Automotive X Prize News: Oct 6th, 2008
This post is half a week late, but still reflects only material up to Monday. We've got news about Linc-Volt, Motive Industries, ZAP, Aptera (pictured is the new "production" design), and MDI/ZPM. Plus, details on the PHEV tax credit (which was inside the bailout bill), cars from the Paris Auto Show, an update on the Chevy Volt, Triac, EESTOR, third-gen Prius, Honda Insight 2010, and Google wants to award you $10M for helping to save the world.
Neil Young delivers state of the LincVolt address. I mentioned this in the website roundup. You also have to check out the webcam of their garage - you can watch them work (but apparently not late on a Sunday...)
Switch gets a financial booster, an investment of $1.6M in Motive Industries will give them enough money to get the prototype built.
ZAP Expands Workforce to Meet Record Demand for Electric Vehicles, they have increased their workforce by almost 30% since January.
Aptera may undergo some design changes before December production, see their Sept Newsletter.
Transportation and Fuel Components of the Bailout Bill, once again an excellent analysis from Green Car Congress. PHEV Tax Credit: $2,500, plus $417 for each kWh of battery pack capacity in excess of 4 kWh, to a maximum of $7,500. Plus (inevitably), really heavy vehicles get some really large credits. Auto industry responds to bailout bill.
AltCar2008: Triac in the metal, deliveries to customers start in December. Note that Triac/Green Vehicles is not (yet?) an Automotive X Prize team.
Plug-in Hybrids Aren't Coming - They're Here, because lots of people are paying crazy amounts for conversions. slashdot commentary.
VW Twin Drive is German for Volt, except that really it doesn't. The system sounds more like what the Plug-in Prius is like than what the Volt will be like - the engine will still drive the wheels above 30 MPH.
Google Wants to Give you $10 Million, for your idea of how to change the world. It's called the "10 to the 100th" project.
SSC to Produce World's Fastest Electric Car - Could Run 'Several Years Between Charging'. You'd think after the response that claim got a new months ago they would have backed off. But apparently not... Prototype due Feb 2009.
LightEVs Signs with EESTOR for Two- and Three-wheeled EV Markets
AltCar2008: Let's get ready to alt-energy rummmble!, apparently it was a fairly boring panel talk.
GM Q&A: Chevy Volt Production. Should GM enter the Chevy Volt in the Auto X Prize? ABG Survey on that question. Video: 60 Minutes interview with Bob Lutz, he says GM inspired by Tesla; he also mentions the Fisker Karma and the Aptera.
Third-gen Prius to be Sportier, but also more efficient. Lexus to build Prius-based hybrid, with more luxury features, and more power, of course.
Renault Unviels New Electric Car Concept, the Z.E. (zero emissions).
Paris 2008: Live shots of the new Honda Insight, plus press release from Honda. 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid Unvieled: Prius Fighter Should Top 42 MPG at Sub-$20k.
Paris 2008: Pininfarina and Bolloré debut the B0 (B Zero) production electric car
Prius 2008: Electric Smart Car Headed for States Next Year, some of the first 100 are slotted to come here, but production for the US may not come till 2012.
Austin Energy Alt Car Expo & Conference, October 17 & 18, 2008, at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas.
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