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2012 Chevy Volt could be eligible for an extra $5,000 off in California
If you live in California you're blessed with a lot of things, including weather patterns that seem to get stuck in a rut an awful lot. Another treat you'll find is an additional $5,000 rebate on cars that are rated AT-PZEV -- that's Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, those having very low emissions and hybrid-like technology. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt failed to score that rating because its batteries are not rated for 10 years and 150,000 miles, part of the AT-PZEV rules, but GM is apparently looking to fix that next year with a version of the Volt that will qualify. It's unclear whether all Volts will be upgraded or whether it'll be an option -- and if an option how much that will cost -- but a total of $12,500 in rebates on the Volt would certainly make that $41,000 MSRP a lot more palatable.
408 Chevrolet Volts and Nissan Leafs sold in US during January, limited supply probably to blame
The Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are alike in a lot of ways: both rely on electric motors for their locomotion, both have earned Car of the Year awards (Volt in North America, Leaf in Europe), and both have had stunningly low sales in their first couple of months on sale. January's numbers have just come out and the Volt leads the way with 321 vehicles sold or leased, while Nissan scores an even weaker 87 purchases. That compares to figures of 326 and 19, respectively, for the month of December. Before we all start writing off the EV as DOA (again), let's remember that both companies have massive back-orders for their electrified people carriers, leading us to believe that the most likely cause for this slow trickle of deliveries is a limited supply rather than dwindling demand. Production volumes of the Volt and Leaf are expected to ramp up as we go forward, so panic's inadvisable -- unless we come around to January 2012 and are still looking at fewer sales than the Joojoo managed.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: self-sustaining airships, turbine base jumpers, and the Sahara's solar oasis
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week opened with the exciting news that Norway and Jordan signed an agreement create a flourishing solar oasis in the scorching Sahara Desert. India also made waves as they announced the first tidal plant in Asia, and we took a look at a novel wind power tech that eschews noisy turbines for piezoelectric pads. We also rounded up our favorite wind-powered gadgets that don't blow, and you won't believe the latest extreme sport: wind turbine base jumping! In other news, green transportation took to the skies as we showcased a futuristic airship that generates its own fuel and a hydrogen-powered UAV that can stay aloft for up to a week. Meanwhile, back on earth we heard several major auto manufactures make exciting announcements as Chevrolet unveiled tech that could double the Volt's battery life and Toyota pulled back the curtain on an upgraded electric motor that requires less rare earth metals. This week we also shined a light on the world of energy-efficient illumination with our Green Lighting 101 guide, and we were blinded by the brilliance of Mischer Traxler's repurposed Relumine desk lamps. Finally, from the realm of wearable tech we brought you the solar-powered Androcell backpack that backs up your data, and we tested a handy alphabet flash card app for tech-savvy tots.
Will rental car companies ding you for returning half-charged electric vehicles? Enterprise won't.
Here's a shocker in more ways than one. Earlier this month, Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced that it would soon be offering Chevrolet's Volt at the company's Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario, California, and we reasonably assumed that renters best watch out for any unforeseen charges that may arise from returning it with a dead (or near-dead) stash of batteries. For anyone who has rented a gasoline-powered automobile in the past score, you'll know that returning a whip with a fuel tank that's just 90 percent full won't quite cut it, and you'll be stuck ponying up for your oversight. Thankfully -- at least at Enterprise -- a similar surcharge setup will not be applied to electric vehicles. Lisa Martini, a spokesperson for Enterprise, got in touch with us to clarify the outfit's plans, and they're shockingly consumer-friendly: "[Enterprise] does not plan to charge customers for bringing back EVs without a full charge. Enterprise is installing charging stations at locations that will offer EVs, and plans to charge the vehicles once they're returned." That pretty much sums it up for at least one major rental company, and we can only hope that everyone else publishes similar intentions before their accountants publish something to the contrary. Power to the people, eh?
Inhabitat's Week in Green: wind towers, viaduct power and how Four Loko will be recycled into gasoline
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It was a monumental week for eco architecture as renewably-powered projects sprung up around the world. Japan unveiled plans for a massive new type of wind power tower, and we were wowed by a proposal to transform abandoned Italian viaducts into high-tech energy centers. We also showcased a solar-powered Dutch pavilion that can generate as much power as it consumes, and we were awestruck by one designer's plan for a crazy vertical skyscraper amusement park. In other news, eco transportation blazed a trail as a student-designed solar car smashed a world speed record. The recently released Chevy Volt outsold the Nissan Leaf by a huge margin last month, and we took a look at a breakthrough battery tech that could enable electric vehicles to charge 40 times faster. We also saw efficient aviation take to the skies as Honda launched a new jet that consumes 20% less fuel than comparable planes, and speaking of jet fuel, this week we learned that banned Four Loko beverages are being recycled into engine-ready ethanol. We also watched China light up the newswires with energy news as they announced the imminent construction of the world's largest solar plant and found a way extend the life of nuclear fuel by 60 times. Finally, this week we celebrated all of the hot new media tech at CES with a look at Lady Gaga's shutter-fly sunglasses, and we brought you a guide to how kids can use technology to create online media.
Enterprise to offer Chevy Volt in California, probably ding you for bringing it back half-charged
Not one to be one-upped by Hertz -- which already announced a plug-in rental program that'll include the almighty Tesla Roadster and the diminutive Smart Fortwo -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car has just announced that it'll be the first to offer Chevrolet's Volt later in the month. The company's Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario, California will have an undisclosed amount in stock for daily and weekly rentals, and it sounds as if it'll be grappling for more just as soon as they roll off of the production line. For those who can't quite make it down to the desert, Enterprise will be offering 500 Nissan Leaf vehicles nationwide, with charging stations already installed in Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Monica. No word on what type of fee you'll be hit with when you bring it back with only 20 percent of the batteries charged, but you can rest assured the bigwigs at Enterprise are already thinking about it. Update: Good news, everyone! Enterprise replied to us, and it won't be charging customers for bringing EVs back with less than a full charge. Huzzah!
GM invests $5 million in Powermat, says wireless charging headed to Volt in 2012
GM may have filed for bankruptcy back in 2009, but a lot has changed since then. GM's venture branch now apparently has enough cash in the bank to drop five million on a multi-year commercial deal for Powermat's wireless charging technology. The terms of the deal give GM the option to convert their investment into an equity stake within the first six months and provide GM exclusive use of Powermat's technology for one year in vehicles worldwide. Subsequently, the Volt is slotted to be one of the first vehicles receiving the new tech and a prototype version with charging mats in the front consoles and back seat will be shown this year at CES. However, the automaker is unsure as to what other models will receive Powermat upgrades. Micky Bly, leader of GM's electric car development efforts, stated though that initial tests did not reveal any significant issues with porting the technology into vehicles, leading GM to shoot for launching commercial integrations sometime in 2012. The automaker hasn't forgotten its an investor however and hopes other manufacturers will join the wireless charging bandwagon to help drive down costs after their exclusive buffer ends.
Chevy explains why two MPG numbers are better than one
So, are you confused about the presence of two MPG numbers on your newly delivered Volt? Fear not, the folks at GM are doing their best to educate the huddled masses about the Volt's industry-leading fuel economy, and just how the EPA arrived at the car's previously released 93MPG (electric equivalent) and 37MPG (straight gas, homey) ratings. No word on plans for a film explaining where the missing 137MPG went. Check the video after the break.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: electric cars compared, molten salt solar, and a renewable Merry Christmas!
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Electric vehicles took the country by storm this week as both the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt were officially released to eager customers - if you're still trying to decide between the two, check out our electric vehicle smackdown, which compares the two EVs based on their most important features. We also took a spin inside Honda's electric Fit, and we showcased a futuristic home decked out with enough solar panels to completely charge an EV. The Sonex airplane also signaled bright horizons for electric aviation as it completed its maiden flight. Meanwhile California lit up the newswires by giving the green light for the state's first molten salt solar energy project, and San Francisco announced a plan to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. We also saw ten European countries forge a plan to build a massive renewable energy supergrid in the North Sea, and we showcased two hot examples of wearable teach that harness body heat - Fujitsu's solar-thermal power band and a band-aid styled mp3 player. Finally, this week Inhabitat geared up for the holidays by showcasing 6 brands of dazzling LED christmas lights that save you energy and money, we showcased some innovative Christmas trees made with unusual materials, and we highlighted out favorite green gadget gifts for the holidays this year. And when all those presents are unwrapped we know exactly what to do with the aftermath - researchers have developed a way to recycle 100% of the material in plastic wrapping paper and artist Jason Rogenes wowed us with his incredible futuristic spaceships made from the styrofoam used to package electronics.
Chevy Volt starts shipping to customers, most of whom forgot they ordered one last decade
Mark it down, folks -- it's a monumental day. In a way, this marks the end of one of the longest running sagas covered at Engadget, but in reality, it's probably the start of something else entirely. Chevrolet's Volt was once the starlet of the electric vehicle universe. And then 2009 happened. In the meanwhile, a smattering of other automakers have moved forward with hybrid and pure electric plans, with Tesla's Roadster heading out to thousands of motorists and Nissan's Leaf shipping to customers earlier this week (just to name a couple). Of course, GM still maintains that the Volt is the "world's first-and-only electric vehicle with extended-range capability," but we're sure a laundry list of rivals would love to argue that point. Regardless of the hurdles and hardships, Chevy has still managed to turn a far-flung concept into reality for around 160 people this week, and a slow but steady trickle of these things should continue for the foreseeable future. If you're wondering if placing an order is right for you, have a look at our most recent test drives.
CE-Oh no he didn't!: GM's Dan Akerson says he 'wouldn't be caught dead in a Prius'
Think GM's CEO sees the Toyota Prius as a worthy competitor that, in many ways, paved the way for the Chevy Volt? Think again. Speaking to the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. this week, GM CEO Dan Akerson described Toyota's hybrid as a "geek-mobile," and flatly declared that he "wouldn't be caught dead in a Prius." Not surprisingly, it didn't long for Toyota to respond to that slam, with a company spokesman telling The New York Times that "Toyota has sold more than two million Prius hybrids worldwide, and counting. Those buyers can't all be geeks." What's most troubling to us about all of this, however, is the implication that a "geek-mobile" is somehow a bad thing -- it sounds pretty awesome to us... geeks.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: electric vehicles gear up to race, Apple's new HQ, and living architecture
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week we revved up Chevrolet's Volt and hit the streets for an elusive test drive of the hotly-anticipated electric vehicle. We also saw electric aviation soar to new heights as the pint-sized Cri-Cri airplane broke the electric aircraft speed record. The world of EV racing is also picking up the pace as GreenGT unveiled an all-electric supercar for the Le Mans race and Honda's CR-Z Hybrid beat out scores of gas-guzzling autos in a 25 hour vehicular marathon. High-tech architecture broke new ground as Apple announced that world-renowned architect Norman Foster is designing its new headquarters, and researchers revealed work on a living skin that could one day reinforce buildings and infrastructure with a hard, coral-like armored coating. We also watched as a crop of gorgeous bubble gardens popped up in the streets of Paris, and an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn was updated with a high-tech transforming facade. In other news, this week the energy world was buzzing about a new type of organic solar cell inspired by wasp exoskeletons, and the largest photovoltaic plant in the United States officially opened in Nevada. We also saw several eco technologies take hold on the home front: researchers developed a hot solar-piezoelectric hybrid fiber that could be used to create energy-generating clothes, and Lavish & Lime rolled out a cute set of digital shower timers that are perfect for kids.
2011 Chevy Volt gets stickered: 93MPG on battery, 37MPG on gasoline
The poster child for the electric car has just received its official EPA sticker, merely days after Nissan's Leaf received its own. The Volt has been found to have a 93MPG equivalent when running purely on batteries, while one could expect an average of 37MPG when using petrol alone. According to the EPA, the Volt will only be capable of cruising 35 miles on a full charge (here's hoping you've got a socket at your workplace, right?), but the overall range of 379 miles ain't too shabby for a car of this size. The good news here is that this sticker will enable General Motors to finally get these automobiles onto showroom floors, but the bad news is pretty obvious: 93 definitely isn't 230.
GM announces $490 Voltec home charger for Chevy Volt: $2,000 installed
We've already seen a number of Volt-compatible home EV chargers announced, but it doesn't look like GM is about to pass up on the market itself -- it's just announced its own 240V "Voltec" home charger. The unit itself will only set you back a fairly reasonable $490, but GM estimates it will cost about $1,475 to actually get it installed, bringing the total cost to a considerably heftier $2,000 or so. As Autoblog Green notes, however, that price is at least comparable to what Nissan is quoting for the installed cost of a charger for its Leaf electric vehicle. Head on past the break for the press release, and hit up the link below for an up close look at the charger itself.
The state of the electric automobile, in pictures
You've heard the announcements. You know the specs. You may even be able to guess how the showdown will play out. But unless you were in San Jose, California, this week for Plug-In 2010, you've probably never seen six contenders for our future electric vehicle dollars all in one room. We hopped in our late-80s gas guzzler and hit the show floor in your stead, snapping enough pictures of the Leaf, Volt, Focus, Prius PHEV, fortwo Electric Drive, and the i MiEV to give you a virtual tour. See what we saw after the break.
Chevy Volt officially priced at $41,000, $350/month on a three-year lease
It may not exactly be a huge surprise at this point, but GM has finally revealed that the official base price for its Chevrolet Volt will be $41,000 (including a $720 destination charge). That price is before the $7,500 federal tax credit, however, which will bring your eventual end cost down to a slightly more reasonable $33,500. Those looking to get on the road for even less up-front can also opt for a three-year lease, which will run you $350 a month after a $2,500 down payment. As Autoblog notes, you'll also have an option to purchase the car at the end of the lease, so GM won't be repeating its infamous EV1 scenario. Still too much for you? Then you might just want to wait a bit -- GM says it will also be offering the Volt with less features and a lower price point "within a year or two."
Coulomb partners with Ford, Chevy, Smart to deliver 4,600 free EV charging stations in US
Looks like Australia and Poland were just the beginning: Coulomb Technologies is looking to roll out nearly 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the US, effective immediately. If one of those cherry-red push pins is pointed at your neighborhood, you'll likely see the stations popping up at local businesses soon, and if you're looking to purchase a Chevy Volt, Tesla-powered Smart or one of Ford's two new EVs, you can even qualify to have a free station installed in your home. Partially paid for by a $15 million grant from the Department of Energy, the ChargePoint America program won't necessarily give you free electricity to go with it -- that "charge" in ChargePoint has a double meaning, after all -- but we're happy to see the zero-emissions future is finally on a roll. PR after the break.
Google partnership has GM OnStar exploring Maps, open APIs and more
In a move that could shape the mobile landscape -- or simply suck down cash, of course -- General Motors just revealed that Google was its mysterious infotainment partner. In the final hours before Google I/O, we sat down with GM VP Nick Pudar to tell us what the future thus holds for OnStar. As we saw in January, GM's already developing smartphone apps for the Chevy Volt on iPhone, Blackberry and Android that will let you remotely lock doors, honk the horn, check tire pressure and more.... But sometime after the Volt launches, Google Maps Navigation will be integrated into the smartphone app, and we got a hands-on tour. Check out the new interface and hear about GM's strategy after the break.
General Motors partners with mystery organization to bolster OnStar technology
Thought the Chevy Volt's OnStar apps were impressive? You may not have to buy a Volt to get them. General Motors says it would like to extend such infotainment beyond its flagship plug-in hybrid, and has partnered with a undisclosed tech firm to help make it happen. Speaking to CNN Money, OnStar president Chris Pruess teases that we could see some of Volt's features -- remote locking, charging and perhaps air conditioning options -- on other OnStar automobiles, or even other ventures (the exec says they're looking "beyond automotive") the auto manufacturer might decide on. The big question, of course, is whether this mysterious partner might restrict smartphone functionality to a particular handset or carrier -- after all, when we think of cell phone manufacturers who've both worked with GM and recently acquired automotive assets, one in particular comes to mind. [Thanks, Jub]
Chevy Volt passes key production milestone, US government buying first 100?
The Chevy Volt has already passed quite a few significant milestones on the long road to production, and it's now crossed another big hurdle, with the first pre-production vehicles rolling off the line at the Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant. Those won't actually be sold, of course, but they are necessary to ensure that all the points in the production line are up to standards before the retail models go into production later this year. That's not only Volt news of the day, however, as the Obama administration has also announced plans to buy "the first 100 plug-in electric vehicles to roll off American assembly lines" next year, which would seem to leave the Volt as the only option. It seems that's not quite a done deal just yet though, with GM saying that while it's "pleased to see that the Federal government is interested in the greening of their vehicle fleet," it currently has "no further details regarding these purchases."
