Plug-In

REVA, an automobile company based in Bangalore, India,  is preparing to launch its own plug-in models, except with a twist.  Shown off at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, and scheduled for production early this year, the NXR, a 3-door, four-seater hatchback, will have a range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 65 mph.  The NXG (shown above) will sport a top speed of 80 mph and a range of 125 miles.     Both of these car models will feature ... Discover More

Late in 2011, Toyota Motor Corp will launch a hybrid sub-compact and broaden its electric car line-up. The vehicle will be available for 1.5 million yen, or $15,760. Government tax breaks, subsidies on cleaner technology, and an increasing demand for gasoline-electric vehicles have promoted EVs in Japan greatly.  Toyota may have future plans to produce the new hybrid model in France as well, to cater to a European market. According to a Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, the new hybrid compact by Toyota will ... Discover More

The Renew America Roadtrip, hosted by the Element Hotel Summerlin, has dual functions: It aims to promote electric cars and public awareness in renewable green technologies.  And, in addition, the event has the intention to raise funds for various charities, such as the Autism Society of America. Touted as America's first ever electric coast-to-coast trip, the journey initiated from New York City on Wednesday July 15th and is scheduled to end in San Francisco on the 31st. With the aim of attracting ... Discover More

The All-Electric Mini E The exclusive leasing program of BMW's all-electric vehicles (Mini Es) has created quite a buzz. After all, only 450 models exist. Now, through a draw in a lottery, 4 lucky Californian municipalities, including Glendora, Diamond Bar, West Covina and Azusa, hit the jackpot as they were selected to participate in BMW's first ever EV pilot program. Each township will receive two of the two-seater Mini Cooper look-alikes. Moreover, while other lessees shell out $850/month, the winners will only be ... Discover More

Former race car driver Morris Clement is all set to develop his own electric car. He will be building a low-speed, battery-operated vehicle: a less-exciting, greener approach than the toys he used to play with.  In 1998, the National Traffic Safety Administration classified the cars as neighborhood electric vehicles, or NEVs, and they are certified "eco-friendly". As for specifications, Clement said that the car would offer speeds up to 25 miles per hour, therefore making these 4-wheel NEVs not suitable for highways. He ... Discover More

The New Mercedes-Benz Supercar For those with the patience and the pocketbook, a powerful car is about to hit the markets in the year 2015.  Without a doubt, Mercedes-Benz has ambitions to lead several other high-end auto companies, should the race for plug-in automobiles really take off.   To that end, company representatives have announced a  zero-emission supercar, which is a newer version of the SLS AMG,  that will be publicly unveiled on September 15th of this year. The development of the car ... Discover More

General Motors opened this week what’s being called the largest battery factory in the U.S.  But before we start to analyze the numbers, let's first get them all listed: The new Global Battery Systems Lab is located at the Warren Technical Center campus on the outskirts of Detroit. According to information coming from the company, it cost GM $25 million to construct, takes up 33,000 square feet, and employs over 1,000 engineers. The facility will operate 42 thermal chambers and 160 test channels ... Discover More

Not to be outdone by its competitors, Volvo has announced its own hybrid electric car due in... 2012.  This would put it behind four other auto companies we're tracking that have a release date of 2010, however in return for an extra couple of years of waiting, users will have the ability to drive a plug-in with a diesel engine. The engine will release less than 50 grams/km.  of carbon dioxide emissions (using the NEDC standard).  According to Volvo, this would qualify it ... Discover More

California-based CODA Automotive unveiled a new all-electric sedan that it plans to have ready by the fall of 2010. The little-known company had not issued any prior press releases hinting at an unveiling, and there is not much information about them publically available at the moment. Their website only shows that their management team and Board of Advisors include former finance executives from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, and several engineers from a variety of industries. Obscure No More It ... Discover More

The bankrupt Chrysler has submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy to match the $224 million that it and its partners plan on devoting to the development and production of plug-in automobiles.  The funds would fall under the DOE's program designed to promote the United States' electric vehicle infrastructure. Of the $448 million total allotment, Chrysler plans on using up to $83 million to construct an R&D/manufacturing hub in Michigan. The remaining $365 million would be used towards unveiling ... Discover More

You might call them swapping stations, battery cell replacement stations, charging stations or any combination of the above. The important thing is, we will be talking about them soon: there's a $400 million startup company, and billions of dollars in capital set aside by its partners, who are all banking on it.   Their idea?   The future, as they see it, is one where drivers will be provided with ultra-cheap cars and then billed by the mile/kilometer as they move around. ... Discover More

Honda Motor Co. President, Takeo Fukui, indicated in an interview on April 23rd that the current administration's incentives are causing the company to refocus their strategy.   "We understand the situation, in terms of government and incentives," he said.  "Naturally, we’re going to have to accommodate that too.” Honda had originally sought out to be the leader in manufacturing cars based on hydrogen fuel-cell technology.   They began leasing the FCX Clarity to drivers in California in 2008, the same year they built ... Discover More

EV Innovations, incorporated in Nevada and with an R&D subsidiary in India, recently showed off two pre-production electric vehicles at the New York Auto Show.   Pictured to the left and below, the Wave and the Inizio EVS are aimed at different market segments and have very different performance profiles. The Wave is a 2-seater vehicle that offers an electric range of 170 miles on a single charge.   It travels from 0-60 mph in a lumbering 12 seconds and tops out at ... Discover More

The new concept car by Bright Automotive is set to be unveiled in a few days in Washington D.C.   Eschewing the design practices of traditional auto makers, the hybrid vehicle will be built with lightweight, aerodynamic engineering as its core concept. This means stearing clear of large steel purchases and focusing on reducing the size and weight of its battery back. The plug-in car is said to have a 30 mile all-electric range and will be coupled with a small ... Discover More

At the 2009 Seoul Motor Show (April 2-12), Hyundai released further details of its new hybrid concept.  With a release anticipated towards the end of 2012, this vehicle represents the latest company to catch up with the electric-vehicle movement. The "BLUE-WILL" is expected to have an electric-only driving distance of 40 miles (64 km). It contains a 1.6L direct-injection gasoline engine providing 152 horsepower coupled with a 100 kw electric-motor.   Like the Fisker Karma, the automobile will carry a panoramic roof fitted ... Discover More

Standing for P.ersonal U.rban M.obility and A.ccessibility, a prototype was released Tuesday, April 7th in New York for a public demonstration.  This unlikely off-spring of the two disparate companies is either a visionary solution for the crowded streets of urban areas around the globe (claims made by the earlier Segway owner), or a hail-mary project that the executives of GM hope can attract some positive coverage and help their current dismal situation. General Motors is currently preparing for bankruptcy,  as a ... Discover More

Toyota has announced that it will be releasing about 100 plug-in hybrids in France in a serious effort to optimize its battery technology and learn more about the infrastructure requirements of a large-scale deployment.   EDF Energy, one of the UK's largest energy companies, will monitor all operational aspects of the charging process, taking into account safety, communication between the plug and the vehicle, vehicle identification as well as energy consumption. EDF, along with its subsidiary, Electricité de Strasbourg, will also be setting ... Discover More

Although the company has not committed to a formal timeline, Piaggio Group Americas' CEO has suggested in interviews that this highway-legal scooter is expected to be on the road relatively soon. The new plug-in will be a modified version of the company's Piaggio's MP3 500. According to CEO Paul Timoni, the plug-in scooter will get up to 140 mpg, have an all-electric range of 40 miles per charge , and will be priced between $8000 and $9000.  There is also a  European ... Discover More

Based on the Concept cX (pictured above), Mitsubishi has announced it will release a plug-in hybrid called the Concept zC.  A prototype vehicle will be shown at this year's Tokyo Motor Show in October. According to Autocar, the new zC will utilize a hatchback rear-end based on the company's Racing Lancer as well as raised ground clearance, and it will be built on the GS platform that is currently in use in the Lancer and the Outlander. Production for the new vehicle will take ... Discover More

Ford Motor plans to have plug-in electric vehicles in its showrooms by 2012.  Powering these vehicles will be lithium-ion battery cells, manufactured by Johnson Controls-Saft, a U.S.-French joint venture.  Nancy Gioia, Ford's hybrid chief, indicated that enough battery purchases will be made to produce about 5,000 plug-in vehicles a year.  However, there is no indicated what form such a vehicle will take. Apparently, the technology will be showcased in a 2009 Escape SUV.  Referring to prices, Gioia stated that gasoline-electric hybrids sell from ... Discover More

Speaking at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, James Lentz, the president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., announced that Toyota would release its version of a plug-in hybrid towards the end of 2009, a year ahead of schedule. This would put its release date ahead of the Chevrolet Volt, perhaps giving it a first-entrant advantage over the American counterpart. Toyota plans on releasing only about 500 vehicles for commercial customers at the outset, with 150 of those plug-ins destined for ... Discover More