At the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, South Korean automaker CT&T unveiled two new electric vehicles on Tuesday, both which are scheduled to go into production in the second quarter of this year.

While the vehicles are not approved for regular roadway driving in the States, and are classified as low-speed vehicles (LSV) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they offer a variety of advantages, such as energy-efficiency, less pollution and a much quieter ride, unlike gasoline-powered vehicles.

While low-speed electrics have smaller, less-expensive batteries and can be good vehicles for specific uses, they are still costly to own, no thanks to the expense of the battery.

Curt Westlake, marketing director for CT&T, said at Tuesday’s unveiling:

“Until the battery technologies get to the point where batteries are affordable, full-speed electrics are going to be expensive.”

On Tuesday at the auto show, CT&T offered up a sharp looking, very light blue 2-seat roadster, known as the C Square. While Westlake wouldn’t talk price, he did reveal that the C Square has a top speed of 93 mph and can travel 155 miles on a single charge, getting its’ power from a lithium-polymer battery pack.  Joe White, the company’s chief operating officer in America, has stated publicly that the C Square will set you back roughly $50,000 - or less than half the price of the electric Tesla Roadster.  Click here for short video.

The second CT&T vehicle is the eZone Plus, a 2-seat car specifically designed for drivers to run about in larger cities downtown. The eZone Plus can reach speeds up to 45 mph with a range of 75 miles. Reps for CT&T say plans to design and build a 4-door version are in the works.

Subscribe

Add Comment »

Filed Under: Auto Shows, Eco Friendly, General, Korean Automakers, LSV, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, golf carts, transportation

The Crayola colored Kandi COCO, an all electric, plug-in low speed vehicle that can be driven on streets with speed limits under 35 MPH, is receiving $4,435 in Federal tax credits, while the state of Oklahoma has kicked in an additional tax credit of 50% of the sales price, or $5,299. The Kandi COCO has a retail price of about $10,995, so if you buy one in Oklahoma before December 31, 2009, it can be yours for almost a steal – or about $865.00.

While you can’t drive it on the highway, and it doesn’t go over 45 miles per hour, it’s being compared to the smart fortwo in the states, which I find interesting since the only thing I can truly find comparable might be the size and the amount of time it takes to fully charge.  The COCO goes 40-60 miles on one charge and takes about 5-6 hours to fully charge using a 110 volt.   

There are some distinct advantageous though, as they’re no doubt great for people who own motor homes and want the flexibility of having a small car in tow. I think those who live in retirement communities might also find these little gems handy to scoot around in, too. They could probably be useful on college campuses, as well as film studios and practically anywhere transportation is needed in a smaller, less congested traffic area.

For less than the cost of a big screen TV, you can own a brand new set of wheels. Imagine a Kandi COCO under the Christmas tree this year – or not.

Subscribe

Add Comment »

Filed Under: Eco Friendly, General, LSV, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, golf carts, smart, transportation

The Chevy Volt has received a lot of media attention in the past few days.  Reuters UK published an article on July 7 with the title “GM readies Volt unveiling to shift from crisis” stating that a showroom ready version of the car will be revealed in September.  According to Lyle at GM-Volt.com, “the plan to unveil the production Volt at GM’s Centennial Celebration in September I suspect has been there all along.”  Perhaps it is a case of media hype but regardless of the reason behind the Reuters UK article, I am definitely excited about the Volt edging closer to production. 

For those unfamiliar with the Chevy Volt, I’d like to introduce you to the vehicle.

Three Reasons to Love the Chevy Volt

1. The styling.  I am a car lover and I have always admired the beauty of certain cars.  The Volt presents with exciting styling and will turn heads.  I know the purpose of the Volt isn’t to turn heads (well at least not the main purpose) but if this car passes you on the road, you’re going to turn your head.
2. The E-Flex Propulsion System.  This is not your mom’s eco-friendly car running on gas and electric, the Volt is an electric vehicle being powered by the E-Flex Propulsion System.  The official Chevy Volt website explains that the “E-Flex Propulsion System will be different than any previous electric vehicle because it will use a lithium-ion battery with a variety of range-extending onboard power sources, including gas and, in some vehicles, E85 ethanol(1) to recharge the battery while driving.”  Fantastic engineering!
3. The recharging system.  You can recharge the Volt at your home, business or anywhere else with a standard 110-volt electrical outlet.  Gone are the days of looking for a charging station for the GM EV1.  The EV1 was GM’s first foray into electric vehicles back in the 1990s. 

As the Volt goes from concept to production, there will be many more reasons to fall in love with the vehicle.  As it stands now, I think that the Volt is one of the most unique concepts on the table.  Kudos to GM on your forward-thinking design and approach to green motoring.

Subscribe

2 Comments »

Filed Under: chevy, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, gm

Think City has dubbed their EV, the urban electric car. This small and sporty little ride is fast (speeds up to 65 MPH), nice looking, long lasting (110 mile range while fully charged), and fuel efficient. Check out the standard (and optional) specs below on this car which originated with Ford, and then was sold off to the Norwegians. Currently in development, the Think City electric car, is slated to be available in the US in 2009. Also stop on by Gas 2.0 and check out the comments section of the post written on the Think City, in which commenters raise good questions.

Standard Equipment on The Think City

• 2 front airbags
• Disable key for passenger airbag
• ABS brakes
• Regenerative brakes
• Power steering
• Central locking
• 4kW electric heater
• Electric windows and mirrors
• 2 loudspeakers and aerial
• Mind Box (to be introduced during 2008)

Optional Equipment On The Think City

• Air conditioning
• Pre-heat timer
• Electrically heated windscreen
• Full length sunroof
• Radio CD
• Radio with MP3
• Radio CD with MP3, USB, Bluetooth
• Navigation & Multimedia System
• Winter tires
• Alloy wheels - set of 4
• Steel wheels - set of 4
• Roof rack
• 2 + 2 children seats (including 3-point seat belts)

The Think City electric car is set to debut in the US in 2009, with a retail price of under $25,000. What comments do the Think City EV spark in you? Share them below.

Subscribe

Add Comment »

Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Think City, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev

We all have read about or seen hybrid cars by now. But some of you may have questions in reference to hybrid car basics. You maybe wondering the fuel efficiency of these types of cars, or perhaps how long one lasts while fully charged, etc.

Let’s answer some of these questions today, in the Hybrid Car Q&A article below.

Question - What makes a gas engine powered car different than one of these new hybrid cars?

Answer - A hybrid car (also known as an electric and gas powered car), allows you to operate the vehicle on two different fuel systems. With a hybrid, two engines power up the car, an electric motor and a gas powered motor. As you can see these two types of engines combined will generate greater fuel efficiency than if the car was run on purely a gas only engine. Hybrids generally speaking can have highway fuel ratings of up to 50 MPG, or greater. Case in point: The Toyota Hybrid.
Question - How long do hybrid cars generally last while fully charged?

Answer - Hybrid cars generally speaking can last up to 500 miles while on a full tank of gas, and fully charged up. As you can see considerable mileage can be logged on a gas and electric powered car. Also gas engines are smaller in hybrids, yet technically superior.

Question - How does a hybrid car get its power?

Answer - From batteries located in the vehicle itself, and an electric motor. In turn, the batteries juice up the electric engine.

Question - How do i Find The Greenest Vehicles in My State?

Answer - To find the greenest vehicles in your state, as determined by the EPA. Head on over to the Green Vehicle Guide. There input your name of your resident state, and a list of the most eco friendly vehicles again as determined by the good folks at the EPA, will be generated for your use.

Question - Which are the Top 3 Hybrid Vehicles From 2008?

Answer - In the state of Illinois the following Illinois green vehicles were listed:

As usual the Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Prius, and The Ford Escape Hybrid were the best rated. But this will soon change dramatically, as more hybrids are introduced later this year, and in 2009.

Feel free to ask your hybrid car questions below. I will write a follow up post and feature your questions on the blog. Thanxs!

Reference - Green Living at About.com

Photo Credit - Geek Habitat

Subscribe

1 Comment »

Filed Under: Eco Friendly, Ford Escape Hybrid, Fuel Efficient, Green, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, honda, toyota

Looking for an electric vehicle now? There is one currently available in California, the Triac EV. This three -wheeled electric ride as you can see below, is not super roomy, in fact, it is being marketed as a commuter only car.

Although the Triac is not big in size, it is big in fuel savings, as it is an electric plug-in. In all it takes about 6 hours to fully charge it. The EV averages top speeds of up to 80 MPH, and has a range of up to 100 miles charged up. The green Triac is made by the folks at Green Vehicles, and will definitely make a statement on the road. This eco friendly vehicle is available in two towns in California, including Mill Valley and San Jose.

Is this an affordable EV? Yes and No! The price tag on the zero-emissions Triac as of this writing is $20,000, but it is rather small and has no airbags. Not to mention there are no incentives from the state/federal government. The value is debatable and will vary by consumer need.

Can you see yourself in the Triac? How does the idea of a three-wheeled vehicle strike you? Share your opinion below.

Subscribe

7 Comments »

Filed Under: Eco Friendly, Green, Li Ion, Zero Emissions, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev

Nissan is serious about taking the lead in next gen green vehicles. They have recently begun talk and negotiations with tech corp NEC, to mass produce and market LI-ON batteries.

This NEW partnership will allow Nissan to get closer to what it wants the most right now, which is to be the leader in the electric vehicles market. Nissan would like to make it to market first, over Honda and over irking eco minded competitor Toyota.

The Nissan-NEC venture, to be called Automotive Energy Supply Corp, is supplying the batteries Renault will use in the electric cars it’s building for Israel and Denmark. The governments of those two nations have rallied behind Silicon Valley startup Project Better Place and its plan to bring affordable EVs to the masses. Nissan is looking at a similar arrangement with the government of Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, which wants to develop an electric vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure. Getting a few thousand electric cars on the road before its rivals will give the joint venture a solid lead in the market.

This will certainly give Nissan a leg up in the electric vehicles sector. The Li-ION batteries will be mass produced, power up the next generation of plug-in hybrids and electric cars, PLUS they have been proven to out perform the current crop of Prius, nickel-metal hydride batteries. On average lasting more than 60,000 miles. In fact, Nissan and NEC are so confident in their new EV batteries, they plan to sell them to other manufacturers, as well. Production is ready to start at 13,000 batteries for next year, rising to 65,000 a year by end of 2011.

Toyota and Honda, no doubt, are not resting on their laurels. Let’s see how they compete.

Subscribe

Add Comment »

Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Green, Li Ion, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, honda, nec, nissan, toyota, transportation

The once uber popular sports coupe, the Nissan 200 SX, is going green. Maybe! The concept is on the table, and studies are in the works to find out whether it is possible to make a powerful all electric sports coupe.

If there is one thing you can count on in the EV market is concept cars and all the green vehicle “maybes”. It is quite an undertaking to transform a fleet of vehicles and take it from one source of power (gas) to a completely different one, such as electricity, water or a hybrid of sorts. Not too mention making something powerful and turbo charged, all the while keeping it fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly.

The Nissan 200 SX, known to many as the Silvia, is in the works to come back and be reincarnated as either a hybrid or as an EV, electric vehicle.

VP of Global Marketing for Nissan, Junichi Endo, states there is a 50/50 chance of an EV version of the Nissan 200 SX making it to market. Endo goes on to state that a hybrid is much more likely to make it to market, than an electric version of a (sports coupe).

Toyota also has plans to create eco friendly performance roadsters, but nothing is set yet for production. And Honda has set in motion plans for a revamped and earth friendly Honda CRX, which will be known as the Honda CR-Z.

So, sexy meets green! Maybe.

via - [Auto Blog Green]

Subscribe

Add Comment »

Filed Under: Eco Friendly, General, Green, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, transportation

I must warn you this car is not pretty, but it is quite rare. ABC found on eBay Motors a rare EV, the 1980 AMC Hornet Electric Vehicle.

The manufacturer Solargen, has not been in existence since about the mid 80’s, when it went out of business, below is an excerpt from ABC, on what happened.

Solargen used lead-acid batteries to power small electric motors which replaced the classic inline six cylinder engines of AMC models like the Concord and Hornet. Apparently, the vehicles were only capable of about 30 miles or so of range and couldn’t quite reach highway speeds. Not surprisingly, therefore, the company didn’t last very long.

If you are a car collector, this is an interesting find. Below are some of the features of the AMC Wagon EV:

Engine Type - 2 Cylinders

Transmission - Automatic

Body Type - Wagon

Miles - 51 (since 1980)

Fuel Type - Electric

The 1980 AMC Electric Vehicle listed on eBay is going for $3,500 and as of this writing, there are no bids listed. Grab it while you still can.

Subscribe

3 Comments »

Filed Under: Autos, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev

The Zap-X Electric Vehicle is being tuted as “the fun, compact, and affordable EV”. Due out in the year 2010, this high performance crossover electric car is to be engineered by Lotus.

Some of the features of the Zap X include:

• APX Light Weight Aluminum
• Architecture Design
• Electronic Braking System (EBS)
• Rack and Pinion Steering
• Solar Glass
• Lithium Batteries
  (Bio-degradable Non-Explosive)
• Power Windows
• Power Door Locks
• Power Steering
• GPS
• On Board Carputer with Full Entertainment System

The stylings of this EV reminds me of a cross between a Ford Mustang and a small SUV, not terribly exciting a design. The Zap-X ride comes in at a top speed of 155 MPH, horsepower at 644, and a ridiculous charge time of 10 minutes.

The Zap-X EV is not yet available anywhere and some of its marketed features (such as charge time) will need to be seriously tweaked, before they become reality in many or most homes.

What Zap-X lacks in design, atleast they make up for in fuel efficiency and technology.

Price Tag: $60,000

Subscribe

1 Comment »

Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Fuel Efficient, Green, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, transportation, zap x