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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Coming to roads near you soon

Looks like most of us may skip the Car1.5 generation (hybrid) and go from Car1.0 (gasoline) to Car2.0 (EV) directly. Seems quite a few EV models may be coming to roads near you soon!
A gallery of pictures and some details via Guardian.

OK.. maybe some of them are just models - I didn't bother to read notes under each picture. So,  who knows when some of them will be made commercially; maybe they're just showing some of them off at auto shows for now to show they also do-EV!
But this much is clear -- this will be widely adopted in many EU countries before it makes a big impact in the US; some coastal cities like NYC, BOS, SFO notwithstanding.

Somehow, I do not see Texans driving a car that looks like this :)
Electric cars: G-Wiz
G-Wiz L-Ion Lastest upgrade to the familiar 2-seater electric runabout Top speed 51 mph Range: 75 miles Available in May Cost: £15,795 This is the newest edition of the car that Jeremy Clarkson loves to crash-test. While the last upgrade added a Lotus-designed safety cage, the current incarnation extends the battery range from 48 miles to a more commuter-friendly 75 miles. Deliveries of the £15,795 electric runabout start in May

They will drive this of course but who has 100K for a Tesla! (Other than Ferrari driving mid-life crisis ridden millionaires in Silicon Valley, that is. Maybe some Texas oil billionaires?)

Electric cars: Tesla-roadster
Tesla Roadster Top speed: 130 mph 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds Range: 244 miles Available in Europe next year Cost: $100,000 Probably the sportiest-looking electric car on sale today. This sports car accelerates from 0-60mph in four seconds and has a top speed of 125mph. Already on sale in the US, people in Europe will be able to buy them next year for €100,000. A new "affordable" €5,000 family car called the Model S is also in the pipeline

There is a typo there! The "affordable" Model S costs  $50,000 (after $7,500 tax rebate) .. not 5000. But that didn't stop people from booking more than 500 Model S Reservations in one week after it was announced earlier this month. [Also this note via Slashdot: "At a recent alternative energies rally, the Tesla Roadster managed to cover 241 miles on a single charge, with another 38 miles of juice still left in the battery."]

Tesla Motors's 4-door 7-seat all-electric sedan- 160 mile driving range and rapid charging at 440V, allowing a full charge in 45 minutes. 
This one I would buy!
Electric cars: Aixam Mega City
Based on French design There are over 1,500 on British roads Range: up to 50 miles Top speed 40 mph Cost: £14,175 Although the previous dealer for this two- or four-seater electric car went into administration last year, it's since been picked up by Aixam Mega and the car - based on a French design - is on sale in the UK for £14,175. Like the G-Wiz, this is one of the few real-world success stories - there are over 1,500 of the Mega City cars on British roads today

I've actually seen a few of the "Smart Cars" here in Boston since they started selling a few here in the US last year. When it first came, there was a report I had read that it was gathering attention on Newbury St. like Ferraris parked there outside the Armani store once used to! :)

electric cars: Smart Ed

Oh no..an update: It did not do so well after all!

'Orphan' Smart cars pile up as buyers back out - 3/23/2009 

Tiny Smart cars are stacking up at some of the 75 US Smart dealers because people who ordered them are refusing to take delivery.

It seems last year, shortly after it was launched in the US, Vogue magazine asked: "In a nation where your supersized car is your castle, is the Smart too mini for a man".
I guess it is! :(

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