A clever TV spot for Nissan’s Leaf EV earned an accolade from the advertising establishment this week, as Adweek magazine selected it as one of the 10 best commercials of 2011.
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The Volt gains on the LEAF, but both falter near the finish line
Sales of the Chevy Volt accelerated in November – over 1,100 units – even as sales of Nissan’s Leaf continued to sputter – 672 units for the month.
Panasonic to provide power for plug-in Prius
Panasonic announced today that it will supply lithium-ion batteries for Toyota’s new Prius PHEV. The company is already supplying nickel-metal hydride batteries to several automakers, but this will be the first time its lithium-ion offerings appear in a production vehicle. The Japanese electronics giant is charging ahead in the battery business, with a major R&D… Read more »
Suzuki may sell EVs in India
Suzuki Motor Corp, the Shogun of small cars, is considering launching an EV in India, though it sees infrastructure as a big challenge. No details or dates have been mentioned, but it might be logical to assume that Suzuki’s tiny Swift PHEV, which is on display at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show, is the model… Read more »
Top Gear names Fisker Karma Car of the Year
The Fisker Karma PHEV sedan has been crowned ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ by BBC Top Gear magazine as well as ‘Car of the Year’ by Top Gear TV presenter James May.
Volkswagen’s new PHEV concept crosses a coupé with a compact SUV
Volkswagen’s concept of an “SUV of the future” is on display at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show. The Cross Coupé is an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid that aims to cross the capacity of a compact SUV with the dynamic handling of a coupé. The four-seat Cross Coupé has not one but three motors: in the front… Read more »
The Nissan Leaf will go wireless in 2013
At the Tokyo Motor Show today, Nissan unveiled a wireless charging system for the Leaf that it says will be available starting with the 2013 model. So far, Nissan is the only EV maker to announce wireless charging capability for a production vehicle. Electromagnetic induction charging, which doesn’t require physical contact, is shaping up… Read more »
BMW and Toyota to cooperate on battery research
Reuters reported on Tuesday that BMW and Toyota will form a partnership to develop lighter and less expensive lithium-ion batteries for EVs
Plug-in Prius goes on sale
The long-awaited PHEV version of Toyota’s trendsetter will begin deliveries in Japan in January, and in the US in March.
New York Governor Cuomo announces incentives for commercial EVs
The program, which is funded with $10 million from the federal government, will offer companies vouchers worth up to $20,000 each for the purchase of EVs over 10,000 pounds.