Sincerely Sustainable » automobiles

The Newest Tesla Is Rolling Out! (Probably Isn’t What You Were Expecting)

The Author — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:47:02 +0000

Though it may not have Tesla’s signature good looks and sleek styling on the outside, what’s powering this all-electric walk-in van (WIV) on the inside is signature Tesla. Actually, it’s one of the first projects resulting from the Daimler-Tesla deal, that had many skeptics saying was a waste of money, which has bore fruit. While the WIV is designed and largely developed by Freightliner, the Tesla Motors battery pack is what gives a heartbeat to this ubiquitous van.

From the Freightliner press release:

Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) continues its legacy of engineering alternative-power products for the commercial vehicle industry with the introduction of its highly anticipated plug-in all-electric walk-in van (WIV) chassis. The new chassis model is the only one domestically engineered and the first in the industry to be completely all-electric (includes HVAC system) in North America.

The all-electric chassis, developed in partnership with Enova Systems (NYSE:ENA and AIM:ENV and ENVS), a leading developer and producer of electric and hybrid-electric drive system technologies for commercial vehicle OEMs, is built on the popular FCCC MT-45 WIV chassis platform.

On select delivery and service routes, studies show that customers will save up to $15,000 per vehicle annually compared with traditionally powered walk-in vans. The quiet operation of the all-electric chassis also makes for an enjoyable driver experience. This new chassis has a flat-leaf spring front and rear suspension, allowing for a smooth, solid ride that minimizes cargo shifts on uneven road surfaces.

The development program with Enova involved the engineering and integration of Enova’s 120kW all-electric drive system technology into the new MT-45 chassis. Ideal for the pickup and delivery market, the MT-45 chassis boasts a GVWR of 14,000 to 19,500 lbs. The durable steel straight-rail chassis frame reduces flex and bowing to minimize chassis stress while carrying heavy payloads.

The Good: A delivery van that is all-electric and can get the same job done as its smelly and polluting counterparts. Developed and manufactured in America.

The Bad: Initial cost of the vehicles is likely to be high and widespread outfitting in the delivery company fleets low.

The Bottom-Line: A hopeful first step toward a new fleet of cleaner delivery vehicles.

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New HEMI Hybrid Ram Allows ‘Manly Men’ To Go Green Without Fear

The Author — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:49:42 +0000

Production of the new Dodge Ram 1500 hybrid is scheduled to begin in late 2010. So line up all you macho dudes who up until now were to afraid to show your ‘greener’ side.

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Porsche Introduces The 918 Spyder Plug-In. Stunning, Sexy, And 78 MPG!?

The Author — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:25:12 +0000

That’s right folks; no bs…78 miles per gallon. I wouldn’t lie to you (unless Porsche is lying to everyone). Finally, an exoctic sports car hybrid that does more than simply add an extra mile to the gallon or give it’s maker some sort of translucent green hue. LAMBORGHINI…sorry I sneezed.

The 918 Spyder is a concept, aren’t the ones everyone wants always, but that doesn’t take away from the fact the car seems to have it all. Anyhow, here are all the juicy tidbits courtesy of Carscoop revealed at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this week.

The 918 Spyder, a plug-in concept with claimed emissions of 70g CO2/km, is said to provide the Marty McFly’s kids with a fuel economy of 78 mpg US (3L / 100 km) while lapping the ‘Ring in 7:30, hitting 100km/h in 3.2 seconds, and peaking at 320 km/h (198 mph). That’s supposed to get you hooked.

Its engine is a 9,200 RPM-reaching, 500-horse out-putting, 3.4 liter-displacing V8 which is electro-enhanced by way of motors that supposedly add another 160 kW (218 hp).

All-wheel-power hits the ground via a 7-speed PDK, energy is stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery behind the passenger, the brakes are regenerative, and the carbon-fiberized plastic body panels keep weight around 1,490 kilos (3,285 lbs). But you say you want variety?

According to Porsche, the 918 has four different modes of power delivery:

“A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose among four different running modes: The E-Drive mode is for running the car under electric power alone, with a range of up to 25 km or 16 miles. In the Hybrid mode, the 918 Spyder uses both the electric motors and the combustion engine as a function of driving conditions and requirements, offering a range from particularly fuel-efficient all the way to extra-powerful.”

The Sport Hybrid mode uses both drive systems, but with the focus on performance. Most of the drive power goes to the rear wheels, with Torque Vectoring serving to additionally improve the carís driving dynamics.

In the Race Hybrid mode the drive systems are focused on pure performance with the highest standard of driving dynamics on the track, running at the limit to their power and dynamic output. With the battery sufficiently charged, a push-to-pass button feeds in additional electrical power (E-Boost), when overtaking or for even better performance.”

Inside the Spyder, people will be able to preview Porsche’s future interior design/tech ideas. Prime examples include the already-popular lighting variations (Eco mode is green, Sport is red, etc.), a very-Ferrari multi-function steering wheel, and Range Manager, a nav-system-based program that A) shows the car’s current range – on a map – when driving, and B) shows the car’s electricity-only range when in a city, along with potential filling stations.

Porsche says the 918 Spyder can even beat the Carrera GT on the Nordschleife.

^^^^^I Don’t know what this means, but it sounds serious^^^^^^

The Good: An exotic car company producing an exotic car that delivers on it’s signature wow factor in the performance and looks department, but also in the fuel-efficiency department as well.

The Bad: I have a better shot at getting a date with Angelina Jolie than this car does of ever seeing production. Full disclosure: my odds are slightly less than impossible .

The Bottom-Line: It’s an amazing looking car that I will now be driving in all of my dreams involving transportation in a future sustainable utopia.

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Avis And Hertz To Offer EV Rentals Starting in 2011

The Author — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:55:02 +0000

Rental car companies Hertz and Avis have both recently announced their plans to offer electric vehicles (EVs) as part of some of their fleet of vehicles. The new EV offerings are a part of a plan to not only lower each companies’ overall operating emissions, but to also give customers an opportunity to become more acquainted and educated with the new technology. From a practicality standpoint, EVs are the perfect vehicle for rental car companies seeing as their operational single-charge range is more than enough for most travelers’ needs.

Hertz will offer Nissan Leafs (or Leaves I suppose) in select U.S. markets, while Avis, in its partnership with Renault, will offer an as of yet to be determined Renault EV (possibly the Fluence Z.E. listed above) in select European markets. From Avis’ VP of corporate sales:

“Avis is an important long-term partner for Renault, so we are thrilled to be able to expand our offering with the company to include electric vehicles,” Uwe Hochgeschurtz, senior VP of corporate sales at Renault, said in a statement. “We are confident that the partnership will play an important role in enabling customers to experience the new technology and learn about the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, which are sure to become a significant alternative for car travel in the future.”

Hopefully, but unlikely, these models will be priced in a way that will allow the curious renter to actually consider an EV as a practical and economically feasible choice when making his or her vehicle selection. I know I’d like to rent a Prius when I go out of town, but am often unable to given my budget and what they charge for them. Let’s hope EVs are within the rental budget of the ‘common man’ (or woman).

The Good: A vehicle that will be a much better environmental alternative to a typical rental car. An opportunity for the ‘EV curious’ to experience one first hand. Should help the bottom line of the companies involved.

The Bad: Availability of these vehicles is going to be scarce and rental prices have still not been set. May prove to be ‘too complicated’ for your average car renter to operate and maintain properly. One model per country it seems at the moment.

The Bottom-Line: Given EVs’ range, fewer moving parts, and environmental benefits, the vehicles make great sense all the way around for car rental companies to employ in their fleets.

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Eastern Europe Having A Go At Making Hybrids…That Split Into Two Smaller Hybrids

The Author — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:30:25 +0000

Hmmmm….Central and Eastern European carmakers. What are they known for again? Oh yeah, the Yugo (aka the worst car in history). Ok, let’s just forget about that for a second and try to focus on the future; a future that of course which will, in some part, include electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles. Well, the Hungarians and the Croatians want a piece of that action it seems and are actively developing some EV and hybrid prototypes that not only look cool, but can do something that no other hybrid can do; split apart into two separate vehicles.

I’m Going To The Store; I’m Going To The Park

Why would you need a car to split into two separate cars? I can only assume to enable one passenger/driver go his or her own way while the other goes along his or her own way, but I’m merely speculating. To get the real answer, you’d have to go the horse’s mouth (pun intended and see picture) which would be Hungry’s Antro car company; the makers of the Antro Solo (the splitting car).

Unfortunately, I don’t speak Hungarian and Antro’s website does, so the details of the Solo’s design and its specs are limited to what I’ve been able to glean from other sources. Apparently the 8 year old Hungarian company has spent over 1.5 million euros in developing the prototype and have plans to take it to market by 2012.

The Antro Solo is a three-passenger all-electric car with a hybrid drive system supplemented by the good old ’solar PV cells on the roof gimmick’ which, according to Antro, can generate enough electricity to fully power a roughly 13 mile journey at city speeds.

Not thinking the solar cells on the roof or the endangered looking tropical hardwood veneers on the interior of the vehicle (way to go on capturing the essence of sustainability Antro) were gimmicky enough, Antro decided to enable the Solo to become a Duo. That wasn’t a joke. The Antro Solo is designed to attach to another Solo, making the new 6-passenger vehicle an Antro Duo. Get it? They’re two Solos so it’s called a Duo…alright moving on.

Who Got Da Long Range EVs? Croatia Got Da Long Range EVs!

Not to be outdone by it’s neighbor to the north, the Croatian company Dok-ing (not to be confused with 80’s heavy metal group Dokken) is also working on a head turning vehicle of the future. Though not as ‘Jetson-esque’ with it’s design and intended usage, the Dok-ing XD is an EV that comes with its own brand of shock and awe.

Better known for its landmine clearing equipment, Dok-ing developed the Dok-ing XD to be an all-electric 3 seater urban vehicle capable of traveling 155 miles on a single 2-hour charge. Yes, that is a greater travel range and lower charging time than most EVs set to roll out from major car manufacturers next year. No, the chances of this vehicle, or the Antro Solo for that matter, ever making it outside of their respective countries are not good. Though both were unveiled late last year to great fanfare, very little has been heard from either company since. Perhaps the look on that horse’s face gave pause to company execs and they reconsidered their business plans. We shall see.

Antro Solo

Yes, these images look like toy cars…and may actually be.

thanks to Liam, again, for the post idea.

The Good: If either concept ever goes into real production, each would have its own leg up on the competition. Designs are futuristic (which some people like…I guess)

The Bad: Seems a little too far fetched and impractical to ever become even a remote success. Interior layout of both vehicles is weird to say the least.

The Bottom-Line: While both the Hungarian and Croatian carmakers deserve some points for creativity, their scores in the practicality and likelihood of production department leave skeptics of their vehicles eventualities with plenty of fodder for dismissal.

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New Carbon-Polymer Composite Could Act As Both Battery And Body For EVs

The Author — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:38:08 +0000

Hybrid and dual-purpose design seems to be becoming more and more the norm these days; especially when it comes to sustainable or energy-efficient design. After all, why have three separate things doing three separate jobs when you could design one thing to do all three? Makes sense to me.

It also makes sense to the lads at Imperial College in London where a team of researchers has developed a nanoscale carbon fiber and polymer resin-based material that is capable of holding an electrical charge. Cool, but not that big of a deal right? Did I mention the material can be molded into virtually any form and requires no chemistry to operate?

Now you should be as interested as carmakers and cell phone makers are about the applications for this material because if this new carbon-polymer composite ever leaves the laboratory and enters the manufacturing plant; things will get interesting. One of the most obvious applications for this material is electric vehicles (EVs).

EVs’ Heavy Anchor

The most expensive and limiting component of an EV is its battery. Currently a series of lithium-ion batteries, EV battery packs are extremely heavy and take up a fair portion of the body cavity of a vehicle. Not only that, but the battery in an EV is the single most expensive component and is manufactured using some of the rarest, and increasingly dwindling, metals on Earth. On top of all this, lithium-ion batteries use chemical reactions to store and release electricity. These reactions degrade the battery’s overall performance over its lifetime and are also susceptible to environmental circumstances (cold being the worst) as well which limit its effective range. So all told, we know lithium-ion isn’t the best solution for EVs, but at the moment, it’s the best we got.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

So the idea with this new electro-nanomaterial is to solve almost all of EV battery shortcomings with one material. By molding the majority of the body panels of a vehicle from this material, designers would be making a car that is lighter, faster, able to drive further on a single charge, charge faster, and be stronger than today’s current EVs. For example, researchers say that if this technology were used on a Tesla, which currently weighs in at 2,650 pounds, the vehicle’s weight would be cut by two thirds and weigh only 990 pounds. This lighter Tesla would not only go much faster, but also much further than it’s current 185 mile range. One could assume such a reduction in weight would translate into at least a doubling of operable single-charge range; putting it fairly close to the range of some lesser fuel-efficient combustion engines vehicles.

The European Union thinks it isn’t such a bad idea and announced last week that it was dedicating 4.6 million dollars to the further development of this new carbon-polymer composite over the next three years. Volvo has also taken notice and has begun working with researchers in implementing some of their findings into its prototype designs. The clearly discernible and immediate stumbling blocks for the implementation of this technology is cost and scalability.

Currently, the material has only been successfully tested in the lab and it’s primary constituent (carbon fiber) is much more expensive than steel. But these are both things that a little time and some large scale production could most likely solve. Let’s hope.

The Good: A ‘two (or three or four) birds with one stone’ approach to mot only lightening and increasing the range of EVs, but also utilizing materials other than dwindling rare earth elements for primary battery components.

The Bad: As with all new technologies; it’s expensive, still in development, and may not even be practical for its current ‘projected use’. Getting into an accident in a car utilizing this technology would involve a whole lot more than simply getting some body work to fix.

The Bottom-Line: An intriguing idea that has some promise, but the reality of wrecking a car with this technology may prove to be more complex and expensive to fix than many people are willing to deal with.

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Masdar City Automated Electric ‘Pods’ Now Being Tested

The Author — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:13:13 +0000

We’ve been covering the progress of Masdar City closely ever since the project was announced and have been pleasantly surprised by the fact that it continues to deliver on most of its ambitious sustainable and architectural goals. For those who are unfamiliar with what Masdar City is it’s a 50,000+ people city being built in Abu Dhabi (part of the United Arab Emirates) and when completed in 2018 will be the first carbon neutral, zero-waste, and car-free city in the world.

That last attribute, “car-free”, doesn’t mean there will not be any form of vehicular transportation. In fact, the city will have an advanced transportation system consisting of a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) and a Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system located underneath the city allowing for pedestrian traffic to move freely above. The PRT system is an individual point-to-point mobility solution, with 83 stations, that carries residents throughout the city. It has direct links to the adjacent Abu Dhabi International Airport, surrounding developments and will have connected access to Abu Dhabi City.

The first full scale prototype PRTs are now being tested and are performing there intended function quite well. Built by the Dutch company To Get There, the all-electric ‘pods’ currently come in three different models: a 4-seater standard model, a ‘VIP model’, and a freight model used to move cargo and supplies. To maintain Masdar’s carbon neutrality, the PRTs’ batteries will be charged using other batteries charged by solar panels. So unlike the EVs set to rollout this year into the American auto market, the Masdar pods are truly zero-emission vehicles.

With a max speed of just 25 mph, the Masdar pods will get people where they need to go; just not in a big hurry. They have a range of 37 miles on a single charge and will rely solely on RFID chips and sensors to keep themselves on predesignated paths and avoid pedestrians or other obstacles. Like a Roomba, but much more intelligent.

Masdar city planners have already ordered a dozen vehicles which one can assume are for testing seeing as Masdar City’s stated goal for the number of RPTs it intends to use is much greater and the fact that 50,000+ people trying to share a dozen 4-seater pods just isn’t going to work.

Check the video below to see this little thing in action.

The Good: A truly zero-emission EV that doesn’t need an operator to drive it.

The Bad: Large scale implementation of technology like this is only within the reach of incredibly rich countries like Abu Dhabi. The fact that only a dozen have been ordered so far by Masdar city planners is somewhat worrisome considering these ‘pods’ are the central means of transport for Masdar City.

The Bottom-Line: It’s good to see that Masdar City is continuing to remain on its stated sustainable path. Let’s hope the technology/functionality of these EV pods can live up to the aspirations of their designers and supporters.

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Build Your Own EV With The Trexa Customizable Platform

The Author — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:49:05 +0000

There’s been a lot of ‘putting the cart before the ox’ when it comes to electric vehicles, their capabilities, and most importantly, their availability. And while this news may fall into that category as well, it’s none the less pretty cool.

Built with carbon steel tubing, aluminum and fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, Trexa is a modular and almost fully customizable all-electric driving platform onto which car developers and/or enthusiasts can design and build their own vehicle. The idea being that the creativity and ingenuity of individuals will not only serve as driving force behind Trexa’s sale, but also its further innovation as users of the platform expand its capabilities.

The platform itself comes in 3 different scalable wheelbase sizes suitable for mini car, compact car or ATV applications. It has 4-wheel independent suspension that can be adjusted for ride height and terrain as well as 4-wheel drive. Some other features of the platform include programmable electric drive system, capacity for enough lithium iron phosphate batteries to take it 105 miles, top speed of 100 miles per hour, and a charger that will allow the vehicle’s completely depleted batteries to fully recharge in 6 hours.

As for the other details surrounding the availability, cost, specific specs, etc.; there are none yet, but a full-sized prototype is expected later this year. The concept sounds interesting. After all, people love customizing their ‘things’. Just look at the market for iPhone cases.

The Good: People love able to customize their personal belongings; especially their cars. Customization could lead to innovation in the EV industry much faster.

The Bad: There still is not even a full scale prototype of the Trexa and like many things in the EV world it could never see the light of day in its intended form and usage. Kit cars have always been a niche market.

The Bottom-Line: The Trexa sounds like a great idea; not so much for its widespread market appeal in the public sector, but more for the foundation it will provide to innovators who may very well be able to make a breakthrough in EV technology by tinkering around with the platform.

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First Hand Look At The Nissan Leaf EV. Not bad

The Author — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:31:34 +0000

We did a post about the new Nissan EV Leaf several months ago, but back then the possibility of the vehicle actually making it to the U.S. market in the very near future still seemed as dubious as all of the other carmakers claims regarding the same timeline about their particular EVs. Well, after actually seeing and sitting in one today I can say that they’re actually coming here…and sooner than I thought.

Own or Lease?

If you happen to be one of the lucky few in one of the select initial release markets for Leaf, you’ll have the opportunity to reserve one of the 5,000 said to be initially released as early as April and actually have one in your garage by late this year (just in time for the holidays). Here’s the catch though; no one knows if you’ll be owning the Leaf or leasing it seeing as many new technology vehicles usually begin their lives on the road as leased vehicles only (see EV1, Mini E, etc.) Though the rumored purchase price range of the Leaf is said to be between 25,000 and 33,000, Nissan has still not offered any confirmation of this or any other price range for the vehicle.

Also, not everyone that wants one will get one for two reasons: One, only 5,000 are going to be released between 2010 and the slated full production year of 2012. Second, not everyone will meet the necessary requirements to own a Leaf. Seeing as the Leaf is an all electric vehicle, it will need a place to charge. Its owner’s home is going to be the place where 85-95% of this charging will take place. In order for this to be possible, the owner will need to have the ability and legal authority to allow for the installation of a weatherproof charging station at his or her residence; an evaluation for which is part of the purchasing process for the Leaf. So if you live in an apartment complex, condo, or even own a home with just street parking, chances are you’re out of luck on being able to own a Leaf.

The Car Itself: First Impression

When I first walked up to the leaf, I was actually surprised at how big the vehicle was; particularly in the trunk and interior. The car looked and felt just like any other car in its class and actually had more interior space than some of its traditional counterparts. Being a 6′ 4″ guy, I can’t fit into just any vehicle. Legroom and headroom must be ample in order for me to not only be able to sit in a car, but safely see out of it in order to drive i.e. not be eye-level with the top of the windshield. The Leaf had both, and not just for the people up front, the backseat was fairly decent as well. Because the batteries are under the seats, there is actually room for a decent sized trunk as well.

The styling is subjective I suppose, but for what’s out there at the moment in the EV market, I’d say the Leaf is up there when it comes to body design. A lot of people talk about it having a “big rear end”, but in person it actually looks proportional and the real light configuration is really cool looking IMO.

Like a Prius, the Leaf as a large centralized touchscreen that monitors its performance/charge and offers control of the vehicle’s interior systems. Unlike the Prius, the touchscreen also contains an integrated advanced IT system that will not only allow drivers and passengers access to support information, weather, traffic, and even entertainment 24/7, but it will also notify drivers of the closest charging stations within the vicinity as well. Drivers will even be able to control many of the vehicles systems from a mobile phone and have the ability to schedule charging times.

The interior is what you’d expect from a vehicle in this class (plastic trim, cloth interior, etc.); only much of the interior is made from recycled material. The seat’s fabric, for example, is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles and Nissan claims that the car has been designed to be almost 100% recyclable at the end of its life (though most cars now technically could be considered almost 100% recyclable now if someone were so inclined to try and do so).

The Whole Picture

Even though the Leaf was right in front of me and I was talking to a rep from Nissan, the full actual capabilities of the vehicle and basic logistics surrounding ownership of it are still vague at best. It is supposed to have a range of 100 miles on a single charge (though real world EV test trials are now showing that single-charge range is severely hampered by cold weather); top speed of 90 mph; 5 passenger; 100% torque at 0 rpm (as one would expect from an electric motor); and zero emissions (though in reality it has zero DIRECT emissions seeing as the power plants used to charge the Leaf are still emitters of GHGs). Charging times for a fully depleted battery range, depending on what voltage the charger is wired to, but can be as fast as 30 minutes on a quick charging station and as long as 18 hours on 110v charger (which probably would never be installed unless a 220v installation was impossible for some reason). Aside from that, everything else regarding the vehicle itself and its ownership is still open to speculation. Hopefully Nissan will fill in the blanks as April approaches…they’re going to have to.

The Good: A 5 passenger car that is just as roomy, if not more so, as a traditional combustion engine vehicle in its class. Body styling is unique a fairly attractive. Dashboard display is informative and ergonomic. Stated range is more than enough for most drivers. No direct emissions. One of the first available EVs hitting the U.S. market.

The Bad: Cost, exact driving specs, and ownership details are still under wraps. Real world trial runs of EVs are exposing the fact that their batteries are significantly affected by extremely cold weather; reducing their driving range on a single charge by almost half in some cases. The Leaf is initially only being released in about a dozen U.S. cities. Still contributes GHG emissions indirectly.

The Bottom-Line: The Leaf looks and feels like a functional everyday vehicle for the urban dweller, but until some of its most important details are made known, it’s difficult to make a judgement on how practical or desirable this vehicle is really going to be.

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Ford Reveals New Fusion hybrid and PHEV For 2012

The Author — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:12:21 +0000

courtesy of Autobloggreen

Ford seems to be the only American car company that even comes close to ‘getting’ the future of personal transportation and its fuel source. With the success of its own Fusion hybrid in 2009, Ford seems to be looking to capitalize on what foreign automakers have known for years: going green means making green.

From Autobloggreen:
At Ford’s press conference this morning at the Detroit Auto Show, the new 2012 Focus was rolled out publicly for the first time anywhere. We have a full report on the new compact here, but product development VP Derrick Kuzak and Chairman Bill Ford dropped a couple of new details. Kuzak made it official that after the Focus launches with the new 2.0-liter direct injected inline-four, it will eventually also get an Ecoboost engine as well. The 1.6-liter Ecoboost will be available globally in the Focus. In 2011, production of the battery-powered Focus Electric will also begin at the Michigan Assembly Plant.

Bill Ford announced that the plant in Wayne will also produce the next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems beginning in 2012. Ford would not reveal which models would get the new hybrid powertrains, however, the Escape is expected to be replaced by a version of the next-generation Kuga, which is also derived from Ford’s C-segment platform. If so, this is the first time we’ve heard that it would be produced at the Wayne plant.

Ford is promising 30 miles on electric power before the gasoline engine kicks in on its 2012 Fusion PHEV. It also plans to produce only 5,000 beginning in 2011.

The Good: An American automaker is taking more than symbolic measures to offer greener model cars

The Bad: Ford is still late to the game when it comes to offering production model hybrid and PHEV vehicles.

The Bottom-Line: With Ford’s new found direction, and profitability, it appears the company is heading down a much better path that will not only better serve its more eco-consciouss demographic, but its bottom-line as well.

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Sincerely Sustainable » automobiles

The Newest Tesla Is Rolling Out! (Probably Isn’t What You Were Expecting)

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New HEMI Hybrid Ram Allows ‘Manly Men’ To Go Green Without Fear

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Porsche Introduces The 918 Spyder Plug-In. Stunning, Sexy, And 78 MPG!?

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Avis And Hertz To Offer EV Rentals Starting in 2011

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Eastern Europe Having A Go At Making Hybrids…That Split Into Two Smaller Hybrids

I’m Going To The Store; I’m Going To The Park

Who Got Da Long Range EVs? Croatia Got Da Long Range EVs!

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New Carbon-Polymer Composite Could Act As Both Battery And Body For EVs

EVs’ Heavy Anchor

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

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Masdar City Automated Electric ‘Pods’ Now Being Tested

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Build Your Own EV With The Trexa Customizable Platform

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First Hand Look At The Nissan Leaf EV. Not bad

Own or Lease?

The Car Itself: First Impression

The Whole Picture

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Ford Reveals New Fusion hybrid and PHEV For 2012

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