electric vehicle
Ford Compiles List Of 25 Electric Vehicle Friendly Cities
2
Ford has released a list of 25 cities in the United States that it labeled “electric vehicle-ready”, with the 20 initial roll-0ut markets for the Ford Focus E.V. listed, as well as 5 other cities, Baltimore, Dallas, Hartford, Honolulu and Charlotte. Ford declined to rank the cities, instead listing them in alphabetical order, but said…
Siemens 22kW Charger Can Replenish Electric Vehicle Batteries In Under One Hour
Apart from their limited range, another objection to electric vehicles is that they take hours to recharge a depleted battery. Recently Siemens announced that prototypes of a high-powered electric vehicle charger promise to make filling a typical EV battery inside of 60 minutes. The first 22-kilowatt (kW) CP700A chargers are being rolled out through the…
BMW May Use A Range Extender For Electric Vehicles
Has BMW, the maker of the ultimate (electric) driving machines decided to follow Chevrolet’s example? Word from Munich today is that BMW’s head of electrical components, Dr. Christian Schmidt, said it is weighing the possibility of a range-extended engine to pair to electric vehicles. For some time now BMW has said it would consider an…
FIA And EU Considering Electric F1 Racing
With an eye toward fostering electric-powered F1 competition, Jean Todt, president of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), said it plans to begin with electric auto, go-kart, and single-seater racing. The first season could come as soon as 2013, he said, and plans for a series and championships are comprehensive. “We want as soon as…
First Substantial Shipment Of Nissan LEAFs Arrives In US
Having left Japan just one day before the tsunami-inducing earthquake wreaked havoc, a large shipment of Nissan LEAF Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) has just arrived in Long Beach, Calif. Nissan’s Luna Spirit vehicle-carrying transport ship was safely on the open ocean when a 500 MPH wave passed under it, at about 3-inches high. About a…
Tesla Model S To Launch With Three Trim Levels Denoting Different Battery Ranges
With most car manufacturers, the different trim levels often signify how well-equipped a vehicle is. But the new Tesla Model S electric car will use them in a different manner, with the three trims carrying different batteries, ranging from 160 to 300 miles. The first cars produced by Tesla will be a limited run of…
Electric Smart fortwo Production Model To Go On Sale In 2012
The pint-sized smart fortwo might not be for everyone. Despite being a practical means of transportation for those who mostly drive in city centers, its quirky gearbox is a pain to use in stop and go traffic because its not the smoothest system on the planet. The smart e.d. (electric drive) on the other hand…
Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Bulli Is A 21st Century Microbus
In Germany, the Volkswagen Microbus was affectionately known as the “Bulli”, proving that terms of endearment and the German language aren’t always compatible. While Volkswagen had a false start with their Microbus concept in 2001, the same idea is back 10 years later, and it manages to be even more contemporary while still providing Baby…
Honda Civic Defeats Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt For “Greenest Vehicle” Title
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a non-profit group sponsored by foundations, electric utilities and government agencies, released its list of the Greenest Vehicles, and the Honda Civic GX, a perennial favorite, continued to come out on top for the 8th consecutive year. In second place was the all-electric Nissan Leaf, while the much…
BMW Sub-Brand Set To Launch Monday
While rumors of the new BMW sub-brand have been floating around for months, February 21st has been marked as the official announcement date for details the sub-brand, and the apparently revolutionary MegaCity electric vehicle. Many suggest that the new sub-brand will be a re-imagining of the Isetta microcar of nearly a half century ago, and…
Chevrolet Volt A Target Of Price Gouging, Dealers Demand Up To $65,000
Any time a hot new car is released, the inevitable race to squeeze every last dollar from consumers starts almost immediately, and the Chevrolet Volt is no exception. With supply extremely limited and demand strong, Chevrolet dealers seem to be taking advantage of market conditions. An investigation found that prices ranged from $46,923 in Michigan…
Hyundai Tuscon iX Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Debuts
Hyundai has unveiled a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, dubbed the Tuscon iX FCEV, that will allow the automaker to explore another area of alternative fuel technology. With a total range of 403 miles (up from 230 previously), the Tuscon has some fairly good legs compared to the electric vehicles current marketed. Hyundai has also reduced…
Porsche Boxster E To Begin Trials In Germany
The Porsche Boxster E will begin trials in Germany, marking the German sports car maker’s first foray into performance EVs. With the Boxster’s chassis dynamics firmly established, the 240 horsepower electric-powered roadster should provide formidable competition to cars like the Tesla Roadster. Porsche says that acceleration is comparable to the Boxster S, which can sprint…
Ford Focus Electric Will Require Almost No Maintenance
One of the big advantages of an electric car is the lack of routine servicing they require. With only the battery and electric motor present, consumables like fluids, filters, belts and the like are obsolete. Ford is making this a big selling point for their upcoming Focus Electric, as it released a list of 25…
Nissan ESFLOW Concept To Bow At Geneva Auto Show
Nissan will show their ESFLOW electric car concept at the Geneva Auto Show, a vehicle that has more in common with the Tesla Roadster than Nissan’s compact Leaf EV. While the Leaf is based on a traditional car chassis, the ESFLOW is a clean-sheet design, that uses two motors in the rear wheels to allow…
BMW MegaCity May Be Offered On Lease Only Basis
BMW is looking for an alternative to traditional purchasing options for their upcoming MegaCity urban vehicle, as the high cost of developing substantially new technology may result in the vehicle becoming prohibitively expensive for consumers. Among the projects being considered are a car-sharing service similar to the one operated by Daimler for their Smart car…
IRS Tax Credits For Electric Vehicles Backfired, Fraudulent Claims Abound
An estimated 14,000 taxpayers claimed $37 million in tax credits meant for buyers of plug-in or electric vehicles, while attempting to pass of vehicles like the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Camaro and “golf cart” as worthy of the credit. Among the most ignominous offenders were 88 prisoners and IRS employees who attempted to claim the credits….
Silly Wabbit, Audi E-Tron Is For Kids – On An Adult Budget
If you are the extraordinarily wealthy parent of an over-indulged child that loves pre-WWII race cars, then boy do we have something for you. Audi is showing off a miniature Auto Union Type C race car that uses electric power for motivation. Audi already sells a 1:2 scale Type C as a pedal car, but this version…
BMW Megacity To Cost A Fortune Due To Advanced Technology
A report from Britain’s Autocar magazine is claiming that BMW‘s Megacity electric car will exceed the Nissan Leaf’s sticker price of £23,350 (or about $37,000 USD) due to both the advanced technology used on the Megacity and BMW‘s premium positioning. The Megacity will have a number of groundbreaking features; an aluminum chassis that will resist…
Tesla Model S Gets 3,000 Pre-Orders
Tesla Motors announced that 3,000 people have submitted their deposits for a Model S sedan. Slated to go into production in 2011, Tesla also announced that crash testing and other necessities will begin next year, with deliveries starting in 2012. So far, Tesla has sold 1,400 Roadsters, and is helping automakers like Toyota and Mercedes-Benz…
BMW Efficient Dynamics Concept Will Cost $200,000
Proving once again that only the rich can afford to save the environment, BMW‘s Vision EfficientDynamics eco-friendly supercar concept is expected to retail about about $200,000 when it arrives in time for the year 2013. Speaking to journalists at the BMW 1-Series M Coupe launch BMW’s sales and marketing director, Ian Robinson, announced the figure,…
BYD B6 Electric Car To Debut In 2011
BYD, the Chinese automaker backed by American investment magnate Warren Buffet, has delayed plans to bring their B6 electric car to America to better engineer the car for American tastes. The Wall Street Journal, having spoken to a BYD representative, claims that, “the holdup was caused by BYD’s efforts to make the car roomier, especially…
Mitsubishi Developing All Future Cars With Hybrid And EV Capability
Hot on the heels of Mitsubishi’s joint venture announcement with Nissan comes word that the Japanese conglomerate is developing all of their future products with the ability to use hybrid or electric drive technology. Mitsubishi’s German spokesman, Helmut Bauer, would only give a cryptic statement to a German magazine, claiming that “Every new car we…
North American Car And Truck Of The Year Finalsts Announced
Finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year have been announced, with Chrysler dominating the truck field, and electric vehicles comprising 2/3rds of the car category. The Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee, both built on the same platform, were nominated in the truck category, as well as the re-designed Ford Explorer….
