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Sep 12, 2013

* Germany - EV CARMAKERS NEWS: Volkswagen

* Germany - VW vows to be EV industry leader by 2018

(Photo by Johannes Eisele / Getty Images - Volkswagen's new electric version of the Golf will go on sale in early 2015 in the U.S., initially in limited states) 
Frankfurt,Germany - The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -September 11, 2013: -- Volkswagen AG came to the Frankfurt Motor Show with its e-Up electric vehicle and an electric version of its Golf hatchback called the e-Golf. VW pledged to bring as many as 40 EVs and hybrids to market around the world... The company, which wants to be the world’s largest automaker and has a 10-year-plan to more than triple U.S. sales, bragged about its major EV effort, which it sees as an integral part of its global domination strategy. VW sales have lagged in the past year in the U.S. and are down 1.3 percent through August, largely because of what analysts see as an aging lineup... The electric version of the Golf will go on sale in early 2015 in the U.S., initially in limited states, said Volkswagen of America chief, Jonathan Browning...

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Sep 8, 2013

ELECTRIC VEHICLES * Europe

* UK - Electric vehicle sales increase by 50% in 2013 as costs fall

London,EN,UK-Fleet Europe, by Jonathan Green -30 Aug 2013: -- New research has predicted that a reduction in the upfront ownership costs of electric vehicles will be one of the key drivers of global electric vehicle sales. The report, by Frost and Sullivan, has found that the prices of some electric vehicles has fallen by as much as 18 per cent of their 2012 price, as manufacturers look to boost sales and stay competitive... The report, Strategic Outlook of the Global Electric Vehicle Market in 2013, predicts that EV sales will increase by 50% this year on 2012 figures, with sales around the 170 – 190,000 mark. By 2018 sales of EV units will reach 2.7 million units in 2018... To date electric vehicles have been concentrated in corporate fleets, but with prices falling OEM’s are looking to expand their reach and tap into the private consumer market... The cost of lithium-ion batteries has decreased by 20 to 40 per cent in the last five years, enabling vehicle manufacturers to lower the price of electric vehicles and fuel adoption, and with consumer fears over range anxiety being addressed with robust charging infrastructure network, the barriers to entry for EVs are gradually eroding... More than ten automakers have launched trials for inductive charging, and standardisation for the same is likely to be announced in 2014... In addition, governments in various countries have extended incentives and benefits for electric vehicle consumers to 2015 and beyond. Scandinavia has led the way, with Norway gradually increasing its penetration rate of electric vehicles beyond three per cent in 2013...

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Jun 24, 2013

* Europe - BMW's electric cars

* Germany - BMW's electric car range predictions seem optimistic

(Photo from BMW: The BMW i3 battery-electric car will be shown at the Frankfurt Car Show in September, then go on sale across the world. BMW's new battery and hybrid cars will be sold under the new 'i' brand) Munich,BAV,Germany -The Detroit News, by Neil Winton -June 22, 2013: -- German luxury car manufacturer BMW stunned this reporter a couple of weeks ago in Paris by saying electric cars will have batteries with twice the current power within four to five years, which will double the range... BMW has its supporters, but that claim was met with some skepticism by experts who see a much slower pace of progress. Others say the drive to produce a battery-only vehicle which competes head on with traditional engines is doomed and will only succeed if electric cars are designed with less weight, shorter range and more modest utility ambitions. Charging technology needs to leap forward too...


* USA - Electric Vehicles not sustainable

(Photo: The GM-Saturn Flextreme) Washington,DC,USA -Road Ahead, by John McElroy -Jun. 24, 2013: -- The problem is the entire EV industry and infrastructure is being pushed by government mandates and subsidies, not by natural market demand... Several issues have come to light recently that call into question the environmental benefits of electric vehicles. It’s all got to do with how EVs are manufactured and recycled, as well as how the electricity they use gets generated. These are issues that will not be resolved easily... The EPA report, titled “Application of Life-Cycle Assessment to Nanoscale Technology: Lithium-ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles,” adds the cathode issue could be solved using nano technology, but the energy required to manufacture those cathodes currently is prohibitive... Another EV study that came out this year, “Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles,” published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology by Yale University, says the carbon footprint of EVs could be “indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle” depending on how far they are driven and where they get electricity... The key to these two studies is they look at the life-cycle energy use of EVs. That means they calculate all the energy needed to manufacture the vehicles, plus the amount and sources of energy used in operation and the energy needed to recycle them. Unlike some auto makers who advertise their EVs are zero-emissions vehicles (are you listening Nissan?), these studies show EVs are anything but emissions free...

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May 31, 2013

SPEED RECORD for ELECTRIC VEHICLE * UK

* UK - Drayson Racing sets sights on EV land speed record

(Photo: The B12 EV/69 hopes to power its way into the FIA record books) 
Kidlington,Oxfordshire,UK -Gizmag, by C.C. Weiss -May 30, 2013: -- When Drayson Racing Technologies and Lola Cars introduced the B12 69/EV last year, the electric race car promised to be one of the fastest of its kind. Six months later, it set a record at the Goodwood Hillclimb, and it's now gunning for an even bigger record. Drayson announced this week that it plans to make an attempt at an FIA electric land speed record within a month. It will try to best the 175 mph (282 km/h) mark that was set back in 1974...

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May 1, 2013

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Japan / China - Toyota adds two unnamed EV's to its Chinese portfolio

(Image: Guangzhou-Toyota's unnamed SUV is intended for a price conscious, younger, eco-minded audience)
Changchun,China -Gizmag, by Angus MacKenzie -May 1, 2013: ... A joint venture between Toyota and China’s FAW (First Auto Works), which resulted in a new sub-brand and a new electric vehicle that was displayed along with an SUV EV resulting from another Toyota-China joint venture... The new sub-brand through FAW-Toyota is known simply as “Ranz,” whose first car on display, of the Corollis blandus genus, came decked out with a helping of nature-inspired decals. The EV is aimed at the Chinese market, where such vehicles can’t come quick enough for many given the amount of smog and pollution in many of the country’s major centers... Another as yet unnamed EV resulting from yet another Toyota joint venture, this time with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC), that made an appearance was a very yellow, mid size SUV that is designed as a straight electric for the younger, economically minded demographic. According to CarNewsChina.com, the vehicle is part of a larger plan by the Chinese government to facilitate technology transfer from foreign automakers to their Chinese partners... This concept makes perfect sense given the country’s long term inability to produce a world-class ride, however foreign manufacturers are largely unwilling to hand over propriety design concepts and technology. So instead of acquiring new-gen technology, the Chinese end up with older platforms and outdated technology. The Guangzhou-Toyota partnership has been around since 2004 but this new sub-brand is intended to bring cheap electric vehicles to the burgeoning Chinese market... The two brands are set to provide actual names for the vehicles at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. No powertrain specifics or details were available for either vehicle...


* Germany - BMW and SOLARWATT team up for solar carport system

(Photo: The SOLARWATT Carport System) 
Munich,Germany -Gizmag, by Adam Williams -30 April 2013: -- BMW’s sustainable mobility-focused sub-brand BMW i has announced it is to join forces with German photovoltaic firm SOLARWATT GmbH, in a bid to supply consumer-friendly solar-powered carport and rooftop charging systems to future i3 and i8 owners... The latest collaboration is part of a wider push by the German automotive giant to ensure owners of its upcoming i3 and i8 electric vehicles have ample charging options open to them. BMW has already established partnerships with Naturstrom, Schneider Electric and The Mobility House, and this new deal will give EV buyers the opportunity to purchase SOLARWATT's Carport System alongside a BMW i vehicle, or separately over the internet... The system utilizes glass-glass PV modules – which the company cites as offering an increased lifespan and durability, compared to glass-foil modules – to provide solar-based battery charging for BMW EVs, as well as micro power generation for the household...

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Apr 8, 2013

* USA: Fisker Automotive bankruptcy ?

* California - Fisker Automotive lays off 160, struggles to find financing deal 

(Photo from Fisker Automotive: The stylish Fisker Karma, a plug-in hybrid electric sportscar with a $103,000 price tag, won plaudits and attracted big name celebrities)
Anaheim, Calif,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -April 6, 2013: -- Struggling electric vehicle start-up Fisker Automotive may be coming to the end of the road...   The Anaheim, Calif.-based firm that that's been beset by problems and funding shortfalls, said Friday it had laid off 75 percent of its staff — about 160 of its employees, including its entire public relations department — as it searches for an investor or buyer and prepares for a possible bankruptcy...  In 2009, Fisker won $529 million in low-cost Energy Department loans and spent $193 million, mostly to develop its Karma model. The Energy Department froze the rest of the loan in 2011 amid problems at Fisker...  The Energy Department would be Fisker's top creditor if the company filed for bankruptcy, and would have to decide what to do with the firm.Fisker has also retained bankruptcy attorneys ahead of an April 22 loan installment payment...


* California - Tesla's Biggest Order to Date

(Photo: Tesla's Model S) 
Palo Alto,CAL,USA -The Motley Fool, by Tamara Rutter -April 7, 2013: -- Electric-car maker Tesla Motors is off to a fast start this year...  The California-based company kick-started 2013 by increasing production on its Model S sedan, unveiling a new finance product, and celebrating its first profitable quarter as a public company...  Not bad for a little EV start-up that few had heard of until recently. Still, many analysts worry that demand for Tesla's Model S may begin to stall as the year unfolds... Counting more than 4,750 cars in the first quarter, the company is also beefing up its backlog of orders. Last month, Tesla secured its largest U.S. Model S reservation in the company's history... Downtown Project and Project 100 have committed to buy 100 zero-emission Model S cars from Tesla, in an effort to revitalize downtown Las Vegas...

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Mar 25, 2013

SEXY NEW SPORTS CAR: Detroit Electric's first product * WORLDWIDE

* USA / Michigan - As Detroit Struggles, a New Auto Emerges 

(Photo)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Motley Fool, by Sara E. Murphy -March 23, 2013: ... Detroit Electric's first product to market will be a limited-edition, two-seater sports car that will cost "in the neighborhood" of $135,000. That sounds a lot like Tesla's now-discontinued Roadster!... But the similarities don't end there. Detroit Electric will use Lotus platforms for at least its first two vehicles... So on the face of things, it looks as though Tesla's dominance of the high-end EV market may have just come under serious threat... While Detroit Electric is starting with a sexy new sports car, it plans to offer a "diverse family of all-electric production cars," which seems to suggest that the company won't confine itself to the expensive top of the pyramid. EVs' success will live and die on the development of a battery-charging infrastructure to support them, and such development will be spurred only by broad adoption of EVs. Investors may be betting that high-end purveyors like Tesla Motors Inc will be buoyed by Detroit Electric's potential offering of more affordable vehicles...

* USA / DC - Could cut vehicles' fossil fuel use, emissions by 80% by 2050

(Photo from Mercedes: The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is the first hydrogen-electric vehicle the German manufacturer is making available to individuals)
Washington,DC,USA -Highway 1, by Ronald D. White -March 19, 2013: -- A new National Research Council report says the U.S. may be able to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 in light-duty cars and trucks... The highly ambitious goal could be reached, the report says, through a combination of more efficient vehicles and the use of gasoline and diesel alternatives such as bio-fuels, electricity and hydrogen... The Research Council is discussing a reduction on an entirely more dramatic scale. It's the kind of scale that would require the rough equivalent of taking President Obama's goal of 54.5 miles per gallon for the U.S. vehicle fleet by 2025 and then doing the same increase again, and again... The Research Council said that part of the solution would be improvements on several good starts, such as the Toyota Prius hybrid; plug-in hybrid electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt; and battery-powered electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf... Also required would be advancements in technologies such as those used in hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, like the Mercedes F-Cell, scheduled to be introduced about 2014; and in compressed natural gas vehicles, such as the Honda Civic CNG... 


* India - Mahindra’s e2o EV is ready. The electric car has been launched with much fanfare, though its viability in the domestic market remains questionable 

New Delhi,India -Hybrid EV -21 March 2013: -- Earlier this week, Mahindra and Mahindra launched the e2o electric vehicle at an event in New Delhi. The e2o is the flagship product of Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicles, a company formed after Mahindra acquired REVA, a Bangalore (Karnataka) based niche electric car company, in 2010... The vehicle is launched at an on-road price of INR5,96,000 in Delhi, according to Mahindra... The top model has a few extra features including an in-built infotainment system and reverse camera, along with standard equipment including power windows, AC, wheel caps and defogger... Mahindra e2o may well be the cheapest of all the commercial electric cars sold world over, but over INR6,00,000 for a vehicle that charges overnight and travels only 100km may not sound attractive to most... Mahindra also plans to begin exporting e2o to the European market later this year... Mahindra could follow suit with the e2o even as its prospects in the home ground remain doubtful...

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Mar 20, 2013

ELECTRIC CARMAKERS * USA

* Michigan - Detroit Electric returns to build electric sports cars, create 180 jobs

(Detroit Electric - The first car will be publicly revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show next month)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -March 19, 2013: -- An old name is returning to the Motor City to manufacturer a line of new electric sports cars... Detroit Electric, formerly an electric vehicle maker in the early 1900s, plans to bring 180 jobs to Metro Detroit by the end of the year and will produce a pure electric sports car beginning in August, the company said Tuesday... The company, non-existent for about 70 years before it was revived in 2008 by Albert Lam, former Group CEO of the Lotus Engineering Group and executive director of Lotus Cars of England, will set up its headquarters in the Fisher Building... A production facility, whose location in Metro Detroit will be announced next month, will have an annual capacity of 2,500 cars... The first car will be publicly revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show next month. Details of the car, aside from having two seats, have not been disclosed...

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Jul 19, 2012

ELECTRIC VEHICLES * WORLDWIDE

* China - Kandi EV gets 20,000 orders in Hangzhou, China

Jinhua,China -Autoblog Green, by Danny King -Jul 18, 2012: ... Kandi Technologies has received a huge EV distribution agreement with the city of Hangzhou that will see 20,000 vehicles leased throughout the city in an effort to test vehicle-to-grid technology. As part of the agreement, China Aviation Lithium Battery Co. will provide the EV's batteries, while the electricity will be supplied for free by local utilities. Leasing will start next month and will conclude by the end of 2013... Kandi's EVs have a top speed of about 25 miles per hour and weigh about 1,600 pounds. Forbes estimated that Kandi Technologies will make about $6,800 per vehicle during the duration of the leasing period. The Chinese government wants to have a half-millon EVs on China's roads by 2015 and 5 million by the end of the decade...


* Singapore - Mayton Automotive to develop electric car

Singapore -Channel News Asia -14 July 2012: -- Singapore is developing its very own electric vehicle, with a prototype expected at year-end.Local company Mayton Automotive is jointly building the car with partners from China and the United States.The firm is also pumping S$10 million over five years into establishing an electric vehicle research and development centre in Singapore.Mayton Automotive is a subsidiary of Singapore-based Lihe Investment Holdings. The company is working with China's Hebei Shanghong Technology and America's Maytown Technologies to manufacture the electric vehicles. The vehicles will be built in the Hengshui City Economic Development Zone in China...


* Croatia - $1 Million Rimac Concept_One Electric Hyper Car To Be Unveiled In September

Zagreb,Croatia -Hibryd Cars, by Philippe Crowe -July 18, 2012: -- The Rimac Concept_One electric hypercar will make its debut at this year’s Salon Privé, known as UK’s most prestigious Supercar Event and Chubb Insurance Concours d'Elégance... Only 88 examples of the Rimac Concept_One will be produced and each will cost $1 million...This unique new electric hyper car has the capability of producing the equivalent of 1,088 bhp due to its 92-kwh battery, which powers a total of four electric traction motors with their placement being one per wheel. All four systems can operate independently and accelerate and decelerate hundreds of times per second. Rimac labels this as All-Wheel Torque Vectoring (AWTV)... According to the company, the Concept_One’s performance is impressive with 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. It will have the ability to reach a top speed of 190 mph and a range of 373 miles. The curb weight is 1,850 kg. (4,079 pounds)...

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Jun 14, 2012

ELECTRIC VEHICLES * WORLDWIDE

* China - New energy vehicles questioned after deadly accident

Shenzhen,Guangdong,China -Morning Whistle, by Zhang Yan -May 28 2012: -- Questions have been raised about made-in-China new energy vehicles following a fatal car collision over the weekend in China’s southern city of Shenzhen killed three in an electric taxi due to an explosion... Clean energy auto is a key industry for China’s economic upgrading... The central government promised in a 2009 blueprint to make China a global power in electric car manufacturing by investing billions of dollars in research and calling for annual sales of 500,000 cars by 2015... But the goal still seems too ambitious to achieve, chastened by lack of buyer interest due to an underdeveloped charging network and insufficient battery endurance... Lo Kok-keung, an engineer with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said that a fully charged lithium battery could explode in a serious crash...


* USA - Electric motors drive future urban vehicles 

(Photo: Peugeot VeLV Concept Electric Urban Car)  
Mountain View,CAL,USA -Frost and Sullivan/AutomotiveWorld, by Anjan Hemanth Kumar -June 7, 2012: -- The emphasis on reducing tailpipe emissions and uncertainty in oil supply have forced vehicle manufacturers to look into vehicle electrification technologies such as hybrid and electric vehicles, which reduce or eliminate the use of internal combustion engines in cars. This development helps to increase electric components in the vehicle and is expected to boost the market for traction motors... According to recent Frost and Sullivan research on traction electric motors for hybrid and electric vehicles, the markets for motors in Europe and North America together are expected to scale up to 4.8 million units by 2017. This opens a door for opportunities in the form of design, development and supply of such motors for EV powertrain suppliers... OEMs looking to develop electric motors in-house are likely to hold the design and intelligence to themselves, but outsource modules and components. In many cases, vehicle manufacturers are looking for multiple suppliers for various research and commercial projects, but are likely to choose a single supplier in the long term... As OEMs look at more than one electric motor technology, suppliers are expected to have a wide product portfolio for a successful acquisition of contracts...

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Jun 6, 2012

ELECTRIC VEHICLES * Germany

* Tax boost for EV's in Germany extended

Berlin,Germany -Truck and Business, by Tim Harrup -31 May 2012: -- The German government has given a boost to the sale of electric cars by exonerating them from motor vehicle tax for a further ten years. This decision, extending the tax-free period from its initial duration of five years, was made public by the ruling coalition in Berlin. The stated objective is make the tax advantage for acquiring an environmentally-friendly car greater...

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May 2, 2012

ELECTRIC VEHICLES* China

* China - Daimler / BYD joint venture delivers first EV prototype 

(Photo: DENZA has unveiled its new all-electric vehicle at Auto China 2012 in Beijing)
Beijing,China -Gizmag, by Shaun McKeegan -April 24, 2012: -- A new all-electric vehicle unveiled at Auto China 2012 marks the first appearance of the Denza brand at a motor show. Denza, a joint venture between Daimler and China’s BYD Auto, was officially launched in March this year and its first concept car is expected to reach production by 2013, with the first prototypes already being tested on the roads in China... The Denza all-electric car features rear-hinged rear doors, reclining rear seats and a "visually integrated" battery storage area which is claimed to succeed "better than most EVs at keeping the batteries out of passengers’ way...

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Mar 28, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE - ELECTRIC VEHICLES

* France - Sales of over-ambitious electric cars stall, but weird Twizy might succeed

Lyon,France -The Detroit News, by Neil Winton -March 27, 2012: -- The two-seat semi-enclosed Renault Twizy has a range of up to 60 miles, a 50 mph top speed and a price of around $11,000. It might have a silly name and look ridiculous, but the Renault Twizy could be the first electric vehicle to sell on its merits and without taxpayer inducements...


* Japan - Electric cars may lose green sheen in post-meltdown Japan
Tokyo,Japan -Associated Press/The Detroit News, by Yuri Kageyama -March 28, 2012: -- Electric car owners who prided themselves on being green now find themselves in a bind as Japan's government maneuvers to restart dozens of nuclear power plants idled after last year's meltdowns... For decades, nuclear generation has been a crucial source of power here, but the tsunami-triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant have spurred a national debate over how to supply Japan's electricity in the future...  Long touted as a clean, zero-emission alternative to vehicles powered by dirty fossil fuels, electric cars are now at risk of being tainted by their association with nuclear...

* Canada - EV firm tied to Ford files for bankruptcy
Oak Park,BC,USA -The Detroit News (USA), by David Shepardson -March 28, 2012: -- A Canadian company that electrifies Ford Motor Co.'s Transit Connect is reorganizing under court protection and filed for bankruptcy in the United States... British Columbia-based Azure Dynamics, which has offices in Oak Park, has been installing the battery electric powertrain in Ford's Transit Connect since 2010... The company laid off about 120 people worldwide at four sites Monday, including about 50 people in Oak Park, said Mike Elwood, a spokesman for Azure Dynamics. The company also had layoffs at its offices near Boston, the United Kingdom and in Canada...

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Mar 14, 2012

AUTO & TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* France - Peugeot Sevelnord jobs 'not assured' amid GM deal

Paris,France -AFP/Vietnam Investment Review -Mar 06, 2012: -- French auto manufacturer Peugeot has no guarantees on jobs at its Sevelnord plant after announcing an alliance with US giant General Motors, Industry Minister, Eric Besson, said on Monday... Besson told in an interview that during discussions with the head of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Philippe Varin, Varin had underscored the group's intention to reaffirm its industrial base in France... Besson subsequently told AFP he was speaking specifically about the Sevelnord auto plant near Valenciennes, northern France, and not about PSA plants in general...


* USA - Lexus Again Tops J.D. Power And Associates Customer Service Index

Thousand Oaks,CAL,USA -The Car Connection, by Kurt Ernst -Mar 14, 2012: -- For the fourth consecutive year, Lexus (the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota), has topped all other luxury brands on the the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index (CSI) survey, achieving an overall score of 861 on a 1,000 point scale. Not only is that well above the segment average, but it reflects the highest score in the survey, across all industry segments... The 2012 CSI study compiles data from both owners and lessees of 2007 to 2011 model year vehicles, to determine their overall satisfaction with the dealer service experience. Among luxury brands, Lexus out-performed second-place Cadillac (who scored 852) and easily beat the luxury segment average of 835 points...




* China February Auto Sales Up 24.5%
- China Association of Automobile Manufacturers declared Friday, March 9th March that China auto sales rose 24.5% year-on-year to reach 1.57 million units in February this year. February saw total sales of 1.21 million sedans, sport utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles sold in China... Read more

* Electric Vehicles 

* First production Coda Sedan rolls off the line
- Just days, after receiving its official EPA numbers the first Sedan from Coda Automotive has rolled off the line at the company's facility in Benicia, CA. The first Sedans will come with a 31-kWh battery pack and are priced (before rebates) at $37,250, a figure that Coda says makes it the least expensive electric vehicle per mile of range available today... Read more

* AMP Electric Vehicles Qualify for Federal Tax Credit
- AMP joins list of plug-in electric drive motor vehicle manufacturers, including Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Tesla, Toyota, and 13 EV manufacturers in all, qualifying purchasers for $7,500 tax credit when purchasing an AMP Electric Vehicle... Read more

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Jan 28, 2012

GREENER TRUCKS * Australia

* Could hydrogen fuel cell trucks drive our sustainable transport future?

Melbourne,VIC,Australia -The Conversation/RMIT University, by Roger Smith - 24 January 2012: -- Truck transport accounts for roughly 25% of energy used in the global transport sector, making it a substantial contributor (2.6%) to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions...  As concerns about greenhouse gas emissions continue to escalate, the introduction of zero-emission technologies within the freight industry is vitally important... Australia has some of the highest road lengths and freight levels per capita in the world. In fact, road freight transport is a $35 billion dollar industry here. Given the sheer size of the Australian land mass, the distance between major cities, and the lack of a feasible rail alternative, road freight is crucial to trade and commerce... With the price of diesel fuel rising considerably in the past decade and the possible expansion of the carbon tax to include fuel for trucks, those in charge of the freight industry worry their industry is under threat. Low-carbon alternatives to the current fleet are needed...   A possible solution to the problem, and one that we’ve been working towards, is the development of hydrogen fuel cells to replace traditional diesel engines in trucks... Hydrogen fuel cells work by taking hydrogen gas (H₂) and combining it with oxygen (O₂) to generate an electrical current (and water and some heat as byproducts)... The hydrogen gas is produced through a process called electrolysis (or breaking down) of water using electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar... A zero-emission solution of this kind (in both hydrogen production and consumption) could play a key role in addressing the environmental, economic and social factors that will influence the sustainability of the truck industry in the future... Electric battery technology is another zero-emission option that could potentially be used in the transport sector (if charged using electricity from renewable sources). But this technology might not currently be suitable for the truck industry due its low energy storage capacity. For example, existing battery technology doesn’t allow trucks to cover the distance from Melbourne to Sydney on one charge... Biofuels, including ethanol, various bio-oils and biodiesel, provide another alternative transport fuel. “Second-generation” biofuels are likely to play some role for transport in future, but the amount of crops and land available for biofuel production will be severely limited... Enough crops and land need to be set aside to supply food for a growing world population, and there are also constraints on available land, water and fertilisers needed to grow “second-generation” fuel crops...

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posted by Unknown @ 1:19 PM  1 comments

Jan 27, 2012

ALTERNATIVE FUELS * USA

* Nevada - Obama pushes energy plan in campaign-style tour

(Photo from REUTERS, by Jason Reed - President Obama arrives at a UPS facility in Las Vegas)
Las Vegas,NEV,USA -Reuters, by Caren Bohan -January 26, 2012: ...  At a stop in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Democratic president sought to counter Republican criticisms of his energy policies as he proposed tax incentives for companies to buy natural gas trucks, which would help build demand for abundant domestic supplies of the fuel...  Increasing domestic natural gas consumption would benefit drillers, as U.S. natural gas prices have fallen sharply because of the growing glut and the relatively warm winter...   Still, oil and gas industry backers have complained that the administration has hindered drilling through slow permitting and a raft of new rules implemented since the 2010 oil spill...


* Which Are Better: Electric Cars or Natural Gas Vehicles?

(Photo: CNG mobile station)
New York,NY,USA -Forbes, by Michael Kanellos -11 Jan 2012: -- The debate has raged for years in alternative transportation. Electric vehicle (EV) advocates claim that the steady improvement in battery technology, the pervasiveness of the grid, and software and services to enable things like high-speed charging will make electrification of at least some portion of the transportation market inevitable... Electric will even play a role in public transportation, argues Proterra, which has created an electric bus for municipal transportation and a complementary high-speed DC charger that can get its 68-passenger behemoths back on the street in 20 minutes or less... CNG advocates, however, claim they have a big advantage on their side: reality. CNG cars already exist and natural gas, thanks to hydraulic fracturing, could remain relatively cheap for some time... Who is right? To be honest, both. EVs and CNG vehicles will percolate into the market over the next ten years depending on the circumstances...  And it could take years for many fleet owners to get over range anxiety. A government agency that needs cars to check out municipal softball fields might be able to get by with electrics, but taxi routes are unpredictable. The passenger that gets in at O’Hare Airport might need to go downtown, or to Northern Indiana... Expect the discussion to go on for years...

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