Is the Chevrolet Volt a true hybrid car?
Even though General Motors has been in the news of late after applying for bankruptcy protection in US, the company is set to emerge as a more powerful and sustainable force in the US car market after agreeing a deal with the US government. While the company’s overseas divisions are in the process of being sold off, the main US business will emerge from bankruptcy for business as usual.
The Chevrolet Volt is expected to be General Motors next venture into the electric car market although it is causing significant controversy across the sector. While officially it is classed as a hybrid, offering electric and fuel power, the company has chosen to describe it as an electric vehicle equipped with a “range extending” gasoline powered internal combustion engine.
Why does GM make it so difficult for itself in the electric vehicle market!
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Do silent cars pose a threat to safety?
As the onset of the electric car market continues the evolution of the
electric vehicle is throwing up a number of substantial challenges, both in the field of technology and practical everyday use, which need to be addressed. As crazy as it may sound, one of the factors which has caught the attention of the Japanese government is the noise which electric cars do not emit!
Is your electric car a silent assassin?
As you might expect, because of the fact that many moving parts have been removed from electric cars they tend to travel in silence. Whilst for many people the ability to travel from A to B with reduced emissions and reduce noise levels is something of a godsend, it has proven to be a potentially fatal problem in the wider marketplace.
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Tesla Showroom in London
Last week saw the opening of electric car company Tesla’s first European showroom in London which could turn out to be a historic moment for the UK, European and worldwide electric car market. This is a company which is pushing the barrier further and further back in the electric vehicle market and introducing new technology which is sure to form the base for electric cars of the future.
Tesla has been in the news of late with the launch of a succession of environmentally friendly, highly efficient and eye-catching electric vehicles which have changed the perception which many people have of the electric car market. So why have Tesla chosen London and what does the future hold for the UK electric car market?
Why London?
While some people may be a little surprised to see Tesla choosing London as the venue for its first European showroom there is no doubt that the UK is ahead of many other European countries with regards to the development and ultimate introduction of electric cars. London has also, for many years, been one of the central financial markets in the world and as such attracts interest from leading companies and investors around the globe. What better place to showcase the latest and greatest in the electric car market than the streets of London which are said to be “paved with gold”.
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Is pay per mile taxation inevitable?
As we covered in one of our earlier posts there is significant concern within political circles as to how countries such as the UK, and Holland, which depend heavily upon taxation from fuel sales will be able to replace this as and when electric vehicles become more popular. While it would be wrong to suggest that any official decision has been taken there is no doubt that contingency plans are in place as and when the electric vehicle market really takes off.
Is taxation by the mile really inevitable for electric car users?
While many people around the world may not be aware of the potential impact which electric car users will have in countries such as the UK and Holland for example, we will inevitably see a future revamp of the UK road taxation and fuel taxation system. One system which is very much at the forefront of many people’s minds is taxation by the mile for the opportunity to drive on UK roads. But is this really inevitable?
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Will the Lightning GT change the market?
The UK government’s recent £25 million electric car program which will see a number of significant trials across the UK has dovetailed expertly with the launch of the Lightning GT electric powered sports car. The vehicle is the brainchild of the Lightning Car Company and is set to hit the market in late 2009 with a £120,000 price tag. So what exactly do you get for your £120,000?
The Lightning Car Company
This is a company which was created specifically to bring to market a number of high-profile concept cars which are both viable and likely to stretch the boundaries of electric power technology. There is no doubt that the company has made an excellent start with the launch of the Lightning GT but what exactly can we expect and why is there so much hype surrounding the launch?
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Did the Toyota Prius launch the hybrid market?
The hybrid vehicle is something which is starting to catch the attention of worldwide drivers but is often dominated by traditional liquid based fuel vehicles and in later years electric vehicles. However, the hybrid is starting to become more and more recognised and is ultimately seen as the perfect stage by stage transformation from petrol/diesel-based vehicles to fully fledged electric vehicles.
Many people will be surprised to learn that hybrid electric vehicles have been around for over 100 years and have a history which has been very volatile and controversial.
The first hybrid vehicles
When talking about hybrid vehicles today we automatically assume people are talking about four-wheel vehicles as opposed to motorbikes and the like. However, it is worth noting that a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle which has access to 2 different power sources which can include oil-based fuel, hydrogen, compressed air, liquid nitrogen, pedal power, wind power, natural gas, solar, waste heat, coal or radio waves.
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Nissan's CEO leads the way!
While the UK has not been the most forward thinking country when it comes to electric vehicles there have been a number of significant changes in this strategy over the last few months. For some strange reason the UK electric car industry is really starting to take off so what exactly is going on and what can we expect in the future?
Electric car trials across the UK
The UK government has today announced a £25 million electric car program which will seat 340 vehicles join the UK roads in places such as London, Birmingham, Coventry, Oxford, Newcastle and Glasgow. Most of the vehicles involved in the trials will be wholly electric although there are some petrol hybrids which have been introduced to the mix to gain feedback from users.
Many people believe this is the start of the UK electric car industry, one which could if successful lead the world on ultralow carbon emission vehicles.
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Is the revolution set to hit the capital?
In many ways London is the city which leads where the rest of the UK follows, something which the electric car industry hopes will prove correct in the future. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced plans for at least 100,000 electric cars to be using London’s roads by 2025 although as you might have guessed, where Boris Johnson is involved, these plans do not necessarily appear straightforward.
So what exactly is going on, what has Boris Johnson promised and what are the potential problems?
Electric cars in London
Boris Johnson has released plans for the introduction of up to 100,000 electric cars to London by 2025 as the capital of the UK looks to lead the electric car revolution across the country. While these plans are very adventurous they are also very encouraging and further cement the electric car industry in the thoughts and hopes for the UK transport network in the future. While the scheme has been well received by the vast majority of individuals and environmentally friendly associations, there is much work to be done and many potential pitfalls to avoid.
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Is the Koenigsegg Quant the car of the future?
When Swedish sports car manufacturer Koenigsegg revealed an electric powered concept car in March 2008 many people believed this was nothing but a publicity stunt and a vehicle which would never reach the main market. While there has been no official notification about commercialisation of the Koenigsegg Quant it is rumoured that the vehicle is set to be unleashed on the commercial market albeit in a limited edition capacity.
Who are Koenigsegg?
Koenigsegg Automotive AB is unlikely to be a vehicle manufacturer which is well known outside of Sweden. However, this is a company which specialises in high-performance sports cars and has recently expressed an interest in acquiring Saab Automobile from General Motors. The fact that the company is even considering an acquisition of this nature highlights the potential for the future and the fact that the company plans to be around for many years to come.
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How will the authorities tax electric cars?
As we covered in one of our earlier posts the idea for electric vehicles has been around for nearly 100 years although there has been limited progress prior to the last decade. When you consider that the more traditional petrol and diesel powered vehicles cause harm to the environment, use up vital natural resources, can be expensive to maintain and are dominated by the cost of oil, surely there must be a reason why electric cars have not taken off?
There are many conspiracy theories and ideas as to why the electric car market has yet to take off, all of which ultimately boil down to money and government budgets. So why exactly have electric cars failed to take off as yet?
Government budgets
When you consider that the UK government, as an example, earns billions upon billions of pounds a year in taxation on petrol and diesel it is not difficult to see why there has been some apparent unease at the introduction of electric cars. Literally overnight governments around the world could see billions upon billions of pounds wiped off their annual budgets forcing them to find new ways to tax the public and businesses to make up for potential shortfalls.
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