Hasta La Gadget!

Having been riddled with setbacks, including a major recall of faulty batteries supplied to Fisker Automotive, Michigan’s favorite EV battery maker A123 Systems has filed for bankruptcy. It has also announced the sale of its main business units to rival Johnson Controls in a deal pegged at $125 million — a sad fraction of the billion dollars it raised since it launched in 2001 (not least from government grants). It seems that neither fresh lithium ion innovations nor a potential deal with Chinese investors were able to keep the company out of the red, which leaves A123 on the road to nowhere — right behind that other DoE-sponsored hopeful, Ener1.

Continue reading A123 Systems becomes America’s latest EV battery maker to file for bankruptcy

Filed under: Transportation

A123 Systems becomes America’s latest EV battery maker to file for bankruptcy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At the Chiba Institute of Technology, a group led by Shuro Nakajima has developed a robot wheelchair that can climb over steps.
This robot can make a variety of movements, using its four-wheel drive and five axes. Normally, it rolls along on its wheels, but if there’s a step or ditch, it can get over the obstacle by using its wheels as legs. All the user needs to do is tell it which direction to go, using a joystick. The robot automatically assesses the surrounding terrain and moves …

We already know from our own experience that the Tesla Model S is a driver’s car, with acceleration and handling you wouldn’t expect from a big and quiet luxury sedan. There’s still nothing like a drag race to help settle the matter. Automobile has pitted the upscale EV against one of its more conspicuous rivals, BMW’s M5, with performance results that might surprise those who would expect a 500HP, twin-turbo V8 to regularly come out on top. While we won’t spoil the full results of the showdown video after the break, let’s just say that even the M5’s relatively wide torque band can only do so much when the Model S’ electric motor is always at its peak. BMW’s car may be better overall for those who want to travel long distances outside of certain routes, or to enjoy a burly exhaust note — but there has to be a certain thrill for Tesla drivers who know they can hang with the speed kings while helping the environment.

Continue reading Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred (video)

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Tesla Model S squares off against BMW M5 in drag race, gives EVs extra street cred (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smart cars have been available in the United States for several years now. Odds are you’ve seen one of these tiny little gasoline-powered two-seaters cruising the streets in your area. What you probably haven’t seen cruising around the streets is the electric version of the Smart car. Smart is on the third generation of its electric vehicle and in 2013, the car will come to the US.

The Smart Electric Drive will be the most affordable electric car in the United States when it debuts at $25,000. The $25,000 MSRP is not counting any of the US federal tax credits that electric vehicles are eligible for. Some cities and states also offer state and local tax credits as well. The federal tax credit on the electric vehicle is $7500 making the car $17,500 after tax credits.

The standard version of the car is hardtop coupe. A cabriolet version will also be available in 2013 starting at $28,000. Previously, the Smart Electric Drive car was only available on a lease. These little electric vehicles have lithium-ion batteries with 93 individual modules the car charges from a standard household outlet or a faster 240 V charging station.

Smart is mum on the exact driving range of the vehicle. Typical EVs can drive around 40 to 50 miles per charge. People interested in the Smart Electric Drive can pre-register to get more information when the car becomes available.

Smart Electric Drive coming to the US in 2013 starting at $25,000 is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Now that Smart’s second-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV has gotten its year of time on the roads, the company is ready to announce its successor. For 2013, the car has received some mild tweaks to its design, but the real news is about what’s hiding inside this rear-wheel driven EV. For the first time, you’ll have to option of owning one outright, rather than being limited to a four-year lease at $599 per month. It’s thanks in part to an improved battery, which is now rated for an average lifespan of 10 years. The car has also received a massive power upgrade to 47 horsepower (up from 27 previously), along with an extra boost if you floor the pedal — this courtesy of a beefier engine and drive-train that gives it about 50-percent more power. Put it this way, this EV will get you from 0-60 in about 11.5 seconds, with top speed of 78MPH. Sadly, there’s no concrete word on what kind of range to expect, but it should be well more than the 87 miles of its predecessor. Beyond that, Smart’s added in GSM connectivity, allowing you the abilities to pre-start the car and keep track of its vitals remotely, among other features.

A quick drive around Brooklyn also confirmed how peppy and smooth the car was in use, however, not exactly on-par with our experience in Audi’s A3 e-tron — but it is considerably less. As our friends at Autoblog detail, the base model coupe is set to sell for a $25,000 MSRP plus fees, along with your choice of two chargers, which can cost up to $2,200 with installation. Here’s the good news, the car itself actually works out to just $17,500 thanks to a federal tax credit. All in all, this currently makes the cheapest full-on EV you’ll be able to get your mitts on. If you’d prefer to spice it up a bit, Smart will also offer a spruced up cabriolet variant for an extra $3K. Check out our chat with Smart about the car and the press release after the break for all the details.

Continue reading Smart unveils third-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV, we take it for quiet and speedy spin (video)

Smart unveils third-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV, we take it for quiet and speedy spin (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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