Eric Loveday, Author

Eric Loveday is a car enthusiast with a love for everything automotive. He purchased a 1970 Chevelle at age 16, quickly outgrew its dated engineering and gas consumption and sold it off. Eric has a passion for writing and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in print journalism. He has spent most of his time since then writing for online sites. Eric's automotive background stems from his father, a long-time mechanic for GM, now a part of the product development team at Chrysler. Eric believes that efficient vehicles are the wave of the future and reducing this nation's dependency on foreign oil will be the driving force behind electric and hybrid vehicles.

Articles

CARS, Cash For Clunkers Suspended, Funds Depleted in Just Days Eric Loveday July 31, 2009

If you were thinking of trading in that old clunker of yours for a new vehicle under the CARS Cash Allowance Rebate System, you may have already run out of time.

The funding for the program at $1...
Smith Electric Vehicles Delivers EV Trucks to Major US Corporations on Capitol Hill
Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. delivered the first round of its fully electric Newton trucks this week. The vehicles, built at the company's plant in Kansas City, are capable of traveling 150 miles at speeds up to 50 mph solely on electricity. Mainly designed for fleet use, the Newton will be...
Eric Loveday July 30, 2009

Test Drive and Review of Nissan EV Pre-Production Sedan Model
There have been numerous brief test drives of the upcoming Nissan EV in the last few months. All of those drives took place in a Nissan test mule which was essentially a second generation Nissan Cube fitted with the EV power train. Now, Nissan has been offering test drives in an updated EV...
Eric Loveday July 30, 2009
Reports Confirm Nissan is Likely to Introduce Several Hybrid Models After EV Launch Next Year
Nissan has placed focus on their yet-to-be-released EV for over a year now. They claim this car will be priced similarly to ordinary cars and capably carry an entire family. They promise a mainstream vehicle with widespread appeal. But what about hybrids? All of the talk surrounding this EV may...
Eric Loveday July 29, 2009
Ener1 and Th!nk Combine To Electrify Japan's Postal Fleet
Ener1 and Think have teamed up to provide an integrated electric drive system for the Japan Post. The vehicles will undergo full electric conversions at the Japanese based company Zero Sports. Ener1 supplies the lithium-ion batteries required for the vehicle while Think is responsible for the...
Eric Loveday July 29, 2009
Demand for Fisker Karma on the Rise
The Fisker Karma extended range electric vehicle is nearing production with a scheduled introduction next year, but the orders are already adding up. According to the company, they have received 1,400 orders for this unique, sporty, plug-in. The first orders should go out either in May or June of...
Eric Loveday July 28, 2009
Nissan Working on Proprietary Hybrid System for Smaller Cars Eric Loveday July 28, 2009

Nissan is currently developing a hybrid system that could be utilized in some of the companies smaller vehicles before full electric vehicles take over the roadways.

Though Nissan remains committed...

Toyota Rumored to be Working on Prius Based Sport Coupe Hybrid
Recently we reported that Toyota had little intent on producing an EV in the near future, they instead intend to focus solely on hybrids. Therefore, it's not surprising that rumors are swirling around about a possible Prius based sporty hybrid coupe. Toyota may build this coupe as a direct...
Eric Loveday July 27, 2009
GM Still On Track to Release Plug-In SUV By 2011
According to GM's product development chief, the company is on track to release a plug-in SUV by 2011. There has been some doubt surrounding GM's future in regards to plug-in vehicles since the company announced bankruptcy and sold off the Saturn brand that was expected to be the first brand to...
Eric Loveday July 27, 2009
Are Lithium Ion Batteries the Best Solution For EVs?
Lithium-ion technology has seen use in laptops and cell phones as well as numerous other devices for over a decade. People have grown accustomed to the expectations of these batteries. Cell phones lose their charge-holding capacity after a few years, and laptops with strenuous use can see...
Eric Loveday July 26, 2009
Nissan To Unveil Three EVs Next Month, One a Compact SUV Another a Competitor to the i-MiEV
On August 2nd, Nissan is expected to unveil three new electric cars. Out of the group of three, one is expected to be a compact SUV EV, slightly smaller in size than the companies Rogue SUV. The unveiling is highly anticipated as the other two vehicles will likely include a competitor to the...
Eric Loveday July 26, 2009
Toyota Claims it Has No Plans For EVs Anytime Soon
Toyota has stuck to their game plan of introducing some of the best hybrid vehicles in the world. Their Prius has topped hybrid sales charts for years now and they have consistently come out with new hybrids and improved upon existing models. They have also shown little to no interest in EVs...
Eric Loveday July 25, 2009

CARS Guidelines Finalized Program Starts July 27th, Previously Called Cash For Clunkers Eric Loveday July 25, 2009

The NHTSA announced the final guidelines of the CARS program. For months now, this program has been commonly referred to as the Cash For Clunkers program, but now after finalization it is...
15 Ton EV Travels 150 Miles on a Single Charge
Though little known, Balqon Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of zero emission heavy duty vehicles. They specialize in Class 7 and Class 8 heavy duty commercial applications. Now they have decided to break from tradition and offer all of their Class 8 yard tractors and...
Eric Loveday July 24, 2009
Mitsubishi Launches First Round of i-MiEVs
Yesterday, Mitsubishi launched the i-MiEVs to the public. In total, more than 1,400 of the vehicles will take to the streets soon in the hands of commercial and public fleets. The initial release of i-MiEVs will be limited to fleets only until its full release in March. On Thursday, the...
Eric Loveday July 24, 2009
Dealers Taking Risks By Offering Cash For Clunkers Vouchers Before Guidelines are Finalized
The Cash For Clunkers program officially kicked off back on July 1st. For more details on this programs click here. Most dealers are eagerly awaiting the official guidelines for the program that are set to be released on July 24th. However, several dealership have taken the risky step of...
Eric Loveday July 23, 2009
Fedex Increases Hybrid Fleet By More Than 50%
Fedex announced plans to increase their hybrid fleet by adding an additional 92 hybrid electric trucks to it large fleet of delivery vehicles. With the addition of 92 more hybrid, Fedex will have 264 hybrid delivery vehicles in its fleet. The numbers put Fedex well into the lead as the largest...
Eric Loveday July 23, 2009
Nissan Retools Tennessee Plant, Plans to Build EVs and Hybrids on One Assembly Line
Recently Nissan received loans from the federal government. The loans were intended to spark advanced technology vehicles and to provide the company with the needed money to rebuild and retool manufacturing facilities to ready for the advanced vehicles of tomorrow. Nissan intends to use $1.6...
Eric Loveday July 22, 2009

With Strong Hybrid Sales, The Ford Fusion Moves Up to #3 In Midsize Car Sales Eric Loveday July 22, 2009

With a strong showing from the Fusion Hybrid, Ford has moved up to number three in sales in the midsize sedan segment.

The Fusion still trails both the number 2 car the Honda Accord and the leading...
The Business Insider Posts Their Choices for Ten Ugliest EVs of All Time
Many people are still undecided about the future of EVs. They doubt the technology, the infrastructure, and the costs of such advanced vehicles. Others simply can not deal with change and are diehard fans of gasoline vehicles. However, what many people fail to mention is that some EVs are just...
Eric Loveday July 21, 2009
Lexus Announces Pricing for 2010 HS 250h Hybrid Starting at $34,200
The world's first dedicated hybrid only luxury vehicle will hit the market next year. The 2010 Lexus HS 250h utilizes a hybrid powertrain with similarities to the Prius, but wraps it into the fancy interior and exterior of a luxury vehicle and charges a significant premium for the luxurious...
Eric Loveday July 21, 2009
Tata to Cancel EV Production in UK if Government Loans Don't Come Through
According to a report released by the UK based Guardian, Tata Motors will ditch plans to build and sell electric cars in the UK if it does not receive its loan from the country. After being told that the UK government needed more time to determine if Tata would be a solid choice for loans from the...
Eric Loveday July 20, 2009
Car and Driver Reports Dodge Circuit EV is Likely to Reach Production
Reviewers have praised the 2011 concept Dodge Circuit EV. Many have driven the prototype model and Chrysler previously announced that the vehicle would be produced, then speculation came suggesting the program was canceled especially in light of the economic issues. However, there is now new...
Eric Loveday July 20, 2009
New Subsidies In China Make Hybrids and EVs Nearly As Affordable as Their Gasoline Counterparts
According to the Shanghai Securities News, local subsidies offered on electric vehicles in select areas of the China will make electric automobiles affordable to average families. Certain areas of China including Chonhqing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen offer great incentives to buy electric vehicles. ...
Eric Loveday July 19, 2009