General Motors is attempting to trademark the phrase “range anxiety”, a term that apparently describes how electric car owners feel when the battery charge drops to near empty levels. GM Spokesman Rob Peterson confirmed the move to the New York Times, but gave no timeline on when the process would be complete. “We’ve been told...
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November 11th is the official date for Job 1 of Chevrolet Volt production. The exact date was confirmed by a General Motors spokesman to Autoblog Green, and the date should remain the same as long as no issues with government certification and all pre-production testing is complete. Cars generally start getting to dealers roughly one...
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Nissan is making sure that supply of their Leaf is tight during the rollout period at the end of 2010. With a total of 200 cars spread around 5 major markets (California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon and Tennessee), this amounts to only a few cars per dealership. While the limited edition status of the initial Leafs...
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Bet the headline got your attention, didn’t it? Unfortunately for you electric car haters, this doesn’t have to do with wanton destruction of an electric car. Electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt pose a significant danger to Paramedics, Fire Fighters and other emergency responders due to the significantly higher voltage (no pun intended) and hazardous materials...
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Despite the Chevrolet Volt’s carefully orchestrated PR campaign, TransLogic, an online publication, was given a GM-guided tour of the new Chevrolet Volt, but managed to reveal a couple interesting statistics. The Volt, as it turns out, delivers respectable straight line performance. It’s 0-60mph time of 8.53 seconds isn’t quick, but it’s faster than cars like...
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Renault is currently testing prototypes from their upcoming electric vehicle range in Israel, with a view to selling them in the country by next year. The vehicles, known as the Renault Fluence Z.E. (for zero emissions), look just like normal Renault Fluence sedans, but run solely on electric power. At first glance, Israel may seem...
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After months of nothing but static shots of Porsche‘s 918 Spyder hybrid, there is finally real proof that the car is capable of moving under its own power. While we only see the 918 Spyder driving for a couple short moments, the 3.4L V8 makes an interesting sound at low revs, sounding a bit like...
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Despite reports that Chevrolet‘s Volt hybrid is capable of only running on premium gas, it turns out that the car is capable of running on regular gas…sort of. A GM spokesman told Autoblog Green that the Volt is equipped with a knock sensor like most every other car on the market. If regular gas is...
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Despite previously denying reports that an electric car based off their small A1 platform would be produced, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler confirmed that Audi would produce a small electric city car, without confirming any design or technical details. “Almost certainly, yes, we will have a small electric car. It is being investigated,” Stadler told Britain’s...
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Everyone’s favorite blowhard talk radio host tore into the Chevrolet Volt, criticizing it as a product that “nobody wants”. Rush Limbaugh, the infamous talk radio host, mocked General Motors as “Obama Motors” and criticized its range as well as its $41,000 sticker price. Limbaugh criticized the $7,500 tax credit offered by the government, stating that...
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Shortly after announcing the pricing and specs for the Chevrolet Volt, General Motors has put a Youtube video up on the video sharing site touting the features and benefits of GM’s new plug-in hybrid. We’ll spare you a recap of the video but we’ve embedded it into the post below the jump. You can already...
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General Motors has announced that their Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid will be priced at $41,000 when it goes on sale later in November 2010. The Volt is also entitled to a $7,500 tax credit given to buyers of electric vehicles, which brings the price down to $33,500. The MSRP includes a $720 destination charge. Fully...
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General Motors just sent us this sparse press release to let us know that Chevrolet Volt pricing is being announced tomorrow at 12 noon EST. We know that the government will be chipping in with a $7,500 tax credit if you buy a Volt, but beyond that, it’s anybodies guess as to how much it...
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Porsche has confirmed that electric prototypes of their Boxster model are currently being evaluated by the company. The Boxster prototypes give a clue to the company’s direction with alternative fuel projects, as Porsche moves from experimenting with hybrid vehicles into fully electric cars. “We will definitely be offering an electric sports car in future. But...
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With Citroen looking to move upmarket with its new DS line, the French company is looking to produce two striking new concepts to help boost the brand’s image. The outlandish Survolt concept car, an all-electric sports car, is under consideration after it completed a race at the LeMans circuit. The Survolt puts out 248 horsepower...
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With electric versions of the Audi R8 and Mercedes-Benz SLS on the horizon, Toyota is looking for its own electric halo vehicle to bring the fight to the Germans, similar to how the Japanese automaker did with their Lexus LF-A flagship. With electric motors at all four wheels and selectable driving programs, the Toyota mimics...
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Mitsubishi is looking to get into the electric car game with their ultra-compact iMiEV. Unfortunately, the iMiEV is down on power, interior space and range – between 50 and 60 miles – three qualities which likely won’t sit well with most Americans. To make the iMiEV more attractive, Mitsubishi is hoping to sell the car...
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The Canadian province of Ontario announced that the Nissan Leaf will qualify for the full $8500 rebate on electric vehicles sold in Ontario. The provincial government offers incentives of $5,000 to $8,500 Canadian dollars will apply to electric vehicles sold in the province. The incentives vary based on the size of a cars battery, but...
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Communauto, a car sharing service in the Canadian province of Quebec, announced today that they are planning to add 50 Nissan Leaf electric cars to their fleet as soon as the vehicle becomes available in Canada in late 2011. Communauto is partnering with both municipal and provincial governments, utility companies and Nissan Canada, Communauto is able to...
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File this one under “completely out of left field.” GM engineers are looking for any possible way to cut costs from their Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, and anything is currently on the table. Among the possibilities being investigated is a rotary engine, a powerplant long abandoned by nearly every automaker except Mazda, who still produces...
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According to Nissan/Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn the company has now sold all of the 13,000 Leaf models allocated for the U.S. market. “We think there is a big future for this car. I can already tell you that the production for 2010 is already sold out,” said Ghosn today during a meeting of the Detroit...
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The Chinese city of Shenzen recieved a fleet of 40 electric taxicabs last week, marking a historic milestone for China and electric vehicles. The taxis, made by Chinese automaker BYD have a top speed of 140 km/h, and are capable of getting 300 miles on a single charge.BYD, backed by American investor Warren Buffet, is...
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As Nissan strives to sell the Leaf electric car at an affordable price point, the company is expressing concerns that the current subsidies offered by governments to encourage EV adoption will expire after three years, hurting sales and pushing the cost of electric vehicles back into unattainable territory. “My assumption is that they won’t be...
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Tomohiko Kawanabe, Honda‘s president of research & development, expressed doubts about consumer demand for electric vehicles. “We lack confidence,” Kawanabe said in an interview with Automotive News.“It’s questionable whether consumers will accept the annoyances of limited driving range and having to spend time charging them.”Rival automakers like Nissan and General Motors are pushing ahead with...
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