Tesla sees reason to hire military veterans for Model S production

September 6, 2011, 5:43 pm

≫ Next: BMW, SGL open state-of-the-art carbon fiber facility in Washington

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Tesla Motors, Videos

There is a lot of military logic to getting off oil. Just ask James Woolsey (or many, many others). So, it also makes some sense to have military veterans build electric cars in the U.S., and that's just what Tesla Motors is doing as it staffs up its Fremont, CA plant to produce the Model S.

Tesla is hiring all sorts of qualified people, but the company says it is making a "concerted effort to hire military veterans," as the CBS Evening News recently reported. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a statement:

Veterans are an ideal fit for Tesla. In addition to technical and mechanical skill, many of them have the ability to lead within a cooperative team - a trait that defines Tesla culture. Hiring veterans perfectly complements Tesla's mission to move toward energy security and stability.

Jared Bayer, formerly in the Air Force, is profiled the CBS piece, and he said the Model S release date is looming - but he's not worried. "That target date that we is have is coming pretty quick, and I'm going to do whatever I can to brining what I have to offer to make this product a success," he said. Check out the video after the jump.

Continue reading Tesla sees reason to hire military veterans for Model S production

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BMW, SGL open state-of-the-art carbon fiber facility in Washington

September 9, 2011, 9:15 am

≫ Next: General Motors opens $200-million diesel engine factory in Thailand

≪ Previous: Tesla sees reason to hire military veterans for Model S production

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, BMW, Lightweight, USA

Central Washington could soon become a future automotive hub, if BMW's vision of carbon fiber plug-in vehicles catches on. Standing next to BMW's upcoming i3, chairman of the German automaker, Norbert Reithofer, told a crowd of 150 in Moses Lake, WA that carbon fiber is key to the evolution of plug-ins. Reithofer stated:

Passenger cells are made from carbon fiber to compensate for the greater weight of batteries. Using carbon fiber on this scale has never been attempted before.

As Reithofer spoke, the 600-foot carbon fiber machine operated in the next room, winding multiple strands of the high-tech fiber onto spools to be shipped to Germany. There, the fiber will be transformed into passenger cells.

Robert Koehler, chief executive officer of SGL Group - BMW's carbon fiber teammate - stated that an additional machine is on order and says it should be operational in less than 18 months. Together, the two machines will pump out 3,000 tons of carbon fiber a year. But if BMW's i lineup of vehicles is successful, SGL could add up to ten additional machines. This is just one small part of a bigger change in the industry, as Koehler said that BMW's use of carbon fiber in vehicles slated for mass-production is a significant milestone in the automotive industry.

Continue reading BMW, SGL open state-of-the-art carbon fiber facility in Washington

BMW, SGL open state-of-the-art carbon fiber facility in Washington originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors opens $200-million diesel engine factory in Thailand

September 12, 2011, 7:00 am

≫ Next: DOE funds 16 projects to speed adoption of plug-in vehicles with $14.9 million

≪ Previous: BMW, SGL open state-of-the-art carbon fiber facility in Washington

Filed under: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, GM, Asia

On Friday, General Motors swung open the doors to its "state-of-the-art," $200-million diesel engine factory located in Thailand's eastern Rayong province. This facility is the U.S. automaker's first diesel production site in Southeast Asia and part of Thailand's push to become a bigger producer of eco-friendlier vehicles.

The factory, which sits adjacent to GM's vehicle manufacturing site, has a production capacity of approximately 120,000 diesel engines a year, says GM Southeast Asia president Martin Apfel. Initially, the Rayong facility will pump out 100,000 engines in 2012 before cranking up to full production capacity in 2013.

The General says the facility will manufacture Duramax four-cylinder diesel engines and that most of the Duramax engines will find a resting place in Chevrolet Colorado trucks, which will be made in Thailand and sold both domestically and abroad.

GM's outlay of cash for the diesel engine factory boosted its cumulative investment in Thailand to $1.3 billion since 1998.

Continue reading General Motors opens $200-million diesel engine factory in Thailand

General Motors opens $200-million diesel engine factory in Thailand originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DOE funds 16 projects to speed adoption of plug-in vehicles with $14.9 million

September 12, 2011, 9:00 am

≫ Next: First production Kangoo Z.E. rolls off the line in France

≪ Previous: General Motors opens $200-million diesel engine factory in Thailand

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Legislation and Policy, Lightweight, USA

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced its selection of 16 projects in 24 states supporting activities designed to accelerate the adoption of plug-in vehicles across the nation. Under the Clean Cities Initiative, the DOE awarded $8.5 million to 16 selected projects. According to the DOE, the "funding recipients range from communities with extensive electric vehicle experience to those that are eager to begin, but have not previously had resources to do so." Click here for a breakdown of the 16 projects selected by the DOE.

In addition, the Department, under its Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) initiative, selected seven projects aimed to prep college students for future careers in designing and manufacturing advanced vehicle technologies. The awardees will focus on three technologies: hybrid propulsion, energy storage and lightweight materials. The DOE will fork over $6.4 million to fund these seven GATE projects.

Continue reading DOE funds 16 projects to speed adoption of plug-in vehicles with $14.9 million

DOE funds 16 projects to speed adoption of plug-in vehicles with $14.9 million originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First production Kangoo Z.E. rolls off the line in France

September 12, 2011, 5:12 pm

≫ Next: Coda teams with Amports to open final assembly site in California

≪ Previous: DOE funds 16 projects to speed adoption of plug-in vehicles with $14.9 million

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Renault, Europe/EU

Today, Renault rolled the first production Kangoo Z.E. off the production line at it's plant in Maubeuge, France. Maubeuge has actually been making the all-electric utility van for about a year, but the 350 or so units that have been made were all sent off for fleet testing and other "how do we actually make an electric van?" projects. To mark the occasion today, both Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and the French Minister for Industry, Energy and the Digital Economy, Éric Besson, paid a visit to Maubeuge, where Ghosn said 100 new employees will be or have been hired this year to produce the van.

The production Kangoo Z.E. will hit showrooms in Europe next month, but the company has been taking orders since earlier this year. The van has a certain appeal, most notably in the price: it starts at 20,000 euros ($27,245 U.S. at today's exchange rate) but then you need to figure more to lease the battery. The Kangoo Z.E. uses a 44 kW electric motor and a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery to offer an official range of 106 miles and comes in two flavors, the standard two-seater and a Maxi five seater. There is also a 5,000-euro tax incentive available for some purchasers.

Continue reading First production Kangoo Z.E. rolls off the line in France

First production Kangoo Z.E. rolls off the line in France originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coda teams with Amports to open final assembly site in California

September 14, 2011, 5:03 pm

≫ Next: Saft kick starts lithium-ion battery production at Florida facility

≪ Previous: First production Kangoo Z.E. rolls off the line in France

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, USA, Coda Automotive

Officials from Amports and startup Coda Automotive have struck a deal to open a final assembly facility for the electric Coda Sedan in Benicia, CA.

Coda says the Benicia site will generate 50 jobs and, perhaps more importantly to the company, between 10,000 and 14,000 Coda Sedans are expected to roll through the doors by the end of 2012. Coda Automotive will ship gliders from China to the Bay Area where the unfinished sedans will then be trucked from the Port of Oakland to Benicia. Once inside the Benicia site, Amports technicians will install the Coda Sedan's major drivetrain components, including its 33.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Coda still insists the four-door, five-passenger, $44,900 electric sedan will launch in the U.S. before the end of 2011. Coda officials told Times-Herald that its partnership with Amports is "long-term," but did not give details on terms of the contract.

Coda teams with Amports to open final assembly site in California originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saft kick starts lithium-ion battery production at Florida facility

September 16, 2011, 2:57 pm

≫ Next: Johnson Controls to construct $100 million stop-start battery factory in China

≪ Previous: Coda teams with Amports to open final assembly site in California

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, USA

Last Friday, $95.5 million in stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Energy helped open Saft's 16th facility worldwide. This factory, referred to by Saft as the world's most advanced automated lithium-ion battery site, is located in Jacksonville, FL.

The Saft factory, a $200-million, 240,000-square-foot facility, will produce lithium-ion batteries for use mainly in the military and aerospace industries. Saft expects to pump out up to 700,000 batteries in 2012 and says that, by 2013, three lines will be operational and that production could jump to three million li-ion units annually.

Saft chief executive officer Jon Searle says of the Jacksonville factory:

We are going to be selling these batteries throughout the world. This is not just a factory to supply products throughout America. This is a factory to supply batteries to the whole network of Saft around the world.

For more on Saft's trick military setup, check this out. It's stealthy, that's for sure.

Continue reading Saft kick starts lithium-ion battery production at Florida facility

Saft kick starts lithium-ion battery production at Florida facility originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Johnson Controls to construct $100 million stop-start battery factory in China

September 19, 2011, 2:10 pm

≫ Next: Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

≪ Previous: Saft kick starts lithium-ion battery production at Florida facility

Filed under: Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, China

Johnson Controls announced Wednesday that it's investing $100 million to construct a stop-start automotive battery factory in China. The facility will supply global and local automakers in Asia and is expected to gear up for production in early 2013. Kim Metcalf-Kupres, vice president strategy, sales and marketing at Johnson Controls Power Solutions says China, "will continue to be the fastest growing market for automobiles through the end of this decade."

Johnson Controls says it will produce 2.4 million stop-start batteries annually by 2015. Aside from China, JC is exploring several other potential locations for a battery manufacturing facility and expects to announce its decision in the coming months.

According to Johnson Controls, demand for fuel-efficient autos is driving more and more original equipment manufacturers to add stop-start technology to their vehicles. Someone's got to provide the components, and Johnson Controls is expanding its operations to be that someone.

Continue reading Johnson Controls to construct $100 million stop-start battery factory in China

Johnson Controls to construct $100 million stop-start battery factory in China originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

September 20, 2011, 3:12 pm

≫ Next: Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

≪ Previous: Johnson Controls to construct $100 million stop-start battery factory in China

Filed under: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Jaguar, Land Rover, UK

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced it will invest £355 million ($484 million U.S. at the current exchange rate) to construct a state-of-the-art advanced engine facility in the UK, as the automaker seeks growth by addressing global demand for low-emission gasoline and diesel engines.

Announced by the automaker's chief executive officer, Dr. Ralf Speth, JLR will use this soon-to-be constructed facility to design, engineer and manufacture advanced four-cylinder engines for future Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles. Full details on the engines that will be developed at the UK site are not available, but the automaker has confirmed that both gasoline and diesel engines are part of the scheme. Additional reports suggest electric motors and hybrid powertrains are included in JLR's game plan, as well. At this year's Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover reps were telling the media that the brand's first hybrid vehicles should be coming in 2013, with plug-ins to follow a year later.

Continue reading Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

September 20, 2011, 3:12 pm

≫ Next: VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

≪ Previous: Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

Filed under: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Jaguar, Land Rover, UK

Continue reading Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

September 21, 2011, 8:57 am

≫ Next: VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

≪ Previous: Jaguar-Land Rover to construct $484-million 4-cylinder engine factory in UK

Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Volkswagen, Germany

Volkswagen AG says it will invest €62 billion ($85.5 billion U.S. at the current exchange rate) in innovation and technology projects, primarily in Germany, within five years as it eyes becoming the world's leading automaker.

The German automaker announced on Friday that much of its investment between 2012 and 2016 will focus on the development of eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrid, diesel and electric automobiles. Additionally, VW says investments will be made to extend its development of innovative drive systems and to modernize production. The German automaker also says wind, solar and other renewable energy sources will be used to power several of its factories.

Of the $85.5 billion, VW says 57 percent ($48.7 billion) will be spent in Germany and will focus on alternative drives, next-generation diesel and gasoline engines and direct-shift gearboxes.

Continue reading VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

September 21, 2011, 8:57 am

≫ Next: Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

≪ Previous: VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Volkswagen, Germany

Continue reading VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

October 6, 2011, 11:02 am

≫ Next: Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

≪ Previous: VW to invest $85 billion by 2016 to increase production, develop advanced technologies

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Th!nk (Think)

For years, CEO Charles Gassenheimer was the friendly, public face of battery maker Ener1, speaking with AutoblogGreen many times over the years about his company's work with Think and Volvo and others. The company's history was long fraught with difficulty because of the way it was tied to Think and its bankruptcy problems, but Gassenheimer was always optimistic about the prospects of Ener1's lithium-ion batteries being used for automobiles and stationary grid storage. Last week, he resigned from his position after a year in which Ener1 stock dropped 95 percent.

In a similar story, Tom Gage has stepped down from the CEO position at AC Propulsion, to "allow AC Propulsion to align more closely with its investors and expanding EV component market in China," according to a company statement.

We have no idea what the real cause of all this turmoil is, but OTC Equity is pretty sure that Ener1's problem lies not specifically with the battery maker but with the lithium-ion industry as a whole. Specifically, "At its current pace of production by 2015 there will be more than double the supply of lithium-ion batteries compared to the number of electric vehicles manufactured by car companies."

OTC doesn't say how it calculates this double supply, but we heard the exact same thing two years ago from Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. Since 2009, the prospects for electric drive vehicles of all stripes looks stronger now than ever before - and no-one is seriously proposing any chemistry other than li-ion for the near-term. If the battery makers can build a whole bunch of batteries, we're pretty sure they will get used.

Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

October 6, 2011, 11:02 am

≫ Next: GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

≪ Previous: Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Th!nk (Think)

Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

October 10, 2011, 12:48 pm

≫ Next: GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

≪ Previous: Are Ener1, AC Propulsion shake-ups signs that demand for li-ion batteries is low?

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM

Earlier this year, word was General Motors would add something like 900 to 1,000 jobs and a second shift to its Detroit-Hamtramck plant to increase production of the Chevy Volt from 16,000 a year to 60,000. With Volt sales not exactly smashing records, the AP is now reporting that GM will delay adding that second shift until mid-2012. The plant makes more than just the Volt, and the new shift will coincide with the start of 2013 Chevrolet Malibu production.

Have no fear, Volt supporters. GM says that some extra workers (around 300) will still be needed and that GM will still be able to make more Volts according to schedule, it just found ways to squeeze more cars out of the single shift. As GM spokesman Chris Lee told the AP, "This decision will significantly reduce costs, and has no impact on the plant's ability to make 60,000 Volts and Amperas. This approach is just a more efficient way to make the same number of vehicles."

But, TheDetroitBureau notes, GM may be setting the groundwork for lowered Volt sales expectations by defining them as when they leave the plant, not when they are actually bought by a customer. Might the change in adding a second shift have something to do with this? We're certain Volt detractors will let us know their opinion soon enough.

GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

October 10, 2011, 12:48 pm

≫ Next: Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

≪ Previous: GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet, GM

GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

October 13, 2011, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

≪ Previous: GM not adding second shift at Chevy Volt plant; will keep production target

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Honda, Natural Gas

Let the natural gas revolution begin.

Tuesday marked the start of mass production of the 2012 Civic Natural Gas at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN). HMIN will rapidly ramp-up output of the Civic Natural Gas to meet anticipated demand for the clean-burning compact.

As part of the ramp-up, HMIN has hired nearly 1,000 additional workers and will add a second shift on October 24 to double the facility's annual production capacity. Honda says the added production will be required to support the automaker's growing network of natural gas-certified dealers throughout the U.S. The number of qualified dealers will soon climb from 72 in four states to nearly 200 in 36 states.

The 2012 Civic Natural Gas is powered by the cleanest internal combustion engine ever certified by the EPA and is the only OEM-manufactured natural gas passenger vehicle available in America. The fully redesigned Civic Natural Gas will hit dealerships October 18 with an MSRP starting at $26,155.

Continue reading Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

October 13, 2011, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: Toyota, Honda say Thai floods may impact Prius production, U.S. vehicles

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Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Honda, Natural Gas

Continue reading Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota, Honda say Thai floods may impact Prius production, U.S. vehicles

October 27, 2011, 4:39 pm

≫ Next: Toyota, Honda say Thai floods may impact Prius production, U.S. vehicles

≪ Previous: Honda kicks off production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas

Filed under: Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Honda, Toyota, Asia

Automotive News reports that Toyota may experience production delays tied to widespread flooding in Thailand. The Japanese automaker relies on certain Thai components, including audio systems, diodes and condensers, that may see production shortages. Honda, too, has issued a statement that the rising waters are delaying production of some vehicles.

Such shortages have already caused three plants in Thailand to be shut down entirely and some of Toyota's facilities in Japan to scale back production. Now there's a chance that the squeeze may be placed on some North American Toyota plants. Currently, the automaker says that it's evaluating its supply chain to determine just how far-reaching the production delays will be but Green Car Reports notes that the Prius has been affected. Since late 2010, Toyota has built the world's most popular hybrid in Thailand.

The AN report indicates that Toyota is already considering cutting one day of Saturday work at its four North American facilities and contemplating additional overtime restrictions. As of right now, the automaker says it has enough parts in stock to continue production while its suppliers source components from Malaysia and the Philippines. All told, the flooding in Thailand has caused a restriction on around 100 individual Toyota components.

Continue reading Toyota, Honda say Thai floods may impact Prius production, U.S. vehicles

Toyota, Honda say Thai floods may impact Prius production, U.S. vehicles originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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