Posts Tagged ‘electric car’

Progressive Insurance announces 9 Auto X Prize Finalists

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Progressive Insurance, sponsor of the Automotive X Prize competition, has announced 9 finalists for their $10 million competition for the most advanced high efficiency passenger vehicle.

The X Prize Foundation reports:

The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a $10 million competition to inspire a new generation of super fuel efficient vehicles, announced today the Finalist teams who have survived all on-track testing at Michigan International Speedway (MIS), and who now move into a Validation stage before prize money will be awarded this September.

What began as a field of 136 vehicles from 111 teams has now been narrowed to an elite group of nine vehicles from just seven teams that have proven they can meet the strictest requirements of this competition, including the ability to achieve at least 90 MPGe on the way toward the ultimate 100 MPGe requirement and to survive grueling dynamic safety and range tests.  The teams represent a wide variety of backgrounds that include emerging start ups, entrepreneurs and universities from around the world. All have proven that they can more than handle a variety of very difficult real-world scenarios.

STIR cited by Va. Gov. McDonnell in announcement for electric vehicle collaborative

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Governor McDonnell today announced the Commonwealth’s collaborative efforts to plan and address issues for facilitating vehicle electrification in the years ahead.  Working together, state and local government entities, fleets, universities, utilities, civic organizations, vehicle manufacturers, and businesses are represented in the Virginia electrification effort with Virginia Clean Cities through the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready.  During his campaign, McDonnell made transportation and innovative energy issues a priority, including emphasis on transportation fuel alternatives like natural gas and electricity as well as increased efficiency and smarter use of traditional energy sources such as oil.

…The Virginia “Get Ready” plan will be refined in the coming months.  Government representation in the effort includes the Virginia Secretary of Transportation, the state Department of Mines Minerals and Energy, the Department of General Services, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, the US Department of Energy and Clean Cities program, Virginia Clean Cities, Fairfax County, Arlington County, Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield , James Madison University, and the University of Virginia.

Utility representation includes Dominion Power and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. Civic involvement includes Electric Vehicle Association of Washington DC, Richmond STIR, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, and Virginia Clean Cities. Business representation includes Nissan, Ford, Smith Electric Vehicles, the Advanced Vehicle Research Center, Richmond Segway, Evatran, Plugless Power, Aker Wade, Kollmorgen, Coulomb, and Encell.

…The Governor advocated for successful legislation this session of the General Assembly, patroned by Delegate Charles Poindexter (R-Rocky Mount), to add improvement of infrastructure such as refueling stations as a goal of the Alternative Fuels Revolving Fund.  That bill can be found here: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+sum+HB806

For more information about the Virginia electrification effort, please visit: http://hrccc.org/get-ready/

AOL hosts website to keep up with electric vehicle trends

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

aol AOL’s Future Cars webpage will help its readers keep up with the trends in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electrics.

What’s coming in hybrid and electric vehicles over the next few years? The market for electricity-sippers is expected to boom over the coming 12-24 months, with options ranging from hybrid vehicles (think of the Toyota Prius for an example) to plug-in hybrid vehicles (those that get a little extra “juice” from your wall outlet for more electric range) to pure electric vehicles (like Nissan’s Leaf, running only on electric power with no tailpipe emissions) to range-extender electric vehicles (think of GM’s Chevy Volt, which runs on electric power most of the time until a small gas or diesel engine starts to support long-distance driving).

Recharging and other concerns keep electric cars far from mainstream

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Wash post fillup

Like all new technologies, the hype of the promise sometimes overshadows some of the practical issues.  Many of these will work themselves out as the the technology is improved or other adoption milestones are achieved.  An interesting article in the Washington posts makes this point. very well.Washington Post

Aptera newsletter worth a look

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Aptera Motors, manufacturers of some fantastic electric commuter cars, has a nice newsletter that you might want to give a try.  It covers product news and some industry trends.  You can subscribe on their home page.aptera

Micro cars from the past

Monday, November 16th, 2009

museum

I thought this collection of micro cars is not only cool – but shows the influence these have in some of the new  high efficiency cars.

pano

Meyers Motors unviels new 2 seater all electric

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Myers Motors, the Ohio-based all electric car company has followed up their single passenger all electric NmG (no more gas) with a two passenger model to be named via an on-line competition. You can order one beginning next week.  These cool cars travel about 60 miles between charges and may be the first of a series of practical, affordable all-electrics coming in at about $30,000.

Myers Motors NmG

EV World has video of Renault Twizy all electric

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

EV World reports on the Renault Twizy.  The all electric  commuter looks a bit like a Smart Car and is powered by a 15kW electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack.  Passengers sit in tandem. There is a short video of the Twizy posted.twizy

Wythesville’s MTC Transformers launches Evatran to build inductive car charging stations.

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Virginia Business reports today that Wytheville-based MTC Transformers, has started a subsidiary, Evatran LLC,  to produce inductive (no plug) charging systems for electric cars.

Plugless Power - Evatran

Daniel Yergin writes in today’s WSJ on the future of oil and the impact of renewable energy sources for transportation.

Monday, August 31st, 2009

In today’s Wall Street Journal, Daniel Yergin gives us some insight on the status of the world’s oil consumption, its economic and environmental impact and where we might see ourselves in the future. He goes on to discuss the impact that electric and hybrid vehicles may have on that future.

screenhunter_01-aug-31-1442