The rather un-BMW program intended to design and develop a new vehicle for city dwellers, Project i, is starting to take shape.  Project i is a decidely long-term committment by the German automaker to offer a wide range of options, including electric vehicles, over the next decade.  This follows on BMW’s announcement of deep cutbacks on V8 engine production in the coming months and years.

VW Twin Drive Golf

Powered by a rather significantly impressive turbodiesel, all signs are good that VW will be producing this plug-in hybrid in the future.  At least in Germany any way.  But considering how many changes this vehicle has already gone through and the almost daily developments in auto industry technology, it is not too far-fetched to think there may be hope for a North American version at some point.

We wrote about the Tata motors air car and how it works a while ago. But now, another air car is getting some attention, the San Jose based Magnetic Air Car. The Magnetic Air Car supposedly uses the same compressed air technology as the Tata air car initially, but differs when it gets to the actual engine. Instead of a piston engine like the Tata has, the Magnetic Car is said to use three on-board air compressors to channel the air stream towards a magnetic motor.

I’m still a bit leery about the whole magnetic motor concept in general. I’ve seen too many “perpetual motion machines” that were powered by magnetic motors. There are very few specifics from the company website, but from my understanding, the magnetic motor works by harnessing the power of the magnets repelling each other.

Forget about hydrogen or electric or any of the alternative energy vehicles that are so popular with the worldsavers. Screw solar, the sun is far away. There’s one resource that is constantly increasing and right here on Earth…human power. The GYM concept car uses just that.

The car is powered by an electric motor and battery pack, but the batteries are charged either through a handy plug-in socket, or more interestingly, by harnessing the energy created by the driver when parked and working out using the built-in exercise equipment. The GYM has a stepping machine, rowing machine, bench press, pull up simulator and arm weights. Hardcore.

VW Up! Concept

There are a whole line of vehicle concepts under the “Up!” umbrella from VW, meant to explore the possibilities of a new power source centered around the world’s first high temperature fuel cell and lithium-ion battery system.  With announcements on automotive innovations being made almost on a daily basis, it would be easy for VW’s achievements to get lost in the fray.  However, there are good reasons why this concept shouldn’t.

Introduced in conjunction with Chrysler ENVI’s electric hybrid 3-vehicle line-up, the Chrysler EV is a hybrid version of Chrysler’s current minivan offering, the Chrysler Town & Country. Ipso facto, the Chrysler EV is also a vehicle that no one, save for that overzealous mom who runs the local PTA, could ever possibly want. Fortunately, although Chrysler has admitted that only one of the three extended-range electric vehicles will make it to production, it hasn’t revealed which one, allowing us the glimmer of hope that it won’t be the Chrysler EV.

Despite the fact that its official classification as a minivan earns it our scathing ire, like the other two Chrysler ENVI vehicles, the Chrysler EV’s fuel-efficient engineering and innovative technology is actually pretty impressive.

Chrysler EV photo gallery after the jump

On Tuesday, on behalf of Chrysler LLC and Chrysler’s in-house hybrid technology design team, Chrysler ENVI, CEO Bob Nardelli unveiled a series of three “production intent” electric vehicles, one of which Chrysler intends to begin mass producing by 2010. Unfortunately, the consuming public will be held in suspense as to which of the three makes the production cut - at least until 2009, when preliminary models become available for commercial and fleet sales. While we await the final decision with bated breath, RideLust has decided to profile each of Chrysler’s ENVI vehicles individually, beginning with the most rugged [read: least like the loathsome Prius plug-in], the Jeep EV.

Jeep EV photo gallery after the jump

With the seemingly inevitable decision of the Government to appropriate $700 billion in aid of the mortgage industry looming ahead, the approval of $25 billion in loans by the U.S. House yesterday for the struggling U.S. auto industry received relatively little coverage.  Remember when the $1.2 billion bailout of Chrysler in the late 70’s was a big deal?  Well that is chump change compared to this.  But hold on, there’s even more on the horizon.

Each September, Montreal holds a car-free day, called En Ville Sans Ma Voiture!, or In Town Without My Car! centered on Ste-Catherine street. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the street during this day, and a bunch of vendors present green-transport alternatives to cars and various activities. One of the most important events is the electric car demos.

This year, students from the University of Montreal’s School of Engineering presented their solar car, named Esteban IV.

Yesterday, the United States Senate passed a new bill that will provide tax credits for plug-in electric vehicles, allowing GM to successfully achieve their goal of obtaining a $7,500 tax credit for Chevy Volt buyers. According to the new piece of legislation, tax credits for plug-in buyers will start at $2,500 and extend all the up to $7,500 for light-duty vehicle - with Volt buyers being eligible for the maximum allowance. Unlike the tax credits already established for alternative energy/gasoline electric vehicles which orders the credits be phased out for customers of a company once that company sells more than 60,000 qualifying vehicles, credits for plug-in electric buyers won’t be phased out until sales total 250,000.