The Yugo was supposed to unite the Balkans under an umbrella of capitalism, to infuse the area with much-needed jobs and cash. Instead, the car was crap. Still, there’s something endearing about the little hatchback, something honest and pure. That’s why it still has a special place in our hearts—and why designer Milos Paripovic has re-imagined it as an electric. Oh, and also because he wanted to poke fun at electric cars.
Thumbs Up: The first truly new automotive technology in decades.
Thumbs Down: New “lower” price makes car more expensive.
Buy This Car If: You want an electric car that has a virtually unlimited range.
Even before the current post-crash-test fire media hype, the Chevrolet Volt was the most misunderstood and politicized car in the history of the automobile. Detractors called it “just another hybrid,” without bothering to learn what makes the Volt different from ordinary parallel hybrid automobiles like the best-selling Toyota Prius. Worse, they panned it for “only” getting 37 miles per gallon in generator mode, or “only” having a battery range of 35 miles, missing the point of the car entirely. General Motors was upfront during both the development and the launch of the car: for an admittedly narrow range of the population, the Volt is the perfect automobile. For the rest of us, it’s a very good choice for a four-seat sedan that blends battery power and range-extending generator power. Read More…
If you still think that electric power is for golf carts only, have a look at the video below. In it, Toyota Motorsport driver Jochen Krumbach sets a new world record for a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, running it from bridge to gantry in just under 7:48. That was fast enough to shatter the old record of 9:01, set by Peugeot’s EX1 electric roadster concept. Read More…
The Think City. Image: Mahlum
If you were one of the two or so people (besides the U.S. Government) who purchased a Think EV, I’ve got some bad news for you. Norway-based Think has filed for bankruptcy and will liquidate all assets worldwide, including it’s Think operation in Elkhart, Indiana. The company will also liquidate Ener1, a battery supplier to the EV industry, to which Think owes some $32 million in outstanding loans. Read More…
Engineers are taught to constantly think outside the box. They’ve been programmed to question that whatever exists today, can be made better tomorrow as long as you align the right pieces of the puzzle. Take the engineering students from the University of Adelaide in Australia for example. You see they’ve just invented an electric vehicle that they’ve name the Diwheel and according to them it’s half motorbike, half unicycle and could, if they play their cards right, be a glimpse into what we’ll be seeing on tomorrow’s roads. The Diwheel is made up of two mammoth outer wheels that enclose a center mounted cockpit for the driver. It also utilizes active rotation damping so as to keep the cockpit centered when the vehicle comes to a stop. Granted this contraption is a bit unconventional, but hey, so are the engineers who designed it. Click through for the video.
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Seeking to prove that electric cars can be practical for long distance road trips, a trio of Dutch friends set out to drive 779 miles in 24 hours. Picking a route that provided ample Level III chargers (which will replenish the Leaf’s batteries to 80% of capacity in around 20 minutes), the group achieved their goal. What does it prove? Not a lot, really, except that you can take the Leaf on road trips as long as you have access to Level III chargers after the initial 73 mile full battery range is depleted, and then every 58.4 miles (accounting for an 80% charge from a Level III station) thereafter. Don’t plan on speeding, either, since the best range is achieved by speeds between 62 and 74 miles per hour. You’d best like coffee (or have a weak bladder), because every 59 miles of forward progress demands a 20 minute recharging stop. Win or fail; you decide after watching the video below. Read More…
Thumbs Up: A fun-to-drive extended range EV.
Thumbs Down: The most misunderstood and politicized car in history, busy center stack.
Buy This Car If: You want an EV but can’t give up internal combustion practicality.
I’m no stranger to the Chevrolet Volt, and consider myself one of the car’s biggest fans. Mike and I had the opportunity to drive a Volt from New York City to Detroit last November, and the car impressed me quite a bit more than I expected it would. Six months later, the Volt remains perhaps the most politicized car in the history of the auto industry, with detractors willing to ignore facts in the name of sensationalism. I’m not going to swing anyone over to my side with a a single review, but I know this: during my time with the Volt, I was able to set the record straight for half a dozen people who had previous misconceptions about the car. Read More…
They’re silent, have gobs of torque and thanks to a low center of gravity, handle pretty damn good. These are the electric race cars of the Grand Prix Electrique, a race that was held at the Pau street circuit in France last weekend. The race was off to a great start until six of the eleven cars racing were damaged early on in a collision. The rest of the field finished the race with an average speed of 62 mph and proved to the world that electric cars can indeed race, even if its only for 13 miles.
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The 2011 Chevy Volt. Image: © GM Corp.
There’s good news if you thought green cars weren’t as safe as their gasoline counterparts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just finished crash testing the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt, and has named both a Top Safety pick. That’s the highest honor given out by the IIHS, and it should go a long way towards easing consumers fears of “new” technology vehicles. Per Joe Nolan, chief administrative officer of the IIHS, “What powers the wheels is different, but the levels of safety for the Volt and Leaf is as high as any of our other top crash test performers.” Read More…
Jay Leno, aside from being one of the most well respected car collectors out there, does not discriminate when it comes to automobiles. He likes fast cars, slow cars, steam powered cars and now, electric cars. What’s great about Jay is that he is first and foremost an automobile enthusiast, which means that he appreciates cars from all time periods and genres. The Smart Electric is powered by a 16.5 kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack that sits in the same place where the Smarts traditional 3-cylinder gas mill sat. This battery power means a range of about 60 to 70 miles and a top speed of about 65 mph, and that’s with the throttle pinned wide open. My advise, don’t even bother with this little bugger, just go out and buy a Chevrolet Volt and be happy. Trust me on this one…
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