Posts Tagged electric car

Tokyo University of Science Team Invents Cheaper, Rare Metals-Free Electric Motor

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on July 27, 2011

We all know electric motors are torqueful, but there’s a price to be paid for all that torque. Since electric cars use motors that have rare earth metals inside, they’re also expensive. A team of researchers at the Tokyo University of Science has discovered how electric motors can be made from cheaper and more convenient materials.

Mitsubishi Launches M and G i-MiEV Versions for All Pocket Sizes

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on July 13, 2011

I didn’t actually think this would happen, but some electric car manufacturers such as Mitsubishi reduce the range of their cars by reducing battery capacity to meet consumer demands. The Japanese car maker will soon release two new variations on the i-MiEV model: the cheaper M version and the more expensive, but more grid-independent G version.

Nissan Sold More Leaves Than Chevrolet Sold Volts in First Half of 2011

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles, Hybrid vehicles on July 8, 2011

Although I don’t quite see how one can truly compare any gasoline or hybrid car with a pure electric one in terms of market and customer targeting, it looks like the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt have something in common. Nissan’s recent sales reports nevertheless say that the Leaf has outperformed the Volt in the first half of 2011.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) System to Debut in Denmark, Pays Users $10,000 For Service

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Energy Storage on June 16, 2011

EVs are not so common these days, but if they make enough financial sense, we’ll see them flooding cities soon enough. As Denmark is currently the country which profits the most from wind power, Nuvve, the U.S.-based company that created the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system, has announced that it will start using Denmark’s electric vehicles as buffers for stabilizing the grid frequency, Cleantechnica reports.

Dutch Nissan Leaf Drivers Complete 24 Hours Marathon

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on June 13, 2011

Two Dutch electric car enthusiasts took their Nissan Leaf for a 24 hour drive just to prove the world that you can go for 779.19 miles in such a vehicle without problems and with the least amount of money spent (they don’t have highway taxes in the Netherlands). They said they were doing it out of curiosity.

Lack of Spare Tire an Issue With Existing and Future Electric Cars

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on June 3, 2011

I never though about it, but it seems (and it makes sense to be so) that current electric and plug-in hybrid cars don’t feature a spare tire anymore. Every other car on the road has it, and only I can tell a few instances when I was literally saved by the spare tire in my trunk, although it’s that small model.

HomePlug's EV Charging Standard Adopted by German Automakers

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on June 2, 2011

Several German automakers have reached an agreement towards the future standard for EV charging. Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen all agreed on HomePlug’s Green PHY charging technology, which is able to send data over high voltage cables, simplifying the circuitry.

Renault Installs 60 MW of Solar Power For France Facilities

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power on June 1, 2011

In order to decrease their carbon footprint and to raise the public awareness that they’re actually doing something for the environment besides producing electric cars, Renault has decided to install a 60 MW solar array on its centers in several locations from France.

Ford Undecided Where to Place Charging Sockets in Future EVs and Plug-In Hybrids

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on June 1, 2011

Well… when the only remaining issue before producing electric cars isn’t what battery they should use or what the charging technology will be, then for Ford it’s where will they put the charging socket to satisfy most of the customers in Europe and the U.S.

Electric Cars Will Account For 70% Reduction of Chronic Lung Illnesses

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Car industry, Electric Vehicles on May 13, 2011

The impact electric cars will have on humanity and our lifestyles will not only be at an economical level, but it will also change our state of health, a new report by the American Lung Association states. This means that besides saving $6 billion in health and fuel costs, the electric car will make us live longer – and probably better.

San Francisco Offers Free Public Charging for Electric Vehicles

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on May 11, 2011

At the same time with the state offering incentives for buying electric vehicles, San Francisco authorities have decided to give yet another boost to the industry by offering free EV charging in public garages until 2013.

Company Promises to Develop Battery-Replacing Ultracapacitors in Electric Vehicles

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Energy Storage on May 9, 2011

For years, people have been thinking to reduce or even eliminate gasoline-powered vehicles, and switch to battery-powered ones. The the battery-powered electric vehicles’ era hasn’t already begun well enough, and now some are even thinking to replace batteries with something else: ultracapacitors.

Wheego LiFe Electric Car Out On The Market

Posted by Mike Sandru in Electric Vehicles on April 27, 2011

It appears that the Nissan Leaf has a new contender that threatens to steal its clients away: the Wheego LiFe has recently been unveiled and sold at its dealership in Atlanta.

Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt Receive High Safety Marks in Official Crash Tests

Posted by Mike Sandru in Car industry, Electric Vehicles on April 27, 2011

If you have any doubts about switching to an electric car, then they shouldn’t concern safety, because by choosing a Chevrolet Volt or a Nissan Leaf you will be as protected as you would be in a regular vehicle. And i’s not me who’s saying this: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an authority in [...]

Nissan Leaf Owners Complain About Start Issues

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Electric Vehicles on April 12, 2011

Just like all of its predecessors tinkering with electricity such as the Prius or Tesla’s Roadster, the Nissan Leaf has already been tagged with problems by some of its only 450 owners in the U.S.. The issue in this case is not safety-related, but merely a functional one: at times, the Leaf refuses to start.