Electric vehicles still have a few obstacles that prevent them from going fully mainstream. These typically center on the price of the vehicle itself (though this is changing), and its range. One other barrier has also been the price of home-based chargers. Now, Bosch is offering a level 2 (quicker than the usually cheaper, and slower level 1) home charging system for just $450. For that price you get 16 amp charging and a 12 foot cord. There are two other options that increase the amperage to 30, with a choice of 18 or 25 foot cables -- costing $593 and $749 respectively. These don't include any additional networking features and so on, but for this price, and reduced reliance on external charging networks, it'd be worth clearing out the garage for.

Filed under: Peripherals, Transportation

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Via: The Verge, Wired

Source: Bosch

While we largely enjoyed our time behind the wheel of the Tesla Model S, we clearly didn't have as much fun as Consumer Reports. The often stringent outlet just gave the EV sedan a 99 out of 100 rating, which makes it not just the publication's highest-ranked electric car, but its highest-ranked car... period. In particular, Tesla earned high marks for efficiency and quietness, as you'd expect, although CR is equally impressed with the Model S' performance and that inescapable 17-inch touchscreen. The review isn't uniformly positive, though: not surprisingly, the luxury pricing and inherent range limits prevent a flawless verdict. It's still a symbolic win for eco-friendly transport, however, and might help one Mr. Musk feel better about his pride and joy.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Motor Authority

Source: Consumer Reports

CEO departures normally come in one of two forms -- a dignified slope to the exit, or an explosive, controversial parting of ways. Departing Scarlet Motors CEO Julien Fourgeaud has taken a different approach with a stream-of-consciousness blog post, describing the company's origins and cryptically hinting at divisions within the EV maker. Naming no names, the former Rovio executive mentions that he wishes people "kept their commitments, their word" and were "working together towards building an amazing product." But despite the dissatisfaction, Fourgeaud says that he'll continue to support the business as a shareholder -- in between making sure his LinkedIn profile is up to date.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: Julien Fourgeaud

Current or wannabe Tesla S owners can now opt for a Performance Plus option that adds a bit of range and a lot of extra handling -- and the whole idea came from none other than McLaren. After a journalist told Elon Musk that his nimble sedan was nonetheless outdone by a McLaren MP4-12C supercar (duh?), Tesla's engineers got to work tweaking the suspension and adding new Michelin tires. The latter boosts range by 6 to 12 miles over the stock rubber, while the whole package adds more cornering grip and acceleration "while maintaining ride quality," according to the company. Current owners can get the option retrofitted for $13,000, but if you're still kicking tires, it'll add $6,500 to your total Tesla S bill for the up-rated suspension bits, plus another $3,500 for the optional 21-inch wheels. Sounds tempting for a poor-man's McLaren, and given the new financing options, you might even be able to justify it.

Update: We've updated this post to clarify pricing. The 21-inch wheels are not included in the $6,500 Performance Plus package.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: Autoblog Green

We can't say we were enthused with Coda Automotive's ho-hum EV design, and we know the public wasn't, either. Still, it's hard not to lament the company's fate now that its parent, Coda Holdings, is declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy and getting out of the car market. The firm has had enough of production delays and slow adoption, and now it's planning to sell its Automotive division through an auction that should net at least $25 million. What's left of Coda will focus on energy storage, if and when it emerges from bankruptcy -- not nearly as exciting a field, but likely more profitable. While the exit was far from unexpected, it reminds us that the modern EV business is more often defined by its casualties than its winners.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Bloomberg

Source: Coda Automotive

We've seen electric off-roaders tackle the Dakar Rally, but racing on the Baja peninsula has proven elusive -- until this weekend. After driving in smaller races, SRI's EV1 has joined the big leagues by starting in NORRA's Mexican 1000 rally. The 535HP, 400kW open-wheeler has participated in at least the first trio of special stages, and it will ideally join a handful of further stages that fit within the vehicle's 100-mile range. While the EV1 is far from the front of the Evolution class, at 36th place as of this writing, winning isn't the point -- SRI wants to drum up enough funding to hot-swap batteries and complete every stage in future races. Its project should at least be proof that smaller EVs can thrive in some of the world's harshest racing conditions.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Autoblog

Source: SRD (Facebook), SRI, NORRA

The FIA's upcoming Formula E series has revealed two US dates on its début 2014 calendar (Los Angeles, Miami) and yesterday it took to LA's streets to promote the partnership. For Earth Day, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa welcomed Formula E Holdings CEO Alejandro Agag downtown along with a Formula E racecar for the exhibition. The race will run on downtown streets next year, although the exact route the 140MPH-capable EVs will take has yet to be locked down. Unfortunately there's no video of the event so while you can't not-hear its electric engine humming along as it burned rubber in the streets, the pictures in this gallery and video from its Moscow and Rome exhibitions will have to do.

Update: Now there is a video available of yesterday's event, shot from onboard Lucas di Grassi's car. You can find it embedded after the break, complete with high pitched electric whine.

Gallery: Formula E in Los Angeles for Earth day

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: Formula E

Fisker just can't catch a break. As if enduring the layoffs of three out of every four employees and the resignation of its founder wasn't unsettling enough, it's now come to light that the Department of Energy recently confiscated the company's $21 million reserve account in an attempt to recoup some of the government's loan. Fisker's first payment on the $192 million federal loan was due Monday, but the Energy Department revealed that it actually took the money 12 days beforehand, simply due to the company's high risk of default -- a move it characterized as an "appropriate action on behalf of taxpayers." If you're thinking the writing's now on the wall, you're correct... the WSJ reports that Fisker has hired a bankruptcy attorney, and the company admits that it's actively in search of a new owner. Will luck swing in Fisker's favor next time around? Place your bets.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: TNW

Source: WSJ

New York City's full-on EV taxi blitz may not come until late this year, but the metropolis is taking its first tentative steps into that electric world as of today: it's deploying the six Nissan Leaf cabs promised as part of a pilot program. The half-dozen sedans will spend a year on the road, with officials able to gauge the effectiveness of EVs as taxis when they have access to both regular chargers at their home bases as well as fast chargers in Manhattan's far West Side, Lower East Side and Union Square. Don't expect to hail an eco-friendly cab very often, though -- along with the daunting numerical odds, the Leaf drivers have more liberty than usual to turn down passengers and protect their remaining power supply. If you do happen to find yourself in the back seat, however, you'll likely get a glimpse at New York's cleaner and quieter future.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Autoblog (1), (2)

Source: New York City (PDF)

Fiat may now be producing electric vehicles, but CEO Sergio Marchionne apparently doesn't think they represent the future for the automaker just yet -- or, at least, the only future. Speaking at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit yesterday, Marchionne said that his company is losing $10,000 on every 500e car sold (a figure he first offered fully two years ago), and added that "doing that on a large scale would be masochism in its extreme." Those comments came as part of a larger point he was making about the push towards electric vehicles, and what he described as "strong arm" tactics from governments promoting EVs over other alternatives. Instead of "rushing into embracing EVs as the only technological solution," he says, "government can help drive best results by remaining technology neutral." As for what Chrysler itself is looking at beyond EVs, Marchionne pointed to traditional engine improvements and alternative fuels like natural gas, which he says is the "cleanest alternative available in terms of emissions."

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Auto Spies

Source: The Windsor Star, Detroit Free Press

While the Tesla Roadster did a great job of satisfying our jones for an electric vehicle with great performance and no roof, it was a bit pricey and is now out of production. Into that void steps the three-wheeled Torq Roadster from Epic EV, a team also responsible for that electric-engined DeLorean prototype we saw a couple of years ago. This video shows Translogic's Bradley Hasemeyer behind the wheel of the track-friendly (but also street legal, licensed as a motorcyle) vehicle and talking to the people who built it. It's not quite as fast as the Tesla Roadster, but it's still capable of 0 - 60 in about four seconds and a top speed of 110mph.

You'll notice a Samsung tablet mounted on the dash, and many of the components are sourced from Volkswagen. Unlike most of the daily driver-aimed electric vehicles we're familiar with that are very locked down, founder Chris Anthony claims its design allows owners to tweak and tune many features. Its DC motor means there's no regenerative braking, but he claims it's cheaper and allows owners to rewind the armature or upgrade the brushes. The first Torq Roadster was delivered earlier this month to a former Tesla exec and you can read about his experiences on BoostedGroup. Those of us who haven't paid the $65,000 base price can check it out in the video, which is embedded after the break.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Autoblog

Source: Translogic, TorqEV