The upcoming Chevy Volt is going to have the ability to communicate with you via an Iphone App.  The application will sync with the Volt’s OnStar system, allowing its owner to monitor everything from the charging schedule to pre-set temperature settings inside the car (!).  A list of the functionalities can be seen below:

• * Display the car’s charging status and schedule charging. There is also an immediate ”charge now” override option
• * Display of the car’ state of charge, as well as electric and total ranges
• * Allow the driver to program grid-friendly charging times, so as to charge only when rates are low
• * Give the driver text or email notifications if the car wasn’t plugged in
• * Let the driver remotely precondition the vehicle’s cabin temperature using grid electricity when plugged in, operates both heating and air conditioning
• * Notify the driver if charging is for some reason interrupted, and when its fully charged
• * Display the car’s historic fuel economy performance data in mpg, electric only miles, and odometer reading

Sourced from here.

Other features such as remotely locking and unlocking your vehicle, and sending a request for it to blare its horn loudly to ease location in a crowded parking lot might become available soon, too.    Can anyone think of other possibilities that exist?

In addition to the Iphone, apps will be available for the BlackBerry and the Droid, Google’s open-sourced operating system.

The 2011 Volt is scheduled for release in mid-November.

A group of MIT undergraduate students have found that optimizing the shock absorbers in vehicles recovers “a significant amount of energy” that is typically wasted in normal suspensions of most automobiles.  Their team claims a 10% overall increase in fuel efficiency, coming out on the high-end on heavier vehicles such as trucks, and they hope to win major contracts from the military as well as truck manufacturers.

Their new shock absorber, called the GenShock, utilizes a hydrolic system that pushes fluid through a turbine attached to a generator.   The whole process is controlled electronically to optimize the damping and recover the maximum amount of energy from bumps in the road, while providing a smoother ride.    They believe that their product will be able to completely replace the alternators that are currently installed in heavy commercial fleets and military vehicles.

The MIT students have already filed for a patent and formed a company, called Levant Power Corp.  They plan on having a finished product by the end of this summer, at which point they will talk to large companies such as Wal-Mart about upgrading their supply transports.  So far, the GenShock device is not cost-efficient enough to justify its inclusion in lighter cars, however as production gears up, the possibility is there.

Converting the up-and-down motion produced as automobiles pass over bumps and potholes is similar to capturing the kinetic energy of ocean waves.  There have also been engineering projects to capture the tremors produced by people walking in high-traffic areas such as subway platforms, and generators in roads to convert the energy of automobiles passing over them.  In all cases, the costs must justify the gains.  If however, these MIT students succeed in convincing the military to install their shock absorber in their fleets, look for it to start appearing in commercial (heavy) vehicles in the near future as well.

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Called “The Business of Plugging In”, the conference will be held from October 19-21 at the MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center.  It will bring together various interest groups to discuss the future of plug-in electric vehicles.

“This conference will foster the dialogue among utilities, automakers, regulators, universities and other stakeholders to assess the environmental impacts of PEVs and to assist with the understanding of how widespread adoption of electric vehicles will impact the electric system,” said Al Fields of DTE, an energy company.

An executive from GM said before the conference said that the industry needed “customer-pleasing vehicles, a mature supply base, a capable/green grid, plug-in ready communities, and plug-in ready car buyers… the key stakeholders must work together to deliver great cars, outstanding batteries, convenient charging outlets, and real value for the money.”

It should come as no surprise that Detroit will start playing host to annual meetings around the topic of PEVs.  You could argue that they are a couple years behind in the game.  It’s hard to tell from the news release, however, how many high-powered corporations and investors will be attending; and once they get through discussing the major hurdles, will everyone still be as enthusiastic about the sector?

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As the price of oil spiked to $150/barrel, car shoppers and the media began focusing on fuel efficiency ratings. For gasoline-powered vehicles, the number that is important is the ‘Miles per Gallon’ (or ‘Kilometers per Liter’ outside of the US and UK), the distance one unit of gasoline takes you. The United States EPA has a protocol that it follows to test the MPG ratings of various automobiles, providing a convenient way for making comparisons.

However, when considering electric vehicles, the calculation is not nearly so straightforward. Many car manufacturers are providing a “blended” fuel efficiency number, resulting in ratings of 100 MPG or even higher. They do this by assuming that drivers will only travel slightly more than the electric range of the car. So, if you own a hybrid whose battery provides 30 miles after each charge, and you only drive it 32 miles each day before plugging it back in, the amount of gasoline that is used is minimal. This type of (arbitrary) scenario provides the justification for the MPG numbers being circulated in advertisements and the media.

It is misleading for those who plan to drive their automobile further than its electric range.  Additionally, many plug-in models boast of having driving modes that combine the internal combustion engine with the electric motor, providing greater performance, yet using gas even when the battery has a remaining charge.

A more sensible approach would be to offer an electric range (in miles or kilometers) based on the battery alone, and then an MPG rating once the battery is dead. Further tweaks might need to be made for those vehicles that have solar roofs or those that have batteries that can be recharged by using the internal combustion engine. What is clear though is that more transparency is needed for these products. Unfortunately, the EPA has not yet formed a process to regulate the claims of electric cars, and the media has not examined the justification behind some of the numbers being released.

Until some sort of regulation is adopted, or the industry agrees on a standard, consumers need to be armed with knowledge before buying electric cars with inflated fuel efficiency ratings.

You can also read further about why MPG is an imperfect measure when comparing the fuel-efficiency gains between two cars.  Gallons per Mile, or GPM, is actually a more direct way to calculate fuel savings.

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At the 2009 Auto Show in Shanghai (the heart of China’s automobile industry), executives from most of the world’s top auto companies appeared to showcase their newest products and keep an eye on the competition.   Especially notable at this year’s event was that almost every major manufacturer, as well as several smaller companies, had a pure electric vehicle on display.   The number of electric vehicles by Chinese companies?  Eight.  And perhaps the most notable of those companies is BYD (Build Your Dreams).

BYD Auto started out as a rechargeable-battery manufacturer.  In the past couple of years it has tried to make a significant push into the electric vehicle market, even attracting attention from Warren Buffet who invested $230 million in the firm for a 9.8% stake.   The company is in a unique position, being headquartered in one of the only countries whose car sales are still growing at impessive rates.  So far in 2009, China has been the world’s largest automobile market with an annualized rate of 11 million units sold, surpassing the United States rate of 10 million units.   To keep up with the trend, and make further inroads into the industry, BYD has employed 11,000 technicians and engineers to work on its battery technology.   While the Big 3 in Detroit are cutting costs  and looking for further bailouts, auto shows such as these probably serve as a reminder that “green” technology is one area that should not be trimmed.

Another force contributing to Chinese growth is the Chinese government.  Large companies are eligible for $8,800 in subsidies for each electric vehicle they purchase.   Additionally, Beijing has announced $1.5 billion in grants in order to stimulate research into plug-in and hybrid research.  It is clear Beijing officials want to become leaders in this technology, and they have another lever at their disposal:  gas prices.  The price of gasoline is partially controlled by the Chinese government, and if they want to stimulate purchases of electric vehicles they may choose to raise these prices as one way to accomplish their goal.

While most industry watchers believe that, for the moment, Chinese battery technology is not as advanced as its global competitors, conditions might be ripe for a change.  With several vehicle options already out on the road, combined with significant government incentives, and the stop-and-go traffic that makes battery engines most economical, the world’s largest automobile market might be the first to make the switch.

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Along with Plug In America, another non-profit group, CalCars.org,  and various hybrid and plug-in manufacturers formed a coalition to encourage (successfully) greater tax credits and infrastructure stipulations within the plan signed by President Obama.

Read the whole statement here.

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