ZAP Breaks Ground on Electric Car Factory in Kentucky

ZAP Alias Prototype

Work commenced at the site of a $175 million electric car factory in Franklin, Kentucky, according to officials for Integrity Automotive, a joint venture to expand electric vehicle manufacturing in the USA for ZAP. The State of Kentucky has suddenly jumped into the world of electric cars.  First in early August Governor Steve Beshear signed [...]

GM Asks for Government Support on Battery Development

General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, appearing on Capitol Hill, called on Congress to support advanced-battery development in the U.S., which he said lags far behind the government-supported development efforts in Japan and South Korea. The lengthening lead Japan’s auto makers hold in securing supplies of advanced batteries to power the next generation [...]

Tesla Improves Roadster Powertrain, Boosts Range and Torque

Tesla Motors Inc. has selected BorgWarner Inc. for the production of a single-speed gearbox for the Tesla Roadster and is initiating a ramped-up production rate. Tesla engineers developed the specifications for the new gearbox and provided them to BorgWarner. The new powertrain delivers about 30% higher motor torque on a single gear ratio, and it [...]

Toyota and EDF Testing Plug-in Prius in UK

In an international effort, Japanese automaker Toyota and Électricité de France (EDF) are expanding their European plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) testing program to the United Kingdom. The trial builds on the first European PHEV testing program launched by Toyota and EDF on French roads in September 2007. The UK partnership is designed to evaluate [...]

Portland Attempts to Woo Chinese Plug-in and Electric Car Maker BYD

Political and business heavyweights are rolling out the green carpet in hopes of convincing a Chinese electric car manufacturer to set up shop in the Portland area. BYD (Build Your Dreams) is China’s largest battery maker, and moving into the automotive industry.  BYD’s first plug-in hybrid planned for the Chinese market will be the F6DM [...]

Air Cars vs. Electric Cars vs. Hybrids – Which are Greener?

An ‘air car’ sure sounds clean.  A car that runs on air?  What’s cleaner than that?  But of course it’s not quite that simple. The world’s first commercial air car is currently being produced by India’s largest automaker, Tata Motors, who is licensing the technology from European-based company MDI.  A compressed-air car uses the force [...]

Germany Gets Smart with Electric Car Charging Stations

The Berlin electric vehicle project will have more than 100 cars and 500 charging stations. Germany’s Daimler has teamed up with Essen-based utility RWE on a pilot project in the country’s capital. The project will see more than 100 electric cars on the road and a network of 500 charging stations.  Daimler currently has a [...]

Nissan to Launch Solar-Powered Electric Car

Nissan plans to launch an electric concept car with solar panels built into its roof. The Nissan Nuvu will get its power from a dozen or so leaf-shaped solar panels, before energy is channeled into batteries through a ‘tree trunk’ inside the car.   Nissan says Nuvu’s cabin will even be built with natural, organic and [...]