Ampera
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LifeSpan made a standing desk bike that can charge your phone, if you've got the legs for it
Charge your phone while you pedal.
2013 Chevy Volt stretches out the electric miles, works harder for the money
Every car gets a mid-life refresh to keep the customers flocking in, but a hybrid poses its own unique challenges: it has to give yet another reason to skip buying an (often cheaper) gas-only ride. Chevrolet's solution for the 2013 Volt is to keep drivers on electric power for longer. A slightly larger battery capacity with more real-world room lets the new Volt run for up to 38 miles (up from 37) solely on its electric motor, 98MPGe (up from 94) if you have to draw on the fuel tank and 380 miles of range before you're looking for a plug or a gas station. If gas looks to be the only option for a long drive, an EV Hold Mode borrowed from the Volt's Opel Ampera cousin will keep the electricity in reserve until you're closer to a charging location. Hypermilers have some entertainment through a new center stack that merges GPS, satellite radio and USB media playback into a seven-inch touchscreen unit. They likewise get a lane departure warning system as well as uniform roof and trunk colors -- that signature, two-tone Volt look is going away. We're still waiting to see if prices have changed, but you can get the current scoop after the jump.
British government confirms nine EVs eligible for £5,000 rebates, but there are really only six
Buy an electric vehicle in the US, like the Nissan Leaf, and you can expect to get a nice boost to your tax refund: a $7,500 federal subsidy. Now the UK is getting in on the cash back game, with a programme program starting on January 1st to offer a 25 percent discount on EVs purchased -- up to a maximum of £5,000. Nine cars have been declared eligible for this decidedly choice bonus: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Peugeot iOn Citroen C-Zero Smart fourtwo electric drive Nissan Leaf Tata Vista Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vauxhall Ampera Chevrolet Volt Sure, the first three and the last two cars are effectively the same models, just with different bits of chrome stuck on the front, but a little badge engineering never hurt anybody.
Chevy's Volt gets a lightning rebadge to become the Opel Ampera for Europe
There are some things a global economic recession can't stop, virtues like hope and American traditions like badge engineering. While GM's financial status may not give us much reason to hold that former virtue, it is at least continuing that latter tradition, announcing a deal that will see our Volt sold abroad as the Ampera. The news came with the above teaser shot, which shows Chevy's bow tie logo replaced by Opel's appropriately electrified Z, flanked by some rather more dashing headlights and bumper creases. The overall silhouette, however, looks much the same, and the Euro version is rated for 60 kilometers of petrol-free motoring, which roughly matches our 40 miles worth. No word on whether Europeans will be seeing theirs the same time we finally get to buy ours, nor whether it will feature Dr. Who sound effects instead of the Star Trek ones we'll get.
