News and Info
SA Smart cars to get micro hybrid drives
Great news for South African motorists - as of this month, all 52kw petrol Smart ForTwos will come standard with Smart’s MHD stop start system.
The technology enables the little Smart to reduce fuel consumption by 8% in the combined cycle (to 4.3l/100km and 103g / km) and by up to 20% in the urban cycle.
It’s […]
Full info on Fiat/Chrysler alliance
First Joule EVs on SA roads by 2010
Optimal Energy, the Cape Town based company that unveiled a full electric multi-purpose urban passenger vehicle named Joule to the world at the Paris Autoshow in 2008, has announced industrialisation plans to mass produce the vehicle in South Africa from 2012. This announcement comes on the back of a further share issue to the Industrial […]
Tesla Model S: First Pics
Jalopnik has just released the first ever public pics of the Tesla Model S concept electric saloon, as well some fairly detailed specs. How does a 480km range and 5.5 sec 0-100km/h sprint sound? Apparently, the entire platform will be developed in-house. Head over to Jalopnik for more pics and the full scoop.
Obama Announces $2.4 Billion in Funding to Support Next Generation Electric Vehicles
US President Barack Obama made a very important announcement yesterday that should provide a massive boost in the development of future EVs. From the US DoE Web site:
POMONA, CA - Today, President Barack Obama announced the availability of $2.4 billion in funding to put American ingenuity and America’s manufacturers to work producing next generation Plug-in […]
Fiat Group, Chrysler LLC and Cerberus Capital Management L.P. announce plans for a global strategic alliance
Fiat S.p.A., Chrysler LLC (Chrysler) and Cerberus Capital Management L.P., the private investment majority owner of Chrysler LLC, announced yesterday they have signed a non-binding term sheet to establish a global strategic alliance.
Time Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions of the Year – including 3 electric cars!
Time Magazine, in a November 2008 special edition, celebrated what it sees as the fifty most important inventions of the year, including some green motoring items.
Credit crunch may delay Joule production plans
It seems that the global financial crisis will delay the mass production of the Optimal Energy Joule, on which GreenCars recently reported. The company is in need of some €100m (some R1.3bn) in investment to start the building of an assembly plant.
Optimal Energy CEO Kobus Meiring told Reuters: “It is unfortunate that at the same […]
A lot more info on the Joule, SA’s first EV
Due to be launched tomorrow at the Paris Motor Show, the Optimal Energy Joule looks to be a very promising piece of automotive engineering. Today, GreenCars was fortunate enough to get our hands on a whole lot of detailed information about the car.
For the full rundown, as well as more pics, hit the jump.
A diesel Cayenne (!), and other green things coming from Porsche
The German sportscar maker Porsche AG is following a rather unorthodox method of cutting the average emissions of its fleet. Where most other producers of large-engines niche vehicles are looking at alternative fuels (like an ethanol powered Koenigsegg) or scaling down engine capacities (like the Ferrari Millechili concept), Porsche is hoping that another manufacturer’s green […]
