Hasta La Gadget!

Any big city bicyclist knows that being small and silent on the street is a deadly combination. Drivers of 2-ton cages are simply immune to anything but the sights and sounds of combustion engines riding four on the floor. This issue affects silent-running hybrids and compact electrics too, something Japan’s government is taking seriously in a new government review that could result in a mandate for the inclusion of “a sound making function” in their future eco-rides. Safety aside, we presume Japanese manufacturers would choose a sound that’s as tasteful and unassuming as their locally brewed hybrids. Imagine if GM was to make a similar decision… oh, right.

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Japan considers adding noise pollution to hybrids originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember that Miles Electric sedan we heard about last month? Yeah, well it’s coming to California’s shores next year. An all new car company, doing business under the name of Coda Automotive, has just been formed in order to bring said vehicle into production. The all-electric, four-door Coda won’t break down any walls in the design department, but the $45,000 (mid-$30,000s after a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives) whip sure sounds promising as an eco-friendly daily driver. Reportedly, it’ll cruise for around 90 to 120 miles without needing a recharge, and the batteries within can be charged enough for a 40-mile commute in two hours. It’ll also ship with a navigation system, Bluetooth, iPod support and power everything as standard, but sadly, there’s no telling when it’ll be sold outside of the The Golden State. Video promo is after the break.

Continue reading Video: Coda Automotive bringing Miles Electric’s sedan to California in 2010

Filed under: Transportation

Video: Coda Automotive bringing Miles Electric’s sedan to California in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s massive, costs $500,000, and is just a prototype; but you’re looking at a possible solution for swapping out heavy car batteries from future electric vehicles. Kind of important if you’re hoping to take your EV on a trip a bit further than the supermarket or city center without having to stop for a lengthy recharge. This switch station, unveiled in Japan by Better Place, can swap out a spent battery in less time than it takes to refuel the tank in that baby-killer of a car you hold so precious. These battery swap stations are just part of the enormous infrastructure required to support Better Place’s subscription approach to electric vehicles — infrastructure easily estimated to cost $250 million or so for countries like Israel or Denmark on up to the $1 Billion already pledged by San Francisco Bay Area mayors. Better Place admits that the swap technology is a work in progress but hopes to have 150,000 charging stations and about 100 battery swap stations deployed in Israel by 2011. Check the video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Better Place’s automated electric vehicle battery switch station is faster than Melvin Dummar

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Video: Better Place’s automated electric vehicle battery switch station is faster than Melvin Dummar originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British start-up Bee has just dropped some details on its forthcoming uber-affordable electric car, the One. This five-door affair will have a top speed of around 80 miles per hour, with a maximum range of 200 miles before needing a recharge. The car will run on two battery packs stowed under the floor, and will be easily swappable in case charging stations start popping up all over the U.K. The One will also have a constant 3G connection for management and performance system software monitoring and updates. The most exciting detail about the car, however (besides its adorable attitude) is likely to be its pricepoint: £12,000 ($17,700) plus the recent government subsidy of £5000 ($7400) for electric car purchases will bring this puppy down to about £7,000 — or just over $10,000. Sure — it’s not Tata-cheap… but this one’s electric! The One is scheduled to go into production during 2011 with an initial run of about 12,000 vehicles. One more render of the car after the break.

Continue reading Bee.One electric car to be tiny, cheap, and cute

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Bee.One electric car to be tiny, cheap, and cute originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We already knew that Daimler was looking in Tesla’s direction for electric vehicle batteries, but we certainly didn’t know that those passing glances were only the beginning of an underground battle for supply chain supremacy. As automakers struggle to move cars from lots, it’s being reported that some — Toyota, Tesla, Daimler and Nissan, in particular — are looking to parts fulfillment for profit. Toyota already has an edge on its rivals by being one of the only companies to actually produce its own batteries, and if demand begins to outstrip supply, other car makers could come running in hopes of stocking up. Of course, you’ve also got Nissan ramping up production in order to equip some 200,000 electric / hybrid vehicles annually over the next few years, so who knows if all this scheming will eventually backfire. Though, if one firm can somehow figure out how to make their battery stronger, more potent, lighter and cheaper — well, we needn’t tell you how that would play out.

[Image courtesy of AutoBeYours]

Filed under: Transportation

Battery wars: automakers seek profits in supplying EV parts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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