In February of 2010 we covered the launch of Coulomb’s iPhone and Blackberry apps that let customers of the ChargePoint electric vehicle charging network find nearby stations. This past week the company announced the release of an Android application that would offer similar benefits as well as upgrades launched in March 2010 which include realtime …
-
Top Five EV’s Set to Launch in the Next Two Years
Though electric vehicles outdate internal combustion engine-powered vehicles by about 50 years, commercial viability is still a work in progress for EVs. The Nissan Leaf became the first mass-produced electric vehicle to hit the US market late last year, and it still has a long way to go before its electric platform starts earning a …
-
Nissan Q&A: LEAF Range, EV Roadside Assistance, Electric Taxis and More
Nissan is intent on leading the automotive industry to mass-market zero-emission mobility. Since the introduction of their LEAF electric vehicle, the company has boldly proclaimed its zero-emission strategy and speaks about its holistic approach to business regularly. Corporate greenwashing or the truth? EV Authority spoke with Nissan’s Steve Yaeger to find out. For most prospective …
-
EV Range Anxiety? There’s an App for That!
You’re driving off the lot at the car dealership, feeling good and barely humming as you go down the road. Maybe you purchased a Nissan Leaf, or, if you’re more affluent, a Tesla Model S. Either way, you’ve made the decision to go electric. Say goodbye to gas, and hello to the electrical outlet. Your …
-
Regenerative Braking – From Thoroughbred to Flybred
Formula 1, the thoroughbreds of the auto racing world, were the first cars to embrace flybrid technology. UK-based startup Flybrid Systems engineered that innovative flywheel-based energy storage and recovery system, an alternative to the regenerative braking systems found on hybrid and electric vehicles. Regenerative Braking Regenerative brakes commonly use an electric motor to generate electricity. …
-
What is the Lifetime Value of a Toyota Prius?
Facing cash flow problems after Japan’s mega-quake in March of 2011, Toyota got back in the production loop by announcing that it would focus its efforts on Japan’s number one bestseller, the Prius, offering three new versions of the world’s top-selling hybrid for the 2012 model year. With one of the world’s largest car manufacturers …
-
Chevy Volt vs. Ford Focus EV: Pricing and Performance Review
Earlier this month, Ford announced the official pricing of the 2012 Focus EV. While the car is more a competitor to the market’s other EV—the Nissan Leaf—its $39,995 price tag is exactly the same as the 2012 Chevy Volt. So they’re natural competitors. Before we get into the review and head-to-head match, note that the …
-
Forecasting Technology, Emissions and Cost for the Next Generation of Low Carbon Emission Vehicles
Strategic energy consultancy Element Energy recently won the 2011 Outstanding Low Carbon Publication award for its report, Influences on the Low Carbon Car Market from 2020 – 2030, a well-researched analysis of the future of conventional cars, hybrids, electric, and hydrogen vehicles. Driven by the EU’s aggressive CO2 targets, the car market will experience a …
-
Top EV Friendly Cities in the US
Last spring, the Ford Motor Co. identified what it thinks are the 25 most electric vehicle-ready cities across the USA. Researchers explored cities that had: Utility rate structures that encouraged “off-peak” charging for electric vehicles, available and planned infrastructure for charging stations, advisory committees to further develop and promote EV use and development incentives for electric parking spots …
-
Toyota Environmental Report Q&A with Cindy Knight
Toyota recently released its 2011 North America Environmental Report, marking the end of the company’s second environmental action plan (2007 to 2011). Confronted with a failing economy, production slow-downs and recalls, this five-year period proved challenging for the Japanese automaker. Despite the challenges, Toyota managed to meet or exceed many of its environmental targets, including …
-
Electric Vehicle Long-Term Maintenance Investigation
At this point, most savvy auto shoppers know the primary benefits of electric vehicles. They offer zero tailpipe emissions, significantly lower well-to-wheel emissions and less fueling costs when compared to gas or hybrid automobiles. But what about the long-term costs? How will the cost of maintaining an electric vehicle compare over the life of the …
-
Batteries vs. Capacitors, How will Future EVs Store Electricity?
The 1905 Fritchle electric car had the same 100-mile range as many of today’s EVs. Sure, it was lighter and less powerful, but the point here is we have plenty of room for improvement and batteries are where the opportunity exists. This is mostly because we have such high safety, speed and carrying capacity requirements …
-
CarStations Launches iPhone and Android App for Locating EV Charging Stations Worldwide
CarStations iPhone and Android apps help EV drivers find their charge and eliminate range anxiety. CATHEYS VALLEY, CA - A new charging station finder recently appeared in app stores as quietly as the EVs it was developed for whir along. Created by California rancher-come-programmer David Raboy, CarStations is the latest in a lineup of mobile mapping apps developed …
-
Shanghai Teams with Hertz and GE as International Pilot City for Electric Vehicles in China
The city of Shanghai has teamed up with Hertz and General Electric (GE) to become the International Electric Vehicle (EV) Pilot City. This pilot program will serve as a model for other regions in China, will constitute valuable market research for GE, and is a chance for the public to be among the first to …
-
How Oregon Created a Commuter EV Cluster
Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become home to the electric commuter. Considered anything between a Nissan Leaf and a golf cart, the commuter EV business is young, but developing fast. Arcimoto, located in Eugene, has enjoyed plenty of media buzz for its three-wheeled, 65-mph SRK model, code named ‘Red 5′. Arcimoto isn’t the only game in …
-
Clean Car Comparison: Hybrid, Series, Parallel, Plug-in and EV
In December 2010, the electric car market got official with its two biggest players to date: the 2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevy Volt. While both companies call their cars electric cars, they’re massively different in terms of design, efficiency and range. Understanding the difference between the main types of hybrid and electric vehicles and …
-
EV Adoption in India, A Look at REVA and Tara International
To some, the market for electric vehicles in India may seem rather dismal. Wile electric cars do exist, they haven’t found popularity among the general population. The reasons are many, and most of them are quite justifiable. The lack of infrastructure makes it difficult for EV owners to drive on roads that are in bad …
Google is no stranger to the world of clean technologies. For years they have been harvesting solar energy, micro power from products like the Bloom Box and providing ways for employees to charge their electric cars or plugin hybrids. It comes as no surprise then that the company has deployed even more chargers recently to …
The new versions allow drivers to search for and filter charging stations by status: available, in use, voltage level, and paid or free stations. The smart phone apps provide an easy and mobile way to access the world’s largest EV charging network service with features that allow an EV driver to find stations near any …
It’s been a little over two months since I first covered the launch of CarStations, a website community dedicated to electric vehicle charging stations. This past weekend the site added a new EV charger finder search tool to the homepage that lets visitors search by zip code, city, or state and the response has been …
