Apparently, one Pivo just isn't enough, as Nissan today unveiled the Pivo 2 concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show. The fully electric vehicle boasts a 360-degree turning cabin, 90-degree turning wheels and "employs by-wire technologies for braking and steering." Yes, that means that this thing can "drive sideways as well as forward," and thanks to the in-cabin Robotic Agent, you can now rest assured that someone, er, something will be along for every ride to give you tips on finding the nearest parking garage. As expected, there's no telling if this thing will ever show up en masse on dealer lots, but feel free to hit the via link for a smattering of photographs.

[Via Autoblog]

Looks like minuscule RC cars aren't the only alternatively powered vehicles trying to break 200 miles-per-hour, as Ford just became the "world's first automaker to set a land speed record for a production-based fuel cell powered car." The whip used to set the bar, of course, is none other than the Fusion Hydrogen 999, and it reportedly reached over 207 miles-per-hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah without using a drop of gas. Apparently, Ford is hoping that this showcase of speed will somehow translate into advancements that will help us common folk get to work and back sans gasoline, and while we've no idea when a fuel cell propelled Cobra will roll off the line, it did note that a number of fuel cell propelled Focus vehicles were still burning down the roads as part of an ongoing study.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Those crafty kids at Hybrid Technologies aren't just busy stuffing ridiculous amounts of power into teeny-tiny Mullen GT bodies, they've also set their sights on a more consumer friendly car: the Mini Cooper. Unfortunately, while electric Mini doesn't reach the six figures range like its L1X-75 counterpart, it'll still cost you $59,000 -- a full $40k more than a base Mini costs in its native gas version. The car is rated at about 120-160 miles in range from its lithium polymer batteries, and takes five hours to charge. The desire to build electric cars "that don't look like electric cars" is quite commendable, we just look forward to the day when it doesn't cost so dang much.

[Via Autoblog]

No doubt we've seen our fair share of electric speedsters that can actually oust the more exotic (albeit fuel-powered) counterparts in off the line speed, but Hybrid Technologies' L1X-75 can rocket you from zero to sixty in a mere 3.1 oh-so-silent seconds. The 600-horsepower machine is crafted from a carbon-fiber frame, sports no luxurious amenities such as sheep skin floor mats, umbrellas in the boot, or even an AM radio, and can purportedly hit a top speed of around 175 miles-per-hour. Additionally, the eye-catching ride sports a 10,000 rpm redline, and the Li-ion-powered induction motors get all the juice it needs from your AC outlet. Unfortunately, there was no mention of when we'd see these sneaking into dealerships, but if you'll hit the read link below, you'll encounter a test drive video that shows off its fuel-shunning pizazz.

[Via Slashdot]