So what makes Coulomb and ChargePoint so interesting? Well, the company was created as part of a personal mission by Mr. Rosenthal to expand clean positive technologies. Much like Elon Musk the owner of Tesla and Solar City, who has acquired a taste for cleantech in his post PayPal days. So what is ChargePoint? The ChargePoint product is basically a next generation parking meeter that can deliver electricity to Electric Vehicles (with both 110 and 220 volt adapters including the new SAE J-1772). Coulomb builds the boxes and serves a network that EV owners, business owners (or those who own the curb space where the meter is installed) and the power company can all come together in an electricity marketplace. This software is really what makes it all work, and believe me the system is very comprehensive!

ChargePoints sell for ~$3,000 and are available to the city or private business owners. One of the ways you might end up adding a charge point to your property is in response to an online request, submitted by local EV owners. At any given time users of the ChargePoint network can view a realtime charger availability map with icons designating which stations have been installed and are currently in use. We have listed ChargePoint locations on our open source EV charging location map, look for the little green rectangular icons. If drivers feel that additional ChargePoint stations should be added to the network at their place of work or near some other highly visited location they can cast a vote... Over the course of time those votes are tallied by Coulomb who then contacts property owners with data to back up the $3,000 initial investment one would make to install a ChargePoint meter.

There is really just so much to say about this system, it's hard to get it all in. Here are a few more interesting points:

• The local power grid can use realtime data on EV cars to determine their own actions, or even stop sending power to cars that opt in for the less expensive "green" ChargePoint plan. This is one way that Coulomb is helping to drive the Smart Grid that will be so important as the new energy economy emerges.
• ChargePoint meters are wirelessly connected to each other using Zigbie, an emerging protocol that has also been used for in home smart electricity configurations.
• Coulomb provides a one year warranty for ChargePoint stations and is working on several different versions to support local standards in both Europe and the US.
• The founders of Coulomb are actively involved in both the political landscape, attending events like the Electric Drive Transportation Association summit in Washington DC, and the competitive landscape, meeting with leaders such as Shai Agassi - the founder of Israel based "A Better Place".
• More information available on the Coulomb press release page here

1. strictly limiting excerpted quotations (typically no more than an absolute maximum of 500 characters including spaces and punctuation from any given document). This usually averages out to about 100 words maximum; and
2. giving full credit (attribution) to both publisher (the website) and locations (URLs) of the documents it indexes.

1. An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
2. A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed;
3. A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Site;
4. Your address, telephone number, and email address;
5. A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
6. A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your Notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

Our Copyright Agent for Notice of claims of copyright infringement on the Site can be reached through our contact us page.

iPhone App Description: Electric Vehicle drivers rejoice! You can now eliminate range anxiety forever. Charging station locations are only a button press away with the ChargePoint® iPhone App. You can now use your iPhone or iPod Touch to find and get directions to ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations, and even check if a station is available. Who knew that charging stations would come with so many cool features? Use your ChargePoint iPhone App to:

• Find charging stations near you or near any specified address.
• Get turn-by-turn directions to charging stations.
• See the real-time availability of charging stations: Available or In Use.
• Start and Stop charging sessions directly from your iPhone.
• Get directions from your current location to where your vehicle is charging.
• Get status on your current or most recent charging session (energy, greenhouse gas savings, time).
• Receive real-time notifications of your current charging session.

Coulomb Press Release: Campbell, CA. February 24, 2010 - Coulomb Technologies, the leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, today announced that the ChargePoint® iPhone App is now available in the iTunes App Store.  The ChargePoint iPhone App gives electric vehicle owners the ability to not only easily locate ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles anywhere in North America, but see in real time if a charging station is currently available, in use, or out of service.  Using the iPhone or iPod Touch, drivers can use the app to start and stop charging sessions, be notified when their vehicle is fully charged, and get directions to stations.  The iPhone application is free and available for download here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chargepoint/id356866743  

"With Coulomb's in-place networked charging station installations, the timing and availability of this iPhone App is perfect," said Felix Kramer, Founder of Palo Alto-based CalCars.org, a leading plug-in hybrid advocacy and technology demonstration non-profit, and an advisor to Coulomb.  "Plug-in vehicle drivers get a cool tool to find charging locations and other destinations. It enables them to boost their electric miles to save money and reduce emissions. Any current or prospective plug-in car owner can check out this app, then show it off to spur even more interest in fueling our cars with cleaner, cheaper, domestic electricity."
 
Some features require a ChargePoint® Network driver account with an activated ChargePass™ card.  To create an account, and purchase or activate a ChargePass card, go to www.mychargepoint.net and click Sign Up.
 
"This ChargePoint iPhone App for EV drivers is the latest accomplishment in a year of remarkable milestones for Coulomb," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "It was just over a year ago that the City of San Jose became the first in the world to install networked charging stations for EVs.  Today we have more than 120 customers and have shipped stations worldwide.  The foundation for these accomplishments is the ChargePoint Network, powered by our advanced networking technology. The ChargePoint iPhone App works in conjunction with our Flex Billing™ system such that after charging station owners set prices for charging at their stations, drivers can use the iPhone App to see those prices.  Possibly the most important feature of this application is one that can only be done with networked charging stations - the ability to get real-time status of the station.  This way you'll never drive to a station that is already in use or is out of service."

CAMPBELL, Calif. September 8, 2009 - Coulomb Technologies the leader in networked charging station infrastructure today announced the first German installation of ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations. The public utility in Bochum has activated five charging stations installed by distribution partner 365 Energy Group. The ChargePoint charging stations ensure that in the future electric vehicles can easily be "fuelled" in the Ruhr area metropolis.

After testing three suppliers, the public utility Bochum selected Coulomb's ChargePoint charging stations for their advanced networking technology. One charging station has been installed in the customer parking lot at the headquarters of the public utility. Another charging station is located at the housing association VBW in the Matthias-Claudius-Straße. The locations of the other three ChargePoint stations have not been determined.

"The installation of Coulomb's first charging stations in Germany is another step in the progress of EV adoption in Europe," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "As home of some of the top automobile designers and producers in the world, Germany is making a statement with their commitment to alternative fuels. Germany is now reducing their dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions with the installation of these charging stations."

Coulomb Technologies' charging stations are used in homes, municipalities, office buildings and parking garages to allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles wherever they live, work and shop. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePoint® Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any charging station worldwide. To locate available charging stations, visit www.mychargepoint.net and click "Find Stations".

"Setting up the charging stations is a first step in the expansion of electric mobility and the necessary infrastructure," said public utilities principal Bernd Wilmert. "Within the campaign Bochum becomes e-mobile." Wilmert introduced the charging stations involvement during ruhrmobil-E, a regional association of industry, economy, politics and research."

365 Energy Group - Changing the Way People Move
The 365 Energy Group with locations in Berlin, Eindhoven and Milano sees itself as the pioneer in the e-mobility industry. The company provides innovative charging stations with a network technology - a completely new and holistic approach to charging electric vehicles. This technology was developed by Coulomb Technologies, the global market leader in the infrastructure of electric vehicles. 365 Energy is the international partner of Coulomb Technologies and an investment management company of Estag Capital AG in Berlin.

Below is the press release. For more information or photos, please contact Anne Smith, public relations 408-313-8089.

COULOMB TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES NASHVILLE AS LATEST CITY TO INSTALL CHARGING STATIONS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations Installed in New Downtown Parking Garage

NASHVILLE, Tenn. August 13, 2009 - Coulomb Technologies, the leader in charging station infrastructure, today announced that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County is the first municipality in the State of Tennessee to install and deploy ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for plug-in electric vehicles. The charging stations are now installed in downtown Nashville in the new 700 space parking garage located on the Fulton Campus. The charging stations, available for employee and fleet use have been installed to reduce greenhouse emissions and to raise awareness of readiness for electric vehicles. Coulomb distributor Green Power Technology, http://www.GPTechnology.com the exclusive distributor in the northeast U.S. for the ChargePoint Network charging stations, provided sales and support for this installation.

"Networked charging stations for plug-in vehicles in Nashville brings music to our ears," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "Nashville is laying the groundwork for the future of clean and alternative energy in Tennessee. These charging stations not only create awareness for electric vehicles and their necessary infrastructure, but will give employees of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County a new destination choice for charging their vehicle."

"These charging stations support Mayor Dean's vision to make Nashville the greenest and most livable city in the Southeast. Our hope is that businesses across Nashville and Davidson County will see what we're doing and implement similar practices." said Nancy Whittemore, Director of General Services.

Coulomb Technologies charging stations are used in municipalities, utilities, green office buildings and parking garages and to allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles wherever they live, work and shop. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePointSM Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any charging station worldwide, now including Nashville. The ChargePoint Network enabled charging stations provide:

• Notification by SMS Text or email when charging is complete
• The ability for drivers to find unoccupied charging stations via web-enabled cell phones
• Authenticated access to eliminate energy theft
• Authorized energizing for safety
• Remote monitoring and diagnostics for superior quality of service
• Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities

The official unveiling of the charging station took place on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 10:00 am at the DMC Harbor Point 76 Station in West Sacramento. (705 Harbor Point Pl, West Sacramento).

The 76 station is the first fuel station to offer a selection of three alternative and renewable fuels to local residents and businesses, now offers electric vehicle charging.

Coulomb Technologies also congratulated Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), a subsidiary of ECOtality, on the award of their U.S. Department of Energy grant of approximately $99.8 million. The grant will allow eTec to undertake the largest deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure in U.S. history. eTec will install electric vehicle charging infrastructure and deploy up to 1,000 Nissan battery electric vehicles in five states: Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington and install approximately 12,500 Level 2 (220V) charging systems and 250 Level 3 (fast-charge) systems. Coulomb is proud and honored to be included as a charging partner for the grant.

Late last year at the Electric Drive Transportation Association EDTA summit in Washington DC we learned that Nissan has been a partner with the Better Place Network and this expansion may be related to their development of car systems for that project as well.

McDonald's and NovaCharge Deploy ChargePoint Network EV Charging Stations

First "Green" McDonald's Restaurant in US to Include Networked EV Charging Stations from NovaCharge, LLC, and Coulomb Technologies.

Cary, NC July 5, 2009 -- McDonald's Corporation, the leading global foodservice retailer, and NovaCharge, a leader in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure, today announced the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations. McDonald's will open the first "green" restaurant, built with eco-friendly materials and technologies, including ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles from Coulomb Technologies, making it the first of its kind in the United States.

Ric Richards, president of Richardumption. By partneri's Advantage, Inc. and owner/operator of the new McDonald's, set a strategy in 2007 to build a state of the art restaurant dedicated to sustainability and reduced energy consng with NovaCharge, the new McDonald's will deliver yet another new facet of energy conservation by enabling EV drivers to have a place to recharge their vehicles, while enjoying their meal. NovaCharge, the exclusive distributor in the southeastern U.S. for the ChargePoint Network Charging Stations from Coulomb Technologies provided all aspects of sales and support for this installation.

"The networked grid-friendly charging stations are a perfect complement to the many innovative green features of the restaurant," said Ric Richards, "Our customers will have a dedicated place to park and recharge their vehicles. McDonalds is enabling a better environment for future generations by supporting zero-emissions transportation infrastructure, through the use of the ChargePointSM Network."

The use of green building technologies and electric vehicles are two key facets of America's efforts to transform the nation's economy and address environmental concerns. For EV's to become mainstream, they must be as easy to use and to fuel as their gasoline counterparts. To make this a reality, electric vehicle charging stations must be conveniently available where people work and play. The new "green" McDonald's, located at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary, NC, will open on July 14th at noon. The restaurant has installed EV charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles, which are enabled by the unique capabilities of the ChargePoint Network.

The ChargePoint Network enabled charging stations provide:

• A secure, safe, reliable way for consumers to charge their electric vehicles anywhere they work and play.
• The ability for EV drivers to find, and navigate to, available open stations.
• Secure, authorized access charging, while eliminating energy theft and cord theft.
• An infrastructure that enables rapid growth of the market for plug-in electric vehicles of all types.
• Administrative monitoring and control services to allow utilities to optimize grid use.

"McDonald's is an industry leader in environmental conservation and they are continually launching new initiatives to create a sustainable world" said Helda Rodriguez, president of NovaCharge. "We are pleased to be able to partner with them to deliver the ChargePoint Network system, and to provide safe, convenient, grid-friendly, charging stations for electric vehicles."

About NovaCharge
NovaCharge enables a smart charging infrastructure for plug-in Electric Vehicles (EVs) by providing a seamless, scalable, reliable and cost-effective solution from Coulomb Technologies known as the ChargePoint Network. Together, we are committed to providing an exceptional user experience for the owner's of plug-in Electric Vehicles. NovaCharge provides sales, installation, commissioning and support for the ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations. With our network of Coulomb Technologies co-partner channels we can offer these products and services around the world. Through our growing network of re-sellers and installation partners, NovaCharge can deliver the critical services necessary to ensure the deployment of a high quality EV infrastructure for Government, Private Enterprise, and Electric Utility customers. For more information on NovaCharge please visit http://www.novacharge.net.

About McDonald's
McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants in 118 countries. Approximately 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local franchisees like Ric Richards. Please visit http://www.mcdonalds.com to learn more about the company.

All that's about to change however, and we're betting on one company to lead the charge - ChargePoint. We've done stories and press coverage for these guys in the past, but more than ever things are getting real. Coulomb Technologies, the parent company of the ChargePoint system, is making headway in a space that few people thought was mature enough to invest in as recently as six months ago. Well, not only do they have a working prototype and mockups, they have actual working units deployed all across the US that are being used on a daily basis by real life customers! Utilities and private owners are actually monitoring their use realtime on the ChargePoint Network and a legitimate smart grid is starting to form.

What's more impressive, their business model actually works... To date, the company hasn't even received stimulus funding. That's not slowing them down though, and as early as next month they could be adding grant money to what has already become a huge success story. Last week their founder Richard Lowenthal was even awarded 2009 Citizen of the Year by the Cupertino Chamber of  Commerce.

An insider at Coulomb has kept us up to date on company progress as we've updated our map, and word has it they will be announcing a sizable new batch of customers very soon. Furthermore, they are expected to announce the deployment of European units later this year, more than doubling their current functional stations in the US! This will be the first time ChargePoints units are installed abroad. That's not all, earlier this year they announced their first commercial ev charger installation at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico California and are expected to announce several more commercial outlets in the coming week. This is amazing news for a company that has relied on government fleet installments to get their start. There are also rumors that beyond private enterprize and city installations their may also be a public utility company coming onboard.

We're betting big on Coulomb and are very excited about their recent successes. Thier strategic partners at home and abroad have made huge progress and it seems like the gamble has paid off for early investors. Speaking of which, there is another rumor that the next big commercial installation for ChargePoint may be a casino! Stay tuned...

We are now accepting reservations for the Premier Limited Edition of the Mission One, limited to 50 numbered units to be delivered in 2010.

At $68,995 these bikes aren't cheap but the performance is definitely there, especially when compared to a few other ev bikes we've seen recently. The ZERO Motorcycle (pictured below) comes to mind... Wrather than just offering a pure road bike as Mission One is doing, the ZERO comes in two flavors of on and off road. Both bikes are limited to 60mph top speed and 60 mile range but the bike only costs around $8,950 after federal tax credits.

By contrast, the Mission One motorcycle (pictured below) can reach top speeds of 150mph and is capable of traveling 150 miles per charge!

EV Authority: We are doing a story on the Mission One for http://evauthority.com and have a question for you. Will the bike have some sort of sound synthesizer to enhance the level of safety for its rider? By comparison to louder internal combustion motorcycles the Mission One will not only be small but also silent which makes it exceedingly dangerous. Are there other safety features that are being added to help protect riders?

Mission One: Thank you for your inquiry about the noise of our motorcycle. To date, no studies have been shown that vehicle sound decreases the frequency of accidents. We take the position that motorcyclist safety is the primary responsibility of the individual rider. Awareness of their environment and making wise decisions while operating our vehicle or any other is paramount to safe motorcycle riding.

For more information, pictures, and videos on the Mission one head on over to their community page.

Walnut Creek, California. June 8, 2009 - Coulomb Technologies today announced that Walnut Creek, CA has become the third Bay Area city to deploy their ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles. Coulomb's charging stations will be officially welcomed to the city in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 11:30 am at the Locust Street Garage. The charging stations are installed in three public parking garages in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek.

Walnut Creek is considered one of the top destinations in the Bay Area, known for its outdoor festivals, performing arts scene and superb shopping and dining. EV owners across the Bay Area now have a premier place where they can recharge while enjoying downtown Walnut Creek.

"Progressive Bay Area cities are leading by example when it comes to EV infrastructure," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "Nowhere else in the world can drivers of electric vehicles travel from city to city and find charging stations. Infrastructure for EV's is taking shape in the Bay Area. The Cities of San Jose and San Francisco were the first installations for consumers and fleet owners and now with the addition of Walnut Creek to our network of charging stations, drivers can literally drive around the Bay Area and charge as they go."

Coulomb Technologies has developed the charging stations for municipalities, utilities, green office buildings and parking garages to allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles wherever they live, work and shop. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePoint Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any charging station worldwide. To locate available charging stations, visit www.mychargepoint.net and click "Find Stations".

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com), headquartered in Campbell, Calif., offers a family of products and services that provide a plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure, which includes ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120V 15A to 240V 80A AC charging to 120kW DC charging. Coulomb applies networking technology to the challenge of charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in order to fuel the electric transportation industry. Coulomb's ChargePoint Network (http://www.mychargepoint.net) addresses the needs of drivers, utilities, governments, and parking space owners. For more information, please visit http://www.coulombtech.com. Follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi.

Enter the Bidwell Pusher. At first glance it looks small and weak but let me assure you, the strength is definitely there and the small size is actually a huge benefit, making it less intrusive to the rider. The trailer design leverages the weight of batteries to gain traction and push the entire bicycle forward; it also doubles as a storage bin to help out with grocery trips! Similar push designs have been successfully used in recent years by professional designers to achieve enhanced efficiency and stability for touring bikes and cars.

By completely removing the batteries from the bicycle frame, where most other electric bikes keep them permanently attached, the center of gravity not upset by the Bidwell Pusher. This gives the bike rider more stability and makes for a safer more comfortable ride. Additionally, the rider can completely remove the pusher within minutes and be back to their original road or mountain bike for human powered use.

The Bidwell Pusher isn't available fully assembled so you'll have to spend a bit of time, but the good news is you won't be spending a lot of cash. The Pusher is assembled using the frame and battery from a standard scooter designed for kids, the Currie Phat Flyer, plus a few extra parts from your local hardware store. All said, it will cost you somewhere around $400 and a few hours of time.

The Bidwell Pusher plan and builders guide cost $35 and you can get them here. The pusher will power users up to 40 miles without pedaling and can reach speeds in excess of 17mph.

Drivetrain:
1.8L engine, EV Mode, Eco/Power Mode

Safety:
VSC, Rear Disc Brakes,
Driver Knee Airbag,
Active Headrests

Audio:
MP3/WMA Capable Audio,
Auxiliary Audio Jack,
SAT Ready (Roof Antenna + Wiring)

Convenience:
Enhanced Multi-Info Display,
Touch Tracer,
Driver Door Smart Key,
Cruise Control,
Telescopic Steering Wheel,
Driver Seat Vertical Adjust,
Tonneau Cover, Seat Back Pockets,
Heated Outside Mirrors,
Auto Up/Down on All Windows

MSRP of $22,000 + $750 Destination = $22,750

The Prius III (model 1225) adds JBL Premium Audio with 8 Speakers (EJ) (+ 2 speakers + Bluetooth + Integrated SAT Radio), MSRP of $23,750 and has options of package NV voice activated Navigation System + Backup Camera at $25,550 and package SR Solar Roof with Auto Ventilation and Pre-A/C along with the Nav System at $27,350.

The Prius IV (model 1227) includes everything from III and adds Leather Seats, S/W & Trim, Heated Front Seats, Power Driver Lumbar Support, 3-Door Smart Key, Step Lamp, Illuminated Entry, Water Repellant Glass, Upgraded Front/Center Pillar Material, Plasma Cluster (like an ionic breeze air filter), Homelink, Auto-dimming Mirror at $26,550 with the NV package it's $28,350 and with the SR package it's $30,150.

The Prius V (model 1229) includes everything from IV and adds 17" Alloy Wheels (which look fantastic, pictures below), LED Headlamps with Cleaner (the cleaners pop out from panels in the bumper, shown in the picture below, and spray a cleaning solution) and Fog Lamps at $28,020 with the NV package it's $29,820 and with the SR package it's $32,520.

It is interesting to note that you can tell if a Toyota comes from over seas (Japan) if it has two little plastic squares on the front bumper (shown below). These squares pop off and have tie downs underneath which are used during overseas shipping to the US. Older Toyota's also have VIN numbers that start with J and that's a great way to tell. As for the Prius, all models are being shipped in from Japan and are available now to people who put down a $500 deposit.

The new generation III Toyota Prius makes several improvements over the gen II models. To start off with, it's built on a longer wheel base which means the body is completely different. This change provides more stability, headroom for larger drivers, trunk space (which can now fit two bags of golf clubs), a larger rear window surface for increased visibility, larger triangle windows on the front driver doors for increased visibility, and more passenger room. The picture below was leaked earlier this month, before cars had arrived to dealerships, and you can see the length difference and new 17" rims on the Prius V that makes the car look more balanced than Gen II Prius.

What's so amazing about this new Prius is that despite having a larger engine with more horsepower it actually gets better mileage than the 2009 and earlier models. The Gen I and II Prius had a 1.5L engine with 76hp the Gen II 2010 Prius has a 1.8L engine with 98hp. This increase in efficiency is brought about by engine improvements and the completely new body design. The old Prius had a coefficient of drag at .26 while the new one has dropped to .25. I have mixed feelings about the added horsepower and engine size because it means that the Prius could have been even more efficient. The new Prius gets an estimated city mileage of 51 highway 48 and combined 50 verses the older versions which were closer to 48. Below you can see a shot of the newly redesigned tail end of the Prius with the larger bottom window and spoiler.

The car makes several improvements in the way of efficiency so I shouldn't get too down on the bigger engine. The US third gen Prius finally features an "EV Mode" button which allows drivers to rely completely on their battery for short periods of time at low speed. This feature has many uses, say sneaking out of your house without waking anyone up in the morning or driving short distances around your neighborhood, waiting in slow traffic in NYC, the greatest potential this feature has is to aid Prius plugin conversion shops. If I understand the "EV only mode" correctly then this could be harnessed to make converting a Prius into a plugin even easier and cheaper! Shown below are the EV Mode button and a trunk shot of the new Prius with the spare tire cover off, note the increased width towards the very back end of the truck for transporting golf clubs and other long objects.

Moving on, the 2010 Prius adds several high tech options that anyone who loves iPods and laptops can appreciate. There is an iPod input jack in the front armrest console (shown above) as well as a voice activated GPS and navigation system (if you buy the option). My favorite gadget is the new upgraded heads up display, instead of just showing your speed and gas this new HUD also displays any dials you are pressing, so when you click the "volume up" button on the steering wheel the HUD displays an image of the button and hilights the part you are pressing. See the picture below for a visual representation.

One of the other cool features the new Prius delivers, that almost seems like it's right out of a sci-fi novel, is the ability to back up and brake for the driver. This technology uses laser guidance to assist drivers at critical dangerous times. Having improved the window visibility, especially the rear windshield, this laser system complements the driver's viewing potential with robotic controls. Let's say you'r driving down the road not paying much attention and everyone slams on their brakes. Instead of waiting for you to hit the brakes, your new Prius will automatically start to brake for you! This laser system is built in to the back of the rear view mirror as shown below as well as the backup camera and Toyota logos on the front and rear of the car.

The car logos got a fancy makeover this time around, instead of just chrome plastic on black the 2010 Prius Toyota logos have a blue glow background. Aside from looking a bit different, as with the headlights, these blue backgrounds don't seem to do very much.

If you're a guy the new Prius is going to appeal to you with it's larger engine and increased cabin space. If you're a girl the adjustable seat and hallowed out front armrest area (shown below) will be attractive. Everyone can appreciate the improved visibility and gas mileage. In general, the gen III Prius just looks cooler, especially with the 17" rims, and I think there's a lot of potential for modding to make these into the most affordable plugin hybrid platforms on the market.

Much of the information in this review was provided by two gentlemen at the Toyota dealership in Sunnyvale California, Greg Sivertson and David Pak who can be reached via phone at 408-245-6640 for more information.

Considering that Prius owner demographics tend to skew female, I'm surprised Toyota has waited this long to roll out the vertical seat adjustment feature. Even my sister's '97 Subaru has it built in, albiet in the form of a mechanical pump lever. The 2010 Prius has stepped up its adjustability but it's still all mechanical, the only electrical ergonomic adjustment is the driver side lumbar support. So get this, on the new Prius you can move the steering wheel up, down, closer and further from the driver and the driver seat can be moved forward, backward, tilt up and down, and now vertically up an down.

The picture below show the drivers seat in its its lowest vertical position and its highest vertical position (not including forward or back adjustments, just up and down). Just below that is a shot of the pump lever that moves the seat up and down.

The picture below shows the steering wheel all the way in (towards the dash) and all the way out (towards the driver). When this feature is combined with the forward/back sliding of the seat and the up/down vertical positioning described above virtually anyone will fit comfortably in the car and have visibility over the dash board. Aside from being short person friendly the new Prius also has more leg and head room as the car was built on a longer frame. Well, that's about it... We've also done a complete 2010 generation III Prius review with more details so click on over and check it out! It's also worth noting that the new Prius is quieter than the old one.

The story follows Click and Clack who are trying to replace their old broken down '52 MG roadster with something more up to date. They start off by visiting the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. There are a few jokes about the "human" models on the floor and the ridiculous 500 horsepower that one Ford Mustang is capable of. We learn that since 1985 average vehicle weight has increased by 1,000lbs while horsepower has almost doubled. Both former president George W. Bush and Rocky Mountain Institute founder Amory B. Lovins are quoted saying that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and that our appetite for gas guzzlers is directly linked to emotion which sells heavier stronger cars... If cars were viewed more as an appliance we would all be driving Toyota Corolla's or Honda Civic's.

Digging deeper into the challenges we face as a result of some of the "old timer" cars and heavier less efficient cars we learn that 25% of all carbon emissions come from cars and light trucks and that CO2 stays in the atmosphere for over 100 years once it comes out of the tailpipe of a car, this release ultimately changes our climate patterns and impacts our health. Not only are we going to need other sources of energy to power cars, they will need to become more efficient all together.

Moving away from the Detroit Auto Show, the program takes us to the Alt Wheels Festival in Boston. Tom, who still hasn't found his "dream car" tries out a gas powered three wheeler concept. With only two seats and little to no room for storage, the car gets 100 miles per gallon. This particular car doesn't go in reverse and appears to be quite dangerous at first glance but it's a step in the right direction. The primary challenge alternative car makers face is one of energy storage and weight. Petroleum, which is plant matter and plankton stored for millions of years that eventually gets converted to hydrocarbons, has one of the highest energy densities of any fuel we know, but it's supply is limited and it adds CO2 to the atmosphere that would otherwise be sequestered or "stored away" underground.

One of the more interesting mini segments from the Car of the Future program is a short on hydrogen powered cars and the "chicken and the egg" dilema. Nobody want's to build cars that can't be fueled anywhere, and nobody wants to build a fueling station for cars that don't exist. History shows that gasoline powered internal combustion engines evolved slowly together as resources and technology became available. Iceland, which has 1000 times fewer people and cars than the US and charges $8 per gallon of gasoline, is used as a case study for a location that is looking to completely replace oil with Hydrogen. So far Iceland only has a small fleet of Mercedes produced hydrogen fuel cell powered busses.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe but in order to use it for fuel cells it has to be isolated, it doesn't exist in pure form. This is done by splitting water molecules consisting of two parts Hydrogen and one part Oxygen - H2O, which takes energy. In Iceland both hydro plants and steam power from geothermal plants are used to power the production of Hydrogen for fuel cell busses. There is enough geothermal energy in Iceland to produce all of the Hydrogen it's people would need to drive their cars by today's standard... but it's not so simple for other nations that are not sitting on volcanic landscapes between two tectonic plates. The Netherlands are also experimenting with Hydrogen, instead of geothermal energy however, they use excess wind capacity to produce Hydrogen.

Moving from Iceland to China we are told experts predict that within 20 years there will be as many cars in China as there currently are in the US. As it stands, many Chinese people ride bicycles or walk instead of using cars, this change will increase demand for oil and CO2 output worldwide but China could curb this trend by adopting greener technologies the first time around instead of using oil and then trying to switch like the US.

In the US and other developed nations where oil is already the standard, technologies like E85 ethanol (which is also a hydrocarbon, but produced by living plants) is one alternative that works seamlessly with existing technology and infrastructure. Government studies suggest that Ethanol used in vehicles vs oil produces 25% less greenhouse gasses. In Brazil, ethanol produced from sugar can now provides 40% of the nation's fuel! The real challenges of ethanol however, are that it may take more energy to produce it than it actually provides... all of the fertilizers and machines used to grow corn ethanol run on oil. Additionally, critics argue that there is not enough farmland in the US to grow ethanol fuel for all of our cars, and we still need some corn for food as it is the number one staple in the US. Ethanol will be part of the solution, but it can't be the complete solution. For these reasons, the future of energy in the US looks more like a patchwork quilt than a single standard.

Cellulosic Biomass is explored next by Click and Clack as they visit Lee R. Lynd of Mascoma Corporation. Lee believes that ethanol has more potential if it can be made from corn byproducts, that is, not the seeds that people and cattle eat. Cellulosic Biomass is the woody structure that props up plants, it is the corn husks and stem, it is also in woodchips, paper sludge, wheat sludge and switch grass which grows natively without fertilizers or pesticides. If cellulosic biomass can be grown without using fossil fuels, perhaps by ethanol powered vehicles, then they would have a net neutral impact on CO2 levels! As it stands woody materials are harder to convert into ethanol than corn or sugar beets and require the help of micro organism cells in two or three phases of conversion. What Mascoma and other corporations are studying is how to bioengineer these micro organisms to be able to more cost effectively create ethanol in just one step. Mascoma believes they are just two or three years away from this breakthrough.

Experts believe that we have enough farm land to replace 25% of the fuel we use today with cellulosic ethanol and that if cars were lighter and more efficient, such as hybrids are becoming, that we could replace all petroleum with cellulosic ethanol. Efficiency is a huge hurdle here and one that has been reversed in recent years as mentioned earlier with high horsepower and size winning out. Currently less than 1% of the energy burned by an average car is actually used to move the driver. 90% of the energy is lost between the gas tank and the wheels of the car as heat and friction (almost half as friction of the pistons rubbing against the cylinders), and the other 9% is used to push the mass of the vehicle itself.

Next, Tom and Ray (Click and Clack) visit MIT where they once attended as students. On this visit they are learning about the internal combustion engine and how new advances might make it more efficient. Over the past few decades engineers at MIT Sloan and other labs across the world have increased engine efficiency by over 30%. Unfortunately, much of this increase in engine efficiency has been offset by demand for high performance and size. Fuel economy has responded during times of oil shortage, during the 1970's average car MPG doubled. As oil prices dropped and the public became less concerned MPG's remained constant, in fact they did not change between 1985 and 2007 while truck and SUV sales almost doubled. Safety is one aspect that is often stressed when buying larger cars verses smaller more efficient ones but it's becoming more of a myth as pioneers create lighter materials and smaller cars that are just as safe as larger SUV's.

Moving on, we get a great segment from Amory Lovins who is pushing for smaller, more efficient cars that are also safe. Amory describes the average car in today's world as burning 100 times it's own weight in dead plant matter each day. Surprisingly only 0.3% of that energy is actually used to move the driver. In 1982 Amory Lovins founded the Rocky Mountain Institute - a Colorado based think tank which employs 50 full time researchers including some members directly from the auto industry. Amory's concept for a future "hyper car" uses interlocking hollow carbon fiber composite parts that are stronger and lighter than steel; Boeing is using similar technology in it's 787 Dreamliner which saves 20% in fuel. Race cars use similar technology and regularly withstand crashes (saving the lives of their drivers) taking place under speed conditions upwards of 150 miles per hour. These new carbon composites can be made to be large, spacious and safe without being heavy and clunky which saves oil and increases efficiency. The Hypercar Lovins is working on is still a car of the future, current auto manufacturers continue working with steel, but Lovins is innovating new ways to mass produce his carbon technology to bring cost down and increase speed of production. Every aspect of his car is designed to be aerodynamic and efficient, yet it is just as spacious and safe as a modern day SUV and can comfortably accomodate even the largest drivers.

The Hypercar that Amory Lovins is producing can cruise on the highway at 55 miles per hour on the same power to the wheels that today's modern SUV's use on a hot day just to run the air conditioner.

While carbon fiber is still a ways off in the future, despite Amory and the RMI's best efforts, today anyone can buy a hybrid and immediately increase their driving efficiency. Hybrids run on gas but use battery assist to increase efficiency, they capture energy during braking and run on pure electricity at slower speeds and idle. Hybrid cars do require a bit more energy to be produced because of their batteries and advanced computer systems, however over the lifespan of a hybrid car it will use 30% less energy and produce 30% less carbon than an equivalent internal combustion model.

Hybrids still use gas despite their gains in efficiency and many people are working to move entirely away, to a new energy standard of electricity that can be produced locally with wind or solar that delivers huge gains in efficiency and independence. Tom and Ray visit professor Andrew Frank at UC Davis who invented the plugin hybrid - a hybrid that can run completely off of battery power for extended range and charge directly from a wall outlet instead of just off the gas engine. By comparison, plugins have smaller gas engines, larger electric engines, a smaller gas tank,  and more batteries. With an overnight charge, Andy's plugin concept can go 60 miles without using a drop of gas, that's more than the average American driver's daily commute. When the gas engine finally does kick in the car can travel over 600 miles on a single tank of gas while modern internal combustion cars can usually only travel ~300.

Some skeptics claim that plugins and EV's merely shift pollution from car tailpipes to power plants but studies show that cars powered by electricity from today's power plants could reduce greenhouse emissions by more than 40%... and that number is always increasing because each day households are installing more solar and wind power that feeds into the grid locally, governments are also enacting efficiency standards and mandating improvements on powerplants on an ongoing basis which is much easier than targeting individual cars. The US and other large industrialized nations are also abundant in local supplies of coal and nuclear which means that in the worst case scenario, shipping and drilling emissions from oil excavation (not to mention the cost of war) would be saved. The best case scenario is personal wind and solar, produced locally and used locally by home owners. This significantly reduces the loss of electricity in transport and keeps the environment very clean all while delivering enough energy to satisfy household and transportation needs.

It costs four times less to power a plugin or electric vehicle from the grid than it does to power it on gasoline.

One concern with plugins and EV's is that our current electrical grid won't be able to handle charging all of them. According to one expert interviewed by Nova, our existing electrical system could power tens of millions of cars without any modification, but they would have to be charged during off peak hours such as night time when stress on the grid is low. One company that is helping to foster this movement is ChargePoint a Bay Area company that makes smart grid enabled charging stations that function like parking meters. Anyone can buy one of these meters and install it at their building for roughly ~$3,000. Once installed anyone in the community can charge their car directly from the meter paying for electricity and charging use. The sale of electricity provides profits for the ChargePoint owner and connects directly to an advanced online mapping system that shows utilities who is using power. ChargePoint also offers an "eco plan" that costs less money and only charges cars during off peak hours or when drivers really need the power. This kind of electricity use sensitivity creates an economy for electricity that helps everyone become more efficient just like a any other market system.

Hybrids and plugins are an important in-between step from oil to pure electric powered cars. The more plugins that are out driving around, the more charging stations will be in demand and eventually that infrastructure will be enough to support pure EV's. Martin Eberhard, the founder of Tesla Motors, was inspired to increase efficiency in cars by using electricity instead of gas. While gas cars are in the range of 20% efficient according to Martin, electric cars are closer to 85% which equates to something like 135mpg. This efficiency gain is complimented by performance, the Tesla Roadster can do 0 to 60 in four seconds and go 250 miles on a single charge. The batteries that make this possible are heavy and pricey by today's standard, the Tesla Roadster costs $109 up from $92 just one year ago, but these first few generations (which are completely sold out) are helping to pave the way for more affordable models down the line. A Tesla Roadster requires approximately 6,831 lithium ion batteries which are each about the size of an AA battery. The key with lithium ion batteries is energy density, a lithium ion battery contains about 4x that of traditional batteries.

The adventure concludes with Click and Clack considering the auto manufacturers, individual choice, and government stimulus that all play a roll. Individual actions really do matter and it all adds up. Tom decides he wants to convert his old roadster into a plugin hybrid and begins discussing what will need to be done to get there... EV and plugin custom conversions are currently available from companies like Evolve It Motors. I personally have been to their shop in Salida Colorado and seen Porsche and old Military Vehicles all running on batteries. It's an amazing sight, a bit expensive, but a great option for preserving an old classic or building a custom beauty.

Fisker Silicon Valley, the local retailer for Fisker Automotive, an American manufacturer of premium green automobiles, today unveiled the Fisker Karma at Santana Row, a vibrant retail, residential and office neighborhood, in San Jose. The four-seat, plug-in hybrid hardtop convertible provides 50 emission-free miles on a single charge to its lithium-ion battery pack and up to 403hp from two electric motors.

The design may seem familliar to those who have been following Tesla and it's Model S due out next year, there is speculation that the design was actually "borrowed" when Fisker recruited several top Tesla engineers last year.

"The Karma furthers the Fisker belief that driving style and performance need not be compromised for environmental friendliness," said Adam Simms, owner of Fisker Silicon Valley. "We are very excited to be the Silicon Valley source for this luxury plug-in hybrid and think this market -- with its strong awareness of green transportation issues -- will be a good fit for the Fisker brand. We are happy to be a part of this community and support San Jose's efforts with its Green Vision," said Simms.

The new Fisker Silicon Valley outlet is less than a half hour drive from Tesla's headquarters and Palo Alto dealership. Silicon Valley has the interest in clean tech, love of cars, and money to make it the best spot in the US for early adoption of EV's. Later this year the highly anticipated, less expensive Aptera will be launched in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley in limited quantities for the same reason.

Fisker Silicon Valley will be among the first group of U.S. retailers to market and service the Fisker Automotive luxury plug-in hybrid vehicles, beginning with the $87,900, 100mpg Karma which is $21,100 less than it's currently available competitor, the $109K Tesla Roadster. This will change in 2011 when the Tesla Model S is launched, but prices may fluctuate on the Karma as well during this period. The Model S will cost ~$50K and seat up to 7 passengers.

"I am delighted to welcome Fisker to Silicon Valley," said Mayor Chuck Reed. "As a leader in clean-tech innovation, we are working regionally to make the Bay Area the electric vehicle capital of the world. Having a variety of options like Fisker vehicles available to our residents will help put San Jose on the road to improving air quality, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil."

For the debut of the Fisker Karma, Coulomb Technologies demonstrated the simplicity of charging the vehicle via its ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Station, installed at Santana Row for the event. This installation complements existing charging stations installed in July 2008 -- when San Jose became the first large U.S. city to test electric-car charging stations from Coulomb Technologies. The charging stations are outfitted in public and mounted on streetlight poles and garages.

"Coulomb is thrilled to be a part of the debut of the Fisker Karma and are confident that it will open up the plug-in hybrid market by satisfying consumer demand for a performance vehicle that is both beautiful and green," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO, Coulomb Technologies. "We are pleased that the open architecture infrastructure of our charging stations will allow Karma owners an easy, fast and reliable place to charge," said Lowenthal.

If you can't afford the $50K+ that most of these new plugin hybrids and pure EV's go for and you don't live in the Silicon Valley, or you don't want to be put on a waiting list then you might consider this alternative.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Fisker Automotive, founded in 2007 by Fisker Coachbuild, LLC and Quantum Technologies (QTWW), is a privately owned American car company producing premium green automobiles. Global headquarters are located in Irvine, Calif., with Henrik Fisker as CEO. The company is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Palo Alto Investors and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). More information is available at www.fiskerautomotive.com.

ABOUT COULOMB TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com), headquartered in Campbell, Calif., offers a family of products and services that provide a plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure, which includes ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120V 15A to 240V 80A AC charging to 120kW DC charging. Coulomb applies networking technology to the challenge of charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in order to fuel the electric transportation industry. Coulomb's ChargePoint Network (http://www.mychargepoint.net) addresses the needs of drivers, utilities, governments, and parking space owners. For more information, please visit http://www.coulombtech.com. Follow Coulomb on Twitter at http://twitter.com/coulombevi.

ABOUT SAN JOSE'S GREEN VISION

On October 7, 2007, Mayor Chuck Reed introduced San Jose's Green Vision, which sets 10 ambitious goals for environmental protection and economic development. This 15-year plan envisions: creating 25,000 Clean Tech jobs; building or retrofitting 50 million square feet of green buildings; installing 100,000 solar roofs (1/10 of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1 million solar roofs for California initiative); reducing per capita electricity use by half; becoming a zero waste city; recycling and reusing 100 percent of the city's water; and moving to 100 percent renewable energy. A key part of the San Jose Green vision is the creation of a Green Mobility system -- an integrated and sustainable way to get from place to place. Working to generate demand which further elevates zero emissions/alternative fuel transportation viability, San Jose is confronting the global climate crisis and end domestic dependence on fossil fuels.

ABOUT THE CITY OF SAN JOSE

From its founding in 1777 as California's first city, San Jose has been a leader, driven by its spirit of innovation. Today, San Jose stands as the largest city in Northern California and the Capital of Silicon Valley -- the world's leading center of innovation. The city, the 10th largest in the U.S. with a population of more than 1 million, is committed to remaining a top-ranked place to do business, to work and to live. For more information, visit, www.sanjoseca.gov.