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New Yorkers, this is your “Taxi of Tomorrow.” After two years of deliberation, Nissan’s NV200 was chosen as the city’s exclusive taxi yesterday, edging out models from Ford Motor Co. and Turkish manufacturer Karsan. The four-passenger van is slated to hit New York’s streets in late 2013, after which it will be gradually phased in on a more widespread basis. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of around $29,000, the commodious NV200 boasts a 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, transparent roof panel, driver navigation system, overhead reading lights and a mobile charging unit, replete with a 12V outlet and two USB ports. Nissan also placed an emphasis on passenger and pedestrian safety, with front and rear-seat curtain airbags, standard traction control and an external lighting system designed to alert others when the NV200’s doors are opening. The van’s microbial seat fabric should help assuage the fears of many germophobes, while its “low-annoyance” horn promises to put a (probably miniscule) dent in the city’s noise pollution. Mayor Bloomberg definitely won’t realize his all-hybrid dreams by 2012, but Nissan has agreed to participate in a forthcoming EV pilot program, involving up to six of the company’s electric LEAFs. Until then, New Yorkers will have plenty of time to get used to the city’s new soccer mom approach to taxi transport. Cruise past the break for full PR and video.

Continue reading Nissan NV200 van named NYC’s ‘Taxi of Tomorrow,’ Travis Bickle cringes (video)

Nissan NV200 van named NYC’s ‘Taxi of Tomorrow,’ Travis Bickle cringes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EV’s are great for getting around in a green-conscious way, but plug-in people must practice patience while waiting hours to juice up their ride. Better Place’s battery swapping stations offer much faster EV refueling, which is why China Southern Power Grid Co. (CSG) is betting big on the technology. The Chinese utility giant has teamed up with Guangzhou’s municipal government and Better Place to build a power pack exchange depot and an EV education center. With exhibits, meeting rooms, and EVs to test drive, the education center aims to help persuade administrative officials, captains of industry, and the general populace to jump on the electric car bandwagon. In addition, Ghuangzhou’s government will “encourage local car manufacturers” to create autos with switchable batteries and “promote” EV adoption in taxis and state vehicles — all of which seems likely to happen post-haste, ’cause what the Chinese government wants, the Chinese government gets.

Continue reading China joins Better Place on the battery-swapping bandwagon

China joins Better Place on the battery-swapping bandwagon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 21:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That non-standard charge port on your Tesla Roadster isn’t proprietary, it’s just outmoded — but don’t worry, a four foot adapter is here to save the day. This new J1772 to Roadster connector bridges the Roadster’s 2008 designed charge port to the industry standard J1772, adopted by automakers and energy firms over a full year after the Roadster’s debut. The new coupling cable will juice up your wheels in just four hours at EV stations outputting 70 amps, or in seven and a half hours for the average 32 amp level 2 charger. Native plug access to those thousands of ChargePoint stations will set you back $750, but if you’ve already bought a Tesla Roadster, that’s just another drop in the ($100,000) bucket.

Tesla J1772 mobile connector standardizes Roadster, costs $750 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The New York International Auto Show has just wrapped up and, for part of our most recent Engadget Show, we were given the opportunity to sit down with one of the biggest players in the automotive industry: Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. He got his start as a Boeing Engineer in 1969 and, among many other achievements, helped get that company into the 21st century with fully-digital cockpits. He moved over to Ford in 2006 and, since then, has completely turned the company around. His enthusiasm for everything he does is patently obvious, including his enthusiasm for what could be powering the next car that sits in your driveway. With Ford about to launch its first fully-electric car in about 100 years, the Focus Electric, the time seemed ripe to get the man’s perspective on what’s down the road for transportation — and just when we might actually get our flying car.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Ford’s Alan Mulally talks the future of transportation

The Engadget Interview: Ford’s Alan Mulally talks the future of transportation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are many, many tests of automotive performance throughout the average calendar year, yet the Pikes Peak Hill Climb stands out as one of America’s most historic and most brutal. Oh, and most pucker-inducing, what with the general lack of guardrails and corner edges bounded by nothing but thousands of feet of free-fall — then rocks. This is the challenge that an unmodified Nissan Leaf will face this summer, all 110 horsepower dedicated to hitting the summit in a time that hopefully won’t be too embarrassing but surely won’t challenge the current EV record of 13 minutes and 17 seconds. Driver Chad Hord will sit behind the wheel when the event gets underway on June 26th, burning nary a drop of gas on the way up and putting on something less of a show than Ari Vatanen did in his (traditionally-powered) Peugeot back in 1990. That rather invigorating performance is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf entered in 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, can feel free to just coast back down again

Nissan Leaf entered in 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, can feel free to just coast back down again originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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