Though it may have a stinky reputation, sulfur could set EVs on the path to total ICE replacement if energy-dense, low-weight lithium-sulfur batteries become the norm. British-based OXIS Energy is banking its business on it. If American clean energy industries are to take full advantage of the emerging lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery chemistry, they just may… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Clean Cars"
Ultracapacitors creep into automotive
Maxwell looks to leverage its early ultracapacitor experience into a ubiquitous, low-cost, high-volume complement to batteries. Power sources like internal combustion engines and advanced battery packs work great as continuous suppliers of energy. But during the highest peak loads, both sacrifice efficiency attempting to meet the power delivery demands. And pushing these devices to their… Read more »
Consumer Reports: Tesla Model S is the best car since 2007 (VIDEO)
Tired of hearing about a certain California carmaker? Well, sorry. Tesla’s name is all over the press this week, from gushers about stock market success to sour-grapes hit pieces about ZEV credits to tantalizing hints of next-gen batteries and self-driving sedans. However, this is the most important news of all for a prospective Model S buyer: Consumer… Read more »
Carlos Ghosn sees little future in battery swapping
The future of the battery swapping concept looks dim, which is bad news for the pioneering firm Better Place. In an interview with Danish news outlet Energi Watch, Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn seemed to say that Renault’s Fluence ZE will probably be the first and last production vehicle to offer battery swapping capability. “When you… Read more »
Volvo raises V60 PHEV production target again
Volvo’s V60 Plug-In Hybrid wagon is a runaway success. The first year’s batch of 1,000 cars sold out before any had a chance to reach showrooms, and Volvo announced in November that it would increase production to 4,000-6,000 units for model year 2014. That figure will now be raised to 10,000 units, according to Cars… Read more »
Sarah Palin flays Fisker (well, okay) and trashes Tesla (what???)
It’s no surprise that the media has been having a field day with the story of Fisker Automotive’s apparently terminal troubles. “Pissing away taxpayer money on useless boondoggles” was one of the more charitable descriptions of the situation to be found over on the rightward side of the dial. Even more neutral observers noted the… Read more »
President Obama pushes research into EVs and other advanced transportation technologies
In a speech at the Argonne National Laboratory, President Obama proposed a new Energy Security Trust Fund to invest in research into post-petroleum transportation technologies, including electric vehicles. The plan sets aside $2 billion over 10 years from royalty revenues paid to the federal government by oil and gas producers. The government collects more than… Read more »
Smith Electric Vehicles: the long haul and the short end of the stick
Smith sees a bright future in electric trucks on the horizon, but must wade through a sea of speculation to get there. All Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. wanted was a long-term growth strategy that would let the company scale up production of its all-electric, zero-emission medium-duty trucks at the same time that it beefed up… Read more »
Study: Oregon EV industry worth $266 million
Portland State University’s Northwest Economic Research Center (NERC) has released a new report that examines Oregon’s rapidly growing electric vehicle industry. This traditionally green state saw the opportunities in EVs as early as 2009, and established a public-private partnership called Drive Oregon to support the nascent industry. Today Oregon boasts an impressive “EV cluster,” which… Read more »
Honda Accord PHEV becomes first car to meet California’s new emissions standard
When fully in force in 2025, the new set of regulations is expected to reduce smog-causing pollutants by 75 percent from current levels, and greenhouse gases by 34 percent.