All-Electric Citroen C1 ev'ie Launched in Britain

A new, pure electric version of Citroen's C1 minicar has gone on sale in the U.K. Dubbed C1 ev'ie, the zero-emission four-seater is the work of Electric Car Corporation Plc. (EEC), a British firm that converts standard C1s into electric-powered vehicles. The only difference between Citroen's standard C1 and EEC's plug-in C1 ev'ie concerns the replacement of the combustion engine with a 30kw electric motor that is powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries positioned under the bonnet as well as in the place where the fuel tank used to be.

The C1 ev'ie can reach a top speed of 60mph (96km/h) and has a range between 60 and 75 miles (100 - 120km) on a full charge. According to EEC's claims, the C1 ev'ie can be fully charged in 6-7 hours from a domestic 13 amp socket at a cost of around 90p (about a US$1.20).

ECC said that it expects to produce around 500 C1 ev'ies over the next 12 months, rising to between 2,000 and 4,000 units in 2010, dependent upon "demand and government support".

Available in both three-door and five-door trims, the C1 ev'ie is priced at a steep £16,850 or about the equivalent of $25,000 U.S. That's more than double the price of the standard C1 with a 68HP 1.0-liter engine that returns an average of 62.8mpg UK (52.3mpg US or 4.5lt/100km) and has an OTR of £7,795 or with Citroen UK's existing offer, £6,395.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Chrysler Reveals Electric Minivan for Postal Service, Asks Gov. Money to Create Demo Fleet...

Those 'jolly old' folks down at Chrysler never cease to amuse us with their government loan tactics. Today, Chrysler LLC showed off four all-electric Town & Country minivan concepts to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as part of the USPS Earth Day celebration. The catch? Well, Chrysler said that in conjunction with the USPS and select energy service providers, it intends to apply for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant.

According to Chrysler LLC, the grant (feel free to call it taxpayers money) would be used to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could -and we repeat, could- be used by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery. In other words, you pay for it, Chrysler takes the credit for creating a useless fleet of electric demo cars slapped with its logos. Wonder what they'll come up with next...

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Brilliance Reveals All-Electric Concept Study in Shanghai

One of the most interesting concept cars unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show was the all-electric Brilliance EV. BMW Group's Chinese partner said that the EV is equipped with two electric motors and a set of lithium-ion batteries. The first electric motor that produces the equivalent of 30HP allows the EV to travel a distance of 130km or 80 miles with a top speed of 40km/h or 25mph. When the second motor kicks in, the EV's output more than doubles while in this case, it can reach a top speed of 130m/h or 80mph.

Most will have already noticed that the EV's design bears a 'few' similarities with the Volkswagen Space-Up! Concept that was revealed at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. But unlike the VW's rear suicide doors, the EV features a set of fancy-pancy electric operated doors that slide outwards. Inside, Brilliance's designers adorned the four-seater EV with a futuristic dashboard and the usual high-tech gizmos.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Subaru STELLA Plug-in Electric Vehicle to begin test runs in Japan

Having completed the development of the Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle (EV) prototype model, Subaru has announced that it is ready to test its eco-friendly microcar in real life conditions by providing fifteen units to Japan's Ministry of Environment this summer. Based on the production STELLA, the plug-in EV is equipped with an electric motor that produces 47kW (up from 40kW on the initial prototypes).

Subaru also said that, compared with the first prototypes, it has further enhanced the EV's efficiency by lightening the body weight and fine-tuning output management as well as optimizing and downsizing the battery pack design.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

FEV to Show Dodge Caliber Hybrid with 1.0-Liter Engine at SAE Congress

The proposals for extended-range electric vehicles just keep coming in. The latest company to announce new developments in the field of hybrid cars is FEV, a powertrain and vehicle engineering firm headquarted in Aachen, Germany. The firm announced that it will show a range-extended electric vehicle (ReEV) with plug-in capability based on the Dodge Caliber platform at the 2009 SAE World Congress in Detroit (April 20-23, 2009).

The Caliber ReEV's propulsion system employs a 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder, 4 valve engine mated to a UQM PP75 generator that provides 41kW of continuous power in extended-range mode, with a peak power of 75kW.

The energy generated is stored in a 20 kW-h liquid-cooled Lithium Ion battery pack that operates at 346V, with a Delphi DC/DC converter. FEV said that the batteries provide enough power for the car to cover a distance of 40 miles or 64 kilometers which seems to be the magic number for most vehicles of the sort... The Caliber ReEV can accelerate from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in 8.3 seconds and has a top speed of 84mph or 135 km/h.

For the record, the Caliber pictured above is a standard model as FEV has not releases any photos of the ReEV prototype.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Video Humor: Hitler has had it with Tesla and the EV Industry

Using a classic scene from the 2004 German movie 'Der Untergang'" (The Downfall) that depicted the final twelve days of Adolf Hitler in his Berlin bunker and Nazi Germany in 1945, the folks over at EVCast created a short parody with Hitler blowing a fuse on Tesla and the rest of electric-car industry. If you're looking for a quick laugh, then just hit the jump and enjoy.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Mitsubishi says yes to U.S. market launch of all-electric i MiEV RWD microcar

Ending the speculative rumors that had been circulating for quite a while now, Mitsubishi officially confirmed at its New York Auto Show press conference that the fully-electric i MiEV microcar will be arriving on U.S. shores. The pure electric, four-passenger i MiEV is scheduled to go on sale in Japan this July with Europe following suit in 2010 and the U.S. shortly after that. The tiny i MiEV, which is slightly smaller than a Fiat 500 measuring 3.395mm or 133.6-in. in length, is based on the Japanese market, rear-engined 'i' minicar.

The electric version replaces the i's conventional gasoline engine, transmission and fuel tank with a lithium-ion battery system, electric motor and onboard charging system. However, it retains the standard i's rear mid-ship architecture which allowed Mitsubishi to integrate the new components under the seats, luggage compartment and floor deck.

The i MiEV's battery pack can be charged either from an 110v outlet - which takes around 12 to 14 hours - or half that time on a 220v. Additionally, there is a fast charge connector that allows the battery to reach 80 percent of capacity in just 30 minutes.

We're not aware of the exact specifications of the U.S. market model, but it is most likely that the vehicle will undergo certain changes to 'fit' (feel free to share your thoughts on this one...) the needs of the American market.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Raser to unveil 100MPG Full-Size Hybrid SUV at SAE Congress in Detroit

The good news with Raser Technologies' full size SUV plug-in hybrid which will be revealed at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress in Detroit (April 20-23, 2009), is that it promises to deliver an estimated 100mpg. The bad news is that Raser Technologies doesn't exactly explain how it came up with this impressive fuel economy figure for its four-wheel drive Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV).

In fact, the only piece of information that the Utah-based company handed out to the press is that the E-REV has been designed to achieve over 100 mpg in "typical local daily driving" with near zero emissions by going up to 40 miles per day in all-electric mode.

Raser Technologies' hybrid drivetrain is similar to the one fitted on the Chevrolet Volt, meaning that it combines an electric motor with a fuel efficient four-cylinder combustion engine. The vehicle is propelled solely by the 200kW electric motor with the combustion engine used only to generate electricity to recharge the lithium-ion battery when needed.

Up until now, we've seen Raser Technologies' E-REV system being used on a prototype Hummer, but we're not sure if this will be the vehicle that will be unveiled at the SAE Congress in Detroit.

"We are excited to be able to demonstrate an electric powertrain for larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs," said James Spellman, Vice President, of Transportation for Raser Technologies. "These are the best selling vehicles in America and can benefit the most from increased fuel economy and reduced emissions. We are also pleased to be exhibiting with our development partner FEV."

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

GM and Segway Team up to Create Two-Wheeler P.U.M.A. Project

In a surprising move, General Motors and Segway announced that they have joined forces to create an electrically powered, two-seat prototype vehicle with two wheels. Referred to as the Project P.U.M.A. which stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, the two-wheeler is still far away from production with the prototype models lacking any type of bodywork.

"Project P.U.M.A. represents a unique solution to moving about and interacting in cities, where more than half of the world's people live," said Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development, and strategic planning.

Among the various technologies demonstrated on the Project P.U.M.A. are the electric drive and batteries, dynamic stabilization (two-wheel balancing), all-electronic acceleration, steering and braking, vehicle-to-vehicle communications and autonomous driving and parking.

The prototype vehicle can travel at speeds up to 35mph or 56 km/h, with a range of up to 35 miles or 56 km)between recharges. The two-wheeler will make its debut (as a prototype of course) at this week's New York Auto Show.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Tesla Model S Electric Sport Sedan: High-Res Gallery and Official Details

The wraps finally came off Tesla's all-new, plug-in electric sports sedan, the Model S, on Thursday in Los Angeles. Concisely, the Model S can seat up to seven passengers (we'll explain this below), sprint from zero to 60mph or 96km/h in just 5.6 seconds and go up to 300 miles or 480km on a single charge. First deliveries in North America and Europe will begin in late 2011 with the U.S. model featuring a base price of $57,400 or $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500.

Now onto a more detailed view on the Model S. The photos reveal that Tesla's designers were heavily influenced by European cars and in particular the Jaguar XF when it came to the notchback's buttocks and profile and to a less extent, the Maserati GranTurismo for the car's front-end styling. Similarities aside, the Model S looks the part and we reckon that its design will be one of its strong points.

So what's with the seven seats, we hear you ask? Well, Tesla claims that the Model S which has an overall length of 196-inches (4,978mm) or somewhere between a BMW 5 and 7-Series, offers seating for five adults plus two rear-facing and foldable seats for children in the rear cargo area. Even in this configuration, the Model S can still carry some of your luggage as it has a second trunk under the hood.

Tesla's second model after the Roadster comes equipped with an electric drivetrain that includes an electric motor, a floor-mounted lithium-ion battery pack and a single-speed gearbox, launching the BMW 5-Series-sized sports sedan from naught to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 130 mph or 209 km/h. In the near future, Tesla aims to enrich the Model S' range with Sport and AWD versions.

The Model S will be available with three different battery pack options capable of offering a range of up to 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. Tesla said that the battery pack can be quick-charged in 45 minutes at a cost of about $4 - or so the California-based company claims.