Hasta La Gadget!

Shai Agassi has guided Better Place’s vision of swap-and-go battery stations for electric cars since it was founded five years ago, but now he’s stepped down as the firm’s CEO. Evan Thornley, who helmed the organization’s Australian efforts, has taken up the mantle of global chief executive officer, while Agassi will continue his role as a board member. As the Wall Street Journal notes, the changing of the guard comes at a time when the company has been spending cash faster than it’s generating revenue thanks to the construction of battery swap stations. Idan Ofer, Chairman of the Better Place Board of Directors sees this as “a natural point in the company’s evolution to realign for its second chapter and for the challenges and opportunities ahead.” Something tells us they wouldn’t mind if future chapters are filled with more swappable batteries than Superchargers.

Continue reading Better Place founder Shai Agassi steps down from CEO post

Filed under: Transportation

Better Place founder Shai Agassi steps down from CEO post originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The failing weather reminds us we’re fast approaching the end of another year, but Zero Motorcycles wants to brighten our day with the announcement of its 2013 all-electric line-up. Immediately noticeable are the harder lines and healthy dose of matt black on the frames of the Zero S, DS, XU and MX refreshes. New to the team is the FX “Stealth Fighter” (pictured above), touting the fastest acceleration of any Zero moto to date and taking design cues from the late Zero X, which has been removed from the roster. As well as aesthetic improvements to the bikes, each Z-Force motor should produce up to 125% more power than previous iterations, and an optional CHAdeMO charging accessory will juice you up in around an hour. Companion iPhone and Android apps will also be available, allowing you to customize your ride’s performance and review other info. The class of 2013 will be hitting retailers throughout January and February, with MSRPs of the basic spec models running from $7,995 to $13,995, depending on your wants and needs. Head over to the source link to review your hardware options and, more importantly, choose your color scheme.

Filed under: Transportation

Zero Motorcycles reveals its 2013 models: Zero X dropped, FX drafted in originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auto show concept cars are all whizzy styling and impractical interiors, and Smart’s latest offering, the Forstars EV at the Paris Auto Show, has all that in spades. But the stubby car has another show-stopping feature we’d love to see in production — a projector installed right into the vehicle’s grill. That would let you and a special friend pull the two-seater up to any white wall and beam the flick of your choice from an iPhone’s bluetooth port, while blasting the audio through the sound system. Other friends not in the Forstars’ confines would also get the sound from speakers located in the ventilation grills behind the doors. Once rolling, the concept Smart moves along with an 80 horsepower electric motor and 17.6 kWh battery, boasting 127 lb/ft of torque and an 80MPH top speed. Since the car’s currently a one-off, don’t get any ideas about heading to Lookout Point with a screen in tow — but you can head to the video after the break to see how it works.

Continue reading Smart Forstars concept EV brings drive-in theater to a wall near you (video)

Filed under: Displays, Transportation

Smart Forstars concept EV brings drive-in theater to a wall near you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota’s just-arrived RAV4 EV will soon get a much smaller cousin — albeit a very elusive one. An electric version of the iQ city car will arrive in Japan (as the eQ) and the US (as the iQ EV) this December, but the automaker is significantly scaling back its 2010 promises of several thousand cars sold per year to just 100 fleet-oriented vehicles. The charging times, costs and range of EVs “do not meet society’s needs,” vice chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada says to explain the smaller ambitions. It’s easy to understand the cautious approach after seeing the car’s final details. While they’re not out of line with the specs of other EVs, the eQ’s 3-hour fast charge, 62-mile range and ¥3.6 million ($46,130) price wouldn’t have regular customers flocking to dealerships. Most of Toyota’s energy is instead being funneled into its tried-and-true hybrids, with 21 due on the market by 2015, as well as plans to deliver the company’s first hydrogen fuel cell car by the same year. Eco-conscious drivers may be disappointed that Toyota isn’t moving as aggressively into a pure electric realm as some of its rivals, but we’d rather see smartly planned baby steps than an overly risky plunge.

Filed under: Transportation

Toyota plans dialed-back launch of eQ and iQ EV city cars in December originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota had said its all-electric RAV4 would be ready to tour the California streets at some point “late summer,” and with the warmest of seasons coming to an end, the Japanese company’s declared September 24th as the date the SUV will go on sale. What’s more, today’s press release reveals the RAV4 EV boasts a brilliant 103-mile range and 78 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent), which, as Autoblog points out, makes this the first non-Tesla-branded EV with an EPA rating of 100-plus miles. If all that is still not enough for you to shell out the $50,000 (not counting rebates and tax credits, of course), Toyota dealers are expected to offer a 36-month lease option for anyone in The Golden State who prefers a shorter-term commitment.

Continue reading Toyota RAV4 EV hits California roads on September 24th with 103-mile range

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Toyota RAV4 EV hits California roads on September 24th with 103-mile range originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 10:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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