Author: primetimeEV

Opel Flextreme (Part ii)

Here’s some more pictures and detail of the Flextreme. Autoblog Green are reporting on similar releases from Dodge and even an EV Jeep Renegade.
Don’t let’s get too excited. Each and everyone is a concept right now
and we may well be driving a lead acid g-wiz for years to come! Click
on an image to see it in more detail.

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Opel Flextreme

Is this really happening? Are some of the mainstream manufacturers really spending more time and money on EV technologies?   Detroit 2008 seems to be heralding a whole range of EV concepts.

The big guys seem to be concentrating on using EV and battery technology but charging those batteries with an on board generator (usually diesel and known as a range extender). They’ll also have an option to plug in. In the States the cars thats best known in this form is the Chevy Volt.  Here in Europe, Opel have been showing the Flextreme Concept. It’s a four seater EV that has a range of 55km when charged up, but has an extended range when the batteries are charged using a 1.3 litre diesel engine of 715 km (not connected to the wheels like a hybrid). Top Speed will be 160kmh with a 0-100 kmh of 9.5  seconds.

I’m hugely excited about it all. Let’s hope there’s something in this for the future…Here’s a short video of its unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2007. Mind out for those Segways. They’ll be everywhere before you know it… Click on the image to view video (2.3 Meg QT)

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Unplugged

Happy New Year one and all. The bad news is that Westminster/Masterpark are closing my car park along with it’s two charging bays. There’s been plenty of talk about Westminster & Camden councils installing many additional charging bays.  Whether it’s really going to happen remains to be seen. Click on the image to view video (6.6meg QT).

Links:   ev Westminster Council

Venturi Eclectic

While I’m waiting to test drive the Venturi Fetish (could be a long wait…) I thought I’d show some footage of the Eclectic. Powered by solar panels on the roof, it’ll run for 31 miles on a full charge with speeds of up to 32mph. If you live where I live you can even plug it in to the mains during downpours.

It’ll be released in June 2008, when 200 units will be released. Prices are expected to be around 24000 Euros. Thanks to Venturi for the footage. Click on the image to view video (6.9 meg QT).

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The Tesla (Part 5)

Seeing as some of you won’t be getting your Tesla’s for a while yet, I thought I would dig out some more of the Tesla files. Here’s where I got to take a spin in it. Click on the image to view video. (4.7 meg QT)

 

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Published
Categorized as Tesla

i miev

The i miev is ace. 4 seats. 4 doors. Great range. Proper safety features. Apparently Mitsubishi’s chief exec in the UK fully supports the electric version of this car and we should have it by 2010…. They’ve just previewed a concept called the i miev sport at the Tokyo motor show. Take a look at this you tube link. They claim this one will do 110 mph. I really hope that the i miev happens in Europe – it’s a perfect urban car. Thanks to dig info for the video and autoblog for the pics.


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Think

A think got me thinking (sorry..) yesterday about the new model that’s coming to our shores in the near future. Looks like it’ll be a great little car but there’s a question mark over charge times. With a Wiz you can do an 80% battery charge in 2 hours – something we often need to do. I’m not sure the new Think will have this facility. Click on the image to view video (3.5 meg QT).

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The Tesla (Part 4)

Tesla’s test and validation manager discusses driving the car in the arctic circle. Tesla, please, just listen, we need this car in the UK, it’s our only hope, don’t send it over the pond, please Tesla, please….Click on the image to view video (4.4meg QT)

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The Tesla (Part III)

Here’s where I get to meet Brian from Tesla. Brian was great – he took the time to really show me the car. The video would have benefitted from some editing (birthday parties going on around us etc..) but seeing as it’s not every day you get to meet Tesla’s test and validation manager I thought I’d leave it all in. Click on the image to view video (18meg QT).

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The Tesla (Part 1)

Thanks to autoblog green I had a tip off that the Tesla was going to be on show for a limited number of hours today at the "green wheels motorshow" in Norwich, where the car is built. The show has been organised by Cred and carbon connections, very useful departments of the University of East Anglia. Time to take the afternoon off and leg it up to Norwich. I got a really good chance to cover the car extensively, and meet the people behind it.  I’ll be posting episodic clips so that my bandwidth doesn’t go too mental and I can show plenty of detail. Click on the image to view video (10meg QT)

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Porsche

Hey, I got an email from a nice man at Porsche, which is encouraging. Looks like they are developing a hybrid Cayenne ready for release by the end of the decade. They also have the facility for a 25% bio ethanol mix in their latest Cayenne model. Looks like the big guys are doing something, but please Porsche, let me get my hands on a lithium 911 or boxster, similar to that uber electric car, the Tesla.

Low Emissions event

Camdencars

Camden council are hosting a low emissions event on the 22nd March. There will be seminars and discussion about the forthcoming LEZ (Low emissons zone), a presentation by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, and case studies by pret a manger and green tomato cars. There will also be a chance to take a look at the range of electric vehicles on offer to Londoners.