for. Yet despite registering the i1 through i9 trademarks, executives have decided to go into a holding pattern to see just how strong demand is beyond eager early adopters.

While there is naturally plenty of room for the i-brand to grow beyond a compact urban commuter and a high-performance sports car, BMW has already spent some $2.7 billion developing its dual green cars and the i brand itself. That’s a lot of spent capital, reportedly more than the $1 billion Nissan spent to develop the Leaf, and there’s a reason for that. Whereas the Nissan Leaf is based on an existing platform (the Nissan Versa), BMW developed not one, but two brand new platforms for the i3 and i8. Add in the additional cost of developing two mostly carbon fiber vehicles and the associated technologies, and you quickly work your way up to that $2.7 billion price tag.

While all this development has given these two electric/hybrid vehicles better performance than their peers, and a higher price tag too. There’s a lot of sunken cost into these two vehicles, and BMW needs to make that money back in order to justify more cars, including a mid-size or full-size sedan to compete with Tesla, which has its crosshairs on the German luxury brand. Meanwhile, BMW has its own Active E testers that are quite popular with customers wanting a mid-size EV.

With a reported 11,000 orders on the books and a six month delay for the BMW i3, things are certainly off to a good start. But Bimmer will have to sell a lot more electrics cars than that to make back the billions they’ve already invested.

Source: The Truth About Cars

Nissan Leaf Versus a Classic Ford Mustang. 0 to 60

2011 Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle







I’m not sure who was the first car reviewer or company to test their cars based on their acceleration from 0-60 mph, but it has since become the standard of the world. Nothing is more important to speed enthusiasts like myself than those first few seconds after takeoff. It doesn’t just have to do with the thrill though, as 0-60 mph can be a good gauge of a car’s highway merging ability. We all hate getting stuck behind the guy who proceeds up the on-ramp with all the speed of a Model-T.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; electric cars can, and should be fast. So it does not surprise me to hear that the Nissan Leaf can apparently go from 0-60 mph in just 7 seconds.

Nissan’s little electric car isn’t exactly built for speed, but rather commuting. That said, electric motors can deliver 100% of its peak torque at 0 rpm. That means from the moment you touch the gas pedal, all the power the car has is right there, ready to go. Even for a humble commuter like the Leaf, that is quite a bit of torque on tap. Going from 0-60 mph in just 7 seconds, as Green Car Advisor’s Jack O’Dell did, is a very respectable performance. He also tested out the top speed, which he says is a bit north of Nissan’s official 90 mph estimate (he got to about 92 mph).

Compare it to some other cars fuel efficient cars, and you’ll see what I mean. The Chevy Volt takes about 9-seconds, the Toyota Prius takes about 10 seconds, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV takes almost 12 seconds to reach 60 mph. On the other end of the spectrum, the Nissan 370Z takes about 5 seconds, the Maxima takes about 6 seconds, and the Nissan Versa (upon which the Leaf is based) takes 9.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. So really, the Leaf is on the “faster” side of the 0-60 gauntlet, though I wouldn’t quite call it fast (especially since I haven’t had any seat time). Generally, anything that gets to 60 mph in 6 seconds or less has good performance, so the Leaf is right on the cusp.

As I was going down the 0-60 mph list though, I noticed most of the cars in this range are rather…boring. Why not compare it to something a little less sophisticated, yet a whole lot more exciting? Yes, I’d like to line up a Nissan Leaf against a 1967 Ford Mustang GT with the 390 V8 engine. I am a muscle car nut through and through, but I’d put my money on the Leaf, because it took the ’67 Mustang GT about 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph according to multiple Internet sources. Ya, those original muscle cars weren’t that fast…they just felt fast. I should know, I own a 1969 Mercury Cougar (the “gentleman’s Mustang”.)

Yeah, I went there. The Nissan Leaf is faster than a ’67 Mustang. Anybody want to loan me a ’67 Mustang and a Leaf to prove it?

Source: Gas2.0