GM To Be First Major U.S. Automaker to Manufacture Electric Motors

According to the press release, “GM will expand its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities by becoming the first major U.S. automaker to design and manufacture electric motors, a core technology for hybrids and electric vehicles.
By doing so, GM will lower costs and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability of electric motors by controlling design, materials [...]

ZAP, Jonway Partner to Target China Electric SUV Market

According to the press release, “US electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) and China auto manufacturer Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. announced a commercial agreement to produce electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs), cars and other electric vehicles in China for domestic and global distribution.
ZAP and Jonway partnered on the production of the 5-door Jonway A380 [...]

Hitachi Develops Lithium-ion Batteries for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

According to the Press Release, “Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501,hereinafter Hitachi) today announced that Hitachi and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. ,which develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, such as hybrid electric vehicles, have developed ithium-ion batteries for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, a first for the Hitachi Group. These new batteries were developed in [...]

Tesla hires Fiat strategist to head European operations

According to their press release, “Tesla Motors has hired former Fiat executive Cristiano Carlutti to lead the electric vehicle manufacturer’s fast-growing European operations.
Carlutti, who began this week as Tesla’s vice president of European sales and operations, has a unique background encompassing sales, marketing, branding and public relations. He has lead mission-critical divisions at Fiat, served [...]

Toyota Develops Solar Charging Stations for EVs

Toyota Industries Corp. (TIC), the parent company of Toyota Motors, has laid plans to develop a solar charging station network throughout Toyota City in the Aichi Prefecture. Twenty-one stations in eleven locations are set to be built by April 2010 after which they will be thoroughly tested with Toyota’s very own Prius fleet.
The stations will [...]

A Clash of Hybrids: Insight vs. Prius

For the consumer inclined to buy a hybrid automobile, there are several different options. Many of the main automotive manufactures have at least one hybrid in their lineup these days, in the hope to stay competitive with one another. These hybrids come in all different forms, but the most popular have been those that are [...]

Who Drives a Hybrid?

Who drives hybrid automobiles? If one were to watch the annals of the Hollywood elite then it would be a safe assumption that actors of all stripes who care about the environment drive them. Were a person to watch Fox News, then it would be a safe assumption that the Liberal elite drive hybrids. The [...]

Electric carmaker Tesla preparing IPO: sources

According to Reuters, “U.S. electric sports car maker Tesla Motors plans to go public soon, two sources familiar with the matter said, amid growing interest in green technology and battery-powered vehicles.
An IPO filing from the six-year-old start-up, best known for its $109,000 all-electric Roadster, is expected any day, said one of the sources. The person [...]

GREEN BUSINESS: Nature’s Calling to General Motors?

Green, being the word of the day applies itself to every industry due to regulations and consumer demand for cleaner products. In the case of General Motors (GM), the only green they may ever see could be in the form of the grass that is covering their new home 6 feet under the ground in [...]

Green News: An Green Car Escape to Cleaner Pastures

When many automakers in the United States failed financially, a massive amount of money was spent to keep them afloat. Taxpayers became the partial owners of these blue chip corporations, which included some of the biggest names in the automotive industry. There was however, one brand that refused any real assistance from the U.S. government, [...]

Green eXtreme Racing

When the words “motorcycle racing” are heard, the image of a sleek, powerful and fuel-hungry superbike comes to mind. The kind that Valentino Rossi likes to ride in the Moto GP, or a hopped up street bike popping a wheelie down a vacant street whilst competing with another. While these images of motorcycle racing may [...]

How to boost fuel efficiency? Raise taxes, executives say

According to Reuters, “There’s a simple way to get Americans to drive fuel-efficient cars, according to auto executives, but they are not going to like it — sharply hike the gas tax.
While politically unpalatable, gasoline that costs at least $4 a gallon would have a far greater effect on American fuel usage than Washington’s $25 [...]

2009 Tokyo Motor Show – Green Cars

Within the scope of humanity there are a chosen few who are existed by more than the allure of opposite sex. Well, perhaps there are more than a chosen few. They are an excitable bunch who have piston fire raging through their veins. Some call them petrol-heads, others; car-freaks. Whatever you [...]

Nissan’s Zero Emission Tour: North America

On Thursday, Nissan North America released its Zero Emission Tour dates for US and Canada featuring the brand-new, all-electric Nissan Leaf. Beginning on the November 13th, the Tour will span three months covering 23 cities including Vancouver, B.C. Precise tour dates can be found below.
The Zero Emission Tour is part of a larger vision Nissan [...]

The Scorpions Sting

In the world of high priced automobiles, there is not a real concern about the carbon footprint left by enormous gas guzzling engines. Many of these super-cars get poor gas mileage, and though they are few in number, add to the growing amount of CO2 emissions. There is a preconceived notion that all of these [...]

BMW Returns Diesel to the United States

Most exposure in the United States to diesel automobiles was in the form of old Mercedes Benz clunkers. Since the arrival of these cars well over two decades ago, there has not been a desire for such an automobile in the United States. There have been several attempts to return diesel to the United States, [...]

150 mph Electric Motorcycle: Mission Motors Electric Superbike Sets Bonneville Landspeed Record

150 mph Electric Motorcycle: Mission Motors Electric Superbike Sets Bonneville Landspeed Record.
Recently, an electric motorcycle start-up based in San Francisco, said that its prototype vehicle had set a world speed record for battery-powered bikes of 150.059 miles an hour at the Bonneville Speedway in Utah.