Electric Cars
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It's long been known that Ford's first electric car would actually be a truck. Now, we have all the details of the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric, an all-electric conversion of the Transit Connect commercial van that offers a range of up to 80 miles on a full charge. The 2011 Transit Connect Electric is aimed predominantly at urban fleets that would use a small van on predictable routes with lots of stop-and-go traffic, with the truck returning to a set location each night where it could be recharged. First deliveries of the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric to fleet customers will begin...
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WSJ Report Says Toyota May Issue Yet Another Recall, Prius Braking System in Question
Toyota has taken its share of the beating from the press lately in regards to the accelerator pedal recall that has affected millions of vehicles, but the company's troubles may still be far from over. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the company may be on the brink of issuing...
Eric Loveday -
CalCars Felix Kramer Says National Academy of Sciences Report on EVs and Plug-Ins is Flawed
The annual Electric Drive Transportation Association meeting held in conjunction with the Washington Auto Show is one of the largest events on American soil for electric vehicles. The EDTA conference is a place where automakers, battery developers, suppliers, industry experts, and journalists...
Eric Loveday -
Former NY Governor Calls For 40% of Vehicles on Roads by 2020 to be Electric
Former Governor of New York City George Pataki made an appearance at the Washington Auto Show awhile back. At the show, he made a bold statement that he hopes will ring true. Pataki called for 40% of all the vehicles on the roads in 2020 to be electric vehicles. His numbers are significantly...
Eric Loveday -
Japanese Transportation Ministry Orders Investigation Into Toyota Prius Braking Issue
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } The Toyota recalls have made headline stories for at least a week now. The company is working feverishly to fix the problems and rebuild a possibly tarnished image. Just when things could not possibly get any worst for Toyota, they just did. According to the New...
Eric Loveday -
BMW Discusses Owners' Reactions to Mini E Lease Program, Drivers Delighted With Vehicle
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } The lease of the prototype Mini E has been a success. BMW discussed some of their results from the field testing program of the Mini E and opened their press conference with the headline, "Mini E Drivers Delighted with Electric Vehicle Experience." The Mini E lease...
Eric Loveday -
The striking BMW Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid concept was unquestionably the star concept of September's Frankfurt Motor Show. It proved, once again, that when German carmakers turn their minds toward a new goal--in this case, a sports car with breathtaking fuel efficiency--they can produce audaciously good concepts that often end up as production cars. M1 for the new century? And now it looks like the EfficientDynamics hybrid sports coupe too will be offered for sale, starting in 2013, at a projected volume of 5,000 to 10,000 copies a year. Reports say BMW is viewing the car in the vein...
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Chicago Employs Nations First EV Charger Fed Solely By Wind
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } Chicago, commonly referred to as the "Windy City" perhaps fittingly now holds the title of having the first wind powered electric vehicle charging station in the U.S. Officially, the station is located in Highland Park, Illinois, a suburb a distant 30 miles from the...
Eric Loveday -
Nissan Leaf Wins Green Car Journal's Vision Award For Most Eco-Friendly Vehicle in Development Stages
And the winner is, the Nissan Leaf. The Leaf has once again been honored for its outstanding achievements before it's even available to the public. No, you can't buy one yet and you may not be able to for a few years, but the awards keep coming in. This time around, Nissan was awarded the Green...
Eric Loveday -
Better Place Secures Over $350 Million in Additional Funding
Better Place is a company most widely known for their batter swapping technique. The battery swapping idea allows electric vehicles with depleted batteries to pull into the battery swapping station and change out their batteries for fresh ones. The idea does draw some criticism from those who...
Eric Loveday -
Think Releases List of Top 15 Cities Ready For EVs in U.S.
How do you find out if the city that you live in is ready for the electric car revolution? Well there are several ways. Search for the nearest charging station in your area, contact local utilities and ask about rates for charging vehicles during off peak hours, find out if your area has smart...
Eric Loveday -
Daimler Leads the World in Hybrid Bus Sales, New Orders for Orion VII Diesel Hybrid Add to 3,000 Units In Use
Hybrid buses take advantage of combined diesel and electric technology to create a people mover that is extremely fuel efficient given its large size. Furthermore, the hybrid application is ideally suited to the typical driving routine of buses. Trips include short jaunts with frequent stops at...
Eric Loveday -
The North American International Auto Show brings together automotive writers from around the globe. Alongside many of the writers, at least those who attend during public show days, there are interested people. Potential buyers are on scene offering their opinion about a particular vehicle or design trend. The Associated Press no doubt had many journalists attend this years show and have recapped some of the highlights as well as some of the opinions from eager show goers. The upcoming Honda CR-Z hybrid drew considerable attention at the show. The vehicle received praise for its...
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Think Believes 15 Minute Fast Charge is Key for its City EV
How fast is fast enough when talking about charging an electric vehicle? The question is surely debatable. Many consider the typical usage of an EV to consist of daily commuting followed by overnight charging. For some, this would simply not be feasible. They prefer the fast charge setup...
Eric Loveday -
GM Releases Volt Video with Basic Info About the Voltec's Powertrain Operation
Understanding the cars of tomorrow is an important steps towards adoption. With the right knowledge, potential buyers may feel confident in trying out new technologies. Since plug-in hybrids and EVs are incredibly different than the traditional gasoline powered vehicle, the buyer must be...
Eric Loveday -
Toyota To Offer Leasing for Upcoming EVs but No Sales
As EVs begin to hit the market from mass automakers buyers may be unwilling to outright buy into the new technology. Some suggest that a lease option could be beneficial and a way to ease buyers into the new technology. Nissan has suggested that they will utilize a lease strategy for the Leaf...
Eric Loveday -
Tesla Roadster Production to End in 2011, New Version Expected in 2013
According to a report from Wired's Autopia site, the Tesla Roadster that we are familiar with will come to the end of its production run in 2011. A new version of the Roadster will appear in 2013. Autopia came across the information while perusing through the filings made by Tesla with the...
Eric Loveday -
Fusion Hybrid Tops Edmunds Consumer Poll As Favorite Hybrid Vehicle
The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a notable entry in the hybrid segment for several reasons. For starters, the vehicle is the first truly successful hybrid offering from a domestic automakers. Second, the vehicle has won numerous awards for its design, powertrain, and efficiency. Now you can add...
Eric Loveday -
It's highly unlikely that anyone could have ever guessed that Ferrari would launch a hybrid product, but believe it or not the time is coming. The company will officially show off its first hybrid product at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in March. Ferrari and hybrid are two unlikely words to find in the same sentence, but the company's decision to go green does not appear to effect the company's performance image at all. The hybrid to be displayed will be a 599 GTB Fiorano. It is expected to have a rear mount electric motor, a lithium-ion battery source, and a version of the KERS energy...
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BMW Active E Prototype Leasing to Start Next Year
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } BMW offered the Mini E electric vehicle to select individuals on a lease basis for those few selected individuals willing to pay a high monthly fee to essentially test drive a prototype vehicle for an extended period of time. The programs has been ongoing and is...
Eric Loveday -
Secretary Chu Makes Official Announcement, Nissan To Receive 1.4 Billion for Leaf Production in U.S.
Last summer Nissan was preliminarily approved to received a significant amount of money from the federal government to help them build the Leaf EV here in the U.S. Many doubted that Nissan would receive the money from the government due to the public reaction against a foreign company receiving...
Eric Loveday -
Toyota Dealers to Give Away 2010 Prius at Chicago Auto Show
As widely reported yesterday, Toyota has suspended sales of 8 models due to a faulty accelerator pedal mechanism. The defective part apparently causes the pedal to stick, resulting in unintended acceleration and loss of control of the vehicle. So what does a Chicagoland Toyota dealership do when...
Robert Scardino -
NAIAS Attendees Give Their Take On Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, Informing Buyers is Paramount
Here at AllCarsElectric we cover stories about electric and hybrid vehicles. Our writing is geared towards our readership which is well versed in advanced technology vehicles. As such, certain aspects about the general public are not often discussed. Our writers and our readers alike may know...
Eric Loveday -
Volvo C30 EV Utilizes Ethanol Powered Heater to Extend Range in Cold Weather
Just days ago the Volvo C30 EV was presented at the EnerDel facility in Indiana. Several reporters were on hand for the presentation as well as Volvo's director of special vehicles Lennart Stegland. Stegland described many of the attributes of this new electric offering from the company...
Eric Loveday