Electric Cars
Audi R8 E-Tron: A Step Closer to Reality With New Frankfurt Bound Concept
Think there’s a lot of build-up for a car like the Toyota FT-86? Just be glad you’re not waiting for an electric Audi R8. First introduced two years ago at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the German luxury automaker has now come full circle and will be unveiling the next version of the R8 E-tron in…
Opel/Vauxhall Electric Two-Seater Previewed Revealed Ahead of Frankfurt Debut
Conceived as a stylish, urban vehicle aimed at younger buyers, it boasts a range of some 60 miles and is apparently capable of 75 mph, making it suitable for highway use.
Smart Forvision Concept Rolls to Frankfurt Motor Show on Plastic Wheels
With little in the way of new product, Smart is set to debut yet another concept, this time at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Taking design inspiration from the Smart Forspeed concept that was first shown at the Geneva Auto Show, the Forvision concept is a look at just how efficient the rest of the car…
Is An Electric Vehicle For You? Find Out With The EV Profiler
Have you ever thought about getting an electric car, but are concerned that it might not be right for you? There’s a new gadget that will help you make a decision about buying electric – the EV Profiler. The EV Profiler works with your current vehicle to track your driving behavior. This low profile device…
Electric Car Sales to Hit 5-Million Units By 2017
If you are a driver, you are well aware of the rising gas prices, and this trend is not looking to reverse anytime soon. This is effecting the way people buy new cars, and according to Pike Research, more than 5-million electric and hybrid vehicles will be sold globally by 2017. Also according to this…
Customers Improve Ford Dash Displays With Virtual Simulator
For the next generation of Ford’s in-dash displays, the company is actually putting some thought into them—and focus groups are using a high-tech virtual simulator to determine what works in relaying information to drivers and passengers alike. The driving simulator is carefully designed to match the interior of a Ford Focus Electric, with two 4.2-inch…
Suzuki Disatisfied With VW, May Collaborate With Fiat Instead
In 2010, Volkswagen took a twenty-percent stake in Suzuki, and virtually no progress has been made from the alliance since then. Neither side has been thrilled with the coalition and the two automakers have even stated cultural differences as being a factor in the failed relationship. Both automakers had different goals: VW wanted to expand…
Cadillac ELR Revealed as ConverJ Concept’s Production Name
A few days ago, Cadillac announced that the Volt-based Converj concept would enter production. Well, it’s gotten a name change to suit its newfound status: look for the Cadillac ELR to hit dealers in a few months. After all, a sensible, less-ambiguous name like “Converj” couldn’t be used: it had too many letters! ELR brings…
“I Don’t Believe in Electric Cars,” Says Ferrari CEO
If you prefer your green cars to be a little more red, well, we’ve got some bad news for you. You won’t see an electric Ferrari. Not soon, not ever, says company CEO Luca di Montezemelo. “You will never see a Ferrari electric because I don’t believe in electric cars” said Montezemelo, speaking at the…
KTM E3W Revealed: Motorcycle Maker Develops Three-Wheel Electric City Car
Austrian-based KTM, best known for producing motorcycles (not to mention the lightweight X-Bow racer), has teamed up with the Austrian Institute of Technology to create an electric vehicle called the E3W. The E3W (Electric 3-Wheeler) can carry two passengers for up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) using a 15kW motor and lithium-ion battery, not to…
Ford Focus Electric Gets Optional Rooftop Solar Panel Charging System
Electric cars not green enough for you? How about a solar powered car? Ford will be working with SunPower, an established solar provider, to build a solar energy system for the Focus electric vehicle that goes on sale later this year. Solar panels will be mounted on the car owner’s house or garage, to power…
Audi Urban Concept Design Sketches Preview Sporty City Car
Audi says its urban concept (with trendy lowercase letters) “combines elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car into one radical new concept.” Well, we’ll see about that come Frankfurt. The urban concept is designed, as its name alludes, to fit into the sort of tight city spaces we still manage…
Fisker Crossover to Bow at Frankfurt Auto Show
Fisker Automotive has had some delays in getting the Karma to market, but during that time the American electric car maker has been busy creating plans for a full lineup of models. Following the Karma will be the Karma S convertible, debuting some time in 2013, followed later that year by the Nina, an entry…
Toyota RAV4 EV Will be Built in Canada
Toyota is planning to send into production a fully-electric version of its RAV4 cute-ute. And they’ll be doing so right across the border, in Woodstock, Ontario. The Canadian and Ontario governments both gave Toyota $140 million to jump-start its production capabilities, allowing the company to upgrade its factories in the province. Citizens of Ontario can…
Tesla Releases Sneak Peak Of Model S Electric Sedan [Video]
Tesla teases us some more with the Model S electric sedan: this time, they show us three camouflaged examples running around a test track, as proof that yes, it is capable of moving under its own power. And pretty quickly, too—the Model S is expected to go from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds,…
Tesla Negotiating $1 Billion Deal With Toyota
Tesla is currently negotiating a deal with Toyota that could be worth an easy one billion dollars, according to CEO Elon Musk himself. Fresh from a conference call (on his G6, presumably), Musk just signed a $100 million deal with the Japanese automaker, but has dropped the hint that they could be thinking larger. “We’re…
Walgreens To Add Electric Car Chargers To Its Stores
Pharmacy giant Walgreens is planning to add electric car chargers to 800 of its stores, which will be handy if you actually spend a lot of time at Walgreens. So far, 60 stores across the country have been upgraded with Level 3 chargers, which can refill a Nissan Leaf to 80% of full capacity in…
Washington Goes Green With Nation’s First Electric Highway
If you’ve got an EV, you’ll want to mark your calendars. In six months, you’ll be able to recharge your electric vehicle along Washington state’s new “Electric Highways.” With some help from Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment, Washington is now adding charging stations along the I-5 and the U.S. 2. With a bill of about $1 million,…
AAA Trucks Now Equipped To Charge Electric Vehicles
The AAA is taking the first steps to diversify its offerings by providing a “range anxiety solution” for electric vehicles. The new trucks will roll out in a limited pilot program over the next year to offer a standard service for EV recharging. The trucks have a 4.5 kWh lithium-ion battery on board that can give a…
Tesla Signs $100 Million Deal to Supply Toyota RAV4 EV Electric Powertrains
Clearing up erroneous reports, Toyota has confirmed it will sell the RAV4 EV to the public and has just singed a deal with Tesla Motors Inc. to supply the electric powertrains for the emissions free crossover. Valued at $100 million it looks as though Tesla might actually be on the right track towards making a…
IKEA to Offer Electric Car Charging Stations in 10 U.S. Cities
With Best Buy considering selling electric cars, soon you’ll be able to charge your EV at that other blue and yellow big box retailer, IKEA. Thanks to a new partnership with ECOtality, 10 of the oversized furniture stores located in the Western U.S. will receive new Blink electric car charging stations as a part of…
Toyota To Offer AC Electric Outlets On Japanese Market Prius Models
For next year, Toyota will start offering AC electric outlets as an option on the Prius hybrid so drivers can plug in accessories or appliances to their car. Toyota developed the idea through the March 11 earthquake disaster in which people used the Toyota Estima hybrid van (pictured above) as a source of emergency electricity when the power…
Nissan Testing New Solar Powered EV Charging System
Do you feel that your electric vehicle isn’t clean enough because it uses power from the grid to charge up your car, and the grid could be run on fossil fuels? To make your green motoring even greener, Nissan and 4R Energy has teamed up to develop a new EV charging system, that makes use…
Chevy Volt Owners Clock 2 Million Miles, Two-Thirds on Electric Power
There have been hybrids on our streets for some time, and even a few fully electric vehicles. However, the Chevrolet Volt is the first mass produced plug in hybrid to be offered to the general public. It can either drive up to 40-miles on just electric power on a full-charge, or when this power source…
