Bulli Volkswagen Concept electric powertrain

Bulli Volkswagen Concept electric powertrain shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show 2011. 

This concept version of an electric motor powered by 113 � horsepower and lithium-ion battery pack, which reportedly can be filled in less than an hour. We do not know whether the electric powertrain will make it into production vehicles, and no word on price. However, how cold will it once again see a modern Volkswagen Microbus roaming the streets of America? The mind reels at the possibility.

i MiEV Electric Car

great concept car, by the French company Peugeot

Very ecological and futurist, the Peugeot 888 car is powered by electrical motors in the wheels. The batteries are located in the trunk, while solar panels on it also provide the electricity.

Electric Car Lives-electric car's time has finally arrived

Roughly the size of a Prius, the Ox can travel between 125 and 155 miles before needing a recharge

Hinterland Electric Car

Concept car powered by electricity

Mitsubishi electric cars

Japanese newspaper The Nikkei (the same guys who reported the Suzuki Kizashi would be axed) now reports that the deal went through and Mitsubishi will supply the French company up to 10,000 electric cars a year by the year 2011. This could include the Mitsubishi i MiEV, which is shown above as an artist�s impression with Peugeot styling (look after the jump for a Citroen version).

PSA would benefit by getting electric car technology fast, while Mitsubishi would benefit from PSA�s vast distributor network in Europe, which would be beneficial for Mitsu�s coffers anyway since they are the supplier, despite the cars not having Mitsubishi badges.

Affordable Electric Car-threeweel

California based company Green Vehicles recently began selling an affordable $20,000 electric car called the Triac. The small but efficient 3-wheeled car has a range of 120 miles and can travel up to 70mph on the highway. Charging the lithium-ion batteries that power the 20kw electric motor takes about 6 hours, and there is an optional capacity boost battery pack available that extends the range by 20% (why not include it with the car?). The Triac comes in 8 different color combinations and is available from the dealership in San Jose. 

Mitsubishi�s Electric Car

Despite the similarities in pricing and release date, the two cars are very different beasts. The iMiev is based on a current Kei-car produced by Mitsubishi for Japan, and has a 47kW electric motor powered by a 330-volt lithium ion battery pack. The car will have a top speed of 80 mph and an all electric range of about 100 miles. Charging will take place via a normal power outlet and should take about 14 hours to completely charge the battery, though there is all a 220V charge option, which only takes 7 hours.

Electric fields and textures seen in the naturec

Electric, Nano Goes Diesel

The electric Smart ForTwo, known as the Smart ed, has a 41-hp electric motor and sodium-nickel-chloride batteries. It gets about 70 miles per charge, and has a maximum speed of 70 mph, which makes it a reasonable commuter EV, even if your commute involves highways. Price and market haven�t been announced, but they do expect it to go on sale in 2010. Cross your fingers that it comes your way � and you can afford it.

GreenEcoMobility Electric Car

Chrysler has announced a new green transportation vehicle that is eco friendly, being emission free, using electric power rather than petroleum derivatives. The car features iPod and iPhone integration, where the latter doubles as a mobile phone hands free feature too. The Peapod is small, yet available in 2-seater, 4-seater and 6-seater models.

plunk down some money for an electric car

Mitsubishi plans to make 2,000 i-MiEV electric vehicles

Mitsubishi plans to make 2,000 i-MiEV electric vehicles in 2009, and 4,000 units in 2010 before acceleration mass-production to a higher volume. "Most of the vehicles will be sold in Japan for some �3 million (US$27,530) each." We can speculate that prices might be lower by the time they get to the US. More photos below.

luxurious models or revolutionary concepts

Today for example, the REVA Electric Car Company (REVA) revealed the NXR (NeXt Reva), which is an electric car powered by a lithium-ion battery projected to enter production in early 2010

Honda coming with Electric Motorcycle 2010

In one of speech, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui recently said, �Honda is currently developing a battery-powered electric motorcycle which emits no CO2 during operation, because the characteristics of a battery can be better utilized in the area of motorcycles, which are often used for short distance travel. Honda is aiming to introduce this electric motorcycle to the market about two years from now.�

Well, this is going to be ideal vehicle for Indian roads provided its price is reachable and range is not limited. I am sure Honda is going to take care of these issues if it plans to launch this motorcycle in India. Bikes are one of cheapest and widely used form of transportation in India. This bike would be ideal for crowded Indian roads both for commuters and commercial users.

Bikes are primarily used for short distance travel which makes a battery powered bikes an ideal machine.

In the uncertain times this is going to be a great move from Honda as its motorcycle business is almost recession-proof. Motorcycle is the first and original core product of Honda and it knows that if the new bike gives cost-efficiency to buyers, it is going to attract a huge new customer segment in the emerging markets like India.

Bikes are cheap, easy to own, easy to use, easy to park, less noisy. Well, if it is electric powered then nothing like it.

Meguiar's Motorcycle Care Kit

2010 smart fortwo electric drive

Easy electric transition
For more details on the North American test fleet see the article, Testing, testing, one fortwo electric drive.

Because right now, we can�t wait to tell you how cool it was to drive an electric smart car around the streets of Brooklyn.

The cars were waiting for us, after we traveled from New Jersey to Brooklyn by water taxi. Many people commute this way, and I highly recommend it � fantastic views of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Predictably, we camera-packing journalists took pictures. Too many, probably.

If the cars didn�t have special green and white paint, and �electric drive� broadcast in big letters on the side panels, you wouldn�t even know that these particular smarts are veering off to an electric future � they look identical to the second-generation smart cars on which they are based. In fact, they have identical interior and luggage space.

This is because integration of electric components was planned at an early stage. The Tesla-developed lithium-ion battery is mounted under the floor, between the axles. The 30 kW electric motor sits in the back, exactly where the gas engine and transaxle usually reside.

Inside there are two �electric� gauges sitting high on the dash; one to tell you what percentage charge is your battery; the other to signal consumption rate.

Electric Vehicles For Sale-launched onto the market

The number of electric vehicles for sale has increased markedly over the last 10 years as finally the revolution begins to gather pace. This is a revolution which has been promised for many years although political interference in the past has not assisted with the speed at which electric cars are now being launched onto the market.

Popular electric cars for sale

There are a number of prominent names in the electric car market which include the Tesla roadster, Mitsubishi MiEV, Nissan 2010 Leaf, Citroen C-Zero, REVA NXR to name but a few. While it would be wrong to suggest that the second hand market in electric vehicles is anywhere near the liquidity seen in the traditional car market, there has been significant growth over the last couple of years.

Second hand electric car market

There is some dispute as to how long an electric vehicle will hold its value with initial suggestions showing it is likely to perform better in the short term compared to traditional cars but could lose up to 90% of its value after five years. The problem at the moment is the fact that the most expensive element of an electric vehicle is the battery power required.

There have been enormous strides in the technology associated with battery power, with lithium ion batteries now the leader in the sector, but there is still much work to be done. We have already seen a vast improvement in onboard recharging systems and there are now more recharging stations available than ever before, although there is still room for improvement in this area.

Tax incentives

A number of governments around the world have introduced tax incentives in relation to electric powered cars for sale which obviously helps to offset any potential long-term reduction in their value. It seems highly likely that these government schemes, targeted at both car manufacturers and electric car owners, will continue for some time to come as a means of pushing more and more consumers in the direction of more environmentally friendly transport alternatives.

The image of electric cars

In the early days of the electric powered car there was a certain stigma attached, in the eyes of the public, and many people have until today effectively discounted a potential purchase of an electric vehicle. However, advances in technology have taken the electric car market to a very different level and when you also consider the volatile oil price and ever-increasing cost of fuel it is no surprise that more electric cars are being sold today than ever before.

Slowly but surely this stigma is lifting and people who would not have considered an electric car only 12 months ago may now be more open to the idea.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the sale of electric vehicles, from SUVs to the more traditional small cars, will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. As technological advances bring down the cost of both components and the vehicles as a whole, this will open up new markets and new opportunities for the future. While there may have been a number of false starts with regards to the electric car market there is no doubt that this particular niche market is certainly moving forward and will soon hit the mass market and wave goodbye to the niche tag.

A number of factors are now coming together to assist the electric powered car market and car manufacturers are determined to make the most of this.

Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID

Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID

The combination of a modified V6 petrol engine and a compact hybrid module makes the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID the world's most economical luxury saloon with a spark-ignition engine. The NEDC combined fuel consumption is a mere 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres. This makes for the world's lowest CO2 emissions in this vehicle and performance class - just 190 grams per kilometre. These exemplary figures go hand in hand with assured performance. The 3.5-litre petrol engine develops an output of 205 kW/279 hp, the electric motor generates 15 kW/20 hp and a starting torque of 160 Nm. The result is a combined output of 220 kW/299 hp and a combined maximum torque of 385 newton metres. Moreover, the new Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID is the first series-production model to be equipped with a particularly efficient lithium-ion battery specially developed for automotive use. This is another major contribution by Mercedes-Benz to the electrification of the car.

The new Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID is based on the S350, and features an extensively modified drive train. This encompasses a further development of the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, an additional magneto-electric motor, the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission specially configured for the hybrid module, the necessary operating and control electronics, the transformer and a high-voltage lithium-ion battery.

The compact hybrid module is a disc-shaped electric motor that also acts as a starter and generator. The system offers a double benefit, as it both helps to save fuel and increases driving enjoyment. This is partly due to the booster effect of the electric motor, as it powerfully backs up the petrol engine with a maximum additional torque of 160 newton metres during the high-consumption acceleration phase. The driver benefits from the combined action of these two units in the form of even more impressive torque characteristics and smooth, effortlessly superior acceleration.

The hybrid module also has a comfortable start/stop function, which switches the engine off when the vehicle is at a standstill - for example at traffic lights. When it's time to move off again, the electric motor almost imperceptibly restarts the main power unit. This likewise makes a contribution to fuel economy and environmental protection: because the engine restarts first time, and practically instantly, emissions are also minimised during the starting phase.

When the vehicle is braked the electric motor acts as a generator, and is able to recover braking energy by a process known as recuperation. Working in finely tuned partnership, the electric motor supplements the braking effect of the petrol engine and the wheel brakes to deliver a smoothly progressive braking action. The recuperated energy is stored in a compact yet highly efficient lithium-ion battery in the engine compartment, and made available when required. This complex system is managed by a high-performance control unit, which is likewise located in the engine compartment.

Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID

The centrepiece of the modular, very compact and highly efficient hybrid drive system is the new high-voltage lithium-ion battery, which was specially developed for automotive use and is the first such unit worldwide to be introduced in a series-production vehicle. In this way Mercedes-Benz is making a trailblazing contribution to the electrification of the car, with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class once again playing the role of the technological trendsetter.

Major advantages over conventional nickel/metal hydride batteries include a higher energy density and better electrical efficiency, together with more compact dimensions and a lower weight. Thanks to space-saving installation in the engine compartment, where it replaces the conventional starter battery, the generous interior space and boot capacity of the S400 remain unchanged. The lithium-ion battery not only stores energy for the electric motor, but is also connected to the 12-Volt onboard network via the transformer to supply power to other standard consumers such as the headlamps and comfort features. The completely newly designed battery system consists of the cell block with its lithium-ion cells and the cell monitoring system, the battery management function, the high-strength housing, the cooling gel, the cooling plate, the coolant feed and the high-voltage connector.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with variable valve control has been throughly re-engineered and improved. In the process the development engineers made use of the advantages offered by the Atkinson principle,where the expansion phase is longer than the compression phase. The intake valve is kept open slightly longer between the intake and compression phases, which improves the engine's thermal efficiency while reducing the specific fuel consumption and untreated emissions. A new cylinder head, different pistons and a modified camshaft with different camshaft control increase the output by 5 kW/7 hp to 205 kW/279 hp - while reducing fuel consumption at the same time.

The compact, disc-shaped electric motor, which is space-savingly installed in the torque converter housing between the engine and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, improves efficiency even further. This is a 3-phase AC external rotor magneto motor, which develops a peak output of 15 kW/20 hp and a starting torque of 160 newton metres with an operating voltage of 120 Volts.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds, and reaches an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. The Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID betters the already very favourable NEDC fuel consumption of the conventionally powered S350 by up to 2.2 litres per 100 kilometres. CO2 emissions are reduced by 21 percent.

In addition the hybrid module features an extremely comfortable and efficient start/stop function, which already switches the engine off when the vehicle is rolling to a stop at less than 15 km/h, for example before stopping at traffic lights. When it's time to move off again, the electric motor immediately and imperceptibly restarts the main engine as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal or operates the accelerator. This likewise contributes to fuel economy and environmental conservation: as the engine restarts practically instantly, emissions are also minimised during the starting phase. The vibrations and jolts that are unavoidable when starting with a conventional starter are also reduced to a minimum.

The new S400 BlueHYBRID exemplifies the strategy of Mercedes-Benz, whose declared aim is to offer the brand's customers economical and environmentally compatible premium cars - without compromising in terms of typical brand attributes such as safety, comfort and a superior driving experience.

Major areas of development focus include modular drive technologies, which are used on a stand-alone basis or in combination depending on the vehicle class, operating profile and customer requirements - Mercedes-Benz has already described how this applies to the product portfolio in its "Road to the Future". In this context Mercedes-Benz also provides an outlook on the future of the internal combustion engine, with the innovative DIESOTTO engine in the Mercedes-Benz F700 research car.

Auto Show Gallery- Tokyo -Honda U3-X Electric Unicycle

Toyota isn't the only Japanese automaker to amaze us with some funky forms of personal transportation. Honda unwrapped its U3-X transporter prior to the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which can best be described as a motorized unicycle.

A key component to the U3-X is Honda's Omni Traction (HOT) drive technology. The large wheel you see at the bottom of the cycle is actually made of multiple wheels of varying diameter. The larger wheels allow the U3-X to move fore and aft. Simultaneously rotating the smaller wheels allows the U3-X to steer. Like a Segway, the unicycle is self-balancing; Honda engineers developed the system based upon technologies developed for the company's ASIMO robot program.

Although the U3-X seems to be meant for indoor use only, it weighs only 20 pounds and folds into a portable shape for transit. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack which, when fully charged, offers approximately an hour's worth of use.

We're not exactly sure whom Honda is targeting with this contraption (the company says it's "pursuing the concept of harmony with people"), but it will showcase the U3-X at the 2009 Tokyo motor show.