Click HERE to see the exclusive video from WXYZ's coverage of the event.

Not only did Obama's auto task force visit GM, but they also traveled down the street to Chrysler's Warren manufacturing plant. Both GM and Chrysler are begging asking for an additional $17.4 Billion in government loans, needing this money to survive throughout the coming months.

We're happy the Arizona Senator and Presidential hopeful, John McCain, isn't in charge based on his quote on CNBC today:

"I think the best thing that could probably happen to General Motors, in my view, is they go into Chapter 11. They reorganize, they renegotiate ... the union-management contracts and come out of it a stronger, better, leaner more competitive automotive industry."

Thanks, Senator McCain, for staying positive.

Both GM and Chrysler released statements regarding President Obama's auto task force visit which you can read below:

GM Statement:

"We were pleased to host the Task Force so they could experience firsthand the new products and technologies that are an integral part of GM's near- and long-term competitiveness. We look forward to continuing to support the efforts of the Task Force as they move quickly to address their critical tasks. We believe today's visit provided a constructive glimpse of GM people, their passion for their work, and the technology solutions that are behind the pages of our viability plan."

Chrysler Statement:

Chrysler was pleased to meet today with the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry here at our manufacturing plant in Warren, Michigan. Warren Truck Assembly Plant is home to 2,600 Chrysler employees and produces Dodge pickup trucks, including one of the company's best known products, the
Dodge Ram, winner of Car and Drivers' 2009 truck comparison.

We can confirm that on behalf of Chrysler LLC, the meeting was attended by Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli, Vice Chairman and President Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President Jim Press, and Chief Financial Officer Ron Kolka. In addition to meeting, the group toured the assembly plant and reviewed Chrysler current and future products, including electric and hybrid vehicles.

Beyond this, we are not commenting on the details of our meetings with the Presidential Task Force.

We're fully engaged with the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, the U.S. Treasury and the White House during this process of ensuring the industry's viability going forward. We look forward to continuing our dialogue.

We'll see in the coming weeks how this visit helps our struggling U.S. automakers. Cross your fingers.

[via WXYZ]

Looking to catch an advantage over the Chevy Volt, which is due to arrive in late 2010, Toyota plans to release a plug-in hybrid sometime earlier in the same year. Toyota's plug-in is likely to be a true hybrid, unlike the Volt which is technically a "range-extended electric vehicle."

Initially, ToMoCo intends to sell 500 plug-in hybrids with 150 coming to the US. Built in Japan, the plug-ins will be storing their energy via lithium-ion batteries, whereas the Prius will keep its nickel-metal hydride. The Volt will be built in good 'ole Detroit.

Andrew Shapiro, an industry smartguy with the Casesa Shapiro group believes Toyota is rushing their plug-in hybrid to get the so-called "psychological advantage" over GM. GM is banking heavily on the success of the Volt to save the company in these trying years.

James Lentz, the president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, states Toyota is not intending to obtain any kind of psychological advantage based on the fact that the initial plug-in hybrids will not be offered to the public, but rather commercial purposes such as utility companies and corporations. Lentz continued by saying that he didn't like Shapiro's face and that they would decide this matter via Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots. One of these statements is untrue, but we're not sure which one.

[NYT]

By comparison, the Tesla Roadster takes 8 hours or so to recharge its batteries, but it’s also capable of a sub 4-second 0-60 time, a 125 MPH top speed and a range of 200 miles. The Tazzari, which will presumably be far cheaper, is only capable of hitting 56 MPH, has a range of 93 miles and does 0-31 MPH in “less than 5 seconds.”

While it’s not a performance car, the Tazzari Zero actually looks like it has significant merit as a city runabout, having range and performance considerably greater than its main competition, the G-Wiz. Like that car, the Zero looks small enough to park virtually anywhere, and at less than 1,200 pounds, it’s seriously lightweight too. There’s no word on when the Zero will come to market, but when it does it looks like it’ll be available in Italy, England and France, where legislation and local preferences make vehicles like these extremely practical. [Tazzari via Smart Planet]

EDF Energy and Toyota launch UK trials of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle

EDF Energy and Toyota have teamed up to road trial the first Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) introduced by a car manufacturer to the UK (1). Trials start today and will continue for more than one year. Toyota’s right-hand drive PHV will make its on-the-road debut as part of EDF Energy’s company fleet and will be tested by employees under every-day driving conditions. The results are expected to play a pivotal role in the development of Toyota’s PHV technology, which represents a further improvement on Toyota's hybrid
technology, one of the world's most environmentally friendly mass-produced vehicle powertrain (2) technologies.

The trial builds on the first European PHV testing programme launched by Toyota and EDF on French roads in September 2007. The UK partnership is designed to evaluate vehicle performance within an urban environment, vehicle infrastructure requirements, and driver behaviours and expectations.

Toyota and EDF Energy are using an innovative charging and invoicing system which is incorporated into the PHV. This system is compatible with a new generation of public charging stations, which aim to make electric power more accessible on public roads and car parks, and will reduce the cost to the customer. EDF Energy has helped to install the first of 40 charging posts in the UK, with plans to help install more in the coming months. A PHV uses Toyota’s hybrid technology with the added benefit that the vehicle’s batteries can be fully recharged using a standard electrical plug or an electrical charging post to extend its driving range in electric mode. For short distances, PHV can be driven as an electric vehicle, resulting in a silent, zero emissions drive. For longer distances, PHV works as a conventional hybrid vehicle.

Toyota's PHV is “the best of both worlds”: it enhances the benefits of hybrid technology, while avoiding the constraints traditionally linked with electric vehicles. Toyota expects the PHV to bring unsurpassed fuel efficiency and therefore record low emissions. Early test results indicate that fuel efficiency is significantly higher than current Prius. For example, for trips up to 25km, PHV consumes roughly 60% less fuel than Toyota's hybrid Prius. One of the research objectives of the UK tests is to confirm such PHV performance. The tests also aim at understanding consumers' acceptance of the new technology, as a
preparation to broader commercialisation in the future. Toyota has already confirmed that it will sell lithium-ion battery-equipped PHVs to fleet customers in Europe and other regions by the end of 2009.

Rt Hon John Hutton MP, UK Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, speaking at a Toyota - EDF Energy event in London to launch PHV in the UK, said: 'I welcome the launch of this trial here in the UK. I am pleased to see industry pulling together to work on diversifying energy use and cutting global carbon emissions. We hope that this trial will provide an invaluable insight into the future development of UK electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. This, combined with the demonstration project announced by the prime minister (3), will lead us one step closer to making our ambition of becoming the number one location for low carbon vehicles a reality.'

‘We are very excited to expand our PHV road testing programme to the UK in collaboration with EDF Energy,’ said Koei Saga, Managing Officer in charge of hybrid system development at Toyota Motor Corporation. ‘Today’s announcement represents a step change towards acceptance of electricity in combination with hybrid technology as a viable and sustainable transport solution’.

Vincent de Rivaz, EDF Energy Chief Executive said: ‘I am delighted that EDF Energy will play a pivotal role with Toyota in trialling this innovative vehicle and technology as part of our ongoing work to make clean electric transport more accessible to everyone. We passionately believe in rising to the challenge of climate change by helping our customers reduce the carbon emissions from their energy use. Incorporating this vehicle into our fleet complements our work in developing electric charging posts for vehicles in the UK and in France. It supports Our Climate Commitments, in which we have committed to cutting our CO2 emissions from our transport by 20% by 2012.’

Aside from the consumer education challenge, one curious conclusion in the study was

"just more than half the population of US households that buy new cars has the potential to recharge a vehicle at home with at least 110-volt service. This is 1.5 to 3 times larger than prior estimates."

Essentially, HEVT has fitted all the systems necessary to turn the F-150 into a parallel plug-in hybrid. Mounted behind the rear differential is an electric motor capable of 200 ft-lb of torque, while a stack of batteries is located in place of the crew-cab seats. A regenerative braking system is also fitted, as is a system enabling the engine to charge the batteries and for the engine to be uncoupled from the driven wheels. HEVT's own electronics and software package, called the Adaptive Control Unit, keeps all these goodies running in harmony, and the interior is equipped with a Prius-style display so drivers can monitor their power usage. The really clever thing is that this technology is somewhat universal, requiring minimal modification to work in other gas-guzzlers.

HEVT claims the technology needed is cheap enough that, when combined with the fuel savings, retrofitted vehicles will actually save money across their lifetimes. We'd like to see a final price, but if this is true it could be a great solution for the countless existing individual and corporate owners of large trucks, enabling them to upgrade to a considerably more fuel-efficient vehicle without actually buying a new one. That's a double-win for spotted owls and wallets alike...if this technology comes to market in any usable form.

San Jose, July 22, 2008 - Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies, Inc. (HEVT) unveiled the world's first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the popular Ford F-150 pickup truck at Plug-In 2008 Conference and Exposition, the first international plug-in conference and expo. Converted with a proprietary adaptive controller and using a scaled-down version of the proprietary drive train HEVT has designed for transit buses, the F-150 has been transformed from a standard combustion engine vehicle getting about 16 MPG to a PHEV getting up to 41 MPG for a typical day's driving.

The HEVT prototype was displayed during today's keynote address by Dr. Andrew S. Grove, former chairman of Intel Corporation. "Trucks, SUVs and vans are the least-efficient vehicles on the road, so retrofitting them should be a high priority if we want to make a meaningful, near-term difference in oil consumption. Rapid commercialization of prototypes like HEVT's is the way to go," Dr. Grove said.

The prototype shows how HEVT's plug-in hybrid drive train technology can retrofit existing PSVs (pickups, SUVs, and vans), to displace gasoline with electricity, cutting operating costs and harmful emissions and boosting performance. This is an important step toward energy security, because it reduces the fuel required to operate trucks and other large vehicles.

"One way to reduce fossil fuel use is to find ways to plug in some of the hundreds of millions of internal combustion engines already on the world's roads," said CalCars founder Felix Kramer. "The pioneering PHEV designs for trucks and buses from Dr. Ali Emadi and his team at HEVT are especially promising."

Engineers at HEVT have developed a sophisticated electronics and software system called the Adaptive Control Unit (ACU) which serves to control the hybrid drive train. While driving, the ACU controls use of the electric motor and gasoline engine to optimize fuel economy and performance. An in-dash display unit monitors performance, indicating the charge remaining in the battery pack and the energy recovered through regenerative -braking.

"HEVT's solutions apply to not just smaller passenger cars and hybrids, but almost any vehicle including larger gas guzzlers," said HEVT founder Ali Emadi. "Our laboratory simulations show that the larger the vehicle, the greater the benefits - in gas costs, particulate and greenhouse emissions, and sound pollution. For this reason we are currently focused on PSVs and will later expand to school buses as well as transit buses."

HEVT will begin with a small pilot program of Ford F-150 pickup truck conversions available to organizations and individuals on a custom basis. The pilot program will help HEVT's continued development and optimization, pushing conversion costs down and lowering lifetime cost of ownership for converted vehicles.

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: Blah. We guess GM needs to do this to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy Requirements and to give consumers an easy way to be "green." But really, is building a simple, lightweight car that gets decent economy really that hard? Heck, stick a two-mode hybrid in it if you have to, just don't try to tell us that SUVs can be economical. Someday, consumers are going to wake up to all this hypocrisy, GM better hope they're ready for the backlash.
[via Motor Authority]

West Richland, WA (July 18, 2008) Shrouded in mystery and secrecy, SSC (www.shelbysupercars.com) has announced plans to unveil the next historical milestone, codenamed - the Ultimate Aero EV (Electric Vehicle), the first 100% Green Supercar to achieve speeds never before seen. Engineering details are yet undisclosed while development continues at an uninterrupted pace. Despite months of speculation, SSC expects to roll out its first prototype in February 2009. "I think we can do it faster, leaner and cleaner than any other manufacturer," says Jerod Shelby, SSC Founder. Unlike other manufacturers' models slated for delivery in the next decade, Shelby's latest brainchild expects to be delivered as early as fourth quarter 2009. Other automakers have sacrificed aesthetics and performance in exchange for hybrid power plants, but the Ultimate Aero EV will deliver a pollution-free, engineering marvel with an exotic Supercar exterior. The drive train under development will feature a revolutionary power source allowing for extended time between charging intervals with the possibility of several years between charging. Powered by a 500 horsepower electric motor, the Ultimate Aero EV will have true supercar performance. All 500 horses will be put to use via SSC's 6-speed manual transmission and triple disc carbon/carbon Tilton clutch. Additionally, SSC is exploring the potential of a twin 500 horsepower electric power plant producing 1,000 horsepower in a 2 or 4 wheel drive configuration. Having already broken the record for the "Fastest Production Car" SSC will soon break the engineering challenge of our time. Says Jay Leno of SSC's first accomplishment, "The coolest thing about this car is they said they were going to do something and then they did it." While other manufacturers scramble to capture the Green hysteria of late, SSC will leap over the barrier with a fraction of the Big Three's budget. To that end, the company recently contracted with Investor Relations Group, Sheffield International Finance Corporation initiating the Company's first acceptance of outside capital since its inception. In a press release dated July 11, 2008, the American automaker announced that much of the private capital will be dedicated to achieve the historical milestone. The invitation-based offering includes an A-list of invitees including celebrities and notable financiers from around the world. Consistent with its company philosophy of being the benchmark, SSC plans next to break the record for the fastest electric car in the world. Stay tuned...

What makes this vehicle ideal for the wealthy? It's comparatively expensive, has decent power, and it's a lot less common than the average Ferrari. More importantly, it helps the rich feel better about themselves. Says one moneyed onlooker:

"We're in a wealthy area," Patrick added, "so, while gas prices aren't as much of an issue, you can still feel like you're fulfilling your green responsibility and reducing your carbon footprint with a car like this."

Grove believes the auto industry has reached what he calls a "strategic inflection point," the point at which a business has to either change or die. And he wants change in the direction of electrics; Grove has set up a course teaching about hybrids, plug-ins, and electrics in an attempt to move the discussion toward alternative energy sources. And then there's the fun part.

Mr. Grove is also a proponent of retrofitting current vehicles with the lowest fuel economy — trucks, vans and SUVs — with hybrid powerplants. Envisioning half a million Yukon owners reaching for their toolboxes, GM spokesman Greg Martin said, "We strongly discourage consumers from retrofitting vehicles." Unless they're out of warranty, in which case knock yourself out; the service department is hurting right now too.

All we hope is if Grove next ends up pushing for an Intel chip inside, he goes with an Apple OS to run it. Those Microsoft systems don't seem to be running well enough for even the back seat.[Detroit News; Photo Credit images.vnu.net]

Well, Volkswagen will work with the German government in experimenting with a fleet of 20 Twin Drive Golfs in 2010. Though evidently the Twin Drive just isn't green enough as is, so to further reduce emissions, the electrical energy required to charge the batteries of the experimental fleet will be generated from green resources such as windmills and hydro-electric dams. Of course, there are no plans for US export, or for any production at all at this point. But even though we're more easily excited about speed than with being green, we would totally rock one of these as a daily driver.
[carscoop, MotorAuthority]

The moral of the story? Don't disrupt the evolution of hybrids. Sure, everyone wants a plug-in hybrid, and they are definitely on their way. But there's no need to try to disrupt the evolutionary process; it can be dangerous — just ask Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park. [CRN via DailyTech]

That said, we commend the Washington Conference on Plug-Ins for bringing together the top automotive, utility and technology companies to discuss the challenges facing plug-in hybrid vehicles. There's a real need for some kind of governmental help on making them a reality. However, we'd disagree with Fields in his assessment of what form that help should take. What we really need is not the development of domestic production, but the development of domestic R&D. The auto industry needs monies centralized in a Manhattan Project-like plan to develop real battery technology for the entire industry. But the chances of that happening can be summed up in the words of Jalopnik Understatement award-winner Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, who said "people in this country are mad." [Automotive News (Sub. Req.)]

V2Green is developing a type of two-way communication technology that links the hybrid with a power plant to better manage vehicle charging. Basically it will give the power plant control over how much juice your hybrid should be getting. So if you need a quick recharge during a "peak hour," good freaking luck, the power company is going to strike that down real quick.

The technology will reportedly save money on charging vehicles, but at the cost of convenience, perhaps. Not necessarily a good thing in an unfamiliar area for many consumers. Stay tuned for our follow-up report, set to go live in early 2013. [Autopia]

This reminds us of Ford's plans to allow electric and hybrid cars to store energy for the benefit of the individual. They envision the electric storage capacity to allow owners to purchase electricity during off-peak hours when it's cheaper, and then rely on the car for power when it's expensive.

The University of Delaware researchers claim that the average car is only used for 1 hour in every 24. They estimate that the average electric or hybrid vehicle, available for two thirds of the time, could provide an electricity company with $4,000 a year worth a service, some of which would presumably be paid back to the car's owner, further incentivizing the purchase of electric cars. [Via the New Scientist]
Photo credit: Gavin Robinson