Alternative Energy Newswire

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, China, Land Rover, Beijing Motor Show, Luxury

The Land Rover hybrid models are growing both in terms of offerings and in size. At the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, the brand unveiled the Range Rover Long Wheelbase Hybrid to join the standard version and Range Rover Sport Hybrid.

The long-wheelbase Range Rover’s powertrain is identical to what is offered in the standard Range Rover Hybrid. It combines the brand’s SDV6 3.0-liter turbodiesel with an electric motor producing 47 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. It grants a total system output of 335 hp and 516 lb-ft, and an eight-speed automatic gearbox from ZF routes power to all four wheels. The company claims the hybrid adds 265 pounds of weight to the SUV. However, it gives a 26-percent improvement in emissions and is rated at about 37 miles per gallon in the EU combined cycle. It can even run purely on electric power for a mile at speeds up to 30 mph, and regenerative braking keeps the system topped up.

The styling remains nearly identical to the standard LWB Range Rover. There are a few Hybrid badges, and that’s about it. However, rear seat passengers get to take advantage of the cavernous backseat that adds 7.3 inches of room over the regular Rangie.

Orders for the SUV begin in May, and Chinese deliveries begin around the end of the year. However, like the rest of the hybrid Range Rovers, it likely won’t be coming to North America anytime soon. Last year, Land Rover’s US boss said the diesel hybrid would come here eventually, but he didn’t give a timeframe. We have contacted the company for an update. Scroll down to read the full release about Land Rover’s massive new Range Rover Long Wheelbase Hybrid.

Continue reading Range Rover Hybrid brings advanced powertrain to Chinese market

Range Rover Hybrid brings advanced powertrain to Chinese market originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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California was thought to be out of contention Elon Musk’s proposed battery Gigafactory, but a new report suggests the Golden State is still in the running. What could California offer Tesla that would shift him away from the surely-lucrative offers from other states?

Reports suggested that Tesla had narrowed down the Gigafactory location to one of four states; Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. California was snubbed because of a lack of subsidies, though proximity to local natural resources is also said to play a role in placing the Gigafactory. With the right location, the Tesla Model S could have more American content than the Ford F-150.

Let it not be said that Tesla is immune to politics, however, as Senator Diane Feinstein allready spoke with Musk back in March. What she offered isn’t specified, though with at least four other states courting the electric automaker, I’m sure it’s a generous package. Tesla’s VP of communication and marketing said that California “could be a viable option” under the right conditions. Meanwhile, Tesla has also leased another California facility measuring 430,000 square-feet for an as-yet-undisclosed purpose. The former parts distribution center in the San Joaquin Valley is a leftover from the days of DaimlerChrysler, and is less than one-tenth the size of the proposed Gigafactory.

Could this all have been a ploy to get California to pony up? After all, the closer the Gigafactory is to actual car production, the better, assuming it actually gets built. With Golden State now also in the running, will the rest of the southwest up the ante? More importantly, should they?

Source: The Sacramento Bee

The post California In The Running For Tesla Gigafactory After All? appeared first on Gas 2.

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Fiat

Even thought demand in California for the Fiat 500e electric vehicle is growing, the fun little EV is about to grown its sales to the north. Fiat US chief Jason Stoicevich tells Wards Auto that sales of the EV will start in Oregon this summer, adding that green-minded Portland will likely be a strong market for the model.

Fiat 500e demand in California is “fantastic.”

This year’s first-quarter sales of the gas-powered and EV variants of the 500 were up about 19 percent from a year earlier, as a recent TV ad campaign featuring Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and the model’s availability at about 220 dealerships appear to have been effective. Stoicevich didn’t give any specific sales figures for the 500e, though he did say demand in California is “fantastic.”

“After its introduction in California last year, the Fiat 500e has been a great success for our brand in just a short period of time,” Fiat spokeswoman Angela Bianchi wrote in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen while confirming the debut of 500e sales in Oregon this summer. “Oregon is the second-largest ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) state after California.”

Late last year, Wards Auto named the 500e motor to its 10 Best Engines list, making the model the first Fiat ever to receive that honor. The 500e has 111 horsepower and can go 87 miles on a single charge. The 500e also won Road & Track’s 2013 award for best electric car in November as the model was praised for its power and handling. Read our review of the 500e here.

Fiat will start selling 500e in Oregon this summer originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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