Chevrolet Volt vs. Nissan Leaf

The plug-in hybrid 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the all-electric 2011 Nissan Leaf both arrive in dealer showrooms in fall 2010.  Both have been making headlines for months.  Will they both be winners or will one leave the other in the dust?

Let’s compare the two.

Price to buy –  Both vehicles quality for a $7,500 tax rebate

Nissan Leaf — $32,780

Chevrolet Volt – $41,000

Leasing cost –

Nissan Leaf – $349 a month for 36 months, with $2,000 down

Chevrolet Volt – $350 a month for 36 months, with $2,500 down

Leasing avoids sticker shock, and also avoids owning if the technology does not live up to its promise by the time the lease is up.  Notice, I am not using the word ‘lemon’.

Size –

Nissan Leaf – four passenger compact

Chevrolet Volt – four passenger mid-size.  According to the New York Times, the Volt has less head and leg room than the $17,000 Chevrolet Cruze

Fuel mileage and range –

Nissan Volt — has a range of just under 100 miles before it needs recharging

Chevrolet Volt — also can travel about 40 miles on pure electric power, but extended range gas engine provides up to 500 miles.  The Volt requires premium gas, which detracts from fuel savings,

Recharging –  Both vehicles can be charged overnight on a standard 120-volt outlet, in four to six hours on a heavy duty 240-volt

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Honda Planning a Major Jump in Hybrid Sales in Japan in 2011

Honda will put pedal to the metal in Japan next year when a new and bigger range of hybrid models will land on the market.

Joining the CR-Z and Fit Hybrid on the scene will be a hybridized version of the Freed, Honda’s quirky small domestic van. Honda will also introduce a stretched wagon version of the Fit hybrid for domestic consumption, according to sources. The front half of the body will be stock, but overall length will stretch by more than 2 feet.

The Fit hybrid wagon is expected out in March, while the Freed hybrid will arrive later, around fall 2011.

The redesigned Civic Hybrid, to be unveiled in January at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and tipped to be the first Honda hybrid to get a lithium-ion battery pack, will be another 2011 debut, but Japan, in fact, might not get it.

Having announced the end of Civic sales in Japan and with that longer Fit hybrid wagon in the wings, Honda may feel that it doesn’t need the new Civic Hybrid in Japan anymore, not even as an iconic stand-alone model.

Honda will also have the Insight to fall back on, of course, and the good news there is that that to-date lackluster model is due for a major revamp next July.

Toyota will counter with a hybrid version of the new Vitz (Yaris) and Mazda is promising a face-lifted Mazda 2 with the automaker’s new Skyactiv G gas engine that can achieve hybrid-type economy without the weight and complexity of battery and motor.

Add it up and, although the technology is light and compact, Honda’s IMA hybrids have yet to truly catch on and/or frighten Toyota, the market leader. So will 2011 at last be the turning point for Honda?

Inside Line says: The new Honda hybrids could be big in Japan where the word “hybrid” is a major come-on, but in the U.S., given the inevitable price premium for the technology, such small gasoline-electric models could be a harder sell.

SOURCE: InsideLine.com

View the original article here

Honda Planning a Major Jump in Hybrid Sales in Japan in 2011

Honda will put pedal to the metal in Japan next year when a new and bigger range of hybrid models will land on the market.

Joining the CR-Z and Fit Hybrid on the scene will be a hybridized version of the Freed, Honda’s quirky small domestic van. Honda will also introduce a stretched wagon version of the Fit hybrid for domestic consumption, according to sources. The front half of the body will be stock, but overall length will stretch by more than 2 feet.

The Fit hybrid wagon is expected out in March, while the Freed hybrid will arrive later, around fall 2011.

The redesigned Civic Hybrid, to be unveiled in January at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and tipped to be the first Honda hybrid to get a lithium-ion battery pack, will be another 2011 debut, but Japan, in fact, might not get it.

Having announced the end of Civic sales in Japan and with that longer Fit hybrid wagon in the wings, Honda may feel that it doesn’t need the new Civic Hybrid in Japan anymore, not even as an iconic stand-alone model.

Honda will also have the Insight to fall back on, of course, and the good news there is that that to-date lackluster model is due for a major revamp next July.

Toyota will counter with a hybrid version of the new Vitz (Yaris) and Mazda is promising a face-lifted Mazda 2 with the automaker’s new Skyactiv G gas engine that can achieve hybrid-type economy without the weight and complexity of battery and motor.

Add it up and, although the technology is light and compact, Honda’s IMA hybrids have yet to truly catch on and/or frighten Toyota, the market leader. So will 2011 at last be the turning point for Honda?

Inside Line says: The new Honda hybrids could be big in Japan where the word “hybrid” is a major come-on, but in the U.S., given the inevitable price premium for the technology, such small gasoline-electric models could be a harder sell.

SOURCE: InsideLine.com

View the original article here

Honda to Start Testing EVs, PHEVs in Japan

Honda Motor Co Ltd announced Dec 20, 2010, that it will start field tests of its electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in Japan.

On the same day, the company showed prototypes of an EV based on the Fit minicar and a PHEV based on the Inspire sedan.

Honda announced a prototype of the EV and the platform of the PHEV at the Los Angeles Motor Show, which took place in November 2010. And the vehicles announced this time were their new versions designed for the Japanese market.

“For expanding the use of EVs, the balance between price and performance is important,” Honda President Takanobu Ito said. “It is still difficult to achieve the balance. But there may be markets in specific regions such as rural areas where there is no service station.”

Honda will conduct the field tests in Saitama and Kumamoto prefectures in Japan. For each field test, five EVs and five PHEVs will be used. And the company will conduct similar field tests in Torrance, the US, by using three EVs and three PHEVs.

It is also planning to conduct field tests in Stamford, the US, by using the “EV-neo” electric two-wheeled vehicle and the “Monpal ML200? electric cart in addition to EVs and PHEVs.

“Though we have not determined a specific period of time for the tests, it will be about two years,” the company said.

In Saitama Prefecture, the vehicles will be tested in various areas depending on their characteristics. For example, in Saitama City, Honda will examine how the EV and the electric two-wheeled vehicle can be selectively used in the areas around train stations.

In Kumagaya City, Honda will test the “Park & Ride” system, which combines EVs, PHEVs and trains in the area around the Kagohara Station. In Chichibu City, the company will establish a system by using the Monpal.

This time, Honda also disclosed a charging station equipped with photovoltaic batteries developed by Honda Soltec Co Ltd. The station has a rapid charger manufactured by Kyuki Corp, a subsidiary of Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc, and three normal chargers manufactured by Nihon Unisys Ltd.

“Supposing that an EV travels 40km per day, we would like to supply electricity to four EVs by using only solar batteries,” Ito said.

As for charging technologies, Honda developed a system to monitor the use of chargers, etc in real time by using car navigation systems and smartphones. The system utilizes the company’s “Internavi Premium Club” telematics service, which uses a dedicated communication device equipped in the Fit.

Moreover, Honda mounted another communication device on vehicles to collect data on the use of automotive batteries.

SOURCE: TechOn

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How to cope with a family member with mental illness

Many families face a situation of dealing with a mental illness, but are not sure how to handle the situation. Understanding how to cope with a family member who has mental illness is not something that many people discuss openly. However, knowing how you can manage through what may seem like a painful situation can bring comfort to many families. 

Depending on the type and severity of mental illness, typical communication methods may not work. This can be one of the trickier aspects when learning how to cope with a family member who has mental illness. For some, reasoning and common sense are lowered, which can make communication much slower. Others may become easily agitated or upset, forcing families to choose their words carefully. 

If your attempts at communicating have not worked, seeking help from a professional is an important part of learning to cope with a family member who has mental illness. Professionals can help teach you ways to communicate that will not create frustration or anger in either party, and may bring about a sense of bonding. 

For many with mental illnesses, it can be frustrating to be expected to do things that are extremely difficult, or even impossible. Learning new skills, communicating, and processing information may be harder to do. Those who are learning how to cope with a family member with mental illness need to practice patience and sensitivity. 

Some people with mental illnesses can be treated with medications, and while these may reduce or prevent some of the problems they do not necessarily erase the mental illness completely. Patience and sensitivity are still very important even if your family member is receiving treatment and seems to be better. Things on the outside do not always reflect how things feel on the inside, this is an important lesson for those who are learning how to cope with a family member with mental illness. 

Different mental illnesses can affect people in different ways. In learning how to cope with a family member who has mental illness, making an effort to understand the particular mental illness is very important. The more yo understand, the easier it may be to cope with problems that arise. If you are prepared you can expect common complications, and know what to look for in case things become worse. 

It can be very hard to see a person change in personality, behavior, and ability due to a mental illness. In times past, those with mental illnesses were treated as less than humans and often abused. For some with severe cases of mental illness, it may seem very difficult to see the human still inside the body. 

Yet, it is crucially important to remember that this person is still the same family member you knew and loved. A mental illness does not destroy the basic needs of a human: to be loved and cared for. 

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