Wheego, Where Did It Go?

Remember Wheego?  The BEV company selling a Chinese sourced ripoff of the Smart, upfitted with electric powertrain?

In this telling article, we learn that they have only sold "a few dozen" cars.  And, better yet, new sales are on hold because they need a waiver to sell highway vehicles in 2012 that don't have stability control.  Apparently, Wheego didn't have budget to develop stability control the first time out.

My only interaction with Wheego was sitting in a Whip demo car at a local ex-Chrysler dealer, which has since gone defunct.  The ex-Chrysler dealer struggled mightily to sell Wheegos, but couldn't move a single one.  

Tesla Model S Regen Strategy

Early reviews of the Model S have been published, after Tesla allowed some journalists a short guided test drive of the vehicle.  Here is one:



What is interesting to me here is the "one pedal driving" comment. What Tesla apparently has done is tuned a very aggressive off-throttle regen.  In the gas side of the biz, you would say that they used very little "dashpot", in other words, allowing the throttle plate to close quickly.  In this case, of course, you get electric regen braking, not engine vacuum based braking.

This is interesting because many efficiency gurus actually prefer a lot of dashpot--this allows for an efficient "pulse and glide" driving style, while saving heavy regen for actual braking events.

Songs Of My Youth

I'm sitting here working on some stuff, and listening to "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" by Iron Maiden.  I can't believe this came out in 1988... it is so tight and so progressive, it's still amazing music.  You have never heard it, you must check it out.

Here's the best song, IMHO:  "Infinite Dreams".

Mini Review: Volt Vs Focus EV

At a supplier demo event recently, I was given the chance to test drive, back to back, a Chevrolet Volt and a Ford Focus EV.

Image courtesy of Edmunds.com

Image courtesy of Edmunds.com

I was amazed at how obviously different the two vehicles were in driving character, and  particularly, in their sounds.

The Volt, from the driver's seat, was a little cramped, I found my head a bit close to the headliner at the sides, and had to lower my seat a bit more than I would like.  The center stack was a mess of graphical buttons, which were not fast to learn, though I am sure with time you would get used to it.  The interior finish was a mix of shiny hard plastic and crinkly hard plastic, for the most part.  I wasn't really a fan of the high-gloss finish on much of the plastic.
  
The driving experience of the Volt was pleasant, with lots of torque from standstill and good acceleration through about 50mph, which was as fast as I had a chance to take it.  The car felt fairly heavy, but body movement was smooth and controlled. 

The regenerative brakes didn't fell bad, they had a bit of a grabby feel until you got used to them.

The rear passenger space on the Volt isn't good for adults.  I was banging my head on the headliner near the windscreen, and the seating position was not pleasant.  I would not want to be a rear passenger for more than a short trip in the Volt.

I thought the IP graphics were nice, but I was annoyed at the animated green ball that GM is using to indicate regen.   It is constantly animated, rotating in place or shrinking/growing, and I found it distracting. 

Next I had a chance to sample the Focus EV.

The Focus EV had a much sportier character, handling wise, than the Volt.  It also had a much more conventional interior, basically the same as the gasoline Focus in high-end trim.  The switchgear was normal and easy to use, and the LCD IP had more traditional style bar graph/pie chart type graphics. 

The Focus also had lots of lower speed torque, and accelerated easily to 50mph without trouble.  The regen braking was smooth and wasn't obtrusive, to me.  I thought the pedal feel was more linear than the Volt.

I didn't have a chance to ride in the rear seat of the Focus, but I heard that the battery package does compromise the leg room and cargo floor.

The big difference between the two vehicles, other than the interior, was the overall sound in the cabin.  The Volt was much boomier than the Focus, letting in more low to mid frequency road noise, combined with noticeable whine during regen braking.  There was also a quiet, high frequency sound when accelerating, almost a whistle.  The Focus also had some electric whine during acceleration and braking, but it was noticeably quieter than the Volt.  Comparing either vehicle to a gasoline car of the same class is eye opening--these vehicles are shockingly quiet in electric propulsion mode.  I would even say the quietness is a major reason to buy an electric vehicle.

Neither vehicle would really work for me as they stand.  For about the same price, I would like a Focus EV with a gasoline range extender, though this beast would not have room for the extra equipment.   The Volt is a great car, if you are willing to overlook seating utility and funky controls in exchange for a range extending gasoline engine.  The Focus EV is a fantastic car, if you can live with the restrictions on range (76mi EPA estimate). 

If I had to pick one for my $40,000 before credits, I would take the Focus EV as a better place to sit as driver.  It is really neat to drive, as long as your range holds out.

Volt Pluses:

• Unobtrusive gasoline range extender
• Decent handling
• Good acceleration
• Snazzy graphics on IP

Volt Minuses:

• Glossy or crinkly hard plastic interior
• Animated graphics annoying
• Road noise and braking whine
• Cramped rear seats
• MSRP

Focus EV Pluses:

• Gasoline Focus interior
• Gasoline Focus chassis
• Very quiet

Focus EV Minuses:

• 76mile range
• Rear seat leg room
• Compromised cargo space
• MSRP

Noooooooooooooooooooo!

Sad news.  Tom and Ray Magliozzi (aka Click and Clack, the Tappet Bros) are hanging it up after 25 years on the radio.

At least there are many years worth of back shows to listen to via streaming.

The Scam Marches On

Amazingly, my #1 most popular post is still the eBay Motors/Western Union scam.  And, sadly, people are still falling for it!

Here is an email I just received from Kathy.

I believe we have fallen for one of the scams you describe on your blog.  Is there any recourse we may try to get our money back?

Feeling sick,
Kathy

My response:

Hi Kathy,

If you sent the scammer money using Western Union/Moneygram, and they picked it up, then I am afraid you are basically screwed.   You can file a report, however, you are unlikely to see a penny back.  If they did not yet pick the money up, call WU right away and see if they can cancel the money order.

Take this as a very expensive, harsh lesson: never buy ANYTHING using non-reversible payments (e.g. Western Union money transfers).

--TAP 

Kathy:

We made the call to Western Union etc and the money was picked up.  We are filing a report with the FBI and State Attorney General in case we have a chance of getting anything back.  Painful lesson for our 21 year old son!  Thank you for your response.

Kathy 

The sad truth is, Kathy's son is basically out of whatever money he sent, probably several thousand dollars.  The FBI is unlikely to recover a penny.

Remember some ironclad rules of internet commerce:

• If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is
• NEVER pay ANYONE using non-traceable money transfers such as Western Union or Moneygram
• NEVER buy goods from ANYONE on Craigslist who isn't local to you. 

Ford May Sales Thoughts

Ford released its sales figures for May today (here).  I took a quick look, and two things really jumped out at me.
First, the redesigned Explorer is doing well, much better than the old truck-based model.  The new Explorer is running around 160,000 units annually, while the old Explorer was around 50,000.
Second, Lincoln is in BIG trouble.  In a rising tide of sales, Lincoln is down 2%, mostly due to the aging of the MKZ.  May saw only 7,274 Lincolns sold.  I suppose a new MKZ will help that, but still, Mustang outsold the entire Lincoln brand in May!
Ford needs to fix Lincoln, quick, or its dealers will starve to death.

Those Who Live In Glass Houses...

Obama is attacking Romney over Bain Capital's unsuccessful run with a Michigan auto supplier, Cambridge Industries.  Obama should be careful, because Romney's supporters might start reminding everyone what happened under Car Czar Steven Rattner. 

A very "Private equity" like takeover of GM and Chrysler, under which plants, dealers, and many many jobs were cut, in order to re-organize the companies.  The only difference here is that Rattner was using taxpayer money instead of investor money to back the re-organization, but his goals were essentially the same as Bain's would have been: improve shareholder (taxpayer) value by re-structuring the operations into profitable enterprises. 

EPA's Hybrid Payback Calculator

The EPA has posted a very nice interactive hybrid vehicle payback calculator.  It lets you quickly adjust assumptions to see how long a hybrid or electric vehicle would pay for itself based on fuel savings.

For example, comparing a Chevrolet Malibu Eco to a base gasoline Malibu, 12,000mi/year, 60% city driving, gasoline at $3.75, the tool says that you would save a whopping $200/year on gasoline, and that the $550 MSRP difference would be paid off in 2.7 years.

Clearly, the Malibu Eco isn't an irresistibly good deal, because that $200/year in fuel savings is going to cost you several cubic feet of trunk space. 

Ethics of Manuals?

Over at Salon.com, David Sirota asks if it is "ethical" to drive a manual transmission.  The reason for his question is recent news that more people are choosing manuals, and also, that automatics are now sometimes equal to or better than manuals in fuel economy.

I find it odd that he only considers fuel economy in his question. 

A more careful ethicist would also consider the resources going into the transmission.  For example, a manual will over its lifetime consume one or two clutches.  An automatic (unless it is one of those rare CVTs) will consume several changes of automatic transmission fluid, a.k.a. oil.

Also, consider that automatics usually cost about $1000 more than a manual.  Why is that?  Simply, omplexity.  The automatic has more parts, including electronic controls.  More parts means more manufacturing footprint to make it.

It seems to me that manuals are more "ethical" than automatics until such time as their fuel economy gains can overcome the manuals advantage in simplicity. 

Fireman's Lowrider Towncar

I spotted this wild Lincoln Towncar lowrider cruising Southfield today.  He had tiny red wheels, lots of chrome, red tinted windows, and a fire dept. sticker on the rear screen.  His rear axle was braced and chrome plated, as were many other suspension parts.

I found a video about the car on the Detroit Free Press site.

Video: Bridgestone Airless Tires

Bridgestone's airless tire concept isn't new, it was unveiled a few months ago, but somehow I missed this video from the Tokyo Motor Show. It has a nice animation about how the non-pneumatic wheel works: specially shaped plastic spokes carry the load, and deform to absorb impacts.

 

There are major engineering challenges to be solved for designs like this, so these aren't exactly a few months or even years away from mass production. For example, how do you keep debris from getting caught between the spokes? How will the spokes do when hit with red-hot brake rotors in a repeat braking situation? What happens if you drive over a few large nails, which penetrate through the friction layer and into the spokes, will the wheel still perform?

These type of wheels do have some very interesting tuning possibilities. For example, they could have a different lateral stiffness (very high) than radial stiffness, so impact harshness could be reduced while keeping a sharp turn-in feel.

A few years ago, Michelin brought out a concept the called the Tweel (tire+wheel). After some initial publicity, the Tweel seems to have disappeared--I can't find any new news about it on Michelin's web site any more.

---

Find great deals on tires online at CARiD.com.

Anatomy Of A Scam: Nigerian Check Fraud

So you get an email from someone you have never met, offering you a "work from home job".  You get to keep a sizeable sum of money, in return for simply "processing payments" or some such thing.

If you bite, this is what will happen.

An blandly named fellow, such as "Mark Nelson", will arrange to send you a check, usually by FedEx or priority mail (to give it an air of urgency).

He will ask you to deposit the check, keep some money for yourself, and then split up the rest into smaller Western Union or Moneygram payments.

The reason they use Western Union is that it is not really traceable and can not be revoked. All they need is the Money Transfer Control Number and they have the cash, simple as that.

Then, your bank will sock you with fees and expect you to pay back the fictitious money.

Here we have an example where the package was apparently sent from Boise, ID.  However, using the tracking number on the label will show that it actually came from Pennsylvania!

Acceptance

April 30, 2012, 2:06 pm

DREXEL HILL, PA 19026

Next, notice that the check supposedly was sent from one "Sarah Sparks", but it is signed by yet another character, "James J---" (it is hard to tell".  It is NOT signed by "Mark Nelson". And it was apparently purchased by "Tony Nguyen". 

The fake check itself is pretty good, however, you might notice small flaws.  For example, in this case, the ink used for the check account number, check #, signature, and other information was the same color of black and slightly raised (like a laser printer would produce).  There is no actual "water mark" on the check paper, when you hold it up to the light you only see printed ink.  Also, the "reflective ink" watermark that the front of the check claims is there is not in fact reflective, it is just yellow. 

Don't be fooled.   There is no such thing as a "work at home" job which pays $100's of dollars an hour for cashing checks and sending out Western Union payments.

Some Dart Thoughts

I haven't had a chance to drive a Dodge Dart yet (I'm not one of those big-time auto journalists, you know) but I did get a good look at them at the NAIAS, and also, I have been watching the launch publicity and early reviews.

Here are some thoughts.

The Dart appears to be Chrysler's first competitive compact/midsize vehicle since the Dodge Cirrus of years ago.  It has modern efficient powertrains, a nice interior, and nice gadgets.
It is a 100% improvement over the Caliber, which was, even after a refresh, a cheap rent-a-car.
Reviewers so far have been saying that the driving dynamics are quite good, and NVH is excellent.
Chrysler's weak spot now is quality and reliability.  They need to work hard to convince people that they aren't selling pretty junk.  Though, these days, even below-average quality new cars are quite a bit better than the average of just a decade ago.
I wouldn't buy a new Dart, yet, but I would not hesitate to lease one. 
The other part I'm not sold on is the front end styling.  It seems like a mish-mash of Dodge cross and more organic influences.  I actually like the basic monochrome version much better than the black bedecked Rallye trim.  The front overhang seems very long to me.
Still, this is the first car I have seen from Chrysler in a while that I could see myself owning.

SOLVED! TheAutoProphet Geocache Challenge 2012

SOLVED!

Jason F. has solved the challenge and captured the prize.  However, in true geocaching spirit, he left the container with something new in it for the next person.

I didn't think it would still be there, but wow, there it was! So cool! Thank you for the awesome prize and sharing this great park with me. I will be coming back here for sure. Now in true geocaching spirit I left behind a little prize, and I plan on listing it on a caching site if thats ok with you?
Thanks again!

Jason
Ps. I plan on using this to detail my new-to-me 04' Grand Marquis.  :)

Ziebart, provider of numerous car detailing, protection, and customization services has generously sponsored my annual Geocache Challenge.


The prize this year is a $100 gift certificate to Ziebart for any of their services, including:

• Detailing
• Bed Liners
• Fabric Protection
• Window Tint
• Tonneau Covers
• Bed Rails
• Step Bars
• Wind Deflectors
• Remote Starters
• Toolboxes

Ziebart is a Michigan based company and I am very happy to work with them!  They have 15 locations in MI and many more nationally.  You can find a list of MI locations here.

As in prior years, here is how it works:  Go to the below coordinates, and search around for the prize box.  If you get it first, you get the prize.  Just make sure you email me (theautoprophet "at" gmail.com) and let me know you have it.  If you don't mind, please send a cell phone pic of yourself with the prize.

Here are the GPS coordinates:

• Start: N42d 33.472', W083d 12.456
• Waypoint 1: N42d 33.550', W083d 12.535
• Waypoint 2: N42d 33.549', W083d 12.591
• Finish: N42d 33.544', W083d 12.603

SAE Congress Tidbit: DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) Issues in US

Listening to an SAE Congress panel discussion about future powertrains. 

A question to the panel, regarding transmission, elicits an interesting comment on DCT (dual clutch or automated manual transmissions)

In the U.S., DCTs (e.g. Ford Focus) are not well liked because they have a less smooth low-speed and stop/start/creep performance compared to a traditional hydraulic torque converter equipped automatic.  In the U.S., customers are used to the very smooth performance of automatics, having mostly abandoned manual transmissions, so the jerky feel from DCTs is a big minus.  In Europe, most customers are coming from automatics, and are used to some clunkiness.

The industry hopes that customer acceptance in the US will increase as consumers become used to the feel of DCTs... but there is a real danger here to the technology, judging by the poor acceptance and near-demise of the CVT in the NA market.

Personally, I would nave no problem trading some clunkiness of a DCT for its advantages: fast shifts, full manual control, and no fluid to deal with.

The 2014 Impala

GM has unveiled the 2014 Chevrolet Impala at the NY Auto Show.  You can see nice photos here.

I like the exterior design, it is a big improvement over the current, ancient Impala. 

The interior is also a big upgrade, but to me seems a bit busy.

GM says that it will come with a choice of 2.5L I4, 2.4L eAssist (mild hybrid), and 3.6L V6 powertrains.  It should get pretty good fuel economy, but with the I4 engines pushing about 200HP, it is not going to feel very quick unless the weight is substantially reduced over the current model.  Looking at the photos, I'd be surprised if it is less than 3750#.

Ford's 5 "Myths", Aren't

Ford has a post on their web site listing 5 "myths" about electric vehicles.

I think these need a rebuttal.

Myth 1: "The technology isn't ready."
Ford: "Ford has been putting reliable, efficient hybrid electric vehicles on the road for over 10 years."
Rebuttal: Sneaky Ford is combining hybrid electric vehicles into the same bin as battery electric vehicles.  Truth is, Ford is about to release its first modern mass market BEV.  The electric Ranger of the late 1990's was a low volume fleet product.  And high profile technical issues in the new crop of EVs show that, in fact, the technology is still in flux.

Myth 2: "Electric vehicles are too expensive."
Ford: "Ford has yet to determine pricing on its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and all-electric vehicles. Though the initial price of these vehicles may be higher than a conventional gas-powered vehicle, keep in mind that the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is being designed to deliver maximum fuel efficiency. So you may be able to save money on fuel costs. Tax credits may also be available. Check with your appropriate local, state and federal agencies for more information."
Rebuttal: Ford has yet to determine?  They already announced an MSRP of $40,000 for the Focus BEV, and current HEVs, I don't expect the final prices to go down by much--batteries are still expensive.  Truth is, BEVs are prohibitive for most people to buy, until battery costs are reduced dramatically.   HEVs do have a faster payoff, yet even with $4/gal gas, they are not exactly flying off of the dealer lots.

Myth 3: "I'm afraid I'm going to get stranded when the battery runs out."
Ford: "A Ford hybrid electric vehicle has a gasoline engine, so you're in no more danger of getting stuck than you would be if you were driving a traditional gasoline engine- powered vehicle. The battery of the hybrid electric is also continuously charged while you drive. As for the all-electric vehicle now in development, Ford is working with the public and private sectors to help create the infrastructure that will enable you to recharge your all-electric vehicle in a variety of locations other than your home."
Rebuttal: Ford again combines HEV and BEV into the same answer.  If you have a Focus BEV, chances are you will only get about 75 miles (according to EPA) on average.  That's a mere one hour of driving at Michigan speeds.  Anyone driving a BEV must be careful about range, because recharging takes at least 4 hours for a full charge.

Myth 4: "My commute is too long for an electric vehicle."
Ford: "Because a hybrid electric vehicle has a gas engine as well as an electric motor, no commute is too long for a hybrid. The Ford all-electric vehicle, currently in development, is targeted to go up to 100 miles on a single charge."
Rebuttal: The average daily commute is about 40 miles, so a 75 mile average range should cover it.  But if you are driving in the winter, and using the heater, you probably won't have much range left for the grocery run after work, or the detour to pick up the dry cleaning.

Myth 5: "They don't make electric vehicles in the style I want."
Ford: "Ford offers hybrid electric vehicles in the responsive, fun-to-drive Fusion as well as the Escape small SUV. Other Ford vehicles are currently in development."
Rebuttal: Escape HEV is about to be killed.  Transit BEV is in limbo along with Azure's future.  Which leaves two styles of vehicle--compact hatch and mid-size car.

Republicans Buy American, Democrats Don't

According to a new study by Strategic Vision, these are the top 5 vehicles most popular with Democrats:

• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Volvo C30
• Nissan Leaf
• Acura TSX Wagon
• Ford Fiesta Sedan

Here are the top 5 vehicles most popular with Republicans:

• Ford Mustang Convertible
• Audi A8
• Mercedes GL
• Ford Expedition
• Ford F150

Now, there is a very interesting trend here.  Only one of the Democrat picks is built by an American automaker, and NONE of them are built in UAW plants (the Fiesta is built in Mexico).

On the Republican side, 3/5 are Fords, and all 3 are built by UAW run plants in MIchigan-Flat Rock MI, Rouge MI, and Wayne MI. 

I think some re-evaluation of stereotypes may be in order here.  Democrats will fight tooth and nail to increase union power--but don't necessarily buy the products they produce.

Another one bites the dust...

Another EV maker down.  Azure Dynamics is filing for creditor protection after Canada's investment regulatory agency denied their request to issue new shares, which Azure needed to do to generate operating capital.

That's because Azure wasn't selling many electric vehicles, not enough to support operations.

I am somewhat disappointing, because Azure is a relatively mature player, and wasn't going after exotic 3-wheel cars or anything fancy, they are in what should be a solid business: retrofitting existing designs with electric powertrains.

The problem remains, that the EV conversions are so expensive (batteries!) that few businesses can afford to buy them in lean times, even though they do save a lot of money in the long run, in fuel savings.

I hope Azure survives, but the future for small EV players looks dim.