Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/green.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Tesla opens second store in Menlo Park]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/20/tesla-opens-2nd-showroom/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/20/tesla-opens-2nd-showroom/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/20/tesla-opens-2nd-showroom/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tesla Motors held the grand opening of its Northern California dealership in Menlo Park Saturday evening. A slew of valet parkers greeted. Then, I walked down the red carpet past an orange Tesla Roadster to the large showroom. Beyond the gazpacho cocktails and first of three full bars one entered the even larger service area where the Elon Musk and Ze'ev Drori mingled among the hundred or so invited guests.

Conversation with various Tesla personnel revealed that founder Martin Eberhard received his repaired Roadster earlier in the day. Presumably his blog will shortly contain his first impressions. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, I was told, will be delivered his Roadster within a few weeks, although the color remains top secret. Once he and the state's First Lady Maria Shriver spend some time driving this powerful and impressive electric car one can only hope state policies will begin to reflect the near-term role that plug-in cars can play in carbon and petroleum reduction.

Tesla opens second store in Menlo Park originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskElonMuskteslatesla roadsterteslamotorsTeslaRoadsterzeev droriZeevDroriSun, 20 Jul 2008 19:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Real-world Mitsubishi i MiEV stats]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/19/real-world-imiev-stats/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/19/real-world-imiev-stats/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/19/real-world-imiev-stats/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Japan EV Club drove a Mitsubishi i MiEV and a Subaru R1e from Tokyo to Hokkaido in the week before the G8 summit, for their "Challenge and Charge" event. Now they are sharing stats about the cars' electrical consumption and CO2 emissions and comparing them to a (presumably) typical Japanese gasoline car.

The poster in the photo summarizes the EV stats for the entire trip of 858.7 km ( = 533.57 miles):

* 85.65 kWh used
* 35.12 kg CO2 to produce the electricity ( = 77.43 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 1,713 yen ( = $16.94)

In comparison, on the bottom of the poster are a gasoline car's stats:

* 75.3 liters used ( = 19.89 gallons)
* 174.6 kg CO2 produced by the ICE ( = 384.93 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 12,956 yen ( = $121.34)

Thanks to Yanquetino for the tip, translation, everything.
[Source: Japan EV Club]

Real-world Mitsubishi i MiEV stats originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric carElectricCarjapan ev clubJapanEvClubSat, 19 Jul 2008 11:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Al Gore calls for electric cars]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/17/al-gore-calls-for-electric-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/17/al-gore-calls-for-electric-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/07/17/al-gore-calls-for-electric-cars/#commentsFiled under: ,

Halfway through Al Gore's challenge today calling for a 100% renewable electric grid within ten years is a call for plug-in electric cars. This represents a big change in his thinking, and will hopefully quickly push political and environmental leadership to coalesce around policies to push plug-in cars into the market as quickly as possible. The unfounded fear that large numbers of plug-in cars will overwhelm the grid and increase the use of coal and reinvigorate the nuclear industry to produce electricity has kept major environmental organizations from looking at plug-in cars with clear and objective eyes.

"We could further increase the value and efficiency of a Unified National Grid by helping our struggling auto giants switch to the manufacture of plug-in electric cars. An electric vehicle fleet would sharply reduce the cost of driving a car, reduce pollution, and increase the flexibility of our electricity grid."

[Source: NY Times]

Al Gore calls for electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al goreAlGoreelectric carsElectricCarsgridThu, 17 Jul 2008 20:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Plug In America notes $4+ gas; calls on consumers to wait for plug-ins]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/plug-in-america-notes-4-gas-calls-on-consumers-to-wait-for-p/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/plug-in-america-notes-4-gas-calls-on-consumers-to-wait-for-p/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/plug-in-america-notes-4-gas-calls-on-consumers-to-wait-for-p/#commentsFiled under:

Plug In America, a California-based nonprofit organization that advocates the use plug-in cars, has taken note of our crossing the threshold of a $4 per gallon national average for gasoline prices. The group, originally organized to fight the crushing of the electric cars produced to meet California's Zero Emission Mandate of the 1990s, has become a major player in the push for vehicle electrification. After a partially successful attempt to strengthen the California regulations - the revised Mandate now calls for more plug-in hybrids but fewer electric cars - they are calling on consumers to exercise their power. Linda Nichols, president of the organization, says "Call Toyota, call GM, call Ford, call them all and tell them that you won't buy another car until it can be plugged in and charged with electricity." A number of auto makers, including GM and Nissan, have announced plug-in cars in the 2010-2012 time frame. Full press release after the jump. [Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Plug In America]

Continue reading Plug In America notes $4+ gas; calls on consumers to wait for plug-ins

Plug In America notes $4+ gas; calls on consumers to wait for plug-ins originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>plug-in-carspluginamericaMon, 09 Jun 2008 20:09:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay find of the day: RAV4 EV]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/#commentsFiled under: ,

Another RAV4 EV is up on eBay. The last time one of these rare fully electric cars was put up on the auction block it sold for nearly $70,000. It was a 2002 with less than 50,000 miles on it. This time it's a 2003 model. The 2003 was stripped of a few perks. No heated front seats, and no heated front windshield for defrosting. But the battery was said to be improved for the last model year the car was made. And the car being sold has shown its chops; it already has over 125,000 miles on the original battery pack. The seller says the car still gets 100 miles per charge. The seller's thorough report makes some interesting reading about electric cars and service. One example: the car, which utilizes regenerative braking, is still on its first set of brake pads.

[Source: eBay]

eBay find of the day: RAV4 EV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebayrav4rav4-evrav4evtoyota-rav4toyota-rav4-evMon, 09 Jun 2008 15:33:00 EST<![CDATA[14-year-old to ride bike 1,500 miles for EVs]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/20/14-year-old-to-ride-bike-1500-miles-for-evs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/20/14-year-old-to-ride-bike-1500-miles-for-evs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/20/14-year-old-to-ride-bike-1500-miles-for-evs/#commentsFiled under: ,

Many have seen the film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and become angry about a previously untold tale and frustrated by the lack of electric cars in the market. 14-year-old Liza Stoner of Minneapolis saw the film and decided to do something to carry its message further. This summer she will pedal from her home to Washington DC to deliver a petition calling on Congress to take action.

Her ride is supported by the Fellowship for Renewal, a group that "supports youth led initiatives and young activists who aim to inspire a call to action by creating awareness and understanding of environmental and social injustices through extraordinary physical endeavors." Calling her effort the "Ride for Renewal," she could use your signature. The petition is online at at ipetitions here. More information about the ride is at rideforrenewal.org.

[Source: Ride for Renewal]

14-year-old to ride bike 1,500 miles for EVs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 20 May 2008 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fellowship-for-renewalride-for-renewalyoung-environmentalistyouth-and-electric-carsTue, 20 May 2008 09:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Ebay find of the day: RAV4 EV]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/ebay-find-of-the-day-rav4-ev/#commentsFiled under: , ,


As ABG readers know, car makers large and small are considering electric cars once again. With gasoline hovering around $4 a gallon, greenhouse gas emissions soon to be regulated and national security jeopardized by petroleum, the need for electric cars has never been so obvious. But if you want a full-function, highway-capable 100+ mile range EV now, the options are few and far between. And pricey. The choice today is order a Tesla and wait a year, or wait for a used RAV4 EV to hit the market. It doesn't happen often, but now a Toyota-built, all-electric RAV4 EV is for sale on eBay, here.

One of fewer than 400 RAV4 EVs in private hands, this one is in San Francisco. It has under 50,000 miles on the batteries. While automakers today look to lithium batteries to power their next-generation electric cars, the NiMH batteries in these ZEV mandate era vehicles are proving to be strong, stable, and long-lasting, exceeding Toyota's expectations. A number of these cars have driven over 100,000 miles on the original batteries, and they still deliver a 100-mile range. You might be tempted to ask why we don't have NiMH cars on the market while lighter, longer range lithium is developed. To remain sane, let's just say the car makers learned the lesson of the laptop. We all regret the heavy NiMH laptops of the 90s, with their short battery life and long recharge time.

[Source: eBay]

Ebay find of the day: RAV4 EV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 19 May 2008 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>rav4-evtoyota-electric-carMon, 19 May 2008 17:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Pakistani car company buys Canadian NEV-maker Dynasty]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/pakistani-car-company-buys-canadian-nev-maker-dynasty/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/pakistani-car-company-buys-canadian-nev-maker-dynasty/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/pakistani-car-company-buys-canadian-nev-maker-dynasty/#commentsFiled under: ,



The Daily Times of Pakistan reports that the Canadian manufacturer of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles Dynasty Electric Car Corporation has been sold to Pakistani automaker Karakoram Motors. Dynasty General Manager Danny Epp told Canadian Broadcasting that limitations on the use of NEVs on Canadian roads along with the strong Canadian dollar contributed to the decision by the owner to sell the company. Dynasty has been manufacturing thirty to forty vehicles per year. Karakoram Motors assembles and markets light duty trucks in Pakistan.

[Source: Daily Times of Pakistan]

Pakistani car company buys Canadian NEV-maker Dynasty originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 15 May 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dynasty Electric CarDynastyElectricCarneighborhood-electric-vehicleNEVThu, 15 May 2008 12:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Volt mules are meeting EV-only target range]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/volt-mules-are-meeting-ev-only-target-range/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/volt-mules-are-meeting-ev-only-target-range/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/volt-mules-are-meeting-ev-only-target-range/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman and Volt booster, told Edmunds AutoObserver today that the Volt is achieving its 40 mile all-electric target in initial on-road testing. "It is reliably meeting its objectives," Lutz confirmed. "Even with a rough calibration, even with the wrong drive unit, the wrong body, etc. etc., it has been hitting its 40 miles on electric power."

There was no word on which of the two battery suppliers' products was installed in these first drives on GM's proving grounds in Michigan. He did say the Volt's Battery Management System was successfully keeping temperature rises to a minimum and maintaining even heat distribution across the cells.

Lutz ever more enthusiastically says the Volt will debut for sale in Chevy showrooms in November 2010. And he went out of his way to underscore Chairman Rick Wagoner's interest and support for the Volt project.

[Source: Edmunds AutoObserver]

Volt mules are meeting EV-only target range originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 14 May 2008 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bob-Lutzchevrolet-voltchevy-voltrick-wagonervoltWed, 14 May 2008 17:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Renault's electric car debuts in Tel Aviv]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/11/renaults-electric-car-debuts-in-tel-aviv/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/11/renaults-electric-car-debuts-in-tel-aviv/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/11/renaults-electric-car-debuts-in-tel-aviv/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It could be the quickest vehicle to go from concept to a public, drivable prototype in automotive history. As previewed, "Israelis got a first demonstration Sunday of the electric car that developers hope will revolutionize transportation in the country and serve as a pilot for the rest of the world," began the report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

A parking lot in Tel Aviv hosted the demonstration of the Project Better Place/Renault collaboration. Acceleration was said to be impressive and the silent drive familiar to proponents of electric vehicles was noted in the silver, normal looking sedan. The car is expected to have a range of 125 miles, more than sufficient for most drivers in a nation that's no more than 60 miles wide and 260 long. Haaretz reports that several hundred cars will begin appearing on Israel roads in 2009, with sales to begin in late 2010.

[Haaretz]

Renault's electric car debuts in Tel Aviv originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 11 May 2008 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric-carisraelproject-better-placeshai-agassiSun, 11 May 2008 16:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Craigslist find of the day: Electric Volvo]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/craigslist-find-of-the-day-electric-volvo/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/craigslist-find-of-the-day-electric-volvo/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/craigslist-find-of-the-day-electric-volvo/#commentsFiled under: ,



Not all electric conversions are small Geo Metros, Volkswagens or Porsches. For sale on the San Francisco Bay Area Craigslist, here, is an eVolvo. It's a converted 1995 Volvo 850 sedan. It's got new batteries and new low rolling resistance tires. The seller claims a range of about 40 miles with 15 kWh of lead acid batteries. Asking price is $14,000. Searching through the EVAlbum database, a useful resource with over 1,500 electric vehicles listed by their owners, one only finds three Volvo conversions in the U.S., including, I believe, this car listed by its previous owner in Seattle.

For Volvo fans awaiting the ReCharge plug-in hybrid, we've previously reported about, this could get you into an electron-driven Swede today.

[Source: Craigslist]

Craigslist find of the day: Electric Volvo originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 09 May 2008 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric-conversionelectric-volvoevalbum.comFri, 09 May 2008 20:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Who knew? Big Oil is non-profit]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/who-knew-big-oil-is-non-profit/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/who-knew-big-oil-is-non-profit/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/who-knew-big-oil-is-non-profit/#comments

You may have seen an ad or two by "The People of America's Oil and Natural Gas Industry" lately. With price reaching $120 a barrel and $4 a gallon, the monopoly fuel for transportation in the U.S. apparently feels the need to do a little explaining. A spokesmodel on TV tells us there's enough oil here to fuel 60 million cars for 60 years (if only we let the oil companies go get it.) A voice on radio suggests we stop knocking oil companies because they are us; we all own a piece (through our pension funds). We really ought to stop beating up on ourselves.

Last night, Stephen Colbert took a closer look at a newspaper ad on "The Price at the Pump." He discovered "oil is a zero profit business." Check out the video clip after the break.


Continue reading Who knew? Big Oil is non-profit

Who knew? Big Oil is non-profit originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 09 May 2008 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colbert-reportgas-priceoil-and-natural-gas-industrystephen-colbertFri, 09 May 2008 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Plug-ins and power: promise and problems]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/plug-ins-and-power-promise-and-problems/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/plug-ins-and-power-promise-and-problems/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/plug-ins-and-power-promise-and-problems/#commentsFiled under:

A Wall Street Journal story today highlights the promise and potential problems with plug-in cars. More accurately, it highlights the problems and shoves most of the promise to the bottom. As automakers ready plug-in hybrids and electric cars for market, the sensational headline poses a clash of the titans: "Utilities, Plug-In Cars: Near Collision?"

As gasoline reaches $4 a gallon, the benefit to consumers of transportation energy at about $1 per gallon (equivalent) is undeniable. And if one reads down to near the end of the story, one finds the studies that show the tremendous upside in terms of carbon emission and petroleum reduction. As the article makes clear, as long as most plug-in cars charge up at night, the American electrical grid can already carry the load of more plug-in cars than are likely to be produced for a decade or more. Of course, night time charging is also more convenient; most cars are parked at night and used during the day. Still, the utilities are already exploring ways to ensure cars utilize the low-cost, excess capacity existing while consumers sleep, including incentive pricing, time of use metering, and smart meters.

And the environmental benefits reported are extraordinary. If enough plug-ins were on the roads, we could see oil consumption cut by 6.2 million barrels a day and U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions cut "by 450 million metric tons annually, equivalent to scrapping 82 million cars." Where the grid is comparatively clean, as in California, switching to electricity is a no-brainer. More surprising, the story reports, "Carbon-dioxide emissions would probably fall even if coal-fired plants made the electricity, some studies have found, because they burn coal more efficiently than automobiles burn gasoline." Of course as the electric grid becomes cleaner and more renewable thanks to state and federal mandates, the cars charging actually get cleaner, too.

[Source: Wall St. Journal]

Plug-ins and power: promise and problems originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 02 May 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric-carelectric-carselectric-gridelectric-utilitieselectric-vehicleelectric-vehiclesevevsphevsplug-inplug-in hybridplug-in-hybridsPlug-inHybridFri, 02 May 2008 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Renault talking to Arabs, too, about electric cars]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/renault-talking-to-arabs-too-about-electric-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/renault-talking-to-arabs-too-about-electric-cars/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/renault-talking-to-arabs-too-about-electric-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Renault-Nissan's plans to build electric cars is looking more serious by the day. Nissan has announced its intention to build an electric car for Japan and the U.S., and said so in its presentation to the California Air Resources Board last month. Earlier this year, Renault made news signing on to Shai Agassi's Project Better Place plan to produce electric cars for Israel and, more recently, Denmark. Now, according to a Thomson Financial News report in Forbes.com, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said at a news conference in Portugal, 'We are negotiating to launch an electric car with a Gulf state.'

Israel's desire for electric cars is obvious. A small Middle East state with no oil reserves, it's demand for petroleum finances its enemies. A nation in the Gulf region, presumably with sizable oil deposits, would seem at first glance a less likely candidate to begin to shift toward electricity.

Lessons, perhaps, are being learned from countries as diverse as Norway and Brazil. Each has come to realize petroleum is more valuable as an export commodity than as a transportation fuel. Norway has 50 percent of Europe's oil reserves. Yet, electrics in the country are given incentives as it continues to export petroleum. The Nordic state is where Th!nk is headquartered. Brazil made investments decades ago to move automobiles off petroleum and on to locally-produced sugar cane ethanol. As petroleum has been found within its borders, rather than being burned locally it is shipped to world markets at ever climbing prices, helping mitigate the financial problems associated with petroleum imports plaguing many developing countries.

[Source: Forbes.com]

Renault talking to Arabs, too, about electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 02 May 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nissan-renaultpetroleum-exportproject-better-placeFri, 02 May 2008 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[A123: History and Progress]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/a123-history-and-progress/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/a123-history-and-progress/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/a123-history-and-progress/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Upstart lithium battery maker A123 is a lesson in how fast things can move in the battery space. The MIT Technology Review has a story, An Electrifying Startup, in its May/June issue recounting the tale.

Founded in late 2001, small amounts of funding lead to technological breakthroughs by mid-2002. By 2003 Black & Decker was interested in powering its new line of cordless power tools with A123's new lithium cocktail, and product was rolling off assembly lines in Asia by 2005.

Cut to the burgeoning success of hybrid cars, dependent on batteries to utilize the great efficiencies of electric drive technologies to raise the fuel economy of gasoline-powered cars. NiMH batteries are already raising mpg by 30-50 percent, and had propelled all-electric cars 100 to 140 miles per charge. The greater energy of lithium could promise even higher mpg for hybrids and longer range for EVs with much less weight, the battery bugaboo.

GM finally began to face the reality of hybrids' market success just as the company was being battered in the press by the true story of EV1 emerging via the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? GM could have been years ahead of the competition with electric cars powered by its own NiMH venture, just as Toyota carved out its preeminence with hybrids. But, having sold off its 50 percent stake in NiMH to Texaco when it killed off its own electric car, by the time they got serious and announced the Volt, they had to look elsewhere. Into the picture stepped A123 (and other lithium battery makers like LG Chem/Compact Power Inc.). GM may or may not be the first major auto maker with lithium powered cars, but the evidence is in that it is batteries, not fuel cells, that will bring cars with zero emission capability to market in the near term.

[Source: MIT Technology Review]

A123: History and Progress originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a123lithiumWed, 30 Apr 2008 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[London Black Cab goes electric green]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/london-black-cab-goes-electric-green/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/london-black-cab-goes-electric-green/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/22/london-black-cab-goes-electric-green/#commentsFiled under: ,

London's iconic taxi cabs have long been comfortable, loud and diesel-belching. Now, one of the largest manufacturers of the taxi cabs, Manganese Bronze, has announced plans to produce an electric version with electric vehicle specialists the Tanfield Group. The company has been losing business as some cities refuse to buy the standard diesel version due to emissions.

The green cab is to be produced in Shanghai, China in a deal with Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely. The car is expected to have a top speed of 50 miles per hour with a 100 km range. Although the car is expected to be priced at more than the £30,000 diesel, running costs will be significantly lower. Thanks to Philip H. for the tip!

[Source: BBC News]

London Black Cab goes electric green originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cabelectric-carlondon-cabtaxitaxi-cabTue, 22 Apr 2008 11:13:00 EST<![CDATA[VC firms bet on Th!nk]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/vc-firms-bet-on-th-nk/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/vc-firms-bet-on-th-nk/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/vc-firms-bet-on-th-nk/#commentsFiled under: ,



As ABG reported earlier today, Th!nk has announced it will be coming to the U.S. market. More information has come out on Reuters via Th!nk's venture capital partners Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Rockport Capital. Ray Lane, a managing partner at Kleiner and chairman of Th!nk North America, said today "In a couple of years, we hope to be selling 30-40-50,000 cars per year." The report states that Th!nk intends to launch the vehicle in 2009 at a sub-$25,000 price point.

Th!nk's VC partners' high profile participation in the electric car maker's U.S. launch is evidence of the greater attention being paid to battery electric technologies after an initial preference for biofuel development.

[Source: Reuters]

VC firms bet on Th!nk originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric-carThnkventure-capitalMon, 21 Apr 2008 17:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Shell chief sees H2 difficulties]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/shell-chief-sees-h2-difficulties/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/shell-chief-sees-h2-difficulties/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/shell-chief-sees-h2-difficulties/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The outgoing President of Shell's U.S. operation has thrown some cold water on the latest GM and Toyota PR offensive for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Shell's John Hofmeister told a Sacramento, Calif., audience Monday at a conference on low-carbon fuels that widespread use of hydrogen as an automotive fuel remains one to three decades out.

GM's Larry Burns recently called on fuel providers (read oil companies) to make a greater effort to roll out hydrogen fueling stations. Hofmeister sees difficulty convincing service station owners to make the investment required to offer a fuel for which there is no near-term prospect of vehicles. The federal government has provided over $1 billion dollars for hydrogen and fuel cells to little practical effect. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pet Hydrogen Highway project, to which he has devoted millions of taxpayer dollars, "is going to be a long, drawn-out process. These infrastructure issues are going to continue getting in the way."

[Source: Edmunds.com]

Shell chief sees H2 difficulties originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fuel-cellhydrogenlarry-burnsThu, 17 Apr 2008 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[By the barrel or the gallon, gas hits new highs]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/16/by-the-barrel-or-the-gallon-gas-hits-new-highs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/16/by-the-barrel-or-the-gallon-gas-hits-new-highs/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/16/by-the-barrel-or-the-gallon-gas-hits-new-highs/#commentsFiled under: ,

The San Francisco Bay Area always leads in cultural trends, technology, and gas prices. It may be mocked and marginalized as unrepresentative, but eventually the country catches up. As tourists stroll up the Panhandle toward the entrance to Golden Gate Park admiring the quaint Victorians of the past, the future interrupts at the corner of Masonic and Fell Streets. Self-serve unleaded regular has reached $4.18 a gallon.

The New York Times reports today on the confluence of factors causing oil to reach $114 a barrel while the average U.S. price per gallon hit a record $3.39. Diesel now averages $4.12, and the economy is beginning to feel the impact as prices rise to keep pace with increasing transportation expenses. Small disruptions to supply - pipeline problems in the Midwest and Nigeria and bad weather in the Gulf of Mexico - are having oversized impacts on the world market. President Bush's attempt to jawbone oil producers into increasing supplies has been rebuffed. Speaking of its oil reserves, Saudi Arabia's king said recently, "Let them remain in the ground for our children and grandchildren who need them."

[Source: New York Times]

By the barrel or the gallon, gas hits new highs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gas pricesoil-priceoil-supplyWed, 16 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST<![CDATA[GM idles Texas plant]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/gm-idles-texas-plant/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/gm-idles-texas-plant/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/gm-idles-texas-plant/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In a further sign of weakening demand for large, gas-guzzling SUVs, GM has announced it is idling its 54-year-old Arlington, Texas plant for three weeks. This comes only two weeks after a GM spokeswoman said this about Arlington: "We are currently running at full production and foresee continuing to run at full production indefinitely..." Workers at the plant had been producing 900-1000 Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans, GMC Yukons, and Cadillac Escalades a day.

Ten months ago, Autoblog reported large SUVs were holding their own. Now, these models are seeing reduced sales compared with last year as consumers react to the worsening economy and increasing gasoline prices. "Sales of the Escalade fell 25.7 percent in March from year-ago levels, and the others fell more than 30 percent," the Associated Press reports. New orders from dealers have slowed as a result.

[Source: Dallas Morning News and Dallas Business Journal]

GM idles Texas plant originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gasoline-pricessuvsTue, 15 Apr 2008 14:31:00 EST