2007 Electric Car News -- Electric & Hybrid Cars

UPS rolls out battery-powered vehicles this holiday season(Dec. 19) - San Francisco - United Parcel Service has leased 42 plug-in electric cars and trucks made by Zap of Santa Rosa to deliver smaller packages in Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Novato, San Jose and Santa Cruz during this busy holiday season. Complete Story

Electric Dragster Sets New Speed Record(Dec. 18) - California - The man often called "the Thomas Edison of electric drag racing" has shattered his own top speed record by more than half a second, tearing through the quarter mile at 8.10 seconds and soundly spanking more than a few fossil-fueled cars. Complete Story

Wired's Car of the Year, Tesla(Dec. 18) - The Tesla is our pick for two reasons. First, it's easily the coolest alternative fuel vehicle ever made, one that proves electric cars can be every bit as breathtaking as the finest fossil-fuel guzzling super cars. Complete Story

2008 Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter(Dec. 17) - San Francisco - Vectrix offers performance equivalent to that of a 400 cc bike and delivers a range of roughly 60 miles, depending on speed, terrain and payload. Capable of traveling from 0 to 50 mph in 6.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 62 mph, this "green" scooter fully recharges the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack. Complete Story

Quebec Continues Ban on ZENN Electric Cars Road(Dec. 17) - Canada - Ian Clifford, CEO of the Zenn Motor Company, is trying to get his environmentally friendly car on urban streets for short trips because, despite approval from Transport Canada, the province still won't let him. Complete Story

The Think City Electric Car(Dec. 16) - Norway - The product of its new venture is expected to roll out next year. The Think City Electric car incorporates brand new technology. The new battery technology that is being used has resulted in a driving range that has vastly improved from the generation before. Complete Story

Toyota Camry and Chevy Tahoe SUV, same MPG?(Dec. 16) - CNNMoney - The Toyota Camry sedan and Chevy Tahoe SUV have something in common. Nope, not four-wheel-drive security or three rows of seats to hold seven or the ability to tow 6,200 pounds. Only Tahoe does that. The two share a 21 rating in city mileage. Surprise! Complete Story

GM Opens Electric Car Center(Dec. 14) - Detriot - The studio, made from a former management training center on the grounds of GM's Warren Technical Center, has clay and vinyl models of the next generation Volt, which is to be powered by an electric motor run from lithium-ion batteries. A small gasoline motor or a hydrogen fuel cell would be used to charge the batteries when they become depleted. Complete Story

Top Ten ´Green´ Cars(Dec. 13) - Motortorque - It’s increasingly difficult to measure how eco-friendly cars are amidst manufacturer hype, growing concerns about the green credentials of biofuels and hybrid batteries and the effectiveness of carbon off-setting.   Complete Story

New Battery-Electric Vehicles Entering the U.S. Market(Dec. 13) - California - At this week's International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Anaheim, California, several exciting all-battery electric vehicles were on display. These vehicles have already been successfully introduced into the European market and are now available to American consumers. Complete Story

Small electric car sales could get a jolt(Dec. 13) - USAToday - Here's a sticker shock that feels good: 245 miles per gallon. So reads the sign on the two-seater Zenn electric car at a new dealership here that peddles electric cars, scooters and bikes. Green Motors is one of an increasing number of electric-vehicle dealers aiming to tap distaste for high gas prices. Complete Story

Toshiba's Breakthrough battery could boost electric cars(Dec. 13) - MSNbc - A new battery that can be recharged to 90 percent capacity in under five minutes and lasts 10 years will start shipping in March, Toshiba Corp. announced this week, hailing it as "a new energy solution" for cleaner transportation. Complete Story

Elektrobay: the recharging market leader(Dec. 12) - UK - “The Elektrobay is secure and extremely user friendly, offering a safe, dedicated power outlet for new and existing battery technology.” He goes on to say: “The Elektrobay can easily be integrated into the network with ease and is available in almost any colour the customer requires. Complete Story

Volt electric vehicle one step closer to production(Dec. 11) - UK - GM says improving the Volt´s aerodynamics are a major part in making the concept viable as a production vehicle, as drag accounts for around one fifth of the energy used to move a vehicle, thereby impacting on fuel efficiency. Complete Story

German battery could jump-start electric car production(Dec. 9) - AFP - German cars are known for strength, speed and high fuel consumption, but a firm in eastern Saxony has designed a lithium-ion battery membrane that could finally make electric cars common. Complete Story

New electric car to hit Indian roads(Dec. 7) - India - India's first-ever four-door electric car is all set to be launched by city-based Bavina Industries. The four-seater steel-bodied hatch-back resembling Hyundai Santro and Daewoo Matiz would zip through Indian roads from April 14, Managing Director of Bavina Industries S Rajasekhar said. Complete Story

Mitsubishi joins electric car drive(Dec. 7) - UK - The Japanese marque will start producing and testing the i-MiEV, which stands for Mitsubishi in-wheel motor Electric Vehicle, next year. The UK business is pressing hard for the car to go on sale in this country, possibly as early as 2011. Complete Story

Is Tesla going to copy the GM Volt?(Dec. 6) - Green Tech - Speaking at the ThinkGreen conference in San Francisco, vice president of finance Mike Taylor told an audience that the GM Volt is "a really good way" of extending the range on electric sedans in a cost-effective way. Complete Story

Who's Reviving the Electric Car?(Dec. 5) - Green Tech - At International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition, Smith Electric Vehicles announces it will build U.S. manufacturing plant, Ford drops off its Escape plug-in hybrid for testing, companies jockey to power the Chevy Volt and Ener1 puts its lithium-ion battery pack in a Prius. Complete Story

The Conspiracy Against Renewable Energy(Dec. 5) - The Peoples Voice - I hate to use the "C" word, but there is no other way to say it. There is a national conspiracy to prevent renewable energy from becoming the primary energy source in the United States. Complete Story

Tesla Motors founder ousted(Dec. 4) - California - For Tesla Motors founder Martin Eberhard, getting news of his ouster was like glancing at the review mirror and seeing one of his electric Roadster supercars approaching at 130 miles an hour without a sound. Complete Story

Surprise! Here comes GENIE™(Dec. 4) - California - Cars are parked about 95% of the time. Once cars are powered by GENIE, a typical urban parking lot could provide several megawatts of electricity. This system can be implemented in substantially less time than constructing a nuclear plant. Complete Story

Daimler Sees High Demand for Micro Car(Dec. 4) - Washington -Thousands of motorists want to be among the first owners of the fuel-sipping Smart car in the United States, demand that is racing past production capacity, Daimler AG executives said Tuesday.  Complete Story

Portals to the Past: 1899 and now … electric cars ‘up to date’(Nov. 30) - Kansas City - I wanted a hydrogen-powered car when shopping for a new automobile 12 years ago. Who wouldn’t choose water vapor as exhaust over carbon dioxide? But I had to settle for a combustion engine because there were no other easy options “way back then.” Complete Story

General Motors to build hybrid car in China(Nov. 30) - Malaysia -U.S car maker General Motors, will begin producing a hybrid car in China from next year, in time for the Beijing Olympics in August. One of GM's local Chinese joint ventures, Shanghai GM, will team with SAIC Motor Corp to launch the new model. Complete Story

Sydney welcomes hybrid cars as taxis(Nov. 29) - Australia - NSW Transport Minister John Watkins on Wednesday announced that following a successful trial, regulations will be changed to allow cab companies to use the hybrid Toyota Prius. Complete Story

Putting the zoom into electric cars(Nov. 28) - Fortune - Watch out, Detroit. A new crop of electric-vehicle startups aims to put a dent in the Big Three by applying the latest in high-technology engineering and design. Complete Story

Could you make your own electric car?(Nov. 28) - New Zealand - The price of petrol has jumped in recent days - a litre is now up to $1.73. That'll hit most of us pretty hard in the days leading up to Christmas. But one man is set to never have to worry about petrol price rises again. He has built his own electric car. Complete Story

Swiss Firm Upgrades Hotzenblitz Electric Car to LiPo Batteries(Nov. 27) - Switzerland - Kruspan Engineering has modified a Full Electric Vehicle "Hotzenblitz" with the newest technology of Lithium Polymer (LiPo) cells from Kokam. This car has now a range (autonomie) of 350km - 400km without need of recharging the cell's. Complete Story

Phoenix Motorcars Signs Letter of Intent to Produce Cars in Mexico(Nov. 26) - California - Phoenix Motorcars announced today that they have signed a Letter of Intent to enter into a joint venture with Pristine International SAdeSV to build all-electric vehicles for shipment within Mexico, other regions in Latin America and to the Indian sub-continent. Complete Story

Aptera could soon hit the road(Nov. 25) - Aptera thinks that there are enough buyers out there willing to accept the stares and the benefits of their Typ-1 all-electric or plug-in hybrid three wheeled car. They may be right. So far they’ve taken more than 400.  Complete Story

UPS tries out Zap electric cars(Nov. 24) - California -The UPS branch in Petaluma, Calif., has leased 42 Zap Xebras, low-speed electric vehicles, for deliveries amid a flurry of activity at Zap. The Xebra, which comes as a car or truck, is a little bit like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Complete Story

Electric car can give its juice back(Nov. 23) - Delaware - In this season of giving back, a University of Delaware researcher has a unique suggestion: Send power from your electric car back into the grid. Complete Story

Mitsubishi Readies Plan To Market Electric Car(Nov. 21) - Wall Street Journal - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko said the auto maker will try to mass-market a small electric vehicle, intended as a "city commuter," by 2010 and is considering developing a gasoline-electric hybrid car that can be recharged by plugging it into a wall electric outlet. Complete Story

A-Plant Takes Delivery of First Electric Delivery Truck in UK (Nov. 20) - UK - The Edison, designed and built by Smith Electric Vehicles, is based on the iconic Ford Transit body shell - but is one hundred per cent battery powered. The A-Plant model has a 90kw motor, providing fast acceleration and a top speed of 50mph, with two suitcase-sized Sodium Nickel Chloride batteries producing a range of up to 100 miles on one charge. Complete Story

First Four-Door Electric Car Approved for UK From ZAP(Nov. 20) - UK - A new four-dour electric car design from ZAP called the Xebra® has passed Vehicle and Operator Services Agency inspection, allowing it to be driven on roads in the United Kingdom. Complete Story

Electric car debuts in Philippines(Nov. 20) - UK - Two electricity-powered jeepneys or e-jeepneys began plying a set route in Makati City yesterday, part of a two-month pilot test run to fine tune their adaptability as a commercial public transport. Complete Story

Bring back the electric car(Nov. 19) - Los Angeles - Californians are being taken for a ride by state clean-air regulators, who arebringing the rest of the country along. Decisions made by the California Air Resources Board early next year will determine whether we get the option of driving zero-emission, non-polluting cars soon, or whether we'll see smoggy business as usual from the car companies for another decade. Complete Story

General Motors racing Toyota to 100% electric vehicle(Nov. 19) - Michigan - The Chevy Volt should be launched in November 2010. That's three years from now, and it's still considered an "aggressive" posture by GM's global design and manufacturing teams. Will Toyota be able to beat that deadline and deliver a solid, 100% electric offering within the next three years and once again show up its main global rival? Complete Story

What Will the Car of the FutureLook Like?(Nov. 19) - WSJ - During the 1990s, Bill Clinton and Al Gore led an administration that did nothing to increase the federal fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks. But if there is a second Clinton administration, led by Sen. Hillary Clinton, she plans to push to double the fuel economy of U.S. cars and trucks to 55 miles per gallon by 2030.   Complete Story

Ohioans are liking this little electric car(Nov. 17) - Ohio - Well, an electric car built right here in Ohio could help out -- big time. It's named for the acronym for "No more gas," but instead of the "NMG." They should call it the "Look at me!"    Complete Story

Chevy Hybrid SUV wins "Green Car of Year"(Nov. 16) - California - An eight-passenger sport utility vehicle, the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid from General Motors Corp, won the "Green Car of the Year" award at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Thursday. Complete Story

ZAP Awaits Court Decision about Smart Car(Nov. 15) - California -As the Smart Car prepares to launch in 2008, ZAP CEO Steve Schneider noted that DaimlerChrysler and the Smart division, at the expense of ZAP, have parlayed their struggling business unit into what they say could be its best-selling vehicle. Complete Story

An alliance to accelerate the development of lithium-ion batteries(Nov. 15) - Germany - A number of German companies, including Volkswagen, BASF, Bosch, Evonik Degussa, Li-Tec and STEAG Saar Energie, recently joined forces to further develop high-performance batteries for stationary and mobile operation. Complete Story

Volkswagen presents the first car in the world with high-temperature fuel cell(Nov. 14) - FuelCellWorks - Exclusively driven by battery, the motor powers the space up! blue over a range of 65 miles. By comparison: a hybrid car in pure electric drive mode – i.e. with energy stored in the battery – can travel just two kilometers (1.24 miles) on average. Complete Story

Tesla With 135 MPG, 245 Miles per Charge(Nov. 13) - California - A complete charge on a 240-volt home outlet takes about four hours and will result in about a 245 mile cruising range, a world first for electric cars. This will result in an equivalent rating of 135 MPG. Complete Story

GM on track to road-test electric car in early '08(Nov. 14) - California - General Motors Corp is on track to road-test its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid in early 2008, and will produce the rechargeable car by late 2010, a senior GM official said on Wednesday. Complete Story

Porsche's Hybrid Legacy Spans 100 Years(Nov. 14) - AdHoc News - Porsche®, a name Long associated with engineering innovation, stunned the automotive world by introducing the world?s first advanced electric car ? a vehicle that also led to the world?s first hybrid car. Complete Story

An auto industry falls short of green(Nov. 14) - California - L.A.'s car showcase underscores that the government needs to help automakers in the drive to make eco-friendly vehicles. Complete Story

Taking a Whack at Making a Car(Nov. 14) - New York Times - IAN A. BRUCE presses an Italian-made alligator-skin boot onto the accelerator of his three-wheel thrill machine and careens around a corner. The agile metal box tilts precariously to one side, leaving Mr. Bruce nearly horizontal to the ground. Complete Story

Students harness solar energy for race car(Nov. 13) - California - For some Walnut students, the solar car is the motivation that pulls them from their fear of taking their driver's test and pushes them straight to the seat behind the wheel. For others, it's an addiction. Complete Story

Consumption of Li-Ion Battery Has Now Become a Fashion(Nov. 12) - Ireland - China has now become the largest producer and consumer of Li-ion battery. The average annual production capacity of mainland China has reached 19 billion pieces, making itself the super manufacturer of battery. Complete Story

Man drives on the sun(Nov. 12) - Colorado -It’s true — the seemingly impossible has been accomplished. I know because I was there. I am the man that drove on the sun. Not only did I not get burned, I didn’t even need a space suit or a helmet. Complete Story

Electric car guru sees higher demand for converting gas guzzlers(Nov. 11) - Massachuetts - Steve Clunn can't bring himself to get rid of the engines that litter the woods around his electric car shop in Fort Pierce. To throw them away would be wasteful. Complete Story

Spokane company developing high performance electric car(Nov. 9) - Washington - A Spokane company is building an electric car that offers high performance -- accelerating to 60 mph in 4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 130 mph. Complete Story

Volta High Performance Electric Motorcycle Debuts(Nov. 8) - Colorado - The Electric Vehicle Company, LLC of Boulder, Colorado, announces the launch of the Volta G/T, a new high performance electric motorcycle powered by lithium batteries that matches the speed and power of a gas-powered motorcycle. The motorcycle travels at speeds over 100 MPH and is capable of traveling 100 miles on a single charge. Complete Story

MIT reinvents the wheel with foldable, stackable electric car(Nov. 7) - Computerworld - MIT researchers may have just the thing for you. A team at the Cambridge, Mass.-based university is working on a design project for the City Car, a foldable, stackable two-seater vehicle. No, that's not a typo. Complete Story

Go Electric with the Elettrica(Nov. 7) - CarJunky -   The Elettrica is a comfortable all electric car. It's 2-seater and it can take you round town at 40 mph and it can travel a distance of 65 miles on a full five-hour charge. It also has enough space in the boot to accommodate a lot of shopping and is comfortable inside thanks to good legroom, headroom, and a glass roof. Complete Story

New spark for old sports car(Nov. 7) - North Carolina - A local high school kid’s simple interest in learing how things work has sparked a group of Mount Vernon students to transform an old sports car into an electric vehicle. Complete Story

Zenn electric cars cleared for Canada(Nov. 5) - Toronto -   Zenn Motor has been selling its electric low speed vehicles since late 2006, but it's had to go south of the border to do so. That's about to change, as the company just received approval from Transport Canada. Complete Story

Grassroots turns gas cars into electric(Nov. 5) - Florida -   The engines that Steve Clunn yanked out of gas-powered vehicles sit under the palmettos and at his shop, Grassroots Electric Vehicles. They're the first clue that this is not your typical auto garage -- but in Palm Beach County, it's one of the few places that will convert a gas guzzler to an all-electric vehicle. Complete Story

Electric-Car Maker Touts 10-Minute Fill-up(Nov. 1) - Spectrum - Thanks to an uncommonly stable lithium chemistry and high-surface-area nanopatterned electrodes, Altair Nanotechnologies’ lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) charge up fast. Very fast. One of the Reno, Nev.–based battery developer’s 35-kilowatt-hour packs, capable of propelling an EV pickup truck for 160 kilometers, can fully charge in just 10 minutes. Complete Story

Green theme dominates Tokyo show(Nov. 1) - Japan - The Toyota Prius made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show a decade ago, and how the world has changed since. Government regulators and consumers alike are pushing auto makers to hurry to market with fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and eventually - perhaps - even hydrogen fuel-cell cars. Complete Story

Nissan to launch electric and hybrid models in 2010(Oct. 31) - Japan - Nissan plans to launch an electric car and a hybrid in 2010, according to product planning bosses at the company. The electric car will use technology the company is developing through its Pivo concept cars - Pivo2. Complete Story

Piaggio HyS Hybrid Scooter - First Look(Oct. 31) - Japan - As the wise muppet sage Kermit the Frog once said, "It ain't easy being green." But that hasn't stopped motorcycle manufacturers from experimenting with environmentally-friendly concept vehicles. Complete Story

Are VentureOne's three wheels better than four?(Oct. 30) - California - The car, based on a steering technology invented by a Dutch company called Carver, will cost $20,000 for a hybrid version or $25,000 for a full electric version, hold two passengers, and come with optional luggage containers that strap onto the roof. The roof will also come off to turn the car into a convertible. Complete Story

Former SAP exec starts electric car power station company(Oct. 30) - California - Shai Agassi, a former SAP executive, said Tuesday that he's formed a company that will deploy the infrastructure to support electric vehicles through a grid of electric charging spots and battery exchange stations. Complete Story

Hybrid Hummer!(60 MPG and 0-60 in 5 seconds)(Oct. 30) - Autoblog Green - Johnathan Goodwin is the patron saint of green cars. Last April, John was the guy behind the Chevy Impala conversion that smoked a Lamborghini in a quarter mile on the Earth Day special of MTV's Pimp My Ride. Complete Story

Just how many electric car start-ups are there?(Oct. 27) - C|net - I woke up today ready to write a story on the three-wheeled electric cars coming from Venture Vehicles when a question dawned on me. How many electric car and plug-in start-ups are there in the world today? I count 16. Complete Story

Top 10 Sexiest Green Cars - UK - Green cars are officially sexy. No longer are they small, ugly, plodding electric commuters - they're speedy, exciting, desirable sports cars. Inhabitat has compliled a list of the 5 sexiest models, which makes for an interesting read. Complete Story

Nissan to show Pivo 2 electric car(Oct. 27) - The Age - Japanese carmaker Nissan is presenting at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month an advanced electric concept vehicle featuring a rotating cabin and sideway-drive technology. Complete Story

Japan's Mitsubishi Motors aims to launch i-MiEV electric car in 2009(Oct. 26) - Japan - Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Japan's fifth-largest car maker, aims to launch its i-MiEV all-electric compact car in 2009, a year ahead of schedule, company president Osamu Masuko said Friday. The car will be powered by a high-capacity lithium-ion battery. Complete Story

Electric car maker charges Ottawa blocking its sale in Canada(Oct. 26) - Canada - The founder of a Canadian-made, 100 per cent electric car says the federal government is blocking him from selling his cars in Canada. Company founder Ian Clifford says Canadians haven't heard much about the car because Ottawa won't let him sell it here. Complete Story

Buy a house, get the electric car thrown in(Oct. 25) - Mexico - In Mexico, you'll soon be able to buy a house and put a new electric car on the mortgage as part of the package. Porteon Electric Vehicles, a low-speed electric car company, has signed a deal with a developer in Mexico to effectively bundle its cars with the sale of a home. Complete Story

Forrest Gump drives down electric avenue(Oct. 24) - California - US actor Tom Hanks has gone back to his nerdy Forrest Gump ways, after blogging about a new electric car on his MySpace page. Video

Hybrid or All-Electric? Car Makers Take Sides(Oct. 24) - Wall Street Journal - Big auto makers revving up efforts to electrify automobiles are taking shots at each others' strategies, in a style more familiar to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs than the auto industry's usually circumspect leaders. Complete Story

Oil Prices, Climate Concerns May Spur the Electric Car(Oct. 24) - Wall Street Journal - With no end in sight to high oil prices and amid climate-change concerns, auto-industry leaders gathering for the Tokyo Motor Show this week are debating whether it's time to skip past partial electrification of cars -- represented by gasoline-electric hybrids such as the Toyota Prius -- and to push instead to revive the ideal of all-electric cars that the industry largely abandoned earlier this decade. Complete Story

Solar taxi comes to India(Oct. 23) - India - The world's first solar taxi is on a trip around the world and has made a stop in India. It’s a car that is spreading awareness about global warming, the fun way. Complete Story

Coca-Cola Signs Agreement With ZAP(Oct. 23) - CNNMoney - The contract is a purchase and service agreement for ZAP XEBRA® trucks. The first container of ZAP trucks is in transit from China and more details are expected to be announced with the rollout of the business model between ZAP and Coca-Cola. Complete Story

Inventor to unveil electric truck prototype(Oct. 21) - Wisconsin - A Wisconsin man with a long track record of improbable inventions is planning to unveil an electric truck today in hopes of raising more money to finish his prototype. Complete Story

Solar car crashes after race start(Oct. 21) - Australia - The University of Michigan team's solar-powered vehicle hit a support car only three kilometres from the start. The rest of the field is travelling toward the first checkpoint, which is open for only three hours, in Katherine. Complete Story

Aftermarket lithium-ion battery pack squeezes 150 MPG from a Toyota Prius(Oct. 19) - TG Daily - Made by Hymotion and A123 Systems - the same folks that brought you the batteries in the Killacycle – this aftermarket kit converts the car into a plug-in hybrid and allows it to run on electric power for the first forty miles of a trip. Complete Story

History of the Electric Car(Oct. 18) - Time - No one would mistake Chris Paine for a General Motors shill. In his 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?, the filmmaker laid out a damning case against GM for unplugging the EV1, the electric vehicle it manufactured in the 1990s and then discontinued in 2003, preferring instead to produce high-margin but gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. Complete Story

Hybrid cars become more popular(Oct. 18) - North Carolina - In the next few years, there probably will be more and more hybrid cars on the road. These cars take their power from electricity as well as gasoline. Complete Story

Irvine couple first to test GM green car(Oct. 18) - California - Shelton, a computer systems operator from Irvine, is the first Orange County resident who will test drive General Motors' new fuel-cell Equinox SUV, getting to use the eco-friendly Chevrolet for three months beginning early next year. Complete Story

ZAP Electric Car Arrives in San Antonio(Oct. 18) - Texas - As oil prices hit another record this week, an electric car dealership opened today deep in the heart of Texas. San Antonio has the latest dealership for electric vehicle pioneer ZAP. Complete Story

US-China Electric Car Joint Venture to Hold Meetings at ZAP(Oct. 16) - California - Electric car manufacturer ZAP announced today that officials from its new US-China joint venture will be in California over the next few weeks to move ahead with plans to manufacture electric and hybrid cars, buses and trucks. Complete Story

Trapdoor Opens on Hybrid Credit (Oct. 16) - New York Times - In August, Honda sold its 60,000th hybrid vehicle. That means the clock has started ticking on the phase-out, and eventual end, of credits for people who buy a Honda hybrid. Hybrid tax credits were part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Complete Story

Think picks EnerDel for its car batteries(Oct. 16) - CNet - EnerDel, which makes a lithium-ion battery for electric cars and hybrids, announced Monday that it has been anointed the "supplier of choice" By Think Nordic, the guys coming out with an electric town car. EnerDel says its battery will keep the car going for 100 miles before a charge is needed.   Complete Story

Green-light for hybrid buses efforts wise(Oct. 16) - Wisconsin - New additions to the University of Wisconsin campus can be seen at a street corner near you. Even in the midst of financial problems, the city of Madison and the university took a risk that looked beyond the cost-effectiveness of the policy. Complete Story

Top 10 Hybrids on MSN Autos(Oct. 15) - MSN - To no one's suprise, the best-selling Toyota Prius continues to be the most popular hybrid on MSN Autos. Toyota has become the world's number one carmaker and in the process, it also became the leader in gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. Complete Story

Electric Car Maker Aims For the Top With Sports Car(Oct. 15) - WSJ - Tesla Motors is a car company that's both decades ahead of its time, and a year behind schedule. Soon, it will become clear which is more important to Tesla's long-term future, and the future of the disruptive ideas the company represents. Complete Story

Latest news about EEStor and Zenn(Oct. 12) - Grist - Bill Williams is the California sales director for Zenn Motor Co., maker of neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs). In addition to selling one of the most full-featured NEVs, Zenn has an exclusive contract with a tight-lipped and somewhat mysterious company called EEstor. Complete Story

Harvey Coachworks Offers Penny per Mile All-Electric Commuter Vehicle(Oct. 9) - California - Enter stage left Harvey Coachworks, the fledgling company founded in 2006, whose focus is on providing environmentally friendly, efficient, and affordable products to its customers, is offering turn-key BugEs directly to consumers. According to the owner Mike Harvey, he is offering the base model BugE for under $9,000. Complete Story

Schwarzenegger Applauds ZAP(Oct. 9) - California - "It will be a great achievement for American and Chinese partnership companies to develop and produce electric cars that generates no pollution and saves nonrenewable oil resources. In the name of the state of California, and myself as a private individual, I give my full support to your efforts," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Complete Story

Electric car maker targets college students(Oct. 9) - CNet News - The average person has probably never heard of Miles electric cars. The fledgling Miles Automotive Group, originally based in Malibu and now located in a renovated building at the Santa Monica airport in Southern California, currently makes small, low-speed electric vehicles used primarily by universities, government and the military. Complete Story

Alternative fuel cars rally(Oct. 8) - Florida - Amid the gleaming factory-made Saturn, Toyota and Honda hybrids and the NASA-sponsored custom-made conversion cars on display at the Florida Solar Energy Center on Sunday sat two battery-operated trucks built by local enthusiasts. Complete Story

V2Green and the electric car(Oct. 8) - Seattle - The 54-year-old entrepreneur is at the wheel of a Seattle startup by the name of V2Green, which is developing software and hardware so utilities can better manage power flows to plug-in vehicles. Complete Story

World's fastest electric car(Oct. 7) - CNNMoney - Imagine a superclean driving machine capable of beating a Lamborghini Murcielago, a Porsche Carrera GT, even a Winston Cup car - and which gets the equivalent of 170 mpg. Complete Story

EV1 clectric car should be given another chance(Oct. 6) - Pantagraph - The EV1 was a car that was loved by those who had the privilege to drive it. The car was reportedly suitable for 90 percent of the population and recharged at the equivalent to 60-cent gas. Complete Story

Nissan Shows Off Swiveling Electric Car(Oct. 5) - Japan- Nissan's ball-shaped electric vehicle can squeeze into tight spots without backing up because its wheels turn 90 degrees and the cabin part of the car can rotate in a complete circle. Complete Story

Renault battery car in three years(Oct. 5) - WhatCar? - Renault could have an affordable battery-powered electric car on sale in three to four years, according to president and CEO Carlos Ghosn. Ghosn, who drives a zero-emission fuel cell car when in his home city of Tokyo, says that Renault is currently testing pricing with large fleet operators. Complete Story

Electric car film increases student interest, concern(Oct. 5) - Ohio - After watching a documentary about the "murder" of the electric car, Ohio State senior Spencer Maney was distraught. "It's just like - what the hell?" the philosophy major said. "This car works, and now it's just not being produced. Complete Story

Homegrown 500-mile electric car (Oct. 4) - Crave - KOLR, of Springfield, Missouri, reported on Daren Luedtke's new electric car, which runs for 150 miles on lead-acid batteries. Luedtke claims it would run for 500 miles on lithium ion batteries. Complete Story

Nissan bets on electric cars, not biofuels(Oct. 4) - Japan - --Nissan is going to come out with more hybrid cars and completely electric vehicles in a few years. But it's less excited about ethanol and biodiesel. Complete Story

Salem teenager gets a charge out of electric car(Oct. 4) - Oregon - You never have to fret about a speeding ticket, and you never have to ask your parents for gas money. How cool is that if you're a teenager? Complete Story

Whisper Inflatable Electric Car By XP Vehicles(Oct. 4) - CarJunky - XP Vehicles has its latest offering out in the market – a blue bubble with headlights - an inflatable car that looks more like a boat than a car. It really is one huge inflatable cushion and is touted to be the safest thing on wheels. The Whisper was inspired by NASA's Mars landing system. Complete Story

Electric car experiment plugs in info on mileage(Oct. 2) - Atlanta - Alan Shedd gets some questions when he parks his Toyota Prius and starts looking for a socket to plug his car in. Especially when people see the green-and-white decal saying the car gets 100 miles per gallon.   Complete Story

The Matra MS1 Electric Bike(Oct. 2) - MetaEfficient - This could be a great commuting machine — it's an electric-powered bike designed by the French company Matra. The bike was recently introduced at the Paris Motorshow. It has a range of 60 miles, in addition to the mileage you add by using pedal power. Complete Story

GM to make Volt electric car in 2010(Oct. 1) - USAToday - General Motors plans to manufacture the Chevrolet Volt electric car in 2010 and will produce a Chevy version of its full-size crossover SUVs in 2011, according to a summary of the automaker's new contract with the United Auto Workers. Complete Story

Riding an Israeli electric car to peace(Oct. 1) - Israel - The electric car is being resurrected. Amid the global threats of pollution, oil funded terrorism, and 'peak oil', the Western world is looking to replace fossil fuels with clean, renewable sources of energy. Complete Story

NZ could lead the way on electric cars(Sept 30) - New Zealand - If the Government's climate change strategy is to be believed, this could be the reality in some New Zealand homes in as little as five years. Complete Story

Toyota's five-seater FCHV van was able to travel 480 miles(Sept 30) - Japan - Toyota has unveiled a new fuel-cell vehicle that it says more than doubles the range of the company's existing model. It is the car-maker's latest bid to stay competitive in the race to develop environmentally-friendly cars. Complete Story

Pre-Order Your Spaceship-Like Aptera Electric Car Today(Sept. 29) - Alabama - Perhaps even more fascinating than the Aptera's unique three-wheel design is the fact that the prototype is capable of doing 230 miles on the gallon while cruising at 55mph. Complete Story

GM taps Detroit/Hamtramck plant to build its electric car(Sept. 29) - Michigan - If General Motors Corp. manufactures the Chevrolet Volt, the automaker will build the extended-range electric vehicle in its Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant, the UAW said Friday in its summary of the tentative agreement. Complete Story

San Antonio company opens electric car dealership(Sept. 28) - Texas - San Antonio will soon gain a new automotive dealership that sells exclusively 100 percent electric cars and trucks. A new ZAP Cars of San Antonio dealership is opening inside Alamo City Auto Spa, a local automotive detailing and car wash shop. Complete Story

The Wright way to the electric car(Sept. 26) - California - As with most things, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about electric vehicles. Last Friday, Ian Wright and I spent a couple of hours around my conference table discussing our philosophies on electric cars. Wright knows something about this topic, as he was formerly an executive at EV start-up Tesla Motors, and is now the founder and CEO of Wrightspeed. Complete Story

i MiEV SPORT – Now Electric Goes Sporty!(Sept. 25) - Japan - Mitsubishi has just unveiled an electric car and it is going to probably be the most looked-at model in the Tokyo Motor Show this October in Chiba City. Complete Story

Tesla delays production of its electric sports car(Sept. 25) - California - Tesla Motors is pushing out production of its sports car again, but the car goes farther on a battery charge than previously expected. Complete Story

No gas-guzzling, no carbon, no guilt(Sept. 25) - Canada - Driving a convertible Mazda Miata along sunny country roads in September is glorious. And when the car has "Powered by Renewable Energy" and "Zero Carbon Car" emblazoned on it, you don't even have to contend with eco-guilt. Complete Story

Electric cars hoping for lithium ion revolution(Sept. 24) - Chemistry World - Try to imagine the frustration of having a cutting-edge technology at your disposal which promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - but no batteries to power it. Complete Story

Toyota Touts Prius Hybrid Car Strategy Over GM's Volt(Sept. 24) - Bloomberg - Toyota Motor Corp. touted its hybrid strategy over General Motors Corp.'s approach, saying its Prius uses ``market-ready'' technology while GM's planned Volt plug-in depends on batteries that don't yet exist. Complete Story

Electric Car: More quiet whirs (Sept. 23) - Seattle - Here they come with a quiet whir. Electric vehicles are on their way to streets around the Puget Sound area. Actually, as members of the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association can attest, hybrids converted to plug-in cars as well as some vehicles built just to run on battery power already ply the streets. But their numbers are sure to increase. Complete Story

The Rebirth of the Electric Car(Sept. 23) - New York Times - This past Sunday, my report on the rebirth of the electric car aired on “CBS News Sunday Morning.” You can see it here.CBS gave me a juicy long time for the segment–but the truth is, there was enough good material to fill a miniseries. Complete Story

ZAP Signs Electric Car Joint Venture with China's Largest Luxury Bus Manufacturer(Sept. 21) - California - In a joint statement released today, USA electric car pioneer ZAP and Youngman Automotive Group, China's number one luxury motor coach and high-quality commercial truck manufacturer, have signed a joint venture agreement to manufacture, market and distribute electric and hybrid vehicles for the passenger car, truck and bus markets. Complete Story

GM says Saturn electric Vue may be on the road by '09(Sept. 21) -Germany - Saturn will put General Motors Corp.'s first plug-in hybrid -- a Vue compact SUV that can run up to 10 miles solely on electricity and switch to an engine for longer trips -- on the road "very quickly," brand general manager Jill Lajdziak said Wednesday.  Complete Story

Flat battery? Try a bit of paper power, but could it power a car(Sept. 20) - London - It would be easy to mistake the latest innovation in energy storage for a humble piece of paper. But researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State say their nano-engineered battery of the future could revolutionize everything from air travel to healthcare. Complete Story

Entrepreneur Hopes to Charge Electric-Car Market(Sept. 19) - NPR - Miles Rubin is nearly 80, but he delayed retirement to take the biggest challenge of his professional life: building low-polluting, electric vehicles. Complete Story

Going electric: Teen converts car to save gas money(Sept. 18) - Alaska - By now, teenagers are very practiced at complaining about climbing gas prices and la-menting the fate of the envi-ronment, but how much do we really do in our daily lives to reduce our nefarious carbon footprint? Complete Story

Power trip: A day with an electric car(Sept. 18) - New York - The new Miles ZX40S is an electric vehicle that looks like a car and handles like a golf cart and is being sold exclusively in the New York City area at Major World Auto in Long Island City. Complete Story

Sparks fly over ban on electric car(Sept 17) - New zealand - A Northland man says the Government is refusing to allow him to import an electric car, and accuses ministers of paying lip service to sustainable energy solutions.Ulrich Schmid has tried for the past two years to import a $45,000 battery-powered car from Europe, a car that is manufactured only with left-hand steering. Complete Story

Chile's Largest Power Company Brings Electric Vehicles to the People(Sept 17) - Chile - To help mitigate pollution and traffic congestion, Chile's largest power company, CHILECTRA, will allow its customers to use their monthly utility bill to finance the purchase of electric bicycles, scooters, mopeds and other vehicles from US-based ZAP. Complete Story

Tesla To Hit Market This Fall(Sept 16) - California - Oil prices around $80 a barrel and a world in turmoil seemingly because of its dependence on oil from the Middle East may all be an added incentive for automobile consumers to go electric. The Tesla Roadster, scheduled to hit the market this fall, may be the answer for some. Complete Story

Chrysler forms electric-drive unit(Sept 13) - Michigan - Chrysler LLC, the only privately owned major U.S. automaker, is forming a new unit to focus on production of electric-drive vehicles, Bloomberg News reported today. The unit will be called Envi, short for "environmental." Complete Story

New Electric Cars Make Their Premiere In Long Island City(Sept 13) - New York - State and local officials were on hand at a press conference in Long Island City last week for the unveiling of a new electric car.    The all-electric MILES ZX40S is made by Miles Electric Vehicles and designed for low-speed use (35 mph and under). Complete Story

ZAP Electric Car Makes Oregon Even Greener(Sept. 12) - Oregon - ZAP electric cars and trucks will be available for sale to the public at the grand opening for Ecomotion, the latest addition to a network of ZAP dealers and service centers throughout the nation. Complete Story

GM Plans New Family of Electric Cars (Sept. 12) - Detroit - GM is beginning to map out plans to produce a wide range of electric models beyond the Chevrolet Volt, which it has promised to launch in about three years, the story said. The company is also working on a version of its so-called "E-Flex" architecture for electric cars that shares components with its high-volume, mainstream, front-wheel drive cars. Complete Story

Green machines dominate Frankfurt show(Sept. 11) - Germany - Automakers participating in the Frankfurt Motor Show opening Tuesday are focusing on technologies to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions, a key policy priority in Europe. Eight Japanese companies will showcase futuristic concept models of electric and diesel cars, which are more fuel-efficient than gasoline-powered vehicles. Complete Story

Kiwi electric car goes the distance(Sept. 10) - New Zealand - Mike Duke has a car that will travel 400km for five bucks, and he reckons he can do it cheaper. Complete Story

Google backs electric vehicles with $10M(Sept. 10) - California - Its philanthropy arm, Google.org, oversees the program, which is called RechargeIT initiative. It has awarded $1 million in grants and is offering $10 million for ideas about how to fund development and adoption of plug-ins, fully electric cars and cars that are equipped to actually return stored energy to the electrical grid, so-called “vehicle-to-grid,” or V2G technology. Complete Story

Winning Our Energy Independence(Sept. 9) - EVWorld - S. David Freeman has served in government and the utility industry since the days of President John Kennedy and helped lead the charge on a wide range of pioneering environmental and energy initiatives. Now he lays out a plan to do what every administration since Richard Nixon has promised, but never delivered. Complete Story

Port worker picks ride with small footprint Electric car takes up little space, little resources(Sept. 9) - Washington - Andrea Fontenot calls it her green slipper. Her co-worker, Port of Olympia spokeswoman Patti Grant, likens it to a gumdrop. "My husband calls it the little platypus," Fontenot said of her new electric car. Complete Story

Hybrid car proves hit with cabbie's customers(Sept. 08) - Canada - People hopping into Amjad Fayyaz's taxi are giving him bigger tips these days.Fayyaz admits it's not because of his driving. It's his new set of wheels.His 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid, which runs on both a gas engine and battery-powered electric motor, became Saskatoon's first hybrid taxi when it pulled onto city streets three weeks ago. Complete Story

Tiny Chinese electric car plugs into a wall outlet(Sept. 7) - China - Great Lakes Auto Sales in Saginaw will begin selling the miniature Chinese electric "neighborhood vehicle" in the next couple weeks. Owner Dave LaTarte Sr. said licensing negotiations with the distributor of the car held up its arrival. Complete Story

Volvo ReCharge Concept(Sept. 7) - Germany -The Frankfurt Motor Show will see Volvo reveal a pretty revolutionary plug-in hybrid car known as the ReCharge Concept. Complete Story

Mitsubishi Electric Car Recharges Using Road Wind(Sept. 07) - Japan - Our team hasn't even arrived in Frankfurt yet and news is already starting to trickle out about the next big show on the circuit. The Tokyo Motor Show is coming up in October and Mitsubishi has let out some information about their debuts. One of the premieres will be a battery-powered 2+2 coupe dubbed the i MiEV Sport. Complete Story

EEStor Says It Has Batteries Beat(Sept. 3) - Texas - An Austin-based startup called EEStor promised "technologies for replacement of electrochemical batteries," meaning a motorist could plug in a car for five minutes and drive 500 miles roundtrip between Dallas and Houston without gasoline. Complete Story

Electric-car startup Tesla is a hit with politicians and stars(Sept. 3) - California - Even before the Tesla gets delivered to its first owner, the very notion of this electric-car start-up - its greenness, its technological promise, its Silicon Valley roots - already has the eyes and ears of politicians in Washington and Sacramento. Complete Story

Nissan to show battery-electric Mixim concept at Frankfurt(August 30) - Germany -At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Nissan will be showing an all new electric concept car for young drivers who Nissan describes as mostly engaged by their computer and the world via the internet. Complete Story

Hyatt puts Tesla roadster recharging stations in 3 hotels(August 30) - California - Electric car lovers willing to spend nearly $100,000 on the new Tesla Motors roadster will have some swanky places to plug it in. Complete Story

Freedom Act Offers $7,500 Tax Credit on Plug-in, Electric Car Conversions(August 28) - Utah - U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch is sponsoring the Freedom Act, which gives a tax credit for up to $7,500 toward the purchase of two important automotive options: new plug-in hybrid cars and traditional internal combustion engine cars converted to plug-in electric cars.   Complete Story

Silliman U launches RP’s first electric car(August 29) - Philippines - Insular Technologies, founded by SU alumnus Rene Tuballa together with three friends from Dauin town, Negros Oriental, launched the innovative e-vehicle on the occasion of the university’s 106th Founder's Day. Complete Story

Lightning Car Out Accelerates Porsche 911 S and Ferrari 575 Maranello(August 28) - Short News - A new British-made vehicle that can out accelerate both the Porsche 911 S and the Ferrari 575 Maranello will be released at the end of this year. The 700bhp Lightning can do 0-60 in under 4 secs compared to the Porsche and Ferrari time of 4.1 sec. Complete Story

Israel Corp to invest $100 million in new electric car deal(August 27) - Israel - Israeli holding company, Israel Corp. will invest an initial $100 million in a new electric car venture, according to a company statement. Israel Corp. will own 33 percent of the venture, which was spearheaded by entrepreneur Shai Agassi, the former head of software products at German software maker SAP. Complete Story

ZAP Offers Full Service Financing for Electric Vehicle and Car Purchases(August 25) - California - Electric car pioneer ZAP announced today that it has partnered with netLoan Funding, LLC to provide ZAP customers with one-stop Internet financing for electric vehicle and electric car purchases. netLoan Funding provides lender management services and a diversity of loan and lease options for on-line or point-of-sale purchases of almost any asset. Complete Story

Tesla Electric Sports Car Wins INDEX Award To Confirm Sexiness(August 24) - California - Our favorite super electric car -- the Tesla Roadster -- has won an INDEX prize for being so damn cool. Complete Story

Lightening GT Electric Car is Lightening Quick(August 24) - UK - Ever since Tesla released their all-electric roadster their have been companies gearing up to give them some competition. It appears a company from the UK finally has a production model ready to compete. Complete Story

60,000 Chevy Volt Electric Cars to Be Sold in First Year of Production(August 23) - Michigan - According to Jeff Green of Bloomberg, General Motors plans on having up to 60,000 Chevy Volt electric cars ready for its first year of mass market consumption. The problem is that we still don't know when that "first year" is going to be. Complete Story

Electric car delivers attention(August 22) - Indiana - The familiar red, white and blue Domino's Pizza logo now adorns a three-wheel, all-electric ZAP (Zero Air Pollution) vehicle, which is being used for deliveries and promotional purposes in Greater Lafayette. Complete Story

Construction yet to begin on Tesla Motors factory in Albuquerque(August 20) - New Mexico - The electric car revolution is still coming to Albuquerque. Exactly when it will arrive, however, remains a question. Tesla Motors Inc.'s plans to build a four-door, all-electric sedan called WhiteStar at a plant on the West Side remain on track. Complete Story

Meet Google's Think Electric Car(August 20) - California - Ever heard of a Google car, an eco-friendly electric car? No, it's not an electric Ferrari, not even an electric Hyundai! It's a sort of environmentally sound thinking that Google supports. Complete Story

Critics skeptical of buzz over GM's latest electric car(August 19) - Chicago - General Motors Corp. has a recent history of promising more than it can deliver when it comes to electric cars. So it's no wonder many remain skeptical that the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid that could make GM a technology leader, will ever make it to showrooms.  Complete Story

Bill Clinton Test Drives Phoenix Electric Sport Truck (August 19) - California - Former President Bill Clinton will test drive the all-electric SUV from Phoenix Motorcars. Phoenix's car can go 130 miles on a single charge and hit 100 miles per hour. Complete Story

Performance comes first for all-electric Tesla Roadster(August 18) - California - Tesla Motors' all-electric Roadster sports car will start rolling out to around 600 American buyers by October or November. Chief executive and co-founder Martin Eberhard told a meeting of the Motor Press Guild: "We will ship in that time frame." He noted the company had originally expected to begin deliveries this month. Complete Story

Lightning, The electric car that's faster than a Ferrari(August 16) - UK - The new 700 bhp two-seater Lightning is made in Britain and can reach 60mph in less than four seconds. It takes a Porsche 911 S and a Ferrari 575 Maranello 4.1 seconds to match that speed. Complete Story

Reva gears up for global market(August 15) - India - At first sight, it looks like a toy car that has grown big on steroids, but a closer look at the two-door hatchback reveals a cable connecting it to a power outlet in a Bangalore shopping mall car park. Complete Story

Miles XS 500, An electric car for the common man(August 13) - New York - If all goes according to plan, by 2009 you could be sticking it to Big Oil by driving an all electric, Chinese-made sedan for little more than the cost of a Camry. Electric cars are nothing new. But until now they've either been very expensive to produce or, if not that, then small and relatively slow - little more than glorified golf carts. Miles Rubin, with his $30,000 Miles XS 500, is hoping to change all that. Complete Story

New Factory for ZAP Electric Car and Truck Near Completion in China(August 12) - China - A factory near completion in the Shandong Province of China will have the capacity to produce up to 4,000 cars per month, according to a joint announcement from Shandong Jindalu Vehicle Company, Ltd. and California electric vehicle manufacturer ZAP.   Complete Story

New Vectrix scooter zips along nicely for pennies per mile(August 10) - California - Bay Area zero-emission advocates got their first test ride Thursday on a zippy new all-electric motor scooter that can take two commuters on a silent freeway ride that will cost them just pennies in electrical power. Complete Story

In electric car stakes, it's Miles to go(August 10) - California - The Javlon, from Southern California's Miles Automotive, will go 120 miles before it needs a charge and will hit a top speed of 80 miles an hour, according to CEO Jeff Boyd. It will cost approximately $32,000, and its lithium ion battery will last more than 100,000 miles before it needs to be replaced. Complete Story

The electric car's high-end revival(August 10) - BBC - AElectric cars and trams are not new. They were very popular 100 years ago until petrol took over. But apart from the occasional concept car it was not until 1996 that a major manufacturer started producing them in the US when General Motors (GM) unveiled the EV1. Complete Story

GM and A123Systems to Co-Develop Lithium-Ion Battery Cell for Chevrolet Volt(August 9) - Michigan - General Motors Corp. and A123Systems, Inc. will co-develop cells with A123System's nanophosphate battery chemistry for a long-lasting, safe and powerful battery for use in GM’s electric drive E-Flex system. The agreement is expected to expedite the development of the batteries for both electric plug-in vehicles and fuel cell variants of the E-Flex architecture. Complete Story

GM to begin testing Volt electric car by spring(August 9) - Michigan - General Motors Corp. will begin road testing its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid in the spring of next year and remains on track to produce the rechargeable car by late 2010, a senior executive said on Thursday. Complete Story

Tesla ready to launch electric sports car(August 9) - California - American firm Tesla will be ready to launch its new all-electric, low-polluting Roadster sports model by November of this year. Complete Story

Electric Car Goes Over 100km/h Powered by AA Batteries(August 8) - Mobile - Electric cars are nothing new, but they typically require some sort of special power pack to be able to actually, you know, move around. Such is not the case with this soapbox racer. It's powered by 192 Panasonic AA batteries. Yes, those regular old dry cell batteries that you plunk into your wall clock, cordless mouse, or Wii remote. Complete Story

Planned Community Goes Green with GEM Electric-Car Friendly Designation(August 4) - North Dakota - A developer recognized for its environmentally friendly workplace, is working with Global Electric Motorcars to incorporate GEM neighborhood electric vehicles as a part of the green focus of its master planned communities. Complete Story

The cordless car(August 2) - Canada - Don Chandler believes it's only a matter of time before the technology that gave us first the drill, then the hedge trimmer and lawnmower and now the electric bicycle and scooter will be scaled up into an affordable electric car.   Complete Story

'GREEN' TEAMS GO FOR AUTO RACE(August 1) - MSNBC - Thirty-one teams say they’ll line up to compete for at least $10 million by developing a marketable 100-mpg automobile … if the Automotive X Prize program can come up with the cash, that is. The X Prize Foundation says it’s hoping to do that by the end of the year, in time for the big auto shows. Complete Story

How air cars and hydrogen buses are turning transport green(August 1) - NewConsumer.com - It’s hard to believe that once upon a time the only forms of transport available were our own feet, or a horse and possibly a cart.   Complete Story

Have you driven a Fjord lately?(July 31) - CNNMoney - Three pinstriped London investors stand outside an electric car factory in the green fields of the Norwegian countryside, waiting their turns to test-drive a stylish two-seater called the Think City.   Complete Story

Electric car vies for speed record(July 31) - CBS News - Ohio State University mechanical engineering student David Cooke and his fellow Buckeye Bullet Two team members are bound to blow away at least a few people's view of fuel cell powered cars next month. Complete Story

Beijing Olympics to use 50 Li-ion battery powered buses (July 30) - Shanghai Daily - About 50 buses powered by Li-ion battery will be put into service for the Beijing Olympics next year, running a total distance of 10.4 kilometers for athletes and officials, according to a Beijing official. Complete Story

EEStor Capacitors(Battery) - "This could change everything"(July 23) - Old Article - Finally some more news from EEStor, the incredibly secretive hypercapacitor funded by hotshot venture capitalists Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Our readers tell us that their patent describes barium titanate capacitors stacked in series with a very high operating voltage.   Complete Story

World's First Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions by Next Summer(July 23) - Popular Mechanics - India’s largest automaker is set to start producing the world’s first commercial air-powered vehicle. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine’s pistons. Complete Story

The Big Picture: Silicon Valley builds an electric car(July 23) - Motor Trend - One hundred years ago, the infant auto industry looked a lot like the dot-com boom. Between 1900 and 1908 no fewer than 485 companies entered the auto business in the United States alone. Complete Story

Electric cars go on sale(July 20) - California - The New California Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership, 415 W. Central Ave. in Lompoc, is offering a lineup of electric cars - the only dealership in the region to offer them, said Finance Manager John Naar. Complete Story

Electric hybrid cars hold promise of slashing greenhouse gases(July 20) - California - Only a handful of plug-in hybrid electric cars are driving around the Bay Area today. But the vehicles -- with fuel economy that can exceed 100 miles per gallon -- could play a crucial role in fighting global warming and America's addiction to foreign oil. Complete Story

DCT announces price-barrier breaking, high-performance power plant for electric vehicles and plug-in (July 20) - California - evice Conduit Technologies announced today that it has initiated volume manufacturing prep for the DCT RackPackT Massively Intermoduled Battery (BIB) pack which can finally deliver 100 to 300 mile range to electric and hybrid vehicles at consumer market prices. Complete Story

DaimlerChrysler reveals four new environmentally friendly versions of the Smart car(July 19) - Australia - One of the world's car giants is proving you can make something big out of a small package. DaimlerChrysler has unveiled four new versions of its tiny Smart car, which takes us a step closer to a having truly environmentally friendly city car. Complete Story

`Ahead of the curve' Silicon Valley makes Prius its No. 1-selling car(July 19) - California - Through May, 1,627 Prius registrations have been recorded in Santa Clara County, according to R.L. Polk. That puts the Prius ahead of Toyota's Camry and Corolla and Honda's Accord and Civic, all cars that outsell the high-mileage, gas-electric sedan nationwide. Complete Story

GM's Opel to bring out all-electric car at end-2010(July 17) - Germany - General Motors Corp unit Opel plans to bring out an all-electric car at the end of 2010, GM's European chief Carl-Peter Forster was cited as saying in an excerpt from tomorrow's Auto Motor Sport magazine. Complete Story

100 MPG Hybrids Coming to the Carolinas(July 17) - South Carolina - The Plug-In Hybrid Coalition of the Carolinas will take delivery of its first plug-in hybrid July 23rd. The prototype is a vehicle that combines today’s hybrid technology with larger batteries and the ability to charge from a standard outlet. This results in a vehicle achieving 100 miles per gallon for city driving while reducing emissions 30%-60%. Complete Story

Montana Electric Car Owners Enjoy Freedom from Oil(July 14) - Montana - Sick and tired of relying on foreign oil, Steve Titus fought high gas prices his own way: He developed a solar-powered electric car. Complete Story

Firefly Energy, Inc., Wins 2007 R&D 100 Award For Graphite Foam Battery (July 14) - Illinois - Firefly Energy, the Peoria Illinois-based company developing an innovative carbon-graphite foam lead acid battery for commercial and military applications, today announced that it is the recipient of an R&D Magazine R&D 100award for 2007. The company believes its patented technology has the potential to revolutionize today’s multi-billion dollar worldwide lead acid battery market. Complete Story

Australian New Car Buyers Switching To Hybrids(July 13) - Paddock Talk - Hybrid cars -- such as Honda's Civic Hybrid -- are appearing on more new car buyer shopping lists, according to a report released by Roy Morgan Research. Complete Story

Building a better battery(July 12) - Colorado - In an industrial building in Palmer Lake, a small company is making a mighty effort to advance what its founders see as the silver bullet for the automotive industry — pure electric power. Complete Story

Car can go 70 miles an hour, but only 30 miles per charge(July 11) - Florida - Have you seen a yellow vehicle driving around town lately and wondered what on earth it is? Art Schmaltz enjoys a smooth, gas-free ride in his little yellow electric car. That would be Art Schmaltz of Niles in his electric one-person car. Complete Story

Eco-Friendly and Sexy, Electric Motorcycles May Be Just the Ticket for Urban Hipsters(July 11) - Wired - Think you're being eco-friendly because you ride a motorcycle with a much highher MPG than your car-driving friends? Guess again. According to the Oregon-based specialty vehicle manufacturer Brammo, most modern motorcycles “produce up to 15 times the emissions per mile as the average new car.” Complete Story

Gas-Electric Vehicles Are Becoming Mainstream as Production Soars(July 11) - ABC News - With Al Gore III barrelling down a California highway in his Toyota Prius at 105 mph, hybrid gas-electric cars may be at the tipping point of becoming a mainstream item in America. Complete Story

Market conditions ripe for electric(July 8) - California - Zap Chief Executive Steve Schneider recently sat down with Mercury News Auto Editor Matt Nauman in Zap's downtown Santa Rosa offices. They then toured two other Zap facilities on stand-up, three-wheel, electric Zappy 3 scooters (priced from $499 to $850). Here is an edited transcript of their conversation. Complete Story

Zap to make electric sedan based on its sports car(June 22) - California - Electric-vehicle maker Zap says it will come out with an electric car that will go about 100 miles on a charge but cost only $30,000, a combination of features that so far hasn't been achieved. Complete Story

Google announces electric car funding and solar powered HQ(June 19) - California - Google.org (the philanthropic arm of Google Inc) today announced the RechargeIT initiative that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence by speeding up the take-up of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Complete Story

Mitsubishi i goes electric(June 18) - Car Online - Mitsubishi’s first fully electric car slated for mid-2010 release in Japan will be the i city car – and UK bosses are secretly preparing to launch it here by early 2011. Complete Story

Electric car turns heads(June 16) - Ohio - John O’Connor sets the trip meter at zero every time he leaves his West Chester home for an outing in his six-seater electric car. Complete Story

Lightning GT Electric Sports Car Surfaces(June 16) - UK - The Lightning GT uses a completely different type of electric powertrain than the Tesla, in that it features in-wheel electric motors. A technology that was tested in various Mitsubishi vehicles (including a Lancer Evolution), this method is capable of providing unthinkable power, such as in the case of the 640-horsepower electric in-wheel motor MINI Cooper. Complete Story

Electric Car Hits The Streets Of Jacksonville(June 15) - Florida - Some people in Jacksonville are taking drastic steps -- ditching the gas guzzlers for something much more affordable -- a car that costs about $10 a month to keep running. Complete Story

Cornell team will compete to build 100-mpg car(June 9) - Cornell - Imagine a car that gets 100 miles to a gallon of gas. A real car, seating four people, with 10 cubic feet of cargo space that could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 12 seconds, top speed 100 mph -- fully equipped with a heater, air conditioner and audio system. Complete Story

How Oil Companies Saved the Electric Car(June 7) - GreenBiz - Outrageous gas prices and worldwide concern about global warming have spurred a new wave of automakers to make the long-awaited dream of practical -- and yes, stylish -- electric vehicles a reality. These green machines will soon be coming to a showroom near you. Complete Story

GM makes deal to hasten electric car development(June 6) - Detriot - General Motors Corp. has awarded two contracts to companies that will help speed up development of its plug-in electric car called the Chevrolet Volt, GM Chairman Rick Wagoner said Tuesday. Complete Story

Electric car makers plug in to L.A.(May 26) - California - And Environmental Motors, the newest dealer for Zap, importer of a three-wheeled, low-speed electric "city car" called the Xebra, just held a grand opening for its showroom at 134 S. Glendale Ave. in Glendale. Complete Story

Can drivers get charged up by electric cars?(May 24) - California - Emerging options run from $10,000 three-wheeler to $90,000 roadster. The ZAP Xebra is a three-wheeler running on basic batteries, silent and easy to maneuver. It is more than a golf cart and less than a compact car and costs just under $10,000. Complete Story

Tesla Motors to sell batteries in $43 million deal with Think(May 22) - California - Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley electric car start-up, intends to announce today that it has created a new division to sell batteries, and that it has taken a $43 million order. Complete Story

Best Cars 2006(December 11) - Forbes - But take one look at Tesla Motors’ Roadster, an all-electric auto with race car-like chops (zero to 60 in four seconds) and sexy styling, and you’ll gain a new appreciation for this emerging category of cars. Complete Story