Automotive X-Prize recommends EPA adopt MGEe rating

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Contests, Government/Legal, Green, Chevrolet, GM

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt

Now that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has an agreement with General Motors regarding how to measure the fuel mileage of the 2011 Chevy Volt, our attention turns to the EPA, which now has to decide what official mileage rating will appear on the new car's window sticker and how to determine what that number will be. The first recommendation comes from the Automotive X-Prize, the foundation of which will award $10 million from Progressive Insurance to the winner of its competition to design a production-viable car that people would want to drive that gets 100 MPGe or more.

What's with that little 'e' after the familiar miles per gallon? Basically, the X-Prize crew wants to convert all units of energy to a figure that's equivalent to the power from a gallon of gas. That way, a car's powerplant - regardless of where it gets that energy from - earns a rating that can be easily compared with everything else. So, EPA, the ball's in your court... still.

Psst - GM, maybe you should enter the Volt in the X-Prize competition. Just a thought.

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt - Live Reveal

[Source: Automotive X-Prize via AutoblogGreen]

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Toyota's New Year's Resolution: sell 9.85 million cars in 2008

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Green, Toyota

If it were poker, Toyota would have looked at GM, pushed all its chips into the pot and said, "You know what that means." The other marque in the battle for worldwide supremacy has raised its projection for 2008 sales by 5-percent over this year, expecting to sell 9.85 million cars around the world on production of 9.95 million cars. This year, 2007, GM is estimated to have sold 9.3 million cars, compared to Toyota's estimated sales of 9.36 million.

Even with quite a few analysts and outlets predicting fewer vehicle sales in the US next year, Toyota is predicting a 1-percent increase in sales to 2.64 million units. The bulk of the sales growth will, as with every other global player, comes largely from emerging markets: China, Russia, India, and South America. This, of course, means Toyota will be leaning on its smaller models and hybrids to lead the way.

There's no way GM has given up the fight, having held the #1 spot for 76 years, and still holding the record for most cars sold: 9.55 million in 1978. You can be sure they don't want to give up both top slots in one year. To do so, they'll need to deliver on the design, the efficiency, the reliability and promises they've been making to the public for a while. As Big John McCarthy says at the beginning of an Ultimate Fighting match, "Let's get it on!"

[Source: Detroit News]

 

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