Electric Car Blogging

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, USA

The Senate has approved a sweeping energy bill that includes a provision for a rather substantial tax credit for plug-in hybrids. Of course, the bill still needs to make it through the House, so there’s no reason for PHEV proponents to get too excited just yet. The tax credits have a range of ,500 to ,500 and the actual dollar amount depends on the available capacity of the vehicle’s battery. We are still waiting for all the details, as these things tend to be hugely complicated, but early indications are that the Volt from GM would be the only vehicle currently announced that would qualify for the maximum credit. Toyota voiced some dissent regarding that point, and we don’t yet know if any changes were made. Of course, if Chrysler is able to get some of its new concepts into production, it may also qualify.

Current hybrid tax credits expire for a manufacturer after it has sold 60,000 vehicles. The new legislation allows for 250,000 qualifying PHEVs to be sold before it expires, but we are not yet clear on whether it would be phased out on a manufactuer-by-manufacturer basis or just end alltogether. Expect these issues to be made clearer in the near future.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, USA

It was only a few months ago that we informed you of a really heavy duty electric truck undergoing testing at the Port of Los Angeles. The Nautilus E30 from Balqon must have aced its audition because the company has just officially shown it off to the public at last week’s CAPCOA Green Conference and Expo and announced its upcoming commercialization. There are orders for more of the behemoths from the Port of Los Angeles as well as from the AQMD. Union Pacific will incorporate the vehicle into its electric truck pilot program at the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility that it operates outside of the ports at Los Angeles and Long Beach. Balqon is so bullish on the future that they are moving their production facilities to Harbor City, California where they can produce up to 1,000 units a year.

The E30 retails for 8,500 and should, over 10 years, save about 0,000 in fuel while not emitting diesel smoke or a lot of noise and could help its California customers cope with stricter air pollution control programs. The truck can pull 60,0000 pounds and has a range between 30 and 60 miles. Though its customers can charge the lead acid batteries to 60 percent in one hour and completely full in 4 to 6 hours with an available fast-charging system, the batteries can also be swapped out in minutes. Bonus video of the E30 prototype going through its paces earlier this year as well as a press release after the jump.

[Source Balqon / Cunningham Report]

Continue reading Balqon officially launches world’s most powerful electric truck

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Filed under: Tuners, Hybrids/Alternative, Sports/GTs, Green, Supercars, Porsche, Ruf

Despite the fact that Lotus seems to have the inside line on electric sportscars, longtime Porsche tuning firm Ruf has chosen the Cayman for its new electric supercar. Comparisons to the Tesla Roadster are sure to come up, and we’re happy to oblige. Compared to the latest Tesla drivetrain, the Ruf is expected to debut with a bit less overall power (150kW compared to 185kW) but will have considerably more twisting force (650Nm versus 375Nm). In other words, if the Ruf were a hatchet, the Tesla may be a scalpal, so to speak. A lithium-ion battery pack of unknown output will provide power to the motor. We don’t yet know if the Ruf will sport multiple gears, but it seems distinctly possible in order to attain its planned top speed of around 125 miles per hour. We’d bet that any comparisons between the two electric sportscars will end at price, as the Ruf is sure to command an even heftier sum than the 0k Tesla Roadster. We’ll find out next month what that price is and if it’s worth it. Uh never mind… of course it’ll be worth it.

NOTE: the photo above is of the RUF CT3 supercar, which is not based on the Cayman but sure does look like it.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

Chrysler gives us videos of their new EVs on the road, Toyota brings some RAV4-EVs back from the dead. And Kia readies the cee’d hybrid. Never really a dull day on AutoblogGreen, and if you’re looking for some real green car meat, read this.

• CNG-powered Toyota Camry hybrid will drop at LA Auto Show
• Toyota Sustainable Mobility Seminar morning sessions: the bad news
• Toyota Sustainable Mobility Seminar: it doesn’t get much better in the afternoon
• VIDEO: Chrysler’s new EVs in action
• VIDEO: McCain ad tries to pander to all sides simultaneously
• Buying Prius replacement batteries just got cheaper
• Toyota brings refurbished RAV4-EVs to Portland for infrastructure testing
• U.S. House to let offshore drilling ban expire
• VW to offer performance diesel Golf GTD
• The quiet green: new hybrid taxis in Iowa, Michigan
• Mazda2 could impact Mazda3 sales. And?
• Toyota will put North America’s largest single-roof solar installation on CA parts center
• Toyota, Honda and GM most blogged
• MINI EV won’t come with lithium ion batteries?
• Peugeot offers 308 hybrid HDI to French minister of Environmental affairs
• Kia cee’d hybrid to be shown at Paris Motor Show
• WillieRun can’t beat Cannonball Run time, but uses half as much fuel
• Paris preview: Audi downsizes the S4 engine
• Ford to bring six fuel-efficient European models stateside
• PGO to unveil Hemera at Paris Motor Show

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Toyota, Volkswagen

Clean diesel or hybrid drive? It’s an intriguing question, and one that’s not quite so easy to answer. There’s the price of diesel fuel to consider, which runs a few dimes over that of regular gasoline. Then there is fuel mileage. Does the Volkswagen Jetta TDI have a shot at dethroning the Toyota Prius as the undisputed mileage champion of the U.S.? To get a preliminary answer to some of these questions, Popular Mechanics put almost 500 miles on both cars, dividing up their miles between the city and the highway. It’s not a knock-out for either car, but it may offer some early answers to a few questions.

First, the mileage. In the city, there’s just no beating a hybrid, which uses its electric motor to good effect and scores over ten mpg better in the stop-and-go traffic of Los Angeles. On the highway, though, the Jetta TDI is able to eke out a narrow victory, scoring less than one mile per gallon better. Once the price of crude is factored in, the Prius remains the overall cheaper car to keep filled up. Of course, there is more to the story than that, including which car is a better to drive — according to PM, the Jetta. Finally, the TDI qualifies for a ,300 tax credit that the Prius can’t claim. It’s too close to call. Expect a rematch soon enough.

Read our First Drive of the 2009 VW Jetta TDI and full review of the Toyota Prius to see what we think.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

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Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrids/Alternative, Government/Legal, Green

Click above for high-res gallery of Chrysler’s three new EVs

Legislation that includes tax credits for plug-in electric vehicles has passed the Senate. Now the House gets a chance to look things over and put it to a vote. The tax credits allow buyers of PHEVs to receive a credit as high as ,500 and as low as ,500 depending on the capacity of the vehicle’s battery. Toyota had raised concerns that the bill focused solely on battery capacity, as its currently announced hybrid plans do not include anything that would approach the maximum credit. In fact, the Chevy Volt sits alone as the only product that has enough battery capacity for the top tier. Chrysler’s recently shown electric vehicles would theoretically qualify if they ever see the light of day.

Once 250,000 qualifying PHEVs are sold, the credits begin to get smaller until they go away completely. At this point, the legislation — and the vehicles — have a long way to go before anybody could actually purchasing a qualifying car, but the framework is now in place.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

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