How important is the $7,500 federal tax credit for EV buyers, and what will happen to the market when it is eventually phased out? Vehicles from a particular automaker are eligible for the tax credit until it has sold 200,000 EVs in the US. After that, buyers of the company’s vehicles will get 50 percent… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Plug and Charge"
European EV sales – a very different selection from the US
The US and European auto markets differ in several significant ways, so it’s not surprising that the sales figures for the various plug-in models available look quite different across the water. One of the biggest differences is size. We Americans love our pickups and SUVs, while Europeans love cute little cars that would be laughed… Read more »
Are auto dealers the EV’s worst enemy?
It’s safe to say that car dealers aren’t a particularly beloved bunch. Shopping for a car may not be as bad as going to the dentist, but for many people, it’s right up there. Technically-minded buyers find it frustrating to try to glean some factual information from the typical rambling sales pitch, while more gentle… Read more »
Q&A with Qualcomm’s Joe Barrett, Appealing to the wireless generation
In January 2014, the Alliance for Wireless Power announced Qualcomm Technologies Inc. as one of the first companies to earn Rezence certification, a technology and set of specifications endorsed by the world’s leading mobile chipmakers, mobile phone manufacturers and other key industry partners. With Qualcomm and other companies now certified, it is expected that Rezence-based… Read more »
Should PHEVs offer a choice of battery pack sizes?
Would plug-in hybrid buyers be interested in having a choice of battery pack sizes? The authors of a new study seem to think so, recommending that manufacturers should develop a modular design for PHEVs and EREVs, allowing them to offer a choice of storage capacity to meet individual customer requirements. The study, written by a… Read more »
New book excerpt: The early days of Tesla
This article is an excerpt from Tesla Motors: How Elon Musk and Company Made Electric Cars Cool, and Sparked the Next Tech Revolution by Charged Senior Editor Charles Morris. This 270-page book is a comprehensive history of Tesla, told by the entrepreneurs who made it happen, as well as an assessment of the company’s lasting influence… Read more »
Volvo’s new Electric Hybrid transit bus reduces energy consumption by 60%
Volvo will officially launch its 7900 Electric Hybrid transit bus, a plug-in version of the company’s proven 7900 Hybrid, at the International IAA Commercial Vehicles show in September. The 7900, which is available in both rigid-bodied and articulated versions, offers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 75% lower than a legacy diesel bus. Total… Read more »
California bill would establish income cap for state EV rebates
California’s goal is to have 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025 – more than 15 times the current number. The state offers a rebate of $2,500 to buyers of EVs, in addition to the $7,500 federal tax credit. However, sales remain well short of the rate needed needed to meet the ambitious… Read more »
Blink Network introduces kWh-based pricing
The Car Charging Group has announced that it will introduce kWh-based pricing on charging stations in its Blink Network in states where such pricing models are permitted. 12 states, including California, New York and Florida, plus the District of Columbia, currently allow the energy-based pricing model. With kWh pricing, EV drivers pay fees based on… Read more »
California city deploys five Zero Electric Police motorcycles
The Clovis Police Department in the San Joaquin Valley has purchased five Zero Electric Police motorcycles, which will immediately join the force’s existing BMW R1200s, patrolling the city’s streets, trails and events. The five were purchased for just under $95,000, thanks to a grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air District. Thirty more e-cycles are… Read more »