Electric Cars Facts

Archive for the ‘Import Electric Cars’ Category

Family-owned Reva Electric Car company has finished designing and developing a new factory near Bangalore to mass produce the Reva, its two-passenger city hatchback. Priced just over $12,000, the Reva has been doing quite well in sales in India and Europe since its first induction into the market back in 2001. Reva’s factory has now become the world’s largest low-cost EV factory. Annual capacity is expected to be 30,000 cars by 2012.

But the Reva is sure to face some stiff competition from other economically friendly EVs. A growing list of electric car companies are planning to launch waves of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles over the next several years. General Motor’s Chevy Volt was introduced last year. BMW recently began test-marketing its latest EV in Britain and other Western countries this summer. Renault-Nissan plans to release its own electric car by 2012. In fact, by 2020, a Frost and Sullivan study projects that 15% of all cars sold around the world will be electric.

The Indian company plans to leverage low production costs to build simple, cheap vehicles and mass sell them in its original country and Europe. If its popularity picks up, then Reva has hopes of expanding its business to the States and will brand the model as G-Wiz.

The Reva, which has received funding from Draper Fisher Jurveston and the Global Environment Fund, used to be powered by lead-acid batteries. Top speed was been recorded at 50 miles per hour, while the range of this EV was about 50 miles. While these statistics aren’t necessarily jaw-dropping, the Reva is an ideal car for short, daily commutes. If used in its ideal way, the Reva can easily save a working driver thousands of dollars a year.

Reva Electric Car has since switched to more powerful lithium ion batteries that has increased its range to 75 miles. This new model has a sportier look and upgraded electronics, and the company hopes that these specifications will glaze the Reva with more commercial appeal to consumers worldwide.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past couple of years, chances are you’ve heard about the growing trend of going green with cars. With each new season, there are more and more electric and hybrid vehicle startup companies coming into play. Here’s a list of five of some of the most promising EV companies to watch out for this upcoming year.

 

Tesla Motors – The Roadster

Tesla is by far the most publicized and hyped electric car company in town. Its Roadster is an all-electric speed machine with a top speed of 125 miles per hour and a range of 221 miles. First released back in 2008, Tesla’s EV luxury sports car is set at a base price of $98,000.

 

Think – City

A company that was well established even before it started developing green technology, Think is based in Norway and has been expanding to other industrial countries ever since. Their electric City vehicle is priced at an economical $16,000 for U.S. models. Its range is 112 miles and has a top speed of 62 mph.

 

Fly Bo – 6000/2

The 6000/2 bears a strong resemblance to the iconic Smart Car. It is produced and manufactured in China and distributed by the Spark company in the United States. The price is at an accessible $10,000. Fly Bo’s EV is an ideal local commute car with a range of 60 miles and a top speed of just 35 mph.

 

Myers Motors – NmG (No more Gas)

Aside from its clever acronym, the NmG is unique in its three-wheeled design and room for only one lone passenger. It may look like an odd thing on the road to you, but it’s been quite the popular showcase at car shows. The price tag starts at $35,000.

 

Venturi – Fetish

Yet another high end electric sports car, the Fetish by Venturi will be giving the Tesla Roadster some well-deserved competition. Watch out for pricey labor costs if you invest in a Fetish though. Venturi is in the process of developing two more models, the Eclectic and the Astrolab. Range for the Fetish is 155 miles and top speed is 100 mph.

In the past few years, Japan’s leading motor vehicle manufacturers have introduced a growing number of electric vehicles into the international market. While some have officially been integrated into the masses and are already for sale, such as the Mitsubishi I-Miev and the big-name Nissan Leaf, the recent earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan have drastically halted the progress of Japanese automobile companies, including the EV sector.

Models that were in the production process or in the final stages before public announcement experienced an unexpected hiatus. The country is currently rebuilding its car industry. What this means for the EV arena is that Japanese car designers are busy creating new designs that are mainly focused on increasing the range of plug-in electric cars.

However, good news for the Japanese EV advancement is near. SIM-Drive, a well-established car designer, unveiled their latest electric car, the SIM-LEI. The company claims that this model can achieve over 300 kilometers on a single charge before the battery runs out. If this work out on a larger scale beyond its concept design, then the SIM-LEI will soon be the biggest competition for top EVs in the global market. Official Japanese Inspection Organization (JIO) reports also claim that Japanese electric cars has more than doubled the running range compared to previous models.

SIM-Drive spokespeople announced that they plan to make this high-range EV available in the market by 2013. They have yet, however, to propose a projected price. Instead, the company’s focus at the moment will be to sell the prototype to leading car makers for mass production of the vehicle, hoping to catch the eyes of Mitsubishi Motors in particular.

Despite their impressive statistics and eco-friendly nature, Japanese EVs are surprisingly not catching on as quickly as many would think. Potential reasons for a soft EV market in Japan are the high cost of batteries and shorter range compared to petroleum-fueled cars. Another factor is the lack of ample charging stations in the country for existing electric vehicles, which in turn limits their operating radius.

The SIM-LEI could break these setbacks and pave the path for an EV evolution in Japan. The SIM-LEI is a four-passenger vehicle, contains motors inside of each one of the wheels, and an ultra-light frame. It has the capacity to provide approximately 330 kilometers of motoring before the battery will have to recharge. SIM-Drive has hopes that this last statistic will drive the vehicle home for powerful automakers.

Mitsubishi, Nissan, and other Japanese electric car manufacturers are confident that EVs, with their zero tailpipe emissions, will soon be the bright future of the Japanese auto industry as the country continues to recover from its natural catastrophes. The move to electric cars will also reduce the harmful effects on the environment caused by auto-emissions at present, as is the vision in Western countries. The government is currently working with Better Place, the EV startup company, to build more batter exchange stations. If the partnership works out, it will bring more cars with cords into the mainstream.

Just like in the United States, many automakers in Europe are going green with their design and technology. EVs are ideal for the congested streets of Rome, Paris, and other major European cities. Check out a few cool models that are being manufactured in Europe, but have yet to have a strong presence in the U.S. These EVs, however, have limited runs and are more intended for local commutes.

 

Karmann Quicc DiVa

Don’t let its eyebrow raising name distract you. This EV was developed together by Karmann, a well-established German company, and DuraCar, a Dutch automaker. The most unique quip about the Karmann Quicc DiVa is that its body and chassis are entirely made of plastic. The two joint companies hope to introduce 15,000 of these models or more per year.

 

Heuliez Friendly

Available in 27 different variations, the Heuliez Friendly comes with options such as body length, motor output, and battery type—perfect for the custom car guru. This mini minivan has a range between 60 and 150 miles, depending on the variables you choose to come with the car. All versions are configured with three seats: One in the front and two in the back. Disclaimer: The motor has limited power, so think twice before climbing up a very steep hill with the Friendly.

 

Pininfarina B0

At a recent Paris Auto Show, the Pininfarina B0 was the talk of the event. It is a four-seat, four-door electric hatchback that’s about the size of a Honda Fit. The car has an amazing range of 153 miles and a surprisingly good top speed of 80 miles per hour, considering its size. The technology behind the B0 are its solar cells, which are situated on the roof and front end to cover the lithium ion battery. Acceleration on this model is just over six seconds for a 0-60 mph reading. The Pininfarina company is considering direct sales of the B0 on the Internet for this year.

 

UK Lightning

The name already establishes that this EV is a force to be reckoned with. The Lightning Car Company aims to build an all-electric luxury sports car with a sharp British design to boot. Its top speed is 130 mph. The GT model promises a 0-60 mph performance in just under four seconds. And, in terms of its extended range, you won’t have to recharge the battery until after 250 miles on a good day. And, even if you do charge, it’ll only take ten minutes using a standard house wall outlet. Sounds too good to be true? Not if you can shell out $300,000 for it.

What are some other European EVs that are interesting or unique?

You might not have expected it, but auto experts are predicting that the first country that will make electric vehicles the default national transportation is the geographically small nation of Iceland. The country’s population is heavily dense near its capital: Approximately 75% of Icelanders live within 37 miles of Reykjavik. The rest of the country, particularly its rural areas which are connected by 840 miles of ring road, would suffice with a mere 15 charging stations. Yet another appealing motivation for this plan is the fact that 80% of Iceland’s energy is cheaply produced and renewable, primarily geothermal and hydro power. That’s right folks—Iceland is the hottest test bed for electric vehicles.

But, like in dozens of other countries in the world, Iceland’s economic progress has been experiencing delay in light of the global financial crisis. It has not lessened commitment from automakers and the government though. Iceland’s President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, is spearheading efforts to make the country more green by putting more EVs on their roads.

Back in 2008, Iceland established a memorandum with Mitsubishi Motors to deliver i-Miev electric cars. The two entities are already on powerful terms, since they were already partners for the country’s aluminum smelting operations. Vision of the plan included having several dozen i-Mievs on the road by 2009 and imported tax free. However, due to the financial crisis’ impact on both the auto giant and the nation, only a few of the models are on the island at the moment.

Because Iceland originally set its signs on a hydrogen-based energy economy, Shell opened a commercial hydrogen pumping station and briefly fueld Daimler-Benz Citaro fuel-cell buses in the country in 2003. There are also a few hydrogen burning Priuses around Iceland, mostly available for rental through Hertz. No one yet has made a big move on hydrogen vehicles yet. The government has set a target year of 2015 to amplify its quantity of hydrogen vehicles on the road.

It’s not just the government and corporations that are advocating for green cars in Iceland. Gisli Gislayson, an entrepreneur, is planning to work with several organization to import electric vehicles into the country, beginning with India’s Revas model.

It may not be a big country in terms of sheer size, but Iceland is tech-savvy and has great potential in snapping up existing electric vehicles and promoting the green movement in automobiles with its eco-conscious government and policies. Despite the financial crisis, Iceland still receives a substantial income as one of the more wealthy countries in the world.

What is your outlook on Iceland’s potential as the next green frontier for EVs? What electric car model do you think should be the next one introduced on a mass scale there?