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Nov 18
2011 LA: BMW i8 Concept shows ‘green’ can be quite amazing
in - Electric Cars, - Hybrid Cars, BMW
Key Competitors: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL, Audi e-tron.
Power: 3-cylinder 3.0l, 220 hp (rear wheels), electric motor 129 hp (front wheels).
Transmission: Dual-clutch automatic.
Performance: 0-60 in less than 5 seconds.
Pricing: Probably more than your house.
Availability: Production model due in 2014.
BMW has been hard at work with their sustainable living projects, which have ultimately spawned the i3 city car and the new i8 concept. And to keep up with its exposure, BMW has just unveiled the i8 Concept in North America today at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Power for the BMW i8 Concept comes from a modified electric-motor found in the i3. It drives the front axle while a 1.5 liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine making 220-hp and 221 lb-ft of torque moves the rear axle. Working together, the system makes 349-hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a twin-speed transmission, the BMW i8 runs from 0 to 62 mph in less than 5 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.
Click here for more news on the BMW i8.
On a full charge of its lithium-ion battery, the BMW i8 can go 20 miles in full electric mode. While no total range has been provided, rumors say that the i8 is capable of going more than 400 miles on a full tank of gas and full charge. Estimated fuel-economy for the BMW i8 Concept comes in at 78 mpg.

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BMW has been hard at work with their sustainable living projects, which have ultimately spawned the i3 city car and the new i8 concept. And to keep up with its exposure, BMW has just unveiled the i8 Concept in North America today at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

(more…)

Nov 11
Honda Micro Commuter Concept is an EV for the urbanites
in - Electric Cars, Honda

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Joining the Honda Small Sport EV Concept and the Honda AC-X plug-in hybrid at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show will be the Micro Commuter Concept.
According to Honda the Honda Micro Commuter Concept is:
A micro-sized, futuristic, electric city commuter which will become a highly accessible form of mobility for more people. This vehicle will offer the joy of a new type of communications between people and mobility and an exterior that the owner can enjoy customizing more casually. The collaboration of Honda’s motorcycle and automobile R&D centers made it possible to load the MOTOR COMPO two-wheel EV commuter in this vehicle.
We’ll have to wait until the 2011 Tokyo Show for more details

Joining the Honda Small Sport EV Concept and the Honda AC-X plug-in hybrid at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show will be the Micro Commuter Concept.

According to Honda the Honda Micro Commuter Concept is:

A micro-sized, futuristic, electric city commuter which will become a highly accessible form of mobility for more people. This vehicle will offer the joy of a new type of communications between people and mobility and an exterior that the owner can enjoy customizing more casually. The collaboration of Honda’s motorcycle and automobile R&D centers made it possible to load the MOTOR COMPO two-wheel EV commuter in this vehicle.

We’ll have to wait until the 2011 Tokyo Show for more details

Nov 11
Report: Lithium-ion battery packs being investigated after Chevy Volt catches fire
in - Electric Cars, - Hybrid Cars, Chevrolet
Electric powertrains are by no means new to the automobile industry because Toyota had invented the gasoline electric hybrid back in 1997. And although their functionality has been undoubtedly successful, a new investigation has popped up involving electric powertrains, more specifically with their battery packs.
This new investigation pops up after a Chevrolet Volt battery caught fire three weeks after a side-impact test at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s testing center in Wisconsin. The fire engulfed the car and others surrounding it.
You may be thinking, well, what could’ve caused that and how come it hasn’t happened to other cars such as the Toyota Prius? Well, for starters, the Toyota’s hybrid powertrains have been utilizing a nickel-metal battery. The Chevrolet Volt on the other hand uses a lithium ion battery. That said, the Volt’s incident has forced a team of investigators from the NHTSA to conduct a private and thorough investigation of lithium battery packs in the application of automobiles, which means the Nissan LEAF will too be scrutinized.
Click here for more news on the Chevrolet Volt.
“As manufacturers continue to develop vehicles of any kind — electric, gasoline, or diesel — it is critical that they take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of drivers and first responders both during and after a crash,” said the NHTSA in a statement.

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Electric powertrains are by no means new to the automobile industry because Toyota had invented the gasoline electric hybrid back in 1997. And although their functionality has been undoubtedly successful, a new investigation has popped up involving electric powertrains, more specifically with their battery packs.

(more…)

Nov 09
Honda AC-X Plug-in Hybrid Concept can travel 620 miles
in - Electric Cars, - Hybrid Cars, Honda

Honda AC-X Concept

Honda AC-X Concept

Along with the Honda Small Sports EV Concept, the Japanese automaker will show this four-door AC-X Concept. The Honda AC-X, which stands for Advanced Cruiser-X is described as “a next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle which offers a more comfortable and enjoyable time in the vehicle during all driving situations, from urban to long-distance driving. With the choices of an ‘engine drive mode’ for more aggressive driving or an ‘automatic drive mode’ for more relaxed driving, the vehicle broadens the joy of mobility.”

(more…)

Oct 06
Lotus City Car
in - Electric Cars, Lotus

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Prior to the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Lotus talked about the ‘dawn of a new era’ for the company and with five new concept cars, a new era it was. The new Louts Elite concept showed a new GT car; the Lotus Elise concept showed a more ‘grown up’ version of the sports car; the Lotus Elan concept previewed a model that would most likely replace the Evora; the Lotus Esprit concept previewed the next-generation that will debut sometime in 2013; and the Lotus Eterne concept showed a sedan planned for production in 2015. (more…)