Electric Cars

Recently we brought you an article from the French research group IFP in which they point out that plug-in hybrids make economic sense for buyers, but what about full electric vehicles?  Well, IFP has done the research on that too and the results are not as promising. According to Philippe...

In the world of electric performance cars, there are two names to know: Fisker and Tesla. The man behind the upcoming $87,900 Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sports sedan wants you to know the difference. Seasoned auto designer and CEO of Fisker Coachbuild, Henrik Fisker has an enviable résumé for...

Volkswagen will unveil its first electric car by 2013, said CEO Martin Winterkorn on Friday. Winterkorn espouses the electric car movement, but has previously mentioned that he thinks it will take 15 to 20 years before EVs comprise a significant fraction of the market. That won't stop VW from...

Tesla Motors freshly infused with nearly a half billion in loan guarantees from Uncle Sam will now be expand its dealership base from the Golden State to the Big Apple. On July 14 the electric car maker will open its first dealership for a media preview in New York City.  The store will be in the...

What is the environmental impact of widespread use of EVs?  Well that all depends on where you live. For example, an EV driven in France emits only 15 g/km of CO2, but the same vehicle driven in India would emit a staggering 160 g/km of CO2.  Why such a difference?  France provides most of their...

The Lightning GT is a high-end ultraluxury electric car which first debuted in 2008 and is slated to go into production in Spring 2010. The $240,000 vehicle is powered by four 120 kw motors and a 36 kwh lithium-ion battery that allows it to produce a jaw-dropping 700 hp. The car would go form 0 to...

BMW recently began leasing the electric MINI to consumers in select areas of the US. The program entailed an application period of nearly 8 months and a detailed selection process that lands the electric car in the hands of a few select individuals. At nearly $850 a month, it's far from cheap. But...

Over in Europe, utility companies, automakers, and countless others are working diligently to come up with a global standard for EV charging plugs. The discussions have been ongoing for nearly a decade now, but a final decision is expected within the next year. Automakers, charging system...

According to the French research organization IFP, making lithium-ion powered hybrids makes economic sense right now for both the carmaker and the buyer. The research company came to this conclusion after extensively researching a true cost of ownership over the lifetime of a vehicle.  Their...

It's a Jeep! It's a golf cart! No! It's an Anvil? The Georgia based Tomberlin Group showcased their electric low speed vehicle (LSV) on the CBS Early Show on Monday and it looks nothing like anything else on the road today. Dubbed the "Anvil," it has a top speed of 25 miles per hour and is legal...

Every time we make a joke involving the US Marine Corps, first we check it with our friend Cap'n Connors, a former Marine. With multiple deployments under his belt, and much multicolored art under his skin, the cap'n is our source for all things having to do with the most profane of the armed...

  Unfortunately for Honda, its new low-priced mild hybrid Insight does not seem to be making any headway against the Toyota Prius. Honda launched the car in April with great anticipation that its lower price point would add value to the hybrid proposition positioning it to dent the Prius market...

The future of plug-in electric cars boils down to their adoption by drivers. As we have reported, car buyers are leery about EVs and concerned about charging their vehicles in public areas.  A public charging infrastructure is virtually non-existent in the U.S. at this point. Automakers are...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is at it again, causing yet another stir with some comments he recently made. This time the focus in on the fall of GM and Chrysler, and you can throw Ford in the mix too. According to Musk, "Great companies are built on great products, when those products take a turn for the...

As automotive manufacturing continues to move from the Motor City to California, another company has joined in and now calls Orange County their home. AVL, and Austrian company specializing in powertrain engineering for alternative fuel vehicle has opened a powertrain testing center in the city of...

The hybrid war between the venerated 3rd generation Toyota Prius and the 2nd generation Honda Insight has barely begun, but its increasingly looking like Honda is the loser. Though the Honda was designed to be a low-cost "hybrid for everyone," the Priuses aggressive pricing and strong demand...

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCell Hybrid city bus was presented by Daimler at a conference of public transport authorities recently in Vienna. The bus is unique in that it employs Daimler's hydrogen powered fuel cell along with their diesel electric hybrid powertrain called Citaro G Blue Tec...

XR3 Motors believes that their three wheeled trike that achieves a claimed 225 mpg could be headed to production soon. XR3 Motors, led by alternative vehicle veteran of 30 years Robert Q. Riley, has created the XR3, a plug-in hybrid that combines low weight with a diesel engine and a lithium-ion...

According to a report in Bloomberg today, Toyota may give General Motors a version of their iconic Prius hybrid. This news broke even as General Motors announced that their joint venture with the Japanese automaker at the Fremont, California based NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated)...

At first glance, a recent survey published by Cars.com appears to reinforce the idea that economics trump eco-consciousness when drivers choose which vehicles to buy. The survey, which polled 1,088 men and women over age 18 found that 40% of car shoppers would consider purchasing a more fuel...