Subaru has the smart combination of combining AWD, all wheel drive, with a boxer engine to increase stability, comfort, and safety.

Symmetrical AWD powers each wheel separately in order to deal with the driving conditions of each wheel, such as puddles, rocks, ice patches, wheels in the air etc. This gives much greater control of the car. AWD automatically adjusts up and back between paved-road driving to off-road driving on difficult terrain, improving on 4 wheel drive.

Subaru combines AWD with Boxer engines, also called "horizontally opposed design." In boxers, the pistons go in and out on a horizontal plane, as opposed to the classical V engines where the pistons go 'out and up', and return 'in and down'. The boxer engine is more compact and weighs less. The boxer also is not as tall as the v engine and therefore can sit lower on the chasse. This creates a lower center of gravity for the car, helping the car to hug the road better. In addition, the AWD helps each wheel to grip the road better adding to stability, comfort and safety. It makes me feel safer and happier just thinking about it.

Subaru keeps moving forward. They have come out with the next generation of the Subaru plug-in STELLA electronic vehicle (EV). The new model has increased power output to 47kW and has increased efficiency by lightening the body weight. They have also improved the battery pack and made it smaller.

One of the reasons that I love Japanese business is the thoroughness and the efficiency with which they operate. FHI, the company that owns Subaru, has been investing heavy research into lithium ion battery technology.

In 2008, FHI came out with the Subaru plug-in Stella concept car. 5 of these EV cars were lent to various organizations to test the car under real life conditions. Using that feedback and other technological advancements, the next generation Subaru plug-in Stella concept car will be introduced in Japan this summer. 15 units will be given to the Japanese government for trial use and another 170 will be sold this year.

Subaru is now studying pricing, selling systems and after-sale servicing. They are starting very small, doing real-life testing and tweaking the cars and administrative systems before they go big. That's what I call class and that’s what makes reliable cars. I should know because I own a Subaru.

Wal-Mart Stores is aiming to increase total fleet efficiency by 100% from 2005 to 2015. It has already exceeded its 2008 interim goal of a 25% increase, according to Wal-Mart’s Senior Vice President of Transportation, Chris Sultemeier.

Total fleet efficiency is a combination of driving and operational efficiency combined with vehicles efficiencies. Of the current 25%, about 20% is probably due to vehicle technology and 5% to operational improvements. Projecting forward to the 2015 goal, about 50% could come from vehicle improvements and  50% from operational improvements,  Sultemeier said.

Part of the improvement is through improved fuel economy, and part of it is through eliminating empty miles—excess miles. Wal-Mart has improved packaging to make truck loading more efficient. One of the key statistics is that Wal-Mart has shipped 150 million more cases and yet driven 90 million less miles.

To achieve its recent efficiency gains, Wal-Mart has installed diesel APUs on all its trucks, and applied aerodynamic skirting. Wal-Mart has begun working with super single tires. It is also testing nitrogen-filled tires and an automatic filling procedure to keep a constant tire air pressure.

"On the other side, probably the key is getting more on the trailers. When we talk about efficiency, if you can take miles off the road, that’s huge—that’s bigger than things we can do around the equipment." Said Chris Sultemeier

In terms of vehicles, Wal-Mart is pursuing four lines of investigation: hybrid assist technology; full hybrid technology including all-electric drive; LNG; and biofuels.

"We don’t know how we get to 100%. We have technologies on board and things happening that we think provide a path to 100% efficiency [improvement]. If we could get 50% of our efficiency through pure equipment, I would consider that to be very successful."  Said Chris Sultemeier

Hurray for Wal-Mart and for the rest of us. After a leader like Wal-Mart improves fleet efficiency, a lot of other companies will follow suit. 

 AT&T intends to invest up to $565 million in its long-term strategy to deploy more than 15,000 alternative-fuel vehicles during the next 10 years. AT&T plans to spend approximately $350 million to buy about 8,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, and approximately $215 million to start replacing its passenger cars with alternative-fuel models, starting with hybrids. EV development is burgeoning right before our very eyes. It’s a historical revolution. Our grandchildren won't believe that we once drove those primitive gas guzzlers!

AT&T’s investment represents the largest US corporate allocation to CNG vehicles so far. The new vehicle purchases will expand AT&T’s alternative-energy fleet to more than 15,000 vehicles by 2019.

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in Ann Arbor, Mich., estimates that the new vehicles will reduce gasoline usage by 49 million gallons and reduce carbon emissions by 211,000 metric tons during the 10-year deployment period.

During the next five years, AT&T will replace about 8,000 gasoline-powered vehicles with CNG vehicles. CNG vehicles should emit approximately 25% less greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline powered vehicles.

A US automotive manufacturer will produce the vehicle chassis domestically. AT&T will then coordinate with domestic suppliers to convert the chassis to use CNG. AT&T will also coordinate with natural gas providers to construct up to 40 CNG fueling stations across its operating region. This will provide the fueling infrastructure necessary to fuel the new vehicles.

Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation (SEV U.S. Corp) has decided to build a new factory in Kansa city, MO. The plant will be located at the Kansas City International Airport overhaul base and should provide 120 jobs by 2010.  Smith will be producing various types of battery powered, commercial vehicles. Production should start around August, 2009 with the Newton delivery van, which has been selling in England for a while. In 2010, Smith will also begin producing the Ford Transit Connect BEV. Ford intends to launch several plug-in vehicles after it tests the Transit Connect.

SEV U.S. Corp has already received a strong expression of interest from fleet operators. Therefore, the company is constructing a highly scalable assembly operation and supply chain to supply this emerging market. Production will start using chassis from multiple vehicle manufacturers.

The SEV U.S. Corp's  locating the plant in Kansas City represents an initial investment of $10 million. The company will get approximately $3 million in job training costs and other incentives from the state of Missouri and Kansas City.

This is great news for a few reasons. First, any company that is opening new factories in this economic climate has got guts, and confidence in its products and the economy. Second, it's another EV company which means that we'll be seeing more and more EV's. Third, of course, it's good for the air we breathe and our health. So, Kansas City, here I come!