Auto Industry
U.S. Army’s New Diesel-Electric Hybrid Takes the Stage in Detroit
[social_buttons] The U.S. Army proudly showed off its new Clandestine Electric Reconnaissance Vehicle (CERV) at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last week, and let’s just say that on looks this diesel-electric hybrid can’t compete with eye candy like Toyota’s new FT-CH Prius concept. But, at least it gets you where you want to go – with a 25% reduction in fuel consumption. As the owner of the world’s largest fleet of vehicles, the U.S. Army is on an all-out drive to adopt sustainable new fuels and hybrid technologies to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The CERV is just one part of a U.S. military research and development program that includes energy storage, power and thermal management, robotics, and survivability as well as vehicl...
Baby Prius to Debut Next Week in Detroit
At next weeks Detroit show Toyota will debut a baby Prius, a tiny version of the Prius hybrid that comprises 75% of Toyota's hybrid sales.
Electric Vehicles International Brings Electric Delivery Vans to California
[social_buttons] Electric Vehicles International is returning to its home in California from Mexico and later this month will have a state tour to celebrate; from their new home in Stockton to the state capitol, Sacramento. Along the way, they are offering test drives for any interested Californians. So if you’ve ever wanted to test-drive a 13 ton full electric delivery truck that goes 60 miles an hour on the freeway; now is the time.
Portland Lands Major Upgrade to Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
For a city with so many amazing trees, Portland is getting ready to add a bunch of new LEAFs to our streets. [social_buttons] No, that’s not a typo. I’m talking about the LEAF, Nissan’s just-unveiled electric vehicle, which is set to hit dealerships in the fall of 2010. In our quest to be the nation’s leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, usage and development, the Portland region took a big step forward today with the announcement that Nissan and eTec selected Oregon as one of five test markets for the largest deployment of EV’s and the associated charging station network in American history.
Electric Cars for the Middle Class
It appears that companies are realizing that zero emission electric vehicles should not just be for the “rich”. In May, Nissan announced that it would begin electric cars in the U.S. to be available in 2010. This week, they announced they would mass produce a zero-emissions electric car by 2012 that would be affordable. However, during a Nissan shareholder’s call Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn refused to speculate on the sticker price. According to an Associated Press article, Ghosn said, “If it’s not affordable, it’s not gonna work. We are not going to come with a very high price. We are gonna come with a reasonable price,” he said. “We are here to mass market them.” What I want to know is what the company will consider affordable now th...
ExxonMobil Takes Auto Industry by Storm With Launch of Fully Electric Maya 300
Today, the oil industry has become a player in the auto industry. ExxonMobil is launching the Maya 300, a lithium-ion battery powered car that can drive up to 120 miles on one charge yet has the look and feel of a gasoline-powered car. [social_buttons] This announcement comes on the heels of a whirlwind of investments by the oil industry to help position them as players in the biofuels industry. Many oil companies have either purchased ethanol or biodiesel plants and/or made investments in cellulosic technology and development companies. Does this announcement set the stage for the rise of other players to take over the helm of U.S. auto industry? The Maya 300 was developed in conjunction with Electrovaya, a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery s...