Hasta La Gadget!

With the Tesla Roadster‘s tenure drawing to a close and a proper two-seat replacement seemingly just a twinkle in Peter Rawlinson‘s eye at this point, there’s something of a coming void in the world of the electric supercar. Artega would love to fill that with the SE. It’s an all-electric version of the company’s GT supercar, and while the GT will not see a release on American shores, we got confirmation from Artega that the battery-powered SE will — eventually. The 375 horsepower motor drives the car to 62MPH in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 126.5. Maximum range is 172 miles, but drive the car “more enthusiastically” and you can expect a more realistic 124.

The car was announced earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show and here in Frankfurt we were able to spend a few minutes ogling its curves in a variety of interesting colors, including one model with a cut-away fender showing off the positioning of some of the 16 battery modules. 12 of those are scattered around the rear of the car, while four are up front, giving the car a rearward-biased 40:60 weight distribution. Cost is said to be 150,000 euro, or about $207,000. That’s nearly twice the cost of a Roadster. Worth it? We’ll see.

Artega SE electric supercar is coming to the US, we go eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s nothing worse than going for a late-night chili dog run only to find your EV sucked dry in a 7-11 parking lot. To reduce so-called “range-anxiety,” there’s the Carminat TomTom Z.E. Live, an in-dash navigation system that not only keeps drivers from getting lost, but also offers a visual cue to how much power’s left. Sticking with the green theme, the device provides the most eco-friendly and efficient routes (with nearby charging stations) — leaving drivers feeling good about putting the pedal to the metal. The nav will come pre-baked in all future Renault Fluence Z.E.s — but we wouldn’t be surprised to see other EV manufacturers implement similar add-ons in the future. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading TomTom announces Z.E. Live navigation system to measure EV battery juice, keeps you truckin’

TomTom announces Z.E. Live navigation system to measure EV battery juice, keeps you truckin’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Family transportation has come a long way since it was all about piling in the back of the humble station wagon — in particular, we’re talking about the new Mercedez-Benz Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus EV that debuted today at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The plug-in series hybrid has a 136-horsepower electric motor with a 62-mile range, and a 67-horsepower, 1.0-liter three cylinder turbocharged gas engine for range-extending capabilities up to 373 miles. At low speeds, the petrol engine charges the lithium-ion batteries. When going faster, it acts on the car’s front wheels, while the electric engine also chugs along — very much like the Chevy Volt. Mercedes promises zero to 62MPH in 11 seconds and top speeds of 93MPH in both battery-only and range-extending modes. No word yet on when this dream ride will be available for family carpools, but eager June Cleavers can check out the photo gallery and full PR after the break.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz debuts B-Class E-Cell Plus EV concept, the suburban limo revisioned

Mercedes-Benz debuts B-Class E-Cell Plus EV concept, the suburban limo revisioned originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like a hamburger Happy Meal, Nissan’s brand new quick-charge station is fast, cheap and easy, thanks to its tasty new electric circuit technology. Nissan claims the 49kW charger takes up less space, is easier to install and a heckuva lot cheaper than former models, leaving only a ¥1 million yen (or around $10,000) dent in your pocket compared to the former ¥1.47 million (or $19,088) crater. Hoping to sell around 5,000 units and set up charging stations throughout the Land of the Rising Sun by March 2016, Nissan sees the technology rolling out in the US and Europe sometime in the near future — no toy included. Pull over for the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Nissan downsizes EV quick charger, slashes price while eying US, EU and Japanese markets

Nissan downsizes EV quick charger, slashes price while eying US, EU and Japanese markets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opel shows off all-electric One Euro Car concept originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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