I can’t honestly say I’m going to be talking about Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles every Friday. I just though it was a catchy title. I do want to review them with you though because they’re a simple option for people who want the low emissions of an electric car without the (current) distance limitations.

More people complaining that hybrids (and electrics) are too quiet.

ZAP announced today their intentions to release a $30,000 all-electric sports car by Next Year.

With the approval of an air-bag waiver, without which the company claims they would have had to scrap their whole electric-sedan program, Tesla announces it’s first set of Roadsters will roll off the production line in a few months.

They say the Pininfarina auto will be ready by 2009, and begin leasing in Europe, the US and Japan starting around $700 a month.

I know the back of the car says Geo Swift, but trust me. It’s a Metro. O a Firefly. I would know that car anywhere. It is the same model (and color) as my first auto, the Blueberry, and (as an electric conversion … costing under $1000!) is aptly named, The Forkenswift.

In the face of Toyota’s criticism, GM has converted one of their technical centers into a station solely focused on the development of their electric cars. Formerly the Warren Technical Center, in Warren, Michigan, the 8.2 million square foot structure is now home to all Volt-related business.

I posted recently about the G-Wiz having undergone tweaking to make it a safer car. A reader called me to task for reporting one-side of the story and I promised I would look into it.

[Note: The facts in this post are currently under review. Look for future posts to decide if the testing done was on the up and up, or if this was a smokescreen used to draw popularity away from electric cars. See comments for more info.]
There’s a misconception about hybrid and electric cars being less safe than gasoline-powered vehicles that has a surprising hand in keeping sales down. Unfortunately, sometimes an example comes forward that fits a stereotype … and it hurts.
The G-Wiz, manufactured by India-based, Reva Electric Car Company, failed Europe’s [automobile] safety standards miserably, and got enough …read more

If you’ve watched GhostHunters on the Sci Fi Network, I know you’ve seen the clip of the girl parking her gigantic SUV, then folding it up and putting it straight in her purse. I knew it wouldn’t be long before someone saw that commercial and said, “I gotta do THAT!” Enter Franco Vairani, one of the students working on the City Car Project at MIT.
It’s quite possible he’s never watched GhostHunters, or Sci Fi. Heck , he may not even have a TV, but the man is one of a handful working to design a commuter car that folds …read more