“Inaugurating the first Freedom Station in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is a critical first step toward making electric vehicles the smart and convenient choice for Texans who want to reduce their cost of driving while contributing to cleaner air and America’s energy independence,” said David Crane, NRG President and CEO. “We’re taking a page from Southwest Airlines when they started out 40 years ago to link the major population centers in Texas. This first station is the start of an ecosystem that will eventually give Texas EV owners the freedom to drive with range confidence throughout the region.””

Read more: Press Release

General Electric

According to the Press Release, “In the race to build a smart-charging infrastructure that fuels the coming plug-in car revolution, GE and Nissan have teamed to research new technology developments that will make smart charging a reality. The two companies signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore new technologies that are needed to build a reliable, dynamic smart-charging infrastructure.

The MOU brings together two companies with expertise in the most critical elements needed to make smart charging work. GE is a world leader in the energy sector, with a customer base that cuts across the entire electric grid network. Nissan is one of the world’s top automakers and a leader in electric vehicles. The all-electric, zero-emission Nissan LEAF is scheduled to launch later this year in Japan, the United States and Europe.

“In the past few years, we have seen an acceleration of innovations in plug-in hybrid and electric cars that have sparked a revolution in smart-charging technologies,” said Mark Little, senior vice president and director, GE Global Research. “Together with Nissan, we will take a comprehensive look at what technologies will be needed in the car, on the grid and at home or work to make smart charging a reality.”

“Nissan’s vision is to realize zero-emission mobility through a holistic approach by collaborating with various partners in a broad range of industries,” said Shunichi Toyomasu, corporate vice president, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “Working with GE, we expect this joint research project will provide insight for the home/building and electric grid connections which supports electric vehicle.”

GE and Nissan have outlined two key areas for potential collaborations. The first relates to the integration of electric vehicles with homes and buildings. The second focuses on electric vehicle charging dynamics with the larger electric grid. In coming months, GE and Nissan will work to identify specific projects they can partner on in each of these areas.

Much of the GE work will be conducted at GE’s global research operations located in Niskayuna, New York, where the latest electric transportation research and smart grid technology will facilitate the collaboration. Nissan will participate mainly through it Nissan Technical Center North America, located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, with support by the Nissan Advanced Technology Center in Japan.”

Source: General Electric Press Release

PHEVs, according to CalCars, combine the strengths of both types, the long distance capability of gas and the cost-efficiency of a green, electric motor. By charging the vehicle overnight in the garage most daily commute is sufficiently covered by the battery which translates to about $0.75/gallon of gasoline. By comparison, regular hybrids today achieve 45 mpg at about $1.20/gallon.

Besides the daily costs of owning a PHEV many consumers are still weary of the hefty price tag on PHEVs versus an old-school automobile. While most PHEVs admittedly cost thousands more than even the hybrids on the market today, the cost to own a car is an entirely different matter. By essentially cutting the cost of fuel for a PHEV by 2/3 the money saved will reach well into the thousands.

If an average car owner drives 12,000 miles a year and gets roughly 25mpg and spends about $3/gallon for gas, then $1440 is spent on gas alone per year. If we use the high estimate of the cost for electricity to power the car, the savings will be roughly $1000/year. After five years, an PHEV would effectively negate the added cost. For simplicity sake the cost for battery replacement should at least be offset by lower maintenance since PHEVs have significantly less moving parts. Although it should be noted that battery technology is a rapidly growing industry which would lower its costs immensely in the coming years.

Finances aside, the environmental implications are obviously far-reaching which CalCars stresses the most. In a extensive study by the Electric Power Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council (EPRI-NRDC) conducted in July 2007, the organization confirms that PHEVs will be cleaner as they get older because the grid it utilizes is itself becoming cleaner.

The EPRI-NRDC also emphasizes that this shift away from our dependency on oil can happen right now since we have the technology to build it and the infrastructure to support it. Although the future will undoubtedly bring greener, more affordable technology PHEVs are going largely unnoticed despite their potential impact on the environment. By investing in PHEVs today we would be investing in the future of our planet because we should be giving back to that which has already given us so much.

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 selection and production processes. The first GM-designed and built electric motors are scheduled to debut in 2013 in next-generation, rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrid technology.

“Electric motor innovation supported the first wave of automotive growth a century ago with the electric starter, which eliminated the need for a hand crank, and revolutionized automotive travel for the customer,” said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. “We think the electrification of today’s automobiles will be just as revolutionary and just as beneficial to our customers. Electric motors will play a huge role in that.”

In conventional cars and trucks, automakers design and manufacture engines to efficiently use energy provided from a gas tank to provide power to the wheels. Motors and batteries, respectively, fill that role in hybrid and electric vehicles. As the range and speed of electric-only propulsion increase, so do the importance of motors and batteries.

Electric vehicles are powered solely by electric motors, while hybrid vehicles also use an internal combustion engine for propulsion. GM’s next-generation rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrid system will use two unique motor designs and an internal combustion engine to provide improved fuel efficiency compared with the current Two-mode Hybrid technology in GM’s full-size pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

“In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now,” Stephens said. “By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight – two significant challenges facing batteries today.”

GM has been building this in-house capability for years, expanding electric motor research and development, design and validation capabilities at facilities in Michigan, Indiana and California.  GM also has developed state-of-the-art math-based design and computing capacity for electric motors. The electric motors will be manufactured in the U.S. at a GM facility.

GM was selected in August by the U.S. Department of Energy for a $105-million grant for the construction of U.S. manufacturing capabilities to produce electric motors and related electric drive components. “The new GM is about speed, and we are delivering quickly on the government’s desire to grow domestic expertise in electric vehicle technologies, such as batteries and electric motors,” Stephens said.

Similar to today’s internal combustion engines, automotive electric motors require an unparalleled combination of exceptionally low noise, vibration and harshness (NVH); high reliability and affordability that is achievable only by understanding the entire value chain. In addition to growing in-house capabilities, GM will continue to purchase and co-design electric motors with suppliers.

“This is a strategy we use today with batteries,” Stephens said. “We are partnering with suppliers to create innovations faster than ever before. Our goal is simply to establish GM as a leader in automotive electric motors. We see that leadership as a key enabler – both to our long-term success and to our nation’s move away from oil dependence.””

Source: Press Release

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 as CEO of an Italian start-up and served on the organizing committee of the XX Winter Olympic Games.

“Cristiano has a solid track record of success at one of the world’s largest automakers and an affinity for leading dynamic, entrepreneurial organizations — a rare combination that makes him a great fit at Tesla as we expand,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Carlutti first joined Fiat in 1995 as a marketing analyst and rose to the vice president level, most recently overseeing the strategy and operations of the rent-a-car and used car department for European markets. Carlutti was also in charge of a €150 million program which established a network of company-owned showrooms throughout Europe.

Additionally, Carlutti served on the Organizing Committee of the XX Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. As managing director of media operations for the 2006 games, Carlutti helped to create and manage a €13 million media operation with 20 venues serving more than 3,000 journalists.

Previously, Carlutti was CEO of Autocontact Italia, where he was in charge of reselling and servicing more than 90,000 vehicles per year. He lead the organization’s marketing and branding initiatives for manufacturers including Fiat, Renault, Peugeot, Daimler and BMW.

“Europe has some of the world’s most discerning drivers as well as progressive programs for electric vehicles, making Tesla uniquely well positioned in this market,” Carlutti said. “I look forward to combining my automobile industry expertise with my passion for the environment, and it’s thrilling to be part of this innovative, fast-moving Silicon Valley company.”

San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla has delivered about 1,000 cars to customers throughout Europe and the United States. Tesla’s European operations are headquartered in Windsor, UK. Tesla operates company-owned showrooms in London, Munich and Monaco.

Carlutti, who has a degree in business administration from the University Luigi Bocconi in Milan, is fluent in English, French and Italian, and he has lived in Germany, Russia, Ireland and the United States.”

Source: Tesla Press Release

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 the graveyard of dead auto-makers.

We the people, now own General Motors, thanks to the bailout that brought GM out of bankruptcy. Since the taxpayers now own the company, the question remains: what have they done with our money?

The answer is for the consumer to decide, and they have. GM has been posting an improvement in sales this year over last year. In October, they sold 4% more automobiles then they did in 2008. There has, in fact been an increase in sales across all of the GM brands over last years’ numbers, though that may not come as too much of a surprise. Due to these positive numbers, there is a new sense of optimism, at least in the short term surrounding GM. For they too have begun to push their more environmentally sound autos.

GM offers a variety of hybrid models, everything from sedans, trucks to SUVs. 7 in all, these cars are to represent the future of the GM family in providing a healthier environment. Yet, due to the sales results listed on GM’s website, none of these hybrid models are what have been increasing sales. Instead, there has been a strong focus on the truck, SUV and crossover market. While there are hybrids in both the SUV and truck lineups that GM produces, they received no mention in the current production and sales release. This begs the question: when the future represents tougher emission standards (like those found in California), how much longer does GM suppose they can continue to produce automobiles that don’t match up? Hybrid cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and any other variety of cars are the wave of the future. It seems as though GM cannot let the past be, and instead have chosen to focus on its history for producing autos, instead of its future.

Enter the Tesla Roadster. As a part of the Global Green Challenge, a spin-off of the World Solar challenge used to showcase the latest electric and hybrid technology, the roadster shattered the single-charge record distance by going 501 km (313 miles). Ironically, the previous record was held by another Tesla roadster at 388 km (241 miles).

With 313 miles of range the roadster can now compete with the traditional ICE automobiles. Previously, electric vehicles merely resolved the issue of having a costly and polluted commute on a daily basis. However, on the whole it merely supplemented the primary car since any long-distances would require an ICE vehicle for convenience. Additionally, until recharging technology becomes more cost-effective one would be hard-pressed to find a super-charger to recharge their battery to full within 10 minutes. With the development of battery capacity and a more comprehensive charging infrastructure in progress the EV seems set to revolutionize the automobile industry.

The press release states, “Electric vehicles represent the clean-break solution that can put zero-emission mobility within everybody’s reach. In line with the brand’s Renault eco² environmental policy, Renault Z.E. electric vehicles are poised to be marketed on a large scale with a view to taking a decisive stand on the environmental front.

2011 will see Renault begin the marketing of affordable production electric vehicles. The Renault- Nissan Alliance is targeting to be the leader in the sale of mass market zero-emission vehicles. The four electric concept cars on show in Frankfurt provide a preview of Renault’s range of vehicles due to be released from 2011.”

Interesting note to these cars, later in the press release, “All these cars qualify for the Renault eco² signature which is a tangible indication of Renault’s commitment regarding the environment. This hallmark enables customers to identify those models of the Renault range which are the most respectful of the environment across their entire lifecycle by confirming that they meet the three following criteria:

Production: Renault eco² vehicles must be manufactured in ISO 14001-certified factories. This certification testifies to a plant’s ongoing efforts to lessen the impact of its activity on the environment.

On the road: Renault eco² vehicles must claim CO2 emissions that are less than or equal to 140g/km, or else they must run on agro-fuels.

Recycling: five per cent of the plastic components the vehicle contains must be sourced from recycling. The vehicle must also be 95 per cent end-of-life recoverable (by weight).”

Front View

Read More: Press Release