Hasta La Gadget!

Wheego has, at long last, let its first $32,995, 100-mile range LiFe electric two-seater loose on the public, and added another cute little electric car to the US EV collective. By either stroke-of-luck or sheer coincidence (no way is it intentional), the first of the breed was delivered today, otherwise known as Earth Day, to a couple of lucky owners in the ATL. Good to see Dixieland drivers (who often prefer something with a lift kit and Super Swampers to fuel-efficient subcompacts) bringing cleaner motoring to the derrrty South.

Couple in Atlanta finally gets a LiFe, courtesy of Wheego originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electric vehicles may have that instant torque thing going for them, but they’re still a bit behind when it comes to giving heart palpitations to those diehard petrolheads. Hoping to change that perception, Nissan is setting up to unveil a brand new concept vehicle, dubbed the Leaf Nismo RC (that stands for Racing Competition, not “radio-controlled”), which strips the one-size-fits-all Leaf down to its constituent elements. The drivetrain is still 100 percent electric, however it’s now powering the rear wheels instead of the front, while things like the rear seats, trunk, audio system, carpeting, and navigation have been completely removed. A carbon fiber chassis helps the Nismo RC keep weight down to 2,068 pounds (938kg), equivalent to just 60 percent of the original Leaf’s heft. Yes, the Leaf is now lighter! In performance terms, you’re looking at a car that can hit 62mph within 6.85 seconds, max out the speedometer at 93mph, and last a terrifying 20 minutes under racing conditions. This prototype vehicle will debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show and will thereafter help Nissan research better aerodynamics and, presumably, slightly better energy efficiency.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf Nismo RC swaps basic comforts for a carbon fiber body and some racing good looks

Nissan Leaf Nismo RC swaps basic comforts for a carbon fiber body and some racing good looks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Since 2009, T3 Motion has been waving computer-created images of three-wheeled electric vehicles in our face and taunting us with the idea of a dashboard built around an iPad. Now, it seems the company is finally ready to deliver a real product, and you can pre-order yours now for a $500 deposit. Besides existing in the really real world, the big difference between the R3 and previous concepts is that the in-dash iPad has been replaced with a Galaxy Tab. When it finally hits the market, T3 Motion claims this three-wheeled EV will have a range of between 80 and 100 miles, a top speed of 70MPH, and that it will be classified as a motorcycle. Unfortunately, it will also have a rather hefty price tag of at least $25,000 — an awful lot to pay for the luxury of riding in the carpool lane, even if your ride looks like a cross between a Nissan GT-R, a Mini, and Batman’s tank-like Tumbler. PR and video after the break.

Continue reading T3 Motion’s three-wheeled R3 is real, has in-dash Galaxy Tab (video)

T3 Motion’s three-wheeled R3 is real, has in-dash Galaxy Tab (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We liked what we saw when we first set eyes upon Trexa’s EV platform, but the company decided to ditch the skateboard façade for a slimmer, cylindrical form factor. After stripping away that somewhat chunky exterior, Trexa used a torque tube (where the center tube is the main load-bearing structure for the suspension and drivetrain) to create an egalitarian EV platform suitable for any road going application. The Entertube chassis’s both flexible (2WD or 4WD) and scalable — from a nine-inch diameter tube with seven kWh of juice in an eight-foot wheelbase to an 18-inch diameter tunnel with a massive 90kWh power pack crammed in a 180-inch wheelbase. That means there’s an EV for for every occasion, from small cars to semi-trucks and anything in between. What you see is a production prototype, but it’s being commercialized as we speak, so it won’t be too long until Enertube-powered EVs are ready for the open road. Until then, you’ll have to settle for the plethora of pics below and press release after the break.

Continue reading Trexa’s EV platform comes out of its shell, reveals its true torque-tube nature

Trexa’s EV platform comes out of its shell, reveals its true torque-tube nature originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thank you Toyota, for teaching us the plural of Prius, because somehow, “Toyota sells one million Priuples” just doesn’t jive. That’s right, the Japanese automaker announced Wednesday that it has officially sold its one millionth Prius on American soil. It’s reportedly also reached a couple of other sales milestones in the last six months, with worldwide Prius sales reaching two million in October and overall Toyota hybrid sales exceeding three million in March. Now that’s a whole lot of Prii. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Toyota sells one million Prii in US alone

Toyota sells one million Prii in US alone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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