RTEV Electric vehicles get Georgia Tech viewing(May 7) - Atlanta - contends some will do fine on short trips to the grocery store or high school soccer games. The cars are powered by a sealed gel battery that he says requires no maintenance and can be recycled. Complete Story
   
Pininfarina-branded electric car reportedly coming to U.S.(May 7) - Italy - The as-yet-unnamed, four-seat vehicle will reportedly be branded as a Pininfarina and the company hopes to begin series production of the vehicle by September 2010 for customers in Europe, Japan and the U.S. The vehicle is expected to make its debut in concept form at this year's Paris show, with a pre-production model on display at the 2009 Geneva Motor show next March.  Complete Story

Hybrid Technologies Electric vehicle company maintains its own in Mooresville, NC(May 7) - North Carolina - The as-yet-unnamed, four-seat vehicle will reportedly be branded as a Pininfarina and the company hopes to begin series production of the vehicle by September 2010 for customers in Europe, Japan and the U.S. The vehicle is expected to make its debut in concept form at this year's Paris show, with a pre-production model on display at the 2009 Geneva Motor show next March.  Complete Story

Japan's Toyota Motor to hike prices in North America(May 7) - Forbes - Vehicles imported from Japan such as the Prius hybrid and the Yaris compact, marketed as the Vitz in Japan, will carry the new prices.  Complete Story

Civic Hybrid Gets Great Mileage(May 6) - The Hybrid model is well equipped, much like the EX Civic line, so a price comparison is reasonable. The EX sedan, with a navigation system and XM Satellite Radio and automatic transmission, costs $21,895. The Hybrid runs $24,985. Complete Story

Start-Ups Race to Produce 'Green' Cars(May 6) - Wall Street Journal - Spurred by the belief that the market for fuel-efficient vehicles is about to take off, a slew of tiny car companies is springing up in Europe and the U.S. They are racing to produce the next "green" car, betting that soaring demand will allow them to survive alongside the giants of Detroit, Stuttgart and Tokyo.  Complete Story

Magna founder wants to build electric car(May 5) - MotorTrend - Magna International Inc. founder and Chairman Frank Stronach is apparently the latest CEO to jump on the electric-vehicle bandwagon. According to a recent report in Canada's The Globe and Mail, in the near future the Canadian-based automotive supplier plans to introduce its own lithium-ion battery powered vehicle that will have a range of 120 km (about 75 miles) on one charge. Complete Story
 
100 MPG in a Prius: Hacking a Hybrid(May 4) - Illinois - Brothers Chris and Andrew Ewert of Wheaton, Illinois, converted their standard-issue Prius to a plug-in hybrid that gets more than 100 miles per gallon by installing a battery array and charger in the rear cargo space. Cars with plugs and gas tanks, called Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), are on the bleeding edge of auto technology, but the Ewerts aren't alone in their low-emissions mission.  Complete Story 

Toyota's hybrid Camry to be built at Altona(May 3) - Australia - While the high-level talks are not yet wrapped up, sources have told The Age that senior Toyota executives in Tokyo are now strongly behind making the company's Altona plant the regional production base for the green Camry, provided the right government incentives are secured. Complete Story
 
A123Systems Begins Taking Consumer Orders for its HymotionTM L5 Plug-in Conversion(April 29) - PR Release - A123Systems’ Hymotion product line is the only fully-tested PCM that meets or exceeds federal requirements for crash-worthiness and emissions. Based on independent testing, the L5 PCM will enable a Toyota Prius to obtain fuel economies of more than 100 miles per gallon.  Complete Story

Electric X1 Prototype: Fast but unaffordable(April 28) - California - Last year the X1 Prototype was released boasting accelerating from 0 to 60 in 3.07 seconds and 117 feet. The purely electric car can drive about 125 miles under normal driving conditions and as low as 25 miles under racing conditions before needing to recharge.  Complete Story

Thinking Electric(April 28) - Emagazine - The car would go 110 miles without a charge and cost less than $25,000 brand new by the end of 2009. Dubbed Think City, the two-seater revs up to about 65 miles per hour max.  Complete Story

Muscle-car designer makes U-turn(April 27) - LA Times - Among his recent projects: the futuristic-looking Aptera, a three-wheeled, all-electric car that can go 120 miles on a charge, and a yacht with a solar-panel roof supplying juice to its electric motors.  Complete Story

An electric car with removable batteries let you charge up in the house(April 25) - Dvice - MIRA HAV, an electric car that's smart enough to allow you to remove the batteries and charge them up in your house. You know, where the outlets are.   Complete Story 
 
Chevy Volt prototype runs on lithium ion batteries for first time!(April 25) - Bob Lutz told the Detroit News in an interview that “we’ve got the first car running (with lithium-ion batteries) … and what the guys get on ’sightings’ is a picture of an old Malibu with black wheels and a very long extension cord.”  Complete Story
  
Think to Bring Electric Car to U.S.--Next Year(April 23) - Wired - We've been down this electrified road before. But the Norwegian firm Th!nk (as it likes to spell itself) has announced yesterday that it will introduce its Think City electric car in the U.S. by the end of next year.  Complete Story

Chicago Restaurant First to Use Solar-Electric Car for Deliveries(April 23) - Illinois - Everyone’s going green, or trying to, and with gas prices soaring, consumer awareness of environmentally friendly vehicles has never been higher.  Complete Story

Hybrid Cars Are Selling Like Hot Cakes, Study Finds (April 22) - Marketing Daily -  Registrations for new hybrid vehicles in the U.S. rose 38% to 350,289 in 2007. R.L. Polk & Co., a market research firm in Southfield, Mich, which released the data on Monday, says the Toyota Prius led the segment with 179,178 new registrations, constituting 51.2% of hybrid vehicle market share. Complete Story

Are Hybrids Too Quiet?(April 22) - New York Times - It happened again last Friday. I was walking with two friends to our car in a parking garage when I got a strange feeling that we were being followed. When I turned my head, I saw the front slope of a Toyota Prius, which was rolling quietly a few feet behind us. Complete Story

The "Car Talk" Guys Look For the Car of the Future(April 22) - Seattle - There will be electric cars for consumers. Will the majority be electric? Eventually. If I look far enough down the line, I see cars running on nothing but electricity, and that electricity coming from nuclear power.   Complete Story

Electric cars take charge in Israel, Denmark(April 22) - Cars - If any automaker is poised for real-world mass-market electric vehicle, it might be Nissan. Here's why: The alliance between Nissan and French automaker Renault will soon be selling electric cars in Israel.  Complete Story

EEStor Technology: The End of Batteries?(April 20) - Natural News - For decades, battery storage technology has been a heavy weight on the back of scientific innovation. From cell phones to electric vehicles, our technological capabilities always seem to be several steps ahead of our ability to power them.  Complete Story

Trade-In a Gas-Guzzler for an Electric Car This Earth Day at ZAP(April 18) - CNNMoney - If your commute is fairly short, ZAP says you can potentially save thousands of dollars per year by trading in your old gas-guzzler for an electric car.  Complete Story
 
China's BYD Auto Co. To Unveil All-Electric Car(April 18) - Wall Street Journal - BYD Auto plans to mass-market in China in about two years an all-electric vehicle that could go 300 kilometers on a single full charge, with an eye toward selling the same car in North America and Europe. Complete Story
 
Lithium Ion Batteries For Cars(April 18) - EcoWorld - A car running on electricity drawn from the power grid and stored on-board can be fueled at about one-third the cost per mile compared to a gasoline-powered car. Complete Story
 
Tesla Sues Fisker Over Electric-Car Designs(April 15) - California - You had to see this one coming — just a few months after the Detroit auto show unveiling of the Fisker Karma hybrid concept, Fisker’s being sued by Tesla Motors, which claims theft of company secrets.  Complete Story
  
Chrysler plans Dodge Ram hybrid in 2010(April 15) - UK - Chrysler plans to roll out a hybrid version of its Dodge Ram pickup truck in 2010 that is similar to two SUVs it is launching this year, the automaker's product development chief said on Monday. Complete Story
 
Why Detroit Should Build a Plug-in Car With Generators Onboard(April 15) - Popular Mechanics - As of this moment in the evergreen vehicle revolution, you still can't buy a purely electric car from a major manufacturer. Oh sure, there are plenty of exciting startups with headline-grabbing machines. Complete Story

Company showcases innovative plug-in car prototype(April 14) - Texas - AFS Trinity Power Corp. showcased its XH-150, an innovative plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicle that can achieve the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon, Friday at Zilker Park. Complete Story

Austin is abuzz with technology in the electric car market(April 13) - Texas - ZENN Motor Co. Inc. of Toronto last month said it would roll out an electric car in the fall of 2009: a real car, top speed 80 miles per hour. You could even take it on MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1). And it recharges in a few minutes. Complete Story

Solar Electric Powered Car Kit a Two Weekend Job(April 11) - UberReview - If you have a bit of time off coming up and are looking for a worthy project, how about building your own solar powered car? The SUNN Solar Electric Car Kit can be pieced together over the space of about 4 or 5 days. Complete Story

Toyota to offer some plug-ins by 2010(April 11) - Detroit - Toyota  plans to market a test fleet of rechargeable hybrid vehicles to companies or government agencies by the end of 2010, raising the stakes in a race with rival General Motors Corp to bring the first mass-market plug-in to market. Complete Story

Ajanta to challenge Nano with electric car(April 10) - India - There is competition for Tata's Nano from Gujarat. The new entrant in the small car sector is the Morbi-based world famous clock-maker Ajanta group. The company is planning to manufacture an electric car at its unit at Samkhiyali in Kutch district and market it at a price lower than Rs 1-lakh Nano.  Complete Story
 
Miles Electric Introduces ZX40ST Work Truck(April 10) - California - The highly anticipated, zero emissions, AC motor MILES ZX40ST work truck will be showcased publicly for the first time at the Green California Summit at the Sacramento Convention Center April 8-9.  Complete Story

Using nanotechnology to improve Li-ion battery performance(April 7) - To meet the demand for batteries having higher energy density and improved cycle characteristics, researchers have been making tremendous efforts to develop new electrode materials or design new structures of electrode materials.  Complete Story

eBay Auction of the Day: 1948 Electric Autoette ‘Cruise About’(April 7) - Allegedly built for the mobile elderly or the painfully frugal (both?) this 1948 Autoette electric car was green before being green was cool…way before.  Complete Story 
 
GM's Chevy Volt Plug-in Concept: How It Works(April 5) - PopularMechanics - The Volt, a new Chevrolet concept car, is a different kind of hybrid. In a stand­ard “parallel” hybrid, such as the Toyota Prius, a gasoline engine provides most of the drive to the wheels, assisted by a battery-powered electric motor. Complete Story

Plug-in hybrid cars ready to roll in California(April 5) - New Scientist Tech - Last week the state's Air Resources Board ruled that makers must produce at least 58,000 "plug-in" hybrid vehicles for sale in California between 2012 and 2014.  Complete Story

EnerDel Provides Market Update on Think Global Supply Agreement(April 4) - EnerDel, the advanced automotive battery systems division of alternative energy company Ener1, Inc. , today announced its progress toward meeting the lithium-ion battery system deliverables schedule under a supply contract with Think Global.   Complete Story

Road for electric car makers full of potholes(April 4) - LA Times - On an overcast Friday in February, about 100 people gathered behind Tesla Motors Inc. headquarters, awaiting the future of transportation. A truck pulled up with a trailer, which disgorged a sleek black electric sports car that promises to change the world as much as the Model T did a century ago.  Complete Story

GM road-tests batteries for Volt electric car(April 4) - CNNMoney - "The lithium-ion batteries to be used in General Motors' Chevrolet Volt electric car will soon be installed and tested in specially-equipped versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, the company said.  Complete Story

Top 10 Cars That Pollute the Least(April 4) - Forbes - What comes out of a car's tailpipe is just as important as what goes into the fuel tank. Fuel economy gets lots of play because of rising fuel costs, but exhaust emissions from motor vehicles have a huge impact on the planet and people's health. Complete Story

Eco-friendly car insurance 'increasing in popularity'(April 4) - UK - According to Nick Dear, external communications consultant with the firm, 22 million drivers would consider switching to a hybrid car, such as the Toyota Prius, if it was cheaper to run than a normal car, so insurance companies need to meet that demand. Complete Story

Tesla eyes Europe for electric car sales(April 3) - Automotive Business - Encouraged by the weak dollar value, Tesla Motors has decided to sell the Roadster, its electric sports car, in Europe by the third quarter of the current financial year, reported the Financial Times.  Complete Story

Cheap electric cars - part 2(April 3) - Renault-Nissan will produce cars in cooperation with Project Better Place for use in Israel. The cars will have a range of about 100 km in city driving and up to 160 km on the highway. The cars will accelerate from zero to 100 kph in 13 seconds and have a top speed of 110 kph. The cars, to be made in Europe, will run on a battery developed by Nissan and Japan's NEC.  Complete Story

The Electric Super Car Race Heats Up(April 2) - BusinessWeek - It seems a transatlantic battle is brewing in the high-performance electric sportscar market. As America's Tesla moves into the production phase with its 130+mph Roadster, Britain's Lightning GT is hot on its heels, with prototypes expected to hit the road later this year.   Complete Story

Could the futuristic Aptera be the new face of hybrid technology?(April 1) - According to nationwide vehicle registration data compiled by hybridcars.com, U.S. hybrid sales grew by 38 percent in 2007 to 350,000 units, compared with 250,000 units sold in 2006. Toyota dominated other car companies in 2007 with sales of the Prius and Camry Hybrid.  Complete Story

Zenn plans autumn ’09 launch of EEstor-powered cityZENN EV(March 31) - Canada - The EEStor Electricity Storage Unit is projected to offer up to 10 times the energy density of lead-acid batteries at the same cost, and one and a half to two and a half that of lithium-ion batteries at 12-25% of their cost.  Complete Story  
 
Utilities jump on board to plan for plug-in hybrid cars(March 28) - USAToday - In a sign of accelerating progress on plug-in hybrids — the 100 mpg vehicles you can't yet buy in showrooms — electric utilities quickly are linking with automakers and tech companies to develop "smart-charging" technology that controls when and how fast a vehicle is recharged.  Complete Story 

Fisker Karma All Electric Sports Car has fake engine sounds speakers(March 30) - California - I wouldn't say that this completely defeats the purpose of buying an all electric car, but isn't it kind of strange that they've decided to pipe fake engine noises into the Fisker Karma?   Complete Story 

7,500 emission-free autos are mandated by 2014(March 28) - California - Air quality regulators dramatically reduced the goal for emission-free vehicles in California yesterday, but for the first time they required automakers to sell a new generation of plug-in hybrid cars.  Complete Story
 
THINK - the electric car that's finally worth a plug(March 28) - UK - A new electric car is going on sale in the UK later this year. It's called the THINK and is made in Norway by a company of the same name. The THINK can be charged from a normal domestic socket and will apparently run for 124 miles in city conditions on one charge.  Complete Story

Nissan’s “Denki Cube” Electric Vehicle Concept Brings Distinctive Spirit into Play in New York Auto Show Debut(March 27) - New York - The lithium-ion battery-powered Denki Cube electric vehicle concept, which will be on public display at the Nissan exhibit at Jacob Javits Convention Center, was created to draw attention to Nissan Motor, global environmental efforts. It also serves as a preview of Nissan’s future small car strategy for the North American market, which includes plans to sell a redesigned gasoline-powered, next-generation Cube at Nissan dealers in the United States beginning in 2009.  Complete Story

E-bikes offer fun, flashy, earth-friendly transportation(March 27) - Arizona - For those students who want to support ASU's move toward sustainability by trading in their fossil-fueled cars for something a little more eco-friendly, here is one more option: e-bikes.  Complete Story 

PowerGenix: The Nickel-Zinc Challenger(March 27) - New York - Following the introduction of the silver-zinc battery as if on cue, rechargeable nickel-zinc batteries are here to challenge nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal-hydride for high power-density applications. "We're focused on nickel-zinc for its inherent safety, non-toxicity, and power-density," says Dan Squiller, CEO of PowerGenix and the company behind the new battery.  Complete Story

Plug In America - All-Electric Car Guide(March 26) - California - In an all-electric car, high performance batteries store cleaner, cheaper, domestically produced electricity, and an electric motor provides propulsion with zero emissions. In a plug-in hybrid, more batteries than a conventional  hybrid allow local all-electric, zero-emission driving with an internal combustion engine for longer distances.  Complete Story

Real Electric Car Featured in Star Trek Movie(March 26) - Red Orbit - The Aptera electric car is so futuristic-looking, it's been seen on the set of the new Star Trek movie. The Aptera was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, and later as an extended range electric vehicle.  Complete Story
 
Mercedes sees electric-car progress(March 24) - USAToday - Mercedes-Benz says it will have a demonstration fleet of practical, if small, electric vehicles on the road in two to three years.  They're expected to run 80 miles or more on lithium-ion batteries the German automaker is developing. Complete Story

Honda's Fukui: Nickel battery is best bet for hybrid(March 24) - Wired News - The technology is too unreliable, according to CEO Takeo Fukui. Nor does it have the durability of nickel-metal hydride power-packs. Honda released the Civic Hybrid on the Korean market last year and will unveil a smaller hybrid car sometime next year. Complete Story

Subaru's Electric Microcar Already in the US(March 24) - New York - Even though the Subaru R1e Concept is just now hitting the streets in Japan, there is already a pair that have made it to US soil. So what should we expect from Subaru's electric vehicle? Complete Story

Tips on converting a gasoline car to electric(March 23) - Seattle - It appears that my previous post on the electric conversion class got a lot of interest. I have been asked several questions; the main one being "can I convert my car?"  Complete Story

Subaru shows off electric car(March 22) - New York - The R1e has a range of 50 miles (80 kilometers) and can post a top speed of 65 mph (104 kph). It can charge to 80 percent capacity in 15 minutes using a dedicated charger, or be fully charged overnight with a regular domestic outlet. Complete Story

X Prize dangles $10 mln for fuel-efficient car(March 21) - New York - "A new X-Prize for ultra fuel efficient cars has been announced. The winning car must 'carry four or more passengers and have climate control, an audio system and 10 cubic feet of cargo space. They also must have four or more wheels, hit 60 miles per hour in less than 12 seconds and have a minimum top speed of 100 miles per hour and a range of 200 miles. Those that qualify will race their vehicles in cross-country races in 2009 and 2010 that will combine speed, distance, urban driving and overall performance.'" Complete Story

Study of risk of hybrid cars to blind pedestrians(March 21) -Maryland - Concerns from blind people that super-quiet hybrid vehicles pose a safety danger to pedestrians who can't see has gotten the attention of Maryland lawmakers. Complete Story

2008 Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid Sedan(March 21) - California - The LS 600h L not only serves as the flagship vehicle for the Lexus brand, but also stands out as the ultimate hybrid sedan, featuring the ultra-quiet Lexus hybrid engine. The engine is perhaps the most technologically advanced gas-hybrid system available in today's automotive marketplace.  Complete Story

Plug-In Hybrid Cars Touted as 'Game-Changing Technology' (March 21) - ABC News - Ford Escape Hybrid Plug In. Ford's experience with Hybrid technology in the ground-breaking Escape Hybrid is combined with new advancements in High-Voltage Lithium-Ion batteries to create the new Ford Hybrid Escape Plug-In, an SUV which achieves up to 120 mpg for the first 30 miles following a full charge. Complete Story

GM prepared to lose money 'for years' on hybrid Chevrolet Volt(March 20) - MarketWatch -  GM is preparing to lose money "for years" on its Chevrolet Volt, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said Wednesday, The Detroit News reported in its Thursday editions. Speaking at the New York International Auto Show, Lutz said it was a mistake that GM didn't beat Toyota to market with hybrid vehicles, adding that GM won't make that error again, even if it means losing money on initial Volt sales. Complete Sales

GM's Lutz: 80% of vehicles must be hybrid by 2020 to reach goal(March 20) - Detroit -  Four out of five General Motors Corp. vehicles sold in the United States will have to be hybrids by 2020 in order to meet the federal fuel economy rule of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said Wednesday.  Complete Sales

Electric Tara Tiny is worlds cheapest car at only $2450(March 18) - India - Welcome to the world’s cheapest car at only $2450, yes the car called the Tara Tiny will be replacing the Tata Nano. The price is amazing at 99,000 Indian Rupees ($ 2450) and runs on electricity. Complete Story

Tesla Motors gets rolling with Roadster production(March 18) - UK - Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley electric-car start-up, said Monday it has begun "regular production" of its first car, the 2008 Roadster. The car is being assembled at a Lotus factory in Hethel, England. Tesla said it has taken more than 900 deposits for the $100,000, two-seat, zero-emissions Roadster.  Complete Story

Plug In America Urges Gov. Schwarzenegger to Restore Electric Car Mandate(March 18) - California - Plug In America, the organization leading the nation’s electric vehicle movement, today called upon Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to live up to his vow to “turn back the clock on pollution” by urging California air regulators to revive their historic Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) program immediately.  Complete Story

100-year-old model for electric car coming back(March 18) - Michigan - To promote itself, Detroit Electric--a new joint venture between Zap and China's Youngman Automotive Group--plan to release a limited number of cars based around the Detroit Electric, an electric car produced by the Anderson Electric Car Co. in the early part of the 20th century.  Complete Story

Mitsubishi shows off tiny electric car(March 18) - Japan - The company's upcoming minicar offers up to 100 miles of driving on a single charge. Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors said today that it would display two of its new electric minicars at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.  Complete Story

ELECTRIC SLIDE: All-electric car Aptera cruising into California(March 18) - Meet the Aptera Typ-1, the all-electric car out of Carlsbad that looks like the future, where everyone's wearing jumpsuits and has numbers as last names and crystals embedded in their palms that turn black on Lastday.  Complete Story

Hybrid Technologies Introduces LiV WISE Electric Car(March 17) - Pricing just below $40 thousand, the company expects LiV WISE City Car to perform as well as a gasoline fueled vehicle with a driving range of 90-120 miles and speeds in excess of 75 mph. Complete Story

Electric Cars Hit Bureaucratic Wall in Canada(March 17) - Canada - A Canadian manufacturer is crying foul over federal rules blocking its low-speed car from residential streets -- but government officials say that there is no conspiracy to kill the electric car. Complete Story
 
Mercedes-Benz developing 100% electric car(March 17) - We have recently learned, from a source close to Mercedes Benz and its Research Center in Stuttgart, that the Daimler AG is working on a vehicle “which will revolutionize the luxury auto market,” as they put it. Complete Story

GM to road test Volt battery packs in July(March 14) - Canada - In an interview with Reuters, Lutz also said that GM may not name a battery supplier for the Volt's next-generation lithium-ion power supply until the second half of the year. "We were hoping to do that in the first half," he said when asked when GM would name a battery supplier. Complete Story

US Senate plan would boost funding for auto battery technology(March 12) - Michigan - A budget plan moving through the U.S. Senate this week would boost funding for battery technology crucial to developing plug-in hybrid vehicles. Supporters want about $250 million to help manufacturers build advanced batteries that are considered the key to plug-in hybrid vehicles and the Chevrolet Volt being developed by General Motors Corp. Complete Story
  
Guess Who Hopes to Help Power New Hybrid Cars(March 11) - Wallsteet - Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest gasoline refiner, wants a piece of the hybrid-car market.  Complete Story

GM To Use Lithium-Ion Batteries In 2010 Hybrids(March 11) - IT Report - General Motors Corp. says it will launch a new wave of mild-hybrid vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries in 2010, marking its first use of the advanced battery technology. The rollout will start in North America and eventually extend globally across various GM brands with total annual volumes exceeding 100,000 vehicles.  Complete Story

Oil Tops $109 a Barrel, ZAP Dealer Shows Only Electric Car at Twin Cities Auto Show(March 11) - CNNMoney -  The sedans and trucks range in price between about $11,000 and $12,000 and are designed to keep up with city-speed traffic up to 40 MPH. Complete Story

ZAP Launches Sale of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Car, Tests Show up to 120 Miles per Gallon(March 10) - CNNMoney -  In tests these systems increased hybrid fuel economy up to 120 miles per gallon in the city and up to 90 mpg on the highway. The cost for the conversion ranges from $24,000 to $36,000 depending on the vehicle and size of battery pack.  Complete Story

Reva G-Wiz i(March 10) - Times -  Reva has exported about 1,000 of its G-Wiz electric cars to the UK. London now has more privately owned electric cars than any other city in the world, and celebrity devotees include Jonathan Ross, Kristin Scott Thomas and Bamber Gascoigne.  Complete Story

Bush Promotes Use Of Electric Car To Reduce Oil Consumption(March 6) - Washington - President Bush urged the use of electric cars Wednesday to decrease use of oil, which would consequently lead to a decrease in demand of oil.  Complete Story

The Great Electric Car Battery Race(March 5) - At a breakfast in New York last week, Jim Press, vice chairman and president of Chrysler LLC made the startling announcement that every single new Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep is being engineered so that it can be adapted for a gas-electric hybrid powertrain. Complete Story

Nissan to launch electric car in US in 2010(March 5) - AFP - Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday that Nissan would launch an electric car in the United States in 2010, which would be introduced to the global market by both brands two years later.  Complete Story

Tesla: Little electric roadster that could(March 4) - USAToday -  A little roadster that goes into regular production in two weeks is already electrifying the auto industry. It's not about promises that the Tesla will deliver pin-you-back-in-your-seat acceleration — 0 to 60 miles per hour in a Ferrari-like 3.9 seconds — or its sexy appearance.  Complete Story

GM says it has lithium-ion batteries for hybrids figured out(March 4) - USAToday -  General Motors will begin mass production in 2010 of hybrid vehicles that use lithium-ion batteries and, in many cases, small-displacement turbocharged gasoline engines. The combination will allow the automaker to use the hybrid system on any size vehicle it produces.   Complete Story

Continental is Daimler’s lithium-ion battery supplier(March 4) - Auto Industry -  Continental’s director Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann has now announced, “This marks an important breakthrough for Continental as supplier of battery systems. In the next few years we will be launching production of further lithium-ion energy storage devices for mild- and full-hybrid and electric-powered vehicles.”  Complete Story

A123Systems wins patent for nanomaterial battery tech(March 4) - North Carolina -  A123System's lithium ion batteries are already in use in certain products in the DeWalt and Black & Decker power tool lines, and is now moving into automotive applications, officials said. Complete Story

Designing the Cars of the Future(March 4) - Businessweek -  For example, you might know Continental Automotive Systems as a maker of tires, but you probably don't know its role in the development of next-generation hybrids, diesels, lithium batteries, stability control, and wireless connectivity technologies for automobiles. Complete Story

Hungarian automotive firm to build electric car in Austria (March 3) - EarthTimes -  Hungary's Brixxon Elektromos Auto is to build its new electric car in Austria due to economic uncertainty and unfavourable manufacturing conditions in Hungary, the business daily Napi Gazdasag reported Monday. The company has signed a lease contract for a plant in Weiz and will begin production on May 1 this year. Complete Story
 
Mercedes to launch lithium-ion hybrid in 2009(Feb. 29) - Germany - "The Stuttgart-based automaker is the world's first manufacturer to have succeeded in adapting lithium-ion technology to the demanding requirements of automotive applications," it said in a statement.  Complete Story

Long-distance electric car taking on G-Wiz(Feb. 29) - UK - A new zero-emission electric car is being launched in London. The Think City can travel for 125 miles — enough to get from the capital to Cambridge and back — on one charge from a household plug. Complete Story

Cracking The Battery Barrier(Feb. 29) - Forbes - Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to worry about your cellphone losing its charge? How about your laptop, MP3 player, even your car?  Complete Story

Honda Tax Credit Expires but New Hybrids Planned(Feb. 29) - US News - Buying a hybrid may make sense in a world of $4 per gallon gasoline, but according to several sources, some hybrids just grew more expensive.  Consumer Affairs reports, "The Internal Revenue Service is cutting the tax credit available to consumers who buy a new Honda hybrid."   Complete Story

Miles Electrical Vehicles Scores $15M(Feb. 26) - California - Santa Monica-based Miles Electric Vehicles, which is developing plug-in electrical vehicles, said today that it has raised $15M in an investment round from Angeleno Group and other investors. Complete Story

Electric car was made for Toronto(Feb. 25) - Canada - Toronto has a huge city centre with a massive population, and the idea of an electric car is perfect for our environment. A vehicle like the ZENN drives up to 60 kilometres between charging and runs about 40 km/h. Complete Story

Air-Powered Car Coming to U.S. in 2009 to 2010 at Sub-$18,000(Feb. 22) - Popular Mechanics - Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM) confirmed to PopularMechanics.com on Thursday that it expects to produce the world’s first air-powered car for the United States by late 2009 or early 2010. Complete Story

Loremo plans E-Loremo Electric Car(Feb. 22) - Germany - German car start-up Loremo made a big splash back in 2006 with the unveiling of their ultra-efficient 157MPG Diesel powered Loremo car. Now the company says that they also will release besides the Diesel Loremo also an electric Loremo dubbed E-Loremo at launch in 2010. Complete Story

Top 10 2008 Fuel Economy Faves, Plus 5 Affordable Electric Cars You Can Buy Today(Feb. 21) - eMediaWire - With fuel economy on most drivers' minds, there's increasing interest in buying new cars, crossovers, and SUVs offering the kind of fuel efficiency that won't cause heartburn at the pump. GreenCar.com editors are helping the process along by offering much-needed information on 10 top fuel economy favorites available at new car showrooms today. Complete Story

Zero-emission ´air car´ on sale in Europe this year(Feb. 19) - UK - A car that can run on £1 of compressed air for over one hundred miles, has a top speed of 90mph, returns the equivalent of 120mpg and has zero emissions will go on sale this year. The vehicle - which will cost between £2,500 and £3,000. Complete Story

Top 10 Energy Stock List Picks Electric Car Maker ZAP(Feb. 19) - CNNMoney - "Just as important to a company like ZAP," writes Energy Tech Stocks, "experts think the electric vehicle market will be open to small and large companies alike. Indeed, there are more than 30 companies, many of them private firms, presently developing electric vehicles. Complete Story

Pyramid power: awesome electric car(Feb. 19) Looking eerily like something out of old low budget Sci-Fi movies, this pyramid electric car weighs 8,000-pounds and is powered by 80-batteries, with four engines. It can supposedly reach speeds of up to 45mph. Complete Story

Detroit Electric Appoints Former CEO of Lotus Engineering to Top Job(Feb. 19) Detroit Electric is a joint venture company formed between a 13-year-old US electric car company ZAP and one of China's leading vehicle manufacturers China Youngman Automotive Group. The Company has revived the vintage electric car brand Detroit Electric. Complete Story

Israel: Cradle of the Electric Car(Feb. 18) Renault is planning to begin mass production of electric cars in 2011. "We're talking at the outset of about 10,000 to 20,000 cars a year in the Israeli market to make this a viable venture," predicts Ghosn. That's an ambitious target for a country with annual new car sales of under 200,000. Complete Story

Milpitas company OEMtek says it can double your Prius' mpg(Feb. 18) - California - Not satisfied with that 45 miles a gallon you've been getting from your Toyota Prius, but not willing to ride your bike, take the bus or walk to work? For $12,500, OEMtek says it can add a bigger battery pack to your Prius and double its mileage - to 100 mpg or more.  Complete Story

First Tesla Electric Car Reviews In(Feb. 12) - California - These guys start by doing a brake stand launch to 60, noticing the electric motor's instant torque of 211 foot-pounts straining the brakes from 0 RPMs. Sounds like a warranty buster to me. Clearly, we've known its fast.  Complete Story

Hybrid Technologies, Inc. Cuts Prices on Electric Cars(Feb. 11) - EVWorld - Hybrid Technologies, Inc., emerging leaders in the development and marketing of lithium-powered products worldwide, is pleased to announce substantial price reductions on the Smart Car, Mini Cooper, PT Cruiser and their all new Y-120. Complete Story

Latest Silicon Valley status symbol: The plug-in hybrid(Feb. 11) - California - Converting a regular Prius to a plug-in isn't cheap. The price runs about $10,000. Even if gas rises to $4 a gallon, it would still take nearly 100,000 miles of driving before you broke even.  Complete Story

Price of GM's electric cars expected to rise(Feb. 10) - Chicago - The first Chevy Volt electric cars scheduled to reach showrooms in late 2010 will probably cost about $35,000 US in the United States, not the $30,000 US General Motors had hoped, the company says. Complete Story

Just call me GREEN fellow(Feb. 10) - London - PETER STRINGFELLOW doesn’t pay the congestion charge, parking fees or road tax but still drives around London. That’s because he’s gone green — with an electric Maranello car made in the same town as Ferraris.  Complete Story

Ultracapacitors replace batteries?(Feb. 10) - IDTech - Maybe we can learn from electric vehicles, where use of ultracapacitors - sometimes called supercapacitors - to balance power delivery is receiving increased attention.   Complete Story

Bricklin's vision for vehicles electrifying(Feb. 8) - Canada - From adventures to misadventures, his gears and wheels continue to roll with his latest venture involving an attempt to energize the electric vehicle industry. Visionary Vehicles is Bricklin's new company, and he plans to offer a new, plug-in luxury electric vehicle to consumers by the end of 2009.  Complete Story

Zap's Electric sports car to be ready for 2009(Feb. 8) - California - The US electric car manufacturer ZAP has announced that it is planning to produce by 2009 an electric sports car for under 30,000 dollars.  Complete Story
 
Ford's Electric Explorer(Feb. 8) - Detroit - Ford Motor Company is aggressively advancing plug-in hybrid technology through two different applications on research demonstration vehicles as a way to help improve the functionality and durability of lithium-ion battery packs and the future commercialization of plug-in hybrid technology.  Complete Story