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Frankfurt 2009: Reva NXG and NXR Electric Cars

September 23, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

The 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show was filled to the brim with electric cars, it seems, though it also seemed that only a few of those cars were destined for American shores. Case in point: the two new electric cars from India, the Reva NXR and NXG.

The Reva NXR will see production first, probably as soon as next year. It comes with either an expensive but range-extended lithium ion battery pack or a cheaper but shorter-distance bank of lead-acid batteries. With the li-ion battery, the NXR can hit 65 mph and travel as far as 100 miles; the price is a pretty reasonable $21,000 or so in Europe. The lead-acid version has a 50-mile range and a top speed of 50 mph, and a price tag around $14,000.

The Reva NXG will be a 2011 model, with a top speed of 80 mph and a range of up to 125 miles. No prices were reported yet, but he car will have a targa top to let in a little sunshine.

Frankfurt 2009: Renault’s Four Electric Cars

September 22, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, New Tech, emissions, small cars by kristen | No comments

Renault successfully out-greened everyone else at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show last year, with the debuts of four electric cars in its booth. These vehicles are slated to start appearing as soon as 2011, though a gasoline version of the Fluence will be in European showrooms this fall. Here are all four electric Renaults  in a nutshell:

Renault Twizy Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Two-seater, with the passenger behind the driver
  • Developed for city driving
  • Performance comparable to a 250-cc motorcycle

Renault Zoe Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Optimized climate control for better fuel economy
  • “Hydrating,” “detox,” and “active scent” functions for the interior climate

Renault Fluence Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Designed for families
  • 100-mile range

Renault Kangoo Z.E.

  • All electric, zero emissions
  • Based on an existing model
  • Made for business use

Mercedes Trainees Build Fuel Cell Roadster

April 13, 2009 in Biz News, Hydrogen, New Tech by kristen | No comments

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL

Dozens of junior-level Mercedes-Benz employees and students in Germany worked together for a year to create the F-CELL Roadster project, a fuel cell-powered open car. The project was designed to give the trainees hands-on experience with developing alternative-fuel vehicles.

The spoked wheels of the design project reference the earliest Benzes of the late 1800s, while the seats are thoroughly modern carbon fiber with hand-stitched leather upholstery. It’s got a joystick in place of a steering wheel (a hallmark of any “car of the future” destined to never see production) and the fuel-cell system in the rear. The F-CELL has a top speed of 15 mph, but a range of over 200 miles.

It would be a miracle if the F-CELL ever reached the market, as it was intended as an in-house learning experience, but it’s just these kinds of projects that are going to expand the availability and viability of alternative fuels in the near future.

Paris Preview: Green Cars at the Auto Show

September 28, 2008 in EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids, Hydrogen, diesel, small cars by kristen | 2 comments

October 4 is opening day at Mondial de l’Automobile, or the Paris Auto Show to most Americans. Europe has long had more small cars that get better gas mileage than what we can buy in the U.S., and a wider array of clean diesel cars. We can certainly expect to see more of these kinds of autos in Paris this year; the difference is that now we want them, too.

Here’s a list of debuts and concepts to look for at Mondial de l’Automobile as the reports start filling the blogosphere next month.

Debuts

  • Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, 65 mpg and not U.S.-bound
  • Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, with lithium-ion batteries
  • Nissan Pixo minicar, one foot shorter than the Chevy Aveo

Concepts

  • Citroen Hypnos hybrid
  • Honda Insight hybrid, poised to battle the Prius
  • Lexus LF-Xh hybrid, based on the concept LF-X SUV
  • Nissan Nuvu EV minicar
  • Opel Insignia EcoFLEX sports tourer, clean diesel on sale in Europe next spring
  • Peugeot hybrid
  • Renault Ondelious diesel mild hybrid
  • Suzuki SX4-FCV fuel cell vehicle, already certified in Japan

Tesla’s Model S Aims for 2010

September 8, 2008 in Biz News, Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Tesla Motors, the fine folks who brought us the all-electric Roadster sports car, are working on a five-passenger sedan called the S. The company plans on bringing the car to market in 2010, after its California manufacturing plant is complete.

While the Roadster was based on a Lotus platform, the S will be completely developed in-house. It will also be a bit cheaper than the $100k Roadster, since its body will be formed from aluminum rather than carbon fiber. According to Autocar, a U.K. site, there will be three models of the S available: a 160-mile range for $60,000; a 220-mile range for $68,000; and a future 300-mile range version that hasn’t had a price pinned on it yet.

Tesla will use the same lithium-ion battery technology that powers the Roadster in the S series, and it expects to eventually sell 20,000 S cars a year. If the California company can pull off building a four-door EV sedan for $60,000, the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt — which still requires gasoline and will likely retail for more than $40,000 — may have a serious challenger on its alternative-fuel hands.

Tesla S concept

The image is obviously from Autocar.co.uk.