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Automakers agree on common plug to recharge electric vehicles

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 19th 2009 at 4:24PM

Just hours after General Motors put forth a proposal for a standardized plug for electric vehicles, in flies this. German energy firm RWE has stated that a cadre of respected automakers and energy firms have all come together in agreement on a three-point, 400-volt plug that will enable electric cars the world over to be recharged anywhere, regardless of which recharging station they stop at. Caroline Reichert, an RWE spokeswoman, noted that the idea here is to ensure that "a car can be recharged in Italy in exactly the same way as in Denmark, Germany or France." We're told that the agreement includes nods of acceptance from the likes of Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Fiat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Eon, Vattenfall, EDF, Npower, Endesa and Enel, and while there's no time frame for when it'll be introduced, we're pretty stoked to hear that at least something has been decided upon.

Blue&Me-equipped Fiat 500 to hit Europe this year

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 10th 2007 at 8:46PM

A proposal made way back in February of last year is finally bearing fruit, as Microsoft and Fiat have finally made good use of their long-standing partnership. At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, the two announced that the Blue&Me system would indeed be shipping in the Fiat 500 this year, and it was noted that "top-end" versions would get the system built right in, while entry-level 500 buyers could opt for it as a factory option for an undisclosed price. The do-it-all in-car technology system "guarantees owners an outstanding combination of intuitive, hands-free navigation, communications, and entertainment features,"and while exact launch dates by market weren't noted, Italians can expect the newly-featured 500s to arrive first, while those in Germany and UK will get served by the year's end. Click on through for a few more shots of the vehicle.

[Via TechDigest, images courtesy of Slashgear]

Continue reading Blue&Me-equipped Fiat 500 to hit Europe this year

Fiat's tri-powered Multipla Multi-eco

by Donald Melanson, posted Sep 19th 2006 at 1:58PM

Dual-powered cars aren't quite as unique as they used to be, but a vehicle that's able to run on three different power sources should be enough to perk up anyone's energy-saving, cost-cutting ears, even if just a little bit. At least that's what Fiat hopes will be your reaction to its latest concept car / tongue-twister, the Multipla Multi-eco. In addition to running on plain-old gasoline, it'll get you where you want to go on either methane or E85 bioethanol. The methane gets a fuel tank of its own, but the car's ECU is able to sort out the gas and bioethanol itself, letting you use any combination of them. This being a concept vehicle, however, you won't exactly be able to get behind the wheel of one anytime soon. However, Fiat is making a slight variation commercially available in the form of the Panda Panda, which lacks the E85 bioethanol option but still lets you run on your choice of methane or gasoline.

[Via Autoblog]

Fiat introduces line of branded cellphones

by Evan Blass, posted May 15th 2006 at 9:47AM

In yet another example of an automobile manufacturer leveraging the brand to release a distinctly non-car product (see: BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini), Fiat has announced that it will begin selling a line of cellphones conspicuously emblazoned with the company's logo. Suggesting that this lineup values fashion over function, no specs are immediately available for any of the individual models, although we do know that all will feature cameras, MP3 playback, Bluetooth, and the usual suite of Internet functions. Crafted out of "cold" aluminum, the handsets were designed to be displayed in engine piston-like cases that are meant to invoke the good times you can only find by tooling around the European countryside in your Fiat Panda Monster. The new models -- which were built to easily pair with the Microsoft-powered Blue&Me in-car Bluetooth system -- will be available in chichi Italian boutiques later this month, with a general European rollout to follow this summer.

[Via textually and Autoblog]