I got a look at this little sucker recently and it’s the stuff of all my science fiction dreams.  Well, at least most of them–it can’t hover and it doesn’t come standard with particle beam weaponry, but still!

It’s called Project Puma, short for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, and for urbanites it may well be the next best thing to driving a car.

It’s produced as a partnership between GM and Segway, and is described as a “small, nimble, electric vehicle” that looks a LOT like an enclosed Segway.

Basically, if I’m interpreting this right, it’s a car pod.  A tiny little electric vehicle that acts like a car.  Now, I can see a LOT of appeal in something like this.  You know what it’s like to have to go just a couple miles to go somewhere like the post office or the grocery store, and you think, what’s the point in taking the whole car?  But you can’t WALK, or even bike there because it’s just a bit too far for that.  This is where some people think moped, but that’s still a gas engine.

Problems?  You betcha–I can’t imagine this thing doing well in winter for a panoply of reasons, not least of them those two wheels on icy slush or in high winds.  Even if traction isn’t an issue, an unheated cab sure would be.

But hopefully they can iron out the kinks and get these to market, inexpensively.  I’d sure like to try one.

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One thing about electric cars, their silence is golden. Motorists often clamored for old gas-powered vehicles to be silenced but it didn’t seem to work. With their engines, it may be hard back then. But with electric vehicles all that may change now.

Now while that issue may have been resolved. Do remember that not all people may necessarily be giving a thumbs up to this. As far as commuters are concerned, the blind rely on their hearing to cross the street. And with a quiet vehicle, mishaps may happen so what could be a resolution?

It seems that Nissan and Toyota has come up with a solution and it is not irritating to the ear. Rather, it is an artificial sound that blind people can hear whenever an electric vehicle is approaching. To some motorists it may be silly but I guess it won’t be if you talk about safety. No one in his right mind would want to be accountable for accidents, especially if blind people are concerned.

(Source) The Korea Herald

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ZipCar is once again in focus but this time, it is because of their first-ever Electric Vehicle Pod. These new vehicles are among the most efficient and technologically advanced on the road today and are available to members by the hour for a fraction of the cost of owning one.

“Since early in this decade, Zipcar has been integrating alternative vehicles into the fleet — giving our members the opportunity to push the envelope and evaluate a range of advanced-vehicle technologies,” said Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar. “Our proprietary car sharing technology platform allows us to manage a variety of cutting-edge vehicles, serving hundreds of thousands of Zipsters who benefit from convenience, cost savings and a commitment to reducing carbon emissions.”

With the uncertainty as far as reliability and feasibility of owning one still up in the air, people who want to go places can still do so by trying out this alternative. Apparently a lot of issues such as charging issues and the length at where they can go is still unresolved so why worry if you have ZipCar to help you out for now?

(Source) Press

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Hillsoboro has announced that they will be installing 16 charging stations in the state of Oregon. These charging stations will be supplied by Coulomb Technologies, the leader in charging station infrastructure which will be situated in key locations for the preparation of the expected demand for plug-in and electric vehicles.

The 16 charging stations will be installed in downtown Hillsboro including their new “green” intermodal transit facility to be built in 2009. The charging stations, available for public use, are part of the city’s large-scale sustainability and green movement, designed to showcase conservation, environmentalism and eco-friendly design.

The ChargePoint Network enabled charging stations provide:

• A revenue stream to pay for electricity, capital equipment and maintenance
• The ability for drivers to find unoccupied charging stations via web-enabled cell phones
• Notification by SMS Text or email when charging is complete
• Authenticated access to eliminate energy theft
• Authorized energizing for safety
• Remote monitoring and diagnostics for superior quality of service
• Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities

(Source) Press

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The City of Santa Monica becomes the first region to purchase and make use of the first US built electric trucks called the ZeroTruck. This purchase of the ZeroTruck signals the start of the eco-friendly drive of the City of Santa Monica as far as their Sustainability Plan to reduce carbon emissions and the incremental reduction of fuel use.

This truck meets the needs of our Water Division and the goals of our Sustainable City Plan to reduce emissions and reduce our use of petroleum. A zero emission medium-duty truck is something that has never been available to us until now.”

The ZeroTruck is a medium duty truck that is based on the Isuzu N series chassis, the only US built electric vehicle offered in the United States. It boasts of a low cab forward design, automatic transmission and can go up to 100 miles. It likewise comes with advanced lithium batteries, an onboard battery charger, regenerative braking, and powered by a UQM PowerPhase 100 advanced electric motor.

(Source) Press

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The need is there and the forecasts are being made. As far as the needs of electric cars, charging stations are bound to be the next demand in the motoring industry, something that has already started but is way off from covering the needs of the projected number of electric cars expected to be out in the market.

As far as the Pike Research is concerned, there will be over 5 million charging stations up, obviously foreseeing the major influx of electric cars running around in the streets by then.

“While electric vehicles will be primarily charged at home, a strong funding push by governments will mean that more than half of all charge points will be public charging stations by 2015,” says industry analyst John Gartner. “Retailers will also install public access stations primarily as a marketing tool, and many companies will also offer workplace charging stations for their employees.”

Indeed, people can satisfy themselves for now with a one-time charge. But the next question is up to where can they go? Most electric cars today have a specified mileage depending on the charging capacity and unlike fueled cars, charging stations just in case of extended road trips is obviously lacking. Then again, who knows if they will be that plenty come 2015? We can only wait and see.

(Source) Press

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With the new age of plug-in electric vehicles slowly creeping in, Raser Technologies and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be on hand to demonstrate the Hummer H3. The H3 uses an extended range electric vehicle (E-REV) powertrain developed by Raser Technologies. The Hummer H3 is a mid-sized SUV, similar in size to a Jeep Commander.

“I believe low-carbon fuel vehicles are the future and I want to see them succeed right here in California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “That’s why I’m bringing cars like this one to the Capitol where we can show the world there is a market for smart and innovative technologies that will also create jobs in the auto industry.”

Indeed, this should be something worth checking out if you are within the area. The attention of most motorists today is geared towards checking out what the latest trends for alternative transport options are available in the market today. And while everyone knows the Hummer brand, it is quite curious to note what this mid-sized SUV has to offer in light of the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles needed today.

(Source) Press

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Today, the call to turn to electric vehicles is apparent and has already settled in the minds of motorists who place premium in their transportation needs. But to make sure, another company has joined forces with Ford Motors to push for electric vehicle use.

Consumers Energy and Ford Motor Co. have come together to submit a pilot project which will enhance promotions in the use of electric vehicles. Ford will be supplying the utilities with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles to use in their daily operations.

The utilities also will develop and install “smart” charging facilities for the vehicles. The data from the vehicle use and charging systems will be shared and used to help shape the power infrastructure needed to meet customer needs as the use of electric vehicles expands.

John Russell, the president and chief operating officer of Consumers Energy, said the proposal provided an excellent opportunity for the utility to support Ford and be part of the automaker’s efforts to promote the use of electric vehicles.

(Source) Press

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For the electric car owners of now and tomorrow, you don’t have to worry about running short on energy. Thanks to this potential concept by GreenlightAC, electric-vehicle charging stations may soon be spread over Washington D.C.

Called the ChargeBar, GreenlightAC is on the verge of closing a $500,000 investment to release a prototype of this latest modern day car charging station. As far as location is concerned, the company is eyeing local garages for office and residential buildings. Greenlight AC will handle all installation and maintenance of the said charging stations.

GreenlightAC hasn’t said exactly where the first ChargeBars will show up, but they’ll start to be installed in the Washington metro area in the third quarter of this year, with future installations potentially expanding to other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. The company told the Washington Business Journal that it expects to sell 350 of its charging stations by the end of next year.

(Source) Earth2Tech

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Perhaps two companies working together can come out and product a new battery product that is seen to become a demand in the coming years as BASF and Sion Power have combined to speed up the cause to accelerate the commercialization of Sion Power’s proprietary lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology, e.g., for the electric vehicle (EV) market and other high-energy applications.

The Sion Power / BASF collaboration targets the development of battery materials to improve Li-S battery life and to increase the energy density and thus extend driving range of future EVs beyond what is currently available with alternative rechargeable battery technologies. Li-S technology already offers significant energy density and weight advantages over those existing technologies.

Improved battery technology is a fundamental requirement for more efficient use of current and renewable energy sources. The recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides for $2 billion for the development and manufacture of advanced automotive batteries. All major automotive manufactures are vigorously pursuing the introduction of electric vehicles that are environmentally friendly yet provide the range and comfort consumers expect in an automobile, features that cannot be obtained with any currently available battery technology.

(Source) Press

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With a rocky state as far as finances are concerned, the ENVI is as good as gone. This was revealed as Fiat has practically overtaken the whole assembly line of Chrysler. The reason for the move is that Fiat thinks that the project may prove to be costly.

ENVI was scheduled to deliver its first electric-vehicle in late 2010 with lithium-ion battery packs supplied by A123Systems. The division had created a total of five vehicle concepts but never confirmed which of those five concepts would make it into production. However, last month CNNMoney said that Chrysler’s first production ENVI would be the Lotus Europa based Dodge Circuit.

“The Europa-based Dodge Circuit electric car has been killed by the credit crunch,” reports AutoCar. Nonetheless, insiders say that Lotus is now talking to European OEM to setup another electric-car program like the Tesla Roadster.

The Dodge Circuit EV is (or was) a pure electric-car that carries a 268-hp electric-motor allowing it to travel 150 miles to 200 miles on a single charge. 0 to 60 comes in under 5 seconds with a top speed of 120 mph.

(Source) EGM Car Tech

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Another merger between Renault-Nissan and Progress Energy of Raleigh promises to develop advanced zero-emission vehicles. Nissan will introduce zero-emission vehicles in the United States in 2010, starting with a 5-passenger compact vehicle that will have a range of 100 miles on a single charge.

The announcement coincides with the Raleigh stop on a coast-to-coast tour of Nissan’s EV Prototype, a vehicle that’s powered by Nissan’s lithium-ion battery pack and zero-emission electric motor. While this vehicle does not represent the design of Nissan’s electric vehicle that will be sold in 2010, the EV Prototype is an indicator of what’s to come in zero-emission mobility.

“Nissan, through the Renault-Nissan Alliance, is committed to being a global leader in zero-emission vehicles,” said Dominique Thormann, senior vice president, administration and finance, Nissan North America. “Our partners in Raleigh share our goals of working together towards making the region plug-in ready for the introduction of electric vehicles next year. This partnership is an important step in making zero-emissions mobility a reality.”

(Source) Press

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Haima, Me EV

Haima Auto has brought out its all-new electric concept vehicle, Me EV, at the 2009 Shanghai auto show, as a follow-up to its Fstar EV which was released at last year’s Beijing auto show. According to Haima Fushida, a joint venture between FAW and Mazda, its Me EV comes with a set of high-performance brushless motors and a choice of two lithium-ion battery packs that can power the tangerine EV between 100 and 120 miles with top-speeds of either 50 or 75 mph, respectively.

The 220-volt power supply can reportedly recharge the Me in about four hours, and if it reaches production, this urban two-seater could be credible option for navigating Shanghai’s ever increasing congested roads.

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In a move that is expected to change the fortunes of their business operations, Nissan has reportedly made some new management and operational structure changes for the Americas designed to capitalize on synergies across the region while focusing on individual market and consumer needs.

The company has strategically consolidated its operations across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean to leverage the collective expertise of this diverse economic zone. The Management Committee-Americas is now a streamlined group of executives making strategic decisions for the region.

In addition, two new operations committees have been established for North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Each is charged with tactical, market- and performance-focused decisions aligned with the overall regional strategy. This new organizational design will drive future growth in the region.

Manufacturing, purchasing, supply-chain management and logistics will be tightly allied, because their functions are similar throughout the region. Sales, marketing and support operations will be managed more locally, since they need to respond to local-market needs.

Nissan will launch a battery electric vehicle in the United States and Japan in 2010. Two years later, Nissan EVs will be made available to the mass market globally.

(Source) Press

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Electric vehicle owners situated in Sierra Nevada are likely to find car charging easier as Coulomb Technologies has announced the installation of ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations at its brewery in Chico, CA.

The two charging stations are available for patrons and employees of the brewery with electric vehicles. Coulomb’s charging stations are an important part of Sierra Nevada’s sustainability initiatives that include solar, fuel cells, recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation and transportation improvements. Sierra Nevada is the first corporation to install the ChargePoint networked charging stations.

The Coulomb charging stations will be featured at Chico Fest on Sunday, April 26, 2009 from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Chico Fest is a free event featuring a sustainability focused expo, food, live music and the dedication of Sierra Nevada’s new 1.5 MW AC solar system.

(Source) Press

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