Electric Plugin Vehicles
Electric plugin vehicles are the way of the future. Bio fuels and hybrid vehicles are just an interim solution for personal passenger transportation. The good news, they're here already. We'll look at the vehicles you can buy today and some that are on the drawing board or being demonstrated.
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Oscar
Not in production, this car was designed by Felix von Borck of Akasol and a group of students at the Technical University of Darmstadt. VW have reportedly taken an interest in this vehicle... we'll see if that leads to something more.
Update: see next item under VW 1-litre. While their 1-litre vehicle is powered by diesel, not electricity, can the electric model be far behind?
Range : 100 - 300 Km before recharge (60 - 180 miles)
Top Speed : 130 km/h (80 mph)
Seating : 2 tall adults or 1 adult & 2 children. Sit one in front of the other.
Power Consumption : 6 kwh/100 km - equivalent to 1 ltr/100 km or 235 miles per gallon
More information :
1 page folder of the Oscar, with technical data
2 page poster of Oscar, with car and drive train
1 page poster with invitation to partner with the University to build 1,000 Oscars
Oscar Homepage in English - very little translated from German
Volkswagen One-Litre Diesel
True, it's not an electric vehicle, but the mileage is impressive!
Volkswagen have relauched their one-litre (1 litre of diesel per 100 kilometers = 282 mpg) to be available in 2010.
Like the OSCAR, it holds two people who sit one in front of the other.
The production model will be powered by a small diesel engine and get 282 MPG. Hopefully a VW fully electric vehicle is not far behind.
Think City
The Norwegian automaker THINK GLOBAL, will sell their THINK CITY electric car in the USA.
The Think City will cost under $25,000 USD before local rebates. The car has sodium batteries and is 95% recyclable.
Range : 170 Km before recharge - (100 miles)
Top Speed : 105 km/h - (64 mph)
Seating : 2 adults, side by side
More Information: Think Global's Homepage
Aptera Motors
Manufactured in California and available only in California, Aptera Motors have set the price at US$26 900 for the all-electric Aptera Local, and US$29 900 for the plug-in hybrid Aptera Everywhere.
They are taking orders now, with production scheduled for late 2008.
Range : 120 miles for all-electric model
Top Speed : 85 mph
Seating : 2 adults plus a child seat - will hold 2 full golf bags or 17 grocery bags
More Information: Aptera Motors Homepage
Mitsubishi's i MiEV Electric Car
Mitsubishi has be working on fully electric vehicles for years. They recently announced that their MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) will be sold in 2009, a full year earlier than expected.
Range : 100 miles or 160 kms
Top Speed : 81 mph or 130 kph
Cost : $28,000 USD
More Information: Mitsubishi MiEV in New York
Tesla Motors
Electric Vehicles for the Rich & Famous.... the Tesla EV is truly a marvel if you can just forget about the price tag. With an acceleration of 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, this is an on-street racecar.
Production is in very low volumes with long backlogs in orders. As of July 2008, first units have started to ship to customers.
A second model is under development that will seat 5 and cost somewhere in the $60,000 range.... still aimed at the very top of the market.
Range : 220 Miles before recharge - (400 kms)
Mileage : 256mpg equivalent - 2 cents per mile
Seating : 2 adults
Cost : $$$$ - too much for you and me
More Information: Tesla Motors
Miles Electric Vehicles - XS500
Miles Electric Vehicles already makes low speed vehicles for fleets and in late 2009 will start to deliver their first highway speed sedan, the XS500.
Final assembly is in China, with large scale production planned - true consumer market.
Range : 120 Miles before recharge - (216 kms)
Mileage : 159 mpg equivalent
Top Speed: 80+ mph
Seating : 5 adults
Cost : $35,000-$39,000 estimated
More Information: Miles Electric Vehicles
Wondering just how much carbon dioxide and other Greenhouse gases is produced when you make 1 kwh of electricity? Check here for a state by state, or province, listing of the pounds of CO2 produced per kwh of electricity generated. Greenhouse Gases to Produce Electricity
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