Fiat Eschews EV’s, Chooses CNG

While every other major automaker in the world is pouring billions of dollars into research for electric vehicles, Fiat doesn’t seem to be all that interested in electric cars. Instead, it’s putting its efforts into producing cars that can run on compressed natural gas. Even more importantly, it’s offering what it calls bi-fuel cars, which can run on both gasoline and CNG.

In fact, the Italian automaker is more bullish on bi-fuel cars than it is on diesels. It prides itself on having the lowest average CO2 emissions of any major automaker in Europe. Low emission ratings are a big deal to European car buyers. And Fiat believes it can continue to maintain its lead with engines that can run on both gasoline and CNG.

Most of Fiat’s sales come from the low-end of the market, tiny A- and B-class cars that don’t cost a lot of money. The people who buy these cars typically can’t even afford to pay the premium to get a diesel engine. And forget about hybrids or electric cars, they’re simply further out of their price range.

Now Fiat thinks it has another idea that could push it far ahead of everyone else when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. It wants to combine hydrogen gas with compressed natural gas and offer the cleanest burning engines in the industry.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

GOVERNMENT WANTS 60-MPG CAFE

Last year, when the federal government set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards at roughly 35 miles per gallon by 2015, automakers squirmed uncomfortably. Though that should be an achievable target, it won’t be easy. It means Americans will have to buy several million more small cars a year, they’ll have to buy fewer trucks and SUVs, and they’ll have to pay thousands of dollars more for the technology needed to meet those standards.

But now it sure looks like the government is getting ready to set a new fuel economy standard of 60 mpg by 2025. According to Ward’s, both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will release the new standard next month. Is it at all realistic to think that we can double the fuel economy standard in a decade?

Remember, that 60 mpg target is a fleet average. That means all of the cars and trucks and SUVs and crossovers and vans that an automaker sells will need their fuel economy to average out at 60 mpg. That’s not going to be easy. It’s not just a matter of building the right kinds of cars, it’s about getting people to buy them.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

TOYOTA’S HYBRIDS COULD BE BANNED FROM THE AMERICAN MARKET

In a shocking development Toyota faces a lawsuit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission that seeks to ban the import of all hybrids to the American market. Toyota is being sued by Paice LLC for patent infringement on its hybrid system.

Before you think this is just a frivolous lawsuit that has no standing whatsoever, consider the fact that Paice has already successfully sued Toyota on five counts of patent infringement, and won on three of them. In April of this year, Paice was awarded by the Federal district court in the Eastern District of Texas a future royalty of for every Prius sold.

Toyota is appealing that verdict, but just to up the ante Paice decided to file its suit with the ITC and go for an all-out ban on all the hybrids the giant Japanese automaker brings into the U.S. market.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John McElroy is host of the TV program “Autoline Detroit” and daily web video “Autoline Daily”. Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

Why Car Names Really Matter

What’s in a name? Does it really matter what you call a car, or will a car sell well as long as it’s well designed?

As an enthusiast, I always felt that the name of a car never really mattered all that much. I was always more interested in the design and the mechanical aspects of the machine rather than the badge. If it had a cool sounding name, sure, that was good. But to me a great car was a great car no matter what they called it.

Now I’m not so sure.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John McElroy is host of the TV program “Autoline Detroit” and daily web video “Autoline Daily”. Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

Why Saturn Failed

In the early 1980s General Motors launched a top-secret program to figure out how it could build a small car to successfully compete against the Japanese automakers. It was called the S-car program and the results of this study shocked top management at GM.

It conclusively proved General Motors could not profitably build a small car in the United States that was priced against the Japanese — at least not under the current GM system. And that launched another study to figure out what it would take become competitive.

GM concluded that it needed a clean-sheet approach to designing, engineering, manufacturing and retailing small cars in the American market. In other words, it needed a whole new car company. And so Saturn was born.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John McElroy is host of the TV program “Autoline Detroit” and daily web video “Autoline Daily”. Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.