Electric Cars

Ford Lowers Emissions in New Electric Cars and in Running the Company

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For a typical American car being driven 15,000 miles annually, 8 tons of CO2 emissions result. The number is higher if emissions from making the car are added. Some of Ford’s most exciting new electric and hybrid cars will be a fraction of typical emissions including the Ford Focus Electric, the Ford Transit Connect Electric, the Ford C-MAX Energi, the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, the Ford Fusion Energi and the Ford Fusion Hybrid. Ford is also the Ford only Automaker to receive Climate Leadership Award.

Attacks on Electric Cars Only Endanger American Jobs

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Various conservative talking heads are attacking electric cars, while defending subsidies for Big Oil. Bob Lutz, former GM Vice Chairman, and a conservative Republican himself, takes issue with the “fact-free” journalism that is smearing electric cars. These unfounded attacks perpetuate American dependence on oil and hurt the Americans whose livelihood depends upon making the next generation of clean vehicles.

Coal Powered Electric Cars – Fact and Fiction

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“The electric car doesn’t do any good because it’s just powered by coal” gets repeated by the oil industry, by news pundits who ignore fact checking, and even by some environmentalists. I have yet to meet an electric car driver or fleet manager who only uses coal power. In the United States, 36 states have utility scale wind power.

Hello Tesla Model S, Goodbye Tesla Roadster

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I’m sitting behind the wheel of this new Tesla Model S wishing that I could drive it away. I can’t. This prototype does not have a drive system. It is on display at the Clean-Tech Investor Summit, getting serious interest from attending CEOs and venture capitalists that can afford the $59,400 starting price. The price starts at $79,400 for the model with a remarkable 300-mile electric range. Tesla plans to ship 5,000 of the Model S in 2012 starting this June 22.

Electric Car and Hybrid Car Sales will Triple in Next Six Years

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Pike Research’s John Gartner forecasts that global sales of hybrid and electric cars will grow from 995,000 in 2011 to 2,870,000 in 2017. Half the hybrid cars and all of the EVs will use lithium battery packs by 2017. In fact, the latest hybrid cars from Ford, Buick, Honda, Hyundai and Kai use lithium batteries. In six years, cars with advanced batteries will triple and lithium automotive battery packs will grow over 100 fold.

From Sedans to SUVs, 2012, Year of the Electric Car?

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2012 will see the introduction of a myriad of plug-in electric vehicles: sports cars, an SUV, compacts, hatchbacks, sub-compacts, and sedans. Over the next several years, up to 40 plug-in models will be introduced. Later this week, the California Air Resources Board will vote on improvements to strengthen the state’s Zero Emission Vehicle program that will provide automakers with the long-term certainty necessary to ensure this proliferation of vehicle choice continues. Soon, there will be a zero emission vehicle to fit every lifestyle, budget, need, and desire.

100,000 Electric Car Sales in U.S. in 2012

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Gartner, the largest technology market research firm, presented a scenario for 100,000 electric car sales in 2012 in the United States. Yesterday, I took in the presentation at the SV Forum and then talked with Thilo Koslowski, Vice President of Gartner’s Automotive and Vehicle Practice. He acknowledged that 100,000 is quite a jump from the 18,000 sold in 2011.

Think Small – Electric City Cars

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Volkswagen’s “Think Small” is ranked as the most successful campaign in advertising history. Electric city cars are a great match for small car lovers. Most city drivers need far less than the range of smaller electric cars which may be limited to 50 miles on highways but double that cruising city streets and benefitting from regenerative braking. The electric city car sales leader is the Mitsubishi i. It can be purchased for $29,125, which is about $6,000 less than the larger Nissan LEAF.

Better Place and 100,000 Electric Cars for Israel

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The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Better Place have signed an agreement to create a mass market for electric vehicles in Israel, an excellent target market for 5 reasons: (1) sales tax exceeds 60 percent for gasoline vehicles, (2) gasoline costs over $6 per gallon, (3) most driving distances fit the range of electric vehicles, (4) the nation does not want to be dependent on foreign oil, and (5) electric vehicles have strong government support.

Building a Company: 0 to 60 in 4 Seconds

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Martin Eberhard, then CEO and founder of Tesla Motors, arrived in a Tesla Roadster, a zero-emission vehicle that can accelerate from zero to 60 in 4 seconds. As I talked with him, it was easy to see why he was smiling. When I rode in the Tesla, I held on as it accelerated, then held on to my wallet as I left this dream sports car. Tenacity paid-off. Tesla brought its exciting Roadster to market. The breakthrough 300-mile range Tesla Model-S Sedan is being ordered by the thousands. You can now drive the Roadster zero to 60 in 3.7 seconds.

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