EEVC NEWSLETTER Published by the Eastern Electric Vehicle Club Peter Cleaveland, Editor Vol 30 No 11 Club Address: P.O. Box 134, Valley Forge, PA 19481-0134 NOVEMBER, 2010 email: [email protected]. Web site: www.eevc.info President: Oliver Perry, 5 Old Stagecoach Turn Shamong, NJ 08088, (609) 268-0944 Copyright © 2010, Eastern Electric Vehicle Club, all rights reserved Now affiliated with EAA

THE CAR THAT COULD, REVISITED Oliver Perry Quote from Henry Ford: Before the EV-1existed, There was the “If there is any one secret of success, it lies Impact . in the ability to get the other person’s point And the Impact was reduced to a symbolic view and see things from that person’s angle as effort before it was turned back on under the well as from your own.” EV-1 banner. I feel that the “Car That Could” does a good job of helping you and I to do just that. The Scenes from “The Car that Could,” the book helps us to understand better why a pro- Impact stage. duction EV may not be as easy as some think. In 1990 and 91 GM was struggling to stop The Car That Could is a book detailing the huge losses in their North American opera- amazing and compelling story of GM’s adven- tions. GM had invested in solar and electric car ture with the EV-1, written by Michael Shnay- adventures back in the 80ties and on and off erson. Many people may not be aware that had been experimenting with electric cars. GM allowed writer Michael Shnayerson inside its Tech Center gates daily in 1992 to visit the Back in the 80s Impact (later to become the EV-1) project with The highly publicized GM Sun Raycer, built few restrictions. He tells the story as he gath- by a California company by the name of ered the information directly from those AeroVironment, outside of the auto industry , involved. With GM’s permission Shnayerson won the solar race in Australia from Darwin to was allowed to interview and observe the engi- Adelaide in record time. “The solar car lent a neers and managers working on the EV-1 pro- sheen of technology daring to a carmaker ject as it was taking place. Shnayerson was the widely viewed as stodgy. It (the solar car) only journalist at that time allowed to sit in on toured hundreds of schools before finding a nearly 300 staff meetings and share a highly permanent place in the Smithsonian Institute.” guarded secret that even many within GM (page 18) were not aware of. His book offers readers a real inside glimpse into the automaker’s world Intro the Impact and provides us with factual information A bright young engineer working on the Sun regarding the design and construction of one of Raycer project by the name of Alec Brooks, the greatest electric cars the world has ever having successfully accomplished an engineer- driven. Much of the story we have either for- ing in record time, wondered if he could gotten or never learned. now convince GM to advance from the Sun Raycer to building a real electric car. The com- high-density lead acid batteries. ponents used in Sun Raycer Brooks felt could be upgraded and placed in a car that could real- Green Light From GM ly make eyes roll. “What Brooks had in mind In 1988 Brooks and a representative from was a sporty two seater built from the ground Hughes Aerospace, recently purchased by up to be lighter and more nimble than any elec- GM, traveled to Detroit to pitch their concept tric vehicle of the past.” (page 18) “Brooks, for car, referred to as Project Santana, to the top one, had no doubts about his ultimate goal: to executives. Chairman Roger Smith suggested prove that EVs of the future could not only be that the Sun Raycer had given GM all the cleaner than gas cars but in most respects bet- publicity they needed and he voted no to ter; even, some day, cheaper.” (page 19) When funding another “one of a kind” car. Several Brooks was provided an opportunity to discuss executives around him, Robert Stempel his dream with selected GM managers, his included, continued to pressure Smith to comment that he could design an electric car change his mind in the weeks that followed. that could go from 0-60 mph in 8 seconds Eventually Roger Smith agreed to fund the caused some eyes to light up. project with 3 million dollars with a 15 Brooks was then introduced to GM’s Ken month deadline. The project was to be com- Baker who had been the director of the ill- pleted in California miles away from the rust fated GM Electrovette. Baker showed genuine belt mentality of Detroit, and kept a secret. It interest in Brooks’s idea. He told Brooks why became known as Project Santana. the proposed two-seater should have front Alan Cocconi, from Cal Tech, who had wheel drive and a battery tunnel down the cen- proven himself by building the inverter in the ter rather than have the batteries concentrated Sun Raycer project, was assigned the similar in the back. Baker also agreed it was a right electronics in Project Santana. Delco-Remy decision to use lead acid batteries. All of the would handle batteries and GM’s Advanced experiments with newer types to that date had Concepts Center in Newbury, California ultimately failed to hold up in real driving con- would design the body. (In time AeroViron- ditions. Lead acid technology in theory could ment became disgusted with the GM body cause an electric car to go very fast indeed, designs and began making covert designs of and for a reasonable price. its own. When GM management learned of Bob Bish, the battery expert from Delco the squabble they laid down the order that Remy (owned by GM), later flew out to Cali- they would not support two cars.) Brooks’s fornia to meet with Brooks and his team. He demands that the aerodynamic drag coeffi- explained that watering systems for lead acid cient be similar to that of a F-16 fighter jet batteries were nothing but trouble and advised eventually forced both sides to accept a tear- against using one. For the average consumer drop shape with a belly pan. electric car batteries must be maintenance- In the battery department Bish, at Delco free. Bish advised Brooks that if he was seri- Remy, began building the denser battery that ous in developing a proof of concept EV car, he had previously suggested. The tighter the he might try a new and untried electric car bat- space between electrodes the more lead one tery using gas recombinant technology. These can pack into a battery. One of the tricks Bish were what we would today call AGMs. and his workers used to accomplish that feat Instead of using flooded acid around the plates was to freeze all of the battery components a sponge like glass and fiber mat was inserted before they put them together. After the to soak up the electrolyte. This battery no plates were put in place, with ultra narrow longer needed a space above the plates for spaces between them, the frozen mats con- gases to collect and reform. One could pack taining the electrolyte were slipped into these more lead into the box and have a denser bat- narrow spaces. The cold temperatures slowed tery. Brooks needed 900 pounds of batteries to the chemical reactions down enabling the give his concept car the acceleration and range mats to be fully inserted before chemical he wanted. Bish did a calculation and told reactions caused them to swell. This tech- Brooks that his plans only had allocated 843 nique enabled tighter spaces than normal to pounds of space even by using special build be used between the plates and led to the

2 more dense battery that the body design the final preparations for the unveiling of the required. car to the GM PR people, someone added a The pages that Shnayerson writes describ- license plate that read, “The Future is Elec- ing the helter skelter rush to build the unique tric.” The PR man in charge of the video proof of concept EV on schedule are of great crew required that the plate be removed interest to read. The engineers and builders because it made too strong of a statement. faced all kinds of unexpected problems. They That did not go over well with the team that fell behind schedule. Eventually Brooks built the car. asked for five more months time to complete The name of the proof of concept car had the car. Then suddenly out of the blue he was been Santana until GM lawyers discovered faced with board chairman Roger Smith. that the name Santana was registered to a Smith, who at first had been reluctant to fund VW model in Europe. Either Chuck Jordan, the project, had become so excited about the the GM vice president of design, or Don reports he had been reading regarding their Runkle an executive at the Tech Center in work that he wanted to have the concept car Michigan, came up with the new name, ready to reveal to the world at the upcoming Impact, supposedly for the impact it would LA car show in January. This was not a pop- have on the world. Few working on Project ular decision among many in GM. There Santana liked the name and were dismayed were fears that showing California a car that that their replacement name selections had could meet their mandate could place all of been overridden. them in bondage, especially if the car didn’t GM chairman Roger Smith, after presiding live up to expectations. over another tough year of dwindling market At that point in time it was only a proof of share, seemed almost intoxicated over the concept car with many bugs to be worked great fanfare and buzz that the car generated out. Engineers feared revealing their elec- when he personally introduced it to the public tronic trade secrets. Shnayerson writes that in January of 1990. For the moment the Smith cheerfully waved away these fears. Impact team reveled in glory. Roger Smith “Most engineers would be still working on had hired an outside R&D firm to build a the 1971 if someone hadn’t visionary concept electric car that shocked grabbed it away from them. It’s time to get the socks off of its drivers. The Impact creat- this thing out of the chute.” ed an uproar of public approval at the car Crunch time had unexpectedly arrived. show. Soon against the pleas of his advisors, Night after night everyone scrambled. In Smith would declare to Washington Press frustration Brooks even accepted fixed win- Club (at an Earth Day event) that GM was dows which would not roll down. At 1:00 going to actually produce the vehicle. AM November 28, 1989, a doorless shell To some, amongst all the hype and fanfare, flew around the parking lot demonstrating the there was cause for concern. The video power train worked. As show time came linked to the display at the car show did not closer the car passed initial tests at the GM give any credit to AeroVironment, the com- proving grounds in Mesa, Arizona. It jumped pany responsible for making the car. The GM from 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds. It went 124 engineers seen at the Tech Center in white miles at 55 mph. It simulated urban traffic coats were actors. MacCready, head of and performed up to accepted driving stan- AeroVironment, taking the long view at that dards. The controller limited the top speed to point didn’t care who got credit for the car. In 75 mph, which did not seem to pose a prob- his mind the Impact hastened the develop- lem for anyone. ment of electric cars by five years. Proof of Concept EV Made an Impact! From Concept Car to Production Although the suspension and handling Meanwhile, back in Michigan, GM execu- were terrible, and the car lacked any ameni- tives set about to find someone to head up the ties including air bags, several weeks of team needed to bring the Impact to produc- sanding and repainting presented an exciting tion. How GM could actually make the image to the public. As the engineers made Impact a production car would become Ken

3 Bakers next career challenge. Baker felt flat- without stalling the whole project. They were tered that he had been offered the opportuni- now held hostage to the strict standards they ty. But looking back over the Electrovette had set for themselves earlier in the over-all experience he wondered whether or not he design of performance and range stages. was once again being set up for failure. When The structure team was one of the first the oil prices had dropped the Electrovette teams to feel that they were finished. They died a quiet death at the demo stage. resisted making changes to accommodate In accepting the position of being the one modified parts more suitable for production responsible for bringing the Impact to pro- procedures. Trade offs between departments duction Baker hoped he would help write a became harder to implement as the produc- page in automotive history. He hoped that tion deadline approached. Every 22 kg of this time GM would follow through on prov- mass (about 45 pounds) was defined as a ing electric vehicles could work after all. mile of range. So were every six counts of Making the Impact a production car would aerodynamic drag, and every 34 watts of not be an easy task. Its handling was awful power. and although it proved the concept, many But Shanayerson describes the biggest changes were needed in order for such a frustration for the engineers, as the deadline vehicle to turn a profit in production. The for production testing approached, was the first step would be to produce a working pro- failure of the battery team to finalize the totype in a way that manufacturing could number of batteries it would include in the effectively reproduce. It meant starting all final proof of production Impact. The size of over from scratch examining every aspect of the battery pack seemed to grow daily, the “show-stopper” Impact. requiring changes in the structure of the car. Due to the change in fortune of GM profits If structure changed then the parts connected in the early 90ties Baker’s budget and time to the structure would have to change. frame to produce the working production Basically as time went on it seemed as if prototype were both very tight. Many feared the mass and cost of assembly targets could it was only a matter of time before top man- not easily be met. Every part had to be agement would be forced by the board to shut strong, functional, reproducible, light and the Impact program down, especially if the reasonable in cost. It was not always easy to effort proved to be costly and failed to turn a take the mass out of a part without either rais- profit in a reasonable time. ing the cost or lowering the strength. Each As the final design stages neared the dead- part department wanted somebody else’s part line for the first production model testing, the department to reduce weight and leave them GM Impact engineering teams began to feel alone. all sorts of pressure. The parts engineers were Eventually it became clear that the lead eventually split into nine groups called PDTs. acid battery stood in the way of meeting the (PDT stood for production deliver team.) In range and performance standards that the the case of the builders of the GM Impact the engineers had set for the production Impact. PDT teams were eventually transferred to a It began to look too difficult to accomplish church near the test center because it had their goals even for the believers in the elec- enough common space for the teams to work tric car concept. jointly in problem solving. The Impact pro- Furthermore many arguments continued gram had been assigned limited space and regarding the price range the car should sell funding. for. Price affected production design. The PDT job was to design and engineer Although engineers continued to improve the the manufacturing procedures needed to parts, reduce their weight and the space they assemble the various parts of the Impact: to consumed, the first production ready Impact decide whether to use nuts and bolts or rivets was not in sight. and glue as well as to determine the best assembly procedure that would provide the Collective Battery Research Begins shortest assembly time. At this stage it was As GM quietly began to ready its Impact too late for them to change basic designs for production, so too were Ford and

4 working on EV projects of their um polymer. Over time the three companies own that would could be used down the road smoothed out the last wrinkles in the newly if and when the California Mandate was formed consortium. The government would enforced. As he supervised the Impact pro- allow USABC to own patents, reasoning that ject, Ken Baker had begun secret meetings if the research produced anything of value the with EV counterparts in Ford and Chrysler. government’s money would be well spent. Although the three auto giants were competi- The big three worked out requests for propos- tors they sometimes found reasons to do joint als for battery developers and a fair way for research. the resulting technology and profits to be At the same time a gentleman by the name shared. Congress was convinced by the of Michael Davis, a new assistant secretary White House Office of Management and of the DOE, observed that although the DOE Budget to see the USABC as a money-saving was handing out 20 million dollars a year in venture, resulting in more funding as the small amounts to federal and university labs DOE had requested. all around the country for battery research not In the fall of 1991 the DOE provided 130 much of any value was resulting from this million dollars to the battery research fund research. (Because of the California Mandate while the Big Three and Utilities matched the big three auto companies were pouring that amount to give the USABC 260 million some money of their own into battery dollars for battery research. Since the research in case they needed EVs.) Why not, USABC had become a shining example of Davis reasoned, put all of the DOE funds into how government and industry could work one big basket and give it to a consortium together the White House called for a Rose made up of the major auto companies? These Garden ceremony to give it an official same companies could be required to add the launch. President Bush the first offered a funds which they were already devoting to short speech. Parked off to the side sat a con- their company battery research. Davis verted Chrysler mini-van, a Ford Ecostar van, observed that the Big Three would automati- and the original Impact show car. The choice cally get a return of six dollars for every dol- of car to demonstrate was predetermined by a lar they spent. So what if all three companies drawn lot. President Bush waved to photog- ended up using the same advanced battery? raphers as he climbed into the Chrysler van They could still compete against each other and pressed the accelerator. The van didn’t with the rest of the car. Pooling their move. The panicked mechanics corrected the resources the Big Three stood a greater electrical connections in several minutes and chance of meeting the California Mandate by the president was able to drive the van a few jointly developing a battery than by trying to hundred feet for the press. develop a battery on their own. It wasn’t long before the USABC received As the idea was pushed forward the big an application and awarded an 18.5 million question occurred as to who would be dollar DOE grant to go to a small unheard of responsible for managing the collective effort company in Troy, Michigan, ECD (Energy that would eventually become the United Conversion Devices). An independent lab States Advanced Battery Consortium picked the ECD nickel metal hybrid battery as (USABC).* For several months the big three a winner. It had an 80 watt-hrs per kilogram engaged in very tense meetings in the attempt output compared to the lead acid battery of to work out an agreeable plan. about 35 watt-hrs per kilogram. The consor- Although each company would have loved tium hoped that the winning technology would to abolish the others, each knew that their be able to reach their mid-term goal of 100 best chance of creating an advanced battery watt-hrs per kilogram. Stan Ovshinsky, who lie in working together. Soon the directors of had developed the nickel metal hydride battery the Ford Eco-, Chrysler TEVan, and the and owned ECD was thrilled to pieces when GM Impact vehicles were sharing informa- he received the grant. As most of our readers tion and working together… or were they? know, the nickel metal hybrid battery would Ford pushed their sodium sulfur battery, eventually become a game changer. Chrysler the nickel cadmium, and GM a lithi-

5 Meanwhile efforts on Impact continue (S.F. really, really likes Nancy Pelosi, and As GM’s profits seemed to keep sliding Jerry Brown gets to be governor again), the Baker worried that his team was falling further results of the various ballot propositions and further behind in creating a feasible model weren’t quite so far to the left. of a production Impact, that is, moving the Proposition 19, which would have legalized Impact from Concept Initiation to Concept the possession and production of marijuana for Approval. The poor financial climate forced recreational purposes (as if all the toking going Baker to delay the project another six months. on already wasn’t just for fun in the first place) He worried that management might decide it was defeated. San Francisco, as expected, was best to kill the whole program at any backed the measure, but other areas, perhaps moment. having heard that the measure would have allowed people (including school bus drivers) To Be continued… to show up for work stoned, and perhaps hav- ing been reminded by the U.S. Attorney Gen- *The US Advanced Battery Consortium eral that pot was still against federal law, (USABC) was formed in January of 1991. helped to vote it down. Oddly enough, the pot- The mission statement on the USABC web growing “Emerald Triangle” of Mendocino, page states that USABC’s purpose is to devel- Humboldt and Trinity counties voted against op electrochemical energy storage technolo- it. Apparently while some growers felt they gies which support commercialization of fuel could turn their pot farms into boutique affairs cell, hybrid, and electric vehicles. like the fancy wineries in Napa, others worried USABC is currently one of the research that commercial production would hurt prices. units under the direction of the Energy Storage Technical Leadership Council, which present- More good news from Tesla ly is a basic research unit of the United States Tesla Motors has had some more good Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) news. First off, the company officially moved formed in 1992. The USCAR has its roots in into the NUMMI plant, and put its name on the1984 Cooperative Research Act in which the building. And on November 3 Panasonic congress provided opportunities for a wide announced that it was investing $30 million in range of research and development collabora- Tesla, acquiring about a 2 percent stake in the tions involving industrial competitors. The company. Panasonic and Tesla will jointly USCAR is a management group that serves as market and sell battery packs for EVs. a coordinating research hub for automotive related needs. Local grants for EVs On October 27 regional and local officials WINNERS AND LOSERS gathered at City Hall in San Jose to unveil a By California Pete plan to introduce electric vehicles into several The Bay Area is still bask- Bay Area market sectors with the help of the ing in the glow of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Giants’ victory in the Climate Initiatives Grants. Nearly $14 million World Series; It did feel a of the $33 million in climate grants announced bit odd to root fervently for will go to four major electric vehicle projects the Phillies in the playoffs in the Bay Area: and then switch allegiance • $7 million for an electric taxi demonstra- to the Giants, but I’ll take tion program based in S.F. and San Jose that the win (this from an ex- will provide 61 EV taxis with switchable bat- Dodger fan who stopped teries (to cut down on time lost to recharging); watching baseball for 30 years following the with matching funds, the total cost is $20 mil- Great Betrayal — and that came after a Series lion; win as well). But as I said, I’ll take it. • $2.8 million for a local government EV Perhaps the biggest news outside baseball fleet program that will involve the purchase of was the election results. While the Democrats 90 electric vehicles (including 79 Leaf swept all the major California elective offices sedans) for use in eight jurisdictions’ fleets.

6 With added local match funds, this two-year, What will EVs do to engine makers? $5 million national demonstration will show- An article by Hiroko Tabuchi in The New case electric vehicles in government fleets; York Times for November 2 reported that own- • $1.7 million for incorporating electric ers of companies in Hahamatsu that supply vehicles into car-sharing programs ($2.4 mil- parts to the Japanese car companies — lion total with matching funds); and exhaust pipes, spark plugs and so on — are • $2.4 million for Bay Area electric vehicle worried that as EVs take more of the market infrastructure and readiness programs, such as they may be driven out of business. In installing charging stations. response, the part makers are working hard to figure out what parts they can make for EVs. More on grants Chinese companies present potential competi- Speaking of grants, CNN Money reported tion, says the report, but businessmen in the on Tuesday that buyers of the new Nissan Leaf region feel that they will be able to adapt. may have to pay only about $17,000 — if they live in the right place. The car sells for Li-ion battery prices going down $32,500, but the federal government offers a An October 18 Bloomberg story reports that $7500 tax credit, the state of California gives a lithium-ion battery maker Sanyo plans to $5000 rebate, and local governments in the reduce manufacturing costs by half over the San Joaquin Valley offer another $3000. next five years. The company is gearing up for But would you move to Fresno for $3000? increased production, and “may add a manu- facturing line at the plant to make large-capac- Is for real? ity cells for plug-in hybrid and all-electric cars Back in March of 2009 we learned of the by March 2011, raising its output ability to as formation of Coda Automotive under the high as 1.5 million units a month.” leadership of low-speed EV entrepreneur Miles Rubin. The plan was to build a full- Mitsubishi plans larger i-MiEV size, highway speed EV in China and import A November 1 article by Hans Greimel of it into the U.S. Automotive News reports that Mitsubishi In October of this year the San Francisco Motors Corp. plans to unveil a wide-bodied Chronicle reported that the company, head- version of its i-MiEV at the Los Angeles auto quartered in Santa Monica, might begin show. The larger size — larger than the assembling the car in the Bay Area town of Japanese and European version, the story says Benicia. The CEO, Kevin Czinger, touted the — will be “both to meet U.S. crash standards car as better than other EVs. Things were and cater to American tastes.” Predicted retail looking up. price is less than $30,000. Then in November Czinger abruptly left the company. While an interim CEO has been put EV training program in place, things look pretty shaky. For those readers who make it to the West Coast, Electro Automotive is pleased to announce the launch of the Electric Vehicle Tech Training Program™, in collaboration NEWS UPDATE with the Electronic Transportation Develop- ment Center, Breathe California, Silicon Val- SAP, Siemens are getting into EV chargers ley Clean Cities Coalition, and Autotrend On October 21 greentechgrid reported that Diagnostics, and partially funded by the Bay two German companies — software maker Area Air Quality Management District. The SAP and Siemens — are teaming up “to inte- EVTT Program™ will provide training on the grate the entire process of people charging technology of electric vehicles, with the goal their EVs, no matter where, and ultimately of developing a trained workforce for the generating an invoice at the ‘home’ utility.” emerging job sector of green transportation as How exactly this would work, and how well as educating potential electric vehicle practical it might be, are still to be determined, buyers and users, such as fleet managers. said the report. The first training event will be a three day

7 seminar scheduled for Jan. 14 -16, 2011. The rate electric drive, the Ford Fiesta nominee seminar will be held at the San Jose office of underscores that internal combustion contin- Breathe California, Silicon Valley Clean Cities ues to evolve in important ways. This hatch- Coalition and the Electronic Transportation back achieves up to 40 EPA estimated high- Development Center (ETDC) at 1469 Park way fuel economy, running on conventional Avenue, San Jose. Material covered will gasoline. Along with vehicles incorporating include performance, cost, environmental, and electric drive, a new generation of internal energy aspects of electric vehicles; AC vs. DC combustion gasoline and clean diesel models systems; components of the vehicles; conver- are expected to push efficiencies ever higher in sion of internal combustion vehicles to electric the coming years. power; driving, charging, and maintenance; troubleshooting; and more. Vehicle compo- nents and a running vehicle will be on hand. For details, see www.electroauto.com/3Day- COMING EVENTS Seminar.shtml. The New England EV Car Show PV industry to grow 902% in 2010 - Report November 14, Middletown, CT, For info go Global solar photovoltaics (PV) panel pro- to www.ecedra.com. duction will eclipse 15 GW this year, accord- World Energy Engineering Congress ing to GTM Research’s latest report, “PV Dec 8-10, Washington, DC. Go to www.ener- Technology, Production and Cost Outlook: gycongress.com 2010–2015.” While subsidy cuts in key mar- Green Truck Summit kets will lead to slower growth in 2011 and March 7-10, 2011, Indianapolis, IN. Contact beyond, panel production will still exceed 25 Susan Romeo, [email protected], 626- gigawatts by 2013. At the same time, increas- 744-5600 ing competition between suppliers will lead to EVs in Macungie panel prices of less than $1/watt by 2012 for April 30, Macungie Memorial Park. Contact select technologies. [email protected]. For more information on the report go to Solar 2011 www.gtmresearch.com/report/pv-technology- May 16-21, Raleigh, NC. For info go to production-and-cost-outlook-2010-2015. www.ases.org/index.php?option=com_con- tent&view=article&id=18&Itemid=147 2011 Green Car of the Year finalists 11th Challenge Bibendum revealed May 18-22, 2011, Berlin, Germany. Go to On October 21 Green Car Journal www.challengebibendum/en announced its five finalists for the 2011 Green Car of the Year®, including the 2011 Chevro- let Volt, 2011 Ford Fiesta, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid MEETING SCHEDULE and the 2011 Nissan LEAF. For the sixth con- Meetings are held in Room 49, - secutive year, this increasingly important Whitemarsh High School, 201 East German- award will be announced during a press con- town Pike in Plymouth Meeting, PA, and ference at the LA Auto Show Press Days on begin at 7:00 p.m. Nov. 18. The Green Car of the Year award is a pro- Dec 8 gram that honors environmental leadership in the automobile field and recognizes vehicles Jan 12 that become available to consumers during the award year. For the first time, the finalists Feb 9 include two primarily electric-drive vehicles in addition to two hybrids and a high mile-per- Mar 9 gallon, gasoline internal combustion engine. While four of the five nominees do incorpo- Apr 13

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