New York 2010: PEP Stations are the “Credit-Card Friendly” Way to Charge Your Electric Car

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An example of the PEP Station – the charging stations from Michigan-based company PEP Stations – is on display at the New York Auto Show this week, giving potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers the chance to see what their potential public power outlets will look like. The main external features? A SAE J1772-compliant charging cord and a credit card reader. The idea is to make it entirely easy to grab some power using the networked device whenever the car sits for a while. The demo screen on this display unit offered us charge times of between one and five hours in 60-minute increments.

PEP Stations – the PEP stands for “plug-in electric power” – is a collaboration between design firm James Blain Associates and engineering consultant Ricardo. Aside from the display unit, two PEP units will also be used in New York to recharge the vehicles cruising through the Green Car Journal EV Pavilion’s indoor track. Each unit can charge two vehicles at once, which makes these things twice as smart as units from other companies that can only charge one car at a time.

PRESS RELEASE

Ricardo and PEP Stations to Demonstrate “Pay at the Plug” EV Charging Station at the New York Auto Show

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., March 30 /PRNewswire/ — Electric-vehicle drivers who dream of roaming the country and “paying at the plug” for electricity can see a glimpse of the future at the 2010 New York International Auto Show’s EV Pavilion, where Ricardo Inc., in collaboration with PEP Stations LLC, will demonstrate its credit card-friendly electric vehicle charging station.

The PEP Station is the exclusive recharging station at the Green Car Journal EV Pavilion, a high-profile showcase of electric vehicles and green technologies, which will feature an indoor ride-and-drive test track. More than one million visitors are expected to visit the EV Pavilion over the course of the auto show, which is open to the general public April 3-11. A media preview will be held March 31 and April 1.

Two PEP Stations, which allow drivers of electric vehicles to access electricity via an access card or credit card just like today’s conventional fuel pumps, have been installed at the test track and will be used to charge the many electric vehicles being actively demonstrated. PEP Station team members will man three additional units, which will be available for display and demonstration purposes.

Although electric-vehicle owners can charge at home, in order for the driver to roam with total confidence, an infrastructure for out-of-home charging must be developed to make charging easy. The earliest adopters of the PEP station likely will be companies that offer access as an incentive for their employees to drive green vehicles. Longer term, commercial recharging will become common.

“The first question most people ask when they begin to toy with the idea of owning an electric vehicle is, ‘How much will I save in gas?’” says PEP Stations President James Blain. “Equally as important as the first question, the second question is, ‘Where will I charge my vehicle?’ That’s where we come in.

“As the electric-vehicle market begins to flourish, consumers will need a convenient, reliable and easily accessible way to charge their vehicle outside of the home. It’s that simple,” he added. “The PEP Station does just that in a safe, reliable, user-friendly, 220V charging station that can easily be installed at commercial destinations such as office buildings, restaurants, retail outlets, health clubs and more.”

“With CO2 emissions reduction targets being adopted around the world, we expect to see steady growth in the market for electrified vehicles, such as hybrids, pure electric vehicles and range-extending plug-in hybrids,” said Ricardo global director of controls and electronics Karina Morley.

“The creation of a commercially viable and effective recharging infrastructure will be a key enabler to the achievement of climate-change goals by allowing drivers of these electrified vehicles to maximize their zero-emission mileage.”

The new PEP Stations, which allow two vehicles to be charged simultaneously, are aimed at building a solid charging infrastructure as the electric-vehicle market begins to grow. Each one features a reinforced concrete base, a touch-screen interface and a built-in point-of-sale terminal, which makes it the most durable and user-friendly charge station available. The units are engineered with auto-grade components, its dual connectors are SAE J1772 compliant and they will come with UL approval.

All stations will be centrally monitored and have communication capabilities to allow for diagnostic reporting, software updates and custom advertising/graphic display updates via the LCD screen. All of this is aesthetically captured in a highly identifiable design.

The PEP Station has been developed to complement the release of electric vehicles in the second half of 2010. Production units will include a wall-mount version and will be available at the beginning of the fourth quarter 2010.

About PEP Stations LLC

Conceptualized, designed and sold by PEP Stations, LLC, PEP Stations are a joint collaboration of James Blain Associates and Ricardo. James Blain Associates is a Michigan-based design and architectural company with over thirty years of award-winning commercial design experience. For more information visit www.pepstations.com or email info@pepstations.com.

About Ricardo

Ricardo, the Eco-Innovation Technology Company, is a leading independent provider of technology, product innovation, engineering solutions and strategic consulting to the world’s automotive, military, transport and new-energy industries. The company’s skill base represents the state of the art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: “Ricardo is Fuel Economy.” Ricardo offers TVFE(TM), its Total Vehicle Fuel Economy engineering service, to transportation manufacturers and related government agencies worldwide to provide objective evaluation of all available technologies to identify the most cost-effective strategies to accomplish fuel economy and CO2 goals.

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo provides engineering expertise ranging from vehicle systems integration, controls and electronics, hardware and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel-cell power train technologies. Ricardo’s customers include the world’s major automakers and suppliers, as well as manufacturers in the military, commercial, off-highway and clean-energy sectors. The company also serves in advisory roles to governmental and independent agencies. Ricardo’s U.S. operation, Ricardo Inc., is headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Ricardo plc posted sales of $296.6 million in financial year 2009 and is a constituent of the FTSE TechMark 100 index, a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

[Via: Ricardo Inc.]

Lincoln Unveils its First Hybrid – The MKZ – Which Could Get 41 MPG

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Rumors of a new Lincoln hybrid debuting at the New York Auto Show this week are true, as the new MKZ Hybrid officially debuts on the Ford stand later today. Ford’s president of The Americas, Mark Fields, said the MKZ Hybrid “delivers the best fuel efficiency of any luxury sedan in America.” Official numbers are not yet available, but the estimate is that the MKZ Hybrid will be 41 miles per gallon (city). More interestingly, the new Lincoln hybrid can reach speeds of 47 miles per hour while being powered only by the battery. Ford would like everyone to compare these specs to the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, which gets 35 mpg in the city and can only get up to 25 mph in all-EV mode.

When burning gasoline, the MKZ Hybrid will use a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I-4 hybrid engine that, when combined with the powerplant’s electric motor, offers 191 horsepower. The car goes on sale in the fall.

 

 

[Via: Green Autoblog]

Nissan Leaf US Pricing Officially Announced: As Low as $25,280*

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Nissan Leaf - attribution Tom Raftery

It’s official: starting this December, Nissan dealerships in select U.S markets will start selling the all-electric Leaf, the first mass-produced, zero-emission vehicle, at a starting price of $32,780. After $7,500 worth of federal tax credits, the price should drop to as low as $25,280. There are several states offering additional tax credits that could lower the cost of owning a Leaf even more – such as a $5,000 statewide tax rebate in California, a $5,000 tax credit in Georgia and a $1,500 tax credit in Oregon.

Nissan also announced a lease program for the Leaf that will put you in the drivers seat for $349 a month for three years.

Earlier today, Nissan announced pricing for the Leaf in Japan. Base price will be ¥3.76 million (roughly $40,700 USD) before any tax breaks. With the current ¥770,000 EV incentive in Japan, that price will drop to a bit over $33,000.

So why are the Leafs (Leaves?) more expensive in their home country than they are in America? The simple answer is that Nissan wants the Leaf to be competitive.

Additionally, Nissan will offer personal charging docks, which operate on a 220-volt supply. Nissan is providing these home-charging stations as part of a one-stop-shop process that includes a home assessment by a certified technician to ensure that your garage is plug-in ready. The average cost for the charging dock plus installation will be $2,200. But charging docks and installation are eligible for a 50% federal tax credit up to $2,000. So after the tax credit, the average cost for the charging dock would be $1100.

Starting April 20, interested customers who have signed up at nissanusa.com can put down a refundable $99 reservation fee. Official ordering doesn’t start until August with deliveries scheduled to start in December. The Leaf goes on sale nationwide by the end of 2011. See the official press release after the break.

[Via: Green Autoblog]

Report: Lincoln MKZ Hybrid to Debut in New York

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When we take a hard look at the current Lincoln lineup, we see some issues. For starters, the Navigator, MKS, MKT, MKX and MKZ aren’t exactly setting the sales charts on fire. Come to think of it, we just listed the entire Lincoln lineup. Okay, so Ford’s luxury marquee can easily be likened to a well-heeled slice of Swiss cheese, but we have proof that The Blue Oval is trying to breath new life into the brand. We loved the MKT, the 2011 MKX looks extremely promising and it looks like the four-pointed star is getting into the hybrid business as well.

The Detroit News reports that Lincoln will debut a hybrid MKZ this week at the New York Auto Show. The MKZ will likely share the same powertrain as the Ford Fusion Hybrid; a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle mill mated to an eCVT transmission, along with an electric motor drawing power from a 275-volt nickel metal hydride battery pack. The MKZ hybrid will be the first battery-assisted model in the Lincoln lineup, giving Ford a luxury hybrid competitor to the Lexus HS 250h.

And if the MKZ does in fact carry the same powertrain as its more pedestrian sibling in the Ford dealership, the Lincoln should have more than competitive fuel economy. The HS 250h is rated at 35 miles per gallon city and 34 miles per gallon highway, while the Fusion Hybrid manages a 41/36 mix. The MKZ is a big bigger, too, and price should be comparable. Also helping the MKZ’s case for life is the fact that Lincolns carry higher MSRPs than the typical Ford or Mercury, giving The Blue Oval a theoretically bigger margin with which to make a profit.

The down side to the MKZ hybrid is the fact that Ford is pretty well restricted on how many hybrids it can produce. Unless Ford has struck a deal to increase its hybrid powertrain output, the MKZ will simply shift the allocation of hybrids in the Ford family instead of adding to the overall totals. We’re also very interested to see if Ford strives to differentiate the MKZ from its more pedestrian siblings to better-justify the undoubtedly higher price tag that comes with the Lincoln badge. We’ll be staked out at the New York auto show for the chance to know for sure.

[Via: The Detroit News via The Truth About Cars]

New York Preview: 40 MPG Chevrolet Cruze Eco

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General Motors revealed today the brand new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco, a new car set to make its official debut at this year’s New York Auto Show.

According to the manufacturer, this new vehicle will be capable to deliver an impressive fuel consumption of 40 mpg on the highway. In order to obtain these performances, the American manufacturer the new car features a lower front grille air shutter that closes at higher speeds to improve aerodynamics and opens at lower speeds to optimize engine-cooling airflow, the upper grille comes with more “closeouts” to improve aerodynamics, a new lower front air dam extension, lowered ride height in order to improve aerodynamics and unique 17-inch lightweight aluminum wheels wrapped in ultra-low rolling resistance 17-inch Goodyear tires.

Also, the car comes with power windows, power locks and air conditioning. “We looked at every single possibility of squeezing out the last tenth of a mile per gallon,” said Mike Danowski, Cruze product manager.

According to Danowski, the car carries an electric motor connected to the fascia shutters and which can close automatically at 37 mph and reopen at 34 mph. With this new electric motor, there is a 0.016 improvement in the coefficient of drag.

Apparently, the manufacturer has made the best choice: rather than cutting content to reduce weight, Chevrolet relied on aerodynamic improvements, an axle ratio that optimizes fuel economy and low-rolling-resistance tires.

Under the hood we find a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine capable to deliver 138 hp and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm). With this engine, the car can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds while the model fitted with an automatic gearbox can achieve the same speed in 9 seconds.

 

 

[Via: General Motors and 4WheelsNews]