2008 September Electric and Hybrid Car News -- Electric & Hybrid Cars

Popular Mechanics
Aptera Electric Car Test Drive

What a $25B auto loan might buy(September 30) - Money/CNN - President Bush may be set to sign into law $25 billion in low-interest loans to help automakers and auto parts suppliers make fuel-efficient vehicles, but don't expect a rush of new hi-tech ultra-clean cars. Complete Story

Buffett Backs China Green-Auto Venture(September 30) - Business Week - Warren Buffett has taken a green leap forward. Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy, controlled by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, plans to pay about $231 million for a 10% stake in Chinese auto and battery maker BYD Co. which expects to roll out fully electric cars before the end of next year.   Complete Story

ZAP Electric Car Sets Sales Record in August(September 29) - MarketWatch - Unaudited sales for ZAP electric vehicles surged to $737,000 in August, versus $392,000 a year ago, an increase of $345,000 or 88 percent. Complete Story

Myers Motors NmG, An electric three-wheeler(September 29) - New Orleans - It looks like a car, sounds like a toy -- when it can be heard at all -- and costs about 2 cents or 3 cents a mile to refuel.  Complete Story

Volt to be classified as a 100 mpg vehicle(September 29) - Left Hand News - Friday that the automaker has reached a tentative agreement with the California Air Resources Board - better known as CARB - that could allow the upcoming Volt to be classified as a 100 mpg vehicle. Complete Story

EARTH DIARY 1993 Update:Dave Arthurs' Amazing Hybrid Electric Car(September 29) - Mother Earth News - Using parts that he had purchased for under $1,500, Dave designed and built an engine system for his Opel GT that could propel the car 75 miles or more on a single gallon of gas! Complete Story

Zenn puts faith in better battery(September 29) - Globe and Mail - Zenn has an exclusivity agreement with battery-maker EEStor Inc. for small cars and golf carts, and in April, 2007, acquired 3.8 per cent of the Texas-based company for $2.5-million. Complete Story

Toyota Lowers Price for Replacement Prius Batteries(September 26) - Automobile - Customers looking to replace the nickel metal hydride batteries in their hybrids after their warranty has expired will now pay $2,229 for the 2000-03 first-generation and $2,588 for the 2004-08 second-generation. Complete Story

Hyundai 'to have electric car first in NZ'(September 26) - New Zealand - Retrofitting cars by removing the petrol engine and fitting batteries and an electric motor would be done in this country. The electric Getz had a top speed of 120kmh, with a range of 120km on a single charge. Complete Story

Tesla's 'Bluestar' to be all-electric family car(September 25) - California - Code-named Bluestar, the car has been part of Tesla's plans for a few years. Tesla Chairman Elon Musk earlier this month was quoted as saying that the goal is to produce a car priced in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, possibly in partnership with other automakers. Complete Story

Toyota provides electric shuttle cars(September 25) - Oregon - The automaker, speaking at a Sustainable Mobility Seminar in Portland, said it would put four of its RAV4 electric vehicles into operation in Portland. Complete Story

India Producing Electric Cars in Volume(September 24) - IStock - Today, scores of Reva electric cars can be seen tootling down Bangalore’s crowded streets, their bright colours and minimalist design drawing curious looks, even smiles, from commuters.   Complete Story

GridPoint buys V2Green to charge electric cars(September 24) - CNet - Smart-grid outfit GridPoint on Tuesday, flush with an additional $120 million in equity funding, said it has acquired V2Green, a start-up with software to charge electric cars en masse. Complete Story

Continental Starts Series Production of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Hybrid Vehicles(September 24) - Seattle Times - Continental is the first manufacturer to start series production of lithium-ion batteries to be used in hybrid drive cars. The Powertrain Division has invested over three million euros in building up manufacturing capacity at the Nuremberg site. Complete Story

Toyota will again try compressed natural gas as fuel(September 24) - Seattle Times - Toyota is taking a fresh look at compressed natural gas as a power source for U.S. automobiles, and plans to unveil a Camry Hybrid concept car powered by the fuel at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Complete Story

Chrysler plans to shock industry, sell electric car in 2010(September 23) - USAToday - The Auburn Hills automaker is working on range-extended electric-drive versions of its Chrysler Town & Country minivan and four-door Jeep Wrangler SUV as well as an all-electric Dodge sports car, Tom LaSorda, a Chrysler president and vice chairman, told the Free Press. Complete Story

Teen builds his own electric car(September 22) - Texas - Then there's 17-year-old Lucas Laborde, who plans to drive to high school this fall in an electric car he built in his father's shop here. Complete Story

Linear's IC to enable hybrids, electric cars(September 21) - EE Times -Analog specialist Linear Technology Corp. today is expected to roll out the first in a family of monitoring chips that could help enable long-awaited electric cars, hybrids and other systems based on lithium-ion batteries.   Complete Story

Sen. Lamar Alexander Buzzes About His Electric Car(September 21) - U.S. News - Sen. Lamar Alexander doesn't just talk about alternative car technologies. He spent $10,000 to have a Toyota Prius fitted with a special new battery that essentially turned his senatorial black hybrid into an electric car. Complete Story

Killacycle Throttles Petrol Power(September 21) - Sky News - The Killacycle has a top speed of 168mph and goes from 0-100 in a second. For a typical run, it needs only as much energy as a hair dryer would use over 15 minutes, while its batteries recharge in just four minutes. Complete Story

Chrysler to display an electric car(September 20) - Detroit - The Auburn Hills automaker plans to show an electric car to dealers, according to people familiar with the plans -- ending a summer of batting down bankruptcy speculation and combating criticisms about a perceived lack of future products. Complete Story

Tesla to build electric-car factory in San Jose(September 17) - Californiao -Tesla Motors and San Jose will announce today that the city has been tapped as the future home for the electric-car maker's factory and new headquarters. Complete Story

ZAP Alias electric cars to roll off Kentucky assembly lines next year(September 17) - Kentucky - A company called ZAP has broken ground on a $175 million assembly plant in Kentucky that should be cranking out production models of its three-wheeled Alias electric car by 2009, a year ahead of the Chevy Volt's arrival in showrooms. Complete Story

The Chevy Volt: GM's Huge Bet on the Electric Car(September 16) - Time - This Malibu is electric, powered by a 400 lb., lithium ion battery nestled beneath the floorboard — an energy source that is not only silent, but entirely emission-free. Complete Story

Electric Truck Granted Exclusive Rights to Tufts EV Technology(September 16) - EVWorld - Electric Truck, LLC and Tufts University’s Office for Technology Licensing and Industry Collaboration today announced that ET has exclusively optioned commercial rights to a technology that can recharge the batteries of any hybrid electric and electric-powered vehicle while it is driven. Complete Story

Venturi and Michelin to produce new electric car (September 15) - Paris - Venturi, a Monaco-based sports car manufacturer said it partnered with French tire company Michelin to introduce a next-generation electric super vehicle at the upcoming Paris Auto Show in October 2, 2008. Complete Story

Critics Bash McCain for Buying Toyota Prius(September 15) - US News - John McCain is under fire for buying his daughter a Toyota Prius. Or perhaps she bought it. He doesn't seem to be sure. Complete Story

Priustoric: GM Builds A Plug-In Hybrid... In 1969(September 14) - Wired - The concept car with the cumbersome designation XP-883 was nothing more than an experiment relegated to history, but it worked a lot like the Toyota Prius and Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids the two companies are working on today. Complete Story

A123Systems IPO Taps into Multi-Billion-Dollar Electric Vehicle Opportunity(September 14) - Wired - Earlier this month, lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturer A123Systems sought to capitalize on this interest, filing for an IPO that could raise as much as $175 million. However, while light EVs promise real opportunity, they will create more losers than winners, according to analysts monitoring the field at Lux Research. Complete Story

UK plug-ins to rechargeable Prius(September 12) - BusinessGreen - Japanese car maker Toyota has begun testing plug-in hybrid technology on public roads in the UK – technology which some experts believe could even allow drivers to sell electricity back to the grid. Complete Story

Portland Attempts to Woo Chinese Plug-in and Electric Car Maker BYD(September 12) - Gas2.0 - BYD’s first plug-in hybrid planned for the Chinese market will be the F6DM mid-sized sedan in the second half of 2008, and use lithium iron phosphate batteries. Its top speed is expected to be be 100 mph, with a range of 62 miles in all-electric mode and 267 miles total after the gas engine kicks in. Complete Story

Aptera founder: I'm here to stay(September 12) - Straight from the horse's mouth: Aptera Motors may have a new head honcho, but its no-longer-in-charge founder, Steve Fambro, isn't going anywhere. Complete Story

Aptera 300MPG: A Wonder Vehicle(September 12) - The Aptera was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, and later as an extended range electric vehicle.A team led by Jason Hill and Nathan Armstrong, made great strides in the development of the Aptera's body styling, interior design, and structural engineering. Complete Story

Ian Clifford, CEO, ZENN Motor Co(September 12) - Canadian Business - In 2000, he launched what is now known as the ZENN Motor Company, which produces a two-seat battery-powered electric car. The ZENN car can go 56 km on one charge and can reach a top speed of 40 km/h. Complete Story

Reva to hold petrol to electric car exchange(September 12) - India - REVA Electric Car Company is organising the first ever “Petrol to Electric Car Exchange Mela” in Bangalore. This will be the first time where customers can actually exchange their petrol cars for a brand new electric car. Complete Story

Chrysler: Loans would speed electric cars' progress(September 11) - Detroit - Detroit automakers had been pushing Congress for $50 billion in industry loans but recently have leaned toward paring back the request to an original $25-billion amount. Complete Story

100-mpg plug-in hybrids popping up in US(September 11) - Physorg - According to the Plug-In Hybrid Coalition of the Carolinas, there are about 150 plug-in hybrids on US roads today. Complete Story

Air Cars vs. Electric Cars vs. Hybrids - Which are Greener?(September 11) - Gas2.0 - The world’s first commercial compressed-air powered vehicle is currently being produced by India’s largest automaker, Tata Motors, who is licensing the technology from European-based company MDI. Complete Story

High-end electric car company Fisker gets a $65M boost(September 10) - VentureBeat - Tesla Motors may have significant competition in the high-end electric vehicle space soon, if Fisker Automotive continues on its current path. The Irvine, Calif. sports car company just announced another $65 million in funding, led by a Middle Eastern firm, the Qatar Investment Authority. Complete Story

Berlin to have electric car 'filling stations'(September 10) - Sify - German automobile giant Daimler and utility company RWE would launch a network of 500 charging stations for electric cars in Berlin in 2009. Complete Story

2011 Chevrolet Volt – GM Leaks Better Photos(September 9) - Car and Driver - GM certainly didn't want you to see it just yet: these photos were mistakenly posted on the Volt's dedicated media site in an apparent mix-up ahead of the car's official debut, and they have since been pulled down. Complete Story

Nissan to Launch Solar-Powered Electric Car(September 9) - Gas2.0 - The Nissan Nuvu will get its power from a dozen or so leaf-shaped solar panels, before energy is channeled into batteries through a ‘tree trunk’ inside the car.   Nissan says Nuvu’s cabin will even be built with natural, organic and recycled materials to appeal to environmentalists. Complete Story

Honda unleashes the Insight, its ''Prius-fighter''(September 8) - Scientific American -In advance of the Paris International Auto Show in early October, Honda has released photos of its new entry-level hybrid car, which the press has labeled the “Prius-fighter.” Reports indicate that the Insight, a five-door family hatchback that is scheduled to hit dealership floors next year, is to be priced around $18,000.  Complete Story

What's special about Zenn cars?(September 7) - Sify - Zenn was the first neighborhood electric car that actually looked and felt and drove like a real car. Complete Story

Toyota, Subaru enter race to market electric vehicles(September 6) - AutoWeek - Subaru says it will start fleet sales of a four-seat electric car next year, and Toyota Motor Corp. for the first time has confirmed plans for a battery-powered offering in the early 2010s. Complete Story

Toyota looks to double Prius sales in Europe(September 5) - Toyota, the world's second-largest carmaker, aims to double European sales of its Prius model as higher fuel costs and tighter rules on carbon dioxide emissions increase the gasoline-electric hybrid's appeal. Complete Story

Chrysler to Debut Electric Car Prototypes(September 4) - Michigan - AChrysler will soon show dealers not one but three electric vehicles that it could produce, said Jim Press, the company’s co-president. Chrysler is working with a few battery suppliers, and will focus on developing plug-in hybrids with a total range of 300-miles. Complete Story

Man hits bump in the road with electric car(September 4) - California - An Oak Park man found a way to reduce auto emissions and the amount of money he pays for fuel, only to learn that he was breaking the law. Complete Story

Chevy's Volt Caught on Camera(September 3) - Detroit - The product planners at Chevrolet may not think their new electric car is ready for its close-up, but the Volt has been caught on camera weeks before its expected official debut. Complete Story

Consumer Reports Analysis: Some Hybrid Cars Can Save Owners Thousands of Dollars Over Five Years(September 3) - MarketWatch - With gas prices soaring, Consumer Reports' latest analysis of owner costs shows that drivers can save anywhere from $500 to $4,250 over a five year ownership period by choosing selected hybrids rather than similar conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.   Complete Story

Giving Your Hybrid an Extra Charge(September 3) - Time - Chris Cox of Derry, N.H., got tired of waiting for the electric car of the future. In August, he took matters into his own hands and had his 2008 Toyota Prius converted into a plug-in hybrid, which doubled its gas mileage — Cox now gets up to 100 miles per gallon for 30 to 40 miles at a stretch. Complete Story

India's Tata to launch electric car in Norway in 1 yr(September 3) - India - India's Tata Motors plans to launch an electric version of its Indica hatchback in Norway within a year, and will bring it to the local market at a later stage, its managing director said on Wednesday. Complete Story

Detroit Electric's Electric Car Hits the Road Again After 100 Year Absence(September 2) - Michigan - Detroit Electric is making a come back in a big way with plans to progressively roll out affordable electric vehicles worldwide by the end of 2009. Complete Story

Drive a Samsung hybrid electric car by 2011(September 1) - Tech Radar - Samsung and Bosch today announced a joint venture to develop, manufacture and sell lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars.   Complete Story

Alternative Cars, Part 1 Electric(September 1) - Auto Speed - Every few years a new type of car engine hits the headlines. It might run on compressed air; it may be a steam car or it might use a turbine for propulsion. But no matter how laudatory the media coverage, after a while the design inevitably disappears back into insignificance. Complete Story