The US auto industry had another stellar month in June, as sales rose at the fastest pace since 2006. At 11,893 units, plug-in sales saw a slight drop compared to May (12,053), but a healthy increase over last June (8,292). The Nissan LEAF held onto its lead with monthly sales of 2,347 units, although that… Read more »
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Tesla’s mass-market EV will have new platform, less aluminum
Tesla’s planned mass-market EV, which represents the culmination of Elon Musk’s grand plan to bring electric vehicles into the mainstream, is still shrouded in mystery. We’ve been told that it will be about 20 percent smaller than the Model S, that it will be priced around $35,000, that it is expected to go on sale… Read more »
Mitsui Fudosan and NEC to install 125 EV chargers at Tokyo development
Mitsui Fudosan and NEC plan to install 125 public charging stations at Tokyo Midtown, a high-rise development that includes offices, shopping, housing and hotels, beginning in December. This will be the largest number of EV chargers within a single facility in Japan. Mitsui Fudosan will install NEC’s new wall-mounted AC chargers at 80% of Tokyo… Read more »
French car-sharing service will use Toyota i-ROAD and COMS EVs
A new electric car-sharing service will go into operation in the French city of Grenoble in October for a three-year trial period. Ha:Mo, a cooperative effort of Toyota, utility EDF, and local car-sharing operator Citélib, will feature 70 Toyota i-ROAD and COMS ultra-compact EVs and about 30 charging stations. The idea is to allow commuters… Read more »
Efficient Drivetrains and Greenkraft to develop natural gas/PHEV medium-duty truck
Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) is partnering with Greenkraft to develop a Class-4 truck that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG) and incorporates a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The project will fit EDI’s multi-mode PHEV powertrain (EDI-Drive) to Greenkraft’s CNG-powered, 14,500-pound, Class-4 medium-duty truck, which is equipped with a 6.0 L GM engine. The new beast is… Read more »
Motiv Power Systems raises $7.3 million to produce electric truck powertrains
California-based Motiv Power Systems has raised $7.3 million in growth capital from investors led by Colorado’s Magness Investment Group. The funding comes as the second Motiv-equipped all-electric school bus is delivered to Kings Canyon Unified School District. Motiv’s electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) is designed to electrify any truck or bus chassis with a variety… Read more »
Nissan announces price for replacement LEAF battery
Nissan LEAF owners can now purchase a replacement battery pack. The price is $5,499 (with the return of the original battery pack, which is required and valued at $1,000), plus tax and the dealer’s fee for installation, which is estimated to take about 3 hours. For 2011 and 2012 LEAF models, a $225 installation kit is also… Read more »
New survey: UK drivers have little interest in EVs
Why are EVs catching on faster in some regions than in others? Government incentives play a large role, as a May study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) detailed. The world’s top three EV hotspots, Norway, the Netherlands and California, are all places whose leaders have enacted strong pro-plug-in policies. However, the ICCT… Read more »
Harley-Davidson hiring EV Director as Project Livewire wows New York
Brammo CEO Craig Bramscher noted in a recent Charged feature that there are only so many cool jobs for people who love electric motorcycles. It sounds like the coolest job imaginable just opened up – Harley-Davidson is looking for a Director of Electrical Vehicle Technology. According to a posting on the company’s web site, the EV Director will be responsible… Read more »
Toyota posts pix and price of its hydrogen fuel cell sedan
This week, Toyota revealed the exterior design of its hydrogen fuel cell sedan (pretty much the same as the concept shown at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show) and Japanese pricing. Production of the Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan (as yet, it has no other name) is expected to start in December. Toyota plans to launch the car in… Read more »