GM to provide loaner vehicles to Volt owners following fires

General Motors Co. is offering to provide a free loaner car to any Chevrolet Volt owners who are concerned about the safety of their vehicle following a series of fires that occurred in crash-testing of the electric vehicle and its batteries.

"Our customers' peace of mind is the most important thing. This technology should inspire confidence and pride and not fear and doubt," said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. "It underlines our commitment to the vehicle and its owners."

Reuss said the vehicles are safe to drive and won't spontaneously catch on fire, even in a crash.

Federal officials on Friday launched a formal safety-defect investigation into GM's plug-in hybrid vehicle after crash tests on several Volts and their batteries resulted in fires. In one case, a fire that started in one of the test vehicles consumed three others parked nearby.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was "concerned" that damage to the Volt's batteries sustained in tests designed to replicate real-world crash scenarios resulted in the vehicles catching fire.

The problem occurs when electricity is left stored in the batteries for some time following a crash, said Mary Barra, GM's senior vice president of global product development.

The automaker's engineers are working with safety regulators to better understand the problem, she said, adding that GM is confident the fires would not occur in batteries that are fully drained following a crash.

"You need to depower the battery," she said.

When electrical energy is left in a battery after a severe crash, it could be similar fire hazard to leaving gasoline in a tank after a car crash, Barra said.

When GM learns of a crash involving a Volt from the vehicle's onboard communications system, the automaker sends technicians to hook up equipment to drain the electricity from the battery.

The NHTSA said it was too soon to say whether its probe would lead to a recall, but it vowed to "take immediate action" if it found any unreasonable safety risk. Measures would include notifying consumers and ensuring that GM communicates with Volt owners.

The investigation comes as GM has pushed for wider adoption of the plug-in hybrid, which according to the Environmental Protection Agency gets an equivalent of 93 mpg. GM has sold more than 6,000 Volts since the car was rolled out in December 2010. The Volt, which won the Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, is designed to run off its batteries for about 40 miles. When the batteries run low, a gasoline engine kicks in and functions as a generator, powering electric motors and extending the range of the sedan to more than 300 miles.

GM and the NHTSA are looking at test data to attempt to determine the precise cause of the fires.

The latest tests were part of an initial probe begun after the NHTSA found a Volt it had crash-tested in May caught fire three weeks later.

In a series of follow-up tests, the NHTSA subjected three additional Volt batteries to a crash simulation last week, intentionally damaging the cars' battery compartment and rupturing their coolant lines. One battery caught fire about a week after the test. A second vehicle's battery "began to smoke and emit sparks" just hours after the impact, the agency said.

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Photo: Chevy Volt electric vehicles and Opel Amperas come off the line at the General Motors Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant in Hamtramck, Mich. Credit: Getty Images

 

Gasoline prices tumble but remain at seasonal highs

Retail gasoline prices fell more over the last week than they have in months in both California and around the nation, but don't get too excited. They still have to drop a lot more in the coming weeks to fall below historic highs for this time of the year.

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, said prices have finally fallen, sinking to their lowest levels since February. But he added, "Many motorists may be giving thanks for the lower gasoline prices -- until they realize that average prices will still easily exceed prior Thanksgiving Day records."

GasBuddy.com operates more than 200 gasoline price-tracking websites, including LosAngelesGasPrices.com, where users continuously report the highest and lowest prices they see.

In California, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline fell 5.6 cents over the last week $3.764 a gallon, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. That was still 33.9 cents a gallon higher than the old record for Nov. 21 of $3.425 a gallon, set in 2007.

Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular dropped 6.6 cents to $3.351 since last week. That was still 26.2 cents a gallon higher than the old record for Nov. 21 of $3.089 a gallon, also set in 2007.

The good news is that prices should continue to drop, said Phil Flynn, an analyst with PFGBest Research in Chicago. "Oil prices were not able to stay above $100 a barrel last week, which means retail prices should continue to fall," Flynn said.

Meanwhile, the environmental advocacy group Environment California decided Monday to let people know just how much they could save this holiday weekend if every motorist had a car that met the ambitious fuel economy standard of 54.5 miles per gallon proposed by the Obama administration.

Sean Carroll, a federal field associate for the group, said Californians would save $34 million collectively over the four-day weekend. Nationally, the savings would amount to $260 million, Carroll said.

"The savings work out to about $17 per family, which means they could bring four more pumpkin pies to the holiday dinner," said Carroll, who added, "Americans ought to be able to drive over the river and through the woods to grandma's house without having to stop for gas."

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Photo: Motorists refuel at a Chevron station in Berkeley. Retail gas prices in the U.S. are at historic highs for the week leading up to the long Thanksgiving weekend. Credit: David Paul Morris / Bloomberg

Consumer Confidential: Holiday travel, hybrids, teddy bear recall

Here's your three-times-a-lady Thursday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- What's the latest word on the living hell that is Thanksgiving travel? Here you go. About 42.5 million people in the United States are expected to hit the road to visit family and friends, the highest number of holiday travelers since the start of the recession. Travel tracker AAA says that 4% more Americans than last year will journey at least 50 miles from home, with about 90% of them driving. Another 8% plan to fly, but AAA notes that higher airfares and less available seats have forced many would-be fliers to drive instead. The remaining travelers plan to take buses, trains or other forms of transport. Also, those driving should expect to pay more at the pump. The average price of a gallon of gas so far this November is $3.42, up nearly 20% from last year’s $2.86. (Associated Press)

-- For drivers, hybrid vehicles can be a good deal safer than conventional cars. For pedestrians, though, they can be more dangerous because they can sneak right up on you. Occupants of hybrid vehicles sustain fewer injuries in crashes than those who are involved in accidents in non-hybrid cars, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. The same study says hybrids cause more pedestrian crashes than their non-hybrid counterparts because their relatively quiet operation can make them stealthy on the road. The study suggests the weight of hybrids contributed to a 25% decrease in bodily injuries for those riding in the vehicles. (Los Angeles Times)

-- Heads up: Build-a-Bear Workshop is recalling more than 21,000 swimwear and inner tube sets sold in the U.S. and Canada. The inner tube accessory can be pulled over a small child's head, posing a strangulation hazard. Build-a-Bear received one report of an incident in which a 3-year-old girl pulled the inner tube over her head and had difficulty removing it. The inner tube is part of the three-piece Fruit Tutu Bikini swimwear set for teddy bears, which includes a two-piece fruit-print bikini. The inner tube is nine inches in diameter and pink with white and yellow flowers printed on it. Build-a-Bear Workshop sold the swimwear sets nationwide from April to August for $12.50. They were made in China. (ConsumerAffairs.com)

-- David Lazarus

Photo: There will be more people traveling for Thanksgiving. Enjoy! Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

 

Details of Volt fire offered to clarify electric vehicle safety

Federal safety regulators released more details about the Chevrolet Volt fire that has caused officials to look into post-crash protocols for electric vehicles.

The fire occurred more than three weeks after the plug-in hybrid sedan was crashed as part of the agency’s New Car Assessment Program in May.

Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the crash damaged the Volt’s lithium ion battery and that damage eventually caused the fire.

“That incident — which occurred at the test facility and caused property damage but no injuries — remains the only case of a battery-related fire in a crash or crash test of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, despite a number of other rigorous crash tests of the Chevy Volt separately conducted by both NHTSA and General Motors,” regulators said in a statement.

NHTSA said it believes that electric vehicles have no greater risk of fire than any other vehicles.

But since electric vehicles represent new technology just coming to the market, regulators want to develop protocols for post-crash situations to make sure that consumers and emergency responders don't get hurt and that damaged vehicles are stored in a manner that would prevent a fire at a later time.

The agency has asked all electric vehicle manufacturers to provide information on the protocols they have established for discharging and handling their lithium-ion batteries—including any recommendations for reducing the fire risk.

“Ultimately we hope the information we gather will lay the groundwork for detailed guidance for first-responders and tow truck operators for use in their work responding to incidents involving these vehicles,” the agency said.

The Volt is designed to run purely off its batteries for about 40 miles. When the batteries run low, a gasoline engine kicks in and functions as a generator, powering the electric motors and extending the range of the sedan to more than 300 miles.

Other electric cars currently for sale include the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster.  Several other automakers, including Toyota, Ford and Mitsubishi plan to launch sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the coming months.

General Motors Co., which owns the Chevrolet brands, said the Volt is safe. It said it is working  “cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation.”

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Photo: Chevolet Volt.  Credit: Associated Press.

 

Safety regulators open probe of electric vehicles after Volt fire

Federal safety officials have launched a probe into whether the batteries in Chevrolet’s Volt plug-in hybrid sedan are prone to fires.

The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was launched after a Volt caught fire following a crash test.

The Associated Press, which learned of the probe from a federal safety regulator, said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be looking at the safety of batteries from several makes of electric vehicles.

The Volt is designed to run purely off its batteries for about 40 miles. When the batteries run low, a gasoline engine kicks in and functions as a generator, powering the electric motors and extending the range of the sedan to more than 300 miles.

Other electric cars currently for sale include the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster.  Several other automakers, including Toyota, Ford and Mitsubishi plan to launch sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the coming months.

General Motors Co., which owns the Chevrolet brands, said the Volt is safe.

“We are working cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation.  However, NHTSA has stated that based on available data, there’s no greater risk of fire with a Volt than a traditional gasoline-powered car,” said Jim Federico, General Motors chief engineer for electric vehicles.

“Safety protocols for electric vehicles are clearly an industry concern. At GM, we have safety protocols to depower the battery of an electric vehicle after a significant crash,” he said. “We are working with other vehicle manufacturers, first responders, tow truck operators, and salvage associations with the goal of implementing industry-wide protocols.” 

GM shares fell 19 cents, or about 1%, to close at $22.51 on Friday, while the stock market overall rose sharply.

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Photo: Chevrolet Volt. Credit: Associated Press.

Polaris invests in electric motorcycle maker Brammo

Polaris Industries Inc., which manufactures all-terrain vehicles and the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands, announced a minority investment in electric motorcycle maker Brammo Inc. on Wednesday.

'We are excited to advance our electric vehicle capability by establishing Polaris as a business partner and part owner of Brammo, one of the most innovative and aggressive companies we have found in the electric motorcycle space," Polaris Chief Executive Scott Wine. "This is a small, but important, investment for Polaris in an electric vehicle market that we feel is poised for significant growth." 

The Polaris investment was part of $28-million funding deal for Brammo; additional contributions came from existing shareholder Alpine Energy and NorthPoint Investments.

The Polaris investment gives the Medina, Minn., manufacturer access to Brammo's proprietary electric vehicle powertrain technology, which has been in development since Brammo's founding in 2002. Polaris will also help Brammo grow its core business, according to a statement released Wednesday.

Brammo, based in Ashland, Ore., manufactures the Enertia electric motorcycle, capable of traveling 80 miles per charge at speeds in excess of 60 mph. In 2012, the company will expand its lineup with its Empulse sportbike capable of traveling 100 mph, and Encite and Engage dirt bikes.

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Photo: Brammo Chief Executive Craig Bramscher stands next to a Polaris UTV and Brammo Enertia. Credit: Brammo

Electric-vehicle maker BYD opens U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles

Chinese electric car company BYD has opened its North American headquarters in Los Angeles and said it plans to hire about 150 workers to staff the office.

As part of the opening celebration at its offices on Figueroa Street in downtown L.A., BYD displayed one of the electric shuttle buses to be used by Hertz to transport rental car customers at Los Angeles International Airport.

The BYD eBUS-12 can to run for about 155 miles on a single charge in urban conditions, BYD said.

BYD also showed off what it called an electric “passenger SUV.”

There's no word on when the company might begin selling vehicles in the United States.

"BYD looks forward to entering the U.S. consumer market, though a launch date has not yet been set. Fleet trials of BYD's cars in Los Angeles began in December of last year, and the first electric bus trials are beginning this month," said Micheal Austin, vice president of BYD America.

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Photo: Hertz will use this BYD electric shuttle bus at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: BYD

Prius owners are trading into electric vehicles

One reason why auto companies are rolling out comparatively low-volume electric cars is to get buyers into showrooms they might have otherwise ignored.

The strategy appears to be working for Chevrolet, which makes the Volt plug-in hybrid sedan and Nissan, manufacturer of the all-electric Leaf.

Through the first nine months of this year, Chevrolet has sold about 3,895 Volts and Nissan has sold about 7,199 Leafs, according to Autodata Corp.

“The true value of these launches is the buzz, the conversation on social media and total media attention,” said Barbara Keys, a consultant with auto information company R.L. Polk & Co., which has examined who is buying the cars.

Through the first half of this year, about 78% of Volt buyers didn't own a Chevrolet at the time of the purchase, Keys said. 

That means that the Volt is bringing customers of other brands at almost twice the rate of the rest of Chevrolet, where about 43% of buyers are so-called “conquests.”

General Motors, which owns the Chevrolet brand, has provided some more interesting Volt data for sales so far this year.  About 37% of Volt buyers are California residents.  And the most frequent car traded in for a Volt is the Toyota Prius hybrid.  It is the car traded in 7% of all Volt sales. 

German cars also were comparatively frequent trade-ins.  The BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4 and the Volkswagen Jetta were traded in for a combined 6% of Volt sales, GM said.

The Leaf has a similar trend line for conquests, according to Polk.  About 90% of Leaf buyers didn't own a Nissan previously.  That’s much better than Nissan's average conquest rate of 52%.

Nissan says that 18% of the customers purchasing a Leaf are trading in a Prius.  And 38% of Leaf buyers are trading in a Prius or another Toyota.

Keys looked into whether both Chevrolet’s and Nissan’s ability to attract customers is a result of their respective EVs being new models. She looked at the Chevrolet Cruze and Nissan Juke, which also are new models. They had conquest rates of 48% and 65%, respectively.

Speaking of the Volt and the Leaf, Keys said, “These two high-profile launches have been successful in bringing new customers to the brand, and that may have long-term benefits in terms of make loyalty and customer retention.”

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Photo: Autoworkers work on a Chevrolet Volt at the General Motors plant in Hamtramck, Mich. Credit: Associated Press.

Automakers will combine on electric vehicle charging system

Seven automakers are collaborating on creating a single international standard for an electric vehicle fast charging system to slash the time drivers need to put more juice in their electric cars.  

The system will use a common vehicle inlet/charging connector and will have a standard electronic method for the vehicle to communicate with the charging station. This will allow electric vehicles from Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen to  share the same fast charging stations.

The seven auto manufacturers said “the development of a common charging approach is good for customers, the industry and charging infrastructure providers. Standardization will reduce build complexity for manufacturers, accelerate the installation of common systems internationally and most importantly, improve the ownership experience for EV drivers.”

Meanwhile, Nissan said it would slash the price of the home charging system for its Leaf electric vehicle to reduce the ownership cost of the sedan.   Nissan will charge $1,818 for both hardware and installation services.  While some regions have incentives that reduce the cost, many homeowners discovered they would have to pay $2,000 to $3,000 to purchase and install the system.

And GM said its Chevrolet division will produce an all-electric version of the Chevrolet Spark mini-car -– the Spark EV. It will be sold in limited quantities in select U.S. and global markets starting in 2013, including California.

“The Spark EV offers customers living in urban areas who have predictable driving patterns or short commutes an all-electric option,” said Jim Federico, global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles at Chevrolet.

GM did not release more details about the car, but Federico’s comments indicated that it will have a limited range, probably to keep the cost low by not including a large battery.

Chevrolet plans to introduce the gasoline version of the Spark at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November.

It will be tiny, about 14 inches shorter than Chevrolet’s smallest car, the recently launched Sonic, and about 4 inches longer than what’s sure to be a rival vehicle, the Fiat 500.

The gasoline Spark will be powered by a 1.2 liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 83 horsepower and will come with a five-speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission will be available. No price information has been released.

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Photo: Chevrolet Spark electric car. Credit: General Motors Co.

Electric vehicle guru Tom Gage leaves AC Propulsion [Updated]

 
Electric car pioneer Thomas Gage has resigned the chief executive’s post at AC Propulsion.

[Updated Oct. 5, 2011, 4:30 p.m.: “Gage’s resignation was a joint decision between Gage and the AC Propulsion Board of Directors. The move will allow AC Propulsion to align more closely with its investors and expanding EV component market in China,” the company said in a statement.

AC Propulsion said Gage did not say what he plans to do next except that he would remain involved with electric vehicles and would provide more details at a later date.]

The San Dimas company makes high-tech batteries and drive systems for electric vehicles, including a test fleet of BMW's electric Minis. The company also has built drive trains for electric motorcycles and has retrofitted a post office delivery van into a plug-in electric vehicle.

Gage, who left Tuesday, joined AC Propulsion in 1996, directing strategy and market planning, business development, and communications.

Gage has had a long career in the auto industry. 

A self-described "car nut" since childhood, Gage moved to Georgia to work as a race mechanic after graduating from Stanford University with an engineering degree.  He then landed a job at Chrysler, where he received his first exposure to electric transportation, working on a program to develop plug-in passenger vehicles.

That effort sputtered, and Gage ultimately left Detroit for California to consult on advanced vehicle technologies, eventually joining AC Propulsion and working his way up to the chief executive’s post.

One of his more recent moves at AC Propulsion was to start construction of a second, bigger plant in China, attracted by real estate benefits, tax breaks and the promise of product purchases by opportunistic officials eager for American technology. However, in an interview, Gage told the times that research and development would remain in the United States.

Paul F. Carosa, the company’s vice president of engineering, is serving as interim president.

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Photo: Tom Cage, who resigned as CEO of AC Propulsion in San Dimas, with an electric motor that will power this postal van. Credit: Glenn Koenig/Los Angeles Times

 

 

Sneak video of new Fisker Surf sporty hybrid car [video]

There is a sneak video of the new Fisker Surf sport wagon.

It will be an electric hybrid vehicle based on Karma sedan that Fisker is rolling out now.  

Fisker expects production to begin the middle of next year alongside Karma at Valmet, the Anaheim-based automaker's contract assembly house in Finland. No information on pricing is available as of yet.

The starting price of the Karma is $95,900. But buyers are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

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Photo: Fisker Surf. Credit: TVC Group.