Batteries

One of the most exciting cars from last week’s Detroit Auto Show was the Cadillac Converj concept car, which General Motors used to showcase its plug-in hybrid technology in a luxury platform. Despite the concept featuring one of the most striking designs we’ve seen in a while, GM vice...

Engineering firm Johnson Controls has unveiled a new concept at this year’s Detroit Auto Show that is described as a preview of technologies we can expect to see in future small cars. Combining intelligent packaging solutions with sustainable motoring concepts, the compact show car is one of...

Ford has used the opening day for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to announce plans for its future electric vehicle (EV) program, confirming several zero-emissions vehicles for the North American market as well as next-generation hybrid and new plug-in hybrid models. Ford will call on its global...

Three electric concepts headed to the 2009 Detroit Auto Show have captured much of Daimler subsidiary Mercedes' press of late, and the timing of the new Daimler-Evonik hints that the technology that underpins the cars could be headed for more than just the show floor. Mercedes' S400 BlueHybrid is...

With figures that equal the proposed Chevrolet Volt without the wait and with the familiarity of the highly successful Toyota Prius platform, California outfit Jungle Motors may have a winner on their hands with their plug-in hybrid conversion kit. The company has been in the business of converting...

Previously we reported on Nissan's electric car, which it plans to release in several markets in 2010 followed by global roll out in 2012. But the expensive nature of the battery technology means that Nissan will be selling its electric cars without batteries - requiring the consumer to lease the...

Just a month or so ago, the automotive world spent a frenzied several weeks feeding over the production Chevrolet Volt, unveiled for General Motors' centennial. This week a major step forward in the car's march to full-scale production was made in the selection of a supplier for the battery, though...

Development of the all-electric Porsche from German tuner RUF has reached a major milestone, with confirmation today that initial testing of a prototype 911 has been successful. RUF had originally planned to install its electric powertrain in its Cayman 3400K model but decided to go with the bigger...

Those most critical of the hybrid and electric vehicle segment often highlight the huge expense of battery replacement as a primary reason to avoid the electron-peddling powertrains. Thanks to Toyota's latest round of price drops, however, there's less to crow about on the expense front, with the...

The long-awaited Mercedes S400 hybrid has finally been officially unveiled, and the results are somewhat surprising. While the S400 BlueHYBRID is still billed as the first series-production car to market with a purpose-built lithium-ion battery, it's not as impressive a hybrid system as may have...