Just like a year ago, proponents of biodiesel and ethanol must be wondering if their green fuels were part of President Barack Obama’s “clean energy” comments in this year’s State of the Union address. Meanwhile, solar, nuclear and electric vehicle advocates have to be feeling pretty good about themselves as they received specific shout-outs during the hour-long speech. Appearing before …
EDTA Releases “Driving Forward” Report
The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) has released an action plan to help accelerate the growth of hybrid, plug-in, battery and fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. “Driving Forward: An Action Plan for the Electric Drive Era,” encourages public-private sector collaboration, encourages electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure development and outlines policies to speed up EV adoption. “The nation is at an …
Car Czar: More US Autos to Use More Biofuels
More American vehicles will be using more biofuels, as well as electricity and natural gas, in the next 12 years … according to the man in charge of the U.S. government’s investments in General Motors and Chrysler – aka, President Obama’s “car czar.” This article from Reuters says that U.S. Treasury official Ron Bloom believes the U.S. auto industry will …
New Prius Make Worldwide Debut
Before there was the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf there was the Toyota Prius. Today, Toyota unveiled the new Prius family of vehicles during the 2011 North American International Auto Show. In addition to the current third-generation Prius and the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV), the company is adding the Prius v midsize hybrid electric vehicle and the Prius …
AC Propulsion Wins EV Grant
AC Propulsion, a company that specializes in electric drive development, has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to integrate its electric drive system technology into commercial vans operating in Southern California. The company will launch the conversion program by developing the electric propulsion system and conversion process for full-size vans that are …
First 350 Chevy Volts Headed to New Homes
Some lucky residents of California, Texas, Washington D.C. and New York could have a special surprise under their tree this holiday, a new Chevy Volt (Okay, maybe in their driveway with a bow on top). The first truckload of Volts left the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant yesterday destined for these markets and will receive the world’s first extended range electric vehicles. …
Vatican Powered From Above
The Vatican has unveiled a new book detailing the Holy See’s solar power initiatives. “The Energy of the Sun in the Vatican” was presented last week during a press conference by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the commission governing Vatican City State. It details two solar projects undertaken by the Vatican in the last two years – the installation of …
DF Cast: GM Rolls Out First Volts Today
It’s a red letter day for General Motors today, as the very first Chevrolet Volts rolled off the assembly line today at the company’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant in Michigan. The Volt is the world’s first electric vehicle that also has a gasoline-powered generator, allowing it to keep on driving past the usual 40-mile battery limit. In this edition of the …
Chevy to Highlight Volt During Web Event
Chevrolet will be highlighting a promise the company made three years ago – to design, build and sell the world’s first electric vehicle with extended-range capability, the Volt – in a web event tomorrow (Tuesday) morning: To commemorate this milestone, we’ll host an event at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly facility – the home of the Chevrolet Volt. The pre-show begins at …
Holiday Travel Underscores Need for Electric Vehicles
The long Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend is underscoring the need for more electric vehicles on the nation’s roads. This article from Public News Service uses the example of North Carolina, where more than half a million families are traveling this weekend, spending about $12.4 million on gasoline. And that number will be even higher nationwide: Electric cars have long been …