New York City officials have plans to amend building codes in order to vastly expand electric car-charging infrastructure in the Big Apple. One plan features a provision that would require about one-fifth of all new parking spaces to be equipped for EV charging. Before the decade is out, that could add up to as many [...]
The U.S. Dept. of Energy announced this week that gasoline prices would likely rise faster than forecasters had predicted for 2013. Rising crude oil prices and key refinery slowdowns are the suspected culprits, as short-term pump prices are set to make their way to $3.55 per gallon. In 2012, the average annual pump price in [...]
Mitsubishi will show off two of its newest concept cars at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show in March. The Japanese automaker will bring out a diesel hybrid SUV called GR-HEV, as well as an all-electric concept dubbed CA-MiEV, which can travel 186 miles between charges. Lacking specific powertrain data and marketing schedules, the vehicles appear [...]
Consumer Reports is out with a video review of the Fiat 500e that lauds the vehicle’s makers for creating an EV that compares quite favorably with other entries in the electric transportation market. With a 240-volt charger, the 500e replenishes its battery in about four hours. The car scored points for its ample battery, which [...]
Tesla Motors will announce the exact release date for its fourth-quarter 2012 earnings statement this week. Having already booked 13,000 customer orders for the Model S electric sedan, Tesla will likely sell every car it manufactures in 2013. Tesla Motors is also in the process of fitting the U.S. highway system with a network of [...]
Honda Motor Co. announced that it would soon offer its Fit EV electric vehicle in New Jersey, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Beginning last summer, the automaker placed the car in Oregon and California markets only. The Fit EV can travel 82 miles between charges, and is available for lease at $389 per month. [...]
Nissan Motor Co. has announced that it will offer a new, energy-efficient Bose audio system in its 2013 Leaf electric cars. The system will feature seven speakers and will be available as a premium package option. The amplification has been specially designed to use very little electricity, and each of the audio components is light [...]
Ford Motor Co. announced this week that it plans to have at least 900 dealerships certified to sell the company’s plug-in hybrid and electric cars by mid-year. Ford will be selling three alternative-fuel vehicles in 2013, all of which are versions of cars it already sells. The Focus Electric will be joining the C-Max Energi [...]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given the Ford Focus Electric its top safety rating, a five-star designation. NHTSA’s New Car Assessment program measures diverse parameters of vehicle safety, including side-impact and front crash testing. The Focus Electric is the first all-electric model Ford has produced. The car has a unique system of airbags [...]
Those interested in purchasing an electric car often wonder about the exact amount of money they will save by using electricity instead of gasoline. The answer depends on two prices, both of which fluctuate daily. The price of gasoline is well known and easy to determine. The price of electricity for your EV is a [...]
Renault-Nissan total sales figures for 2012 show an 83 percent increase in sales of electric cars. The dual company EV output consists of Twizy, Fluence, Kangoo, Zoe, and the Nissan Leaf. Calendar 2012 netted 43,829 units sold for the EV family of cars offered by Renault-Nissan. More good news for the international automaker came with [...]
The technology behind hybrid and electric vehicles continues to be a growing subject as new technologies are being developed and some are already in vehicles or soon will be. The tenth anniversary of this event will take a unique, comprehensive examination of the rapidly growing fields – past, present and future – and focus on [...]
