The Electrification Era Moves Closer For Cars. According to Consumer Reports, “At this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, just under the sheet metal and hoods of new models, it was apparent that electrification is becoming a reality—especially with the introduction of 48-volt mild hybrids in models coming in the next year. For months now, companies have been promising more ‘electrified’ models, turning their business plans into a kind of battery-powered arms race. Ford and GM are among car companies worldwide that are making proclamations about investing huge sums of money into hybrid, plug-in, or fully electric models. That doesn’t mean you’ll have to give up your gasoline-powered car or SUV—at least not yet. When these auto executives talk about electrification, they don’t just mean cars like the Chevrolet Bolt or Tesla’s pricey luxury models. They mean a mix of models that are either entirely powered by batteries (think Tesla Model 3), gas-electric hybrids (Toyota Prius), plug-in hybrid or range extender vehicles (Chevy Volt) and, increasingly, cars called ‘mild hybrids.’ … ‘You get significant fuel-economy benefit at a fraction of the cost’ of a more complex hybrid system, such as the one in the Prius, Avila said. ‘It’s a decent payback.’ Continental predicts that about half of the hybrids sold in 2025 will be mild-hybrid, 48-volt systems, Avila said.” [Consumer Reports, 1/19/18 (+)]

 

Trump Expected To Lower MPG Rules, But Automakers Still Race To Build More EVs And Hybrids . According to Forbes, “Automakers are expecting the Trump Administration to propose lightening fuel economy standards at the end of March, potentially making it easier to keep selling more trucks and SUVs, which carry fatter profits. But even if Trump’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration moves to ease the standards as expected, automakers will keep investing in battery and fuel-cell technology to lessen the automobile’s dependence on the internal combustion engine because large markets like Europe and China continue to establish CO2-reducing regulations, and future White House Administrations and Congresses will likely move to re-instate tougher rules. NHTSA Acting Administrator Heidi King said in an interview Tuesday with Bloomberg at the Detroit auto show that the coming proposed rule would be released on March 30. Under a process set during the Obama administration, the proposal would cover model years 2022 through 2025. ‘It will be a proposal that will stimulate dialogue, robust listening to the data and the stakeholders that should inform a decision before we go to a final rule stage,’ King told Bloomberg.” [Forbes, 1/17/18 (=)]

 

Nissan's ePower Tech Coming To U.S. Vehicles. According to Automotive News, “Startled by enthusiastic consumer demand for ePower in Japan last year, Nissan Motor Co. now plans to introduce the electric motor-powered technology to its vehicles in the U.S. But unlike its Japanese application in the humble subcompact Note, Nissan will more likely use ePower here as an option on higher-end vehicles, said Philippe Klein, the automaker’s chief planning officer, speaking to Automotive News on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show last week. Klein did not say which Nissan brand products might receive ePower but suggested it will begin with higher-priced nameplates that can absorb the added cost of the powertrain. Meanwhile, Klein’s boss, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa, told the Automotive News World Congress last week that Infiniti will begin offering ePower in the near future. Saikawa said ePower will play a key role in Infiniti’s move to almost completely electrify its lineup starting in 2021.” [Automotive News, 1/21/18 (=)]

 

Switching To Electric Cars Is Key To Fixing America's 'Critically Insufficient' Climate Policies. According to Guardian, “In order to meet its share of the carbon pollution cuts needed to achieve the 2°C Paris international climate target, America’s policies are rated as ‘critically insufficient’ by the Climate Action Tracker. The Trump Administration has taken every possible step to undo the Obama Administration’s climate policies, including announcing that America will be the only world country to withdraw from the Paris agreement, and trying to repeal the Clean Power Plan. In 2020, the next American president will have to make up the lost ground and come up with a plan to rapidly accelerate the country’s transition away from fossil fuels. Currently, transportation and power generation each account for about 30% of US greenhouse gas emissions, so those sectors represent the prime targets for pollution cuts. Carbon pollution from electricity is already falling fast But the power sector is already rapidly decarbonizing because coal can’t compete in the marketplace. In some regions, new wind and solar with battery storage have already become cheaper than continuing to operate existing coal plants, and the International Renewable Energy Agency has concluded that by 2020, ‘all the renewable power generation technologies that are now in commercial use are expected to fall within the fossil fuel-fired cost range.’” [Guardian, 1/22/18 (+)]