Filed under: Transportation

Check it, Cooper fans — that electric MINI we’ve been sporadically hearing about is for real, and we’ve seen the spy shots that prove it. Car has hosted up a slew of non-blurry (gasp!) snaps of the eco-friendly whip cruising around Munich, and just in case the complete absence of an exhaust pipe wasn’t evidence enough, maybe the “Hybrid Test Vehicle” decals will make you a believer. Also of note, we’re now hearing that the car is on track for a 2008 Los Angeles motor show appearance, which jibes quite well with the purported summer 2009 US launch.

[Via RegHardware]

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Filed under: Transportation

Car companies have been promising fully electric autos for decades, but it seems like we’re finally on the cusp of fuel-free, silent running. The Telsa, Zap, and Six50 EVs will all be on the road within the next year or so (we’re betting on “so”), and GM’s much-anticipated Volt plug-in will come a year after that. Nissan would like to politely remind you that it too plans to have an all-electric auto in U.S. by 2010, all the while lining up charging stations at places like commuter parking lots and train stations. The company recently showed off an all-electric version of its popular (in Japan) Cube at the NY Auto Show, so it’s a safe bet that the above is Nissan’s vision for the all-electric future of American highways. Shame they couldn’t have picked something a little sportier.

[Via Autoblog]

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Filed under: Transportation

It’s not quite official yet, but Automotive News is reporting that BMW is planning on offering some 500 all-electric Minis for sale in California. The main assembly of the silver hatchbacks with yellow roofs (apart from the drivetrain) will be completed in Oxford, England, with the batteries and motor installed in Munich. After arriving in the US, just 490 lucky Golden Staters will be able to pick one up — the other 10 will be show cars. Since BMW hasn’t formally announced the plan yet, there’s no word on pricing or availability, but something tells us there’s not going to be any shortage of buyers when these things hit the streets.

[Via Autoblog Green]

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Filed under: Transportation

Compared to the other single-seat electric vehicle that we had the misfortune of laying eyes on recently, Topia’s HUVO looks just magnificent. This clearly minuscule road warrior, which officially tips the scales at 150-kilograms (or just over 330-pounds), holds one lucky motorist and a small briefcase (if you’re lucky). Reportedly, the frame is constructed from high-tensile steel plate, the doors and the back panel from aluminum alloy, the roof from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the windshield from polycarbonate and the interior / wheels covers from ABS resin. Your guess is as good as ours when it comes to crash test ratings, but we suppose we should wait and see if this thing even sniffs the commercial market before worrying over that.

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Filed under: Transportation

According to reports, roost-ruling, green automaker Toyota has confirmed plans to launch a plug-in hybrid by 2010. Our man in Japan Katsuaki Watanabe (company president) dropped the bombshell at this year’s Detroit Auto Show while detailing the automaker’s plans for tackling environmental concerns. Apparently, the new lithium-ion-equipped vehicles will first be made available to Toyota’s commercial customers — such as government agencies. Watanabe gave no indication of when a general consumer rollout would occur. The vehicle, which is a modified version of the ultra-popular Prius, is capable of achieving fuel efficiency of 99.9 miles-per-gallon in EV mode, though it can only sustain pure battery power for about seven miles. The announcement will no doubt come as a total bummer to GM, which has plans to sell its own plug-in, the Volt, around the same time — though the Chevy vehicle is said to be able to make trips of up to 40 miles on a six-hour charge. It’s about time we saw some healthy competition in the green-auto-game — let’s just hope consumers reap the benefits.

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Filed under: Transportation

Being shown at the Clean Vehicle Technology Expo in Ontario, California is Hymotion’s modified Prius that can hit up to 150MPG in city areas. By adding a 175 pound battery pack to the trunk of a Prius — which fits conveniently under the floor panel — and charging overnight using a regular power plug, owners will be able to drive for up to 50 miles on battery power alone: that’s well over the average motorist’s daily journey. It’ll cost $9,500 including installation, but according to one of the staff at the show, half of that could be covered by rebates as part of a new electric cars bill soon to be before Congress. Onwards we go, tip toeing towards a petrol-free future.

[Thanks, I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY]

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