Mercedes delivers its first F-Cell vehicle.

While Nissan and GM were racing to deliver their first electric and extended range electric vehicles to customers this week, Mercedes-Benz quietly handed over the keys of an F-Cell hydrogen car to its new owner in California.
Mercedes-Benz posted photos of the delivery on its Facebook page, marking the first of 70 or so hydrogen vehicles that California drivers can lease from the luxury carmaker over the next few years. The compact F-Cell uses hydrogen to power the 134-horsepower electric motor and achieves a 240-mile zero-emissions range.
Drivers can lease the vehicle from Mercedes-Benz for $850 per month--a steep price for participating in a research program--but the upside is that they won't have to pay for gas. California hasn't approved the codes and standards for measuring and dispensing hydrogen, and until then the fuel is free for fuel-cell customers at public refueling stations. When the codes are finalized, California Fuel Cell Partnership spokesperson Chris White says hydrogen will initially cost about $5-6 per kilogram. The Mercedes-Benz F-Cell holds 3.7 kilograms, so a fill-up would cost about $20, but the price of hydrogen should be halved as production ramps up over the next few years.
Even as production increases, demand will remain small. Mercedes plans to lease a total of 200 F-Cells, and the U.S. is expected to receive only a third of the fleet. The company is still fielding applications for the next batch of F-Cells, and prospective customers can apply on Mercedes-Benz's microsite. However, because hydrogen fueling stations are few and far between, interested parties need to live in the Los Angeles or San Francisco Bay area.

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New auto sales expected to fall in 2011 to lowest level in 34 years

Sales of new automobiles in Japan next year are likely to decrease 9.9% from this year to 4,465,000 units, marking the lowest level in 34 years, an industry body said Friday.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association attributed the envisaged decrease to termination of the government’s subsidies for environmentally friendly vehicles in September as well as to the uncertain outlook of the nation’s economy.
The estimated figure is a drop of more than 40% from 1990, when the annual total sales of new cars peaked at 7,777,493 units. It is also the lowest level since 1977, when annual sales logged 4,194,249 units.
By category, sales of automobiles other than minivehicles are forecast to witness a drop of 13.3% to 2,808,000 units, while sales of minivehicles are likely to fall 3.6% to 1,657,000 units.
Toshiyuki Shiga, chairman of the association, said at a press conference Friday that for several months from January next year, sales are expected to see a year-on-year monthly drop of over 10%.
‘‘We hope to see a year-on-year monthly increase from around fall through the launch of new cars and sales promotions,’’ he said, while adding that global sales would remain strong due to recovery in the U.S. market and robust demand in China.

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LPG for vehicles in the Philipines.

  Concerned about the high price of oil in the world market, the Department of Energy (DoE) pushed for the use of liquefied petroleum gas or LPG as an alternative fuel for automobiles.
The move was strongly pushed by DoE officials during the “2010 Energy Industry Forum” at downtown hotel and restaurant here over the weekend.
The energy forum is part of the continuing collaboration of the DoE and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to increase awareness among consumers.
Before some 155 energy stakeholders and local officials, DoE-Visayas official Jose Rey C. Maleza disclosed that there is a need to use LPG in an effort to mitigate the impact brought about by the high price of oil now confronted by all consuming public.
Maleza emphasized that there is no problem when converting automobile gas engine to an LPG-operated engine because they have the same heating capacity and needs with the conventional gasoline engine.
“Aside from that, based on simulation, the LPG-fueled automobile is faster compared to a gasoline-fueled automobile,” said Maleza.
Autogas is the common name for LPG when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles.
The same equipment is also used for similar engines in stationary applications such as generators.
Some public community vehicle operators are already using the LPG as an alternative fuel for automobiles, and the DoE encourages more operators to use LPG to also minimize even their expenses.
However, the DoE officials at the Energy Stakeholders Forum warned that only Auto-LPG stations are authorized to sell LPG for automobile purposes and not for household use.
They added that domestic or household cylinders are not allowed to be refilled in any Auto-LPG dispensing stations.
Written by MIKE U. CRISMUNDO.

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