Quimera AEGT Electric
Supercar Goes From 0-60 MPH In 3.0 Seconds
Tesla reports quarterly loss, research spending up(August
4) - Tesla reported a net loss of $58.9 million or 60 cents
per share, compared with the loss of $38.5 million, or $5.04
per share, a year earlier when there were fewer shares
outstanding. The company's plan for profitability hinges on
the success of its upcoming Model S sedan, which is set to
debut in mid-2012 and take the company beyond the niche
market it established with the Roadster.
Tesla begins assembling beta versions of Model S(August
3) - Unlike the Tesla Roadster, the Model S Beta body panels
and chassis will not be made of carbon fiber, but rather
lightweight aluminum. To maximize air flow, the sedan will
retain the flush door handles. Like some new vehicles
entering the market, the Model S Beta will skimp on the
spare tire. Instead, expect a tire inflation kit. The move
will create room to seat seven and maximize storage space,
which the designers say will be more than any sedan on the
market.
BMW’s electric cars of the future unveiled(August
3) - BMW is a little late to the electric car party but it
has now arrived with two hot-looking prototype vehicles –
the i3 city runabout and the i8 super sports car. These cars
were engineered from the ground up to be electric cars
unlike the company’s electric Mini, which was a conversion
of the gas-powered car.
GM says Chevy Volt 'virtually sold out'(August 2)
- General Motors will only report about 100 Chevrolet Volt
sales when July’s U.S. auto sales come out Tuesday, but the
extended-range electric car is “virtually sold out” of the
outgoing 2011 model year, spokeswoman Michelle Bunker said
today. Of the 4,488 2011 Volts GM has built at
Detroit-Hamtramck, about 100 remain unclaimed, she said. The
rest are reserved for dealer demos of the Volt’s battery and
backup generator or internal GM uses such as engineering
tests or marketing.
Ford Focus Electric Gets Ready To Make Some Noise(August
2) - Ford’s upcoming Focus Electric car will charge in a few
hours, provide affordable commuting to Massachusetts drivers
and will release zero tailpipe emissions. There is just one
problem – it doesn’t make enough noise. President Obama
recently signed legislation into law that will require
electric and hybrid vehicles to make noise to ensure
pedestrian safety, and Ford is turning to the public to
decide which noise the Focus Electric should make when it
arrives at Ford dealerships later this year.
Riding on Prius, Toyota gets the greenest brand tag(August
2) -Toyota has been named the greenest global brand in a
major study by Interbrand that spans the 10 biggest consumer
markets. The research, called Best Global Green Brands,
combines public perception of environmental sustainability
with performance on publicly available information and data.
It covers the US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy,
Brazil, Spain, and India.
GM Volt Supply Poised to Surge in Race With Nissan's Leaf(July
27) - General Motors Co., trailing Nissan Motor Co. in
electric-car sales, plans to boost output of its Chevrolet
Volt to 5,000 a month as the automaker seeks to seize the
lead and test consumers' hunger for plug-in vehicles. Nissan
is winning this year, selling 3,875 of the Leaf in the U.S.
to GM's 2,745 Volt sales.
Russian Mogul Pulls the Think Electric Car from Financial
Wreckage(July 27) - Russian cardboard mogul Boris G.
Zingarevich has purchased the electric-car manufacturer
Think Global AS, marking yet another financial revival for a
company that’s faced demise several times throughout its
20-year existence.
Charge your electric car from solar power(July 27) - Now
you can power your electric car from the solar panels on
your roof. SolarCity, one of the larger solar power
installers in the West, is launching an electric car-charger
installation service for homes and businesses. The company
says it will give more consumers in the 11 states where it
operates the chance to go "driving on su nshine."
Revenge of the electric car(July 24) - Revenge of the
Electric Car, previewed last week in New York and set for
wide release this October, proves equally as prescient. The
film, which captures what may turn out to be the first
stages of the auto industry's evolution away from oil,
cruises smoothly over the finish line where its predecessor
ultimately stalled short.
Tesla signed to build power train for electric Rav4(July
23) - Tesla Motors has signed a $100 million deal to build
the power train for Toyota's electric Rav4, the Palo Alto
company reported Wednesday in a government filing. Tesla,
famous for its luxury electric sports cars, will supply the
Rav4's battery, charging system, motor and gearbox.
Ford powers up hybrid production(July 23) - Ford's
hybrid powertrains and battery packs are nearly
indestructible. Try this on for size: Out of the 42,629,318
cells used to make up 190,000 battery packs, only five cells
— about the size of a D battery — failed. Of the 380,000
electric motors in Ford's 190,000 hybrids sold (every
vehicle has two), none failed. You can't get any better than
that.
Car2Go ups car-sharing ante by going all-electric(July
22) - Daimler subsidiary Car2Go is expanding its car-sharing
business to San Diego, but it's taking the green concept one
step further by making its vehicle fleet all-electric.
Car2go currently operates in Austin, Texas with a fleet of
300 two-seater gas-powered Smart ForTwos, which are produced
by parent company Daimler. Members can rent the vehicles by
the day, hour, or minute, and unlike ZipCar, they don't have
to specify a time by which they will return the vehicles.
Toyota Targets at Least 16,000 U.S. Plug-In Prius Sales(July
22) - Toyota, the world’s biggest seller of
gasoline-electric autos, said it expects U.S. sales of at
least 16,000 plug-in Prius hatchbacks in 2012 after the
model debuts early in the year. The new version of the
world’s best-selling hybrid, designed to be recharged at a
standard 110-volt outlet, will go at least 13 miles solely
on its lithium-ion battery pack, John Hanson, a Toyota
spokesman, said in an interview. After that, it will operate
like a standard Prius, averaging 50 miles per gallon of
gasoline in city and highway driving, he said.
2011 Lexus CT 200h: Finally, a Prius with style(July 22)
- A quick glance is all it takes to know the 2011 Lexus CT
200h is a much sportier car than the Prius. A five-door
hatchback with a large air dam and flowing lines, it
resembles the popular Mazda3 hatchback, one of the hotter
small cars today. More upscale than a Mazda, of course –
it’s a Lexus, after all – but definitely aiming at younger
buyers than the Prius.
LEAF electric car overshadows Chevy Volt sales(July 9) -
3875 Nissan electric cars with lithium ion batteries sold
since the beginning of LEAF, while Chevrolet sold 2,745
electric vehicles. LEAF Nissan and Chevy Volt are two
options for electric car launched simultaneously in the U.S.
market. Automobile magazine has been interested in knowing
which of them has attracted more attention and it seems that
the electric car Nissan LEAF is gaining an advantage. 3875
Nissan electric cars sold since the beginning of LEAF, while
2745 has sold Chevrolet Volt.
U.S. Weighs Rule Requiring Hybrids, EV Cars to Sound
Pedestrian Alerts(July 9) - Electric vehicles and hybrid
cars could be required to sound alerts to pedestrians under
a new proposal from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. The regulation would force light-duty cars,
motorcycles, vans and trucks to automatically sound alerts
at low speeds.
Mitsubishi's 'i' electric car gets better EPA rating than
Volt, Leaf(July 9) - Mitsubishi is today boasting of a
double whammy when it comes to its new electric car. It not
only will be cheaper to buy, but it will cost less in
electricity to run than its major competitors. The i,
Mitsubishi Motor's all-electric vehicle, has garnered an
EPA-rated 126 MPGe (that's gas-mileage equivalency, meaning
how its electricity use would compare if it ran on gasoline)
for city driving and 99 MPGe for highway driving.
Electric car sets new Pikes Peak hill climb record(June
29) - Yokohama Tires sponsored an electric race car using
innerworking from California's AC Propulsion to break its
own 2010 record on the hill climb. The AC
Propulsion-equipped vehicle won the hill climb's Exhibition
Class and set a new EV record with a time of 12:20:084,
besting last year's record-breaking time of 13:17:575 by
nearly one minute. Sounds pretty fast to us until you
consider the new record for a car in the climb is now under
10 minutes.
Ford To Facebook Fans: “How Should The 2012 Focus Electric
Sound?”(June 29) - The days of the almost silent
electric car are gone. Motivated by a severe case of
liticaphobia - or the fear of lawsuits - the auto industry
has already agreed that electric cars should have some form
of audible warning system fitted as standard to alert
pedestrians of their approach.
GM Tests Electric Chevy Beat in India(June 29) -
Their mainstream debut might be getting mixed reviews here
in the United States, but all-electric cars are here to
stay. Or so it seems: on the heels of its extended-range
Volt General Motors just begun testing a new electrified
version of the Chevrolet Beat hatchback in India. The Beat
EV (also known in some markets as the Spark; no pun
intended) is powered by a 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack,
and propelled by a 45 kW (60 hp) motor and a single-speed
drive unit. GM indicates that under normal driving
conditions, the Beat EV’s range should be in the
neighborhood of 81 miles.
Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX Experimental Electric prepares for
world tour(June 29) - This week, Rolls-Royce is putting
their 102EX electric car to the test in the MIRA research
facility. It will be subjected to lab-controlled heat and
humidity tests to figure out how these extreme conditions
will affect battery performance. Once that’s done, the 102EX
will embark on a global tour that will take it to the Middle
East, Asia-Pacific and North America.
Is that a Volts-wagen? Beetle becomes fastest
electric-powered drag racer doing 0-60mph in 1.6 seconds(June
6) - Two brothers are celebrating after setting a world
speed record in an electric car - made from a Beetle and a
milk float. Sam and Olly Young, who are sponsored by their
local pub in Hungerford, Berkshire, set out to prove you can
have zero emissions and the thrill of super-fast travel too.
They built a 'green' mean machine out of a milk float and a
1965 Volkswagen Beetle, which they have named Black Current.
Tesla Model S Alpha New Images Released(June 6) - It may
still be well over a year away from launch, but Tesla’s
latest press photographs are certainly getting the
automotive world talking. Released over the weekend, the
photographs show a Model S which looks good enough to take
on mainstream automotive giants on the showroom floor
head-on.
Nissan’s Leaf Being Driven in Government’s Electric
Vehicle Pilot Program(June 6) - The Nissan Leaf,
Nissan’s very first 100 percent electric vehicle, was part
of a 116-car fleet chosen by the U.S. government for their
employees and recently handed out to twenty government
agencies. The Department of Energy and the Department of
Defense, were chosen to be part of the government’s new
Electric Vehicle Pilot Program.
New battery design could give electric vehicles a jolt(June
6) - A radically new approach to the design of batteries,
developed by researchers at MIT, could provide a lightweight
and inexpensive alternative to existing batteries for
electric vehicles and the power grid. The technology could
even make "refueling" such batteries as quick and easy as
pumping gas into a conventional car.
Electric VW "The Black Current"
0-60 1.6 Seconds
EV News and Hybrid Headlines
Is that a Volts-wagen? Beetle becomes fastest
electric-powered drag racer doing 0-60mph in 1.6 seconds(June
6) - Two brothers are celebrating after setting a world
speed record in an electric car - made from a Beetle and a
milk float. Sam and Olly Young, who are sponsored by their
local pub in Hungerford, Berkshire, set out to prove you can
have zero emissions and the thrill of super-fast travel too.
They built a 'green' mean machine out of a milk float and a
1965 Volkswagen Beetle, which they have named Black Current.
Tesla Model S Alpha New Images Released(June 6) - It may
still be well over a year away from launch, but Tesla’s
latest press photographs are certainly getting the
automotive world talking. Released over the weekend, the
photographs show a Model S which looks good enough to take
on mainstream automotive giants on the showroom floor
head-on. Nissan’s Leaf Being Driven in Government’s Electric
Vehicle Pilot Program(June 6) - The Nissan Leaf,
Nissan’s very first 100 percent electric vehicle, was part
of a 116-car fleet chosen by the U.S. government for their
employees and recently handed out to twenty government
agencies. The Department of Energy and the Department of
Defense, were chosen to be part of the government’s new
Electric Vehicle Pilot Program.
New battery design could give electric vehicles a jolt(June
6) - A radically new approach to the design of batteries,
developed by researchers at MIT, could provide a lightweight
and inexpensive alternative to existing batteries for
electric vehicles and the power grid. The technology could
even make "refueling" such batteries as quick and easy as
pumping gas into a conventional car.
2011 Lexus CT 200h Hybrid is a foxy, feisty take on the
Prius(May 6) -Take a Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid,
shorten it for a more fetching proportion, but sacrifice
rear-seat legroom. Lower the roof for sex appeal, at the
expense of spaciousness. Modify the chassis to improve
handling. Ta-dah, you wind up with a Lexus CT 200h.
Tesla: Earnings Call Shows It's on the Right Track(May
6) - For the quarter, Tesla beat analyst estimates, posting
a loss of $0.44 per share versus consensus of a $0.52 loss.
Revenues jumped 35 percent, year-over-year, to $49 million
versus consensus estimates of $43.3 million. Back From The Future, An Electric DeLorean(May 5) -
The old DeLorean failed spectacularly in the 1980s; the
current company bought the remaining parts, a huge cache
capable of assembling maybe 300 DeLoreans. A “new/old” one
will cost you $57,500. And DeLorean Texas plans to offer a
$75,000 electric version, with (appropriately enough) Flux
batteries — a 30 kilowatt/hour pack. Nissan Leaf Taxis: Ready for the Mean Streets of New
York?(May 5) - Nissan is also sponsoring a pilot program
“to study the use of zero-emission, electric vehicles as
taxis.” That means that up to six Nissan LEAFs, and their
charging stations, will hit the mean streets with meters
running next year (a year before the NV200s). It’s a
practical demonstration, because the NV200 itself could get
a battery drivetrain down the road—the LEAF system would
probably slot right into it.
Review: 2011 Chevrolet Volt(May 4) - General Motors'
long-anticipated Chevy Volt is a great little car, but it's
mainly for shoppers who like to be first with the latest
technology, cost be damned. I came away from a weeklong
test-drive wanting a Volt—really wanting a Volt, in fact—but
knowing that buying one doesn't make financial sense. You
get far more bang for the buck from a Toyota Prius or
diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI, or a conventional
compact such as the new Honda Civic, Chevy Cruze, or Ford
Focus.
The
Electric [Car] Strikes Back!(April 25) - Almost a decade
later, the electric car has been resurrected as told through
Paine’s sequel “The Revenge of the Electric Car”. The film
will bring audiences into the boardrooms and manufacturing
facilities of several of the major auto manufacturers now
jockeying for first mover advantage in the race to be the
leader in the electric vehicle category.
Nissan Leaf Wins 2011 World Car of the Year award(April
24) - Nissan Leaf, a five-door mid-size hatchback electric
car manufactured by Nissan, won the 2011 World Car of the
Year award at the New York International Auto Show on
Thursday, April 21, 2011, beating Audi A8 and BMW 5 Series.
BMW to lease electric sedan in US this fall(April 22) -
BMW AG plans to offer 700 ActiveE electrics in the cities of
Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, New York
and Boston and the state of Connecticut. BMW is offering a
two-year lease for $499 per month and a down payment of
$2,250. The ActiveE is a 1-Series coupe with a lithium-ion
battery that gives the car enough power to go about 100
miles between charges. The ActiveE comes in white and has
special, circuit-like graphics on the sides.
Top ten green cars of 2011
- Topping the list is the Nissan Leaf. The electric car
delivers 73 miles per charge and the equivalent of 99 miles
per gallon. The Chevy Volt comes in at number two. The
Toyota Prius takes the number three spot and the Lexus CT
200h comes in fourth. Honda Insight is fifth on the list.
Rounding out the top ten: The Ford Fusion Hybrid, Volkswagen
Golf TDI, Hyundai Elantra, Fiat 500, and the Ford Focus.
Tesla Roadster Wins 5th Straight Monte Carlo Rally(April
20) - For the fifth time the Tesla Roadster has won the
Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally, crushing Top Gears
claims about its electric batteries, supposed, short range.
The Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally includes some of
the same roads as the original Monte Carlo Rally and
involves a 1,230 meter pass that puts electric cars and
other alternative fuel vehicles to the test. The Tesla
Roadster has an average range of 212 miles but the Roadster
managed to put out another 68 miles to dominate the race.
Meet the Sora, Electric Motorcycle(April 19) - What’s
as fast as a Tesla Roadster, has more range than a Nissan
Leaf, and costs about as much as a Chevy Volt? The answer is
the Sora by Lito Green Motion, an electric motorcycle that’s
just badass. Lito Green Motion, based out of Barthélémy
Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, built this bullet of a bike to
have a top speed of 124 mph, or 200 kph.
Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid to Be Ordered Online(April
18) - A new breed of cars is in need of a new breed of
ordering system. Taking advantage of the easy process
insured by the Internet, Toyota announced today that the
long-awaited natural evolution of the Prius hybrid, the
plug-in hybrid variant, would be made available through an
online ordering system. Starting April 22, the day that has
been designated to become Earth Day, Toyota will be
accepting reservations for the model.
Toyota's 'geek-mobile' Prius hybrid hits 1m mark in US
deliveries(April 17) - Toyota's Prius, the world's
best-selling hybrid auto, hit a U.S. milestone with
cumulative sales in that market reaching 1 million vehicles
as a supply disruption looms following Japan's record
earthquake. Sales of the gasoline-electric hatchback, first
sold in the U.S. in 2000, reached the volume goal on April
5, Toyota said late yesterday at a conference in
California.
Toyota's 'geek-mobile' Prius hybrid hits 1m mark in US deliveries(April
17) - Toyota's Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid auto, hit a U.S.
milestone with cumulative sales in that market reaching 1 million vehicles
as a supply disruption looms following Japan's record earthquake. Sales of
the gasoline-electric hatchback, first sold in the U.S. in 2000, reached the
volume goal on April 5, Toyota said late yesterday at a conference in
California.
Coda Automotive Raising Money to Finish Electric Car(April
16) - Coda Automotive, an electric vehicle developer in
Santa Monica, Calif., with a battery joint venture in
Tianjin, China, is seeking fresh capital to complete work on
its first model, the electric Coda Sedan. Christopher Rose,
the company’s senior vice president for corporate
development, said on the sidelines of the Berkeley-Stanford Cleantech Conference in San Francisco last weekend that the
$50 million investment the company was seeking would be used
“to finish the car.”
The Mysterious 400-Mile Electric-Car Battery: Does It Really
Exist? (April 15) - With electric cars struggling to
achieve 100 miles of range, it’s an understatement to say that everybody
wants to see a battery breakthrough. The consensus is that there’s nothing
around the corner in the short term that much improves on conventional
lithium-ion, though solid-state batteries and other technology could be
important longer-term plays. But what’s this about a low-cost, lightweight,
400-mile-per-charge battery from Germany?
For The Electric Vehicles Market, Small Batteries Mean Big
Sales(April 14) - For the electric vehicle market, it
looks like small is the new big, especially when it comes to
batteries. According to a new study by Lux Research, the
market forecast for energy storage devices for electronic
vehicles is bright. Lux sees the sector’s overall growth
rising from $13 billion in 2011 to $30 billion by 2016 — a
compound annual growth rate of 18 percent.
House Passes Bill Declaring Lithium Batteries Safe(April
13) - The House of Representatives has passed legislation
that prevents the United States government from implementing
more stringent rules classifying lithium batteries as a
hazardous material. Does that mean the batteries are not
hazardous? Not necessarily. The move is based on lobbying
and financial interests, rather than environmental or safety
concerns.
Exciting Adventure of Electric Vehicles at the 2011 Seoul
Motor Show(April 3) - Hyundai BlueOn, fully developed in
Korea, is being showcased. The BlueOn has a compact body
with an overall length of 3,585 mm, overall width of 1,595
mm and overall height of 1,540 mm. It is equipped with a
highly efficient electric motor powered by an innovative
16.4 kWh LiPoly battery that offers numerous advantages over
other battery types. The battery's lifespan and storage
capacity determines the vehicle's performance. LiPoly
batteries deliver the same power with its previous
nickel-metal hydride batteries at 30 percent less weight and
40 percent less volume.
Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric in first
road test(April 3) - The Phantom is Roll-Royce's first
crack at making an electric car, and it's probably the most
luxurious 'leccy jalopy yet to draw charge. The BBC has
taken the Phantom out for a spin and it lives up to its
ghostly name, drifting along in "spine-tingling" silence.
It sounds Italian, but scusi, this electric car is from
China(April 3) - IT LOOKS like a Smart city car and its
name sounds Italian, but the Alpha Lujo is neither. It is a
Chinese-built electric car and its manufacturer plans to
begin importing it into Australia in September to sell for
as little as $18,000.
Green
Car Parade to Cruise Through Washington DC During Earth Week(March
31) - Earth Week is scheduled from Friday, April 15 through
Friday, April 22. The parade of cars and trucks will take
place on Tuesday, April 19, and be part of the Electric
Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) conference.
Twenty-two companies will participate, including AMP
Electric Vehicles, BMW, Coda Automotive, Edison Electric
Institute, General Motors, Mitsubishi, Tesla, Toyota and VW.
Fisker
Karma Electric Sports Car Begins Production(March
29) - The Fisker Karma is Fisker Automotive’s first product.
It was first debuted at the North American International
Auto Show in 2008 as a concept model, but delays have kept
it off the market – until now. The Fisker Karma electric car
has begun production in Finland, and some reports indicate that it could
reach customers as early as next month.
Tesla Roadster Drives 10 Million Miles and Counting(March
28) - Tesla Motors announced today that electric Roadsters
in more than 30 countries have now covered over 10 million
real-world miles, the greatest collective distance covered
by any electric vehicle maker to date. “The Roadster has
proven to the world that electric cars can be incredibly fun
and practical. Most importantly, these vehicles have
provided Tesla with a real-world test fleet that allows us
to stay on the cutting edge of electric powertrain
engineering and technology.”
Toyota eyes magnesium batteries for EVs(March
28) - Toyota believes that future electric vehicle batteries
will have to perform better to be competitive. And the
company thinks it's found a solution: It's called magnesium.
So what is magnesium, and why will it be a better battery
component for future electric vehicles?
Volvo to Lease C30 Electric Car for $2,100 A Month(March
28) - Volvo has given us a few clever concept cars, from the
ReCharge concept to the plug-inV60 diesel-electric hybrid
that sounds very promising. Now they even have a road-ready
EV concept that they’re ready to put into the hands of
consumers…for 1,500 euros, or about $2,100 a month, for 36
months.
Tesla Roadster Drives 10 Million Miles and Counting(March 28) - Tesla
Motors announced today that electric Roadsters in more than 30 countries
have now covered over 10 million real-world miles, the greatest collective
distance covered by any electric vehicle maker to date. “The Roadster has
proven to the world that electric cars can be incredibly fun and practical.
Most importantly, these vehicles have provided Tesla with a real-world test
fleet that allows us to stay on the cutting edge of electric powertrain
engineering and technology.”
Toyota eyes magnesium batteries for EVs(March 28) - Toyota believes that
future electric vehicle batteries will have to perform better to be
competitive. And the company thinks it's found a solution: It's called
magnesium. So what is magnesium, and why will it be a better battery
component for future electric vehicles?
Volvo to Lease C30 Electric Car for $2,100 A Month(March 28) - Volvo has
given us a few clever concept cars, from the ReCharge concept to the
plug-inV60 diesel-electric hybrid that sounds very promising. Now they even
have a road-ready EV concept that they’re ready to put into the hands of
consumers…for 1,500 euros, or about $2,100 a month, for 36 months.
New
battery technology may allow for complete recharging within
minutes(March 23) - "This
system that we have gives you capacitor-like power with
battery-like energy," said U Illinois' Paul Braun, a
professor of materials science and engineering. "Most
capacitors store very little energy. They can release it
very fast, but they can't hold much. Most batteries store a
reasonably large amount of energy, but they can't provide or
receive energy rapidly. This does both."
Porsche Puts a $845,000 Pricetag on Its Limited-Edition 918 Spyder Hybrid(March
21) - orsche SE, the German automaker merging with Volkswagen AG (VOW), will
sell the 918 Spyder hybrid sports car, its most expensive model ever, for
$845,000 in North America and limit production to 918 vehicles.
Rolls-Royce 102EX - Phantom Experimental Electric
Car(March
21) - Reinvention is part of being timeless and Phantom EE is the latest in a
line of experimental vehicles from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It builds on a legacy
which dates back to 1919 and 1EX. Experimental models are used to test and
evaluate new technologies and applications which could shape future Rolls-Royce
products. Unlike a concept car, Rolls-Royce experimental models are always fully
functioning, drivable vehicles using tangible materials such as wood, leather
and metals rather than clay and foam or other concepts.
Carnegie Mellon researchers to showcase electric version of Honda Civic(March
21) - Researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University are all set to unveil an
electric version of the 2002 Honda Civic as the production prototype of its
ChargeCar Electric Vehicle Conversion Project. ChargeCar is a community-centered
project from the Robotics Institute at the University, where researchers are
working with local garages to develop methods and components necessary for
efficiently converting electric cars into vehicles that can be used for
commuting.
Tesla confirms third-party app support for Model S(March
18) - According to comments by chief executive Elon Musk at a press conference
in San Francisco late yesterday, the car maker is looking to build up an
ecosystem of third-party developers for the in-car computing platform to be
built into the Model S - in much the same way as Apple and Google have built up
strong development communities for their respective iOS and Android operating
systems.
Does the future of electric cars lie in capacitors?(March
17) - Capacitors are electric devices that can store charges temporarily. They
can handle a greater number of charge cycles than batteries, and can provide
quick jolts of energy. If Tesla could find a way to use them in conjunction
with—and eventually in place of—their current lithium-ion batteries, electric
cars could travel greater distances before needing to be recharged.
‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ To Premiere At Tribeca Film Festival(March
16) - The filmmakers behind “Revenge of the Electric Car,” which follows a group
of car makers as they develop and market electric vehicles, say the film will
have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on April 22 —
Earth Day. “Revenge of the Electric Car” is a documentary about electric cars
directed by Chris Paine, who made a splash with his 2006 film, “Who Killed the
Electric Car?”
Google Maps adds electric car charging station locations(March
16) - Google will display the locations of electric vehicle charging stations on
its Google Maps web and mobile applications in an attempt to push potential
electric car buyers to take the plunge. Google Maps users can search for “ev
charging stations” plus whatever city they are in. Google Maps then marks all
the relevant locations.
Nissan Faces Blow to Leaf Due to Earthquake(March
16) - The earthquake in Japan is complicating what has already been a slow U.S.
rollout of one of the most eagerly awaited cars hitting the road this year: the
all-electric Leaf, made by Nissan Motor Co.The auto maker said that a ship with
600 of the electric vehicles left port in Japan on Thursday, just before
Friday's devastating quake and tsunami, but the plant in Oppama that builds the
car is now closed through at least Wednesday, and Nissan isn't sure whether a
more significant supply disruption may occur.
‘Revenge of the Electric Car’ To Premiere At Tribeca Film Festival(March
16) - The filmmakers behind “Revenge of the Electric Car,” which follows a group
of car makers as they develop and market electric vehicles, say the film will
have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on April 22 —
Earth Day. “Revenge of the Electric Car” is a documentary about electric cars
directed by Chris Paine, who made a splash with his 2006 film, “Who Killed the
Electric Car?”
Top 10 list of most fuel-efficient cars: What's the best buy?(March
12) - Of the top 10, nine are gas-electric hybrids, topped by Toyota's 2011
Prius. The only non-hybrid in the top 10 is the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.When buying
a gas-miser, "consumers should consider two factors – price (to buy it) and
annual cost of fuel," advises Jesse Toprak, VP of industry trends and insights
at TrueCar. His analysis of the list: "If you're looking for the most
fuel-efficient car, the Toyota Prius wins. If you're looking for the most
cost-effective and fuel-efficient car, the Hyundai Elantra is the clear winner."
Republican Senator Leases Electric Car(March 12)
- Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, has signed lease papers
for a new Nissan Leaf. Previously he had been driving another energy-efficient
vehicle, a Toyota Prius. Senator Alexander said of his switch from a hybrid
gas-electric car to an all-electric one, “…the single best way for our country
to use less foreign oil is to use all electric cars and trucks. It will also
give me the patriotic pleasure of not sending more money overseas to people who
want to blow us up.”
Study: Americans Don’t Know a Thing About Electric Vehicles(March
12) - Only two-thirds of people surveyed knew that hybrids used both battery and
gasoline power (hence the “hybrid” name), and only one-third knew that hybrids
could run on the electric motor by itself. It gets more distressing. Those
surveyed about plug-in hybrids didn’t know that they still required gasoline.
Less than half knew that plug-ins, like their regular hybrid brethren, could
also run in electric-only mode. The survey was conducted from Oct. 22 and Nov. 2
of last year, among 1,898 Americans who were about to buy a new car or intended
to do so. Synovate concluded from these results that a lack of buyer knowledge
could affect vehicle sales, before going on to prove the aqueous qualities of
dihydrogen monoxide.
