Electric Cars

 Forget the 2010 Nissan Leaf or the 2010 Chevy Volt. A small, chic electric vehicle is set to be trialled in the U.S. this fall that has the potential to redefine inner city commuting. But are consumers ready to drive around in an electric car smaller than most people's closets? Smart U.S.A. has...

They may have struck a deal to transfer control of the old NUMMI manufacturing facility, but as of yet, Toyota and electric-car manufacturer Tesla have no firm deal to produce vehicles together. The Wall Street Journal says a recent stock filing reveals the companies haven't yet inked a deal that...

Ever wondered how car companies make money fast? Sexy electric sports car creators Tesla motors have figured it out: sell off its excess zero-emission vehicle credits for much-needed hard cash to Honda, the only mainstream automaker to not yet fully commit to making an EV. In 2008, a revised...

Building hundreds of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its dealerships across the UK is Mercedes-Benz’s (and Smart’s) way of welcoming a new era of motoring. Expecting a rapid roll-out of plug-in hybrid and EVs in coming years, the automaker is rapidly preparing to build a welcoming...

 The 2010 Tesla Roadster is seen by many as the ultimate boy's toy. But Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs added another car to his garage today by walking through the Nissan Leaf signup process live at the Apple WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2010 live on stage. In photos snapped by Apple...

Mac or PC? Leaf or Volt? The car you drive says a lot about your personality and your outlook on life, be it a big SUV or a Smart. With the 2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevrolet Volt both set to hit the roads this Fall, is one a PC and the other a Mac? And if so, which is which? Are Leaf owners more...

Coulomb Technologies unveiled ambitious plans today to install 4,600 new charging stations for plug-in vehicles in homes and commercial spaces across the U.S. — a project nearly half-funded by federal stimulus money.The news comes at a tenuous time for electric car makers and electric grid...

The Challenge Bibendum brings the sustainable-mobility world together every year or so--though sometimes, the 2010 edition of the Bibendum didn't come together as quickly as planned. It's a long way from North America to South America, after all. On day one, our travel group was cleaved in half by...

By the end of this year, several fully modern, highway-capable electric vehicles will go on sale. Sooner or later, one of them will get into an accident. What should emergency responders do when faced with a high-voltage battery pack that could kill them if mishandled? To prepare first responders...

It's the start of the month, which means it's time for another newsletter from Aptera, the company struggling against the odds to launch its ultra-aerodynamic, ultra-futuristic three-wheeled electric vehicle by the end of 2011. According to Aptera the vehicle is going through some more redesigns...

Automakers are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to squeeze the last erg of electric energy from a whole range of forthcoming electric cars. Expensive software controllers and astronomically costly bits of composite body pieces are part of the game plan for vehicles like the 2011 Nissan Leaf...

What would happen if the charismatic CEO responsible for the 2009 Tesla Roadster -- the most sexy electric sports car to hit the roads of the U.S. this century -- were to leave the Silicon Valley startup company he co-founded? Now we know: The possibly less-sexy, less-charismatic, less-electrified...

Gordon Murray is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant minds in automotive design today, having been the driving force behind both the McLaren F1 supercar and more recently the Caparo T1. His latest T.25 minicar project is bustling along, having made strides recently with the announcement...

Until Toyota stepped in last week, Daimler was the only major auto manufacturer to take a stake in electric-car startup Tesla Motors — a company that has now become synonymous with next-generation transportation. Now Daimler wants to work the same magic with BYD, the Chinese battery and electric...

Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger traded a hydrogen powered Humvee for a diminutive Mitsubishi i-Miev this week as the Governonator's office and Department of General Services borrow two 2011 Mitsubishi all electric i-Miev cars as part of a trial into electric vehicles. The i-Miev has been...

While the all-electric cars being launched as 2011 models--the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and Coda Sedan--get lots of attention, their total U.S. sales won't break 100,000 in their first year. Toyota, on the other hand, sells more than twice that number of hybrids here each year, making it by far...

Unless you're already one of the 20,000 people who have already put their names down and paid a deposit for the 2010 Nissan Leaf you won't be getting one this year. Nissan have sold out. While Nissan do not take firm orders until August, they have closed the lists for pre-registration after a...

 The EPA and CARB like zero emissions vehicles, but don't want you controlling when you decide your vehicle is zero emissions. According to Tony Posawatz, line director for the Chevy Volt program, the two agencies concerned with protecting the emissions from cars aren't happy about a plug in...

Running for the 2009 Virginia Democratic gubernational nomination, chairing the Democratic National Committee and importing cars isn't on everyone's resume, but former Chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign Terry McAuliffe has just added electric cars to his. Now 53 years old...

Chinese automaker and battery specialist BYD is accelerating plans to bring its first electric vehicles to the U.S. market, announcing plans for a new headquarters in Los Angeles and claiming that its E6 model already meets all local regulations and standards. However, before you get all excited...