Nissan has begun to ramp up production of the LEAF at its manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, and has also announced a number of upgrades for the 2013 model. The electric hatchbacks roll down the line alongside legacy vehicles, but instead of gas tanks and internal combustion engines, workers install lithium-ion battery packs made at… Read more »
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Plug In America publishes survey of LEAF owners regarding battery capacity
Plug In America has added some more information to the capacity controversy (or battery brouhaha, if you prefer) surrounding the Nissan LEAF. Briefly stated, the issue is that a number of LEAF owners in hot climates have found that their battery capacity is declining faster than expected. You can read the details in the latest… Read more »
More details about GM’s new Chinese EV
Shanghai General Motors launched its Sail SPRINGO EV at the Auto Guangzhou 2012 show, and revealed some technical specs for the new electric hatchback. For now, a limited number will go on sale in a Shanghai trial program. Eventually, all of Shanghai GM’s “new energy” vehicles will be sold through an exclusive “Drive to Green”… Read more »
Three of a kind: PolyPlus reaches for 1,500 Wh/kg
After decades of patent-protected breakthroughs, PolyPlus stands poised to make its first commercial move from its trio of power-dense battery technologies: lithium-sulfur, lithium-water, and lithium-air. It’s a balmy, 95-degree August day in the nation’s capital, but Steven J. Visco, PhD, the CEO, CTO, and co-founder of PolyPlus, sits in the climate-controlled comfort of the White House… Read more »
A closer look at regenerative braking
Regenerative braking (usually called regen for short) is simply the act of turning a motor into a generator, so that it slows down the load it was previously driving. Instead of converting momentum into heat with friction brakes, regen puts some of that energy back into the traction pack, not only saving wear on the… Read more »
The promise of the Prius Plug-in
On the march toward widespread adoption of 100+ MPGe plug-in vehicles, the Prius Plug-in could take the most significant step. “When you think of hybrids, you think of Prius.” So says Geri Yoza, National Manager for Advanced Technology Vehicles, Product Planning Department at Toyota. Of course, that would be the standard company line at Toyota,… Read more »
VIDEO: EV West and partners build electric off-road Baja racer
No, it’s not a reincarnation of GM’s visionary but premature EV1 – far from it. The Strategic Recovery Institute (SRI)’s EV1, which was unveiled in October at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo in Los Angeles, is a fully electric off-road vehicle with 535 hp and 750 ft-lbs of torque. It has a range of 100… Read more »
Colorado Republican candidate loves his Volt
Colorado Republican congressional candidate Joe Coors bucks the trend in a new campaign commercial, which was filmed inside his Volt.
Nissan and Ecotricity install fast chargers at UK motorway service areas
When one is on a long car trip in the UK, and is ready for a cup of tea and a bun, one stops at a motorway service area. These are the equivalent of what US Interstate drivers call rest areas, except that they also have restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations – and now… Read more »
Vision Industries and Balqon collaborate to build a hybrid fuel cell-powered terminal tractor
Vision Industries and Balqon Corporation have entered into a Joint Development Agreement to build a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell /electric hybrid terminal tractor, the Zero-TT. The Zero-TT will incorporate a Cargotec Kalmar chassis, Balqon’s electric drivetrain and Vision’s hydrogen fuel cell range extender. It is intended to combine the superior acceleration of a battery-powered EV… Read more »