Should been a Volt instead? So, why didn’t you start there, Bob? There are a number of people on this blog that have made fun of me over the years for my admiration of ex-GM Vice Chairman et al, Bob Lutz, an admiration I willfully admit. I’ve relished every opportunity to be around …

MTS has added two battery-powered, zero-emission Nissan Leaf electric cars to its line of eight eco-friendly vehicles . The Nissan Leaf received the recognition at the New York International Auto Show as being the 2011 World …

Smarter battery management But is the Volt really dangerous? One day you are out driving your gas-guzzler and WHAM, some jerk blows a stop light and t-bones your ride. A total loss, including the full tank of gasoline that now has to be emptied to prevent fires. Well, that’s no different than…

On the fence with a Leaf purchase? Rent one for a few days. Largest plug-in car fleet in California Many years ago, when the Toyota Prius was just in its second generation, many potential Prius consumers just weren’t sure what they thought about hybrids. Back in those days I often used to recommend renting a Prius, or another hybrid, for a few days to test the vehicle out. Fortunately, …

$40,000 for EV, or $20,000 for gas Can Ford’s new EV compete with the Nissan Leaf? The new 2012 Ford Focus plug-in electric will be offered for $39,995 when it hits limited dealerships later this year, particularly in California, New York and New Jersey. But with a price tag $5000 higher than the Nissan Leaf, can the Focus electric compete? Unfortunately, the EPA has …

The Nissan Leaf Nismo RC electric concept To debut at the Geneva Motor Show While details are scant, Infiniti has confirmed that it will bring a new two-seat electric sports car to next year’s Geneva Motor Show that will be at least partially based upon the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC, an electric car that hits 60 mph in…

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class E-cell Plus plug-in hybrid Might Nissan consider plug-in hybrids? Daimler is set to share its Merecedes-Benz MFA small car platform with its alliance partner Renault-Nissan for a new B-class Infiniti crossover that is due out in 2014 according to AutoWeek. Interestingly, that’s the…

Coda at the LA Auto Show, drab lighting intentional Subsidies, scale, range, accounting shenanigans? There has been a lot of hype in the green press regarding the Coda plug-in electric vehicle the last few days that has, frankly, been both surprising and annoying. I mean, kudos to the Coda team for putting rubber to the road, but the story is DOA at $44,900, particularly for something this bland. Today, you can buy an…

Profitable by when without Chinese sales? Would a Chinese shift to hybrids slash plug-in forecasts and crush suppliers? Here in my home state of California, a few solar companies are hot. Unfortunately, the hottest companies don’t produce solar technologies. Instead, they lease them to homeowners and businesses. Sounds great, except that many …

Best in class fuel economy and price in 2012, despite NiMH Honda in second at 9 percent Toyota is using old NiMH battery technology because they invested too early in the wrong kind of lithium technology, and that caused them to fall behind in plug-in vehicles. At least that’s what I hear from many in the battery-powered game. Poor…

THE MALIBU COUNTRY MART UNVEILS ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION – Continuing the commitment to eco-friendly practices and the environment. MALIBU, Calif., August1, 2011 – The Malibu Country Mart, known as one of Southern California's … The new electric vehicle charger, which is compatible with the current generation of electric cars , including the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf and

Etherea based compact hybrid coming by 2014 Expanding Nissan’s battery powered portfolio Possibly by late 2012, Nissan will add a new compact hybrid to the Infiniti lineup based on the Etherea concept and its new hybrid powertrain, currently found in the Infiniti M hybrid . Likewise, Infiniti will add a Leaf-based electric…