Plug-In

The upcoming Chevy Volt is going to have the ability to communicate with you via an Iphone App.  The application will sync with the Volt's OnStar system, allowing its owner to monitor everything from the charging schedule to pre-set temperature settings inside the car (!).  A list of the functionalities can be seen below: * Display the car’s charging status and schedule charging. There is also an immediate ”charge now” override option * Display of the car’ state of charge, as well as electric ... Discover More

A group of MIT undergraduate students have found that optimizing the shock absorbers in vehicles recovers "a significant amount of energy" that is typically wasted in normal suspensions of most automobiles.  Their team claims a 10% overall increase in fuel efficiency, coming out on the high-end on heavier vehicles such as trucks, and they hope to win major contracts from the military as well as truck manufacturers. Their new shock absorber, called the GenShock, utilizes a hydrolic system that pushes fluid through a ... Discover More

Called "The Business of Plugging In", the conference will be held from October 19-21 at the MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center.  It will bring together various interest groups to discuss the future of plug-in electric vehicles. "This conference will foster the dialogue among utilities, automakers, regulators, universities and other stakeholders to assess the environmental impacts of PEVs and to assist with the understanding of how widespread adoption of electric vehicles will impact the electric system," said Al Fields of DTE, an energy company. An ... Discover More

As the price of oil spiked to $150/barrel, car shoppers and the media began focusing on fuel efficiency ratings. For gasoline-powered vehicles, the number that is important is the ‘Miles per Gallon’ (or ‘Kilometers per Liter’ outside of the US and UK), the distance one unit of gasoline takes you. The United States EPA has a protocol that it follows to test the MPG ratings of various automobiles, providing a convenient way for making comparisons. However, when considering electric vehicles, the ... Discover More

At the 2009 Auto Show in Shanghai (the heart of China's automobile industry), executives from most of the world's top auto companies appeared to showcase their newest products and keep an eye on the competition.   Especially notable at this year's event was that almost every major manufacturer, as well as several smaller companies, had a pure electric vehicle on display.   The number of electric vehicles by Chinese companies?  Eight.  And perhaps the most notable of those companies is BYD (Build ... Discover More

In a press release by Jay Friedland of Plug In America, we learn that the non-profit organization helped organize many thousands of emails to various congressional representatives in support of favorable provisions to be added to the stimulus bill.  They claim to have played a key role in the formulation of an amendment by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), which extended a 10% tax credit to three-wheeled electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, "Neighborhood" Electric Vehicles, and gas/hybrid cars that have been converted to plug-ins. Along ... Discover More