plug-in

After several unofficial debuts of the ravenously anticipated Volt, GM has officially taken the wraps off the final Volt production car.

Portland General Electric of Oregon is developing a dozen plug-in hybrid recharging stations in anticipation of the major automaker's rollout of PHEVs in 2010.

According to a survey commissioned by Cars.com during July, about 50% of US consumers don’t believe that Obama or McCain has a magic rabbit up their sleeve that will lower prices at the pump any time soon

In its latest round of funding, Aptera has raised more than $24 million to begin production of both its Typ-1 electric car and Typ-1 plug-in hybrid.

In a slew of announcements this week, a picture of what the future of plug-in vehicle charging might look like is starting to emerge.

Plug-in hybrid, all-electric or fuel cell?

GM’s plug-in hybrid electric car, the Chevy Volt, will have its lithium-ion batteries road-tested by end of the month. Engineers have already been testing the Volt’s electrical hybrid system, the so-called E-Flex architecture, but only with nickel-metal hydride hybrid batteries in place.

The California Air Resources Board has decided to kill off the electric car again also the hydrogen vehicle in favor of plug-in hybrids. The result will be dirtier air, less investment in future technology and more dependence upon foreign oil than was offered under their previous plan.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that nighttime charging of plug-in hybrids would not increase electricity demand over baseline levels. But if owners charge their vehicles during the day, it could require the construction of 160 new power plants.

Not everyone is waiting until 2010 to get their first plug-in hybrid. As I reported previously, Hybrids Plus out of Boulder, CO, is offering conversions for the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrids, turning them into 100 MPG+ superstars. Check them out...

For under $30,000, you will soon be able to buy an electric car with a 120 mile range, or a plug-in hybrid that gets 300 miles-per-gallon.Sound like a fantasy, but this one could be coming to a dealer near you. Slated for release in 2008 [see story].

55 MPG isn’t good enough for you? Then try adding a plug to your hybrid.

The electric-car company ZAP, in conjunction with Hybrids Plus, has announced it will offer $24,000 plug-in hybrid conversions for the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape Hybrid.

The downside of widespread adoption of plug-in hybrids and food-based biofuels are demand for more energy and sending crops to be fuel instead of food.

While there has been a lot of hoopla about hybrids recently, Fisker Automotive may bring the first consumer plug-in vehicle to market next year.

Volvo Cars now introduce yet another car of the future as an important part of the company's environmental concentration. This is the Volvo Recharge Concept. A rechargeable electric car with a very high charge capacity, that can also be charged during the journey, by means of its flexi-fuel engine.