Washington Auto Show Expanding Presence of Green Technologies

This year’s auto show season has begun with a focus on ‘green’ - both in the money and eco-friendly sense of the word. Among the first shows this year, The Washington Auto Show plans to more than double the size of its exhibits featuring ‘green’ cars and technologies.

Even before the actual exhibits open on Jan. 27, the day before will kick off with the beginning of the 2010 Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The EDTA is a cross-industry trade association that works in and outside of Washington, D.C. to promote the electrification of transportation, including battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. Members include automotive and equipment manufacturers, energy companies, technology developers, as well as battery and component suppliers.

Among the issues that are set to be discussed will be ways to accelerate the development and adoption of fuel-efficient electric drive vehicles.

As for the actual ‘green’ exhibiting, the show will feature a 65,000 square-foot display called the Advanced Technology SuperHighway, which will showcase advancements in electric, diesel, natural gas, advanced petroleum, biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen, and safety technologies.

Adding to the excitement, Green Car Journal has announced the finalists for its 2010 Green Vision Award, which will be presented at the auto show‘s “Change Happens Here” event on Jan. 26.

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GM India and Reva Electric Car Co. Partnering to Expand Eastern Presence

Despite the global recession, General Motors India and Reva Electric Car Co. are set to close the year on a high gear.

At last week’s Los Angles Auto Show, Robert A. Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of global product development, said, “Today, we have a much healthier balance sheet, with significantly less debt. We’re positioned to be profitable in anything close to a normal automotive sales market. And, we’ll begin to repay our government loans sooner than expected, starting this month.”

On the international front, Mr. Lutz remarked about GM’s newest ‘green’ India partnership, saying, “In September, we signed an agreement with Reva Electric Car Company to cooperate in the development of small car platform based electric vehicles for India.

“Our goal is to jointly develop, with Reva, electric vehicle technology, and advanced vehicle control systems. We’re also working closely with the government of India to develop an electric vehicle infrastructure.”

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Nissan’s LEAF Zero Emission Car Goes on Tour

Stock photo.

For anyone curious about what it would be like to drive a ‘zero-emission’ all-electric car without having to buy one, you might be able to get your chance on Nissan’s North American tour of its newly developed LEAF five-door hatchback.

Nissan has just begun its LEAF tour which will stop in a total of 22 cities in 11 states, the District of Columbia, and Vancouver, Canada. The automaker is going all-out to showcase the hatchback, which is expected to rollout in mass production in late 2010.

While Nissan is in full-swing marketing mode, they’re also providing some hard facts about the LEAF, which is designed with a lithium ion chassis. For those unfamiliar with automotive terminology, the chassis generally refers to the frame of a vehicle, including components such as the engine, transmission, and suspension.

The LEAF has a laminated lithium ion rechargeable battery with a capacity of 24kWh (kilowatt hours) and a power of over 90kW (kilowatts), built by the Automotive Energy Supply Corporation.

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New U.S. Automaker Charging Up to Introduce Its First Affordable All-Electric Sedan

Powered by a 333 volt lithium ion battery, the sedan can travel a maximum range of 90 to 120 miles on a single charge, depending on individual driving habits. Photo courtesy of Coda Automotive.

SANTA MONICA, Calif.-Coda Automotive, a newly launched manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, highway capable vehicles, has announced that it will be introducing an affordable, full-performance sedan to the mainstream California market in 2010.

The company claims that powered by a 333 volt lithium ion battery, the sedan can travel a maximum range of 90 to 120 miles on a single charge, depending on individual driving habits. Coda believes the sedan can travel far enough between charges to “satisfy 94 percent of daily driving routines.”

With its current specifications, the onboard charger plugs into any 110 or 220 volt standard outlet and completes a full charge in less than six hours on a 220 volt charging.

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