Hasta La Gadget!

What could be a better feeling than beating a world record? Beating your own world record. The Tesla Roadster has put an extra exclamation mark on its world-conquering single-charge antics by raising the bar from 241 miles back in April to an even more impressive 313 this week. As you can see in that homemade “world record” sign above, that’s 501 kilometers in metric terms, or pretty much the exact distance between Paris and Amsterdam. The Global Green Challenge in Australia — where this feat was achieved — allows only production battery-powered vehicles to compete, meaning that the new record is down to driver skill on the part of one Mr. Simon Hackett, and not some newfound techno mojo. Kinda makes those long recharge times seem like less of a burden, no?

Tesla Roadster keeps on rollin’, goes 313 miles on single charge originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota’s FT-EV concept was tiny, quirky, electric powered — and honestly a bit predictable. Its successor, the FT-EV II, takes that staid design and sends it way out there, leaving the exterior unchanged (some gold detailing adds a touch of flash) but dialing up the intrigue on the inside. The traditional wheel and pedal controls have been replaced by a gilded mechanical joystick contraption that would look appropriate on a Victorian-era rocket ship (had any such thing actually existed) leaving more legroom and what looks to be a more ergonomic driving experience. It’s a control scheme the company used previously on its i-Real concept… chair… thing, but this is the first Toyota with doors to rock it. Will those sticks and all that brushed metal and faux-ivory still be there when this car releases? Not a chance, sadly.

[Via Slashdot; image courtesy of Autoblog]

Filed under: Transportation

Toyota’s FT-EV II concept sports steampunk interior, joystick controls originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woah. Looks like the Shelby Aero finally has some competition on its hands in the EV supercar stakes. Weighing in at less than 2,000 pounds, but generating north of 736 foot-pounds of torque, the e2 should be, uh, kinda fast, while claims of a half hour charging time and a 187-mile cruising range are just too stupefying to contemplate. Power is stored in 84 lithium-ion battery packs from CERIO, and unleashed via four 134-horsepower motors — one for each wheel. If you liked e-WOLF’s e1, but thought it needed a dash of spicy Lamborghini-inspired styling and the acceleration to reach 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds, well here’s your answer. Production is set for 2011, and you can ogle the car’s rear end after the break.

Continue reading e-WOLF e2 seeks to electrify, succeeds

Filed under: Transportation

e-WOLF e2 seeks to electrify, succeeds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen’s E-Up! concept vehicle has been making the rounds for a little while now, but it looks like the automaker has really stepped up its game (and hype machine) for its appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where it also took the opportunity to announce a launch date. That will apparently happen sometime in 2013, when Volkswagen hopes that the vehicle will become nothing short of “the Beetle of the 21st century.” A lofty goal to be sure, but the E-Up! does have quite a bit going for it compared to other all-electric vehicles, including a new “lightweight,” five hundred pound lithium-ion battery pack, a promised range of 130 kilometers, a full recharge in less than five hours, and even some solar panels on the roof and the sun visors to add a bit of extra power to the car’s electrical system. Hit up the link below for the complete rundown, and plenty of pics courtesy of our pals at Autoblog Green.

Filed under: Transportation

Volkswagen E-Up! concept rolls into Frankfurt, hits the road in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feast your eyeballs on this little beauty. Lexus, Toyota‘s luxury arm, has stopped teasing and gone fully official with the LF-Ch concept you see before you, which is being billed as a “BMW 1 series, but hybrid.” All we know so far is that it’ll run on some version of the Hybrid Synergy Drive found in the Prius, with the concordant ability to be run exclusively in EV mode. Well okay, we also know that it’s damn gorgeous and heading toward production next year, but the all-important price point remains a mystery. Look for the prototype to make its first appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show coming up later this month.

Filed under: Transportation

Lexus LF-Ch concept wants to bring Prius hybrid utility to sporty hatchbacks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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