Electric
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Electricity and high-performance cars may or may not mix, depending on your frame of reference, but whether you're a Tesla fan or a Formula 1 devotee, it's easy to agree that an all-electric Porsche 911 would be a welcome creation. Porsche's Wolfgang Durheimer recently discussed the issue, but despite his hints, revealed no plans for production. Even if Porsche does build an all-electric 911, it's too late to be the first to do so - RUF has completed and is preparing for production of the Greenster (pictured below), a pure EV built from a production 911 Cabrio. But don't let your mouth start...
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House passes bill to double DOE fuel-efficient vehicle fund to $50 billionFormer president Bush signed the $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program into life last year, but for the past 8 months, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sat on the money, carefully evaluating applications to see which companies would make the best use of the...
James Martinez -
GM pitching Volt as sporty, green alternative to Prius, InsightAt first glance, there's very little to differentiate the main contenders for your hybrid sedan dollar - the new Insight looks remarkably like the Prius. For that matter, so does the upcoming Chevrolet Volt. Aerodynamic necessity is a harsh master. But General Motors is planning to set the Volt...
Ralph Hanson -
Tesla opens European flagship store in LondonJust a few days ago Tesla got a new lease on life with a $465 million U.S. government loan to build the infrastructure it needs for the mass-production of the Model S luxury-electric sedan. Today, however, the company is focusing on growing its brand overseas with the grand opening of its first...
Ralph Hanson -
Tesla will use DOE funding for Model S and electric drivetrain factoriesDespite its small size, Tesla Motor Company, builder of the famed Roadster electric sports car, is as embattled as any major manufacturer these days. Between a lawsuit from a former CEO and materials costs far beyond the asking price of the Roadster, things haven't been going well lately. Things...
Ralph Hanson -
U.S. DOE announces $8 billion in loans for fuel-efficient vehicles at Ford, Nissan and TeslaPresident Bush signed the $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program into life last year, but for the past 8 months, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sat on the money, carefully evaluating applications to see which companies would make the best use of the funds...
Nelson Ireson -
Promises about electric vehicles are a dime a dozen, and so far no one - not even Tesla - has managed to deliver a real daily-driving production car in volume. Nissan has so far promised to deliver its first electric vehicle by 2010, although initially it will be available only to commercial fleet customers, and now the company has revealed that mass production of the zero-emission vehicles could start by 2012. Nissan will unveil its first electric vehicle on August 2nd, CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed today at the company’s shareholder meeting. The car will then go on sale in limited...
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Tesla slashes production cost of Roadster, claims profitability within reachDespite its small size, Tesla Motor Company, builder of the famed Roadster electric sports car, is as embattled as any major manufacturer these days. Between a lawsuit from a former CEO and materials costs far beyond the asking price of the Roadster, things haven't been going well lately. But today...
Nelson Ireson -
Brabus electric Smart car features electronic exhaust noise simulatorIt's often cited as an advantage of electric cars, but it's also one of the biggest potential danger zones: silence. It makes for peaceful - if somewhat eerie - cruising at speed, but it also poses a huge risk to pedestrians and other road users. So Brabus is doing something about it in the case of...
Kenneth Hall -
Mitsubishi reveals 2020 environmental roadmapLooking ahead to year 2020, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the company, Mitsubishi today announced its new ‘Group Environmental Vision 2020’ roadmap for its future environmental and sustainable motoring policies. The new environmental roadmap directs Mitsubishi’s...
Jeremy Weber -
Tesla expands across the globe with seven new dealershipsFollowing news that the company has delivered its 500th all-electric Roadster model, Tesla has announced that it’s ready to expand its dealer network with seven new sales and service centers around the globe this summer. Prospective customers will now be able to test drive the company’s...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Subaru Stella electric vehicle goes on sale in JapanMajor automakers are still years away from launching electric cars but Subaru has beaten them to the punch with the announcement today that its own eco-friendly Stella electric vehicle (EV) is ready for sale. Packed with an array of advanced lithium-ion batteries, the Stella EV will be sold in...
Kenneth Hall -
It's a rare thing to remark on the government's hesitation to spend money these days, but that's precisely the case of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program. The government set aside $25 billion to fund the program last year, but to date, hasn't handed out any of the money. The advanced tech that's being sought after is wide and varied, but first and foremost are hybrid and electric vehicle technologies. Lachlan Seward, the government official in charge of disbursing the funds says it's due to a desire to be 'responsible'. But today...
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Toyota boosts monthly Prius output to 50,000 as demand spikesToyota’s all-new 2010 Prius officially went on sale in Japan just 11 days ago and has already garnered enough orders to justify Toyota increasing production targets by 8,000 cars per month according to the latest report. It sold enough pre-orders in just the first day to easily outsell the...
Ralph Hanson -
BMW wants to develop its EV technology completely in-houseSince the release of BMW’s official strategy back in September 2007, media sources around the world have speculated about the carmaker looking to either launch its own new brand or acquire one to help its expansion. Instead, BMW established a new environmental think-tank dubbed 'Project i'...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota may cut back U.S. Prius allocation as demand in Japan soarsBuyers in the U.S. looking forward to purchasing the new 2010 Toyota Prius may have to wait longer than they initially bargained for, following strong demand for the latest hybrid in Japan. Going on sale just a week ago in Japan, the third-generation Prius was a hit before it even descended on...
Ralph Hanson -
Nissan’s first EV will be unmistakable on the roadsNissan may be releasing a new all-electric vehicle next year, but the styling of the car has yet to be finalized, which makes speculation about its appearance rather difficult. To help us out, Nissan's chief designer Shiro Nakamura has come out and provided some clues about the new EV's styling...
Jeremy Weber -
Report: Fiat picks 3 directors for restructured ChryslerOnly yesterday it was announced that former Chairman of Borden Chemical and of Duracell International, Robert Kidder, would preside over a restructured Chrysler as its new CEO, but already reports have emerged claiming Fiat has appointed three new directors for the struggling carmaker. In the lead...
James Martinez -
Nearly three weeks into Chrysler's bankruptcy and the global strategic alliance between Fiat and Chrysler comes news today that C. Robert Kidder - not Sergio Marchionne - will play the role of CEO for Chrysler after the bankruptcy. The news, which comes directly from Chrysler, contradicts a statement previously made by spokesman for Fiat indicating that Marchionne would take the top job. "Marchionne will be the new chief executive of Chrysler after the procedure," a Fiat spokesman told to the Associated Press about a week ago, referring to bankruptcy protection for Chrysler and clearance by a...
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New Toyota Prius gets sporty Modellista restyleToyota’s third-generation Prius officially went on sale in Japan this week and to coincide with the launch the company also revealed several new styling packs under the guise of its in-house accessories brand Modellista. Three different Modellista styling packs are available for the Prius -...
Jeremy Weber -
Daimler Acquires 10 Percent Stake In Tesla To Spur Electric Car DevelopmentElectric vehicles are popularly perceived as the front-runner of the alternate fuel competition, but successfully developing EVs has proven to be a difficult and expensive task. To help share the burden and the expertise necessary to get an electric car to market, Daimler AG, parent company of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Better Place shows off its automated EV battery switching stationShai Agassi's ambitious Better Place project has been rolling out plans for test-market EVs around the world for over a year now, and today the project took a huge leap forward with the demonstration of its first automated battery swapping station. The proof-of-concept facility was demonstrated in...
Nelson Ireson -
Fisker confirms third Karma variant and new low-cost modelFisker Automotive is less than a year away from launching its new Karma plug-in hybrid luxury saloon, arguably one of the most stylish looking cars on the auto show circuit, not to mention one of the cleanest too. While big name carmakers like General Motors and Toyota struggle to launch...
Jeremy Weber -
Ford hopes to sell 5,000 to 10,000 Focus electric cars per yearElectric cars may be all the rage these days but making the technology cheap enough for mass-market will take some time. One of the leaders in this field is Ford, which is expected to have one of the first mass-produced all-electric cars on the market with its battery-powered Focus. Arriving in...
Kenneth Hall