Electric Cars
Selected articles about electric cars and information on EV technology as the push for sustainable transport solutions by auto manufacturers continues at pace.
First all-electric SUV unveiled: Toyota RAV4 EV
Toyota has unveiled the first all-electric SUV, the RAV4 EV, at a Los Angeles Electric Vehicle symposium, which features excellent efficiency and performance.
EV Project: Electric Vehicles save a million gallons of petrol
Data gathered from 24 million miles of Electric Vehicle journeys shows they have saved a million gallons of petrol and 8,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
WattStation: Networked electric vehicle charging station and Connect software unveiled
The new user-friendly WattStation electric vehicle charging station and WattStation Connect software have been launched in America by GE Energy.
Performance and fuel economy from new BMW i8 Concept Spyder hybrid
BWM's new i8 Concept Spyder hybrid sports car can reach 0-60mph in five seconds and a 250mph top speed, together with fuel economy of 78.4 miles per gallon.
Ampera and Volt win Car of the Year
Two electric cars, the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt, have jointly been voted European Car of the Year.
Greener and safer, the Toyota NS4 plug-in hybrid
Top car maker Toyota has unveiled a prototype plug-in hybrid car, the NS4, which comes with a host of high-tech safety features.
Tokyo fuels OK!
Tokyo today is full of small electric cars, but the worldwide thirst for automobilia japonica is less predictable. It's up to Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and the rest to keep up with demand for various combinations of environmental technology for both city and rural needs.
Smaller, cheaper and greener Toyota Prius c
Toyota is unveiling its new hybrid electric Prius c, which can travel more than 50 miles on a gallon of fuel, even in the city.
New vehicle charging standard will juice up electric car market say manufacturers
Seven of the world's biggest car makers have got together to agree a standardised charging system across two continents which, they say, will be a big boost to the electric car market.
Supply questions asked as rare earths are getting rarer
The elements rarest in the Earth (rare earth) are the most expensive, until we mine the Moon or Mars. However, rare earth minerals are increasingly used in new technologies such as electric vehicles, photovoltaic cells and smart phone displays. At a conference in Minneapolis, the Geological Society of America is discussing a situation that is beginning to cause problems.
Eco-Friendly Vehicles of Today... and Tomorrow
From hybrids to electric cars, green automobiles are in high demand, leaving the world's major auto manufacturers racing to come up with the next big thing.
New crash-proof battery is 25% lighter
German scientists say they've developed a new, lighter lithium-ion battery for use in electric cars. The batteries, which can be mass-produced, should save 25% on weight. Although carbon-fiber technology is common in aircraft design, carbon-fiber composite materials are challenging to work with, and have proven difficult to mass-produce in complex designs. Until now.
Tackling the electric car doubters
Electric cars are being hailed as a major breakthrough in the battle against greenhouse gas emissions - but reservations remain. One of the major criticism of electric cars is their range between refuelling stops, that they cannot go much more than 100 miles without grinding to a halt.
MPG Car Rental, offering eco-friendly cars in Los Angeles
A Los Angeles car rental firm is winning fans with its fleet of eco-friendly cars. The MPG Car Rental fleet includes Honda Insights, second and third generation Toyota Prius, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Chevy Tahoe H, and Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.
Ecotricity launches the Electric Highway
Electric Car charging points to be installed at service stations on UK motorway system to enable electric vehicles to travel much further. For first time electric vehicles will be able to travel the length and breadth of Britain using the world's first national charging network at motorway service stations across the country.
Chinese electric vehicle company BYD sets up joint venture in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Science Park will host R & D centre to develop future EV. Leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, whose products include the E6 electric car and the K9 city bus, have teamed up with two Hong Kong based organisations to set up an advanced electric vehicle R & D centre in Hong Kong Science Park.
Nissan electric vehicle faces delivery test
Japanese vehicle manufacturer Nissan has announced that this month will see on-the-road testing of a new electric van. Based on the compact commercial vehicle NV200, the van will be used by the Japan Post Service Co, Ltd to see if it can operate effectively as a delivery vehicle.
Challenging the electric car's critics
One of the major objections routinely thrown at electric car manufacturers is the range of their vehicles. They are incapable, critics say, of driving long distance without lengthy stops to recharge their batteries.
Charging stations make Californian roads more electric
A new network of charging stations will help California hit its target of 1,000,000 electric vehicles on the road. ECOtality is the company behind the scheme with 10 of their Blink Pedestal Chargers now installed in San Diego's Balboa Park.
Any colour as long as it's green: Ford's sustainability report
The Ford Motor Company claims it is making its vehicles greener and the way it makes its vehicles greener too, with a new focus on water use. The report says that the company has improved the fuel economy of the vehicles it makes, reducing their impact on the environment and also improving the sustainability of the manufacturing process.
Hawaiian government agrees green car deal with Japanese company
Subsidies and infrastructure projects will help make Hawaii a haven for green motoring says the state and new partners Mitsubishi. The state is undertaking to promote electric cars, introduce training for technicians for the vehicles and to help install the charging infrastructure for charging the cars.
WattStation could open consumer charge to electric vehicles
GE's new vehicle charger aims to take the waiting out of juicing up electric cars and does so with style. The GE WattStation could be an important step towards making electric cars a more practical proposition say its makers.
India Boosts World Environment Day with a Greenathon
24 Hours of continuous TV raises funds to fit villages with solar electricity. The Greenathon started at 7pm on Sat 4th June and was transmitted live continuously until 7:00pm on 5th June. The Greenathon is sponsored by Toyota and broadcast by India's NDTV company and was viewed all over the world.
Rare Earth Metals - a Bottleneck in Supply?
Vital element in clean technology could have shortages, but new mines are on the horizon. China currently supplies 97% of the so-called Rare Earths - metal elements which are vital to green technologies like electric cars, fuel cells or wind turbines, not to mention iPhones, plasma screens, and myriads of other consumer goods.
Electric car to run at Le Mans
Japanese company Nissan today announced that its electric car the Leaf will perform at a support event for the round-the-clock race at Le Mans. The announcement from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motorsports International Co., Ltd. said that the LEAF NISMO RC will run at Le Mains Vers Le Futur later this month.
Rotterdam plans electric vehicle fleet
75 EVs to be road tested as part of low-carbon transportation network. The Dutch port city of Rotterdam is pushing forward on its plan to explore the possibilities of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for public transport and utilities. 75 EVs of different types are to operate on the roads in this bustling maritime city.
Intelligent vehicles: It's good for cars to talk too
With car manufacturers continually improving fuel efficiency, attention is turning not just to the technology but also to the way we drive. As part of that growing awareness, US manufacturer Ford has been experimenting with vehicles which save fuel by helping motorists to avoid congestion and the waste of fuel which can be caused by idling engines.
What car-drivers value in 'going electric'
Turning the electric car into a realistic solution, to private transport emissions woes, requires a much broader sell than today's 'boutique' e-car offerings. And two new studies offer a potentially rich marketing seam for auto-manufacturers - showing how much buyers will pay for improved features, and how many drivers are 'e-car ready' with their current driving habits.
Toyota builds hydrogen stations ready for new fuel cell vehicles
A collaberation between Toyota and Shell sees a first in California with the building of a hydrogen fuelling station with its own pipeline as the Japanese car giant prepares for the 2015 launch of hydrogen fuelled vehicles.
The 2012 Ford Focus Electric zero emissions vehicle
The new 2012 Ford Focus Electric is an all-electric vehicle that runs on electricity stored in powerful, state-of-the-art batteries. Tired of having to fill up on expensive gasoline and being reliant on polluting fossil fuels to power your transportation? If you answered yes, be sure to check out the new, 2012 Ford Focus all-electric car.
Charging electric cars at night eases ozone haze
Ozone levels could be cut if the charging of electric cars is timed just right - so says a paper in Environmental Research Letters published online tomorrow. The authors looked at the effect on pollution from power-plants - which still feed much of the electricity for electric cars - and found night was best for reducing ozone hazes. This reinforces to the need to plan electricity tariffs to encourage the best charging behavior from the growing electric car-using population.
The Honda FCX Clarity: Zero-Emission, Hydrogen Powered
The new Honda FCX Clarity is a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) that comes with a whole host of impressive features at a reasonable price. Using hydrogen fuel cell technology, the FCX Clarity produces electricity in a very efficient manner using Honda's revolutionary new fuel cell stack.
Challenge to electric car industry
Figures released today show the huge task facing the electric car industry in the UK. Environmental pressure group WWF-UK says that at least 1.7 million electric vehicles (EVs) will be needed by 2020 and 6.4 million by 2030 if the UK is to achieve its climate change targets.
Japanese Companies Create Car Charging Vending Machines
A new report announces that Japanese vending companies are working on plans to create vending machines which will enable people to charge their electric vehicles. It has long been feared that the electric car will be unreliable and ineffective for road users. This is because many people worry that the battery on the car will run flat before it is able to reach a charging station, leaving the driver stranded. Filed under environmental issues: electric vehicles/business.
The Electric Car & What It Really Means for Energy Conservation
Pros and cons of the new electric vehicles. There has been plenty of work done to improve the way that electric cars function. For example, the time batteries take to charge has always been a major concern. And so has the worry of not finding a garage that offers a charging service when you are traveling. Besides this, there are a number of pros and cons that come with switching an old gas powered vehicle for a greener, electric option.
Lithium-air batteries a thing of the future, scientists say
Advances in battery technology such as lithium-air batteries are unlikely to happen soon. Electric vehicles are gaining popularity around the world, but their potential for becoming completely mainstream remains hampered by the limited range of their lithium-ion batteries.
EU watches rare earths market carefully
EU wants to seek alternate supplies of rare earths. After Toyota announced its intention to find an alternative to rare earth minerals following trade disputes with China, officials have announced that the European Union is watching the rare earth market closely and is pursuing secured supplies from China and other areas.
Electric dreams? or is there a drive towards electric vehicles
The drive towards electric vehicles pick up speed. China is set to create at least 10 million electric car charging points by 2020. A heavy dependence on foreign oil, plus significant CO2 levels are leading the country to push towards a more environmentally friendly transport infrastructure.
Toyota plans new electric motor amid Asian trade uncertainties
Toyota plans new electric motor and lessens reliance on China's exports. Makers of the popular Prius hybrid car, Toyota Motor Corp., is developing a new kind of electric motor in an effort to reduce its dependence on rare earth metals from China. China produces 97 per cent of the global output of rare earth metals which are needed for a wide range of advanced technology products, including highly praised hybrid gasoline-electric 'eco-cars'.
Green motor sport becomes a reality
The inaugural season of the world's first racing series for zero-emission electric vehicles has just been announced for the summer of 2011. The EV Cup will be a new green racing circuit to be held on world class racing tracks in UK, Europe and America over the summer and autumn seasons later this year. The London-based company proudly displayed the new 'green' racing cars at the recent Birmingham International Autosport Show and announced the new era of motor. They have also indicated plans for a city street race of the electric vehicles.
Bigger hybrids are on a roll
Hybrid vehicles get bigger and better with significant numbers expected to be on the road by 2015. Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius have been the automotive success-story of the last decade, and this has fuelled growth in hybrid power for bigger vehicles like buses and trucks. Hybrid vehicles use electric power to supplement the polluting and inefficient internal combustion engine (ICE) which powers most vehicles using petrol or diesel.
US electric vehicle firm looks to China
Fisker, the California manufacturer of electric vehicles with extended range, says it has partnered with the China Grand Automotive Group (CGA), the car trader based in China. The deal would allow Fisker to have its vehicles distributed, marketed and serviced in China; CGA has a network of more than 200 retail stores with a strong emphasis on the luxury vehicle market.
The World's First Mass-Market Electric Car
The zero emission Nissan Leaf, the first mass-produced and mass-market electric car, has been described as a major milestone in automotive history.
The rush to electric cars continues
American motor manufacturer Ford has confirmed the first twenty cities in the United States that will sell its new electric car. The Ford Motor Company said the cities have been chosen to sell the new Focus Electric when it hits the market in late 2011.
Wireless charging for electric cars
One of the biggest drawbacks for most potential users of electric cars has been the need to recharge the large and heavy battery every night, but a new device launched commercially by HaloIPT, an Arup backed start-up in London earlier this month may change all that.
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