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Recharge Wrap-up: Honda releases "Green Dealer" Guide, Tesla's China president steps down

Honda has released its "Green Dealer" Guide to the public. The guide, which is used to outline ways for Honda and Acura dealerships to be more environmentally responsible can also help other businesses take the same steps to green up their practices, save energy and even save money in the process. The guide, which ranks dealers based on a points system, provides incentive to dealerships to implement the environmentally practices, but it also helps Honda assert itself as a leader for green business. Read more at Automotive News or in the press release below. Nissan Leaf owners in the UK love their car, and aren't looking back at their fossil-fueled past. According to a survey by Nissan, 93 percent use the EV as their main family vehicle. 89 percent report saving money driving, 64 percent prefer it to driving a conventionally powered car and 95 percent would recommend the car to a friend. Most said they wouldn't go back to a gas or diesel car. One owner even gave up his Aston Martin for a second Leaf so he and his wife wouldn't argue over who got to drive the EV to work each day. That's love. Read more at Next Green Car and at Hybrid Cars. Renault has outlined its future sustainable mobility plans, including two pieces of technology going into production cars soon. Renault will put a smaller, more efficient electric motor into production, as well as a three-cylinder dual-fuel gasoline/liquid petroleum gas engine. The HYDIVU prototype will help Renault research mild hybrid technology for light commercial vehicles. The VELUD project will look into making the last mile of urban deliveries more sustainable. Renault is also testing a two-cylinder, two-stroke diesel engine for small vehicle platforms. Read more in the press release below. Tesla's China president has resigned. Veronica Wu had been in charge of the company's operations in China for the past nine months, and with her leaving the company, Tom Zhu will step into the role. Jochen Siebert of Shanghai-based JSC Automotive Consulting says that, "Tesla counts on China as one of their main drivers of growth after California, and it might have been more difficult than they thought." Tesla states it is still "confident in the Chinese market," where it has sold the Model S since April. Read more at Bloomberg.

Honda shines the spotlight on Project Drive-In success

Project Drive-In, a Honda-sponsored campaign to save drive-in theaters across the country, is beginning to bear fruit, as the first theaters have been informed that they'll be getting free digital projectors. Many theaters still use 35-millimeter film, which is being phased out rather aggressively in the movie industry. The move to digital, meanwhile, requires nearly a six-figure investment, forcing many drive-ins to close up shop for good.
The first phase of the campaign saw the public vote for their favorite drive-in, with the top five getting a free digital projector, courtesy of Honda. There's some touching reaction videos of the owners being informed that they'd won down below. The next phase in the program takes place on Indiegogo, where Project Drive-In is trying to raise $100,000 for the drive-in that's gotten the next highest number of votes. If the Indiegogo campaign reaches that figure before its expiration on October 7, it'll make the donation and reset the meter to save another theater.
Take a look down below for the video from Honda on Project Drive-In, and then do yourselves a favor, and head over to the Project Drive-In Indiegogo campaign, and make a donation.

Honda, GM supposedly working together on PHEVs, autonomous cars

Back in 2013, Honda and General Motors announced that they would work together on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (pictured). The stated goal was to develop "commercially feasible fuel cell and hydrogen storage" for around 2020, but there was no discussion at the time that any actual H2 vehicles would come out of the program. Things are evolving with that partnership, maybe. There are rumors circling this week that the two automakers are now working together on plug-in hybrid vehicle technology and autonomous technology. The supposed new facet to the GM-Honda partnership doesn't just focus on a powertrain, reports The Yomiuri Shinbun, but also in getting suppliers to lower prices because now you have two automakers ordering parts together. Building plug-in hybrids and fuel cell cars together might be a thing, too, Yomiuri says. The 2013 hydrogen partnership was made between two leaders in the field (the announcement press release talks says, "GM and Honda rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in total fuel cell patents filed between 2002 and 2012." But if these new rumors are true, then it's more of a bit of catch up for Honda (which had a great but unsuccessful car in the Accord PHEV) while GM gets more tech to better challenge Toyota. That's how the Yomiuri presents it, anyway. A Honda spokesperson told AutoblogGreen that, "Honda and GM's collaboration in the co-development of next generation fuel cell systems is making good progress. Engineers are discussing how we might expand the relationship utilizing each other's strengths, but there is no fixed plan regarding specific areas or timing." News Source: Yomiuri Shinbun via Inside EVs Green Rumormill GM Honda Hydrogen Cars PHEV partnership