It was only last April that Audi was saying that it had no plans for an electric car (EV) in the immediate future. It's possible they're operating under a different definition of "immediate future" than us or maybe they have just changed their minds because, according to Car Magazine Online, Audi has unofficially said it will offer an electric version of the Volkswagen up! when they become available, possibly before 2011. In terms of vehicle development lead times that sure sounds like "immediate future" to us! Of course, it is conceivable they may be as just as flaky with their EV plans as they have been with their Q5 and Q7 hybrid programs. If there are more up! production delays, Audi may may a plan B. According to another bite-sized article in Car Magazine Online, Audi is also considering reviving its A2 (R.I.P. 2005) with an aluminum space frame (ASF) and stuffing it full of batteries. With all Audi's indecision though, a more sure bet may be Volkswagen making an electric Volkswagen.

[Source: Car Magazine Online]

Click above for more high-res shots of the Electruck

Back in the '70s (when the Big 3 were really the Big 4), American Motors flirted a bit with electric vehicles. Perhaps their greatest successes came from the Jeep side of the ailing brand. Known internally as the DJ-5E and to the outside world as the Electruck, the E-Jeep used a 20-horsepower compound wind DC Motor made by Gould. That same company provided the batteries, an odd set of two 27 volt lead-acids which were later replaced by the Postal Service with Eagle-Picher batteries. Capable of hitting 40 miles per hour for up to 29 miles, the USPS got plenty of use out of the three-doored wrong-side drive EVs.

Over three-hundred-fifty electric Jeeps were sold to the U.S. Postal Service along with five sent across the border to Canada. Out of those five, only one is known to still exist and it now being lovingly restored by its current owner. The car is expected to be shown afterwards, so keep your eyes open for this unique piece of history in the next few months. Click here for plenty of information and to track the progress of the build. Thanks for the tip, Glen!


[Source: Electric Jeep]

Back in the day, the Ford Pinto was most famous for the occasional gas tank explosion when involved in a rear-end collision. When you design a car with that kind of feature engineering flaw and then combine it with doors that jam shut in the same type of crash, people are going to talk. Nowadays, there's a Pinto in Alaska with fire-orange paint developing a reputation for a exploding off the drag strip starting line that's got people talking. This pony lacks a gas tank so you know all that smoke must be coming from the tires, though the lack of a screaming V8 might try to fool your senses. The car is owned by the president of the Alaskan chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association, Mike Willmon, and can tear up a quarter mile of tarmac in as little as 12.576 seconds and tops out at 127 mph. Yeah, we've seen faster cars too, but we're talking Pinto here! You can get lots of details on the rig at its EV Album page then sit back and watch the electric streak dubbed "Crazy Horse" take on a few "gassers" after the jump.

[Source: Anchorage Daily News / YouTube]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsuibshi i MiEV

Once again showing how important automakers see the lithium ion battery is an announcement from Yuasa and Mitsubishi that their joint venture battery plant needs to be much larger than originally planned. In fact, the two companies have quintupled planned output before a single battery has even been manufactured. Mitsubishi is expecting high demand for its upcoming i-MiEV electric car, which should go on sale in Japan sometime in 2009. We wonder how much impact Japan Post's plan to use an all electric fleet had in this decision.

At the outset, the plant will cost about 4 billion yen ($36.94 million) and be able to produce enough packs for 10,000 EV's. By 2012, an additional 10 billion yen ($92 million or so) will have been spent to double that capacity. In order to make room for a plant this large, Yuasa is said to be searching for a new site in Japan.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

In the wake of a new lithium ion battery joint venture, Bernd Bohr, CEO of Bosch is not concerned that automakers will try to keep battery production in house. In an interview with German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, Bohr was asked about the fact that several automakers including Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan are involved in their own joint ventures for lithium batteries. Bosch is investing $300-400 million in a venture with Samsung to produce automotive lithium batteries. Bohr feels it will take 10-15 years for lithium batteries to become dominant so the company still has the opportunity to come to the forefront of the technology and play a leading role. While the Samsung will start with Korean production Bohr intends to eventually expand to other locations as well. By the time lithium batteries become mainstream in electric vehicles, Bohr expects the energy density to increase by a factor of 3-5 times. With Bosch's experience in power tools and appliances the company already has plenty of in-house motor technology that they are now applying to hybrid and electric drive systems. By 2015 Bohr expects hybrids to account for about 2.5-3 million vehicles annually with another 800,000 battery electrics.

Before electrics take over the world though, Bohr expects diesel engines to pick up another five points of market share taking 28 percent of the global market by mid-decade. In spite of elevated diesel prices right now, Bohr believes that diesel will be the only way to meet coming CO2 emissions standards and taxes in the near to mid-term. According to Bohr investments are being made to increase diesel refining capacity that will alleviate the price pressures by 2010. Bohr mentioned that HCCI engines could appear in production before 2015 which will also help reduce consumption and emissions. Bosch is also focusing on large volumes of the most cost-effective methods such as auto start-stop systems which are expected to be on 50 percent of European cars by 2012.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

Carlos Ghosn has some harsh-sounding words for alternative vehicles which still use some form of oil for their operation -- think current hybrids and future extended-range electric vehicles. "I want a pure electric car. I don't want a range extender. I don't want another hybrid. It's not going to be zero emissions in certain conditions. It's going to be zero emissions." Sounds like Ghosn is taking a little shot at today's hybrids like the Toyota Prius and even Nissan's own Altima, which uses technology licensed from Toyota. Also under fire from the Nissan chief would be the next generation of green cars like the Chevy Volt. Intriguingly, Ghosn also claims that Nissan's electric vehicles will be profitable right from the get go, unlike many other impending alternatives... again, the Volt.

Another interesting tidbit revealed by Nissan's head honcho is the fact that the EV's his company sells in America will have the ability to travel 100 miles before being depleted, while Europeans will only require half that range.

[Source: The New York Times]

The Japan EV Club drove a Mitsubishi i MiEV and a Subaru R1e from Tokyo to Hokkaido in the week before the G8 summit, for their "Challenge and Charge" event. Now they are sharing stats about the cars' electrical consumption and CO2 emissions and comparing them to a (presumably) typical Japanese gasoline car.

The poster in the photo summarizes the EV stats for the entire trip of 858.7 km ( = 533.57 miles):

* 85.65 kWh used
* 35.12 kg CO2 to produce the electricity ( = 77.43 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 1,713 yen ( = $16.94)

In comparison, on the bottom of the poster are a gasoline car's stats:

* 75.3 liters used ( = 19.89 gallons)
* 174.6 kg CO2 produced by the ICE ( = 384.93 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 12,956 yen ( = $121.34)

Thanks to Yanquetino for the tip, translation, everything.
[Source: Japan EV Club]

Let's say that you are the enterprising sort. Let's also say that you are passionate about electric vehicle technology. You recently learned about a Chinese company that is producing what appear to be some very cool electric vehicles. Given that major OEMs in the US are not producing electric cars, and given that there appears to be a fair amount of consumer demand, you decide to take a chance. You see an opportunity and you take it. You build a company around this product and you start taking orders. There's one small problem, however. The company is not ready to ship the cars. Or there's a technological glitch. Or they're waiting for a new version of the battery. Whatever it is, your dealers are getting impatient and calling you a fraud.

I'm not sure if this was the exact situation for Michael Papp, owner of the now defunct Spark EV. Papp was recently charged and arrested for failing to deliver 14 electric cars to Electric Transportation of Arkansas and Electric Cars of Houston. Today, Papp was ordered by a Pennsylvania Court to pay $100,000 to these companies to avoid criminal charges. His lawyer says that he will pay the amount.

While I am not absolving Papp, I wish to bring attention to the day-to-day reality that characterizes many e.v. start-ups. As several electric vehicle entrepreneurs have realized, starting a car company in a field dominated by multi-billion dollar corporations is not easy. What compounds the problem further is that electric vehicle entrepreneurs are in the business of "disruptive technology." Producing and selling cars based on a new technological platform requires a lot more time, money, skill, and luck than most entrepreneurs realize when they begin their dream. Perhaps it is this lack of foresight, coupled with an overwhelming desire to get this technology on the road, that causes many companies to over-promise and under-deliver.

Click above for more shots of this Porsche 911 EV conversion

Sometimes, we find various electric vehicle conversions on eBay to share with our readers. In many cases, the cars are in pretty sorry condition and the work which was done is highly suspect. In the case of this 1973 Porsche 911, though, everything done to the vehicle has been well documented in an online diary. There are also over forty pictures of the completed vehicle including every single dent and paint scratch. Most impressive. The EV conversion was officially started in late '93 and officially finished in late '96. Three years went into the removal of the engine and its related bits along with the addition of a DC electric motor along with 96 volts of lead-acid batteries. A bit later, the voltage was increased to 120, which yielded almost ten miles of range. Yeah... that's bad.

The good news, if it could be called that, is that the brakes were and are dragging, which is not helping performance at all. With a little work and some new batteries, this Porsche EV could be back on the road and getting somebody to work. Take a look at all the pics in our gallery, read the entire diary here and see the car's dedicated website here. Thanks for the tip, Dustin!


[Source: eBay Motors]

Dodge Zeo concept

As company after company announces electric vehicle additions to their lineups by 2010, Chrysler is again expected to be a late arrival to the green-car party. The automaker started the semi-autonomous unit, ENVI, last year specifically to design and develop electric drivetrain vehicles like the Dodge Zeo concept pictured above but any belief they can put one of their creations on a showroom floor in a timely (read "competitive") fashion seems misguided. Company spokesperson, Nick Cappa, in a recent e-mail to the Detroit Free Press said they are currently developing electric vehicles and are "...planning on product within three to five years,". After the past disastrous quarter ,that saw sales plunging 22 per cent, there are many who aren't sure the company will even last that long. Bought up by Cerberus Capital Management last year, it has recently been busy fighting off bankruptcy rumors.

Nick Cappa, for one, still seems to be taking the long view. Defending the company's tortoise-like pace getting into the rapidly expanding hybrid market he says, "If you want to go ahead and make everything a full hybrid system, fine, but what if you can turn everything into a range-extended vehicle and take it beyond the 2020 campaign for 35 miles per gallon? The new technology ENVI is developing could do that." We hope, indeed, his confidence is well-placed and that they pick up the pace a notch or two.




[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Having the family car converted to run on electricity has become a very popular concept in Palestine. Since we told you about the Peugeot prototype, the two men behind the project, Waseem Khazendar and Fayaz Anan, have heard from over 400 folks willing to throw down the $2,500 they say it would cost to do the work. Only there's one small problem: because of the Israeli blockade currently in place, they only have enough materials to convert 30 or 40 vehicles. The blockade also keeps them from charging significantly less as well, according to the Christian Science Monitor, Annan says he could do the work for a measly $1,700 if the cease-fire that is now in effect holds and more normal trade resumes. Asked about that price tag by the Monitor, Ron Gremban, lead engineer from CalCars.org said, "With the cheapest components I can imagine, it would cost around three times as much over here."

Interestingly, they also talked with Ziva Patir of Project Better Place about the possibility of the Palestinians working with that company. She told them that although she couldn't speak for PBP on the issue, "I believe that business creates peace, and any peace project is good for everybody." Indeed it is.

[Source: Christian Science Monitor]

Click above for more shots of this orange Tesla Roadster

Thanks to a tipster named Eric, we have some pictures of an orange Tesla Roadster which was spotted in the parking lot of a place called the 99 Ranch in Richmond, California. Considering that just a handful of Roadsters have actually been delivered to customers so far, we're thinking that this is almost certainly the same Validation Prototype that was seen being driven by Elon Musk in the Fox News clip we posted here. We are unsure who was driving this particular car, but whenever a Tesla is spotted out and about, at least until they become more common sights on our nation's roadways, expect somebody to recognize what it is and snap off a few pics. After all, you never know who may be behind the wheel. The spotter seems to think that the interior of the car is a bit spartan and too plasticy, though this is likely a preproduction car, so take that with a grain of salt. Thanks for the tip, Eric!


[Source: Nipple Dial]

Want an electric MINI? Click above to sign the petition online.

Awesome! BMW will be converting MINI's from gas to electric drive! Oh, wait... the vehicles sill be sold only in California? And the number is capped at five-hundred regardless of how many people actually want one? Yes, and that is not awesome. For this reason, a man by the name of Mike S. has created an online petition begging BMW to offer more of them for sale at a price of $35K or less. A worthwhile goal for sure, though one we can't imagine actually happening as a result of the support of a few hundred EV devotees.

So far, there are nearly one-hundred-fifty signatures, with many of the signers suggesting that they would purchase them if available. Honestly, this kind of thing happens regularly, and many of those who say they will make the purchase simply don't for any number of reasons. Still, the idea of a small electric vehicle backed by A BMW warranty and service department is a very exciting prospect. Maybe it's worth a signature after all. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: iPetitions.com]

Click above for more shots of the Renaissance Tropica EV

Back in the mid-nineties, a small company known as the Renaissance Car Company built a two-seat electric vehicle known as the Tropica. Unfortunately, as is so often the case the company wasn't able to stay afloat and production of the car stopped after just twenty-two vehicles were made. Therefore, the Tropica is little more than an interesting footnote in the bigger picture of alternative vehicles. Still, it is a cool machine and they don't show up for sale very often. So, when we spotted this one on eBay Motors, we thought it was worth showing our readers. You may recognize the Tropica from the T.V. show Nash Bridges, where Yasmine Bleath's character drove one.

Twin DC electric motors run on seventy-two volts each, with twelve deep cycle six-volt batteries coming from the factory. According to the current owner, all the batteries in this particular example were replaced earlier this year. Additionally, the rollbar was removed and the interior received a minor refurbishing. Top speed is about sixty-five miles per hour and the range, when new, was somewhere between sixty and eighty miles.


[Source: eBay Motors]

Chris Paine, maker of the famous (at least in these parts) documentary, "Who Killed the Electric Car," is planning a revival of the topic for his next film. Tentatively scheduled for a 2009 release and titled "Revenge of the Electric Car" (does the sequel look to get some inspiration from the Star Wars franchise?), it certainly wouldn't be a shocker if the electric car in question were none other than the Chevy Volt. While the first documentary focused on the destruction of the EV1 from General Motors - despite the fact that many past EV owners wanted to purchase them outright - the second film appears ready to welcome the electric car back from the dead.

We're not at all certain what the movie will focus on, but it is definitely true that electric cars are seeing a reincarnation of sorts. Tesla Motors, Fisker Automotive and General Motors all have plans to create new electric or hybrid vehicles in the coming years, along with many other major automakers. Even if it isn't the beloved little coupe, we join Mr. Paine and the throngs of ex-EV1 drivers in welcoming the electric car's return.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]