GM announced its first all-electric car, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, will be available starting next year in select US markets.
The first of its kind for GM, the Chevy Spark EV will run solely off of lithium-ion battery technology, unlike the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid which was introduced last year and runs on both electric and gas. “The Spark EV offers customers living in urban areas who have predictable driving patterns or short commutes an all-electric option,” said Jim Federico, global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles at Chevrolet.
The Chevy Spark EV will compete against other all-electric vehicles including the Nissan Leaf, which was released last year, and the forthcoming Mitsubishi i and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. While EVs have been slow to catch on in the US due to few model options, high prices and a lack of charging infrastructure, many automakers are pushing towards more fuel-efficient models as the US begins to require more stringent requirements for the industry.
Chevy has not yet made available the details on specifications, price, or release date of the 2013 Spark EV. A new version of the gasoline-powered Spark, already available in China, India and South Korea, will also debut next year in the US.
The 2013 Chevy Spark EV, entering the US electric vehicle market next year, will bring further weight to the increasing electric market and increase GM’s place within the green movement.
Showing posts with label Nissan Leaf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nissan Leaf. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
10-minute Car Charger Developed by Nissan
One of the biggest complaints about the electric cars that are being developed is that it takes too long for the cars to be recharged. Nissan has been working to develop a new charger that will significantly reduce that time.
Nissan, whose Leaf is one of the most popular electric cars on the market, has the necessary technology to create an electric car charger that can fully charge an electric car in about 10 minutes. This would be a significant improvement over the current eight hours it takes to charge most electric car batteries.
Nissan has been working with Japan's Kansai University on the creation of this new development. The batteries that were charged in the early testing of the new charger showed no significant effect on storage capacity or voltage.
This breakthrough not only would make it more efficient to charge an electric car, but it could also improve the sale of electric cars across the world. If consumers has the available technology to charge their cars in 10 minutes, it would make the purchase of an electric car more appealing to them.
This technology could take up to ten years to fully develop and commercialize here in the United States. However, Nissan is set to begin setting up similar chargers in Japan this November. This charger would be compatible with all of Nissan's electric vehicles as well as other vehicles produced by companies like Honda or Toyota.
While it may take a great amount of time before we see this type on technology in the United States, it is still refreshing to know that developments and progress are being made today.
Nissan, whose Leaf is one of the most popular electric cars on the market, has the necessary technology to create an electric car charger that can fully charge an electric car in about 10 minutes. This would be a significant improvement over the current eight hours it takes to charge most electric car batteries.
Nissan has been working with Japan's Kansai University on the creation of this new development. The batteries that were charged in the early testing of the new charger showed no significant effect on storage capacity or voltage.
This breakthrough not only would make it more efficient to charge an electric car, but it could also improve the sale of electric cars across the world. If consumers has the available technology to charge their cars in 10 minutes, it would make the purchase of an electric car more appealing to them.
This technology could take up to ten years to fully develop and commercialize here in the United States. However, Nissan is set to begin setting up similar chargers in Japan this November. This charger would be compatible with all of Nissan's electric vehicles as well as other vehicles produced by companies like Honda or Toyota.
While it may take a great amount of time before we see this type on technology in the United States, it is still refreshing to know that developments and progress are being made today.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Electric Cars Make Debut
The first cars with engines that do not require gasoline, quietly rolled into Jacksonville, Florida this past weekend. The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are slowly being distributed out to consumers, and Jacksonville is one of the first cities to be chosen.
The Nissan Leaf can travel 73 miles on its battery. It is equivalent to driving 99 miles to the gallon, while having zero emissions. The environment friendly car also uses a solar-powered radio along with a system called “Carwings,” that shows charging stations on a map and tracks energy consumption. Due to the quiet nature of the electric car, it has a system that sends a warning sound to alert pedestrians of its presence.
The Chevy Volt can travel 35 miles on its battery until a gasoline generator can provide the car with 344 more miles. This is equivalent to receiving 94 miles per gallon on the battery and 37 miles per gallon through generated power. The car holds 9 gallons of gas, which is only used when the battery is low, and produces low emissions while the generator is in use. The Volt has regenerative braking which can charge the battery while the brakes are applied.
The government is offering tax credits and rebates for customers of a Nissan Leaf or a Chevy Volt. Also, a Jacksonville area energy company is offering free charging equipment these cars.
The Nissan Leaf can travel 73 miles on its battery. It is equivalent to driving 99 miles to the gallon, while having zero emissions. The environment friendly car also uses a solar-powered radio along with a system called “Carwings,” that shows charging stations on a map and tracks energy consumption. Due to the quiet nature of the electric car, it has a system that sends a warning sound to alert pedestrians of its presence.
The Chevy Volt can travel 35 miles on its battery until a gasoline generator can provide the car with 344 more miles. This is equivalent to receiving 94 miles per gallon on the battery and 37 miles per gallon through generated power. The car holds 9 gallons of gas, which is only used when the battery is low, and produces low emissions while the generator is in use. The Volt has regenerative braking which can charge the battery while the brakes are applied.
The government is offering tax credits and rebates for customers of a Nissan Leaf or a Chevy Volt. Also, a Jacksonville area energy company is offering free charging equipment these cars.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Nothing like a Little Competition: the Leaf & the Volt
It seems that nothing can go wrong for either the Nissan Leaf or the Chevrolet Volt. No matter the ebb and flow of sales and production, both brands remain continuously optimistic, pledging that the future is bright for electric vehicles.
But no matter the apparent confidence of either Nissan or Chevrolet, the facts tell another side of the story.
From January of 2011 to June, Nissan sold 3,875 Leafs while the Volt’s sales numbers teetered off at 2,745. However, there is more to this reality than sales figures alone.
Because General Motors is currently expanding and updating the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant where the Volt is produced, not one Volt was built in the month of June. Production is planned to resume in mid-July but the Volt will not be widely available again until August. As of now, only 200 models are available for purchase in the United States.
Certainly this lull in production is a great opportunity for Nissan to take advantage of. As such, Nissan is planning on pumping out six to seven thousand Leafs by the end of the summer, hoping to secure its lead.
Keeping with the brother/sister mentality, Chevrolet has planned an offensive. Since summer sales for the Volt will be minimal, Chevrolet plans to use its new and improved assembly plant to supply 16,000 Volts by the end of 2011.
But estimated production numbers and 2011 sales figures cannot predict the future. It was not too long ago that Nissan was dealing with slowed production due to the March earthquake in Japan, sinking to the number two spot. But they recovered and eventually secured the lead. The Leaf is the more affordable of the two, but the Volt offers a backup gasoline system in addition to its electric battery, a more comforting set-up for consumers than electric alone.
From their short six months of production and sales, these electric vehicles have constantly been on opposite sides of the ring. There is not straddling the fence: either you are a Volt person or a Leaf person. Surely in the future, the electric car will become more mainstream and this rivalry will be diminished. Until then, the Volt/Leaf competition lives on.
But no matter the apparent confidence of either Nissan or Chevrolet, the facts tell another side of the story.
From January of 2011 to June, Nissan sold 3,875 Leafs while the Volt’s sales numbers teetered off at 2,745. However, there is more to this reality than sales figures alone.
Because General Motors is currently expanding and updating the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant where the Volt is produced, not one Volt was built in the month of June. Production is planned to resume in mid-July but the Volt will not be widely available again until August. As of now, only 200 models are available for purchase in the United States.
Certainly this lull in production is a great opportunity for Nissan to take advantage of. As such, Nissan is planning on pumping out six to seven thousand Leafs by the end of the summer, hoping to secure its lead.
Keeping with the brother/sister mentality, Chevrolet has planned an offensive. Since summer sales for the Volt will be minimal, Chevrolet plans to use its new and improved assembly plant to supply 16,000 Volts by the end of 2011.
But estimated production numbers and 2011 sales figures cannot predict the future. It was not too long ago that Nissan was dealing with slowed production due to the March earthquake in Japan, sinking to the number two spot. But they recovered and eventually secured the lead. The Leaf is the more affordable of the two, but the Volt offers a backup gasoline system in addition to its electric battery, a more comforting set-up for consumers than electric alone.
From their short six months of production and sales, these electric vehicles have constantly been on opposite sides of the ring. There is not straddling the fence: either you are a Volt person or a Leaf person. Surely in the future, the electric car will become more mainstream and this rivalry will be diminished. Until then, the Volt/Leaf competition lives on.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Electric Cars Will Soon Come on Strong
Although there are not many electric vehicles on the road today, in a few years the availability and diversity of plug-in cars may be greater than any of us know what to do with. Almost every automaker including the big and small plan to have an all-electric vehicle out by 2012; Toyota plans to have three. There are many start-up companies that are placing their futures on the line with the emergence of the electric car market. Companies like Wheego and Fisker are staring their entrance into the car market with electric-cars.
Despite all of the possible offerings of electric cars, fewer than 7% of Americans say they would consider buying a plug-in vehicle. Of the few that would buy even fewer are willing to risk it on an unknown company. The dooming statistics don’t scare the big automakers because their futures do not rely solely on sales of plug-in vehicles; but for some of the smaller companies it’s electric cars or bust.
The smaller companies plan to compete with the bigger guys in customer service and specialization. Wheego’s CEO says “if you email me as CEO, you’re going to get a response back.” Also, the smaller guys don’t need to sell as many cars to stay afloat. Fisker Automotive plans to sell luxury plug-in sedan that will not be direct competition for cars like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.
By 2012 we may be seeing as many as 14 different electric plug-in vehicles for sale. Experts believe the market will be similar to the hybrid market, with one model taking half the sales and the others competing for the rest.
Despite all of the possible offerings of electric cars, fewer than 7% of Americans say they would consider buying a plug-in vehicle. Of the few that would buy even fewer are willing to risk it on an unknown company. The dooming statistics don’t scare the big automakers because their futures do not rely solely on sales of plug-in vehicles; but for some of the smaller companies it’s electric cars or bust.
The smaller companies plan to compete with the bigger guys in customer service and specialization. Wheego’s CEO says “if you email me as CEO, you’re going to get a response back.” Also, the smaller guys don’t need to sell as many cars to stay afloat. Fisker Automotive plans to sell luxury plug-in sedan that will not be direct competition for cars like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.
By 2012 we may be seeing as many as 14 different electric plug-in vehicles for sale. Experts believe the market will be similar to the hybrid market, with one model taking half the sales and the others competing for the rest.
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