Despite the exuberant expectations for the adoption of electric cars, forecasts have been conservative, with global annual sales expected to be around a million in 2015, compared to the global auto market of around 70 million vehicles today, writes Adam Lesser, GigaOM Pro’s Green IT analyst. Read More »
Cleantech
Will electric vehicles provide a big market for lithium-ion batteries? A report by IHS on Monday says yes and predicts that carmakers will take over laptop manufacturers as the biggest customers of lithium-ion batteries by 2015. Read More »
It’s that time again, when automakers haul their wares out to Detroit for the North American International Auto Show. The event, which kicks off on Monday, will include an array of concepts for more efficient and less polluting cars, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles.… Read More »
At high noon on Tuesday, General Motors plans to detail just what it will take for consumers to land an extended-range electric Chevy Volt in their garage or driveway, releasing new info on pricing and the ordering process. Read More »
In the world of personal computers, you might say the problem exists between keyboard and chair. With Toyota’s cars, preliminary evidence suggests that in at least some cases, the problem arose between foot and accelerator. Read More »
UPDATED: Electric car startup Tesla Motors plans to buy the NUMMI plant in Fremont, Calif. and start building its Model S sedan there in 2012. Toyota has agreed to partner with the startup and buy a $50 million stake after Tesla’s IPO. Read More »
Toyota’s ongoing recall and the safety concerns embroiling an automaker that climbed to the top of the global car market through a reputation for reliability, may offer an opportunity for competitors to seize market share, at least in the near term. But Toyota’s troubles, which most… Read More »
Eight auto and car parts makers will get more than $187 million in federal funds to help them improve the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today. The awards, funded largely through the Recovery Act, come as… Read More »
When Toyota detailed plans this summer to lease hundreds of plug-in hybrids based on its popular Prius model by year’s end, the automaker called the program “a key first step in confirming how and when we might bring large numbers of plug-in hybrids to global markets.” Today… Read More »
Diesels and hybrid-electric cars have often been posed as competitors racing to capture the green-automotive market. Diesels are more popular in Europe, while hybrids are more popular in the United States. Both have their advantages and disadvantages: diesels can get impressive fuel economy without… Read More »
Lithium-ion battery technology hit a major milestone this year when hybrid leader Toyota announced plans to test it in road trials of 500 plug-in hybrids — marking the first time this type of battery would be used for propulsion in a Toyota vehicle. While the… Read More »
The battle of the MPGs kicked into high gear this week with General Motors making the bold claim that its upcoming Chevy Volt, an extended-range electric vehicle, will get 230 MPG for city driving. Nissan countered with an announcement that its 2011 all-electric LEAF sedan will… Read More »
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