Air Pods

from http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/11/passing-gaswill.html

Eco-Friendly AirPods Get Airport Test

By Jason Sattler November 05, 2008 | 8:16:29 PMCategories: Alt Fuel

A former aeronautics and Formula 1 engineer with the seemingly crazy idea of building cars that run on compressed air has convinced a European airline to use his "AirPods" to ferry passengers around airports in France and Amsterdam.

Guy Nègre has been tinkering with compressed air vehicles for about 20 years, but he and his company, Motor Development International, have done little more than build some prototypes that have garnered interest from the likes of India's giant automaker Tata Motors and an American startup called Zero Emissions Motors.

With Air France/KLM officials announcing they will give the vehicles a six-month test in the rough-and-tumble environment of two busy airports, Nègre may finally prove his vehicles are more than hot air.

The airline says AirPods will carry passengers between departure gates at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The AirPods slated for airport duty will be the first operational version of MDI’s Air Car concept, which is vying for the Progressive Automotive X-Prize.

The AirPod carries four people in a vehicle that is about 6 feet long and weighs roughly 450 pounds. It's single-piston engine is driven by compressed air. The tank holds 175 liters of compressed air, according to Zero Pollution Motors, and can be filled to 350 bar (5,076 psi!) in as little as 90 seconds. That's enough to give the AirPod a range of about 135 miles and a top speed of 43 mph.

MDI won't be building Air Cars. Rather, it's counting on licensing agreements with Tata and Zero Emissions Motors to bring the world Air Cars by 2010 or 2011. If the idea of a zero-emissions car that runs on air sounds too good to be true, we share your skepticism.

Besides the continuing production delays, a promised top speed of 90 MPH and range of 848 miles for the AirFlow model seem—to put it mildly—over promise. Tata isn't convinced the technology is quite ready for prime time, and Andrew Frank, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California at Davis, told The New York Times, “It's a losing game because the efficiency is just not there.”

Everything about the Air Car seems to suggest an “It’s a Small World”-sort of innocence. MDI's industrial model for “micro production” imagines incredibly green cars being produced all over the world at fractions of typical costs. But none of the technology has ever been proven, which is why the tests of the AirPod at Schiphol and de Gaulle airports are so important. Yet even the limited scope of the AirPod’s test run at two airports seems to speak to a major lag in a technology that may fill little more than a tiny niche.

A car that runs on air is a cool idea in theory. But as the battle to replace gas heats up, it looks the AirCar could be little more than vaporware.

Photo by MDI.

Insecta Car Concept

From http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/10/ah-grasshopper.html

Insecta Concept Car Trades 6 Legs for 4 Wheels

By Keith Barry October 23, 2008 | 5:11:08 PMCategories: Concept Cars

Award-winning young designer Shao Yung Yeh drew inspiration from one of nature's smallest creatures when he designed the Insecta, a vehicle that is small and green like a grasshopper but has the brains of a much more advanced species.

The size, shape and color of the battery-powered personal vehicle reflects the characteristics of its namesake. Insects "not only inspire the styling but also the entire structure and the package of the car," Yeh told Wired.com. "The legs are connected to a central chassis as a thorax, while the canopy can be read as an insect's head. The battery pack at the back symbolizes abdomen."

Auto designers have long drawn inspiration from nature, and Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons famously said the automobile is "the closest thing we can create to something that is alive." But more often than not it is charismatic megafauna — particularly big cats — or birds that designers look to. That's changing, Yeh says, and the future belongs to insects. "They are lightweight, agile, versatile, efficient and ecological beings," he said. "Compare that to mammals, a common inspiration of modern car design. Insects are more suitable for cars of the future generation."

This automotive arthropod just might be the solution to millions of lone drivers buzzing around in five-passenger cars.

Yeh is a 22-year-old designer who studied industrial design at Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. The technology he envisions for Insecta is as advanced as its styling. The battery pack shifts according to the car's direction to maintain balance and handling. It uses hub-mounted wheel motors. And the adjustable suspension is one part bug-leg, two parts Citroën, changing the height of the car to suit traffic conditions.

Yeh doesn't see someone like General Motors or Toyota building the car of the future in the future. "I think there would be more and more independent companies building unique electric cars," he said. "They will be looking for innovative design languages and building up their own brand identities."

The way he sees it, the Insecta can be a unique brand identity that attracts buyers who value individuality as well as low environmental impact — and an emotional attachment to their vehicle. "Cars are always considered not mere products but also have life in some level, even like our pets," he said. "In fact, a lot of kids in Asia are having insects like big beetles as pets. Maybe when they grow up and see some cars like Insecta, they might feel intimate with them. It is important to look for new design elements to appeal to upcoming customer generations."

Post updated 6:20 p.m. PST.

More pictures and video, courtesy of Yeh via Car Body Design:

A2B Electric Bicycle

from http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/08/from-a2b-on-an.html

Go From A2B on An Electric Bike, Praying The Battery Doesn't Die.

By Chuck Squatriglia August 13, 2008 | 5:16:27 PMCategories: Bicycles, Electric Vehicles

Behold the A2B, an electric bicycle so named because it gets you from Point A to Point B - at least until the battery dies. Then you're sitting on a 73-pound bicycle even Kristin Armstrong would bust a quad riding.

The A2B is Ultra Motor's entry in the growing peloton of electric bicycles, even if the company calls it a light electric vehicle. Whatever it is, you can ride it like an seven-speed bike or turn on the 500-watt ( 2/3 horsepower) electric motor and cruise along at 20 mph. "It's basically a bike on steroids - in a good way," says chief executive Chris Deyo.

With a $2,500 price tag, the A2B is almost as expensive as it is portly but Ultra Motor says it's competitive with high-end bicycles and still cheaper than getting around with fossil fuel.

The few bicycle bits listed on the specs aren't bad -- Shimano Alivio derailleur, Hayes disc brakes and full suspension with an aluminum frame -- but you're clearly shelling out the big bucks for the proprietary motor and 36 volt lithium ion battery.

Ultra Motor says the A2B is better than other e-bikes because it was "built from the tires up for superior performance." Those tires, by the way, are 3 inches wide. The battery provides just 20 miles range -- you can add another battery to double that -- and, according to one review, requires three to five hours to charge. Ultra Motor notes the U.S. Department of Transportation says nearly half of all trips people take each day are less than 3 miles, so it clearly thinks the A2B has sufficient range for most people. If it doesn't, well, you can start pedaling. That same review said, "In a test on a flat road, though, the bike was much easier to ride than expected." Still, we've gotta wonder what it's like climbing a hill.

Since it's an electric bike, you don't need a license to ride it. Just hop on and go. Look for the A2B in bike and scooter shops next month. Dealers are listed on the Web site.

Photo by Ultra Motor.

Toyota Winget Website

www.toyoto-winglet.com

Toyota Winglet

• Home
• Winglet Videos

Toyota unveiled the Winglet. Winglet is a “Personal Transport Assistants” similar to the Segway, balance on two wheels using internal sensors and gyroscopes to stay upright. The Winglet comes in three sizes, consists of the large (L), medium (M) and small (S) versions, the latter two of which don’t have handlebars and instead are gripped by the calves. Winglet’s body has a 10.4 x 18-inch footprint and stands 1.5-, 2.2-, or 3.7-feet tall (depending upon the S, M, or L model chosen).

Winglet is powered by an electric motor, these Winglets are capable of up to 3.73mph or 6km/h for up to 6.2 miles or 10km in the case of the L or M models, or half that in the case of the smaller S version. You control the Winglet by leaning in the direction you wish to move. The Toyota Winglet takes an hour to fully recharge.

Toyota is planning to start consumer testing at the Central Japan International Airport later this Fall of 2008, before graduating onto increasingly crowded environments sometime in 2009. Unlike some of the company’s earlier (and more bizarre looking) personal transporters, the Winglet is actually expected to go into production in 2010.

Images of the Toyota Winglet

Toyota Winglet - Prototype Transporter

Cargo Ship with Kite Auxiliary Power

from Treehugger
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/beluga-skysails-cargo-ship-kites.php

At the end of January, we wrote about the Beluga Skysails, a commercial cargo ship that was testing the use of giant kites as auxiliary power - a kind of hybrid wind/fossil-fuels system.

We're pleased to learn that the Beluga Skysails trip was successful: The ship set sail (literally) to Venezuela from Germany on January 22nd and reached the Norwegian port of Mo-I-Rana on March 13th after traveling a total of 11,952 nautical miles. "In even moderate winds, the first flights of an initial 160-square-meter towing kite propulsion system from the Hamburg-based manufacturer SkySails demonstrated how this innovative auxiliary propulsion system was able to substitute for 20% of the engine’s power." After the pilot phase, the towing kite will be replaced by one that is twice the size, providing twice as much energy and saving twice the fuel (which could mean $2000/day).

The shipping company will be giving part of these [fuel] savings – 20 percent – directly to the crew as an incentive. Kites with a sail surface of up to 600 square meters will be used on two larger Beluga P-Series carriers that are to be outfitted with SkySails-Systems in the future. Currently under construction, each vessel will have 20,000 tons deadweight and on-board cranes with a lifting capacity of 800 to 1,400 tons.

AMP Converts Saturn Sky to Electric

from http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/08/02/video-amp-leaves-drawing-board-hits-highway/

VIDEO: AMP leaves drawing board, hits highway

Posted Aug 2nd 2008 at 7:03PM by Domenick Yoney

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Saturn, USA

Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP), the company with plans to convert hundreds of Saturn Sky roadsters from gas to electric power, appear to have a prototype doing some on-the-road testing. A video on YouTube shows a black "AMP" whizzing down the road and the cameraman announcing "...wards [sic] us is the AMP Saturn Sky. Totally electric. This is our fourth test drive." The car comes to a halt in front of the camera and the hood is immediately opened to reveal the gas engine has been replaced with black boxes with orange wires going to them. The car sports the word "electric" in chrome letters on the side of the front fender.

If the car is true to the original design specifications, it is powered by lithium phosphate batteries sending current to twin brushless DC motors, one for each back wheel. They hope to hit 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds, have a range of 150 miles and a top speed of 90 mph. The company is now taking pre-orders for the first 300 vehicles. A $10,000 down payment goes towards the $25,000 conversion price tag which, of course, doesn't include the car. If you already possess a Saturn Sky you can have it converted instead of buying one for the purpose. One last catch? In order to provide after-sale service, the offer is only open to residents of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area, the home of the company. Video pudding proof after the break.

[Source: YouTube / Advanced Mechanical Products]

Loremo High-MPG Vehicle

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/27/loremo-unveils-definitive-skin-for-its-high-mpg-model/

Loremo unveils definitive skin for its high-mpg model

Posted Jul 27th 2008 at 10:27AM by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, MPG, Lightweight, Germany

Click above for high-res gallery.

Aspiring German automaker Loremo has unveiled the newest images of their production intent model. Although they're only 3D renderings, they already show what the production model should look like. After the initial prototypes, the car gets the definitive shape, which is slightly more conventional in shape than before but also offers more interior space for its occupants. The long tail is still there, kept for aerodynamic reasons to keep the drag coefficient at 0.20.

Regarding powertrains, we will find three available, and they even disclosed approximate prices:

• LS: 2-cyl turbo diesel, 20hp, 2 l/100 km (117mpg U. S.). 0-100 km/h (0-62mph) under 20s. Top speed 160 km/h (95mph) - €15,000
• GT: 3-cyl turbo diesel, 50hp, 3 l/100 km (78mpg U. S.). 0-100 km/h under 10s. Top speed 200 km/h (125mph) - €20,000
• EV: Lithium-ion batteries, 20 kW (25hp), 0-100 km/h under 15s. Top speed 170 km/h (105mph) - €30,000

Gallery: Preproduction Loremo

71 mpg possible in mid-90's

from http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/06/greenpeaces-smile-project-proved-70mpg-was-possible-in-1995/

Greenpeace's SmiLE Project proved 70mpg was possible in 1995

Posted Jul 6th 2008 at 12:46PM by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Green Culture, MPG, Green Daily

High fuel efficiency is a hot topic today, but people have been tinkering with miserly vehicles for a long time. Take GreenPeace, which started working on the "SmILE-Project" in the mid '90s. GreenPeace thought that if it was going to have to be cars that we use for transportation, they may as well be "Small, Intelligent, Light und Efficient" (hence, SmILE). Unveiled in 1996, the tweaked first generation Renault Twingo got dramatically better fuel economy and, had Renault followed up and put these into production, would undoubtedly be a huge seller today.

The vehicle itself is labeled with the words "First Aid for the environment - same performance, half the fuel usage." That's not an exaggeration. Before the work, the Twingo used 6.7 liters per 100 km (35mpg U.S.) and afterwards just 3.3 (71mpg U.S.).

Flybrid Systems

Have a look at this website about a new company offering a flywheel energy storage system.

http://www.flybridsystems.com/index.html

Water from Air

This one has a website...

http://www.airwater.com.au/home.htm

Welcome...

Our range of activities in Australia includes state of the art “Water from Air” production technology and machines, and “Energy Solutions” in the solar energy industry.

We live in a new millennium .where new solutions to our problems are badly needed…Air Water offers some surprising and economical solutions to age old problems…

Making “water from the air” is the latest high tech approach to solving one of Australia’s greatest needs...Drinkable Water.

Making “electric power from daylight” involves technology which uses solar energy for economically creating clean, green … Electric Power.

Using patented technology we share our values of providing basic life needs in economical , environmental, and socially acceptable ways.

Our water and energy solutions are tried and tested with years of research and commercial application in many countries around the world and in a variety of private, public and industrial applications.

I'm Hesitant but will post anyway...

I am hesitant to post this because I cannot verify that this exists... at least online. The links to the product page, at time of posting, were not available.

from http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/06/klimatec_base_1_airwater_machine.html

Klimatec Base 1 AirWater Machine

Posted on: June 30, 2008

Most water coolers are meant to be a place where office gossip is circulated while acting as a water dispenser second. With the Klimatec Base 1 AirWater Machine, you will see more geeks surround it, at least for the first few weeks of it's existence. This self-filling water cooler is able to extract water out of thin air, purifying it and then turning it into the life giving liquid we all depend on. The output is pretty impressive - 20 litres in just 24 hours, and it can even be solar-poweerd, allowing you to attach an optional fridge if you prefer cold drinks. There's no word on pricing, not even on the product page itself.

Very Efficient (& costly) LED Light Bulb

from: http://www.metaefficient.com/leds/geobulb-a-led-bulb-that-replaces-a-60w-bulb.html

Geobulb: A LED Bulb That Replaces A 60W Bulb

June 17th, 2008 · 7 Comments

The Geobulb is a 8 watt LED light that replaces a 60 watt incandescent bulb. It generates 800 lumens of light to be exact — either warm white light or cool white. This bulb has a sleeker design than some of the LED lights I’ve seen — check out that aesthetically pleasing heat sink.

The Geobulb lasts 40 times longer than conventional incandescent bulbs and 10 times longer than compact fluorescent. LED bulbs like this have the advantage of being able to be turned off and on quickly, and being able to withstand cold temperatures. It sells for $120 which, for an enthusiast like myself, is a reasonable price for a ultrarefficient light that will last 10 years or more. It’s available from C. Crane and Computer Gear.

HydroPak Fuel Cell

Horizon Fuel Cell Bike

ENV Fuel Cell Electric Bike

30 Electric Cars

from http://venturebeat.com/2008/01/10/27-electric-cars-companies-ready-to-take-over-the-road/


30 electric cars companies ready to take over the road
Chris Morrison | January 10th, 2008

frontpic1.jpgIt’s official: Green car madness has taken over. After seeing more electric and hybrid vehicle startups than we could keep track of, we finally decided to start keeping count.

We’ve compiled a list, below, of 27 (update: the list has reached 30; thanks for the comments) startups, listed according to their release date, with additional information on fuel type, range, top speed and price. Most haven’t yet taken venture funding, but where applicable, we’ve listed financial backing.

While we’ve got some overall favorites (Miles, Tesla, Think) and a few favorite oddballs (Aptera, Commuter Cars, Eliica), we’ve for the most part withheld judgement. Still, if you have any of your own predictions about which companies will succeed or — far more likely — fail, we’d encourage you to make them known in the comments.

A note on our method: While most manufacturers are planning more than one model, we chose the one that seemed either most commercially viable or closest to release, depending on our own (discretionary) formula. We didn’t included well-known consumer models like the Toyota Prius or Chevy Volt, or startups like AC Propulsion that only do battery conversions for consumer vehicles. We also rounded the price to the nearest thousand.

All details are taken from the companies, so we haven’t independently confirmed things like range and top speed details. In case we missed any, mention them below and we’ll add them to the list.

americanelectricvehicle.JPGAmerican Electric Vehicle — Kurrent
Update: Defunct, according to a comment below, although they seem to still be for sale. We’re looking into it.
AEV advises its potential drivers to “Slow down,” which seems like wise advice, given the golf cart-inspired design. Still, it’s ridiculously cheap.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $10K
Range / top speed: 40 miles / 25mph
Release date: Available now

commutercars.jpgCommuter Cars — Tango T600
The Tango is even odder than three-wheeled designs, in some ways: It’s less than half the width of a normal car, and two can fit in a single lane. It also accelerates like a bat out of hell. Future versions are planned to be much cheaper, and have longer ranges.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $108K
Range / top speed: 80 miles / 150mph
Funding: Less than $1 million in angel backing; open to venture funding.
Release date: Available now

dynasty.JPGDynasty Electric Car Corp. — IT Sedan
This Canadian company actually sells five different models, although they all look relatively identical, minus or plus a few pieces of frame.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $19,000
Range / top speed: 30 miles / 24mph
Release date: Available now

elbil.jpgElBil Norge — Kewet Buddy
Somewhat reminiscent of the Think (see below), the Buddy is currently only available in the same country, Norway.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $28K
Range / top speed: / 56mph
Release date: Available now

flybo.jpgFly Bo — 6000 / 2
This vehicle, which bears a strong resemblance to the Smart Car, is produced in China. Spark (see below) distributes it in the United States.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $10K
Range / top speed: 60 miles / 35mph (w/ limiter)
Release date: Available now

geme2.jpgGlobal Electric Motorcars (GEM) — e2
GEM is actually a division of Chrysler, the company has the look and feel (not to mention, apparently, the limited funding) of a startup. Its vehicles resemble golf carts, and are likely used for many of the same functions.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $7K
Range / top speed: 35 miles / 25mph
Release date: Available now

modec.JPGModec — Electric Van
These aren’t actually cars, or even consumer transportation. These electric van / trucks resemble the delivery vehicles you might see bringing vegetables to your local grocery.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $41K
Range / top speed: 100 miles / 50mph
Release date: Available now

myers.JPGMyers Motors — NmG (No more Gas)
Another three-wheeled design, with room for only one passenger. Odd-looking and doesn’t go far, but you can order one today, if you like.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $35K
Range / top speed: 30 miles / 75mph
Release date: Available now

reva.JPGReva — G-Wiz
Despite its distinction as the most-produced electric vehicle around, having been in production since 2001, the Indian-produced Reva isn’t available yet in the United States. It’s considered extremely unsafe at high speeds, so it may never make it over.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: £8K ($16K in US dollars)
Range / top speed: 70 miles (for 2008 model) / 45mph
Release date: Available now

smithev.JPGSmith Electric Vehicles — Edison
The Edison, a large van designed for local deliveries, is Smith’s smallest model, meaning drivers don’t need a special license to operate it. The company, based in the United Kingdom also makes several much larger delivery trucks.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: Unconfirmed
Range / top speed: 150 miles / 50mph
Release date: Available now

twike.JPGTwike — The Twike
Some effort seems to have been put towards making this vehicle look like an insect. Of course, the look worked for the Volkswagen Beetle, and it may be working for Twike; the company sold out its 2007 line last year. It’s based in Switzerland, but sells in several other countries, including the United States.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $27,500
Range / top speed: 80 miles / 53mph
Release date: Available now

venturi.JPGVenturi — Fetish
Another high-end electric sports car, the Fetish is manufactured in Monaco. High labor costs, anyone? The company is also developing two more models, the Ecletic and Astrolab.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: €297K (about $435K dollars)
Range / top speed: 155 miles / 100mph
Release date: Available now

zap.JPGZap! Electric Cars — Xebra Sedan
Update: While Zap! cars really do exist, the company appears to have made itself out to be much more than it is. Check out the Wired.com expose piece on Zap, and think twice before ordering one (or signing up to be a dealer).
We chose to list the Xebra because the two higher-powered versions Zap is working on, the Zap-X and the Alias, don’t have firm release dates. Zap also has numerous retail locations in the United States, and sells cars made by other manufacturers.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $11K
Range / top speed:
Release date: Available now

zenn1.jpgZenn Motors — Zenn NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle)
As with some other available electric vehicles currently available, this vehicle is strictly for short ranges and slow speeds.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $12K - $15K
Range / top speed: 35 miles / 25mph
Funding: This company is publicly traded on the TSX.
Release date: Available now

lightning.JPGLightning Car Company — Lightning GT
The United Kingdom’s answer to Tesla. This will likely remain a boutique vehicle, but the company has plans for cheaper mass-produced models later.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: £150K ($293K in US dollars)
Range / top speed: 250 miles / TBA (but fast)
Release date: First half 2008

sparkev.jpgSpark Electric Vehicles — Comet
Update: Like Zap (see above), it seems Spark is either a scam company or simply incapable of carrying out its plans. Michael Papp, the brain behind Spark, has been arrested and faces trial for taking payments for vehicles he failed to deliver.
Spark has nine models, most made by Fly Bo (listed above). Here, we list the one they designed and manufactured themselves in the United States (most of their vehicles are much slower and cheaper than this one). They distribute their vehicles in Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $33K
Range / top speed: 200 miles / 90mph
Release date: First half of 2008

tesla.JPGTesla Motors — The Roadster
The most-publicized, most-hyped electric car company around. Tesla’s high-performance electric vehicle is reportedly a blast to drive, but various production problems have set the release date back.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $98K
Range / top speed: 221 miles / 125mph
Funding: Backed by Bay Area Equity Fund, Compass Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Technology Partners, VantagePoint Cleantech Partners, and VantagePoint Venture Partners, as well as various angel investors (including Elon Musk).
Release date: First quarter 2008

think.JPGThink — City
A pre-existing company whose older cars are still driven in Norway, this European manufacturer will release its new model in Europe this year, and in the United States a year or two after. Business 2.0 had an extensive story on the company.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $34K in Norway, $15K - $17K in US (projected)
Range / top speed: 112 miles / 62mph
Funding: Backed by DFJ Element, British Hazel Capital, Canica, Capricorn Investment Group, CG Holding, RockPort Capital Partners and Wintergreen Advisers, as well as various angels.
Release date: First half 2008 in Europe, but not until 2009 or later in the US

phoenix.jpgPhoenix Motorcars — Sport Utility Truck / SUV
No cars here, just trucks and SUVs. The company will have an extended-range battery option for 250 miles later in 2008.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $45K
Range / top speed: 130 miles / 95mph
Release date: Mid-2008

aircar.JPGMoteur Developpment International — The Air Car
These tiny, odd little vehicles are powered entirely by compressed air. You won’t be likely to see one Stateside just yet, but India’s Tata Motors has plans to begin production on them this year.
Fuel type: Air!
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: 120 miles / 70mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

porteon10.pngPorteon — Porteon
Reportedly to be sold alongside houses in small Mexican communities. Like other companies, this one plans to roll out higher-speed models later, but they haven’t gotten back to us yet with more details, including the official name.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $7K - $9K
Range / top speed: TBA / 25mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

spyder.JPGUniversal Electric Vehicles — Spyder
UEV’s Spyder has a sporty design, but the company itself doesn’t seem as slick and polished as some of the competitors. We’re not sure whether that means anything, though.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $70K
Range / top speed: 150 miles / 100+mph
Release date: 2008 (month TBA)

aptera.JPGAptera — Typ-1e / Type-1h
The Aptera Typ-1 is a three-wheeler (two front, one back) available in two configurations. We’ve covered the vehicle here.
Fuel type: All-electric or hybrid, depending on configuration
Price: $27K electric, $30K hybrid
Range / top speed: 120 miles electric, 600 miles hybrid; top speed TBA
Funding: Backed by Idealab and an angel investor, the CEO of Esenjay Petroleum, Michael Johnson.
Release date: Late 2008

obvio.JPGObvio — 828e
Sold in the United States by Zap, the diminutive but high-powered Obvio could almost race a Tesla. It’s designed and manufactured by a Brazilian company that is also working on a cheap combustion engine version.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $49k
Range / top speed: 240 miles / 120 mph
Release date: Late 2008 or early 2009

fisker.JPGFisker Automotive — “Eco-Chic” (Working name TBA)
Fisker will be showing off the first productions models of its cars on January 13th, at the Detroit Auto Show. Created by a world-renowned auto designer, these will compete in Tesla’s high-end market niche.
Fuel type: Hybrid
Price: $80K
Range / top speed: 620 miles / TBA
Backing: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has invested more than $10 million in Fisker.
Release date: Mid-2009

flytheroad.JPGVenture Vehicles — VentureOne e50 / Q100 / EV
We previously suggested that some might call this vehicle a “glorified scooter.” The company does have supporters, though, who gave us plenty of heat — for a chuckle, check out the comment thread below our story. The three models listed are actually one car with different configurations.
Fuel type: Two hybrids, the e50 and Q100, and the all-electric EV
Price: $20K - 25K
Range / top speed: e50, Q100 and EV respectively: 350 miles / 100mph; 300 miles / 120mph; 120 miles / 75mph
Backing: Backed by NGEN Partners.
Release date: Second quarter 2009

miles.JPGMiles Electric Vehicles — XS500
Founded in 2004, this company already makes and sells two low-speed electric vehicles which are manufactured in China. We chose to list details for its upcoming highway-speed model, which should have a mass market appeal, if the price is low enough.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: 120 miles / 80mph
Release date: 2009 (month TBA)

Bonus: Concept cars

We’ve picked out a few companies that represent next-generation thinking in EVs. As noted below, there are many more.

eliica.JPGEliica (The Electric Lithium-Ion Car)
A concept car created by Keio University in Japan, the Eliica has an odd eight-wheeled design and has come close to breaking speed records for combustion-engine cars. The team plans to sell a couple hundred eventually.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: $255K
Range / top speed: TBA / 230mph

velozzi.JPGVelozzi
An X-Prize contestant, Velozzi is most notable for claiming that their car will have a 0-60mph acceleration of under 3 seconds. Other details are pretty thin, though.
Fuel type: Hybrid
Price: TBA
Range / top speed: TBA / 200mph

wrightspeed.JPGWrightspeed — X-1
Wrightspeed admits that its scarily fast prototype is unsafe, and will never be mass-produced. The company is planning a commercial model with the same high performance, but hasn’t given any real details yet.
Fuel type: All-electric
Price: Probably high
Range / top speed: <100 miles / 112mph w/ electronic limiter (but it’s still in first gear when it hits that speed)

There’s also the Automotive X-Prize competitor list, which had grown to 45 teams at last count — a few of which are included on this list, but many not. Most are concept cars.

Favorites? Least favorites? Think they’ll all fail horribly? Speak your piece.

Micro-Vett Doblo EV

http://www.micro-vett.it/english/doblom1ing.html

AFS Trinity Hybrid Again

from http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=18280

AFS Trinity Demonstrates XH-150 Plug-in Hybrid to California Official


Source: AFS Trinity
[May 21, 2008]


SYNOPSIS: In a typical 340 mile week of driving, barely two gallons of fuel will be consumed, resulting in 170 miles per gallon.

a d v e r t i s e r
g o o g l e

California state officials and legislators as well as the general public in Sacramento are getting their first chance today to drive AFS Trinity's fast XH-150 SUV that gets 150 MPG, goes up to 87 MPH on the highway, accelerates faster than comparable gas only vehicles, cuts transportation costs 75%, and greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

"The XH-150 is a break-through, plug-in hybrid like no other because it can drive 40 miles in all-electric mode on an overnight charge without compromising performance," said Edward W. Furia, CEO of AFS Trinity Power Corporation that developed the Extreme Hybrid technology. "The average American drives less than 40 miles a day. On those days, if they are driving the XH-150, they will burn zero gasoline. "

State officials as well as members of the general public can see and drive two Extreme Hybrid prototypes today between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at a demonstration area near the capital in Sacramento on I Street between 14th and 15th. Individuals who want to drive the cars must be over 25 years of age, have a valid drivers license and sign a liability release. The number of general public drivers will be limited to a number that can be safely accommodated between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The AFS Trinity Extreme Hybrid received worldwide attention when it was introduced at the North American International Auto show in Detroit in January. The XH-150 was developed with the help of the world's leading independent automotive engineering firm, Ricardo.

Furia explained that the reason Extreme Hybrids work so well is because "they solve the battery problem that plagues all other plug-in hybrids. We do this by using ultra-capacitors to handle acceleration, thereby making it possible for the batteries to work better, last longer and operate more safely," Furia explained. "The whole system is managed by proprietary power and control electronics systems and software. The result is a powerful SUV with great benefit to the environment and an important contributor to reducing dependence on foreign oil."

Furia said, "In a typical 340 mile week of driving, barely two gallons of fuel will be consumed, resulting in 170 miles per gallon. We round down to 150 miles per gallon to take into account that mileage varies depending on how a person drives."

ABOUT AFS TRINITY

AFS Trinity develops Fast Energy Storage(TM) and power systems for vehicular, spacecraft and stationary power systems utilizing batteries, ultracapacitors, and flywheels. The Company has conducted programs with private and government organizations including DARPA, NASA, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. DOT, California Energy Commission, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Lockheed, Honeywell, Mercedes and Ricardo. AFS Trinity's patent-pending Extreme Hybrid(TM) drive train utilizes ultra-capacitors, batteries and proprietary power and control electronics for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The company is also actively engaged in developing flywheel power systems for Formula One Racing (F1). For more information visit http://www.afstrinity.com.

ABOUT RICARDO

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the US and Asia, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and deep-content strategic management consultant to the world's transportation sector industries. The company's engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell power train technologies. Its customers include the world's major automakers, tier 1 suppliers and leading motorsport teams. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient power train technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy." For more information visit http://www.ricardo.com.

Some statements in this news release are forward-looking. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as "will," "expects," "believes," "targets," "intends," and words of similar import. Actual results may vary depending on circumstances both within and outside the control of the Company including market acceptance of products, technology development cycles and other risk factors. AFS Trinity Power Corporation takes no responsibility for updating any forward-looking statements made in this release.

Extreme Hybrid(TM), ExtremeFleet(TM), XH(TM), XH-150(TM), XH-250(TM), Fast Energy(TM), Fast Energy Storage(TM), Just Plug It In(TM), Powered by Fast Energy(TM) are trademarks pending of AFS Trinity Power Corporation. Patents Pending. All Rights Reserved. (C) 2008 AFS Trinity Power Corporation.

Water Powered Car?

Tour of Aptera Facility

London's EV Charging Posts

Westminster to launch UK's largest on-street electric car charging service

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Environment , Local Government on Thursday 8th May 2008 - 11:34am

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Westminster to launch UK's largest electric car charging service

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More drivers than ever before will be able to dodge higher fuel prices in central London today as Westminster City Council rolls out the largest on-street car recharging service in the UK.

As well as saving cash, commuters will also be helping to save the environment by using any of the 12 on-street Juice Points for a small annual fee to recharge their electric motors, on top of getting massive discounts to use an additional 48 charging points in the council's car parks.

The new posts have been installed outside homes, offices and prime locations across Westminster following a successful pilot scheme in Covent Garden.

Users will have to pay an annual £75 fee to cover administration costs to register and use the on-street recharging posts. They will then receive a high quality recharging cable and personalised key, which will trigger a welcome message and start charging.

The launch event will give residents and visitors the opportunity to try out a number of electric cars and learn more about minimising drivers’ impact on the environment.

The posts, which cost £3,300 each, have been funded by Westminster City Council, Transport for London, the Energy Saving Trust and EDF Energy.

Westminster Council is leading the way in encouraging greener forms of car travel. Following the success of the Council’s electric car charging points, the London boroughs of Camden and Islington have installed posts of their own and Wandsworth is planning to do so.

The total number of 60 juice points includes 12 on street recharging points and 48 points in 13 of Westminster Council’s car parks.

The scheme is part of Westminster Council’s strategy to improve its air quality and is part of its Go Green programme, which sets out the ways in which the City Council intends to lead in creating a more sustainable city.

Councillor Alan Bradley, Cabinet Member for Street Environment at Westminster City Council, said: "We hope, by taking the lead and offering more recharging points than any other area of the UK, that we can get more people to switch to electric-powered cars, saving both money and the environment.

"This scheme represents an important step in the development of environmentally friendly travel and an improvement to London’s transport system, and we hope other councils will follow our lead, not just in London but across the country, so we can have a truly comprehensive system of recharging points across the UK".

Robert McKinnon, Head of Business Marketing at the Energy Saving Trust, said: “With over 20% of the UK’s total carbon emission produced by road transport every year, these advances in technology are vital. Driving electrical cars is just one of the ways of cutting down harmful emissions in the city. We’re proud to have been involved in supporting this innovative development and hopefully Westminster, as well as the environment, will see the benefits.”

Peter Thorn, EDF Energy Head of Business Development Strategy, said: “EDF Energy and Elektromotive are firmly committed to encouraging the development of a UK wide recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

"We firmly believe that by making recharging posts readily available, there will be greater interest in electrical transport, which in turn will help people reduce the impact their driving has on the environment. That is why we are delighted to be supporting Westminster City Council in the official launch of the additional charging posts and the ongoing development of electric transportation.”

Alex Williams, Director of Borough Partnerships at TfL said: "We are delighted with the launch of the new electric car recharging points in Westminster.

"TfL provides funding for the capital costs of electric charging points and to date there are around 40 charging points installed across London, in the boroughs of Islington, Camden, Greenwich, Sutton, Kingston, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Ealing, Southwark and the City. "

The Th!nk in London

from: http://www.smartplanet.com/news/transport/10001137/photos-th-nk-electric-car-on-london-s-streets.htm

Photos: TH!NK electric car on London's streets

Channels: Transport News Tags: electric car, electric vehicle, green electricity

At the launch of ten new charging points for electric vehicles in Central London today, we also had the pleasure of checking out and even sitting in the new TH!NK electric car. The TH!NK, as regular SmartPlaneteers will know, is expected to land in the UK by the end of the year. Check out our photos below.

It feels like sitting in an old-ish Fiat Punto: it's quite high off the ground, has great visibility and is relatively spacious for a small car. We're on the list to review it, and are gagging to give it a spin and see if we can hit its claimed 65mph max speed. How will it fare against the UK's best electric cars? Watch this space.

Aside from being 95 per cent recyclable, the major plus of the TH!NK versus a Punto is, of course, the fact it's powered with electricity rather than petrol. And with charging points now in the boroughs of Islington, Camden, Greenwich, Sutton, Kingston, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Ealing, Southwark and the City it should be almost as easy being an electric TH!NK driver in London as a Punto petrol-head.

TH!NK from the side

TH!NK front

TH!NK from behind

And TH!NK interior

Posted: 08 May 2008, 05:13pm by Rikke Bruntse-Dahl

Renualt, Nissan & The EV

from: http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11332425

Charge!

May 8th 2008
From The Economist print edition

Renault-Nissan's ambitious plans for all-electric cars

COMMITMENT is one of Carlos Ghosn's favourite words. He makes commitments himself and he expects his senior managers in the Renault-Nissan alliance to do the same. His latest, and one of his boldest, is that Renault and Nissan will lead the car industry in developing profitable zero-emission vehicles.

In recent months Renault-Nissan has teamed up with Project Better Place, a Silicon Valley start-up, to introduce all-electric vehicles and a network of charging points in Israel and Denmark by 2011. Now Nissan is going further. Speaking at a media event in Portugal this week, Mr Ghosn said that the time for the mass-market zero-emission car has come. Nissan plans to launch a battery-powered car in America in 2010 and by 2012 the Renault-Nissan alliance will offer a complete range of electric vehicles in every large car-market. And these new battery-powered cars, it claims, will work out less expensive than equivalent petrol models.

Renault-Nissan's new electric-vehicle strategy is, says Mr Ghosn, the culmination of two years' work. It is the product not just of rising fuel prices and the prospect of new emissions rules, but the frightening environmental implications of rapid growth in emerging markets. At the Beijing motor show in April, he observed that “nothing can stop the car being the most coveted product that comes with development”—but that more efficient conventional engines were not the answer.

Technically, says Mr Ghosn, everything is now ready for electric vehicles to enter the mainstream—except for the batteries, in which Nissan and NEC, a Japanese industrial giant, are “investing massively”. What matters for all-electric vehicles—as opposed to hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Volt, due in 2010, which can fall back on a petrol engine when the battery runs out—are their limited range and the time taken to recharge their batteries.

When California briefly mandated the sale of electric vehicles in the early 1990s, their 50-mile range and long charging cycles meant that they failed to attract more than a dedicated core of green-minded motorists. But lithium-ion battery technology could push range to 200 miles, and fast-charge systems promise to provide a 70% top-up in only a little more time than it takes to fill a tank with petrol.

Another requirement is innovative business models. Mr Ghosn says the electric version of the Mégane saloon that Renault is building for Israel will come with a lifetime warranty, and payment will follow the model established by the mobile-phone industry. After buying the car, owners will subscribe to a battery-replacement and charging plan based on their anticipated mileage. Recharging will be done at one of 500,000 spots that Project Better Place will build and maintain.

When Nissan launches its new line of electrical vehicles in America in 2010, it will initially target fleet buyers, which can provide their own charging stations. “It will be a real business,” says Tom Lane, Nissan's global product-planning chief, “not just a way to sell 200 cars in California.” He expects sales to retail buyers to begin in 2012, at a price of around $25,000.

Nissan is also hedging its bets by developing both a “parallel hybrid” system (akin to that found in the Toyota Prius) and a plug-in “series hybrid” similar to the Chevy Volt. But it favours the all-electric approach, even though it will be a tough sell, says Mr Lane. As for Mr Ghosn, he has no doubts. “We must have zero-emission vehicles,” he says. “Nothing else will prevent the world from exploding.”

Solar Car Port

New Product Launch: Solar Carport

May 4th, 2007 · 2 Comments

A company called Solar Integrated Technologies recently announced it will be launching a solar carport product. The carport provides shade for parked vehicles, and generates 1.22 kilowatts of solar power in the process. The carport has a modular design that accommodate parkings lots of all sizes and shapes. Solar Integrated also announced the completion of its first solar carport project – 152kW of solar power on carports covering 186 parking spots at the Millennium SportsClub in Vacaville, California.

The company also offers a solar roofing product for commercial buildings.

Italian Village Running on Solar

Italian Town Runs On 100% Renewable Power

December 17th, 2007 · 5 Comments

Varese, a town in Northern Italy, runs on 100% renewable power. The town uses a mix of wind, solar and small-scale hydropower. The town has reaped benefits from the energy network through added jobs, and an additional 350,000 euros [US $514,000] in revenues that are handed over to the council each year. Varese has also seen a six-fold increase in tourists in the last ten years, many coming just to see its renewable energy network.

Varese became the first municipality in Europe to get 100% of its power from renewable energy sources six years ago. It now generates three times more electricity than the people living in Varese need and there are plans in the pipeline for even more renewables.

The town has also launched initiatives to make Varese 100% sustainable. A total of 108 organic farms now supply 98 percent of the town’s food; water is purified using environmentally friendly technology, and waste has been significantly reduced.

Four wind turbines located on a ridge 1100 meters above sea level — where the average annual wind speed is 7.2 meters per second — generate 8 million kWh of electricity a year that is fed into the local grid managed by Acam, a power company in La Spezia. Photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed on the town hall and the local school. The town hall has 102 PV panels covering 95 square meters and generating 12,700 kWh a year, which supplies 98 percent of the total energy consumption of the building. Varese’s secondary school has 39 PV panels covering 36 square meters and producing 4,600 kWh a year, which supplies 62 percent of the energy used.

In addition to the that, the town’s swimming pool is heated by solar power and a program to promote the use of wood pellet stoves is in the works.

Via: Renewable Energy Access

Jump Bike

Pedal Power 2

Pedal Power 1