Peugeot, Mercedes diesel hybrids en route for 2011 !

Peugeot's 3008 Hybrid4 diesel-hybrid car is set to go on sale in Europe in spring 2011, and that would beat Mercedes' E300 BlueTec hybrid to market by a few months.

(Credit: Peugeot)

Once again, European drivers will have access to cars with better gas mileage than their U.S. counterparts.

Peugeot announced Tuesday that its 3008 Hybrid4 diesel hybrid car will be available in Europe in spring 2011 and will get roughly the equivalent of 62 miles to the gallon.

Many have been skeptical of a diesel hybrid, since a diesel engine's high torque does not lend itself easily to incorporation with an electric motor. Peugeot tackled that issue by giving the car two separate power trains that can operate solo or in tandem. The two systems are controlled together electronically, but are not in any way connected mechanically.

The 3008 Hybrid4's 2.0-liter, 163-bhp HDi diesel engine powers the car's front wheels, while the rear axle is powered a 37-bhp electric motor with nickel-metal hydride batteries. The car can be completely powered by electricity when going 35 miles per hour or slower. The electric engine also kicks in to recharge its battery when the vehicle decelerates via regenerative breaking. The 3008 Hybrid4 can also run on diesel engine alone, or work both engines in tandem in a four-wheel drive mode or when an extra power boost is needed to accelerate.

Pricing has not yet been announced for the 3008 Hybrid4, which will initially only be produced by two of its factories in France, according to Peugeot.

The diesel hybrid version will likely cost Peugeot more to produce, at least in terms of development. Peugeot did say in a statement that the two-power-train system will make implementation of the electric motor into the 3008 Hyrbid4 and other existing Peugeot models easier.

It's unclear at this point whether the company plans to absorb the new technology cost or pass it on to the consumer. The existing diesel version of the 3008 already starts at about 22,000 euros ($28,000), so consumers should expect at least that for the hybrid version.

Diesel engines already use 30 percent less fuel than their gasoline equivalents. So infusing a diesel with hybrid capability is a big deal to European consumers who pay the equivalent of about $7 a gallon. It's unclear, however, whether it would be a worthwhile deal to Americans whose biggest fear is prices rising to $4 a gallon.

Peugeot's Tuesday announcement is also significant in that it means the French automaker will beat Mercedes-Benz to market.

Mercedes and Peugeot have each made claims of becoming the first automaker to mass-produce a hybrid-dieselcar, but with Peugeot now announcing a spring release it seems likely to race ahead of Mercedes by a few months.

Pricing for the E 300 BlueTec diesel hybrid, which Mercedes touted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, has not yet been announced. The German company has said that the car will be available for purchase in Europe in late 2011. 

Diesel hybrids have been in the works for years, with a renewed interest showing itself in 2007 as automakers like Mercedes and Audi unveiled diesel hybrid prototypes at the auto shows, and even FedEx announced plansto use them in fleet upgrade. BMW and Volvo also showed off diesel hybrids in 2008, with tentative plans for 2012 releases. Hyundai also announced a diesel hybrid concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show

Audit finds PG&E smart meters accurate

A smart meter from PG&E

(Credit: PG&E)

An independent review of smart meters installed in Northern California by utility Pacific Gas & Electric found no technical flaws, but a poor roll-out with customers.

The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday released the evaluation of PG&E's controversial smart-meter program, which was conducted by consulting company The Structure Group.

After PG&E installed two-way meters in Bakersfield, Calif., customers complained that their utility prices shot up, which they blamed on the new meters. Since then, there have been questions over PG&E's handling of the program by regulators and push-back from various communities in its territory.

Earlier this summer, the CPUC contracted with Structure, which tested 750 smart meters and 147 old electromechanical meters. The test found that smart meters reported accurately and that customer billing matched the expected results.

However, Structure identified problems in PG&E's customer service. In reviewing 1,378 customer complaints, Structure said PG&E didn't meet industry standards, leading to people receiving multiple bills or not having questions about smart meters answered.

"The report is encouraging in terms of the performance of actual meter hardware. However, I am very concerned about PG&E's performance in terms of industry best practices and how in some of the best practices areas, PG&E's performance has actually declined,"  

  CPUC Commissioner Dian Grueneich said in a statement.

PG&E's rocky experiences in rolling out smart meters in California has taken on national significance with other utilities trying to learn from PG&E's missteps in introducing the new technology. PG&E's meters allow people to view their energy usage on a daily basis, which helps people better understand their consumption and save energy.

In another case, smart meter installations by utility Oncor in Texas have created complaints from consumers over prices. A review found that that those meters are accurate.

Earlier this year, PG&E released an internal report identifying problems with its smart meter program, which led to a revamp of its customer service operations aimed at better educating customers. About 6.6 million gas and electric meters have been installed so far and the company plans to install 10 million by 2012.

Apart from the accuracy of meters, consumer groups are raising health concerns about the electromagnetic field from smart meters, which transmit information once an hour using a radio frequency.

On its Web site, PG&E says that radio frequency emissions from smart meters are lower than other common electronic devices, such as Wi-Fi routers and cell phones. At a press conference on Thursday, PG&E's Chief Customer Officer Helen Burt echoed those statements and pointed to experts on this question.

A number of cities and towns in PG&E's territory have considered moratoriums on smart meter installations. Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs Greg Pruett said that PG&E is holding open houses with customers and other groups. "We genuinely believe as we work and talk with customers and show that we are genuinely interested in listening to them...ultimately those cities and counties considering moratoriums will reconsider that desire," he said.