Lyle Dennis, Editor-in-Chief
Articles
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Thanks to a careful search of trademarks, the automotive blog site Jalopnik was able to determine the official name for Dodge's forthcoming EV, the Dodge Circuit. Indeed a domain name search... -
Aptera Admits it Couldn't Deliver First Car by End of 2008Aptera plans to make a 3-wheeled electric vehicle called the 2e which exists in working prototype form. The company has taken orders and planned to deliver its first production car by the end of 2008. Since that date passed, letter went out to those on the waiting list. Per the letter, "Our most...
Lyle Dennis -
Toyota Denies Plans to Build a Solar-Powered Electric Car
Recently we told you, and a lot of other sources reported on a Nikkei article indicating that Toyota had secret plans to develop an electric car that would derive all of its energy from solar cells. Many pundits analyzing the premise recognized that with the limits of present day solar technology...
Lyle Dennis -
Fisker Karma S Sunset E-REV Concept to be Unveiled at Detroit Auto ShowFisker has developed an extended-range electric vehicle called the Karma, which is expected to go into production by the end of 2009. It is a four-door sports car priced at $87,000. Now the automaker is teasing us with its plan to unveil a new concept on January 12th 2009 called the Fisker Sunset...
Lyle Dennis -
Aptera Update
The Aptera is a unique 3 wheeled vehicle that will come in either an all-electric called the 2e or a hybrid version getting 300 mpg called the 2h. Both use a lithium-ion battery pack, but the hybrid version also contains a gas generator which allows for a 600 mile range. Aptera is expecting the 2e...
Lyle Dennis -
Chinese Automaker BYD Pushes Back US Plug-in Car Target Launch Date to 2011Chinese automaker BYD has officially launched its plug-in electric vehicle, the F3DM, in China last week. The car sells for around $22,000 USD equivalent, travels 60 miles per charge, and has an on-board electric generator which can also operate in parallel. BYD has been hopeful that that will at...
Lyle Dennis -
There have long been rumors about Toyota unveiling a new Lexis hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Now the automaker has confirmed it.
There are still only incomplete details about the... -
Its Official: Ford Fusion Hybrid Gets 41 MPG EPAFord has announced that the EPA officially gave its new Fusion Hybrid 41 MPG highway and 36 MPG city fuel eficiceny ratings. This notes Ford is the highest ratings given to a mid-sized car and even beats the much smaller Civic Hybrid by 1 MPG in city driving. The Fusion hybrid also unique from...
Lyle Dennis -
Toyota to Unveil New Battery-Electric Vehicle in JanuaryToyota although the leader in green cars, due to the success of its Prius, has been cautious in moving to lithium-ion plugin cars. They have expanded on the superiority of the parallel hybrid drivetrain over a series or pure electric design. They do have a few plug-in Priuses in field trials and...
Lyle Dennis -
Honda Says it Will Launch an Electric Motorcyle in Two YearsMotorcycles due to their small size are all ready fuel efficient vehicles. The addition of an electric drivetrain seems ideal considering how little energy will need to be stored on board. Enthusiasts have already demonstrated very powerful electric motorcycles, such as the Killacycle which uses...
Lyle Dennis -
Audi Scraps Hybrid Plans for NowAutomaker Audi had previously announced intentions to build a hybrid version of the Q5. This would have been their first hybrid model. These plans have apparently been scrapped. A lack of safety of nickel-metal hydride batteries is cited as the reason for the cancellation. Apparently a senior Audi...
Lyle Dennis -
Should Formula One Racing Go Electric?The Guardian offers an interesting commentary on Electric Formula One racing cars. The author argues that the combustion engine is dying. This is marked for example by Honda recently pulling out of future F1 competition. He notes that combustion engines only can convert one third of their energy...
Lyle Dennis -
The Fisker Karma will be debuted in its production form at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
The production form shown above looks very similar to the concept previously unveiled. The vehicle is a... -
Ford Tells Congress its Plan to Build Electric Cars
Ford Motor Company just submitted a business plan to Congress which is to explain the rationale for it getting a government loan. The plan includes the first information about the automakers plan to go electric. Per Ford: Ford provided initial details of an accelerated vehicle electrification plan...
Lyle Dennis -
Electric Smart Not Likely Until 2012The small 2-seat variety of electric car remains a favored configuration. The diminutive Smart car has undergone electrification in prototypes, and currently a fleet of 100 electric Smarts are in European test fleets. These use older technology nickel sodium batteries. Lithium-ion battery...
Lyle Dennis -
Second Generation VW Golf VI TwinDrive Plug-in HybridVolkswagen has just introduced a new variant of its TwinDrive Plugin-in Hybrid Golf, which is based on the new Golf 6 platform. It is basically a refresh of the prior concept that had based on the at-the-time current Golf 5 platform. The car is propelled by a parallel hybrid drivetrain that...
Lyle Dennis -
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Priced at $27,270 Will Get 39 M.P.G.Ford has just announced pricing on its 2010 Fusion Hybrid which is expected to go on sale in 2009. The vehicle uses a 155 hp 2.5 L engine running on the Atkinson Cycle and married to a parallel electric motor capable of propelling the car at speeds up to 47 mph. It also features a SmartGuage unique...
Lyle Dennis -
LA Auto Show: MINI E RevealedBMWs Mini has been discussing the launch of a new street-legal electric car that will be launched in North America in Jaury 2009. It is basically a retrofitted MINI that has an electric motor and drivetrain supplied by A/C propulsion. It will house a 35 kwh lithium-ion battery that will replace the...
Lyle Dennis -
Reporters at Automobile.com had the chance to test drive the Mercedes Benz S400 BlueHybrid. This luxury car will be the first mass marketed vehicle to use lithium-ion batteries.
The vehicle is... -
Toyota Unveils Official Third Generation Prius Website
Toyota has just opened the curtains on a new dedicated website for its upcoming 3rd generation Prius. The successor to the very popular car which has sold over 12 million units worldwide is expected to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, although pictures have been leaked. It is...
Lyle Dennis -
The Revolution ContinuesThe electric car revolution has begun. Right now though you'd have a hard time finding an electric car for purchase. That is all about to change very very soon. This will be the place for all the latest news, information, and discussion about all electric cars to come. Check in daily and be...
Lyle Dennis