While most of us (at least the group with access to about $975) could easily pick up a nicely kept up version of the much-abused Geo Metro, only 500 lucky souls will ever have a chance to pilot an example fettled by the Solectria Corporation.
Chosen by Solectria because General Motors had engineless examples ready to go, this Metro has never been sullied with the sweet smells of internal combustion. And though the unassuming EV has covered a healthy 16,000-plus miles in its life to date, the car seems to be in remarkable condition from stem to stern.
While interest in high mpg or alternative fuel cars like this EV Metro is certainly on the rise in today’s world, we still think that the seller may be overestimating the appeal of this particular car. With a starting price of $10,000, we’re guessing that the EV will price out those looking for simple electric transportation, and turn off those who might be interested in making some kind of lifestyle statement.
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A young Canadian inventor named Ben Gulak has created an innovative new electric motorbike that takes some of the lessons learned from the Segway device, but implements them in a much cooler package.
The bike, called the Uno, looks from its profile like a strange powered unicycle but actually employs two wheels side-by-side. Riders lean forward to accelerate; a feature famously used by the Segway, and can hit a top speed of 25 mph in its current configuration. The Uno also makes use of a set of gyros to enhance ease of balance, and the wheels are independently operated making turning much more precise.
(Click through the jump to read on or on the thumbnails below to launch a gallery of Uno images.)
Th!nk CEO Jan-Olaf Willums is expected to present the new version of the City car that failed for Ford, during an upcoming environmental conference.
Three American companies are already heavily invested in the Th!nk’s return to the States, thanks in no small part to the resurgence in interest for small, alternative power vehicles. A123 Systems Inc. of Watertown, Massachusetts and EnerDel Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana provide batteries for the European version of the car, and General Electric has contributed more than $4 million to Th!nk Global.
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While American muscle cars may not seem like the most obvious destination for all-electric powertrains, the allure of the green movement seems to be pulling in new representatives by the day. Two cases of this, set to appear at the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend, are the Tjaarda EVX Mustang and the HST Shelby Cobra EVX.
The pair of EVs will take part in the GP’s “Green Power Prix-View,” and hope to show that electric need not mean slow. Each car packs a 300 horsepower electric motor with lithium ion phosphate battery packs by K2 Energy Solutions. The motors are said to create 1,000 pound-feet of torque at zero rpm, race from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds, and have an effective range of 100 miles between charges. The nouveau Shelby Cobra will top out at a stirring 150 mph, while the Mustang will make it to 120 mph.
While the environmental and performance cases may be compelling, the price of the EV muscle cars is decidedly less so. Asking price for the Tjaarda Mustang is around $80,000 and you’ll spend $125,000 on the Shelby.
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Electric sports car builder Tesla Motors is suing designer Henrik Fisker (pictured) and Bernhard Koehler of Fisker Coachbuild, for fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of contract.
Tesla hired Fisker, who had worked for the likes of BMW and Aston Martin, during 2007 to work on the interior and body styling of its upcoming electric sedan called WhiteStar. The company is making the claim that despite paying Fisker almost $800,000 for the work, the designer purposely held back his best efforts, and helped to push back the launch date of the WhiteStar by six-months to 2010.
(Have a look at the offending piece of evidence, the Fisker Karma, in our gallery below or click through the jump to read on.)
Allegedly built for the mobile elderly or the painfully frugal (both?) this 1948 Autoette electric car was green before being green was cool…way before.
Autoette actually started building its EV’s in 1948, carrying right on through the 1960s before shutting its doors. At one point the company offered as many as three models; an electric truck, “golf car,” and this beauty, the “Cruise About.” The car ran on a 24-volt Dodge starter motor rated at about 1.5 horsepower, and drew energy initially from specially made batteries.
This particular example is in decent condition considering the vintage, though is said to have a hole in its removable top due to some long-past shenanigans (we’re told a cat almost lost its life). It would surely make a fun and interesting curio for any EV fan, or as the seller suggests a great runabout for sprawling car shows.
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Every Beijing citizen is witnessing a tremendous overhaul that has never before happened to this ancient city. The world largest airport terminal, the National Grand Theater, the Water Cube, you name it; the capital of China is so desperate to prove itself competent that it is constructing these iconic buildings, seemingly overnight. And with the Olympic Games just around the corner, it seems that almost every Chinese, especially the common man, would like to contribute something to his country, and the grand upcoming sporting events.
Mr.Liu lives in Yongji County in Jilin, a province in the northeast China. The old man in his eighties made an electric vehicle himself recently and has painted “Fuwa,” the name of the official Olympic mascots (aka the Good-luck dolls), on the car’s back to express his best wishes to the Beijing Olympics. He wants to drive the EV on the road to publicize the Olympics even more to his fellow countryman.
(Click on the thumbnails below to see a gallery of Good Luck EV images.)
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Want to see exactly how General Motors is progressing on the production version of its Chevrolet Volt electric car? Well, thanks to a little sneakiness on the part of WWJ 950 radio reporter Jeff Gilbert, now you can.
Gilbert was among a group of reporters that was invited by GM to come and take a look at the latest stages of testing for the much ballyhooed Volt, and despite strict security on the part of the automaker, was somehow able to walk out with the footage for this rather comprehensive walk through video. On display is The General’s battery laboratory, a production Volt model undergoing aerodynamics testing, as well as an honest to god test mule…that looks strangely familiar. Watch and learn.
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Nissan’s Denki Cube Concept is an electric vehicle dressed up in a rather fancy and futuristic package, but it’s got nothing on its art project brothers. These JDM Cubes have been used as a sort of blank canvass for the artist’s brush, with their unmistakable blocky shapes broken up with striations, patterns, and slashes of color.
Have a look at some of the Nissan Art Cube examples in our galleries below, and then give us your take on the project in comments.
Nissan hasn’t gotten around to debuting its all-electric Denki Cube concept yet, but the company’s show minders didn’t bother to cover the boxy EV either.
Denki is basically an electric version of the Japanese Domestic Market Cube with a white-out body kit, and a yellow interior treatment that looks as if it could glow in the dark. We’ll be able to report more after Nissan gives us the facts and figures later in the day, but until then take a look at our live gallery of images below.
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Images of what’s being called the Nissan Denki (which means ‘electric’) Cube concept have cropped up a bit early thanks to some industrious members of a Nissan fan forum. The Denki concept retains all that one might love about the original Cube, most notably its Scion-like two-box styling, while being dressed up a bit with some futuristic wheels and a funky interior.
Check out some early looks at the Denki Cube in our gallery below, and stay tuned for Nissan’s official release of the car from New York tomorrow.
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Tesla Motors hit another milestone with its all-electric 2008 Roadster yesterday, as the company began regular production of the car at its San Carlos, California assembly plant.
Tesla spokesman Darryl Siry said that in the early going the small carmaker will aim to produce between one and five examples of the Roadster per week, and that full capacity will have Tesla churning out more than 100 units per month. The Roadster is built on the same platform as the Lotus Elise, and requires 6,800 small lithium-ion batteries for power.
Siry said that of the more than 900 orders Tesla has on the books so far, 600 or so lucky customers will be taking delivery of their new sports car this year.
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