AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com AutoblogGreen http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif AutoblogGreen http://green.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/18/evs-utah-state-university-quietly-working-on-in-road-wireless-c/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/18/evs-utah-state-university-quietly-working-on-in-road-wireless-c/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/18/evs-utah-state-university-quietly-working-on-in-road-wireless-c/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

utah state university wireless charging

If you had to name one of the biggest game-change moments that the electric vehicle could bring to the world, try this one:

Every prior attempt to electrify the car has assumed the vehicle would be the energy carrier. By comparison, the grid is much more efficient at moving energy from point A to point B, so if you can make dynamic charging safe and affordable, you are truly introducing something new.

That's the vision of Jeff Muhs, director of Strategy and Business Development for Utah State University's Energy Dynamics Laboratory (EDL), whom we spoke with at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles recently. Dynamic charging is another way to say charging while a vehicle is moving by using in-road wireless charging units, something that USU has been working on for a while.

Most people believe that in-motion charging is inevitable.

For now, USU is focusing on stationary wireless charging and will launch an electric bus route later this summer in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah campus. The electric bus will travel along a mile-and-a-half route, stopping at either end for a few minutes to charge up. Using a bus at this stage makes sense as a way to test the technology because it's big, it travels along a fixed route and there is recharge time built into the schedule. An electric bus also helps reduce noise and emissions on campus, which is something the university wanted. USU's wireless charging team is also working on improving the space tolerance (making the charger work even if things are not perfectly aligned), the power levels (systems that are 20-50 kW instead of just 5-10 kW) and efficiencies.

Continue reading EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging

EVS: Utah State University quietly working on in-road wireless charging originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dynamic chargingelectric buselectric vehicleevsevs26in-road chargerjeff muhsusuutah stateutah state universitywirelesswireless chargingFri, 18 May 2012 19:48:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232819/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232819/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/18/evs-utah-state-university-quietly-working-on-in-road-wireless-c/20232819/article-detail.xml 20232819 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/ipt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/ipt.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/evs-after-24-million-ev-miles-ecotality-and-blink-are-ready-fo/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/evs-after-24-million-ev-miles-ecotality-and-blink-are-ready-fo/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/evs-after-24-million-ev-miles-ecotality-and-blink-are-ready-fo/#commentsFiled under: , ,



One can think about conspiracy theories that maybe that's the way they wanted it be.

The Nissan Leaf is the most mainstream electric vehicle in the U.S., and it has a CHAdeMO DC fast-charge option. Ecotality's Blink network offers CHAdeMO chargers. Ecotality is the managing organization behind The EV Project, which recently announced it had collected information on 24 million electric vehicle miles. So, if any group would have an opinion about the potential challenge to CHAdeMO from the SAE combo charger announcement, Ecotality would be that group.

To find out, we spoke with Donald Karner, Ecotality's chief innovation officer, who said what others in the charging business told us during the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26): the cars - and EV buyers - will dictate which standard wins.

"We're in the infrastructure business," Karner said. "We supply infrastructure to fuel advanced vehicles. We've done hydrogen, we do level 2 AC. On the DC side, if and when vehicles come to market that utilize the combo connector in sufficient numbers that justifies us making the investment in installing those connectors and developing chargers that will operate under that protocol, of course we will."

Can we accommodate two different standards? Yeah, we can do that. Is it going to cost more? Absolutely.

As you can see in the picture above, the Blink fast charger is dual port. "We did that a year and a half ago," Karner said. "The guys back here [he indicates a competitor's booth] are now saying, 'oh, what everybody should do is dual port so that you can do CHAdeMo on one side and combo on the other side. Well, that's exactly why we did that. A year and a half ago, we went to the SAE and said, 'look, you guys have a problem. You are two years behind schedule. DC fast chargers are coming, the Nissan Leaf with CHAdeMo is coming. We're sitting here as an EVSP [electric vehicle service provider] and we have to build a charger to service this. There's no U.S. standard. What are you guys going to do?' And the answer from the SAE committee was, 'Not our problem. We don't care. We're going to focus on J1772 AC and that's all we can do at one time.'

Now, there are clearly some competitive issues in there (between the automakers) so here the auto industry has shot itself in the foot again. Can we accommodate two different standards? Yeah, we can do that. Is it going to cost more than having one standard? Absolutely it's going to cost more. Fast charging is already very expensive and the auto companies, because they couldn't get along and are going to squabble, just like they did last time with inductive and conductive, are going to shoot themselves in the foot."

Continue reading EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE

EVS: After 24 million EV miles, Ecotality and Blink are ready for both CHAdeMO and SAE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blinkblnkchademodc fast chargerdon karnerecotalityelectric vehicleevsevs26plug-in hybridsaesae combo chargerThu, 17 May 2012 17:54:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20239902/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20239902/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/17/evs-after-24-million-ev-miles-ecotality-and-blink-are-ready-fo/20239902/article-detail.xml 20239902 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-blink_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-blink.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/16/evs-coulomb-readying-san-francisco-with-100-stations-finds-mu/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/16/evs-coulomb-readying-san-francisco-with-100-stations-finds-mu/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/16/evs-coulomb-readying-san-francisco-with-100-stations-finds-mu/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Coulomb Technologies' big news at EVS26 was a collaboration with Fuji Electric Corporation of America to add Fuji's 25-kW DC Quick Charging Stations into the ChargePoint Network. In fact, the very first such charger on the network was sitting there in the booth, and actual deployment in the U.S. is scheduled for later this year. Coulomb is already neck-deep in actual deployments of electric vehicle charging stations: more that 6,300 non-residential stations are online now and Coulomb says that about half of all EV drivers in the U.S. have a ChargePoint card. To get the latest, we spoke with Coulomb's Michael Jones about the Multicharge SF program and - yes - the SAE combo charger announcement.

It's like the museum tour of electricity. It's really kind of scary.

First, about Multicharge SF, which is a partnership with the City of San Francisco, Coulomb and PG&E and is funded by the California Energy Commission. The goal, perhaps unsurprisingly for San Francisco, where upwards of 60 percent of people live in multi-family units, is to find a way for apartment dwellers to recharge their EVs. Jones said the city government took the lead and identified places where chargers would be most useful, then reached out to the property owners to get them interested. In the end, about 70 different properties applied to be a part of the $900,000 program - and around 45-50 of them will be selected to actually get some of the total of about 100 chargers. "[The locations] represent all the different demographics: large properties and small properties, condos, co-ops, TICs [tenant in common, which means one mortgage for multiple units] and rental communities," Jones said. The variety extends to different income brackets as well as new and old properties. "One of the things we ran into early on is that there are some incredibly old power systems in San Francisco. Glass tubes in the fuse boxes. It's like the museum tour of electricity. It's really kind of scary."

The only way to get this many different groups involved was to start with a diverse set of partners. "It has to be a multi-stakeholder proposition to really work in the region," he said. "If I didn't have the city out with its resources, legal and building codes and everything else, it would be impossible for me to organize all those things. It really becomes a great template that other cities and public-private partnerships can use."

For example, Jones said, there's a rule in San Francisco that says that if you charge money for a parking space, you need to register as a parking operator. So, how does that apply to EVs? Does every building owner who installs a charger then need to go get a parking license? The city attorney is currently researching the answer to this question, he said, adding that the mayor standing by to quickly go to bat and get the rules changed if it is determined that the answer is "yes."

With its Chargepoint Network, Coulomb doesn't really care what connector people are using to get their cars on the grid. As long as the communication systems are there, Chargepoint can work with whatever kind of charging station is out there. But he did have a few things to say about the SAE combo charger. Specifically, that it doesn't encourage fast infrastructure deployment.

"Having that Level 2 standard [J1772] gives certainty to drivers," Jones said. "With fast charging, because you still have competing standards, I think that makes it a pilot proposition for a lot of communities as far as really getting behind a specific charger type. I think until the market coalesces around a technology, you're still just going to see a lot of uncertainty about what to deploy on any large scale."

As Coulomb works to solve some of the infrastructure problems, others arise. The trick is to not have partners hesitate too much, and so get as many chargers into use as makes sense.

Continue reading EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity"

EVS: Coulomb readying San Francisco with 100 stations, finds "museum tour of electricity" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chargepointcoulombcoulomb technologieselectric vehicleevsevs26plug-in hybridWed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232356/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20232356/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/16/evs-coulomb-readying-san-francisco-with-100-stations-finds-mu/20232356/article-detail.xml 20232356 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-chargepoint_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-chargepoint.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Aerovironment's been around long enough to not pick sides in SAE/CHAdeMO debate]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/evs-aerovironments-been-around-long-enough-to-not-pick-sides-i/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/evs-aerovironments-been-around-long-enough-to-not-pick-sides-i/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/evs-aerovironments-been-around-long-enough-to-not-pick-sides-i/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

General Motors EV1 at Aeronironment

There's a good reason that Aerovironment proudly displayed the 20-year-old EV1 in its booth at the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26): it's not a newcomer.

Aerovironment's Wahid Nawabi, the senior vice president and general manager of efficient energy systems, told AutoblogGreen the car illustrates that the company has decades of experience with plug-in vehicles.

"The cornerstone of our message in this booth is the EV1, which is a vehicle that is considered by the industry as the mother of the modern electric vehicle," he said. "We were the co-developer of that product back in the [19]89-90 time frame. We have this vehicle here to demonstrate that we understand EVs, we're involved in this and we have a deep history."

That history means Aerovironment has a variety of offerings for companies looking for a charging station supplier, he said. "We are probably the best company that has an entire, end-to-end offering, a one-stop-shop in terms of charging. So, whether you need software capabilities, network subscriptions, chargers of all types or pretty much anything else, we offer all those categories," Nawabi said.

Which means AV has a stake in the most interesting charging story at EVS26, the new SAE combo charger for DC fast charging. This plug was announced in Los Angeles but has been in the works for a while, and Nawabi said Aerovironment was involved in the standards discussion over Level One and Two chargers and has been involved with the Combo charger from day one. "We were involved in the charging standards for years," he said. "In fact, we were one of the first proponents of coming up with some sort of standard." The official news of the combo charger was great, he said. "We are very excited there is a standard," he said. "It is not a standard there are a lot of cars for, so it is something very new. Today's demand in the market is for the CHAdeMO charger, which we offer. If the market were to change, we intend to support it. We are standard agnostic."

There has been a lot of discussion about the combo charger, but it's a fight that Nawabi said is not really that important - right now. He said:

People are making a big deal about a standard that there is not a lot of market for, yet. I believe that one uniform standard that everyone can agree to is very positive for the industry. Whether that ends up being CHAdeMO or combo or something different, to me it's semantics. Today, the standard that makes the most sense for the consumer is CHAdeMO because that's out there and that's what the cars are shipping with. So, should that be the one? I think that makes a lot of sense. You can argue that one is better, I'm sure. But it's what's better for you, an apple or an orange? If you're hungry, you need food.

Since the cars on the ground from Nissan and Mitsubishi accept CHAdeMO, AeroVironment has a number of CHAdeMO chargers installed in places like Texas, Oregon and Hawaii. Nawabi said EV drivers today are happy because these stations support the cars that they bought. "The consumer is just looking for something that works and allows them to charge fast, at the end of the day," he said.

EVS: Aerovironment's been around long enough to not pick sides in SAE/CHAdeMO debate originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerovironmentaerovironment chargerchademocharging stationdc fast chargerelectric vehicleev1level 3plug-in hybridsae combo chargerwahid nawabiTue, 15 May 2012 09:57:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20237838/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20237838/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/15/evs-aerovironments-been-around-long-enough-to-not-pick-sides-i/20237838/article-detail.xml 20237838 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-aerovironment_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-booth-aerovironment.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Why Toyota set sales numbers for RAV4 EV at just 2,600]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/evs-why-toyota-set-sales-numbers-for-rav4-ev-at-just-2-600/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/evs-why-toyota-set-sales-numbers-for-rav4-ev-at-just-2-600/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/14/evs-why-toyota-set-sales-numbers-for-rav4-ev-at-just-2-600/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

toyota rav4 ev

Last week, Toyota unveiled the all-new RAV4 EV and announced two important numbers: a $49,800 MSRP and a sales target of just 2,600 over the next three years. There's more to the story, though, as told to us by Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. The short version is that Toyota has taken the Prius lesson incredibly seriously.

We are the first to market with an SUV and we think that counts for quite a bit.

To wit: in creating the new Prius family, Toyota listened to the Prius rejectors about why they were not going to buy a Prius. They wanted more room (now see the Prius V) or a lower price (Prius C). Carter said that the strategy worked, and that 79 percent of Prius C buyers and 67 percent of Prius V buyers are new to hybrid technology. The Prius Plug-In went through the same process, going on the road for over two years before launch. The hybrid represents Toyota's "small battery approach to electrification" and has sold surprisingly well thus far. With the RAV4 EV, Carter said, "We've created a compelling product," with "full Toyota quality," he said. Even though the RAV4 EV went from concept to production in less than two years. A typical vehicle takes almost four years. "There was no template for this project. There were no guidelines. Just a challenge to bring to market a premium EV. Toyota and Tesla engineers both rose to that challenge," he said.

Continue reading EVS: Why Toyota set sales numbers for RAV4 EV at just 2,600

EVS: Why Toyota set sales numbers for RAV4 EV at just 2,600 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 May 2012 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob cartercindy knightcompliance carelectric vehicleevsevs26rav4rav4 evtoyotatoyota rav4toyota rav4 evzevzev mandateMon, 14 May 2012 11:54:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20237352/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20237352/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/14/evs-why-toyota-set-sales-numbers-for-rav4-ev-at-just-2-600/20237352/article-detail.xml 20237352 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-toyota-rav4-ev-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-toyota-rav4-ev-628.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/12/evs-ample-eo-electric-vehicle-claims-worlds-first-e-quadricyc/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/12/evs-ample-eo-electric-vehicle-claims-worlds-first-e-quadricyc/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/12/evs-ample-eo-electric-vehicle-claims-worlds-first-e-quadricyc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

ample ev

Called the "world's first e-quadricycle," a small EV from Ample International was on display at the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles this week. Named the Eo, the one-seat (or two- or three-seat) vehicle has a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour) and has a range of 200 km (124 miles), according to a representative at the booth. Ample's Shida Zheng told the Neon Tommy website, that, "It is a four-wheeled motorcycle, completely powered by electricity."

The design is certainly interesting. There are no side mirrors, as the Eo relies instead on backward-facing cameras that pump a live feed into a screen on the left side of the wraparound dashboard. The interior is unlike any other vehicle we've seen, with a driver's seat up front and a flexible space in back that has two seats that can fold down from the sides of the vehicle, sort of like on trains. Since they're directly across from each other, we imagine knees will be touching.

EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 12 May 2012 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ampleample evample internationalelectric vehicleevsevs 26evs26quadricycleSat, 12 May 2012 08:14:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20233342/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20233342/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/12/evs-ample-eo-electric-vehicle-claims-worlds-first-e-quadricyc/20233342/article-detail.xml 20233342 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs-26-ample-ev-14-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs-26-ample-ev-14-628.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: Bat'Lib, new battery swapping system for scooters, coming from Matra, DBT]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/evs-bat-lib-new-battery-swapping-system-for-scooters-coming-f/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/evs-bat-lib-new-battery-swapping-system-for-scooters-coming-f/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/evs-bat-lib-new-battery-swapping-system-for-scooters-coming-f/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

batlib electric scooter

The easiest battery-swapping station we've laid eyes on was unveiled at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles this week, but it's not for cars.

The Bat'Lib system, developed by DBT and Matra, is a cabinet (on rolling wheels, for some reason) that holds and charges nine batteries - you can see there are ten slots, but one is always kept open to receive discharged packs, so you have to return a pack to get a new one. These packs, roughly the size of a loaf of bread and weighing 16 pounds, can be exchanged for a depleted pack in seconds, providing easy "endless" range in the electric scooters that are designed to use them. In the e-scooter on display in LA (a Matra e-MO XP, we think), the battery slipped into the seat column, and it certainly did look ridiculously easy to exchange one pack for another.

The removeable batteries, built by Chicago-based AllCell Technologies, hold 1.125 kWh of energy and can be recharged up to 1,800 times. The swapping station can use either 110- or 220-volt electric outlets and uses a contactless card reader to accept payment and open and lock the charge bay doors. According to press materials distributed at EVS26, the Bat'lib system could come to scooters in Europe (Matra brand) and Asia (E-Ton and Tajima) later in 2012, but Matra MS president said in a statment that, "The Light Electric Vehicle Market today is leading the global EV market. Two wheelers will continue to play a major role in solving city congestion in US and European markets for years to come," so we'll be on the lookout for these all over the place.

Continue reading EVS: Bat'Lib, new battery swapping system for scooters, coming from Matra, DBT

EVS: Bat'Lib, new battery swapping system for scooters, coming from Matra, DBT originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 11 May 2012 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allcellbatlibdbte-tonevsevs26matratajimaFri, 11 May 2012 15:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20236485/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20236485/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/11/evs-bat-lib-new-battery-swapping-system-for-scooters-coming-f/20236485/article-detail.xml 20236485 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/batlib-electric-scooter-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/batlib-electric-scooter-628.jpg <![CDATA[EVS: EDTA president Brian Wynne responds to right-wing attacks, says EV progress is "truly astounding"]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-edta-president-brian-wynne-responds-to-right-wing-attacks/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-edta-president-brian-wynne-responds-to-right-wing-attacks/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-edta-president-brian-wynne-responds-to-right-wing-attacks/#commentsFiled under: , ,

evs26 logoBrian Wynne recently wrote an article for Politico with the clear title: "Stop bashing electric cars." Wynne, the president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), helmed the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles this week and sat down with AutoblogGreen to talk about why he had to defend his industry. The short version? Someone had to step up. As Wynne said:

I think what's taken me a little bit by surprise has been the extent to which the commentary has been based on completely false premises or bad information. I would go so far as to say that some of the commentary have been designed to spread bad information, which I would call not uncommon in political circles today. But certainly I would call it misguided, given that this community is growing in support around the country and questions are still begged as to how we address the challenges that are out there.

In Washington, we used to say you're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts and people are starting to stretch that now, and I think that's wrong. Somebody had to stand up and say, 'Knock it off. Stop making stuff up.' If you want to argue over whether or not this is happening fast enough, let me know when, let me know where. If you want to argue over whether or not the taxpayer is getting a return on their investment, let me know when, let me know where. We should be extremely careful about how we spend the public purse, but that's a debate that reasonable men can have, as we would say, and then can disagree.

One the article was published (you can read it here), it energized a lot of people, Wynne said, and he learned that the EV community is ready to engage the debate. Given the state of discussion around plug-ins in the U.S. today, "Obviously, we've got more work to do," on educating the public about EVs, but some hurdles are unfairly high, Wynne said:

Could we have avoided the misinformation that was put out? I don't think so. I think people who are politically motivated are going to use what they can use at this stage of the game. We've gone from 'be scared' in the political commentary to 'be pissed off' and then pointing at something that you can be pissed off about. People are already pissed off, and they're going to glom onto whatever they glom onto. I can't do anything about that. Let's face it, there are a lot of people who are disgruntled, that want to pick on something, but if you're going to point at something, at least be accurate about what you're pointing at. Let's be fair and balanced, I think that would be what we used to expect from reporters, although most of this commentary that is regrettable is coming from people you would not consider fair and balanced.

Continue reading EVS: EDTA president Brian Wynne responds to right-wing attacks, says EV progress is "truly astounding"

EVS: EDTA president Brian Wynne responds to right-wing attacks, says EV progress is "truly astounding" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 10 May 2012 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian wynneedtaelectric drive transportation associationelectric vehicleevsevs26plug-in hybridThu, 10 May 2012 19:58:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20235843/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20235843/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/10/evs-edta-president-brian-wynne-responds-to-right-wing-attacks/20235843/article-detail.xml 20235843 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-logo_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/evs26-logo.png <![CDATA[EVS: How Enron's 2001 mess leads to more plug-in vehicle chargers from NRG Energy today]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-how-enrons-errors-led-to-more-plug-in-vehicle-chargers-fro/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-how-enrons-errors-led-to-more-plug-in-vehicle-chargers-fro/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/evs-how-enrons-errors-led-to-more-plug-in-vehicle-chargers-fro/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

eVgo charger installed in Dallas, TX

Turns out, the Enron scandal will end up benefiting electric cars.

At EVS26 in Los Angeles this week, we caught up with Arun Banskota, the president of electric vehicle services for NRG Energy, and he filled us in on some of the plug-in vehicle projects that NRG is working on. Last fall, NRG launched the first commercial-scale V2G project in Delaware and has also been installing "Freedom Stations" - EV charge stations that have a DC fast charger and a Level 2 charger - in Texas. The stated plan was to have 120 installed there by the end of 2012. Banskota said that plan is still in effect, but will take longer than originally predicted.

NRG launched the Freedom Station plans in Houston in November, 2010 and Dallas in April, 2011. Currently, there are 11 Freedom stations in operation Houston in front of places like Walgreens, HEB grocery stores, Whole Foods and Cracker Barrels and five are in operation in Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Several more are about to be installed in both areas. NRG has committed to installing 50 of these stations in Houston, 70 in DFW. To put this into context, the first UL-certified DC fast charger became availalbe in the U.S. in September, 2011, so we're still in the early stages of the game.

"First, we had a very expidited schedule, but now, as we talk with our consumers, I think once we get a core - probably around 25 in Houston and maybe 30-35 in Dallas-Fort Worth - we're going to be much more strategic in terms of where, exactly, we place them as EV adoption grows," Banskota told AutoblogGreen. "Our target is to have at least 25 in Houston by the end of this year and probably around the same number in Dallas-Fort Worth by the end of this year and I'm guessing we get to 50 by the end of 2013 in Houston and 70 in Dallas-Fort Worth by the middle of 2014." Banskota added that, "Not very loudly, but we've also committed to the Washington and Baltimore market and California will be next for us" (that's the Enron tie, as described below).

How much do these Freedom Stations get used? Some are visited by electron-hungry vehicles six or seven times a day, some just once every other day. NRG recognizes that most charging takes place at home, but that the public chargers have an effect even when they're not being used. "Seeing them gives [EV drivers] a certain comfort level, that they can drive their EVs even when they may not need to get a charge," Banskota said.

Continue reading EVS: How Enron's 2001 mess leads to more plug-in vehicle chargers from NRG Energy today

EVS: How Enron's 2001 mess leads to more plug-in vehicle chargers from NRG Energy today originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 10 May 2012 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium is taking place in Los Angeles, CA this week and the biggest news items are the details on the new Toyota RAV4 EV and the SAE-approved DC fast charging combo plug. But there is much more here on the show floor, and things got off to a good start during the opening session hosted by EDTA president Brian Wynne.

Wynne claimed EVS26 is the largest EVS ever held in North America. That's not all that surprising, since it's been many years since the last time an EVS was held on this continent (EVS23 in Anaheim in 2007). Since then, EVS has traveled to Norway and China, and moves on to Barcelona, Spain next year and Seoul, Korea after that. As that Wynne made clear, electric vehicles are a global movement. Nissan has sold more than 28,000 Leafs worldwide (including 1,000 in Norway, where EVS24 was held). Other signs Wynne mentioned that EVs are making inroads into the public consciousness are China's ambitious plan to sell five million EVs by 2020, the Ford Focus Electric acting as pace car for NASCAR and BMW's huge fleet of plug-ins at the Olympics in London this summer.

EVS organizers then gave an E-Visionary award to the city of Los Angeles and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (pictured). The mayor said he was glad to receive the award, but quickly added that Angelinos still need to be encouraged to do more. "If we're the car capitol of the United States, we should be the electric vehicle capitol of the United States," he said. To that end, he talked about how BYD and Coda Automotive are located in the city, then announced that Boulder Electric Vehicle will establish a west coast manufacturing facility in a state enterprise zone in the city. From there, the company will be able to make up to 1,000 clean trucks a year, with an eye to exporting vehicles to Asia.

Then there was a wide-ranging panel on the state of the electric vehicle industry called "Electrified Transportation: A Path to Economic Prosperity and Energy Security." This was moderated by Chris Woodyard of USA Today and featured Ted Craver, the chairman, president & CEO of Edison International, Daryl Dulaney, president & CEO of Siemens Industry, Tony Posawatz, the vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt, and JB Straubel, the CTO of Tesla Motors. You can listen to or download the whole thing down below.

Continue reading EVS: Why LA is the right place for this year's biggest electric vehicle conference

EVS: Why LA is the right place for this year's biggest electric vehicle conference originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 May 2012 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you couldn't make it to Los Angeles for the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium this week, you can still listen in live some EV experts discuss the next stage of the modern EV era, the one when the "emerging mainstream" begins to investigate plug-in cars. Specifically, according to the promotional material for the panel, which takes place today, May 9, at 10:30 a.m. PST:

What will it take to drive widespread adoption of electric vehicles? How do EV manufacturers in North America, Europe, and Asia plan to win the hearts and minds of buyers? Hear from leading industry and consumer experts on their strategies to build consumer interest and market share for electric vehicles entering the market in the coming months and years. Find out how the industry plans to engage consumers through a new proactive public education campaign beginning with this event.

The panel includes some Hollywood/entertainment types as well as Bob Lutz and Andy Palmer of Nissan.

If you'd like to view the panel, you will need to give the organizers your email contact information. You can do so here. You can also submit questions through Twitter to be answered (if you're lucky) by the panel, using the #EVS26 hashtag (speaking of Twitter, you can follow AutoblogGreen there, too).

EVS: Watch live as Bob Lutz, Nissan's Andy Palmer discuss consumer adoption originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 May 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy palmerbob lutzconsumer adoptionevsevs23paneltwitterwebstreamWed, 09 May 2012 10:01:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20234365/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20234365/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/09/evs-watch-live-as-bob-lutz-nissans-andy-palmer-discuss-consum/20234365/article-detail.xml 20234365 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/consumer-adoption-panel_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/consumer-adoption-panel.png <![CDATA[Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/07/toyota-rav4-ev-priced-at-49-800/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Toyota RAV4 EV

Announced almost two years ago, Toyota finally gave us some more details about the was the all-electric RAV4 EV will be sold to the general public during the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles today. The important number? The MSRP for what Toyota calls a "fully-equipped" RAV4 EV is $49,800 and will be available before the end of the year.

Toyota says the RAV4 EV's range is 100 miles and that the car will charge from empty in approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The new RAV4 EV has LED and halogen headlights and it has special "environmental blue" color emblems on the outside. The vehicle will be made at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc., plant in Woodstock, Ontario. The first generation of the new RAV4 EV was unveiled back at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. Our First Drive report is here.

With a battery and powertrain designed by Tesla, the new RAV4 EV certainly appears to be one of the new breed of compliance EVs. We had heard that the RAV4 EV will be lease only, but the official press release says the car "will go on sale in late summer 2012 through select dealers, initially in four major California metropolitan markets." Those markets are Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego and the news matches the rumor we heard last year, that sales about be limited to California. In all, Toyota hopes to sell just 2,600 units in the next three years. Nissan Leaf, you've got nothing to worry about.

Continue reading Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800

Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 07 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen are among the eight U.S. and German automakers that will demonstrate a single-port fast-charging system for electric vehicles at the Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 (EV26) in Los Angeles starting next week.

Audi, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and Porsche will also show off the so-called DC-fast system, which will be able to recharge most battery-electric vehicles in as little as 15 minutes.

With a combination AC and DC charging capabilities, the DC-fast system is supposed to start sales by the end of the year and will enable U.S. and German plug-ins to be able to be recharged at most public charging stations while also accommodating high-powered fast-charging stations. The International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has officially tapped the system as the standard for fast-charging.

Electric-vehicle proponents consider the establishment of a fast-charging standard to be an important key to plug-in vehicle adoption because the availability of publicly accessible fast chargers that can recharge a vehicle in minutes instead of hours makes range anxiety a moot point. Pike Research said last year that annual revenue generated by makers of electric-vehicle charging equipment will increase more than tenfold between 2011 and 2017 to about $4.3 billion.

Still, the fast-charging issue is far from settled because a separate fast-charging standard - CHAdeMO - has been proposed by the Japanese automotive industry. Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries are all partners in the CHAdeMO Association.

Continue reading U.S., German automakers will demo fast-charging system at EVS26

U.S., German automakers will demo fast-charging system at EVS26 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 May 2012 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audibmwchademocharging stationschryslerdaimlerdc-fastelectric vehiclefordgmporschevolkswagenFri, 04 May 2012 09:59:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20230451/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20230451/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/04/u-s-german-automakers-will-demo-fast-charging-system-at-evs26/20230451/article-detail.xml 20230451 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/dccombined_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/dccombined.jpg <![CDATA['All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

toyota rav4 ev electric badge

There could not be a more bland teaser for the upcoming all-electric "all new" Toyota RAV4 EV than the one Toyota just released: silver sheetmetal with a badge that simply reads "Electric." To see the rest of the vehicle, we will have to wait until the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS) gets started in Los Angeles next week. Luckily, we will be in LA with a camera or two and will bring you the full details from the show Monday, May 7. For now, all we know is what we've learned about the prototype that Toyota and Tesla have been showing for a while. For example, it will likely only be sold in California. Read our Quick Spin here.

Speaking of EVS, what's kind of surprising is that this year is the 26th edition of the show. Yes, even as we're just seeing the dawn of the modern EV era, some groups have been working on these vehicles for decades. It's a long road to get off of gasoline.

Continue reading 'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week

'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 toyota rav4 ev2014 toyota rav4 evelectric vehicle symposiumevsevs 26evs26international electric vehicle symposiumrav4rav4 evtoyotatoyota electric vehicletoyota rav4 evMon, 30 Apr 2012 13:49:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20227385/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/20227385/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/30/new-toyota-rav4-ev-coming-to-evs26-next-week/20227385/article-detail.xml 20227385 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/rav4-ev-electric-badge-teaser-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/rav4-ev-electric-badge-teaser-628.jpg <![CDATA[EVS23: A few late thoughts and an interview with Brian Wynne]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/evs23-a-few-late-thoughts-and-an-interview-with-brian-wynne/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/evs23-a-few-late-thoughts-and-an-interview-with-brian-wynne/http://green.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/evs23-a-few-late-thoughts-and-an-interview-with-brian-wynne/#commentsFiled under: , ,



As I was cleaning out my digital files and getting ready for the Detroit Auto Show that starts for us media folks this weekend, I noticed I have a few EVS23 items left to process and post. I'll try to the them all up before NAIAS overwhelms us, but the one I have for you now is an interview I did with EDTA head Brian Wynne just as the show was ending. Wynne was quite pleased with the giant electric drive conference and expo, something you can hear for yourself here (9 min, 6MB). We were interrupted briefly during out talk, and you'll notice where it is on the recording by the way it jumps at one point.

You can also get an idea of what Wynne thought about the symposium by what he said in an email following the end of the event:

The success associated with EVS-23 was also unprecedented. More than 1,500 electric drive experts from around the world came together to share the latest information regarding technology and market developments. An additional 700 visitors joined us for public day to view 125 exhibits on the show floor and hear from local mayors, as well as from a forum of leading authors on energy policy.

With more than 37 countries represented, EVS-23 was truly global in its scope. Media coverage was extensive, with more than 90 accredited media working the show. If you were not able to attend, but would like to get a sense of the high-voltage energy that was in the air, please check out our wrap-up video, which was shot at the event.

All in all, let's just say that everyone's looking forward to EVS24, which will be in Norway in 2009.

Note: The picture above shows a plastic cup that was part of the breakfast tablesettings. I thought it was a nice touch.

EVS23: A few late thoughts and an interview with Brian Wynne originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-wynneedtaelectric-driveelectric-vehicleevsevs23wynneWed, 09 Jan 2008 19:16:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1068925/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1068925/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2008/01/09/evs23-a-few-late-thoughts-and-an-interview-with-brian-wynne/1068925/article-detail.xml 1068925 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/img_0736_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/img_0736.jpg <![CDATA[AutoblogGreen Podcast #16 - Pimp My Ride's Beau Boeckmann]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/24/autoblog-green-podcast-16/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/24/autoblog-green-podcast-16/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/24/autoblog-green-podcast-16/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

We're back for AutoblogGreen Podcast #16. In this installment, Sebastian updates us on some of the really amazing things he saw while at EVS23 in Anaheim. Speaking of really cool stuff, our interview this time is with Beau Boeckmann of Galpin Autosports. Sebastian and Beau talk in depth about the crazyawesomelywild hybrid F450 that was done up for Pimp My Ride, while Sam got to see the Chevy Volt showing a little leg on a recent tour of the E-Flex design studio. We take some time to discuss the Volt and E-Flex in depth, touching on some of the discoveries that have been made as the platform gets developed, as well as how far along the E-Flex is, which is surprising. We're looking ahead to NAIAS in Detroit in a few weeks, for now, enjoy this installment, clocking in at 43 minutes.

UPDATE: Read the transcript and view a picture of Beau's truck here.

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AutoblogGreen Podcast #16 - Pimp My Ride's Beau Boeckmann originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblogautoblog green podcastAutoblogGreenPodcastautosportschevroletchevyeflexevsevs23f450galpingmgreenpimp my ridePimpMyRidepodcastvoltMon, 24 Dec 2007 10:46:00 ESTAutoblog Green Podcast #16Dan Roth43:16 http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1069437/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1069437/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2007/12/24/autoblog-green-podcast-16/1069437/article-detail.xml 1069437 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/new-abg--podcast_logo_200_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/new-abg--podcast_logo_200.jpg <![CDATA[EVS23: Testing out the Chevy Malibu hybrid (video)]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-testing-out-the-chevy-malibu-hybrid-video/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-testing-out-the-chevy-malibu-hybrid-video/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-testing-out-the-chevy-malibu-hybrid-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Driving the soon-to-be-released Chevy Malibu around the Anaheim Convention Center wasn't earth-shattering. Then again, I don't think that earth-shattering is what GM has in mind with this mild hybrid. For one thing, this car won't be all that widely available when it goes on sale for around $22,000 in mid-January. For another, aside from some green badging and an "eco" light on the dashboard, there's not much that will tell you this Malibu is any greener than any other on the road today. If you're looking to an energy info screen a la the Prius or the new plug-in Ford Escape hybrid (which is sweet), you're out of luck.

What the Malibu hybrid does offer is a reasonable green alternative. It's a full-size sedan and the "eco" light (according to the GM representative who I rode along with on the test drive - sorry I forgot her name) does affect how people drive; they try to drive so the light goes on. This isn't all that hard when you're slowing down. The belt-alternator-starter mild hybrid system and nickel metal hydride battery add around $1,800 to the price of the car while offering a slight increase in MPG. As we've said before, the standard version gets 22/30 city/highway mpg while the hybrid does a bit better at 24/32. Is it worth it? If you were inclined to purchase a Malibu in the first place, my vote is "yes," but this isn't a must have by any means.

Gallery: EVS23: GM's Malibu and Tahoe hybrids


Gallery: 2008 Chevy Malibu Hybrid


Related:

EVS23: Testing out the Chevy Malibu hybrid (video) originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The all-electric Shelby Cobra 427 we were just introduced to by Michael Kadie was not the only ridiculously awesome EV available for pictures at the EVS23 showroom floor. At the end of the video about the Cobra, we moved over to a bright red electric Mustang. Here, now, is that video, with Edward Riggs Monfort describing what has been changed in the Mustang Ronaele 300e. Kadie worked on the 300e, too, but the car is really more of Monfort's thing. And you can see the enthusiasm on his face as he tells AutoblogGreen about the ride (even though it was probably the 100th time he ran through the details during the symposium).

Ronale has been selling tuned gasoline Mustangs for the past two years and Monfort said the electric version will be ready for customers within the next few months. The 300e is the precursor to the 600e, a more powerful all-electric Mustang that will have more than 2,000 ft. lbs of torque. All that power will give the 600e the power to pull two horizontal Gs, Kadie says. The 300e's top speed is going to be around 150 mph, but the ratios can be changed to bump it to over 200. A full charge in the 300e will give you 100 miles (a dual battery pack will, unsurprisingly, double that). Solid.

So, how do you get one of these? Bring your own car and pay $80,000 for the EV conversion and the Ronaele styling package. The nice thing, Monfort says (and he's right) is that you'll be in a timeless machine. In 20 years, the style will still look good on the street, he said. We didn't talk about the shape the batteries will be in in two decades, but by then you will probably be able to pop on down to the corner store for a new pack, no? We can hope.

Gallery: EVS23: All Electric Mustang 300e Ronaele


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EVS23: Droolworthy all-electric Mustang Ronaele 300 can be yours in early 2008 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Edward-Riggs-Monfortelectric-mustangevs23mustang-300emustang-600emustang-evronaeleronaele-mustangWed, 19 Dec 2007 17:56:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1066874/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1066874/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2007/12/19/evs23-droolworthy-all-electric-mustang-ronaele-300-can-be-yours/1066874/article-detail.xml 1066874 <![CDATA[EVS23: The baddest Shelby Cobra 427 around is all-electric (video)]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-the-baddest-shelby-cobra-427-around-is-all-electric-vide/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-the-baddest-shelby-cobra-427-around-is-all-electric-vide/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-the-baddest-shelby-cobra-427-around-is-all-electric-vide/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



For me, one of the true highlights of the EVS23 showroom floor was a booth that featured two cars that never make the pages of AutoblogGreen: a new Mustang and a classic Shelby Cobra 427. But they're fair game when the engines have been taken out and replaced with batteries and electric motors. I made sure to bring you pictures of these cars as soon as I spotted them, but wanted to share the video footage of these cars as well. I first interviewed MIchael Kadie (you might remember him from the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo where he was displaying "2.S.S.I.C.," his all-electric Dodge Daytona and personal favorite. At EVS23, he told us that the electric Cobra runs a close second.

So, what's inside the Shelby? Click play for the info direct from Michael, but the short answer is a 300 kWh electric drive train, similar to Kadie's Daytona. The batteries are 13.8 kWh K2 Energy's lithium ion phosphate batteries, split 50/50 in the front and rear of the vehicle, set up to give the car 300 kW of short-term power (or maybe a little more).
Combine this power with the lightweight, all carbon fiber body, and you've got one hella fast car.

Kadie says that he can guarantee ten converted Shelby 427s for sale next year. While these are expensive - between $125,000 and $130,000 - seven were already spoken for when we talked at the beginning of December. The first one will be ready by Earth Day, the last by Christmas 2008. The cars will have a 110-mile range, which, luckily, is the same as the gas-only range of the original 427.

For more, watch the video. Oh, and the Mustang that we turn to at the end? That video is coming very soon...

Gallery: EVS23: All Electric Shelby Cobra 427


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EVS23: The baddest Shelby Cobra 427 around is all-electric (video) originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.S.S.I.C.cobra-shelby-427electric-cobraelectric-shelbymichael-kadieWed, 19 Dec 2007 15:39:00 EST http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1066800/article-comments.xml http://green.autoblog.com/feed/1066800/article-comments.html http://green.autoblog.com/feed/2007/12/19/evs23-the-baddest-shelby-cobra-427-around-is-all-electric-vide/1066800/article-detail.xml 1066800 <![CDATA[EVS23: We go for a ride in the plug-in Prius prototype (video)]]>http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-we-go-for-a-ride-in-the-plug-in-prius-prototype-video/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-we-go-for-a-ride-in-the-plug-in-prius-prototype-video/http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/evs23-we-go-for-a-ride-in-the-plug-in-prius-prototype-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



There are very official few plug-in Priuses currently cruising the world's streets. One of them was part of the Ride and Drive at EVS23, and there is no way we could pass up the chance to drive one. The trouble was, by the time it was our turn, the extra NiMH battery pack that provides up to seven miles of all-electric driving was plumb tuckered out and the car was operating in standard hybrid mode. So, driving this prototype around the block felt just like driving a normal Prius. Hopefully we'll soon get to test out a fully-charged PHEV Prius, but at least the car's shiny prism/rainbow exterior made us feel special at EVS23.

We also cornered Jaycie Chitwood, Toyota's senior strategic planner, advanced technologies group, after a long day on the EVS23 showroom floor and got the scoop on what Toyota is hoping to learn from the three PHEV Prius test sites (Japan, France and campuses of the University of California system). Chitwood says that UC Berkeley will focus on getting these vehicles into customer's hands while UC Irvine will be focusing on the environmental benefits that a plug-in system brings to reducing emissions. Japan and France, with their reliance on nuclear power for electricity, certainly have a different public mood for plug-in vehicles than what exists in the U.S., she says. Go ahead and hit play to find out more.

You can also learn more about what's inside the plug-in Priuses here.

Gallery: EVS23: PHEV Prius prototype

EVS23: We go for a ride in the plug-in Prius prototype (video) originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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