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Does EV Quick-Charging By the Minute Make Sense?

Brad Berman — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:41:07 +0000

When drivers of gas-powered cars fill up at the gas station, they know they are paying a certain price for a clear and fixed amount of liquid automotive fuel. But emerging payment models for Quick Charging of electric vehicles for a 30-minute period means a lot of uncertainty about the real value of what you’re getting.

The first operational Quick Charger near me is the 350Green location at Stanford Mall. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m told that it requires a special card that costs $21 for three sessions—or $7 per session. People usually talk about these Quick Chargers as providing up to 80 percent charge on a battery like the one found in the Nissan LEAF in about 30 minutes.

Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid is Third Quickest Selling Vehicle in US

Eric Loveday — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:52:47 +0000

Spending only five days on the lot means that the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid was the third quickest selling vehicle in the US in April and second on the list in March.

In Veiled Sales Pitch, A123 Warns about Dangers of EV Quick Charging

Brad Berman — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:58:02 +0000

The all-electric Chevy Spark EV will run on a nanophosphate lithium-ion battery pack supplied by A123 Systems.

Last week, battery manufacturer A123 Systems explained in its corporate blog that some lithium-ion batteries are not built to withstand constant quick charging. Even though quick charging—promising to refuel EVs in 20 to 30 minutes—is viewed by many as the killer app that will make EVs more practical, questions remain about its long-term impact on the battery pack's capabilities.

Cars.com Lists Chevy Volt as One of "Top 10 Under-Appreciated Cars and Trucks"

Eric Loveday — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:36:45 +0000

Cars.com recently listed the Chevy Volt as one of the ten most under-appreciated vehicles available today.

Tesla Model S Range Exceeds Even Tesla's Expecations

Eric Loveday — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:55:56 +0000

Tesla compares the range of the Model S to the Roadster at constant speeds under the 2-cycle EPA test procedure.

U.S. Military Not Retreating on Clean Energy

John Gartner — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:57:24 +0000

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. and Maj. Gen. Mark A. Graham, commanding general, Division West, First Army and Fort Carson, prepare to cut the ribbon on the Fort Carson solar array.

While many government officials nervously await the outcome of the November elections and speculate as to its implications for the cleantech sector, one federal department is likely to be relatively unaffected regardless of the outcome: Defense.

According to panelists at the recent “Mission Critical: Clean Energy and the U.S. Military” event in Denver, the military’s growing commitment to reducing its use of fossil fuel, for both national security and economic reasons, will not waver regardless of who’s in charge in the White House or the Congress.

Senator Mark Udall of Colorado rattled off a series of statistics that underline the reasons for the military’s emphasis on becoming as green as the army’s uniforms:

Ford Focus Electric Rollout Continues to Crawl

Brad Berman — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:31:41 +0000

67 Ford dealerships are now certified to sell the Focus Electric. However, the electric vehicles won't arrive until June.

In March, we questioned the slow rollout of the Ford Focus Electric. That’s why it was gratifying to see Ford announce last week that 67 dealers had been certified to begin selling the EV in the next few weeks. The certification includes things like installing charging stations and making sure that “80 percent of the sales and service staff at each location must meet specific electric vehicle training certification requirements,” according to Ford's press release.

Alliance for Wireless Power is Formed

Eric Loveday — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:06:53 +0000

Technology leaders from around the globe teamed up with Samsung and Qualcomm to form the Alliance for Wireless Power.

Toyota Prices RAV4 EV at $49,800, Dials Down Regen Braking

Brad Berman — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:38:12 +0000

On Monday, Toyota revealed the production version of its RAV4 EV at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles, California. We now know that the new RAV4 EV, featuring a powertrain co-developed by Tesla Motors, will sell fully-equipped for $49,800. (The RAV4 EV will qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500.) The other key metric is 2,600, as in the number of units Toyota will produce over the next three years—likely meaning a lot more demand than supply for the only all-electric SUV on the market.

At this stage, it should come as no surprise that Toyota is taking a conservative approach to electric car introductions, openly stating that the company wants to see how the EV market develops over time. And until then, it will produce only sufficient numbers to analyze the technology and comply with California zero-emissions mandates.

1909 Walker Electric Delivery Van Fetches $127,500 at Auction

Eric Loveday — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:35:01 +0000

Recently, a 1909 Walker electric delivery van sold for a shocking $127,500 at auction.