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Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark interior designer speaks [w/video]

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Click above and scroll down to watch the video The Chevrolet Spark was one of the first cars our Geneva team saw when they arrived in town to cover the show. We got some nice shots of the interior of the vehicle (see 1 , 2 , 3 ), but we’ve now got some more info on the thoughts that went into stretching the two-door Beat concept into the Spark thanks to a video interview with David Lyon, Chevrolet’s executive director of interior design. Lyon says that the Spark’s five-door style looks like the three-door concept, but is much more functional, and that the Spark heralds what he hopes will be Chevy’s new domination of the mini-segment. You can watch the interview after the jump. Gallery: Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark [Source: Newspress] Continue reading Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark interior designer speaks [w/video] Auto Blog: Chevrolet , Geneva Motor Show Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark interior designer speaks [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark interior designer speaks [w/video]

Zero Motorcycles to host 24 Hours Of Electricross

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:52:00 +0000

If you happen to have an electric motorcycle, ATV or quad and always wanted to have your name in the record books, your chance for glory might be arriving this upcoming 4th of April. Zero Motorcycles is hosting the world’s very first 24 hour off-road endurance event for battery-powered vehicles and you’re invited to give it a shot. All the action happens “in the heart of San Jose” at the 408MX Motocross Track and registration ( PDF ), which must be sent in by March 20th, is free. While everyone that enters will get some type of prize (plus free drinks and snacks!), only the top three finishers will bring home trophies so plan on bringing your “A” game. If you’re an enthusiast and don’t yet have an electric bike, Zero says they want to give you a chance to be involved and will make a “special effort” to make that happen. We’re not sure exactly what they mean by that but we do know that anyone who buys a Zero X now will get about $745 back at tax time next year due to the federal tax credits now in effect . While we’re on the topic of Zero Motorcycles, we should mention that the video we featured last month by Blake Mitchell won that month’s prize and the rider now has an extra battery to swap out. Nice. [Source: Zero Motorcycles ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , On Two Wheels , USA , Racing Zero Motorcycles to host 24 Hours Of Electricross originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Zero Motorcycles to host 24 Hours Of Electricross

Plug-In Motors makes Mustang electric [w/video]

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Click above and scroll down to watch the video The wait for a battery-powered Ford may have just gotten shorter now that Plug-In Motors in Denver, Colorado is planning to turn Ford Mustangs into electric Plug-In Panthers. One of the co-founders behind the company, Kurt Neugens, has some familiarity with Fords having worked for the Detroit automaker for 17 years as an engineer. The other co-founder, Travis Winkelman, knows a thing or two about hands-on tweaking as well, with a resume that prominently features the Roush NASCAR Racing Team where he worked as a development engineer. Although the company will convert other selected models, the Mustang is the vehicle they’re starting with and if you’re in the vicinity of Lakewood Ford on the 27th and 28th, you can go for a ride yourself to see if you like their handiwork. Using lithium iron phosphate ( LiFePo 4 ) batteries, an AC induction motor and adjustable regenerative braking, they claim to have a package that offers quickness (0 to 60 under 6 seconds) and a low-carbon impact. They seem to have several different configurations, each with their own strengths. The quickest car can only hit 85 mph at the top end or you can opt for a slower start and a 105 mph top speed. Range is also option-dependent. The more affordable version travels 85 miles on a charge or you can opt for more batteries that they say can carry you 200 miles. you can check it out for yourself in the video after the jump. [Source: Plug-In Motors / YouTube / Examiner ] Continue reading Plug-In Motors makes Mustang electric [w/video] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Ford , USA Plug-In Motors makes Mustang electric [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:53:00 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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Plug-In Motors makes Mustang electric [w/video]

CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt Electric vehicle proponents never like to hear news like this, but another study has indicated that plug-in vehicles with longer battery ranges are going to be too expensive to be cost-effective, even though they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The problem is that the cost of the batteries required to support a 40-mile electric-only range far outweighs the incremental benefit compared to a shorter range plug-in or non-plug hybrid. The cost of a battery pack for a car like the Chevy Volt is estimated to be as much as $15,000, although no one at General Motors is talking about the specific number publicly yet. While there are certainly people who are willing to go plug-in regardless of the cost, the reality is that most people simply cannot afford to do so no matter how much they might like the idea of helping the environment. Beyond the up-front cost of batteries there also remains the issue of durability. Tesla Motors, for example, is offering a $12,000 battery replacement plan for the Roadster – which has a battery pack that costs around $30,000. General Motors officials have repeatedly expressed confidence that the battery management systems they have developed for the Volt will allow them to meet the 10-year/150,000-mile durability target for the battery. However, accelerated testing in the lab can only tell so much about battery life. Until these vehicles are in the field and exposed to the wide range of conditions that occur over a number of years, no one can be certain. Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt [Source: Bloomberg , Carnegie-Mellon University ] Auto Blog: Etc. , EV/Plug-in CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:04:00 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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CMU study indicates the Chevy Volt may be too expensive to be effective

VIDEO: Awesome Mobility ReCharge concept is awesome!

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:35:00 +0000

While a future with electric cars on the roads seems quite certain now, the charging infrastructure being put in place is mostly of the slow variety. For those in a hurry, though, help may be on the way. The Deflt University of Technology in Holland seems to be spawning another group intent on bringing fast-charging to the masses. They’ve produced a short video for the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering illustrating a system that keeps it simple and eliminates some potential problems like equipment vandalism and handling high-voltage lines. With the “Awesome Mobility” system, as it’s being called, you don’t even have to get out of your car! Sweet! The group hasn’t just made a video. We are told that this project also includes a business plan to help make the concept a reality. They are currently working furiously on the Awesome Mobility website as we speak and we hope to follow their progress there. In the meantime, hit the jump for some fast-charging video and let us know what you think. [Source: YouTube / Awesome Mobility] Continue reading VIDEO: Awesome Mobility ReCharge concept is awesome! Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , EV/Plug-in , Europe/EU VIDEO: Awesome Mobility ReCharge concept is awesome! originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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VIDEO: New charging post juices old electric GMC van

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Click above and scroll down to watch the video While perhaps not as spectacular as San Francisco getting a fancy Smartlet charging station in front of City Hall , the addition of two charging posts at Truckee Meadows Community College in Northern Nevada are a welcome addition to the nations slowly-growing charging infrastructure. The posts, which use a traditional parking meter interface and ask for only 10 cents an hour, are getting put to good use, as we learned from a bit of video by the local NBC affiliate, KRNV. As interesting as the posts were, the station found one of the vehicles regularly using them was just as interesting: a 1991 GMC Van. Around the time GM was refining the Impact prototype that would go on to become the EV1 , some GMC vans were built with an electric drivetrain for the Department of Defense, according to the vehicle’s owner (Southern California Edison got some too). Able to go 70 miles on a charge, the vehicle requires little maintenance and its driver seems very happy with his old EV ride. If you are thinking that you’d like a van like this yourself, you may be in luck. A nice looking 1989 copy is listed on the EV Album by someone who says, “I’m considering selling this, contact me with offer.” If that doesn’t pan out and you’re good with a wrench, there’s another in need of extreme TLC on eBay for the next few days. Video after the jump. [Source: YouTube / eBay / EV Album ] Continue reading VIDEO: New charging post juices old electric GMC van Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , GMC , Green Daily , USA VIDEO: New charging post juices old electric GMC van originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Jon Stewart talks to "Two Billion Cars" author Daniel Sperling

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Click above and scroll down to watch the video Whether the cheap Tata Nano is the driving force behind a massive upswing in the number of cars actively used in the world or not , the day is coming when there will be two billion cars on the roads. So says author and California Air Resources Board member Daniel Sperling . Sperling was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last week to discuss his new book and to give his predictions about which technologies would power these two billion cars. He said that “eventually” the “vast majority” of the two billion cars will be alternative-energy (pure electric, plug-in hybrids, biofueled, and hydrogen fuel cell) vehicles. Yes, that was as specific as he wanted to get on Comedy Central. Sperling also claimed that we’d need “tens of billions” of dollars in government aid to make the large-scale shift to plug-ins and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Stewart, for his part, said that the automakers represent the past, and he wondered why we don’t just let them fiddle with the deck chairs while others get fuel cell and electric vehicles on the road. Watch the full interview after the jump. Bonus history lesson: Sperling has a slightly troubled past . [Source: The Daily Show ] Continue reading Jon Stewart talks to “Two Billion Cars” author Daniel Sperling Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , EV/Plug-in , Hydrogen , Legislation and Policy , Green Daily Jon Stewart talks to “Two Billion Cars” author Daniel Sperling originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Better Place CEO says he needs the Big Three

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Click above and scroll down to watch the video Need a quick update on Better Place? World Focus has a five-minute video that features interviews with founder Shai Agassi, video of the cars testing in Israel and skeptics like Forbes’ Bruce Upbin, weighing in on the electric car startup. The clip says that Better Place promises they could have their EV chargin network in place across the U.S. by 2012, given enough government and automaker support. In its home country, Israel, Better Place plans to have several hundred thousands charging stations installed in two years. As we’ve heard , Better Place is in discussions with more than 25 countries, plus many major automakers and local partners, to expand their program. It sounds like they’re going to need the help, as this notable quote from Agassi makes clear: “We’re not against Detroit. We’re for Detroit. Without the Detroit Three going out and producing millions of cars, electric cars, that fit this model, we don’t get the U.S. off of oil.” Thanks to Rain for the tip! [Source: World Focus via HuffPo ] Continue reading Better Place CEO says he needs the Big Three Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Better Place Better Place CEO says he needs the Big Three originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:31:00 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 Place CEO says he needs the Big Three

1998 Panoz Q9: A hybrid race car ahead of its time

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:35:00 +0000

At next month’s 12 Hours of Sebring, Corsa Motorsports will be debuting it’s new Zytek hybrid drive LMP1 car, but this is far from the first hybrid race car in the American Le Mans Series. Back in 1998, the Panoz GTR-1 was nearing the end of its life-cycle as a competitive race car. As a last hurrah for the GT1 car, Panoz teamed up with Zytek, the same company developing the system that’s being run by Corsa, to create a hybrid racer. Like today’s hybrids, this one paired a Zytek-built electric motor with the Ford V8 engine and a set of batteries to absorb energy from regenerative braking and feed it out for extra acceleration. The reasoning was the same as that chosen by Audi and Peugeot for following the diesel path. By increasing fuel efficiency, the car could run longer between pit stops, reducing the amount of time standing still in the pits. The Panoz Q9′s lack of testing time before the first run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, meant it just failed to qualify. Later that year, Panoz entered the car, which was nicknamed “Sparky,” again for the first running of the Petit Le Mans where it qualified and finished second in GT1 behind a Porsche 911 GT1. Unfortunately, the battery technology wasn’t advanced enough at the time; the entire right side of the cockpit was filled with them. Although there were hybrids that popped up on the track now and again over the years, it would take another decade for hybrid race cars to run at the top levels of the sport. [Source: American Le Mans Series ] Auto Blog: Hybrid , Racing 1998 Panoz Q9: A hybrid race car ahead of its time originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:35:00 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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VIDEO: Red Bull Racing preview of its new KERS-equipped F1 car

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:19:00 +0000

Up to this point, most Formula One race teams have maintained their usual veil of secrecy on what’s inside their new cars. The Red Bull team has produced an interesting computer generated animation video that gives a little peak inside the new RB5 car that they are running for 2009. The most interesting aspect is the new KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) hybrid drive. Red Bull is one of the teams opting for an electric hybrid system. For 2009, teams are allowed to use KERS for the first time. As with other hybrids, a generator driven by the rear axle charges a battery mounted behind the driver during braking. Unlike road going hybrids, the driver can select when he wants to release the energy to provide a performance boost. The drivers get up to 82 hp of electric boost available for 6.5 seconds per lap on demand via a steering wheel-mounted button. As driver Sebastian Vettel explains in the video, they have to be careful when they use it to make sure they don’t put down too much power too quickly and spin out. Check out the video after the jump. [Source: Red Bull Racing ] Continue reading VIDEO: Red Bull Racing preview of its new KERS-equipped F1 car Auto Blog: Hybrid , Racing VIDEO: Red Bull Racing preview of its new KERS-equipped F1 car originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:19:00 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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VIDEO: Red Bull Racing preview of its new KERS-equipped F1 car