How not to impress us: the Colorado Current EV
Click above for a gallery of the Current Here’s an email that came into the AutoblogGreen mailbox from reader CW the other day: “Ive seen a lot of your articles on here about different electric cars, but none of them match the Current that is available now in Colorado. It has 186 HP goes highway speeds and right now can go 70 miles on a charge and soon they are getting new batteries that will allow it to go 200 miles at highway speeds. Please go to Coloradoautoconnection.com and look at the Current and maybe write a post about it. It is a great car, 4 place hatchback and best of all it is available right now!” Sounds good, right? I checked out that website and poke around the web a bit. I discover a post on the Current (which is not the Kurrent EV ) on Sustain Lane and a one-line tidbit at the Denver FOX affiliate says that, “The Current is a 100% electric car that is rated for use on America’s highways. S.T. Tripathi of Parker, Colorado is bringing it to market.” The Sustain Lane story says that Tripathi hopes to employ 200 people and make 50,000 of these all-electric vehicles. The Colorado Auto Connection site says that the Current has a range between 65 and 200 miles and can reach speeds of 70 mph from a 240-volt lithium polymer or Nilar battery pack. Ambitious, this project is. One slight problem, though. When I clicked on the Colorado Auto Connection link to find out the price of the Current and see how many were available, as CW said. The result : “Sorry, No listings were found that matched your search query. Please try your search again. ” Gallery: Current EV [Source: Electric City Motors , Sustain Lane , Colorado Auto Connection ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Green Daily How not to impress us: the Colorado Current EV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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How not to impress us: the Colorado Current EV
Arizona’s new governor may abandon California greenhouse gas rules
There may soon be one less state that uses California’s carbon dioxide emissions standards for motor vehicles: Arizona. Before leaving office, former governor Janet Napolitano (D) issued an executive order requiring the state’s Department of Environmental Quality to adopt the rules that would effectively push fuel economy standards to 44 mpg by 2016. Napolitano has since moved on to become Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration and Republican Jan Brewer is now occupying the governors mansion. Brewer is reconsidering the California rules and it seems likely that either she or the state legislature will rescind the earlier move. Sen. Sylvia Allen, (R) doesn’t think most of her colleagues support the move to adopt the California standard and they want to abandon it before the EPA reverses its original decision to reject California’s waiver application on the rules. This is a move unlikely to be followed by other states that have adopted the California rules. [Source: Arizona Daily Star ] Auto Blog: Legislation and Policy , USA Arizona’s new governor may abandon California greenhouse gas rules originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Arizona’s new governor may abandon California greenhouse gas rules
Jetta TDI proving tough to find in California
Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI In the minds of those in charge of voting for automotive awards , it seems that the new Volkswagen Jetta TDI can do no wrong . Perhaps the same can be said of new car purchasers, depending on where that buyer happens to live. Apparently, the German automaker can’t keep up with demand in a number of areas because of the way the vehicles are allocated to dealerships. At least one VW employee from California who had placed his order way back in 2008 is being told he won’t get his new car until late April or early May. In contrast, there is reportedly no wait at all in Washington, D.C. That unnamed employee says, “I could probably go there to buy one, but what am I going to do, drive it all the way back to California?” Think of the bright side… at least it would be a fuel efficient road trip. Gallery: In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI [Source: Tank of Diesel ] Auto Blog: Diesel , Volkswagen , USA Jetta TDI proving tough to find in California originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Jetta TDI proving tough to find in California
Mazda to further refine Wankel rotary engine for more efficiency?
Mazda’s Wankel rotary engine has always been unique in the automotive landscape as a mass-produced internal combustion engine that eschews such unsightly items as pistons, valves and camshafts. The Wankel packs lots of power into a very small package, but one thing it’s never been is fuel efficient, despite its relatively meager 1.3-liters of displacement. It seems the Japanese automaker is working hard to change that reputation with the next generation of the RX series. Like the classic 13B engine that the current Renesis is still based on, the new 16X would use two rotors, though enlarged to 800cc each for a total of 1.6 liters. Despite the increase in displacement, Mazda hopes to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions by 20 percent. Other efficiency improvements are planned as well, including a dual-clutch transmission and a significant weight savings over the current RX-8, which isn’t exactly a porker as it is. Supposedly, the new rotary would be available in both a two-door, two-seat RX-7 and a larger, four-seat RX-9 variants. [Source: Inside Line ] Auto Blog: Mazda , Lightweight Mazda to further refine Wankel rotary engine for more efficiency? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Mazda to further refine Wankel rotary engine for more efficiency?
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Leave a commentBetter Late than Oily: America will have to wait for diesel MINI
Auto Blog: Diesel , MINI Click above for a hi-res gallery of the MINI Cooper D in the ABG Garage While the new electric MINI E is proving even more popular than expected and the Cooper D continues to sell big across the pond, MINI has been contemplating bringing the diesel hatch Stateside. However, the current diesel in the Cooper D, which AutoblogGreen drove last summer, isn’t deemed clean enough for U.S. emissions regulations. While previous reports suggested a modified version of the current Cooper D could make the trip across the Atlantic to the land of heavily-taxed diesel fuel, company spokesmen now say it could have to wait until a next-generation clean-burning diesel can be developed for the MINI. Although the artificially high price of diesel in the United States has prevented oil-burning vehicles from taking the lead here, MINI points out that the price difference between the premium gasoline their vehicles require and ordinary diesel is actually quite a bit more manageable. Add to that equation the 60 miles per gallon a diesel MINI being tested by Bosch here in the good old U S of A gets and a diesel Cooper is making more sense by the minute. Gallery: ABG Garage: 2008 MINI Cooper D [Source: USA Today via Kicking Tires ] Better Late than Oily: America will have to wait for diesel MINI originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Better Late than Oily: America will have to wait for diesel MINI
Posted in Auto Green | a-will-have, across-the-pond, cooper, current, dieselmini, kicking-tires, mini, price, taking-the-lead, united, united-states | Leave a commentSenate passes stimulus bill with $2 billion for plug-ins and batteries
Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , EV/Plug-in , Legislation and Policy , USA American politicians are trying to figure out how best to save the wreck that is the U.S. economy, mostly by moving a stimulus bill through Congress. Today, the Senate passed their version of the bill and there is (unsurprisingly) a lot in there for green car advocates. The $838 billion package includes $2 billion for advanced vehicle batteries and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Green Tech Media has a rundown on the other energy efficient measures included in the bill. A final version of the bill should be sent to President Obama soon, perhaps even this week, according to the New York Times . The Senate and the President have a history of promoting PHEV-friendly legislation (see here , here and here ). CalCars has more . [Source: WaPo , Green Tech Media ] Photo by laszlo-photo . Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0. Senate passes stimulus bill with $2 billion for plug-ins and batteries originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Senate passes stimulus bill with $2 billion for plug-ins and batteries
Posted in Auto Green, Hybrids | a-stimulus-bill, cooper, current, dieselmini, economy, entry, mini, president obama, senate, senatestimulus, stimulus bill, stimulusbill, united-states, usa | Leave a commentREVA opens new green factory in Bangalore
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Manufacturing/Plants , NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) , India REVA, the Indian electric car company that produces mostly NEVs, has announced that is building a new manufacturing facility near Bangalore, India. The new 18,212 m 2 plant, which is expected to produce 30,000 units per year, will build both the current REVAi model (known as the G-Wiz in the UK) as well as a new model using lithium-ion batteries by the end of the current year. REVA also announced that the plant is environmentally friendly: it uses harvested rainwater, maximizes the use of natural ventilation and light, solar energy harvesting, steel structure technology and a CO 2 monitor. All this guarantees that it gets the LEED environmental certification. The Indian manufacturer has already about 2,000 EVs zapping around London and Bangalore and distributes its models in some eight other European countries. Full press release after the jump. Gallery: Reva G-Wiz [Source: REVA] Continue reading REVA opens new green factory in Bangalore REVA opens new green factory in Bangalore originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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REVA opens new green factory in Bangalore
Posted in Auto Green | bangalore, current, european, EV Plug in, green-factory, guarantees, india, london, steel-structure | Leave a commentTata Nano delayed, again, and this time there’s no timetable for introduction
Auto Blog: Tata Click on the image above for a gallery of the Tata Nano Will the Tata Nano, much hyped as the world’s cheapest car, ever arrive? Production of the car, which has has been delayed by protests in the recent past, could be put off once again now that Tata Motors unexpectedly lost money in the third fiscal quarter (which ended in December). Sales of Tata’s other vehicles were down and the company had to temporarily close some plants; there were also layoffs at Tata and at Jaguar Land Rover, which Tata bought from Ford last summer. The Nano was unveiled in January 2008 , at which time the company told the world that the $2,000 cars would be available for sale by the end of 2008 ( didn’t happen ). Tata Motors has now told Automotive News Europe (subs req’d) that it does not currently have a definite timetable for bringing the Nano to market. Better exhale on that breath you’re holding. Gallery: Tata Nano: The People’s Car [Source: Automotive News Europe (subs req'd)] Tata Nano delayed, again, and this time there’s no timetable for introduction originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Tata Nano delayed, again, and this time there’s no timetable for introduction
Posted in Auto Green | current, entry, europe, hyped-as-the, india, layoffs-at-tata, tata, tata motors, time, told-the-world | Leave a commentBREAKING: Full Aptera specs released at TED
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Aptera Click above for a gallery of the Aptera 2e The Aptera Forum is buzzing with excitement today as the official set of specifications for the upcoming 2e have been released at the Technology, Entertainment, Design ( TED ) conference that’s taking place right now. Early measurements of the car’s very wide front track and comparatively short wheelbase have now been confirmed, along with a weight of just 1,500 pounds and a coefficient of drag of just 0.15, a figure that handily beats even the super aerodynamic GM EV1. Hard data on the electric drivetrain is also rather intriguing. The electric motor offers up 60 lb-ft of torque at an undetermined RPM and the lithium ion phosphate battery pack has a capacity of 10-13 kWh, leading many to believe that there will be an optional pack capable of extending range from the standard 100 miles up to 125 miles. Other interesting bits include a standard emergency tire inflation system, interior fabrics and plastics made from recycled materials, a smart key and solar glass. A rear backup camera is optional, as is a DVD-based navigation system. See the complete breakdown after the break. Thanks to Josh for providing the list ! Gallery: Aptera 2e at TED [Source: Aptera Forum ] Continue reading BREAKING: Full Aptera specs released at TED BREAKING: Full Aptera specs released at TED originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Tesla holds customer town hall to explain price increases
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Tesla Motors Click above for high-res image gallery of Jason’s Tesla Roadster Tesla Motors held the first of a series of customer town hall meetings at its Menlo Park store on Tuesday to try and assuage anger over recently announced price increases . A couple of attendees have posted their thoughts about the meeting around the web. As usual, CEO Elon Musk was forthcoming with information, although it some cases it may actually raise more fears than calm them down. For example, when responding to a query about the price hike, Musk responded, “It was a really close call at the last round of investments, I can’t shoulder the load of the company alone and I couldn’t continue the company like that.” Musk also revealed that the company would be getting an investment from a “well respected company” in the next week or so. In the current environment, that may not have been the safest response if the deal has not yet closed. If something happens and it falls apart, the company could end up looking worse. Musk blamed the new $3,000 price for the high-powered charging cable on the cost of making the current one and said a new, less expensive version is being developed. A 440V charger that would facilitate 45-minute charges is in the works, he said, possibly for 2010. Musk also announced that the Model S would be shown to customers and VIPs at an event at the Space-X headquarters in Los Angeles on March 5. Tesla is also working on drivetrain 2.0 with an eye on cost reduction. Gallery: Jason Calacanis’ Tesla Roadster Gallery: Trying out Jason’s Tesla Roadster Photos copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips , Sam Abuelsamid, Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc. [Source: Planettesla , TeslaMotorsClub ] Tesla holds customer town hall to explain price increases originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Tesla holds customer town hall to explain price increases
Posted in Auto Green | a-friend-via, current, elon musk, entry, low speed vehicle credit, meetings-at-its, price, space, tesla, tesla-motors, teslaroadster, thoughts, wheels-or-top | Leave a commentGet Approved!
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