Newsweek writer Stefan Theil makes a convincing argument that the political world has become blasé about the issue of climate change, and that has far-reaching effects. In 2007, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a politician who made reducing CO2 levels or another green issue a top priority. Today, like with most things in politics and the media, attention has shifted to other things, like health care and the economy. Some numbers Theil found to back this statement up:

Just 42 percent of Germans now worry about climate change, down from 62 percent in 2006. In Australia, only 53 percent still consider it a pressing issue, down from 75 percent in 2007. Americans rank climate change dead last of 21 problems that concern them most, according to a January Pew poll.

So, if political opinion about climate change can, well, change so drastically in such a short time, where does that leave automakers. As we've seen time and time again, it takes a long time to bring a new green car to market, and fluctuations like this must be absolutely maddening to the engineers and product design teams.

All this leads us to a host of questions. The true greenies aren't affected by public opinion, but what about the broader segment of car buyers? Are people ready to not look at the headlines of the day (and current gas prices) when they purchase a new vehicle? If there's no continued political support for lowering CO2 emissions from cars, will automakers still put a lot of resources into building them? It seems like, again, the only answer might be higher gas prices. Are we ready? Theil writes:

A new climate realism would more carefully weigh the costs and benefits of emissions controls, and look at other options beyond the current set of targets. The new debate will be more pragmatic and include a broader mix of policies. That might include a shift of subsidies into research and development, as many climate economists have argued. It would also include greater efforts to adapt society to a warmer climate, rather than focusing only on stopping the warming process in its tracks.

[Source: Newsweek | Image: nattu - C.C. License 2.0]

As we've mentioned before, one way to measure the likely market share that electric vehicles (EVs) will capture in the coming years is to look at the actions and predictions of EV suppliers. As EVs hit the streets, essential components must be manufactured at a rate that meets actual demand. While some automakers produce EV components in house, many turn to outside suppliers like Bosch.

Bosch plans to invest at least $507 million annually to develop EV specific components. The spending is substantial and will be used to develop li-ion batteries, regenerative braking systems, thermal heat management systems for EV batteries and much more. Bosch would not invest such a substantial amount of coin if it did not see EVs as an emerging automotive segment. Bosch conservatively estimates that EVs and plug-in hybrids will gain a three percent market share by 2020, enough to warrant a significant investment by many suppliers. While three percent is far short of world domination, it should prove to be more than enough to convince automakers to get on board. Follow the jump for more info on Bosch's EV development program.

[Source: Bosch]

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Necessity may very well drive China to the front of the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Given China's status as the world's largest automotive market, we have to believe that the country's automakers are chomping at the bit to capture both a larger share of their home market and to reach out to additional markets soon. If we assume that China's automotive growth will continue, then we must also assume that pollution levels throughout the country will skyrocket until the government steps in to take action, something it is already doing. With strong incentives in place to promote cleaner vehicles and stiff fines imposed on pollution, China is ripe for an EV invasion.

Chinese automakers have scrambled to produce EVs as quickly as possible. The country's push towards cleaner transportation has helped drive advancements in vehicle technology. As China's government strongly pushes for the adoption of EVs, both automakers and suppliers have swung into action. The urgency for cleaner transportation has pushed Chinese automakers to the forefront in EV technology. As retired Volkswagen chairman Carl Hahn told Automotive News Europe, the confluence of events will help the country "leapfrog its competitors in the traditional automotive industry." Hahn added that given China's economic might, the country could easily dominate the EV industry. It is not an idea that sits well with others, but it may become a reality soon.



[Source: Automotive News Europe – sub. req.]

On top of adjusting to new ways of putting energy into your car, might the coming wave of electric vehicles (EVs) could also prompt changes to the way insurance companies deal with the vehicles? We've heard conflicting reports about green cars in the past: some that say hybrids can be more expensive to insure than regular cars while others show insurance companies giving discounts for hybrid vehicles. Now, a new statement by the UK's Post Office Car Insurance recommends:

drivers considering buying an electric car should consult their car insurance provider to discuss adequate car insurance cover as electric cars could require specific car insurance policies in comparison to traditional vehicles.

What are these specific policies, and how might they affect EV drivers? Post Office Car Insurance doesn't say, but Carseek suggests three reasons:

• All car insurance rates are built on risk profiles. The lack of long-term crash data on electrics automatically raises their standing in the risk category.
• These cars, due to their unique engineering, carry higher repair costs and require non-standards parts that are often not readily available to the standard repair shop.
• Smaller vehicles and electrics are highly susceptible to theft and, in the event of an accident, are more likely to be totaled, resulting in high expenses for the insurance company.

We're not sure why an EV would be more susceptible to theft, but those other reasons don't strike us as crazy. Given that EVs aren't the cheapest cars on the market, EV drivers are likely to have a bit more money to pay for more insurance. Wouldn't insurance companies want to start thinking now about ways to offer discounts and attract customers in the very near future? We think so. Thanks to Phil L. for the tip!

[Source: Post Office Car Insurance, Carseek | Image: David Hilowitz - C.C. License 2.0]

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Audi is following BMW in introducing a mechanism to prevent misfueling of diesel vehicles with gasoline. It's generally not possible to put diesel into a gasoline vehicle because the larger diesel nozzles won't fit in the filler neck. However, the smaller gas nozzles will fit in the diesel neck. Audi's system, like the one used by BMW, adds a flap in the neck to prevent fuel flow. The flap only opens up if the nozzle presses on contact points just below the cap. The smaller gasoline nozzle won't be be able to hit all of the contacts at once and the flap will prevent fuel from getting into the tank. Apparently, the improved refinement of modern diesel engines has led to an increase in misfueling in recent years, prompting both BMW and Audi to add the new feature. BMW has had this mechanism in all of its diesel vehicles since early 2009.

[Source: AutoCar]

By the end of this year, Calgary utility company Enmax Corporation will begin piecing together one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) test fleets in all of Canada. More than 400 Enmax employees have displayed interest in driving EVs and the company is more than eager to please its workers. Enmax brings energy to more than 600,000 Canadian residents and is strongly committed to advancement in alternative energy programs.

Mitsubishi will supply its i-MiEV to the fleet while Toronto Electric will bring its A2B EV prototype along. Additional EVs will join in on the action during the next four years. The long-term trial will help automakers and energy providers determine EV charging behavior, energy demands, range limitations and more. It must be nice for the Enmax employees who displayed an interest in driving EVs; like magic, their company will whip up 100 vehicles for them to use. Now, if only it was that simple for the rest of us.



[Source: Green Car Advisor]

It's been more than two years since we first got wind of the Renault-Nissan-Bajaj deal to collaboratively produce one of the world's cheapest, most fuel-efficient vehicles. Despite the delay, the ultra-low-cost car project is far from dead. In fact, the three companies have made progress on the vehicle's development and finally made their tie-up official by signing a three-way Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU outlines how the Renault-Nissan-Bajaj deal will work and it's not all that different from what we've reported before. Bajaj will handle the design, engineering and manufacturing of the ultra-efficient new vehicle and Renault-Nissan will help with marketing and distribution. When the new vehicle finally appears, we expect that it will slot in around $3,000 with mileage numbers somewhere near the 70 miles per gallon mark. The release has been pushed back to 2012, and that date is subject to change as development progresses along. If you're waiting to get your hands on a U.S.-version of this ultra-efficient vehicle, then you'll probably be disappointed to learn that distribution is for emerging markets only.

[Source: Renault-Nissan via Green Car Congress]

It's been quite a long while since we last had any real news from Phoenix Motorcars to report, but, whaddya know, we do now. The long-struggling company just posted a new press release saying it will display its "newly configured Sports Utility Truck" at the FedFleet event in Phoenix, AZ this week. Guess we have to give the company at least a little credit for following through on its April 2009 statement that, "We have not abandoned the alternative fuels transportation space."

So, what's the deal with the company today? Well, there is no longer any mention of an all-electric SUV on the website. The sports utility truck (SUT) based on the SsangYong body is still around, but instead of a 100-mile range, the new configuration boasts all-wheel drive and will be good for just 70 miles (a 100-mile version is now promised for 2011). The Hawaii plan we heard about in 2008 is apparently also still moving forward.

We've heard about Phoenix and its plans to bring an electric truck to market since 2006. Any guesses when we will actually be able to buy one? Bryon Bliss, Phoenix's VP of sales and marketing, said in a statement that, "We will begin deliveries later this year." Does this mean we might get to see Ed Begley, Jr. again soon? Thanks to Basement Dave for the tip!

[Source: Phoenix Motorcars]

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Gasoline consumption across the U.S. has steadily declined during the last decade. Analysts have chalked up the drop in gas usage over the last ten years to the rise in more efficient technologies, better public transportation, the stalled economy and steadily increasing gas prices.

While most of the U.S has stayed consistent with the trend of reduced consumption, the Sightline Institute reports that the Northwest states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington have bucked the trend. These three states have shown an increase in personal gas consumption, leaving analysts perplexed. Idaho led the way with a four percent per capita increase in gas consumption in 2009. Oregon's consumption increased just under one percent, and Washington was not far behind.

Though the increases appear minor, all three states had shown steady decline for more than a decade and any jolt in gas consumption is unexpected. In addition, diesel fuel consumption in these Northwest states dropped off last year, further confusing those who are trying to make sense of the rising gasoline consumption figures. The Sightline Institute suspects a recent drop in gasoline prices in the Northwest likely contributed to increased consumption. To counter the increased consumption, the institute recommends imposing pollution fees or enforcing a strict energy and climate policy. But we feel that if low gas prices are to blame, then that often-argued-about gas tax might just be the perfect solution. Click here to view the entire report (PDF) and don't forget to follow the jump for more info.

[Source: Sightline Institute | Image: FutureAtlas – C.C License 2.0]

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AutoblogGreen had the rare opportunity on Friday to chat with Toyota CEO and president Akio Toyoda where he revealed a prototype vehicle with a Tesla electric drive unit was under construction. Tesla CTO JB Straubel has now told CNN Money that the Silicon valley company is preparing two mule vehicles for Toyota. Tesla battery packs, power electronnics and motors are being installed into Toyota bodies.

Straubel expects to deliver the vehicles to Toyota by the end of July. Toyota officials have told ABG that the initial plan is to just test the performance and durability of the Tesla packs to determine if they will meet Toyota standards. If Toyota proceeds with a production program using a Tesla-style battery (using small laptop type cells) it will be for a new vehicle, not the iQ-based EV arriving in 2012.

[Source: CNN Money]