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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Green Engineering Co. To Demonstrate Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Performance on the Track

Green Star Products lasted full electric plug-in vehicle. Images courtesy of teamswift.net.

FRANKFORT, Ky.- Scheduled for the first week of June, Green Star Products plans to publicly test its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, according to Joseph LaStella, the company’s president.

“This demonstration is the next step in a series of public demonstrations on advanced electric powered and hybrid powered vehicles that the company intends to offer to the public in the near future in the $25,000 price range,” said Mr. LaStella.

The demonstration will take place in Corbin, Ky., where the vehicle will be driven on a simulated city driving test route, and evaluated by industry representatives. The company boosts that “during an eight-hour delivery day simulation, this plug-in hybrid vehicle can exceed 150 miles while exhibiting an efficiency of over 75 miles per gallon.”

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Thrilling Student Victories at This Year’s Shell Eco-marathon Americas Event

The Alerion Supermileage team poses with its winning Prototype vehicle, sporting a fuel efficiency of 2,757.1 miles per gallon (1,172.2 kilometers per liter). The team is from Laval University, Quebec, Canada. Photo courtesy of Shell Oil Co.HOUSTON- Months of preparations culminated with triumphs for many innovative student teams at this year’s Shell Eco-marathon Americas event at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.

“We knew coming into the challenge this year that we would have a lot to go up against,” said David Vallee of Laval University, Quebec, Canada, whose team won the grand prize in the event’s Prototype category. With mileage of 2,757.1 miles per gallon (1,172.2 kilometers per liter) the university’s Alerion Supermileage team won a $5,000 grand prize for their school. The team named their vehicle NTF 3.0.

The Prototype category sets minimal design restrictions, allowing teams maximum technical creativity. The goal in this category is to reduce drag and maximize efficiency, which the Alerion team definitely did.

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Schools Gearing Up to Show Their Drive at the Annual Shell Eco-marathon Americas Event

The Mater Dei High School team proudly posing for a picture after winning the Prototype Award at last year’s Shell Eco-marathon Americas event. The team had the distinction of setting the marathon’s record with a fuel efficiency of 2,843 miles per gallon, equivalent to 1,208.6 kilometers per liter. Photo courtesy of Shell Oil Co.

HOUSTON - High schools and universities across the Eastern Hemisphere are gearing up for the third annual Shell Eco-marathon Americas event this Friday at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.

“The Eco-marathon challenges teams to design, build, and drive the farthest using the least amount of energy,” said Robin Lebovitz, media relations coordinator for Shell Oil Co.

Student teams manage their projects from start to finish, including vehicle design, financing, and transportation to the event. This year, 52 teams from nine high schools and 32 universities will be competing in two categories- the Prototype and the premiering Urban Concept.

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Obama Pledges $2.4 Billion to Fund Next Generation Electric Vehicles Production

Chevrolet Volt. Photo by Xinhua News.

POMONA, Calif.- President Barack Obama has announced that his administration plans to make available $2.4 billion in funding to American manufacturers for the development of next generation plug-in hybrid vehicles and the advanced battery components that will make these vehicle run.

The announcement was made late last week to an audience at the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center, where he pledged that “the initiative will create tens of thousands of jobs, and Americans who decide to purchase these plug-in hybrid vehicles can claim a tax credit of up to $7,500.”

President Obama went on to say that the Department of Energy is offering several grant programs in an effort to bring these initiatives to fruition.

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