Renault Fluence
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Au revoir, Renault Fluence Z.E. You were among the first electric cars on the market, and you've lived through Better Place's bankruptcy, but now you're gone. Gas2 reports that Renault has quietly discontinued its electric sedan, which has sold little more than 3,500 units since going on sale in 2011. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We've subsequently learned that this story was broken by Transport Evolved, back on January 7. That site's reporting preceded the article 12 days later on Globes.co, the Israeli business site, which Gas2 used as its source.] Most of its troubles have stemmed from the bankruptcy...
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Renault Study Shows Electric Cars Far Greener Than Gasoline--In France
With relatively few electric vehicles on the market, drawing direct comparisons with regular gasoline and diesel vehicles is surprisingly difficult--not many vehicles are sold with all three drivetrains. The Ford Focus is one, and Renault's Fluence sedan is another. Now, reports Autoblog Green, the...
Antony Ingram -
Renault Fluence ZE To Be Only Battery-Swap Car; One For The Books?
To the untrained eye, the Renault Fluence Z.E. is a fairly unremarkable vehicle--a compact sedan not unlike other compact sedans sold all around the world. What makes it different is its electric drivetrain, but what separates it even more is the fact its battery can be swapped out for a new one in...
Antony Ingram -
Better Place Electric-Car Service Delays Australia Rollout
The Better Place battery swapping saga continues, as partner Renault has delayed the roll-out off its electric Fluence sedan. Renault Australia announced the indefinite postponement, as it waits for Better Place to establish a broader and more practically viable network of swapping stations. Car...
Antony Ingram -
Better Place Trouble Continues As Latest CEO Quits
Only a month after Better Place founder Shai Agassi was replaced as CEO of the company, current CEO Moshe Kaplinsky has also departed the troubled firm. Better Place, whose corporate model allows electric car owners in Israel, Denmark and Australia to have their car's entire battery swapped at...
Antony Ingram -
2011 Frankfurt Auto Show: Full Electric Car Preview
We thought the 2011 Geneva Motor Show was one of the best ever for electric cars and green vehicles, but the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, starting in less than a week, is shaping up to be even better. We'll be covering the show in-depth next week, but in the meantime we've rounded up all the electric...
Antony Ingram -
We’ve all heard the shock stories -- generally from media outlets which haven’t fully researched the topic -- saying that the battery pack in your electric car will only last a few years and then cost you thousands upon thousands of dollars to replace. We think its unlikely that most electric cars on the market today will need an entire replacement battery pack for the first ten years or more, if ever. But are there any ways you can safeguard your purchase to make sure you’ve got a replacement battery lined up for if or when something goes wrong? That’s the question...
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2012 Renault Fluence ZE: 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Quick Drive
The Geneva motor show has always been known for its green vehicles, but electric cars played a greater part than ever this year. French marque Renault was one of the main players with its range of four production electric vehicles. As part of the "Papillon Vert" (Green Butterfly) exhibition...
Antony Ingram -
Spy Games: Renault Electric Vehicle Work Riddled With Moles?
Monday morning opened on an anxious note for French automaker Renault. The company said it suspended without pay three executives, who have not yet been named. It fears that details and intellectual property connected to its comprehensive electric-vehicle program were leaked to unnamed parties...
John Voelcker -
Is There a Business Case for Electric-Car Battery Lease or Swap?
As 2010 draws to a close, we now have shipments of the 2011 Nissan LEAF and the 2011 Chevy Volt to customers around the United States. With the advent of these vehicles, is there still a business case for Better Place? To refresh your memory, Better Place is the venture between Shai Agassi and...
Jason Hendler -
EV Vs Gas Vs Diesel: Breaking Down The Costs
Thanks to the limited availability of electric cars on the market thus far and lack of parity between EV models and their gasoline or diesel counterparts, comparing the relative costs of the three isn't the easiest of tasks. The human race wouldn't have got very far if we'd only ever done what was...
Antony Ingram -
UPDATE: 2010 Paris Motor Show: Guide To Electric Vehicles
The 2010 Paris Motor Show is upon us and amongst the supercars and superminis lie a veritable feast of electric vehicles. Whilst we've known about many of the cars due to be shown for a little while now, for many it will be the first opportunity to see the newest EV concepts and production cars up...
Antony Ingram -
In a briefing sheet for the LEAF, the automaker cites, in addition to the upcoming LEAF, e-LCV van, and Infiniti model, a
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Driving Electric To Cost No More Than Using Gas, Says Better Place
Driving a mile on electricity always costs less than using gasoline for the same mile. Now Better Place, the consortium wiring Israel with electric-car recharging stations and battery quick-swap facilities, has upped the ante: They claim their electric cars will cost $4,500 to $7,500 less than...
John Voelcker