Toyota Unveils Electric Car Concept FT-EV at Detroit 2009
January 11, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Toyota has announced that it will bring a plug-in extended range Prius to market by the end of this year. Prior to the opening of the Detroit show, Toyota sent out a press release with some news about its electric vehicle plans. It will introduce as many as ten completely new hybrids by the early 2010s, and will bring a fully electric car to market in 2012.
Toyota will be showing a battery electric concept here in Detroit called the FT-EV, in addition to the new third generation Prius and its sibling the Lexus HS250h. As previously suspected, the car is based on Toyota’s new iQ mini-car (pictured above). Read more
ZAP Introduces 4-Wheel Low-Speed Electric Truck
November 26, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
ZAP has introduced a four-wheel electric truck to its line-up, the ZAP Truck XL.
The ZAP Truck XL supports an 800 lb (363 kg)payload, and meets Department of Transportation requirements for 25 mph Low Speed Vehicles. The ZAP Truck XL is able to drive up to thirty miles on a charge. From a standard 110 volt outlet the ZAP Truck XL recharges in about six hours and an 80% charge in just four hours.
The first customer for the truck is Ghilotti Construction in Santa Rosa, California, which operates more than 100 vehicles in its fleet. The truck will run mail, parts and odd-jobs which don’t require a big diesel or gasoline truck.
Stackable Rental Car is Carbon-Free
The Smart Cities group at the MIT Media Lab unveiled a prototype of its foldable electric scooter at the EICMA Motorcycle Show, in Milan last week. A prototype for the team’s foldable electric car, called the City Car, is slated to follow next year.
The MIT group sees the vehicles as the linchpin in a strategy that aims to mitigate pollution with electric power, expand limited public space by folding and stacking vehicles like shopping carts, and alleviate congestion by letting people rent and return the vehicles to racks located near transportation hubs, such as train stations, airports, and bus depots. Read more
UK Announces £10 Million Electric Vehicle Support Package
October 29, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
The Department for Transport has announced a large £100 million commitment over five years to greener motoring in the UK. Of this, £10 million is specified to bring 100 EVs to British towns and cities and to generate “up to 10,000 new British jobs and help preserve many thousands more.” The DfT is certainly spreading the job creation/retention news on thick, but that’s to be expected and is not unreasonable. Read more
