General Electric CEO says electric vehicles will reach 'tipping point'

True belief or wishful thinking?

That's the question some may ask about General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt and his statement that electric vehicles will become more than a just niche market in the U.S.

Immelt, speaking at a Detroit automotive conference on Tuesday, said GE will continue to invest in battery-electric vehicle technology with the belief that lower costs and improved performance will allow EVs to reach "a tipping point," Reuters reported. Immelt stressed the fact that GE's decision was based on his belief in what will be a substantial market, adding that "novelties don't work."

Last year, electric-drive vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in and Nissan Leaf battery-electric accounted for less than one in 500 new cars sold. By comparison, hybrids account for about one in 50 new cars sold.

GE was an early supporter of electric-drive vehicles, agreeing in November 2010 to order 12,000 Volts and work with its fleet customers to purchase 10,000 more electric-drive vehicles by 2015. GE said at the time that electric-drive vehicle adoption could create $500 million in revenue for the company during the ensuing three years.


Source: Autoblog Green

Citroen Numero 9 - VIDEO

Citroen Numero 9:


Vidéo Citroën Numéro 9 by rtl-fr

Pics Aplenty: Citroën to roll out sexy Numero 9 plug-in concept

PRESS RELEASE

Marketed alongside Citroën's main range, the DS line explores new automotive territory. Based on more radical choices, it opens new perspectives in premium vehicle design. Inspired by ninety years of history and automotive excellence, the DS line illustrates the best of Citroën expertise in terms of creativity and technology. Two years after its launch, the DS line – comprising the Citroën DS3, DS4 and DS5 – has already notched up more than 200,000 sales.

Pursuing its career, the DS will be launched this year in China. To mark the event, Citroën has designed a new concept car, Numéro 9, to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. This concept heralds the future of the DS line and signals the styling cues of the next three models in the line: a C-segment premium sedan, an SUV and a D-segment executive saloon.

Concept car Numéro 9 sublimates the DNA of models in the DS line. It expresses radical choices in design with immediately recognisable styling that is both inspired and emotional. Sophistication is allied with a high-quality finish for original driving sensations and features that are truly useful every day. Its charismatic body styling revisits the shooting brake, while the new front end is designed for plug-in full-hybrid technology. This concept car boasts remarkable levels of performance (50 km range, 295 bhp, boost function, 39 g/km of CO2). High standards, bold design, creativity and the best of technology.

Honda EV-STER Concept at the Geneva Auto Show

Honda's EV-STER electric sports car concept is no stranger to the auto show stands, having debuted at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show.

The car has now made its European debut at Geneva, accessible to all rather than placed high on a turntable - so we've got some more live shots for you.

Though the EV-STER isn't intended as a replacement for Honda's much-missed S2000 sports car, it's hard not to draw comparisons. It's a small, relatively light weight, rear-drive roadster with sharp styling.

That's where the similarities end however. Rather than a revvy, inline-four combustion engine, the EV-STER gets an electric motor. Performance is a little more modest too - 5 seconds to reach 37 miles per hour, and a top speed of 100 mph.

Range on the Japanese test cycle is 100 miles from the 10 kilowatt-hour battery pack, though you could expect much less if the car was ever tested by EPA standards - probably as little as 50-60 miles.

The interior is suitably high-tech - not only does the driver get a rather conspicuous, lime green seat, but direction is controlled by an aircraft-like twin-lever steering system.

There are still no plans for production, but the concept shows that Honda hasn't forgotten about sports cars just yet - and the company is still clearly thinking about full-electric vehicles, as well as its wide hybrid range.


Source: Green Car Reports

The Dropping Price Of The EV Battery

The special batteries used to power electric vehicles (EV) are expensive. However, there is good news for future EV consumers, EV builders, and EV enthusiasts. U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu in a recent speech predicted that the price of EV batteries could drop dramatically by 2015.

Technology is a funny thing. As the cost of goods and fuel increases the price of modern gadgets decreases. HD TVs used to cost thousands and now cost hundreds. Cell phones were once a luxury of the wealthy and now everyone has them and you can even get one for free. According to Dr. Chu, EV batteries will follow a similar trend, and less expensive EV batteries means cheaper EV prices.

“Overall, the Department of Energy is partnering with industry to reduce the manufacturing cost of advanced batteries. While a typical battery for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a 40-mile electric range cost $12,000 in 2008, we’re on track to demonstrate technology by 2015 that would reduce the cost to $3,600. And last year, we set a goal of demonstrating technology by 2020 that would further reduce the cost to $1,500 – an accomplishment that could help spur the mass-market adoption of electric vehicles.”, said Dr. Chu in a speech to The Detroit Economic Club.

The trend of the dropping price of modern technology has, obviously, lead to more people buying and adopting the tech into their everyday lives – and fast. HD TVs went from the minority to the majority, ownership doubling from 2007 to 2008 alone. Cell phones have penetrated the American market by as much as 96% and are becoming the norm in developing nations worldwide; while 76% of Americans own a personal computer.

The fast adoption of these products has lead to some minor infrastructural issues such as the construction of more cell towers and the running of cables to provide internet service. Yet nothing really compares to what needs to be done from an infrastructure stand point to accommodate EVs on a grand scale. Some American cities are working to accommodate EVs in the near future but most are not. However if Dr. Chu’s predictions of cheaper EV batteries does come to pass, and the trend of dropping prices in technologies continues to lead to the fast adoption of that technology, plus gas prices continue to climb, it would seem likely that ownership of EVs will increase. This means more of a strain on regional power grids and a need for public charging stations to become a common sight in America.

Source: Gas2.0